Rather unscientific

Traveling in the Fuso Szulc and going to the preferred locations means being in nature.
Far away from cities, noise, pollution, supermarkets, temptations, confusion and hard surface.
The Fuso Szulc near the ocean where one is unifying with the wide open space.
The sky above, the mass of water in front and the desert behind.
The warmth of the sun and the touch of the wind.
The clean air and everything surrounding in perfect balance.

In order to be even closer to nature, for some time now, a Weather Center is being used.
An electronic device that shows all kinds of information about the weather, the time and the moon.
One can learn about the inside and outside temperature, the humidity, the wind speed, the wind direction, the air pressure and what is the weather prediction.
Is it going to be sunny?
Or will there be rain?
Is a storm coming?

Originally, a La Crosse Technology professional weather station was purchased.



With a wind meter and temperature/barometer sensors outside working wirelessly with the base station inside the Fuso Szulc.
But within a short time the option to have it operate wirelessly broke down.
Cables had to be connected between the different units to get readings on the main monitor.
And then the wind speed device broke down.

A couple of months ago therefore it was decided to purchase a new professional weather station.
And not one of La Crosse Technology anymore of course.

Hence, the Oregon Scientific WMR90A was purchased.
About $ 120 from an internet company.



Now at El Triple this new “Advanced Weather Station” is in operation and within two weeks it is malfunctioning.

While outside it is 27.8º C, the Oregon Scientific WMR90A says it is 36.9ºC.
Wind speed?
0.0 km per hour...
While a kite could fly.
Wind direction?
--.--
Now, what direction is that?

Some research and experimenting found the cause of the malfunctioning.
The Fuso Szulc these days is located just next to the Pacific Ocean.
Where the humidity is high.
Between 60 and 90 %.
Depending of the direction of the wind.
If the wind is light and from the northwest, it is between 70 and 90 %.
This because the wind comes from the ocean.

This humidity enters the unit that is outside measuring the wind speed, direction and temperature.
And this humidity makes the unit malfunction.
Somewhere in the instruction manual of the Oregon Scientific Advanced Weather Station WMR90A there is a warning for this phenomenon:

Precaution:
Do not subject the unit to excessive force, shock, dust, temperature or humidity.

There you go!
This thing is made in a way that the humidity found next to the Pacific Ocean is too excessive for the Oregon Scientific Advanced Weather Station WMR90A.



In all the publicity one finds on the internet for this professional weather station, not one word is said about this.
No warning that it will not work near a sea or an ocean.

Unavoidable to feel cheated as a customer.
And what to do?
The product is over 5 months old, bought from an American internet company and the malfunctioning apparatus is now in Mexico.

One step has been made: an e-mail to customer service of Oregon Scientific.
But already on the internet other customers of Oregon Scientific were complaining not much can be expected of any service from this company.

Another step to make is to go to the websites where this thing is offered for sale.
And to publish at the customers reviews section a warning for people intending to get this “Advanced Weather Station”. Don’t buy this thing if you are close to the sea!



Why is it these days that as a customer purchasing a product so often one remains behind with a feeling of being cheated?
That companies are so eager to sell and make money that quality, honesty and adequate customer service are thrown overboard?



.

Your health is as good as the money you have.

How is a person traveling constantly and not having a home taking care of health insurance?
Because it can always happen that medical assistance is needed.
As this can be very costly, it is a good idea to have a health insurance.
Right?

An ordinary health insurance for a permanent pilgrim is not an option.
Because a health insurance company wants a client to live in one fixed place.
If a client travels a lot and something happens during a journey, the health insurance will not cover when they learn of the frequency of traveling.

Fortunately, there are health insurance companies that are prepared to cover persons on the road constantly.
One such company is “HealthCare International”.
Based in London, U.K.
They are having 35 years of experience insuring expatriates and travelers.

It goes too far to explain the details of the policy but this tireless traveler pays for a health insurance with “HealthCare International” an annual premium of € 2.050 ($ 2,880).
That’s € 170 ($ 238) per month.

There is a deductible of € 1.000 ($ 1,405) per year but this does not apply to outpatient physician and paramedical fees.

Now, just for the fun of it, the lowest monthly payment USA health insurance for a similar person as the permanent pilgrim will cost € 158 ($222,29).
From Avera Health Plans.
However, there is a deductible of € 3.558 ( $ 5,000).
Plus the policy holder must pay 30 % of all medical bills him/herself.

In other words: an American health insurance is very expensive.

So, we may conclude that it would make sense for an American citizen to also get a health insurance from the British company “HealthCare International”.

Not really.
Because the above mentioned “HealthCare International” insurance of
€ 170 ($ 238) per month excludes the USA.
This means that when the policy holder of the “HealthCare International” insurance breaks his or her arm while in the USA, the medical bills have to be paid from the own pocket.

