Chinese New Year and the Froggies

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Kung Hii Fatt Choi!

 

2014 is the Year of the Wooden Horse.

 

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!

 

Tamilok Challenge in Aklan

And i did the Tamilok Challenge in Aklan. This shipworm is called tamilok and is eaten as a delicacy. Shipworms are not worms at all, but rather a group of unusual saltwater clams with long, soft, naked bodies; they are marine bivalve molluscs in the family Teredinidae. They are notorious for boring into (and commonly eventually destroying) wood that is immersed in sea water, including such structures as wooden piers, docks and ships; they drill passages by means of a pair of very small shells borne at one end, with which they rasp their way through. Sometimes called "termites of the sea", they also are known by the common name "Teredo worms" or simply "teredo", from the Greek language "τερηδων", via Latin. Eventually biologists adopted the common name Teredo as the name for the best-known genus.

Feast of the Ass

Dateline: January 14 : The Feast of the Ass (Latin: Festum Asinorum or asinaria festa, French: Fête de l'âne) was a medieval, Christian feast observed on January 14, celebrating the Flight into Egypt. It was celebrated primarily in France, as a by-product of the Feast of Fools celebrating the donkey-related stories in the Bible, in particular the donkey bearing the Holy Family into Egypt after Jesus's birth

Kapurpurawan rock formation

The Kapurpurawan rock formation is located on the rocky coast of Burgos, Ilocos Norte. It is known for its creamy white and streamlined limestone formations, which have been sculpted by different oceanic and weather forces. Burgos is located on the northwestern tip of Ilocos Norte.

Bangui Wind Farm

Bangui Wind Farm is a wind farm in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. The wind farm uses 20 units of 70-metre (230 ft) high Vestas V82 1.65 MW wind turbines, arranged on a single row stretching along a nine-kilometer shoreline off Bangui Bay, facing the South China Sea.Located at the north-west tip of Luzon island, the windmills face the sea from where the wind blows towards the land. Its location along the shore is optimal in removing windbreaks and has a terrain roughness of 0. The site is free of any trees and vegetation, and stretches approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) long and 100 metres (330 ft) wide. The area is undeveloped and uninhabited making it ideal as a site and poses no threat to the environment.

The location of the Philippines being near the Asia-Pacific monsoon belt is ideal for installing wind turbines. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration attests that the Philippines has a mean average of about 31 watts per square meter (W/m2) of wind power density.

Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Norte

The Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Norte, is a reconstruction of the two-storey house in which the patriot and foremost Filipino painter was born on October 24, 1857 (The original house burned down in 1861).On September 22, 1892, Juan Luna killed perhaps one of my ascendants, Juliana Gorricho Pardo de Tavera, the mother of Paz Pardo de Tavera (Juan Luna's wife) , Both of them were killed by Juan Luna due to extreme jealousy, a crime of passion they say. I am still doing my research that Gorricho perhaps is a variation of my surname Gorecho. Juliana gave the lamp to Jose Rizal where the paper of "Mi Ultimo Adios" was found.

Oblation in Ilocos Norte

 Laoag City’s Central Plaza is flanked by interesting sculptures, facing the Provincial Capitol is an Oblation-like sculpture which has no markers bearing its significance. On the side facing the River, there is a brick monument commemorating the abolition of the Tobacco Monopoly in the Philippines.

An interesting structure for travelers in Laoag City is the Oblation-like statue in front of the Ilocos Norte Capitol bldg.One will wonder the rationale for using the UP Icon in an area where there is no UP unit , and the main difference is that the arms are stretched backwards on a downward direction along with the head more tilted to the back.