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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Philippine Holiday Bazaar

THe official opening of the Philippine Holiday Bazaar is Paradance. The schedule is below:
1. 2010 November 19 - Para Isidro - NYC - Kalayaan Hall
2. 2010 November 20 - Philippine Holiday Bazaar

PARA ISIDRO * Alroy Teves - New York (guitarist) * Allan Pacla - New York (singer) * Bobby deLeon - New York (pianist, arranger) * Boston Dolina - New York (singer) * Katherine John - Australia (singer) * Jaime Blanch - Massachusetts (singer) * Jonell Gamilla - Chicago (singer)
Maritina Romulo - Manila (singer,dancer) * Miguel Braganza - New York (dancer) * Talia and Lee - New York (latin dancers) * Titchie Sarabia- New York (percussionist) * Una Genuino - Australia (16 year old dancer/choreographer)
)



2010 NOVEMBER 20 * PHILIPPINE HOLIDAY BAZAAR: HOLIDAY GIFTS * SALE * DISCOUNTS * UNIQUE ITEMS * ENTERTAINMENT * DOGGIE FASHION SHOW

Bring the entire family!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Queens Asian Fest - Job Fair & Home Based Business Exhibition Sponsors

Big name corporate sponsors as well as community businesses have come together to sponsor the Queens Asian Fest Job Fair & Home based business exhibition on November 13, 2010 from 10am-3pm at the Sheraton laGuardia East Hotel:



Click the * for the sponsor's weblink:
* BEST BUY
* DELTA AIRLINES
* djFilipino
* DWnews.com
* Essential Consulting Service
* Filipino Times
* MPGrafx
* PAYAG Restaurant
* Planet Philippines
* Sheration LaGuardia East
* The Marriage Ref
* Verizon Wireless

Video produced by Richard M. Reyes - adecisiontolove.com
Please visit the onecozyhome.com booth for raffles * prizes * gifts * sales * home & garden essentials

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Importance of Rest

As fun as one or many activities or even work can be. It is easy sometimes to realize the importance of rest. Physical and mental rest, as well as spiritual rest.

In Genesis, God, our Heavenly Father, led us by example; he rested on the 7th day. After 6 days of creation. God is love! God does not get tired. Yet he showed us that one day of rest is as crucial as 6 days of hard work. No matter how hard we try and what we may think we can do; It is God's power that shines through our weakness and imperfections. Genesis 2:2-3 explains God's explanation for resting, "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made" and continues, "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

When I get started on a project or task, I tend to continue on, no matter what. In Genesis 8:9, while Noah and his family was in the Great Ark, "But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters [were] on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark." The dove having no rest meant it was still time to go on.

In Exodus 16:23 we are reminded that it is good to rest on the sabbath, "And he said unto them, This [is that] which the LORD hath said, To morrow [is] the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake [that] which ye will bake [to day], and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning." Exdodus 23:12, "Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed."

The Old Testament, we are reminded that gravity of the importance of rest on the Sabbath, "Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is] the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth [any] work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death."

1 Chronicles 22:9 spoke of the coming of a man of rest, "Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days."

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." When I am exhausted from working, from thinking, from the "go, go, go" of modern life, I realize most I am weak and tire. I am strong because of Jesus Christ's strength. Lamentations 5:5 describes my thoughts of the "go, go, go" of life, "Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest."

In Matthew 8:20, "And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head."

Revelations 4:8 speaks of ceaseless worship, "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."

The significance and fruit of rest is explained in Exodus 23:12 (above) and in Exodus 31:17, "It [is] a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed."

Sunday, November 7, 2010

InPaint and Webinpaint software review

I was a bit skeptical about the before and after results I saw on the theinpaint.com website. It claimed to remove unwanted photos easily. Before downloading software that I may not eventually use, I tried a few photos for myself using the online software called webinpaint.com; the second reason was that I was trying this software from a laptop with Linux installed.

I downloaded a recent photo I took of model Jenny with fall foliage and decided what if I wanted to show the photo with just fall foliage. This was a good first test of the software and see if the claim could be proved.

