92 Madeira Consorcio Meeting 14.10. 2017
Oct 16, 2017 at 2:22 pm | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: brasil, consciousness, joao de deus, madeira consorcio, peter russell
We viewed a documentary S.brought from Brazil about the healer Joȃo de Deus
(http://www.healing-themovie.com/about-the-film/)
This film is not available on YouTube.
S. was in Brazil for treatment for three weeks and found that afterward, her health was/is much better that before. (She doesn’t want to take heavy-duty allopathic medicine.)
Interesting: Joao de Deus is a simple man with the potential to channel healing spirits. He was persecuted and beaten, before he found a “protector” who set him up in Abadiania (near Brasilia) where he and a team of other mediums are now working to heal on a physical and spiritual level.
Spoiler: The film is a bit heavy on catholic veneer as Ignatius of Loyola is involved, but if you replace “God” with “source”, the content works for everybody.
Afterwards, we went to “Pátio das Babosas” and had a great meal on a terrace above Monte; we enjoyed one of the last summer evenings.
PS: Interesting info about the Consciousness topic:
Peter Russell https://www.scienceandnonduality.com/the-reality-of-consciousness/)
David Chalmers https://www.ted.com/talks/david_chalmers_how_do_you_explain_consciousness
Dan Dennett https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_dennett_on_our_consciousness
Anil Seth https://www.ted.com/talks/anil_seth_how_your_brain_hallucinates_your_conscious_reality
87 Madeira Consorcio Meeting 11.3.2107
Mar 12, 2017 at 12:38 pm | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: Bread, gluten free, Madeira, madeira consorcio
Support for the Foundation
As mentioned before, the Foundation relies on private funding only. The stock market is providing less income than before but another point is that the judge in charge of the Court of Families and Minors is of the opinion that children should be given to foster parents,
The Foundation has been very quiet about their work so far, but times change and more funds are needed so the Foundation needs to show more face. From a website and handouts via Diario ads up to TV interviews , everything is possible. The management team needs to decide how far they want to go with public exposure.
The Foundation is fully compliant with the law. Social Security made a full check up. Transparency and compliance are the essential for fundraising efforts.
D & S have a good example of how it should be done with http://www.refugio.pt/ (nice website – clean, simple and welcoming), a well-known entity in the Algarve for just the cases the Foundation is caring for as well (“emergência infantil”).
We shall help the Foundation with marketing efforts, to strengthen the base for ongoing fundraising. D proposed the 0.5% Tax Donation avenue. Private citizens can donate this amount to a charity of their choice, with no cost to themselves, Accounting companies can even set this up as a default option, informing their clients that if they do not say otherwise, the accounting can set up their donation automatically.
Fir this to work, word needs to get out that the Foundation is asking for this help. This can be done be email to all contacts and former alumni. The request for help can also go out via A5 handouts, with an appealing text in (not too complicated) Portuguese, citing the Foundation’s NIF number.
U.prepared a text and showed it to the Team. The Portuguese has to be fixed and the text polished and improved. M will do this with his Team as soon as possible (Tax declarations will be delivered as of April 1st), then we’ll receive the final text. U will deliver prints , E. & Gr can take the handouts to the cinema in Ponta do Sol, etc.
D suggested that the Foundation tries to set up a list of former students to draw them in for support. They might want to keep in touch with each other as they, after all, all, grew up together.
He also suggested asking former students for an annual donation, it can be small but it would strengthen their sense of belonging. Another way is via estate planning: donors can help by bequeathing houses or funds after their demise.
Special projects can be used to attract donations as well. Esaid that an “institution” (no better word for it yet) can expect support from a community when it offer something to this community, e.g. theatre plays, concerts , Christmas tree lighting on the grounds, etc. (the group was not enthusiastic about Christmas plays, though) .
