The latest bundles from Davao..My late Bro's grandchildren..

Big Bundles Indeed...Bro's daughter Anne and sons, Chico and Mawe...










the two of us








Mawe is my name, and I follow Kuya Chico, the man


I am Chico, the First Born...



Mom and the Eldest son Chico.




we are Family, dad, mom (bro's daughter ann) chico and mawe, from the beautiful city of Toril, Davao City, Philippines.

Series of Massive Explosions Rocked Toronto

Sunday Morning, at about 3:50 am ED, when most of Torontonians were asleep, (I was awake and may had heard the series of Explosions, but never had given them some second thoughts as it was raining and could have been a series of thunders, with the absence of lightnings following, there was no mistaken that they were the sounds of Explosions that many reported could be heard miles away) a Series of Massive Explosions Rock the Northern Part of the City where a Propane Distributor-Dealers was located.

One employee,said to the truck Dispatcher for the Propane Company is not accounted for and Sadly one Firefighter Collapsed on the job and was rushed to the Hospital without vital signs and died..the cause of death still unknown..

Thousands of Residence within 1.6 km radius were evacuated and the Fire Dept. and Police reported only a few minor injuries among the victims:





thousands who fled blast told they can go home

Sunny Freeman
Staff Reporters
Bill Taylor
Thousands of people who were forced to flee after a series of explosions early today are being allowed to return home.

Calling it a "controlled return procedure," police began allowing some people back into the area around Keele St. and Wilson Ave. shortly after 8 o'clock tonight.
Some residents are being accompanied by police and other security personnel.
Although it was a miracle that thousands escaped unscathed from the series of massive explosions in the city's northwest end, a firefighter died and at least one other person remains unaccounted for.

The firefighter, identified this evening as Bob Leek, was declared dead after being taken to hospital with no vital signs. He collapsed on the grounds of the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases distribution plant in the Wilson Ave. and Keele St. area that literally blew up early this morning, forcing thousands to flee.

Toronto Fire division chief David Sheen told reporters this afternoon that Leek, a 25-year firefighting veteran and a personal friend, did not die of any trauma inflicted at the scene, such as being hit by falling debris.

"It was not traumatic circumstances," he said, his voice quivering. "There was every effort made to resuscitate him."

The cause of death, or the exact time he died, are not known, officials said, and will probably be determined at an autopsy in the next couple of days.

Officials said this afternoon that 18 people were injured in total. The person unaccounted for is believed to be the propane plant's truck dispatcher.

Why would they allow a propane company to open up in a residential area?” said Fernando Caschera, 56. “I don’t understand.”
One resident asked...and this question will be front and centre during the Public Inquiry that will surely follows the Fire Marshall Investigations and the Police Investigations...Why???

Jinggoy was here and so was bibs...summertime

water is fine...walk on the water you two or swim (too cold?)



sitting solo with the Bay for the background


sis and hubby, wow, after all these years!!!




bibs with cousin, she can play the guitar too and good, i hope by now.






mom, dad, bibs and kuya pao (you may call me Jinggoy)... somewhere in monterey, ca.usa

Between the Two Divides - the Electricity Rates..

Just as Recently as few weeks ago, there were lots of Goings On in the Republic of the Philippines in Regards to the Electricity Rates charge by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and is said to be the highest in Asia next to Japan (as we all knew Japan has the highest Cost of living in all Asia). There was an Attempt by the Government Pension Agency, known by its initial GSIS to take over the Management with a promise that it will be able to lower the rates. The current management is under the Lopezes, the Old Oligarch families who have been the on-and-off controlling majority interests of the country's largest Electricity Distributors.

Now to compare the typical electricity rates between the two Particular comparable situations, I posted our household billings which maybe compared by those who has the experience of paying the Highest Rate of Electricity in Asia Next to Japan:

Account Number***
000 776 93
Meter Number***
***altered to maintain privacy1024

Statement Date Amount Due Due Date Amount Paid

Jun 25 2008
$145.53 = (Total Bill for 61 days for the total usage of 1160 kWh + 43 kWh system loss (3.76 %)). Exchange rate of $1 to 42 Pesos:
Jul 12 2008

SCARBOROUGH ON
CoTttactm"ar 416.542.8000
Page
1 / 1
● Website
www.torontohydro.com
A 1.5% monthly late payment interest charge will be applied if received after due date

Your Electricity Charges

Electricity
394.628 KWH @ 5.000 cents/KWH 19.50
808.987 KWH @ 5.000 cents/KWH 40.45
Delivery 62.32
Regulatory 7.97
Debt Retirement Charge 8.12

138.59
Your Total Electricity Charges
6.94 = 5 % Federal Goods and Services Tax.
G.S.T. (G.S.T. Registration 89671 8327 RT0001)
Compare your daily usage

