Billy Ray Harris returns the diamond engagement ring to owner Sarah Darling. (image: KCTV5)

A homeless man who returned a diamond engagement ring to a woman who mistakenly dropped it into his donation cup when she was giving him some spare change now stands to be handsomely rewarded for his selfless act.

A fund set up on GiveForward.com for Billy Ray Harris, the man who was panhandling on the streets of Kansas City, Mo., earlier this month when he received the valuable donation in error, had gotten more than $146,000 in donations as of Monday evening.

“It is good to know honesty still exists despite one’s circumstances which Mr. Harris exemplifies!” wrote one poster, who donated $25. Another who gave $100 added: “People from all over the world salute.”

The donations – more than 6,000 of them in varying amounts – have come in from all over the United States, as well as from Germany, Sweden, Australia, Ireland and other countries. In addition to the congratulations and good wishes that they offered, some donors also urged that Harris receive help to manage the money that was earmarked for him.

Harris himself seemed to be bemused by the outpouring.

“What I actually feel like is, what has the world come to when a person returns something that don’t belong to them and all of this happens?” he said last week in an interview with KTNV-TV, an ABC News affiliate in Las Vegas.

When Harris saw the unintentional donation in his cup on Feb. 8, he kept it safe until its owner, Sarah Darling, returned to ask about it. Her wedding and engagement rings had reportedly been bothering her, so she removed them and put them into her purse, and that’s how they ended up in Harris’ cup, KCTV reported.

News of Harris’ act – and Darling’s gratitude – have spread. KTNV-TV reported that complete strangers have sought Harris out to congratulate him and give him food.

The fund was started 10 days ago by Darling’s husband, Bill Krejci. It will close in 80 days, at which time the money will be given directly to Harris, according to a note on the fund’s web page.

In a note that Krejci posted on the website on Feb. 23, he wrote that he had met with Harris and they had chatted.

This is the ring Sarah accidentally dropped into the coin cup. (image: news.com.au)

“We talked about a lot of things related to my family’s ring and the many donations. We talked about one day in the future the ring may one day be passed down to my daughter. We talked about how insanely positive all this has been. We talked about what he’s planning to do with the donations. The details would be better left for later but know that he has a very solid plan and a very solid way of making it happen,” Krejci wrote.

Another bit of good has apparently come out of Harris’ sudden fame. He and his sister have reconnected after having lost touch more than 20 years ago. She lives in Texas and has reportedly offered him a place to stay with her, KTVN reported. Harris is considering the offer.

The post Ring’s return brings new life for Kansas City homeless man appeared first on juesatta (CJ Photography).

Chris Jordan’s photographs of bird carcass with stomach full of plastic.

Sharing a heart wrenching video I saw from the net. People need to realize what we do to our environment and take the appropriate steps to keep it clean, and in our current situation clean it up.

Do our beautiful earth a favor, start with each self by producing less garbage and manage our waste better. 

The MIDWAY film project is a powerful visual journey into the heart of an astonishingly symbolic environmental tragedy. On one of the remotest islands on our planet, tens of thousands of baby albatrosses lie dead on the ground, their bodies filled with plastic from the Pacific Garbage Patch. Returning to the island over several years, our team is witnessing the cycles of life and death of these birds as a multi-layered metaphor for our times. With photographer Chris Jordan as our guide, we walk through the fire of horror and grief, facing the immensity of this tragedy—and our own complicity—head on. And in this process, we find an unexpected route to a transformational experience of beauty, acceptance, and understanding.

We frame our story in the vividly gorgeous language of state-of-the-art high-definition digital cinematography, surrounded by millions of live birds in one of the world’s most beautiful natural sanctuaries. The viewer will experience stunning juxtapositions of beauty and horror, destruction and renewal, grief and joy, birth and death, coming out the other side with their heart broken open and their worldview shifted. Stepping outside the stylistic templates of traditional environmental or documentary films, MIDWAY will take viewers on a guided tour into the depths of their own spirits, delivering a profound message of reverence and love that is already reaching an audience of tens of millions of people around the world.

