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2009-12-26: Seasons Greetings & Success in 2010
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The Thoeny Family (2009-12-25)
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New address:
1022 Belvedere Ln,
San Jose,
CA 95129,
USA
phone +1-408-255-1477
From Peter
2009 was again an eventful year for us. And time seems to pass by faster, despite some challenges we had in 2009.
Our family is doing well. Ladina was invited by her former teacher to participate in the first International Guzheng competition in Hong Kong in May. She returned with silver. Well done and well deserved!
In summer, Ladina decided to go to Switzerland to study at the Kantonsschule (High School) in Zug. She is living with my brother Christian & Luzia Thöny family. In return we have their daughter Sina with us for a year to study English. I call that daughter swap. A friend suggested may be it was a parent swap. Good point! Ladina took the Guzheng over to Switzerland where she entertains family and friends with the ancient Chinese instrument. It is great to see Ladina grow up as a responsible teenager.
Alexis develops as a typical boy and teenager. He recently discovered the passion of Golf thanks to a good teacher, Shona's friend Michelle Lo, who is a Golf instructor in Los Angeles. Alexis and I continue to enjoy launching rockets. Alexis likes to do all kinds of technical experiments. Recently he built an airgun that can shoot an arrow 150 meters.
Shona's nephew Yung Shek Ringo Leung is now living with us. He is studying at Foothill College. He turned 18 and just got his drivers license and a small car. A growing family needs more space. Shona was very lucky and found a nice house nearby. The Cupertino school district has many Asians; it seems like all neighbors are from China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. Life is good.
The open source TWiki continues in a smaller scale after the split in October 2008. At that time we initiated a community governance model based on the commercial open source Ubuntu project, with the goal to scale the TWiki community and project. The split happened because a collection of consultants who had their own commercial agenda did not agree with the new governance model. While several attempts have been made to reach out to the new community to have a friendly relationship, unprofessional and discourteous behavior including defacing the TWiki.org sandbox, aggressive and misleading information on Twitter and IRC channels on a daily basis, virulent blog posts and disingenuous spam emails (using the twiki.org user database from an old backup) to try and capitalize on the success of the TWiki project have made this task difficult. The good news is that after the split we regained an active, professional and courteous community. We are now working on recruiting new contributors.
The Twiki business is still a small business. We operated for two years with two interim CEOs, first with co-founder Rod Beckstrom, then with Tom Barton. In summer we could engage Jitendra Kavathekar as President and CEO, full-time that is. We initiated a number of changes: We renamed the company from TWIKI.NET to Twiki Inc, we hired Milind Pansare, a very experienced VP of Marketing coming from Sun Microsystems. We changed our tagline from "enterprise wiki company" to "enterprise agility company" to reflect better where we position ourselves compared to the competition. We enhanced our product line with the very little Engineering resources we have. Sopan Shewale is doing great work in India. In the Silicon Valley we hired Ian Kluft, who loves flying airplanes and launching high powered model rockets when he is not working on Perl code. Will Thomas is driving sales and business development. We also hired sales associate Sumit Grover, fresh from MBA. We gained more customers, including a major company in the entertainment business and a major social networking company that everybody knows. My goal is to build a large and successful business for enterprise collaboration. We have lots of good ideas but need the capital to execute. We are trying to secure VC money, until then we have to operate on a small scale.
I wish all of you lots of success, peace, health and joy in 2010! Life is colorful, make it happen!
From Shona
It is as usual a good year for me. Ladina went to Switzerland for her high school. All friends said it's so sad, but not for me. She goes back to her country and stay with family. As a parent we need to respect their choice, Ladina is happy. Thanks to Skype video, we can talk and see each other everyday. We have two family members from Hong Kong and Switzerland, Ringo & Sina, both are 18. They are very good and helpful. Alexis is having so much fun with them.
We moved, it happened so fast. I found the house and we signed the contract within a week. The owner is Japanese and Chinese couple. They are very very nice. We are lucky with Ringo & Sina here. They helped a lot with moving, as well as my friends Anna's family, Ching with Praxis, Alex and Cherry's son Alvin. It was fun to move, team work. I didn't have to do much, haha.
I wish you all good health, and a happy life forever.
From Ladina (14 years)
Eine schöne Weinachtszeit und ein wundervolles Neues Jahr. Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year to all who are reading this. My German has improved (hopefully) from these past months studying in Switzerland, and I hope to improve it further in 2010.
From Alexis (almost 13 years)
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
From Sina Tschirky (18 years)
A very merry x-mas!  an alli/ a tutti / for all my very nice friends
From Yung Shek Ringo Leung (18 years)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Photos from 2009
 Tip: Click on  to advance to the next image.
