The most populated crossing in the world. Shibuya, next to Hachiko square, Tokyo Japan
Monday, 6 April 2009
Hachiko square today
Sent by Manos
The most populated crossing in the world. Shibuya, next to Hachiko square, Tokyo Japan
The most populated crossing in the world. Shibuya, next to Hachiko square, Tokyo Japan
Sunday, 5 April 2009
The story of Hachikō
Throughout history there are several stories about faithful dogs. In fact there is no other creature that represents the ideal of loyalty better than dogs. From Homer's Argos to our modern day saying 'dog is man's best friend'
The loyalty label was placed on dogs from observation mainly, but there have been throughout time some trully charistmatic four-paws creatures that illustrate the point. I am certain that in dog's universe - just like man's - there are these leadership figures that are so powerful that give dogs their characterisations as loyal friends. These great leaders have left their mark not only in dog's world, but also in our own. A huge mark.
There are so many great dog figures that it would be unjust to talk about all of them at once. I would like to devote separate postings on each one and their story from time to time
Now I would like to dedicate this posting to a female Akita dog who lived in Tokyo in the 1920s and since then there has been a square, a tube stop and two statues named after this remarkable dog. BTW, I am assuming female as all the Japanese names finishing in -ko are girl names.
Manos & Libia told me of Hachiko's story. Living in Tokyo for a year and a half they could not have missed it. They have crossed the tube station several times
So here how the story goes:
In 1924, Hachikō was brought to Tokyo by her owner, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo. During his owner's life Hachikō saw him off from the front door and greeted him at the end of the day at the nearby Shibuya Station. Every morning Hachiko would accompany her master at the station and every evening she would wait for him to accompany him home for dinner. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno didn't return on the usual train one evening. The professor had suffered a stroke at the university that day. He died and never returned to the train station where his friend was waiting.
Hachikō was given away after her master's death, but she routinely escaped, showing up again and again at her old home. After time, Hachikō apparently realized that Professor Ueno no longer lived at the house. So she went to look for her master at the train station where he had accompanied him so many times before. Each day, Hachikō waited for Professor Ueno to return. And each day he didn't see her friend among the commuters at the station.
The permanent fixture at the train station that was Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day. Realizing that Hachikō waited in vigil for his dead master, their hearts were touched. They brought Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.
This continued for 10 years, with Hachikō appearing only in the evening time, precisely when the train was due at the station.
That same year, another of Ueno's former students (who had become something of an expert on the Akita breed) saw the dog at the station and followed him to the Kobayashi home where he learned the history of Hachikō's life. Shortly after this meeting, the former student published a documented census of Akitas in Japan. His research found only 30 purebred Akitas remaining, including Hachikō from Shibuya Station.
Professor Ueno's former student returned frequently to visit the dog and over the years published several articles about Hachikō's remarkable loyalty. In 1932 one of these articles, published in Tokyo's largest newspaper, threw the dog into the national spotlight. Hachikō became a national sensation. Her faithfulness to his master's memory impressed the people of Japan as a spirit of family loyalty all should strive to achieve. Teachers and parents used Hachikō's vigil as an example for children to follow. A well-known Japanese artist rendered a sculpture of the dog, and throughout the country a new awareness of the Akita breed grew.
Hachikō died on March 8, 1935, of filariasis (heartworm). Her stuffed and mounted remains are kept at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo
In 1987 a huge japanese blockbuster was released with Hachiko's story and an imaginary re-union with her master after her death.
For the more ..westerner among us, a 2008 film - to be released in August 2009 - starring Richard Gere. The movie is called Hachiko: A Dog's Story and it is about the relationship between the dog and the master.
The loyalty label was placed on dogs from observation mainly, but there have been throughout time some trully charistmatic four-paws creatures that illustrate the point. I am certain that in dog's universe - just like man's - there are these leadership figures that are so powerful that give dogs their characterisations as loyal friends. These great leaders have left their mark not only in dog's world, but also in our own. A huge mark.
There are so many great dog figures that it would be unjust to talk about all of them at once. I would like to devote separate postings on each one and their story from time to time
Now I would like to dedicate this posting to a female Akita dog who lived in Tokyo in the 1920s and since then there has been a square, a tube stop and two statues named after this remarkable dog. BTW, I am assuming female as all the Japanese names finishing in -ko are girl names.
