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Science Bit
Spacecraft Going to Vesta and Ceres
The National Astronomical Society of America recently
took aim at the heart of
 the
asteroid belt, launching a spacecraft on a nearly
decade-long journey that will include two
never-before-attempted close encounters.
The scientific probe Dawn is on a three billion-mile
course that will have it meet up with an asteroid named
Vesta in 2011 and a dwarf planet called Ceres in 2015.
They are the biggest members of the crowded asteroid
belt between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists hope that by
studying them up close, some of the secrets of the early
solar system will be revealed.
Dawn’s mission is the world’s first attempt to journey to a
celestial body and orbit it, then travel to another and
circle it as well. Ion-propulsion engines, once confined
to science fiction, are making this attempt possible.
Scientists chose Vesta and Ceres not only because of their
size but because they are so different from one another.
Asteroid Vesta, about the length of Arizona with a huge
crater at its south pole, is dry and rocky and appears
to have a surface of frozen lava. It is where many of
the meteorites found on Earth came from. Texas-sized
Ceres, which upgraded from asteroid to dwarf planet just
last year, is nearly spherical, icy and may have
frost-covered poles. Both formed around the same time
some 4 1/2 billion years ago.
The mission costs USD357 million, excluding the undisclosed
price of the rocket.
Cultural Bits
“Die Fledermus” at the CCP
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the
University of Santo Tomas
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Compiled by
Anna Kristine Valenzuela |
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Illustrations
by Carlo Cabrera |
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(UST)
Conservatory of Music present Johann Strauss
II’s popular operetta “Die Fledermaus” (The Bat)
at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main
Theater) on January 18, 19, 25 & 26, 2008 at 8pm
and January 19 and 26 at 3pm. The operetta is
the first in the series of CCP’s opera offerings
for 2008.
Die Fledermauswhich was written in the mids
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of the economic crisis
that ravaged Austria in 1873, has now become one of the
most popular operettas ever written. It has been
successfully included in the repertoires of most of the
world’s great opera houses. Set Vienna in the second
half of the 19th century, it revolves around a baron who
is guilty of a minor offense and must spend several days
in prison.
For more information, contact the UST Conservatory of Music at
(02)731-4022 or the CCP Music Division at (02)832-1125
loc. 1604.
Music, Trio, Magic
A violinist. A pianist. A ballerina. Three premiere
performers hailing from three different countries pool
their talents for a rare music and dance showcase at the
CCP Little Theater on October 17 and 18, 7:30pm. Dubbed
as “Music, Trio, Magic,” the concert brings together
English violinist Robert Atchison, Ukrainian-born
pianist Olga Dudnik and Filipino prima ballerina |
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missioned for “Music,
Trio, Magic” to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of
noted British composer Sir Edward Elgar. Entitled
“Sonata”, set to Elgar’s music, the dance is being
choreographed by Ballet Manila co-artistic director
Osias Barroso.
For inquiries, contact Ballet Manila at (02)525-5967,
400-0292 or 404-3086; e-mail info@balletmanila.ph;
www.balletmanila.ph.
Fashion Bit
Sack Dress Makes Comeback
Decades after it first hit the runway, the shapeless sack
dress has found a new life on the Milan runway, showing
up in many of the collections being previewed for the
Spring-Summer 2008. It becomes sweet and floral at D&G,
chic and unfussy at Bottega Veneta, minimalist at Jil
Sander, multicolored at Missoni, romantic at Cavalli and
fashioned in shiny patent-leather at Marni.
“I wanted to create a cool ambivalent style, mixing the 1950s
with the ease and attitude of rock,” Gucci designer
Frida Giannini said in her show notes.
Almost always the style is strapless.
In general, the Gucci show had a couture feel to it,
reminiscent of the 1950s but not retro. Everything was
put together with
 care,
from the checkered pantsuits with their tiny jackets and
slim trousers to the pleats on a full skirt. The care
was also evident in the mother-of-pearl and crystal
detailing and the taffeta evening gowns in bold
black-and-yellow prints.
