Roughly one week after Kalmaegi, a new typhoon is approaching and should land on Taiwan within two days.

Potential track (70% probabilities) of Fung-Wong:

Let's hope it will not bring the same damages and casualties. The previous death toll was 20...

It should be a category 2 typhoon.

A sidelight to typhoons, one that is fun but must not be taken as an insult to those who suffer in their wake, is how these destructive forces of nature got their names. For sure, they don’t come whiffing through Pagasa’s radar saying, “Hi, I’m Frank. Behind me is Gener; and that’s Helen over there.”

When we were younger, typhoons reinforced our image of women as wielding influence over both the household and the universe. We rarely questioned why typhoons back then exclusively took on female names, and why the names peculiarly ended with “ing” and “ang.” We took it as God’s will. And He was a God who knew onomatopoeia, for if you listen carefully to the sound of a storm, it has an “iiiinnnnng” or “aaaaannnng” ring to it.

Also, most women in our neighborhood seemed to have names that sounded like “Ruping” (1990, P11 billion in damages), “Uring” (1991, 5,000-8,000 dead), “Nitang” (1986, 1,363 dead), and “Dinang” (1981, 2,764 dead). Women were a scary lot.

I grew up fearing the day when a super strong typhoon, carrying my mother’s name, would come rumbling from the east to wipe our town out. “Tesing,” short for Teresita, evoked such an image of a gentle and loving mother that a killer typhoon with her name wouldn’t be fair. She’s more of a gentle breeze, or an air-conditioning unit set at low cool.

Claiming that they too are capable of wreaking havoc of biblical proportions, men now want typhoons to be named after them. So in 2000, an organization called “Men as Mean as Typhoons (MMT)” lobbied for the inclusion of men’s names in Pagasa’s list. They were so successful in their campaign that most of typhoon names now are masculine, alongside a few feminine ones that they allowed to stay to make their grandmas happy.

So, in 2001, Pagasa began using new sets of typhoon names, with some upholding the notorious "ing" and "ang" tradition. Four sets of 25 names will be rotated annually. Meaning, the set for this year will be re-used in 2012.

Remember Chedeng, Kabayan, Lando and Onyok last year? They will visit us again in 2011. (If you make a stupid decision in 2010, as you definitely will, Kabayan will wreak havoc earlier. But that’s a totally different storm, although no less destructive.) In case more than 25 typhoons decide to drop by in a year, an auxiliary set will be used.

But like most men, MMT members lacked the talent to be taken seriously. Why would you want your typhoons to be named Buchoy, Estong, Estoy or Tisoy? With respect to my friends with these names, they are more like characters in a Dolphy movie than names of tree-toppling, light-bending cyclones. Julio, Jerome and Jaime sound like triplets, probably sons of an MMT official. Good they are in the auxiliary list.

Although women allowed themselves to be laughed at with typhoon Jolina, they have the frightening Ursula, Zoraida, Violeta and Yolanda reserved for the end of each year. Women will always have the last laugh.

With funny names crowding Pagasa’s list, one wonders what happened to the really stormy-sounding ones. The answer can be found in the list of tropical cyclone names for the Northwest Pacific. Beginning in 2000, tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific basin took on Asian names contributed by nations and territories that are members of the World Meteorological Organization’s typhoon committee.

We have 10 contributions there: Malaksi, Danas, Hagupit, Lupit, Talas, Cimaron, Hagibis, Molave, Malakas and Talim. Now those are really cool typhoon names. No gender, no sex, just plain brute force.

( sun.star opinion, july 22, 2008 )

Your co-teachers and the Advisory Panel will warn you if a typhoon is coming.  Make sure to stock up on food and water.  A flashlight might also be useful, especially if the power goes out.  If the typhoon is strong, you might want to tape X’s on the windows in case they break.  (The tape prevents shattering.)
(By Megan W)

Typhoon.

Diverted plane.