Production of the feature film “MIDWAY” continues through 2013.
Please go to midwayfilm.com for more information.

For more information:
MidwayFilm.com

To donate:
midwayfilm.com/donate.html

Midway Project blog, team details, production diary videos:
MidwayJourney.com

Facebook – behind the scenes photos, latest updates
Facebook.com/MidwayJourney

Twitter:
twitter.com/#!/midwayjourney

Youtube:
youtube.com/journeytomidway

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Faithful: New research shows how a pair of Magellanic penguins were loyal to each other for 16 years

● Penguin couple stayed together for 16 years, smashing all previous records
● New research shows incredible loyalty in spite of the epic distances travelled by the bird

As the UK divorce rate continues to soar, a new study has today shown how marital harmony is thriving in the penguin world.

Research has revealed a pair of Magellanic penguins as among the most faithful in the animal kingdom.

The couple have remained loyal to each other over a 16-year period, in spite of spending thousands of miles apart during their winter trips.

Loyal: A pair of penguins can track each other down among hundreds of thousands of other birds using a distinctive call

The findings come after a 30-year study of the breed where researchers placed metal identity bands on the flippers of 50,000 birds on the southern coast of Argentina.

Previously penguin relationships were believed to span a maximum of just 10 years, with many cut short by the unexpected death of birds during migration.

Loving: A Magellanic penguin stays loyal to the same mate, in spite of long periods apart

‘Divorce’ is also a possibility as couples who fail to hatch chicks will split up and find new mates.

But according to The Sunday Telegraph, biologists have been surprised by the longevity of the relationship between a particular couple.

‘The bond they have is incredible really,’ lead researcher Dr Pablo Garcia Borboroglu, of the National Research Council of Argentina, told the newspaper.

‘It is unbelievable how far Magellanic penguins swim – and each breeding season they come back to the same nest and to the same partner.’

The research was revealed during a lecture to the Whitley Fund for Nature in London, and Dr Borboroglu will set out his findings in a book to be published next year called Penguins: Natural History and Conservation.

Magellanic penguins can only be found around the Falkland Islands and South America.
Argentina has the highest population, with 900,000 breeding pairs in Argentina, while there are 800,000 couples in Chile.

But their numbers have dropped dramatically since the turn of the century due to oil pollution and falling fish numbers and there are thought to be around 1.2 million left in the world.

Dr Borboroglu’s project also used satellite tracking to identify the movements of the birds, showing the enormous journeys they travel each winter to the warmer waters of Brazil.

Every year, the penguins arrive at their summer nests in the southern hemisphere and find their partners using a distinctive call.

After reuniting and mating, the female usually lay two eggs, which each partner takes turns guarding while the other goes out to sea.

After they hatch, the parents spend a month caring for their young before heading off to their wintering area.

The penguins join a roll call of other animals that undertake loyal relationships, including the albatross, French angelfish and black vultures.

Mates for life: In spite of long distance flights, albatrosses always return to breed with the same partners

Jealous: Like the Magellanic penguin, black vultures are strictly monogamous

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中国连云港市天使家园幼儿园开展认识粮食活动，通过对各种粮食的辨认，培养孩子们爱惜粮食的意识，迎接10月16日世界粮食日的到来。图为江苏省连云港市天使家园幼儿园的小朋友在课堂上学习辨识五穀杂粮。（图：新华社）

世界正面临粮食短缺危机，庆幸的是大马人仍过著丰衣足食的生活。正因如此，大马人严重缺乏对粮食危机的醒觉意识。

据统计，大马人每天丟弃约1千500万公斤的食物残渣，其中的10至15%是还可食用或被浪费的食物，等於丟掉300至450辆罗里的食物。

这里不缺蔬果鱼肉，食物供应充足，粮食短缺对我们来说似乎是非常遥远的事。

然而，粮食危机是有连锁效应的，它牵一发而动全身，对全世界影响，危机离我们並不远。

10月16日是世界粮食日，今年的主题是“农业合作社：养活世界的关键＂（Agricultural Cooperatives : Key to Feeding The World）。

