When I was still working as technical assistant, I had an opportunity to work on hydroponics products, got a chance to grow plants indoor using hydroponics technology and it was cool. It was growing plants without using soil – only water, nutrients and hydroponics equipment. But one thing was missing in my experiment – floodlights. Although there was fluorescent lamp but it was not enough.  Flowering plants did not produce beautiful, big and colorful flowers; ornamental plants’ leaves were not as green compared to leafy plants grown outdoor. The tomatoes which I planted did not bear fruit, they grew so tall and the stems were really thin and weak.

In planting indoor, one needs appropriate floodlights so that the plants’ photosynthesis could be supported and in return would give you the result that you wanted.  For all indoor plants – be it hydroponics, normal plant or greenhouses, floodlights are needed to support the plants’ needs.

After about a year when I was attending review for licensure exam, I finally discovered what has caused my hair loss.  The teacher said massive hair fall, which would last for about 2-3 months, usually happens after typhoid fever and that’s normal body reaction.   That answered the puzzle about the hair loss that I experienced because prior to my hair fall, I just had typhoid fever and dengue simultaneously.

There are people who love smoking, but then, it’s not healthy.  Health buff have invented some cigar that can be alternative to unhealthful cigarettes. There are organic cigarette without nicotine made from herbs, electronic cigarette which does not make use of real tobacco, and today I came across with a new type of cigar called Acid cigars.

Some people find pleasure in smoking, some find it way to de-stress, and some find it just cool to be smoking with peers otherwise they are not “in”.  But take note, whatever form it comes, it is still cigarette, therefore, be mindful of your health.

As circadian rhythm indicates, the best time to sleep is from 10PM, because it is  when the body tissues repair.  Did you notice that when you sleep late, even though you have completed 8 hours, you don’t feel rested? To those whose work schedule is at night, even though they sleep more than 8 hours everyday, their health is affected, to some extent, anemia may take place.

See circadian rhythm diagram below to understand how the body clock works. I believe circadian rhythm follows the time where a person lives.

taken from Wikipedia

 ¹³ Do not withhold discipline from a child;
       if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

 ¹⁴ Punish him with the rod
       and save his soul from death.

As a parent, would you withhold spanking from your child so that when he grows up he would suffer for doing foolish things or you would rather correct him and show him that you love him that is why you need to discipline him?   I believe that the Word of God should prevail when it comes to guiding your children that they may grow wiser.

Read the article below about the new law prohibiting parent(s) to spank their child(ren).

‘Spank a child, land in jail’

