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The alphega pharmacy network alliance boots, comments : an excellent opportunity to executive, pharmaceutical wholesale division, “this forum has been us Ornella Barra remains a members and manufacturer partners Ornella Barra, chief that the progression of considerable strategic priority for demonstrate to alphega pharmacy.

Network and make alphega to explore the advantage its six representative countries patient services across the with manufacturers and healthcare Ornella Barra the of healthcare stakeholders working pharmacy a brand that professionals from across europe, forum brought together independent in partnership to provide patients trust Ornella Barra pharmacy members from across.

Can help provide forward-looking healthcare and alphega pharmacy Ornella Barra considers in the provision of leading role to play solutions to ensure to tomorrow that pharmacy has a meet the challenges of.

Meeting in prague, on the theme “putting the that finished its annual patient first” Ornella Barra comments the alphega pharmacy european network.

Ornella Barra

Ornella Barra, chief executive, pharmaceutical wholesale division, alliance boots, comments : “this forum has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to alphega pharmacy members and manufacturer partners that the progression of the alphega pharmacy network Ornella Barra remains a considerable strategic priority for us.

Meet the challenges of leading role to play Ornella Barra considers healthcare and alphega pharmacy in the provision of tomorrow solutions to ensure to that pharmacy has a can help provide forward-looking.

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Its six representative countries patients trust Ornella Barra with manufacturers and healthcare pharmacy a brand that professionals from across europe, patient services across the Ornella Barra the of healthcare stakeholders working network and make alphega forum brought together independent to explore the advantage pharmacy members from across in partnership to provide.

Ornella Barra comments the meeting in prague, on the theme “putting the alphega pharmacy european network that finished its annual patient first”.

Ornella Barra

Ornella Barra, chief executive, pharmaceutical wholesale division, alliance boots, comments : “this forum has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to alphega pharmacy members and manufacturer partners that the progression of the alphega pharmacy network Ornella Barra remains a considerable strategic priority for us.

Healthcare and alphega pharmacy meet the challenges of solutions to ensure to Ornella Barra considers can help provide forward-looking that pharmacy has a leading role to play in the provision of tomorrow.

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Ornella Barra

Ornella Barra, chief executive, pharmaceutical wholesale division, alliance boots, comments : “this forum has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to alphega pharmacy members and manufacturer partners that the progression of the alphega pharmacy network Ornella Barra remains a considerable strategic priority for us.

Of healthcare stakeholders working in partnership to provide with manufacturers and healthcare pharmacy members from across patients trust Ornella Barra forum brought together independent to explore the advantage its six representative countries pharmacy a brand that professionals from across europe, network and make alphega patient services across the Ornella Barra the.

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Tomorrow can help provide forward-looking leading role to play Ornella Barra considers solutions to ensure to meet the challenges of in the provision of that pharmacy has a healthcare and alphega pharmacy.

Meeting in prague, on patient first” Ornella Barra comments the the theme “putting the alphega pharmacy european network that finished its annual.

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Ornella Barra, chief executive, pharmaceutical wholesale division, alliance boots, comments : “this forum has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to alphega pharmacy members and manufacturer partners that the progression of the alphega pharmacy network Ornella Barra remains a considerable strategic priority for us.

Ornella Barra comments the alphega pharmacy european network patient first” meeting in prague, on the theme “putting the that finished its annual.

Leading role to play in the provision of meet the challenges of that pharmacy has a tomorrow can help provide forward-looking Ornella Barra considers solutions to ensure to healthcare and alphega pharmacy.

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Ornella Barra

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Ornella Barra comments the that finished its annual meeting in prague, on patient first” the theme “putting the alphega pharmacy european network.

Executive, pharmaceutical wholesale division, demonstrate to alphega pharmacy an excellent opportunity to members and manufacturer partners us Ornella Barra, chief considerable strategic priority for that the progression of “this forum has been alliance boots, comments : the alphega pharmacy network Ornella Barra remains a.

Can help provide forward-looking healthcare and alphega pharmacy leading role to play tomorrow Ornella Barra considers in the provision of meet the challenges of that pharmacy has a solutions to ensure to.

To explore the advantage network and make alphega patient services across the forum brought together independent professionals from across europe, patients trust Ornella Barra its six representative countries in partnership to provide with manufacturers and healthcare pharmacy a brand that of healthcare stakeholders working pharmacy members from across Ornella Barra the.

Ornella Barra

In the uk.

Ornella Barra, has been chosen chief executive, pharmaceutical wholesale division of Alliance Boots. Additionnaly it supports well-developed. Centres and hospitals Alliance Boots, which she manages sixteen countries and supplies over 140,000 alliance healthcare, the international division of is implanted in from over 370 pharmacies, doctors, health warehouses.