A stay at the nicest hotel in Taiwan. Just as an example, they were kind enough to pack a breakfast for me because they knew I was heading to the airport early. How nice is that?!

People keep asking me about the flooding in Taiwan, but I was in transit when the flooding happened. I've spoken to my friends in Pingtung and they were not affected by it.

I suppose if I got into poetry I could arrange that into a clever little piece to close out my year, but I don't! Besides, I'm finding that vestiges of Taiwan appear in my memory constantly. I drive through the streets and wonder where all the people are! I'm relieved to see that people do stop ar red lights and there are no left turns on red. The biggest adjustment? Fitting back into this time zone. I mean, waking up at 5 am to do a blog post is not my style. I've come back during the summer sale season and have found bargains instead of high prices. The price of gas has double since I left. WalMart has built a new store within walking distance of my home. My sister tells me of the numerous calls her agency receives from parents who want someone to take their children because they cannot afford to feed them. There is still no bus system in this city to speak of, yet We have a massive new airport about to open and commuter transport lines from Fishers to the city. I've heard Chinese in Meiers. Still didn't understand a word of it, but it took me to a place I'm calling home.

I do plan to come back and post my Top Ten list. If you have any questions related to Taiwan, go ahead and post them and I'll post your answer here.

WHEN does IPS begin?? LOL

Casualties from floods and mudslides were reported in the worst-hit areas in central and southern Taiwan, where up to 950mm of rain fell in less than two days, the National Fire Agency said.

Nearly 60,000 government and civilian rescuers have been mobilized to combat floods, conduct rescue missions and help clear thick mud that covered roads and filled residences, it said.

As for now, the death toll is 18, with the latest casualty an elderly woman who was earlier reported to be missing after falling into a river while riding her motorcycle in Pingtung County yesterday morning, the National Disaster Response Center said.

Seven people, believed to have been washed away by floods or buried alive, remained missing, while eight others were injured, it said.

Kaohsiung County suffered the heaviest human toll nationwide, with eight fatalities, seven missing and five injured, followed by Tainan County with three fatalities and three injured.

The other two deaths occurred in Chiayi and Miaoli counties.

At least five low-lying areas in central and southern Taiwan were still inundated by floods brought by torrential rains, the center said.

Utilities in southern Taiwan have also been interrupted, with 12,994 households still without electricity and 268,473 homes without running water. The center expected power and water to be resorted by last night.

Kalmaegi also ravaged fields and farms. Council of Agriculture statistics showed losses reaching NT$581 million (US$19.1 million) as of 4pm yesterday, with the majority — or NT$445 million — coming from damage to crops.

By region, Yunlin County was the hardest hit, suffering losses totaling NT$101.82 million, making it eligible for subsidies and low-interest loans under the country’s disaster relief laws.

The second hardest-hit area was Tainan County, recording losses amounting to NT$94.97 million, followed by Kaohsiung County with NT$49.13 million, Nantou County with NT$45.25 million, Changhua County with NT$31.85 million and Taichung County with NT$28.64 million.

Chu Jin-shi (朱金錫), the council’s chief of farmers’ welfare, urged farmers who qualify for relief under the law to take advantage of the subsidies to get back on their feet.

The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday urged the public to clean up flooded areas in their neighborhood to prevent the spread of diseases, including dengue fever.

From Taipei Times.

Former LMB advisor takes over YTN
Hankyoreh
Apparently he was approved in less than a minute by shareholders, while union members were blocked outside by over 200 security guards. I guess that's one way to bridge the media divide.

Typhoons leave Chungcheongbuk-do flooded
Korea Beat
A photo gallery of some pretty serious flooding in the wake of the latest typhoon to hit the peninsula.

Booze Prices on the Rise
Chosun Ilbo
Fortunately the price of soju isn't going up. Still, with soaring grain prices causing food shortages globally, I never stopped to think about the price of beer.

Although the storm had little impact in the northern part of the country, the moist air currents outside the storm's radius brought torrential rains that battered central and southern Taiwan, causing serious flash flooding that had not been seen for years.