By Lilita Balane

Newsbreak Posted at 08/28/2009 3:53 AM | Updated as of 08/28/2009 3:21 PM

Criminalization of a wide range of punishments for kids being pushed MANILA – A whole range of forms of physical and verbal abuse to discipline a child, including spanking that most Filipino parents have become accustomed to doing, will soon be grounds for the detention of guilty parents and for the suspension of their parental authority over their children. The Anti-Corporal Punishment Act of 2009 (House Bill 6699), principally authored by Tarlac Rep. Monica Prietto-Teodoro and filed only in July, is expected to be approved before the year ends. It intends to prohibit the use of physical force to reprimand children. The bill also deems illegal verbal assaults and placing children in degrading or humiliating situation to correct their behavior. Child rights advocates on Thursday claimed that corporal punishments have negative effects, contrary to the common belief that it would teach children to learn from their mistakes. Hope Tura of Plan Philippines said corporal punishments escalate as the child grows older. “The simple smack becomes a spanking, and then a beating,” she explained. Wrong message Tura also said that corporate punishment sends a message that violence is the appropriate response to conflict or unwanted behavior. HB 6699 identifies forms of corporal punishments as: Use of physical force (blowing any parts of the body, pinching, twisting joints, pulling of ears or hair, shaving of hair, dragging or throwing a child, or cutting or piercing the skin). Forcing a child to perform physically painful or damaging act (holding weights with arms stretched, kneeling on stones, salt, or pebbles or squatting). Deliberate neglect of a child’s physical needs (starving a child if he doesn’t want to eat vegetables). Use of external substance to punish a child (putting hot pepper in the mouth when he curses, placing him in a container of water, or exposing him to smoke). Use of hazardous tasks and punishments (sweeping in the rain or under the heat of the sun). Confinement (being shut in a confined space, tied-up, or forced to remain in one place for an extended period of time). Verbal assaults, threats, or intimidation. In schools, too Many of the children who experience verbal abuse show anxiety, lack of concentration, thoughts of rejection, and low self-esteem among others, according to a 2006 study, “Parental Verbal Abuse: Culture-Specific Coping Behavior of College Students in the Philippines.” Teodoro said that these practices are very common in the Philippines, not just inside the homes.. “The bill also covers corporal punishments in schools, institutions, youth detention centers, and the workplace,” Teodoro’s chief of staff Filadelfo Diaz III said. “The bill doesn’t pass judgment. It will be our partner, making sure that when our kids left our homes, we know that they are protected,” child rights ambassador Mikee Conjuangco-Jaworski added. A 2005 study by Save the Children showed that 85% of the children interviewed in cities of Caloocan and Cebu were being punished in the home, with spanking as the most common. About 82% said they were hit on different parts of the body. A recent data of Plan Philippines showed that 500 to 800 child abuses each year are committed by teachers. Penalties With the proposed Anti-Corporal Punishment Act, children or concerned individuals may directly file complaints with their baranggays, police stations, or local offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Authorities are expected to file a case in the regional trial court, or if not conduct an investigation within 8 hours from the time they receive the complaint. Violators may face a month of imprisonment or suspension of their parental authority over the children, depending on the penalties provided by existing laws to protect children. If the penalty is just a month of imprisonment, the court prosecutor may just order the offender to attend seminars on children’s rights, positive and non-violent discipline, and anger management. Six months of imprisonment await those who will be found guilty of offenses under the Teodoro bill that are not covered by laws like the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act (Republic Act 7610) and Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act (R.A. 9262). Positive discipline Child rights advocates said parents and other individuals responsible with a child should practice positive discipline. Wilma Banaga of Plan Philippines said “positive discipline” involves: Identifying the values and life skills that they want the child to adopt. Expressing affection and support (a hug, a pat on the back, or appreciating their accomplishments), but at the same time giving clear guidelines for their behavior. Understanding how children think and feel. Discussing the problem with the child and identify effective approaches to solve it. Listening carefully and helping children learn the use of words to express their feelings. Giving children quality time. Becoming a good example on how to react when faced by undesirable situations. Teodoro explained that although laws trying to protect children from violence are already in place, some of their provisions are unclear. “The present laws lack the explicit prohibition on the use of corporal punishment, especially in the home and family setting, except for children in conflict with the law and children in detention who are now adequately given protection and more humane treatment under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act,” the primer on the proposed HB 6699 said. Article 45 of the Child and Youth Welfare Code allows corporal punishments as long as these are “just and reasonable” and “moderate in degree.” “Our current laws only address those forms of punishments that would result to severe physical and psychological harm,” Teodoro said. With already 56 co-authors in the House, Anti-Corporal Punishment Act has already reached its second reading and is expected to be approved this year. (Newsbreak)

We get lots of benefits from coconut – from tree to fruit – nothing can be wasted. Do you enjoy drinking coconut juice? It’s very refreshing right? Are you curious about how it has evolved to become a coconut?

It started as a cute flower

From coconut

and became a cute coconut shown below

From coconut

From coconut

and grew as big as this

From coconut

and enjoying it!

From coconut

Back home, we can easily harvest coconut fruit from our backyard but in in a resort, a coconut fruit could cost you as much as Php150.

For infants (0-1 year old) the best toys to be given would be colorful objects and big enough not to be put inside their mouth. It includes rattles, teething objects, soft toys such as blocks and balls that they can grab/pick and throw.

For toddlers (1-3 years old), this is the time when they learn to stand, walk, talk and interact with adults. The best toys would include push and pull toys, shape sorters, balls, picture books, and pail and shover, and ride-on toys.

For children (3-6 yearsl old) this would include puzzles, boards, memory games, kid size kitchen equipment and utensils, construction sets, art supplies, books, and a lot more.

Make sure that you are giving toys that would make your child physically and mentally active.   Let the toys challenge them, make them wise and intelligent individuals.

It is important that we are aware of the appliances and gadgets that we use to find out which ones consume the most and find out how we can lower the cost.  There are times when energy auditing is necessary so that we are not caught unawares of what we do and use.  We need to help conserve energy to help nature. Therefore, be wise and be aware of the energy consumption of each of the things that you use in your house and office.