Lifestyle Bit
French Music Festival Welcomes Musicians
Festival International de Musique Universitaire, which will take
place in Belfort, France on May 10-12, is open to all
French and foreign musicians. Bands must be mostly
students or music school members or amateur musicians.
The Festival welcomes all music repertoires: classical,
contemporary, jazz, present music, traditional, pop,
etc.
For two years now, the FIMU has a guest instrument. This
year, it’s the accordion which will be emphasized in the
various concerts and conferences to give the audience a
peek into its history, manufacturing, alterations
through time, and sound.
Bands who wish to enter should send their application form by
January 5, 2008, together with photos of the musicians.
For further inquiries, check www.fimu.com or email infos@fimu.com
or ccp.musicdivision@yahoo.com. |
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Local Eye |
for the |
Foreign Guy |
Strike of the
Trike
By Lex
Ledesma
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Since traffic in the Philippines has
reached an unbearable state, there has
been a campaign to take public utility
vehicles when going around the metro.
Commuting is not a problem here in the
Philippines. Depending on your
destination, one has a wide array of
public transportation to choose from.
In my previous articles, I have featured the famous (or
infamous depending on how where you
stand) Philippine Jeepney. Some call the
jeep the “King of the Road”. There are
other roads however where the jeepneys
cannot toil. In these back alleys and
side streets, it is the tricycle that
rules supreme.
The tricycle (more commonly called the trike) is a cross between
the original tricycle of Greek origin (a
pedal bike with two wheels at the back)
and the motorbike invented by the
Germans. More concretely, these are
motorcycles attached to a passenger cab
with a third wheel.
It has been a joke that what has been introduced to us as a
two-passenger vehicle, we have managed
to turn into a family ride. This is
because trikes have been known to
transport 6-8 passengers (including the
driver). How is this possible, you may
ask? Just on the motorbike, the trike
can accommodate three people. The driver
sits almost on the tank already and two
more people sit sideways behind him.
This is what you call the “back ride.”
The sidecar attached can fit at least
three people. Two regular-sized people
can comfortably position on the
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seat
while one squats on a make-shift chair
which is actually a built-in money box
inside the cab. Some trikes also have an
additional two-seater behind the
original passenger seats. Obviously, in
cases like these, safety is not a
consideration.
As a young boy I used to love riding the tricycle because this
meant that I would accompany my nanny to
buy bread. This was a daily routine and
I associate the smell of motorcycle
fumes with the fragrant aroma of freshly
baked bread. Strange, I know, but true.
If any of you have ventured to Boracay than you have
experienced the tricycle first hand.
Sometimes it gets so loud inside the
trike that you have to scream just to
have a decent conversation.
The evolution of the Philippine tricycle is a product of Filipino’s
out-of-the box thinking. Many of the
inventions that have been introduced to
us, we have “Filipinized” to tailor to
our lifestyles. I’m positive these
motorbikes were not designed to handle
the extra load. Yet, this has become the
way many of our people can get from
point A to point B in the most
economical fashion. For many, this
vehicle is their version of the family
car. We are a country that takes what we
have and finds a way to make the most
out of it. Despite the poverty, heat,
traffic and all, you will never fail to
see Pinoys with their big smiles,
driving their tricycles all around town. |
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Lisa
Macuja-Elizalde. Ballet Manila, of which
Macuja-Elizalde is principal dancer and artistic
director, will also perform.
“Music, Trio, Magic”, presented by the Manila Broadcasting Company, ING
Private Banking, Ballet Manila and CCP, will
feature the following numbers: Ludwig van
Beethoven’s “Sonata No. 5 in F major, Opus 24
for violin and piano”; Maurice Ravel’s “Tzigane:
Concert rhapsody for violin and piano”; and
Edward Elgar’s “Sonata in E Minor Op. 82 for
violin and piano”.
A new ballet piece has been specially com |
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