Kalmaegi brought only mild to moderate wind levels, damage was widespread as it dumped 400mm to 1,000mm of rain on the central and southern areas over the past 24 hours.

In many area, level of water (flood) was above 3 meters.

Eight individuals were reported missing and eight others suffered injuries. Utilities were also interrupted in the hard-hit south.

The tap water supply to some 500,000 households in Tainan County was suspended because of the water's increasing turbidity.

Another 170,000 households in northern Kaohsiung were also left without clean tap water.

]]> http://rolandblog.wordpress.com/?p=1500 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:55:38 +0000 Roland http://rolandblog.wordpress.com/?p=1500 My flight pushed off from Los Angeles International just after 12:40 Thursday afternoon. The flight from Los Angeles to Seoul was about 12 hours. Traveling west during the day on such a long trip is like entering another dimension because it's always daytime outside. And, the time keeps getting earlier,  until the plane crosses the International Date Line, then all of a sudden you've lost a day and instead of being -8 hours GMT (California), you're +8 GMT (Seoul).

We arrived in Seoul about 4:45 PM on Friday. (Two of my friends were on my flight.)

I'm in Seoul with four other colleagues. We will be presenting seminars on admission to U.S. colleges and universities this afternoon and tomorrow. Today we're presenting to a sold-out crowd of 600 people at the Samsung Center. I wrote the PowerPoint that we're using. Since the audience will include adults who may or may not speak English, we are presenting with translators. That should be interesting.

The rains came this morning. Not only is it the rainy season, but, "Typhoon No. 7" is blowing in from Taiwan and should be here Monday afternoon. I suspect that means rain for the duration of the trip, unless it clears up on Tuesday, which is our departure day.

First impressions:

• The flight over on Korean Air was comfortable. In my opinion, the airline is far superior to any U.S. carrier I've been on and equivalent to one of my favorite international carriers, Austrian Air.
• Seoul is a large city and very modern. Arriving here doesn't feel like other times I've been in Asia - (I've been to China and Japan.) Seoul feels very American. All the signs are in English and Korean. And you hear English being spoken everywhere.
• The one thing I've noticed is that the men appear to be hard-drinking. I went out for a walk this morning and their was a group of men who may have been at this outside bar all night.

The rain may prevent me from taking many photos. That's a bummer. But, I'll keep my camera close in case a photo opportunity opens up.

Project 941 Akula atau lebih dikenal dengan kode NATO "Typhoon" adalah kapal selam terbesar dan temahal yang pernah dibuat. Amerika boleh adi daya di lautan dengan Armada Pasifiknya, tetapi di bawah pemukaan hiu-hiu Rusia selalu membayangi mereka kemanpun mereka pergi.

Mengusung kode SSBN, kapal selam ini merupakan kapal selam bertenaga nuklir yang membawa dapat membawa rudal balistik antar benua di perutnya. Akula dibangun oleh Sverodvinks Shipyards di Laut Putih dekat Archangel. Sedangkan markas dari kapal selam kelas Akula ada di Pangkalan Armada Timur AL Rusia di Litsa Guba.

Akula didesain dengan sistem Multi-hulled, lima lapis inner hull ditempatkan didalam superstructure dua lambung paralel utama. Kulitnya dilengkapi dengan ubin yang dilapisi dengan bahan khusu penyerap suara. Didalamnya terdapat 19 kompartemen termasuk dengan modul yang diperkuat yang merupakan rumah dari ruang kontrol utama dan kompartemen elektronik yang terdapat di belakang tabung-tabung peluncur misil. Kapal selam ini juga dirancang agar mampu memecah es maupun bergerak di bawah lapisan es. Advanced stern fin dengan horizontal hydroplane ditempatkan dibelakang baling-baling. Nose Horizontal hydroplane ditempatkan di haluan dengan sistem retractable.

