.Spin a Web of Logs.

Hello Stranger!

2009-03-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

For my friends and readers who had emailed me and inquired - thank you - all is well and wonderful!

Facebook is where I have been the past year - Twitter is also my short and quick way of keeping in touch, and yes I do Tweet!

Life and work are going as wonderful as ever; with my plate overflowing I can only keep up with one site. - so facebook it is!

You know my name - search me in facebook and if we indeed are friends, I'll accept the invitation to be facebook friends. Otherwise, one of these days I'll update this Blog.

Until later...

"Just two living creatures who somehow managed to look past their immense differences"

2009-01-04T17:54:00.000-08:00

What a lesson in life...

Source: Steve Hartman, CBS Evening News

Christmas Weekend with HighSchool Friends

2008-12-29T12:36:00.000-08:00

Always a pleasure to meet up with the Old Girls (seriously, this is how alumnae of my school are referred to) and reconnect!

In front of the Gingerbread Christmas Castle near the hotel restaurant.

We stayed overnight at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, had a sumptuous Seafood Buffet dinner, non-stop chika catching up on the latest with each other, dancing at nearby Brio's Club, and a nice brunch the next day!

The morning after - most of us still in our PJs!

The view looking out the sliding door and the balcony off the hotel room.

Me in my PJs with not a scrap of make up!

Happy Christmas and a Hopeful 2009!

2008-12-24T21:37:00.000-08:00

2008 has been fraught with changes on all levels -economic, financial, professional, family, and others.

Yes, the 401K has been hit hard by the stock market - but que sera sera, but I am confident it will recover - be it 5, 10, 15 + years it'll get there and more.

At the moment I am thankful not only for the continuing good health and good cheer of myself and my family. Health aside - I not only have a great paying job but thriving very well, thank you very much.

My family may be doing well but there are a lot of fellow Americans suffering and due to this I hope for a much better 2009. Americans may have had a reputation for consumerism but now that most Americans have held back on spending and saving more due to uncertain times, this same "new found" sense of thriftiness has global repercussions.

This one article [Trouble in Toyland: U.S. recession jolts China] reports on the number of Chinese factories shutting down and laying off Chinese workers by the thousands due to reduced American demand for consumer good it is an enlightening read.

I read a number of articles blaming the USA for the world's ill or at the least at the epicenter. I've wondered, a number of foreign financial centers have been negatively (an understatement?) affected by the economic downturn in the USA but when the going was good they didn't complain did they? They were making money hand over fists off the American economy and now that the tap has run dry - for now - the Americans are being blamed. But then again, am probably being illogical. Not.

Alright, I'm off my soap box. Back to consumerism... here's the loot for Christmas!

Panasonic 42" VIERA Plasma HDTV (Last year was the Sony 62" XBR LCD HDTV)

Archos 5 250GB Internet Media Tablet (this should work very well with the DirecTV DVR)

oh oh oh, let me not forget the girly gift Everybody Women's Tania Shootie

I've been buying the shoe brand Everybody this year - comfortable, nice looking, reasonable in price.

Cheers! Am off to Laguna Niguel in Southern Cal this weekend for an overnight stay with high-school classmates for a night of reunion!

Lazy Sunday

2008-12-01T18:02:00.000-08:00

After partying (read: being inebriated :) hard during Thanksgiving, Sunday was a nice lazy day...watching football (NFL) and surfing the 'net.

Gobble, Gobble - still here...

2008-11-29T18:36:00.001-08:00

Working hard and playing hard...just got done with Thanksgiving and it was party time...

Wall Street Woes

2008-09-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

Obama blamed the crisis in the housing and financial markets on the failure of President George W. Bush's administration to monitor markets and push for more oversight...Obama said Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson was correct in calling for a streamlined regulatory system and that the Federal Reserve can't be expected to shoulder the whole load..."

Thought to ponder:

Federal Reserve = Monetary Policy

Government = Fiscal Policy

I agree that a streamlined MONETARY regulatory system is necessary but shouldn't the Federal Reserve Bank shoulder the whole load? That's their expertise... We have a separation of State and Church but we cannot arbitrarily change the degree of separation when it suits us. Same with the governance of Monetary Policy and Fiscal Policy.

Yes Mr. Obama, blame it all on Mr. Bush - it looks like you need a refresher on Monetary Policy & Federal Policy. Gosh, maybe you were absent when the subjects were taught at Harvard and Columbia, your alma maters.

Oh I forgot, more goverment oversight = bigger government which is exactly what you want. Got it.

Instead of blaming Mr. Bush (I know, I know you are just playing politics after all it's election time) - let's do something about the FOMC and the Federal Reserve Bank's disastrous policymaking that caused this meltdown.

And oh, as far as regulation? I agree with more regulatory oversight - let's make sure those millions of dollars of bonuses to these Investment Bankers are put to a halt - better still, let's have them give it back so those wives of theirs can stop buying those $10,000 Hermes bags.

Who's meddling now?

2008-09-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Various countries at various times have accused the United States of meddling in their internal affairs. Well who's meddling now?

Whether McCain or Obama, (US) American citizens will decide who will lead the country! Not the world.

World wants Obama as president: poll

France: 86% Obama approval

Media Bias? US Weekly Magazine Votes

2008-09-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

But then again this is a tabloid magazine so why expect anything other than low brow coverage?

I could have sworn I first saw these two covers side-by-side today at the Drudge Report but it's gone now. The link title was "US Magazine votes early" or something...

I wonder why the Drudge Report pulled it?

Anna Nicole Smith and How not to create an estate plan

2008-06-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

I was reading my investment companies newsletter and a couple of articles caught my attention. (Click the post header above to read the article.)

Vickie Lynn Smith aka Anna Nicole Smith & Howard Marshall's case was used as a business case in the article linked above and it is interesting to read. It makes the education and process of learning the importance of estate planning easy to understand for the average joe and jane.

"Estate Planning" conjures images of someone with millions of net worth but that is not the case. But this is not so. An average working person who leaves anything above zero can benefit from estate planning.

Another interesting article to read is Three steps toward financial security.

Happy savings!

Stonehenge: De-Mystified?

2008-05-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

Having been long fascinated by Stonehenge this latest pronouncement of Stone as a burial ground is fascinating but at the same time deflating. Why deflating? Being very much into the science fiction genre, particularly the time travel series, the thought that Stonehenge could be a time travel portal has always been at the back of my mind.

From Star Trek Episode 28 (The City On the Edge Of Forever) that uses a time portal that very much reminded me of Stonehenge to Arthur Pendragon (King Arthur)-related books to historical fiction books about England, Stonehenge featured prominently on books and stories.

Sample news articles about the latest on Stonehenge can be read at:

BBCNews,

National Geographic

A couple of the books I have read that prominently featured Stonehenge:

Sarum, A Novel of England by Edward Rutherford,

Stonehenge - 2000 B.C. by Bernard Cornwell

A picture of Stonehenge I took in 2004

Thank You Google Earth

2008-05-27T16:15:00.000-07:00

Past Perfect - for looking back at old haunts, childhood home, former schools

the old homestead - childhood home

former school - grade school to senior high-school (all girls)

Present Subjunctive - for viewing how today's city/village/town/house etc... looks...if I were living there I would walking along that pathway and taking a hike in that forest...

Future Imperfect - for finding those out of the way village and telling myself I am going to that treasure of a village and I will be going to walk around the village green...

Thank you Google Earth, am looking forward to more street views (but please do not tresspass on private properties when taking pictures...)

P.S.: the link above is for Google Map, you need to download a plug-in for Google Earth.

P.P.S: To Google, Microsoft's Live Search Map has more updated satellite pictures, what gives?

Centaur: Not a Thing of the Past but of the Future

2008-05-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

Centaurs are from Greek Mythology but it makes me wonder sometimes if mythology has a basis of truth.

