Saturday, 31 March 2012

WATER: DO WE NEED TO SAVE IT?


Name
Nessa Suzon
Age
12 years old




How does my water affect that of others?
No because I use it. I don’t give it to other people.
Do I need to make an effort to save water?
Ofcourse because we can’t live water and if we waste it we’ll run out.
How could I do this?
Use glasses instead of just pouring water in plastic bottles. Don’t use the bathtub.
Who pays for clean water?
My dad.


Name
Cameron Smith
Age
25



How does my water affect that of others?

Well, MY water won’t affect others. Not unless of course I use it on them.
Do I need to make an effort to save water?
Yes definitely. Water is a necessity for anything to live. Anything at all, be it organisms or the biggest of mammals. And sadly, even though the world is 70 per cent water, there is very little drinkable water.
How could I do this?
Save water as much as I can. As an individual, if I wanted change, I’d start with me.
Who pays for clean water?
I do.


Saturday, 10 March 2012

Humans and Other Species

How will our relationship with animals benefit our world in the long run?

Starting from a smaller scale, having a pet companion is therapeutic. It can help in the emotional release of human emotions. Caring for a cat or a dog stimulates the sensory feelings of human. This also benefits the animals.
"Being around dogs can have a calming effect,” pet writer Maryann Mott reported for National Geographic News a few years ago. “Studies have shown that physiological changes occur when people touch dogs: a drop in heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduced stress.”


Looking at a larger scale, today's biggest industries benefit from animals. The tourism industry of Africa contributes largely on their economy. The breeding and domestication of animals help produce enough food for the world's largest fast food chain restaurants. 


What pleasure do humans get from torturing animals?
Zoosadism is a term coined by Ernest Borneman referring to pleasure (sometimes sexual pleasure) derived from cruelty to animals. Zoosadism is part of the Macdonald triad, a set of three behaviors that are a precursor to sociopathic behavior.
Studies have shown that individuals who enjoy or are willing to inflict harm on animals are more likely to do so to humans. One of the known warning signs of certain psychopathologies, including antisocial personality disorder, is a history of torturing pets and small animals.


How will the extinction of humans affect the food chain?
Possible causes of extinction:
Environmental collapses 
Long-term habitat threats 
Evolution 
Population decline
Scientific accidents 

In reality though, if humans are removed from the food chain there would be no much difference. If we take a look at the food chain in a pyramid structure. Obviously us humans would be on top because no other animal feeds on us. Just like a pyramid structure, if a piece is removed at the top there would be not much disturbance at the bottom. Similarly, if the vice versa happened, the whole human world as we know it, would crumble.

Monday, 5 March 2012

Animal Rights and Laws in the Philippines


AN ACT TO PROMOTE ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE PHILIPPINES OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT OF 1998"


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:


SECTION 1: It is the purpose of this Act to protect and promote the welfare of all animals in the Philippines by supervising and regulating the establishment and operations of all facilities utilized for breeding, maintaining, keeping, treating or training of all animals either as object of trade or as household pets. For purposes of this Act, pet animal shall include birds.

SECTION 2: No person, association, partnership, corporation, cooperative or any government agency or instrumentality including slaughter houses shall establish maintain and operate any pet shop, kennel, veterinary clinic, veterinary hospital, stockyard, corral, stud farm or stock farm or zoo for the breeding, treatment sale or trading, or training of animals without first securing from the Bureau of Animal Industry a certificate of registration therefore.

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Humans and Other Species

PETS - Human and animal interaction


It is evident, that everywhere around the world there is human and animal interaction. Be it in zoos, recreational centers or domestic pets we humans have contractually closer and closer to animals than in the past century.
Today an array of many species and breeds of different animals are taken in as pets by humans. The most common of which are dogs.
The domestic dogCanis lupus familiaris, is a subspecies of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), a member of the Canidae family of the mammilian order "Carnivora". The technical term "domestic dog" is used for both domesticated and feral varieties. 


Case Study:
The picture above is of a 15 year old girl named Paula and her dog Tink. This picture was an attempt of the owner and her pet to look like ducks by pouting their faces. You can tell by this picture that Paula and her Tink, come into very close contact with each other in a very comfortable manner. There is trust between the two. Trust that neither of them would hurt each other.
Tink spends most of her days sleeping, sniffing and eating about almost anything in the four corners of Paula's appartment. She eats dog food given to her, drinks water regularly and basks in the sun, in the balcony during the afternoon hours. When Paula is busy studying, Tink would usually sit on her bed, stay quiet and just give her company until she finishes.

From this very brief information, I conclude that we humans aren't as different as we thought we were to other animals. We respire, consume food and digest. We want to be safe and most of all we want to survive. In Paula and Tink's case, they live in harmony and in unison with each other. Both having a common understanding of each other's needs.

Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Humans and other species - HUMAN GESTURES



Human gestures

Hand or body gestures are used to express meaning, emotions or to communicate through movement of body parts. These could be learned through observation of others and in most times, these would be instilled in us subconsciously. You wouldn't even know but slowly and slowly you might start to do gestures you see other people do.


Interestingly, gestures differ from country to country. Sometimes the same gesture could have a whole different meaning between countries.
Here are a set of gestures present within the Filipinos today:


"It's over there."

This gesture is used when pointing at someone, pointing at something or directing someone in what direction to go. The filipinos do not use their fingers to point but rather their lips.

2.


"Ohh! Ohh! It's you! Hello!"

This gesture is used when seeing someone you know in a place where you don't expect to see them. This is usually to say Hello or that you acknowledge their presence but do not really intend to have a conversation. This could also be used if the person is at a distance and you cannot say hello closely. This is usually returned by the receiver and is followed by the casual "walk away".

3.
"Ohh. Ew. No. Not my type."
This gesture is usually used to portray dislike about something or someone. It can also be openly displayed with the subject in sight.

4.
"What?"
This gesture is used to say What without actually saying the word.

5.
"Stop talking. You're irritating me."
This gesture is used when someone is speaking to you, and you do not really want to hear anything they want to say. It's a sort of mockery to the person.

6.

"Cross my heart."
This gesture is used when saying a promise to someone and saying that you would never break it by interlocking both the index fingers and holding it against your heart.

7.
"Let's eat."
A gesture used to invite or tell others that you want to eat.

8.
This gesture doesn't really say anything, but rather it is a show of respect to elders. Usually done to parents or adults by their children or any younger people.

9.
"I'll punch you!"
This gesture is used to taunt/scare/threaten people. This is usually used with no intent to actually punch the person.

10.
"Come here."
This gesture is used to beckon to someone from a distance without having to yell. Usually done just once or twice.