Bamboo Taxi, Wanna Ride?

Somebody shared this interesting site in our college alumni forum. Bamboo taxi, a cheap, fuel-efficient alternative to cars???  Click here to visit the site

Bamboo Taxi, A Hit in Philippines!

In the search for a low-cost, fuel-efficient, safe, and environmentally-friendly alternative to cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles, the mayor of a city in the Philippines recently rolled out two incredible taxis crafted from one of our favorite renewable materials – bamboo!

Rustico Balderian, mayor of Tabontabon, Leyte, Philippines, has commissioned the construction of two taxis made from 90% bamboo that are powered by coconut bio-diesel – take that steel-based cars! Bamboo is an incredible material – it is rapidly renewable, environmentally friendly, and does not require a ton of processing for it to be incorporated into designs. But did you know that its tensile strength is just as good as that of steel? This remarkable strength makes bamboo a fitting and exceptionally sustainable material for Tabontabon’s new taxis.

The two vehicles are called the Eco 1 and Eco 2. The Eco 1seats 20 people and can run on one gallon of bio-diesel for about 80 hours. Eco 2 works just as well, but seats around 8. Both vehicles are made by Tabontabon’s out-of-school youth, 90% of each vehicle is made out of bamboo, and they are covered in traditional Filipino woven mats called banig. Both vehicles are operating today – now if we could only get one in blue.

To me, it looks tacky and I have doubts about the sturdiness and safety features for it to be a safe alternative to cars.

Well, creative lang talaga ang Pinoy..

Saving While Shopping

Every week I am surprised at how fast the price of gas is changing. Last week, the price of regular gas in Northern Virginia is $3.69/gal but this morning when I filled up my tank, it was $3.83/gal. And as prices of gasoline gets higher and higher, we will do anything that will help us save on this essential commodity. One of the ways I do that is I don't drive so much anymore to go shopping and when I do; I would rather go to the one nearest to where I live. But most of the time I go online shopping. It is really the easiest way to go now adays not only to save on your gas expenses but also the most practical way if you are a very busy person who have no time to go to a physical store to shop; not to mention if you are living in the metropolis and you have to beat the traffic to get there.

Having said that, just this morning while looking for stuffs online, I found this internet shopping comparison engine. In the internet you can find everything, yes I said everything you'll ever need under the sun from jewelries and watches, clothing, electronic gadgets, airfares, hotels, vacation packages, health & beauty products, home & office furnitures, name it and you'll find it. It's like shopping in different stores of all products you can ever imagine, right at the comfort of your home or wherever and whenever you have access to the internet. It also means that you can find any product and every store online to get the best deal and price you will be comfortable with. One of the ways I do to keep up with the high cost of living, is to always look for the fairest way to shop to save time and save money. And I always compare prices of the products I am looking for before I make a decision to buy them. I found some rare and unusual items in the internet that are difficult to find in a physical store. And you know what I think is amazing about these shopping engines? It is the world's virtual shopping malls, where you can go shopping in Europe, Asia or US without even leaving your home. Isn't that really cool?

The most positive side of internet to me is, it made my life and my shopping options a lot more easier and at the same time, always giving me endless choices of products and services suited to my needs and my budget....I would say it can do a lot of positive things in your life too. Enjoy online shopping!

Are You A Pilgrim Golfer?

I stumbled upon this post while searching for inspiration for my personal sharing this coming Monday evening in our Parish. The writer's thought is so profound and inspiring that I just want to share it with you.

Click here to read the original post

The Pilgrims called themselves such long before they left for the New World and settled in Massachusetts. They envisioned life as a pilgrimage in which there is an eternal, internal journey of spiritual growth. Golf can be considered a pilgrimage too. It is more than just a trip from the parking lot and clubhouse around nine or eighteen holes and back. There are the many challenges, triumphs, and detours that one encounters along the way that can also make it a transformational process should you choose to perceive it that way. Moving back and forth from pride to shame, from anger to joy, and from depression to elation are just a few of the transitions we make during a round. Author Scott Peck calls the golf course the “ideal laboratory for spiritual growth.”

As a pilgrim golfer, score is not the focal point of the game. Rather it is soulful learning and growth. How truly rewarding is it for you to simply learn how to score better if you do not also learn something about yourself along the way? So what do many of us Westerners ask our fellow golfers at the end of a round? “What did you shoot?”

Golf, like life, we learn is not linear – there is no straight path in your journey. Rather there are detours mixed with triumphs of sort, progress and regression too. Real growth is not measured by how good a golfer you. When we begin to diminish our fixation on scoring to an appreciation of the experiential journey, we may truly begin to grasp what golf and life have to offer us, and indeed score even better. While you may want to have a goal or destination, it will be your detachment from that goal and rather your focus on the journey and the process that will produce greater and more gratifying results.

Blooms And Colors

It was such a gorgeous day today with sunshine and very comfortable temperature in the mid 50's. Although it rained early this evening, nature is beginning to come alive as spring-like weather of sunshine and temperatures in the 50's slowly makes inroads into our lives. Before we know it the tulips will be popping up and spring will be in the air! I can't wait. There is no better time to get outside and get moving again. I have always loved Spring, heck, doesn’t everyone? I look forward to the month of April knowing that I will once again be able to hear the songs of birds, the croaking of the frogs in the pond, the whispered melodies that the flowers sing as they burst with colors reaching up to the open sky. And yes, the flowers blooming in the yard!

I went outside to take some photos this afternoon after I got home from the work. I was so amazed to realize that flowers are already starting to bloom in the yard. Take a moment and enjoy this beautiful bloom and colors I captured, a living witness that spring is on its way.