2 Paintings: WEANING and FISH SWARMING

        2 Paintings: 

            WEANING and FISH SWARMING 

"What lies in the deep and dark

     cavern with many eyes?"

Dr Abe V Rotor

WEANING

Painting in acrylic (8” x 10”)

A trio in adventure weaned out

     of their nest too soon;

to explore the world beyond,

     like the Prodigal Son.

What lies in the deep and dark

     cavern with many eyes,

but monsters real or imagined

     lurking for a prize.

It’s inevitable stage of life,

     all creatures undergo;

weaning - crossing the bridge

     and cutting it, too.

    FISH SWARMING           

          

 

 Painting in acrylic (9” x 17”)

I’ve seen jellyfish swarming,

Plankton in coral reefs glowing;

a myriad fireflies mingling

with the stars, linking us all

to a Supreme Being. ~   

Forest on a Wall Mural: Bringing Nature into the City

Forest on a Wall Mural: 

Bringing Nature into the City

Dr Abe V Rotor

  

A Tropical Rainforest Wall Mural (3.5 ft x 15 ft) in acrylic by Dr Abe V Rotor at his residence in QC. 

  

  

Among the countless creatures of the tropical rainforest that comprise its rich biodiversity are: a rat, giant among its kind in the lowland, lives in a hollow of a tree; boa constrictor adapted to arboreal life, transient gulls adapted to both sea and forest life; tree iguana that branched out of marine iguanas, and those that live in dry conditions; chameleon the master of camouflage and mimicry; sloth, mother and young, clinging on a tree motionless and sleeping most of its life.

Author's grandson, Markus Andrei, 6 months old and his nanny -

guardians of this rainforest wall mural. ~

Auricularia Mushroom (Tainga ng Daga) Article in Progress

Auricularia Mushroom (Tainga ng Daga)

Dr Abe V Rotor

Auricularia auricula-judae, English name jelly ear, is also known as Judas’s ear or Jew’s ear, is a species of fungus in the order Auriculariales. Basidiocarps are brown, gelatinous, and have a noticeably ear-like shape.

For whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

 For whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Dr Abe V Rotor

For whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.
One man dies and a little in me dies, too.
And if a thousand, more so a million die,
For no reason, brothers but hatred, oh,
I’d rather die in the battlefield, too. (AVR)

Genghis Khan

A young scholar, Mr Juan Torre, gave a lecture on world history in a local school where he finished high school.

“Two thousand five hundred years ago Alexander, the Great, set to conquer the world at a very young age.”

He was looking at the junior and senior students who comprised the audience. He remembered where he was seated some years in a similar lecture during his time. A smile broke on his boyish face before he continued. “The young warrior climbed to the top of the highest hill of Alexandria in Greece and gazed over the horizon. With a huge army he inherited from his father he conquered city after city, country after country, and joined them into the biggest empire the world had ever seen.”

The speaker paused and said, “I’m sure you must have known from your readings, or on the TV and movie screen, the adventurers of the great Macedonian.”

The audience nodded, indeed a positive response.

The speaker continued, “One thousand years after, Genghis Khan rode across Asia and annexed much of China and neighboring tribes to his homeland Mongolia. Earlier and not far away, the barbarian Attila, the Hun led an army that plundered Middle Asia, and pushed deep into the borders of Christian Rome.”

“In the 17th century Napoleon Bonaparte of crowned dictator of France subdued the whole of Western Europe except England. Then towards the middle of the twentieth century Germany’s Hitler and Italy’s Mussolini conquered Europe, while Japan invaded and annexed much of Asia in the guise of Co-Prosperity Sphere.”

“What happened to these adventurers of history?” The brilliant speaker asked the students? Getting no answer he paused and proceeded. He took the microphone off its stand and walked down the middle aisle of the full packed hall.

“Alexander died without seeing the fruits of his conquest. Genghis Khan died from mortal wounds inflicted by an enemy from his own race. Attila mysteriously died before he could enter the gates of Rome. Napoleon lost in the Battle of Waterloo and died in exile. Hitler and Mussolini met tragic deaths. Japan lost hundreds of thousands of lives from two atomic bombs dropped on two cities – and there are still people dying from radiation to this day after 45 years.”

The room was silent. The speaker’s voice came afresh, “History warns us of man’s inhumanity to man in war. When put together wars have caused the death of millions of people and untold sufferings of survivors. War stops the clock of progress.”

