Black black and white MEANING: think of everything or judge everything as either good or bad EXAMPLE: He tries to see

e everything in black and white although he knows this is impossible. black out MEANING: 1. to darken by putting out or dimming electric lights 2. to lose consciousness EXAMPLE: 1. During the war people in the cities were forced to black out their windows so that the enemy aircraft could not see them. 2. Suddenly the man blacked out during the parade and had to be helped to a quiet place. black sheep (of the family) MEANING: a person who is a disgrace or embarrassment to a family or group EXAMPLE: The man is the black sheep in his family and is the only member who has not had a successful career and life. in the black MEANING: successful or profitable EXAMPLE: The company has been in the black since they began to adopt many new ideas to cut costs. Blue to appear/happen out of the blue MEANING: 1. to arrive unexpectedly, usually after a long absence. 2. to happen very suddenly and unexpectedly EXAMPLE: 1. My brother suddenly appeared out of the blue yesterday. We hadnt seen him for years. 2. I was driving home when out of the blue a deer jumped out in front of my car. I braked just in time to avoid it. We were both very lucky not to be hurt. to blue pencil something MEANING: to censor something. EXAMPLE: Reports on the mistreatment of the political prisoners were blue pencilled by the authorities

a blue-eyed boy MEANING: critical description of a boy/young man who has been singled out for special favours by someone in authority. EXAMPLE: John is a real blue-eyed boy. The team manager always gives him special treatment. It isnt fair to the rest of us. a bolt from the blue MEANING: some unexpected bad news. EXAMPLE: It came like a bolt from the blue that they are getting divorced. to look / feel blue MEANING: to look / feel depressed or discontented. EXAMPLE: Things are looking blue for Tom these days. His wife has left him. blue in the face MEANING: to make a huge but vain effort to win a persons agreement. EXAMPLE: I told him he was making a mistake until I was blue in the face but he wouldnt listen. once in a blue moon MEANING: to occur extremely rarely or only once in a life-time. EXAMPLE: My brother only rings home once in a blue moon. I wish he would ring our parents more often men/boys in blue MEANING: the police because of the colour of their uniforms. EXAMPLE: Lets get out of here! The boys in blue are coming. Brown to be browned off MEANING: to be bored, annoyed at something EXAMPLE: Im browned off with this place. There is nothing to do here. Colourless

to be colourless MEANING: to lack personality, to be boring. EXAMPLE: Nothing he said stands out in my memory. Im afraid hes a dull, colourless man. to be off colour MEANING: to be not quite at ones best, to feel queasy or slightly ill. EXAMPLE: Shes a little off colour today because she was up very late last night and had too much to drink!. to give/lend colour to MEANING: to make (an account, story, explanation, etc.) more credible or more believable. EXAMPLE: The broken window on the ground floor lent colour to her story that her house had been burgled a highly coloured report MEANING: a report that is exaggerated or biased. EXAMPLE: I read the governments highly coloured report on the great state of the health services. to see someone in his true colours MEANING: to understand someones true character, often for the first time. EXAMPLE: As soon as he made a fuss about returning her money, I saw him in his true colours. to show oneself in ones true colours MEANING: to reveal ones true nature. EXAMPLE: When he lost his temper at the party, he showed himself in his true colours with flying colours MEANING: with great success, with distinction. EXAMPLE: We were all expecting him to fail, but he passed with flying colours. to paint in bright/dark colours MEANING: to describe something in a flattering or unflattering way.

EXAMPLE: My brother pretended he was doing well financially and painted his life there in the brightest colours. Green to be green MEANING: inexperienced, immature EXAMPLE: He is rather green and doesnt have enough experience to drive the large piece of machinery yet. green with envy MEANING: full of envy, very jealous EXAMPLE: I was green with envy when I heard that she would be going to London for a month while I had to stay and work. give someone the green light MEANING: give permission to go ahead with a project EXAMPLE: We were finally given the green light to begin setting up the new project. get the green light MEANING: receive permission to go ahead with a project EXAMPLE: We got the green light to go ahead with the new advertising campaign. grass is always greener on the other side MEANING: a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now EXAMPLE: He realized that the grass is always greener on the other side when he saw that his new job wasnt perfect and had its own problems too. green belt MEANING: an area of fields and trees around a town EXAMPLE: The city has a policy of increasing the green belt around the city. green thumb MEANING: a talent for gardening, ability to make things grow EXAMPLE: She has a green thumb and is able to grow one of the best gardens in our neighbourhood.

Golden a golden opportunity MEANING: a great opportunity that might never come again EXAMPLE: This is a golden opportunity to make a business deal with that big company. a golden handshake MEANING: a large sum of money paid to a retiring manager or director, or to a redundant worker. EXAMPLE: The company chairman received a huge golden handshake on retiring. a golden boy MEANING: a young man idolized for a great skill, usually in sport. EXAMPLE: David Beckham is the golden boy of English soccer Pink tickled pink MEANING: be very pleased, thrilled, delighted EXAMPLE: She was tickled pink that you made the effort to go and visit her when you were in town. Red to be shown the red card MEANING: to be dismissed from your job. EXAMPLE: The accountant was shown the red card for hiding company money. to be in the red MEANING: to have an overdraft, to be in debt. EXAMPLE: I am overdrawn again. I hate being in the red. to catch someone red-handed MEANING: to catch someone in the act of committing a crime, usually a theft. EXAMPLE:

 The manager caught the new employee red-handed taking money out of the box. to look through rose-coloured/tinted spectacles MEANING: to see things in a flattering or over-optimistic light. EXAMPLE: It annoys me that she sees everything through rose-coloured spectacles, but she would feel differently if she had to live there. to see red MEANING: to react with uncontrollable rage against someone or something. EXAMPLE: John saw red when he saw his girlfriend laughing with another guy. red tape MEANING: bureaucratic delay, excessive attention to rules and regulations, often resulting in injustice to the ordinary citizen. EXAMPLE: I want to start a new business but the red tape involved is very frustrating. to see the red light MEANING: to recognize approaching danger, the red light being a danger signal. EXAMPLE: When the doctor warned his patient that further drinking would damage his liver, the man saw the red light and quit. paint the town red MEANING: go out and party and have a good time EXAMPLE: When my cousin came to visit us we decided to go out and paint the town red. roll out the red carpet MEANING: greet a person with great respect, give a big welcome EXAMPLE: When Nelson Mandela visited Washington, they rolled out the red carpet and gave him a great welcome. a redneck MEANING: an ignorant, insensitive person. EXAMPLE: Our new co-worker is a real redneck. He doesnt seem to know anything about life.

