Green Cross Donation Pages uploaded

Wednesday, September 13, 2006 @ 9:16 pm by Sofie Hofmann

Finally, the donation pages of Green Cross Switzerland site are finished. The pages were uploaded and they’re now online at Green Cross contact page, also available in German, French and Italian languages. It was not an easy job since it required a lot of thinking, actually a little bit of programming because I used PHP for those particular pages.

I’m not a programmer but I was able to do such anyway. I’m so happy. I again accomplished something.

The last time I wrote about it was on June 08, 2006, Green Cross Donation Page. Then, I waited for the feedback of the Executive Director of Green Cross Switzerland. She was probably so busy that she was only able to write me last week and asked for some more that need to be included. So, once again, I revised the pages.

I was not able to do the revision right away because I needed a script and I have to think what to do with the pages. On Monday she wrote me again, but this time, for some updates at the “publications” pages. I updated the pages for some banners that can be downloaded from the site. The banners can be used at the other sites for advertising purposes. Then, of course, I expected it already, she asked me about the donation pages.

I was working on it but can’t seem to think of the script. Then on Tuesday, I finally found the solution to my problem. I tried it and it worked. I informed her and showed the pages to her. Just few more changes and I finally finished the pages. I was communicating with her through email yesterday and today for the whole afternoon because I really wanted those pages done.

Now, I can at least rest and relax, just for the meantime. I haven’t finished revising the other websites yet. I need more revisions to be done in the next few days, or in the next few weeks, or it could even take months.

New Weggis.net, WordPress, WP Widgets

Thursday, July 6, 2006 @ 2:43 pm by Sofie Hofmann

Finally, I was able to revise Weggis.net Web site. The look is not really different from the old web design. I just improved it a little bit. I changed all the pages from HTML to XHTML and PHP but then realized that I’d better integrate it with WordPress.

I integrated my own coded XHTML and PHP pages with WordPress. I redirected HTML pages to the new pages. Weggis.net is now more interactive. I just designed my own theme based on the original site.

I installed the latest version of WordPress 2.0.3 and also used WordPress Widgets. The Widgets make the sidebar easy to tweak. If what you want is not included in the original zip file, just download that particular Widget Plugin, upload it at the Plugins folder and activate it. Once activated, you’ll see the Sidebar Widgets along with the Themes, Theme Editor at the Site Admin Presentation. If the Widget Plugin is not activated, then you will not see any change at the Site Admin Presentation.

I started revising it last week, exactly seven days ago. So I was quite busy for the past few days. But even before that, I was already quite busy then. I was busy revising my other websites and doing the donation pages of Green Cross Switzerland.

Speaking of Green Cross Switzerland, we haven’t finalized the donation pages yet. I’m still waiting for the English, Italian and French translations as the pages were done in German language.

Yesterday, I updated Green Cross Switzerland Media pages regarding the 1st National Nuclear Dialogue in Moscow on July 3-4, 2006. The Nuclear and Disarmament Experts emphasize the importance of the demilitarization of the materials and weapons of mass destruction.

The National Nuclear Dialogue was held 10 days before the 2006 G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia where efforts of the G8 led “Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction” will be highly prioritized.

Read the reports in German and French languages at the website of Green Cross Switzerland for more information.

Green Cross Donation Page

Thursday, June 8, 2006 @ 9:13 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I finally finished the online donation pages of Green Cross Switzerland. I was configuring those pages day and night for more than a week before I left for the Philippines on April 16, 2006 but I was not able to finish them. For a week now, I started configuring them again and finally was able to finish them today. Thanks goodness, they’re finished!

I uploaded the pages and they’re actually available in 4 languages but still have to be checked by Green Cross Switzerland. If everything is ok, then Green Cross can now receive donations using credit card via Internet.

I also updated the media pages, the press releases are only available in German and French languages. In 2005, even without the online donation pages, Green Cross received donations in the amount of 6.7M Swiss Francs, a 26 percent increase from the previous year. Considering what Green Cross Switzerland had been doing for the past few years, I’m quite happy for those people responsible for it. To add to that, end of the year 2005, Green Cross Switzerland had 31,500 members. They need that kind of support. They deserved it.

Regarding the other sites, I decided to discontinue the guest book of my personal website, SofieHofmann.com, as well as the guest book of Pandan.gov.ph, the Official Website of the Municipality of Pandan, Antique, Philippines because of spams. I thought of upgrading to a higher version but I decided not to do it. Spammers will always find a way to spam the guest books.

Semirara Oil Spill

Thursday, February 16, 2006 @ 10:07 am by Sofie Hofmann

I just updated Pandan.ph Portal. Links to news about the oil spill in Semirara can be accessed at Pandan.ph Portal. This way, you’ll be able to know what’s happening. I suggest that you read from bottom to top starting from the date January 10, 2006. I really encourage you to read all the news.

I have been monitoring the oil spill in Semirara and it is really unfortunate that it happened. The latest that I read, the oil spill affected about 236 hectares of mangrove forests and 40 square kilometers of marine life. Less than 10 percent of the affected area had been cleaned up.

