This blog used to be a haven for forex traders and online investors. It will now contain my political views and opinions about the current state of affairs in my country the Philippines from here on. Please feel free to comment on my posts.
Watch out for NOYNOY's Music Video "HINDI KA NAG-IISA" TONIGHT during TV Patrol World at ABS-CBN! Featuring BOY ABUNDA, SHARON CUNETA, BEA ALONZO, OGIE ALCASID, REGINE VELASQUEZ, AI AI DELAS ALAS, ANNE CURTIS, DINGDONG DANTES, MARIAN RIVERA, ERIK SANTOS, MARIEL RODRIGUEZ, BIANCA GONZALEZ AND MORE!
You can now post comments on my blog. I have disabled the word verification feature of the comment form which was preventing you from posting comments on my blog. It's okay now, so please pour in the comments...good or bad...it makes me a better blogger. Thanks.
...OR, WHY NOYNOY IS MY CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT IN 2010!
If you are a Filipino born in 1986, you'd be a qualified voter for the coming 2010 presidential elections.
And most probably, you belong to the growing number of disgruntled yet fired up youth of today who are advocating for changes and reforms to the corruption laden political scenario you have grown familiar with. (Chances are you may even have signed up to be a volunteer for one of those election watchdog groups set up by various media organizations....because, you are, probably, one of the many who wouldn't want your electoral mandate stolen again from you like what you witnessed in the 2004 elections.)
You are part of that generation who benefited from a truly democratic institution newly redeemed from the clutches of an evil martial law regime on the year that you were born. However, more than likely, your fleeting knowledge of the 1986 EDSA Revolution which brought back our freedom from an oppressive regime, came only from lessons learned from your teachers in the classrooms; or through what you read about it in books and magazines; or perhaps through documentary films about it which you might have watched on television...even probably, with bits of spiced up stories and accounts of your own parents' participation in that historic event..... But alas, you probably couldn't care less!
Sans, the EDSA Revolution, you must be one of those who is just plain disgusted and want changes! You are fed up with the corruption, poverty, suppression, and lies!
More than likely, your disgust is borne out of the fact that, six years after democracy was restored by the EDSA Revolution, (at the time your own wits are just starting to be honed by the inequities of this world while in kinderschool), what you must have been seeing is a gradual backsliding into the rotten ways of old where graft and corruption is a way of life, and exist in practically every nook and cranny of the bureaucracy!
Your disgust is more than likely borne out of the fact that you yourself has witnessed how 'trapo politics' have again taken a foothold on the reins of government (as you now see both houses of congress being dominated by self-serving politicians of old - resurrected from the dustbin of history where the EDSA Revolution of 1986 had fittingly entombed them...albeit, temporarily).
More than likely, your disgust may be borne out of the fact that you must have witnessed how the succeeding administrations (after Tita Cory's term) breath new life into these 'trapos' - nursing them back into power again, to serve as security blanket for the powers that be - while the mighty midget and her family incessantly plunder the government coffers dry.
You now want to fight back! And fight back you will with the only weapon at your disposal - the mighty ballot! You must have registered to vote by now; or plans to beat the deadline on October 31. You are firmly resolved to make sure your vote counts...and that it is casted for those dreamed of changes! Your choice for the presidency will be solely determined by who among the presidential bets can best bring back the changes you are aspiring for! As to who your choice would be, only you would know!
But let me tell you about my own choice for the presidency in 2010....let me share with you the reasons why I will be voting for Noynoy Aquino. Criticize me if you please, bombard me with comments if you will, but please be a bit patient, read on and listen to what I have to say.
For almost 20 years prior to the EDSA Revolution of 1986, the Philippines was under the rule of the dictator Marcos. He first served as president in 1965 after narrowly defeating the incumbent Diosdado Macapagal by a very slim margin.He ran for re-election in 1969 and won, this time against Sergio Osmena Jr. His term would have ended in 1973 and he was no longer eligible to run for a third term. On the pretext of guarding against rising communist insurgency, he declared martial law on September 21, 1972, only months before his final term in office ended. He kept himself in power until he was forced to flee the country on February 25, 1986 to escape the wrath of street demonstrators who were already pounding the gates of Malacanang.