Silver the silver screen MEANING: the cinema EXAMPLE: Valentino was one of the earliest stars of the silver screen. White as white as a sheet MEANING: in a state of great fear EXAMPLE: You look like youve just seen a ghost. Your face is as white as a sheet. white elephant MEANING: a useless possession EXAMPLE: The new stereo that he bought is a white elephant and he doesnt need it at all. white as a ghost MEANING: very pale because of fear, shock, illness etc. EXAMPLE: My sister became white as a ghost when she saw the man at the window. a white lie MEANING: a harmless lie (told to be polite or to do something not seriously wrong) EXAMPLE: I told my boss a white lie and said that I was sick yesterday when actually I wasnt. a white-collar worker MEANING: a professional or office worker who wear a shirt with a white collar. EXAMPLE: The recession has hit factory workers (blue-collar workers) much harder than white-collar workers. Yellow yellow-bellied MEANING: extremely timid, cowardly EXAMPLE:

He is a yellow-bellied coward and never is willing to fight for what is right. a yellow streak MEANING: cowardice in character EXAMPLE: He has a yellow streak running down his back and is not a good person to expect to support you when things become difficult.

One of the Longest Place Name in the World: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu Roughly it translates as "The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the landswallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one." It is one of the longest place names in the world. The name is often shortened to Taumata by the locals for ease of conversation. The New Zealand Geographic Placenames Database, maintained by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), records its name as "Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu". It has gained a measure of fame as it is the longest place-name found in any English-speaking country.

Earth was originally born as a twin to the planet Theia, which was about half as wide as Earth and roughly the size of Mars. The two planets shared an orbit for several million years until they collided. Earth absorbed Theia, and the remaining debris eventually coagulated into Earth s moon. The mass donated by Theia gave Earth the gravity necessary to sustain a substantial atmosphere
One of the most amazing sights in Antarctica, the Blood Falls have been a mystery ever since they were discovered, in 1911. A bloody column of water coming out of a glacier isn t what you d expect to see in the frozen land of Antarctica, but if you visit Taylor Glacier, that s exactly what you re going to find. At first, scientists thought they were dealing with some sorts of red algae, but further research proved the bloody color was caused by something spectacular. It turns out a small lake was sealed under Taylor Glacier roughly 2 million years ago. Incredible, isn t it?!? Actually no, what s incredible is the glacier acted like a natural time capsule for the ancient microbes living in the lake. These invisible forms of life have survived without oxygen, light or heat and are considered to be the primordial ooze out which every living thing on Earth evolved. I want to share this story for you all to be aware. And grabe, I want you, too, to feel the goosebumps I felt when I heard this. Kinwento sa'kin toh ng pinsan ko, it happened to one of his friends. Let's name his friend, ANA. Here it go... Student si ANA ng PUP, uwian na.. Sumakay sya ng Jeep.. Apat lang sila na nasa loob ng jeep; Yung driver, si Ana, isang matandang lalake at isang nursing student. Si ANA, nakaupo sa dulo ng jeep, right side, malapit sa babaan. Yung matandang lalake, nakaupo sa left side, likuran ng driver. Then yun nursing student, nakasandal sa matandang lalake, nakalaglag yun buhok sa mukha, tulog ata. Gets nyo na yung positions nila? Good. Then.. Umandar na yung jeep.. After 5mins.. May sumakay na matandang babae.. Umupo sya sa harap nung matandang lalake at nung nursing student.

Umandar ulit yung jeep.. Wala pang 10mins, pumara yung matandang babae, and on her way down sa jeep, pinipilit nyang bumaba si Ana. Sabi nya: "BABA!" On a not shouting but medyo galit na way. ANA: "Bakit po?" Matandang Babae: "Basta baba!" Hinahatak nya ang damit ni Ana pababa, while saying "sabing baba eh!" So dahil sa takot, bumaba si Ana.. Pagkaandar ng jeep, Ana asked the old woman.. ANA: "Bakit po ba?" Matandang Babae: "Hindi mo ba napansin?" ANA: "Alin po?" Matandang Babae: "Nangingitim na 'yung mga kuko nung babae!" ANA: "Ano po ibig nyong sabihin?" MB: "Patay na yung babae! Sinaksak ng Ice pick nun lalake!" *Kapag daw ice pick ang ginamit pangsaksak, di daw lalabas ang dugo dahil maliit lang ang ice pick, sa loob daw mamumuo yung dugo, magkakaron ng blood clot.* Hindi pa nag sink in kay Ana yung sinabi nun matandang babae, until napanood nya sa news. _______________________________________________________ I can still feel the goosebumps and naiiyak pa rin ako dahil sa story na toh. :| Nakakatakot, Nakakakilabot! :'( Swerte ni Ana dahil may malasakit yung matandang babae sa kanya, dahil diba, pwede naman umalis yun MB kahit hindi kasama si Ana. It means, di pa oras ni Ana. Nakakaawa yun nursing student. :'( Oshit.... :'( Sobrang swerte ni Ana. Puzzle pa rin sa'min what's the real story behind that. Kasi sabi daw sa news, unfortunately di ko napanood, di daw hinold up yun nursing student, kaya hindi alam ang reason kung bakit sya pinatay. Kinwento lang sakin toh pero grabe na ang reaction ko, alam nyo ba, si Ana, lagi daw tulala at lutang. Tahimik palagi. Sus, kahit kanino naman siguro mangyari yun magkakaganon diba? OMG talaga! Kaya sa mga commuters dyan, be aware sa mga nakakatabi nyo sa byahe, laging mag iingat and be observative.

