Another reason why they won't let me design a nuclear power plant..

...apart from their notion that it digresses somewhat to the idea of a chemical plant designed by chemical engineers, and apart from the social issue invoked by my group mates about the relevance of such plant, and of course apart from the terrible and tedious job of actually designing one, another would be because it is now more costly and less clean than solar photovoltaic systems. (Not that I am planning to design now a solar photovoltaic plant. I am not a photovoltaic engineer. I "know" someone who is. He studies at the University of New South Wales.)

Before it was solar energy that is too expensive to tap, making calculators with a small strip of a solar panel more expensive and stylish, now, according to The New York Time's Nuclear Energy Loses Cost Advantage, solar photovoltaics have joined the ranks of lower-cost alternatives to new nuclear plants."

PARIS — Solar photovoltaic systems have long been painted as a clean way to generate electricity, but expensive compared with other alternatives to oil, like nuclear power. No longer. In a “historic crossover,” the costs of solar photovoltaic systems have declined to the point where they are lower than the rising projected costs of new nuclear plants, according to a paper published this month.

“Solar photovoltaics have joined the ranks of lower-cost alternatives to new nuclear plants,” John O. Blackburn, a professor of economics at Duke University, in North Carolina, and Sam Cunningham, a graduate student, wrote in the paper, “Solar and Nuclear Costs — The Historic Crossover.”

This crossover occurred at 16 cents per kilowatt hour, they said. 

While solar power costs have been declining, the costs of nuclear power have been rising inexorably over the past eight years, said Mark Cooper, senior fellow for economic analysis at Vermont Law School’s Institute for Energy and Environment. 

Read full article here.

The Philosophy of Dr. House

One advantage of having too many members in one group is that some of the members apparently will have nothing to do, especially if the work is too simplistic. Perhaps being one of the very useful ones, I distanced myself away from my busy classmates and rested in the thought that "too many cooks will spoil the broth."

Then I got into a conversation with a classmate who apparently shares the same sentiment. We got to the point where I had to tell him what my dream job is.

"My dream job is to travel and write about my experiences, and then getting paid for it. Much like columnists in the Leisure, Travel and Living Sections in broadsheets."

"So nganong ga-Chem Eng man ka?"( so why then did you take up Chemical Engineering?), he asked, with an expression that reads despair over my choice of course. ("akala affected")

I did not know what to say. I just stared at him and shrugged my shoulders. I know I have already answered that question when I submitted an essay about the reason why I ventured into Chemineering to our ChE Ethics teacher ( see Why did you take up Chemical Engineering, huh, JanMell?) but something in his reaction made me stutter and grope for words, indicative of how much I feel like I've done it all wrong.

Then the topic went to being successful in life, and once again I announced that I'm beginning to feel that I wouldn't get rich as an engineer. Most probably I'd get rich by some other way, like writing or show business until I realized I was already delusional.

He said, (I heard it for the nth time) "for one to be successful one has to realize that three things govern this world: money, power and sex."

"I know what you'll say next, that if sex wasn't so damn good the human race would have died eons ago."

"No. I'm not that predictable. Duh."

Silence.

Not to be mistaken as a newly discharged patient. The mask is the best defense against the raging dust that comes with going to Taal volcano crater.

 

Attached to the String: The Dipolog Community Rondalla

The Final Countdown played by the Dipolog City Community Rondalla. Several of the members are high school classmates and ka-batch from Zamboanga del Norte National High School. Even then they had lambasted other groups when they ranked third during the 2006 National Music Competition for Young Artists held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The conductor, Mr. Jay Sarita led the group even to the 2007 International Rondalla Festival held at Dumaguete City. It has evolved lately from a school-based rondalla to the community rondalla that it is now.

Conductor, Arranger, Trainor: Mr. Jay Sarita

Thanks to Michael Kerk Bonafe for the permission to blog this video.

They sent this video to qualify for another international rondalla festival in Davao City this year. Cripes, when you're this good, you don't have to worry about getting in.  Recommended reading after watching this video: String theory. Or you can search for more videos of the group.

The excerpt that is in the first page of my reserved notebook

"Writing is a craft, like any other: playing the violin, skating, batting at cricket, billiards, wood-carving--anything you like; and mastership in any craft is attainment of the end to which the craft is devoted. A craftsman is excellent in his craft according to his degree of attainment towards its end, and his use of the means towards that end. Now the end of writing is the production in the reader's mind of a certain image and a certain emotion. And the means towards that end are the use of the words in any particular language; and the complete use of that medium is the choosing of the right words and the putting of them into the right order."

This was written by Hillaire Belloc on his introduction to the work of P.G Wodehouse to which a Wikipedia entry of him says:

".. writing style is notable for its unique blend of contemporary London clubroom slang with elegant, classically-informed drawing-room English. As in: "I once got engaged to his daughter Honoria, a ghastly dynamic exhibit who read Nietzsche and had a laugh like waves breaking on a stern and rockbound coast."

and to which H. Belloc says:

"..almost always reaches perfection."

Weekend Wodehouse is a compilation of his works ranging from excerpts, letters, condensed novels, and anecdotes that presents the laughable or the humorous. Perfect buddy for long waits.  

