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Friday, February 27, 2009
The chill of the Christmas season was getting to me. It was 3 a.m.and I could not put myself to sleep. I looked at the rumpled person in front of me. Her hair was unkempt and her eyes, which looked tired and drowsy, had bruise-like shadows beneath them. Her cheeks were scrawny and her face was pale. She told me, " You think too much". I asked myself that, too. Do I? The question would always come up during those late hours of night, when there's no hiding. I liked my life, the way it's turned out. I was miraculously still at school, I had passed my favorite subject with the exact grades I needed, there is no problem with my home life, I had great friends and I have great years ahead of me. Or do I? The shabby person stared back. Why was it that when we want to sleep the most, sometimes, we just can't? Or was it just me? People change, but what if I do not want to change? Like, what if I just turn into a vampire one night and just live forever, unchanging? I just said I liked my life. Why was I whining? For the longest time I had been debating with myself if I should ever feel this way. Edward and his beautiful face, his perfect chiselled body, and his old school ways, that's all I can ever think of. Edward of the summer past. Edward smiled at me that me that one summer night and in the language of smiles, his smile, mirrored mine, said something - something that gave away nothing, and at the same time, everything. The first time I ever saw him, I was floored. He was unlike anything I have ever seen before. BY the time I first talked to him, I knew this was it. I made excuses to be with him. And every single time the excuses got flimsier and flimsier. I was practically stalking him already. I felt like a squashed veggie when I don't see him even just for a day. There was a glint of smile playing across the scruffy person's face. She held a white flag. Suddenly, there were white flags all over, on the slightly opened window and above the door. And then I realized that person was me. But no. I am the master of my own destiny. To put it Dido's way, there will be no white flag above my door. I'm in love, and always will be.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, February 26, 2009
I wonder what our country's flag is called. Or should flag names ever become essential, I wonder what ours is going to be. The United Kingdom has union jack, the United States of America has the star spangled banner or is that just their anthem? My nephew's just learning to work with crayons and coloring materials and I was fascinated at how great he was with colors. He drew the union jack with colors blue and red and I must say he did a pretty good job. I remember being in preschool eons ago and we were always asked to make a miniature flag of whatever nation for the United Nation's Day. I always crafted - you guessed it - Japan's for reasons extremely obvious. And even that hardly seemed like a good job for a preschooler. I sucked at art class. Anyway, today is a pretty boring day. I went to school, sat around and went straight home. I lay around in my puny bunk bed for a while and started the rest of my day. I read the book I had been reading time and again for three years now I practically memorized everything already. After chuckling from time to time, I decided to write. Light materials like that make me want to be a writer too, though I don't see how that would be possible. My imagination and wit, like myself in art class, suck. I flinched when someone came knocking on my door, asking me to come eat dinner. I decided to come along since my stomach was making odd sounds already. A basketball game was on tonight so I watched. My team got the beating. And right now, there is nothing left to do but sleep. But I do not want to doze off right now. Not yet. I'm not done with something I should be doing; something that would please me in the end. Never mind if I should be up so early Saturday morning doing something that's totally pointless. If only I had a choice, if only I had a choice.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
