The Future with Piezoelectricity
by Luther S. Escarlan Jr.
In today’s world, people in the field of science and engineering are continuously
studying materials that can be utilized to create something useful. One of which is the
potential of solid materials like crystals, ceramics, and biological matter such as bone to
generate electric charge by applying mechanical stress. As the world is currently working
with the solution in reducing human-made pollutions, generation of electricity by
piezoelectric materials can be one of the solutions as it was claimed as eco-friendly
Piezoelectricity was first discovered in 1880 by French physicists Jacques and
Pierre Currie. The mechanism revolves around the deformation of the piezoelectric
material caused by force applied into it. In the last decade, interest in piezoelectric-driven
power has grown. In 2011, Italy signed a contract to install piezoelectric crystals in the
stretch of Venice to Trieste Autostrada.
By conventional, electricity is generated by utilizing coal, fossil fuels, and natural
gas. However, these contribute to global warming because upon burning, stack gas
composition has a high greenhouse gas level. Compared to piezoelectric materials, it
almost has no negative impact on the environment as it is made up of unreactive solid.
As the population of the world is continually increasing, electricity demand will
increase as well. But, as this newly invented technology has entered the field of energy
production, electricity shortage would be no more. Piezoelectricity, the energy source of
the future.
Europe: The Home of Grandiose Presidential Palaces
by Luther S. Escarlan Jr.
At times, Europe emanates a level of grandeur that is unrivaled anyplace else on
the planet. From its grandest presidential palaces, from Portugal to Latvia, Europe is the
epitome of luxury.
Top on the list is the 240,000-square-meter Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. The
Hofburg was the Habsburg dynasty's old imperial palace, with 18 buildings, 19 courtyards,
and 2,600 rooms. The Presidential Complex (Ak Saray) in Ankara, Turkey, comes in
second with a total area of 200,020 square meters. With five million books, the
Presidential Complex houses the country's largest library. And third on the spot is the
Quirinal Palace in Rome, Italy, with a surface area of 110,500 square meters.
Perhaps none of the benefits of becoming president are more fulfilling than the
magnificent mansions they live in a while in office. And nations will frequently use these
magnificent structures to communicate their cultural identity to the rest of the world.
References
Lagradilla, C. (n.d). Size comparison of 20 popular presidential palaces in Europe.
Retrieved from https://everlastvalue.com/2021/07/01/size-comparison-of-20popular-presidential-palaces-in-europe/
Presidential
Complex.
(n.d).
DBPedia.
https://dbpedia.org/page/Presidential_Complex
Retrieved
from
Fix Your Lawn by Overseeding
by Luther S. Escarlan Jr.
Overseeding is the process of sowing grass seed into existing turf without breaking
it up or disturbing the soil. It's a simple technique to fill in bare places, increase turf density,
introduce new grass species, and improve the color of your lawn.
Many older lawns were planted with typical turf grasses that are no longer suitable
for today's homeowner's needs. They're more susceptible to disease and insects, and
they require more fertilizer and water. Overseeding an older lawn with younger turfgrass
kinds can help it tolerate insects, disease, drought, shady environments, and heavy traffic.
Overseeding pays for itself by lowering the amount of fertilizer, water, and pesticides
needed. Most importantly, a newly rebuilt grass remains greener, thicker, and healthier.
In overseeding, you will need a grass seed, enriched soil, lawnmower, rake, seed
spreader, and a sprinkler. Mow your lawn on the lowest setting and bag the cuttings to
start the overseeding process. After that, rake the lawn to remove any loose grass or
debris, which will expose more soil for the fresh seed. To give a healthy environment for
the new seeds to settle into, add a thin layer of one-quarter inch or less of enriched soil
over the current grass and gently rake it in. Fill the seed spreader with seed and adjust
the settings according to the label's instructions, then apply over the entire area,
replenishing as necessary. You can use a hand spreader for smaller areas, while a drop
or broadcast spreader is better for larger lawns. Choose and apply a fertilizer with
phosphorus for root growth and nitrogen for improved top growth and greening, and with
concentrations suited for new grass.
The sort of seeds you're planting will determine when you should overseed your
grass. Overseeding should be done 45 days before the first frost in the planting zone in
northern climes. This is perfect for bolstering a thinning or weak lawn. When the threat of
all freezes has passed through their location, it is preferable to strengthen turf in the
spring.
Lawns that have recently been overseeded require constant hydration. For the first
four days, keep seed and soil moist with frequent, light waterings twice a day; for the next
five days, water more intensively every other day; then water as needed to avoid wilting.
This promotes strong, robust roots.
The saddest movie ever: Grave of the Fireflies
by Luther S. Escarlan Jr.
Edited by Tet-tet Pua
Grave of the Fireflies gave me a heavy feeling every time I remembered it for a
week after I saw it.
I finally got to see Isao Takahata's animated war epic three decades after it was
released. And that's true, it's a lovely film that's so sad you won't want to watch it again,
as they say.
Many films have moved me to tears and made me cry, but Grave of the Fireflies is
the most distressing film I've ever seen.
It's depressing, but what makes Grave of the Fireflies even more depressing is that
all of the scenes felt overly vivid and realistic, despite the fact that the film is an anime.
The scenes are as realistic as feasible to real-life events.
What makes the deaths of the two main characters all the more tragic is that we
grow to love them as we watch them, even if it's just for 90 minutes. We instinctively
sympathize and connect with them, empathize with their suffering, and wish we could do
something to assist them.
We've grown accustomed to seeing happy endings, where the heroes begin at the
bottom and end up at the top. We're used to seeing triumphs in movies and characters
receiving redemption or at least some hope, but in this film, we're given two key
characters who, despite their best efforts, both die.
Even though it was only an animation, Grave of the Fireflies was as genuine as it
could be. And in real life, especially in the setting of this film, World War II, it isn't
necessarily a triumph in the end. Every battle has this reality: so many lives are lost.
Add the haunting musical score by Michio Mamiya, and the film can’t get any more
heart wrenching.
“Why do fireflies have to die so soon?”