ROTARY CLUB In QUITO: Club Rotario de Quito en los Ilinizas

CLUB ROTARIO DE QUITO: Club Rotario de Quito en los Ilinizas:

domingo, 16 de febrero de 2014

Club Rotario de Quito en los Ilinizas

Sunday, February 16, 2014
Rotary Club of Quito in Ilinizas

Dear Colleagues, I proudly share with you The north summit Illiniza we did with my son Roger Abraham 12 and other friends on Sunday 2 February, after almost 6 hours of climbing we reached 5130 meters to dominate a spectacular view from a narrow rocky summit with high cliffs. Tiredness, dizziness and ultimately difficult to describe satisfaction, the kind that will last a lifetime. Being up there you get questions like this: How nature can be gestated this summit with a magical array of perfectly placed rock on rock?. Hope you like the photos.

  a hug
R. Jaramillo

https://plus.google.com/photos?partnerid=gplp0



Felicitaciones Compañero y al Jr. por este logro!!!!

Retiring to Ecuador....Why not!: How did we move all our stuff?

Retiring to Ecuador....Why not!: How did we move all our stuff?: I know I've discussed this in various back posts but it was hit or miss.
I keep getting questions about how we moved all our stuff and thought
I'd put it all in one post.




At the Airport

Also, note that not everyone moves in suitcases like we did. Many folks
ship pallets or shipping containers full of their stuff. Each person
must make their own decisions about what is important to THEM. We had
made an exploratory trip so had a general idea about what to bring other
than clothes.

This is what flew with us on American Airlines, December 2013. We flew
business class which gave us THREE FREE bags each! We paid $150 for each
additional bag, thus our three extra bags cost us $450. Also, by flying
business class we had a weight allowance of 70# each bag!

• FIVE plastic Sterilite footlockers
  purchased at Wal-Marts in our local area.. We initially thought we
  could make it with only four but as we continued packing things, five it
  was! We purchased luggage straps and put one on each one as well as a TSA approved lock with a flexible hasp.
• ......Read more: http://www.retiredincuenca.com/2014/02/how-did-we-move-all-our-stuff.html

FREE PLANET BLOG: Brien Foerster - Paracas elongated skulls - DNA re...

FREE PLANET BLOG: Brien Foerster - Paracas elongated skulls - DNA re...: here's the short version of Brien Foerster's investigation into the Paracas elongated skulls, obviously auto-narrated from press rel......

Published on Feb 10, 2014

Brien Foerster Elongated Skulls DNA results

Some preliminary results have been obtained from the elongated skulls found in the Paracas area of Peru.

The DNA has many more mutations than would be acceptable to call it homo sapien. It may be another forgotten lineage of man or perhaps it is a starseed bought here many eons ago.

Many more tests need to be done but the first indications point to a deepening of the mystery of the elongated skulls.

Brien Foerster Elongated Skulls DNA results....read more: http://mikephilbin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/brien-foerster-paracas-elongated-skulls.html

Last Shopping Trip for Prepping: What to Get if You Only Have One Chance Left

Last Shopping Trip Ever: What to Get if You Only Have One Chance Left-

 

Written by P. Henry
The news on Wednesday mentioned closed door meetings with the President and the heads of the several agencies and organizations dealing with finances. It included members of the Federal Reserve (which is not a government agency) the FDIC, the CFTC and the SEC as well as the Federal Housing Agency. This meeting has a lot of people spooked and you can read some reasons why on the SHTFPlan blog. Actually, by the time this post is published, we may know what they were talking about. Mostly, the very rational concern stems from the belief that something big is getting ready to happen and only the powers that be know what it is. They are obviously too scared to let us know. Could this have anything to do with the glitch on NASDAQ Thursday that halted trading?

News like this makes me start to mentally go over my prepping and I start analyzing what I still haven’t done, or need to check on again. This happens almost every time there is a news story like this and it is with the full knowledge and belief that I am squared away at a level that I believe will keep my family fed and secure for a good bit of time. Could we last if everything descended into chaos tomorrow and there was wide-spread panic, looting, violence and wars? That, I don’t know.

 However, we have made a lot of preparations for our family so I don’t feel helpless if we are visited by a future doomsday scenario like that any time soon. I certainly don’t welcome it, but I don’t feel like we’ll be caught completely off guard either. I mentioned in another post how from time to time, thinking about what I would do with some small amount of advanced warning causes me to reevaluate my preps. I do think that it is wise to constantly be aware of your surroundings (as well as what’s going on in the world) and to take advantage of circumstances if you can, to give your family a leg up.....read more: Source: The Prepper Journal
http://www.theprepperjournal.com/2013/08/24/last-shopping-trip-ever-what-to-get-if-you-only-have-one-chance-left/

