Merry Christmas, Everyone!
December 23rd, 2006
Greetings from Rotorua, New Zealand! Brian and I are enjoying our holiday in New Zealand, so posting regularly during the trip may be difficult, but I thought I’d let you all know where we were.
In the meantime, check out this volcanic island we flew into this morning!
It’s called White Island, and is apparently New Zealand’s most active volcano.
The island usually emits a visible plume of steam and often spurts clouds of ash that can be seen for miles around. There is intense thermal activity on the surface of the island with boiling pools, holes of sulphuric acid, steam and natural gas vents. Locals say that this is the safety valve for the whole thermal region, releasing pressure that might otherwise result in an eruption inland.
We flew in on Brian’s favorite helicopter, the MD500, and landed right in the middle of the crater! It smells about as bad as you’d expect, but the scenery was like no other place on earth.
Since today is Christmas Eve, we’re planning to participate in the Midnight Mass services at the local Maori church in Rotorua. Hope all of you are enjoying your own Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations!
Don’t Almost Give
December 18th, 2006
According to the new Ad Council campagin, “Almost giving happens when good thought and intentions don’t turn into actions.”
Watch the ads or explore ways to get involved in areas of health, education, disaster relief and other terrific causes. The Ad Council website has links to hundreds of different charity organizations that need your help.
And thanks to the Ad Council for working to promote the idea of giving!
Pure Water for the World
December 18th, 2006
According to the WHO, the second most common cause of child deaths is diarrhoea, estimated to be responsible for 12% of the child deaths under five years of age in developing countries - and a total of 1.3 million deaths each year.
Contaminated water is frequently the cause.
The Vermont-based Pure Water for the World is doing their part by providing slow sand filtration systems to the rural communities of Honduras. In its commercial format, the filter is about the size of an office water cooler, constructed of concrete and plastic pipe, and filled with multiple grades of sand and gravel.
As the slow sand filters require little or no mechanical power, chemicals or replaceable parts, and they require minimal operator training and only periodic maintenance, they are often an appropriate technology for poor and isolated areas. According to the World Health Organization, “Under suitable circumstances, slow sand filtration may be not only the cheapest and simplest but also the most efficient method of water treatment.”
You can help by becoming a “Pure Water Partner� and making a tax deductible donation to Pure Water for the World:
• $24,000 purchases an in-country 4 wheel drive truck
• $10,000 ADOPT-A-VILLAGE purchase household filters for a small rural village
• $1,600 buys a portable lab analysis kit
• $450 buys a filter manufacturing mold
• $150 purchases a household filter that will provide a family with clean water for a lifetime.
So next time you jump in the shower, or let the water run while you brush your teeth, or even leave that glass of water untouched on the restaurant table, consider yourself blessed! The clean water we waste every day is a luxury very few people in the world enjoy.
MayView Community Health Center
December 18th, 2006
Healthcare is often a luxury that only a very few can afford. Without coverage by your employer, where would you turn if even ordinary medical care were outside the reach of your budget?
Community health centers fill the gap for many families in this situation, and in Northern Santa Clara County, MayView Community Health Center is dedicated to providing a healthcare safety net for the less fortunate in their local community.
MayView Community Health Center provides over 17,000 medical services to more than 5,000 patients every year, including general medical care for children and adults, preventative care, comprehensive perinatal services, family planning and special counseling and health ed programs.
To contribute to the work MayView is doing in Santa Clara, click here. Why not find out where your local community health centers are and see what you can do to contribute in your own backyard!
We Feel Fine
December 13th, 2006
Since any story covering the idea of feelings is probably going to turn off the male half of the species, I will label this story without further ado, For Chicks Only!
Now that’s off the table, do you want to know how the rest of the world feels? Do women in Baghdad feel just like women in Tokyo? Do sunny days make people feel happier than cloudy ones?
Check out the art project at We Feel Fine and see for yourself!
To find out how it works, check out the website, or read on!