It was on December 18, 2005, when a Napocor barge ran aground off Sitio Bobog, Semirara, Antique, spilling between 200,000 and 350,000 liters of bunker fuel. In 2 days from now, it’s going to be 2 months since the accident happened, and so far they have cleaned up less than 10 percent of the affected area. You think about it if it’s good or not. Less than 10 percent?!

Look at the issue in a wider perspective, why is it that most people don’t want coal and diesel power plants? We use bunker fuel for diesel-fired power plants and coal for coal-fired power plants. We need to transport bunker fuel and coal for these power plants in different islands and regions. The barge of Napocor was transporting something when the accident happened. We know the impact of what happened.

Let us ask ourselves now, so why do people push for renewable energy? Renewable energy have pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages, but it is definitely better than the coal and diesel power plants. Some would say that renewable energy is expensive. Well, that’s the price we have to pay if we want a clean environment.

The fact is, money is not really the question, if we really want to do it, we can do it. The problem is if we have the willpower to do it. There’s always a way but if you want to settle for less and dirty like the coal and diesel power plants, then you suffer, and when you get sick, it’s going to be more expensive for all of us considering that most filipinos don’t have health insurance. The government and the private sectors could find a way to finance putting up those alternative energy but you will wonder who will pay for your hospital bills if you get sick because of the pollution and accidents caused by coal and diesel power plants.

There’s a lot of possibilities but I won’t go that far. For now, this is what I have to say, if you care about yourself, if you care about others, if you care about the environment, if you care about Mother Nature, then be responsible. I leave it up to you, on how to be responsible.

You can start here… Vote for renewable energy in the Philippines… at www.panda.org.

Pagtatap Pictures and Medical Mission

Monday, February 13, 2006 @ 2:52 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I updated the website of Pagtatap Foundation. I uploaded some pictures taken in 2005. Pictures could be viewed at the 2005 Activities section. The photo gallery will no longer be included as a menu instead photos will be placed at the Activities menu.

I also placed a text info regarding the Pagtatap Foundation sponsored Manggyan Medical Mission on April 1-5, 2006 in Pandan, Antique, Philippines. Please read the information and donate if you can. We are asking for your help and support. We try to give our help to some of those who need medical care and assistance and we are doing this by sponsoring a medical mission. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Pagtatap Foundation sponsored Manggyan Medical Mission 2005

I especially included the photo above to show you an example that some people would really wait that long because they don’t have that much money for the operation. I took this photo on April 18, 2005 when I went to the hospital with my niece who followed up those who were operated during the medical mission on April 3-6, 2005. The elderly woman was operated after 10 years of waiting and the cyst was finally taken from her back. She told me not to take a photo of her face and I just smiled. You can just imagine what kind of wonder your help would do.

For you out there, try to make a difference. You can do it. It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow. Show your love not only to your family but also to your brothers and sisters in Christ. Help if you can.

PSAP-PAROLA.org for Filipino Seafarers

Saturday, December 24, 2005 @ 3:03 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I finished updating the site of PSAP-PAROLA.org yesterday evening. Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme (PSAP) is a non-stock, non-profit foundation based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It primarily aims to support the Filipino seafarers’ quest for better and humane working and living conditions.

The Filipino Seafarers

PSAP has been publishing its newsletter/magazine called “PAROLA” for the Filipino seafarers. Parola has no ads at all but next year, they will start accommodating commercial advertisers at the Parola newsletter. Why advertise in Parola? The magazine is quite very informative for the seafarers and its family. I do not wonder that Parola newsletter is quite popular among the Filipino seafarers.

Some of the officers and staff of PSAP would visit one of the ships every month just to see the Filipino seafarers. The ship and crew that they visit is being featured at the SHIP and CREW of the MONTH, which I think very noble indeed. By merely looking at their photos, you will have the tendency to have some mixed emotions. For one thing, they are away from their loved ones, like right now, instead of spending Christmas with their family, they’re somewhere out there sailing at sea with their colleagues, while we are here enjoying on the ground.

May I ask everyone to please pray for them everyday, for their safety and wish them happiness even if they are away from their family especially this Christmas season.

May I also appeal to everyone to please support Parola newsletter by advertising with the magazine. Parola is circulated to over 10,000 individual Filipino seafarers and their families. You can download the latest issue of Parola, just visit PSAP-PAROLA.org website.

That’s all and have a wonderful day! Tomorrow is Christmas day!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!!!

Babushka

Thursday, December 22, 2005 @ 8:32 pm by Sofie Hofmann

Last Monday, December 19, 2005, I updated the start pages of the French, Italian and English version of the site of Green Cross Switzerland. The last time I updated it, I only inserted a pop-up window at the start page of the German version. The pop-up window is all about the “Babushka Painting Competition” of Green Cross Switzerland in relation to the Chernobyl accident 20 years ago.

The solidarity gathering by Swiss children for the children of Chernobyl will be on the 26th of April, 2006 in “Waisenhausplatz” in Bern. If you are a resident of Switzerland and would like to participate in this competition, sample patterns of Babushka can be ordered at Green Cross.

Herewith are few samples of the works of the children from Switzerland, courtesy of Green Cross Switzerland. Read my past blog entry, 20 Years after Chernobyl, to know what does Babushka mean.