This doesn’t mean that a worried customer frequently in the USA cannot have medical costs covered over there as well.
The same policy from “HealthCare International” including the USA will cost € 446,57 ( $ 627,45)
An enormous difference.
The USA excluded € 170 or the USA included € 446.

We all know that the health care system in the USA has become the playing field of the capitalists.
American health insurance companies make annually $ 250 billion.
Because it is a free for all society where nothing is protected from making profit.
Even if it results in people not getting proper health care.

Health care should be excellent and for free worldwide.
It should not be the playing field for greedy capitalists to grab more money.

Health care for free everywhere and of top quality?
An idiotic thought?
An impossibility?
Not at all, fervent and loyal blog readers.
Global military spending stands now at over $ 1.2 trillion.
If we would spend half of that money on health care, good doctors could be for free everywhere.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about "HealthCare International", click on:

http://www.healthcareinternational.com/


To learn more about USA health insurance premiums, click on:

https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ehi/Quote.fs

To learn more about global military spending, click on:

http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending



.

An elephant in the hotel

Ring ring.
Footsteps to the door.

Oh, hi, come in!
..............

Sit down, please.
....................

What do you have to tell this time?

It was a large hotel.
I was standing in the lobby.
A lot of people were going in and out. But suddenly I see outside this gigantic wall of water coming towards the entrance of the hotel.
A Tsunami.
The water was dark and immensely threatening.
Because it was such a huge mass it moved slowly.
I realized that within seconds the water would enter the lobby of the hotel and deeper inside.
To kill everybody.
Obviously I was going to die.
But I noticed that the opening to the outside of the lobby was smaller than the space in which I was.
In a split second I thought that if I would put myself against the wall, the water might pass me by without taking me.
Immediately I ran to the wall and put my back against the wall and right then the enormous wall of water entered the hotel lobby.
The wall of water was now in front of me and I could feel the displacement of air and the force of the massive amount of water.
It was up to the ceiling pushing his way in with a gigantic force, devastating everything.
I feared that the water and the pressured air might suck me off the wall.
With all my might I pushed and pushed my back against the wall.
This is how I survived.
As the only one.
Because after the water had receded I entered the hotel.
It was totally ruined inside.
Everything was taken by the water.
Not only the carpets and furniture but also everything on the walls.
It had become a macabre place.
However, somehow an elephant had been in the hotel and had also managed to survive.
But the animal was aggressive and when it noticed my presence it started to chase me.
I ran from room to room closing doors to stop the elephant and to be safe.
But each time the elephant crushed the doors and continued its chase.
This is all I know.

That is quite a story.
What are your feelings triggered by this experience?

I feel exhausted.
Physically and emotionally.

Of course.
That is understandable.

What can you say about this recent dream?

Well, first of all you must realize that a dream can be interpreted as you like.
There is never only one explanation.
Hence, a dream means for you what you decide yourself.
This though should be avoided.
Because an interpretation of a dream is a fantasy.
And this fantasy might consequently lead you in a direction that is not the path of your life.
But you can look to a dream in a rational way.
Like in this case.
We don’t try to find out what is the meaning.
But we try to see what is obvious.
What are almost facts.

So, you as an objective observer, what do you see?

Well, in this dream two things happened.
A tsunami and an aggressive elephant.
Right?

Yes, true.

So, twice you were threatened.
But what you also must see is that twice you managed to survive.
You escaped from drowning and from the elephant.

Yes, this is true.

And in both situations you survived by being clever.
By making the right decisions.

Yes, this is also true.

Those are facts of the dream.
Not interpretations or fantasies.
And the only thing that is important to conclude because of this dream is that you are clever and a survivor.
Simply realize that and accept that message.
There is nothing more to it.
Thank you for coming and all the best.

Moving of chairs.
Footsteps in the corridor.
A front door opening and closing.

The circle outside for the inside

Three years ago a fantastic storm hit the western coast of Baja California, Mexico.
That time the Pacific Ocean dumped a large amount of dead trees on the beach.
Also at El Triple.

Working on the PS-series, the trees were disturbing the images.
The beach became anecdotic: showing how by coincidence and temporarily dead trees were washed ashore.
The focus of the action of a PS-series image was in competition with the information slipping into the picture of the dead trees.
Therefor diminishing the core message.

An effort was made to take the trees off the beach.
To have a stretch of beach without disturbing visual elements.

The trees hauled away where dragged to the location where the Fuso Szulc was parked.
And there they were planted right in front of the expedition vehicle.
As if it was a forrest.


This made the view as seen from the Fuso Szulc more lively.
And it attracted birds coming for a rest or to feed on the insects living in the trees.

When El Triple was revisited last year, to check if any resort building had started, it was immediately noticed that all the planted trees had been knocked down.
An act of vandalism?
Aggression?
Protest?

It was partly responsible to decide to leave El Triple immediately.
Besides the building activity going on.

This year a new visit was made to El Triple anticipating that due to the staggering economy building of the resort might have come to a standstill.
And it indeed has been halted.

