Use 'bayong,' cloth bag

Plastic bags are made from polyethylene, which comes from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource.
They are ubiquitous. Between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

However, less than 1 percent of the bags are recycled because it costs more to recycle a bag than to produce a new one. It costs $4,000 to process and recycle a ton of plastic bags, which can then be sold for $32.
If the economics don't work, recycling efforts don't work.

Cloth bag
We can save six plastic bags a week if we use a cloth bag. That's 24 plastic bags a month, 288 plastic bags a year and 22,176 plastic bags in an average lifetime. If just one out of every five people in our country did this we would save 1,330,560,000,000 plastic bags over our life time.
There's another reason why plastic bags should be banned. Plastic bags take between 20 and 1,000 years to break down in the environment. Even when they do break down they are not really gone. Plastic bags do not biodegrade rather, they photodegrade.

Top discards
So it doesn't come as a surprise that plastic bags are the top discards collected in Philippine waters.
A discards survey in Manila Bay found that plastic bags comprised 51.4 percent of the flotsam in 2006 and 27.7 percent in 2010, according to the EcoWaste Coalition, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives and Greenpeace. Plastics in general, including plastic bags, made up 77 percent of the discards in 2006 and 76 percent in 2010.

In Laguna de Bay, plastic bags accounted for the biggest group of discards at 23 percent, according to a survey in September 2011.

LGUs support ban
Recognizing the threats posed by plastic bags to the environment, a growing number of municipalities and cities are now implementing ordinances aimed at reducing the use of the bags.
he league of 27 municipalities of Nueva Ecija also signed a resolution declaring a ban on the use of plastic bags.

Subic Bay Freeport is the latest addition to the list.
Muntinlupa City reaped the benefit of banning not only plastic bags but also polysterene, commonly known as Styrofoam (a brand name) when a tropical storm struck last year. With its waterways free from plastic bags and Styrofoam debris, the city was flood-free despite the heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm "Falcon."

The Metro Manila Development Authority, thus, strongly encourages local government units to adopt similar strong measures like what Muntinlupa has done.
For its part, the Laguna Lake Development Authority has issued Resolution No. 406 requiring local government units in the Laguna de Bay region to pass and implement an ordinance banning the use and distribution of thin-film, single-use, carry-out and nonbiodegradable plastic bags.

More countries are also banning the use of plastic bags:
Bangladesh was the first country to impose a nationwide ban on plastic bags that led to  jute exports increasing by up to 70 percent.

Ireland introduced a "plastax" of 15 cents (now 22 cents) on single-use carrier bags. Plastic-bag use dropped by 95 percent.
Other countries include China, India (Himachal Pradesh), Britain (Modbury), South Africa, Rwanda and the United States .

Shops queen Mary Portas bags 10million to help our high street

Britain's poorest high streets are to get a 10 million cash injection after Mary Queen of Shops won government backing for her regeneration plan.

Flame haired shopping guru Mary Portas was "thrilled" today to see most of her 28 point blueprint get the thumbs up.

Her bid to breathe life into struggling town centres includes grants for areas with the most boarded up shops so they can be re-opened,

free or cheaper parking and a 1 million jackpot for the town that turns itself around the best.

Portas - who has her own range of women's clothes and lingerie - has also won her campaign to bring market days back to the high street.

June 23 will see the launch of Love Your Local Market with entrepreneurs from craftsman and artists to bakers and jewellery makers able to set up stall for a tenner in town centres.

Portas was hired by the Prime Minister last year to come up with an action plan to revive the flagging high street.

Today her Portas Plus plan was given the green light by Housing Minister Grant Shapps following warnings that Britain's high streets were in danger of being wiped out.

He said: "Mary Portas's review made crystal clear the stark challenge our high streets face.

"With internet shopping and out-of-town centres here to stay, they must offer something new if they are to entice visitors back."

But the government kicked out her hardest hitting measure - a clampdown on out of town shopping malls.

Although Mary was said to be miffed over the decision she said: "When I published my review I was clear that this was an action plan for our high streets, not a document to gather dust on Whitehall shelves.

"But I do believe that today marks the first day of a fresh new approach, putting our high streets firmly back on the public and national agenda."

Portas Plus got a mixed reception from the industry with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) calling for "greater ambition" from the government.

But the Association of Town Centre Management said it handed "local communities the opportunity to shape the future High Street they want to see in their town."