配合世界粮食日，我们来探討饥饿与粮食荒和我们有甚么关係。

汤礼聪：全世界正面临粮食短缺危机，但大马民丝毫未曾察觉其严重性。（图：星洲日报）

畜牧业是粮荒罪魁祸首之一
汤礼聪：鼓励吃素救地球

绿色生活协会（Green Living Society）主席汤礼聪说，在极端的天气条件下，全球暖化、气候转变，全世界正面临粮食短缺危机，但本地人丝毫未曾察觉其严重性。

他指出，人类一年吃掉4千亿只动物，世界人口不断增长，基於人类的需要，畜牧业不断扩大。而大部份的种植品，如玉米和大豆都用来餵养动物。因此，畜牧业是世界粮食危机的主要的罪魁祸首之一。

“为了紓缓粮食短缺问题，人类必须减少肉类消耗。联合国也鼓励人们吃素食拯救地球。＂

马每4儿童一人超重

汤礼聪指出，全世界每隔5秒就有人死於饥荒，其中75%是儿童。而在东南亚国家中，大马最多孩子有肥胖的问题。

根据马来西亚肥胖儿童儿科工作小组研究的调查显示，大马每4名儿童就有一人超重或肥胖。

“全世界有三分之一的人足够温饱，有三分之一的人食物不足，剩余的三分之一人口处於挨饿状况。

“大马人被归为首个部份（足够温饱），他们的健康问题都与食物有关，但非並挨饿，而是营养过剩、肥胖问题。＂

从小没养成珍惜食物习惯

“新生代的肥胖问题源自於父母纵容孩子吃垃圾食物多过日常正餐。这导致孩子们在用正餐时，吃不下而浪费不少食物。父母允许孩子浪费食物，並没有教育他们，因此孩子们从小就没有养成珍惜食物的习惯。

他说，大马人在舒服的环境太久，从未经歷严重的环境灾难或粮食危机，所以在这方面的意识相当低。

他补充，年长者因曾体验艰难的生活，比较懂得珍惜食物。到了年轻一代，生活条件提高了，人们的购买能力也相渐提高，往往毫无节制地消费，特別是年轻人和小孩子对食物不懂得感恩，从未意识到浪费食物的问题，这种情况令人感到担忧。

反对以木薯製塑胶袋

他指出，除了浪费食物造成全球粮食荒恶化，有些市场上的產品是以食物为原料，如木薯製成午餐盒、以淀粉製成塑胶袋，这些產品叫做“可分解物＂。

他非常反对这类產品，他说，这些生產商完全面向业务，也不瞭解整个世界粮食危机的情况。世界上很多人正在挨饿，但他们用食物来生產日用品，而且市场上仍有一部份人在使用，確没意识到这些產品的存在，无形中对饥饿者造成“迫害＂。

“生產商解释说，他们使用原料是第三级的木薯，不能食用。我的问题是：一些非洲国家的小孩饿得只能吃树叶和泥土，那么难道第三级的木薯不可以吃吗？＂

每年扔掉75万吨好食物

从事废弃物管理的汤礼聪指出，我国每一天產生约3万吨的垃圾，一年则有1千万吨，当中50%是食物浪费，意即每年產生500万吨食物浪费。

他把食物浪费分为4类：

1：厨余，在准备食物前，淘汰的菜头菜尾和果皮等。

2：食物的残渣，这些剩余的食物已不能再食用，如骨头、鱼头、海鲜蚌壳类、水果种子外壳等。

3：消耗不完的食物，可能因挑食、不珍惜食物或点过多食物消耗不完，而扔掉质量良好，但还能被食用的食物。

4：没好好策划而过期的食物，购买者因没好好策划食用时间，以致错过食物的赏味期限而被迫丟掉。

汤礼聪指出，第一类和第二类的食物浪费是无可避免的，无论如何，这些食物浪费都是我们造成的。

“不过，第三和第四类的食物浪费是可以避免的。从我的研究，大约有10至15%的食物浪费属於第三和第四类。这也意味著马来西亚人每年扔掉或浪费约50万至75万吨的好食物。＂

