Rat sentence

When I went ot the CR, early in morning yesterday, I heard something moving inside the pail. When I checked, I saw a big rat soaked in the water. It was a testimony to my suggestion of reducing the number of rats in the house, using pail catcher.

trying to flush in the bowl

persistently clinging to the mouth of the bowl

I didn’t know how to dispose it, I felt sorry for the rat. I did not want to kill it with my hands. I filled the pail , with water, with rat in it and flushed to the bowl. Unfortunately because of its size, the rat won`t easily slipped through the bowl. I filled the pail again and flushed to the bowl, still, the rat hanged on at the mouth of the bowl. I did not want to solely bear the burden of deciding what to do so I texted some of my friends to help me.

My plan was to pour the bowl with boiling water because it is the easiest way of killing without physically handling the rat. I stated in my text message that procedure of killing and what would they`re going to do if ever they are in my position. Will they give in to the idea of pouring boiling water or not?

the boiling water to be used in his last spa

From those who responded, the most brutal suggestion came from a good man, 34 years old with good moral standing, a defender of the oppressed, and a pro-life advocate, who suggested cutting the rat into half. I did not do it, not because I was sorry for the rat but because I was not sure how will it be done, would it be lengthwise or crosswise? What will I use, should it be a knife, a butcher`s knife or a bolo(?), a mechanical slicer, a chain saw, or a scalpel blade? When I said, it was too morbid, he suggested suffocating it. But again I didn’t know how to do it. Should I cover only its head or include the whole body? What material should I use, should it be ordinary smooth cellophane, grocery cellophane, ice wrapper, book cellophane, polyethylene bag, or vacuumed cellophane? I did not consider it because he was the only who suggested that. The death of the rat should come from the voice of the majority.

Out of 24 respondents, only one specifically said not to kill the rat. Some played safe when answering, when I made a follow-up question, it still meant killing the rat. Everybody wanted it killed. I wonder if they have an unwritten grudge with rats. Why they have a criminal mind? (lol).

I made up the final decision, 45 minutes after waiting others respond my call or was it a plea(?). I almost did not reach the bowl to shed out my waste after I laid the rat to its final rest because of extending the time to reach a verdict for the rat. In the end, the rat took its last breath in a steaming Jacuzzi. I did not look the agony it endured when I poured the boiling water.

the verdict

picking up for the burial ceremony

where it will be for the rest of the millennium

Because of this, I was late in the office.

Animal Science

I found this field objective. You do not need much of analysis only be sure to learn facts as many as you can. Here I can say that the use of Q&A reviewers of different sources can make you pass the exam. Uhhh, do not forget the scientific names of common domesticated animals. Its so shameful to tell you that I do not know the scientific name of a pig, being not a pork eater seemed that I totally disregarded the existence of that pig. It is acceptable then for me to swear, “Baboy talaga! Baboy! Di ko alam ang scientific name ng baboy!” (lol). Well, two hours after I learned that it is Sus scrofa.

Remember the simple calculations in animal science. Do not forget your Pearson square in computing your feed formulation. Do not forget also the computation for the expected date of farrowing, calving, etc. To determine that be sure to know the days of conception/gestation of different farm animals. I found it useful also in this type of question the nursery rhyme, “Thirty days have September, April, June, and November. All the rest have thirty one except February has 28”. The question can be tricky when a day, or 2-3 days difference when February is included in the gestation period to be computed. Take note of the year also, there can be choices that are the same but differs only in the year, and the right answer can be letter D, when the seemed correct is A. Check all the choices first before shading your final answer. Take note also when the question will be twisted. Instead of asking the expected date of farrowing (i.e. example), the date of fertilization/conception/or breeding schedule will be asked.

There were questions also on meat processing, slaughtering, and the like. It is another section of animal science that I did not learn during my undergraduate times. I found it useful the booklet of PCARRD on meat processing. There are terminologies that quite different from my pre-conceived definition of terms. Check the different types of hams, the different chunks of meat, portion of that cuts that are best for a particular dish (i.e. what is the best part of the meat cut for steak). Remember also the technical terms for meats of the different animals.