The site could not be simpler to use. The first step was to LOAD IMAGE. Clicking on it allows you the option of uploading an image file (JPG) up to the site. I had no issues loading a 1.6MB file and no issues loading a 100K file. The next step was the highlight or "paint" over the area you want to remove and replace on the photograph. If you make a mistake, clicking on the "X" will clear the selection and you can select the object(s) again. To the right of the "X" is a number (clicking on the number reveals a slider that let's you adjust the brush size up to a maximum size of 50. I would recommend this for larger pixel photos as it lets you select a larger area (and decrease the time for you to select the unwanted object(s)). The easy step was to click INPAINT. The back end software and servers crunched away at the processing while I clicked on another tab to check email.

After checking email, I clicked back on the WebInpaint Beta tab. Here are the results:

Click here to see the original photo posted online

BEFORE

AFTER

To recap here are the steps using WebInPaint Beta in list format:
1. LOAD IMAGE
2. SELECT the object(s) from the image you want to remove by outlining.
3. (Optional) Click on the number to the right of the "X" to increase or decrease the size of the selector
4. (Optional) Click on the "X" if you need to clear the selection
5. Click INPAINT and wait until the image is transformed to the image you had in your mind
6. Click the disk SAVE icon to save the after photo. Remember to choose an alternate name or location as you may overwrite the original image

TOOL NOTES:
* Clicking on the "X" clears the entire selection

NOTE: The software itself is quite powerful but please respect photographers' and artist's copyright. Please also be aware of the law regarding copyrights where you live.

The Webinpaint Beta page states, "Typically the defect is repaired on the first try. However, you can experiment until you get the results you want." In my case the "defects" were repaired on the first try.

I tried again just to be sure. These are the results from a more complicated photo, where I removed the model on the right. It took a few tries because the empty space was filled with awkward elements until the fourth try where I thought the results are acceptable:

Click here to see the original photo posted on my website.

ORIGINAL

STEP 1

STEP 4

This software has revolutionized the practice of using scissors to "cut out" unwanted objects in photographs. Since it is software whether online or on your computer; it is cleaner, and takes a lot less time and really does remove unwanted objects. In certain scenarios, it is possible that using this software and additional cropping may do the job.

Photographs are copyrighted by Richard M. Reyes.

Friday, November 5, 2010

BBC World Challenge - Vote for the Philippines! Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

The BBC World Challenge is an annual international competition held by BBC World News and Newsweek. The purpose of this challenge is to find "projects or small businesses that have shown enterprise and innovation at a grassroots level." This year the Philippines has been selected as 1 of 12 vying for the international title. The winner will also receive $20,000 to continue their research.

1. Mexico - La Isla Urbana - rain water harvesting and filtration system
2. Guatemala - Long Way Home - Building at lower cost using recycled material
3. Peru - Sierra Productiva - Pass It On (knowledge sharing)
4. Denmark - MYC4 - Internet Marketplace
5. Rwanda - e.quinox - Charge of the Light Brigade
6. Kenya - David Osborne - Jompy - Double boiled drinking water
7. Malawi - Full Belly Project - In a Nutshell
8. Tanzania - Chumbe Island Coral Park - Ok Coral (saving coral reefs)
9. Zambia - Zambikes - Growth Cycle (bamboo bicycles)
10. Madagascar - Blue Ventures - One reef at a time (preserving reefs)
11.India - Husk power systems - Burn after eating (burned rice husks produces electricity)
12. Philippines - Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (AIDFI) - The Only way is up - RAM pumps using energy from water (no electricity) to provide water to high elevations. VOTE!

Please vote for the Philippines HERE.




The Official Facebook page is here

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Richard M. Reyes Photo Exhibit Virtual Tour - Payag Restaurant - 2010OCT28 until 2010NOV28

NEW YORK - Welcome to the self-guided online photo exhibit virtual tour for Richard M. Reyes photo exhibit at Payag Restaurant which runs from 2010 October 28 through 2010 November 28.

For the opening coverage please go here.

PRINTS ARE FOR SALE (except when noted).

#1 TriNoMa - Triangle NOrth of MAnila, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines. (16x20 stretched canvas. signed)
#1 TriNoMa

#2 Philippine Flag in NY City Parade. Manhattan, New York. (16x20 stretched canvas. signed)
#2 Philippine Flag in NY City Parade

#3 Karitela (Horse drawn carriage). Intramuros, Manila, Philippines (16x20 stretched canvas, Signed)
#3 Karitela



#5 Lazy "Bangka" After the Rain


#6 Beauty and the Behemoth


#7 Talitha


#8 Magical Half Dome


#9 Twin Red Woods


#10 Majestic Half Dome


#11 Lower Yosemite Falls


#12 Merlot Wine Grape


#13 Misty Enchantment


#14 News Flash!


