UP Ibalon Bicol: Florida

Showing posts with label Florida. Show all posts

Biggest cruise ship on its maiden trip from Finland to Florida, USA

11/03/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

It’s the Oasis of the Sea, the largest cruise liner ever built is on its first trip its home port in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The giant sea liner which is 20 stories tall and 40% bigger than the next big ship in the business, cleared a bridge in Denmark to the delight of onlookers who watched the cylindrical smokestack lowered so it could pass.

“Company officials are banking that its novelty will help guarantee its success. Five times larger than the Titanic, the $1.5 billion ship has seven neighborhoods, an ice rink, a small golf course and a 750-seat outdoor amphitheater. It has 2,700 cabins and can accommodate 6,300 passengers and 2,100 crew members...

The enormous ship features various "neighborhoods" — parks, squares and arenas with special themes. One of them will be a tropical environment, including palm trees and vines among the total 12,000 plants on board. They will be planted after the ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale.”---AP (11/01/09, Olsen, J. M.)

Built by STX Finland for the Royal Caribbean International, the immense liner with fabulous amenities will make its debut on November 20 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo Credit: AP/ Yahoo.news.com; Reuters/ Royal Caribbean) =0=

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Labels: cruise ship, Florida, Oasis of the Sea, Totie Mesia, travel, traveler

Holiday in the South

5/05/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Loy and Fe Espano played Easter Holiday hosts to Drs. Totie and Mariet Mesia in their beautiful and quiet home in South Carolina. The Espanos who hail from Tabaco, Albay and Nabua, Camarines Sur had family friends around in an evening dinner beside an enchanting lagoon----Manny and Sali Ani, Mon and Tessie Garcia, Cindy and Joe Dacanay and Joceline Losa-Masuading.

The evening coincided with Cindy’s birthday which was capped with fun and a lot of singing. A day before, a trip to neighboring Florida became an enjoyable reunion with loved ones---- Anna Marie and Andre Romano of Jacksonville, Maniya Nova Serra of Orlando, and Haydee Antioquia and children Regina and Clarissa of Sebring. =0=

Many thanks to Loy and Fe Espano for their warm hospitality! Congratulations to Clarissa Antioquia on her HS graduation (Summa cum laude)! =0=

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Labels: Anna Marie Romano, Cindy and Joe Dacanay, Florida, Haydee Antioquia, Joceline Losa-Masauding, Loi and Fe Espano, Maniya Nova Serra, Manny and Sali Ani, Mon and Tessie Garcia, reunion, South Carolina

Moral Challenge: angry gays protest ban of same-sex marriage in California

11/10/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

During the election in November 4, 2008, Californians were asked to decide on Proposition 8---a move to reverse the law enacted by the state Supreme Court in May 2008 on the validity of same-sex marriage.

Barack Obama fans and liberal democrats had a big surprise when West Coast's residents rejected gay marriage (approved Proposition 8) in spite of the secular reputation of California, a bastion of democrat-liberals who generally support gay lifestyle. Two thirds of California's black voters (66%) who voted for Obama didn’t do so for the lesbians and homosexuals. A record of these gays, 18,000 of them, forged matrimonies in the last 5 months before the election.

By the strength of the ballot, gay marriage prohibition won in California, Florida and Arizona. Only Massachusetts and Connecticut now approve same-sex marriages. On the other hand, New Jersey and New Hampshire only permit civil unions with the same legal rights as marriage.

What ensued was a flurry of gay activists’ angry protests who blamed religion, among others as a cause of their defeat. Despite the expressed will of the people, well-organized and vocal homosexual groups numbering up to 10,000 converged in San Diego on November 8, 2008 to protest.

In Salt Lake, Utah, a group of 2,000 staged a rally against the Church of the Latter Day's Saints (Mormons) and mainstream Christians who forbid gay marital unions. Five thousand (5,000) gay marriage supporters came to a similar mass action in Los Angeles area.

The passing of Proposition 8 in California is a victory for conservatives. For now, the religious right and those who want to uphold traditional family and moral values have an upper hand. But the radical liberals are fighting back to change the rules and impose alternative lifestyle for society. In spite of the understanding, tolerance, and partner benefits given to gay couples, moves to redefine marriage go on.

The increasingly secular world has made people to ponder on what is right and wrong. An alarming fifty (50%) of traditional marriages end up in divorce in the United States. There are those who think the socio-cultural debacle stirred by the same-sex marriage issue, along with questions on abortion, euthanasia, pornography, illegal drugs, and stem-cell research may indicate the fraying of America’s moral values which signals its decline. Respect for the poor, aged, disabled and children are on the wane.

Contrarians however think gay marriage is a boost to advance modernity and sophistication--- an expression of liberation from what others perceive as anachronism and religion’s oppressive hold on the people’s imagination. Quo Vadis, America? Where are you going, World? (Photo Credits: specsappeal.net; ncregister; moonbattery.com) =0=

Labels: Arizona, California, Florida, gay marriage, Guinobatan Church, moral values, Proposition 8, religion, same-sex marriage, tradition, wedding

UP Ibalon Bicol

Biggest cruise ship on its maiden trip from Finland to Florida, USA

Holiday in the South

Moral Challenge: angry gays protest ban of same-sex marriage in California

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