All About Astronomy

Where are we in the universe? We live on Earth, the third planet of our solar system. Our solar system is located in the Milky Way Galaxy, a collection of 200 billion stars (together with their solar systems). The Milky Way Galaxy is located in a group of 30+ galaxies we call the Local Group. The Local Group is a part of a local supercluster of 100+ galaxies (called the Virgo Supercluster). This supercluster is one of millions of superclusters in the universe.

Our Solar System

Our solar system consists of the sun, planets, dwarf planets (or plutoids), moons, an asteroid belt, comets, meteors, and other objects. The sun is the center of our solar system; the planets, over 61 moons, theasteroids, comets, meteoroids and other rocks and gas all orbit the Sun. The Earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.

The Planets
The nine planets that orbit the sun are (in order from the Sun): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter (the biggest planet in our Solar System), Saturn (with large, orbiting rings), Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (a dwarf planet or plutoid). A belt of asteroids (minor planets made of rock and metal) orbits between Mars and Jupiter. These objects all orbit the sun in roughly circular orbits that lie in the same plane, the ecliptic (Pluto is an exception; this dwarf planet has an elliptical orbit tilted over 17 from the ecliptic). The inner planets (those planets that orbit close to the Sun) are quite different from the outer planets (those planets that orbit far from the Sun).
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The inner planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They are relatively small, composed mostly of rock, and have few or no moons. The outer planets include: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They are mostly huge, mostly gaseous, ringed, and have many moons (plus Pluto, which is a dwarf planet that has one large moon and two small moons).

Small Bodies
There are other smaller object that orbit the Sun, including asteroids, comets, meteoroids and dwarf planets.
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Asteroids (also called minor planets) are rocky or metallic objects, most of which orbit the Sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Comets are small, icy bodies that orbit the sun. They have very long tails. Meteoroids are small bodies that travel through space. They are stony and/or metallic and are smaller than asteroids. Most are very tiny.

The Milky Way Galaxy

Our solar system is located in the outer reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is a spiral galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy contains roughly 200 billion stars. Most of these stars are not visible from Earth. Almost everything that we can see in the sky belongs to the Milky Way Galaxy. The sun is about 26,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is about 80,000 to 120,000 light-years across (and less than 7,000 lightyears thick). We are located on on one of its spiral arms, out towards the edge. It takes the sun (and our solar system) roughly 200-250 million years to orbit once around the Milky Way. In this orbit, we (and the rest of the Solar System) are traveling at a velocity of about 155 miles/sec (250 km/sec).
From the Earth, our Milky Way Galaxy is visible as a milky band that stretches across the night sky. It is easier to see when you are far from bright city lights.

To reach the center of the Milky Way Galaxy starting from the Earth, aim toward the constellation Sagittarius. If you were in a spacecraft, during the trip you would pass the stars in Sagittarius one by one (and many other stars!). The Milky way Galaxy is just one galaxy in a group of galaxies called the Local Group. Within the Local Group, the Milky Way Galaxy is moving about 300 km/sec (towards the constellation Virgo).

The Milky Way Galaxy is moving in concert with the other galaxies in the Local Group (the Local Group is defined as those nearby galaxies that are moving in concert with each other, independent of the "Hubble flow" expansion).

Even though man has studied the heavens for thousands of years, we still know very little about the Universe we live in. And as we continue to learn more, we are consistently amazed, and sometimes confused, by what we learn. Here is a collection of amazing, interesting, and strange astronomy facts, in no particular order. Scientists believe that we can only see about 5% of the matter in the Universe. The rest is made up of invisible matter (called Dark Matter) and a mysterious form of energy known as Dark Energy.

Neutron stars are so dense, that a soup can full of neutron star material would have more mass than the Moon.

The Sun produces so much energy, that every second the core releases the equivalent of 100 billion nuclear bombs.

Galileo Galilei is often incorrectly credited with the invention of the telescope. Instead, historians now believe the Dutch eyeglass maker Johannes Lippershey as its creator. Galileo was, however, probably the first to use the device to study the heavens.

Black Holes are so dense, and produce such intensegravity, that even light can not escape. Theoretical physicists predict that there are situations under which light can escape (which is called Hawking radiation).

Light from distant stars and galaxies takes so long to reach us, that we are actually seeing objects as they appeared hundreds, thousands or even millions of years ago. So, as we look up at the sky, we are really looking back in time.

The Crab Nebula was produced by a supernova explosion in 1054 A.D. The Chinese and Arab astronomers at the time noted that the explosion was so bright, that it was visible during the day, and lit up the night sky for months.

Shooting stars are usually just tiny dust particles falling through our atmosphere. Cometssometimes pass through Earths orbit, leaving trails of dust behind. Then as Earth plows through the dust in its path, the particles heat up, creating the streaks in the night sky.

Even though Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, temperatures can reach -280 degrees F. Why? Since Mercury has almost no atmosphere, there is nothing to trap heat near the surface. So, the dark side of Mercury (the side facing away from the Sun) is very cold.

Venus is considerably hotter than Mercury, even though it is further away from the Sun. The thickness of Venus atmosphere traps heat near the surface of the planet.

