Efren Peñaflorida, who started a “pushcart classroom” in the Philippines to bring education to poor children as an alternative to gang membership, has been named the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year.

CNN has info, videos, the full story.

Inspections for the next generation

Nonprofits, NGOs, and ministries often own real estate. How do you determine the structural condition of that property? When it’s time to buy or sell property, who inspects its condition, to warn you of concerns so that you won’t be surprised later on? You may think of hiring a local engineer. However, most engineers are specialists who don’t have the broad training needed to create a comprehensive Property Condition Report. And, I offer a 20% discount, or sliding fee scale, for nonprofit organizations of all kinds.

James Eubank is a member of ASTM International

I’m James Eubank, a Certified Commercial Inspector. My inspection services and consultations are available around the world (except perhaps a few locales with restrictions or regulations), I’ll be glad to make a free Written Proposal for your project. You can contact me through LinkedIn, or through my website at www.westinspect.us. I look forward to meeting you!

Life on the American Frontier . . . The Old West comes alive . . . Nineteenth Century history . . . Living History at its best.

No trip to Colorado is complete without a stop at Bent’s Old Fort.  This adobe fort has been reconstructed just as it was in the 1830’s.  It was the most important stop on the Santa Fe Trail, between Missouri and New Mexico.  History comes alive at Bent’s Old Fort, thanks to many local re-enactors, craftsmen, volunteers, and park employees.

Stop by on the first weekend in December, and you’ll see a 19th Century Christmas come to life.  “Witness for yourself the joys, pleasures and pastimes of the 1840s at an isolated trading post. The spirit of the season comes alive with wagon rides, games, toy making and other holiday festivities. The event begins Friday evening December 4 with candlelight tours of the fort and continues all through Saturday, December 5 culminating with another evening of candlelight tours.”

Christmas at Bent’s Old Fort is a special event not to be missed.  Check it online at Bent’s Old Fort – Special Events.

Did You Know?
Bent’s Fort was on the boundary with Mexico in the 1830s and 1840s. It was 600 miles from the nearest town in Missouri.

Autumn is a beautiful season.  Oh, I know about the rain, sometimes snow, too.  Yes, there’s wind, mud, bare trees, what else?  And fall is still my favorite season.  The air is fresh (most places), the temperature is invigorating, the sun is inviting, what more do you want?  So my simple challenge to you is:  Kick yourself out the door.  Get outside, even if you may not feel like it.  You’ll be glad you did.

Once you get out there, where do you head?  If it’s hiking, check out the 3500+ hikes that are detailed at Find a Hike, on backpacker.com. Most of the hikes at this site are GPS-enabled, to view online, beam to your printer or wireless, or add to your online profile.

But wait!  Don’t head out without some decent gear to keep you safe and dry.  There are all kinds of gear checklists at backpacker, too. Just be sure to notice the gear lists in the top box, and don’t get tricked by the shopping lists below them.

Maps?  Need more maps?  The website for each US National Forest has trail maps.

Ok, one more thing:  Try keeping a little bag always loaded with flashlights, batteries, toilet paper, trowel, first aid kit, and water filter.  This way you can make a quick getaway when the hiking bug bites.  You’ll have some of the minimal preparations already done.

This photo is one I took at the top of Old La Veta Pass, Colorado, a couple of months ago.  And by the way, next time you have a good hike, I’d like to hear about it.  Thanks!

Old La Veta Pass is great for hiking

Winter is on its way.  In fact, here in Colorado, it seems to have arrived early, with days of freezing rain, or snow, or cold fog.  So it’s time to start thinking about winter preparations for your home.  It’s important to get your house ready for winter, and you may already have the good habit of doing that.  Here are a few more online tips for taking care of your home, and providing a little help to the neighborhood birds, too.

Drain your water heater:  Watch a video on flushing out built-up sediment in your water heater.

Another video shows parents and children how to build a bird feeder together.

And an article about wood fires and taking care of your chimney.

Thanks to This Old House for timely and useful information that is worth passing on to others.

“The Code of the West was first chronicled by the famous western writer, Zane Grey. The men and women who came to this part of the country during the westward expansion of the United States were bound by an unwritten code of conduct. The values of integrity and self-reliance guided their decisions, actions and interactions.”

The Code of the West has opened many peoples’ eyes to the realities of living in the rural West.  The Code helps people to make informed and realistic decisions about living Out West. The body of this document and most of the original wording was taken from a work by John Clarke, a Commissioner for Larimer County, Colorado.

“It is important for you to know that life in the country is different from life in the city. County governments are not able to provide the same level of service that municipal governments provide. To that end, we are providing you with the following information to help you make an educated and informed decision when choosing to purchase rural land . . .”

READ THE CODE OF THE WEST

First of all, a jeepney is a public transport vehicle in the Philippines.  Jeepneys provide affordable rides to wherever you’re going.  And jeepneys can be beautiful!  The owners decorate each one individually, and the artwork is impressive.

Beyond that, The Jeepney is Asia’s first street magazine.  Street magazines provide meaningful jobs for folks who are unemployed, sometimes homeless.  And The Jeepney magazine is very educational.  You will see how peoples’ lives are affected by lack of clean water, or by homelessness, or by war.  Check out The Jeepney magazine online. You’ll be glad you did.

Sometimes you run across an article that says it just right.  I’ve made comments about the effects of the recession before.  But Jeff Rundles has done such a great summary, that I’m just going to pass it on to you.  His conclusions seem pretty accurate.  And somehow, the attitude comes through that it’s ok, that the new reset economy will be an improvement.

Read Lather. Rinse . . . .

If you live anywhere in Colorado, you won’t want to miss the annual Mennonite Relief Sale.  It’s a one-of-a-kind event, a great combination of good food, beautiful quilts, lively auction, talented musicians, all for a good cause.  The proceeds go to support Mennonite Central Committee, which is heavily involved in relief efforts and peacemaking around the world.

This year’s 2009 Relief Sale will be held in Rocky Ford, CO, on October 16-17.  Get the details at the Relief Sale’s website. I hope to see you there!

It’s been about five days now since the big flood in Manila.  Here in the United States, not much was heard about the flood after the first reports on Saturday.  But I’ve been trying to keep up with the news.  The Philippine newspapers tell of damage that will take months, if not years, to overcome.  And personal reports from friends in Manila tell stories of many families losing everything.

Now a second typhoon is on the way to hit the island of Luzon.  Typhoon Pepeng (Parma) will probably hit on Saturday, with winds up to 200 kph.  You can read about Pepeng (Parma) at the Philippine Inquirer newspaper.

The people in the community of Tanza, outside Manila, are among the poorest of the poor in the Philippines.  Many of them struggle to find enough to eat, and many cannot afford even basic medical care.  After a flood, the possibility of disease increases dramatically.  I’m working with a group to make donations for a clinic in Tanza, where a doctor would visit once or twice a month.  And our gifts will buy medicines for people who cannot afford them.  There’s a lot of good information about Tanza, the flood, and the Philippines at the Tanza Clinic website.  It’s just a simple site that I set up, to get the word out about the people, the workers, and the need in Tanza.  Come visit the site, and help if you can.  Thanks!