February 29 - the leap day

February 29, also known as the leap day of the Gregorian calendar, is a date that occurs in most years that are divisible by 4, such as 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. Years that are divisible by 100, but not by 400, do not contain a leap day; thus 1900 did not contain a leap day while 2000 did. Years containing a leap day are called leap years. February 29 is the 60th day of the Gregorian calendar in such a year, with 306 days remaining until the end of the year.

 Although most modern calendar years have 365 days, a complete revolution around the sun (one Solar year) takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours. An extra 24 hours thus accumulates every four years, requiring that an extra calendar day be added to align the calendar with the sun's apparent position. Without the added day, the seasons would move back in the calendar, leading to confusion about when to undertake activities dependent on weather, ecology, or hours of daylight.

 A person who is born on February 29 may be called a "leapling" or a "leap year baby". In non-leap years, some leaplings celebrate their birthday on either February 28 or March 1, while others only observe birthdays on the authentic intercalary dates, such as February 29 leap days.

February 25: People Power Revolution

Dateline : February 25, 1986. The People Power Revolution (also known as the EDSA Revolution and the Philippine Revolution of 1986) was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines that began in 1983 and culminated in 1986. The methods used amounted to a sustained campaign of civil resistance against regime violence and electoral fraud. This case of nonviolent revolution led to the departure of President Ferdinand Marcos and the restoration of the country's democracy. It is also referred to as the Yellow Revolution due to the presence of yellow ribbons during the demonstrations following the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.. It was widely seen as a victory of the people against the 20-year running authoritarian, repressive regime of then president Ferdinand Marcos and made news headlines as "the revolution that surprised the world".

The majority of the demonstrations took place on a long stretch of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, more commonly known by its acronym EDSA, in Metropolitan Manila from February 22–25, 1986 and involved over two million Filipino civilians as well as several political, military, and including religious groups led by Cardinal Jaime Sin, the Archbishop of Manila. The protests, fueled by the resistance and opposition from years of corrupt governance by Marcos, culminated with the departure of the dictator from Malacañan Palace to the United States state of Hawaii. Corazon Aquino was proclaimed as the legitimate President of the Philippines after the revolution.

February 19, 1473: Birth of Nicolaus Copernicus

DATELINE FEBRUARY 19, 1473: Birth of   Nicolaus Copernicus,  a Renaissance mathematician and astronomer.

Best known for his treatise "On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres," Copernicus asserted that the earth revolved around the sun -- contrary to the medieval belief that the earth was the center of the universe.
The theory was viewed with suspicion by the Church, and his treatise was not published until 1543, the year of his death.

Eventually the theory became the cornerstone for a future generation of scientists including Kepler and Galileo, but one of its ardent advocates, Italian cleric Giordano Bruno, was burned at the stake as a heretic in 1600.

The astronomer's processional transfer began at Olsztyn Castle in February, with extended stops at several northern Poland sites with which he had been connected along the way, and did not arrive at Frombork until the middle of last week.

The Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus has been reburied in Poland in a lavish ceremony 467 years after his death.

During a Roman Catholic ritual, the remains were interred beneath the altar of Frombork Cathedral in northern Poland, where the astronomer had been the canon (head priest) and where he originally was buried in 1543. Copernicus died on 24 May 1543.

 Commemorating the 540th birth anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus, Google has posted a doodle which features an animated heliocentric model formulated by the Polish astronomer

The doodle shows the sun placed at the centre of the universe and has the Moon revolving around earth. It also depicts the then known five other planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn - revolving around the sun.  The second 'O' of the Google logo has been replaced with the sun, while the other letters of the word Google, written in Google's characteristic Catull font, appear in the backdrop. The doodle depicts the then known five other planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn - revolving around the sun.

Chinese Zodiac Signs and the frogs

 

 

Kung Hii Fatt Choi!

 

2013 is the Year of the Water  Snake. 

 

The foundation of the Chinese Zodiac, also called Chinese Animal Astrology, was from the 12 "Earthly Branches" represented by the 12 animal symbols (The Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Boar), the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire, and earth) and the Yin-Yang theory.   