Product review- OGIO RIG 9800 LE Gear Bag

Ogio have always had a reputation of making some of the best gear bags on the market, so when it was time to start looking for a new gear bag earlier this year my first call was to Lusty Industries, to see if they had anything available that would carry a full set of riding gear including boots and helmet all in one bag to meet my travelling requirements.
A few days later an OGIO RIG 9800 rolled up on my front door step and it could not have come at a better time, with a trip to Coffs harbour only a few days away. After ripping it out of its packaging the first thing that I wanted to test out was the most important requirement I had, would it fit all my riding gear in comfortably ?
The answer was a very comfortable yes, I was able to load the RIG 9800 up with Boots, Helmet, Two full sets of riding gear , my leatt neck brace, three sets of goggles, tearoffs, and still had room to spare! At that point I decided I may not need to take a secondary bag for toiletries and some clothes and I was right.

The top outer pocket on the outside the bag provided the perfect place for the toiletries, while there was enough room in the main compartment in the bag for a change of clothes. I then managed to slide some more necessities into the two upper pockets in the top inner section of the bag.
All in all, I managed to squeeze quite a lot in there. With the bag loaded the next big test was about to be undertaken. I had a 23kg bag limit for the flights each way, most airlines allow between 20kg to 23kg depending on who you fly with, before you have to start paying excess baggage fees. I pulled the bathroom scales out placed the bag on top and fully loaded it came in at 20.5kg well under what I was looking for.
The weight of a gear bag is something that can be overlooked when purchasing a new bag. Considering the overall size of the OGIO RIG 9800, along with the great construction, the under carriage which comes with hardened protection and a decent set of wheels for the bag to roll on , the 9800 does come in at very reasonable 6.4kg which leaves plenty of spare weight available when packing for travel.
The only additions that could come in handy on this bag would be some additional outer pockets for quick access storage, though the one pocket on the top of the bag is quite big.

Also there is not much in the way of ventilation, this does help with ensuring the protection of your riding gear inside the bag with more padded protection around the whole bag, but can leave you holding your nose if the bag is full of wet used riding gear that has been travelling home for more than a day.
Overall the OGIO 9800 RIG is a great gear bag and is doing exactly what I need of it, it holds more than a full set of riding gear top to bottom, is light enough when completely loaded to make it under the weight limits when flying and, is easy to travel with, the large set of wheels make the bag a breeze to pull along and the 9800 RIG slides perfectly into the boot of the car for local races. After a few short months with the OGIO bag I could not be happier.

Double life of Revenge for Sarah

IT'S a warm evening and from this multi-million-dollar Manhattan apartment, the sun setting over Central Park and the New York skyline is magnificent.

The interior has exquisite furnishings and the walk-in wardrobe is filled with Chanel, Gucci and other designer clothes, shoes and handbags.
Thing is, it's not an apartment, but a set on TV drama Ringer, the twist-and-turn-laden drama starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as two characters - Siobhan and recovering addict twin Bridget Kelly.

The apartment is not in Manhattan. It's a set in Stage 3 on Los Angeles' landmark Culver Studios.
To make the balcony view realistic, a 24m x 6m canvas print of the sunset over the city skyline and Central Park was erected.

"I think we've done a pretty amazing job," Gellar says. "I mean, I'm a born and raised New Yorker and it's important to me that we keep not just the look of New York City but the feel of it."
Ringer marked Gellar's return to starring in a TV series.

After her seven-year run on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended in 2003, she concentrated on films, but that changed in September 2009, with the birth of daughter Charlotte.
When the 34-year-old, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr, was offered the roles of Siobhan and Bridget, and the opportunity to executive produce Ringer, she signed up.

With the series shot in LA, she could work and always be close to Charlotte.
"I realised, 'I can be somewhere the entire year. I can take my child for the first day of school'," she says.

"Two weeks ago my daughter was very sick and I got to go home and be with her."
Gellar created a creche on the Culver Studio lot so the actors and crew could bring their children to work.

