The Role of Government for Sustainable Management Systems

Pastor C. Paa, Jr.


Government incentives towards achieving certain goals are always needed. Therefore government policies should focus on giving priorities towards reshaping the economic, social and political sustainability of the country. Sadly, incentives such as subsidies and tax exemptions initiatives in most countries are designed only to produce economic gains, which are mostly a quick fix for ailing economies. Agricultural subsidies such as fertilizer and pesticides, forest clearing, cash crop productions and irrigation systems result in environmental damage. As well, road building encourages more use of vehicles and results to urban sprawl claiming land and creating greenhouse gas pollution.

Such incentives must be eliminated to promote a sensible environmentally sustainable economy. However, it is not enough to just eliminate these bad incentives but rather incentive rewards must be thought of for ecologically sound practices, which will make them attractive. An example is the US Conservation Reserve Program, which rewards farmers for conserving soil. Farmers are rewarded $120 per hectare in rental payments, for planting trees and grass on their most erodible land.

Trade is also one area that governments must look into because it is trade that determines which materials are used and transported to different parts of the world. Trade barriers in the forms of import quotas, tariffs, export subsidies and domestic price supports are undesirable because they restrict competition in the global marketplace. A freer trade environment will eliminate these trade distortions and improve economic efficiency. When third world countries become economically stable, then they can focus more on the improvements of the environment.

Governments therefore should consider one overarching guideline: No net environmental damage. This means that for any project that might destroy forests, add carbon into the atmosphere, or pave over grasslands, additional investments must be required to compensate for these damages. For example, if building a commercial mall will destroy a forested area, investment must be required to reforest an equivalent area elsewhere. Although this might not be a complete compensation, at least some of the ecological benefits of the original forest will be recaptured.



Source:

Brown LB, Flavin C, Postel S. 1991. "Reshaping Government Incentives" In Saving the Planet: How to shape an environmentally sustainable global economy. 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10110: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 131-140 p.

Compact and Sustainable Communities

By
Pastor C. Paa, Jr.

Urban planning is a technical and political process concerned with the welfare of people, control of the use of land, design of the urban environment including transportation and communication networks, and protection and enhancement of the natural environment1. It integrates land use and transportation to improve the quality of life for each individual in the community economically and socially by creating compact and sustainable communities.

Land use and its effects on the environment is now becoming a major concern not only in Canada but also around the world. Climate change and pollution are two of the major problems brought about by ineffective urban planning and land use.

So how does land use affect climate change and the sustainability of a community?

The build up of green house gases due mainly to the use of fossil fuels is the primary concern in the immediate future. Green house gases destroy the ozone layer of the atmosphere which protect the earth from the harmful effects of solar radiation such as rising global temperature, freak weather conditions and smog formation to name a few. Most of the green house gases coming from the use of fossil fuels are from vehicular emissions. Land use therefore is an important factor because it affects the need for travel from residential areas to the work place. A compact community where homes, jobs and entertainment places are in close proximities could prove to be one that is sustainable.

Land Use: Compact vs. Sprawl
There has been a remarkable consensus in recent years that planning for more cities that are compact is one of the most important ways of reducing energy consumption and pollution. The consensus arises because of a limited amount of academically produced evidence that such a policy is an appropriate way of reducing environmental problems. Secondly, because governments are anxious to make their contribution to that most fashionable of causes: sustainable development (Breheney 81). While sustainable cities have been promoted as a desirable goal within a variety of policy contexts, critical questions concerning the extent to which cities and local governments can address the challenges of sustainability remain unanswered (Bulkeley and Betsill 42)

Low-density development and suburbanization are regarded as the primary components of urban sprawl. Compact city proponents have argued for higher density regulation and mixed land uses. However, they ignore the individual’s preference for low density living. The idea of owning a single family home, the need for an adequate environment for raising a family, a strong desire for privacy and the appeal of a rural ambiance are among the most prominent reasons for choosing suburban localities. The spatial manifestation of these values has permanently shaped the structure of the American city.

Finally, innovations in transportation and communications have reduced the importance of centrality for households and firms. Urban analysts reassessed sprawl as the emerging urban pattern of postindustrial society, a deconcentrated and highly interdependent urban structure organized around advanced transportation and communications technologies on a time-cost (rather than a spatial distance) basis. Given these observations, policy efforts to revert the present urban pattern into obsolete, central city, physical forms and the implications of high-versus-low density development should be critically examined.

However, recent studies found that close links exist between density and the efficiencies with which land and infrastructure are used and the degree of automobile dependence. These observations support the arguments of smart growth advocates that smarter development is more environmentally sound, fiscally prudent, and consistent with quality of life goals2.

David C. Soule sums up the effects of sprawl in his article “Defining and Managing sprawl” (Soule 1).

“In its path, sprawl consumes thousands of acres of forests and farmland, wood-lands and wetlands. It requires government to spend millions extra to build new schools, streets and water and sewer lines. In its wake, sprawl leaves boarded up houses, vacant storefronts, closed businesses, abandoned and often contaminated industrial sites, and traffic congestion stretching miles from urban centers”.

William H. Whyte (Whyte 133), in his original Fortune magazine article, wrote:

“Sprawl is bad aesthetics; it is bad economics. Five acres is being made to do the work of one and do it very poorly. This is bad for the farmers, it is bad for communities, it is bad for industry, it is bad for utilities, it is bad for the railroads, it is bad for the recreation groups, it is bad even for the developers”

One of the leading indicators of sprawl is increased traffic congestion, caused by people living far from where they work and shop (Hallsmith 73-74). Hallsmith further explained that the typical response to this issue, widening the roads, deals only with the symptoms of sprawl and actually makes the matter worse because it creates an increasing development potential which in turn serves to worsen the situation.


The Canadian Land Use Pattern
Most North American cities were built using technologies that assumed abundant and cheap energy and land would be available forever (Roseland et al 18). These resulted in inefficient growth, which were dependent on lengthy distribution systems. Cheap energy influenced the construction of our spacious homes and buildings, fostered our addiction to the automobile, and increased the separation of our homes from workplaces. Calthorpe, in his book “The Pedestrian Pocket Book” (Calthorpe ) wrote:
“The current round of suburban growth is generating a crisis of many dimensions: mounting traffic congestion, increasingly unaffordable housing, receding open space, and stressful social patterns. The truth is, we are using planning strategies that are [now over seventy] years old and no longer relevant to today’s culture. Our household makeup has changed dramatically, the workplace and the work force have been transformed, real wealth has shrunk, and serious environmental concerns have surfaced. But we are still building World War II suburbs as if families were large and have only one breadwinner, as if jobs were all downtown, as if land and energy were endless, and as if another lane on the highway would end congestion.”