Manos & Libia told me of Hachiko's story. Living in Tokyo for a year and a half they could not have missed it. They have crossed the tube station several times
So here how the story goes:
In 1924, Hachikō was brought to Tokyo by her owner, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo. During his owner's life Hachikō saw him off from the front door and greeted him at the end of the day at the nearby Shibuya Station. Every morning Hachiko would accompany her master at the station and every evening she would wait for him to accompany him home for dinner. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno didn't return on the usual train one evening. The professor had suffered a stroke at the university that day. He died and never returned to the train station where his friend was waiting.
Hachikō was given away after her master's death, but she routinely escaped, showing up again and again at her old home. After time, Hachikō apparently realized that Professor Ueno no longer lived at the house. So she went to look for her master at the train station where he had accompanied him so many times before. Each day, Hachikō waited for Professor Ueno to return. And each day he didn't see her friend among the commuters at the station.
The permanent fixture at the train station that was Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day. Realizing that Hachikō waited in vigil for his dead master, their hearts were touched. They brought Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.
This continued for 10 years, with Hachikō appearing only in the evening time, precisely when the train was due at the station.
That same year, another of Ueno's former students (who had become something of an expert on the Akita breed) saw the dog at the station and followed him to the Kobayashi home where he learned the history of Hachikō's life. Shortly after this meeting, the former student published a documented census of Akitas in Japan. His research found only 30 purebred Akitas remaining, including Hachikō from Shibuya Station.
Professor Ueno's former student returned frequently to visit the dog and over the years published several articles about Hachikō's remarkable loyalty. In 1932 one of these articles, published in Tokyo's largest newspaper, threw the dog into the national spotlight. Hachikō became a national sensation. Her faithfulness to his master's memory impressed the people of Japan as a spirit of family loyalty all should strive to achieve. Teachers and parents used Hachikō's vigil as an example for children to follow. A well-known Japanese artist rendered a sculpture of the dog, and throughout the country a new awareness of the Akita breed grew.
Hachikō died on March 8, 1935, of filariasis (heartworm). Her stuffed and mounted remains are kept at the National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo
In 1987 a huge japanese blockbuster was released with Hachiko's story and an imaginary re-union with her master after her death.
For the more ..westerner among us, a 2008 film - to be released in August 2009 - starring Richard Gere. The movie is called Hachiko: A Dog's Story and it is about the relationship between the dog and the master.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Born to be a mum
At times when we are feeling lower than we should, there is nowhere more inspirational to derive a feeling of happiness and a put a smile on our face than the world of animals
Below a fantastic story - sent by George
In 2003, police in Warwickshire, England, opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog. It had been locked in the shed and abandoned. It was dirty and malnourished, and had clearly been abused.
In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a greyhound female, to the nearby Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, run by a�man named Geoff Grewcock and known as a willing haven for animals abandoned, orphaned or otherwise in need.
Geoff Grewcock and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims: to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved.�
They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home.
The dog had other ideas. No-one remembers now how it began, but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It wouldn't matter if it was a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, probably, a rhinoceros, Jasmine would peer into the box or cage and, where possible, deliver a welcoming lick.�
Geoff Grewcock relates one of the early incidents. "We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line. One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross. They were tiny when they arrived at the centre and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee. Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them."
"But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits. She takes all the stress out of them and it helps them to not only feel close to her but to settle into their new surroundings.
"She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose."
Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary's resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born. The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, 15 chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and 15 rabbits.
And one roe deer fawn. Tiny Bramble, 11 weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster mum role. Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection and makes sure nothing is matted in her fur.
"They are inseparable," says Geoff Grewcock. "Bramble walks between her legs and they keep kissing each other. They walk together round the sanctuary. It's a real treat to see them."
Jasmine will continue to care for Bramble until she is old enough to be returned to woodland life. When that happens, Jasmine will not be lonely. She will be too busy showering love and affection on the next orphan or victim of abuse.�
From left, Toby, a stray Lakeland dog; Bramble, an
orphaned roe deer; Buster,a stray Jack Russell; a
dumped rabbit; Sky, an injured barn owl; and Jasmine�
�
Doing what she does best, being a mother.
Below a fantastic story - sent by George
In 2003, police in Warwickshire, England, opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog. It had been locked in the shed and abandoned. It was dirty and malnourished, and had clearly been abused.
In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a greyhound female, to the nearby Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, run by a�man named Geoff Grewcock and known as a willing haven for animals abandoned, orphaned or otherwise in need.
Geoff Grewcock and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims: to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved.�
They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home.