How to keep household papers in check

Guests are coming! No time to think. Just sweep all that kitchen counter papers into a shopping bag, and stuff it under the couch. Much better. The counter looks all nice and clear now. You can just set up the drinks and ice bucket, and voila!
You know what happens after the party, right? The paper stays under the couch. Or tucked in the guest bedroom. Out of sight, out of mind. It all seemed pretty easy. Maybe too easy.
You have a nagging feeling: Maybe that's where the insurance policy ended up. Dad's lottery tickets. Uncle Louie's Florida address. Vacation photos. Loan documents. Gift cards. Investment papers. Tax receipts. Grandma's last letter to you. Weeks and months pass by, and pretty soon, you need a backhoe to excavate The Great Kitchen Paper Dump. You can't let it go. But you can't face it either. It's all one big mess.
Household paper presents unique challenges to all of us. It demands attention, careful thought and decisions. This is difficult to achieve when everyday activities distract us with endlessly pressing demands.
According to Barbara Hemphill, author of "Taming the Paper Tiger," "Filing something is never easier than it is today, and with every day you wait, it only becomes more and more difficult."
Paper piles start with postponed decisions. Repeat the process daily, and the clutter cycle takes root. Just like weeds in the garden, it becomes more painful and time consuming to eradicate the longer you ignore it.
Why is it so hard to make these decisions? One big reason: We don't have a system for processing incoming paper. Organizing expert Kathy Waddill says that organizing needs to be "simple, flexible and tailored to your life in the present moment."
How many of us have such a system set up for household paper? Think about it: How many steps does it take to place documents in the file cabinet? Do you have a file cabinet? Are tools and containers conveniently located where you work? Where are the recycle bin and shredder located? We all have recipes for making dinner. What is the recipe for handling paper?
Here is an organizing recipe for your kitchen paper. With five minutes every day, your in-box will be empty and your paper will be organized for action.

Reading 'round the globe

St. Joseph Elementary School second grade students, Macey Mead, left, and Henry Saint make "schuletute", German school gift bags, during a world's fair of literacy, near the end of March is Reading Month, at the school on Monday morning. / John Grap/The Enquirer
Over the weekend, Battle Creek's Arild Rorhus worked up a batch of caramel cake from his native Norway — his mother's recipe — to share with the students at St. Joseph Catholic Elementary today.
Rorhus' Norwegian delights, along with pickles from Poland, dried mango and limeade from the Philippines, Burmese salad from Myanmar, and a host of other treats, were part of St. Joe's World Fair celebration in honor of March is Reading Month. There also were various crafts from the different countries displayed and a sampling of books.
Jeanine Winkler, the school's administrative assistant, said students have collected stamps in their "passports" throughout the month as they learned about different countries and completed reading goals. The school also invited volunteers in to teach kids about different cultures and read to them.
"This is the culmination of all that," Winkler said this morning. "We just wanted to show them all the good that God's created in the world."
"It's nice," said Rorhus, 44, who said he's lived in the U.S. 20 years, half of that in the Cereal City. He has two fourth-graders and a sixth-grader at the school.
"It's a chance to show off some of the stuff," he said. "And kids get a feel of what else is out there, different flavors of the world."
Among the other stops: Australia, Bolivia, Mexico, Egypt, Denmark, China, Ireland, Columbia, Germany and Guatemala.
Among the samplers was 8-year-old second-grader Nathan Pawlowicz, who said he'd learned lots of new stuff throughout the year and was enjoying the fair.

Fox411 Country: Josh Turner releases new music, ACM performers announced

Country singer Josh Turner stopped by the Fox 411 studios this week to give a sneak peek at what’s in store on his summer album “Punching Bag” by releasing his lead single “Time is Love” which takes center stage as our featured song of the week!
And as we gear up for our Fox 411 Country coverage of the Academy of Country Music Awards, there’s more news about “Country Music’s Party of the Year” as additional performers have been announced -- Carrie Underwood, Sara Evans, and Keith Urban. They’ll join previously announced performers on the star-studded list including Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum and more.
Plus fan-voting is now open for New Artist of the Year Nominees Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes, and Scotty McCreery.  So for that and the coveted Entertainer of the Year category for which Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift are competing – fans can start choosing their favorites!  The winners will be announced live on the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards April 1st.
Meanwhile in other news Lady Antebellum is heading back to school to give the students of one tornado ravaged high school the ultimate prom night.  Henryville High School in Henryville, IN won the trio’s “Own Prom Night” contest after video submissions from schools across the country rooting for them.  The Grammy winning trio isn't able to attend the school’s scheduled prom but instead will throw a bigger event May 16th in nearby Louisville, KY.  They’ll perform a private concert followed by a benefit for the community.
As for new music, Season 9 "American Idol" finalist Casey James sends out his self-titled debut album.  The singer has already toured with country music duo Sugarland, and gave fans a sneak peek at the new tunes while he was on the road.  He tells Fox 411 Country, “I’ve been out on the road testing the material and playing what I knew was going to be on the album that no one else knew was going to be on the album for quite awhile and the intention is to just go out and play as many places as I can.”