#15 Pacquiao I


#16 "Tapsilog" Breakfast


#17 Legendary Winemaker with his dog


#18 Kundiman I


#19 Pacquiao II


#20 Photographer


Official RIchard M. Reyes Photo Exhibit Gallery Opening 2010 October 28. (L-R) Madelaine Reyes, Perla Reyes, Aviela Reyes, Richard M. Reyes, Morgan Jones (Queens Director, Community Affairs Unit of the New York City Mayor's Office), Luis F. Pedron (LFP Productions, Inc.)

Official Press Release as it appears in November 5, 2010 issue of the Asian Journal (NY, NJ, CT)

Queens Asian Fest - Job Fair & Home Based Business Exhibition

NEW YORK - The general public is invited to the Queens Asian Fest - Job Fair & Home Based Business Exhibition.

Seminars * Hourly Raffle Giveaways * Free tote bag * Community Event


Please register: http://queensasianfest2010.eventbrite.com

Queens Asian Fest - Job Fair & Home Based Business Exhibition
Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel
135-20 39th Avenue, Flushing, Queens, NY 11354
Phoenix Grand Ballroom
Saturday November 13, 2010 10A-3P

Queens Asian Fest Awards Gala Night
Fundraising Event - Celebrating success stories in the Asian Community in the Tri-State NY-NJ-CT area


View Larger Map

Check out the Queens Asianfest Website for more information.

Kirby Asunto - Concert Debut (2010 DEC 17) & (2010 DEC 25)

NEW YORK - 12-year old Kirby Asunto will be performing her 1st ever concert at Payag Restaurant (51-34 Roosevelt Avenue, Woodside, NY). It will feature Christmas Holiday songs that will be performed in public for the first time. Show dates are December 10, 2010 and December 25, 2010.

Kirby Asunto is available for performances. Please contact richluis@adecisiontolove.com for more information. Thank you.

Check back on this page for updates.


Kirby's personal invite.


Kirby rehearsing 14G to a private audience at Payag Restaurant.

Beulah Mae Holiday Doggie Fashion Show

NEW JERSEY - Attention doggie fans. On November 21, 2010, The Philippine Holiday Bazaar will present the Beulah Mae Holiday Doggie Fashion Show at the Westfield Armory in Westfield, NJ. For more info: PBazaar@mp-entertainment.com.


Beulah Mae Holiday Doggie Fashion Show trailer by Richard M. Reyes (adecisiontolove.com)


Marisse Panlilio from Philippine Bazaar invite

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Legendary wine maker and his dog

One of the pieces in the Richard M. Reyes Photo Gallery Exhibit @ Payag Restaurant (2010 October 28 - 2010 November 28) is called Legendary Wine maker and his dog.

Legendary Hall of Fame vintner (wine maker) Miljenko "Mike" Grgich with Aviela Reyes and his dog Posip play with the Bocci ball. This photograph was taken in Calistoga, California in October 2010. It is hot of the press and filled with life. This time of year is the grape harvest and the air was filled with the scent of crushed grapes.

This piece was added to the gallery collection by request of Mr. Miljenko "Mike" Grgich.



For the full online gallery click here.

External links:
* For more information about visiting the Grgich Hills Estate Winery click here
* The Evolution of Napa with Mike Grgich - Radio Interview (part 1) (part 2)

Photographer - Poetry, Photography and Text Fused into Art

What do you get when you combine the following elements? a photograph and stylized text design. It is a different view of art. The poetry whose letter and words function as design and artistic elements on the canvas. In this case the choice was metallic paper mounted on foam core.

What do you see? Is it the stylized text or the text underneath the conscious of your mind, your eyes supporting the illusion and reality of the photo that is the background. You are able to zoom in and out of the photograph and simplicity and complexity are the contrast or is it the lack of color, save for a few areas in the work?

What happens when you see a photograph of this work? It becomes a photograph within a photograph. Thus, it is art at different levels.