Reason to stay at El Triple and enjoy all its good sides.
Of course there are these structures on the hill in front of the Fuso Szulc.
But no building activity is going on and friend Juaquin lives there.
Except that right in front of the Fuso Szulc were all those knocked down dead trees.
Not a pretty sight.

Suddenly yesterday the idea was born to do something with those dead trees.
To transform them into something new and positive.
Something more visually appealing.
And possibly symbolic and meaningful.

Hence, the idea was born to make a circle of the objects.

A bamboo pole was planted in the perfect place and with a piece of rope a circle was drawn in the sand.
Next, the hands protected by leather gloves, the trees were placed on the circular line.
And now in front of the Fuso Szulc is this circle of trees.
A much more intriguing view compared to when they were simply scattered all around.



And there is another thing.
What a person sees around him or her, probably influences the thinking and even the emotional and psychological well being.
Usually, if a person lives in a total mess of stuff around him or her, it demonstrates that in the head it is a mess also.
This often can be noticed with alcoholics.
Or people confused.
Hence, it makes sense to have everything around in an organized way to influence the mind to be more straight, logic, positive and useful.
Remember how it feels after cleaning your house.

Late in the afternoon neighbor Juaquin came for a visit.
Immediately he had a question.
Pointing at the wooden circle: “What is that?”.

It works!


.

Wait with blowing it up

Men are even more stupid than women. Guys have an orgasm and nine months later there is a baby.

It is true that the woman might have had an orgasm as well.
But next she has a child growing inside her body.
Carrying an extra weight around increasing daily.
Another life inside her vulturing her body and corrupting her health.

Next, the woman has to go through the delivery of the baby that, outside the USA, is a painful and often horrifying and traumatic experience.
It makes the woman love her child generously and forever.

Meanwhile, the real culprit is simply standing by playing billiards or ice-skating.
He might take his son or daughter later for a walk and that’s about what his involvement will be.

Now, there are exceptions to this very darkly painted role of the fathers in our world.

For sure every fervent and loyal blog reader is an exceptional father.
But today we want to spotlight one of the most remarkable fathers ever.
Who should be an example to every aspiring man wishing to increase the world population.

We talk about Henry Fox who lived in England from 1705 to 1774.


He was a member of Parliament first but then became the Paymaster of the Forces.
This job was to be the chief purchasing agent for the Navy.
He made a fortune in that position by being a crook.

He had a son called Charles James Fox.
And a very specific opinion:

“Young people are always in the right and old people in the wrong”.

And then he had another amazing opinion:

“Let nothing be done to break the child’s spirit.
The world will do that business fast enough.”

Now, it is one thing to have great ideas about children, education and pedagogy.
But it is a totally different ball game to actually introduce these enlightened ideas in the actual upbringing of the rascals.

Check out now how Henry Fox was a Dad.
One time he promised that his son could watch him demolish an old brick building with gunpowder.
But the pledge slipped his mind and he blew up the building wile his son Charles was away at Eton school.
When Henry Fox remembered the promise he had made and that he had forgotten for his son to see the demolition, he had the place rebuilt.
When Charles came home, his father blew up the building all over again.

Now, fervent and loyal blog readers, that is being a father.
And of course the son meanwhile excelled at school at classics, mathematics and languages.

Later, the son could enjoy himself as much as he liked.
He got an unlimited allowance from his father.
The son, Charles James Fox, got into gambling, drinking and experimenting with passion.
But he also studied Herodotus and traveled all over Europe meeting Voltaire in France.

When the son had reached the age of 19 his father decided enough was enough.
At that moment in time the son had accumulated a debt of £ 140.000.
That’s several millions of USDollars today.
His father settled all those debts to the penny.
And got him a seat in the House of Commons.
Where the son became one of the first liberal and enlightened politicians.

“Young people are always in the right and old people in the wrong”.

Isn’t that all about trust?
That the father puts a foundation in the son that, no matter what, the son has the right to live his own life 100 % guaranteed ?

So, for aspiring fathers: have the gunpowder ready.




.

Mexican Pesos, American Dollars, Euros

How much do things cost in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico?

On July 24.

Compare to what you pay in the shops of your own country.

Colg Herbal toothpaste MXP 20,00 $ 1.51 € 1,06

2 “D” batteries MXP 15,80 $ 1.19 € 0,83

Pot of 680 g applesauce MXP 33,10 $ 2.50 € 1,76

tin of 170 g tuna MXP 10,80 $ 0.81 € 0,57

pot of marmalade MXP 26,90 $ 2.03 € 1,42

800 gr margarine MXP 53,90 $ 4.08 € 2,87

1 tofu extra firm MXP 21,00 $ 1.59 € 1,11

1 litre soya silk milk MXP 29,30 $ 2.22 € 1,56

1 litre guyaba juice MXP 14,00 $ 1.06 € 0,74

1 kilo gra. smith apples MXP 18,90 $ 1.43 € 1,00

1 kilo of bananas MXP 13,80 $ 1.04 € 0,73

1 kilo of carrots MXP 10,50 $ 0.79 € 0,55

1 kilo of grapefruits MXP 13,60 $ 1.03 € 0,72

1 kilo of avocado MXP 48,90 $ 3.70 € 2,60

1 kilo of broccoli MXP 14,50 $ 1.09 € 0,76

1 cauliflower MXP 19,50 $ 1.47 € 1,03

1 kilo of papaya MXP 15,90 $ 1.20 € 0,84

1 kilo of tomatoes MXP 17,50 $ 1.32 € 0,92

1 kilo of Anjou pears MXP 33,90 $ 2.56 € 1,80

.