New changes and procedures for Visiting at Quito womens Prison

New changes and procedures

11 Tuesday Feb 2014

I want to thank you for taking some time to read this. The prison has continued to implement more changes to the women’s prison in Quito. The first change that they are enforcing is that you cannot bring in anything to the prisoners on visit days. Visit days are still Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday. I do know that when I have given items such as tissue paper, toothpaste, diapers and toys, the women are genuinely grateful. I cannot judge the women there for any drug use or pregnancies that happen in that particular prison.
Anyone that is in the Quito area can still give basic necessity items such as toiletry items, feminine hygiene products, or food. They are putting a limit on the amount of items you can give per lady to ten. If you want to give items, then you need to go to the prison on Mondays or Thursdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and drop it off with the guard there. You need to have a first and last name for the guard so he knows who to give it to. I give to three prisoners there, two are Americans and one is from the Philippines. They distribute donated things to other inmates there. Please email me at timjh25@yahoo.com for those or other names if you want to visit or give. Please read my first blog entry on how to visit prisoners in person. The link for that is http://quitowomensprison.wordpress.com/2014/01/
If you cannot make it to the prison and still want to help, I have started a gofundme site for them. Every penny donated will go to toiletries, food, toys, etc to the people that live inside that prison. Here is the link to donate: http://www.gofundme.com/Incaprisonwomen
I want to personally thank the two biggest English bookstores in the Plaza Foch area for their book donations to the women. The word that can best describe their reaction to the boxes of books is gratitude.
Comments by Journeyman Jack: I have met & personlly know the above writer Tim De. he is a fine fellow for taking the time to help out and visit at the Quito Womens Prison.

Intermediate Spanish Class at Casa Punta Bikini in San Clemente Ecuador

Intermediate Spanish Class

Posted on February 15, 2014 by gilpinfreak

Casa Punta Bikini in San Clemente Ecuador hosted an intermediate Spanish class this week.  There were 10 people in attendance.
It was most definitely a challenging class, but the instructor, David DeChambeau did a great job adjusting the pace of the class to help us out.

Everyone felt challenged and learned quite a bit, quickly!

Left to right, top row:  John & Mary, Libby, Bethany, Gerri, Linda.

Bottom row: Mary David & Jessica.

Not pictured:  Stephen and I.

We learned many new verbs and their uses, por vs para, ser vs estar, past tense, future tense and MUCH more!

We will hold more classes in the future at Casa Punta Bikini.  There will be a basic class starting after Carnavale, contact us for interest!!

Thanks to David DeChambeau for teaching the class.  Great job!!

Figuring it out… 1 gerund preterite imperfect tense at a time....read more: http://figuringitoutinecuador.wordpress.com/2014/02/15/intermediate-spanish-class/

Comments by Journeyman Jack: I personally know David H. & his Mom Libby, Great folks. I love staying at their Casa Punta Bikini in San Clemente! I have also met David De. an excellent instructor!

Ecuador Launches Information Campaign to Combat Human Trafficking and Smuggling

Posted on Fri, Feb-14-2014

IOM Ecuador together with partners launches an information campaign in Quito’s international airport aimed at combating and raising public awareness of human trafficking and smuggling. © IOM 2014

ZOOM

Ecuador - The IOM Mission in Ecuador, working with partners, has launched an information campaign in Quito’s international airport aimed at combating and raising public awareness of human trafficking and smuggling.
IOM’s Development Fund provided funding for the billboards, which will be displayed at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport for a year, with support from the Ministry of Interior and the National Police, as well as the Municipality of Quito.   The airport’s concessionaire company, QUIPORT, waived the fees for the use of the spaces.
“Human trafficking is a violation of a person’s human rights.  We want the public to know this, but also to know that it is an illegal and very lucrative activity run by international criminal networks,” said Rogelio Bernal, IOM Chief of Mission in Ecuador....read more: https://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home/news-and-views/press-briefing-notes/pbn-2014/pbn-listing/ecuador-launches-information-cam.html

AirMed and Medivac service and insurance in Ecuador - 30 Jan 2014

AirMed and Medivac service and insurance in Ecuador

Posted by Considering Cuenca.com on 1:03 pm in Insurance, Insurance, Medical, Travel | 0 comments

Passing on information from a fellow expat as of 30 Jan 2014:

Air Med in Ecuador

“Medi Vacs are available, and I try to urge my friends, family & guests to purchase a Travel Insurance policy that includes Medivac.

My Sister was here in SEP and had a policy for $80. that included Medivac, you just never know?

We did right at 3,000KM circle of EC encompassing the Coast. I insisted she get Ins. Coverage for the 3 week trip. I want to be able to call in a medical helicopter transport, as well as medical emergency flight back to the US if need be, I keep a Satellite Phone in the truck just in case we are in a no cell phone signal remote areas: “
Coverage limits are per person. Plan cost is for all persons.

Company Allianz Global Assistance logo
Plan Name Deluxe
Plan Terms Full Details
Plan Type Package
Total Policy Cost $80.00
Available to Travelers from U.S.

90 plan reviews
Trip Cancellation $736
Trip Interruption $1,104
Financial Default Selected Suppliers, 7 day wait if purchased within 14 days of initial trip payment

Terrorism in Itinerary City Foreign & U.S. Domestic
Cancel For Any Reason Not Available
Travel Baggage $2,500 2
Travel Baggage Delay 24+ hours
$600 max. 2
Travel Delay 6+ hours
$300/day
$1,500 max.