Review your reproduction, all on breeding, genetics, include the molecular aspect. We don’t know if the contributors will include questions with molecular thing as this is the trend now. Brace your self also with this molecular thing.

Of course, do not forget t the basics of animal production (goat, ruminants, swine, poultry).

In anatomy, be sure to review the different parts. Do you remember the different stomachs of ruminants? How about the rabbit, what is its stomach-type? Where is the gizzard of the horse located? One more thing, the bones… Review the classification, features, and functions of the bone.

Review the common poultry and ruminant diseases.

I think hard work pays. I was not confident with my animal science because I am not an animal science major, and I almost forgot what I learned during my undergrad times. So, I forced myself to stretch my review schedule for animal science. I got my highest rating in this subject.

If you see one wrong with what I stated above, then you have 1% assurance of passing the exam.


Links:

Mind setting for the agriculture board exam
Examination Guide
Crop Protection
Economics and Agricultural Marketing

Economics and Agricultural Marketing

I was fortunate that I was able to review much on this field although my grade is not relatively higher. Yet, I can consider that it is equitably enough considering the length of year that the last time I had my subjects on Economics. In addition, I could not remember that we had agricultural marketing subject during my time. Or was I absent when agricultural marketing was discussed? As far as I can remember, the agricultural marketing or even marketing alone is a new concept for me.

As a hint, be sure to read the book of Maria Eden Piadozo of UPLB on Agricultural Marketing. In the exam last year, 70% of the questions seemed to be coming from the concepts/topics discussed in the book. The book was so beneficial for me. I hope you can get one.

If you cannot get a copy of the book, just be sure to review the concept of law of supply and demand, the different elasticity, the price elasticity of supply, price elasticity of demand, income elasticity, etc. Before, I thought the law of supply and demand was very simple. Last year, I learned that that was only the tip of the real thing. When I had the opportunity to dig deeper, I learned that the simple law and demand was made complicated as its applications were presented. I suggest, review the determinants of supply and demand; the effect or consequence/relationship of the law of supply and demand to price as affected by time (short and long run); the different cases of supply elasticity. If you are confident that you understood these concepts, you have already an edge for this field.

In addition, learn also the simple computations for price determination. Review price, pricing variation and how prices are determined. Be sure also to differentiate the different types of products.

In relation to that market, marketing system, agricultural marketing system, marketing channels, marketing margins, marketing efficiency, marketing function are some of the must have to be reviewed.

Links:

Mind setting for the agriculture board exam

Examination Guide

Crop Protection

he is my dad

Since next Sunday will be Father's Day, I found this article written in the Senior Citizen's magazine about the disappointment of a daughter to health workers in our hospitals and how she valued the love and memories of a loving father. This article also had impacted me because she was able to bring out my unexpressed dismay and resentment to some of our hospital workers when we confined our mother for a life-threathening case.

here it is......

The following letter was dropped off at an outpatient of a large teaching hospital. Although the writer’s identity is unknown, its content is relevant to all those in health care.