The dog had other ideas. No-one remembers now how it began, but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It wouldn't matter if it was a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, probably, a rhinoceros, Jasmine would peer into the box or cage and, where possible, deliver a welcoming lick.�
Geoff Grewcock relates one of the early incidents. "We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line. One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross. They were tiny when they arrived at the centre and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee. Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them."
"But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits. She takes all the stress out of them and it helps them to not only feel close to her but to settle into their new surroundings.
"She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose."
Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary's resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born. The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, 15 chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and 15 rabbits.
And one roe deer fawn. Tiny Bramble, 11 weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster mum role. Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection and makes sure nothing is matted in her fur.
"They are inseparable," says Geoff Grewcock. "Bramble walks between her legs and they keep kissing each other. They walk together round the sanctuary. It's a real treat to see them."
Jasmine will continue to care for Bramble until she is old enough to be returned to woodland life. When that happens, Jasmine will not be lonely. She will be too busy showering love and affection on the next orphan or victim of abuse.�
From left, Toby, a stray Lakeland dog; Bramble, an
orphaned roe deer; Buster,a stray Jack Russell; a
dumped rabbit; Sky, an injured barn owl; and Jasmine�
�
Doing what she does best, being a mother.
Monday, 23 March 2009
SHAMEFUL GREECE
http://www.adespoto.gr
Ελλάδα: Διεθνώς ρεζίλι...
Ποια άραγε είναι η στάση των υπουργείων Εξωτερικών και Αγροτικής Ανάπτυξης;
Aπό το http://www.adespoto.gr
..
H εταιρεία Inside/out προσφέρει μοναδικές ευκαιρίες ''ουμανοτουριστικών'' ταξιδιών με φιλοζωικούς σκοπούς στην Ελλάδα για να αντιμετωπιστεί η κρίση και στην περιθαλψη των ζώων!
Η ''ουμανοτουριστική" ταξιδιωτική εταιρεία ετοιμάζει ένα ταξίδι περιπέτειας - βοήθειας στα Ιωάννινα για τον Ιούνιο του 2009!
Οι συμμετέχοντες θα βοηθούν,καλυτερεύοντας τις ζωές των αμέτρητων σκύλων & γατών στην Ελλάδα,που παλεύουν να επιζήσουν κάτω από τραγικές και απάνθρωπες συνθήκες και έπειτα θα εξερευνήσουν την χώρα,σε ένα μοναδικό ταξίδι περιπέτειας.
Οι ξένοι πώς καταφέρνουν και εντοπίζουν τα προβλήματα ενώ εμείς αδιαφορούμε;;;
Τα καινοτόμα αυτά ουμανοτουριστικά ταξίδια συνδυάζουν το ουμανιστικό έργο με καθοδηγούμενη περιπέτεια,για να αντιμετωπίσουν τις σοκαριστικές, απάνθρωπες καταστάσεις για τα ζώα στην Ελλάδα!
Σ αυτήν την άγνωστη κρίση, τα σκυλιά και οι γάτες παλεύουν να επιζήσουν σ'ένα περιβάλλον ανεπιθύμητων υπερπληθυσμών, κακοποίησης, κακομεταχείρισης, βιαιότητας, εγκαταλείψεων, δηλητηριασμών,έλλειψης τροφής και απάθειας σε όλη την Ελλάδα, αναφέρει χαρακτηριστικά η εταιρεία! Συνεχίζοντας:
Ο σκοπός...
αυτού του ταξιδιού είναι να βοηθηθεί ένα μικρό ποσοστό εθελοντών ζωόφιλων στην Ελλάδα ώστε να συνεισφέρεται ενημέρωση, φροντίδα και προγράμματα τροφής αλλά και να κερδηθεί μια βαθύτερη εικόνα στην κάθε τοπική περιοχή!
