The Anne Frank tree

In November 2007, the Anne Frank tree was scheduled to be cut down to prevent it from falling down on one of the surrounding buildings, after a fungal disease had affected the trunk of this horse-chestnut tree. Dutch economist Arnold Heertje, who was also in hiding during the Second World War, said about the tree: "This is not just any tree. The Anne Frank tree is bound up with the persecution of the Jews." The Tree Foundation, a group of tree conservationists, started a civil case in order to stop the felling of the horse chestnut, which received international media attention. A Dutch court ordered the city officials and conservationists to explore alternatives and come to a solution. The parties agreed to build a steel construction, that would prolong the life of the tree up to 15 years.

But who is Anne Frank by the way?
Anne Frank began to keep a diary on her thirteenth birthday, 12 June 1942, three weeks prior to going into hiding with her mother Edith, father Otto, sister Margot and four other people, Hermann van Pels, Auguste van Pels, Peter van Pels, and Fritz Pfeffer, in the sealed-off upper rooms of the annexe of her father's office building in Amsterdam. With the assistance of a group of Otto Frank's trusted colleagues they remained hidden for two years and one month, until their betrayal in August 1944, which resulted in their deportation to Nazi concentration camps. Of the group of eight, only Otto Frank survived the war. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen, from a typhus infection in early March, shortly before liberation in April 1945.
After the war, the diary was retrieved by Anne's father, Otto Frank.


Source: Wikipedia

On world peace...

To be a president specially of a big and one of the most powerful country is not an easy tasks. I believe each one to sit power has their own new ideas, beliefs, and if you are vested with such heavy and serious tasks that will put not one , not two, but the whole of his constituent and other neighboring countries as well in great jeopardy in just one single wrong decision, I think it's just too easy to find fault, although we too are strong voices that should be heard. I admired the guts of Bush when he threw war to depend their country same as with their ideologies. But some of course nixed that decision especially if you are a strong advocate of peace. But I think that's also different from being passive. What happened to those innocent lives who perished in the tragic World Trade Tower(s)? Some groups need an iron-fist technique (sometime) also in order to attain peace. Terrorists needs to be terrorized...oh well my bad. I don't like to use the word but let me say my apology. My point is let us welcome the new change, Barack is offering. For all we know he has all those positive plans to share. Each one of them has new ideas and let's just keep on hoping that peace will always be here on earth. I like Bush because of his braveness to depend their country from all devilish war-like attempts. And I like Obama for his wit and diplomacy, and I do believe that he has all what it takes to be a good president. Iraq for the first time has already sent words to congratulate Obama's victory, and it's a good starter. At least now they are reaching out. Peace is not too far from possibility if every nation will sit together regardless of their beliefs, to rehash issues and bring forth peace free from any significant alterations, and be able to come up with good and peaceful results. Let's wait and find out...
Let us all be positive for that great change and not to fear the worst.

The period of change...

The coming transition is really the event to watch all over the world. And one of the world's most important and powerful person to be in the history of America will now soon emerged as the new triumphant leader to watch. Bush just expressed his hope that the enemy won't use the near transition of power to exploit and hurt American people. Of course we all know that in his term he showed guts and strong determination to destroy people by all means who have had in any manner tried to ruin the state. Who would ever forget the September 11 tragedy? I myself had been so crashed upon seeing the two towers all aflame when the plane not one but two hit it on target by those suicidal terrorists. The act was so brutal and unimaginable that almost annihilated the whole city into loud mournings for the sudden and unexpected loss of loved ones. It was one of the most horrible things done ever that killed thousands of innocent people. But those are only sad memories now of the past cruelty...and now with Obama leading the whole of America, we are looking forward to how he could make it more better without putting the democratic rights and values in jeopardize against the possible sprouting of the new terroristic group in the offing. But let us now stop praying that in time they'd come to realize that evilish act doesn't make them the strongest and the most powerful people but only will put them into greater condemnation in heaven and here on earth too.

Let's all wait and see how is it with Obama at the helm.
Peace on earth and to everyone regardless of what beliefs we do have and embrace...


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A new fashion icon to watch...

Yup ...America's new black First Lady is really glowingly stunning in her black and burning red accented evening dress. Mrs. O really has caught everyone's glare and has been under all eyes after the victory of her husband. She has so much so had been reluctant to something new to her including those hectic campaigns for Obama that she didn't relish before. Had been misconstrued and created some criticisms when she said in her campaign speech that..."I'm really proud of my country, and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change..."

Black in White...breaking racial discrimination at last!

Everyone is ecstatic and beaming with joy now. Imagine, breaking the racial discrimination to put at last one black American to sit in office at the proverbial seat of power, the White House. Kenyan is beaming with great pride and dancing with joy to express the happiness they felt when Obama swept the recent presidential election by a landslide. It seems that everyone is looking forward to see how Obama will take charge of everything when he starts his office in the coming months. Let's just hope that this will all be for the betterment of every nation.