Web site upgrade
U has received the access codes to the existing website and worked on the background to improve things. She will acquire some photos of children, and S.Z. could provide photos of the home and hopefully the staff, to add them to the website. We also need the WORD originals of the annual report 2016, there is good material in there to fill the pages. (The Foundation has a good team, this should be emphasized as well.)
U will look at a PayPal Donate button (other option: MBNet) to suggest donations. This can be set up with a 10€ minimum as PayPal takes a cut for the payments, albeit on a lower rate for an IPSS.
In our time, with more and more angst ruling the people, it is important to strengthen the ties in the community so that people contact and get to know each other. Fear cannot take hold so much if you know your neighbor and community.
The Bread Project:
E met with G.V. who is interested in the gluten-free-bread as he cannot produce it in his two (or more?) bakeries. E gave him a sample and received a very good feedback.
We discussed the price, D was skeptical if the price is not too high. R.V: has the experience, he is often educating the clients on nutrition and value and he says that the price is not too high, compared with the bland quality of industrial gluten-free bread, and that he can “sell” the price to his clients.
We also discussed the possible production of the grains on the island. At the moment, they can be bought from Italy (Tuscany) , Austria and the US.
E received some originals , he can have them planted here but the yield will not better, and the cost would be the same (around 6€/kg). Planting them on Madeira would be sustainable, creating work, helping the community… great idea, but is has to be kept for the future.
83 Madeira Consorcio Meeting 17.9.2016
Sep 18, 2016 at 11:11 am | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: Bread, Escola, Funchal, madeira consorcio, madeira think tank, mark zuckerberg, meeting, mundo sustentavel, Portugal, recycly, vegetarian friendly
The Bread Project:
V gave E. a “plastic” bag, to store bread and keep it fresh. The bag, produced in Austria, is not made with oil but of plant material, and decomposes easily; it can be re-used several times. The bag can be printed on. The producer is www.naku.at.We discussed the logo and design for linen bags for sale along with the bread.
We also spoke about the support we want to give the Escola de S..
We shall propose to their Team to create a blog for them, based on the text that we developed after the July meeting with them. U is going to send the approved content to Do. to look at. E.has photos; we need those for a blog. U will ask Ma. for their bank details so we can perhaps also add a PayPal donation button.
We also spoke about fundraising and how to go about it
Do. said the most important issue for fundraising is to answer the questions on what the project is and what they need. The fundraisers also need to propose adequate gifts as thank you for the donations received, e.g.
- a postcard with children’s paintings for a donation of 5€,
- for 10€ a donor would get a mug,
- and for 25€ he would get a yearbook,
- for higher amounts he would receive a mention of his name as sponsor on a (movable) plaque in the school.
An ongoing fundraising effort would be better that an occasional action, with the receipt of money from time to time.
“Teaching” support
There we have many options. S.used to go to her children’s school and read a poem which would inspire the children to make a drawing/painting about the topic, S. then gave assisted them in this. Such visits can lead to the composition of a yearbook, also as Thank You to donors.
Rui A.could do physics experiments with them, and so on…
Additional info.
Open letter from a Danish Newspaper to Mark Zuckerberg: http://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/kommentar/Dear-Mark-I-am-writing-this-to-inform-you-that-I-shall-not-comply-with-your-requirement-to-remove-this-picture-604156b.html
We have a recycling shop behind the Forum, “Mundo Sustentavel”, They accept used goods for household, decoration & more and resell them; the proceeds are split between the seller and the shop: Tel 291619768, info@mundo-sustentavel.com
Frente Mar has some shops out for public tender for rent in/near the Lido Swimming pools, several artists are working there.
The list of 10 vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Funchal :
http://frommadeiratomars.com/pt/10-vegetarian-friendly-restaurants-in-madeira/
D & S like “Olive” in Oudinot best, the restaurant needs business so we should all go there and recommend it.
Also very good: “Tipografia” in the Castanheiro Boutique Hotel. “Mania de Cozinha” in S. Pedro is closed due to fire damage.