Consequently, Canadian land use has severely relied on these inefficient strategies. These include separating homes, jobs and shopping from each other. Roads and parking lots in turn connect these places where housing, retail and office parks are at low densities. This is reflected in the fact that, over the last three decades, the rate of BC’s population growth was only about half of the rate of land urbanization – (87% vs. 162%)2 This inefficient use of land has severe consequences on our economy, our environment, our farmland, our health, and our safety.

The resulting traffic congestion and the subsequent pollution from car emissions is now one of the most serious problems that came from this inefficient urban planning. The need for transportation resulting from development of areas away from city centers has increased the need for fossil fuel and thus resulted to more air pollution. The cost of connecting these spread of communities has become considerably unaffordable due to the increase in the maintenance costs for roads and infrastructures. Most importantly, health problems related to vehicle dependency such as obesity, diabetes, and asthma is increasing.

Transportation and Air Quality
The quality of the air we breathe has recently become one of the most prominent issues in the minds of Canadians from schoolchildren to the most powerful political decision makers. The green wave that is currently sweeping our country has helped make all of us aware of the fragile nature of our planet, and more and more of us are now voluntarily making positive personal and business decisions about the resources we use in the new light of awareness3. Air pollutants, which are of concerned according to the BC Lung Association, are described below:

Particulate Matter (PM) refers to a combination of microscopic solid and liquid particles that are suspended in the air we breathe. Particle size is usually measured in units of one millionth of a metre – a “micron”. PM10 refers to particle size of 10 microns or smaller. When inhaled, particles between 2.5 and 10 microns in diameter tend to get trapped in our upper and middle airways. Particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter, referred to as PM2.5 or fine particulate matter, are the biggest concern to our health because they can be inhaled more deeply into the lungs. PM2.5 is a component of regional haze, which results in impaired visibility.

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) is a colourless gas with a pungent odour that smells like a struck match. It is irritating to the lungs and, in high concentrations, can damage leaves on trees and agricultural crops. SO2 is emitted by the burning of sulphur-containing fossil fuels and the processing of sulphur-containing ores. SO2 reacts in the atmosphere to form sulphur trioxide, which in the presence of water vapour can readily transform to
sulphuric acid, a major component of acid rain.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) are a group of highly reactive gases that include nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO). In the atmosphere, NO reacts to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an odorous, brown, highly corrosive gas that is harmful to our health and environment. NO2 is also of concern because it contributes to the secondary formation of ozone and PM2.5. NOx is formed when fuel is burned at high temperatures.

Ozone (O3) is an extremely reactive gas with molecules composed of three oxygen atoms. The ozone found high in the upper atmosphere shields us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. However, at ground level, O3 can cause damage to crops, trees and
materials and is harmful to human health. Ground-level O3 is formed in the air through complex chemical reactions involving NOx and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight. Because the production of ozone is dependent on sunlight, the
hourly ozone levels tend to be highest in the summer. Ground-level O3 is a key ingredient of smog.

The Border Air Quality Study3 is a combination of research projects looking at health impacts related to air quality in the Georgia Basin-Puget Sound airshed. The airshed includes Vancouver, Victoria, the Sunshine Coast, the Fraser Valley, Seattle and Puget Sound. The Study found that traffic pollution increases the risk of premature births and low birth weight. It also found a connection between pollution and the respiratory health of young children. Specifically, the study found evidence for a link between bronchiolitis and traffic-related air pollution. Bronchiolitis, an infection that affects the tiny airways, is the main cause of hospital stays for young children4.

According to Smart Growth2 president and CEO, Geoff Anderson, the largest percentage share of transportation emission in BC is passenger vehicles. Moving to more fuel-efficient vehicles and cleaner fuel sources are important steps in reducing GHG emissions, but local governments have limited jurisdiction in these areas. Local governments however, can help people drive less by encouraging smart growth development. Compared to conventional, low-density single-use development, smart growth reduces the amount people drive by 20 to 40 %. This translates into an 18-36% reduction in GHGs emissions compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

One key strategy for countering the effects of vehicular emissions would be to reduce the need for travel. Policy makers need to look beyond fuel efficiency and low-carbon fuels towards reducing emissions. This can be done by building compact communities where people can accomplish more without having to travel. Researchers at the Urban Land Institute estimate that shifting 60% of new growth to compact patterns would save 85 million metric tons of carbon-dioxide emissions annually by 20301.


Recommendations

Strategies for creating Smart Growth
Smart Growth BC5 recommends these strategies for creating a compact and sustainable
community:

· establish and adhere to urban and rural containment boundaries;

· offer housing diversity for all ages through affordable housing strategies and homes of all sizes for all stages of life;

· limit service provision (no servicing above a certain elevation or outside the containment boundary). This includes roads, sewer and water lines, fire protection and policing;

· allow natural places to continue to provide recreation, aesthetic, and health benefits by protecting them from urbanization.

Benefits include:
· improvements to our health by providing safe and attractive ways to get around on wheels (bike, rollerblades, wheelchair) or on foot;

· mitigation of climate change by providing shopping, schools, and other services within easy walking distance, thereby reducing our dependency on vehicles;

· protection of our farmland by keeping the town in the town and the country in the country;

· reductions in the costs of servicing (and therefore taxes) by extending infrastructure over shorter distances and are shared by more people through densification;

· on of the local economy by allowing people to work from vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhoods that attract and keep residents;

· more time with family as commuting times are reduced, which in turn allow neighbours and to get to know one another better and the social fabric of the community to strengthen.

Conclusions

Land use and urban planning that ensure enhanced quality of life by providing enough privacy, open space, and other features associated with single-family living will certainly be the “meter stick” with which urban centers will be measured against. The compact urban form therefore must not ignore the essential needs of the community if it is to be a successful alternative to urban sprawl. Enhancing walkability around town centers can be achieved by designing features such as street art, parks and water features and arranging commercial businesses and entertainment spread all over the compact community. Bike and rollerblade lanes can also encourage exercise to and from the workplaces within the community. These features of an urban center will certainly reduce the need for cars and thus reduce energy consumption, the amount of pollution from car exhaust, and ensuring a sustainable community and a cleaner and safer environment.





References
Notes
1. What is urban planning? McGill School of Urban Planning. http://www.mcgill.ca/urbanplanning/planning/ (Accessed November 22, 2009)

2. Alexander, Don, and Ray Tomalty. "Sprawl : The BC sprawl report 2001." http://www.smartgrowth.bc. Sprawl : the BC sprawl report 2001. SmartGrowthBC, 2001. Web. 3 Dec. 2009

3. BC Lung Association, state of the Air in British Columbia. www.lung.ca [accessed November 2009].

4. BC Ministry of Health Services. Provincial Health Officer’s Annual Report 2003. Every Breath You Take – Air Quality in British Columbia, a Public Health Perspective (Chapter 4).

