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Thursday, November 25, 2010

Celebrating My Own Teddy Bear Day

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

Today, many countries like Poland celebrate "International Teddy Bear Day" - a day of appreciation for their favorite bear stuffed toy. There is also an occasional reference to National Teddy Bear Day on February 22, September 9, November 10 and November 13, which may have been declared for various reasons. But whatever the date maybe, I believe that teddy bears are very important and deserves a day of recognition.

So, I declared my own "Teddy Bear Day" today!

Since I enjoy traveling and have picked up teddy bears of the airlines I got on and the countries I visited, my first official "Teddy Bear Day" will feature some of these collections.

Lined up above are stuffed animals from British Airways, China Airlines, Korean Airlines, Tiger Airways, Cebu Pacific Airlines, Continental Airlines,and Cathay Pacific Airlines. I have used other airlines for my trips abroad and an elite flyer of Philippine Airlines and Northwest Airlines (now Delta Airlines) but sad these airline companies do not have stuffed toy available. (I satisfied myself with their airplane key chains ).

I am fascinated with stuffed toy with the countries name in it or of the national animal of the country, so I have to buy one in countries I visited and accept gifts from friends from other countries. I hope to complete my collections from the seven continents of the world - Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Antarctica though I know it would be a long shot (even a lifetime dream!).

North America and South America

I have been to at least 25 states of the USA (but only have New York and Boston teddy bears) and also been in Canada but wasn't able to get a toy with Canada in it.

Asia and Africa

So far I only have stuffed toy from Bahrain, Qatar (courtesy of my CS guest Nabil), Hongkong and Vietnam, although I have been to ten (10)other countries of Asia - Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

I have been to five (5) countries of Europe namely Paris (France), Sweden,Norway,Finland and Amsterdam and I am lucky to have a stuffed toy in each countries! My nephew from London brought me an England stuffed toy!

I have been to Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania and got a stuffed toy from each place.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Josef and Gracielle: A Family Wedding

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

I am always thrilled when friends get hitched! And today is one of those days (though the couple -Josef Matthieu and Gracielle are so much younger than me to be referred to as my friends). But I know both of them and I'm very close to Gracielle's family, so I wouldn't miss this event for anything! (so glad the Law Society event I organized got moved to a later date).

Josef and Gracielle's wedding is a family affair (not because it is a clash of cultures like the movie of the same title) but because the family's involvement from planning to the actual wedding is very evident plus of course the fact that LDS temple wedding link families together.

The wedding invitation above is unique and beautiful and was created by Gracielle because the family has a successful printing and design business. It comes in a nicely ribboned box and the statue of Moroni made of fiber glass holds the invitation card.

At the wedding reception, the family involvement is again felt - with Gracielle's sisters manning the reception entrance showing a couple's effigy (which was made out of Gracielle's family business too) and her younger sister recounting the dating and courtship while Gracielle's only brother who is only 10years old telling the proposal! He was so funny and witty at that!! I also observed that the 200 plus guests at the Albergus in Quezon City, are either relatives and friends from their respective LDS wards!!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Mama Turns 61 Years Old !

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

My mom turns 61 years old today and she wanted no cake coz she thinks she is too old for blowing candles (and dreaded seeing the whole cake with nothing but candles haha). Well,mindful of this request and since November 14 fell on a Sunday, the whole family celebrated my mom's birthday last Friday as part of our five-day vacation in Cebu City.

Everyone wore red tees and proceeded to Hadsan Cove Beach Resort for a dip in the blue water of Mactan! It was one of the most meaningful birthday for my mama coz we were just sealed as a family last Tuesday though simple as it may seem. The togetherness of the whole family made the lechon, grilled porkchop, grilled tambakol (fish), hotdog, banana, ginataang langka eaten with puso tasted so good and my mom couldn't be happier!

To our mami,happy happy birthday! You are not actually 61 but $60.99 plus tax!haha

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Cebu City Family Tour: Commuting Here, There and Around

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

As a gift for the family, I want our Cebu trip to be a memorable vacation for everyone without breaking the banks (yea, my banks haha). The goals were: for everyone to experience air travel, perform temple ordinances for the living and the dead, and check out some local sights particularly the beaches! With these in mind and a family of 19 (with 10 kids at that!)all living in Quezon City to bring to Cebu and move around, transportation cost takes a large chunk of the budget.

Lobby of the Patron House, Cebu Temple

The first two goals were easily achieved with cheap round trip flights via Cebu Pacific Airlines (Php 28,500 total) and a family accommodations at the LDS Temple Patron House for only P1,920 for 4N/4D for 19 peeps . For the last goal we have a little bit of an adventure!

Checking In For Our Cebu Pacific Airlines flight at NAIA 3

From Home to NAIA 3 and vice versa
Mode of Transport: Owned Vehicles (Sportivo and Adventure)
Cost: Php 1000 (Php 500 each car)/ Parking Ticket for the Sportivo

From Cebu International Airport to LDS Cebu Temple in Lahug
Mode of Transport: Non-AC Coaster
Cost: Php 1,300

From LDS Cebu Temple to Taoist Temple in Lahug
Mode of Transport: On Foot (Walking)
Cost: Php 0 (with reduced fats!)

Walking To Taoist Temple

From Lahug to CnT Lechon then to Larsian
Mode of Transport: Jeepney
Cost: Php 200

Jeepney commute in Cebu is generally not that bad compared to Manila because there is less traffic and pollution. But avoid traveling by jeepney during rush hour (5:30-6:30pm) if you are a big group like us. We had to split in 3 groups and just met at the Capitol Building to take another jeepney ride to Guadalupe.

Outside of the Capitol Building, Cebu

From Larsian to LDS Cebu Temple
Mode of Transport: 3 Taxi Cabs
Cost: Php 300 (Php 100 each cab)

Near Larsian

From LDS Cebu Temple to Pungko-Pungk at JY Square
Mode of Transport: On Foot
Cost: Php 0

Right outside the LDS Temple

From LDS Cebu Temple to Hadsan Island Cove Beach Resort
Mode of Transport: 3 Taxi Cabs
Cost: Php 300 each cab (Php 900 total) with Php 100 tip

Imee & Francine inside their taxi cab

From Hadsan Island Cove Beach Resort to Cebu International Airport
Mode of Transport: 3 Taxi Cabs
Cost: Php 300 (Php 130/ 170 /and 300)

Family At Hadsan Beach

The going rate for taxi ride from Hadsan Beach to Mactan airport is Php 100 pesos, but our taxi drivers charged higher and varied - Php 130 / 170 and my group taxi driver is the worst - Php 300! I couldn't complained because I paid Php 500 and he just gave me P200 change and left.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Cebu City Local Sights Experience: Taoist Temple and Hadsan Beach Resort

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

Cebu holds a lot of point of interest for the family so though not the prime purpose for our five-day visit, we alloted Wednesday night and whole day today (Friday) to check the enormous Taoist Temple nearby and dip at Hadsan Beach.

Taoist Temple

Walking distance from where we were staying in Lahug is the Taoist Temple located in the wealthy residential suburb of Beverly Hills. We visited it last Wedneday night (November 10) to have a good view of the sunset and Cebu City, since the temple has an elevation of 300 meters above sea level. It was quite a walk (considering we have kids to carry ) so we arrived at 5pm (just in time for the closing of the temple). The security guard did not allow us entry and we missed seeing the Taoist devotees perform ritual of climbing the 99 steps of the temple to light joss sticks and have their fortunes read by the monks. We consoled ourselves taking pictures from the road and near the parking area.

Hadsan Cove Beach Resort

With the day tour at other resorts costing an arm (P1,700 (with buffet lunch) each person being the cheapest), we settled for Hadsan Beach Resort, an unpretentious,small resort located at Mactan Island. Unlike other resorts, there is no day tour package in Hadsan Beach. You only need to pay an entrance fee of only Php 40 each person, Php 700 cottage and Php 50 for use of shower rooms. This is very affordable and fit with our plan of bringing our own food since our friend from Cebu (Manny Francisco and his wife) are willing to cook for our lunch and dinner.

Though the resort has no landscaping or fancy restaurants within its grounds, it has a natural white sand beach and clear blue warm sea at par with other expensive resorts I have been to in Cebu.

Truly a place to be for the whole family to have a taste of Cebu blue water without going over the budget!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Cebu City Street Food Experience: Larsian and Pungko Pungko

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

For a family of 19 staying in Cebu City for five (5) days, it means 15 full meals and lotza lotza snacking!Handsomely,the food takes the biggest chunk of the vacation budget.

Wanting to save a little and to be able to have an authentic Cebu tummy adventure, we considered having two dinners (yesterday and tonight) at what people consider as "streetfood places" And in Cebu you are in for a treat at Larsian and Pungko-Pungko at JY Square in Lahug !

Last night was my nephew JM's 10th birthday and the family was all set to celebrate it at the famous CnT Lechon resto (our family's favorite since I brought home a kilo per family as pasalubong from Cebu years back. Honestly though, I just bought it from CnT Lechon in SM City!).

So for the birthday celebration I searched for the main branch and it was in Guadalupe. We excitedly went there expecting a busy restaurant with a lot of lechon lined up for customers. We were very disappointed to see no lechon,no customers, just regular food in ordinary serving trays as early as 6pm!

To save face with a cranky and hungry family without breaking the budget, we proceeded to Larsian at Fuente Osmena Street.