Our next meeting will be in mid-October,
77 Madeira Consorcio Meeting 17.2.2016
Feb 19, 2016 at 6:00 pm | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: Funicular, GrafiMadeira, Madeira, madeira consorcio
We visited a printing plant in Cancela.
GM was founded in 1979. In the old days, when printing was done with much more laborious methods, it used to employ up to 65 persons. Nowadays, and with the island still in the grips of the Crisis, the company employs 15 staff. Some of them are with the company since more that 35 years, and salaries, Social Security and taxes are paid in time. The staff seems happy.
For pre-production, GM uses Apple computers. The designers receive the documents from the clients in digital format and after control and correction, prepare aluminium plates with several pages on one plate for the printing presses within two hours.
The printing plates are made of aluminium, the layout is fixed on it by laser; most of the printing machines (black & white , 2 colors, 4 colors) are made in Germany, and therefore may be old but still work well 🙂
Printing is followed by page assembly, cutting and if needed, by folding, the machines they use are very versatile. The amount of waste paper is enormous, it is collected and sent to the mainland for recycling.
The company needs to invest a lot to keep up with the rapid development in the industry; on the other hand, they lost a lot of clients due to the crisis. The cost of paper and ink is high as well.
The company works in 8 hour shifts and could easily tripe their output with 2 more shifts, as in the old days.
Our discussion afterwards (not in the Café by the roundabout , closed 😦 but in a Pub in Canico:
We spoke about the search for the perfect product for Madeira.
Our banana is 70% “Cavendish” and will be hit hard once we get the bug here that demolishes the Cavendish plants in Latin America.
D. would promote special wheat – for export as well as for E’s bread – and said that Madeira problem with the terrace plantation could be eased with the use of an open “Funicular” or “cliff railway” ( see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funicular ). a railway with open cars (there is also one in Lisbon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascensor_da_Gl%C3%B3ria ). With such a machine, the access to old terraces and the transport of the harvest might be greatly improved.
D.& P. have 15 terraces on their land below their “platform” with the main house; this might be a perfect example of a property where to use such a railway.
E. knows of a place which employs such a Funicular, we’ll see if we can visit the place on the weekend.
Christmas 2015
Dec 23, 2015 at 11:04 am | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: 2016, aquavit, madeira consorcio, medicinal herbs, smorgasbord
The Team had a great dinner in one of our member’s Quintas (Manor House), built in 1866. A wonderful atmosphere for a Christmas Dinner with much discussion and friendly banter. The best: our hostess is Swedish, so she treated us to a genuine Smorgasbord (google it) with marinated salmon and knackebrot. Aquavit is not that well known on the island so we had that, and we learned (or rather, listened to) the proper Swedish song to be sung before drinking it (good digestive!).
The Madeira Consorcio started its activities in April 2012, and we had 75 meetings so far. We have learned that, having good ideas and giving them to the population, is not working. Of maybe 10.000 farmers on the island, you would have to find the two or five persons who get the idea – say of an island covered in high quality medicinal herbs – to have the project come to fruition. Not easy, and we do not want to approach the Government for input because experience has shown that this is often the wrong approach…We shall develop new approaches next year
Now we are looking forward to a new year, with new ideas and exciting projects!
Ursula
71 Madeira Consorcio Meeting 16.7.2015
Jul 19, 2015 at 12:22 pm | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: Bread, crowdfunding, einkorn, emmer, Funchal, kamut, laboratory, luiz saldanha, madeira consorcio, Marine biology station, ocean observatory, Portugal, project, redistribution of wealth, splet, transparency
71 Madeira Consorcio Meeting 16.7.2015
Visit to the Marine Biology Station:
We visited the Marine Biology Station on Praia das Gaivotas, E’s place of work. The Ocean observatory is housed there, and Gr., although she is not officially back to work, also helps out there.
AL, one of the scientists, graciously showed us around. On appointment, she offers guided tours in English and Portuguese on a regular schedule. This would also be an interesting for tourists walks – nobody knows about it!