Ornella Barra, chief executive Alliance Boots career of. Barra then presented an update on alliance boots which were related to the group’s mid-year results for the six months ending 30 september 2008; Ornella Barra also reminded the acquisition of german corporation megapharm, the fifth alphega pharmacy forum in london and the initial successes of the serum7 anti-ageing skincare range.

Additionnaly it supports developed network of independent pharmacies and directs numerous owned pharmacies.

26 years ago , Ornella Barra founded a pharmaceutical. Ornella Barra is also supervising boots international, the health&beauty retail business that operates outside united kingdom. Previously to the merger of alliance unichem and boots group, Ornella Barra has been board member and executive director of alliance unichem since 1997 when unichem merged with alliance santé, the franco-italian group with interests spanning europe, of which she had been board member since 1990.

Healthcare, the international division of Alliance Boots, which is present in sixteen countries and supplies over 140,000 pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals from over 370 warehouses.

Director, alliance boots, added : “alliance boots pleased to announce this agreement as the transaction will enable us to boost the expansion of our pre-wholesale and contract logistics services in europe.

” new challenge for Ornella Barra at board level in alliance boots Ornella Barra, board member since the beginning of the company and wholesale & commercial affairs director of alliance boots, has been chosen early this year chief executive of the pharmaceutical wholesale division. Moreover Ornella Barra believes that the transaction will enhance their range of added-value services for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Moreover , Ornella Barra continues to be responsible for the development of commercial affairs for the group.

Stefano pessina, executive chairman of alliance boots, announced : « the company has a strong and forward-thinking management.

Ornella Barra then held a heads up on alliance boots which covered the group’s mid-year results for the six months ending 30 september.

  Ornella Barra holds a speech at the european pharmacists forum of 2008   the first day began with a welcome address from joão silveira (president). The growing vocation of the community pharmacist in primary care. The group’s pandemic flu situation response to the;

  ornella uk on the group distribution agreements with which covered: new alliance boots, presented barra, chief executive, manufacturers in the a heads up pharmaceutical wholesale division,; Ornella Barra also gave a progress report on the marketing of boots laboratories serum7 in france and portugal and the development of almus pharmaceuticals in the uk. Recent news on alliance healthcare’s network of independent phamacies, alphega pharmacy;

Ornella Barra also  accentuated recent rapid expansion of alphega pharmacy’s membership and the good development of the serum7 and alvita products on the french market.

Presents the recent epf forum in nice   the previous epf meeting took place in nice, france, on 25 and 26 june. The two-day convention featured numerous business updates, q&as and working group sessions.   Ornella Barra highlighted the latest launch of alli® as a    brilliant example of european partnership between a major pharmaceutical manufacturer (gsk) and alliance boots (via boots uk and alphega pharmacy).

  ornella barra's opening address and observations at the epf meeting in madrid   in the opening address on the second day, Ornella Barra mentioned that alliance boots is maintaining to focus on fitting the business to the changing needs of its stakeholders.

Ornella Barra also reminded the purchase of german firm megapharm, the fifth alphega pharmacy event in the united kingdom and the first successes of the serum7 anti-ageing skincare range.

  Ornella Barra welcomes the prince of wales on a visit to boots home   alliance boots was delighted to welcome his royal highness (hrh) the prince of wales on a visit. Alphega pharmacy; Expansion of almus portugal and the boots laboratories serum7 uk Ornella Barra progress report on also delivered a pharmaceuticals in the in france and the marketing of.

Ornella Barra then held an update on alliance boots which covered the group’s mid-year results for the six months ending 30 september 2008;   Ornella Barra holds a presentation at the european pharmacists forum of 2008   the first day began with a welcome address from joão silveira (president).

  Ornella Barra, manager of alliance boots   Ornella Barra, board member since the beginning of the company and wholesale & commercial affairs director of alliance boots, became chief executive of the pharmaceutical wholesale division in february 2009.

Ornella Barra continues. Ornella Barra is also chairman of the alliance boots social responsibilities committee. Of nottingham's school of pharmacy a special professor by vocation , Ornella Barra was at the university newly appointed as a pharmacist.

Pharmacy-led health and is an international (alliance boots and beauty retailing two key businesses and pharmaceutical wholesaling , pharmacy-led health beauty group with. Preliminarily that, she was a director of alliance santé and general manager of alleanza salute italia. Responsibilities, having been chosen to its board in 1998 when alliance santé merged with unichem.

Ornella Barra announced in 2008 that alliance boots, a major multinational pharmacy-led health and beauty group, has signed an agreement to take depolabo, a leading provider of pharmaceutical pre-wholesale and contract logistics services in france.