Medical $50,000
Dental $750 Incl. in Medical

Emergency Medical Evacuation $1,000,000

24-Hour Emergency Assistance Yes

Pre-Existing Conditions Waiver If insurance purchased within 14 days of Initial Trip Payment
Pre-Existing Condition Period 120 Days
Insurance Company Jefferson

A.M. Best Rating A
Refund Policy 10 Day Review Period
Rental Car Collision/Loss (per policy) $50,000

Accidental Death – 24-Hour $50,000

Accidental Death – Common Carrier Included in Accidental Death – 24-hour

Accidental Death – Flight Included in Accidental Death – 24-hour

–For the price and this good of coverage, it makes no sense to not have it. Is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.–
Contributed to Considering Cuenca by Me: "Journeyman Jack in Ecuador"  ....read more: http://information.cuenca-ecuador-retirement.com/

Homemade submarine used to smuggle cocaine in Ecuador

Feb 21, 2014

By Global Post

Ecuadorean police seized this homemade narco submarine, which travels at 10 mph, has no oxygen tanks and can dive for just 15 minutes. (GLOBAL POST/Simeon Tegel)

If smuggling cocaine onto an airplane sounds dicey, then imagine navigating 2,000 miles on the open sea in a homemade submarine with half a ton of the white stuff and no oxygen tanks.

This 30-foot fiberglass sub can dive just 15 feet and stay under for a maximum of 15 minutes — barely long enough for passing coastguard patrols to disappear. It has no toilet, kitchen or, for that matter, legroom....read more: http://voxxi.com/2014/02/21/smuggling-cocaine-in-ecuador/

Goodbye Ecuador…Hello Mexico! - Sunday, February 23rd, 2014

Goodbye Ecuador…Hello Mexico!

Posted by Donald Murray 

· Sunday, February 23rd, 2014 

I may as well get right to it! Yes, Diane and I are leaving Ecuador. We will not be returning to the United States but will be checking out the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico for our next chapter. I know! You are likely surprised that a guy who has been regularly writing and speaking about how great life is here is now announcing that he and his wife will be leaving Ecuador. Here’s the deal! ....read more: http://donaldmurrayecuador.com/goodbye-ecuadorhello-mexico/#comment-833

Resonance in the Pyramids of La Maná, Ecuador

Resonance in the Pyramids of La Maná, Ecuador

The Hummingbird Pyramid is Discovered in La Maná, Ecuador Among 17 Ancient Temples
by Alex Putney for Human-Resonance.org
February 11, 2014
A monumental discovery was recently made south of La Maná, Ecuador on November 17, 2013 while exploring low mountains along the Calope River. The megalithic ruins of an ancient temple have been partially exposed by the dynamite blasts of roadworkers and the erosive action of water, uncovering large sections of basalt foundations along two sides of a structure exceeding 70m in height.

Before any discussion with the community members of this area on such complex subjects, one local resident and guide to the region mentioned the unusual recurrence of rumbling sounds in these thickly forested mountains surrounding the magnificent Seven Cascades. He stated that ultra-low frequency sounds often resounded during the nighttime hours, especially during the rainy season months from December to April, and suggested these mountain peaks were used by ancient people for transmitting communications over long distances. Tesla would have agreed with that suggestion!.....read more: http://www.human-resonance.org/hummingbird_pyramid.html

African American - Latino World: Getting the Most from My Travel Plans

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Getting the Most from My Travel Plans

African American - Latino World

This blog is about my exposure to the
Spanish language and various Latin-American cultures; particularly Black
Latino (Afro-Latino) cultures.

I’ve heard fellow travelers proclaim preference for spontaneity in their travels.
They do just enough planning to get themselves going, and they leave the rest to
chance. Supposedly, this is more daring and fun. Although, I have much
respect for these travelers’ individual preferences, I would not be in favor of
traveling in their company and, would creatively find a way to get lost
from their presence. My personal preference is to plan everything down
to the last detail.

.

Although the travel experience itself is fun, the detailed research and planning adds to the excitement and creates vicarious enjoyment. I generally start such research and planning six to seven months before the actual trip, and as much as
possible, follow my game plan while allowing room for flexibility in the event
that something or someone interesting does come along to alter a specific plan
in my itinerary.  My travels have never gone exactly according to plan, but I felt secure by at least having a solid plan.

I read travel guides like Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Moon’s Guide, in addition to
doing Google searches and reading blogs of other travelers who been there and
done what I plan on doing myself. As a registered on-line member of Trip Advisor, Couchsurfing, and Virtual Tourist (websites for travelers), I’m pretty much ready for anything.

This extra effort saves me a lot of unnecessary stress, frustration, and of course, money.
My trips, primarily to Latin American countries, including airfare, has been
relatively inexpensive. As pointed out in my article, How To Enjoy Travel Without Being Wealthy, I was able to reserve flights to Mexico City,
Lima, Cartagena, Quito, and Panama City, in that order, for a total of $897.
Naturally, this fare did not come without intensive on line research. I managed
to snag this fare three months before the actual take-off date. Once I arrived
at my destinations, I already knew the details of the local currency, cheap or
free places to stay, public transportation, where to go for food and
entertainment, and how much I could expect to pay....read more: http://ahorasecreto.blogspot.com/2014/02/getting-most-from-my-travel-plans.html?spref=fb

The Middle of the World - Ecuador Travel and Living: Quito Traffic "Que Bestia!"