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New Years party with Cheng family, Li family andTan Family, (2009-01-03)
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Walter Gyger of Trade Winds Aviation gives Peter a birthday present: Bay-tour as PIC in a Cessna 182 with glass cockpit (2009-01-31)
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Circling over Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco (2009-01-31)
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Downtown San Francisco and Bay Bridge to Oakland (2009-01-31)
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We get clearance to fly directly over SFO, San Francisco International Airport (2009-01-31)
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Birthday cake for Shona (2009-02-06)
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Claude Moser and Maya Gyger prepare Fondue for 160 people, Peninsula Swiss Club, Mountain View, CA(2009-02-07)
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Reto Buhler's band at Fondue dinner (2009-02-07)
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Dan and Ariela Kikinis at our home (2009-02-16)
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Peter cleaning up the old V240 server, which was donated by Sun Microsystems a few years ago to run twiki.org (2009-03-07)
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Main event at LUNAR's Snow Ranch was the Main Event: Gene Engelgau's L3 certification flight (watch video) (2009-03-14)
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Peter and Alexis at Snow Ranch, Central Valley, CA (2009-03-14)
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High powered rocket taking off at LUNAR's Snow Ranch (2009-03-14)
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Alexis is preparing and launching his mid-powered Corkscrew rocket (2009-03-14)
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Jimmy Li and Alexis are recovering the Corkscrew rocket (2009-03-14)
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Alexis learning Golf, with teacher Michelle Lo (2009-03-20)
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Cable car in San Francisco: Michelle Lo, Shona, Alexis (2009-03-22)
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Boyscout Alexis is learning how to handle a shotgun (2009-04-11)
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At Peninsula Swiss Club's Easter event: Frank Siegenthaler is serving Maya Gyger (2009-04-12)
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At Easter event: Kid serving eggs, one is raw. Winner of raw egg hunt: Severin Ott (2009-04-12)
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Popo, Jimmy Li's grandma with special buns for birthday (2009-04-16)
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LUNAR event at NASA Ames, Moffett Field, CA: Launching low powered rockets (2009-04-18)
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Alexis preparing and launching mid powered Mirage rocket at NASA Ames (2009-04-18)
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In Hong Kong at International Guzheng competition where Ladina performed: Ladina, Iris Lai, Wing Leung, Zeda Wong, Kennix Wong, Wendy Lai, Shona (2009-05-01)
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Shona's friends in Hong Kong: Vickie, May, Shona, Anna, Irene (2009-05-04)
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Darvin Ho sending off Shona and Ladina at Hong Kong Airport: (2009-05-05)
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Ladina with Guzheng teacher Chen, holding the certificate of the Guzheng competition from Hong Kong (2009-05-07)
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Fishing at Clear Lake, CA with Fred Cheung's family (2009-05-16)
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At Clear Lake: Shona, Wendy Cheung, Anna Kong (2009-05-16)
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Alexis caught a bass (2009-05-16)
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Alexis and Fred Cheung (2009-05-16)
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Alexis is fishing at dusk (2009-05-16)
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Ladina's birthday party: Michelle Shieh, Evelyn Tan, Ladina, Didi Yang, Brenda Li (2009-05-18)
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Cherry Picking at the farm: Alexis, Peter Shona (2009-05-24)
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Cherry picking eating Shona (2009-05-24)
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Ladina performing Guzheng and a local competition in Silicon Valley (2009-05-30)
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Alexis and Peter volunteer at the LUNAR booth at Maker Faire, San Mateo, CA (2009-05-31)
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Fire spitting snail at Maker Faire (2009-05-31)
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Seen at Maker Faire (2009-05-31)
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Seen at Maker Faire (2009-05-31)
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Peter with friend Julian Cash at Maker Faire (2009-05-31)
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Farewell party for Ladina at Ito family home: Karin, Yuzuri, Ladina, Naoko Ito, Yokiya, Shona (2009-06-06)
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Ladina at Miller middle school graduation party, with Michelle Shieh and Alex (2009-06-12)
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Dinner at home: Alexis, Michelle Shieh, Ladina, Michael Shieh (2009-06-12)
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Ladina after China dance performance: Evelyn Tan, Alyssa Wu, Ladina, Michelle Shieh (2009-06-20)
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At July 4th BBQ party: Keiko Mori with Atsuya (2009-07-04)
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Alexis performing light arts with burning twig (2009-07-04)
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Fireworks on July 4th: Robert Cheung with all excited Jason (2009-07-04)
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Ladina at CN Tower in Toronto, Canada (2009-07-13)
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Brother Christian Thöny driving through Zürich (2009-07-14)
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Christian Thöny family lives in a "Terassenhaus" in Neuheim, Zug, Switzerland (2009-07-17)
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Christian and Luzia Thöny at their home in Neuheim, Zug, Switzerland (2009-07-14)