Woman who embezzled from John's Appliance City not happy with sentence

A former bookkeeper at a local appliance store recently sent to prison for stealing nearly $1 million is not happy with her punishment.
Carrie Elizabeth Pifer, 28, of South Daytona has filed an appeal of her 10-year prison sentence, which was handed down in February by Circuit Judge R. Michael Hutcheson.
Pifer had worked for John's Appliance City for nearly a decade when an internal audit uncovered the missing funds. John's founder, John Hinton, said Pifer skimmed "what she decided to take" from the bank deposits at a rate of $250,000 per year.
"I treated her like family," Hinton said in court when Pifer was sentenced.
The notice of appeal was filed in the 5th District Court of Appeals earlier this month.
Although further filings will explain Pifer's arguments, the initial notice of appeal signed by her trial lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Larry Powers, said Pifer is appealing the sentence.
At John's Appliance City on Monday, managers seemed amused that Pifer was not happy with the time she will spend in prison. When she was sentenced for grand theft last month, Pifer faced up to 30 years.
When Pifer gets out of prison, she will be on probation for 10 years, Hutcheson ordered. She will have to make payments to Hinton as part of her release, although the exact terms of repayment were not determined.
Hinton, the business owner, confirmed he was notified of Pifer's appeal and will be awaiting further hearings.
John's Appliance City has four stores in the area -- in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Orange City and Palm Coast. Hinton testified that he started the business over 30 years ago "in the back of my truck."
Pifer's scheme involved altering amounts on bank deposits, and then pocketing what she chose, according to testimony.
While Pifer was spending the money, about 40 of her co-workers were being laid off. Some of that was because of the economy or poor job performance, according to testimony. But "several" people had to be let go because of the missing cash flow.
Co-workers noticed fancy Gucci handbags, $300 shirts and a trip to Hawaii that Pifer took with her boyfriend.
When asked about her spending habits, Pifer told them she had a trust fund and had inherited money from her dead grandfather.

Apple Shopping Spree: What Could Tim Cook Buy

Apple says it is buying back $10 billion in stock and launching a dividend payment to spend just under half of its cash pile on shareholders in the next three years.
Samsung–See above, antitrust would be a serious headache and even Apple’s cash wouldn’t be enough, but given that Samsung makes a lot of  Apple parts. A family of iPhones on different budgets would have plenty of new demographic targets.
T-Mobile–Maybe Apple is content to let RIM wallow in its attempt to catch up, and would rather take to giving iPhone users the service for the device. Just like it built iTunes up to feed iPods and the App Store to sell to iPhones, Apple wants to control a user’s entire experience. Acquiring a cell network would do that to a new degree. (Sorry, Phil Falcone, even these money bags are unlikely to take a bet and bail you out of Lightsquared.)
Twitter–Why not? A hot service that would launch Apple into a whole new interaction phase and there’s little doubt the minds at Apple would quickly monitize Twitter, and hopefully kill the Fail Whale for good.
Facebook–Tim will take the IPO. All of it.
Apple Bank–Don’t laugh this one off so easily. One of the biggest problems in the retail banking world is that hardly anyone likes their bank. Apple’s proven what it can do in retail space, and its allure and cult following would likely be willing to take a chance with it. A second major problem for banks, the need to find fees. Apple did this with iTunes and music downloading, what’s to say a customer wouldn’t toss a few dollar’s Apple’s way for a smart, easy-to-use and effective online banking platform. The interface could even be downloaded straight to your computer like iTunes. Apple Bank in New York only fits because of the name, but Apple could buy a much smaller bank with a few branches and become a hybrid of ING Online.