After reading about the UK Government allowing scientists to create hybrid animal-human embryos it made me wonder how soon before Centaurs become this century's reality.

How soon?

Astronomy not Astrology

2008-05-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Microsoft released the WorldWide Telescope online; absolutely a must see for amateur astronomers.

There are other online astronomy sites such as Google Sky and Stellarium.

I remember the time when I was very much into Astrology (I am an Aries!) but has since moved away from it and even thinks it's nothing more than entertainment.

Save Darfur

2008-05-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

The ethnic violence in Darfur has been on mainstream news for sometime now with celebrities doing documentaries and visiting Darfur to bring awareness of the atrocities

Googling Darfur returned 11,500,000 sites for Darfur. I'll let you do honor of googling, no spoon-feeding.

The media had made sure that the Darfur atrocities are brought into my living room via television (and print). So I do have an idea that fundraisers of all kinds for Darfur do exist.

I was invited to one of these fundraisers the other day and as much as I wanted to help I felt uncomfortable.

I know these type of fundraisers. I’ve been to one of these and we would walk around with a wine glass in hand and nibbled on cheese and crackers with caviar and espousing to the room at large how horrible these atrocities are and how we should give, give, give to stop these atrocities. "Horrible really, my dear. What were they thinking? The poor children!"

I laud the host of the fundraiser for trying by providing the venue and attaching her name to the fundraiser. The deal was the boutique hosting the fundraiser would donate 20% of her sales and the artists of the Hope jewelries and paintings likewise would donate 20% of sales toward the Darfur fund.

The fundraiser occurred between 4:00-8:00 PM but I went at around 3 PM and gave my support by buying a very understated and nice summer sandal and the Hope necklace of which the pendant is 99.9% silver. I am sure part of my money went to a good cause.

Why did I go early and not hob-nob with wine glass in hand? I felt uncomfortable. In my mind this is the downside of “celebritizing” (is this a word?) a cause. I want to help because it is the right thing to do, not because it is trendy or that so-and-so actor/celebrity lent their name to the cause - George Clooney, hello? Never been a fan of his was I supposed to give money because of him?

Another thing, America may be considered the land of milk and honey (what crock!) but there are a lot of suffering and poverty in parts of the country; the Appalachian poverty is appalling, the Hurricane Katrina recovery is agonizingly slow, and let’s not forget urban blight and decay in our local cities.

I don’t want to make light of what is happening in Darfur. It is a no brainer to help stop the genocide. But I’ll give my support in the background. No muss, no fuss, thank-you-very-much.

No habla Ingles

2008-04-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

Two of my best friends are of Asian descent. One of Japanese descent (let’s call her S1) and other Dutch-Indonesian (let’s call her S2). Both are US-born, S1 a 4th generation American speaks only a few Japanese words while S2 is a 2nd generation American and speaks Dutch.

Once in a while when I’m around S2’s family I hear them speak Dutch when they think I’m not within earshot. But they switch to English as soon as they see me even at the periphery of their vision. S2’s family speaks English in public and if you didn’t know they speak Dutch you’ll think they only speak English.

When I’m around S1’s family the older generation speaks English; come to think of it even if I’m around their US-born and US-raised Japanese friends they all speak English even though I know the older generation speaks Japanese (Nippongo) and the younger generation wishes the former taught them the language.

I have my own guess as to why this is – something to do with World War II, Relocation, Internment Camps, and assimilation. But this is a topic for another day.

When in public I most often observed that Filipino-Americans tend to speak their own Philippine native languages in clear hearing of others. You even hear them yell to their friends across the store in their native language. Just an observation, I am myself a Filipino-American and am an immigrant having been in the US since 1980.

Herein lays the question, why? I have been raised to think that it is rude to converse in a language within earshot of a third party who does not understand that language. Why do most Filipinos do this rude action? I try to speak English when there is a non-Tagalog speaking third party and would receive snide comments from some Filipino-Americans, even nasty comments such as “Ang yabang mo naman, bakit ka Ingles nang Ingles?” (You’re so snobbish, why do you keep speaking English?) for my effort.

Even my housekeeper who is from Mexico speaks in her broken English while in my house while talking to her kids on the phone. As soon as she’s out the door I hear her switch to Spanish. (Even though I do understand Castillian Spanish, I don't let on. Naughty, I know.)

Come to think of it, this is such a common occurrence on manicure/pedicure places run by Vietnamese or Thai nail professionals. I understand it could be a language barrier but they could minimize it by not talking to the next manicurist for the next half-hour in just their language. I’ve always felt like they were talking about me, “Oh you should see her feet, she’s got bunions!” “My, what big feet she’s got” or worse “What an ugly, smelly person.”

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

2008-03-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

It takes money to look like a hooker nowadays...

Highway robbery...you don't need to spend this much for shoes to go with a costume.
What Captain Hook's wife would wear
Reminds me of an Ofuro (Japanese wooden tub)
Now available at your nearest Payless Shoe Store
Why would you intentionally wear something with warts?

Nice, but how comfy is that middle link digging on top of your feet?

Now we're talkin'...

Source of pictures: www.nypost.com

What countries have the largest economies?

2007-12-18T00:27:00.000-08:00

Largest economies:
US 23%
China 9%
Japan 7%
Germany 6%
India 4%
these 5 account for nearly half of the world’s GDP as measured by PPPs

Which countries are the most expensive?
Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, and Ireland
(but then think again of citizens' cradle-to-grave social benefits for 4 of these countries)

Measured by GDP per capita five richest economies are Luxembourg, Qatar, Norway, Brunei Darussalam, and Kuwait (think small population)

Per capita measures of individual consumption the five richest economies are Luxembourg, United States, Iceland, United Kingdom, and Norway (yes, Americans do like to shop!)

For more expansive explanation of the stats go to the World Bank article:
2005 International Comparison Program Preliminary Global Report Compares Size of Economies

Yahoo News teaser article : China's economy smaller in new measure, still number two: study

A Walk In The Park

2007-10-08T19:04:00.000-07:00

Literally.

Today is Columbus Day in the USA. Though this is a holiday for government entities (local, state, federal) it is not for most private & publicly-held companies.

So for someone like me who falls in the latter it would still be a waste of a beautiful day not to be outside enjoying the mediterranean climate of my locale.

I took a long lunch and took a walk in the park, a State Park called Montana De Oro. This State Park is located in San Luis Obispo County. ("State" for the State of California.) Late lunch after the short hike at Morro Bay capped the lovely day.

Hope you had just as beautiful a day!

"I am woman, hear me roar!"

2007-08-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

The World's 100 Most Powerful Women

By Elizabeth MacDonald and Chana R. Schoenberger 08.30.07, 6:00 PM ET

forbes.com

Did Victoria Beckham copy David Bowie's hairstyle?

2007-07-25T17:15:00.001-07:00

You decide!

Here is the YouTube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWB3PRP_80I

Today's Links

2007-07-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

Voracious Jumbo Squid Invade California
This is going to make one heck of a Calamari dish.

Initial iPhone Excitement Is Put on Hold
IPhone Flaw Lets Hackers Take Over, Security Firm Says
Should I say “I told you so?” I never did buy into iPhone hype.

Wisconsin To Provide Universal Healthcare
Wonder how this is going to affect the bottom-line for Anthem Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Wisconsin? WellPoint, Inc. stock is currently trading at $82.17/share

WSJ: Cheese Headcases Wisconsin reveals the cost of "universal" health care
You know the other US States will be watching how this works out.

In less than 2 seconds download a full-length movie on home computer
Wow! I want this!

Pinoy Prisoners Doing "Thriller"

2007-07-20T11:50:00.001-07:00

It's not like they have a lot of things to do, isn't it?

Whirlwind Trip

2007-06-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Having lived in Germany for 3 years in the 1980’s it was wonderful to be back after all these years.

[Rather than regurgitate available well written articles on various subjects below, please click on the link to read up on them.]