The night in La Paz

In La Paz, Baja California, Mexico, there used to be several nice trailer parks.

There was “El Cardon” run by a German.

And “Aquamarine Trailer Park” managed by an American/Mexican Couple.

Then there was “Casa Blanca” owned by a Mexican doctor.

And “La Paz Trailer Park”.

All of these trailer parks have been closed.

One reason being that only in Wintertime RV’ers showed up.

Making the trailer parks economically a money losing business.

And over the last years it became very profitable to use the land of the trailer parks for building houses.

Hence, nowadays, for the person travelling in an RV to La Paz there is no more a place to stay.

One may consider of course to boondock somewhere in this town.

For example on the large parking of a shopping centre.

However, in La Paz this is very unusual and very likely the police will make trouble.

This is all very sad because La Paz is such a nice town.

It is perfect for dining, shopping and having broken vehicles repaired.

It is relaxed, modern and the population is very friendly.

Fortunately, there still is an option for RV-visitors to La Paz.

North of La Paz is a town called El Centennario.

About 11 km (7 miles).

Over there a “Campestre” is found called “Maranatha”.

A “Campestre” is a place where people go to when they have a free day.

Sometimes there is a swimming pool.

Things to play with for children.

Pick nick facilities.

And trees with shadows.

“Maranatha” has all this and also the option for RV’ers to spend the night.

A very rudimentary trailer park where the vehicles are positioned next to each other without any separation.

But there are full hook-ups and clean bathrooms with warm water.

To spend one night at “Maranatha” costs $ 20 (€ 14).

Campestre “Maranatha” is run by José and Lucinda Núñez.

They are missionaries.

Mennonites.

Mennonites are a Christian faith group that began in the 16th century. Currently there are over one million members worldwide.

Mennonite beliefs and practices vary widely, but following Jesus in daily life is a central value, along with peacemaking.

The father of Lucinda was a Mennonite missionary.

And used to fly in his airplane to La Paz to do his missionary work.

He owned his own airstrip and that is where the RV-park and campestre is now.

This is why the place is called “Maranatha”.

It means: “Our Lord has come”.

Of course, “Maranatha” is quite a distance from the centre of La Paz.

And it is too close to the main highway so traffic noise is disturbing.

But it is clean, well maintained and a most friendly staff.

Even Bhudists are welcome.

These days they are getting bookings of caravans: large groups of RV’ers travelling in Mexico together.

Who make reservations for the coming winter.

As “Maranatha” is the only trailer park left in La Paz, they get all the business now.

It is to be expected that possibly in December and January “Maranatha” will be booked full.

A tip for the fervent and loyal blog readers who happen to travel to La Paz in their RV.

Where is the turn off to enter campestre “Maranatha” is a coffee shop called “Exquisito”.

Not only do they have very good coffee and white chocolate chip cookies.

But they also offer you can make FREE phone calls to the USA with your coffee!!!!

.

lust on the plate

She walked around in the restaurant like it was the most ordinary, normal and natural thing in the world.

But it was definitely not.

Because she had a stunning body and she knew it.

Wearing a tight T-shirt and the shortest mini skirt in La Paz.

It is true that it is hot in La Paz these days.

And that clothes are of no use except to be decent.

But each of us is free to have an own interpretation of what is decent.

Hers was obviously inspired by how girls have their dress code in Poland and Brazil.

The most stunning part was though how she composed herself in that situation.

She was namely totally herself.

Fluent, balanced and harmonious in her presentation.

Like if nothing was the matter.

And maybe for her nothing it was.

To be dressed like she did not have any connotation to something else but to have it easy on the heat.

But how could the two healthy and virile friends having lunch accept that heat is only temperature.

They decided that her boyfriend behind the counter of the restaurant had her play her part in their lustful interaction.

For him to observe customers getting full of desire so that later he could have his orgasm in her on their behalf.

This is why there was only the tight shirt and the mini skirt.

Nothing else was her allowed by the Kamasutra lover.

But what if I have to pick up a napkin from the floor, she asked him.

They will see the star where is often out and where is sometimes in.

Or what if I have to reach up to adjust the ceiling fan?

The beautiful Mexican hills where the grass has been cut will show for everyone present in our restaurant.

