Sports And I

Perhaps the only physical sports I've ever entered myself into was Basketball. Having gifted with not more than 5 feet- 7 inches height, I can only play in the shooting guard or off-guard position.

I don't know, but maybe Filipinos are just built the way it is- not too big and not too small.

However small I am, I also indulge myself into watching and loving other physical games that are made only for the Big Boys.

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I Love Football


It's one of those sports that the Americans have so passionately shared to the world, and I'm loving it because I so like how strength and wisdom act together in order to win the game.

Perhaps because of my love for Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls Basketball Team, I have also tried to follow the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL). Mind you, they have already got themselves a couple of big championships (9 American Football Championships and 8 in the NFL).

They are, again, on the run this season. Chicago Bears Tickets are now on sale for their September 3 matchup versus the Cleveland Browns at the Soldier Field Stadium, Chicago, Illinois.

Another exciting team to watch this season would be the Philadelphia Eagles. Will they be able to soar on high and make their way to the finals? We have yet to watch and see. Meantime, Philadelphia Eagles Tickets are also available for September 20 (versus the New Orleans Saints) and September 27 (versus the Kansas City Chiefs).



WWE- Scripted but Still Equally Entertaining

I've been an avid wrestling fan since I was a kid, supporting and loving Hulk Hogan. And no matter how much I know that wrestling matches are definitely scripted, the stories never fail to entertain me until today.

Now the matches are more comical, scripted and sophisticated but we've always got to give credit to the brains behind the World Wrestling Entertainment for allowing us to be glued in our seats and watch how the antics of Undertaker, John Cena, Edge and Randy Orton unfold inside the ring.

Speaking of WWE, Blue Cross Arena Tickets may now be purchased, featuring the World Wrestling Entertainment Match on October 27. You may have to purchase early, because thousands of wrestling fans will definitely flock to the Blue Cross Arena to get a glimpse of their favorite Wrestling Superstars.

Keeping Up With The Times

Change is indeed, inevitable, especially in the world of doing business.

Gone are the days when all we hope to have in our offices are telephones, fax machines and typewriters. Now, we have mobile phones, computers, internet, and many other gadgets and systems that have made our doing business easier, faster and simply better.

This must have been the reason why various owners, CEOs, business leaders and managers are investing much of their resources into keeping up with the times and learning the newest and best practices about e-commerce.

The good news is, there are organizations and groups that are willing to share their expertise on the subject matter.

On November 12 & 13 at the Hotel Intercontinental, Makati City, let us all learn the e-commerce best practices at the First E-Commerce Summit being organized by the DigitalFilipino Club, an energetic community of e-commerce entrepreneurs, professionals, and enthusiasts. I have good impression that we can get as much as we want to learn from this because we've got the best CEOs from various SMEs, DigitalFilipino Web Awards winners and other Corporate Club Members as resource speakers of the event.

DataOne, the company which provides the VoiceOne solution (a solution that allows e-commerce owners to accept phone calls directly from their website) is sponsoring the event, but you can also be a sponsor! Remember, as many market leaders are expected to attend, being a sponsor might boost your own market sales.

For more information and updates about the E-commerce and Search Engine Marketing Webinar Series, you may regularly visit the DigitalFilipino Club website.

In this time of ever-changing rules, values and tradition, we must learn to keep up and in-tune ourselves (and our business) with the best practices and procedures in order for us to be on top of the game.



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Remember, don't be afraid of change, because change will bring about the best in you.

Chuck Pierce: Cascading Fall in the Banking Industry

As if the economic downfall that happened in the United States in the last quarter of 2008 is not yet enough, renowned prophet Chuck Pierce has prophesied that there will once again be an economic shift that would happen between August 24 to October 17 of this year that will effect changes in the financial system.

Chuck Pierce prophesies:

Between August 24 and October 17, there will be great changes in the financial system. Be aware that the banking system has not finished making its changes. We will start into an accelerated shift in structure.

But for the believers, the promise is this:

I, the Lord, AM going to start amassing and gathering you in a
new way, and you must move forward with Me. Do not resist this
rearrangement. Now I must draw you up higher, for you are looking with the
world's eye. I have needed to gather you as eagles so you go forth with
new strength and vision.

I must draw you high above the rivers because the rivers are now
beginning to fill in such a way that unless you draw up higher and move into a
new view of the earth, you will find yourself in a boundary you are not to be
in.

There is going to be a rain coming in where you are which will lift you
up in the present so you can see the changing boundaries for your future.
I am going to draw you up above the Cascading Fall. The
washing of the water of the WORD is coming from higher than you know.

On the general picture, it might be that again, the world is on the verge of entering into a new level of economic change that will definitely affect everyone of us. However, we also have to understand that prophesies such as this are given not to bring gloom and doom unto us, but for us to prepare ourselves and be ready for the great things that the Lord is about to do to all who believe in Him.


We can choose to be worried and feel bad about it. But we can also choose to be still and know that He is God.

The choice, as always, is ours.