Frankfurt – Mainz – Oppenheim were all former haunts and it was nice to see old friends and acquaintances.

Mainz Gutenberg's Church

Oppenheim PlatzOppenheim Medieval Gate

Berlin:

Berlin Brandenburg Gate

Berlin Swastika Door

Berlin Cathedral (1905?)

Something new for me was going to Berlin – it was still East/West Germany in the 1980’s and the Berlin Wall was still dividing the city.

Big difference between the two – lots of construction all over the former eastern Berlin as Germany try to rebuild its infrastructure.

Some observations:
- Lots of scooters and bicycles in the former East Berlin
- Low cost of rents – avgs 250-300 Euros/month
- Average income = 30K Euros/year (not month)
- Narrow cobbled streets – quaint – not as “westernized” as the former West Berlin
- Berlin 63Billion Euros in debt
- Buildings and monuments not as ancient as other European cities – lots of buildings built late 19th and early 20th century but built to look “old”

Having written a doctoral paper on Comparative Government, specifically on the German political structure, it was interesting to see the current Reichstag/Bundestag building in the nation's capital.

The German Reichstag_Bundestag building, the equivalent of the US Capitol

I was last in Italy in 1984 – quite the same (of course) except more crowded – or is this just my impression? It was exhausting; not orderly and clean as Germany.

And yes, Italian men had no qualms about staring, admiring, and letting you know they think you’re “bellisima” – at least German men had the grace to be a bit subtle and look away when you catch them staring.

Rome observations:
- Saw the Pope – he held mass for the religious pilgrims who came from all over the world for the canonizations of 4 Saints
- Mother Marie Eugenie, Foundress of my convent school was canonized as a Saint. She was French – mother house is in France
- Everybody and their cousins were there – so crowded
- Saw all the tourist traps – St Peter’s Basilica, Cupola, St John Lateran Church, Santa Maggiore, Sacre Crux, Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Holy Steps, San Callisto Catacombs, Pantheon, etc…
- Everybody and their cousins were there – so crowded
- Even Philippine President Gloria Macapagal was there – she was a graduate of my convent school in the Philippines
- An American who graduated in the USA branch of the school was Princess Grace of Monaco

- As the hubby said, "I've never seen a roomful of more stuck-up women in my life than these women!"

- What can I say? He looked at me and said "I guess you've mellowed out over the years and more Americanized, thank goodness!"

- But if the alumnae were mostly wives/daughters/sisters of Secretary of this-and-that and whose families owned this-and-that banks - what did you expect?
- Got a “Papal Blessing” certificate – or rather I bought one
- Rome sits on its past laurels – tourism is the life blood of the city
- Everybody and their cousins were there – so crowded – did I say this enough?
- Saving grace: got me some Hermes goodies
- Vendors hawked fake purses in full light of day – I thought this is illegal? Even NYC vendors try to do this discreetly but Italian vendors were blatant

Rome from high atop the Vatican Cupola (a 400+ steps hike)

Naples – Pompei observations:
- Naples is nothing more than a seaport town with ancient buildings
- Historical importance for sea-faring ancient Italians
- Used to be riddled and encumbered by so called Italian mafia – or so I heard
- Naples has been cleaned up as far as graft and corruption – or so I heard
- A number of huge cruise ships were docked in Naples – must be a popular stop for Mediterranean cruises
- Pompei was my favorite
- Town buried in 79 AD after eruption of Mt Vesuvius
- I love history so to actually touch and feel and see where ancient chariots used to traverse was awesome
- Original marble floors, stone “streets” and mosaics intact – how awesome - Pompei had a brothel area
- They used a phallus symbol as a directional arrow to point the location of the brothel :)

- They had mosaics & murals showing various sexual positions – must preceed the kama sutra I would think
- Having lunch and good a bottle of wine with a light breeze and birds chirping was the way to go

Pompei

For those morbidly curious - a plaster cast of the Mt Vesuvius eruption - actual skeletons inside the plaster cast

Naples ocean view

Florence observations:
- Another tourist trap of a city but not as badly crowded as Rome
- Limit on tourist buses that can go into the city
- Easier to shop for Italian leather
- Yes, the old Firenze (Florence) was interesting and loving history, it was well, interesting
- After all Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci are buried here
- Museum of Academy has great works – caveat: Michaelangelo’s David you see there is not, I repeat not, the original David – this is a copy
- Go to Florence just for bragging rights

- Bought a jar of hot & spicy olive oil and a jar of truffles but were confiscated at the airport! I forgot I can't hand carry liquid over 3ml! (But the truffle jar was not liquid! grrr)
- Tuscany countryside – now that is something different.
- Next time I go to Italy I think I’ll spend a week just chilling out and enjoy the Tuscan countryside – after all it has my favorite architecture – Tuscan farm houses!

Simple house for a simple life - bliss!

Florence skyline

P.S. Layover at Heathrow Int'l Airport was good - Duty Free at Terminal 3 had Hermes, Chanel, Fendi, Burberry, etc... and Mulberry! Got me this goodie from Mulberry... Mulberry is my favorite du jour...

2007 Fortune 500 & Global Fortune 500 Companies

2007-04-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

How did your company fare?

Fortune 500 (US) List

Global 500 List (2oo6) List

Of interest within each list are the different categories, "How the states/countries stack," "Best employers," "Most profitable companies"...

Speaking of "Most profitable companies" the ranking of United Airlines (UAL) as #2 in the Fortune 500 most profitable companies was a "Hmmm really?" moment... I thought the US airlines industry is on a downward spiral due to various market and political forces, e.g., skyrocketing fuel costs, burgeoning alternative transport modes, 9/11, ..... guess this school of thought has now changed...

Domestically, UAL had become a no-frills airline - no food, no snacks, not even peanuts or pretzels -you get the chance to buy a bag of M&Ms if you want, free non-alcoholic drinks, snooty stewards (wait, this would be an insult to JetBlue or SouthWest - their stewards are friendly.) I'm talking coach here - unlike JetBlue or SouthWest, UAL & AA still have first class on most routes.

Volunteerism

2007-04-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

I used to be active in my community doing volunteer work but somehow have lost the energy or interest. Doing volunteer work gave me a sense of "belonging" in my town and a sense of giving back in a productive way. It was a way of paying back the world for the goodness it has given me, both materially and intangibly. The word "world" in this instance may seem abstract that in this context one has to take it as one's own community or town, it becomes discrete when one thinks of "Our Town."

These past days I have been having this feeling of angst (& guilt!) that I've got to do something outside of me, of mine, of myself. Fortuitously I was invited as a guest in a social function and was lucky enough to be given a choice seat on the the head table and was able to talk to the incoming leader and other incumbent leaders of a venerable volunteer group.

I think I will check out this volunteer group and do a serious discussion with me, mine, and myself if I am up for the countless hours of volunteer work that will be asked of me, mine, and myself. (annoyed yet ? :)

The group? It is the Civil Air Patrol (CAP)! Check out their website and you may have an auxiliary wing in your vicinity. There are various search engines and data repository that you can use to learn more about CAP, such as Wikipedia.

Pinays in Mainstream

2007-04-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

Some Pinays I know that "made it" into mainstream "celebrity" status (whatever that means 8-)

Monica Lhuilier - Los Angeles-based Fashion Designer
Style Magazine article via Sytle.Com
Wikipedia entry

Mutya Buena - London-based Singer/Performer, former member of Sugababes
Wikipedia entry
IMDB entry

Nicole Scherzinger - US-based Singer/Performer, member of Pussy Cat Dolls
Wikipedia entry
IMDB entry

Cheryl Burke - US-based Dance Choreographer, Dancing With The Stars (2-years in a row winner)
Wikipedia entry
IMDB entry

Who else?

Addendum: (Thanks to those who reminded me)

Vanessa Minnillo - US-based Model/TV Personality/Beauty Pageant Winner
Wikipedia entry
IMDB entry

Happy Engineer's Week!