As a kid in elementary school, I had resigned over a hundred times into leading my batch mates in our everyday (or was it weekly?) flag ceremony all because I was class president. As a kid, I never paid much attention to my country. Maybe because I was too busy paying attention to another kid's. I never enjoyed singing along with the other kids my age during the national anthem part, not that I enjoy it now. I had hoped to be a better citizen during my growing up years. Now that I have grown up though, all that I had given to my innocent childhood hope is a generous amount of chagrin. I do not see why I should hope to be a better citizen. Besides, all the politicians are working their asses off to be just that. So why compete? But I did hope I had given interest to my foundation of history. I never knew much about it. Not even a tiny bit about our shiny, reputable school flag . But every nation's flag is deemed reputable right? So that does not make our flag any better than any other nation's except that it is so much better than Japan's, with regards to design, that is. I wish I had given interest in the life of our national hero Jose Rizal in high school, because now that I think about it, his life is really remarkable. But then again he would not be our national hero if his it wasn't, right? Before I talk about something entirely unrelated here, all I am saying is that, why can't we be just like elementary kids. Young and innocent, but full of hopes and dreams for our country, involuntarily nationalistic just by their sheer interest in singing the, Lupang Hinirang. I mean, come on, almost everybody has answered Bayang Magiliw once in his life when asked what our national hymn is. I myself am not an exception. Why can't I be a loyal citizen? People, I am not talking about patriotism here. I'm just not.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
There is a wide array of sports popular in the country today; I'm not talking about the conventional ones. To name a few, there's korfball, ultimate Frisbee, and the one I like best: flag football. Now I am not sure if it is even played around here in the south, but if it were, I would love to take a whack at it. I read about flag football a few years ago in a magazine and it caught my curiosity. It was something new to my non-sporty self, I'd never heard of it before. The photo in the magazine showed teams of both men and women wearing flags around their waists. That's really something new now, isn't it? A girl named Cheska especially made the sport appealing to me. The way she ran around the vast football field in her sporty outfit made me envious. I have always wanted to be an athlete. I even think I was built to be one. I am not short, I am bulky. But the entire universe conspired to impede me. How poignant. So all my life I had resorted to just being on the sidelines, scrutinizing. How ironic. If I were the athlete, would I want to be under public scrutiny? Maybe not. But I would probably be willing to put up with it. What I would not give to be an athlete. Sometimes, I even daydream of representing the country - not alone, though, no. I want to be a part of a team - basketball team, or a flag football team, perhaps. We would go abroad, conveying our nation's flag, and bringing home the bacon. What a one-dimensional dream. So going back to the unconventional sports, I wonder why they did not consider offering it for gym class here. Why does it always have to be either basketball or volleyball only? Why not korfball? Why not flag football? Surely students would want to gain knowledge of some infrequent sport, something in mint condition, not something jaded or stale.
by: The Flagman
Monday, February 23, 2009
Marinas are constructed to keep yachts owned by sea lovers. It's interesting to see different types of yachts tied along the harbor. Aside from all those yachts, the nautical flags that these yachts use are also great to look at. Actually its not just yachts that use nautical flags, all types of ships use these normally for identity purposes. In military ships for example, these may be used to imitate alphabet signals and it may also identify the status of their fleet. A universal flag system made up of different colors, markings and shapes were developed after the First World War. This system is currently adopted by majority of countries around the world. A uniform system was developed and adopted to avoid confusion among seafarers across the globe. Long time ago, nautical flags are used to communicate with other ships across the sea. Aside from communication, they are also used as signals for different purposes. Greeks and Romans were noted for their exceptional use of them during wars. Different symbols and combination may be used to tell other ships of a command coming from a general among others. However, the invention of the radio and other advance communication devices forced these nautical flags to formally retire into the mainstream. From its militaristic purpose it evolved into something aesthetic. Today, these flags are usually used by yacht owners for aesthetic purposes only. It's a common way to fully personalize their yachts nowadays. Usually they design logos and later on commission flag makers to make them one. New technology may have made them almost obsolete, but I think it wouldn't be much of a trouble if you got one stored in your yacht, there's nothing wrong for keeping something analog. Who knows? Maybe someday these flags may even save your life.