Quito Traffic "Que Bestia!"

I promised in the beginning I would keep it real, upfront, and honest
throughout all of my blog posts.  So as promised I am here to tell you
one of Quito's ugliest and most brutal realities.



THE TRAFFIC HERE SUCKS.

This is where you will spend a ton of your time if you live in Quito

I mean it is really bad.  Absolutely horrible.  This is being typed from
the hands of a Los Angeles native driver, so that in it self should say
a lot.  But seriously, my 10 mile commute is actually an hour and a
half at a minimum. 



The miniature version of "streets" you find in certain sections of the
city, plus the street lights that are green for a whole 1.8 seconds on
major intersections, multiplied by the over abundance of mid sized and
large SUV's here in Quito, only begins to describe this mess.  (massive
run on sentence I know)

Everyday congestion in the city of Quito

If you must drive here, You will find these many little caveats or unwritten rules helpful:

• It is perfectly OK to be all the way in the right lane on a 3 lane
  road, then suddenly make a left turn without using your signal.  This
  works both ways. 
• It is also perfectly acceptable to park in the middle of the street
  to send a text message, make a phone call, or even get out to buy some
  street food.  
• If you own a motorcycle you are allowed to drive pretty much anywhere you can make your bike go, even down stairs.    
• Running a red light is perfectly OK after sunset or on Sunday,
  however the concept of what "Right on red" is has not caught on yet,
  even though it is actually legal here. 
• Buses are above the law and actually gain 50 points for every car they run into.  Blue buses have diplomatic immunity.
• People will beep at the people in front of them to go when the light
  is still red, even if it is a police officer in front of them.
• The space between the two lanes on the road is actually another lane, if your car can fit.   

By following these unwritten laws, you will survive driving here in Quito.  Good luck. 





The Middle of the World - Ecuador Travel and Living: Quito Traffic "Que Bestia!":

the story of Delta Flight 15 on 9/11 - Re Canadians~

comment by CX889: What a great article! This just goes to show that the human spirit only grows stronger and more compassionate in times of grief and tragedy. Although we must always remember and pray for the families of the missing, the rescue workers, and the victims, we must also celebrate the kindness and love of fellow citizens of the free world.Thank you Canada for the gracious display of hospitality....

AN AWESOME STORY EVERYONE SHOULD READ AND REALIZE THAT THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO

 

Here is an amazing story from a flight attendant on Delta Flight 15, written following 9-11...........

On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, we were about 5 hours
out of Frankfurt, flying over the North Atlantic.

All of a sudden the curtains parted and I was told to go to the
cockpit, immediately, to see the captain. As soon as I got there I
noticed that the crew had that "All Business" look on their faces. The captain handed me a printed message. It was from Delta's main
office in Atlanta and simply read, "All airways over the Continental United States are closed to commercial air traffic. Land ASAP at the nearest airport. Advise your destination."

No one said a word about what this could mean. We knew it was a
serious situation and we needed to find terra firma quickly. The captain determined that the nearest airport was 400 miles behind us in Gander , New Foundland.

He requested approval for a route change from the Canadian
traffic controller and approval was granted immediately -- no questions asked. We found out later, of course, why there was no hesitation in approving our request.

While the flight crew prepared the airplane for landing, another
message arrived from Atlanta telling us about some terrorist
activity in the New York area. A few minutes later word came in about the hijackings.

We decided to LIE to the passengers while we were still in the
air. We told them the plane had a simple instrument problem and that we needed to land at the nearest airport in Gander , New Foundland, to have it checked out.

We promised to give more information after landing in Gander .
There was much grumbling among the passengers, but that's nothing new! Forty minutes later, we landed in Gander . Local time at Gander was12:30 PM! .... that's 11:00 AM EST.

There were already about 20 other airplanes on the ground from
all over the world that had taken this detour on their way to the U.S.

After we parked on the ramp, the captain made the following
announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, you must be wondering if
all these airplanes around us have the same instrument problem as we have.
The reality is that we are here for another reason." Then he went on
to explain the little bit we knew about the situation in the U.S.
There were loud gasps and stares of disbelief. The captain informed
passengers that Ground control in Gander told us to stay put.

The Canadian Government was in charge of our situation and no
one was allowed to get off the aircraft. No one on the ground was
allowed to come near any of the air crafts. Only airport police would come around periodically, look us over and go on to the next airplane. In the next hour or so more planes landed and Gander ended up with 53 airplanes from all over the world, 27 of which were U.S. commercial jets.