Of course her lover boy had no mercy and she was so thankful for this because to play with the desire of others, show her exclusive assets and receive the satisfaction later bend over the kitchen counter from the one she loved with all her heart was the best life had to offer her.

Leaving for La Paz

When this time the journey was made to El Triple, it was unknown how many days could be spend here.

There was speculation that because of the economic crises, the construction of the resort had possibly been halted.

But this was a presumption.

It could also be expected that the whole area would be fenced off and many buildings had been constructed.

It turned out as was speculated: the whole project has come to a halt.

And only a guardsman is present.

Because it was unclear how the situation would be at El Triple, not maximum supplies had been brought along.

Usually, food and water is on board the Fuso Szulc to live approximately 25 days at one location.

Now, after 10 days, there is no more fruit, vegetables and no more drinking water.

Forced to go to La Paz, the nearest town.

Takes two days…

.

Find them!

In the 1980’s, in Europe, several photo projects have been performed.

Very conceptual, revealing and informational documentaries.

Most of the time, two persons were compared.

Both were followed in their daily life for a longer period of time.

And then later the images and text were merged and published in one feature in a high circulation illustrated weekly.

One photo project was about two young women of 21.

One of these two girls believed she was beautiful and attractive.

The other girl believed she was ugly and unattractive.

Consequently, one had a boyfriend and the other had not.

One would save money and when enough go with the boyfriend to a romantic restaurant and have a beautiful candlelight dinner.

The other one would go frequently to a McDonald and have a hamburger by herself sitting on a plastic chair at a formica table.

The message of the story was that you become what you think.

Suggesting that best is to think twice what conclusions to make about oneself.

Another story was about two young men of 24.

One was very ambitious.

He was having a successful career and was becoming rich.

The other didn’t want to work at all and was happy with his social security and carefree life.

Both men were in fact happy.

In their own ways.

This morning, when the new day was coming, the thought came to mind: how are those men and women of those photo reportages doing now?

What became of their lives?

Are they still alive?

They must be over 50 years old by now.

Does the woman still believe she is beautiful?

And what did this opinion do to her life in the long term?

And the woman believing she was ugly?

Did she overcome that trauma and did she manage to make something beautiful of her life anyhow?

Or did she strand in hopelessness?

What about those two guys?

Did the ambitious young man become a millionaire indeed?

And, did he become happy too?

And the passive one?

Was that satisfying in the long-term maybe?

Damned, we MUST find these people and find out.

And publish again, if they agree, the images and the texts from the 80’s now next to new images and text of their lives today.

So, immediately this morning, e-mails have been sent out to try to locate these people.

It will be so exciting to see them again and get to know what has become of their lives.

And photograph them again.

Learning if the photographer has made any improvements in the last 30 years.

.

Is life an endless series of mountains to climb?

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended...”

A Russian friend, the brilliant photographer Masha Osipova, published this text on Facebook today.
And immediately feelings of sadness were experienced.
For a friend to see life in that way.
Because it seems to express defeatism.
Like life is a hopeless course of things one can only passively suffer.
Life being only an endless series of mountains to climb and responsibilities to have.
And although once on top a vista can be enjoyed, by stealing a view, obligation is felt to go down quickly to suffer climbing a new mountain.

It is a way of handling the own life as almost a burden.
Like a tough job.
A martyrdom.
An exhausting, permanent expedition.

And life is like that.
That is, if one chooses life to be in that way.

Life can be the way of the Cross.
Or…….. life can be a beautiful and graceful dance.
It is all in the mind and heart which approach to life one chooses.

However, the way one chooses to see life: it is not always a choice.
In many cases it is an imposition.
Things can happen in the life of a person that decide how life is experienced.
Infiltrating and dominating the point of view with which life is approached.

A good example we find in the statement of the friend.
“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
Indeed, if that is what life has to offer, to get as the only reward of climbing a hill to see many more hills to climb, life sucks for sure.
What an exhausting, demoralizing and de-motivating exercise life is, when it is seen in that way.
No wonder people with that philosophy in life will at one point just sit down halfway a hill and give up.

Stopping their process of growing.

But, is it true that in life one finds on the top of the hill only more hills to climb?
Yes and no.
It is up to ourselves once arrived on top of a hill to come to conclusions.

One conclusion to consider is that each hilltop reached, can be the last one in life.
Because in principle possibly the climber can shortly after reaching a top die.
Before to start climbing the next hill.
Hence, the hills that can be seen from the top reached, are not necessarily the next ones to climb.
When that is realized, the importance of the hilltop on which one is standing becomes of much greater importance.
And what lies possibly ahead, diminishes in importance.
It is about the relevance between where one is versus where one may go.

A practical and pragmatic person will quickly decide that the hilltop reached is the best ever and the next ones are for another day to worry about.
To be able to enjoy 100 % where one is without being bothered what may or not may come.