by: The Flagman
Friday, February 20, 2009
Anybody would agree that you can never be considered a car fanatic if you don't have a fancy for motor sports. All car enthusiasts once dreamed in their lives to drive their very own cars in the racetrack. Watching a race over the television is quite exciting and it' s hard to fully appreciate the game if you are not acquainted with the rules on the race. So it is quite important that before you watch a race, you need to read a little bit on the basic rules or you could have a friend who knows them to acquaint you a bit about it. Aside from the rules in a car race, it is also important to remember the different signals an official waves during the race. These signals are very important because these signals tell the driver specific instructions that they may not receive during the entirety of the race. These signals are what we conventionally see as racing flags. Usually, it is the grand marshal of the race who waves it at the stand near the finish line. Sometimes when the road course is relatively unconventional, there are other officials stationed at strategic positions at the race track to communicate the signals to drivers who cannot see the main stand. There are two types of racing flags, the instruction and the status flags. Instruction flags signal each driver for an instruction. A black flag instructs a racer to proceed to the pit stop until further instructions because of a rule violation or car defects. A status flag on the other hand dictates the racer of the recent status of the race. A green flag represents the beginning or the restart of a race. With those on mind, you'd be able to appreciate more the beauty of each car race.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Engaging in short term relationships has become common for men and women these days. In just a blink of an eye, a man would meet and have a relationship with a woman and as the same way they met, in just a blink of an eye, too, they would go on separate ways. This isn't any wonder anymore as facts will tell us that the average number of divorced families is ever increasing each year. One of the most common effects of these broken families and relationships are kids being left to grow insecure and emotionally unstable. And then again, there is high tendency of creating a cycle, with these kids doing the same thing when they, too, have their own personal relationships in the future. This makes me think hard about the value of a wedding flag. Is just merely for a show? However, there are also valid reasons why a relationship has to end. Why stay in one home without any relationship at all, a good one? Is it merely for the kids? Or is just for the sake of being together? When I knew about my parents relationship, how they met, how they lived up to every commitment they made during the time when they were just starting with their relationship until deciding to settle down, I was encouraged and inspired. So I grew up feeling and learning the value of relationship and family. But not until the time I was informed that my parents have to live separate lives. It never became easy for me and my siblings. Handling the issue and its effects to us emotionally was really a torment. So, what are those wedding flags for? I tried understanding the reasons between both parties and tried putting myself in the situation. Will I do the same and come up with the same actions and decisions? What will I do? Relationship is complicated as it is inspiring. The deeper one goes the deeper the wound gets. The joy one feels is as much pain one gets. But come to think of it, if you were to ask me? I still want to get married with the right guy in the future. After all, it's all about taking the risk and giving it my best shot. And that's what matters most.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Ancient History shows how Paganism and Christianity contradict each other and fought for their existence. Christmas for many people is a merry celebration, where kids and adults alike give and receive presents from their love ones, friends and families. With seasonal flags all over we know that Christmas, is the most celebrated season celebrated globally by almost everyone. However, there are ancient customs that barely survived in the rural parts of Australia, Switzerland, Bavaria, Slovenia, Western Croatia and Italy that will turn every Christmas season scary. Krampus and Perchten are one of those that still exist up to this day with interpretations like that of a Halloween celebration. Being part of a European tradition, Krampus is one of closely related figures who accompanied Saint Nicholas. In the Alpine regions, Krampus is represented by an incubus , a Demon in male form are supposed to lie upon with sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. During the first weeks of December, young men would dress up using wooden masks or Larve, sheep's skin and horns, to look just like Krampus. They roam around frightening children even adults too with rusty chains and bells. There are also rural parts in the Alps that include slight birching specially of young women. It is typically applied to the recipient's bare buttocks, although occasionally to the back and or shoulders using a birch rod of Krampus. Perchten however is observed during the last week of December and first week of January. The costume consists of a brown wooden mask and brown or white sheep's skin. Perchten was originally derived from the German word peraht which meant as a warning against the sin of vanity. It is associated with midwinter and the embodiment of fate and the souls of the dead. Indeed, a scary way of celebrating the Christmas season. It might be fun for some but as for me I'd like Christmas or the whole weeks of December to remain a season of giving and love, never would I want to observe it frightening children nor hurting women. Wouldn't it be better if the seasonal flags for Christmas to always remain as symbols of a joyful festivity in the eyes of both the young and old.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
My Birthday: A Tribute for My Mom! For most mothers, it is normally a great deal to get busy preparing for the first birthday party of their children. As a mom myself, I understand the feeling so well. It's the most awaited date amongst the many important dates of my life The first birthday party of my son is also my first year as a mother. We celebrated it together. Her birthday is my birthday as a mother too. Logically, I officially became a mom when she came out of my tummy. Not all mothers view it that way and not all eldest children see it that way either. I should say being a mother is not just celebrated during Mother's Days but also during the birthdays of their eldest child. I began to appreciate my mom in a different level when I became a mom myself. Since, I am her eldest daughter, it means that every time my birthday comes also marks her birthday as a mother. So, my birthday party is a tribute for her many years of dedication as a woman who faces the hurdles in taking care and protecting her God given children with a brave and gentle heart. During birthdays, birthday flags are all over the house with photos and colorful greetings giving the celebration a joyful mood. Everyone does have his own way of celebrating birthdays but as for me and my family, we do it just like the usual way but with a twist. My eldest daughter's birthday party is also a celebration for me as a mother. In the same way, my party as the eldest child is also a celebration of my mom's bravery and sacrifice. Indeed, the party is not mainly for the birthday celebrant but also for the mother. Whenever I look at my daughter's first ever birthday flag, it reminds me that being a mother never is an easy job but it's a career that has to be taken seriously. It is a kind of fulfillment that gives limitless joy every time. I am not a perfect mother but I'm striving hard to be the best for my children.