To each staff member of this facility:
As you pick up that cart today and scan that green Medicaid card, I hope you will remember what Im about to say.
I spent yesterday with you. I was there with my mother and father. We didn’t know where we were supposed to go or what we were supposed to do, for we had never needed your services before. We have never before been labeled charity.
I watched yesterday as my dad became a diagnosis, a chart, a case number, a charity case labeled “no sponsor” because he had no health insurance.
I saw a weak man stand in line, waiting for five hours to be shuffled through a system of impatient office workers, a burned out nursing staff and a budget-scarce facility, being robbed of any dignity and pride he may have had left, and was amazed at how impersonal your staff was, huffing and blowing when the patient did not present the correct form, speaking carelessly of other patient’s cases in front of a passersby, of lunch breaks that would be spent away from “poor man’s hell”.
My dad is only a green card, a file number to clutter your desk on appointment day, a patient who will ask for directions twice after they’ve been mechanically given the first time. But, no, that’s not really my dad. That’s only what you see.
What you don’t see is a cabinet maker since the age of 14, a self employed man who has a wonderful wife, four grown kids (who visit too much), and five grandchildren (with two more on the way) – all of whom think their “pop” is the greatest. This man is everything a daddy should be – strong and firm, yet tender; rough around the edges, a country boy, yet respected by prominent business owners.
He’s my dad, the man who raised me through thick and thin, gave me away as a bride, held my children at their births, stuffed a $20 bill into my hand when times were tough and comforted me when I cried. Now we are told that before long cancer will take this man away from us.
You may say these are the words of a grieving daughter lashing out in helplessness at the prospect of losing a loved one. I would not disagree. Yet I would urge you not to discount what I say. Never lose sight of the people behind your charts. Each chart represents a person- with feelings, a history, a life – whom you have the power to touch for one day by your words and actions. Tomorrow it may be your loved one, your relative or neighbor – who turns into a case number, a green card, a name to be marked off with a yellow marker as done for the day.
I pray that you will reward the next person you greet at your station with a kind word or smile because that person is someone’s dad, husband, wife, mother, son or daughter – or simply because he or she is a human being, created and loved by God just as you are.
Author Unknown

crop protection

Ironically, I have a relatively lower rating for this field although I am plant pathology major and have a several units in entomology. If you are plant pathology major, it is better to just review the basics and focus more in entomology. It is an advantage for entomology major because based on my assessment; 70-80% was taken from entomology.

Though, you are either plant pathology or entomology major graduate, do not be confident with what you learned from school. Look for publications (leaflets, flyers, newsletter, and the like) of different attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture or research institutions like the CIP (Potato International Center), Abaca Research Center, INIBAP, PhilRice/IRRI, PCA (Philippine Coconut Authority), etc. Check for the most devastating diseases/insect pest of their focus commodity, specifically the recent economically important diseases and insect pests.

For specific points (for non plant pathologists):
- be sure to know the difference between sign and symptoms
- what are the different signs of the different pathogens (mycelium, cyst, egg, bacterial cells,
- as well as non-parasitic agents of plant diseases
- principles and methods of plant disease control (protection, exclusion, eradication, and immunization; sanitation, cultural, physical, chemical, biological, regulatory, resistant varieties)
- disease cycle, epidemiology
- colonization of the different pathogens
- just for safety net, learn also the most common scientific names of the causal organism of common diseases. Sometimes, knowing them pay off.

For non-entomologists:
- what is a pest? Insect pest?
- Economic injury and economic injury level?
- know the different orders of insects – what are the distinguishing characteristics of one order from the order, ex. What is the most common example of insect under the Order coleoptera, homoptera, etc.
- learn the different parts of the insect, ex. which is the thorax, tibia, coxa?
- Methods of insect pest control?
- Understand the concept of integrated pest management
- Learn pesticide computation, although only few and simple computations were asked, it is also advantageous to learn deeper about their computation. Simple tip: Review 1 problem; remember what the unknown is and how the answer was derived. Just remember 1 problem for each question pattern.
-
Ahh, I almost forgot. There is another aspect of crop protection, the weed science. Learn weed science as a discipline. How weeds are classified and identified, what are the major categories/classification of weeds? Know the most common weeds of the Philippines.

Most importantly, as I have observed in this field, a portion of the exam tackled on the application of the different principles in plant pathology and entomology. Be ready with your analytical mind.

Links:

Mind setting for agriculture board exam

Guide for PRC application

Examination guide

Hello, im back. I am about to sleep now but think I have to post something to prepare for the examination. That is, your application for the exam. I am not sure how this online application works. You can try it if you have longer time to risk if ever it wont work or in the other way around you are far from any PRC offices.

Check the PRC official site for your guidance. Im sorry for those who tried the link that wont work. This time I tried it and it now worked. I hoped this helped you.