To worry about the future and have that influence the actual moment of living, comes from not having eliminated yet the power of the imposition.
Past experiences at a younger age disrupt existence often profoundly.
Often they have a deep and long emotional impact.
That keeps a person in the past through memories and traumas.
When somebody is haunted by the past, one is worried about the future.
And consequently, the landscape of life is perceived as a series of cruel mountains to climb.

Dealing with the past and being able to leave that behind makes one reach hilltops without much effort.
Where one dances celebrating life as the perfect party.

Let’s dance, Masha!

An exceptional coincidence

July 20, 2008 the photo book “The PS-series” was published.
Showing images made at “El Triple” in Baja California, Mexico.

Some of the pictures from the “PS-series” show fishing boats that appeared close to the beach at El Triple certain times of the year.

Now, the Fuso Szulc is back at El Triple and the neighbour is Juaquin, the guard of the resort under construction nearby.

Because Juaquin has nothing to do, he was borrowed the photo book “The PS-series”.
So he would be entertained by images made on a beach right in front of him.

Two days later Juaquin comes to the Fuso Szulc totally delighted.
In his hands the photo book “The PS-series”.

He says: “Look at page 45!!!”.
We see a fishing boat speeding by and in the back ground a huge cactus flower.



OK, Juaquin, and?

Do you realize, he says, that the fishing boat has the name: “Flor de Mar”?
(Flower of the sea).

Yes, that is quite a coincidence.
When that image was made, no awareness of the name of that fishing boat was present.

But, Juaquin, how do you know?
Because, he says with shining eyes, that man in the picture steering the fishing boat, that is me!

And damned if it is not the truth, indeed, the captain of the boat was the current neighbour Juaquin!

At the time when the picture was made, no construction of a resort was going on at El Triple.
Juaquin worked then as a fisherman with his boat “Flor de Mar”.

How deep can coincidences go?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A preview of the photo book "The PS-series" can be seen at:
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/301597
where it also can be ordered.



.

See it from their side

We know it is summer and temperatures are the highest of the year but we have ice cream and there are also polar bears.
Up north roaming the North Pole.
Needing space and low temperatures that is becoming more and more difficult for them to find because we use air conditioners.

Polar bears are on the list to disappear from this world and become a memory only.
Something we, human beings, could avoid no problem but we prefer to criticize Al Gore instead of listening to what he has to say and follow up on that.

Yes, fervent and loyal blog readers, we are idiots.
The polar bears show that to us.
Destroying the own planet we live on while thinking we are smart and good.

But recently it has been discovered there is a graduation in being an idiot.
We all are idiots, that is for sure, but some are bigger idiots than others.

The biggest idiots today we find in the town of Cochrane, Ontario, Canada.
Yes, for those who didn’t know, even Canadians can be idiots.
What did these Cochranians do to qualify for today’s gold medal?

First, they captured some polar bears.
And locked them up in their local zoo.
Euphemistically, they call it the “Polar Bear Habitat”.
Of course, no polar bear, when asked, would ever want to move into that specific habitat.
As the name already explains, a polar bear has his habitat on the North Pole.
Not in some zoo in Cochrane, Canada.
So, a more correct name would have been: “Polar Bear Prison”.
But the truth can sometimes be too painful.
So, a good idiot believes in the other side of truth and demonstrates in that way a mind turned upside down and inside out.

Now it is one thing to keep polar bears in a prison.
Where they suffer tremendously.
Polar bears are nomadic.
They roam the ice fields daily.
Are used as long as they exist to be free and have the wide-open spaces for themselves.
But suddenly, in Cochrane, they have a very limited space to move around in.
Where they must be bored to death because even hunting, their favourite activity, is taken away from them.
Buckets full of dead fish are poured in front of them and the only thing the polar bear has to do is swallow them.
The Polar Bear made idiotic by idiots.
That is one thing.

But the worst thing they have come up with in Cochrane to make the lives of the imprisoned polar bears even more miserable is the pool.
Yes, fervent and loyal blog readers, our polar bears in Cochrane, Canada, have a nice, big pool.
Not as big of course as the ocean they are used to swim in forever and ever.
But a pool where they reach the end after moving their front legs 4 times.

Most fervent and loyal blog readers will think it is a joke what is going to be revealed here and now.
But the pictures the reader soon will see, will make every non-believer turn 180º.
These people up in Cochrane have made halfway the polar bear pool a bullet proof, shatterproof glass that is almost 9 centimetres (3.5 inches) thick.
Visitors of the Polar Bear Conservation and Education Habitat, as it is called officially, can get into the pool and swim towards the glass wall.
11,000 swimmers in the first 6 months, ladies and gentlemen.
There they meet the polar bears who wonder what the hell is going on.


By nature, and this is only to survive on the North Pole, a polar bear is a ferocious carnivore.
So, his instincts are to grab any form of living creature with legs and arms, crush it to death and eat it.
Don’t blame the polar bear for that.
We are exactly the same!



Now, a polar bear has never learned what is glass.
But he comes to understand that these delicious creatures in his pool cannot be grabbed as a snack before eating the daily death fish.
Something is stopping him to get them.