Miss Universe 2009

18-years Old Venezuelan Stefania Fernandez is the newly crowned Miss Universe 2009.

The world has witnessed another classic treat as the 2009 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant is telecast live at the Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas.

This year's event showcased the best and the beautiful from among the 84 countries that participated the annual prestigious event.

Ada Aimee De La Cruz (Dominican Republic) and Gona Dragusha (Kosovo) is first and second runners-up, respectively.


For more details and pictures, you may visit the Miss Universe Website.

Michael Jackson's Death Ruled Homicide

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office has ruled as Homicide the tragic death of Pop Star Micahel Jackson on June 25, 2009.

The autopsy concluded that a fatal combination of drugs including lethal levels of powerful anesthetic propofol has been given to Michael Jackson hours before he died. Jackson's personal physical, Dr. Conrad Murray, who was with Jackson on the morning he died, has been accordingly charged.

Customer Is King

Quick Thought for the Day:



We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It's our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.


-Jeff Bezos

Mobile Phones Still On Demand

The number of Filipinos who purchase/own Mobile Phones continue to increase, according to a research conducted by the Synovate Media Atlas.

As per the research mobile phone ownership went up by 69% from May 2008 to May 2009, which is probably due to newer and more affordable models being continuously released in the market- a news that must mean good news to the industry suppliers Nokia, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson, Motorola, among others.

Clearly, we can see almost everybody (young and old, students, professionals, housewives, and even housekeepers) using his/her own mobile phone unit to send text messages or call. Owning a mobile phone nowadays, must be really a necessity.

What's other good thing about having mobile phones are the embedded features in it. Besides calling and texting, mobile phones are also used for taking pictures, games, and even internet surfing.

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Get a view of my related post here.

Erap Leads SWS Latest Presidential Survey

Former President Joseph 'Erap' Estrada is back in the game.

After his ouster from office in 2001 due to allegations of plunder and corruption (see history here), the Filipino people must have forgotten the sins at all, and may have forgiven Erap, as he is now on top of the presidential surveys conducted by the Social Weather Station last June 2009.

Erap Estrada, who gathered about 21% of the approval ratings, is closely followed by Senator Manny Villar (19%), Senator Chiz Escudero (18%), and Vice President Noli De Castro (15%).

However, the Erap Camp must still have to wait for the final decision on whether he is still eligible to run on 2010.

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Meanwhile, as Former President Estrada continues to increase his popularity, President Gloria Arroyo finds herself at the center of yet another series of controversies on her alleged dinner overspending in New York alongside her state visit with President Barack Obama in Washington.

Breaking Even

It's a pity when your 15th and 30th salaries just come and go at the top of your palm. Better than broke, I daresay.

However, the thought of "just breaking even", without having to save for the future, should make every person uncomfortable, especially at a time when we hear that the economic recession is finally affecting the Philippines.

I am reposting a good article c/o Inquirer and Citibank, which gives us good practical points on how to save some out of our salaries:


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Q: I just turned 30 years old and realized I have been working for almost a decade and have little to show for it. I'm ashamed to say that I don't have much savings. Although I work, there doesn't seem to be enough left to set aside. What should I do?

A: Instead of waiting until there is money left after paying your bills and other expenses, do it the other way: Save first before spending a single peso from your take-home pay. This is what financial experts mean when they say “Pay yourself first.” It means treating savings as a bill which you have to prioritize over any other bill or expense. By doing this, you will be able to stash away money for your savings which would otherwise have been spent on something you think you need but actually can live without.

You may think it's easy to say but hard to do. The truth is, saving can be done by anyone. Here are five easy steps on how to build up your savings easily:

1. As soon as you receive your salary, take out a certain percentage, start with 5%, and put this in an envelope you will mark “Savings.” Live on what is left of your salary.

2. Do not touch your savings if funds are running low a few days before your next payday. Instead, adjust your spending so that your funds will be enough until payday.

3. Open a separate savings account in the bank and deposit the funds you have set aside in your “Savings” envelope.

4. Deposit to your savings account every payday to ensure that the money earmarked for your savings will not be spent.

5. Once you have built up your savings a little bit, transfer some of it to a time deposit so it can earn a higher rate of interest. Later on, you can also move some of your funds to a mutual fund or unit investment trust fund so it can possibly earn even more interest. These investments have a risk attached to them, so discuss first with the bank or financial advisor if these are right for you.

One other important thing to do is to make a budget or spending plan. Write your projected income and expenses and see where you can cut down on spending. For instance, look at how you spend for your lunch every day. If you regularly buy food, think of bringing baon lunch to work. The excess funds freed (maybe about P500 a month) may then be added to your savings.

What can you use your savings for? It can be money for your retirement. You might think that at 30, retirement is so far away. However, saving for it now can make your money grow faster for you even if you put in only a small amount of money regularly. It is due to compound interest, which lets your money earn interest on top of money that has already earned interest.

Your savings can also be your emergency fund. This should be equal to three to six months' (even more) worth of expenses, which should be helpful when sudden unforeseen events occur: a job loss, an illness, etcetera.