The station has an extensive library; the oceanographer Luiz Saldanha donated many unique books to the Station. The content is already available in digital format under www.cm-funchal.pt -> Ciencia ->Publicacoes. The Summer University students (Leicester) study here with E. One scientist is currently studying the impact plastic residue has on the marine animal world.
The station, dedicated to the study of the ocean and its species, is fifteen years old. It was supposed to be a part of a bigger complex; due to monetary restraints, the rest will not be built. The station has six floors and houses several, dedicated laboratories. The technical equipment (long lines of multiple tubes on the ceilings, big microscopes, lab bottles – empty as well as filled with something – is quite good. A rolling archive houses thousands of animal species in formaldehyde and alcohol.
The station works with in conjunction with UMa and the Municipal Aquarium in Rua da Mouraria. It is part of an international network of Marine Biology stations. Some preserved species from the Aquarium, are now housed in tanks in the Station, including the head of a once five-m long shark in formaldehyde. Some of the species stored may already be extinct by now.
The station has dedicated laboratories and teaching spaces; Gr was working in one of them. It also affords living space for visiting scientist. On the ground floor, above the beach, are two tanks which can accommodate turtles. One of the scientists is tracing them. Local fishermen also cooperate with the station; when they catch unusual species, they contact the scientists to collect them at the auction and take them to the station to be studied. The station is also a point of reference for scientists worldwide who want to compare species to ascertain of they found a new sub-species in our Waters.
Discussion:
We then started off by talking about the Redistribution of Wealth text.
The rich are not the problem; they can be a part of the solution. It’s a fact that the Portuguese have no culture of giving, they only think of themselves, their family and their friends. Since the times of Salazar, they are used to doing what they are told, they have no revolutionary traits – maybe something in that vein is starting now on the Algarve islets, due to the mass eviction of poor people (from illegal homes, endangered by rising water levels). They are also keen on subsidies which stop them from growing foodstuff for their own use and local sales. They also duly follow the seduction by advertising and throw away and replace instead of recycling, re-using and repairing products.
The Greeks import every lemon, now they will have to create an internal, local economy and start growing their own food. Where there is demand, supply will follow.
Wealth does not need to be measured by money, we can consider ourselves rich when we have a satisfying life.
Money is empowerment; it should not be kept under the mattress, it needs to circulate.
Ce would like to forbid the money flowing into sports in order to redirect the funds to social projects. Subsidies should be abolished.
- Education is the cornerstone to get the population to come away from the “Taker” model (Ishmael) and get them to fight for a more meaningful life.
- A good example is needed to create the right motivation. A good example is Sebastian Salgados “A Salt of the Earth” approach; Wim Wenders made the film (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_salt_of_the_earth/ ). Salgado photographed a lot of wars and bad events, and then decided to dedicate himself to do good by reforesting a vast area of land in Brazil. (http://www.institutoterra.org/eng/conteudosLinks.php?id=22&tl=QWJvdXQgdXM=&sb=NQ==#.VauBqfmP_KB )
- People need to start to question things and they need to stop using subsidies, they can use crowdfunding to start up a business (kickstarter, indiegogo, for Portugal www http://ppl.com.pt ). A site comparing crowdfunding sites: http://www.crowdfunding.com/ it is mportant to choose well because the platforms charge at least a 5% fee for the campaigns.
- Transparency: everything needs to and will be disclosed on the internet in the future. The “traditional” administrator who thinks that he can do what he wants, without benign controlled, will be a thing of the past.
Crowdfunding is a new form of financing, open to all, not just the rich. D invested a bit of money in an apparatus, invented but yet to be developed and marketed, which replaces the cumbersome Sleep Apnoe masks many persons need to use.
