Pogi Cybertar

When I started to become attached and then introduced my only son to the once seemingly exciting Super Mario’s quest on his pursuit for the lovely Princess via the basic Nintendo 1D video game during the early nineteen-eighties, I thought there was nothing else left for to me prove my expertise in such game; I was simply impressive.

Now, 26 years later, my son is already 22 years of age and there are just generations of Super Mario and Playstation video games that he had outgrown and became expert with; I’m just way out of commission when it comes to video games. My fingers are no longer that quick to react or carry out orders from my brain and eyes; but, now, I’m certainly immersed in computer technology and healthcare information systems.

To cut the story short, accessing the http://www.secondlife.com/ as part of the requirements in one of my Healthcare Informatics classes that seem to rekindle my previous life and experiences, my prior interest in video games will have to be combined with my current computer and healthcare IT skills for me to enjoy what this website and its exciting features have to offer.

It actually didn’t take me long to open my account in http://www.secondlife.com/ ; then created my own avatar (pogi Cybertar) and its dashboard. But, it did take me a while to locate the Quick Start user guide, which would be crucial in showing me the steps and path on what would be next after I opened such account. After a few minutes of surfing such website, I finally decided to download its application in order to get me going; but I encountered another issue because my laptop from work won’t allow me to run such downloaded application. I tried poking around my laptop then loosened up its security module to allow me to run http://www.secondlife.com/; after several failed attempts, I used my son’s brand new laptop then tried successfully accessed and ran this website.

What I found was that by using the left and right click buttons when moving around in the environment as displayed on the desktop, this website is truly an interesting one and certainly deserves my spare minutes in the days to come. I first went in to learn the basic functionality I would need to keep my avatar walking around the park and interacting with his peers. I also find it really amazing that I could build and/change my avatar’s profile, mood, appearance, etc. I also tried building an object in the park, but I couldn’t because I didn’t own the space.

I’m telling you, I do really need to learn all functionality so that I could not only challenge myself, but enjoy what is in there for me because I wanted to build an avatar that would reflect what I would truly want added and/or removed in my real life on the time and place.

Tarps, toilets are priorities for quake-hit Haiti: U.N.

Tarps, toilets are priorities for quake-hit Haiti: U.N.

I may not that up-to-speed on the latest developments on Haiti’s post-earthquake agony that took the lives 200,000 Haitians over a month ago, but I could just imagine what would it take for such impoverished country to, once again, rises up from the debris and dusts and get back on its feet when prior to such catastrophic event, they were already considered to be the poorest country on this planet. This is for sure a big test for the UN to play its role and take the lead on every effort that needs to be done for the Haitians, especially in terms of rebuilding the country’s main infrastructure, financials, law enforcement, governance, and health care sectors.

The initial after-effect of that 7.0 magnitude earthquake and seemingly countless aftershocks that forced the Haitians to live and dine on the streets in addition to the dead bodies that up to now need be extricated from the ruins certainly tells everyone that there are still enormous amount of work to follow solely to preserve the public health and safety. Thus, since the UN is now, once again, seeking for global pledges for financial support to build over enough number of latrines (fixed or portables) and more tarps for the victims’ temporary shelters, the international community better take such request serious.

Although, not yet considered an epidemic, there are already indications that a list of communicable diseases has broken out in certain areas; the lack of proper public waste disposal facilities and effective sewage system will put everyone in Haiti at risk. Obviously, the situation is not that difficult to understand, when lots of people are packed in one location like sardines and without proper shelter, effective sanitation facilities, and medical support, the next to come will be crisis; all efforts that have been so far rendered for the Haitians will go in vain. This is actually no different than the military exercises and deployments I’ve been a part with few years ago; in addition to making sure we had the all the essential immunization, we had to have good and well monitored water supply, proper waste disposal, latrines that are at least 100 feet from the mess hall, and dependable medical support.

That’s why we must all understand that time is absolutely critical in Haiti today; we must all take the necessary action as soon as possible and help prevent the spread of diseases and health risks in Haiti.