Larsian Experience

Larsian is one of Cebu's most prominent barbecue havens with tons of barbecue stands offering selections of squid, fish, all parts of chicken and pork cooked as you order. Larsian was a busy place at 7pm (as it opens from late afternoon up until dawn) with all kinds of people rich and poor savoring the unique experience. As everyone enjoyed eating their chosen barbecues with puso (rice wrapped in coconut leaves), my family gamely ate as well with a plastic wrapped around the hands (in lieu of spoon and pork). For a change, we got a birthday cake for dessert!!

Total cost: Php 1,100

Pungko-Pungko at JY Square

To get more of the Cebu street food tripping experience, tonight we walked to the nearby JY Square in Lahug (a few meters away from the Cebu Temple where we were staying) to eat at the well-talked about Pungko Pungko.

Pungko pungko is a Visayan term for the act of squatting. We were told that in the old times, there were no tables and chairs so people would squat down and eat so it was termed "pungko pungko". As the years passed, tables, chairs and tents were added like what we have now.

Unlike Larsian, where chosen barbecue is grilled as you order, pungko pungko food are pre-fried food stuff like egg, veggie roll, pork intestines, chorizo, fish, squid, and a lot more, placed inside square trays or baskets and lined up on the table. Customers just sit down, put plastic around the hands (in lieu of spoon and pork, seems to be the common practice ),get any fried stuff, dip them in spicy vinegar and soy sauce and eat with puso! Customers just memorized what they have eaten for proper accounting at the end.

Though the location was a bit inappropriate (being at a corner of a busy street with smoke belching jeepneys passing by ), the food looks clean and tasted okay. Of course, if you are a bit sensitive I won't recommend the place.

Total Cost: Php 509

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

We are Sealed! (November 9, 2010 Cebu Philippines Temple)

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

From now on, November 9, 2010 tops the many memorable family anniversaries that the Ojeda Family celebrates. It is on this date that we were sealed as an eternal family at the Cebu Philippines Temple! What a blessing of joy and happiness that we were able to accomplish this lofty goal after 23 years of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or LDS Church)!

Sealing ceremony is an inspiring and solemn ordinance (rite) performed to bind families together among family members who are living, as well as family members who have gone before us. I know that the sealing of families is the culminating ordinance of the priesthood, and if I am sealed with my family, that blessing can sustain us in this life and console us in death. Toward this end, I had been longing to be sealed with my wonderful family since my baptism last April 11, 1987 ( April 19 & 29,1987 for my brothers and parents).

What a joy it is to be sealed to my parents and my two brothers Mike,Allan and Mary Jean (my deceased sister) (with my youngest brother Joel in the preparation stage)! It was so good to see my sisters - in - law Amy and Belenda witnessed the sealing, Imee participated in the baptism for the dead and the whole family, getting dressed in white joining us for a group picture outside the temple!

Indeed, our family sealing is a dream come true, a fulfillment of a long but rewarding journey for me! As the only unmarried (single) person in the family, I have not been previously sealed to anybody unlike my brothers Kuya Mike and Allan who were both sealed to their own families. So for 23 years, my constant goal and prayers were to have my parents get back to full church activity and be worthy to enter the temple.

Vivid in my memory was our family picture in April 29, 2004 taken on the occasion of my father's birthday. In this picture taken inside the Manila Philippines Temple annex, my family of 13 (parents,3 brothers,3 sisters-in-law and 6 kids in tow), were dressed in white. This picture served as a memorial of our goal to be sealed for time and eternity which we know would mean careful planning and joint efforts from all of us.

Indeed, this family temple blessing is a once -in - a -lifetime experience! A day worth waiting for!!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Cebu: A Fun Air Travel Experience With The Whole Family

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

I guess after last night's experience,I can write tips on How To Have A Fun Family Air Travel without sounding baloney! (foolish or nonsense that is !)

Yea, I have no kids of my own yet. But I have my parents, 10 young nieces and nephews, 3 brothers and 3 sisters - in - law whom I call 'Family'! All 19 of us traveled to Cebu City for our family temple sealing and vacation slash birthday celebrations for our loving mom's 62nd and nephew JM's 10th birthday.

I had a wonderful experience! No taste of the travel woes and difficulties, cry babies, tantrums here and there, usually involved in group travels involving kids! Everyone just had lots of fun and laughters!

Of course, this memorable experience is not an accident but was a result of careful yet simple planning and preparations.

Booking Tickets,Flight Times & Luggage

I booked our tickets with Cebu Pacific Airlines as early as July 5, 2010 or about four months before our actual trip and availed of a promo price. I got a P1000 per person round trip tickets for a Go Lite plus P500 round trip travel insurance (which was a mistake rather than a conscious choice), but still our tickets cost half of regular ones.

I chose evening flights for our departure and arrival for a less crowded airport. Last night, we had an 8pm Monday flight. Not only it allowed kids to attend classes and adults to work, there was also less traffic and a lot cooler ride on our way to the airport. We had kuya Mike and Imee's family (10 pax) on the Adventure and Allan's family,my parents and myself (9 pax) in the Sportivo. We left the Sportivo at the parking lot and the Adventure driven back home along with the driver of Sportivo. We got to the airport at 5:30pm with the kids still wide awake and excited!

As our tickets were Go Lite (or no checked - in luggage), we have each child brought his own backpack as hand - carried luggage. To create excitement, older kids packed and carried their own stuff. (I told them they can include anything as long they can carry and not be more than 7 kilos and no sharp toys!. I believe this made the kids felt like responsible adults!

Color Coding &Early Checked -In

As NAIA 3 (as any other airports) is not the most kids' friendly place, we have a color theme for our attire to avoid any of the kids getting lost. Girls /ladies wore shirt with shades of pink and our guys/boys wore shades of blue. It was cool to the eyes and great for pics too!!

We arrived at the airport about 2 1/2 hours before our flight. The family lined up while I approached the counter. They didn't have to individually come to the counter but was asked to simply raise their hands. (Tip: To avoid any hassles with the checked-in, please make sure that adults have government - issued I.Ds with pictures and any form of identification for the kids like school I.D or Birth Certificate).

We were given seats 15 -17 (a to f) and 18 (c) so Kuya Mike's Family of 6 occupied Seat 15, Allan's Family of 6 Seat 16 and Joel's Family and my parents occupied Seat 17. I was alone at seat 18 (c).

Dinner & Boarding

Since our flight time was our usual dinner time and knowing that airlines food are not the most tasty option (not to mention more expensive), I made sure we have enough time to have a decent dinner for the entire family. Raku was a great option since they have rice meals, and a free pitcher of water.

After dinner, it was time for two security counters - boarding pass entrance and security point near the gate. We adopted the "2 kids - 1 adult - 2 kids" rule with me as the lead and didn't have to man any child. I was the first and the last to go as I hold the tickets and boarding passes.

We got to the gate on time and learned about the 20 minutes delay in our flight. Well that was alright as we were prepared with snacks (I brought cookies and gummi bears from my Taiwan trip last night) for the children to munch during the added waiting time!

It was around 8:35pm when we heard the boarding announcement. Those families traveling with children were invited to board the plane before other passengers. That was good as it allowed us to stow our luggages ahead of everyone else.

Inside the plane, I was prepared to hear a cry from one or two of the kids. Instead, I heard lots of "wows" and "ohs" as they looked out the windows and gazed at the amazing lights. My 3-year old niece Shanara (maybe sensing the higher altitude to be heaven) asked "Mom, where is Jesus?)

Monday, November 8, 2010

Taipei 101: Get High To The Top With My Prince...

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

When I am with my prince,it doesn't really matter what we do or where we go. But it seems like we have an unwritten rule - we must check out the tallest building in the place we are visiting!

For this reason, we have been to Eiffel Tower in Paris, Empire State Building in New York, Prudential Building in Boston, and seen tallest buildings in Shanghai, Macau and Hongkong plus our separate visits to KL Petronas Tower, Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower and the likes.

Our penchant for tall buildings was satisfied once again last November 5, 2010 during our visit to Taipei 101 also known as the Taipei Financial Center,located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in January 2010.(btw, my prince might be seeing this building in a few weeks during his trip in Dubai!*envy * envy*)

At night, Taipei 101 was spectacular with the lights shining on all the 101 floors (yea, the name of the tower reflects its floor count above ground!) But there are 5 floors underground as well.

We went to the 5th floor to buy tickets for the indoor and an outdoor observation decks. The indoor deck is located on the 89th floor costing NT$400 per person while the outdoor observation deck is on the 91st floor for a separate cost of NT$100 per person. The observation decks are open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm.

As we enter, our picture was taken at the entrance and shown on the screen with two options: a day view and a night view. The picture is available at the 89th floor mall for NT$350. (I picked the day view because I have some night shots already of the tower and buildings nearby).

The world's fastest elevator (now second fastest because of Burj Khalifa) is also on the 5th foor. It was really fast! There was also some lights show on the ceiling so boarding the lift was not only smooth and quiet but also fun!

At the 89th-floor observation deck, we went around clockwise starting from the Welcome To Taipei 101 sign, gazing at the entire view of the city of Taipei at night, taking pictures here and there (as I was trying the functions of the camera given by my prince) and wandering around checking the nice exhibits,displays on the wall and the huge mass(wind) damper which protects the building from damage in the event of high winds or earthquakes.