Akula mampu membawa 20 RSM-52 intercontinental, three stage solid propellant balistic missiles. Dua baris tabung peluncur ditempatkan di main hull. Tiap rudal terdiri dari 10 MIRV's (multiple re-entry vehicles) dengan masing-masing mengusung hulu ledak nuklir 100 kiloton. Masing-masing MIRV dapat di set untuk mengahntam target yang berbeda. Jarak jelajah rudal ini 8,300 km dengan akurasi 500 meter. Berat satu rudal adalh 84,000 kg, didesain oleh Makayev Design Bureau. RSM-52 juga dikenal dengan kode NATO SS-N-20 Sturgeon.

Akula juga dilengkapi dengan 4 abung peluncur torpedo 630 mm dan dua tabung peluncur torpedo 533 mm. Total dapat membawa 22 rudal antikapalselam/permukan Skhval dan torpedo konvensional dari berbagai tipe. Tabung peluncur torpedo juga dapat digunakan untuk melepaskan ranjau.

Akula ditenagai oleh 2 reaktor nuklir yang mensuplai dua turbin gas dan turbogear assemblies untuk menggerakkan kapal. Masing-masing reaktor menghasilkan tenaga 190 megawatt, mesin turbinnya ssendiri menghasilkan tenaga sebesar 50,000 hp dan 3,200 kW turbogear. Dua diesel generator 800 kW  juga disiapkan sebagai cadangan.

SSBN TYPHOON CLASS (TYPE 941) - SPECIFICATION

Even though it was a "small" typhoon, it brought incredible damages.

Wind was quite strong but rain was as hell.

A big part is totally flooded.

Images at TV are shocking: big trucks totally covered by water... flooding in Taichung city: it was the first time since 30 years!

The flow of water everywhere seems so powerful.

At posting time, 11 dead and 3 missing...

I never saw it here. Usually, damages are concentrated in the mountainous areas and some spots, well-known for this kind of risk (flooding).

But like that...

More to come later.

Order of Artists Performed:
Opening: SM Town
Bae Chi Gi
Buga Kings
Peter
Mighty Mouth
Maya
Typhoon
AST'1
SHINee
Super Junior Happy
SS501
Joo Sanghoon (?)
Wonder Girls!
Epik High
SNSD
MC Mong
Jewelry
Super Junior
DBSK

Part 1:  http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DRTTTLI1
Part 2:  http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5DICAP61
Part 3:  http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CC6ZDS99 <Rename it to .003
            http://www.sendspace.com/file/3i0505 <No need to rename this one
Part 4:  http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9PK46RHB

Credits: KoreanEnt Clubbox , Bakanishi@bww2 @ swtgrllubzyooh

A few weeks ago we had Typhoon Sam cause destruction and chaos the worst of it being the Air China plane that landed on it's back, killing three and injuring over 200.

Then about two weeks later we were told Typhoon Wendy was coming our way.  We waited and waited but Wendy went west.

So you can imagine when I was dashing out the door on Wednesday night to go to dinner at the Grand Hyatt with my husband's work colleague I was not worried when our apartment guard said 'be careful Mame a typhoon 3 signal'.  I thought 'Yeah yeah Mr Yu I've heard it before'.

But at midnight as I was leaving the Hyatt I said to my  friend, as I looked out over the harbour, 'I don't think you will be flying tomorrow'.  He was wise and changed his plans he stayed an extra day in Hong Kong.  Mind you over two hundred flights were grounded.

I woke to what seemed a rather windy morning.  My children were clearly off by lunch time, the wind was howling and I decided to move us away from the windows.  Around 2pm we taped the windows with packing tape just in case because we had had reports of blown out windows. By now we were watching the news reports coming through every half-hour on the worsening situation.  First an amber rain warning in the morning, then it was a three, then suddenly an 8 and within the hour it became a 10.  It was that sudden and that intense.  Just like a woman giving birth for the first time.  Eleven hours of wind, wailing and water.