Meanwhile, bits of news started to come in over the aircraft
radio and for the first time we learned that airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York and into the Pentagon in DC. People were trying to use their cell phones, but were unable to connect due to a different cell system in Canada . Some did get through, but were only able to get to the Canadian operator who would tell them that the lines to the U.S. were either blocked or jammed.
Sometime in the evening the news filtered to us that the World
Trade Center buildings had collapsed and that a fourth hijacking hadresulted in a crash. By now the passengers were emotionally and physically exhausted, not to mention frightened, but everyone stayed amazingly calm. We had only to look out the window at the 52 other stranded aircraft to realize that we were not the only ones in this predicament.

We had been told earlier that they would be allowing people off
the planes one plane at a time. At 6 PM, Gander airport told us that
our turn to deplane would be 11 am the next morning. Passengers were not happy, but they simply resigned themselves to this news without much noise and started to prepare themselves to spend the night on the airplane.

Gander had promised us medical attention, if needed, water, and
lavatory servicing. And they were true to their word.
Fortunately we had no medical situations to worry about. We did have a young lady who was 33 weeks into her pregnancy. We took REALLY good care of  her. The night passed without incident despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements.

About 10:30 on the morning of the 12th a convoy of school buses
showed up. We got off the plane and were taken to the terminal where we went through Immigration and Customs and then had to register with the Red Cross.

After that we (the crew) were separated from the passengers and
were taken in vans to a small hotel. We had no idea where our
passengers were going. We learned from the Red Cross that the town of Gander has a population of 10,400 people and they had about 10,500 passengers to take care of from all the airplanes that were forced into Gander! We were told to just relax at the hotel and we would be contacted when the U.S. airports opened again, but not to expect that call for a while.

We found out the total scope of the terror back home only after
getting to our hotel and turning on the TV, 24 hours after it all
started.

Meanwhile, we had lots of time on our hands and found that the
people of Gander were extremely friendly. They started calling us the "plane people." We enjoyed their hospitality, explored the town of Gander and ended up having a pretty good time.

Two days later, we got that call and were taken back to the Gander
airport. Back on the plane, we were reunited with the passengers
and found out what they had been doing for the past two days. What we found out was incredible.

Gander and all the surrounding communities (within MATCH about a 75 Kilometer radius) had closed all high schools, meeting halls, lodges, and any other large gathering places. They converted all these facilities to mass lodging areas for all the stranded travelers. Some had cots set up, some had mats with sleeping bags and pillows set up.

ALL the high school students were required to volunteer their
time to take care of the "guests." Our 218 passengers ended up in a town called Lewisporte, about 45 kilometers from Gander where they were put up in a high school. If any women wanted to be in a women-only facility, that was arranged. Families were kept together. All the elderly passengers were taken to private homes.

Remember that young pregnant lady? She was put up in a private
home right across the street from a 24-hour Urgent Care facility.
There was a dentist on call and both male and female nurses remained with the crowd for the duration.

Phone calls and e-mails to the U.S. and around the world were
available to everyone once a day. During the day, passengers were offered "Excursion" trips. Some people went on boat cruises of the lakes and harbors. Some went for hikes in the local forests. Local bakeries stayed open to make fresh bread for the guests.

Food was prepared by all the residents and brought to the
schools. People were driven to restaurants of their choice and offered wonderful meals. Everyone was given tokens for local laundry mats to wash their clothes, since luggage was still on the aircraft. In other words, every single need was met for those stranded travelers.

Passengers were crying while telling us these stories. Finally,
when they were told that U.S. airports had reopened, they were
delivered to the airport right on time and without a single passenger missing or late. The local Red Cross had all the information about the whereabouts of each and every passenger and knew which plane they needed to be on and when all the planes were leaving. They coordinated everything beautifully.

It was absolutely incredible.

When passengers came on board, it was like they had been on a cruise. Everyone knew each other by name. They were swapping stories of their stay, impressing each other with who had the better time. Our flight back to Atlanta looked like a chartered party flight. The crew just stayed out of their way. It was mind-boggling.

Passengers had totally bonded and were calling each other by
their first names, exchanging phone numbers, addresses, and email
addresses.

And then a very unusual thing happened.

One of our passengers (an MD from VA) approached me and asked if he could make an announcement over the PA system. We never, ever allow that. But this time was different. I said "of course" and handed him the mike. He picked up the PA and reminded everyone about what they had just gone through in the last few days. He reminded them of the hospitality they had received at the hands of total strangers. He continued by saying that he would like to do something in return for the good folks of Lewisporte.

"He said he was going to set up a Trust Fund under the name of
DELTA 15 (our flight number). The purpose of the trust fund is to provide college scholarships for the high school students of Lewisporte.

He asked for donations of any amount from his fellow travelers.
When the paper with donations got back to us with the amounts, names, phone numbers and addresses, the total was for more than $14,000!

"The gentleman, a MD from Virginia , promised to match the
donations and to start the administrative work on the scholarship. He also said that he would forward this proposal to Delta Corporate and ask them to donate as well.

As I write this account, the trust fund is at more than $1.5 million
and has assisted 134 students in college education.

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/597983/

 
"I just wanted to share this story because we need good stories right
now. It gives me a little bit of hope to know that some people
in a faraway place were kind to some strangers who literally dropped in on them.

It reminds me how much good there is in the world."