Things learned, observed in Pacific high school spring sports season Week 4.0

It was noble in concept when then-district superintendent Mike Diekmann put a true DODDS Japan sports circuit on the map for school year 1999-2000.
Schools in far-flung locales, E.J. King, Matthew C. Perry and Robert D. Edgren no longer had to go longing for competition against their Kanto Plain brethren; they each now have full-fledged schedules in football, volleyball, tennis, cross country, basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, track and soccer.
Problem is, the weather sometimes is uncooperative and the calendar always is, at least where tennis, baseball, softball, track and sometimes soccer are concerned.
Purely by chance, the last two weekends have proven to be rain magnets. Heavy rain, sideways rain, the sort of rain that settles in and keeps up all day or all weekend.
Two Kanto Plain track and field meets got called off 17 hours before they were to begin on Saturday, an international-schools meet at Tokyo's Kinuta Park and a DODDS all-comers meet at Camp Zama. This, a week after a combined Japan schools practice meet at Zama got almost completely washed out, except for a few running events. Guess the meet organizers didn't want to take a chance after that March 10 washout. Wise decision.
Baseball and softball were completely out of the conversation on March 9-10 at Zama. Perry, King and Edgren did get in some boys and girls games at Yokota, Zama and Nile C. Kinnick on Friday, but Saturday's action was a wash. Soccer matches did get played at Sasebo, where E.J. King's fields are turfed, and at Iwakuni, where Perry's match organizers got creative in clearing the field; more on that later.
It's an exercise in frustration, especially since most weekends are filled, wall to wall, with long-haul matches on the schedule. It's 360 miles from Tokyo to Misawa, some 560 miles to Iwakuni and 780 to Sasebo. It's much easier to reschedule Kanto Plain matches, when the schools are so much closer. It's nigh onto impossible to reschedule DODDS Japan sports events of most any type once postponed. Worse, there are fewer options for the outlying schools, where international schools are fewer or more distant than in the Kan-to and Japanese schools have their own leagues.
Squeegees are normally associated with tennis courts when rain turns hardcourts into skating rinks. Mark Lange, Matthew C. Perry's boys soccer coach, continues to make creative use of the court driers on a different sort of court – the soccer pitch.
From 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Lange and his star striker Tyelor Apple, among others, wielded Squeegees to clear off enough water from Lake Perry (Lange's nickname for the school field when it becomes waterlogged due to heavy rain) so that Robert D. Edgren and the host Matthew C. Perry Samurai could play, albeit on a shortened field. The two schools teed it up, then played a mix-and-match game as the two sides used each other's players in a friendly match.
"Masters in the bag, working on my doctorate," Lange posted on Facebook in response to me calling him, "Lord of the Squeegee."

Following trail of Annabelle Rama

Annabelle Rama's been featured on television shows these days, a certified newsmaker and toprater. But of all the interviews I've watched, I dare say that GMA News TV's "Powerhouse," hosted by Mel Tiangco, was the best.
POLITICAL ROOTS – With Annabelle were husband Eddie and children Rocky and Richard, who delivered the response on behalf of the Rama clan.
Yes, Chard has political roots so don't be surprised if one of these days he considers entering public service. He already does via his environmental shows and advocacy.
At 28, Chard is seriously considering taking up filmmaking in the US in preparation for a career as producer and director. But it'll come later as he's still much sought-after as actor, host, and endorser.
FABULOUS BAG COLLECTION – But back to Annabelle Rama and "Powerhouse," whose format is really showcasing the residence of stars.
Mel Tiangco toured the Gutierrez house in Quezon City, newly renovated, actually completely rebuilt… but for the posts of the old house. Very beautiful house, really classy.
But what "floored" Mel was Annabelle's fabulous bag collection, worth a king's ransom. A room isn't big enough for her Louis Vuitton, Prada, Valentino, Gucci, Hermes, and some such high-end brands.
In response to Mel's queries, Annabelle said the most expensice is Hermes (nearly a million pesos), but her favorite is Chanel.
Annabelle said many of the bags were gifts from friends, knowing her weakness for them. Every now and then, she sells some of her bags at "very friendly prices."

Changing of the guard

At Paris Fashion Week, I've been serenaded by Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz, served champagne at Hermes and seduced by Chanel's giant crystal palace at the magnificent Grand Palais monument to la Belle Epoque.
Then there were the metal detectors at Haider Ackermann.
Decanting one's handbag is usually an activity reserved for the end of the day during Paris Fashion Week, yet at 11am we found ourselves doing so due to the heritage-listed grandeur of the city's Hotel de Ville, which was the venue for Ackermann's show.
As Tilda Swinton took her place in the front row, the lights dimmed before the first model emerged in an olive-green round-shouldered jacket over a black form-fitting knit dress cinched at the waist by a grey obi-like thick leather belt.
As the volume of the eerie electronic music swelled so, too, did that of the clothes; jackets were amplified into spherical, sculptural shapes balanced against skinny trousers or sheath skirts and classics such as the trench and the biker were reworked in leather with seaming, padding and zippers.
With its autumnal tones (Frank Sinatra's Autumn Leaves was part of the soundtrack, just in case you missed the inspiration), elaborate layering, heavy use of leather, belted waists and - most importantly - a new, soft shoulder, Ackermann's collection was not only that of a designer at the top of his game, it also offered in a single show a handy cheat sheet of the key trends we will be wearing next winter.