他补充，传统佳节或民俗习惯造成更多不必要的食物浪费，比如说主人家可能因为面子问题，不愿减少订食物，视桌上食物的多寡为招待宾客週到与否。

宴会30%好食物弃垃圾桶

“你可否想像一个活动结束后，如宴会，有多少的食物被丟弃？从我的研究中显示，宴会上有30%的食物最后將倒入垃圾桶，而且皆是100%好的食物。＂

汤礼聪认为，自助餐比一桌10人的宴席对环境更友善。无论如何，最近几年宴会上的食物浪费已有所改善，他观察到食物的数量已从原本的9道减至8至7道。

他鼓励宾客在宴会上打包吃不完的食物，很多人因为不好意思而没有这么做。他建议主人家通知宾客打包剩余的食物，如果主人家鼓励他们这么做，相信许多宾客愿意这么做，这可减少婚宴上的食物浪费。

“食物浪费是温室气体的排放原因之一，进而引起全球暖化和气候转变。此外，所有浪费的食物都被送到处置场所，而食物的腐化过程会產生沼气和二氧化碳，对环境有害，因此减少浪费食物绝对有必要。＂

珍惜食物醒觉仍低
浪费习惯根深蒂固

汤礼聪说，为了提高人们珍惜食物的醒觉，他每次在座谈会时，尝试播放影片或照片，让出席者瞭解有很多人因没有食物而饥饿的情况。

“很多人看了很感动，並且后悔过去浪费食物的行为。然而过了不久，他们又故態復萌。这是非常不幸的，浪费几乎成了人们根深蒂固的习惯，並非一朝一夕能纠正过来。＂

他补充，从他的调查所得，除了居住环境有厨余和食物浪费，酒店、餐馆、小贩中心、食物加工厂及巴剎也有不少，然而这些单位都没有好好处理厨余的问题。

汤礼聪指出，有些酒店把处理厨余视为社会责任，但在大马並不普遍。

林德来：在婚宴上大马华人展现节制的美德，一些宾客会要求把桌上剩下的食物打包回家。（图：星洲日报）

林德来：节制美德减少浪费
鼓励打包婚宴剩余食物

雪隆姑苏慎忠行餐饮业公会总会长林德来受访时认同，国內饮业者对粮食危机的意识普遍不高，不过根据他的观察，华人量人而点菜，不过份舖张。

他说，大马餐馆的厨余一般是“菜头菜尾＂，在清洗蔬菜过程中，就丟掉腐烂、不新鲜的部份。这些都是不可食用的，至於厨余量多量少，视个別餐馆的使用蔬菜量而定。

“过去我曾到中国，当地人以｀客人吃剩菜才有面子，吃完则没面子’，因此单单冷菜近10道，热食又有逾10道，太多佳肴美食难以消受。＂

林德来指出，相对之下，在婚宴上，本地华人展现节制的美德，一些宾客会要求把桌上剩下的食物打包回家，这种“打包＂习惯是值得鼓励的，不应浪费食物。

他说，宴会上，一般只有至8至10道菜，相当符合一桌人的食量。一个人的食量毕竟是有限的，太多肯定吃不完。

联合国粮食
及农业组织的资料显示

过去50年，人类对肉食的需求激增了500%，为满足增长，全球越来越多农地被用作种植牲畜饲料，中南美洲便有66%的热带雨林因而消失。

●每生產一公斤牛肉，需要16公斤穀物以及1万5千公升食水。单是美国一年餵饲牲畜用的穀物，便能餵饱13亿人口。

●大马人每天丟弃约1千500万公斤的食物残渣，其中的10%至15%是还可食用或被浪费的食物，等於丟掉300至450罗里的食物。

关於全球饥饿：

●全球粮食生產足以让每一个人吃饱，但全球有超过十亿人吃不饱，即是每7个人当中，便有1人挨饿。

●60%饥饿人口是女性，但她们亦是全球粮食生產的重要生力军。

●每年，有大约30万名孕妇因营养不良（缺乏铁质），在分娩时因出血过多而死亡。

●同时间，全球有1亿2千万人有肥胖问题。

关於儿童饥饿：

●每5秒，就有一个儿童死於饥饿或相关疾病；每4个饥饿人口中，就有一个是儿童。

●在发展中国家，60%的儿童死於饥饿，每4个儿童，就有一个体重过轻。

●经济学家指出，长期陷於饥饿会窒碍儿童身心发展，长大后的生计或收入比平均人口低5至10%。

关於饥饿人口：

●约75%来自农村或乡郊地区，25%来自城市。

●10亿饥饿人口中，65%来自以下7个国家，即印度、中国、刚果民主共和国、孟加拉、印尼、巴基斯坦和埃塞俄比亚

The post 10月16日世界粮食日‧全球粮食荒‧大马酒肉臭 appeared first on juesatta (CJ Photography).

Goombla, a resident of the Blue Mountains, is often seen performing ad Echo-Point in Katoomba, Blue Mountains (image from www.oztrek.com.au)