Είναι ένα πραγματικά αξιόλογο πρόγραμμα, αν και μας ρεζιλεύουν για άλλη μια φορά σαν χώρα, αφού αποδεικνύεται το πόσο ανίκανοι είμαστε να ασχοληθούμε και να καταγράψουμε τα προβλήματα του τόπου μας! Τα Ιωάννινα λοιπόν-όπου θυμίζουμε τα 3 τελευταία περιστατικά ΔΗΛΗΤΗΡΙΑΣΜΩΝ με φόλα, αδέσποτων κουταβιών που. .''ενοχλούσαν''- επιλέχθηκαν ως ο προορισμός γιατί πιστεύεται ότι είναι μέρος αληθινά Ελληνικό και το επισκέπτονται πολύ λίγοι τουρίστες από το εξωτερικό. Θεωρείται επίσης μέρος μαζικών δηλητηριασμών των σκύλων & γατών της περιοχής,μια εκ των οποιων μάλιστα,αναφέρει η εταιρεία,προκάλεσε και μια μικρή διαμαρτυρία απο τους ντόπιους. (Ioannina was selected as the destination because it is part of an area which is truly Greek and visited by very few tourists from outside the country. It is also the site of a number of mass poisonings of the area's dog and cat population, one of which recently triggered a small protest from area locals.) ''Αυτό αντιπροσωπεύει μια αξιοσημείωτη αποχώρηση από...προηγούμενες συμπεριφορές των Ελλήνων και υποδεικνύει ότι αυτή η περιοχή είναι έτοιμη για αλλαγή συνείδησης ,που προηγουμένως ήταν αδύνατη'',λέει ενθουσιασμένη η Ζωή Κατσούλος. ''Είναι ο ιδανικός τόπος για το επιμορφωτικό μας έργο.΄΄
Το εντυπωσιακό άρθρο συνεχίζει λέγοντας ότι η συμπεριφορά των Ελλήνων απέναντι στα ζώα υπήρξε επί μακράν ''απαθής'' και ''φοβερά βίαιη''. Ένα από τα πιο αρνητικά θέματα είναι η συστηματική δηλητηρίαση των αδέσποτων ζώων, η οποία μπορεί ορισμένες φορές να οδηγεί και σε θανάτους ζώων που είναι οικόσιτα, επίσης. Η στείρωση είναι σημαντικά υποβαθισμένη και συχνά απορριπτέα και είναι εντυπωσιακή η έλλειψη ενημέρωσης κα υποστήριξης για την ανθρώπινη μεταχείριση και την φροντίδα.Το ανθρωπιστικό μέρος αυτού του ταξιδιού σχεδιάζεται να αντιμετωπίσει αυτά τα προβλήματα.
Άλλα ταξίδια της εταιρείας περιλαμβάνουν την Αφρική (15-29/8/09),με πρόγραμμα δενδροφύτευσης για βιοκαύσιμα μαζί με την φυλή των Μασάι και αναρρίχηση στο Κιλιμάντζαρο,σαφάρι καθώς και την Γκουατεμάλα (Νοέμβριος 2009).
''Αυτό το ταξίδι θα δώσει την ευκαιρία να δουν την Ελληνική κουλτούρα με έναν πιο αυθεντικό,άμεσο τρόπο'', λέει η κ.Κατσούλος.''Ελπίζουμε επίσης ότι θα παρέχει την αναγκαία ευαισθητοποίηση για τα προβλήματα της περίθαλψης των ζώων που υπάρχουν στην Ελλάδα.''
Μπράβο Ελλαδάρα με τις πρωτιές σου ,θα προσθέταμε.. Για όσους δεν μπορούν να συμμετάσχουν στο ταξίδι αλλά θέλουν να βοηθήσουν,υπάρχουν πολλές ευκαιρίες: δωρεές,βοήθεια στην οργάνωση,δωρεές πραγμάτων ή σύνταξη επιστολών διαμαρτυρία προς την Ελληνική κυβέρνηση!!!
Ελλάδα: Διεθνώς ρεζίλι...
Ποια άραγε είναι η στάση των υπουργείων Εξωτερικών και Αγροτικής Ανάπτυξης;
Aπό το http://www.adespoto.gr
..
H εταιρεία Inside/out προσφέρει μοναδικές ευκαιρίες ''ουμανοτουριστικών'' ταξιδιών με φιλοζωικούς σκοπούς στην Ελλάδα για να αντιμετωπιστεί η κρίση και στην περιθαλψη των ζώων!
Η ''ουμανοτουριστική" ταξιδιωτική εταιρεία ετοιμάζει ένα ταξίδι περιπέτειας - βοήθειας στα Ιωάννινα για τον Ιούνιο του 2009!
Οι συμμετέχοντες θα βοηθούν,καλυτερεύοντας τις ζωές των αμέτρητων σκύλων & γατών στην Ελλάδα,που παλεύουν να επιζήσουν κάτω από τραγικές και απάνθρωπες συνθήκες και έπειτα θα εξερευνήσουν την χώρα,σε ένα μοναδικό ταξίδι περιπέτειας.
Οι ξένοι πώς καταφέρνουν και εντοπίζουν τα προβλήματα ενώ εμείς αδιαφορούμε;;;
Τα καινοτόμα αυτά ουμανοτουριστικά ταξίδια συνδυάζουν το ουμανιστικό έργο με καθοδηγούμενη περιπέτεια,για να αντιμετωπίσουν τις σοκαριστικές, απάνθρωπες καταστάσεις για τα ζώα στην Ελλάδα!