5. Actions for Land Use. BC Climate Action Tool Kit. http://www.toolkit.bc.ca/solution/land-use-solutions (Accessed November 22, 2009)

Bibliography
Alexander, Don, and Ray Tomalty. "Sprawl : The BC sprawl report 2001." http://www.smartgrowth.bc. Sprawl : the BC sprawl report 2001. SmartGrowthBC, 2001. Web. 3 Dec. 2009

Breheney, Michael. The Compact City and Transport Energy Consumption. Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, New Series, Vol. 20, No. 1 (1995), pp. 81


Bulkeley, H., & Betsill, M. (2005). Rethinking Sustainable Cities: Multilevel Governance and the 'Urban' Politics of Climate Change . Environmental Politics, 14(1), p. 42

Calthorpe, P. “Introduction : A reverse definition.” In The Pedestrian Pocketbook: A New Suburban Design Strategy, ed. D. Kelbaugh. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. 1989

Hallsmith, Gwendolyn. The Key to Sustainable Cities. Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers, 2003. 73-74. Print

Whyte WH Jr. Urban Sprawl. Fortune January 1958. Reprinted in Whyte WH Jr.,Ed. The exploding Metropolis. New York; Doubleday, 1958, reprinted Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993, p 133

Roseland, Mark , Sean Connelly, David Hendrickson, Chris Lindberg et al. Towards Sustainable Communities: Resources For Citizens and their Governments. Revised ed. Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers, 2005. 18. Print.

Soule, David C, ed. Urban Sprawl : A comprehensive reference guide. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2006. p1. Print.

Stone, Brian, Adam C. Mednick, Tracey Holloway, and Scott N. Spak. "Is Compact Growth Good for Air Quality?" Journal of the American Planning Association 73.4 (2007): 414+. Print.

Urban Land Institute. "Stopping Sprawl will aid Planet." Engineering News Record 259.12 (2007): 13. Print.

Sustainability

Jun Paa
November 5, 2009

BC Coastal Fish Farming

The present method in BC coastal fish farming is the most harmful aquaculture production systems(1). The industry use open net-cages placed directly in the ocean, where farm waste, chemicals, diseases and parasites are released directly into the surrounding waters. Escaped Atlantic Salmon, the preferred variety, is a threat to the local population of wild pink, sockeye and Coho as the escaped fish can compete with food and habitat(2).

The vast majority of salmon farming operations depend on the use of vaccines, antibiotics and pesticides to control diseases and parasites in often high densities that becomes a major pollutant in the water. Diseases and parasites are transferred easily to the wild stock through the open net cages.

All these combined effects of diseases, parasites and chemical pollutions could easily be the main culprit for this years dismal salmon runs. Furthermore, the seabed underneath these farms where other aquatic natural resources such as crabs and shrimps are detrimentally affected by the pollution caused by excess feeds and feces that form a blanket of organic content, smothering the sea floor(3).

Raising carnivorous fish like salmon that require a high percentage of protein derived from wild fish in their feed also has a significant impact on the environment. More kilograms of wild fish are used to raise salmon than farmed salmon produced, depleting wild fish stock rather than supplementing them.

The BC government, in its pursuit for economic sustainability in the coastal communities is encouraging this type of fish farming(4). Operators prefer this method to the alternative (closed containment) because of the high cost of operation in the alternative methods. Until the BC government recognizes this threat to the local fish industry and the environment as a whole, the forecast for next year’s salmon run is grim.


References

1. Environmental Impacts http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/page/environmentalimpacts

2. McGinnity, P., C. Stone, J. B. Taggart, D. Cooke, D. Cotter, R. Hynes, C. McCamley, T. Cross, and A. Ferguson. "Genetic impact of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) on native populations: use of DNA profiling to assess freshwater performance of wild, farmed, and hybrid progeny in a natural river environment." ICES J. Mar. Sci. 54 (December 1997): 998-1008

3. EVS Environmental Consultants. In 'Impacts of Freshwater and Marine Aquaculture on the Environment: Knowledge and Gaps (Preliminary Report). Prepared for Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, June 2000, pp. 12
4. van Dongen, John. 2002. “Why BC Lifted the Moratorium on Fish Farms.” Press Release, Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries, Province of BC. (September 26

Defeating Cheating to Win

An analysis of Anne Mullen's
"Cheating to Win"
By: Jun Paa


Plagiarism and all sorts of cheating have invaded the campuses, even those that exude high standards and reputable institutions are not spared from this menace, so thinks Anne Mullens in her article, “Cheating to Win.” Here, she introduced her subject in the first paragraph by citing a story about plagiarism in the campus. She used truth and controversy effectively to capture the audience’s attention in opening her essay.

To support her thesis, she continued with the controversial story of the two students who submitted a gritty revelation on an essay about “persuasive opinion” where the subject was, the increase in cheating at large universities because “the institutions were too large, too impersonal, too lazy and too stupid to catch the perpetrators”. The story went on, where the students were caught with their plagiarized compositions.

This narrates support to the central idea that plagiarism and other forms of cheating is actually happening and the driving force that compels the students to commit the act. She further re-enforces this idea by citing internet websites and the concern that this poses “more opportunities for cheating, such as buying papers from the internet” and the fact that the present culture “is more competitive, with more pressure to do well and more to lose if they fail”.

By organizing a presentation of a series of events, Mullens dissected her subject into
parts wherein every paragraph is linked to the one ahead, thus creating a smooth
transition from paragraph to paragraph. Each paragraph states a subject similar to the one the paragraph followed, yet it takes the audience to a higher degree of truth as the train of thoughts goes on with a lot of researched material. This certainly is the confirmation – the body of proof for the points Mullens is trying to pitch. Her use of reputable persons and institutions (i. e., Patrick Finn, Ph D of University of Victoria, Frances Bauer of the University of Western Ontario, Donald McCabe, Ph D of Duke University) add more truth to what she is saying – an effective persuasive style.

To defend her thesis, Mullens created sub titles (Mount Allison survey and Compulsory tests) to expound the subject by using facts from surveys done by, again, reputable people. One sub title (Mount Allison survey), used statistics and numbers as facts to answer would be rebuttals that cheating is not happening even in such well-known institutions. She further goes on to explain why the faculty of such institutions are reluctant to penalize cheating by quoting Dr. McCabe: “They don’t want to become involved in the bureaucracy or in the threat of litigation from the parents. Sometimes they think the threat of penalty, such as failing grades or expulsion is too harsh, so they simply reprimand or warn the students or make them do the assignment again”. “It isn’t always the poor, lackadaisical students who perpetrate the crime. Sometimes it is the best students, accustomed to obtaining good marks and doing well who resort to cheating,” says Dr. McCabe. “When students feel they are under tremendous pressure, that is when they make bad decisions,” adds Lynn Smith, director of student advocacy at the University of Manitoba. These are statements to further bring into light why cheating is prevalent in campuses.