"In spite of all the rotten things we see going on in today's
world this story confirms that there are still a lot of good people
in the world and when things get bad, they will come forward.

*This is one of those stories that needs to be shared. Please do so...*

The Countdown to the Nationalization of Retirement Savings Has Begun-

Internationalize Your Retirement Savings

It’s much more difficult for the government to convert your retirement assets if they’re outside of its immediate reach. If you have a standard IRA from a large US financial institution, it would only take a decree from the US government and Poof!: your dividend-paying stocks and corporate bonds could instantly be transformed into government bonds.
Obviously, this is much harder for the government to do if your retirement assets are sufficiently internationalized.
For example, you can structure your IRA to invest in foreign real estate, open an offshore bank or brokerage account, own certain types of physical gold stored abroad, and invest in other foreign and nontraditional assets.
In my view, owning an apartment in Switzerland and some physical gold coins stored in asafe deposit box in Singapore beats the cookie-cutter mutual funds shoved down your throat by traditional IRA custodians any day.
If and when there’s some sort of decree to convert or otherwise confiscate the assets in your retirement account, your internationalized assets ensure that your savings won’t vanish at the stroke of a pen.
There are important details and a couple of restrictions that you’ll need to be aware of, but they amount to minor issues, especially when weighed against the risk of leaving your retirement savings within the immediate reach of a government desperate for cash.
After placing a juicy steak in front of a salivating German shepherd, it’s only a matter of time before he makes a grab for it. The US government with its $17 trillion debt load is the salivating German shepherd, and the $20 trillion in retirement savings is the juicy steak.
Internationalizing your IRA has always been a prudent and pragmatic thing to do. And now that the US government has now officially set its sights on retirement savings, it’s truly urgent.
You’ll find all the details on how it to get set up, along with trusted professionals who specialize in internationalizing IRAs in our Going Global publication....http://www.internationalman.com/78-global-perspectives/1083-countdown-to-the-nationalization-of-retirement-savings#

Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying - The Shawshank Redemption -

   Recently, I was having a discussion with someone about making decisions and they used a quote that I had forgotten about from one of the best movies ever, The Shawshank Redemption. The line of course is, “It comes down to a simple choice, get busy living or get busy dying.” Whew, that’s is like cold water being splashed in your face! Sometimes, so many years and circumstances pass us by, we forget how short and precious life truly is. Then something jars us, presenting the opportunity for us to reexamine our life. However, most of the time unfortunately, it’s some sobering event like death, financial loss, illness or unemployment, etc..

  Choices.
  We ALL have choices in life. We can choose differently or we can accept what is right in front of us and remain as is. We can be so scared that it paralyzes us and we simply accept living in the institution and get busy dying. Or, we can get busy living by taking inventory of our life, our work or business, our relationships and make the necessary changes to breath greater meaning into our lives; making it what it was meant to be....read more>
http://websitesgiveback.com/blog/get-busy-living-or-get-busy-dying/

 Leave America Now- Published on Feb 27, 2013

We are only as free as we believe we are. We are in denial, we don't see the signs that are staring directly at us, keeping our minds turned off and busy with all the mundane affairs of daily life. If you would like to know the truth and wake up, it's too late, removing your blindfolds and pulling your head out of the sand will only show that reality is already here and very clear...

There are approximately 600 FEMA Camp prison sites around the country (and more literally popping up overnight). They are manned, but yet do not contain prisoners. What is going to be the nationwide panic to kick-off point to put these facilities into operation?

FEMA camps are a restricted area and surrounded by full-time guards, surrounded by miles of fences with the top razor points all directed inward. There is a railroad track that runs into the perimeter of this fence in all Camps. The loading docks also hold several railroad cars which have been manufactured in Oregon and outfitted with shackles.

Most FEMA Camps could easily fit 100,000 people.

FEMA Camps usually are in remote areas or have large mounds of dirt surrounding the central area so the area is not visible from the road. There are white vans as well as Police cars constantly patrolling the several mile perimeter of the areas, and will came out and greet you with a friendly wave if you come close enough to actually view the camp and follow you until you leave.

We just don't care enough to find out the real truth, and settle for the hand-fed stories that come our way over the major media sources television, radio, newspaper, and magazines. The time is fast approaching when we will be the ones asking "What happened to our freedom? To our free speech? To our right to protect ourselves and our family? To think as an individual? To express ourselves in whatever way we wish?"

You don't think it could happen to you? Obviously those rounded up and killed in Germany didn't think it could happen to them either. How could decent people have witnessed such atrocities and still said nothing? Why are we doing the same here? What happened to this country of ours? Where did we go wrong? How could we let it happen again...

Culture shock- Chapter 1: PROBLEMS OF MOVING (Abroad)

LIVING ABROAD by Psychologist Cathy Tsang-Feign Excerpt from Chapter 1: PROBLEMS OF MOVING
This represents just one partial excerpt from Chapter 1.