There are many myths and legends about how the 12 animals representing the 12 years in a lunar cycle came into being.  One of the most popular is that the Lord Buddha called all the animals to come to him before departing this earth.  Only 12 animals came, and as a reward he named a lunar year after each according to the order in which it arrived.  The Rat was the first to get there, crossing the final river on the back of the Ox and jumping down in front.  Following them were the Tiger, Rabbit (Hare), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep (Goat, Ram), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar (Pig).

 

 

I was born under the Year of the Dog (1970)  – 狗 / 犬 (戌) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Metal):Here is how i was described: Honest, intelligent, straightforward, loyal, sense of justice and fair play, attractive, amicable, unpretentious, sociable, open-minded, idealistic, moralistic, practical, affectionate, sensitive, easy going. Can be cynical, lazy, cold, judgmental, pessimistic, worrier, stubborn, quarrelsome.

 

To be more specific, i am a metal dog  (6 February 1970 – 26 January 1971). In Chinese TaoistMetal attributes are considered to be firmness, rigidity, persistence, strength and determination. The metal person is controlling, ambitious, forceful and set in their ways as metal is very strong; and they are self-reliant and prefer to handle their problems alone. The metal person is also materialistic, business oriented and good at organization and stability. However the metal person can also appreciate luxury and enjoy the good things in life. Just as metal can conduct electricity, the Metal person has strong impulses and generative powers and can bring about changes and transformations for those who come into contact with them. thought,

Sadly speaking,   I guess the chinese have forgotten to include Frogs as part of the Chinese Zodiac .   Ironically, the Three legged Money Frog, also known as Chan Chu which means frog or toad, is an ancient and popular Chinese symbol for prosperity. It is  said to be the bearer of good fortune, which is why you always see them bringing two strings of coins tied behind their back and holding a lucky Ching Dynasty gold coin in their mouth. According to Feng Shui lore, Money Frogs are believed to drive away evil, protect wealth, and increase income.In ancient China, these mythical creatures are said to appear every full moon near homes that will receive good news of increased wealth or monetary gain. Feng Shui Masters believe that Money Frogs go out in the afternoon to collect money and return at night with lots of money sticking on their feet.

 

Even if the chinese bypassed  frogs in the chinese zodiac, at least the world's leading conservationists have together named 2008 "The Year of the Frog," in hopes of raising both awareness and funding needed to mitigate the amphibian extinction crisis. Globally, there are more than 4200 species of frogs, with new species being discovered every year Habitat loss from urbanization, disease, pesticides, poor land management practices, fire suppression, introduced predators and possibly issues associated with global climate change are just some of the causes that have individually or collectively played a part in the localized or range wide declines of many species of frogs.In addition to their pleasant calls, frogs also provide a free pest-control  service. Frogs eat billions of harmful insects annually, including mosquitoes and their larvae. In turn, they are a natural food item for many species of reptiles, fish, birds and mammals.

Frogs are one of the best leapers on the planet! Did you know that frogs can launch themselves over 20 times their own length using those big strong legs of theirs? That would be like if you could jump 100 feet! Frogs are powerful jumpers, and the ability to jump is a major factor in frogs' survival. A frog that can jump far and quickly is more likely to escape a predator.

Legs : Frogs do not use their front legs in jumping for anything more than balance. However, balance is an important part of being able to jump. A frog's front legs are more useful for propping it up when it sits.

Back Legs :A frog's back legs are what give it power and agility when it jumps. The large, strong muscles of a frog's back legs propel it into the air. 

Muscles : A frog needs to have strong, well-developed leg and back muscles in order to jump. The muscles tighten and bunch up like springs just before releasing tension, which causes the frog to spring into the air. 

Movement : Frogs jump in zigzag patterns for a couple of reasons. It is distracting and harder for a predator to catch a frog that is moving erratically, and it also helps the frog navigate the terrain it is moving over. 

Kung Hii Fatt Choi!

 

Professor Araceli Baviera:teaching Civil Law in a grand manner.

(note:  article originally published in SED LEX  June 1995 Vol.2 No.1 written by Atty. Grace Navato.)