Leighton Meester on set of Gossip Girl with the Monogram Louis Vuitton Lockit Fascination

Still looks to shout from Leighton Meester on set of Gossip Girl and this time it is completed by a Louis Vuitton handbag! In fact in the latest episodes Meester is acting not only the girl's rich and spoiled New York's Upper East Side, but also the story of the princess, so you have fittings at the least! And I would say that the wonderful Monogram Lockit Louis Vuitton handbag is a very clear statement of status, would not you agree?
Already in the past on several occasions the beautiful Blair sported small masterpieces of the field of bags on the set, not a coincidence that the series "Gossip Girl" is now considered the heir of "Sex and the City," fashion is a protagonist of these television shows and we fashion victims we are really happy!
From Fendi, Loewe, Marc Jacobs, there is only one of the big names that was not the main character's outfits Leighton Meester and Blake Lively, so let's take a look at this look, which incidentally is also completed enchanting pumps from Sergio Rossi, just to stay on the subject of status symbol!
The price at the official store is 2990 euros well in the end we speak of luxury accessories and in this case even more of a purse of a princess!

Giveaway: Dana Buchman Prize Pack From Kohl's

There's nothing we love more than helping out a good cause, which is why we adore the new Kohl's Cares Dana Buchman line at Kohl's. Not only is the merchandise stylish, but 100 percent of the profits from the new collection benefit breast cancer charities.
We're giving one lucky Stir reader a Kohl's Cares Dana Buchman prize pack, including a $25 gift card and all sorts of cool swag. From the snakeskin cosmetic bag to the adorable rose gold tone simulated crystal heart ring, you'll be styling wherever you go in no time.
To enter to win, simply tell me:
Has cancer touched your life in any way? Tell us ...
Here are the rules for this giveaway here on The Stir:
Only your first comment counts as an entry, so just enter to win once.

Landing In Tokyo On The Heels Of The 2011 Earthquake

On March 11, 2011, I was booked on a direct flight from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Narita International Airport halfway across the world in Japan. I was working as a Researcher on the CNN National Desk at the time, but had taken the week off to visit my now-fiance's parents who were living in Tokyo. This was my first time out of the United States (besides a previous trip to Vancouver), and I was so excited for my first tip to Asia. I had read everything about Japan, and I knew it was going to be life-changing.
I awoke early that morning to a phone call from the morning news editor at KDKA Radio, my former station in my hometown of Pittsburgh. The details are a little hazy, as that I was half-asleep when I answered, but the message was clear: a terrible earthquake had hit Japan.
I jumped out of bed and immediately turned on the television. Even that early, before the sun was up, the networks were in live coverage of the earthquake. But there weren't many details, and they were unsure about the death toll. My fiance, Michael, called his mother and father, Andrea and Dan, and thankfully they were fine. The building shook and swayed during the earthquake, and things fell off shelves. But there was no damage, and they had power.
Over the next few hours, we continued to watch the news and I emailed my colleagues. It was reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was hundreds of miles from Tokyo. I heard about the tsunami, but the estimated death toll was something like 100. (It was still so early.) At this point, there was no mention of any problems with the nuclear reactors.
We called our airline, and our flight was still leaving for Japan; it had not be cancelled. After calling my mother and father, we made the decision to head to the airport to catch our flight. Loss of life is always terrible, no matter the number, but with all the information we had, it seemed safe to go. Earthquakes happen all the time, I thought.
When we arrived at our gate, things were pretty normal. I stood in line and asked our ticket agent if our flight was still leaving, and she gave me a puzzled look and said yes. They did not know much about the earthquake. Overhearing conversations, many people were discussing what happened, but no one seemed too worried. Since this was the next direct flight to Japan, many CNN reporters, producers and photographers boarded our plane.
As we took off, I had a conversation with Gary Tuchman, a CNN reporter who would spend weeks in Japan reporting on the devastation. He had just about as much information as I had. We didn't have any internet or Blackberry use during our 14-hour flight. I had no idea what had happened.
As we flew over the land hit by the tsunami, our captain informed us that if we looked on our right, we could see the area hit. I made my way to that side of the plane and was absolutely shocked at what I saw: there is no way to describe it than utter destruction. I couldn't tell if I were seeing houses or office buildings or trees, but whatever this area was it was completely flattened. I had never seen anything like it in my entire life. Even from this altitude, it was evident: 100 people did not die here, thousands did.
When we landed at Narita and cleared customs, our group began to dissipate. The airport was completely deserted except for a few reporters. There were sleeping bags and trash scattered about but no people around. No trains were running. Our cell phones didn't work. I couldn't get my email. No social media. Television crews approached us to talk, but we declined as that we had no idea what was happening. We were far from Meguro-ku, where Michael's family was, and we had no way to get there but on foot.
After walking around a bit and trying to devise a plan, we came across a taxi driver holding a sign in Japanese. As he flipped the sign over, I caught the words in English: Michael's last name. He didn't speak any English, and we didn't speak any Japanese, but he handed us a phone. Dan was on the other line. "Get in the car," so we did.
After a silent two-hour taxi ride -- only seeing a handful of other cars on the road -- we finally made it to our destination. Dan and Andrea spent six hours attempting to get to the airport to pick us up, but couldn't make it because the trains kept stopping. Luckily, they were able to find a taxi driver willing to pick us up.
It was late in the evening now in Tokyo, so we spent the next few hours talking about our trip (Michael's brother Ben flew in a few hours before us from Colorado) and what it was like when the earthquake first hit. The news showed the death toll climbing, and it was evident that this was a terrible earthquake and tsunami.