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Lola Tschirky doing graphics artwork at home in Neuheim (2009-07-14)
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Ladina is visting the Kantonsschule Zug where she will be an exchange student for a year. Principal Mr. Gnos at right (2009-07-15)
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At the famous Kappeler Bridge, Luzern: Peter, Ladina, Julie, Luzia Thöny, Lola Tschirky (2009-07-15)
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Dinner at home in Neuheim: Lola Tschirky (2009-07-15)
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View from balcony at home in hometown Schuders, Switzerland. With Elke Thöny and Otto Müller (2009-07-16)
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Christian Thöny explains highest power switch at his company Bucher Hydraulics: Jürg Thöny, Christian Thöny, Christian and Maria Radecke (2009-07-18)
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Party in Neuheim: Maria and Christian Radecke (2009-07-18)
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Luzia Thöny is cooking something (2009-07-18)
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Ladina is performing Guzheng at the house party in Neuheim (2009-07-18)
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Entering the Aareschlucht (Aare Canyon): Christian Thöny, Ladina, Julie, Luzia Thöny, Sina Tschirky (2009-07-19)
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At Aare Canyon: Footpath cut through rocks (2009-07-19)
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Open Source TWiki folks meet at a Starbucks in Zurich: Peter Jones of CERN, Peter, Klaus Ethgen of ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) (2009-07-20)
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Christian Thöny with his toy, a Porsche Carrera 4S with dual-clutch automatic transmission (2009-07-20)
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Dinner at Via Vica home, San Jose: Ching and Praxis Bays, Alvin Choy, Alexis, Ryan Choy, Cherry Choy, Shona (2009-07-22)
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First of August celebration event of Peninsula Swiss Club: Lantern parade (2009-08-01)
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Van full of stuff after First of August event (2009-08-02)
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Brunch at Dirk Riehle's home: Professor Luca de Alfaro with wife Francoise and kid (2009-08-02)
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Enjoying the ride at the Skunk Train: Alex Tan, Brenda and Jimmy Li (2009-08-07)
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BBQ at Skunk Train trip: Tan family and Thoeny family (2009-08-07)
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Entertainer at Skunk Train (2009-08-07)
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Watching shooting stars above Silicon Valley: Shona and Alexis (2009-08-11)
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Dinner at Via Vico home: Dirk Riehle, Alexis, Peter, Shona, Michelle Lo (2009-08-12)
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Ian Kluft at Linux Picnic event (2009-08-15)
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At Golden Gate Bridge walk: Peter (2009-08-16)
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At Golden Gate Bridge lookout: Peter with reflection (2009-08-16)
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At Golden Gate Bridge lookout: Ching Bays (2009-08-16)
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Monterey by Bicycle: Large "friends of Taiwan" group went bicycling along sand dunes from Marina, CA to Lover's Point in Monterey, CA and back. Total 24 miles. (2009-09-06)
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Monterey by Bicycle ride: Watching large kites (2009-09-06)
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Monterey by Bicycle, at Lover's Point (2009-09-06)
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LUNAR rocket event at NASA Ames: Alexis, Ching and Praxis Bays (2009-08-15)
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LUNAR event at NASA Ames: Alexis with Corkscrew rocket. A F/A-18D Hornet of the US Marine Corps took off. (2009-09-19)
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At NASA Ames: Alexis is helping Steve Jurvetson of Draper Fisher Jurvetson (2009-09-19)
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(Almost) last supper at Via Vico home: Ching Bays, Athena Cheung, Hilda Chan, Sina Tschirky, Ringo Leung, Alexis, Shona (2009-10-02)
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Chinese friends at Mid Autumn BBQ party, Cupertino, CA (2009-10-03)
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Our new home at 1022 Belvedere Ln, San Jose, CA (2009-11-26)
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At TWiki User Meet-up in San Francisco: Peter explains the TWiki Community governance structure. With Sumit Grover, Jitendra Kavathekar, Rich Morin (2009-11-04)
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Cashier at Metzgete event of Peninsula Swiss Club: Sina Tschirky (2009-11-07)
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At Peninsula Swiss Club event: Walter Gyger (2009-11-07)
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At Peninsula Swiss Club event: Patrick Bader (2009-11-07)
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First Mahjong at Belvedere home: Anna Kong, Hilda Chan, Ching Bays, Shona (2009-11-14)
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Dinner at new home: Lam, smoked salmon, Buffalo Mozzarella with Heirloom tomatoes (2009-11-14)
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Three teenagers at dinner: Alexis, Sina, Ringo (2009-11-14)
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Housewarming party at Belvedere home (2009-11-28)
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Housewarming party: Ching and Praxis Bays, Sherry Cheung with boyfriend, Hilda Chan with husband, Sina with two classmates (2009-11-28)
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Samichlaus party of Peninsula Swiss Club (2009-12-06)
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At Plug and Play party: Peter and Shona (2009-12-10)
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Dinner at Belvedere home: Tan grandma, Siew-Ming Tang, Jerry Deng, Peter, Alex Tan, Shona, Ching Bays (2009-12-20)
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