Changing the world

America has the newly elected president in the person of Barack Obama, that makes him the 44th duly elected president of the United States. Was really rooting for him, first gusto ko yung serious & stern-face looking niya. But now it's different, 'coz he's wearing the sweetest and victorious smile of a truimphant winner. He's right, the change has come, that also makes him the first black American to win the highest post. I love it when he once said "it's not too late to stop the war", I think it was on the earlier part of 2003 when President Bush issued his 48-hour ultimatum to Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq before the U.S. invasion where at the same time Obama addressed the largest Chicago anti-Iraq war rally to date in Daley Plaza and that only meant that he wasn't a war-monger. What the world needs today is someone who actively advocates peace and not one to precipitate war among nations. Also one who's willing to solve international crisis with a strong and solid form of solution in hand, and ready to implement laws above anything else without putting his compassion in jeopardize.

Hurrah for Obama!

A mother first...

I've always dreamt of being a successful teacher. And from that dream, I always imagine myself being a great one...doing my lesson plan, giving my students quizzes and everything. I once love teaching as a profession. Took AB #@$%# in UE way way back but unluckily I didn't make it to our exams due to the sudden demise of my beloved father. It was a big blow that time...because he was my inspiration. I was then on my third year...then I finally stopped and did work as a cashier in Kentucky Inn Fried Chicken. There I met my hub. Then I decided to again pursue my studies. To make the long story short, I found it too taxing to be a mother and be studying full load all at the same time. I stopped again and just decided to stay at home and attend to the needs of my growing family. Some things happened that made me decide to just stay at home. My daughter who's very articulate even at her young age told me that her yaya and the yaya's father would always meet in our house. The father daw would always make some unannounced visits, while I was out. When I motivated my daughter to some Q&A's, I felt devastated when my daughter told me without any hint of malice that the yaya and her "father" would lie down in our bed making out. Ooops don't be misled, the father turned to be not the real father but her real boyfriend. She gave our address to her bf so to make him visit her while we're out. I was fuming mad at that moment. My oh my...right there and then I sent my househelp to her relatives and gave her a slight reproof. Imagine to tell the child that the man visiting her was her father and displayed those making-outs in front of an innocent child. Was so piqued at that time that I couldn't stand seeing her inside the premises of my house. From then on after having about a little less than 8 househelps on and off...I decided not to employ anymore since they're fast growing up and they should at least be on their own to learn...and be used to doing house chores with me. Now we share everything...we do everything sans any househelp. And with how things are going it is much better...budget-wise.

I wouldn't trade my role being a mother for anything else.

On pilfering and petty theft...

As parent, what are you going to do when you learn that your child is thieving in a small way? It is very possible...stealing or pilfering in store or even at the mall. There was once that I heard, a son of known celeb. His son was involved in pilfering a bar of choc'late and I quote, but it wasn't clear enough if it was really true. But going back, this things really happen. In fact when one of my kid was still in her grade school, she confided that she have had heard that her classmate, did such mischief by pilfering small things at the mall...like pencil...I was so worried how to explain everything to my kid. She even said, "pwede pala yon mama?!", of course I said. At her young age it's quite hard to explain why such thing happen. But as a mother, I feel obliged to explain everything. This is something serious and should not be taken for granted.
If your child does, you need to make them understand that the problem is not yet too big and serious but let them know that it could be develop into something real example of delinquency if not attended to right away. And as a mother or parent we should try our best to help our child to shake this habit off.
Maybe we tend to overestimate the situation at home. Maybe the child is unhappy or even perplexed about his life...or conflicts arises that we do not notice and it starting to insulate against them. Sometimes parents are so busy working and tend to neglect their children. Make ourselves always available and make use of spending quality time with them. Say like taking them to movies, shopping or even just at home while watching TV, or having snacks or a little table talk while eating meal.
Sometimes if parents are too harsh on them, they tend to commit mistakes or some serious pranks and mischief...so as to draw attention. Giving severe punishment or strong disapproval will only make things worse. Make him feel that it's not yet too late to make things right and not doomed to make him a real thief.

Quality time

Nov 2
As usual, woke up early. Been up at 4:30am and boiled water and cooked 2 packs of sopas, pinoy style...with hot pandesal and butter, and my favorite coffee with cream. Wow, I called everybody to take the breakfast with me and they all dived into it. I'm always piqued at everybody when they would excuse themselves to sit first in front of the computer while am in the middle of my blogging..."mama, pasingit, 5 minutes lang" ...grrr, nakakainis di ba, napre-preempt ang ideas ko eh...laging ganon...they just laugh it off...alam nila naman kasi na ayoko ng stress...di naman ako nagagalit ng matagal..."pinagtatawanan na lang nila ako"
I just cooked white spag with pesto. Masarap daw, but I didn't like the tangy taste, I like red spag better...I didn't eat my share. Good thing, diet-wise... just want to have coffee instead.
Nov 1
Yesterday we didn't go out (cemetery) instead we just lighted a candle, a votive candle...in front of the altar. Did say a prayer for the lost souls and watched DVD (Siquijor) and munched some junk foods. Ate lunch and dinner together...and then I slept away and knew nothing of how the story went. Kids told me that while I was dozing off, they were bullying each other at the back kitchen and making some ghost stories to frightened each other. It was kind of fun to just stay at home.

Enjoy!

Insanity" he said he had a "premature detonation," but also claims that he was refueling his car and he answered his cell phone, while in the song "Jingle Bombs" he said he was "shot in the ass by the U. S. Military" while a bomb was strapped to his back.

SOURCE: Wikipedia