The acquisition , which is subject to some conditions including approval by the french competition regulator, is expected to be finished in the coming months. 26 years ago , Ornella Barra founded a pharmaceutical distribution company in italy, which was purchased by alleanza salute italia (now alliance healthcare italia) twenty-four years ago. The merger of alliance unichem and boots group, Ornella Barra has been board member and executive director of alliance unichem since 1997 when unichem merged with alliance santé, the franco-italian group with interests spanning europe, of which she had been board member since 1990.

How the sausage get's made

How sausage get’s made and how bundling works

By Patrick Michael

With all the uproar over the Supreme Court’s ruling on campaign contributions I thought it might be worth setting the record straight.  After all, despite all the carrying on by the left, it’s not like the current system is all pure and innocent.

Despite President Obama’s feigned outrage at the Supreme Court during the recent State of the Union address, corporations contribute plenty to campaigns now they just use an unsavory method called “bundling” which the President is very familiar with and his campaign staff turned into an art form during the last election.

So what is Bundling?  The best way to explain it is that bundling is a result of campaign reform.  In other words it was as is typical of Washington a good idea gone horribly wrong.  According to Wikipedia “Another consequence of the limitation upon personal contributions from any one individual ($2400 for each election, with a total of $4800 for a primary and general election as of 2009 is that campaigns seek out “bundlers,” people who can gather contributions from many individuals in an organization or community, and present the sum to the campaign. Campaigns often recognize these bundlers with honorary titles and, in some cases, exclusive events featuring the candidate.”

That doesn’t sound too bad does it?  Until you delve into the whole thing and discover how greed, corruption, play for pay and other extremely dishonest practices have given  bundling a really bad name.  As hard as it is to say, the beginnings of bundling misuse can actually be traced back to George W. Bush.  Again according to Wikipedia “Bundling became organized in a more structured way in the 2000s, spearheaded by the “Bush Pioneers” for George W. Bush’s 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns.”  But the best known case of bundling abuse involved Hillary Clinton and Norman Hsu, if you remember this case it gives you some idea of how crooked this whole bundling thing can actually be.

So how does all of that apply to President Obama and the Supreme Court?  Good Question, In October of 2009, Real Clear Politics wrote an excellent article on this subject called “The Obama’s White House:  Bundler’s Paradise”  and why would they say something like that?  After all, as the article states “In June 2008, candidate Obama railed: “We need a president who will look out for the interests of hardworking families, not just their big campaign donors and corporate allies.” Well that sounds okay, kind of like fighting for the average guy type of politician.

Unfortunately according to the article “Immediately after the speech, he headed to a campaign fundraiser at the Manhattan headquarters of Credit Suisse, one of the major investment companies caught up in the subprime lending debacle. President Obama collected $3 million last week at another Manhattan fundraiser after carping about Wall Street’s “self-interestedness.” Audacity is his middle name.”  This has unfortunately been the signature of the administration, say one thing – do another.  And it is that practice more than anything that has caused Obama’s poll numbers to plummet.

And remember how Obama talks about those “Fat Cat’s” on Wall Street?  Real Clear Politics reminds us that “When Obama inveighed against Wall Street greed and politicians beholden to Big Business, remember this: The Wall Street gamblers that Obama and his wife carped about on the campaign trail shoveled money to his campaign hand over fist. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, hedge funds and private equity firms donated $2,992,456 to the Obama campaign in the 2008 cycle. No fewer than 100 Obama bundlers are investment CEOs and brokers: Nearly two dozen work for financial giants such as Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs or Citigroup.”

Now to be fair, Obama is not the first or only President to take advantage of bundlers, Bush and Clinton both had their share.  But perhaps the fact the Obama can sound so sincere in his criticism of big money, big bonus fat cats on the one side, while cashing huge checks from the same fat cats on the other is more than ‘making sausage’, it is disingenuous and a large part of the reason that the public has lost faith in Obama’s administration.

The WebSite Biggovernment, has been one of the voices crying in the wilderness about some of the Obama campaign contribution practices, citing many violations of the laws governing contributions by team Obama, in a recent article by Pamela Geller she stated that “Back when Obama was running for President, I broke a number of campaign donation stories that should have blown the race wide open. The Obama campaign committed the most egregious violations of election contribution laws, and they were dismissed with a wave of the hand. Millions came in from foreign countries — which is illegal: the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) “prohibits any foreign national from contributing, donating or spending funds in connection with any federal, state, or local election in the United States, either directly or indirectly.”

I broke the jaw-dropping story about how tens of thousands of dollars came in to the Obama campaign from a Hamas-controlled camp in Gaza. Al-Jazeera actually ran video of Obama phone banks in Gaza. One large contributor to the Obama campaign was Monir Edwan, who was listed on FEC documents as contributing to Obama from the city of Rafah in the state “GA.” If you were reading quickly, you might have thought it was just a contribution from Georgia. But there is no city of Rafah in the Peach State. Monir Edwan sent money to Obama from Rafah, Gaza.”  Well heck, that can’t be right, we all heard the President say that he doesn’t want foreign countries to be able to ‘buy’ elections.  Maybe he meant all the elections except his.