The Sun is growing: In 5 billion years it will be 250 times bigger and close enough to swallow up the Earth.Submitted by: Refath - New York, United States

Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to us after the Sun.Submitted by: Joshua - Canada

The star Epsilon Aurigae dims every 27 years due to a mysterious dark object eclipsing it periodically.Submitted by: Ddsqaw

The 'Great Red Spot' - a storm on Jupiter that has been going on for 300 years - is so big that dozens of Earths would fit into it.Submitted by: Steady - Malm, Sweden

A supermassive blackhole is believed to be present in the centre of nearly every galaxy, including our own Milky Way.Submitted by: Mansi Kookani - Dubai, United Arab Emirates

On Mercury during the day, the Sun rises, stops, about-turns and eventually sets where it rose.Submitted by: Hyde - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Everything moves: Planetsmove within the Solar System, which moves within Milky Way Galaxy, which moves withinThe Local Group of Galaxies, which moves towards Virgo Cluster.Submitted
by: Nathan Otoo - United States

Venus and Uranus are the only planets that rotate clockwise (retrograde rotation.)Submitted by:
Yvonna May

All 27 of Uranus moons are named after William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope characters.Submitted by: Jacob Richard - Tempe, Arizona, United States

With 63 moons, Jupiter has the largest number of moons.Submitted by: Moi - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus andNeptune are made up of just gas with no solid surface to land on.

The temperature on Mercuryvaries so extremely that it will rise up to 430C during the day and drop as low as -140C at night.Submitted by: King Sid - Hyderabad, India

The largest known star Canis Majoris is so big that if our Sun were a ball 117cm (46in) wide, Canis Majoris would be 2.25 kilometers (1.3 miles) wide.Submitted by: Colin - Portland, Oregon, United States.

Despite being closest to the sun, Mercury is not the hottest planet. The hottest planet isVenus (at 462 Celsius).Submitted by: Erik Halenkamp - Naples, Italy

The Pistol Star is the most luminous star known - 10 million times the power of the Sun and as big as the size of Earth's entire orbit around the Sun.Submitted by: Ankita, Manaal and Anisha - Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Mars is red because its soil is very rusty (iron oxide.)Submitted by: Ankita Lalwani - Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Crux is the smallest of modern constellations, with only 4 bright stars.Submitted by: Chris Jimms

The largest of modern constellations is Hydra.Submitted by: Chris Jimms Earth is the only planet not named after a Roman or Greek god.Submitted by: Jacob - Ohio, Unites States.

Saturn's moon Titan has hundreds of times more oil and natural gas than all the known
reserves on Earth.

Interstellar space is not complete vacuum: there are a few hydrogen atoms per cubic centimeter.Submitted
by: Sruthi R - Coimbatore, India

If a pinhead-size piece of the Sun were placed on Earth, one would have to stand as far as 145 kilometers (90 miles) away to be safe.Submitted by: Sruthi R - Coimbatore, India

The star "Lucy" in constellation Centaurus is actually a huge cosmic diamond of 10 billion trillion trillion carats.Submitted by: Sruthi R - Coimbatore, India

A neutron star has such density that a teaspoonful of its matter would weigh more than all the people on Earth.Submitted by: Sruthi R - Coimbatore, India

Even though it is closest to the Sun, Mercury has ice in its craters.Submitted by: Jeuel

Due to its size, Pluto's moonCharon is also considered to be a double dwarf planet (two planets orbiting each other), rather than a moon orbiting its planet.Submitted by: Jeuel

Jupiter is so big that twice the mass of the rest of our Solar System's planets combined would
still not be enough to equal its mass.

Made up of billions of pieces of ice, the average thickness of each of Saturn's seven giant rings only ranges from about 200 to 3000 meters.

The deepest surface point on Mars is Hellas, about 3 km deep.

Pluto is no longer considered a planet. It is now known as a "Dwarf Planet". About 1000 Earths would fit inside Jupiter - and the Suncould hold about 1000 Jupiters.

Voyager 1 spacecraft is the farthest human-made object in the universe.Submitted by: Hyde

The planet Saturn has a density lower than water. So, if placed in water it would float.Submitted
by: Am, Singapore

The speed of light - 299 million meters a second - would still take about 26 billion years to reach one end of the visible universe to the other.Submitted by: Nik, India

On Uranus, each pole gets around 42 years of continuous sunlight, followed by 42 years of darkness.Submitted by: Nicci - Jacksonville, North Carolina, United States The sky is blue because when sunlight collides with our atmosphere, colours of the shortest wavelengths (violet and blue) are scattered - and our eyes are more sensitive to see blue.Submitted by: K - New York, United States One of Jupiter's moons is believed to grow and shrink because of the water beneath its frozen surface.Submitted by: Jay - United States

A dwarf star is so dense that it would take 8 men to lift a teaspoon full of its matter.Submitted by:
Hades - Milledgeville, Georgia, United States

The star Alpha Herculis is so big that 25 of our entire solar system would have to be placed end to end to equal the star's diameter. The star Sirius B is so dense, a handful of it weighs about 454,000 kgs (1 million pounds.) The Sun contains over 99.8 percent of the total material (mass) in our solar system, while Jupiter contains most of the rest. The Sun is 330,330 times larger than Earth. The Sun is about 149 million kms (93 million miles) from Earth, yet it's 270,000 times closer than the next nearest star, which is 4.3 light years away.Submitted by: damandude - Missouri, United States A neutron star is the strongest magnet in the universe. A new star is born in our galaxy every 18 days. If a pulsar's (small star made up of densely packed neutrons) piece the size of a small coin landed on Earth, it would weigh approximately 100 million tons.

A day on Mercury, from sunrise to sunset, lasts about six Earth months. The planet Venus has the longest day. The Earth is the densest planet in the solar system. The Moon orbits the Earth every 27.32 days Every second, the Sun pumps more than a million tons of material into the space through the solar wind (electrically charged particles.)

The planet Venus does not tilt as it goes around the Sun, so consequently, it has no seasons.

Since Neptune's discovery in 1846, it has made just about three-quarters of one revolution around the Sun. The pressure at the centre of the Earth is 27,000 tons per square inch.