We did not go to the 91st-floor outdoor-viewing platform (which was closed because it was raining during our visit). But that was good because it is an extra hundred dollars to climb the extra two stories without any elevator or escalator!

As we leave this spectacular structure, I can't help but feel grateful to be with my prince to enjoy the great views atop the building, seeing things at a sky - high perspective!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Going Solo To LDS Taipei Taiwan Temple & Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

Last November 5, 2010 marked my first attempt at moving out of comfort zone.

I went around alone in Taipei while my prince works. Well, I didn't have to dig deep to find the courage to travel solo as Taipei's roads and transportation system are easy, safe, and fast. Since our hotel is located in between two MRT stations, the MRT metro system is the easiest and fastest mode of transport. Air-conditioned trains arrive every five minutes.

As suggested by my prince, I got myself a One-Day Pass for NT$200 (which includes NT$50 deposit which can be reimbursed within three days of purchase). With the Pass, I can take the MRT for an unlimited number of times before the pass expires at 12 midnight. My One - Day pass has the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall design, a fitting co-incidence because I am going to the LDS Taipei Taiwan Temple which is in the same area as that of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park . Call it hitting two birds with one stone!

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park

Location: Chungshan South Road
How I got there: From Evergreen Laurel Hotel walked to MRT Zongxiao Xinsheng station. Then took a train to Taipei Main Station (Blue line) then changed to Xindian Line (Red Line)and got off at the CKS Memorial Hall Station.

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park which includes the memorial, the National Concert Hall and the National Theater, is a wide open plaza, surrounded by a long white wall topped with small blue tiled roof.

The Memorial Hall

The Memorial is a massive blue-tiled roof with a golden peak on top. Inside, there is a library which displays photos and mementos of the late president Chiang Kai-shek's life. The plaza in front of the memorial is usually the venue for large scale shows, fairs, public activities and folk performances.

National Concert Hall and National Theater

The National Concert Hall and the National Theater are the two buildings consisting the National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center. Both halls (with its large white base, dark red columns, bright multicolored eves, and bright yellow glass tiled roof)are important centers for the performing arts in Taiwan.

The National Concert Hall opens daily from 12noon to 9pm while the National Theater opens daily from 12noon to 8pm.

LDS Taipei Taiwan Temple

Location: 256 Ai Kuo East Road, Taipei, Taiwan
Phone Number: (886) 2-2351-0218.
How I got there: From Chiang Kai-shek station I walked straight to Ai-Kuo Road.

Dedicated on November 17–18, 1984 by former prophet Gordon B. Hinckley, the Taipei Taiwan Temple was the first temple built in Taiwan and the third built in Asia. It was constructed with respect for local tradition including a stunning blue tile roof that complements nearby National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial.

The Tempe stands out in Ai-Kou (love of country) Road with its elegant 6-lofty spires design. Around the temple complex is a stake center, patron housing facility, and office building.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Psyched With My Prince In Taipei!

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

All my trips ( 20 countries/373 cities according to my blog widget) are special to me in their own way. But those travels which involve meeting my prince or spending time with the love of my life, Mark *wink,wink*, are hugely gratifying! Like right now, I am psyched that I could spend a few days with him here in Taipei,Taiwan from November 4-6, 2010!

Taipei,the northern capital city of Taiwan is teeming and hectic yet fresh and captivating, so much like my prince!

He is on a business trip in the city and his 2D/2N stay will be busy with work stuff leaving a few open times to spend with me. No fret! There is much to do in Taipei (while my prince works) and finding my way around in the city is not hard. Public transport is cheap and reliable and heads to all the main attractions.

As a prelude to collecting heartwarming memories with my prince, I picked him up
at the airport, for a change. Well I scored some cutie points when I volunteered to do that,but almost retracted coz I dread commuting ( and in a foreign country at that!)! Before I could change my mind though, my prince quickly assured me that taxis and buses are very honest in Taiwan so I shouldn't have trouble with the commute. He also advised me to have Chloe write in chinese the places so I can show it to people when I get lost.

I commuted (yahooo!!! I'm a big girl!!). Brave huh. Nah. Mark was right. The commute was easy,smooth, no traffic, no going in circles though taxi was metered, and when the bus stop was no longer operational,the taxi driver called my host Chloe to tell me not to panic as he was going to bring me to another bus stop! Fare was NT$ 420 (Php 600)(but I happily paid NT$ 450 (Php 650) though no tipping in Taiwan). A ticket to the airport on a double decker bus was NT$ 140 (Php 200). The bus left even with only a handful passengers.

I arrived at the airport at exactly 11am (my prince's ETA (expected time of arrival).The airport Terminal 1 was jampacked! There were so many young girls with their cute banners,digicams, cameras and cellphones hailed out for someone famous. I belatedly learned from rumors that Jerry Yan (Dao Ming Si of Meteor Garden's fame)was the reason for the revelry!

Well, my prince is my Dao Ming Si and that makes me his Sanchai (ehem) so I did not bother waiting for Jerry Yan (of course, it is another story if situation is different haha!). As I tried to find my way into the crowd, I bumped into my prince! It was so good to see him. I was psyched!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Keelung,Taiwan: A Night Market Experience!

by: Mhe-anne L. Ojeda

When you're in Taiwan a visit to one of the many night markets is a must-do. I have this rare and unexpected visit when my CS host Chloe brought me to Keelung City, a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan two days ago.

Keelung City is dubbed as the "Food City" maybe largely because of its famous Keelung Miaokou Night Market situated near the Keelung Railway Station. Typical Taiwanese snacks are found everywhere in this night market and so we sampled the glutinous rice and meat balls soup in a busy hawker's stall. Since I am still full from my Costco food sampling, I asked Chloe if we could split one order.

The glutinous rice tasted good and the meat ball soup was fairy decent. We paid NT$ 80 for the meal. Then we went to have desserts. A crashed ice bean curd (or more familiar to me as "frozen taho") tasted so good! It only cost us NT$30 for the two bowls.

Other than food, the Keelung Miaokou Night Market is a shopping mecca with its wide array of goods on sale varying from fresh food ingredients to electronic goods and clothing. I bought a three-in-one magic skirt shown below, which can be worn as a tube long dress,skirt or balloon pants by tying the knots under it!

Keelung City is also dubbed as a "Folklore City" because of the Dianji Temple located inside the busy Miaokou ("temple mouth") night market. This old temple which is said to be the largest temple in Keelung, plays a significant role in the prosperity of Miaokou as the food stalls become favorite destination for local folks and that was also where the business boomed.

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Judge Considers Redrawn Florida Congressional Map

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — After hearing three hours of testimony and arguments Wednesday, Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis is weighing whether to accept a new version of congressional districts approved by the Legislature during a special session earlier this month.

Lawyers for the state said the map, approved after Lewis struck down an earlier version of the districts, complies with the state’s anti-gerrymandering constitutional standards approved by voters in 2010. But a coalition of voting-rights groups and individual voters who sued to get the first map overturned argued that the Legislature made only cosmetic changes to the plan and that Lewis should write his own.

Lewis is also considering whether to delay the elections in districts affected by the rewrite. The judge said he would rule on the issue soon.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

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text: I live near Kansas City with my wife, son, daughter, 2 dogs, and 3 cats.  I'm a lifelong fan of sci-fi/fantasy books, comics, movies, and games.  My game collection is only rivaled by my art book collection, of which I have been working on for several years and it spans several games, movies, and universes.  I also enjoy oil painting, and plan to exhibit in some local shows soon.  I've also been off-and-on writing a book/universe setting, which I currently plan to set a comic in; having a published work of fiction is something I've aspired to for a long time.


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Friday, February 7, 2014

Snow in Portland

Nothing says Chaos more than the anticipation of snow in the Portland Metro area.  Our news people had been talking about snow, earlier in the week for this coming problem...I can still get to Bend to First Friday at Quiltworks and see all of Ann's work- from Cotton and Wool..( I can't remember how to get her blog link here).as the week progressed, there were threats of ice on Saturday...ok...still no problem...if I can get over the mountain, Central Oregon is a breeze as they are prepared for this type of weather..

Well...Wednesday night the forecast changed to snow on Thursday, Friday AND I cancelled my trip...knowing that even if I could get over the mountain on Friday - getting home might be a that....I will wait to see Ann's work.

Here is a photo from this morning.  We have been having high winds, so in some area's, there is no snow, or very little snow, but then in our back yard and driveway, there is.  All I know is that in Portland, the roads become grid locked....took my husband 2 hours to get home from work and he only travels 9 miles one  way.  Took my co-worker 3.5 hours to get home.  I was smart and left early - as I dropped my son off at school - thinking that the snow was not to start til the afternoon.  I left at 11:15 - was to his school at 11:30 and then we were home by noon...and I stopped at the store.  Whew...dodged that mess.

I will just work from home for a couple of hours and then putter around the house and continue stitching on the Flowers quilt that I am working on with a couple of friends.

As you can see, it is not a lot of snow, but enough to shut the city down - and that it did.  LOL

Have a great weekend.  I am off until Tuesday (well...once I do about 3 hours of work)

1 comment:

  1. Michelle, thank you for stopping by my blog and taking the time to leave a comment...Spring will arrive, I hope sooner rather than later...Sending greetings from Maine, Julie...