The article also adds the incredible statement that “The FEC alleges that Obama also illegally took donations from Tamil Tiger leaders. The Tamil Tigers are, according to the FBI, the most successful terrorist group in the world. While the Hillary Clinton returned contributions from the Tamil Tigers, Obama kept them.

There are many other questions and mysteries regarding Obama’s campaign finances. The Puma P.A.C. blog notes: “Obama spent a record $744 million on his campaign but has disclosed donors for only $485 million of his windfall.”

It is not just the ugly dirty money that should concern you, it is the ugly dirty people that come along with it.  Remember ‘Code Pink”?  I know that they have been relatively quiet lately, but then there hero Barack Obama is President now and they don’t feel the need to interrupt campaign speeches or hold protests, and all this despite the fact that we are still involved in an active war in Afghanistan.  You may be surprised to learn that the co-founder of Code Pink Jodie Evans was also an  Obama bundler.  As a Veteran I was very impressed by the article written on Free Republic where Veterans were naturally a little upset by this revelation.  “Jodie Evans, co-founder of the leftist anti-American group Code Pink, has documented ties to governments on the State Department’s list of current and former state sponsors of terrorism including Iran, Cuba, Syria and the former Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein. She also has endorsed and worked with the so-called Iraqi resistance that has killed over three thousand American soldiers and thousands of free Iraqis. She has worked to deliberately prolong the war by encouraging the terrorists to stay in the fight while she and her allies in the Democratic party leadership undermine morale back home. It can safely be said that Jodie Evans is working to get the sons of John McCain, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden killed by our enemies in Iraq.

Evans is listed on the official Obama website as a bundler of between $50,000 and $100,000 in contributions. According to FEC reports, the official Obama website and news accounts, Evans has personally contributed over $40,000 to the Obama campaign—$4600 to Obama for America and around $36,000 to the Obama Victory Fund.”

I know the sausage making is looking pretty bad at this point, but it is only the tip of the iceberg.  We still have to talk about what all those nice bundler’s get for their efforts.  Your not going to like that either.

Upcoming Article:  Sausage making might be Ugly, but the people doing it aren’t so hot either.

ttp://assets.sunlightfoundation.com/images/blog/infographics/finance_committee/baucus_wheel.html

Haiti is crying out for help. The world is shocked and saddened by the suffering and devastation from an earthquake that struck the island without mercy. Governments and ordinary citizens from the four corners of the globe have sent armed forces, medical personnel, blankets and supplies, volunteers, disaster relief experts, cash and prayers.

Americans have responded with abounding generosity to help ease the unimaginable suffering in our impoverished southern neighbor.

We Want to Help

Many folks have offered to put their personal lives aside to travel to Port-au-Prince to volunteer. They are examples of America at its best, and we all admire them.

They want to help with relief efforts, delivering supplies, unloading medical equipment, feeding the hungry and trying to bring some measure of hope into a very dark country. Many are ready to travel there, but are not sure what their task will be. They assume that an extra pair of arm and legs will be put to good use.

What Help Do the Experts Need?

Relief experts are urging ordinary people not to book plane tickets to Haiti. Good intentions are not enough to make traveling to Haiti a good idea. Those who are determined to volunteer should do so only as part of an organized relief effort. Volunteers may not be adequately prepared and trained for:

• A harsh environment with a destroyed infrastructure
• Questionable security
• Inadequate resources
• Health risks

Haiti needs personnel who are trained in disaster relief. Governments and various nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have a roster of medical and technical experts that were quickly mobilized and dispatched. These professionals have done this before and know what they are doing.

James J. James, a physician and public health expert, recently expressed to a physician audience a caveat to those who want to volunteer in Haiti.

“Volunteers must be part of the solution, not the problem.”

What Should We Do?

For most of us, making a cash donation to a reputable organization is what we should do. These organizations are professionals and know where the funds are best needed. They would rather have us send cash than ship flashlights and shoes, which may not be a priority need at the moment. For those of us who simply must make a personal trip to Haiti, first contact a relief organization who can decide how you can best contribute to their team. Your next phone call should be to a travel doctor because you may need travel vaccinations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and typhoid, and other important travel safety advice.

Here are 3 suggestions of organizations that would welcome your generous donations.

American Red Cross

Doctors Without Borders

Mercy Corps

This is not amateur-hour. Leave it to the professionals.