This must make the polar bear extremely frustrated.
It is sure he would love to catch one of those delicious children pestering him on the other side of the glass wall.
And have a bite.



It is one thing to lock up a polar bear in a zoo.
By doing that we can see what we are making disappear from this earth.
But to torture, pester and frustrate the animal on top of his captivity, really, that goes too far.
That we may call animal cruelty.



See it from the point of view of the polar bears and send these idiots in Cochrane an e-mail.
That they return these polar bears back to where they belong.
Or else to take a swim on the polar bear side of the glass wall.

info@polarbearhabitat.ca

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Many thanks to fervent and loyal blog reader Dawn Pier for bringing this issue to our attention.

You can learn more about the Polar Bear Conservation and Education Habitat in Cochrane, Canada, by clicking on:

http://www.polarbearhabitat.ca/




.

CELEBRATION !!!!!

1 , 0 0 0

Yesterday, the 1,000 st posting was published on this blog.

Started on November 14, 2006, as of then, almost every day a new story was written and published.
And more to come!





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Off and on

As most fervent and loyal blog readers will know, the Fuso Szulc is equipped with a Datastorm Satellite System.
To be able to get on the Internet.
For sending and receiving e-mails, visit websites and to use SKYPE, the VOIP telephone service.



In the past on this blog, repeatedly postings have been published with trouble that has been experienced with the Datastorm Satellite System.

To be more specific, it concerns a company called Hughes.
This company hires space on a satellite and offers this to owners of a Datastorm satellite system.
In fact, it comes as a package deal: if one purchases a Datastorm satellite, one automatically gets Hughes as the provider.
Most problems with the Datastorm do not involve the hardware.
It concerns issues for which Hughes is responsible.

Take yesterday.
When in the morning the Datastorm Satellite System was switched on, it simply didn’t work.
No contact with the satellite.
Suddenly and out of the blue.

After many hours working on this problem it was discovered how this could have happened.

A satellite has different transponders.
The satellite the Fuso Szulc is assigned to, the SatMex 5 satellite, has three transponders.
The whole system in the Fuso Szulc has been set up by the installer and Hughes to work on transponder 1 of the SatMex 5 satellite.

Now, what did Hughes do?
Without informing or anything, they switched the customer from transponder 1 to transponder 2.
Something the customer doesn’t know and is not aware of.
And who is confronted with a system that suddenly doesn’t work anymore.

A person thinking in a reasonable way and with some sense for quality of customer service, will decide beforehand to inform all the customers going to move to another transponder.
Hughes has the e-mail addresses of their customers.
A simple e-mail some days before announcing the upcoming change.
Plus a simple step by step explanation what to do to make the Datastorm work again.

But Hughes seems to live on another planet.
Which is easy when a company has a monopoly.

Hence, the customer first must somehow find out that a change of transponder is the reason for not being able to get on line anymore.
And next, the customer must know what is the procedure to get commissioned to the new transponder.

The +/- $ 8.000 Datastorm system doesn’t come with a manual explaining what to do in the different situations that may arise.
Nor does the Datastorm installer take the time to explain at length how it all works.

There is though a website of Datastorm users.
A forum where plenty of customers meet to explain the problems they are experiencing.
There are hundreds of them, often deeply frustrated.

On that particular website, solutions to the often complicated problems may be found.
But what good is that for the customer when he cannot access the Internet and therefore not get on that website?

Often the solution is to call the Datastorm installer.
And get explanations and instructions from him.
(All Datastorm installers are men…)

One time in Mexico problems with the Datastorm were experienced and therefore the Fuso Szulc was parked next to an Internet café.
With the Internet connection of the Internet café through Skype, a Datastorm installer was reached in the USA and after several calls the problems could be solved.

Over the last years using the Datastorm and dealing with Hughes, a lot has been learned.
And this is absolutely necessary and vital if one wishes to use the Datastorm system.
One needs to become an expert.
It simply is not a system that can be switched on and off like a radio or a TV.

The problem yesterday took 5 hours to resolve.
Before it was discovered it was an unannounced switch of tranponders and before it was managed to get a new commissioning.
Something that could have been avoided completely when Hughes had been not ignoring their customers.

Lesson one when the system fails again is to remain calm.
Not to panic.
Forcing the mind to believe that somehow there will be a solution.
And there is!
The trick is to find it.
So, step-by-step, all possibilities are researched and because there are so many, it takes a while.

Several months ago Datastorm installer Tod from the company Digital Satellites cleaned the whole Datastorm system of the Fuso Szulc while in San Diego, USA.
And he said something many Datastorm and Hughes customers will agree with:
as soon as a new and better system comes on the market, we’ll jump on it.



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The neighbour

The building of the resort at El Triple, Baja California, Mexico has been halted due to lack of financing.



The storage and garage building is more or less ready.
The foundations where the guest rooms will be are in place.
And that’s it.