The pain and suffering of the Filipino masses during Marcos' more than 20 years of oppressive rule is beyond description. Thousands of student activists were jailed, kidnapped, tortured, summarily executed, and even raped. (I was also an activist then. I was hunted down, tortured and imprisoned too!) Noynoy's father, Senator Benigno Aquino was incarcerated for a very long time for being a perrenial arch critic of Marcos, along with other opposition leaders. Ninoy was only released for medical reasons to undergo heart surgery in the US. After recuperating from surgery, he decided to come back to the Philippines despite threats that he will be assassinated once he sets foot on Philippine soil again. And true enough, he was assassinated in the tarmac of the then Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983. He refused to be cowed into submission by the dictator. He believed 'the Filipinos are worth dying for' and faced death hoping that he will be the catalyst for change. And true enough, Ninoy's death in the tarmac triggered a series of widespread street demonstrations calling for Marcos to step down and forcing him to call for snap elections. Thinking he can again fool the people, Marcos agreed to snap elections and went up against Ninoy,s widow Tita Cory who then took the cudgels of leading the opposition to carry on her husband's crusade. Marcos tried to rig the results of the snap elections but the scheme was exposed by the very same people he commissioned to perpetuate the hoax. The street demonstrations intensified and spread far and wide until Marcos was forced to plead for a safe passage out of Malacanang. Tita Cory became the president after that and defended our democratic institution against successive coup attempts by power hungry factions in the military. She made it clear that she will only be a transition president and aimed to restore our democratic processes.
Tita Cory stepped down after her term. But she was ready to go back to the streets again to defend our democracy as she did in several instances in the past. She knew the quest for genuine democracy does not stop after Marcos' ouster. She knew the rebuilding process will be long and taxing because the cohorts of the dictator are still lurking in the shadows ready to pounce when an opportunity presents itself.
Today, 23 years after martial law, and 3 presidents after Tita Cory, the dynasties are back ( 3 Arroyos in congress), poverty is so widespread and at a record highs, allegations of graft and corruption from the highest to the lowest positions in the government are being reported almost on a regular basis. Journalists and activists are helplessly being gunned down all over the country. Apparently, we are no different now than 23 years ago when Marcos was still in power.The fight for genuine democracy that Ninoy and Tita Cory and other martial law martyrs started more than 23 years ago is not over yet. The spirit of EDSA must live on.
I have chosen to vote for Noynoy Aquino for president in 2010 not because he is the son of Ninoy and Cory and carries the Aquino name, but because he knew that our fight for genuine democracy is not over yet and it must be continued until we have a graft free government...until poverty is truly addressed and eradicated...until politicians run for office not to enrich themselves and protect their vested interests, but to serve the interest of and alleviate the suffering their people instead.
Noynoy may not be as quick-witted and as eloquent as his father; he may not be as much a political savvy as his running mate Mar Roxas; Noynoy may not have the magical charms of her more popular sister Kris....but he definitely has the honesty, and the dedication, and the passion of Tita Cory to pursue reforms without fear or favor. With Mar Roxas on his side, Noynoy can and will continue the fight and finish it,
It is my honest opinion that with computerized elections in place, attempts to rig the forthcoming election results will be made. It will be harder to detect but I have no doubt in my mind that cheating will be done! (See 'Into The Hands Of Thieves'.)
To win in an election scenario like this, the win must be so overwhelming to make any cheating obvious enough for us to catch in the act, and prevent the cheater from winning. As of this writing, three other opposition leaders have signified their intention to run. This is actually a welcome development for the administration bet since they believe the opposition votes will be diluted, and cheating will be easier and harder to detect. (The administration has in fact signified that it will not oppose Estrada's bid for presidency again in court, at least for now .....a vote for Estrada is a vote taken away from Noynoy).
I am voting for Noynoy because among the opposition candidates, he is the only one who can rekindle the spirit of EDSA once again and rally the people to continue the unfinished fight to establish genuine democracy in the country.
Hugh MacLeod, the man behind www.gapingvoid.com, was one of first cartoonists on the blogging scene. For years he gave away his art or used it to help promote his favorite products. These cartoons have become collectibles, selling for as much as $1,000 each. Last year, Hugh decided to reproduce some of these as limited edition fine art-serigraphs. Early that pieces sold for as little as $175.00 are now $600.00 retail.
Hugh recently decided to offer a gift as a thank you to the subscribers on his mailing list: One of his big, $400 images, call "Create or Die", at a steeply discounted price. They sold fast, but I recently became aware that there is a semi-secret discount code available, that can be used to reduce the price of this limited edition print to just $165, which is a discount of about 60%.
So, if you want one of these uber-cool screen prints, just go to the gapingvoid gallery, to the "Create of Die" page and go through the process as if you were going to buy it at full price. Then at check out, put in promo code COD235, and just like that, the price will calculate it at $165, plus shipping and handling.
So, just who is Hugh Macleod?
Hugh MacLeod is a brand consultant, copywriter and cartoonist. Born in America but educated in the UK, he has spent most of his life shuttling between the two countries. He started out in straight TV advertising writing in the early 90s but with the advent of new media it evolved into new brand thinking and cultural transformation. His website, http://gapingvoid.com, is widely read in the blogosphere. His cartoons 'drawn at the back of business cards' have made him an instant hit.