Uranus is tipped on its side so that one pole is pointed at the Sun, so its poles are warmer than its equator. The smallest planet in our solar system isPluto (now called 'dwarf planet' and not a true planet.)

A cosmic year is the amount of time it takes the Sun to revolve around the center of the Milky

Way, about 225 million years.

A day on the planet Mercury is twice as long as its year. Mercury rotates very slowly but revolves around the Sun in slightly less than 88 days. A space vehicle must move at a rate of at least 27.35km (17 miles) per second to escape Earth's gravity. The Sun loses 360 million tonnes of material each day. The Earth-Moon size ratio is the largest in our solar system, excepting Pluto-Charon. The Sun travels at a speed of 250km (155 miles) per second, but it still takes 230 million years for it to complete a single revolution of the galaxy. Olympus Mons on Mars is the largest volcano in our solar system, almost three times taller than Mount Everest on Earth. Jupiter's core is non-metal, but due to the immense pressure inside Jupiter, the core has become a metal. This metal is liquid metallic hydrogen. The cosmos contains approximately 50,000,000,000 galaxies. Sound travels about 4 times faster in water than in air. A large sunspot can last for about a week. The Earth orbits the sun at an average speed of 107,220 kms per hour. There is a high and low tide because of ourmoon and the Sun. The moon is one million times drier than theGobi Desert.Submitted by: Carol Cooper - United States The moon is 27% the size of the Earth. The Earth weighs 6.6 sextillion tons, or 5.97 x 1024 kg. Sunlight takes about 8 minutes & 20 seconds to reach the Earth at 186,282 miles/sec (299,792 Km/sec). An Astronaut can be up to 2 inches taller returning from space. The cartilage disks in the spine expand in the absence of gravity.

KINAGISNANG BALON

(Andres Cristobal Cruz) Sinasabing walang lampin sa purok ng Tibag na hindi nilabhan sa tubig na sinasalok sa malalim, malaki't matandang balon.

Sinasabing walang nagluto ng pagkain at naghugas ng kinainan sa Tibag na hindi gumamit ng tubig sa balong iyon.

Sinasabing walang naligo sa Tibag na hindi nagbuhos ng malinis at malamig na tubig na siyang biyaya ng matandang balong tisa.

Anupa't masasabing walang isinilang at inilibing na taga-Tibag na hindi uminom o binindisyunan ng tubig na galing sa kanilang balon.

Kung iisipin, masasabi rin na ang buhay at kamatayan ng mga taga-Tibag ay nasa balong iyon.

Mahalaga nga ang balon, ngunit ang bagay na ito'y hindi nila pinag-uukulang masyado ng pansin. Sa kanila, ang balon ay bahagi ng kanilang buhay at kapaligiran, bahagi na ng kanilang mga kinagisnang alamat at mga paniniwala't pamahiing imumulat nila sa kanilang mga anak, at imumulat naman ng mga ito sa susunod nilang salinlahi.

Walang nakatitiyak kung kailan hinukay ang balong iyon.

"Noon pang panahon ng Kastila," anang matatanda.

"Hindi pa kayo tao, nandiyan na 'yan," giit naman ng iba.

At parang pagpapatunay, patitingnan ang mga tisang ginamit sa balon. Kauri raw at sintigas ng mga ginamit sa pader ng Intramuros o kaya'y sa mga pinakamatatandang simbahang katoliko sa Pilipinas.

Ipaglalaban naman ng iba na ang balon ay hinukay, o sa lalong wastong salita ay ipinahukay ng mga may kapangyarihan noong unang panahon ng mga Amerikano. Katunayan daw, maraming bayan sa Pilipinas, lalo na sa Luson, ang may mga balong tulad ng sa Tibag. Kaya naman daw matatagpuan ang mga ganitong balon sa labas ng mga matatandang bayan ay upang madaling masugpo ang kolerang ilang beses kumalat sa buong kapuluan at umutas ng libu-libong pagkukunan ng tubig ay nasa labas ng bayan, por lo menos, madali ang pagsugpo sa kakalat na makamandag na kolera.

May kalabuan man, kung sa bagay, ang ganoong pala-palagay, wala namang magagawa ang mausisa. Basta't iyon daw ang paniwalaan, tapos ang kwento!

Ganoon din ang ibubulyaw ng mga matatandang pikon kung kokontrahin mo sila sa kanilang pananakot. Kung gabi raw na madilim, lalo na kung patay ang buwan, may malignong lumilitaw sa may balon.

Magtago ka raw at sumilip sa likod ng mga punong kakawate, kung minamalas ka, makikita mo na lamang at sukat ang isang pagkaganda-gandang babae sa may balon. May inaaninaw daw itong mukha ng kung sinong katipang nalunod o maaaring nilunod sa balon noong panahon pa ng mga Kastila. Minsan naman daw, mga kung anu-anong hayop ang nagsisilabasan sa may balon at nag-uungulan.

At ano bang mali-maligno! Naisipan daw ng ilang kabinataan ang magpahating-gabi sa likod ng mga punong kakawate. At ano ang natuklasan nila? Ang nananakot ang siyang natakot. At nang magkabistuhan na, humangos daw itong may kinakapkap na kung ano at hinabol ng mga nakatuklas. Hindi matapus-tapos ang sistihan nang makasal nang di oras ang dalawang "maligno" na walang iba kung di ang tanging biyudo't pinakamatandang dalaga sa Tibag.

