Take a look at this link for a slide show on two sustainable technology developments that might work in Haiti.
Sorry you have to cut and paste this link into your browser, but this Mac will not allow live links:
http://socrates.berkeley.edu/erg/news/Gadgil_ERG_Annual_Lecture_2007.pdf
I'm researching more about this
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
More from Mr. Pence
Sorry for not being able to make Sunday’s meeting. Whew! Just getting over a flu-like sickness from Friday night until Monday. I spent two full days in bed or on the recliner. It’s taking a few more days for the sore throat and cough to go away.
Mike Pence sent a separate email to me yesterday, which seems to recognize what I was asking and responded to more specifically than the generic note I posted earlier.
Here’s what he sent:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dear Dr. Kirkwood:
Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 351, "To establish the Independent Commission on the 2004 Coup d'Etat in the Republic of Haiti." It was a pleasure to hear from you.
Representative Barbara Lee introduced this bill on 1/9/2007, and it was referred to the following Committee(s): House Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind should I have the opportunity to vote on this legislation.
Again, thank you for contacting me. It is an honor to serve in the United States House of Representatives and have the benefit of your advice. If you would like more information on this or any other issue, please visit my website at http://mikepence.house.gov.
Warmest regards,
Mike Pence
Member of Congress
Mike Pence sent a separate email to me yesterday, which seems to recognize what I was asking and responded to more specifically than the generic note I posted earlier.
Here’s what he sent:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dear Dr. Kirkwood:
Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 351, "To establish the Independent Commission on the 2004 Coup d'Etat in the Republic of Haiti." It was a pleasure to hear from you.
Representative Barbara Lee introduced this bill on 1/9/2007, and it was referred to the following Committee(s): House Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind should I have the opportunity to vote on this legislation.
Again, thank you for contacting me. It is an honor to serve in the United States House of Representatives and have the benefit of your advice. If you would like more information on this or any other issue, please visit my website at http://mikepence.house.gov.
Warmest regards,
Mike Pence
Member of Congress
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Senator Chris Dodd on Haiti
I have developed a very bad cold overnight and have spent most of Saturday in bed! Unusual, now, for me to get sick.
However, I’ve been thinking about the limp-wristed letter from Congressman Pence, so I went to Paul Farmer’s new book and found out more about Senator Chris Dodd’s efforts regarding Haiti. The following was taken from the Internet:
Statement by Senator Christopher J. Dodd
Conditioning Election Assistance for Haiti
In this statement, made in 2005, relates Sen. Dodd’s concerns about the U.S. position regarding the poverty, and lawlessness in Haiti. At that time Haiti was off-limits for travel due to the crisis there.
Here’s part of Sen. Dodd’s speech:
What has been the Bush Administration’s response to the Haitian crisis? Frankly Mr. President, the administration has been AWOL. While they were quick to seize the opportunity to facilitate the removal of the democratically elected president from office, since then there has been a decided disinterest on the part of the administration with respect to the fate of the Haitian people.
For the full speech, see:
http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3140
However, I’ve been thinking about the limp-wristed letter from Congressman Pence, so I went to Paul Farmer’s new book and found out more about Senator Chris Dodd’s efforts regarding Haiti. The following was taken from the Internet:
Statement by Senator Christopher J. Dodd
Conditioning Election Assistance for Haiti
In this statement, made in 2005, relates Sen. Dodd’s concerns about the U.S. position regarding the poverty, and lawlessness in Haiti. At that time Haiti was off-limits for travel due to the crisis there.
Here’s part of Sen. Dodd’s speech:
What has been the Bush Administration’s response to the Haitian crisis? Frankly Mr. President, the administration has been AWOL. While they were quick to seize the opportunity to facilitate the removal of the democratically elected president from office, since then there has been a decided disinterest on the part of the administration with respect to the fate of the Haitian people.
For the full speech, see:
http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3140
Friday, December 7, 2007
Mike Pence on Haiti
Here's the immediate reply I received already today!
Dear James:
Thank you for contacting me regarding Haiti. It was a pleasure to hear from you.
As we begin a new century, America will face unfathomable challenges, but also plentiful opportunities. As your representative in Washington , my mandate is to renew the American dream for Hoosiers and all Americans.
Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions. Your participation is vital to my work in the United States Congress. Rest assured, should relevant legislation come to the House floor for a vote, I will certainly keep your views in mind.
Again, thank you for contacting me. It is an honor to serve in the United States House of Representatives and have the benefit of your advice . If you would like more information on this or any other issue, please visit my website at http://mikepence.house.gov.
Warmest regards,
Mike Pence
Member of Congress
Hmmm,
Guess I'll never find out what he thinks of this bill, which is what I'd asked for.
Dear James:
Thank you for contacting me regarding Haiti. It was a pleasure to hear from you.
As we begin a new century, America will face unfathomable challenges, but also plentiful opportunities. As your representative in Washington , my mandate is to renew the American dream for Hoosiers and all Americans.
Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions. Your participation is vital to my work in the United States Congress. Rest assured, should relevant legislation come to the House floor for a vote, I will certainly keep your views in mind.
Again, thank you for contacting me. It is an honor to serve in the United States House of Representatives and have the benefit of your advice . If you would like more information on this or any other issue, please visit my website at http://mikepence.house.gov.
Warmest regards,
Mike Pence
Member of Congress
Hmmm,
Guess I'll never find out what he thinks of this bill, which is what I'd asked for.
Decmber...?
It’s been a while since I wanted to post. Not sure why…?
My excitement about the trip continues, but somewhat more subdued now that I have become friends with all the team members. I’ve learned to relax and take it more slowly. The retreat and the bonfire helped with that.