The speaker cleared his throat and continued, “War is the greatest test on human endurance, how society rebuilds itself, and how values triumph. At the end, freedom and peace prevail.”

There was an air of confidence from the young scholar. “Yes, freedom and peace will always prevail,” he repeated in a low voice.

A hand slowly rose and Carla, in thick eyeglasses, asked, “When will there be peace in Syria, Afghanistan,  Iraq?” And now, in Ukraine, Sudan?

"How about the people's revolution now spreading across North Africa and the Middle East - when will peace be restored?" seconded Jun, a dean's lister, now a senior.

"And growing protests against racism in United States and elsewhere."  Came a distant voice at the back.

If you were Mr Juan Torre, the speaker, what would be your answer? ~

*John Donne: Poems "For whom the bell tolls"

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."

An Educational Visit to the Living with Nature Center (San Vicente Botanical Garden)

An Educational Visit to the Living with Nature Center

San Vicente, Ilocos Sur (Heritage Zone of the North, RA 11645)

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." —Albert Einstein

Dr Abe V Rotor

 Philippine deer (Rusa marianna) is in the list of threatened 

wildlife species due mainly to hunting and loss of natural habitat. 

"We all have a responsibility to protect endangered species, both 

for their sake and for the sake of our own future generations.” 

– Loretta Lynch, the former United States Attorney General Feb 2, 2022

 

Marine fish species are threatened, both in population 

and biodiversity as a result of overfishing and pollution.

“Look closely at nature. Every species is a masterpiece, exquisitely adapted to the particular environment in which it has survived. Who are we to destroy or even diminish biodiversity? – EO Wilson, the late Edward O. Wilson, the world renowned biologist and multiple Pulitzer Prize winner.

 

Books written by Dr Abe V Rotor. The author also maintains a column in Bannawag Magazine, and two Blogs: avrotor.blogspot.com (Living with Nature) and Naturalism - the Eighth Sense

"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, there is a rapture on the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the sea and music in its roar: i love not man less, but nature more" -lord byron

Table wine from local fruits have been developed by the 

author. Twenty (20) orchard and wild fruits have been 

developed and tested using indigenous technology. 

"Wine has been a part of civilized life for some seven thousand years. It is the only beverage that feeds the body, soul and spirit of man and at the same time stimulates the mind..." - Robert Mondavi

"Wine speaks to all the senses: the eyes behold the color, tone, and shade; the nose, the bouquet, the fingers and lips caress the cool crystal; the ears delight in the subtle swishing of the liquid; the tongue rejoices in the reward of a rich harvest." - Mary Lou Posch, wine lover

 

Original 18th Century Wine Cellar. Basi is produced

the traditional way since the Manila Galleon Trade

(1565–1815), and Basi Revolt of 1807 (September 16 

to 28, 1807).. Basi was one of the products traded to 

Europe via Acapulco, Mexico. 

“Anything you teach in an indoor classroom can be taught outdoors, 

often in ways that are more enjoyable for children.” ~ Cathy James

How friendly are you with Nature? Self-Administered Test

How friendly are you with Nature?
Self-Administered Test (True or False, 25 Items)

Man is a recent creature on Earth. If the 5 billion years of the earth’s existence is compared to a calendar (365 days), man came into this world only on the eve of December 30. Man is only one-day old on earth. (True or False)

Dr Abe V Rotor


Mini-diorama of a coral reef, made by students in humanities
with the author as adviser. Former St Paul University Museum QC

1. "Going back to nature” means we have to live the lives of our ancestors and renounce our modern living.

2. We can actually transfer genetic materials from one organism to another irrespective of species or class or sub kingdom by means of genetic engineering, resulting in the formation of what we call as GMO.

3. Genetic engineering actually started with Gregor Mendel, the father of the science of genetics and heredity some two hundred years ago.

4. There is no question about a human clone of not having a soul because, the soul of the parents transcend to offspring which is the clone.

5. We live under different ages all at a given time - atomic age, computer age, age of genetic engineering, and space age – all rolled into what scientists called the age of postmodernism.

6. “Tailor the land to the crop, and not the other way around,” is a cardinal rule of "treaty between man and nature."

7. Man is a recent creature on Earth. If the 5 billion years of the earth’s existence is compared to a calendar (365 days), man came into this world only on the eve of December 30. Man is only one-day old on earth.