Then E read us a text of his, with the story of how he came to like and bake bread of the highest quality. With this meeting, we came to the following conclusion:
We decided that it would be a good project for the group to promote E’s dream of a bakery and bread shop (no Café) to produce and sell his bread, based on old strains of grains (Spelt, Emmer, Einkorn. Kamut). We would help him get the funding through a crowdfunding site, and Ri could take good photos and produce a video for the site. We have to choose the best platform http://www.crowdfunding.com/ to reach the maximum national and international support. As incentive for the backers, E can offer bread subscriptions.
E’s bread can also be exported, he already had requests in this regard.
This would set a good example for the population of self-help to produce a local, Madeira-made product, with grains from Madeira Island, milled on site. A healthy, not genetically modified and not poisoned bread.
This group goal will also be in line with Ri’s idea that the group should focus and work on a meaningful concept
Our next meeting will be on WEDNESDAY 19.8.2015
70 Madeira Consorcio Meeting 21.5.2015
Jun 21, 2015 at 11:09 am | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: big five for life, gary haugen, health service, Hospital, jean giorno, kings fund, Madeira, madeira consorcio, marmeleiros, new hospital, poverty, strelecky, ted talk
We continued our talk with Dr. C.P. about the situation of our health services in Madeira. He made it clear that the six towers building next to the hospital is not a good idea, it’s not even safe: the plot is on a slope where the exhaust fumes of the cars on the roundabout and tunnel below would float up the hill and adversely affect (at least) the patients with breathing problems. A new hospital is really needed; it would be possible to install modern and well-designed supply piping (oxygen and the like) and afford better service access (and fire exits). It would be easier to avoid sepsis which in the old hospital cannot be avoided, not due to bad hygiene but due to the building itself. The devil is in the details.
The City Hall commissioned a 20 page study about the feasibility of the six towers, and the result was negative. This study was rejected by the old Government.
The best option would be S. Rita. (The Savoy plot would not have adequate access to the traffic.) Another option would be to tear down the School next to the Hospital (which as all schools, is losing pupils) and build there; the land was originally part of the hospital plot.
The Marmeleiros Hospital (Internal medicine) should be next to the main hospital. Now, recourses are wasted on transport between the units. Due to bad maintenance and management, ambulances are late, even in servicing regular patient transport.
Madeira has a hospital centre, not a “proper” hospital like on the mainland. Rare cases still have to be treated on the continent.
We should have an emphasis on one specialty, eg. fighting diabetes which is prevalent on the island but the island does not have a critical mass of inhabitants. Autonomy in this area is not possible.
The pity is that 80 Mil. € were invested in the old hospital (Nuclear Medicine, Pharmacy, Labs), and even if the equipment is moved, there is a waste of money that cannot be recuperated.
We have, for an island, quite a sophisticated health equipment. The problem is bad management. Doctors and nurses are doing a great job under the circumstances they have to work in.
Some years ago, the hospital was greatly helped by the “Kings Fund” and received an accreditation which it lost a few years later. Another accreditation is sought but in the state the hospital is in, this is doubtful.
In any case, it needs political will to build a new hospital, with funds that will have to come from the continent. In spite of all adversity, the group felt that we shall get a new hospital eventually. It also remains to be seen how the new administration is doing its job.
We discussed John Strelecky’s book “Big Five for Live” again. Ri. suggested that the group do some work in this direction, to find a common purpose for the group, in order not to lose focus and achieve meaningful goals. This might be achieved in one or two meetings. There wasn’t much enthusiasm for this; some members think that to speak about their purpose of life, is too personal. People might not want to have a focus, and it might change with time.
Ri.will approach ECM to see if he can win them as a client for a pilot Project
D. recommended the following TED talk:
http://www.ted.com/talks/gary_haugen_the_hidden_reason_for_poverty_the_world_needs_to_address_now
It delivers a clear argument that help against poverty, in whatever form, cannot succeed if the recipients live in an environment of danger and violence.. Security can be bought by the rich but the poor need it most of all.