Photographer
Richard M. Reyes
2010 October 19

Fleeting moments of life
Captured
Small emotions in light
Cherished

Honored is the photographer

Within and without
In the midst of
Individuals and groups

Artist and subject
Fused in a photograph

Photographer and Camera
The artist's easel and canvas
Subject transformed into
The muse and the paint
Creativity and artistry
Is the brush and stroke

Humbled is the photographer

A witness
To life and death
Testimony
In images

Archie D - Autumn 2010

NEW JERSEY - Archie Dairocas, Pagadian, is more well known as Archie D. He is an accomplished Filipino-American composer and singer and part of Vicor Music Corporation (formerly Sunshine Records). He has returned to the US from the Built to Sound Good concert series in the Philippines last September.

Last 2010 October 31, Archie D had an awesome photography shoot in Alpine, NJ with photographer Richard M. Reyes of www.adecisiontolove.com. It was a good time to capture the highlight of Autumn in the United States, particularly the Northeast USA, which has a lot of different types of trees that have magnificent color.

These are just some of the photos from the shoot. For the entire gallery click here.







External Links:
* Archie D's page on multiply
* To check out and purchase Archie D's album from 2003 called Archimedes click here
* Archie D on iLike
* Archie D at the Asian American Festival click here
* Archie D interviewed by Dave Brodsky, producer of Rhythms of New York

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Portrait Photography Digital Touchup & Processing

In the days of print photographs many photo studios touched up photographs by hand using paint. There was a lot of skill involved in getting the right color, then applying the proper pressure and stroke.

These days the art of portrait photography retouching has been digitized to match the digital workflow:
1. INPUT: Digital Camera (lenses that are specially made for digital cameras); computerized Flash
2. PROCESSING: Computerized Processing (Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom 3, Portrait Professional
3. OUTPUT: Digital Format (computer/iPAD/Tablet: websites, email; phone/PDA: SMS, email)

We will be focusing on the processing aspect today and see some digital processing results. For the photoset by Lucas Huang (GP Lucas) please check out this link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=448957133883&set=a.448957058883.248347.500953883

The images have been reposted for this blog. Used with permission.

There are a few goals for processing:
1. Remove unwanted details
2. Smoothen and blur
3. Highlight areas
4. Make the photo look better (of course this is the most important goal! Note there may be certain photos that are beyond help)

Software Used:
There are 3 key pieces of software used:
1. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 (website: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/)
2. Portrait Professional 9 (website: http://www.portraitprofessional.com/photo_editing_software/)
3. Adobe Photoshop CS5 (website: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/photoshopextended/whatsnew/index.html?segment=design)

These software packages should help you process most portraits unless the lighting or focus is drastic beyond reach.

Adobe Lightroom 3
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is how Lightroom is referred to by Adobe. Lightroom is what everyday users call it. It is essential software used in the photographer's digital workflow. Lightroom has made a name by allowing photographers easy access to their entire photographic (and LR3 video) library in a snap. Groups of photographs can be highlighted and effects can be uniformly applied when necessary.

Importing and organization into logical directory structures are its strong points. After Version 3 was released it offered photographers one great addition to its toolset. Namely noise processing. Now one can eliminate a level of desired noise from a photograph shot in dark or high ISO scenarios without launching another piece of software.

Portrait Professional
Portrait Professional is a specialized software that is designed solely and extensively to improve portraits. It can enhance your photo more easily and in a lot less time than Photoshop. This software can be used as a one-stop shop for beginners, intermediate users, and even professionals who need retouching services.

Portrait Professional features:
* Face shaping
* Skin smoothing
* Eyes & Teeth
* Lighting
* Spot Reduction

Anthropics, the company that makes Portrait Professional introduces and uses their "ClearSkin®" skin improving technology and, "adds greatly to the realism of the skin after enhancement. It enables "blown" or burnt out highlights on the skin to be successfully retrieved and realistically re-textured in seconds. To the best of our knowledge, this innovative feature is unique and puts clear blue water between Portrait Professional and other skin enhancing packages. For the first time, the ClearSkin® technology enables anybody to achieve ultra realistic skin enhancing effects literally in seconds."

If given a choice I would select the Studio 64 version (especially for a version of 64-bit Windows) because it includes:
* Adobe Photoshop Plugin (standalone plugin included)
* Enhanced color profiles and RAW support
* New batch mode

For techies, the plugin will make full use of multi-processor and multi-core systems (woohoo!) In plain English: Much shorter wait time.