As a successful blogger Hugh has been known for his ideas on how WEB 2.0 affects marketing and advertising. In 2004 he wrote “How To Be Creative” and “The Hughtrain”, which both got widely read in the blogosphere.Hugh’s basic mantra about blog marketing is “Blogs are a good way to make things happen indirectly”, a point lost on many corporate types.
People are often stymied to file legal claims and seek judicial remedies in court due to the financial burden it entails. If you are an accident victim for example, hiring a lawyer can be very expensive (although it can sometimes be dealt with in contingency). However, a prolonged litigation can be truly burdensome because bills will start to accumulate; potential eviction or possible foreclosure of properties resulting from non-payment of mortgages has to be addressed; and lack of food on the table for the accident victims and their families can not be set aside even temporarily.
But don't lose heart. There is now an emerging financial trend In the U.S. Justice system called Legal Funding (Lawsuit Funding)! Legal funding is cash funding made directly available to the plaintiff before his/her lawsuit comes to its final settlement. Legal funding is the ultimate marketplace solution for attorneys and their cash-strapped clients as it provides risk free funding at the time they most need it.
One of the fastest growing company that offers lawsuit funding or cash advance for lawsuits is Orchard Funding.
Orchard Funding offers non-recourse cash advance for your lawsuit which means you only pay them back if you win the case. Ergo, you pay nothing if your case loses!
While an unsecured loan from a lender needs to be paid back at a certain time in the future and often requires monthly payments, lawsuit funding by Orchard is totally different because repayment by the plaintiff is only necessary should the case settle. Should the case lose, plaintiff need not repay the cash advance. The cash advance can be used by plaintiff to cover bills like rent or mortgage payments, legal expenses, surgical expenses, medical bills and more importantly to put food on the table for the family.
If you have filed a lawsuit or are about to and have a lawyer, then you may be eligible for a lawsuit funding. The process is quick and simple. Visit their website at Orchard Funding and simply complete their Quick Start Form. Right the next day after receiving your completed form, they will review your case, a process which will only take one week. And should your case qualify and is approved for lawsuit funding, you will receive your funds within 24 hours. You may also apply by calling their toll free number at 800-845-0545.
The types of cases that qualify for lawsuit funding with Orchard are Personal Injury and Plaintiff Funding Cases which includesAssault and Battery, Bicycle Accident, Burn Injuries,Ceiling Collapses,Defective Products,Dog Bite,Motor Vehicle Accidents,Motorcycle Accidents,Police Misconduct, Product Liability, Premises Liability, Slip and Fall or Trip and Fall, Soft Tissue Cases, Swimming Pool Accidents, Wrongful Arrest/ Wrongful Imprisonment, andWork Site Accidents; Employment Funding Cases which includes Age Discrimination, Back Wages, Employment Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, Labor Law, Sexual Harassment, Wage and Benefits Protection, Whistleblower Protection, Wrongful Termination; and Medical and Malpractice Funding Cases which include Birth Injury, Delay in Diagnosis, Failure to Diagnose, Medication Errors, Wrongful Death, and Worker's Compensation Funding Cases.
If you have filed any of these cases, contact Orchard Funding for whatever funding needs you may have relative to the litigation process. With ready funds to answer any and all contingencies, you and your lawyer can now attend to your case with freedom and objectivity - even if you are up against a corporate giant with 'deep pockets'.
Cambridge Management Group, LLC or CMG is Orchard Funding, LLC's exclusive underwriting partner and source of funding. CMG is a founding member of ALFA, the American Legal Finance Association. ALFA is a not-for-profit corporation that has established the standards for the Legal Funding industry including transaction transparency and disclosure to consumers. ALFA member companies provide non-recourse cash advances to plaintiff's while their lawsuit is waiting for settlement or resolution.
Don't hesitate! Orchard Fundingcan help fund your lawsuit with no risk to you. Visit their website or call their toll free number now!
The Philippines has a population of 89,468,677. Prior to the onslaught of Typhoon Ketana (named typhoon Ondoy locally), 16% of this (or roughly 14, 315,00) lives on less than one dollar ($1) a day. 9% (or about 8,052,180) are unemployed.
By the end of 2008 (before the onset of successive natural disasters), poverty level was estimated was estimated to be at 33% of the population. With three successive devastating typhoons hitting the country just recently, the tens of thousands more of Filipino families already living below the poverty line will be further pushed into extreme difficulty and long term poverty.
Now, no amount of window dressing can hide the economic failure of the Arroyo administration despite being in power for more than 9 years now!
Take a look at the faces of poverty in the Philippines before and after the onset of Typhoon Ondoy.
FACES OF POVERTY IN THE PHILIPPINES BEFORE 'ONDOY'
Would you have voted him to office if he had looked like this?
Would you have hired a loser like the guy below for your company?
Would you promote a guy like this to your elite corporate staff?