bags of suspected heroin, pot found in school zones; teens accused of throwing bottles with urine at cars

Greenwich Township crimelog: bags of suspected heroin, pot found in school zones; teens accused of throwing bottles with urine at cars

An East Broad Street resident on March 1 told police someone stole three sets of hydraulic jacks, valued at $85, from property's garage.
The jacks may have been taken during a Feb. 28 incident, police said.
— Parents here should caution their kids not to touch bags of suspected illegal drugs they may find, and to report them right away to police, crossing guards or school officials.
That's the message township police are sending after crossing guards reportedly found such bags in local school zones March 1.
The crossing guards found two sealed bags of suspected heroin, one empty bag suspected to have had marijuana and two other empty bags suspected to have had more heroin that day.
All were found within school zones on Broad, North School and South School streets, as well as Memorial Avenue.
— Police on Feb. 27 arrested two 15-year-olds accused of throwing eggs and bottles, possibly containing urine, at passing cars in the area of East Broad Street and Swedesboro Road.
Police said three juveniles in all were throwing the objects from a building's second-floor window near 6 p.m. that day.
Officers charged each of the 15-year-olds with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. They were processed and released to their parents.
— Someone on Feb. 27 reportedly tried to break into two storage structures at the police firing range on North Market Street.
Graffiti was also sprayed on the storage structures, and someone shot at a stop sign on the property, police said.
— A Marshall Avenue resident on Feb. 26 told police two suspicious males wearing dark clothing were trying to break into a vehicle.
The suspects fled on foot when officers arrived, police said. Greenwich Township and Paulsboro police searched the area, the said, but didn't find the suspects.
— North Repaupo Avenue residents on Feb. 25 told police suspicious persons were looking into vehicles and trying to open the doors. No thefts were reported, police said.

Man murdered on Carlton Avenue

The clutch
A marauder stole a purse from a woman on Downing Street after threatening to stab her on Feb. 29.
The 24-year-old Bronx victim told police that she was near Quincy Street at 3:10 am when the brute grabbed her from behind and ordered, “Don’t scream, or I will stab you!”
The suspect fled after swiping her purple bag containing $70.
BoroDeal
Out cold
A female bandit wielding an ice pick nabbed a gold chain and an iPhone from a woman on Putnam Avenue on Feb. 29.
The 49-year-old victim told police that she was near Irving Place at 8:15 pm when an acquaintance grabbed her from behind and demanded her stuff.
The perp brandished an ice pick, snatched the items and fled.
End game
Cops say they arrested a man at the Atlantic Terminal Mall on March 3 for stealing his girlfriend’s purse.
The 23-year-old victim told police that she was at the mall at 2:20 pm when her beau bit her thumb and swiped her bag containing birth certificates, credit card, and $80.
Police arrested a 27-year-old man shortly after.
Thrift score
Burglars looted $400 in handbags from a Vanderbilt Avenue thrift store on March 1.
An employee told cops that she left Project Hope Boutique Thrift near Gates Avenue at 7 pm. When she returned the next morning, the front window was smashed and five bags were gone.
Dethroned
Some jerk pinched a bag containing $1,300 from a Classon Avenue bodega on March 1.
An employee told police that he was at the King of Classon Avenue Deli and Grocery near Putnam Avenue at 2:43 pm when a customer walked behind the counter and launched a confab.
When the crook left, he took the bag of bills with him.