The subtitle, Compulsory tests, explains the idea that students who would not cheat in their area of specialty are compelled to cheat on courses that are required to complete the program they are in, but feel that these courses are not as important. Mullens goes on to give an example on the situation of Engineering and Business students who would pay to have their English essays written or cheat on English exams. These are accepted facts in campuses, which Mullens exploited to perfection, driving her thesis home.

In her conclusion, Mullens implies that the faculty has a responsibility to lead students away from cheating by employing ways and means as that of Dr. Grove-White (UVic) who require her students to submit their English essays in stages. That is, topic and thesis statement first, then bibliography, then outline, then first draft and finally second draft. “It teaches them that writing is a process, not a product,” says White. “We must be much more thoughtful about what we teach and how we tech it. It is probably making us become better teachers,” adds Dr. Grove-White.

In its entirety, Cheating to Win is an example of a well-researched, well-written essay, which followed Cicero’s sequential method of arrangement, a coherent rhetoric of a sane person!

Climate Change

By: Pastor C. Paa, Jr.


Tantrums of a Child

El Niño is a term first used by the Peruvian fishermen meaning ‘Christ Child’ to describe the warm current appearing off the western coast of Ecuador and Peru around Christmas time. The result is extra heavy rain, which the coastal inhabitant of those countries have always welcomed for the abundance of crops that it brings, hence the name El Niño (the Christ Child), for the gifts of plenty that it bestows so soon after the Nativity.

However, the event is no longer a blessing in other parts of the world, because today it is associated with severe flooding, severe drought, reversal of normal rainfall pattern and even mass death due to toxic marine harvest during ‘red tide’, a phenomenon caused by excessive toxic algal bloom associated with a rise in sea temperature.

Sir Gilbert Walker, a British meteorologist started the first investigation into this phenomenon while attempting to understand the droughts that caused famine in India in the 1800s. He coined the term ‘Southern Oscillation’ to describe the warm phase of a naturally occurring sea surface temperature oscillation in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has become one of the most studied phenomena on the planet because it is also one of the most feared.

Normally, a large area of high pressure sits over the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean. From this high-pressure zone the southern trade winds blow towards a large area of low pressure that is settled over Indonesia, on the other side of the ocean. These strong winds drag the cool water that lies off South America westwards with them, which in turn is warmed up as it makes contact with the atmosphere and by the heat of the sun. This process raises the sea level in the western Pacific by about 40 cm thick of warm water that is brought back gently to the east to cool off by an action known as the countercurrent, and the cycle starts again. This process also brings about the monsoon rains. Further up, the drier air is carried by the fast moving upper level winds to the east, where it cools and comes down producing a high pressure zone off South America where the cycle began. This is called the ‘Walker circulation’ and is the normal cycle.

An El Niño event is different, however. A slight relaxation of the trade winds can start this event. The weaker winds causes the mass of warm water in the west to surge eastward, strengthening the countercurrent and forming a warm layer of warm water much closer to South America than usual. This warm layer of water warms the air above which lowers the pressure of the atmosphere thus weakening the winds even more. So more warm water pushes eastward reversing the flow of the countercurrent. The whole Pacific is effectively covered with an extra layer of warmth and the winds change direction, setting into a new long term pattern in the opposite direction.

The warm air eventually will carry with it moisture evaporating from the ocean resulting to more rain. For the farmers, this is a blessing but for some it is a disaster. Large areas are flooded while those that depend on the harvest from the seas, this event is a disaster.
The warm waters are depleted of nutrients needed by the fish thus fish goes somewhere else to feed.

The rise in the temperature of the environment also changes the normal patterns of the weather. Freak storms and hurricanes appear suddenly while large part of the world experience drought. In the Philippines, the effects of El Niño can be enumerated as:

Environmental effects

• degradation of soil which could lead to desert-like conditions if persistent
• effect on water quality like salt water intrusion
• high forest/grass/bush fire risk
• domestic water supply shortages
  

Social effects

• disruption of normal human activities
• migration to urban communities
• health problems
  

Economic effects

• unemployment
• food shortages
• significant reduction in the productivity and subsequent revenue of various industries
  

In other parts of the world like India, the monsoon rains is always an awaited event but during an El Nino event, this may never happen which will result into a drought that devastates the crops and induce famine.

Elsewhere, the calm weather is deafening!

Reading references

1) Philander, S.G.H., 1990: El Niño, La Niña and the Southern Oscillation. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 289 pp

2) Lynch, John. 2002. The Weather. Firefly Books Ltd.. Toronto, Ontario. p100-104

3) . 2010 [cited 2010 Jan 27]. GMA News TV. [Internet]. Diliman, QC: GMA. Available from: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/52900/The-El-Ni&ntildeo-Phenomenon

4) . 2010 [cited 2010 Jan 27]. Ww2010. [Internet]. Urbana-Champaign: Department of Atmospheric Sciences-University of Illinois. Available from: http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/eln/home.rxml.







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My Environment - A reflection

By: Pastor C. Paa, Jr.

I come home to a townhouse complex surrounded by trees. In fact the complex is basically a park beside a park.

The front is a main thoroughfare, 104th Avenue, where all types of vehicles pass by while the back and sides are part of Hawthorne Park, where residents can enjoy nature whether biking, jogging or just taking a walk along the winding trails under the trees in the forested area of the park. One can also have a peaceful rendezvous with nature just sitting by the pond where ducks abound even on cold winter days. The pond is actually my favourite place to visit in times when I need to be alone to think or even just ponder about things.

For me the park is a perfect place to get away and breathe a cleaner air. I believe it is the absence of vehicular exhausts, and the vegetation that makes the air purer. Even the noise of city life is obscured by the sound of the winds gently blowing over the tree tops, although the silence is occasionally broken by a few quacks of hungry ducks frolicking in the pond.

My car is a V6 SUV of which I am not particularly proud of because of its fuel consumption that is not only hard on my pocket but is against my conviction towards anything that contributes harmful elements to the environment we as the higher kind of species are suppose to be stewards. But I do as what other humans do trying to convince myself that a few perks here and there is not going to hurt the earth. After all, I am but just one of the 7 billion inhabitants and so what I do or not do thus is insignificant.


When finally man is able to live with nature instead of trying to tame it, the hope of the future generation will be realized. For to live in harmony with that which sustain life is a noble endeavour. One that is generally considered desirable by the majority yet only a few adhere to.