by: The Flagman
Monday, February 16, 2009
I have been using the plane as a mode of transport for years, so I thought I was totally acquainted about the whole layout of the airport itself. However, when I last visited the airport I saw these weird looking airport flags around the runway. I was curious so I started researching about them. According to history books, flags have already been used to identify different kingdoms. China has been one of the proponents for the creation of them. Aside from identifying their kingdom, it has been used as signals in wars to synchronize the movements of their massive armies. The Chinese concept was borrowed and later on became an indispensable item for the kingdom. An ancient invention that is still very applicable up to this moment and to the years to come. Today, it has been used in airports as a signal for incoming vehicles (usually planes) that there are obstacles along the way. An airport flag could be seen a hundred yards away and are usually 3 feet by 3 feet in size. The color is specifically chosen to be really vibrant especially during the daytime. Its usual color is checkered international orange and white. After understanding the use of those markers and airport flags, I realized one thing. Everything has a specific purpose regardless of its size and shape. Just like those markers and flags on the runway, it may be insignificant for common people riding the airplane but for the pilots and the workers in the airport it is an indispensable item which may save them from disaster.
by: The Flagman
Friday, February 13, 2009
There are a lot of reasons why people may migrate to other countries. Most people Migrate because of economic opportunities. Another country may be willing to give them jobs while their homeland is not capable of providing them one. Others simply migrate because they love the feeling of going to and growing up on foreign countries. Regardless of their reasons for migrating, it's quite great to know that they are still trying to keep their own culture in their respective backyard. We could see a lot of Spanish speaking people in the United States. They usually live together in one neighborhood. Staying together in one place helps to keep their Spanish heritage alive because they are free to celebrate festivals that they once celebrate in their country. Living together tends to lessen the pressure and loneliness of living in other countries. Aside from celebrating their own festivities, they also post Spanish greeting and welcome flags in their homes; these greeting flags don't just cheer up the people passing by but is also a perfect way of saying to others that they are proud of their homeland. The use of the Spanish language in these Spanish message flags also teaches their children not to forget their own language, given that these children are starting to integrate themselves to the American culture which is clearly pretty much different to theirs. Cultural integration is always a hard task, because it is always the minority who is up to the task to be open to changes. Showing these greeting flags enables other people who are foreign to their language and culture to also voluntarily open up themselves to their culture which fosters understanding of cultural diversity between races, an important thing that people should understand to create respect for other races and ultimately avoid discrimination.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Hawaii hosts the USS Arizona Memorial, it is a place dedicated to the souls of the fallen American Soldiers during the surprise attack of the Japanese at Pearl Harbor that started World War 2 in the Pacific. The 184 feet structure that was erected on the midsection couldn't have been built if not for the people who clamored for its construction. At first, there were really no plans to remember the event, after some time only a flag pole was erected at the ship and 9 years after plans were made to construct the memorial. Today, this place holds the names of the 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives on the ship. Families left by these fallen soldiers, are sent letters by the United States, offering their sincerest condolence to the lost of their love ones. As a sign of the tribute, the Country gives them memorial flags placed in memorial cases to commemorate their efforts to protect and maintain peace that we are enjoying today. Memorial flags in cases and markers act as a memorabilia for their lost loved ones, some people keep them in special boxes. Others hang these memorial flags in living rooms, to remember them. Usually these memorial flags displayed outside will slowly wear and tear them; therefore it's good to have special encasement for them. There are a lot of available cases for these kinds of memorabilia, compared to the conventional boxes used to keep them; they are manufactured to do two things. First is to protect these memorabilia from too much moisture sunlight and dust and second is for the owner to easily display them. A memorabilia is intended to last for a lifetime for us to reminisce and feel again. However nothing is perpetual, thus finding ways to keep it intact longer is always a good thing.