Fill Your Energy Up with the IV Drip Bag USB LED Light

Being hospitalized is no fun but at least we have those warm memories of the life-giving IV drip bag hanging overhead, dispensing vital fluids to fuel your recovery.
Now the "Fill Your Energy Up!" IV Drip Bag USB LED Light from JTT Online Shop evokes those special times while shedding soft light upon your now-healthy self. Not only is it "sick", it's the next best thing to BEING sick!
Each 92-gram (3.245 oz) light houses a cool-running LED bulb sealed separately from the rest of the bag. This is important because like an actual IV drip bag, the fixture can be filled with water or presumably some other liquid (got that, Twilight fans?).
The light functions in wet or dry mode but when filled, imparts a softer, more diffused light that approximates the drugged haze in which you likely spent the bulk of your last hospital stay.
JTT Online Shop offers the IV Drip Bag USB LED Light in your choice of three colored LEDs: White, Blue and Orange. Each one comes with a metal S-hook for easy hanging and an integral USB connecting cable that runs from the light to your laptop or PC – not your arm, dude.

One Century Ago: Chicken Thief Arrested; Death of Temperance Proponent

John McElroy was arrested for stealing chickens from the estate of H. B. Walker on Fairview Avenue.
McElroy was walking down Wildey Street with a large sack slung over his shoulder when he was stopped by Officer Martin who asked him what the bag contained. Cautiously McElroy replied that the sack contained wood, at which point the police officer felt the bag with his hand and exclaimed “Pretty soft wood, John”.
He then escorted McElroy to the police station where the bag was turned out to reveal three dead chickens and one living one which made a great squawk and flutter and dashed for freedom. The bird was captured by the police clerk, and McElroy was transferred to New York Penitentiary where he served out a six month sentence.
Miss Edith Cole Turns Four
Miss Edith Cole would have turned 29 last Wednesday in 2012, but on the 29th of February 1912 she celebrated her 4th birthday with her friends, playing games and enjoying refreshments.
However, it was no ordinary 4th birthday party since Edith was in fact 16 years of age. Because she was born on February 29th, her birthday only came every 4 years which meant that unfortunately for Edith, she would have to wait until 1916 to turn 5.

The Ritz Looks After its Child Guests

The Ritz in London has a Very Important Kids card for its guests who are under the age of 16. The card allows them to feel very special as they get their own mini sized bathrobes and slippers as well as access to a Teen Concierge. They get a goodie bag, milk and biscuits at bedtime and even free ice-cream!
The Ritz has realised that many people travel with children these days and so if they look after them well, then they will want to return, either again with their family or on their own when they are older. There are other hotels making sure that children are well looked after as well including Trump, Omni and Ritz Carlton.
A family bundle at The Ritz costs 600 a night where families can share a room or have interconnecting ones. They also offer a Princess for a day session at the salon for mothers and daughters where they both have haircuts, manicures and a complimentary drink at the bar. They will soon be offering a father and son package too where they can have a ride in the Rolls Royce Phantom belonging to the hotel. The packages are carefully designed to allow families to bond but to do things which the grownups will enjoy as well as the children. Hotels realise that they will be giving a memorable experience to a child who may decide to revisit that hotel in the future. With more families travelling together and them realising the importance of treating children well, it is likely that all hotels should soon start to offer better child facilities.

To plastic or not to plastic, that is the question...

In particular, the massive floods around the metropolis during those devastating storms belatedly brought to the fore the perils of drainage systems and waterways perennially clogged with plastic garbage.
Data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) show that more than 80% of the trash retrieved from the country's shorelines is made up of non-biodegradable materials such as plastic and rubber. About half of these plastic items thrown in bodies of water were plastic bags, followed by food wrappers and plastic containers. These plastics take as much as 20 years before they decompose.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the bulk of the more than 8,000 metric tons of garbage collected in Metro Manila on a daily basis was comprised of plastics.
MMDA chairman Francis N. Tolentino has also raised the alarm on the haphazards posed by the dumping of plastic products that clog the metropolis' already overburdened drainage system, resulting in flooding during heavy rains.
Waste audits conducted in November 2010 by the EcoWaste Coalition, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Greenpeace, Mother Earth Foundation and other environment advocacy groups revealed that 75.55% of the total volume of trash in Manila Bay was plastic discards, mostly plastic bags, and polystyrene (styrofoam) products.
"It is unfortunate that plastic items -- led by plastic bags and styro products -- remain to be the prime visible pollutants of Manila Bay. Our findings reinforced what all of us already know: plastics is a problem and our penchant for patronizing disposable products magnifies this problem," GAIA representative Gigie Cruz said in a statement.