Just this past week, we finally wrapped up our sustainability class. The culmination of which was a presentation of the many different teams about what we have learned in the course. Personally, being a student trying to learn this new concept of paradigm shifts, I am overwhelmed with what I have done and not done as a citizen of this planet. The trash I have created all throughout my more than 40 years of existence. The many chances that I could have cleaned up or help cleaned up my trash and of others. My apathy towards those who were actually trying to save this planet, from those who were destructive and just did not care.

I would wish and will strive to become a positive force towards change for a better understanding, a better usage of the resources that this planet offers me.

First day of School

Finally, school started with an orientation for us new students and of course the usual "getting to know each other round of speeches" serves to give a little info about who we will be with in the classrooms. Some seems to be intimidating with their degrees and what not about themselves and what they have done in their careers before they decided that a career in Environmental Engineering could bring them the satisfaction that they had been trying to achieve in their careers.

I for one talked about my degree in Agricultural Engineering and my need to launch myself into a career that I will be proud of for I am, and I admit honestly, is a proud person. Not that i would be bragging about my achievements because I still believed I could have done better given the chance.

First subject was Surveying and though I have transfer credits for this course I decided to sit-in if only to refresh my knowledge of how to measure areas which I was kind of amazed to learn about such unit measures as "chains and links" and something like rads. I think I am going to enjoy this class.

The second course was Chemistry. Its not that I hate counting protons and electrons, but I believe my instructor Kevin Hoy, Ph. D., could be a little lively with the discussions then maybe the class can interact a little more to make the discussions more interesting rather than the formal delivery of the subject.

Tomorrow we'll start the day with Air Quality Management followed by Environmental Law.

I hope I don't fall asleep.......

Back to School

September 8 is next week and I am very excited and worried. Is going back to school really the answer?

A lot of us rely on our steady stream of income to catch up with the bills to pay, the mortgage, maybe a little vacation to stretch out and relax a bit. But what happens when that steady income suddenly stops?

With the recent economic crisis, the large number of people laid off has made the job search a lot more competitive. In order to stay ahead of the others, one has to have more than a few skills.
Therefore for those who had been dreaming of the perfect job, this is a perfect timing to acquire the skills one needs.

Going back to school or retraining thus becomes a very important decission to make. For some it is just as simple as highschool arithmitic. You want more money, move up to a higher position. To do that acquire, more skills not only where you are already good at but make it a point to get the skills that will make you one notch above your nearest competitor. Skills that makes you stand out making you the one person that the company just cant have without.

Obviously, the fact that you were a casualty of this economic crisis, your standing with the company you were working for was not as high as you would have liked. But that does not mean you were not contributing enough to the growth of the company. It only means that you need to get those skills up to a level were there are few competitors therefore getting laid off is the one thing you need to get ahead. Why? Because if you had been retained, you would be in the same position you had been and when the economy gets better, those who were laid off will come back with new skills, a fresh drive and determination to be on top. Most likely a lot of them will overtake you.

Then again it could be the other way around. The ones who survived the culling will be in the position to be the supervisors of those who are coming back and the new hirees.

So what is exciting about going back to school?

For me it is the opportunity to actually drive myself nearer to the job that I had been aiming for.

Here I come BCIT!

An Antelope's Traffic Jam

Driving along the way from Jasper to Edmonton, a traffic jam was building up just outside Jasper's city gate. No there was no vehicular accident,thanks be to God Almighty, but rather an antelope was enjoying his 15 minute of fame, probably more.

With the annoyed Albertans honking behind us(British Columbians and every one else who were passing through Alberta) the two way road quickly turned into a long line up of tourist cars, children milling out to take a chance for a picture with the celebrity of the day.

Spousal Rift

The other week I had a really bad rift with my wife. The conflict, as it always start with us, was one that is all too common in a lot of marriages - a relative of one or the other.

This time, it was my nephew whom we were trying to help immigrate and settle here in Canada. We were lucky enough to be working in a company which hires workers from other countries and thus my nephew came to work for the company as a contract worker.

Whether it was my nephew’s fault or the other person’s fault that got them both terminated from work and thus ruined their bright future, was the center of our argument,
which quickly escalated into a shouting match right in front of our kids and my mother-in-law.

According to Paul J. Bucknell (Resolving Marital Crises and avoiding Conflicts, Session #6, Marital Conflict Resolution: Part 2) there are three steps to resolve disagreements between spouses. “When we find that we disagree on something, we slow way down. We take a time out and we begin to pray.”

If we would first try to handle the individual conflicts or ‘battles,’ then our solutions are superficial. Couples need a new approach to marriage. They need to see that they are on the same team and therefore resolve to:
1) Deliberately refuse to oppose each other, and(2) Designedly work together toward a great marriage

The typical married couple has given far too much room for the evil one to bring harm to their marriage. We don’t need to do this. If we find ourselves fighting with our spouses, we should note a willingness in our hearts to battle and repent from it. Conflict reveals a heart impurity. The spouses must be convinced when they beat their spouse that both of them have lost. As a married couple we are a team, and we aim to make that team a success!

Once we have this basic commitment to our spouse, we can then take a deeper look at the conflicts couples face. Perhaps a good illustration of this is when a truce is made. Each side can stop fighting. But in the old days of poor communication, sometimes battles went on for days before knowing the war was called off! Hasn’t the war been called off in our marriage? Do we still need to have conflicts if peace is made? No. Do we still have them? Yes, we can and do, but they are no longer necessary. There is a better way of handling differing opinions.

We need a real clear way to resolve these varying opinions or the enemy will use them to make us think that we are at war with each other, which in turn will result in setting up opposing sides. Difference of opinions is not wrong, but if we are not careful, they become battlefields.
Someone might say that their chief problems are not with disagreements but just emotional reactions.
For example the husband comes home cranky or the wife barrages the husband with a slew of problems as the husband enters the house. Let us make a few observations.

1) What is normally called emotional problems are more than often sourced in spiritual problems. Our emotions are closely intertwined with our spiritual natures. If we do not handle an offence properly, then we will be angry. We can easily bring that anger home and get irritated with our spouse.

(2) Every argument requires two sides. Even if one spouse is upset, it does not mean that there needs to be a battle. The other spouse needs to intercede on the behalf of the needy spouse.

(3) Every spiritual problem that we do not properly resolve will infect our marriage. The husband and wife live too closely together not to be affected by personal sin. Sin reveals itself in our marriage.

(4) The gospel sets us free from those sins. We do not need to allow worries, fears, doubts, anger, hate, etc. control us. Christ can forgive us as the Spirit empowers us.

(5) We need to stay ministry-oriented. The Spirit of God wants us to minister through us to others including our spouse. Even though our spouse might be impatient, we need to care for them and minister Christ’s love through great patience.

(6) In a good way, both the husband and wife should check their attitudes and lives before encountering each other. Ask yourself, “Am I in the state where God can minister His love and grace through my life to my spouse.” If not, ask Him to ready you.