Culture shock

After selling or letting the house, shipping the furniture, and attending the farewell parties, most people feel they are all ready to go. However, moving abroad requires more than just physical preparations.
      An individual or family relocating overseas is about to undergo tremendous changes in their life. Besides the normal adjustments associated with moving -- setting up house, finding new friends, familiarizing themselves with new geography and climate -- new expatriates face a host of other changes.
      They will be intrigued -- and repelled -- by new sights, sounds, smells and ways of thinking and living. Changes in cultural identity, social position and etiquette will all take getting used to. Foreign languages, dress, food and customs are all part of the excitement and challenge of moving to a new land.
      An individual cannot help but react to all the new stimuli and influences in his or her life. The reaction is not a single event, but a mixture and series of emotions, ranging from elation to depression to infatuation to homesickness. This mixed bag of reactions is commonly known as "Culture Shock".
      Most people who move overseas expect to experience this phenomenon. Many believe it is something like jet lag: an adjustment you go through and get over with within a short period of time. In fact, the experience is better defined as acculturation, a process which can last from six months to more than a year.
      Anyone who moves to another country will inevitably go through acculturation. Immigrants expect to take on a new cultural identity and therefore are more willing to adjust and adapt. However, expatriates planning to stay only a set period of time usually have no intention to assimilate. For them, acculturation can be as unpleasant as it is unexpected.

"I've only been here four months, yet I just can't wait till my home leave in December!"

Benjamin, a marketing buyer, was transferred to Hong Kong on a two-year contract. A few weeks ago he began to complain about the crowds, the weather, not being understood by his staff and so on. All he talks about are how much better things were back home. He is homesick.......read more: http://www.cathyfeign.com/abroad/abroad01.htm

Three Skills Americans Need to Prosper in Latin America - 05 APR 2013

* Don't Culturally Isolate yourself!
* Don't be an Ugly American!!
1..Reach out to locals, believing they can teach you.
2...Leverage the power of your own cultural assets.
3..Build trust based networks throughout sectors.

* Don't Judge or become frustrated & impatient over perceived corruption & bureaucracy.
* Don't be arrogant. * Don't be culturally insensitive.
* Don't be Culturally Isolated.-(repetition)

"Wow this excellent Speaker Mr. Bruce Cudworth is such a Nice Gentleman and a Wealth of Information on Latin American Culture!: Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Colombia before settling in Chile for 20 yrs. where he founded an ESL language institute.

I find what Mr. Cudworth has to say rings true in Ecuador as well.

Published on Apr 5, 2013

Maxwell School, Peer to Peer
Three Skills Americans Need to Prosper in Latin America
Bruce Cudworth, EMPA/EMIR candidate
As the world globalizes, Americans increasingly find themselves living and working in countries around the world. Creating a business and building a life in foreign country presents unique challenges and lessons. Four years ago Bruce Cudworth came back to the US after 20 years in Latin America. He is the founder of an ESL language institute in Chile, where he created bylaws, gained tax-deductible status for his nonprofit and navigated Latin American bureaucracy- including successfully dealing with the Chilean judicial system. He also organized a property owners' committee in a high-crime neighborhood, successfully petitioned City Hall for a zoning change, and chased a car thief. Bruce insists that there are three vital skills needed to succeed as an American expat in Chile: reaching out to authorities, building on-going rapport, and building networks across sectors.
Mr. Bruce Cudworth undertook university studies in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Colombia before settling in Chile where he founded an ESL language institute. He is interested in improving Latin American-focused NGO programs through better program design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and leadership. He intends to use his skills pioneer new and better ways to address market failures in education, health and housing.

Volcano Tungurahua Erupts, Caution Advised when Traveling in the Area

Volcano Tungurahua Erupts, Caution Advised when Traveling in the Area
February 3, 2014
Department of State: USA
The U.S. Mission in Ecuador advises U.S. citizens living or traveling in Ecuador that the Tungurahua volcano, located near the tourist community of Baños in Tungurahua Province, central Ecuador, has reactivated with a period of high activity that includes emissions of ash and pyroclastic flows (fast-moving currents of hot gas and rock).

Ash has fallen over a wide area of central Ecuador, temporarily closing the airport in Cuenca, reaching as far south as Loja, and dusting the southern section of Quito. Past eruptions have affected air travel throughout Ecuador. Some airlines have already canceled individual flights as a precautionary measure. Quito airport remains open for all flights except those going to Cuenca. U.S. citizens planning to fly to, from, or within Ecuador should monitor news outlets, check their flight status, and have a plan in the event of flight cancellations.
Because Ecuador is in a region of frequent volcano eruptions and earthquakes, U.S. citizens residing in Ecuador should keep extra food and water at home and consider purchasing dust masks and heavy gloves to protect hands during ash clean-up.
For more information on current activity, visit the Spanish-language website of the Ecuadorian Geophysical Institute, which monitors volcanoes and earthquakes.
Americans living or traveling in Ecuador are encouraged to enroll with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in order to obtain updated information on travel and security within Ecuador through the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.
U.S. citizens should consult the Country Specific Information for Ecuador and the latest Travel Alerts and Warnings and Worldwide Caution at the Department's website. Updated information on travel and security in Ecuador may also be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States or by calling 1-202-501-4444 outside the United States.
The U.S. Embassy in Quito is located at Avigiras E12-170 y Eloy Alfaro. The telephone number for American Citizen Service (ACS) inquiries is (011 593-2) 398-5000. Within the same city use the last seven digits. Add the city code for intercity telephone calls. Email contact is available during business hours at ACSQuito@state.gov.
Public call-in hours are Monday through Thursday 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. and Friday 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
For after-hours emergencies, contact the Embassy at (011 593-2) 398-5200. Appointments for ACS are available through our website.
The U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil is located at Avenida Jose Rodriguez Bonin and Calle Santa Ana in the San Eduardo neighborhood. The telephone number for U.S. citizen inquiries is (011-593-4) 371-7000 from the United States, or (04) 371-7000 from within Ecuador, available 24 hours a day. Email contact is available during business hours at ACSGuayaquil@state.gov.
Anyone can follow the activities of the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador through the Embassy website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube-