Babushka

Today, I uploaded some documents, press releases, regarding the Social and Medical Care Programme of Green Cross Switzerland. The press releases are only in German and French languages. If you can read either of the two, you can check the media pages of the German and French version. It is about the help that Green Cross Switzerland is extending to one of the contaminated areas in Russia, “Chelyabinsk”, as well as Ukraine, through their Social and Medical Care Programme.

Chelyabinsk, in the former USSR, was the center of the Russian nuclear industry, also known as the “Mother of the Atomic Bomb”. Due to the unprofessional handling of the radioactive waste during that time, and as the area was producing nuclear weapons in high quantity, waste accumulated and contaminated Chelyabinsk and its neighboring areas.

Aside from that, there were also two serious radioactive accidents that occurred in 1994 and 1995 which contaminated the area. The radioactive wastes overflowed to the Techa river and it led to the radiation contamination of about 124,000 people, 28,000 of those were residents of the place “Brodokalmak”. At present, there are 1,100 children living in Brodokalmak, 800 of those are registered to be sick.

There’s still a lot of them out there… and they need our help…

As we are about to celebrate Christmas, if you can extend your help, just help… anyone… help anyway you can. People will appreciate it!

20 Years after Chernobyl

Friday, November 25, 2005 @ 2:38 am by Sofie Hofmann

I just updated the site of Green Cross Schweiz last Wednesday night. As I’ve written before, Green Cross will have a Painting Competition, actually a “Babushka” Painting Competition. I just created a pop-up window at the startpage of the German version site announcing the event on the 26th of April 2006.

The event is a demonstration of solidarity of the school children from Switzerland for the children of Chernobyl. I just hope that you still remember what happened in Chernobyl 20 years ago. The nuclear power plant accident occured in Chernobyl in the former USSR, now Ukraine, on April 25-26, 1986. For more information about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, please visit this website, www.chernobyl.info.

What does “Babushka” mean? Babushka is a Russian word meaning “grandmother” or “old woman”. I found out that some english dictionaries defined the word Babushka as a “woman’s head scarf” but in Russia it is never used to mean “woman’s head scarf”.

If they defined it as a “woman’s head scarf”, what an imagination, the evolution of the words, huh! In this case, the word “Babushka”! I guess, they called it that way, probably because most of the “Babushkas”, the grandmothers in Russia and Ukraine are always wearing a scarf covering their head.

Anyway, if you already click the link Green Cross Schweiz, you probably read the details of the event at the pop up window. If you want to participate, just inquire at Green Cross Switzerland.

Green Cross and Pandan-Antique.com

Sunday, October 9, 2005 @ 2:34 pm by Sofie Hofmann

I finished redesigning www.pandan-antique.com few days ago but still was refining it up to this day. Now it’s all ok. You’ll still be able to view the old design at www.sehdi.com/pandan or www.pandan-antique.8m.com. The design is finished but the content is not completely done yet. I still have a lot to add to that site but I’ll do it slowly.

I would like to have a directory at www.pandan-antique.com just like what I did at www.pandan.8k.com but of course the web design would be different. The web design of www.pandan.8k.com is so outdated. My, my… I have not been able to update the Pandan Site Directory and hope to include such at Pandan-Antique.com Philippines Website.

I also just finished updating the site of Green Cross Switzerland. I just added the following text:

In German at http://www.greencross.ch/de/organisation/stiftungsrat.html
Der Stiftungsrat arbeitet vollumfänglich ehrenamtlich und erhält entsprechend keine Entschägungen.

In French at http://www.greencross.ch/fr/organisation/conseil.html
Le conseil de fondation de Green Cross Suisse est totalement bénévole et ne perçoit donc aucune indemnité.

In Italian at http://www.greencross.ch/it/organizzazione/consiglio.html
Il Consiglio di Fondazione di Green Cross Svizzera lavora a titolo onorifico e non percepisce percio’ alcuna indennità.

In English at http://www.greencross.ch/en/organization/board.html
The Green Cross Switzerland Board Members work completely in voluntary, honorary functions and accordingly receive no remuneration for their work.

I especially copied those sentences in 4 languages. I may not be a fan of any politician but once in a while I admire them for such things.

Green Cross Update

Friday, October 7, 2005 @ 2:33 pm by Sofie Hofmann

Yesterday, I updated the media pages of Green Cross Switzerland. I always say pages because I designed the website of Green Cross in 4 languages, in German, French, Italian and English.

If you understand any of the languages, please check the media pages of Green Cross Switzerland.

Actually, I also updated the second paragraph of the history pages, changing the number of organizations under the umbrella of Green Cross International from 26 to 28.

On September 23, 2005, I already updated the media pages of Green Cross, an update on the Chernobyl victims.

On September 21, 2005, I updated the number of members of the States Council supporting Green Cross from 23 to 27, and the members of the National Council from 72 to 90. I really think that it’s good because more people are seeing what Green Cross is doing for a good cause.

If you want to know about Green Cross Switzerland, kindly visit the website at http://www.greencross.ch.

Make yourself more informed! Have fun reading!

Have a nice weekend!