The boys were sick of videos, channel Pearl had the foresight to play lots of family movies.  I brought out a new addition to the train set, which made no difference to my boys, in fact, it nearly caused a riot. They had both refused to have an afternoon nap the wind was so loud.  My oldest told me he was scared, I didn't have the heart to tell him mummy was too.

We didn't loose our power only our satellite reception and this is because the dish upstairs as we discovered today had swung around.  Fortunately it did not look like counter parts on other buildings, an inside out umbrella, with parts missing. 

By 9pm the signal was back down to a three, though it was still fairly strong obviously not as strong as earlier.  At one stage to the horror of my oldest son I went out on the balcony to video some of the weather. I even taped a jogger with a bike helmet on running up the road avoiding one of the felled trees.  It takes all types. On the news we heard about people going down to Queens Pier to watch the waves.   I read in the paper this morning of a windsurfer who is reported missing. 

All I can say is I'm glad it is over. Today the paper was delivered, the dogs were back out on the streets with their maid, the taxi had resumed their normal fares it was if nothing had happened yesterday, life in Hong Kong had resumed.  But for me there was a stillness about Hong Kong, a creepy calm, something I have never experienced before.  Very weird. Naturally there was plenty of evidence of destruction caused by York. Trees uprooted, cars and buildings blocked by limbs, lamps broken, windows blown out, debris everywhere it was a mess. All day instead of the hum of cars we heard the hum of chain saws. It will takes weeks for the debris to be removed and weeks before we forget how York turned our day into terror behind a big glass window in Blue Pool Road Happy Valley.

I am so jealous and would love to work there.

There's even a clip of the Vulcan doing her practice circuit ready for Farnborough 2008

Andy
Compare-Airport-Parking
Compare-Airport-Hotels
Compare-Flights
Compare-Holidays

I am in Taiwan, though.

Michael Buble was in my ear today.

Another airplane
Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I've got to go home

China was great. No, it wasn't a tourist destination. It was work; good work that I really enjoyed. Guess I'm just weird like that! When last I saw the students, they were on the way to Beijing in hope of getting their visas to the US, in hopes of convincing the right people that this is a one year, one shot deal and they'll be returning to China. Some do still need placements in the US, so let me know if you're interested!

So sorry to say I will leave China with the image of the air nestled strongly in my lungs. It began quite clear because it has been raining, but everyday I was there, the air got dustier and dirtier. I could see, smell and feel the particulates as they traveled my nasal passages. Not a good feeling at all. In China, I felt the newness of being in an unfamiliar place, but I actually found myself smiling about going back to dirty ol' Taiwan. I don't know the language, but I can maneuver and I can do a bit of communicating.

Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home

Coming home...yeah, I think of Taiwan as home!!...was an interesting trip; an exercise in character development! Did you know there's a typhoon sitting on the southern shores of Taiwan? Because of the typhoon, I couldn't land in Kaoshiung (where I left a suitcase!!) and landed in Taoyoun instead. We sat in the plane for an hour because someone thought the typhoon would clear up and we would be able to land. I'm hoping it will clear away tomorrow morning when it's time to head to the US!

It kinda flustered me that an airline company could do nothing to help me get my suitcase from Kaohsiung to Taipei overnight. But such is where I am. It amazed me that students in China were able to think critically and creatively much more so than those I worked with in Taiwan. Shouldn't those in a democracy be better prepared to find, analyze, assess and evaluate information? Well, I've got great friends taking care of the suitcase for me, so life goes on. Thanks, Fulin and Riz!!!!

And thanks, Evan James for handling that post the other day!

And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life
It's like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right

In between the spurts of rain and the sun, I managed to teach my morning classes, pick up 15$ worth of fruits (6 apple pears, 4 dragon fruits, 10 nectarines, 5 grapefruits) and come back home safely. I hate driving the scooter in the rain.

This can only mean one thing...

I'll be able to run tonight in the rain. I've been looking forward to trying this for weeks, but it never panned out. Tonight will be an easy 4 km or 5.2 km run. No more. I'm still recuperating from my 15km run of last night. Tonight, I'll try improving my time and picking up the pace. I'll run at a faster pace. This will also mean that it will be more of a workout.