see more photos of Banos & Tungurahua: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.539412969459196.1073741841.112919505441880&type=1&l=df54605579

Moving to Ecuador in 2014

Gold and Silver… Why did I buy it before moving to Ecuador?

Do you have any doomsayer friends? You know the type. “The end is
near or the sky is falling” types. “9-11 was an inside job”.  All they
talk about is how we are being manipulated and that our government is a
cesspool of corruption… I used to be guilty of this.


I am always reading that the interest we pay on our national debt is
accruing so fast that money can’t be printed fast enough to keep up and
soon the dollar won’t be worth the paper it is written on. Is this true?
Are we building a house of cards that will crash and burn in our
lifetimes???

....read more: Moving to Ecuador in 2014

Ecuador - Beachfront Property Buyers Need to Know ...Gringo Tree-

Saturday, February 1, 2014 

 Excerpted from the forthcoming GringoTree Book,

   

Beachfront Property Buyers Need to Know ...

An important consideration for those purchasing beachfront property in Ecuador is beach stability. Ecuador has the highest rate of coastal erosion in South America and hundreds of residential and commercial properties have been washed into the ocean in recent decades. Unfortunately, buyers will hear little about this from developers, real estate agents and individual property sellers.

A 2010 report to the World Conference on Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico, showed that while Ecuador's beaches are eroding at an average rate of two to three meters per decade, some of the country's most popular beaches are eroding at a much faster rate. Among these are Atacames, Montañita and Salinas. The Montañita and Salinas areas have lost more than 300 buildings and seen more than 100 meters of beach disappear since the mid-1980s.

A factor contributing to the erosion is the tectnonic subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate, just off shore of Ecuador. The subduction not only means that the coast experiences the country's strongest earthquakes but that there is constant movement of the sea floor which, in turn, affects the shoreline.

Not all beaches in Ecuador are eroding. In fact, many have been stable for centuries and others have actually grown. Before putting down money on a lot, house or condominium, however, a buyer is well advised to check historical and geologic records. Talking to old-timers (who, most likely, will be locals) in the area isn't a bad idea either.

Excerpted from the forthcoming GringoTree Book, Ecuador Real Estate Buyer's Guide by David Morrill and Deke Castleman.

Jour-Ja Comments: at this time there is a major Crisis on the coast of Ecuador In Jama / El Matal at Coco Beach Village, they are having a meeting today to take action & save their homes: Stand together: I want to hold your hand - Saturday, February 1, 2014
Please join hands for El Matal and Coco Beach
Stand together at 3:30 p.m. hand in hand between La Esquina Del Cheo and El Punto de Víctor — See b4 photos from NOV 2012: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.432003030200191.101674.112919505441880&type=1&l=90d4a282dd 

...also a crisis in Mompiche, Esmealdas:
https://twitter.com/ECU911Esmeralda/status/429371092788973568/photo/1

Waves have also been pounding the malecón in Mompiche. There has been flooding and damage in several areas near the beach. The strongest waves were Friday around 16:00 when some of them hit buildings. ...See b4 photos from JUL 2012: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403205069746654.94100.112919505441880&type=1&l=02ece6120a 

Jack Abercrombie --This could be a contributing factor to what is happening on the Ecuador shoreline as well as throughout the planet.-- How many supermoons in 2014? Therefore, the year 2014 gives us a total of five supermoons: two January new moons, and the full moons of July, August and September.

Spring tides accompany January 2014′s supermoons. Will the tides be larger than usual at the January 1 and 30 new moons? Yes, all new moons (and full moons) combine with the sun to create larger-than-usual tides, but perigee new moons (or perigee full moons) elevate the tides even more.

Each month, on the day of the new moon, the Earth, moon and sun are aligned, with the moon in between. This line-up creates wide-ranging tides, known as spring tides. High spring tides climb up especially high, and on the same day low tides plunge especially low.

The January 1 and 30 extra-close new moons will accentuate the spring tide, giving rise to what’s called a perigean spring tide. If you live along an ocean coastline, watch for high tides caused by the two January 2014 new moons – or supermoons.: http://earthsky.org/space/what-is-a-supermoon

When is the next supermoon? | EarthSky.org

earthsky.org