Tag: November 21, 2007

THE RACE to 400 books for the quadricentennial of the University continues with the release of this school year’s initial 25 titles in both fiction and non-fiction.

From theology to literature to medicine-related disciplines written in both Filipino and English, the books were launched last September 2 at the World Trade Training Center, where the authors got the first copies.

“We hope to publish 15 more books this coming January in line with the University week,” said John Jack Wigley assistant to the director of the UST Publishing House. “So far, we have been consistent in hitting the 40 books-a-year mark.”

The goal to produce 400 books by 2011 started in 2001 and as of the last count, 265 titles have been released.

IT’S ABOUT time.

For hardly showing the real time, classroom wall clocks at the Faculty of Arts and Letters have been removed and the dean is planning to install a Thomasian version of “Big Ben” that will finally give the exact time.

The clocks’ inconsistencies had brought confusion and hardly anybody could tell whether the professors or students were late for class. Classes have also overlapped because of disagreements over the correct time, adversely affecting the academic operations of the Faculty.

1. Switch on the wireless device.

2. Click the message that will appear on the system tray.

3. Select UST@400 Unending Grace at the window that will appear once the message is clicked. Another window will appear stating that the network type is being detected.

4. Click change advanced settings in the window. The wireless network connection 2 properties window will pop out. Select the wireless networks tab and click the advanced button.

5. Select access point (infrastructure) networks only in the window that will pop out and click the close button.

6. Click the properties button in the wireless networks tab. The UST@400 Unending Grace properties window will pop out.

7. Click the authentication tab.

8. Click the properties button. The protected EAP properties window will pop out

THE SANTO Tomas e-Service Providers (Steps) is set to embark on its biggest project to date – establishing the nearly high-speed wireless Internet connection in UST through Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).

WiFi provides wireless transmission of data through radio signals sent by a hotspot or access point, which is connected to a wired network. This will augment UST’s existing cyberspace connection and compensate for the fluctuation in cable and wire connections.

WiFi access has been approved for launching following a successful pilot testing at the Plaza Mayor in November 2006. The response from students was overwhelming, judging from the number of those who attended the demonstration, which prompted Steps to decide that the Thomasian community is WiFi-ready.

TO REDUCE potential dosing errors in children under two years old, local pharmacies, including the University of Santo Tomas Hospital (USTH) Pharmacy, are now pulling out Dimetapp oral drops, an infant cold medicine, from the drugstore shelves.

In an open letter, last October 17, Wyeth Philippines Inc, the local manufacturer of Dimetapp oral drops, stated that although many consumers are able to use the drug effectively, children under two years old are most at risk to overdose and accidental ingestion of the medicine.

ACCORDING to Augusto Morales II, Physics professor of the UST Graduate School, dark matter is matter that cannot be seen or touched. Because it cannot be directly observed, its presence can be inferred from the effect of gravity on visible matter.

“Since gravity holds almost all astronomical masses together, it is standard practice in astronomy to use gravity to estimate the masses of objects in space,” Morales said.

Morales claims that there is insufficient scientific basis on what dark matter is made that studies about its origin is limited.

The missing mass

According to Morales, in order to determine the existence of potential sources of energy in the universe, scientists must first determine the overall mass of the universe.

FEAR no more!

A 2005 study of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) in Washington, published in their newsletter Brain Briefings and official website www.sfn.org, provided a clearer treatment for the management of phobias. Breakthroughs in the treatment are introduced by redirecting the focus on the formation of new memories and targeting specific brain receptors and neurochemicals.

The phobia “antidote”

As a child, I found room in boxes,

Four walls mounting into a firmness

Resembling my father’s hand.

Rays of light seep in between spaces,

As shadows loom and reappear from my sight.

But now, these once empty spaces

Only hold tattered clothes and naked crayons

Slowly fading into oblivion.

Their walls transformed into planks—

A barrier shielding light, where even

My shadow cannot hide in.

Outside the box, I have seen more light,

Painting my skin yellow and warm,

Diminishing my shadow.

As I dance with the wind, the boxes

Tumble down, corroding mercilessly

Under the nebulous blue skies.

Kristine Joy L. Dabbay