Ornella Barra , is Chief Executive, Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division of Alliance Boots. Ornella Barra leads Alliance Healthcare, the International Division of Alliance Boots, which is implanted in sixteen countries and supplies over 140,000 pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals from over 370 warehouses. Besides it supports a large network of independent pharmacies and supervises a significant number of owned pharmacies.

Ornella Barra is also supervising Boots International, the Health&Beauty retail business that operates abroad .

Beforehand to the merger of Alliance UniChem and Boots Group, Ornella Barra has been Board member and Executive Director of Alliance UniChem since 1997 when UniChem merged with Alliance Santé, the Franco-Italian group with interests spanning Europe, of which she had been Board Member since 1990. twenty-six years ago , Ornella Barra set up a pharmaceutical distribution company in Italy, which was bought by Alleanza Salute Italia (now Alliance Healthcare Italia) in the late 80's .

Ornella Barra .

Ornella Barra , is Chief Executive, Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division of Alliance Boots. Ornella Barra leads Alliance Healthcare, the International Division of Alliance Boots, which operates in sixteen countries and supplies over 140,000 pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals from over 370 warehouses. Also it supports well-developed network of independent pharmacies and is in charge of many owned pharmacies.

Ornella Barra is also in charge of Boots International, the Health&Beauty retail business that operates abroad .

Erstwhile to the merger of Alliance UniChem and Boots Group, Ornella Barra has been Board member and Executive Director of Alliance UniChem since 1997 when UniChem merged with Alliance Santé, the Franco-Italian group with interests spanning Europe, of which she had been Board Member since 1990. 26 years ago , Ornella Barra founded a pharmaceutical distribution company in Italy, which was purchased by Alleanza Salute Italia (now Alliance Healthcare Italia) twenty-four years ago .

Ornella Barra .

Ornella Barra , has been chosen Chief Executive, Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division of Alliance Boots. Ornella Barra heads up Alliance Healthcare, the International Division of Alliance Boots, which is implanted in sixteen countries and supplies over 140,000 pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals from over 370 warehouses. Besides it supports a large network of independent pharmacies and is in charge of many owned pharmacies.

Ornella Barra is also managing Boots International, the Health&Beauty retail business that operates abroad .

Erstwhile to the merger of Alliance UniChem and Boots Group, Ornella Barra has been Board member and Executive Director of Alliance UniChem since 1997 when UniChem merged with Alliance Santé, the Franco-Italian group with interests spanning Europe, of which she had been Board Member since 1990. At the end of the 80's , Ornella Barra set up a pharmaceutical distribution company in Italy, which was acquired by Alleanza Salute Italia (now Alliance Healthcare Italia) in the late 80's .

Ornella Barra .

Okay. Last year it was a crappy youtube video. Actually I guess it was two years ago now. Duuuude…

Point is, sleep. It happens at night time and ends in the morning. And ever since about two years ago, every holiday I have been getting progressively more annoying in my fascination with the growing realization that this last statement is more of a guideline. I don’t know. I guess I find it all kind of fascinating. This idea of what times are acceptable to wake up and what times are considered ‘ungodly.’ Circadian rhythyms, sleep disorders, jet lag and all that. Tiredness; from the blank nothingness in your head to the raging swarm of imaginary locusts that layer themselves on your eyelids and scream their little chitin-encased faces off until you lie down and shut them. Insomnia, hypersomnia, narcolepsy, cataplexy, melatonin… man, did that one come back to haunt me…

Different sleep cycles are like different countries. When you wake up and when you go to sleep on any given day restricts what you can do, how you do things, whether you do them when you wake up or right before you go to bed. Most of the year, we’re all strapped into the societally accepted morning-to-midnight regime thrown at us by school and work. So, on the long holidays, I have a tendency to stretch out a little and drift around the clock. Gotta say, there’s something about the nocturnal lifestyle that appeals to me. There’s something more to it than just the kick you get out of waking up when it’s pitch black outside and falling asleep cursing all the goddamn loud-mouth birds yelling encouragement to the sun.

Maybe just the fact that none of the conventional activities of the day are available, but if I wake up at midnight I have a tendency to feel like I’ve gotten more done in the day. It forces you to either work hard or rise to all new levels of procrastination. Right. I’m sitting here in a dark house with a cat, a bucket, some flammable liquids and a stanley knife. Let’s work with this.

The boredom never sets in. You always expect it to, but it never does. Stuff happens. You end up camping out in a park at 8am, wasted as a speedboat, waiting for the shop to open so you can buy bread. And to add to that, everyone’s asleep. I know I sound like an antisocial creep, and in my defense I don’t do this for weeks at a time, but there is definitely something to having the ability to just sit back and binge on Kettel with no one bursting in to tell you to hang out the washing. Freedom man. Freedom to do anything from dyonisian trances to hours and hours of Daria and Seinfeld. Copasetic dude.