(7) Lastly, we should remember, that the disagreement we speak of is not necessarily a verbal disagreement. A difference in approach toward a situation or expectation of another can also bring about the same volatile situation. If a husband leaves a dirty sock hanging around, it just might be enough to set a couple against each other. The husband sees no big deal. The wife is convinced the sock should not be there. In such cases there are problems behind the ‘starter’ problem.

People will always have difference of opinions and approaches. This is true with couples too. What we do with these dissimilar viewpoints is what will characterize our lives and marriages. Great marriages are those that have learned how to utilize these differences so that they as a couple can grow. Poor marriages, however, mishandle these differing perspectives and bring further trouble into their relationships.

Keeping away from strife is an honour for a man, but any fool will quarrel (Proverbs 20:3).

We need to realize that conflicts are more than the simple difference of opinion or approach. Conflicts are the way couples poorly carry out the expression of their varying viewpoints. Spouses can get quite mean and cruel at times. On the other hand, we can see that these crises also serve as opportunities to draw closer to God and closer to our spouse. Many couples insist that crises must lead to conflict. This simply is not true. Even they, no doubt, do not argue about everything they disagree with. We believe God has given each of us a door of opportunity in which we can refuse to step into conflict

Here is a guideline that spouses should try to follow to avoid conflicts or to resolve them if ever one arises:

1) We will start by praying together for tender hearts and wisdom—committing to come together in a spirit of humility and reconciliation —considering the health of our marriage as more important than our individual interests.

2) We commit to handle ourselves with maturity —being quick to listen and slow to speak —reaching for the goal of continually trying to better understand each other.

3) We will speak the truth in love —respectfully honouring each other’s feelings.

4) We won’t allow our discussion to escalate into yelling or name-calling. And we will refrain from provoking each other by delivering “cheap shots” —sarcasm, innuendos, and rudeness which complicates the issues. If that happens we’ll call for a time-out and come back together at an agreed upon time.

5) We commit to MEAN what we say —so neither one of us is put into the position of being expected to read the other person’s mind.

6) We will stick to the subject on hand —not allowing our discussion to sidetrack onto any other grievance at this time. (Other issues can be dealt with at another time.)

7) We will avoid using “never” and “always” statements —seeking to be accurate, truthful, and realistic in what we say.

8) We will work not to judge each other—but rather seek to express our own feelings over the matter.

9) We will speak to each other in “I feel” statements (explaining our own perspective) rather than in “you” statements pointed at our spouse accusing them of feelings they may or may not have. (An example of this would be: “I feel lonely when you’re gone so much,” rather than “You never come home.”)

10) We will readily apologize and sincerely ask for forgiveness for whatever way that we have hurt our spouse and for whatever tension we’ve caused in our marital relationship by our behaviour.
in our own eye—rather than the speck in our spouse’s.

11) We will work to forgive each other as Christ has forgiven us — never again reminding our spouse of the pain for which we’ve said we’ve forgiven them. And we’ll make daily choices not to dwell on those painful thoughts in the future.

12) We will end our time together in prayer giving thanks for what we’ve learned about our relationship with each other. We will each ask God to bless our spouse and help us to be a blessing to them knowing that is our mission because of our marriage vows.

This guidelines were taken from Marriage Missions International

Sources:

Bucknell, Paul J. Resolving Marital Crises &Avoiding Conflict, Session #6
Marital Conflict Resolution: Part 2
http://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/

Marriage Missions International. RESOLVING CONFLICT GUIDELINES - With Scriptures. http://www.marriagemissions.com/

A New Tool

My wife, coming out from a a really bad spousal rift, decided to pacify my explosive feelings with a nice gift. One that will get me a notch up the ladder of blog zombies - A 15.4",with a 4GB Intel-Pentium Dual-Core Processor T3400, and a 250 GB Hard Drive, Dell Laptop.

Afterall, Father's Day is right around the corner, and this is just the best gift, material ones, that I ever recieved in all my life. Not that this is more expesive than most gifts I received. This is by far yhe one thing that I had been praying to get but just can't afford to buy myself.

Eversince I found this blogging hobby, I had been dreaming of facing the ocean to write something if only to satisfy the itch gnawing behind my brain. Something that has always been growing eversince I wrote my first poem in grade six. I don't do poems now. Maybe because the romantic innocence that once carried me to the endless day-dreams in my youth is now replaced with the reality that the responsibility of fatherhood does not allow me the luxury to day-dream as much as I used to.

But still I believe, that daydreaming is one thing that humans should indulge in as this is where minds become pregnant with ideas that turns the world around.

Thank You Mama. From now on I promise to stay calm even in the heat of an argument. Ahhh...could I?

It's been too long since my last post, and I am compelled to post yet another one of this daily events however sad they may be.

A couple of weeks ago a girl died right at the entrance of our complex. She was 15 years old. The flowers still keep coming and candles are still burning sporadically at the tree where she and a friend of hers where probably standing. The police report said that the girl stumbled onto the street (104th Avenue) in front of a semi-truck. She got hit on the head and died on the spot. For us residence of this complex, a little inconvenience from going in or out of the complex is nothing compared to the grief of the parents for this young girl who was just visiting a friend and will never ever be coming home to them.

I was supposed to be at the Fil-Can of Hawthorne Park general meeting where we are organizing something like a Philippine Independence day celebration in conjunction with our complex's annual garage sale event, but unfortunately, I was tied up trying to give advice to my nephew who just had trouble at work. The details for this matter is posted at my other blog :The Pink Slip Blessing

As I was writing this post I am acknowledging that I too, need to seek counsel. I am praying to God Almighty for His guidance and may He brings me to someone or He brings that someone to me to help me understand the situation I am in now....

Signed and Dated

I have finally signed the agreement which would propel me back to the school campus.

With the recent debacle of the world economy, I consider myself lucky to be laid off from work as this will really give me the opportunity to pursue the career that I always wanted, the cost of which I never could have afford to pay myself while taking care for the needs of my family.

The province of BC does come through when you need it to. That at least is my opinion for now and I know a lot of people out there will dis-agree with me specifically those who are on the other end of this town called Politicsville.

Like what I have always said, do not think that being laid off from work is the end of the world.There will always be doors and windows that will open for you if you just gather youself together, clear your head, and do not let your emotions get the better of you. I understand, and I have felt it too. Getting axed always will get you doubt your abilities. Feelings like you are not good enough creeps up your brain, damaging your ego, paralising you to think that your situation may have just improved, better than those who are left at the shop you just left.

As long as you know what you want, finding your way to get it is just a matter of time and sometimes, we need to be in grave situations to be able to get our brains working on hyper-drive

Duck Pond @ Hawthorne Park

A nook by the edge of the park is home to a few ducks frolicking over a pond which is one of my favourite places. Most times, this place is quite except when it is invaded by this gang, two of its members live just next to my bedroom.