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jerry brown Archives | MIDNIGHT RAVER
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Earth, Roots and Water

Innocent Youths by Earth, Roots and Water was the first long player released on Jerry Brown’s Summer Records imprint, hitting the emerging Toronto reggae marketplace in 1977. In 2008, the original LP is virtually extinct, a highly coveted and extremely rare piece of Canadian reggae history (often described...
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Noel Ellis (Self-titled showcase album debut) 1983

I get a kick out of introducing people to rare, even obscure, reggae records they have never heard, and this one is a stunner. Noel Ellis is the son of legendary Studio One/Treasure Isle recording artist Alton Ellis, and this self-titled debut showcase was recorded in Toronto in...
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Scott Cohen Archives | MIDNIGHT RAVER
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Bob Marley Interview from Oui Magazine, February 1976

There is a reason why Joe Jurgenson was the first person I asked to come on board as a Co-Editor at MIDNIGHT RAVER BLOG.  We were talking about whether this print interview is considered rare and he says”Rare? Fuck rare.  Rare is a pre-1900 Martin.  A magazine article,...
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The up-to-the-minute bulblike of bombing involving Hamas and Fatah signal the have need of for diplomats to class decoupling the West Bank and Gaza Strip. With Hamas battling Fatah for police of the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territories could recovered be on the way toward ripping into a for the most part lay West Bank and Islamist Gaza Strip. Even if a visiting armistice is reached involving the two belligerent parties, and the shelf-life of specified truces has well-tried short, the sweeping ideologic differences that break up the two Palestinian territories will stick with. Such differing worldviews will have a potentially foremost impact on the large Israeli-Palestinian argument.

From their starkly contrastive position points, the West Bank's body will keep to perspective their hostility near Israel as a diplomatic event. The Gaza Strip's Islamists will see the grudge in language of religious social control. The West Bank's leadership will aim diplomatic city state to convey roughly a recovered anticipated. The Gaza Strip's leadership will aim solitary full success. Consequently, debate next to the West Bank's body would be the "art of the possible," patch any discussion near the Gaza Strip's regulation would be the "art of the undoable." Given this reality, foreign and location diplomats should gravely analyse treating the historic Israel-Palestinian dispute, not as a spinster substance field to a grand, if not idealistic, dying colony at some event in the future, but as two detached disputes: one betwixt Israel and the West Bank, and the different concerning Israel and the Gaza Strip. Then, the discreet formula could talk on a more authentic boardwalk that focuses on achieving advancement where it is possible, while restricting the spread of terror campaign from areas where on earth progress is not viable.

Even if the most modern plump of war wanes, the disparate diplomatic dynamics that regularize the West Bank and Gaza Strip have before created a de facto two-entity trueness. Furthermore, no substance the result of the most up-to-date cumuliform of Hamas-Fatah combat, the philosophic differences that distinctive the two areas are promising to turn with the passageway of occurrence. In turn, the de facto two-entity veracity will individual harden, making insight that ignores this authenticity even more than ineffectual.

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The philosophic differences relating Fatah and Hamas are unbridgeable. Fatah's position, as uttered in the 1993 Israel-Palestine Liberation Organization Agreement is that it is "time to put an end to decades of challenge and conflict, recognize their [Israelis' and Palestinians'] shared lawful and embassy rights, and attempt to singing in irenic being and give-and-take self-respect and warranty to finish a just, ineradicable and complete peace colony and historical rapprochement finished the united political modus operandi." Even as Yasser Arafat finally established noncompliant to achieve a past definitive settlement, Fatah had staked out a post that allowed for equal confession and peaceable being.

Hamas, on the separate hand, embraces a innovative triumphalist attack. Hamas rejects Israel's letter-perfect to be real and seeks merely its knocking down. Furthermore, Hamas defines its rejectionism as a concern of divine duty. The Hamas Charter declares, "The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the come to rest of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for proximo Moslem generations until Judgment Day. It, or any component part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any division of it, should not be given up. Neither a single Arab land nor all Arab countries, neither any king or president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither any institution nor all of them, be they Palestinian or Arab, have the apposite to do that. Palestine is an Islamic Waqf arrive ordained for Moslem generations until Judgment Day." The Charter as well proclaims, "Initiatives, and so-called pacifistic solutions and multi-ethnic conferences, are in oppositeness to the standards of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any member of Palestine is rough up directed resistant part of a set of religious studies."

A expedient steps that ignores the inconsistent differences that currently dissension the predominantly Fatah-led West Bank and Hamas-run Gaza Strip has totally insignificant karma to overtake. Failure to think the emerging two-entity trueness will simply crosspiece the likelihood of careful success, contain the prospect of containing the circulation of terror campaign from the Gaza Strip, and make available clip for immoderate Islamists to stash away muscle in the West Bank. A new attack that seeks to consolidate gains ready-made in the West Bank from early considerate accords and afterwards incrementally mortgage the West Bank on a policy-making skyline toward fully fledged sovereignty, conjugated with a hard-boiled come up to that erects a "firewall" in circles the severe Islamist "statelet" that is appear in the Gaza Strip holds the most lifelike scope of promoting stableness and forward semipolitical reconciliation. Such a two-track position would mechanical phenomenon the West Bank's leaders' relative pragmatism to conquer negotiated agreements, let the pragmatists to brace their straight from considerate achievements, and stock mechanisms by which the West Bank could pull your socks up a feasible and sustainable reduction and performance political and endorsed institutions mandatory for fraught self-determination. An approach that seals off the Gaza Strip to all but humanitarian help would cushion on all sides of areas from the circulation of the concerned of ferocity and radicalism that presently endemic the Gaza Strip.

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Some can row that specified an move towards would organize Gaza toward "state breakdown." However, it is previously a failing "statelet." Hamas' illiberal cruelty of that strip has suffocated investing flows, debarred financial development, and made the conception of law all but impractical. Violence is widespread, official supremacy is much non-existent, and 63% of the Gaza Strip's residents be a resident of in poverty.

Others may perhaps establish that specified an outlook would need Israel to assail the Gaza Strip. They would caution that such an attack would metallic element to the variety of insurrection that bedeviled Israeli forces in Lebanon and at present hinders U.S. forces in Iraq. They would as well caveat that on the far side the Gaza Strip, Israel's invasion of that section would offer new matter to regional and world immoderate Islamist training. Those arguments are actually unrelated. Containment of the Gaza Strip does not necessitate an Israeli invasion. It entails protection off that area's borders and singer. Egypt and Israel both have the agency and the political unit wellbeing interests to do so. Both are interested to curb the proliferate of instability from the Gaza Strip. Both are bothered something like budding Iranian control finished Hamas. Therefore, they have pure defence to tough grind in cooperation to precaution their rampant interests.

Nevertheless, even as the Gaza Strip is certain off, the talks system should go away reachable an attack by which the Gaza Strip could then have a accidental to rejoin the larger negotiating route or sooner or later be immersed into an more and more autonomous West Bank, perhaps sculptural after West Germany's digestion of East Germany at the end of the Cold War.

There would be the prospect that noticeable policy-making and economic progress in the West Bank could eventually trigger off a new matter-of-fact supervision to indefinite quantity comfortable fashionable siding with inside the Gaza Strip to tumble Hamas, whose regulation would carry with the sole purpose misfortune and financial despondency for the isolated district. Smart discernment e'er leaves openings to appropriate upon affirmative developments that may perhaps occur. A method that decouples the West Bank and Gaza Strip should be no incompatible.

To carry astir such as a process, the Madrid Quartet (United Nations, European Union, Russia and the United States) should talk terms melodiously trailing the scenes with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and/or separate Palestinian body who embrace the Madrid Quartet's elemental moral code to secure their say-so for the two-track draw closer. As noted above, such as an come up to could be transient e.g., an plan of attack for returning to a collective theory would be near approachable.

In the end, if in attendance is a silver-lining to the rife Hamas-Fatah fighting, it is that this warfare has put into the amenable the authenticity that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are truly two sharp entities. A subtle mind-set that embraces this reality, offers maybe the sunday-go-to-meeting uncertainty to unfreeze the reputation quo that benefits none of the parties. If the new pose can get done advancement in the West Bank and boast the promulgation of instability from the Gaza Strip, the seeds for a new regional building that would be more contributing to semipolitical rapprochement could be deep-rooted. At a juncture when confusion reigns in an more and more coterie Iraq, at all cultural struggle simmers in Lebanon, and Iran continues its shoot up toward conceivable location hegemony, the probable benefits from decoupling the West Bank and Gaza Strip are made even much appealing than they would other be.

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 Chapter 1!

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Barry Brooks

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Join date : 2011-08-10

PostSubject: Chapter 1!   Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:16 pm

I don't have a title for this story I'm writing yet but here is chapter 1. I usually write in third person, so this chapter is in third person but after this one, I switch to first person and I'm going to switch to different Points of view. It's different for me so I'm not sure how it's going to work out but I like it so far. This is sort of AU but there are some connections to our real threads. This is an all boys high school and all the characters mentioned are in 12th grade unless I say otherwise. I know some of it may be weird, like the fact that they are all gay but I dont care Razz Enjoy.