Adobe Photoshop CS5
Before any specialized portrait software was designed, Adobe Photoshop has been the King of photo editing. It has been referred to as a digital darkroom. Version CS5 has bumped up the level of editing power by offering capable software for web, design, and video professionals. Photoshop is still the King of digital darkroom when one needs to get down and dirty with layers, effects, and processing large amounts of photos that require these specialized and custom effects.

Before and After photos and processing by Lucas Huang (GP Lucas).  Used by permission.  Link to original work here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=448957133883&set=a.448957058883.248347.500953883

Before and After photos and processing by Lucas Huang (GP Lucas).  Used by permission.  Link to original work here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=448957133883&set=a.448957058883.248347.500953883

Monday, November 1, 2010

Moreno on Moreno - A response by Virginia R. Moreno

I saw an article on the Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=20090614-210393) regarding Poet Virginia R. Moreno's response regarding the controversy surrounding Gloria Macapagal's naming Pitoy R. Moreno as a National Artist. This was posted no June 14, 2009.

"Moreno on Moreno

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Posted date: June 14, 2009


MANILA, Philippines – Poet Virginia Moreno has written us to react to the article “Pitoy Moreno to be named National Artist?” (Inquirer Lifestyle, June 5, 2009), which reports speculations that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would name her brother National Artist for Fashion Design, bypassing the official and democratic selection process for the awards.
She wrote: “...I’m aroused by this talk of brewing trouble – not of Moreno’s knowledge or doing – that if the President confers this (contested? questioned?) National Artist Award for Fashion Design on Jose R. ‘Pitoy’ Moreno, it is the President’s exclusive choice and judgment alone, on the 50 years – Ginintuang Sining/Golden Years of the Art and Life of Moreno in his million Fund Raising 2004 Tribute Show at the Cultural Center of the Philippines for Young Artists, for Gawad Kalinga and for Nuns of an Order I’ve forgotten, who pray over him. Implying, it’s the President’s lone personal choice?...

Consequently, all that manna of prestige, rituals and comforts granted to a proclaimed National Artist, such as the lifelong pension of originally P10,000, paid medical bills, a grand state funeral and, at last, a niche in the Libingan ng Mga Bayani. All such gifts of the State would be credited to the President’s largesse and majestic authority?”

She added, “As one of three members of the Moreno clan, honored, unquestionably, with the highest state awards by other republics, from the French Republic on the late Ambassador Luis Moreno y Salcedo to France and Unesco Paris, and the German Federal Republic on Oscar Moreno Lopez – here and now, I see clearly, ethically, and therefore advocate the need of the Philippine Republic to confer its National Awards for Artists under the same strictest Republican principles, with the dignity of the silence of monks in their election of the Pope, to be balanced more by the grace and ceremony with which the Japanese Emperor confers the poetic title National Treasures on peasant weavers to kimono design artists.”

Virgie said her brother had been received abroad by the late Princess Margaret in London, Spanish Queen Sophia in Madrid, the King of Morocco and “a Japanese princess at the exclusive Miho Museum. But, it’s not quite correct to call as “rubbing elbows” these royal hosting and Moreno’s official presence, approved by protocol, as performing envoy of Philippine culture. And no other creative credentials credited to him, why should he receive an Invitation and Award in his own country’s Palace when there are hopeful, waiting others?

“It’s hard labor, and at what cost, are those Moreno Theater of Culture Shows in the service of and glory to the Philippine Republic? Demanding of management skills with honed artistry. Extremely stressful and expensive as to put the family’s health and bank account at risk. I know, I’m the other Moreno in his brother-and-sister act in all the half-century celebrations of Philippine Independence Day: from the first, 12th June 1964, Giting Kayumanggi, a historic pageant, [with] Virginia R. Moreno as librettist, music by Lucio San Pedro, choreographer L. Urtula of Bayanihan, authentic costumes by Jose R. Moreno that opened in New York’s Lincoln State Theater of the Rockefeller Foundation. To Unesco Paris Theater, 12th June 1996, Philippine Independence Day, where the Filipino chamber maids paid their honestly earned francs to Moreno’s show for Father Tritz’s Erda Foundation Scholar Funds in Paco, Manila. To the 1998 Philippine Independence Day Centennial in the Walk the Last Walk of Our Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal, where our grandchildren as innocents on this tragic day wore Moreno’s little Maria Clara and barong costumes.”