2007-02-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

To all Engineers out there, here's to you!

For more info click here.

Reward for last month's hard work

2007-02-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

Mulberry Bayswater handbag:

Love it, love it, love it!! Yes, I do!

What a Plain Jane is...

2007-01-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

Up to...

2 separate business trips to New York City the last 2 weeks - another one coming up the week after next,
a weekend jaunt to San Diego (staying at Coronado Island),
a girls-only long weekend to Las Vegas coming up in 2 weeks - after all these travels, est. 18500+ miles, I will need to visit the hotel spa when I get to Vegas!

Reads...
Those 6-hour plane rides to NYC can get pretty long so I just read The Witch of Cologne by Tobsha Learner and False Impression by Jeffrey Archer (both 3 out of 5 stars IMHO). [Jeffrey Archer had written better books; I liked his First Among Equals much better.]

It was wicked cold in NYC and was snowing when I flew out of the airport yesterday. The last time I was in NYC was a week each last Oct-Nov-Dec 2003 and was cold too then!

And how is it here in Shangri-La? Sunny, blue blue skies, and flowers blooming. This is how my backyard looks like today:

Imelda Marcos in Vanity Fair

2007-01-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

Vanity Fair's February 2007 issue has an entertaining interview with Former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos. Plus a host of other good articles to read while laying out in the sun by the pool... Demi Moore is on the cover.

Regarding the Madame Marcos article...after reading it, am ambivalent about whether to be proud of the publicity or be offended by the interviewer's pseudo-mocking style of interview.

Regardless it is publicity for the "Imelda Collection." Enjoy the reading for its entertainment value.

MoneyWhys

2006-12-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

401K is a form of retirement financial tool and The Vanguard Group handles my account. As we are at year-end I thought it would be a good time to share the last newsletter I received from Vanguard. Hopefully it will spur you to save more or motivate you to start your own retirement fund.

The newsletter contained a very interesting & succinct article by Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert cartoon, titled "Everyting you need to know about money."

Good luck and happy savings in 2007!

I also have accounts with E-Trade, AmeriTrade, and Great-West. I get much better rates with savings account & money market funds via E-Trade than what a commercial banking institution like Bank of America offers (4.40%-5.50% v.s. <1%).>

Philippine Tatler

2006-12-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

I just received today via postal service a magazine called Philippine Tatler. I saw some familiar faces I used to socialize with (albeit some are a few years older and a few pounds heavier :) - some are childhood friends and classmates, and some names I have just heard of from the past.

It was nice reminiscing of my life in the Philippines back then and looking at the glossy pages with all the ternos and designer gowns and jewelries (South Sea pearls anyone?). The glossies were fun to look at but at the back of my mind two thoughts kept intruding into my full enjoyment: (1) a necklace on one of the matrons could have fed a family of 6 for 6 years in the Philippines! The disparity, the injustice! (2) the OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) who left loved ones in the Philippines in order to provide a better life 'back home' for these same loved ones and the 'haves' in the Philippines going along their merry way [op ed: silver lining of the OFW phenomenon is the rise of the middle class in the Philippines.]

After getting my fill of the pictures I went back and read the articles and one was most disquieting. The article's title is "The Air Over There." The article focuses on air pollution in Manila and compares Manila to other major cities. Here's the CliffsNotes on the comparative article:

Speaking of disparity and injustice, a Pinoy blogger, My Sari-sari Store, had posted a series of wonderful and well done black&white photographs - samples of the Philippine's dismal elementary public education & funding. Quite sad actually - but you could see the Filipinos' inherent joie de vivre come loud and clear in the photographs.

Thank You, thank you very much.

2006-12-18T14:50:00.000-08:00

Weekend Delight

2006-12-14T13:20:00.000-08:00

It's always nice to go back to old haunts, visit with friends, shop at old known boutiques, and just kick back and enjoy the fruits of one's labor.

This past weekend I went to Westlake Village and visited with old friends and shopped. I stayed at Marriot's Renaissance Hotel in nearby Agoura Hills, had brunch at Mimi's, shopped at the Westlake Promenade and chilled out for coffee and browsed books at the local Barnes & Noble. I went to Rico Marco's Shoetique (always a pleasure there, so much eye candy), and the Sugar and Spice clothing stores and shopped some more.

On the way to and from the weekend jaunt, I passed by Santa Barbara via San Marcos Pass and the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway.

Westlake Village is just 20 mins from Malibu and 30 mins from Los Angeles and yet feels so different. It has the feel of a cosmopolitan place without the hustle & bustle of a big city.

La dolce vita!

Taking Care of One's Self

2006-12-14T10:26:00.000-08:00

Regimen for Healthy Living

Exercise – goes to the gym to workout – does both cardio & weight training (if I get tired of the gym, for a change of scenery I go for long brisk walks/hikes, at least 2-3 miles each)

Facial – monthly facials which include microdermabrasion, glycolic peel, extraction, mask, etc… let's not forget the Swedish & Thai massages :)

Toilette –
Daily
Morning:
Gentle Facial Wash
Collagen Stimulating Serum
Osmovital Day Cream
Osmovital Plus ,Ultra Active Eye Contour Cream
Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB Block SPF 30 - tinted/waterproof
Night:
Cucumber Bead Cleanser
Intensive Zone Treatment Cream for Face and Body
Osmovital Plus ,Ultra Active Eye Contour Cream
Weekly:
Lemongrass Cleanser
Papaya Enzyme Peel (alternate weeks with Pumpkin Exfoliant)
Pumpkin Exfoliant
Balancing Tonic
C-Lipoic Antioxidant Serum
Osmovital Night Cream
Occasionally:
Oily and Impure Beauty Milk

Eat/Drink –
Sip Green Tea all day long, about 6 cups/day (3 pints or 48 oz)
A cup of coffee/day
Eat fish 2x a week
Vegetables everyday – I like them steamed with a dash of salt

Medical Care and Dental Care –
Annual “Well Woman Exam”
Annual eye exam
2x Annual dental exam + dental cleaning

Not to say I lead a boring life…
I do drink socially – vodka + cranberry juice or grapefruit juice is the preferred poison, er, cocktail – meet up with girlfriends for “girls night out,” league bowling, lunch and dinner out, movies, etc…

Spiritual Care - very private... not even for you to know my dear sister...

hors d'oeuvres

2006-12-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

Pre-Christmas Shopping to get myself in the mood for the Christmas adrenalin rush of shopping!

Can you tell I like different palettes of brown & black? :)

Imelda Marcos to launch fashion line

2006-11-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

Imelda Marcos to launch fashion line
Ex-Philippine first lady, shoe maven to sell jewelry, accessories

"...MANILA, Philippines - Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos, who made headlines for her vast shoe collection, is embarking on a new project — a fashion line.
The 77-year-old widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos told reporters Monday that she planned to launch “The Imelda Collection” of fashion jewelry and accessories on Nov. 18...."

To view complete article go to MSNBC.

All I can say is "Interesting...."

Jusi (Pine Cloth) Goes Mainstream

2006-10-16T11:21:00.001-07:00

Potatoes, pineapples to dress environmentally-minded fashionistas
Oct 16 10:18 AM US/Eastern

Excerpt from news article:

"...At another stand, Grace Trance, from San Francisco-based Grace Trance Designs, is showing off a skirt made of pineapple fibers, called pina cloth.
The skirts are a yellow colour but do not come from the fruit itself, but rather from the pina leaves.
"The tradition comes from the Philippines," Trance said, "where the leaves are used to make barong shirts. The leaves are softened and the fibers are stripped from them." ..."

My Grandfather (left in glasses) wearing the barong in the early 1960's... (to his left, my Mom):

Just a matter of time...