I haven’t heard back from Congressman Mike Pence, member of the Foreign Affairs committee of the House. I wrote him a third email today, directly from his web site. I want to know, as a member of that committee, what his views are on the HB 351, which wants to have an investigation of the coup of 2004 in Haiti.
I’ve just begun Paul Farmer’s book, Pathologies of Power, and also “The Comedians” by Graham Greene. It’s a novel set in Haiti, but won’t tell me much, if anything, about Haiti. The intro is by Paul Theroux, the author about whom I taught an Honors class 20 years ago or so. Interesting. Theroux would be a good analyst of Haiti if he put his mind to it.
Randall Robinson, author of “An Unspoken Agony,” responded with a short answer today. It was more or less an acknowledgement of my much longer note to him. I have not heard from Ron Voss, who I believe is still in Haiti. I’m concerned about him.
Sister Pat would like me to come down in February to teach PowerPoint to her students. I bought a Spanish version of Microsoft Office for Dummies to help me out because I have to teach in Spanish without an interpreter. None of the students knows any English. Now that I’m learning more Haitian Kreyòl, I keep getting the two languages mixed up. I wonder what will happen if and when I get to both countries just a month apart? Well, they say that learning a new language prevents the mind from aging. So I’m doubling that insurance. Tripling it actually, with my attempts to learn to read music for guitar playing! That, unfortunately, could go much better than it is. Not for lack of trying, however.
Spiritually, I don’t see much growth on my part, although I am trying to respond to others with a more humane attitude. But that’s secular humanism, not spirituality. I’ll try to find ways to work on that. My faith is not strong.
Physically, or at least materially, our team is progressing. More money has come in, and we seem to be ahead of schedule. The hearts were put on the tree last week and I believe more than 100 of them left with parishioners after the 9 and 11 o’clock masses. Not sure what happened in the other masses or what will happen this weekend. Two days of masses what with the Holy day on Saturday.
My idea for a holy water font seems to be drawing blanks from people I have asked to evaluate whether or not it would sell in the auction. I might just auction the largest one on eBay and see what happens. I have wood prepared for about 4 more, smaller ones. Lefty, from the luthier forum, promises to send a metal something or other, probably a cross. I think I worked some psychology with him, although that was not my intent, when I told him I would send him a wood back and side set for a mandolin since he promises to send an item for the auction. Barb Houck has offered to give me 2 paintings for sale there! And her husband, Chuck, has told me he would contribute a check. So I better get going on making bowls for the auction.
More snow today, had to plow and shovel. Left me without energy to get going with the bowls. Tonight Audrey and I have to drive to Jaimie and Eric’s near Marion to baby sit until 1030 P.M. or so. Waaaay past Audrey’s bedtime and beginning to cut into mine! Ah, such is the life of a septuagenarian.
My excitement about the trip continues, but somewhat more subdued now that I have become friends with all the team members. I’ve learned to relax and take it more slowly. The retreat and the bonfire helped with that.
I haven’t heard back from Congressman Mike Pence, member of the Foreign Affairs committee of the House. I wrote him a third email today, directly from his web site. I want to know, as a member of that committee, what his views are on the HB 351, which wants to have an investigation of the coup of 2004 in Haiti.
I’ve just begun Paul Farmer’s book, Pathologies of Power, and also “The Comedians” by Graham Greene. It’s a novel set in Haiti, but won’t tell me much, if anything, about Haiti. The intro is by Paul Theroux, the author about whom I taught an Honors class 20 years ago or so. Interesting. Theroux would be a good analyst of Haiti if he put his mind to it.
Randall Robinson, author of “An Unspoken Agony,” responded with a short answer today. It was more or less an acknowledgement of my much longer note to him. I have not heard from Ron Voss, who I believe is still in Haiti. I’m concerned about him.
Sister Pat would like me to come down in February to teach PowerPoint to her students. I bought a Spanish version of Microsoft Office for Dummies to help me out because I have to teach in Spanish without an interpreter. None of the students knows any English. Now that I’m learning more Haitian Kreyòl, I keep getting the two languages mixed up. I wonder what will happen if and when I get to both countries just a month apart? Well, they say that learning a new language prevents the mind from aging. So I’m doubling that insurance. Tripling it actually, with my attempts to learn to read music for guitar playing! That, unfortunately, could go much better than it is. Not for lack of trying, however.
Spiritually, I don’t see much growth on my part, although I am trying to respond to others with a more humane attitude. But that’s secular humanism, not spirituality. I’ll try to find ways to work on that. My faith is not strong.
Physically, or at least materially, our team is progressing. More money has come in, and we seem to be ahead of schedule. The hearts were put on the tree last week and I believe more than 100 of them left with parishioners after the 9 and 11 o’clock masses. Not sure what happened in the other masses or what will happen this weekend. Two days of masses what with the Holy day on Saturday.
My idea for a holy water font seems to be drawing blanks from people I have asked to evaluate whether or not it would sell in the auction. I might just auction the largest one on eBay and see what happens. I have wood prepared for about 4 more, smaller ones. Lefty, from the luthier forum, promises to send a metal something or other, probably a cross. I think I worked some psychology with him, although that was not my intent, when I told him I would send him a wood back and side set for a mandolin since he promises to send an item for the auction. Barb Houck has offered to give me 2 paintings for sale there! And her husband, Chuck, has told me he would contribute a check. So I better get going on making bowls for the auction.
More snow today, had to plow and shovel. Left me without energy to get going with the bowls. Tonight Audrey and I have to drive to Jaimie and Eric’s near Marion to baby sit until 1030 P.M. or so. Waaaay past Audrey’s bedtime and beginning to cut into mine! Ah, such is the life of a septuagenarian.
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