Obviously, the answers would have been resounding no's to all three questions!
A person's grooming creates a lasting 'first' impression on anyone and everyone you come in contact with. It reflects your sense of values. It tells people that 'you matter'! It sends them a message that you really took time to look good; that you made every effort to complete your picture. Good grooming is a result of childhood influences, daily habit, comfort, convenience, etc. and ultimately, it is a total reflection of who you are!
Male grooming is not about being vane. It is no longer a thing of the future. It is now essentially a major part of dressing for success - An important prerequisite to landing a good job, or creating that edge to corner a much awaited promotion in your company.
Results from a recent survey of more than 500 HR professionals—commissioned by Gillette® [PG] and conducted by Harris Interactive®—indicate that 84% of HR professionals agree that well-groomed employees climb the corporate ladder faster than those who are not well-groomed. When it comes to first impressions, ninety percent of HR professionals place more importance on being well-groomed than even a firm handshake. (Gillette Press Release, 9/14/2009)
Lose no hope! You need not worry anymore that you might smell like a sweaty horse in front of your recruiting officer. Gillette.com has launched Gillette Career Advantage specially for you. The site provides expert grooming advice from Mark Jeffries , GQ style correspondent who discusses vital grooming topics such as morning rituals, hair, etiquette, clothing tips, body language, and many more. The site also provides valuable tips on how to get hired from Mark Jeffries, business consultant, communications expert and author of the best-selling book, What’s up with your handshake? who was hired by Gillette specifically for this project. Mark's valuable discussions include "How to Rise Above Competition", "First Impression", and a whole kaboodle of useful tips!
The website features links to other helpful resources through its Gillette Resource Center which serves as a gateway to 'all the best that a man can get'.
Whether you are currently actively seeking a new job or you are someone who is currently employed but wants to develop a competitive advantage, Gillette Career Advantage is the best site for you to visit.
While there, sign up and be member to get the latest tips tools and offers from Gillette! Do it now. Remember what the survey says: "Almost two-thirds of HR professionals surveyed believe that a candidate’s physical appearance is important in distinguishing them from other job candidates, and more than 90% agree that a candidate who takes the time to be well-groomed projects confidence. On the other hand, when a candidate arrives unkempt for a job interview, HR professionals conclude he shows a lack of professionalism and more than half believe he is not interested in the position."
Dedicated hosting services have become the established option for the more serious businesses seeking to improve their production efficiencies, increase cash flow benefits and extend their business reach beyond borders. Unlike in-house servers, dedicated hosting services requires less up-front investments and can even be implemented in different stages to suit your specific budget and application requirements.
However, choosing the most suitable hosting service provider can be a cumbersome task since not all dedicated hosting service providers are created equal. They may offer perks which maybe similar in many ways such as the memory, storage, bandwidth, network uptime, and pricing schemes, but they will definitely differ in the more vital collateral services each one of them uniquely provides. One hosting service provider which I believe stands out from the rest because of a unique benefit they offer their clients is Robson Communications Inc.
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Robson Communications Inc. is the leader in providing web hosted solutions backed by only the very best in customer service and support for your business. Formerly known as Radial Hosting Inc (since 2004), Robson Communications Inc has expanded in services and solutions for their clients. Robson is dedicated to making sure each client not only gets the IT solution they need but also the same value as if they have their own personal IT staff.. But more importantly, with all their data centers located in Canada, client information and data are safe from government access and does not fall under the encompassing US Patriot Act (which carries provisions allowing for the disclosure of electronic communications to law enforcement agencies).
Enterprise and affordable Dell, Sun, and HP servers from $98 Canadian
A cost-effective solution to running an in-house Microsoft Exchange server
through A Secured Managed Exchange Hosting service.
Robson Communications Inc. also offers (SAS) Software As A Service for your payroll and accounting needs
With a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee, Robson Communications Inc. ensures a 100% customer satisfaction! Whether you are Canadian based or not (but specially if you are), with a 98% client retention rating, surely you can't go wrong in choosing Robson for your preferred hosting service provider. Naaahhh, don't just take my word for it. Contact them now for any question you may have. Here are their contact details:
Head Office: 302-3999 Henning Dr. Burnaby, BC V5C 6N5
Watch out for NOYNOY's Music Video "HINDI KA NAG-IISA" TONIGHT during TV Patrol World at ABS-CBN! Featuring BOY ABUNDA, SHARON CUNETA, BEA ALONZO, OGIE ALCASID, REGINE VELASQUEZ, AI AI DELAS ALAS, ANNE CURTIS, DINGDONG DANTES, MARIAN RIVERA, ERIK SANTOS, MARIEL RODRIGUEZ, BIANCA GONZALEZ AND MORE!
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302-3999 Henning Dr. Burnaby, BC V5C 6N5