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Being a Republican or a Democrat is a big deal in the United States. Unlike most of the countries especially the third world countries, political party affiliations are for politicians alone. The beauty of these political parties is that it creates an almost perfect dichotomy of the principles, ideologies and aspirations not just of every politician but also of the common people who are members of it. States all across the United States has a specific political party to vote, and usually some of those zealous supporters often have their own political party flags to show to others that they support the ideology of a political party. These political parties have several distinct traits. The Republicans are considered to be conservatives and are most likely interested in foreign relations. While Democrats, on the other hand are liberal in nature and has a protectionist nature in governing the country. Let's try to understand the roots of these political parties one by one. The Republican Part was founded by a coalition in 1854. These coalition was composed of the Free-soil, Whig, No-Nothing as well as other Northern Democrats who were dissatisfied with the conciliatory attitude of other Democrats on the Slavery issue. Today, the Republican Party could be well recognized with the George W. Bush and of course the Senator John McCain. The Democrats on the other hand could also be traced during to the coalition formed behind Thomas Jefferson. Today Contemporary Democrat leaders like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama forwards the general ideology of the political Party. As Barack Obama wins the 2008 Elections in the United States, the flag of the Democrats would surely shine on the Political Scene. Who knows what kind of changes Obama will do to the United States. One thing is for sure, everyone will hope that he will be the leader that everyone hoped (specially the ones who voted him) him to be.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
I have been a gamer since I was a high school student. More than just a hobby, playing computer games has been my vice. I usually forget everything once I get in front of the computer; everything starts to turn into a race, once I am seated and ready to play it's as if I see racing flags all around signaling me to start and never end. Obsessed with online gaming and role playing games, that's how most of my friends describe me. Sedentary that's how my lifestyle goes but since it's my life and I enjoy it that much no one can tell me what I shouldn't do. I do admit that being sedentary is not good. Everyone tells me that I should do something with my life but what the heck this is my only passion. My craving, my addiction. This is how I want to live my life, I just want to enjoy and see those racing flags of life pass by inside the monitor of my computer. That's just how I want it until I met her. Since I often use my computer I go for chat to pass time, and so I met this user named Sophie. She was cute and really nice, I could tell by the picture and how she talks to me through chat. So finally, I decided to somewhat end my sedentary lifestyle for a day and meet up with her. Waiting for some time inside the mall was kind of boring for me, but for the sake of meeting this extraordinary girl, I waited. After a couple of minutes she finally showed up, dressed up like she was going on a date, well, technically she was going out with me but I don't want to think that. We talked and talked the whole day; we ate at this cool restaurant and we watched a movie. For the first time ever, I really wanted to hang out and be with someone, not just sit around and play all day. So now, she's my girlfriend and I'm happy, plus I got to use my computer skills to work. Things do change, you just have to grab the opportunity and take chances.
by: The Flagman
Monday, February 9, 2009
When I was a kid, I used to attend a bible school. It's a form of religious education that concentrates or focuses on elementary school-aged children. It regularly holds a week long event during summer, though the lengths of such program may vary. The "curriculum" includes Bible stories, religious song, arts and crafts, skits, or puppet shows, parlor and bible games and so on which I enjoyed then. Every morning we have this, what we call opening worship or devotion where everybody has to fall in line at the back according to their age level (preschool, younger elementary, middle elementary and older elementary) and will march towards the chairs provided for each level. There would be at least one representative assigned per level to carry the bible and put it in the altar, to bring the Christian flag and the National flag to where it should be placed, to lead in reciting the pledge to the Christian flag, and to give a prayer. It's a routine, a bit similar to the flag ceremony we have in school minus the bible plus the Christian flag. Vacation Bible School is the only event of the year where I've noticed that flag was being used, so unusual that has caught me interested and for that I always volunteered myself in bringing it since nobody does. I never knew its importance till I started attending Bible School teacher's training. I've learned that the Christian flag is one of the oldest unchanged flags and the only free flag in the world, no one owns it; not a single group. It's universal and independent. Everyone can use it regardless of nationality, religion or denomination and so on. Like any other flag, each color and symbol has its meaning. The white portion of the flag manifests purity and peace, the blue stands for faithfulness, truth, and sincerity and the Red signifies the sacrifice and the blood shed by Christ on Calvary that is represented by the cross. And that's it, if they only knew. Well, those were the days when we still are innocent and heedless and we only want to play and nothing else. Fortunately, I am now a teacher and it's a great opportunity to reach people especially children and preschoolers during the summer months, helping and leading them to the Lord. Seeing those kids sometimes makes me nostalgic and grateful for all the experience I gained.