Σ αυτήν την άγνωστη κρίση, τα σκυλιά και οι γάτες παλεύουν να επιζήσουν σ'ένα περιβάλλον ανεπιθύμητων υπερπληθυσμών, κακοποίησης, κακομεταχείρισης, βιαιότητας, εγκαταλείψεων, δηλητηριασμών,έλλειψης τροφής και απάθειας σε όλη την Ελλάδα, αναφέρει χαρακτηριστικά η εταιρεία! Συνεχίζοντας:
Ο σκοπός...
αυτού του ταξιδιού είναι να βοηθηθεί ένα μικρό ποσοστό εθελοντών ζωόφιλων στην Ελλάδα ώστε να συνεισφέρεται ενημέρωση, φροντίδα και προγράμματα τροφής αλλά και να κερδηθεί μια βαθύτερη εικόνα στην κάθε τοπική περιοχή!
Είναι ένα πραγματικά αξιόλογο πρόγραμμα, αν και μας ρεζιλεύουν για άλλη μια φορά σαν χώρα, αφού αποδεικνύεται το πόσο ανίκανοι είμαστε να ασχοληθούμε και να καταγράψουμε τα προβλήματα του τόπου μας! Τα Ιωάννινα λοιπόν-όπου θυμίζουμε τα 3 τελευταία περιστατικά ΔΗΛΗΤΗΡΙΑΣΜΩΝ με φόλα, αδέσποτων κουταβιών που. .''ενοχλούσαν''- επιλέχθηκαν ως ο προορισμός γιατί πιστεύεται ότι είναι μέρος αληθινά Ελληνικό και το επισκέπτονται πολύ λίγοι τουρίστες από το εξωτερικό. Θεωρείται επίσης μέρος μαζικών δηλητηριασμών των σκύλων & γατών της περιοχής,μια εκ των οποιων μάλιστα,αναφέρει η εταιρεία,προκάλεσε και μια μικρή διαμαρτυρία απο τους ντόπιους. (Ioannina was selected as the destination because it is part of an area which is truly Greek and visited by very few tourists from outside the country. It is also the site of a number of mass poisonings of the area's dog and cat population, one of which recently triggered a small protest from area locals.) ''Αυτό αντιπροσωπεύει μια αξιοσημείωτη αποχώρηση από...προηγούμενες συμπεριφορές των Ελλήνων και υποδεικνύει ότι αυτή η περιοχή είναι έτοιμη για αλλαγή συνείδησης ,που προηγουμένως ήταν αδύνατη'',λέει ενθουσιασμένη η Ζωή Κατσούλος. ''Είναι ο ιδανικός τόπος για το επιμορφωτικό μας έργο.΄΄
Το εντυπωσιακό άρθρο συνεχίζει λέγοντας ότι η συμπεριφορά των Ελλήνων απέναντι στα ζώα υπήρξε επί μακράν ''απαθής'' και ''φοβερά βίαιη''. Ένα από τα πιο αρνητικά θέματα είναι η συστηματική δηλητηρίαση των αδέσποτων ζώων, η οποία μπορεί ορισμένες φορές να οδηγεί και σε θανάτους ζώων που είναι οικόσιτα, επίσης. Η στείρωση είναι σημαντικά υποβαθισμένη και συχνά απορριπτέα και είναι εντυπωσιακή η έλλειψη ενημέρωσης κα υποστήριξης για την ανθρώπινη μεταχείριση και την φροντίδα.Το ανθρωπιστικό μέρος αυτού του ταξιδιού σχεδιάζεται να αντιμετωπίσει αυτά τα προβλήματα.
Άλλα ταξίδια της εταιρείας περιλαμβάνουν την Αφρική (15-29/8/09),με πρόγραμμα δενδροφύτευσης για βιοκαύσιμα μαζί με την φυλή των Μασάι και αναρρίχηση στο Κιλιμάντζαρο,σαφάρι καθώς και την Γκουατεμάλα (Νοέμβριος 2009).
''Αυτό το ταξίδι θα δώσει την ευκαιρία να δουν την Ελληνική κουλτούρα με έναν πιο αυθεντικό,άμεσο τρόπο'', λέει η κ.Κατσούλος.''Ελπίζουμε επίσης ότι θα παρέχει την αναγκαία ευαισθητοποίηση για τα προβλήματα της περίθαλψης των ζώων που υπάρχουν στην Ελλάδα.''