It is almost summer but the water is still ice cold. Yet mommy Duck and her brood are happy swimming about as they seek the crumbs of bread thrown by this invading rascals.

"Hey you there in the red hoody, don't you have a homework due tomorrow?"

Blessings

I have been blessed a lot this week.

Today as I was driving my kids to school, my wife called me ( I know it is dangerous taking a call while driving but......) telling me that a Shell station near her office is giving free gas. I immediately took off after dropping off my kids instead of lingering around talking to other parents at the school. The drive was a bit fast as traffic on Highway 1 was sparse, so I was able to catch the line at #399, the second to the last car eligible for a free tank of gas.

Yesterday, the Program Officer handling my application for school funding called to tell me she is approving my request. This was really a big help to me as I really can not afford not to work for a year much more, to pay the tuition fees. Its like being in ViSCA again...free tuition plus a living allowance with added bonuses - I'd be with my wife and kids.

Tuesday, I was at the Mary Jane Shannon Elementary School working as a Voting Clerk for Election BC. This was a great job experience aside from the fact that we do get paid more than double my regular rate. The NDP candidate, Bruce Ralston won by a big margin over the Liberal's Radhia Benalla. My candidate Bernadette Keenan of the Green Party was a dismal third. I guess politics is politics whether in a corrupt 3rd world country or in a politically mature and developed one. The bigger political machines always has the advantage.

Thanks to the Lord my Provider!!!!

Shabu-Shabu

When the weatherman says its gonna be cold and raining, the only option other than a wet barbecue is a "Hotpot". Thaw some fishballs, prawn/shrimp, crab meat, and thick white rice noodles. Slice some fresh tuna, tenderloins (pork and beef), a few tofu and mushrooms. Prepare

the veggies : spinach and watercrest leaves are best ( my choice).

Stew is from beef bones done with a pressure cooker for speed. Season the soup in a pot over a simmering stove (I bought mine from TNT @Central City for 17 dollars - a bargain ha). Start dropping in the meats (pork, beef, tuna), the mushrooms and tofu, let it boil once and add the veggies. Its best to drop in just enough ingredients for one serving each person and take out what ever ingredient is left in the pot to avoid overcooked food mixing with the next batch of serving.

Puto (rice cakes, from New Town Bakery over near Surrey Central Station) is a good dessert.

Hep hep hep hinay hinay lang sa soft drinks kid.

Are Multi Level Marketing a Con Game?

This Topic was started by Nick Noorani at the Immigrant Network and I find it so interesting and useful that I decided to share it here too.

The responses are from members of the Immigrant Network of which I am a member.

Alexander Potter wrote:

You've posed a perennial question. Like anything else with which we humans come in contact, the possibility for corruption does exist. This can occur both corporately and individually. Consequently, the first thing one needs to do is identify a corporate culture and product/service suite that resonates with one's own character/personality.
Like anything else, you get what you put into it. I know individuals who make a very healthy recurring monthly income after investing several years building an organization or 'downline'. However, it took persistent, sustained effort. I've been, and continue to be, involved in two organizations but it is not my primary focus... I just like the products/service.
A further area of caution is the 'fanatic'.. i.e. the non-professional who expects you to share their zeal for the product/service blindly. If you ever encounter this character, RUN don't WALK to the nearest exit!
In summary, multi-level marketing or 'Network Marketing' as it is termed by those involved, is a legitimate way of making a living and supporting one's family.
Hope this helps the discussion.
Keep living your best life!


Valerie Riesen:

What a good question! My Canadian partner has experience with Primerica. The thing about Primerica is that you need an outgoing personality, confidence and a good network to begin with in order to get a good start and make money. Far from being a con game, a Primerica rep must go through a licensing process which is highly regulated by the insurance authority by the province and the country. Although it is a multi level business what Primerica has to offer to the average Canadian family is a legitimate and valuable service. The bottom line is to help families get out of debt and become financially independent


Jun Paa:

Multilevel Marketing is a healthy business and is very legal as long as the income's focus in on the products being sold and not on the number of participants in your downline. The one thing that I see though in an MLM (specifically with Primerica where I was once an agent) is the fact that the business seems to thrive on the failure of a lot of people. In an MLM only a select few makes it to the top. For every triangle there has got to be only one 'apex'. That although everyone has the chance to get to the top(VP), an individual still has to step on a lot of shoulders to reach it. And for that person to be successful (financially) the downline has to produce (sell and recruit) which is sometimes frustrating because when you are at the bottom of the heap, you reap the least. And when finally the weaker persons fold, who benefits from their failed endeavor


Stanley Furtado:

I have not enlisted with these type of companies so do not have an answer to your question but as a fairly recent immigrant I see a lot of people who struggle to get that job in their field, being attracted towards these companies. People who are already with these companies seem to target new immigrants as well. It's a great dream being sold and I hope this is a reality for many in these companies.
I have been approached by several of these agents and have had to RUN not WALK away. I am in good shape but sometimes you can't run fast enough. I have sensed the desperation from some of these agents, most of them friends and acquaintances who I no longer wish to speak to - as they have ruined good friendships by losing objectivity in their zeal to recruit.
From this perspective I am very eager to read some of the answers to this question, to find out if it was it really worth it?(!)


Karen Wallis-Musselman:

This a is a very good question.
I have been approached several times by MLM representatives to join their companies. I have politely decline every single time. I don't see myself in a position where I have to be thinking about work 24/7, talking to every single person I meet promoting my job, and let alone try to get my family and close friends to be part of it.
I am sure there are candidates suited for MLM positions, but not everybody is ready to do it.


Judy Embden:

Oh Nick,
If you were attempting to draw me out of exile, ...you sure knew the right bait to use in order to do it.
I have to wholeheartedly agree with Alexander, and infact with everyone who has responded thus far to some degree or other. As a 19 year veteran of the MLM, or the Network Marketing industry, I've seen a lot of things.
The industry has evolved over the years, however you cannot judge an entire industry, based upon a single company, or the ethics of individuals who participate in it.
Is MLM a scam? Absolutely not!
Are there scam artists who participate in MLM? Of course there are!
Any endeavor that provides a huge money making potential will attract all sorts, both the good and the bad, the scrupulous and the unscrupulous. You will find the same in any industry, and in any business, from manufacturing to food production to flea market vendors to Wall Street investment brokers. Just look at the recent tainted milk scandal in China, or Bernie Madoff to see the point I'm making.
The beauty of MLM however, is it provides you with the support, and the wiggle room you need to succeed, or acquire the skills necessary for your success, if success is your objective. The only way to fail in MLM is to quit, which people are notorious for doing in any endeavor, whether it be higher education, a job, or career direction.
The thing to remember is that not all MLM companies are created equally, or afford participants the same potential for success.
For those of you considering MLM as an option, there are a number of things one must be mindful of when choosing an MLM company. Some key areas you must examine are:

1. The Company: The management team must be sound, ethical, competent etc. This should go without saying, however, so many get caught up in the excitement, they forget to look at this crucial component. A company can have the best product since sliced bread, but if the management team is not competent, the company will fold, and that fabulous product will be acquired by another company, ...along with your customers.