by: The Flagman
Friday, February 6, 2009
One of the more luxurious things that I dream of having is a yacht. Just to see one of those fabulous crafts is simply breathtaking. What more if I actually went inside one? I can just imagine the clean, wooden floor, the mast which holds colorful boat flags. Not to mention the navigator's cabin where you can see all the controls to steer the yacht. It is just so amazing! It's just a little disappointing to think that only the wealthy can afford one of these million-dollar babies. Yes, a recreational yacht can cost an arm and a leg. But wouldn't it be nice if you took them out on a cruise as you taste the salty wind blowing in your face and watch the deep blue sea cascade with waves as you sail along. Wouldn't that be so exciting? Sometimes, I think that yachts are complex forms of transportation. The prospect of steering it yourself and sailing in the wild blue yonder would probably require knowledge on basic boat safety, navigation and seamanship, including a good understanding of the weather and perhaps some meteorology. A good boat captain knows when it is safe to sail or to steer clear of a storm. On a good day, however, the excitement of sailing on a clear blue sky and a warm sun coupled with the salty wind in your face is an ultimate high for sea lovers like me. Most yachts are owned by the rich and famous. They may include a movie mogul, a chart-busting rapper, a real estate magnate or a member of the royalty, among others. The more luxurious yachts have helipads to accommodate jetsetters who probably hurry down to their exclusive rooms and relax on a portable Jacuzzi while sipping a glass of champagne. What a luxurious way to unwind! As the setting sun fills the sky with an orange hue, visitors start to flock on the boat with its pennants flapping, inviting them to attend a party of some sort with the beat of some dance music audible in the distance. Riding a yacht can be one of the great things we can all dream about. But I think it's really worth it. Don't you think so too?
by: The Flagman
Thursday, February 5, 2009
I don't know what's with the world and Christmas lights. Maybe it does make a certain place colorful when there are Christmas lights during the holiday season. It makes a place lively and it gives a welcoming feel to everyone around. I too, am drawn to the appeal of these Christmas lights. Whether big or small, I always like to look at the pretty colors blinking, winking and displaying wonderful sequences in all shapes and forms. Christmas lights give a certain appeal to a place. Same thing happens with other decorations like colorful flags,wreaths,trees and pennants. Usually, it is these Christmas lights that make the house more attractive and colorful. It can be hung anywhere from the rooftops of a house or to a Christmas tree. I once saw Christmas lights hanging on the branches of trees in a church. Pretty unique eh? It was a wonderful sight and it does look nice at night time. It's fun to look at how Christmas lights seem to blink at me, as if telling me that Christmas is just around the corner. Christmas decorations are not complete without the twinkling colorful lights that brighten up the night. But how safe are these Christmas lights actually? We have heard stories about sub-standard lights that have burned down not a few homes. Most of them have been left on for a couple of nights and perhaps melting in their own heat, they burn down adjacent flammable materials like curtains or old Christmas trees. Eventually, they burn the whole house down. To make matters worse, people are sometimes victims and not the houses alone. It is not really about Christmas lights that give our houses a wonderful feel. I sometimes think that maybe they are just small luxuries to spice up the holiday season. You don't really need to have one of these lights in your home. But these twinkling bits of tiny stars will surely make your house colorful and apt for the season.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Balinese wedding ceremonies can be fun and interesting to experience. Most people who have attended this ceremony will remember that there is a lot of sitting around and waiting, chatting and generally letting the priests get on with their official duties. This is not much different from an American wedding, except that guests usually squat on native mats on the floor. The bride wears gold leaf ornaments and glamorous accessories in addition to her ornate skirt and top glistening with beads of various colors. The groom wears a sarong with gold thread, a sash, Balinese jacket and udang or head-wrap. The Hindu ceremony is officiated by a white-robed pedanda or a Balinese high-priest. After giving the couple a wedding blessing, guests are then asked to give their personal comments on the couple. Afterwhich, marriage documents are signed by the bride and the groom. If one of the parties is a foreigner, the pedanda gives him (or her, for that matter) a Balinese