Isa na iyon sa masasayang pangyayari sa balon ng Tibag. Sa may balon naglalaba't naliligo ang mga dalaga't kababaihan. Kung naroon na ang mga dalaga, panay naman daw ang hugas ng paa ng mga binata. Naroon na ang nakawan ng tingin, mga patalinghagang salitang sinusuklian ng saboy ng tubig o mga naluluma't hindi natutuloy na pagbabantang magsusumbong. Ang inay ng mga batang nagsisipaligo, ng mga baldeng pumapalo sa gilid ng balon, mga pigil na hagikhik ng mga babae, harutan ng mga dalagita

Marami ang makapagsasabing sa Tibag, ang buhay-buhay, tulad ng matandang balon, ay siya na nilang kinagisnan, kinamulatan pa rin ng kanilang mga anak at mamanahin pa rin ng mga anak naman nito.

Isa na sa mga makapagsasabi si Tandang Owenyong Aguwador. Siya lamang ang aguwador sa Tibag. Ang ibang sumasalok, may pingga at balde, ay para gamit lamang sa bahay. Gamit din sa bahay ang sinasalok ng mga dalagang nagsusunong ng banga ng inumin, balde o golgoreta.

Hanap buhay ni Tandang Owenyong Aguwador ang pag-iigib ng tubig. Iniigiban niya ang ilang malalaking bahay sa Tibag at pinupuno din niya ang mga tapayan o dram ng mga talagang nagpapaigib sa mula't mula pa. Ito ang mga pamilyang kung nagpipista ay siyang pinakamaraming handa't bisita, mga nagiging hermano o punong-abala sa mga komite de festejos. Ito rin ang ipinag-igib ng ninuno ni Tandang Owenyo.

Maglilimampung taong gulang na si Tandang Owenyo. Maiksi ang gupit ng kanyang kulay abong buhok. Pangkaraniwan ang taas, siya'y laging nakakamisetang mahaba ang manggas at kapit sa katawan. Matipuno at siksik daw ang katawan nito noong araw.

"Ba't naman di magkakaganoon e sa banat ang kanyang buto sa pagsalok n'on pa man," sabi ng iba.

"Binata pa'yan 'kamo,' dagdag ng ilan, "aguwador na."

"Di ba't ang Ba Meroy ay aguwador din?"

"Aba, siyanga, ano!"

Ang pangalan ng ama ni Tandang Owenyo ay Ba Meroy. Namatay ito noong panahon ng Hapon.

"Pero 'ala namang giyera," pilit ng iba, "umiigib na ang Tandang Owenyo."

"Minana na niya ang upisyong iyan."

"E, si Nana Pisyang Hilot? Di ba't sa balon sila"

"A, oo! Doon niligawan ng Tandang Owenyo si Nana Pisyang. Ipagtanong mo."

"Labandera na noon si Nana Pisyang?"

"Labandera na. Ang ipinag-iigib ng Tandang Owenyo ang siyang ipinaglalaba naman ng Nana Pisyang. Kaya nga maganda ang kanilang istorya, e."

"Ang Da Felisang Hilot?"

"Aba, e labandera rin 'yon. Tinuruan naman niyang manghilot ang kanyang anak. "Yan nga si Nana Pisyang."

"Tingnan mo nga naman ang buhay."

"Sa Amerika ba, merong ganiyan?"

"Pilipinas naman 'to, e! Siyempre dito sa 'tin, pasalin-salin ang hanapbuhay."

"Mana-mana ang lahat."

"Si Ba Meroy aguwador, puwes, si Tandang Owenyong anak ay aguwador din."

"At si Nana Pisyang ng Da Felisa, labandera."

"Pero si Nana Pisyang humihilot din."

"Ow, ano ba naman 'yon? Di naman araw-araw e me nanganganak. Saka, bigyan mo na lang ng pangkape ang Nana Pisyang, tama na."

"Me pamamanahan na sila ng kanilang mga ikinabubuhay."

"Di nga ba't katu-katulong na ng Nana Pisyang sa paglalaba't paghahatid ng damit ang dalagita niyang si Enyang? Meron na siyang magsisiks greyd."

"At si Narsing nila?"

"A, si Narciso ba? Sayang. Tapos ng hayskul, hindi na nakapagpatuloy."

"Ow, tama na 'yon. Tapos ka't hindi, pareho rin."

"Si Narsing ang me ulo. Laging me dalang libro, e!"

"Sa library nga raw sa kabayanan nagbabasa't humihiram ng libro."

"Minsa'y nakita kong may kipkip na libro. Tinanong ko kung ano."

"E, ano raw?"

"Florante at Laura daw."

"Tingnan mo nga 'yan. Sayang na bata. May ulo pa naman."

"Balita ko'y ayaw mag-aguwador."

"Nahihiya siguro. Biruin mo nga namang nakatungtong na halos sa kolehiyo at sa pag-aaguwador mapupunta. Ba't nga naman iyong iba. Karabaw inglis lang ang alam e mga tente bonete na."

"Kayo, pala, oo! Para naman kayong bago nang bago sa Pilipinas. Pa'no me malalakas na kapit 'yon!"

"Di aguwador din ang bagsak ni Narsing!"

NAGHIHIMAGSIK si Narsing. Ayaw niyang punasan ang pinggan. Totoo nga na umiigib siya. Ngunit iyon ay para lamang sa gamit nila sa bahay. At gusto pa niyang bitbitin ang dalawang balde kaysa gumamit ng pingga.

Sabi ng mga matatandang babaing naglalaba sa may balon, kung magpingga lamang si Narsing mapagkakamalan daw itong si Tandang Owenyo noong baguntao pa ito. Iyon din ang palagay ng mga nagkakahig ng sasabungin, ng mga naghuhuntahan sa harap ng tindahang sari-sari sa tapat ng lumang kapilya.

Kung naririnig ni Narsing ang gayong sabi-sabi lalo lamang sumisidhi ang kanyang paghihimagsik. At ito'y may kasamang malalim na hinanakit.