Read Date kWh Usage
r->10 JUN 08 i:;l58W«!ffi;; 1.160
10 APR 08 W$$$$ii88iS 1.394
08 FES 08 *?*.S::::;S;:;;i:5;;;;:S 1.324
07 DEC 07 iiiiiilisi 1,269
10 OCT 07 SSlliSiigg: 1.265
09 AUG 07 :sS;j:s:;:;jSS!:?;iS}:'?:;S 1.717
-3»08 JUN 07 fiisliiii;;: 1.125
10 APR 07 iligiill 1.268
08 FEB 07 kWh/dav c ,,..,, ^513
10 20 30 40 50 60


Your previous charges
Amount of last bill
Totai Payments-Thank you
Balance Forward
169.64 169.64
0.00

Amount to be Withdrawn Jul 12 2008
$145.53
Every Kilowatt Counts Summer Sweepstakes -Reduce your summer electricity use by 10% for a chance to win green prizes! Details at jwww.torontohydro.com/summersweepstakes
Stay informed. Get access to the latest news, info, and tips on electricity conservation. Sign up for our new e-Newsletter at www.torontohvdro.com/enewstettgr.
Your electricity usage

Meter Number Meter Reading Period Number of Days Read Type Units Self-Contained Current Reading Previous Reading kWh Used Loss Factor Adjustment Adjusted kWhUsed
10248265 APR 10 2008 To JUN 10 2008 61 Est. 1 9505 - 8346 = 1150 X 1.0375* = 1203.616

Further comment by Me:
(* Technical Loss at 3.76 % added to the charges... Billings is for 61 days, from April 10 to June 10 as per meter readings. The surge on the usage between the first 30 days and the later 31 days is the use of central air due to the heat wave during the days of late may and early June...)

Breakdown of delivery charge by the distributor:

Transmission Charge1 - 1.02¢/kWh
Distribution Charge - 1.87¢/kWh
Lost Revenue Adjustment Charge (New) - 0.08¢/kWh
Shared Savings Charge (New) - 0.09¢/kWh- (This charge was for the lost revenue incurred for last year shared savings on conservation measures...the goal here is to conserve energy, yet still not burden the taxpayers for the shortfall in revenue but instead the users of electricity...the more you use the more you compensate for others savings.
Customer Charge - $12.97/30 days —(Fixed Charge)-
Also very important note: Charges by the Generators of Electricity are collected by local Distributors without Markups on behalf of the Generators:

Note: highlighted and referenced notations are mine:

The 2008 Toronto's Gay Pride Parade - June 29

“Do Tell” it’s Ok... for the first time, members the Canadian Armed Forces joined the Gay Pride Week Parade this Year.




Crowds flock to watch the Pride Parade...

"It's a huge thing for me personally," said Warrant Officer John McDougall, a parade participant who has been an openly gay member of the military for 13 years. "To be able to be in public and be recognized not just for being a soldier, but for being a soldier who happens to be gay is amazing”.

McDougall and his colleagues joined 5,000 drag queens, bikers, and scantily-clad men who marched in the parade in front of scores of spectators. Other participants in the flashy celebration included Liberal MPs Bob Rae and Belinda Stronach, Toronto Mayor David Miller, and Federal NDP leader Jack Layton
2008 Gay Pride Parade

WE ARE SORRY

Three Little Words, uttered in the Hushed House of Commons Yesterday, History-Making words, “we are sorry”, Prime Minister Steven Harper apologized on behalf of the Federal Government and of the Nation to Canada's First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples for their suffering in the once-obligatory residential school system.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to offer an apology to former students of Indian residential schools. The treatment of children in Indian residential schools is a sad chapter in our history.

In the 1870s, the federal government, partly in order to meet its obligation to educate aboriginal children, began to play a role in the development and administration of these schools. Two primary objectives of the residential schools system were to remove and isolate children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture. These objectives were based on the assumption aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal. Indeed, some sought, as it was infamously said, "to kill the Indian in the child". Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country.

Most schools were operated as "joint ventures" with Anglican, Catholic, Presbyterian or United churches. The government of Canada built an educational system in which very young children were often forcibly removed from their homes, often taken far from their communities. Many were inadequately fed, clothed and housed. All were deprived of the care and nurturing of their parents, grandparents and communities. First nations, Inuit and Métis languages and cultural practices were prohibited in these schools. Tragically, some of these children died while attending residential schools and others never returned home

As the PM spoke, School Survivors in Public Galleries wept, their tears a tribute to every mother’s tears who cried for every child forcibly taken over from her for Generations.

Text of the Prime Minister’s Speech we are sorry
After the Official Apology...what are the next moves?? Check the rest of the story here>>

Voices

apology not going to fix what happened

Oldest victim of schools happy to witness the speech apology brings ‘hope and comfort’

Reactions to Harper's Speech