At the location are building materials like cement, the mixer and an earth-moving tractor.





To protect the resort under construction, an old Terry trailer has been hauled over the torturing dirt road to El Triple.
And in this trailer lives Juaquin.
A 51-year old Mexican from a village about an hour from El Triple.
His job is to guard and protect.
To avoid vandalism and stealing.



Juaquin is married and has two beautiful children.
The oldest will start studying at the University of La Paz in September.
The youngest, daughter Daniella, is in college.

Juaquin is in his Terry trailer at the resort location of El Triple non-stop.
24-24.
7-7.
No days off.
For five months now.
Getting 8.000 Mexican Pesos per month. ( € 423 , $ 600 )
A salary he considers well paid.



The Terry trailer is old.
The electrical system is not working anymore.
Therefore, the electronically controlled fridge is out of order.
So are the lights inside the trailer.
Fortunately the Terry has one lamp on propane.
And the cooking-stove still works.

Basically, Juaquin has not much to do.
Only guarding the building project but then nobody hardly ever comes around.

He has no television.
No electricity and TV-signal.
No radio.
No books to read.
Juaquin is just sitting watching the pelicans fly by.
Or laying on the bed seeing his dreams.
Day in, day out.

Nevertheless, and hardly imaginable, Juaquin is a man that is content.
Who is in harmony with his situation.
Who is beyond liking or not liking his job.
Who lives for his family and for the future of his kids.
Happy to have a job and to be able to finance the education of his children.

Every day there is a meeting with Juaquin.
With his three dogs he comes to the Fuso Szulc for a chat.
Well, of course.

Yesterday he borrowed the book “The PS-series”.
With rather surrealistic images made here at El Triple.

And now the plan is born to borrow him a Sony portable radio that happens to be on board the Fuso Szulc.
So Juaquin can listen to the news and to music.

Hey, we are neighbours, no?



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Life lives itself

The objective is to stay a period as long as possible at the location of El Triple.
There are several reasons for this strategy.

One is that the road to reach El Triple is very, very bad.
To get here, a car or truck is punished for almost two hours by a road that has a washboard with ridges so deep you can clean an elephant’s pant there.
Hence, one would prefer to use that road as little as possible.

Another reason to stay at El Triple as long as possible is that the effects of being at this magical place reach deeper then.
With the passing of time, the level of consciousness moves up higher.
Health improves dramatically.
Happiness and harmony intensify.
And everything simplifies: life lives itself.

Last reason is that a visit to town, La Paz being the nearest, is never a real joy.
This time of year it is steaming hot in La Paz.
At night also.
And coming from the heaven called El Triple, La Paz is a Sodom and Gomorra where easily a simplified virgin rapes herself.

But unavoidably, supplies in the Fuso Szulc at El Triple do run out and one is forced to go to La Paz.

Hence, the game to play is to live as simple as possible by consuming as little as is acceptable to stretch the period as long as it can.

Water.
The Fuso Szulc is equipped with a large water tank holding approximately 60 gallons (230 litres).
This is not drinking water though.
It is water used to wash the dishes, to brush the teeth, to wash the hands and the vegetables.
Due to these limited purposes, the water in the two tanks of the Fuso Szulc last a very long time.
About a month.
Drinking water comes from large water bottles containing each 19 litres (5 gallons).
There are four of these bottles in the Fuso Szulc that are filled at a drinking water shop in La Paz for about 10 Mexican Pesos (€ 0,52 / $ 0,74) per bottle.
One bottle supplies drinking water for approximately 6 days.


Food.

Breakfast is always a bowl of 5 spoons of 100 % natural whole grain oats with two spoons of Nestlé Svelty 0% fat milk powder and one banana or apple.
To this a glass of orange juice and two cups of orange pekoe tea.
It is easy to have enough supplies for breakfast.
They can be kept without refrigeration.
Except for the bananas.

Lunch is always three slices of toasted bread.
A product of Bimbo called Pan Tostado, they have grilled double fibre whole-wheat bread.
Easy to bring to El Triple enough packages of this toasted bread.
On those slices of toasted bread, always two are with cheese and honey mustard and one with raspberry marmalade.
Cheese and margarine can be kept in the fridge for weeks.
As long as the cheese is factory made and sealed in plastic.

Dinner is always whole grain brown rice, some vegetables and tofu.
Rice comes in boxes and is easy to keep.
Tofu comes in sealed containers and can be kept in a good fridge for months.
Vegetables have to be chosen with wisdom.
Some cannot be kept for a long time, even in a fridge.
But some can, like carrots, peppers and celery.

Fruits are consumed during the day and in the first week this can be melons and papayas.
But later it becomes mainly apples.
And when lucky mangoes are found that are stone hard in the shop and will be edible after two weeks.

With this ascetic discipline, about 25 days can be spend at El Triple non-stop.
Then levels of supplies have reached 0.
Forcing to wash the pants of the elephant again and endanger the virginity.



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