name. Sometimes, the adopted name borders on the humorous to make the celebration happy albeit a serious one. The whole affair lasts anywhere from 30 minutes up to more than an hour. An invitation for a sumptuous feast comes after the ceremony. In more elaborate celebrations, the reception area is festooned with banners and feather flags of various colors. Guests are usually treated to a buffet selection of standard Balinese fare, including sate lilit, sate babi and lawar. Balinese wedding ceremonies have evolved in recent years with the influx of inter-racial marriages. Most customs and traditions are still observed in the ceremony. However, there have been some notable changes in wedding costumes, most specially for the groom. They sometimes include a special pocket to accommodate one of the most famous gadgets of our present time which is the cellular phone. Despite this change, a Balinese wedding is still an amazingly unique and exotic event to experience.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The human mind is infantile in the child, juvenile in the youth, mature in the adult, feeble in the aged and at death, disappears. We learn to use our intellectual powers in the same way as we acquire the more perfect use of our muscles, that is, by practice and experience. Muscular power and brain power both depend on the physical organs of a human being. To discuss their origin, much more speculate about them, therefore becomes unreasonable. However, the origin, nature, and destiny of man have been considered very interesting subjects for ages. Philosophers have given attention to their solution, while poets allowed their imagination to saunter in a field with unlimited scope. So interesting and fascinating are these subjects that they have lost none of their attraction even today and even though modern researches have thrown much light on this subject, it is evident that the fundamental questions have not been fully answered. How man originated, and what will be his ultimate destiny, are themes upon which no definite information has yet been obtained. For the religious, this is easy. There is life after death. However, among many agnostics, our origin and destiny as personal beings are mysteries beyond the power of our imagination. It is a universal truth that each one of us must pass to the other side, if we believe in life after death. After all, upon reaching this stage, the poet yields up his poetry, the philosopher yields his wisdom, and the scientist the results of his researches. Americans have no less been intrigued in finding the answers. When the Space Shuttle Atlantis of the United States attached a scientific laboratory to the International Space Station, the achievement was hailed as a major milestone in man's quest for knowledge about his existence in the universe. Results of experiments from this floating space laboratory will supposedly allow scientists to better understand our world and ourselves and prepare us for the future as proudly emblazoned on its side are the Stars and Stripes and the scientific laboratory's name....Destiny.
by: The Flagman
Monday, February 2, 2009
As a child, I watched movies on my grandma's black and white TV. That was way back when semaphores were used by navy personnel in signaling other ships using two flags to communicate. The beauty of watching a seaman wave different flags in clock-like precision with a calisthenics-type of motion seemed so appealing. Well, at least at that time. Nowadays, it's hard to even find it in the internet. Perhaps a search in Google would yield the following description of a semaphore, "A semaphore is nothing but a term used in UNIX for a variable which acts as a counter. For instance there may be times when two processes try to access the same file simultaneously. In this event we must control the access of the file when the other process is accessing. This is done by assigning value to semaphore." What? At least I understand that the concept of signaling is there. The semaphore flag signaling system is actually an alphabet system based on the waving of a pair of hand-held flags. Boy scouts were taught this skill. In those days, you can never be an Eagle Scout if you didn't have the necessary skill to communicate using this system. You will forever be relegated to the most honorable position of bearer of the troop flag. Nowadays, scouts simply use their mobile phones to communicate with each other. Even radio communication sets extensively used in the military have already been done with. How convenient is it to call headquarters and update them on the progress of the scouts' field training? Even on emergencies, dialing 911 is simply a breeze. Most of all, when taps has been sounded and the American flag has been retreated from the flagpole, how convenient is it to lie down on your tent and dial Dominoes. "Can we have a pizza delivered please?" Ah, the beauty of scouting nowadays.
by: The Flagman
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