8. “Our lives are being run and outrun by science and technology.” This statement is generally true.

9. "Universities without walls" or "distance education" will enable mass education to the grassroots. It will break the cartel or control by elite universities and colleges.

10. Toxic metals abound on land, sea and air – from kangkong to tuna to fowls – unless we control the emission and spread of these toxic metals.

11. Going back to nature is to become a strict vegetarian – giving up animal products. Unless we do this we can’t truly say we have gone back to nature.

12. “Ecological paradigm of salvation” means “we express our love and care to people by protecting nature.” Plant a tree, for example, is reverence to nature and therefore to the Creator; kill a tree and you commit a sin – more so it caused flood and erosion leading to death and destruction.

13. Support and actively participate in movements such as Clean Air Act, Piso sa Pasig, Clean and Green, Green Revolution, Carless Day, Car pooling, Biofuel, Saving Endangered Species, Greenpeace.

14. Convert deserts into woodlands and pasture; empty shorelines into resorts, given the tremendous resources to accomplish such gargantuan task.

15. Petrodollar is the life of the world economy – so that we support the idea there there is plenty of oil yet to be discovered. There should be no letup in tapping these reserves.

16. We should implement stricter laws such as: absolutely no logging (total log ban); impound all smoke belching vehicles; no conversion of agricultural to industrial lands; no hunting of wild animals; and the like.

17. Even without the human species, Planet Earth will continue to “go round” so to speak in the same way as it did in the last 5 billion years – and perhaps go on for another 5 billion years. We just don’t know what will be the kind of dominant species after us.

18. Homesite for the golden years is feasible in the rural as well as in the urban areas; it can be modified according to area, design and structure – but not purpose.

19. It is good to go back to classics without aristocracy, spirituality without religious dogmatism; philosophy without ideological bias; realism without barbarism – to have a better view of life, and a firmer basis of our decision and faith.

20. Science and technology has imprisoned us in many ways – that is why we are not truly happy. We need a direction – a definition of life’s meaning. Logotherapy is as relevant as in a situation where we are kept helpless in a prison camp.

21. Science and technology has actually eliminated the scourge of the human race – disease, poverty and ignorance. Actually we are only begging for more benefits discreetly. 

Trivia: Identify this organism. Answer is found below.

22. Today it takes weeks for man to make diamonds in special oven chambers the size of a washing machine, when it would take nature thousands of years to make one.

23. Reports have been verified of the presence of bromate in sugar, sulfite in wheat flour, nitrate in meat, human hormone in milk.

24. Alternative vegetables are not to be recommended because we have barely studied them unlike conventional vegetables.

25. Homeostasis means dynamic balance – Nature’s way of renewal, renaissance, seeking stability as continuing goal. ~


Farm Life mural by AV Rotor 

ANSWERS: 1 F, 2T, 3F, 4F, 5T, 6F, 7T, 8T, 9T, 10T, 11F, 12T, 13T, 14F, 15F, 16T, 17T, 18T, 19T, 20T, 21T, 22T, 23T, 24 F, 25TRating:
20 and up - You are indeed friendly to Nature. Congratulations!
15-19 - Good. Keep close to Nature
14 and below - Visit this blog more often. spend more time with nature.

Trivia: Balloon frog, or Tukak ba'ug (Ilk)

Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid, with Dr Abe V Rotor and Ms Melly C Tenorio Monday to Friday, 8 to 9 evening on 738 DZRB AM Band, .

Reversibility of Evolution

Reversibility of Evolution

"Providence defied, the whole process reverts to protomass,

back into nothingness." - avr

Painting and Verse by Dr Abe V Rotor 

Life Primeval in acrylic by AVR 2014

Creation and evolution of Oparin and Darwin,

the beginning and continuity of life traced;

Lamarck's theory on living architecture

by law of use and disuse questioned;

Leeuwenhoek's invisible world revealed,

a realm of deeper mystery sprang instead;

E O Wilson's model of sociobiology,

of instinct and rationality lacked the spirit;

Einstein’s E=mc2 unleashed the atom’s power

through the Bomb, Armageddon’s lament.

Mendel's laws on the continuity of genes,

precursor of today's genetic engineering;

Providence defied, the whole process reverts

to protomass, back into nothingness. ~