JanMell and the Australian Salt

Mabuhay Vinyl Corporation's main raw material is salt. Yes, that harmless compound formed from the reaction of a poisonous gas and a violently reactive metal, unless of course you're the flightless half of a manananggal. However, it's not just ordinary salt. It's imported from down under, yep Australia, because Australian salt is 98% pure.

 It's a whole mountain of Australian salt and it's enough to instill to you the fear of osmosis and dehydration.

 I'm supposed to be pointing to an impending avalanche, only this time, when you're buried, you'll get preserved not from the cold, but from all your moisture drying out.

Apparently, I'm safe.

This salt is processed by Mabuhay Vinyl to produce it's two main products-- sodium hydroxide or caustic soda, and hydrochloric acid or muriatic acid, two of the most important industrial chemicals. By industrial, I mean to say something that is used as raw material to produce certain products. In this case, from plastics to the food we eat.

Photos Courtesy of Mary Bernadine Dumaog . Taken during the class Plant Tour. (She's not my official photographer. Ha ha)

A Must Read

I am not exaggerating in any way. I agree with one review of this book saying that if ever you read one book in your whole life, this must be it.

It's philosophy made easy. It's an igniter of the inner philosopher in everyone, no matter how simple minded  you may seem to be. All we need, as the author puts, is the faculty of wonder. Actually it's a novel about the history of philosophy, condensing 3000 years of Western thought from Pre-Socratics to modern existentialists intertwined in a plot revolving around the unusual life of a little girl named Sophie. The novel opens with a qoute from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe saying, "He who cannot draw on 3000 years is living from hand to mouth."

Other books from Jostein Gaarder:

The Solitaire Mystery

The Christmas Mystery

Vita Brevis
Through A Glass, Darkly

I read the first two, and I must say Gaarder has a knack for originality. The Solitaire Mystery advises us to not make the world a habit, and Through A Glass, Darkly introduces a new concept on the divine.

Must reads!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are floating in space...

..is a reminder that we indeed are floating in space. Isn't it wonderful to look at that kind of perspective? Blame Jostein Gaarder for planting this kind of sentiment, which Einstein referred to as a "cosmic religious feeling." If there's something physically probable in this world to make a rendezvous with my God possible, it would have to be being sucked by a blackhole. (By the way, someone thought blackholes result when God divides the universe by zero.)

The universe never fails to amaze me, or anyone for that matter. Just take a look at some of the various theories of the universe, it's beginning, and its eventual end (if ever it will), portrayed in pictures. I got this from idly clicking and clicking, and, Alas!, i found something interesting. ( It also lets me display my faculty of wonder, which Gaarder said, is the only requirement to being a philosopher. Ahem.)

Simple Is Beautiful

Simple shapes, simple typography, simple colour characterises their work. I snaffled them up for a spread in Information Is Beautiful about the various creation stories across cultures – scientific and mythological.

[It] Struck me. [T]here was something cool about trying to visualize such an unimaginably complex process with super-simple graphics.


A universe of thanks to Information is Beautiful .Indeed it is.

Creativity and it's serpentine course

Lately, I thought my creativity has dried out. Probably due to entertaining cynical beliefs too much, or I just hate getting cheesy. I want to get it back. The creative process is a sine qua non to future world domination. So, I acquainted myself, step by step, and dizzied myself with this latest comic release of Subnormality.( Cripes, I'm really addicted to this. But it's better than addiction to Tagalog pocketbooks. Cynical attack.)

To those who need a bigger image, which is practically everyone, it's here.

Training the Dragon Within Me

In the middle of my class I received a text message. I thought it was just my textmate-- SMART, who always sends me the hottest, newest ringtones as if my phone will ever be capable of downloading one. To my surprise, it was the governor of the College of Engineering Executive Council, summoning me to appear before his excellent presence. I was thrilled. I felt like Lea Salonga being invited to sing before the Queen. My mind was asking, "What made the EC governor rummage for my mobile number?" Cripes, aside from janitorial purposes, I could only think of criminal reasons. Composing myself, I exited gracefully from my class, and ushered myself to the council's office. Then and there he asked me why he needed me. I prepared myself for a sudden outburst. 

Yes, I'm exaggerating.

Duh. He just asked me if I could be the emcee for the college's acquaintance party the next evening, citing carefully that the seasoned public speaker slash debater (one of the very few institute's best) and host of the previous acquaintance parties Ms. Ara Reyna Mamon refused to become the emcee because she wanted to experience what it feels like to loiter with her batchmates and be a part of the audience and hence recommended me in her lieu. You may as well argue that it's nothing, but for me, it's overtly something. I did not know what to make of it though. Certainly, it was flattering. For God's sake it's a big event. But I said i cannot refuse the governor, and suggested I tag along a partner, a very very effective partner (Oy, Beverly!)-- and I accepted it. 

I don't care if I don't have time to rehearse. Students wouldn't bother anyway. They're keener on the dinner portion than minding my blah-blahs.