2006-10-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

Before someone with a talent for Photo Shop would come up with this:

That's Pres. Clinton with Marilyn Monroe... (for non-US readers, former US Pres. Clinton is known for his roving eyes for the ladies - understatement- e.g., Monica Lewinsky... :)

We could always wish for World Peace... (Golda Meir with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad)

Source: Worth1000.com

The Governator

2006-09-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger with the Philippine Flag :)

This was actually a picture for the article: "Schwarzenegger Signs Global Warming Bill."

More TVs Than People in Average Home

2006-09-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

8:3... yup there are 5 more TVs in my home than people. For good or bad (philosophical discussion on TVs' merits/demerits is for another day, not today :) this household is big on TV.

This article states: "The average American home now has more television sets than people..." [For the full article go to the "More TVs Than People in Average Home" article.]

Popular Media catches on

2006-08-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

August 30, 2006
Hairy idea: Clippings used to absorb oil spill
Philippines recruits inmates, salons to help out with disaster

Link to MSNBC site to view more pictures

Link Time

2006-08-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

Philippines asks for hair, feathers to soak oil spill [Scientific American]

If this oil spill happened in a "first world" country, would the uproar been louder? Would they have had all the gizmos and the "experts" already swarming the place to clean up?

Internet addicts halfway house opens in Shanghai [Scientific American]

Hmmm I wonder if this "halfway house" is the word du jour for the old "reeducation camps" or "reeducation through labor?"

Pluto Demoted, No Longer a Planet [Yahoo Breaking News]

Awww, now there's only 8 planets in the solar system, new info for this old broad.

Health Care Cost: So That's Why It's So Expensive

2006-08-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

BusinessWeek August 14, 2006 By Howard Gleckman

Economists have long believed that technology is the main reason that health-care costs are rising so rapidly. The endless stream of innovation, from new drugs to delicate tools for microsurgery, the theory goes, largely explains why medical spending has exploded from 5% of the U.S. economy in 1960 to 16.5% today. According to some studies, as much as 65% of that growth could be laid at the feet of tech.

Now a young economics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [op ed: wowee MIT! but I take this with a grain of salt, I've known duds from MIT] is challenging the conventional wisdom. After studying data going back to the 1960s, Amy N. Finkelstein has concluded that the real culprit for the rapidly rising cost of health care is the massive expansion of medical insurance over the past 40 years. [op ed: exactly which part of medical insurance are we talking about? premiums? higher cost of reimbursements for better and more innovative treatments?...] Sure, new technologies play a role, but doctors, hospitals, and consumers adopt them so freely largely because insurance foots the bill. "Where does that technological change come from?" asks Finkelstein, 32, who lives in Cambridge, Mass., with her economist husband, Ben Olken. "I am trying to get inside that black box." [op ed: Hmmm those laptop or PDA "freebies" to physicians given by medical insurance companies aren't really freebies, are they?]

If Finkelstein is right, her work could change the way policymakers and the companies that pay for most medical care think about costs. For example, if individuals have to pay more for their care through high-deductible health plans, they may cut spending. [op ed: huh? increase the price, i.e., deductible, so the insured won't utilize insurance? how about increasing preventative allowances instead?] Her theory could also spur the drive for evidence-based medicine, the effort of some reformers to encourage the use of only those treatments that have been proven to work (BW -- May 29).

Already, Finkelstein's analysis is shaking up views across the political spectrum. "This is pathbreaking work," says Joseph R. Antos, a health economist at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. Adds the more liberal MIT economist Jonathan Gruber: "This really changes the whole landscape in the way we think about health economics."

Why is insurance so important? One obvious reason, Finkelstein believes, is that consumers opt for more care if someone else pays for it. But the more significant effect may be that insurance guarantees a steady source of revenue for hospitals and other health providers. Such ready cash encourages them to build new cardiac-care centers and stock up on the latest high-tech equipment, knowing it will be paid for. "If you produce expensive new things for medical care, people will buy them," says Paul Ginsburg, president of the Center for the Study of Health System Change in Washington. He has found results similar to Finkelstein's by looking at medical spending patterns in 12 U.S. cities.

Finkelstein's breakthrough confirms a theory first advanced almost 30 years ago by Harvard economist Martin Feldstein. At the time he didn't have detailed health-cost data to prove his case. Then in 1987 a massive Rand Corp. study concluded that technology accounted for more than half of the rise in health-care costs. Insurance, Rand figured, increased costs by just 10%.

So Feldstein's theory gathered dust until Finkelstein discovered the proof by sifting through long-forgotten paper records in MIT's library. There, she found that hospital spending soared after the federal Medicare program began in 1966. "I thought, why am I getting such a large number," she remembers. [op ed: hmmmmmm (stroking my chin)]

Finkelstein had the papers scanned and shipped to a company in Cambodia, where it took 18 months to turn the records into usable data. The story they told was dramatic. In regions such as the South, where most seniors had no insurance, health spending soared after Medicare. But in New England, where many already had coverage, Medicare had much less impact on costs.

Not everyone buys her conclusions [op ed: me, me, me (raising hand) - well, wait, let's see the outcome of this output (research of Ms. Finkelstein) she may end up breaking the path - really 8-)]. Some think she has overstated the importance of insurance. [op ed: you think? no!] Others question whether her results apply to private coverage as well as Medicare. But she has prompted many experts to rethink their long-held views. And now that Finkelstein thinks she's figured out how much insurance has increased costs, she wants to find out whether all that extra spending has paid off with better care. [op ed: what the heck is today's life span compared to 40 years ago? yeah, better hygiene and sanitation are factors but... maybe I need to be an MIT prof to figure this out. ok I'll shut up now.]
Copyright © 2006

Solar Tube Skylights

2006-08-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

I just had 4 Solar Tube skylights installed in my house and I like it a lot! I now have brighter rooms - natural light from the sun, no electricity, no flourescent lights, just plain old sunlight! The light is diffused so no glares. I should have taken a before pictures but I forgot :(. Here are the after pictures, you will see the recessed round lights in the pictures, these are the Solar Tube skylights not flourescent lights. The solar tubes skylights are by the stairwell, the short aisle to the master bathroom from the master bedroom, over my makeup dresser in the master bathroom, and the garage!

Having one’s cake and eating it too!

2006-05-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

Earning all the great benefits of a good job and be able to “Work@Home” is like having one’s cake and eating it too!

Here are pictures of my just installed home office.

When I get cabin fever I simply go to the local coffee houses or bookstores that have free internet connections. And of course I always have the ubiquitous Blackberry mobile phone.

I had the mobile internet broadband before – I simply inserted a PCMCIA modem (wireless card) in my laptop but somehow the mobile internet broadband software messed up my laptop and the PC Tech back at the office had to re-image my laptop (sorry guys and thank you for helping me out!).

I travel quite often and I just fly out of my local regional airport - the San Luis Obispo Regional Airport (a small very convenient airport). From SLO Airport I connect to the rest of the country via Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) (which I often do) or San Francisco International Airport or Phoenix International Airport .

Telecommuting has gone a long way!

P.S. Got my hardwood floor done too, here’s a sample - the Living Room. I luv it!

Snow in SLO!

2006-02-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

What a RARE site in my hometown of San Luis Obispo! Slushy ice on my car! With the average high in the 60's (Fahrenheit, approximately 15-18 Celsius) during the coldest month (January) the other night's low was record-breaking.

As the crow flies we are just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean so this is an amazing site to us - so pardon my enthusiasm here. Today was sunny and blue skies again in the mid-60's so that's this week's wacky weather for you.

Another Year Begins...

2006-01-02T17:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas Week 2005 was spent in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Stayed at the MGM Grand Hotel
Rode the Las Vegas Monorail to go all over the "Strip"
Watched Cirque de Soleil at Treasure Island
Watched Mamma Mia! at Mandalay Bay
Watched David Copperfield at MGM Grand Hotel's Hollywood Theatre
Went to Hilton Hotel and did Star Trek: The Experience
Did gambling (Craps is my choice of throwing $$$ away), shopping at Caesar's Forum (Caesar's Hotel, stayed there in 1999 for a conference), Bellagio, Fashion Show Mall, et al, shopped till I dropped!