Professor Araceli Baviera:

Forty Years of Heeding the Siren’s Call

“Students today are just robots.”

Professor Araceli Baviera removes her eyeglasses and places then on her desk which was awash with books and slips of paper. Then she fixes her eyes on me and repeats, “They’re like robots; they’re too dependent on those xerox machines and no longer digest cases.” Leaning back on her chair, she adds, “By the time I was in third year, I could digest a case in five minutes.”

She recalls that, as one of the twenty or so female students in her batch, she had to prove her mettle twice over. “We had to show that we could make it because they [referring to her male professors and classmates] still looked down on women as not the equal of men.”

Law school had never figured in her plans. In fact, her Liberal Arts adviser, upon seeing her grades in Laboratory subjects, recommended that she take up Medicine. But she scotched the idea for three reasons: one, she could not stand the sight of blood; two, there were already too many doctors in her family; and, three, her father wanted one of his children to take up Law. “Since I was getting very good grades,” she says unabashedly, “he thought that I could make it.” Her father’s ambition sustained her for the first year; after that, “Nagustuhan ko na rin.”

Her batch was supposed to graduate in 1942 but they never did climb the stage for their diplomas. War broken out on December 1941, and the College of Law was closed down for three years. To the harassed female students, the event had its positive side. “That last semester, I was promising myself that after finishing school I would not touch a law book anymore.” Her mouth twists into a wry smile as she glimpses the books scattered on her desk. It was only in 1944 when she was able to take and pass the Bar exams.

She first worked as a real estate lawyer. Then, thinking that she might as well learn from the experts, she transferred to Justice de Joya’s law office. It didn’t take her long to realize the truth: “Pareho lang pala kami ng alam!” she laughingly recalls. She concedes, though, that the learned Justice had excellent legal writing skills, and that he taught his associates how to write forcefully. Before long, Atty. Baviera’s motions for summary judgment were earning raves from her colleagues and even from the judges who sat on her various cases.

Dean Vicente Sinco recruited her for the academe in 1955. She has been teaching (“Without interruption,” she stresses) ever since. Her workload consisted of eighteen to twenty-one units per semester, an overload even by today’s standards. Also, some of her classes were located in what she referred to as “the Manila extension” (UP Manila), which meant daily trips to and from both campuses. “I was young then” she says matter-of-factly, without any trace of wistfulness.

Except for a brief teaching stint in Lyceum University a few years ago (“Laurel begged and begged until I gave in.”) Professor Baviera has taught exclusively in UP during her forty-year career as a law professor. The impressive list of subjects that she has handled over the years – Taxation, Labor, Roman Law, Legal History, Torts, Statutory Construction, Property, Succession, Sales, Local Government, Criminal Procedure, Evidence – reads like the UP Law curriculum. At present, she is teaching Civil Law Review. And to think that she supposedly “retired” in 1985.

Despite her busy schedule, she found time to participate in the drafting of proposed codes on various subjects (aviation, transportation, maritime law, election law, to name but a few) which were submitted to President Marcos and his Cabinet for deliberation and enactment. Sadly, only one was signed into law: P.D. 1529, otherwise known as the Property Registration Decree. Along the way, she was able to write a treatise on Sales, which was published by the UP Law Center as part of its Philippine Jurisprudence Project. She was also one of the drafters of the Family Code.

The professor waved away the idea of taking up higher education. “I should be contributing rather than studying.” was her tart rejoinder, implying that she had no need of it. She scoffered, “Iyong mga estudyante ko natapos nga pero hindi naman nag-improve.” So much for the fame of Harvard and the glory of Yale – the professor obviously is not impressed.

She half-complains about her work schedule (she handled mostly evening classes last semester), and recounts how she had advised the Dean to start recruiting and/or training someone else to take her place. Yet every succeeding semester finds her trodding along the College halls, in her way to teach another bunch of seniors their civil law. The fact that the Dean still has to find someone of her caliber bespeaks well of the quality of her teaching. And the amazing fact that she keeps on heeding the siren’s call of the College for her services, despite her poor health and supposed retirement, gives us an inkling of what Araceli Baveira, Professor of Law, is made of.