Photo courtesy of http://deconstructingthemanifest.blogspot.com/2008/02/apocalypse-interrupted.html
OK, SO, I have been thinking about all the crazy science projects you mad lot of people have come up with during our days at UP Rural High. This was something we had talked about in the e-group a while back (perhaps 1999-2000?). So as not to 're-invent the wheel,' I tried to find those posts, but was unable to locate them in the e-group archives. So, unfortunately for me (since I have to start from scratch) and you (since it will take time for you to read it), it looks like I need to conjure this story from scratch.
While this idea was percolating in my head, the thought did cross my mind that folks might be embarrassed if I relive all those crazy projects they had come up with back in Rural. I for one, do not give a rat's ass but I don't know about the rest of you. So, I am walking on eggshells as I write this, hoping not to offend anyone. I guess I could describe the project without mentioning names and the mad scientists responsible for them could decide whether or not to fess up to them.
I'll start with my project with Learned, "Insecticide from Tubli." This was Learned's idea. I guess he heard from someone (Professor Tabinga?) that tubli was poisonous. I personally do not know the difference between tubli and, say, cassava, so I guess I had complete faith in Learned that he knew what tubli was. So, typical 83er, we did absolutely nothing up until the science fair. Just a few hours before we needed to put our poster up, Learned got the tubli and mortar & pestled it and mixed it with water. Then we put this potion in a spray bottle. My job was to hunt for insects who would be our 'victims.' I dug up some ants from behind the Tindalo room and placed them in a beaker. Then, Learned and I tried out our insecticide, spraying the ants a couple of times to kill them with this poisonous concoction. Nothing happens. We spray again. Again, nothing happens. We opened the spray bottle and pour the whole thing into the beaker. Finally, we see some ants starting to die, actually they were dying from drowning. Conclusion: you could kill ants by drowning them. I do not know whether tubli had anything to do with it. After this failure, I do not quite remember how Learned and I did during the poster presentation. Sir Mar, were you a judge during these science fairs? Do you remember this project? Anyway, along the same lines of Filipino plants and not knowing what they are, a couple of us were watering plants around Rural, Gil told me to water the tarugo, "What is that?" I asked. Gil told me to ask Miss Vence. So I went and asked Miss Vence what a tarugo was. I forgot what her response was.
OK, another project of mine was with Jay-Jay. Remember one year, someone (not our batch) won with "A single cell protein from cassava" or something? So, our project was "A single cell protein from banana." Very original. And I do not know if we just copied the whole 'Materials and Methods' section of that original project except for swapping cassava for banana.
And speaking of Gil, he actually asked me to write up his poster describing his project with Rossie. He said I could be part of the group if I did it. So, I said OK. Then, he gives me the title "Charcoal from cow manure," and I am like "WHAT THE HELL?!?" I may be an idiot, but at least I know that that is not a title of a serious science project. So, I declined. Of course, what did I know? Gil and Rossi won the science fair that year and even went abroad with their manure to compete at an international science fair.
Another group also asked me to join them if I would write up their poster. [Now that I think of it, I guess I was just good at writing posters]. Anyway, I think they were all girls. It had something to do with generating electricity from chlorophyll or something. I remember they dipped green leafy vegetables in a beaker with water and had a meter to measure electricity or something. Well, between Gil & Rossi's manure project and this, I thought this was the real science. [again, what did I know?] So, I joined this group and wrote their poster up. OK, does anyone remember who's project this was?
OK, there are more projects to come, since we had come up with tons of ingenious projects like Ismael's "Alcohol from Acacia," but all he did was take a bottle of alcohol from the Acacia room (which was the Chemistry room and so it had a supply of alcohol)...someone's wind-powered generator where they had a landscape with a hill, a windmill, and a lightbulb, and when you spin the windmill the light bulb would light up,,,but then there were batteries hidden in the little hill...and who could forget the younger Cabangbang's "Novelty items from banana leaves"? He made a purse out of banana leaves, he stuck banana leaves to a manila folder to make a 'banana leaf folder'. OK, so he is not an 83er, but you've got to admit, that is some pretty mad science.
OK, Send me the other projects you can recall and if you are willing to take ownership of them and I will incorporate them to this post.