Savings is doable. Start today and keep at it for a long long time.

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Conquering Mathematics

About 75% of Filipino students would say that their least favorite subject would be no other than Mathematics.




I am one of the 75%.

Oh, I really don't know why, but adding to that fact that the subject really sucks, I could not explain why more often than not, the most dreaded subject (which is, of course, Math), is usually handled by the most dreaded Professors at school. Agree? ( I see about 15 people raising their hands simultaneously in agreement!)

It's a good thing that during my high school days, I got math help from my brother who is a Civil Engineer and loves mathematics. He gave me tips of solving the Xs and the Ys, and of finding the As and the Bs, with the occassional pricking of my ears when I really could not catch up with the lessons.

During college, in order to increase my knowledge on mathematics (which is a requirement on my course), I resorted to joining the Math Society- members of which are offering Free Math Help methods to their co-members. It was during those times, when the world, is earnestly seeking the wonderful works that the internet could provide, that the Math Society actually had the idea that Online Math Tutoring may be introduced in the internet in order to help other people in knowing and understanding the complexities of mathematics. Through this, we have developed a way wherein students can just access the internet and seek for Online Math Help within minutes from knowledgeable online math tutors.

Fast forward to the present, this development has caused great help for students to get free online math help and get a better understanding of mathematics.

Mathematics- they're not dreadful anymore.
Mathematics- they can be conquered with a little help from our internet technology.

And much more, people are willing to help for free.

Isn't it nice?

Now let's try and find X:

X + 5 = 9



Answer:

......
......
......
......

Aaaaaaaaaaah! Gotta get online math help now!

Touchdown

Having been born in the Philippines, I am accustomed to watching ang loving basketball like no sports could ever beat, with the exception of course, when Manny 'The Pacman' Pacquiao is fighting inside the boxing ring.

In recent years, however, I am introduced to another exciting sports courtesy of Remember The Titans (Denzel Washington) and The Longest Yard (Adam Sandler). I am talking of course of this exciting game Football, which is very popular in the United States.


What better way to spend a lazy Sunday but with a box of pizza and an iced-cold Coke in front of you while watching your favorite NFL team making its way for a touchdown!

For those who are going gaga over football, life gets easier because you can now actually check the NFL sunday ticket schedule so you could get a good glimpse on when will your favorite teams will play.

Needless to say, you can also check the NFL sunday ticket price, because the NFL sunday ticket can easily be accessed real time, and with almost no effort at all but just by browsing through the internet and looking for the contact numbers wherein you will be able to purchase your NFL sunday ticket.


BTW, I should be visiting the big Olympic Village store at the Trinoma Mall. I heard they're selling discount NFL jerseys from time to time.

Last time I checked for the NFL sunday ticket, I saw the nfl sunday ticket price are practically low, considering that you get the chance to pick your schedule and to get as much as 14 games on a Sunday!


It's a thursday today, I'm looking forward to a great pizza and coke come Sunday while watching and waiting for a touchdown.

Thank You, Cory. And Goodbye

I was less than 10 years old when the dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted from power via the historic 1986 EDSA Revolution that put Corazon 'Cory' Aquino to Malacañang palace.

As such, I have not, due to my being young, had the best idea how she did being president.

All I remember was that she was the lady in yellow, the wife of Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino, an opposition leader, who was killed in Tarmac in 1983.

Cory's term as Philippine president was marred with coup d'etats, brown out, and an unstable political landscape, mainly because of the country's transition from Marcos' dictatorship.

And what could the people have expected? Even her husband, Ninoy, once said,

"I pity the next president after Marcos"

Never, of course, did he realize that it was his wife, Cory, who would have that broad responsibility of being the next president.

But in all, what I know and what I am thankful for, is Cory's sincere determination to become the opposition's icon or figure that would try to restore the democracy of our nation.

And she succeeded, together with the Filipino people.

To Cory, Thank You. And Goodbye.

Worthy Investments

Having studied Finance and Accounting, I used to hear from our college professor that lands are a good investment, as the land value does not depreciate. However, as lands normally are of very high cost of investment, our good Finance professor introduced a nice "lower cost of investing" and that is to buy gold.

It was also from her that the word "bullion" was introduced to most of us. Bullion, as defined by yourdictionary.com pertains to
gold or silver in the form of ingots, bars, or sometimes coins.

I totally forgot about these theoretic investment ideas until one time when my wife and I were scouting for our wedding ring that our ring supplier introduced to us the prospect to try and buy gold coins and/or gold bullions if we have extra money to spare. She totally agrees that buying these is a very good and worthwhile investment.

A good advice, she went on, is to look for a good company who can help you with the technical expertise and know-how when investing in gold and bullions- and that's how I came to know about Gold Coins Gain, a company who specializes in assisting investors on how to properly buy gold and gold coins.


I still have got to find out more of this stuff and hopefully, in the future, I could even suggest the best and sure way in getting a return on investment on these.

More next time!