World's Most Expensive Taxis

Miss Japan 2010

Fourth-year university student Mina Hayashi, 23, took out the Grand Prix award at the finals of the 42nd Miss Japan Contest held in Shinjuku this week.The Kagawa-born beauty - 167 cm tall and sporting a slender 79-56-85 figure - beat 3,662 other ladies to finish on top, and could not hold back the tears of joy. She said she had hoped to become an actress ever since she saw Audrey Hepburn in “Roman Holiday,” and aspired to be like actress Sayuri Yoshinaga, 64. Hayashi, who has played the piano and practiced singing since she was 5 years old, said she liked sincere men, and that her dad was a good example. She will now spend 2010 attending various events including regional and volunteer activities, helping draw attention to them and in the process.

Captivating Fire Dancing Photos

Fire is a very powerful element. Fire in its physical form can do for you what the sun itself does for our planet. The time fire was discovered, it changed human life forever. Just think about the times you sat facing a bonfire or fireplace. There’s something enchanting about the way the blaze sizzle and pop. Then suddenly, you started staring. That’s how hypnotic it is. Below are some cool or should we say hot collection of captivating fire photography shots. Fire dancing is a performance art form which combines equipment on fire into a spectacular dance. Many ethnicities have practiced fire dancing in a variety of forms, and fire dancing performance are growing very popular in the West, where many people are fascinated to the mixture of beauty and danger. When done properly, fire dancing is an impressive thing to gaze at, and is usually performed at night so that spectators can see fine distinctions of the presentation.
The element of fire has existed as a part of tribal dancing for ages. What we think of as firedancing is largely influenced by Maori and Hawaiian traditions. New Zealand's Maori people and their traditions are one of the main foundations of modern firedancing. Maori poi balls are percussive and dance instruments that are used in a variety of ways, including storytelling and exercise. Poi use increases flexibility and strength of wrists, hands, and arms, as well as helping to develop coordination. Let’s view now some of this stunning photography shots of skillful fire dance performers.

Haiti, trip report

Today I got pictures and an email from Tom! whoohoo!
They have limited net, spotty, but sometimes, so he sent me a short email and these pics.

Flying into Jacmel.

They are all doing great, very tired but good.
Tom says he forgot how noisy it is there in the morning with the cacophony of animals! Not much different from home, that...ahem.
Anyhow: here's the Haiti report today:

We're very limited in bandwith but actually have some, imagine!

We've greatly expanded a clinic that was left standing so that is now being used as if it was a hospital. Everything But surgery and two clinic rooms is taking place outside The 2 procedure rooms and another room have been converted into ORs. We and others have brought tons of gear -- we have most but not all things so we have to be creative, but we are doing surgery!

He sounds happy (tired, but still) to me. Surgical problem solving...and getting creative. He's good at that so I'm glad he's there. He does say however that it's crazy hot. And we are having a snow day here, waiting for a 'big storm.' Life is kinda crazy sometimes. But it's all good. And go read Cindy's blog for her report on yesterday, good stuff.