Chapter 1
Quincy glanced up from his desk, rolling his eyes as he spotted Zac McGuire strolling into the room, smile on his face. That kid annoyed him to no end. So fucking perfect and just… happy all the damn time. His gaze, not quite a glare yet, lingered on the boy as he walked across the classroom to sit with his group of preppy little perfect friends. He hated them.
No… he envied them. He wished he could have a careless life like that. The only thing he’d have to worry about was looking good.
He shook his head at the group of boys, his look turning to a glare as he examined the boys one by one.
Jamie Cruz, the beautiful one.
Pregnant. Most kids who were pregnant in this school would be teased and called a slut. Not Jamie. He was so perfect everyone was congratulating him. Currently dating Daniel Ferarra, captain of the football team. They were already engaged. Quincy thought they were dumbasses. A high school relationship wasn’t going to last forever and if they really got married, a divorce would be a pain in the ass. Then they’d have issues over the custody of their child. Should have just used a fucking condom.
Asher Reed, the stylish one.
Always had the most fashionable clothes. Had every boy in the school drooling over him but he was dating Aristotle VanArnam, rich, athletic, seemingly perfect for a boy like Asher. They were competing with Jamie and Daniel for the power couple of the school.
Kyndal Paxton, the smart one.
Had the highest grades in the whole school. Perfect in every class. No one knew how he managed that but he did. Never had he gotten less than a 99% in a class. Single, but he didn’t seem to be complaining about it.
And then there was Zac. Zac McGuire. He was the… just the one.
There was not a boy in the school who would say no to a night with Zac McGuire, Quincy included. Yes he despised the boy but he sure as hell wouldn’t kick him out of bed. Everyone just craved to see that polite boy shouting in passion, how loud he could scream. He was so tiny, how could he take a dick? According to several boys on the football team, Zac had an unbearably tight ass. Zac swore he was a virgin but that’s not what everyone else said. He was in an on and off relationship with Mark Crisman and Aaron Mizanin. When he wasn’t dating one, he was with the other. He was just never single. He was currently with Mark after he and Aaron had a nasty breakup a few weeks ago. According to some rumors, it had ended with a loud smack across Aaron’s face when the boy proclaimed all Zac was good for was a nice blowjob. But despite his constant drama with boys, Zac was perfect. Smart and rich as all the others were. He was also an amazing singer, he’d won the talent show three years in a row. And this year he was sure to win once again. Zac turned around, blinking as he noticed Quincy’s hard eyes on him. The way the boy looked at him sent a chill up his spine. He then looked away, going back to the conversation he was having with his friends.
The teacher, Mr. Braxton stood as the bell rang. Mr. Braxton was a large man with a very thick Scottish accent. You couldn’t understand him half the time and he was known for giving out detentions a lot.
“Alright, everyone, get weth ah partner.” He made a gesture with his hand as he gathered up papers, everyone in the room moving to partner up.
Zac smiled as he glanced at Kyndal.
Kyndal smiled sympathetically.
“I promised Jamie I’d work with him this time. Sorry.”
Zac pouted but turned to Asher.
“Sorry Zacky baby, I’m working with Aristotle.” Asher frowned.
Zac frowned, looking around and realizing everyone was already partnered up. Shit.
Kyndal waved his hand submissively.
“I got this.” Mr. Braxton ALWAYS gave him what he wanted. He stood and made his way up to the teacher’s desk where the man was sitting, typing on his laptop as he waited for the students. “Mr. Braxton, Zac, Jamie and I can be a group of three, right?” He smiled softly.
“No, Kendal. There’s an even number of kids en here. Everyone needs a partner.” The man shook his head, looking through a drawer.
“But you can’t make an exception? Just this once? For me?” The boy batted his eyelashes, his hand creeping down to rest on the man’s thigh.
Kyndal found his hand being roughly thrust away by a much larger, warm, one.
He blinked, looking taken aback by this. He huffed, fixed his hair and stomped back to his desk, frowning at Zac.
“Sorry. He said no.”
Zac looked around worriedly.
“But…” He himself went up to the teacher next. “Mr. Braxton, I think you counted wrong. Everyone is already paired up.”
No… in the back, there was one student Zac had missed, sitting alone, cursing himself and trying hurriedly to find a partner before he was forced to work with this preppy little rich boy.
The elder man smiled at his student.
“He doesn’t have a partner.” A large finger was pointed to a seat in the back. In that seat, trying to sink lower and lower as if it would make him disappear was Quincy McDaniels.

That's the end of the first chapter! Mwahahaa cliffhanger sort of Razz The next chapter will be in three parts, well three different points of view. Kyndals, then Zacs, then Ashers.
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fredag 14 oktober 2016

iRelate - Visit my museum - the Semantic Museum model

Basic concept is using the mobile phone and create your relations using my Family Tree or my Interest profile

==> We will have
  1. Family Tree==> Number of people approx 400
    1. Related to different time periods
    2. Related to different occupations
    3. Related to different locations
  2. Interest profile
    1. Subjects you are interested in (WikiData Q numbers)
    2. Locations you are interested in

We visit a museum

  1. How do I relate we get an information what part of the exhibition relate to us....
  2. I relate to we find a part of an exhibition we connect this part to some part of our Family Tree
    1. RDF Same AS .....
    2. Locations
  3. Lifelong learning - create a interest profile

Examples museum

The Royal Amory  - Bump

Answer: You have in your family tree 10 generations a connection to blacksmith Hans Stockhaus working at Stensta as a Blacksmith. Stensta delivered the material to that was sent to Arboga and then to Antwerpen and created the

Relationship Trail

1. Magnus is the son of Carl-Eric Sälgö DNA confirmed
2. Carl-Eric is the son of Valborg Linnéa Viktoria (Lindner) Sälgö [unknown confidence]
3. Valborg is the daughter of Sofia Olivia (Lindner) Viberg [unknown confidence]
4. Sofia Olivia is the daughter of Sofia Olivia Fridström [unknown confidence]
5. Sofia Olivia is the daughter of Per Fridström [unknown confidence]
6. Per is the son of Anna Maria Forslund [unknown confidence]
7. Anna Maria is the daughter of Anna Maria Mejer [unknown confidence]
8. Anna Maria is the daughter of Peter Mejer [unknown confidence]
9. Peter is the son of Maria Gustafsdotter Hagberg [unknown confidence]
10. Maria is the daughter of Magdalena Andersdotter [unknown confidence]
11. Magdalena is the daughter of Katarina Lukasdotter Stockhaus [unknown confidence]
12. Katarina is the daughter of Lukas Adamsson Stockhaus [unknown confidence]
13. Lukas is the son of Adam Stockhaus [unknown confidence]
14. Adam is the son of Hans Stockhaus [unknown confidence] BlackSmith at Stensta creating

The parade armor was originally made by Eliseus Libaerts of Antwerp for King Erik XIV of Sweden in 1563-1564.

Estonia pictures

DNA profile tells I have roots in the tghe Estonia area of xxx

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News: Cancelled Drake Philly Stop Re-Scheduled And Rumors Of What Really Happened

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As we all know Drake cancelled his tour date in Philly On Saturday after people had been waiting in their seats for over an hour. Many people at the concert say workers were trying to fix a fixture over the floor seats and guards would not allow people to sit in their floor seats, but those higher up were allowed to sit. Around 8:30p an announcement was made telling people the concert is cancelled. Check what he said below,

A Wells Fargo Center spokesperson said in a statement, “Due to the elaborate nature of tonight’s show and an unexpected technical issue, Drake’s ‘Would You Like A Tour’ concert at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia has been postponed until Wednesday, December 18.”

Several reports say that a rising catwalk is to blame for the cancelled date. During his opening night in Pittsburgh, on Friday night (October 18th), Drake used the catwalk during his performance of “From Time” with Jhene Aiko. During the opening night, the rapper also shared the stage with Future for a performance of “Honest” and bought out Wiz Khalifa, who performed “Black and Yellow” for his hometown. The tour will resume tonight (October 21st) at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

People were so upset they started fighting inside the venue. See the below video. A listener called saying cops were outside the venue and people were fighting. Shouts to DDotOmen.

Screen Shot 2013-10-21 at 8.48.35 AM Screen Shot 2013-10-21 at 8.48.28 AM

That’s what the official statements say. Rumor has it that Drake and Future got into a physical altercation hours before. A listener called us and said a model friend of his knows Drake well and that this model (who he did not name) said there were some issues backstage between Drake and Future and the listener also said Miguel was involved. He said that was resolved, but the REAL reason Drake didn’t hit the stage was because his catwalk was not built properly.

Now other internet sources said that Drake is still upset about Future’s alleged comments about him in Billboard. Mediatakeout says, “One of Drake’s people said something to one of Future’s people . . . and it POPPED. It was a lot of pushing, not many punches – but Drake was definitely in the middle getting it in.”

In other news, Drake’s hit “Hold On, We’re Going Home” has set a record. The song bumped up from number two to number one on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart, breaking a tie with Usher for the most number one’s on the chart with 13. Drake has become the only lead artist to top the chart with two different songs this year. His hit “Started From The Bottom” hit number one for a week in April.

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Grand Challenges Explorations Winner

For Immediate Release

Elmer V. Sayre, Ph.D.
Principal Researcher/In-house Adviser, WAND Foundation
Mobile: 63-9218041573

The Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development (WAND) Foundation Receives US$100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations Grant for Ground-Breaking Research in Global Health and Development

Libertad, Misamis Oriental, Philippines   Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development (WAND) Foundation  announced today that it is a Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Dr. Elmer V. Sayre will pursue an innovative global health and development research project, titled   “Ecological Sanitation for the Base of the Pyramid”.

Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) funds scientists and researchers worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how we solve persistent global health and development challenges.  Dr. Elmer V. Sayre’s project is one of over 85 Grand Challenges Explorations Round 6 grants announced today by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“GCE winners are expanding the pipeline of ideas for serious global health and development challenges where creative thinking is most urgently needed.  These grants are meant to spur on new discoveries that could ultimately save millions of lives,” said Chris Wilson, director of Global Health Discovery at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

To receive funding, Dr. Elmer V. Sayre and other Grand Challenges Explorations Round 6 winners demonstrated in a two-page online application a bold idea in one of five critical global heath and development topic areas: polio eradication, HIV, sanitation and family health technologies, and mobile health.  Applications for the current open round, Grand Challenges Explorations Round 7, will be accepted through May 19, 2011.

Dr. Elmer V. Sayre will explore the viability of low-cost dry toilets and using human waste in small-scale agri-silviculture by conducting crop trials, use of vermi-composting and odor minimization and mainstreaming ecological sanitation in local financing. Dr. Sayre’s ecological sanitation initiative is aimed at helping the base of the pyramid (BoP) in terms of;

a) making available much needed fertilizer for the plants thereby improving nutrition, income and biodiversity,

b) preventing the spread of diseases from open defecation, and,

c. preventing contamination of the water table and water sources.

Dr. Sayre’s approach is to   custom-design dry toilets appropriate in most conditions eg. coastal, urban slums, uplands, marshy areas, river settlements and dry toilets for persons with disabilities, toddlers and during emergencies such as flooding.

About Grand Challenges Explorations

Grand Challenges Explorations is a US$100 million initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Launched in 2008, Grand Challenge Explorations grants have already been awarded to nearly 500 researchers from over 40 countries.  The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline and from any organization.  The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short two-page online applications and no preliminary data required.  Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to US$1 million.

The Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development Foundation provide social development initiatives with emphasis on improvement of the environment and agricultural sector, rural entrepreneurship, ecological sanitation and peace-building. The WAND Foundation has grown out of a pool of community development workers in Northern Mindanao truly concerned about the direct link between severe poverty, poor health and sanitation, local resource mismanagement and the absence of lasting peace.   The vision of the WAND is “empowering local communities so that they are able to live dignified lives and contribute fully to the life of the community.” Our website is

“Service to Humanity is the Best Work of All”

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Fun Games

I realize that my blog should not always be about such staid and serious subject such as trying to solve health, sanitation and poverty issues. Here I will post a game (called "tomato game" but might be onion game or sweet potato game, whatever) that Filipinos love to play. Filipinos are party animals and champion backyard singers.  The tomato game is highly recommended for those not on speaking terms for a few decade or so....

Friday, April 22, 2011

Human-Waste Biochar Powered Garden

This is to feature my garden measuring 1,500 square meters located in Libertad Municipality. The garden is fully powered with treated human waste (vermi-compost) and urine. Urine is not treated and applied immediately as it is considered sterile and safe by WHO standard. Charcoal and other organic material is plowed to the soil directly. Note the urine-filled containers in the first picture and the double-vault ecosan toilet in the 4th picture. This garden is 100 percent organic and does not use chemical fertilizer and pesticides at all. Crops are mixed so as to minimize disease and pest infestation (note: pest of disease of a family of plants is different from another). My garden supplies products to our small restaurant located in-front of Initao town hall as well as it supplies fresh, nutritious products to neighbors. The income helps send 3 working students who tend the plants to college. The garden also serves as demo to neighbors willing to learn about terra-preta sanitation biochar (tps-b) techniques...

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Sanitation Solutions for Flooded Zones: The WAND Foundation Experience

Sanitation for poor communities living in flooded zones such as coastal areas and rivers is a challenge either because of lack of space, constant flooding, financial incapacity and landlessness. Most coastal zones in the Philippines are government property and the poor build their abode with this situation in mind: transient and insecure.  River dwellers on the other hand suffer from flash-flooding due to unmitigated cutting of trees in the uplands. Rivers change course making habitation transient.

The challenge is how to make a sanitation system that integrates the following design elements (as articulated in Bill and Melinda Gates Grand Challenges Explorations): a) prevent infiltration from surface and/or groundwater; a)  provide robust and safe containment during heavy rain and flood events; b) function in tidal, riparian, or floating communities; c) low lifecycle costs, robust, and locally available components; d) easy to operate, maintain, and service during productive life; e) incorporate user-centered design elements that are appropriate for women, children, and “washer” communities and that are affordable for the ultra-poor.

The current sanitation solution in poor coastal and river communities is plush-pour toilets. In coastal communities this scheme is problematic because of the difficulty in building a septic tank in sand so septic tanks are not at par with what is recommended. Desludging is also never done and or done in an unsanitary manner. In communities near the river the situation is no better, septic tanks are washed-out every time flooding happens.  So inhabitant practice what is for them most practical and that is to defecate in the open, thence the problematic situation of spread of diseases, diarrhea and host of parasites.

The WB-DOH-EM pilot project in Sustainable Sanitation in East Asia (SuSEA, 2006-2010) has confirmed that sanitation remains a critical public health and environmental problem that needs to be addressed in a sustainable manner. Some of these findings are:

  • Access to basic sanitation in specific (target) communities is much lower than the national average, usually in low-income communities and those living on fragile environments, such as above water bodies, on isolated and remote islands
  • Those without toilets defecate in the open fields, shorelines or along rivers
  • While many of the households with pour flush toilets use septic tanks, but only a few have been desludged in the past 3 years
  • Most of the septage and wastewater flow to open canals, rivers and other water bodies
  • A large number of communities do not have any visible drains.

Open defecation, inconsistent hygiene practices, and low levels of investment in sanitation and in wastewater management results in high negative externalities for communities, municipalities/cities and even, water resource basins. Acute gastroenteritis is the second leading cause of morbidity in the country, while soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) continue to be endemic in a number of municipalities, making the Philippines the country with the second highest rate of STH incidence in Asia. (cited in DOH Administrative Order 2010 – 0021, “Sustainable Sanitation as a National Policy and a National Priority Program of the DOH.”

In mid-2010, we implemented an initiative which is geared towards promoting ecological sanitation in depressed communities located in coastal areas and river settlements with little or no sanitation being practiced primarily because of marginalization and the lack of space and resources. The project was funded by the  Sustainable Sanitation & Water Resources Management Network Asia (SSWRMNA) and the proponents are the WAND Foundation and Xavier University with Xavier University taking the lead because the WAND is not a member of the SSWRMNA. Total funding is 1,500 Euro or roughly Pesos 96,000.

The grant is divided into;

Cost of materials in building 100 coastal zone hanging UDD toilets (100 x 450 PhP) = 45,000.00 PhP

20 humanure collection drums (1 per 5 families; 20 x 370 PhP) 7,400.00 =
15,000.00 PhP

Flyers and other educational materials = 15,000.00 PhP

Small group discussions, orientation and meetings with the beneficiaries = 12,000.00 PhP

Monitoring cost (fuel, honoraria) =  9,000 PhP

Total: 96,000 PhP

Project Sites:
This initiative was piloted in Initao and Libertad Municipalites in Misamis Oriental with Initao showcasing ecosan for river settlements and Libertad showcasing ecosan implementation in coastal communities.

Lawis, Initao, Misamis Oriental

The purok in Lawis, Initao Municipality consist of 120 families living near the Initao river. The Initao river inundates its banks during heavy rains making pour-flush toilets difficult to establish and maintain. Most of the families in Lawis are vendors and artisans. They were evacuees in the war with the New Peoples Army and the Philippine government in mid-80’s and they never return home to their farms in the mountains but opted to stay near the poblacion. Lawis is a stone’s throw away from Initao poblacion. Most of the residents in Lawis are ultra-poor, earning about 60 pesos a day. The river provides them with some nourishment by way of small crabs and shrimps. Most residents especially children suffer from diarrhoeal sickness. Most of those without toilets defecate in the river banks or in the coconut trees dotting the place. Since houses are close to each other, this is a difficult enterprise and undignified especially for women. The reason they have no toilet facilities is mainly economic, the 60 pesos a day income is not even enough to buy rice and salted fish which is the staple here.

Purok 2, Libertad Municipality

Purok 2 is situated near the coastline fronting the Mindanao Sea. Most of the residents are local fishermen. Fishing is now becoming a difficult enterprise with so many people getting into the trade and fishes thriving far off into the oceans. In the early 80’s dynamite fishing is rampant here but not anymore today. Houses in the purok are close to each other and it resembles a mini-slum. Toilet facilities are very difficult to build since the place is inundated when there is abnormally high tide happening during monsoons or when there is tropical depression. Libertad is near the typhoon belt and is affected by it. Septage is out of the question. Local people defecate in the coastal waters usually in the early mornings or in the evenings. No matter what time of day, this is difficult for women because with so many people/children milling around, there is no privacy.

Process conducted:

The idea of ecological sanitation is an entirely new conception for these communities and here lies the challenge when we started promoting the initiative. The re-use of faeces for agriculture is the most problematic since this has never been done before while the use of urine is easily understood because traditionally people use urine as fertilizer mainly for flowers especially for local orchid varieties. Observation here is that urine fertilized flowers produces vigorous stems and excellent flowers compared to flowers that are just left alone.