Thinking back, the last part of the run was most definitely a more muscular and mental effort, than cardio-vascular. The thing was that I couldn't really run faster, my knees, ankles and feet were hurting. I could have managed the effort though. I think I need to build up that ability by working on 5 km and 10 km runs, with a faster pace. I've read that some runners complete 5km in 21 minutes. 10 km in 45 minutes. Those are the type of times I want to be able to complete.

SM's SHINee's title song off their first minialbum "Noona is very pretty" will be having its remix version.

They will perform the remix version of the song "Noona is so pretty (Replay_Boom)" on the 17th in GyeongGiDo JoongAng Park for Mnet M!Countdown. They will also be performing the song "In My Room" from their minialbum.

"Noona is very pretty (Replay_Boom)" is a club version of the song, giving the song a different feel than the original. It is said that this version will still suit SHINee's popular "Shot track" dance. While "In My Room" is a very well-received songs by fans, and SHINee has already sang the song live on radio programs.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

SS501 ended their 3 sold-out concert performances in Tokyo

SS501 did 3 sold-out live concert performances on 12th and 13th July in Tokyo Dome City JCB hall for their live concert "SS501 2008 Japan Tour Grateful Days Thanks for".
The concert saw a crowd of 12,000 fans attending it. They started out by performing the title song "Live" from their official Japanese album, and also songs from their japanese singles "Kokoro", "Distance" and "Lucky Days".

SS501 also performed their 3rd Korean single's "Deja Vu" and "The song you sing" during the encore performance. These 2 songs were the 18 songs that the group performed for their concert performances

SS501 will be having their concert performances in Osaka NanBa on 16th and 17th July.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Kim Jong Wook and Solbi to remake theme song "Way back into love" from Hollywood movie "Music and lyrics"

New singer Kim Jong Wook and group Typhoon's leader Solbi will be remaking the theme song off the movie "Music and lyrics".

Kim Jong Wook and Solbi recently came together to record for the song "I wish to you" that is collected in Kim Jong Wook's new single. The song "I wish to you" is a remake of "Way back into love" in the movie "Music and Lyrics" starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore.

The song "Way back into love" became a hit after it was used as the theme song for the Hollywood movie.

^ The song "Way back into love"

__________________________________________________________________________________________

I can't can't can't wait for the song by Kim Jong Wook and Solbi.. Love them both ^^

The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) had already set a deadline of this Tuesday to name the contractor who would recover the ship. Another important aspect is the separate recovery of chemicals on board, primarily the fuel and a 10-tonne shipment of the dangerous pesticide endosulfan by Del Monte.

The ship had also been carrying a number of other chemicals in smaller quantities, including metamedopus, carbofuran, niclosemide, and proptineb. All of the chemicals must be removed by order of the DOTC before the vessel is recovered. The chemical recovery is to be performed by Titan Salvage, an international firm owned by Florida's Crowley Maritime Corporation and specialising in sunken and capsized ship recovery. Titan will co-operate with both Sulpicio and the DOTC, and expect the project to be completed within 60 days of the contract being signed.

Once the chemicals on board are removed then the ship itself can be recovered. Sulpicio has also named its contractor for this: Malayan Towage and Salvage Corporation (Salvtug). Salvtug has accepted the contract, but warned that its estimated operation cost is PHP2.25 billion to P4.5 billion, which is roughly equivalent to US$50 million to $100 million. Sulpicio had previously estimated that this exercise would cost P600 million.

The high cost is a potential problem as it is unclear who will pay. Sulpicio's insurance does not cover salvage. Had Sulpicio been covered with protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance this would have been covered, but this is not required in the Philippines and so Sulpicio's insurance agreement with Oriental Assurance Corporation only covered the hull, machinery and third-party injuries and damage.