Nagsasampay ang kanyang ina ng siya'y magpaalam isang umaga. Ang apat na alambreng sampayan ay lundung-lundo sa bigat ng malalaking sinampay. Hindi na nakita ni Narsing na ang sampayan ay nawalan ng laman, na ang damuhan sa may gilid ng bakod na siit ay walang latag na kinula. Sa kabilang gilid bakuran hanggang sa duluhang papunta sa bukid ay gumagapang ang kamoteng putpot, na ang talbos ay naagad. May kapirasong balag na ginagapangan naman ng upo.

Binigyan si Narsing ng kanyang inang Nana Pisyang ng konting babaunin. Ito'y naipon sa paglalaba't sa pinagbilhan ng ilang upo at talagang inilalaan para sa susunod na pasukan ng mga bata.

Nakituloy si Narsing sa isang tiyuhin sa Tundo, sa Velasquez. Sa araw, naglalakad siya't naghahanap ng mapapasukan Kahit na ano, huwag lamang pag-aaguwador. Nakaranas siya ng gutom, ngunit nagtiis siya. Kung anu-anong kumpanya't pagawaan ang kanyang sinubukan. Pulos naman NO VACANCY at WALANG BAKANTE ang nakasabit sa mga tarangkahan at pintuan ng mga pinupuntahan niya.

Hindi lamang pala siya ang nabibigo. May nakakasabay pa siyang madalas na mga tapos ng edukasyon at komers. Ang mga ito'y me dala pang sulat na galing sa ganoo't ganitong senador o kongresman. Natatawang ibig maluha ni Narsing. Binabalewala na pala ng mga ito kahit na pirma ng pulitiko. Maski siguro si Haring Pilato ang nakapirma, talagang walang maibibigay na trabaho ang balanang puntahan ni Narsing.

Napadaan si Narsing sa isang malaking gulayan ng Intsik. Subukin na nga to, sabi niya sa sarilit pumapasok siya sa isang ektarya yatang gulayan na binakuran ng mga alambreng matinik. Kinausap niya ang Insik na nakita niyang nagpapasan ng dalawang lalagyan ng tubig na tabla. Taga-alis ng uod, magpala o magpiko sabi ni Narsing sa Intsik.

Hene pwede, sagot ng Intsik, hang lan akyen tlamaho. Nahat-nahat yan akyen lang tanim, dilig.

O, paano, talagang wala? sabi ni Narsing at napansin niyang tumigas ang kanyang boses. Para siyang galit.

Ikaw gusto pala ngayon lang alaw, ha, sagot ng Insik. Nangingiti-ngiti. Akyen gusto lang tulong sa yo.

O sige, ano?

Ikaw, kuha tubig, salok sa balon, dilig konti. Ikaw na gusto?

Ibinigay ng Intsik ang kanyang pinipinggang pinakaregadera.

Kinabukasan ng hapon nagpaalam si Narsing sa kanyang tiyahing nasa Velasquez. Sumakay na siya ng trak pauwi sa kanilang bayan sa lalawigan, sa Tibag. Pangkaraniwan na sa Tibag ang nabibigo sa paghahanap ng trabaho sa Maynila, lalo na ang trabahong bago at hindi minana. Habang daan ay inisip-isip niya kung paano niya maiiwasan ang kanyang mamanahing hanap-buhay na halos pantawid-gutom lamang, ang isang kalagayang pagtitiis mula sa umpisa hanggang sa katapusan, walang kamuwangan, hirap, at laging nakasalag, kung hindi sa kabutihang loob ng ilan, sa pagsasamantala naman ng marami.

Mabuti pa, sabi ni Narsing sa sarili, hindi na ko nakapag-aral. Parang nabuksan ang kanyang isip at guniguni sa sanlibut sanlaksang kababalaghan ng kalikasan at sa maraming paghahamon ng buhay na di niya maubos-maisip kung paano mapananagumpayan.

Magtatakip-silim nang dumating siya sa Tibag. Dinumog siya ng mga paslit na nagtatanong kung mayroon siyang dalang pasalubong. Wala, wala siyang dala.

Ang sumunod sa kanyang si Enyang ay tahimik na nag-ahin ng hapunan sa lumang dulang. Habang silay kumakain, naramdaman ni Narsing na naghihintay ang kanyang amat ina ng kanya pang isalaysay tungkol sa kanyang paghahanap ng trabaho sa Maynila. Ano naman ang maibabalita niyang hindi pa nila nalalaman tungkol sa kahirapan ng paghahanap ng trabaho?

Inalok siya nang inalok at pinakakaing mabuti ng kanyang ina. Animoy nagkandagutom siya sa Maynila. Pasulyap-sulyap siya sa kanyang amang nasa kabisera ng dulang. Nagpupuyos ang kanyang kalooban sa kanyang nasasaksihan. Nagaagawan ang mga paslit sa ulam. Tipid na tipid ang subo ng kanyang amat ina. Marami pa silang inom ng tubig kaysa sa subo ng kanin. Ang ulam nilay kamatis at bagoong na may talbos na naman ng kamote, isang mangkok na burong mustasa at ilang piniritong bangus. Mayat maya ay sinasaway ng kanyang ina ang mga batang parang asot pusa sa pag-uunahan sa pagkain. Sa buong Tibag, sila lamang marahil ang hindi halos nagkakaroon ng mumo sa buong dulang. Noong araw, hindi sila ganoon. Ngayon, kung magsabaw sila sa sinigang o minsan sang buwan nilagang karne, halos sambalde ang ibubuhos na tubig para dumami ang sabaw. Habang lumalakit dumarami ang subo ng mga bata, dadalang at liliit ang subo ng kanyang amat ina. Siya naman ay napapagaya naman sa kanila.

Ang ganoong tagpo ay kanyang pinaghihimagsikan. Katulad din iyon ng kanyang paghihimagsik kung nasasaksihan niya ng kanyang mga kapatid na palihim na waring nagsusukat ng mga damit na mahuhusay na ipinaglalabat ipinamamalantsa ng kanilang ina. Katulad din iyon ng kanyang paghihimagsik na matapos na sa pag-iigib ang kanyang ama at napapansin niyang dumarami ang kulubot sa ulo kung nakikita itong pasan-pasan ang pinggat dalawang balde na animoy isang Kristo sa pagkakayuko na ang paghihirap ay wala nang katapusan.