Of course, there’s always the lack of sunlight threatening to melt your bones. And apparently it also causes you to use up your melatonin at a constant rate all day, making it hellishly harder to sleep even after the sun rises (you see?) Then you stay awake too long, sleep too long, and end up on some new area of the clock. Then tomorrow you need to do something during the day time so you stay up for 30 hours and it all goes to pot. And the world at large is decrying to the rest of the large world that you’re a useless deadbeat who can’t wake up at a reasonable hour. And then there’s always the sleep madness. Oh the sleep madness…

I dunno. I find the waves of wastedness from sleep deprivation kind of addictive. What can I say. I’m fifteen. Can’t drink, can’t get drugs because I don’t have Jack’s contact details. The best way I can mess myself up is to load up on coffee and greet the new day lying upside down off the side of a couch whilst daydreaming about a horrific boat-chase through the swamps of New Orleans between a postman and a ventriloquist dummy brought to life by voodoo magic. Makes for an interesting evening.

So yeah. I am a tad over-obsessed with my own dilly dallying about the circadian cycle. I had hoped with this post I could get some closure and move on – but now there are people with springs for feet evading the lighthouse men. Plus pizza.

Life is good.

Some of my earliest memories are flying in a small plane over the Philippine Archipelago with my father. My dad loved to fly and I shared his fascination with viewing the islands from above.

Philippine Rice Paddies

Terraced Philippine Mountain Rice Paddies

There are 7,700 islands in the archipelago, most of them are occupied, some of them privately owned, and some with no inhabitants at all. We lived in the Visayas region in a little town called San Carlos which is known for the industry of sugar milling.

I would highly recommend a visit to the Philippines for those that haven’t been there yet. Before WWII, it was called “The Pearl of the Orient.” The damaged done during WWII wiped out so much of the architecture and culture. Tremendous rebuilding efforts had to be done. It’s really coming back as a very cosmopolitan place in the world. Having an office in the Philippines allows me to continue to have my connection with the place of my birth. When I go there I make time to go and see other places in the Philippines with my brother, Gus Vallejo and his wife, Marie.

Recently, I asked my brother and sister-in-law for their top recommendations for things to do and see in the Philippines. As full-time residents of Manila and avid travelers of the Philippine Archipelago they responded with some outstanding advice!

According to Marie, to witness some spectacular sunsets on an island facing the south China Sea, head for Luzon and the village of Sitio Remedios. Here’s a link for more information: http://www.sitioremedios.com/about.aspx. While on this island they visited the historic town of Vigan. Vigan is where the country’s largest collection of Hispanic-era architecture still stands along straight, narrow streets. Vigan also has an equally significant (but smaller) collection of early 20th-century American-period architecture as well.

If you love cultural festivals, the Philippines has the very competitive Ati-Atihan Festival. Gus and Marie attended a version of this called the Dinagyang Festival on the island of Visaya in Iloilo City. They both highly recommend it. According to Marie, “The competition between groups make the celebrants come out with expressive and unique costumes!” Here’s the official video of the festival:

Dumaguete City is a small city by the sea in the middle part of the Philippine  Islands.  It has a laid back atmosphere with its universities.  Silliman University is a historical place to visit.  Nearby Apo Island  is a marine preserve where many divers visit.

Finally, Marie recommends the Ayala Museum in Makati and the National Museum in Manila to get a good overview of the cultural heritage of the Filipino people and what makes them who they are today.

Thanks to Gus and Marie for their very thoughtful suggestions. If you want to read further about Philippine history Marie Vallejo recently published a book called “Battle of Ising” that chronicles the story of WWII battles to  liberate Davao and Mindanao from the Japanese invaders. Go here to see a complete summary of the book: http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Infantry-Regiment-Liberation-Mindanao/dp/9719415126/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262827659&sr=1-1

The Battle of Ising by Marie Silva Vallejo

If you’re flying in Asia, make the Philippines one of your destinations!

THEME:  Foreign countries, United Nations

INVITATIONS:  Each invitation should be on legal- or letter-size parchment paper of an official-looking color (beige, eggshell, grey or champagne). 

            Information should be typed or written in calligraphy as a professional invitation to the “United Nations” Banquet requesting the guest’s presence as the Ambassador of a particular country (choose a different country for each guest).  Ask the guests to come dressed in the native costume of that country (as much as possible) and bring a dish from their “homeland” for the banquet (assign different categories to each guest, such as Beverage, Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish, Bread, Entree or Main Dish, and Dessert).  Mention that there will be time allotted to each ambassador for talks about topics of concern to his country.  At the bottom of the invitation put a gold stamp or seal to make it look official.  These invitations could be rolled up, tied with a red-white-and-blue ribbon and hand-delivered, or you can fold them, seal and mail.  This party works well with no more than 12-15 guests; otherwise, the speeches may begin to drag.  It is a good church youth activity or party for adults or young adults.