Life is good! Wishing you all the best for 2006!

Cocktails & Caviar

2005-09-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

AUSTIN, TEXAS - Went to a conference in Austin last week and one of the evening activities was the exclusive use of the Bob Bullock Museum and IMAX Theatre for the conference attendees.

Fabulous food - not your run of the mill buffet, open bar - did I say open? - unlimited booze! I got me a martini glass of caviar and a Cape Cod (cranberry juice & vodka). Yummm!

Cool entertainment - the IMAX Theatre in the Museum showed Pulse a STOMP Odyssey and as their website says "...a worldwide odyssey to uncover the rhythms of disparate cultures from New York City to the American Southwest, Africa, South America, Asia and Europe." (No Philippines :( If you get a chance to see this show, do so! It gives you a perspective that regardless of race and culture, we are all the same human beings in this wonderful world!

Interesting museum - walking around the museum, one can see the pride of Texans in their State! [And that's all I'm going to say about that - after all I am darn proud of California! :]

Celebrity Sightings - The Conference was held at the Four Seasons Hotel and the Dalai Lama was there (he was giving a speech at the University of Texas) - talk about security! The Dalai Lama's security was conspicuous all over the hotel.

[Makes me wonder, I went to another conference at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas last June 2005 and President Clinton was the Keynote Speaker - I did not notice any of his security, they were inconspicuous - I guess that's why they're called Secret Service? LOL] Anyway...

Another sighting was Gwyneth Paltrow and her daughter Apple. I rode down the elevator with her and asked if that was Apple in the stroller and she was gracious, smiled and said "Yes."

Special Mention - Across from the Four Seasons Hotel is the Austin Convention Center where a a couple of thousand of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees were staying. I befriended two of them...meet Krissy and Anita! See the beautiful smiles? ..ah, for tomorrow is another day, while there is life, there is hope (cliche but it works :).

Thank You, World.

2005-09-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

U.S. receives aid offers from around the world
Sunday, September 4, 2005; Posted: 1:17 p.m. EDT (17:17 GMT)

(CNN) -- The U.S. government has received offers of aid from dozens of nations across the globe in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the State Department said.

Neither the White House nor the State Department has said whether these offers have been accepted.
However, Reuters reported Sunday that the United States has asked for assistance from the European Union and NATO.

The EU Executive Commission said the United States has asked for first aid kits, blankets, water trucks and 500,000 prepared meals, Reuters reported.

NATO said the United States had asked it for food supplies, Reuters reported. "NATO stands ready to continue to support the United States as it recovers from this natural disaster," the alliance reportedly said in a statement.
Among those offering assistance are India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, the four countries hardest-hit by the December 26 tsunami.

Other international organizations also offered help, ranging from medical teams to tents to cash donations. They include the Organization of American States, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and World Health Organization.

The United Nations has offered to help coordinate international relief.

Following is a list of some of countries offering aid:
Africa
· Nigeria has pledged $1 million to hurricane disaster relief, government officials told CNN. "Nigeria will be happy to pledge $1 million to the hurricane disaster fund in the spirit of brotherhood," Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said.
Asia
· China offered $5 million in aid for victims of Hurricane Katrina. If needed, the Chinese government also is prepared to send rescue workers, including medical experts, officials said.
· Japan has offered to provide $200,000 to the American Red Cross, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. Japan also will provide up to $300,000 in emergency supplies such as tents, blankets and power generators if it receives requests, the ministry said.
· India is making a $5 million donation to the American Red Cross, Ronen Sen, Indian ambassador to the United States, said Saturday. In addition, Sen said India was willing to donate essential medicines to the relief effort.
· The Singapore armed forces, responding to requests by the Texas Army National Guard, has sent three Chinook helicopters to Fort Polk, Louisiana, to help in relief efforts.
· South Korea awaits a U.S. response after pledging aid, a government official said.
· Afghanistan pledged $100,000 to help provide aid to the hurricane victims, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
· Sri Lanka will donate $25,000 to the American Red Cross.
· Taiwan has pledged more than $3 million to the relief effort.
Americas
· Canada has offered to help in any way it can, and its navy is preparing a ship full of emergency disaster relief supplies to be sent when a request comes.
· Cuban President Fidel Castro offered to fly 1,100 doctors to Houston, Texas, with 26 tons of medicine to treat disaster victims.
· Mexico has offered $1 million and is sending 15 truckloads of water, food and medical supplies via Texas. The Mexican navy has offered to send two ships, two helicopters and 15 amphibious vehicles.
· Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a vocal critic of the United States, offered to send cheap fuel, humanitarian aid and relief workers to the disaster area.
Australia
· Australia is giving $10 million, most of it to the American Red Cross, according to the Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
Europe
· France has offered mobile help from rescue teams in the French Antilles in the Caribbean, including a civil defense detachment of 35 people, tents, camp beds, generators, motor pumps, water treatment units and emergency kits, two CASA cargo aircraft, a ship (Batral Francis Garnier) and the frigate Ventose with its Panther helicopter, and a hurricane disaster unit. France also has offered assistance from the French mainland, including several aircraft. In addition, the NGO Telecoms Sans Frontieres, which specializes in restoring phone lines and Internet service in disasters, is ready to send a team of experts and equipment. Veolia Environment, which has facilities in Louisiana, has offered to make its local water management resources available.
· Germany has offered a range of assistance, including medical and transportation services, water treatment capabilities and aid in searching for victims and supplies. Germany also has said it is ready and willing to "dip into its own emergency oil reserves" to release some 2 million barrels a day for 30 days.
· Italy has offered to send aid and evacuation specialists immediately, Italy's civil protection unit said. Authorities have prepared two military transport planes to fly amphibious vessels, pumps, generators, tents and personnel to New Orleans, Louisiana, and other areas. They were awaiting word from U.S. officials, the unit said.
· The Netherlands will provide teams for inspecting dikes and for identifying victims if there is a formal request from the United States. It also will send a frigate from Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles to New Orleans shortly to provide emergency assistance, the Dutch government said.
· Russia has offered to help with rescue efforts but is awaiting a reply from Washington.
· Spain expects to receive a formal request to release gasoline stocks to the United States and is prepared to grant it, an Industry Ministry spokesman said.
· Sweden's Rescue Authority said it was on standby to supply water purifying equipment, health care supplies and emergency shelters if needed.
· British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said his country stands ready to help the United States in whatever way it can.
Middle East
· Qatar has offered the United States $100 million to assist in the humanitarian crisis triggered by Hurricane Katrina.
· Saudi Refining, a Houston-based subsidiary of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, will donate $5 million to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts for hurricane victims.
· Iran has offered to send humanitarian aid to hurricane victims, Reuters reported. "We are prepared to send our contributions to the people through the Red Crescent," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told Reuters.

Hurricane Katrina Donation

2005-09-05T12:31:00.000-07:00

Please do your share to helping the Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

I did my share by donating to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Fund. I donated US $1,000 which is no small amount for me but American Red Cross accepts a minimum donation of only $5.00. Please help!

"No more slums. No more violence. No more poverty."

2005-08-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

I went to a school reunion this month and of course there were the requisite OMGs and meetings with long lost schoolmates, classmates, and former teachers! The school was originally called Assumption Convent [now College] which then came as no surprise that attendees were 99% female! :) I'll have to give kudos to the Assumption Alumnae Association (AAA) for keeping in touch with their graduates who are now spread world-wide!

I enjoyed myself so much and a BIG thank you to the AAA Chapter of Southern California who organized this year's triennial reunion. Hmmm, I even had the chutzpah to ask the Bishop to dance, alas he turned me down. LOL I blame the vodka 0;-) [Tidbit, the Bishop was the first Filipino-American Bishop here in the US.]