Noong gabing iyon, nagkasagutan sila ng kanyang ama. Nakaupo si Narsing sa unang baytang sa itaas ng kanilang mababang hagdan. Nakatingin siya sa duluhan ng bakuran. Iniisip niyang harapin pansamantala ang pagtatanim ng gulay. Nalingunan na lamang niyang nakatayo ang kanyang ama sa may likuran niya.

Gayon din lamang, mungkahi ng kanyang ama sa malumanay na boses, at ibig mong maghanapbuhay, subukin mong umigib.

May idurugtong pa sana ang kanyang ama, ngunit hindi na nakapigil si Narsing. Malakas at pasinghal ang kanyang sagot.

Ano ba naman kayo! Aguwador na kayo, gusto nyo pati ako maging aguwador!

Napatigagal ang kanyang ama. Ang kanyang inay napatakbo at tanong nang tanong kung bakit at ano ang nangyari.

Minumura siya ng kanyang ama. Bakit? wika nitong pinaghaharian ng pagdaramdam at kumakatal ang tinig. Ano ang masama sa pag-aaguwador? Diyan ko kayo binuhay!

Nakatayo na sana si Narsing. Ngunit sinundan siya ng kanyang amat buong lakas na hinaltak at inundayan ng sampal. Parang natuklap ang mukha ni Narsing. Itinaas niya ang isa niyang kamay upang sanggahin ang isa pang sampal. Nakita niyang nagliliyab ang mga mata ng kanyang ama.

Sumigaw ang kanyang ina. May kasama itong iyak. Yakap siyang mahigpit ng kanyang ina. Huwag daw siyang lumapastangan. Pati ang mga batay umiiyak at humahagulgol na parang maliliit na hayop.

Lumayo ang kanyang amat iniunat ang katawan sa isang tabi ng dingding na pawid. Dinig na dinig pa rin ang kanyang sinasabi.

Nag-aral ka pa naman, sayang. Oy, kung me gusto kang gawin, sige. Di kita pinipigil. Darating din ang araw na mararanasan mo rinmararanasan mo rin.

Kung anu-anong balita ang kumalat sa Tibag. Kung umiigib si Narsing ng tubig para sa kanilang bahay hindi siya pinapansin ni binabati tulad ng dati. Ganoon din ang kanyang ama. Waring nahihiyang magtanung-tanong ang mga tao, ngunit hindi nahihiyang sa kani-kanilang sariliy magpalitan sila ng tsismis at mali-maling palagay.

ISANG linggo pagkatapos ng pagkakasagutan nilang mag-ama, ang Tandang Owenyo ay nadisgrasya sa balon. Nadupilas ito at mabuti na lamang daw at sa labas ng balon nahulog. Kung hindi raw, patay. Ang dibdib ng matanda ay pumalo sa mga nakatayong balde at itoy napilayan. Nabalingat naman ang isang siko niya. Sabi ng marami ay nahilo ang matanda. Ang ibay na wala sa isip niya ang ginagawa.

Nilagnat pa si Tandang Owenyo. Ipinatawag na ang pinakamahusay na manghihilot na taga-ibayo. Nakikiigib ang mga iniigiban ni Tandang Owenyo sa iba. Kailan daw ba iigib uli ang matanda. Walang malay gawin ang ina ni Narsing. Ang kanilang dati nang malaking utang sa tindahan ni Da Utay ay lalong lumaki sa pagkakasakit ng matandang aguwador.

Isang hapong umiigib si Narsing ng gamit sa bahay ay may naglakas-loob na nagtanong kung magaling na ang kanyang ama. Bakit daw hindi pa siya sumalok. Sayang daw kung kinikita ng ama niyay sa iba pa mapupunta.

Hindi nanlilibak o sumasaring ang pagkakasabi noon. Iyon, sa palagay ni Narsing, ay patotoo sa paniwalang siya ang talagang magmamana sa gawaing iyon ng kanyang ama.

KINABUKASAN, hindi nangyari ang inaasahang mangyari ni Narsing. Hindi siya tinukso ni pinagtawanan at kinantiyawan. Nalapnos ang kanyang balikat at magdamag na nanakit ang kanyang mga buto sa pag-akyat-panaoog sa mga hagdang matatarik, sa pagsalin at pagbuhat ng tubig. Siya ang umiigib.

Pabiling-biling si Narsing sa kanyang hinihigang sahig. Nakikita niya ang malalayong mga bituin. Narinig niya ang mga mumunting hayop at ang alit-it ng mga kawayang itulak-hilahin ng hangin. Sa malayoy may asong kumakahol na parang nakakita ng asuwang o ano. Hindi siya nakatulog. Marami siyang iniisip. Naalaala niya noong siyay nasa hayskul. Bago siya maidlip, sa guniguni niya ay nakita niya ang kanyang sariling kamukha ng kanyang amang animoy isang Kristong pasanpasan ang pinggat dalawang baldeng mabibigat. Naisipan din niyang taniman nang taniman ang bakuran nilang ngayoy hindi na kanilat inuupahan lamang.

Maaga pay bumaba na ng bahay si Narsing. At siyay muling umigib. Mahapdi ang kanyang balikat. Humihingal siyat parang hindi na niya kayang ituwid ang kanyang mga tuhod.

Noong hapon, naghihintay si Narsing ng kanyang turno sa balon. Nagbibiruan ang mga dalagat kinabinataan sa paligid ng balon. May tumatawang nagsasabing binyagan ang kanilang bagong aguwador.

Binyagan si Narsing! sigaw ng mga nasa paligid ng balon, at may nangahas na magsaboy ng tubig.