Promise next time, il post something that hopefully will point what to expect in the examination. Till next time.

Links:

Mind setting for the agriculture board exam

Crop Protection

Mind setting for the Agriculture board exam

Are you fresh graduate? Then, you must be facing the dreaded stage of the need to take the board exam. It is one of the dilemmas of the fresh graduates aside from landing a job.

If not, but graduated not later than 1992 with a degree in Agriculture? Then you are required to take the Licensure Examination for Agriculturists.

Before dealing with what to review for the examination, it is essential that we have the right mind set- up. Why take the board exam? Apparently, so you can have a title and the right to practice Agriculture and can possibly be employed in the government. If you are in the government but have no license yet or planning to settle working in the government, then it is a must that you pass the exam.

Are you ready for the exam? It is a waste of money and effort if you will just take the exam without preparation. It is better that when you take the exam you have that chance or belief that you have a bigger chance of passing than none at all. Basically, believing you have a chance of passing involves preparation.

Are you prepared? What are the steps you did to prepare yourself? Did you review? Are you confident that you can recall concepts, ideas, facts, technical terminologies, calculations on the different special fields of agriculture? But beware, being confident is one thing and being ready is another thing. There are lots of examinees who are confident but did not pass while those who prepared did.

Preparing yourself for the exam involves sacrifices and self discipline. Sacrifices mean abstinence to gimmicks when doing your review until you had your exam done and doing extra mile for those who are working full time. Discipline yourself to set time when to review and when to have a good time. Pressing yourself to review is the first step. Do not wait for your urge to review. Make the urge to review. But do not burn yourself. Set time to relax. Making up to lost time to review can be done especially to those who are working, as I did. It did motivate you to stretch a bit your saturation point of holding information and memory recall. When you have the momentum to review, enjoy that time. Do not entertain disturbance, go on with the review as if it is your last. Only when you are in your momentum to review that you have a higher retention.

If we are set that we will take the exam this year then let us do everything to prepare ourselves. Let us put in our mind that there are no second chances. It is better in this way so we can have focus and definite purpose – to pass.

STBF inception

June 1. The first day of the month. It seemed also the start of a new grand beginning for our STBF project at Magallanes, Agusan del Norte. Remember my previous entry on STBF? Well, it is the day that we were waiting. After year of waiting, at last it is here. Today is our inception meeting.

Before the inception meeting, we went to the site for the PCARRD’s representatives to familiarize the site and can give inputs essential for the establishment of the project. The STBF as it turned should not necessarily be complicated, with lots of intervention but simple as much as possible. It is simple for the implementation of the farmers and easy for the adoption of interested farmers. What is important is the identification of the farmers practice to serve as basis where the intervention be done, which are beneficial to increase his productivity.

After the tour in the 6 hectare farm and the site for the STBF has been identified, as well as the site for the MS practice, a sumptuous meal awaited us at the watergate. There were fried fish, big and small so-orange shrimp and brackish crabs, banana turon, boiled camote and cassava, puto maya, and rice. There was even a brandy, which Sir H took 2 sips. So much for the food, I salivate and crave for them now.

In the case of our STBF, which is rice-fish-duck farming system, we will only focus our intervention in rice component by using saline-tolerant rice variety because the site is reached by brackish water sometime of the year during high tide, when sea water from the Butuan Bay enters the rivers filling the waterways that supply the fishponds surrounding the area. Transplanting method of planting rice will be done while direct seeding will be used for the farmer’s practice. For the duck component, the intervention will be the system of separating the duck using nets from the rice and the part of the area that will be utilized for growing tilapia and the provision of indigenous housing for the ducks. While for the fish, intervention was done by providing a system of separating it from ducks and rice. Feeding will be done only for the first two months while the remaining months until harvest, tilapia will be feeding on the growing algae, mosses that grow in the pond.

In the afternoon, we did our on the work and financial plan for the year. This time, we are finalizing the proposal for its actual operation that will serve as our blueprint for the establishment of this STBF.