Anyway, what's the relation of this post' title with the reunion? Well, during the day we had motivational and inspirational presentations that were both enlightening and thought-provoking (having grown up in the school there is no surprise there, after all the school is run by nuns!).

One of the presentations was on what I consider revolutionary charitable work. It is called "Gawad Kalinga" whose motto is this post' title. [Incidentally, alma mater's motto is Noblesse Obligé.]

A copied paragraph from the website states that "Gawad Kalinga (GK) , translated in English means “to give care,” and it is an alternative solution to the blatant problem of poverty not just in the Philippines but the world. Its approach is integrated, holistic and sustainable – a concrete action plan to rebuild this nation by harnessing the best of the Filipino – our faith and our patriotism..."

Very impressive, very admirable, very much needed... BUT (here comes the qualifier), those who have lived in the tropics know how much the heat, the humidity, the typhoons, and practically the environment hastens the deterioration of infrastructure. Sad to say shoddy quality of most (not all) of these infrastructure are the norm.

The maintenance of these houses require resources, read: money. These poor people are simply living day-to-day on a hand-to-mouth survival mode. Spending money on house paints is last on their list. I will be the first to admit I know very little of Gawad Kalinga aside from what was shown on the presentation and their website.

I would argue that the key to "No more slums. No more violence. No more poverty." is jobs, jobs, jobs! Not just any minimum wage jobs either but jobs with livable wages. [Let's be realistic, even the USA still has some slums, well ok, trashy trailer parks and ghettos, violence - can't argue there - and poverty.]

I am not against this very noble and admirable charitable work, I simply have reservations. I know, I know, ignorance (mine) plays a major role in this reservation. I will research and pester a whole lot of people to know more about this "Gawad Kalinga" and once I am convinced, knowing myself, I will most probably become an ardent and passionate supporter! I know I should anyway... guilt working big time here.... boy, those nuns sure did a good number on this psyche!

SLO-town - wuz dat?

2005-08-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've been e-mailed asking why my URL is "slotown."

SLO stands for San Luis Obispo, my adopted hometown here in California, USA.

City visitors' link are: http://www.ci.san-luis-obispo.ca.us/visit.asp and http://www.visitslo.com/ecm/Home.html

County visitors' link is: http://www.sanluisobispocounty.com/

SLO County Photos: http://www.sanluisobispocounty.com/photos/index.cfm

Compared to the rush and bustle of a big city, life in San Luis Obispo is slow - hence SLO-town, get it? :) We have signs that says "I love the SLO-life" - should be the city's motto.

SLO is halfway between Los Angeles (@3 hrs south) and San Francisco (@3.5 hrs north). SLO is along the coast with Santa Barbara (1.5 hrs south) and Monterey (@2 hrs north). Beach boogie-boarding and surfing is just 10-15 mins away, ATV dune-buggying is 20 mins away, hiking & bicycling paths are all around, lots of camp grounds, number of lakes for boating, snow ski-ing is just 2 hrs away.

SLO is a touristy area - not much industries. The most famous tourist spot in SLO County is Hearst Castle! Hearst Castle is an awesome edifice and I am proud of it but after reading my fellow-pinay bloggers in Europe, Hearst Castle seems a poor imitation of the real McCoys in the UK, France, Italy... It is however very well maintained unlike a number of crumbling castles in Europe. But for someone who loves history like me, I of course prefer the genuine medieval & renaissance castles. :)

I feel blessed to be in SLO - it has temperate weather, sun shines year-round (big + to me), good shopping, culture, has wine-making and vineyards, world-class university and other amenities abound but it does not have the big-city feeling. Very relaxing place - unlike Santa Barbara that is now crowded and congested.

Professional shots of the City:

The Creek right by the Mission Church in Downtown SLO:

Here is a view taken when I hiked up one of the hills in SLO.

The Amish in Wisconsin

2005-08-11T15:04:00.000-07:00

I've been to Wisconsin number of times and have always been fascinated by the Amish. Why? Maybe because they are so different from me, from my life, and I admire and respect their dedication to their culture, to the simplicity of their lives.

Here is a good link to learn about The Amish in Wisconsin: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/wisconsin/111488

Make sure you also click on the other links in the website - very informative and interesting!

A picture of Amish buggies parked beside "English" tractors - the Amish calls those not of their culture "English." ;)

A sampling of hand-made Amish quilts and furniture:

Off Sides

Wisconsin in the summer - view through a valley formerly owned by the family:

View of the land still owned by the family:

Perfect Game!

2005-07-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

Dave, a guy whose team we played 10-pin bowling against tonight, played a perfect 300 game!

So cool! More so I saw it from start to finish and I had front row seat. At the start of the 10th game, all the pins but 1 went down but one of those buggers rolled over and knocked the #7 pin! So exciting! Way to go Dave! And more gratifying is that this is Dave's first perfect game.

As for me, I bowled a 181 against Dave's 300 - not bad :-) [Considering I bowled an even 100 the previous game. LOL]

Space Shuttle Discovery Lift-Off

2005-07-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

I was choked up and teary-eyed as I watched live on television the
space shuttle Discovery lift-off this morning. Awesome!

For official NASA news coverage and Discovery mission go to:
http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main/index.html

I watched the lift-off of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986 and saw
the subsequent tragedy and so this morning I was furiously hoping for
a picture perfect lift-off -- and it was! [Hard to believe that was almost 20 years ago!]

For Challenger memories go to: http://www.fas.org/spp/51L.html.

Just one of the many moments I am proud to be a citizen of this great adopted country of mine!

And oh, how about that American Lance Armstrong winning the Tour de France SEVEN times...and the US Men's Soccer Team winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup? Hard to believe the US team is now ranked ahead of England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. And the USA is supposed to be soccer-challenged. ;-)

Go U-S-A!

Over-all, a positive week.

2005-07-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

Let me do a plus / minus list:

+ Got me another Francesco Biasia handbag (lots of room to haul the sink in :)
+ Bowled a 169, am getting used to my new bowling ball, a 13-pounder
+ Had my highlights updated, umm ... as in, hair
+ Had my regular microderma + facial
+ Made a virtual friend (well, an acquaintance for now but we'll see), another Pinay Blogger - Francesca (hmm notice the similarity with my handbag brand of choice?)
- Learned yesterday I get to go to a weeklong business trip to Ohio next week (guess it can't be Las Vegas like last month)
? Found more and more interesting Blogs by Pinoy/Pinay Expats and spending more and more time reading them!

? And oh, Supreme Court Chief Justice Rehquist said he is NOT about to announce his retirement... ah, his Honorable is battling thyroid cancer, shouldn't he now spend 100% of his time with his loving family? Me thinks he has already given more than his share of public service. But, who knows what goes on behind closed doors? In this case, a Chief Justice's Chamber? Of course there are lots of political spins going on and all the politically-correct statements are being said. All file photos I have seen showed him as an unsmiling, serious, thoughtful person, BUT underneath he is probably enjoying needling the media and keeping the public guessing! The old geezer! (this last one said with respect :)

= Still a positive balance overall I would say!

2005-07-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

This week's reward, er, purchase, a Francesco Biasia suede handbag, Marsala Augergine model. How can you not like an Italian brand-name with 'asia' at the end?

2005-07-12T01:29:00.000-07:00

On a clear day you can see...

2005-07-12T01:25:00.000-07:00

Is the Earth round? Beach is 15-mins away from the house...

Japan Racism: "Deep and Profound"

2005-07-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

So says an independent investigator for the UN. DUH! I've always known this... the two times I've been to Hawai'i some Japanese tourists would just push their way in front of me when I'm in line waiting, coupled with looks of derision. And the stories I've heard from OFWs...will curl your toes! Too bad for those rude Japanese, they messed with the wrong Pinay! When they realized this Pinay was not going to be pushed around they left with tails tucked between their legs!

