Last week over Christmas, my sister, brother in law, Adia and Geoff were visiting me in Seattle. It was wonderful having them over... some of places that we went to:

1. Space Needle


2. Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant in Central District

3. Burlesque Nutcracker at Triple door

4. Pink Door Burlesque Show (I didnt really attend this time, been there before)





5. Cedars Indian Restaurant
6. Trader Joes (yes, this was on the itinerary and a must go)

7. REI flagship store

8. EMP (I did not go for this cuz I was working on Monday)

	Experience Music Project Seattle, USA
	The EMP is one of Frank Gehry’s most challenging design features to date. The 612 pieces of 20mm thick laminated glass, anchored on three or four sets of stainless steel bolt fittings, were ultimately supported by rows of four swooping 100mm diameter steel pipes over a steel tree like frame sys

9. Spanish Tapas Party at my sister's friends place in Belltown
10. Thai Tom in UDistrict


11. Wallingford and Green Lake



12. Fremont and the Troll

Here comes the holidays... and the Christmas parties.

First one for me was at my boss's place in Issaquah, WA. He just moved from Hawaii into this really beautiful house and it was wonderful meeting so many people from work while also getting a chance to see what the surbs and towns around Seattle are like.

Wiki: Issaquah (Iz-ah-qu-ah)[ˈɪsəkwɔ) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 11,212 at the 2000 census. Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, Issaquah ranked 6th of 279 eligible incorporated communities in population growth between 2000 and 2005.^[1] Forbes.com ranked Issaquah the 2nd fastest-growing suburb in the state, and the 89th in the nation.^[2]

Issaquah, Washington
The party was wonderful, we relaxed on Sunday, recovering and cleaning and then I flew out on Monday morning. That was a nightmare because my taxi guy did not show up and I decided to take a bus to the city and catch a cab to JFK from there. Waited outside in 20 degree F weather and then standing room only in the bus which got stuck in the Lincoln Tunnel for over an hour and half because of a car breakdown inside...luckily I still made it in time thanks to the special business elite gate at JFK for Delta. I made it through security check in and to the gate in 15 minutes!

I have been terrible at updating my blog over the last few weeks.. its been pretty crazy and I am totally loving it. I am going to start with my Tennessee Trip for my Yoga Retreat, this was an awesome experience and even though it was a rigorous 3-4hr yoga sessions in this amazing place, it was totally worth it. Here are the details:

Hata Yoga Program - Isha Foundation

Date: 8 - 9 Dec 2007

Hata Yoga, a 2-3 day residential program at our centers, is an opportunity to learn Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) along with a series of asanas (yoga postures). The program does not require any previous experience in yoga, nor particular physical agility. Participants need not have gone through any previous Isha Programs. In this one-time program, the postures are imparted in depth, enabling you to continue to practice them at home. Isha Hata Yoga is far beyond being a mere physical exercise, or simply bending the body. This comprehensive set of asanas is scientifically designed in such a way that through regular practice, one can attain to a certain mastery over body and mind. Isha Hata Yoga not only improves health and well-being, but also brings the necessary balance within oneself to experience higher levels of energy. As a preparatory step for other Isha Yoga practices, it significantly enhances the experience of kriyas and meditation.

Gosh! This woman in amazing...her words are like fire, so powerful - it blows me away!

 

Very interesting article that my sister forwarded me, its like the most unlikely cities.. not a single one in Estados Unitos!

The World's Most Earthquake-Vulnerable Cities
Forbes.com staff 12.04.07, 6:00 PM ET

In Pictures: The 20 Most Earthquake-Vulnerable Cities  Related Stories The 20 Most Earthquake-Vulnerable Cities

When it comes to earthquakes, a magnitude 6.0 rumble in San Francisco may shake the same as a 6.0 in Delhi. But you’re far more likely to die in India.

Blame that mortality spread on exponential population growth, increasing poverty, and lax or non-existent building codes. In short: Poor nations run far greater risk of fatalities than rich ones.

GeoHazards International, a nonprofit research group aiming to reduce suffering due to natural disasters, measured the lethal potential of seismic disasters facing small and large cities in Asia and the Americas--areas most at risk for seismic calamity. The sample cities spanned both developed and developing countries. Variables measured: building frailty; potential for landslides and fires; and the rescue, firefighting and life-saving medical abilities of local authorities.

In Pictures: The 20 Cities Most Vulnerable To Earthquakes

I have been having this discussion with a friend over the last couple of weeks, just thought i'll post in the highlights in case I want to refer back.. ofcourse, only my version of the discussion and articles are posted below:

Here is where the email chain started:

Ending Famine, Simply by Ignoring the Experts

While we are being nerds, lets get our facts straight.

U.S. AG

8: Percentage of U.S. farmers responsible for 72 percent of total U.S. ag sales, 2002

10 : Percentage of commodity-subsidy beneficiaries receiving two-thirds of total farm subsidies, 2003-2005

93: Percentage of farm subsidies going to five products (corn, wheat, rice, soybeans, cotton), 2006

$8000: Average yearly income for U.S. farm worker, 2002

3 out of 4: Proportion of U.S. farm workers hailing from Mexico, 2001-2002

61: Percentage of farm workers living in poverty, 2002

26,832,179: Number of Americans receiving food stamps, August 2007

33: Percentage of American adults considered obese, 2004

15.7: Wal-Mart's share of U.S. grocery sales, 2004

4: Inches of "feeder space‚" allotted to typical factory-farmed chicken

SOURCES: USDA, Environmental Working Group, National Family Farm Coalition, Food and Water Watch, Farm Sanctuary, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

So we have about 61% of the farmers still living in poverty in the US. Of course that does not mean I am for farm subsidiaries which in my opinion completely goes against a free market economy, which as you know I am a huge proponent of. The republicans are barking up the wrong tree by giving more subsidies to people who already have enough while ignoring the population that really needs it, some strong points against the 2007 farm bill: "The Bush administration — like its predecessors going back to Herbert Hoover — appears to have learned nothing and forgotten nothing about farm policy. The main effect of farm programs is to force farmers to do inefficiently what they would have done efficiently without subsidies, to force Americans to pay more for food, to drive up the price of farmland(thereby undermining American farmers' competitiveness), and to squander pointlessly tens of billions of dollars a year. Every subsidized crop (except sugar cane) would still be grown in America even if the USDA never handed out another bushel of greenbacks. The issue is not whether the United States will have ample food in the future, but whether politicians will continue controlling American agriculture."

Modern Paternalism, they call it. more:http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0208d.asp

Wiki has some good discussion on subsidies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_subsidy

Another good article on 2007 farm act: http://7dvt.com/2007/crop-circles