Dennis also recommends a truly beautiful video (30 minutes), based on a short story by French author Jean Giorno,:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_7yEPNUXsU
There is an excerpt of the book and background info on the author here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Planted_Trees
Visit to the Municipal Fire Station in Funchal
Dec 19, 2014 at 3:27 pm | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: 20. February 2010, Bombeiros, fire equipment, fire manual, fire protection, Funchal, ideas for the island, madeira consorcio, madeira think tank, Monte, Municipal Fire Station, Portugal
The group went to visit the local Municipal Fire Station in Funchal to the North of Dolce Vita.
This was a very interesting visit. Chief Samuel, one of the shift leaders with many years of experience, showed us the station and the cars and gave us honest answers to a lot of prickly questions.
The highlights:
The team has 137 staff (it should have 140)
26 persons are always on call on 12 hour shifts.
The response time is very quick, especially if you do not call 112 (officially what you have to do) but directly to them (291 200930).
The city is divided into two parts:
West: Municipal Bombeiros,
East: Voluntary Bombeiros, but if there is a fire in the Zone Velha or around the Cathedral, both units always respond.
The staff have a gym, a canteen (most bring their own food) , a multi-purpose room with internet and sleeping quarters.
A regular fireman/woman earns around 600-700€ month, a Chief around 1100€ (they say, brut, less taxes…)
Nothing much may happen in a shift but they have to be alert. Tension is palpable in the building and the courtyard.
The equipment:
There is never enough money around to have the best equipment and maintenance but this is a complaint every Fire Station in the world voices. The FNC Volunteers have worse equipment, though.
A lot of equipment is bought from Germany. The base of the cars may be coming from Mercedes but the top is built by a Portuguese company, Jacinto. They are very good at custom building fire equipment and sell their fire engines all over Europe. (Land Rovers are not the favourite Fireman car, they are being replaced over time.)
There are smaller cars to check out a situation – the Fire Chief has always to be there first.
They have one car to free people trapped in cars – this is the worst job they have to do
Ladder cars:
We have the biggest ladder in Portugal (55m) this is the second biggest ladder in Europe. Think of hotels like Pestana Carlton…
There are regular Fire Trainings in the hotels for the firemen by the Fire Departments. These trainings serve also to check the pipes and hydrants. All hotels have to have an internal “first response” Fire Team.
Water tanks:
All cars have water tanks of various sizes, the biggest contains 32000 l water (all hydrant water is fresh water)
They also come with foam which is very effective but expensive. The Station has a tank of 1000 l foam.
The pipes are surprisingly slim; water pumps can be taken out by hand to be placed where they can be connected to external water supplies.
The Station also has a training tower to train for high-rise fires. The staff has lot of training sessions to keep them in shape and respond to new situations or regulation.
Ambulances:
They have ambulances just for emergencies; the Volunteers and other services (Red Cross) take care of non-urgent transports. In the time we were there, the ambulances moved out twice. – no fire alarms.
E., with his dire experience in Monte last year, spoke about the shortcomings during the situation (hydrants blocked, lagoon water not used, no help from the fire department) Chief Samuel acknowledged this.
Chief Samuel confirmed that there was an order to save the Monte Church – nowadays; such an order could not be imposed on the Firemen anymore.
On February 20, 2010, contrary to the rumours, only 42 persons died, and nobody drowned in the underground parking garages.
The Fire Department has its own water gauge in the mountains so that they know when a flood can be expected downtown.
In Dolce Vita, the order was to evacuate the parking, and people tried to take out their cars but the “guards” wouldn’t open the gates without payment so more cars were rendered unusable
We gave Chief Samuel our Fire Manual.
Christmas Dinner
Dec 7, 2014 at 11:50 am | Posted in Posts | Leave a commentTags: 2015, Austrian cook, christmas, dinner, madeira consorcio
Next week, we shall have our annual Madeira Consorcio Christmas Dinner, prepared by one of the best Austrian cooks on the island. Be envious, people!
Let’s see what 2015 brings us… we have three new members and the group is invigorated by their input.
See you in 2015!
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