“We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home.”

– Australian Aboriginal proverb

The post We are all visitors to this time, this place – Australian Aboriginal proverb appeared first on juesatta (CJ Photography).

Styrofoam cups (image from Ace Gallery)

（吉隆坡17日讯）保丽龙（Styrofoam）已成为地球上破坏环境的祸首之一；在公民和环保意识有待加强的马来西亚，每年被丟弃的保丽龙饭盒多达20亿个，全部成为了“歷久不衰”的垃圾。

根据数据显示，国人每年丟弃的保丽龙饭盒垃圾重达3万公吨，若以每个饭盒15克的重量计算，即表示我们每年製造20亿个饭盒垃圾。

曹智雄：难分解应少用

房屋及地方政府部长拿督斯里曹智雄对星洲日报说，政府在观察国人使用保丽龙餐具的情况，虽然还未计划全面禁止，不过会鼓励人们尽量减少使用保丽龙。

保丽龙的学名叫作发泡聚苯乙烯，这些经得起数百年的风吹雨打而不腐化的白色污染物，对海洋生態的破坏是无法预计的。

保丽龙非生物可分解，不能变成堆肥，如果放入水中很长时间，会分解成小颗粒，能存在好几千年。清理海滩要花上好几百万美元。

在讲求方便的速食时代，保丽龙免洗餐具在我国被大量使用。虽然很多国家如中国和美国已禁用保丽龙餐具，但在大马，每年约有3万公吨的保丽龙餐具被推出市面，使用后被丟弃，回收量接近零。

这些垃圾只是饭盒而已，还不包括包装电器或大物件用的保丽龙保装盒。

现阶段仅檳岛禁用

目前只有槟岛市政局实行禁用保丽龙政策，其他地方政府则没有这方面的管制。

曹智雄说，槟岛市政局也还属於初步推行的阶段，所以该部会先观察这项措施的成效，目前未有计划在全国推行禁用保丽龙措施。

2010年7月，槟岛市政局首开先河，实行禁保丽龙政策，其第一阶段的对象仅是市政局食肆。迈入2011年，开始扩大禁用的对象，诸如霸级市场、夜市场、私人小贩中心等。

直至今年4月，行动进一步升级，来到全面禁用的阶段，並估计在11月起，保丽龙会在槟岛绝跡。

报导 ： 戴丽佳
[source : http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/251105?tid=1]

The post “白害”破坏大马环保生態‧年弃20亿保丽龙饭盒 appeared first on juesatta (CJ Photography).

Pod of dolphins (image by Tony Rath)

1. Mind Your Carbon Footprint and Reduce Energy Consumption
Reduce the effects of climate change on the ocean by leaving the car at home when you can and being conscious of your energy use at home and work. A few things you can do to get started today: Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, take the stairs, and bundle up or use a fan to avoid oversetting your thermostat.

2. Make Safe, Sustainable Seafood Choices 
Global fish populations are rapidly being depleted due to demand, loss of habitat, and unsustainable fishing practices. When shopping or dining out, help reduce the demand for overexploited species by choosing seafood that is both healthful and sustainable.