Of course just like any nationalities there are ugly Japanese as much as there are ugly Americans and ugly Pinoys. So there. By ugly I mean masaming ugali at bastos not the pangit ones...although come to think of it, that too! LOL 8->

Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4671687.stm

Israel seeks $2.2 Billion from U.S. for pullout from Gaza Strip

2005-07-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

On top of the estimated $2.8 Billion ANNUAL aid ALREADY.

Why? Why? Magahaman ba? The USA is already running on a huge budget deficit.

I've always found it annoying that countries are always asking the US
for handouts and yet are quick to say "Stay out of our politics and
internal affairs!"

Check out: http://reuters.myway.com/article/20050711/2005-07-11T160003Z_01_N11424130_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-MIDEAST-DC.html

Again, my feelings. I'm sure y'all have yours.

Fusion Energy

2005-07-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

Blurb of short article in Newsweek (July 11, 2005 ed.) "...Commercial fusion plants might already have been pumping electricity onto the grid if funding levels hadn't been cut in the 1980s, when oil was cheap and it was wasn't a high priority..."

You think OPEC (http://www.opec.org) or NPRA (http://www.npradc.org) or the nuclear industry (nuclear suppliers, power marketers, etc..) lobbied (1) to have the funding cut (2) strategically lowered price of oil (3) strategically lowered cost of refining oil with the long-term goal of which they are harvesting today?

You think? NO!! Of course not, that's evil.

To learn more about fusion energy go to http://www.iter.org. PJU: (Plain Jane's Understanding): Fusion energy is another way of producing electricity. Unlike nuclear plants which split atoms and uses uranium fusion plants fuses hydrogen atoms with practically no risk of blowing up and risk of uranium theft. Fusion energy also do not produce carbon. Highly enriched uranium [HEU] is bomb grade.

Another take on the same subject. Here is an MSNBC.com article by Miguel Llanos that I happened to have saved last Dec. 3, 2004 titled "Scientists asked to chart path for commercial fusion by 2037."

Dec. 3 — What if you could build your own star and use its energy to power entire cities — all with much less environmental risk than traditional nuclear power? It might sound crazy, but scientists convened at the Bush administration’s request have drafted a report that concludes it’s feasible within the next 35 years to create, contain and then commercialize what’s known as fusion energy.

“STRENGTHENED SCIENTIFIC understanding of fusion systems, bolstered by the application of advanced computing, provides enhanced confidence that practical fusion systems can be realized,” the scientists wrote in their Nov. 25 report to the Department of Energy.

The energy source of the stars, fusion has actually been studied for 50 years as a potential source of energy that emits no air pollutants or gases tied to global warming. It does produce some short-lived radioactivity, but nothing like traditional nuclear power.

Unlike fission — which powers today’s nuclear power plants by splitting atoms, creating significant radioactive waste — fusion fuses hydrogen atoms and creates energy as a byproduct.

On top of that, its basic fuels — deuterium (a heavy form of hydrogen) and lithium — are abundantly available. Fifty cups of sea water, for example, contain enough deuterium to produce the same amount of energy as two tons of coal. Lithium, for its part, is a common element that would be used to extract tritium, a yet heavier hydrogen isotope that would fuse with the deuterium.

But the potential is matched by the formidable challenge involved: The fuels must be heated to 100 million degrees Celsius, at which point they become plasma. Then that temperature must be sustained and controlled so the resulting energy can be turned into electricity.

The panel acknowledged those hurdles as well as the fact that no single, best approach has been identified and that as a result investment should go to various projects. “It should be recognized,” they wrote, “that significant scientific and technological challenges remain for the development of fusion as a practical energy source, necessitating the use of a portfolio approach.”

‘ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE’
The report was requested last September by the Energy Department, which asked the 14 members of its Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee to weigh in on the feasibility of commercial fusion power within 35 years.

In a first response ahead of their Nov. 25 meeting in Washington, the committee chair said the target was completely sound. “Accomplishments of the program during the past few decades have been truly remarkable,” wrote Richard Hazeltine, director of the Institute for Fusion Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. “They have brought us to a point that makes the forward look described in your charge, including its explicit time scale, entirely appropriate.”

Those advances include scientists’ ability to better handle fusion. Thirty years ago, researchers reached a milestone by producing one-tenth of one watt of fusion power for one-hundredth
of a second. Today they’re able to produce 10 million watts for about a second.

Anne Davies, a senior Energy Department official for fusion energy, agreed with Hazeltine’s view, adding that the biggest obstacles are financial, not technical. The fusion research program, she added, is “financially stressed,” receiving about $250 million a year now.

A scientist is seen inside a fusion reactor used by the Energy Department and Princeton to heat
hydrogen atoms so that they become plasma and then energy. The reactor was
disassembled last September after 15 years of research use.

CHENEY TASK FORCE
When the Energy Department asked experts to weigh in, it was acting on a directive from the national energy task force, chaired last year by Vice President Dick Cheney.

In the task force’s report, fusion energy was described in glowing terms as not suffering from fission’s downside.

“There are no emissions from fusion, and the radioactive wastes from fusion are short lived, only requiring burial and oversight for about 100 years,” the report stated. “In addition, there is no risk of a melt-down accident because only a small amount of fuel is present in the system at any
time. Finally, there is little risk of nuclear proliferation because special nuclear materials, such as uranium and plutonium, are not required for fusion energy.”

The report envisioned fusion power plants that not only deliver electricity to the power grid but also “power an energy supply chain based on hydrogen and fuel cells” — technology that could replace the internal combustion engines in vehicles with zero or near-zero pollution.

The advisory committee was asked to report back to the administration by Dec. 1 with its
general advice and note any significant issues. A second report in March will lay out funding priorities.

Fusion researchers have long lobbied for an international experimental reactor, but the estimated $10 billion cost has unnerved many governments, including the United States, which backed out in
1998. The administration asked the committee to take another look at a scaled-back international effort.

“The administration is trying to assure itself it’s the right thing to do,” Davies said.

The committee’s initial report, as well as background from the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences,
are online at www.ofes.fusion.doe.gov/News.html.

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

2005-07-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

I'm hooked reading and checking out different Blogs created by Filipinos around the world. These Filipinos are either OFW (Overseas Foreign Workers), immigrants to other countries, or they are from the Philippines itself. Here's a starter Blog address you can use as a jumping off point: http://desarapen.blogspot.com/. Scroll down and you can link to other Blogs.

I found two very different takes on the Philippines...one is a verbal lashing of the negatives of the country while another is a Blog with pictures that makes one wistful http://markangpogi.blogspot.com/.

NASA: Deep Impact Project

2005-07-03T23:47:00.000-07:00

Just watched Deep Impact Project by NASA on satellite TV... way cool, could you imagine sending a probe in space to intercept a comet... how cool is that? can you tell I like science fiction? Go to JPL/NASA website to learn more about Deep Impact http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

BUT... much as I think this to be way cool, there is this "healthy skepticism" in me that asks, "How much did this cost?", "What value is being added to humankind?", "Is it worth it, considering all the poverty in the world?", "Could we have fed Africa for a year with the moolah spent on this?", "Are we simply funding the curiosity of the intellectual few?"... and so on and on...

As you can see, no blind obedience here. Hats off to the brainiacs who made this happened, and a big SALUTE to the great U-S-of-A... I am a proud American!

Now let's show the world the VALUE of this... heck let's not even think of the world, let's just show people like me the value of this...

A Band Wagon Named Blog

2005-06-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

Finally decided to go for it. I got a blog account a while back and never used it, so long ago forgot the account name. Found this delightful and funny Blog http://filipinoexpat.blogspot.com/ that I thought "Why not?"

Just got to make sure my decision is set not to run for political office or seek political appointments as these future musings will definitely come back to haunt me.... run for political office or seek political appointments? As if!

And so it begins...