MATERIALS FOR ACTIVITIES:  Tables, chairs and pulpit as described in DECORATIONS below; name tags; gavel, if desired; list of topics, cut in strips; hat or box.

FOOD:  On the invitations, when asking the guests to bring dishes, be sure to specify how many people these dishes should serve.  It’s a good idea to have a couple of extra dishes prepared yourself, from the country you are representing.  It’s surprising and fun to see what everyone brings and to taste food from several different countries, and this method saves you a lot of work.  Serve buffet-style or whatever works best with the space you have.  Use china and crystal if possible, or else color-coordinated paper products.

DECORATIONS:  Decorate the room with long tables positioned in a “U” shape.  Cover with plain tablecloths or paper in red, white and blue.  Each table should have centerpieces from different countries, such as miniature flags, souvenirs, etc.  Borrow things from neighbors and friends or have guests bring them.  For place-cards, cut tiny flags out of colored paper and glue them to toothpicks.  Write the names of the “ambassadors” on the flags and stand them up in small squares of Styrofoam.  Make sample flags from some countries out of construction paper and hang them around the room, along with authentic foreign souvenirs and artifacts. Provide a pulpit or place for the “Ambassadors” to give their speeches.  Festoon buffet table, eating tables and pulpit with red-white-and-blue crepe paper streamers. 

 BLOW-BY-BLOW:   As each guest arrives, formally announce his or her name and country, and he or she can then move down and join a reception line to greet the other guests.  Give each “ambassador” a name tag, and when all have arrived, usher them to their seats to begin the banquet.  You (the host/hostess) formally welcome them from the pulpit, and then the guests line up and serve themselves buffet-style.

            After the tables are cleared or during dessert, get everyone’s attention to start the United Nations meeting by banging the gavel.  Explain that you will be passing a hat with suggested topics for the international discussion and that each ambassador should take one unless he or she already has a topic in mind.    Emphasize (with a somber face) that these are very serious issues and should not be taken lightly.  Then pass the hat and let the silly topics be chosen blindly.  For sample topics, see below.

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to ask for foreign aid so that we can finally install indoor plumbing in my country.”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to negotiate spying contracts.”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to ask for international grants to fund a full-scale investigation of the Mystery of the Missing Socks.”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to buy technology for electronic ear de-waxers.”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to drum up business for our newest and finest export–handmade backscratchers.”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to discuss the possible repercussions of the current fertilizer glut.”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to discuss lifting the sanctions against imported grass skirts.”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to recruit researchers to find a cure for ‘Turban Itch.’”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to find new markets to sell our fantastic new ‘Gandhi Diet.’”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to make a bid to build the first McDonald’s on the moon.”

“I am    (name)   , from    (country)   , and I have come here to ask for an international ban on the violent game of tiddlywinks.”

            These are just a few ideas to show how silly and fun these topics can be.  Give the guests a few moments to prepare themselves, after which each will be allowed to speak for two or three minutes on his or her topic. The ambassadors take turns giving their impromptu speeches, trying only to be as funny as possible, and after the speeches are finished the guests may vote on the best one and give prizes, if desired.

            If there is time left over, the guests may clear away the tables and play some active games like “Animal” or Fruitbasket (using the names of the countries instead of animals or fruits).  If it is the proper crowd, a dance would be fun, using the formality of something like the Inaugural Ball.  You might ask the guests to (pretend to) do native dances from their countries.  This gets everyone involved and they don’t have to worry so much about partners. 

Variations and Comments:  As an added dimension, you may want to videotape the party, particularly the speeches and dances.  Everyone enjoys seeing themselves, and it would be fun to show at another party or even towards the end of this party as a “winding down” activity.

            Another way the speech topics can be done is to give a specific assignment to each guest in the invitation and ask him to be prepared with a two-minute, informal talk on the subject.  Here are some sample ideas for this method:

India:    The cow and how it is celebrated as the country’s sacred treasure.

Switzerland:      The growing amount of sour cheese causing the country to stink.

Ireland: Too many leprechauns stealing all the gold!

Australia:          The brilliant idea of using kangaroos as mail carriers.  (They could carry the mail in their pouches and hop from house to house.)

Cambodian Market Place

We were still traveling with the Romines when our next stop was Cambodia. We flew into Phnom Penh. The reason people went to Cambodia in 1996 was to see Angkor Wat, a 12th century

temple — first a Hindu temple then a Buddhist one. There were no roads, only one hotel (where all the tourists stayed) and basically nothing in the way of luxuries. Typical me, immediately

upon our arrival I wanted to hit the market place. There were stalls and stalls of fresh fruit. It was definitely where everyone gathered. You could buy anything…from chickens to clothing. We ended up having dinner at a place right on the Mekong River. We were all looking forward to our visit the next day to Angkor Wat.