3. Use Fewer Plastic Products 
Plastics that end up as ocean debris contribute to habitat destruction and entangle and kill tens of thousands of marine animals each year. To limit your impact, carry a reusable water bottle, store food in nondisposable containers, bring your own cloth tote or other reusable bag when shopping, and recycle whenever possible.

4. Help Take Care of the Beach
Whether you enjoy diving, surfing, or relaxing on the beach, always clean up after yourself. Explore and appreciate the ocean without interfering with wildlife or removing rocks and coral. Go even further by encouraging others to respect the marine environment or by participating in local beach cleanups.

5. Don’t Purchase Items That Exploit Marine Life
Certain products contribute to the harming of fragile coral reefs and marine populations. Avoid purchasing items such as coral jewelry, tortoiseshell hair accessories (made from hawksbill turtles), and shark products.

6. Be an Ocean-Friendly Pet Owner
Read pet food labels and consider seafood sustainability when choosing a diet for your pet. Never flush cat litter, which can contain pathogens harmful to marine life. Avoid stocking your aquarium with wild-caught saltwater fish, and never release any aquarium fish into the ocean or other bodies of water, a practice that can introduce non-native species harmful to the existing ecosystem.

7. Support Organizations Working to Protect the Ocean
Many institutes and organizations are fighting to protect ocean habitats and marine wildlife. Find a national organization and consider giving financial support or volunteering for hands-on work or advocacy. If you live near the coast, join up with a local branch or group and get involved in projects close to home.

8. Influence Change in Your Community
Research the ocean policies of public officials before you vote or contact your local representatives to let them know you support marine conservation projects. Consider patronizing restaurants and grocery stores that offer only sustainable seafood, and speak up about your concerns if you spot a threatened species on the menu or at the seafood counter.

9. Travel the Ocean Responsibly
Practice responsible boating, kayaking, and other recreational activities on the water. Never throw anything overboard, and be aware of marine life in the waters around you. If you’re set on taking a cruise for your next vacation, do some research to find the most eco-friendly option.

10. Educate Yourself About Oceans and Marine Life
All life on Earth is connected to the ocean and its inhabitants. The more you learn about the issues facing this vital system, the more you’ll want to help ensure its health—then share that knowledge to educate and inspire others.

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We always fall in loneliness (photograph by David Olkarny)

槟城11岁单亲家庭优秀男童坠楼身亡后，心里就在盘算该不该写下这段鲜为人知的尘封往事，好让诸界瞭解在单亲家庭长大的孩子，内心究竟有多么的脆弱。

我是一个在单亲家庭长大的孩子。8岁那年，原本如童话般美好的家庭在瞬间碎裂；几经辗转，从北马漏夜逃离到中马，数月后再被“偷渡”到南马，监护人从父亲变成母亲，而姐弟再聚首又是数年后的事了。

在小学期间，我也是品学兼优的好学生。我努力把书唸好，为的不过是希望能得到为生活打拼、终日在外忙碌的母亲的讚赏；小小的心灵也好希望在家长日时，妈妈能到学校帮我领成绩册，从老师口中听到她的孩子有多么的乖巧。

可我永远记得，同学一一跟着父母手牵手回家了，校门口的铁闸半关了，只有我和大我1岁的姐姐紧紧牵着小手，怎么盼都盼不到妈妈的身影。同学们笑我没有父亲，当时十来岁的我不知如何辩解，只懂得掉眼泪，把这些委屈往心里藏。

12岁那年的某一天，我和姐姐吵架后，心里非常难受，一心觉得这世界上没有人爱我，连我父母都不爱我。于是，随手拿了数十颗药丸，全吞下了肚。后来口吐白沫，被送进了院灌鼻洗胃；住院期间，父母都没来看我，妈妈还怪我这孩子给她添了很多麻烦。

院方想要给予辅导，可我从辅导室仓皇害怕逃走。心想，你们这些大人说这么多，能帮我解决问题吗？你们能还我一个健全美满的家庭吗？如果不能，说这么多有甚么意义？

一直到廿多年后的今天，每当说起这段往事，我妈仍以“她那时成绩不好”来作为我自杀的动机。她完全不瞭解真正的原因无关学业成绩，而是因为我觉得这世界上没有人爱我。她到现在都还不瞭解！