Μπράβο Ελλαδάρα με τις πρωτιές σου ,θα προσθέταμε.. Για όσους δεν μπορούν να συμμετάσχουν στο ταξίδι αλλά θέλουν να βοηθήσουν,υπάρχουν πολλές ευκαιρίες: δωρεές,βοήθεια στην οργάνωση,δωρεές πραγμάτων ή σύνταξη επιστολών διαμαρτυρία προς την Ελληνική κυβέρνηση!!!
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Happiest countries in the world
NEF (New Economy foundation) (http://www.neweconomics.org) an innovative think-tank established in 1986 has produced recently a new index measuring human well being. The HPI or the Happy Planet Index. Below you will find some extract from the HPI site explaining what the index is and how is calculated. The research findings are phenomenal and all conclude to two major conclusions:
a) All countries can do better
b) We have been focusing on the wrong end of the stick
The Happy Planet Index is an innovative new measure that shows the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered.
It is the first ever index to combine environmental impact with human well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which country by country, people live long and happy lives.
By addressing the relative success or failure of countries in supporting good lives for their citizens, whilst respecting the environmental resource limits upon which our lives depend, the HPI has much to teach us. Analysing its results could help us to move towards a world where we can all live good lives without costing the earth
How it is calculated
The HPI reflects the average years of happy life produced by a given society, nation or group of nations, per unit of planetary resources consumed. Put another way, it represents the efficiency with which countries convert the earth’s finite resources into well-being experienced by their citizens.
The Global HPI incorporates three separate indicators: ecological footprint, life-satisfaction and life expectancy.
Conceptually, it is straight forward and intuitive:
HPI = Life satisfaction x Life expectancy x ß
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ecological Footprint + α
(variables a & b are explained in detail in the HPI report)
On a scale of 0 to 100 for the HPI, we have set a reasonable target for nations to aspire to of 83.5. This is based on attainable levels of life expectancy and well-being and a reasonably sized ecological footprint.
At this point in time, the highest HPI is only 68.2, scored by the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu. The lowest, and perhaps less surprising than some other results, is Zimbabwe’s at 16.6. No country achieves an overall high score and no country does well on all three indicators. Vanuatu, for example, has only a moderate level of life expectancy at 69 years.
This conclusion is less surprising in the light of our argument that governments have been concentrating on the wrong indicators for too long. If you have the wrong map, you are unlikely to reach your destination.
You can get the map here: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/map.htm - the map is interactive and you can check where your country falls.
The 20 top countries in HPI are:
Rank Country Life Sat Life Exp EF HPI
Reasonable ideal 8.2 82.0 1.5 83.5
1 Vanuatu 7.4 68.6 1.1 68.2
2 Colombia 7.2 72.4 1.3 67.2
3 Costa Rica 7.5 78.2 2.1 66.0
4 Dominica 7.3 75.6 1.8 64.6
5 Panama 7.2 74.8 1.8 63.5
6 Cuba 6.3 77.3 1.4 61.9
7 Honduras 7.2 67.8 1.4 61.8
8 Guatemala 7.0 67.3 1.2 61.7
9 El Salvador 6.6 70.9 1.2 61.7
10 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7.2 71.1 1.7 61.4
11 Saint Lucia 7.0 72.4 1.6 61.3
12 Vietnam 6.1 70.5 0.8 61.2
13 Bhutan 7.6 62.9 1.3 61.1
14 Samoa (Western) 6.9 70.2 1.4 61.0
15 Sri Lanka 6.1 74.0 1.1 60.3
16 Antigua and Barbuda 7.4 73.9 2.3 59.2
17 Philippines 6.4 70.4 1.2 59.2
18 Nicaragua 6.3 69.7 1.1 59.1
19 Kyrgyzstan 6.6 66.8 1.1 59.0
20 Solomon Islands 6.9 62.3 1.0 58.9
Although Vanuatu tops the happiness index, it is ranked 207th out of 233 economies when measured against Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Nef is calling for the adoption of a "global manifesto for a happier planet" that will list ways nations can live within their environmental limits and increase people's quality of life. The recommendations include:
Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger
Recognising the contribution of individuals and unpaid work
Ensuring economic policies stay within environmental limits
The HPI NEF report warns if annual global consumption levels matched the UK's, it would take 3.1 Earths to meet the demand.