2. The Product: The product must be consumeable, must provide VALUE, and must be attractive to the end consumer. It must have integrity, and must live up to it's claims. How new are the company's products and services to the marketplace? Are they unique, ...or do they fall into a category called 'me too' where there are many people and establishments offering similar products? It must also be a highly retailable product that would be desirable to the consumer even if there was no business opportunity associated with it. ie: Would people want to purchase the product, even if they didn't want to participate in a business? I have customers who are STILL purchasing products I introduced to them well over a decade ago. Even though I'm no longer actively promoting that product, or building that business, and haven't been for over 10 years, they are still purchasing it and using it every month. The only way for a residual income to last 10 years later is when the product provides real VALUE to the end consumer. Their bottom line is they want that product, and they don't care if I'm in the picture or not. There are mechanisms in place that allow them to acquire the product as often as they need to without even having to talk to me, or me having to schlep across town to deliver it to them. If the motivation for people to buy the product is to participate in the business plan, ...you are better off looking elsewhere.

3. The Compensation Structure: The compensation structure is very important, because this is not only the mechanism by which you are paid, it is also the mechanism that drives behaviour in the field. Is it a comp plan that encourages and fosters mutual support and team building, ...or is it one that pits people in competition to one another. There are some compensation plans that would seem by design to unfairly compensate distributors based on the failure rates of those below them as Jun Paa aluded to earlier. Some compensation structures that will discourage assistance from colleagues, because your success results in a diminished income for them. Does the compensation structure reward people at every level of participation, allowing them to set their own priorities and proceed at their own pace, ...or does it require one to jump through so many hoops, they lose all perspective and turn into walking talking 24/7 promoters who harass friends and family. Is it a comp plan that forces you to chase the money by harassing people as Karen & Stan spoke of before, ...or is it one that makes the money chase YOU, by rewarding you for helping people in your organization to succeed?
Just as there are both attractive and unattractive compensation structures to be found in MLM, the same could be said of a tradition workplace environment. There too, you will find employers who pay generously with good benefits in the workforce, ...as well as minimum wage jobs with no benefits, no overtime, and slave drivers for managers who often require employees to work off the clock, and who will thwart your progress because your success poses a threat to their position.

4. Timing: Timing is very important. Are the company's products timed correctly for the marketplace? Will there be a growing demand for the product in the years to come? Timing within the company is also important? Depending on your particular goals when it comes to building a MLM business, the timing, both in the marketplace, and within the company itself, should be very crucial components in your evaluation process. I often see many people looking to run out and create a dynasty with a product offering whose time has passed. If you're looking to sell vinyl records, the timing is not as advantageous as it was in the 1950's

5. A Proven Duplicatable System: This is extremely important, and it is often the biggest stumbling block to success for new comers to the industry. There must be a track to run on. You must have a simple duplicatable system that you and others you bring into the business, can plug into, in order to achieve success.
These are the 5 crucial components to any successful MLM venture. They are simply the starting points. All of these factors MUST be present before you can even hope to have a successful MLM venture, as they are the foundations upon which your venture rests. If one of those components is missing, there will be problems down the road.
To address Stan's comment about what he sees as the targetting of new immigrants. I don't know if it is so much the targetting of new immigrants, as opposed to seeking a wealth of character traits often found in the immigrant mentality, traits that are often lacking in the native born. There is an old saying in MLM. "There are 3 things you can't do; you can't push a rope; you can't put toothpaste back into the tube; and you can't teach ambition, desire, and work ethics." Immigrants bring something very special to the table. They are possibility thinkers, with a burning desire to succeed, the ability to dream big dreams, and they are often people for whom failure is NOT an option.

I sincerely hope my post is helpful to everyone. No one sat me down to teach me these things when I first ventured into MLM. I had to learn them along the way after a few bumps, bruises, and disappointments. I decided it was preferable to become a quick learner.
I've assembled a video playlist with 14 quick clips that will hopefully clarify much about this often very misunderstood industry. Each clip should play automatically one after the other.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAkno4zRjic&feature=PlayList&p=960CAAECDF66849C&index=0&playnext=1

So grab some popcorn, ...and enjoy

Hope That Helps

Moneytizing VFS1981 yahoo group

If you are from my yahoo group - the Viscafreshmen1981yahoogroup.com, then you have decided to actually see for yourself if the ads on this blog will actually cause problems on your computer. My advise though is please do not go beyond openning the ad. Once you have openned the ad, please close it, and see if a number of pop-ups is going to open which I don't really think will.

You are free to read the contents of this blog if only to see what I had been doing. These are mostly what had been going on in my community and may not be an interesting read - I'm sorry.

Then again, please let me know of your comments about creating a blogspace for our e-group.

I will volunteer to create it and send the sign in user name and password to our moderators so they can start posting their blogs.

Thanks for visiting. Oh and by the way I am using "Jun Paa" on this blog.

The Christmas Party that was

I have forgotten this draft that was supposed to be published a few days after the 1st Hawthorne Park Fil-Can Families Christmas Party. Then again the poses and the smiling faces are just too much to waste. So here it is, a few pictures from that party.

The President, Sam Gonzales, and me welcoming right at the door of the rented multipurpose room somewhere by 148th street.

A table of smiling and christmassy faces.......

....and Hey we are afterall a big happy family...but next year's celebration will even be bigger.

Watch out for the Garage Sale Event on Saturday, June 27, 2009

Valentines Day @ Praise International

So you think you can't dance
Yes we can, after three Wednesdays of ball room tutorials from the multi talented Alex Anayas (artist, musician/singer/composer, comedian, dance instructor). The dance floor was a myriad of fleeting objects whether calling it dancing or something else was not that important compared to the joy of holding your spouse as you both twirl around bumping to different couples doing the same thing oblivious to the music that was playing in the background.

A first at the Praise International Church's Surrey Campus, this years Valentine's Day celebrations will certainly be included to the already growing traditions of this young multicultural Christian Church.

I am just happy to take out the suit and tie that were tucked deep in my closet. It gave me the assurance that I have maintained my size for the last 8 years after all. And it is nice to see yourself in somewhat high powered clothes as it does rekindle the dreams that I had and is still trying to reach. It will come soon I know.

With friends, dreams will always be a common goal to be shared and nurtured for we take our strength and guidance from the people who shared our causes and beliefs.