如同许多孩子及青少年自杀后的新闻呈现一样，家长和校方总会跳出来说，这孩子是多么的优秀，成绩多么优良；可单亲家庭小孩努力唸书，为的就是希望能藉由优异表现来得到其他小孩轻而易举就能得到的家庭关爱。可最后他们得到了吗？没有。一直到十七八岁，我仍哭着问久未见面的父亲，“你能不能不要跟妈妈离婚？”他说不能。

这就是单亲家庭孩子心中，最大最苦最心酸最痛彻的无奈。所以，他们才会想“死了就一了百了”。

我很幸运的活到了今天。但每当看到有单亲家庭小孩寻死，各界端出来的言论当中，没有人看到问题的真正核心――无关成绩，无关生活品质，孩子要的很简单，就是家庭温暖。

若这些早逝的小孩活在我成长的那个年代，心里大概也常哼着潘美辰的《我想有个家》“……我好羡慕他，受伤后可以回家，而我只能孤单的，孤单的寻找我的家……”

(文 ：丹青，刊登于星洲日报／言路）
[source: http://opinions.sinchew-i.com/node/23946]

The post 单亲孩子的梦：家庭温暖 appeared first on juesatta (CJ Photography).

fire scene search

A man distraught by all the pain and suffering he saw all around him broke down and banged his fists into the dirt.

His head turns upward and he yells at his God.

“Look at this mess. Look at all this pain and suffering. Look at all this killing and hate. God. Oh God! Why don’t you do something!!”

And his God spoke to him and said, “I did. I sent you.”

The post Do something appeared first on juesatta (CJ Photography).

Leaving quietly (photo by Jennifer)

有个年轻人去一家公司应征，并且幸运的进入第二阶段的面试，而面试将由董事长亲自主持。

年轻人怀着忐忑不安的心情走进董事长办公室。

董事长一看见年轻人，眼睛为之一亮，又惊又喜的站起来，握住他的手说：“原来是你，我找你找了很长很长的时间。”董事长激动得转过身，对在场的几位主管说道：“各位，向你们介绍一下，这就是救我女儿的那位年轻人。”

年轻人的心狂跳不已。董事长将他一把拉到自己旁边坐下，说：“我划船技术太差了，居然让女儿掉进湖里，多亏有你相助。当时我只顾女儿的安危，没来得及向你道谢。”

年轻人竭力抑制自己的情绪，说：“很抱歉，先生，我从未救过您女儿。”“肯定是你！我记得你脸上有块痣。年轻人，你骗不了我的。”董事长仍是一脸感激。

“先生，我想您肯定弄错了。”年轻人惶惑地站起来，“我没有救过您女儿。”

对方凝视着年轻人，忽然，他笑了起来：“好！年轻人，我欣赏你的诚实，明天来上班吧！”

后来年轻人问公司的一位主管：“救董事长女儿的那位年轻人找到了吗？”那位主管大笑起来：“董事长根本没有女儿。”

诚实永远是人生畅行无阻的通行证，习惯是养成的，先从平常的生活中培养诚实的美德，以至于在紧要关头才不会有挣扎。

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Joshua Bell (photo by Chris Lee)

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

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Barge haulers by Victoria Ivanova

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper.

His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.

He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.”

As William Arthur Ward once said,
“It is wise to direct your anger towards problems – not people;
to focus your energies on answers – not excuses.”

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R.I.P. Steve Jobs

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

– Steve Jobs

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Isang Litrong Liwanag (A Liter of Light)

Do you know that millions of families still live in the dark? Many of the worlds poor live in dark houses without electricity or without the money to pay for lighting. According to statistics from the National Electrification Commission in 2009, 3 million households still remain powerless outside Metro Manila. And even in the metro, families still continue to live in darkness.