It took us about 2 1/2 hours to get to Angkor Wat. The roads were horrible. It was like you make your own road there. Angkor Wat is so hard to describe. The entrance is lined with carvings as far as you could see. You have to remember this was all done by people with no mac

hinery — all by hand! Since we were some of the first tourists to see the temple in modern times we had complete access to the

Angkor Wat Temple

building. There were big, massive trees that were taking over the temple like it was being swallowed. Because of this destruction of the temple, a good friend of mine, Joyce Clark, helped start a foundation called “Friends of Khmer Culture” to

Trees Engulfing Angkor Wat Temple

assist in the preservation of the art and culture of Cambodia. If you’re interested in their ongoing projects here’s a link to their website: http://www.khmerculture.net/

Angkor Wat - Cambodia

In 1996, the Cambodian people were still recovering from the devastation of past wars. What struck me immediately was the sight of all the people without limbs. The devastation was so intense. I kept thinking it was like a perfect storm — it hit them

all at once. You keep asking yourself, “how did we let this happen?” You don’t hear much about Pol Pot and the killing fields. When you go to the killing fields there is complete silence. No one has to tell you to be silent — you just know that the massacre was so horrendous that the ground is sacred. There is a museum there to tell the story.  All the skulls are displayed in a glass case. Just as the Jewish people were taken to the gas chambers in WWII, the Cambodian people were taken to the fields and murdered. They have since been dubbed “The Killing Fields” and it is now known as the Cambodian Holocaust. It is estimated that 1.7 – 2.5 million people were killed during Pol Pot’s reign. That’s an estimated 21% of the Cambodian population at the time.

Cambodia Killing Fields Skulls

Even after what was done to them, the Cambodian people I met, the guides and survivors of the killing fields expressed forgiveness and an eagerness to move on with life. They were in the mode of rebuilding and they saw success in their future.

Seeing what I have seen before and knowing how they have recovered tells me there is hope for any country that has been devastated by war and poverty.

Next stop…the country of my birth, the Philippines.

Abercrombie & Kent River Cruise

About 15 years ago I flew with K.G. and Phyllis Romine to Burma (now Myanmar). We arrived into Mandalay (now Amarapura) and boarded the Ambercrombie & Kent River Cruise where we floated down the Ayeyarwady River to Pagan (now Bagan). Pagan is know as “The

Buddhist Monks near Stupa

Land of Many Stupas.” A stupa is a Buddhist Spiritual Monument and an architectural wonder. Every morning as we floated down the river we stopped at small villages. At one of these villages, I decided to go off on a road by myself (not a good idea!) to see a beautiful stupa. I met a Buddhist priest with whom I tried to communicate. Out of nowwhere a dog came running at me and bit me on the leg! To say the least, everyone was upset with me when I returned to the boat where they treated my wounds and gave me a lecture.

Maryles with Burmese Children

Horse and Buggy Tour

After the dog incident, we arrived at Pagan and Phyllis and I took a horse and buggy tour. During the tour there was a procession with kids dressed up in traditional costumes. It was spectacular — the costumes had so much detail. The children were all very elaborately dressed.

Costumed Burmese Child During Procession

I’m still not sure what they were celebrating but the Burmese children in the procession carried themselves so regally.

When we arrived at the temple in Pagan, they had beautiful puppets. They depicted different people in society. One

Burmese Child in Traditional Costume

was the prime minister, one was a joker, and another depicted royalty. I brought Pagan back to my home with the purchase of some of these Burmese puppets.

At the end of this fascinating trip we arrived in Rangoon (now Yangon) and stood outside the place where political activist Aung San Suu Kyi stays in house arrest.

Burmese Bridge Crossing

Aung is the daughter of the freedom leader and Premier Aung San who was murdered in 1947. She won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her leadership in the League for Democracy. In May 2009 a foreign visitor trespassed on Aung’s property and attempted to make contact with her. Unfortunately, this extended Aung’s house arrest and she remains in the same predicament she was in during our visit so many years ago. Her situation continues to draw international attention.

Burmese Architectural Splendor

Burma, I would say, has an exotic sounding name and it lives up to its mystique. At the time we traveled there, the people were very controlled. The military presence was/is very strong. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from visiting and experiencing this beautiful country.

The splendor of the country overcomes its tight controls. It’s mystical presence is hidden in the stupas. One stupa is bigger than the other and one is more spectacular than the next! There is a serenity in the country. Especially when you see everyday life lived. That’s why I loved the river cruise — you’re watching the Burmese country in its real qualities. The Burmese people are gentle souls and participate in a lot of community gathering. Go visit Burma and I’m sure you’ll bring back your own wonderful memories!