It is likely that Sulpicio will pay for the recovery of the ferry, which has a gross weight of 23,824 tons, but as the ship poses a potential environmental hazard it has been suggested that the government should pay the costs initially to ensure work is done quickly, with Sulpicio to be charged later for this. However, for now it is unclear who will pay for the vessel's recovery.

I came across this you-tube link from Joanne Tupaz' & Cybelle Fernandez's website  http://canadahelpaklan.multiply.com .

This video is a well-presented one by World Vision Philippines. It starts with a story of a child from Tangalan, Aklan and ends with the organization's tireless efforts to help victims of Typhoon Frank. For more information, visit their website at www.worldvision.org.ph

VIDEO #2: FRANK: DESTRUCTION IN KALIBO, AKLAN PHILIPPINES

Pastor Roberto Labor of Glad Tidings Ministry (Kalibo, Aklan) was very charming and inspiring on this video created for New Life Christian Center. I have to google their website, as the video did not write down their contact information... I think it is www.newlife.ph

Let me know if I missed any video productions.

Check the HOME PAGE of my blog to check on the latest news and links.

As always please visit www.akeanonagproud.multiply.org for a list of various organizations, contact information and volunteer opportunities. Rotary Club, GMA Kapuso Foundation, Kidsahoy, Task Force Noah, Diosece of Kalibo, ABWE Philippines, etc --- you choose! Contact them directly and decide.

Valpree Magallanes' blog  also contains lots of pictures and some updates on Kalibo. While news is great, I like blogs because it captures the more personal side of things. So to all bloggers out there, gimme your link!

On behalf of the people of Aklan,  thank you so much for your help. Viva Aklan!

What used to be green green grass field now filled with thick mud and broken branches.

Canals were opened, only to see what worsen the flood--garbages

The roof of the library was under construction..now almost everywhere at school would be..er-reconstruction

I thought my only haven--library--was spared..

Religion and Ethics Department--all we could do is hope and pray, for its faster recovery..

A single flood would not deter the students from excelling. I t was only one of those challenges we had to go through, as we EXCEL.

IKTHUS ILOILO: OPERATION FRANK

WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR OUR BRETHREN IN ILOILO
Look for April - Admin Office @ Tel. No. 441-3343 or Arbee –Small Groups Office @ Tel. No. 709-0050

Visit our website: www.bccbikthus.org

I felt as if I was turned into the exact opposite of who I am since I am constantly on the interwebz. Then to suddenly take it away is like taking away an alcoholic's liquid friends. But the experience was somewhat liberating. I was trapped in my own world. The reason why I didn't have Internet or television was because I went to the Philippines. I want to make this clear before I continue. Yes the Philippines is a third-world country but they do have Internet, television, cell phones, and other technical luxuries as they do here in North America. Reason why I didn't have any was because the guest house we were staying at had nobody living in it, hence no need for the technical luxuries.

It took me quite some time to adjust. A good week or so. I would constantly be wondering what's happening in the world, with my friends, with coworkers, with.... basically everything. Once I got used to it I got lost in my own world. The hustle and bustle of working and social networking stopped. I got to focus on things like family, meeting new people, and entertaining myself. I read a lot, learned a lot, and was bored a lot. I began to think why people actually NEED the connections.

I never knew a massive typhoon hit the Philippines until the day after when I went to my uncle's house who had cable. It made it on CNN. I thought it was just a heavy super heavy rainstorm the night before. That's when I realized being in your own world could be dangerous. I didn't receive warning about the typhoon. I didn't know that 900 people died. I didn't know... anything. All I knew the night before was that the power went out, the windows were shaking, and it was rainy season. That's when I realized the importance of being informed. There was a ferry that capsized durring the Typhoon and many people died. I was supposed to be on that ferry that day but we decided to leave the island a day early.

Looking back at my 5weeks of connection free life, little things like a down website don't bother me  anymore. I guess what I'm trying to say is the lack of connection has given me a patience for technology that I never had before. I'm wondering how many days this is going to last....