Now, thanks to a project called Isang Litrong Liwanag (A Liter of Light), by MyShelter Foundations. The foundation was established by a young Filipino entrepreneur, Illac Diaz, to create employment-generating projects using sustainable technologies to better the lives of the underprivileged there.

The program Isang Litrong Liwanag, aims to bring sustainable lighting to the poor in the Philippines using one-liter bottles of water embedded in roofs, with a goal to light a million homes by 2012. So far, more than 10,000 of the bottle lights have been installed across metropolitan Manila and the nearby province of Laguna in the last three months through the efforts of low income communities, local governments and 200 volunteers.

solar bottle bulbs

Designed and developed by students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the recipe is simple: water-filled soda bottles are installed through a cutout in a roof, with chlorine added to the water to prevent clouding, and the bottle is sealed to the roof to prevent leaking.

Once it’s all done the refracted light is powerful enough to brighten up a home. Light reflected from 1 bottle is equivalent to 55 to 60 watts of electric bulb, for almost ten months of the year.

This project helps some of the poorest Philippines residents save money and live better, in a renewable way. Hopefully this idea will reach the disprivileged communities worldwide.

Thanks to Iu-Lung to sharing this link. Like Isang Litrong Liwanag on facebook and check out the video below to see how this smart, low-tech solution works like charm:

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米

让我们假想，如果你我是生活在粮荒肆虐的衣索比亚；如果你我生活在地震频发的太平洋环带；如果你我生活在子弹乱飞的战火之都，你是否会随着灾难的漩涡沉沦，深埋于黑暗的山谷之间？你是否会从此放弃对晴天的期待？

在医院的门诊室里，电视正播放着国家地理频道，名为《地球危机》的专题节目，画面中喷发的火山熔岩、扑面而来的海啸、茉莉花革命浪潮……让渺小的人类在灾难前显得惊慌、无助、恐惧、茫然，甚至绝望。

“这叫以后的人类要怎样活啊？”一位大腹便便的准妈妈感叹道，前来做产检的她或许已开始担心即将诞生的孩子，如何在水深火热的乱世中，学得精明的生存之道。

“既然2012快到了，从今天起我们就尽情欢乐吧！”坐在身旁的准爸爸打趣地说。

“那我们按月缴交一堆账单，房贷、车贷、保险……这都为了什么？”语毕，两人面面相觑，苦笑着。

我要留住草尖的那颗露珠

“天无绝人之路，一根小草，一点露！”忽然，一把淡泊而笃定的声音打破了静寂，为冰冷的候诊室添了些暖意，而静坐在一旁的我也瞬间愣住了，因为这也是爷爷和奶奶生前常说的一句话啊！

猛地回头，发现说话的正是一位老先生，年迈的他因糖尿病引发肾病变，每周需到医院洗肾3次。逐渐衰老的他虽知此病能完全痊愈的几率很低，但仍然积极接受治疗，让洗肾的痛楚延长有限的生命长度，因为他相信生命的宽度是由内心缔造的，坚强的他能微笑面对活着的每一天。

正如爷爷生前常说，就算人儿为小草灌溉，晨曦的露珠也会沾上草尖，滋润这株小生命。无论是生老病死或严峻的灾难，都在考验着生命力的强韧，惶惶之音迷漫在家园的上空，我们带着逃亡的勇气冲向防空洞，心里虽明白劫数难逃，但血肉之躯依然带着绝望跑下去，唯有这样，才有一线生机。

随着时间将日子往前推，爷爷奶奶遗留给我的人生道理，就像米袋里掉落的米粒，背着米袋快步往前冲的我却丝毫未察觉。庆幸这天，老先生似乎看见了一颗颗被我弄丢在岁月里的白米粒，于是走过来，挥手对我说：“孩子，你的米袋破洞咯，米正一粒一粒地往下掉呢！”

是的，亡羊补牢，未为晚也！

在米袋变得轻飘飘之前，我得赶紧找一根绳子扎好破洞的米袋，然后循着时间的河流回到岁月深处去找那一颗颗遗落的白米粒，留住能喂饱心灵的养分，留住草尖的那棵露珠。

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