When we started, we need to find what is called “trigger messages” in order for the inhabitants to adopt dry, ecosan toilets. There are various options we considered, namely;

a.       “Shaming” those without toilets.
b.      Invoking a barrio ordinance penalizing those without toilets.
c.       Informing them the problems caused by open defecation in terms of spread of diseases, intestinal worms and e.coli.
d.      Informing them about the varied values of ecosan toilets in terms of savings in water, sanitation, use in gardens, improving fertility and so on.

In all these, we fully used c and d but limited the use of a and b. Shaming is not feasible in the sense that the Filipinos’ “amor propio” (literally, “self-esteem” or pride) is legendary and once shamed the “shamer” is declared an enemy forever. In this case, no matter what you will say or do now and in the future will be considered with prejudice and opposition not only with the concerned individual but also with the rest of the extended clan. Family ties among Filipinos run deep.  Invoking a barrio ordinance we leave with the mandated authorities because this is their job and in doing so we achieve a sense of legitimacy and ownership by the local leaders.

In the information education stage, we touched-base with barrio officials and conducted with them focused group discussion on the benefits of ecological sanitation. What heightened their interest is when we brought them to see actual constructed ecosan toilets and talk to the beneficiaries already implementing ecological sanitation living near the WAND office in barrio Lubluban, Libertad municipality. We also brought them to an “early champion” living in Initao Municipality whose “hanging” ecosan toilet is serving as an early model for people to see and observe. We think that more than hearing about it, local people adopt when they see, observe and interact with actual users.

Design elements:

The basic ecosan toilet design we implemented consist of;
a.       a single detached ecosan toilet, and,
b.      an ecosan built into the house of the beneficiaries.

The basic consideration for either a or b above consist of the choice of the beneficiary and/or the availability of space where the unit is to be built, eg. some of the beneficiaries prefer ecosan built attached to their houses for ease in using it while others prefer the stand-alone built just near their house.

The single detached ecosan toilet is much easier to build and pre-fabricate. However the ecosan toilet attached to the house of the beneficiaries takes into consideration the basic configuration of the house, its measurements, ease in use of the toilet, choice of the family and other factors.

In all these units, the basic materials are the following;

a.       drum cut in half as feces collector, or a big rattan basket, or woven coconut fronds,
b.      garbage bag and ramie sacks,
c.       container for urine collection,
d.      flooring, roofing and walling made of local materials.

The difference with dry toilets compared with the traditional plush-pour is that with ecosan one has to contend with collecting the faecal materials and urine and storing them in a storage area for re-use in agriculture later on or as needed. Urine can be used immediately but faeces need to be stored in 6 months in order to destroy all the pathogens. The ideal way in this situation is for the local residents to use/recycle the human waste for their own use but the problem is that they live in close proximity to each other without a land to do agriculture with. The only option is for a logistics arrangement involving a small truck, a storage facility and a farm/s where the humanure can be used. Some ecosan proponents fail to take this into account and they have mountains of faeces pestering in the countryside and or urine just dumped somewhere defeating the purpose of closing the loop between sanitation and agriculture. Ecosan implementers should take a system and cyclical view of its nature.

In our case, we did 3 things in terms of humanure re-use, a. feeding the faecal materials into our vermi-compost, b. incorporating it into the terra-preta biochar compost, c. using it as fertilizer for fruit and timber trees and the farmer not touching the faecal material.  Letter c may be controversial in the sense that if we follow the WHO standards, faeces should be stored for at least 6-8 months in order to destroy pathogens. For us, this is so if one handles the faecal material directly or if one uses it for vegetable production. These 2 conditions are absent in our case in that,  a. the “no touch” rule is followed, b. the material is used in timber trees.

Incentive mechanisms:

The idea of “shaming” local people so that they will realize the value of having a toilet and “jump and dig their own pits” is a disincentive for sanitation, at least in our local area. Letting a community draw an “open defecation map” and letting them stand where these OD happens (oftentimes near their houses) and in the presence of ministers or mayors will be a massive loss of face. People here kill each other over a game of pitch and toss. The “amor propio” character of the Filipino run thousands of years already.

Our incentives comprise giving the users certificates of recognition, implementing local contests (eg. well-kept toilets, productive gardens, regular visits and praises).

a.       Running a contest

Contests are small-time, localized affairs. It is a fact in social psychology that people respond well when pitted against each other rather than doing it alone. In this case, we run two contests, a. for well-kept toilets, b. for productive gardens. The contests were occasions for pride by the contestants and they participated with gusto.  Of course there is also the possibility of getting a prize no matter how small it is. Prizes are household utensils, small cash, small animals that they can raise (chickens and pigs) and garden package comprising tools and seeds.

b.      Giving of certificates

A piece of paper with their names written on it and signed by the local official such as the mayor is with great value to local people, for us, we take this for granted already but for them it is something to crow about and hang in their walls.

c.       Regular visits and praises

Regular visits and inspections are no more than “pats in the back” but for those who are seldom recognized or supported, this is psychologically rewarding and an enriching experience.

Management cost

One of our aims in implementing these type of toilets is basically for us to pilot an innovative mode of improving sanitation in poor coastal and river communities and in order for us to generate a lot of waste for our humanure-based agriculture and small-scale forestry research. In terms of management cost, there are 2 scenarios. Scenario 1 is if the implementation of the whole system is localized, eg. local implementers use the humanure themselves for their vegetables, bananas or coconut trees, then management cost is nil. The beneficiaries can stockpile the faeces, wait for 6-8 months then use it as soil amendment while using urine directly to the plants when the container is full, or with regards faeces, the beneficiaries can directly fertilize it in coconut trees and not wait for several months. The fertilizing technique is to bore several holes around the coconut trees and bury the faeces there. The one handling the faeces should wear heavy-duty gloves and masks while doing this activity.

In the 2nd scenario, as in our case, we collect the urine and faeces and bring it to our farm demo area. In the case of Lawis, the distance is about 3 kilometres while in the case of Purok 3, Libertad, the distance is 2 kilometres.  Cost involve in the collection which is done once a week for 45 ecosan toilets comprises, fuel for the vehicle at 80 pesos and cost of a driver and 1 laborer totalling 70 pesos. Collection time is approx 3 hours for the 2 areas. Total cost is 150 per week for the collection activity. Note: 1 Eu = 63 pesos.

Allied activities:

Urine collection –

We collect urine in the case of beneficiaries who cannot make their gardens or whose gardens are very small and urine production is in excess. We are collecting urine from selected communities as a way to pilot-test decentralized, household urine collection and use it directly in our farms and gardens. When we started, we used black, recycled 18-liter containers but we found out that it is difficult to monitor the contents resulting in spills and bad smell. Because of this, we decided to use discarded mineral water bottles with the top cut and glued back inverted. In this way we are able to monitor the content and prevent spills. We pour the urine in the black containers, close it and put it on storage until use.

We highlight small-scale gardening activities because for coastal and river communities hampered by a lack of space for agriculture and in situation of constant flooding, small-scale gardening is an option. Vegetables can be grown using simple hydrophonics or soil-less cultivation and containers and in available spaces and using recycled materials as growing medium. Fertilizer comes from household wastes which comprises 90% organic and urine because urine can be used immediately as plant fertilizer.  Vegetables have shorter cycles, fast growing, require little space and very dependable and are resilient food security option for vulnerable populations.  Vegetables are expensive and difficult to procure and this cheap source of micro-nutrients like Vitamin A, iodine and iron is often absent in the diet, leading to poor mental and physical development especially among the young crippling local communities further.  Moringa for example is touted as a nutrient powerhouse and this can be grown in small, open spaces or in containers and hydrophonics with available sunlight.

There is much potential for scalability in using ecosan in flooded zones the Philippines and maybe in some other SE countries for the following reasons;

a.       The situation in coastal and river areas in the Philippines is similar, eg. poor communities, difficulty in implementing septage-type toilets, houses built very close to each other and our system is versatile and robust enough to be used in this type of situation.
b.       Providing incentive mechanisms.  Economic incentives such as awards and certificates and “pats-in-the-back” such as praises and visits by local officials are powerful drivers in order for local people to implement sustainable sanitation solution.
c.       Gardening in small spaces, vertical and horizontal and using simple hydrophonic system is applicable almost everywhere. We are in tropical climate and the sun provides energy for photosynthesis to occur.

Some notes on enhancing acceptability:

a.       In the case of the use of urine as fertilizer, using experiences with our grandparents as example are example since the locals can very well relate to this.
b.      Using plants growing near open-pit toilets as example of the response of crops to humanure. This is best exemplified in bananas growing luxuriant at the sides of open-pit toilets.
c.       Explaining the route of flies from faeces to food as cause of disease spread.
d.      Using powerful group facilitation methods such as the Technology of Participation or ToP.
e.       Piloting/modelling with early champions. This means installing one pilot ecosan model with a family in a village and then people to look and see for themselves.