The moment I received my copy of the program I thought it was spectacular. The concept was borrowed from the movie "How to Train Your Dragon." ( No copyright infringement intended though and they acknowledge the intellectual properties of whoever made this animation. ) Fitting for the college's symbol, and perfect connotation for engineering students coming together to discuss and celebrate COE life (not to mention an initiation rite for the ever docile freshmen.)

So my ever creative and flamboyant friend (aakalain mong na-possess ng bakla) Beverly created an introductory spiel that perfectly, as if by some kind of esoteric power, captured the whole spirit of the motion theme that I could not help but believe that she really is one of our batch's literary gems. (I will post the script later because I lost my copy.) True enough, it brought down the house and started the ball rolling quite paced, making us busy enough to deserve our VIP treatment. That's Food and Fame, quite unlikely but still desirable.

Photos Courtesy of Kerr Vien Abueva of COE-EC

O, the benefits of being the emcee, right, Bevs? (Thank you very much for that very inspiring message (put title and name of speaker here). At this junction we would like to call in (put name of next speaker here) for his Not-So- Short Talk. A round of applause, please.)

Very generic, very chicken.

But I couldn't stand the blinding lights directed straight at me, torturing people at the sight of my face, and the dreadful feeling of committing a diction error. (Like pronouncing pleasure as PLEASEsure, ugh!, haunting. It's like a deep wound throbbing painfully and making your consciousness ache.)

Nevertheless, I'm grateful to people who believed in my capacity to endure such. You know who you are.

At the park, in between deadlines

Stud my brain with dizzying Laplace transforms, a lab report due the next day, faze from barely submitting a 500 word essay on time, and an impending MSU-IIT charter day celebration, and I find myself at the park.

They call it the "children's park," although it would be fitting if they'd call it Lover's Park instead, or, Spawning Children's Park. Ha ha. Couples are sprawled everywhere, particularly on the benches. If you have a partner and you're spotted there, you'd be instant celebrities. People there are infamous for public display of affection. Some even makes you wanna cringe. It's just a 5 minute walk from the campus though, and the isaw there is great. Plus, the Pan-Q (its barbecued bread, yeah they grill it, stuffed with either isaw or grilled hotdog, your choice) and the mango shake are real stress relievers. (If you're coffers are full, kapapadala pa lamang, you can settle for Park to Go's sumptuous pizzas. It's delicious enough for you to wonder why they're in such a place.)

Nothing really out of this world happened while I was there. I just want to believe that I have the luxury of time when in fact every moment I spent expends my compromised minutes and chained hours. Probably it is partly because I had so many things to do that I was confused where to start. Sort of a predator dazed with a zeal of zebras, confused with the stripes and numbers, that it would never dare to attack. But nevertheless, being there is inexplicably necessary for me to get going. Something in the myriad of sights made me stay there. Something in the bicycles laden with crispy chicharon and steaming balut, in the shouts of a group of teens practicing their dance for the baranggay presentation, in the running to and fro of basketball players, or at the sight of many people who probably share my sentiments and went there for the same nonexistent reason. 

I never thought it was a waste of time. To rationalize everything, I just thought indulgences like these prepare oneself for the handwriting on the wall--impending doom brought about by virtue of being a 5th year graduating student.

Jingles, Trips and Falls from Ladders

I reasoned to the security that I'd go get my certificate of completion. Instead, I went and made myself a spectator of their JINGLE COMPETITION. I must say they're really good at transmuting lyrics of popular songs to include their advocacy at working safely. They never really let their creativity harden together with their cement products.

By the way this competition was held at the plant's canteen, and every table was decorated and placed with these friendly postcards whose message always make me smile simply because they remind me of basic life lessons.

Tread lightly. Avoid being hurt. Never let yourself FALL.

Now you're smiling.

Information and Entropy

Biochemistry is an interesting field, (partly because I cannot graduate without me being interested in it), and in the course of my reading Lehninger's PRINCIPLES OF BIOCHEMISTRY Fourth Edition by David L. Nelson and Michael M. Fox, I encountered a passage that immediately made me correlate my neural traffic with the level of agitation I have in my mind.

 The following short passage from Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene III, is spoken by Brutus, when he realizes that he must face Mark Antony's army. It is an information-rich non-random arrangement of 125 letters of the English alphabet:

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries

In addtion to what this passage says overtly, it has many hidden meanings. It not only reflects a complex sequence of events in the play, it also echoes the play's ideas on conflict, ambition and the demands of leadership. Permeated with Shakespeare's understanding of human nature, it is very rich in information.

However, if the 125 letters making up this quotation were allowed to fall into a completely non-random, chaotic pattern, as shown in the following box, they will have no meaning whatsoever.

In this form, the 125 letters contain little or no information, but they are very rich in entropy. Such considerations have led to the conclusion that information is a form of energy; information has been called "negative entropy." In fact, the branch of mathematics, called Information Theory, which is basic to the programming logic of computers, is closely related to thermodynamic theory. Living organisms are highly ordered, nonrandom structures, immensely rich in information and entropy-poor.

Hah. Not humans. Some humans are so much uninformed that they create so much havoc. That's why on most occasions, the more informed a person becomes, the more peace of mind he gets. With information comes order. Hear that.