After NEF's work was published, Adrian White, an analytic social psychologist at the University of Leicester School of Psychology, analysed the HPI data published by NEF, UNESCO, the CIA, the WHO, the Veenhoven Database, the Latinbarometer, the Afrobarometer, and the UNHDR, to create a global projection of subjective well-being: the first world map of happiness.
According to his work then, the 20 most happy countries in the world are:
1. Denmark
2. Switzerland
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. The Bahamas
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei
10. Canada
11. Ireland
12. Luxembourg
13. Costa Rica
14. Malta
15. The Netherlands
16. Antigua and Barbuda
17. Malaysia
18. New Zealand
19. Norway
20. The Seychelles
NB: you can find out more at www.newconomics.org and www.happyplanetindex.org
you can find the actual map here: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/map.htm
To download the HPI report : http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdf
To read more about Mr White's work you can go here:
http://www.le.ac.uk/users/aw57/world/sample.html
a) All countries can do better
b) We have been focusing on the wrong end of the stick
The Happy Planet Index is an innovative new measure that shows the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered.
It is the first ever index to combine environmental impact with human well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which country by country, people live long and happy lives.
By addressing the relative success or failure of countries in supporting good lives for their citizens, whilst respecting the environmental resource limits upon which our lives depend, the HPI has much to teach us. Analysing its results could help us to move towards a world where we can all live good lives without costing the earth
How it is calculated
The HPI reflects the average years of happy life produced by a given society, nation or group of nations, per unit of planetary resources consumed. Put another way, it represents the efficiency with which countries convert the earth’s finite resources into well-being experienced by their citizens.
The Global HPI incorporates three separate indicators: ecological footprint, life-satisfaction and life expectancy.
Conceptually, it is straight forward and intuitive:
HPI = Life satisfaction x Life expectancy x ß
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ecological Footprint + α
(variables a & b are explained in detail in the HPI report)
On a scale of 0 to 100 for the HPI, we have set a reasonable target for nations to aspire to of 83.5. This is based on attainable levels of life expectancy and well-being and a reasonably sized ecological footprint.
At this point in time, the highest HPI is only 68.2, scored by the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu. The lowest, and perhaps less surprising than some other results, is Zimbabwe’s at 16.6. No country achieves an overall high score and no country does well on all three indicators. Vanuatu, for example, has only a moderate level of life expectancy at 69 years.
This conclusion is less surprising in the light of our argument that governments have been concentrating on the wrong indicators for too long. If you have the wrong map, you are unlikely to reach your destination.
You can get the map here: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/map.htm - the map is interactive and you can check where your country falls.
The 20 top countries in HPI are:
Rank Country Life Sat Life Exp EF HPI
Reasonable ideal 8.2 82.0 1.5 83.5
1 Vanuatu 7.4 68.6 1.1 68.2
2 Colombia 7.2 72.4 1.3 67.2
3 Costa Rica 7.5 78.2 2.1 66.0
4 Dominica 7.3 75.6 1.8 64.6
5 Panama 7.2 74.8 1.8 63.5
6 Cuba 6.3 77.3 1.4 61.9
7 Honduras 7.2 67.8 1.4 61.8
8 Guatemala 7.0 67.3 1.2 61.7
9 El Salvador 6.6 70.9 1.2 61.7
10 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7.2 71.1 1.7 61.4
11 Saint Lucia 7.0 72.4 1.6 61.3
12 Vietnam 6.1 70.5 0.8 61.2
13 Bhutan 7.6 62.9 1.3 61.1
14 Samoa (Western) 6.9 70.2 1.4 61.0
15 Sri Lanka 6.1 74.0 1.1 60.3
16 Antigua and Barbuda 7.4 73.9 2.3 59.2
17 Philippines 6.4 70.4 1.2 59.2
18 Nicaragua 6.3 69.7 1.1 59.1
19 Kyrgyzstan 6.6 66.8 1.1 59.0
20 Solomon Islands 6.9 62.3 1.0 58.9
Although Vanuatu tops the happiness index, it is ranked 207th out of 233 economies when measured against Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Nef is calling for the adoption of a "global manifesto for a happier planet" that will list ways nations can live within their environmental limits and increase people's quality of life. The recommendations include:
Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger
Recognising the contribution of individuals and unpaid work
Ensuring economic policies stay within environmental limits
The HPI NEF report warns if annual global consumption levels matched the UK's, it would take 3.1 Earths to meet the demand.
After NEF's work was published, Adrian White, an analytic social psychologist at the University of Leicester School of Psychology, analysed the HPI data published by NEF, UNESCO, the CIA, the WHO, the Veenhoven Database, the Latinbarometer, the Afrobarometer, and the UNHDR, to create a global projection of subjective well-being: the first world map of happiness.