The conclusion for this write-up can best be presented by showing the robustness of the system as against the criteria set by the Bill and Melinda Gates Global Challenge for sanitation;

a)      Provide robust and safe containment during heavy rain and flood events;

So far we can safely say that we are the first to ever think of designing a system that can contain human excreta during heavy rains and flood events. Our ecosan system is simple, easy to construct and when there is indication that flooding occurs, can be safely transported or evacuated.
b)      Function in tidal, riparian, or floating communities;

Our single-vault system can function in this biophysical regime by simply raising the posts or integrating it in floating houses or communities then installing a subordinate waste management collection system.

c)      Low lifecycle costs, robust, and locally available components;

Our ecosan system costs in the vicinity of 25 USD per unit, and the cost goes down as the beneficiary uses his own labor and materials. All components are locally available and robust. For example the recycled 200-liter drums are made of steel, the bamboo flooring and walls will last a long time, so too the cement ecosan bowl whose lifespan can be 50 or more years.

d)     Easy to operate, maintain, and service during productive life;

The units are very easy to maintain and clean, there is even no more training needed for the beneficiary to understand how the system functions.

e)      Incorporate user-centered design elements that are appropriate for women, children, and “washer” communities and that are affordable for the ultra-poor.

The system is designed to be used for men and women as well as children, with the children being provided with additional toilet seats designed for their purpose.  The simple addition of a separate hole in the toilet floor makes our toilet system applicable for “washer” communities.


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Castle Creek Miniature Golf

The following miniature golf are located in Castle Creek, New York. Please select a mini golf in Castle Creek to view the details.
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Golf Courses
Golf Pros
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Miniature Golf
Golf Carts
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Massena Miniature Golf

The following miniature golf are located in Massena, New York. Please select a mini golf in Massena to view the details.
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What’s So Different about Sunday?

4 Thoughts about Church Music

Music is everywhere! Whether you are in an elevator, shopping at the mall, watching your favorite show, or attending a football game, you cannot get away from it. In some ways, this is a disadvantage to our corporate worship, because we have been so saturated by music everywhere else. The power and effect of music in our churches can lose its potency. We must work to keep our congregations involved and engaged in our corporate worship, because something is uniquely and dynamically special when we gather on Sundays to sing.

So what’s so different about Sunday? Here are some questions to consider.

Who Is Singing?

When we gather on Sundays, we are gathering as the body of Christ! We are not coming together around a political cause, an economic agenda, or shared social interests. We are gathering with others who have come to Christ through the cross of Calvary. There is really no other experience like it on earth when God’s people assemble unified in His name to express their love, passion, and praise through music. “Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works” (Psalm 86:8).

Why Are We Singing?

There are two reasons. First, we are part of His creation, and the original purpose of all that was created was to bring God pleasure. Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Sin interrupted this purpose, but one day all of creation will once again  glorify His name when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Christ is Lord.

The second reason we sing is we have been redeemed. God has lifted us out of the pit, set our feet upon a rock, established our going, and put a new song in our mouths. We were condemned to live an eternity without God, but in His grace, He provided a way for us to be purchased back to Himself. May the truths of redemption swell in our hearts as we passionately praise our Saviour for all He has done.

What Are We Singing?

Our song is our salvation. God has given us a new song because we are new creatures in Him. Each of us has a unique testimony, and this is what God has given us to sing. The songwriter said it best: “This is my story, this is my song.” Some of the greatest lyrics ever penned were born out of personal struggle and difficulty. Without the trial, there would not have been a song.

To Whom Do We Sing?

There is only one audience when the church sings, and that’s Christ! We don’t sing to each other and we don’t sing for each other. We sing to the One Who is worthy of all praise. Churches that have a large or established music ministry are at a great disadvantage, because the congregants can quickly begin to believe that worship through music is the responsibility of the musicians. We are not entertainers who seek to please the ear of an audience. We are prompters who seek to engage the hearts and minds of worshippers. May we have the same pursuit of the psalmist when he said, “Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.”

The singing heard in our churches on Sundays is unlike anything else being heard around the world. May we follow the admonition of the psalmist in Psalm 149 when he said, “Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of the saints.”

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Saturday, July 4, 2009

Patriotic fireworks -

lame, I know, but I couldn't think of a better name for this Konad.

I'm a little embarrassed, actually. This KOTD is...well, let's call spade a spade - tacky.
Misa Haven White for a canvas; OPI Little Red Wagon; Orly Witch's Blue; and random Sally Hansen silver for the design. Konad plate #M65.

I'm little unhappy about design being cut on my middle finger. Other than that, I think it's a good, festive manicure. Tacky-schmacky - we are talking about fireworks here, not the latest IRS regulations!

You guys have a happy and safe holiday. I'm off to catch up on my work and to think about KOTD that would be a good representation of IRS regulations.


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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Photo Evidence of Spring

Yesterday was such a pretty day. After work, I took all my kids to the park for a few minutes before we had to go to a cub scout meeting. These photos are my evidence that Spring has come.

This robin was only a few feet away. I was standing by the tree when he came to land on the branch. He had already decided to land when he saw me. I was almost afraid to breathe. He was only on the branch for about 20 seconds. Fortunately for me I had my camera ready and was able to take this photo.
Squirrel!!! I can't help but think of the movie UP and the little dogs in that movie when I see a squirrel.

The magnolia tree had already started dropping petals. It looked like a sea of pink around the tree.

I love this view of the garden.

I love seeing all the vibrant colors.

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Arthur Spring Ford (in Gasconade County, MO) Populated Place Profile

Arthur Spring Ford (GNIS FID: 740637) is a populated place located within the Township of Bourbois, a minor civil division (MCD) of Gasconade County.

The elevation of Arthur Spring Ford is 771 feet. Arthur Spring Ford appears on the Redbird U.S. Geological Survey Map. Gasconade County is in the Central Time Zone (UTC -6 hours).

Gasconade County: Subdivisions (MCDs) | Cities & Towns | ZIP Codes | Features (airports, churches, hospitals, etc.)

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Address Based Hyperlocal Data Input an address and get data & demographics for the pertinent census block group (CBG), a searchable map and a customized directory. The CBG is the smallest geographical unit used by the Census Bureau for reporting certain data.

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BIG Map | Driving Directions | Data Source - USGS GNIS FID: 740637

BOUNDARY MAPS: Township of Bourbois | Gasconade County

Nearby Cities, Towns & Census Designated Places

Bland, MO (7.5 miles NNW)
Belle, MO (10 miles NW)
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Owensville, MO (10.3 miles NNE)
Cuba, MO (13.3 miles SE)
Saint James, MO (14.7 miles S)

Nearby Neighborhoods, Subdivisions & Other Small Populated Places

Sewell Ford, MO (1.4 miles S)
Redbird, MO (1.9 miles S)
Glaser Ford, MO (3.1 miles NE)
Jake Prairie, MO (4.3 miles SE)
Cleavesville, MO (4.9 miles NNW)
Royal, MO (5.5 miles S)

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Puerto Rico’s Forgotten Island Vieques Needs Help

Puerto Rico’s Forgotten Island Vieques Needs Help

In the very early morning hours of September 20, 2017, the eyewall of Hurricane Maria passed over the tiny island of Vieques, Puerto Rico as a Category 5 hurricane, before moving westwards to mainland Puerto Rico. Maria ravaged the 60-square mile island with sustained winds of over 150 MPH and storm surges of over 12 feet, destroying homes, local businesses and causing widespread devastation.

Learn how you can help now!


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How to approach BIM for Renovations?

I just saw this post "Useful Approaches to BIM for Renovations" by Jose Oliveira.

He talks about the approach to modeling a project in an existing building (by using existing documentation, CAD or hardcopy, and filling in the blanks with laser scanning), as well as the benefits of doing so.

Obviously, coming from the owner side, my approach is different for projects. If we have a model (RVT), and we make a small change in-house, or notice an inaccuracy, I update that. If we only have CAD and need to make a small change, I update that. If we only have blueprint documentation of a specific area, I'll draw it up on our CAD plans, using a PDF underlay as a reference.
We don't create these DWGs or RVTs from scratch in-house, they are all done as a part of construction projects. We have budgets for new construction, but, we do not have budgets for documenting existing spaces, so we often have to wait a long while to get updated electronic files.

As appalled as most on the design side are, that I say we're still about 12 years out from completing our CAD to BIM transition, I have to point out that things do not happen fast in Facilities this big. It took us 15 years to get the majority transitioned from paper to CAD.

Our spaces are renovated an average of every 15 years (with revenue-generating spaces being reno'd more often, and support spaces being renovated much less often).

A space being renovated today is prepared in the Revit family, and will be used with Maximo for CMMS (and the existing conditions were turned over to the design team on CAD).

The last time this space was renovated, it was done with AutoCAD, and was used with MP2 for CMMS (and the existing conditions were turned over to the design team on paper).

The preceding 70 years? All on paper.

It does make one curious to know what technology we'll be transitioning to in another 15 years.
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Diagnostic Errors Account For 39 Percent Of Medical Malpractice Related Deaths

Posted by Milton Recht:

From The Washington Post, Health & Science, "Diagnostic errors are leading cause of successful malpractice claims" by David Brown:
Diagnostic errors, not surgical misadventures, obstetrical mistakes or improperly delivered medications, are the main source of successful malpractice claims. However, little is being done to identify such errors and measure their effects.
Incorrect, missed or delayed diagnoses accounted for 29 percent of successful malpractice claims. They accounted for 35 percent of the total amount of money paid out and caused 39 percent of malpractice-related deaths.
Autopsy studies suggest that 10 to 20 percent of deaths are from causes not diagnosed when the patient was alive. About half could have been successfully treated.

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