Sagada, engineered town of the rockies

Issue No. 2.2006

iReport, PCIJ
The Lost Boys of Sagada
by Danilova Molintas

The young men who grew up in the midst of Sagada’s tourist rush have fallen to the temptations of easy money, easy women, and what seemed for many years an easy life.

I have read Danilova Molintas’ “The Lost Boys of Sagada.” As Molintas relates about what had come to these lost boys, he also tells about those diverse personalities the town had attracted – those running away from something and those in search for something – both Filipinos and foreigners alike. I regret that it has come to this with this town.

I love that town – with its tall perennial trees winding the pathways, the rocks and underground rivers and caves, the cool temperature in a pine scented atmosphere, the quiet of the town far away from the hills that would either provide a lake or fall for swimming. Or shrubs after shrubs that provided periodic black berries in certain months or special beetles that could be baked for food.

A rainy day in Sagada is beautiful, just as a sunny day is. You can walk in the rain and enjoy the rain falling all over you. On a sunny day, you can spread your blanket, and with some umbrella over you, read a good book, sleep in the sun and wake up refreshed. I love everything about that place – including the hospitality of the people.

Did Molintas know this was an engineered town? It is. However, it is as though God had as well endowed the town with all its natural beauty everywhere.

Arctic Ice Thinning Provides Route

Original link for the story

>>>>> It also threatens animals such as polar bears and seals that depend on ice.

>>>>> There are geopolitical implications, too, as Canada, Russia and the United States jockey to claim rights over transpolar passages that open up within their newly ice-free waters.

As usual, I would expect greed to score much here.

I remember a Lanao lake in Northern Mindanao, south of the Philippines that dried up many feet away from its usual stretch. It sank lower and lower and lower, laying bare some tracks of soft ground all around the lake.

Soon, the people thought the water level would not come up again; they began claiming portions and piled up rock upon rock to demarcate their boundaries. In claiming these properties, they began quarreling, leading to an accounting of who owns what from the history of that place as their ancestors had settled then.

Then one night, the waters roared in anger and the lake claimed its usual level, inundating the piles of rocks and erasing whatever demarcations were in place.

In the morning, when the people returned to the lake, they found their newfound “properties” gone.

This impending fight for Arctic routes is not any different.

It would be interesting to see who would claim to own nature.

Funny World of Sleep

Original link for the story

Interesting research this!

And funny, too.

Sheet stealing?

This reminds me of our dormitory life in high school.

The place is freezing especially at night and often times one could be found shivering. We had to pile blanket after blanket over ourselves beyond thick sweaters, as one had to think of ways to keep warm. Eyeing those of others who would be sleeping so soundly while you can't, would make you think they might not be needing theirs more than you did.

And pronto! One could become a thieving Ms. Arrowhead ... in... the... deep... of... the... night. It was one of the games we played secretly amidst giggles in the girls' dorm.

Before the break of day, however, we would get rid of the weight of blankets and these were quietly laid over the owners - sans their knowledge of our games.

Tower of Babel with us

Why is the letter b in German specialized as in -
der Fuß (meaning, foot)
Why? Is this to emphasize intensity of sound and stress?

My friend, Amekico, replied and said -

It is no "b" but an own letter - compare B and ß.
ß, known as "Eszett" or "scharfes S", is pronounced like an unvoiced "s".

He sent me a link and I thought it was a broken record.
Funny, how people make language so difficult.

Somehow, I think man is being punished – as in the Tower of Babel story.

Doesn't like writing but needs the money

Maria wrote >>>>> The topic was "discuss your future plans," and I would love to have some more ideas suggested to this essay. Trust me, I don't like scholarship essays, but I need money for school, and I have to do them.

Richard said >>>>> ... just tell them a pack of lies.

To the Marias out there, here’s a piece of advice you can use.

In this day and age, Maria, there's no such thing as free lunch. If you want something, you have to work hard for it. Know why? Because working hard - that people usually don't like - makes something out of you.

What you can get out of learning to write, yourself, you can use throughout your lifetime - and with immeasurable benefits. But getting money without going through the process of learning writing is just like catching vapor and putting it into a can.

Now and then, you'll have to be asking people to write things for you. What about when you apply for employment and are asked to write something? Just in the application process alone, writing skills are being measured. The ability to express oneself is one great factor being considered by most employers.

The earlier one learns how, the better.

Blog your way to confidence

I wish I had such confidence, someone wrote over the forum.

In any endeavor, the enemy is lack of confidence.

I used to be a blushing back-seat observer before. The situation is something really not likeable. When you are in this situation, you would wonder why some people could be so outspoken and could express their ideas so well. And oooh, how you wish you could be like them.

Well, there’s no secret there. As in other skills, being able to do things must develop to something, given some efforts and there are many avenues toward getting there.

The multi-cultural background of my family made it necessary for me to travel alone north and south of the country in my teenage years. Being a stranger in the expanse of other people’s world and being able to tackle other cultures had given me some dare to take in other challenges. Actually, when you’re done with one challenge, the next thing is easier.

Traveling alone in a very big ship at the age of 16 for the first time, I simply covered myself with my blankets and never spoke with anyone until the ship blew its horn after three days to announce it had finally arrived. I only walked around to take my meals or use the bathroom. I was that shy. Then I discovered one gets nothing out of being like that.

Exposure to other cultures even just in the country had widened my world and had given me the means to see for myself where I am and what I am capable of being. One tends to get a compass for oneself in situations like this. So being able to handle safely social relationships with “aliens” is one of those one has to learn.

Next is the ability to be able to express oneself. Ironic that with me, I had aimed to master the international language but not the many, many dialects in the country. With me, if you can handle just one language that is applicable to most situations anywhere in the world, then that would suffice. The language of the Cyberworld is English. If you know enough of that, you can get by.

Another way to build confidence is trying other careers. I used to admire people in uniform, so I became one myself. After that, it was like, “So that’s all there is to it?”

One tends to get some handles one can use after experiencing many things – instead of just guessing or imagining situations. One can understand people better too.

Another way is to make use of one's talents. Really, it’s not commonplace to be able to write; it’s not ordinary. So if one was discovered as having that talent, and somebody expressed such belief, it is best to believe it and then actualize it. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain. It is only that one has to support it by applying it anytime it is possible. Developing related skills like reading and speaking can also enhance it.

Making or writing a journal helps. It is good to write one's thoughts everyday as in blogging. Just posting one's reactions or comments to events happening in one's blog and expressing oneself in forums is already developing one's mind at the same time one's skills.