According to his work then, the 20 most happy countries in the world are:
1. Denmark
2. Switzerland
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. The Bahamas
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei
10. Canada
11. Ireland
12. Luxembourg
13. Costa Rica
14. Malta
15. The Netherlands
16. Antigua and Barbuda
17. Malaysia
18. New Zealand
19. Norway
20. The Seychelles
NB: you can find out more at www.newconomics.org and www.happyplanetindex.org
you can find the actual map here: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/map.htm
To download the HPI report : http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/dl44k145g5scuy453044gqbu11072006194758.pdf
To read more about Mr White's work you can go here:
http://www.le.ac.uk/users/aw57/world/sample.html
Happy pets
Guess who is happy that the garden looks and feels like the jungle...
Guess who is happy that we let the dogs out:
Guess who is happy that we let the dogs out:
Two lovers
If you want to see how one of the most interesting topics of our times is not given justice, actually is destroyed in a movie, you can check out Two Lovers.
The story of a clinically depressed person who is seeking to get hold of life through begging for the love of an equally pathetic individual - emotionally unavailable (she is also clinged to an emotionally unavailable married guy) and his adventures
Gwyneth Paltrow and Isabella Rosellini were very good and kept to themselves the only thing that can get a positive review in this movie.
The story, the script, the direction, the acting from Phoenix - all it was pathetic. BTW, someone should have told Joaquin that he is not playing a drug addict, but a clinically depressed person. There is a big difference. I guess he must have been too drugged to notice.
Definitely the worst movie that I saw in years
Please, do not go and see it - don't even rent it on DVD
Stray cats
I believe that the fattest stray cats in the world are the ones lucky to live in my neighborhood. Unfortunately they do not allow me to catch them and provide proper medical care so their life span unfortunately is not higher than three years on average, typical average of a stray animal
However, I must say that they have the fattest bellies that I have ever seen in a stray animal. Not to mention that they all wait for me at night when I come home from work. They wait at the entrance of the building howling impatiently for food and giving me the sad angry look for being late.
In the picture you can see Grizoulis sleeping on his bed at my terrace. He is about 13 months old, and I 've known him since he was a few days old. When he was younger he would let me touch him but not any more. He does play with Zizou and Klelia
I have seen him teach his offsprings to cross the road and beware of cars. His wife is a black/yellow/grey cat and they have two cats - both male I think but I am not sure.
His wife is pregnant again so pretty soon the Grey familly will grow.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Spring is almost here
In Greece we are almost out of seasons. There is usually one main season, summer and then there is a bit chilly and a bit of cold weather. The winter lasts approximately 2 months and it is mild really, and then we are blessed with about one month of spring before the summer starts. It has always been my favorite period but it never lasts long - not in Athens anyways
There is one infallible symptom that spring is on its way and that is the blossoming of the almond tree. I noticed this year most other flowers have started to blossom as well
The pictures are from the jungle that used to be my garden and needs some grooming - will get it done next weekend hopefully
Till then enjoy some spring essence
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Country house for sale
My family is selling a lovely country house 19klm north of Nemea (100klm from Athens), the land of xynomavro vine variety.
In the ancient times, a Lion was terrorising the city but Hercules killed it. In fact it was the first of his twelve labors http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/lion.html.
The house is a lovely villa on 650m altitude, with a marvellous view of the valley. The main house and the guest house together make up a surface more than 150 sq meters with a marvellous garden around it.
The main house has two bedrooms, one with ensuite bathroom, large kitchen, dining and living room. The guesthouse is a fully autonomous guesthouse with its own kitchen and bathroom with two single beds-
Other facilities include satellite TV, BBQ outdoor terrace, 2-car garage with roof, airconditioning, fireplace, autonomous heating, and in general everything that is required for a very relaxed stay.
The highlight is a huge oak tree that in the summer provides refreshing shade for after sun afternoons. The sea is half an hour away and there are many different choices at this distance (Nafplio, Xylokastro, Kiato)
The village Bozika where the house is located is only 20 min car drive from other very picturesque villages in the area and lake Stylida where in the summer cultural festivals take place.
In fact the location of the village in Korinthia is considered one of the prettiest landscapes of continental Greece.
Selling price is extremely low regarding property value. Fantastic value for money. If you - or someone you know - are interested please contact me (zeta.tsatsani@gmail.com) and I will let you know more details
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