Virgie also cited her brother’s books on Filipino fashion – “‘Philippine Costume’ and ‘Kasalan’ richly documented the origins, crafting and beauties in our Teatro Tampipi Show: the family heirlooms of piña and jusi silks, mantones de Manila, ethnic jewelry, hats, canes and Ang Batis tsinelas.”

She added, “J. Moreno Foundation grants yearly scholarships to the best students of the UP College of Medicine and UP College of Fine Arts [his alma mater]... Surely, a foot doctor from out of those beneficiaries would care for a patient named Jose R. Moreno if he lands in the PGH charity ward, now cleaner and better-equipped from a Sofitel Plaza Hotel fundraising Moreno show.”

In closing, Virgie wrote: “What else would a Moreno need, crave for and run after? When, National Artist for Literature Jose Garcia Villa in his most profane and sacred wit, intoned: To reinvent God is unnecessary. All He needs today is a Designer’s Name.” –
Virginia R. Moreno, French Republic, Chevalier dans L’ Ordre des Palmes Academiques"

Mr. Theodore "Ted" Sorensen - Global Citizen

NEW YORK - Theodore "Ted" Sorensen lived a full life until his death at 82 years old. Even after a stroke where Mr. Sorensen lost his vision, he was still full of zest for life.

The last time I saw Mr. Theodore "Ted" Sorensen was a little over a year ago in October 2009 in Greenwich, CT. His Excellency Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed and The Honorable Theodore C. Sorensen were presented with the Roots of Peace Global Citizen Awards. He savored every moment of that day from speaking to walking with his wife and autographing copies of his book, "Counselor."

Princess Diana's "appreciation for the gift of life" and commitment to "global demining" served as a central motivation to Roots of Peace Founder Heidi Kühn. Roots of Peace has a global "mines to vines" initiative where mines are "de-mined" and replaced with grape vines which serve to rebuild communities. These communities where fields were once deadly areas filled with mines are transformed into a self-sustaining solution. The grape vines planted become the source of financial sustenance and build up a country's economy, one community at a time.

Maria Luisa M. Reyes, the daughter of the late Ambassador Luis Moreno Salcedo (former permanent representative of The Philippines to the United Nations who served in New York from 1982-1985), shared the stage with Mr. Theodore "Ted" Sorensen as the Director of International Relations for Roots of Peace. On the Roots of Peace website (http://www.rootsofpeace.org/blog/2009/07/bayat-foundation-afghan-sympos.html), Heidi Kühn explains how she met Ms. Reyes, "Over ten years ago, I made a telephone call from the basement of our family home to the 38th floor of the United Nations, the Executive Office of the U.N. Secretary-General. Maria "took my call" with an idea born in the heart of a mother. From there, she took the concept of MINES TO VINES to the ears of Mrs. Gillian Sorensen, former U.N. Assistant Secretary-General. Throughout the years, we earned the active support of His Excellencies Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon. Today a bright light adorns our Roots of Peace headquarters, as Ms. Reyes is now Director for International Relations."

Mr. Sorensen is best remembered as counselor and speech writer for U.S. President John F. Kennedy. In a New York Times video interview, He said that [as a speechwriter] he has played a very important role but not the deciding role.

Looking back at last year's Roots of Peace event, I realize now more than then that presenting Mr. Sorensen with the Global Citizen Award was fitting. His words of encouragement cut across borders, ethnicities, and nationalities.

We will all remember Ted Sorensen for the words that challenged and continues to challenge Americans and people worlwide, "...Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." (Text by Richard M. Reyes)

IMG_9628-2

(L-R) Gillian Sorensen, Theodore "Ted" Sorensen, Ms. Maria Luisa M. Reyes at the Roots of Peace event in Greenwich, CT where Mr. Sorensen received the Global Citizen Award (Photo/Richard M. Reyes).

UPDATE: The above photo now appears on the Roots of Peace website (http://www.rootsofpeace.org/blog/2010/11/in-tribute-to-ted-sorensen.html#more)

American Minute

A Decision to Love Online Gallery