Lessons of Global Recession 2008

Global recession happened maybe because we have abused the power of money! For example, having the power to advance the flow of money through credit cards and lending institutions, people have the power to spend a lot without paying them properly. I myself, was also victimized by such abusive use of credit cards. You know, in the old world, we only get money when we work. Today, through credit cards, we can advance the availability of money. Advancing the money resource instead of making it available as needed is one of the reasons of global recession. We have taught the people to live more than what they need to survive.

As we continue to think of solutions to the current financial crisis, we just need to take Global recession w/ open mind? I would think of the following long-term solutions:

- Support US, Russia and Japan in exploring new planets where humans can live
- Set standard of living for all residents of the Earth -- to minimize resources consumption as much as possible until we find a livable planet.
- This is a great time to revisit our faith in the Creator & our role in continuing the human civilization.

Soul: More precious than Gold or money

Every living thing has something very precious contained in them more precious than Gold or money. That thing is the core of every living creature. Without that thing, that thing is called "dead". What I am referring to is the "soul". As I spend my first night of my 2-week vacation in Bicol, I realized that the total number of souls in this world is constant. That's why the more people living thing is created the more reduction on the other organic living species containing those souls. A very mysterious event happened tonight. The soul of my cellphone gets transferred to the my refrigerator!

After my arrival at the Legazpi Airport, my mom, myself and the rented jeepney went on to buy stuff -- tv, ref, sala set, groceries etc. Well, after 2-3 hours from the city, we arrived at my birthplace! 31 years ago, I was born in this very far away place which hasn't changed that much except that I am now older, my parents are also growing older, my aunties & uncles also became older; however, the place has not improved that much but the good thing is that we have subsidized electricity already. Anyway, when we arrived I can't wait but to setup the TV, the bamboo sala set, etc. My father has done some cementing on this house which is the same as the place where my Lolo's house stands before. So, we watched TV, ate dinner, and decided to setup the ref after 4-5 hours of settling down the freons. But, the bad news, the ref doesn't work so I am so disappointed because we bought that from the city & transported at the back of the jeepney. So, we planned on returning the ref supposedly this morning. Then, after I guess 4 hours of sleep, I was awaken and I decided to open my hight-tech phone Omnia, but hey, it also doesn't turn on anymore. What happened? And so I decided to go the sala, tried to charge there but no light indicator from the phone. SO, the phone is dead. I even used it to text my girlfriend before I slept. So, with the frustration of having a dead new ref and a dead 20k cellphone -- that's a lot of waste of money! 

Then, here's the more shocking after I re-tested my ref -- my ref is now found to be working but my phone is dead. How is that possible? It's possible that my phone's soul gets transferred to my refrigerator. What does that imply? It's possible that the total number of souls in this planet -- included newly created live technologies like cellphones, laptops, cars etc -- is constant. Thus, God let my refrigerator lived while putting my phone dead since I will not need it that much here in the mountains. God may have seen that we have a lot of perishable goods that will be wasted just in case the ref doesn't work & He doesn't want us to be tired of returning the ref to the city for repair amidst this rainy days and the difficulty of travelling through rough roads.

When I get back to Manila, I may just find a soul to my Omnia by bringing it to a technician. Hope it can find a new soul or better yet, I hope it will find a new soul tomorrow morning since it's just  2AM on this April the 6th. What is important is that my ref is alive and the food we bought will not be wasted. 

Lord, thank you very much for your unending care, support and patience. Please forgive me if I don't mingle much with the people here, I just don't want to merge with their worldly and bad behaviours. 

"The only way for Manito to prosper is to fix the roads. If all roads are cemented, the town will
prosper. Same as the internet infrastructure, the road is also an infrastructure that is badly needed especially in very far away places like Banao."

2-Week Vacation at Manito Albay

"Infrastructure is the most important part of any developing country", this is what I realized today as I enjoy my 2-week vacation here in my very far province while observing the improvements and stagnant situation of the Manito town in Albay -- the town they say as 4th class municipality and is the farthest town in Albay province. Truly, in any developing world, infrastructure plays the most important role in enabling the development of a barrio, barangay and town. Such infrastructure is the one lacking in this town of Manito specifically the farthest barangays such as Pawa, Hulugan and Nagotgot. After almost 13 years I graduated high school and left the town to study in Manila, I can only say that the roads infrastructure has improved 20% thus the road from Legaspi is itself a rocky road and will present a dizzying trip to anyone who would visit the town more so with the roads connecting the barangays I've mentioned a while ago. Some improvements I noticed in terms of infrastructure is the cemented roads connecting Manito to Legaspi but there are still inconsistencies due to very rough roads which are not even asphalted and sometimes muddy when rained. Such poor infrastructure really inhibits the development of this town. Is this a proof of corruption or just a low budget from 
the government. If the roads infrastructure is 100% fixed, I think this town will surely crawl to be one of the most beautiful and prosperous towns in Albay. I can remember when I was a child, this town used to have fast motor boats which cut the travel time to Legaspi via water in just an hour or less. Such water travel has been removed orjust vanished for some reasons I don't know. If the town is really serious about the convenience of travel, such infrasture should be promoted which could lead to Manito products being easily marketed to Legaspi. I am just sad that the town depends now on PNOC/EDC -- lucky are those who are employed by the corporation or they will die in hunger. I heard my Uncle Papay Lebor saying that the Manito town was once okay during the start of the geothermal exploration and that is really true. One such proof is this birthplace of mine called barrio Banao. The first generation of settlers here were working in the geothermal plant and some of them were able to own hectares of land but as their children got married and had families which resulted to second generation where I belong, the life of the people becomes so slow as there are not much jobs from the  plant. All is left is the rough roads that not even PNOC don't care to donate to cement the roads they pass throught. All is left is the polluted rivers which was once a paradise of freshwater shrimps and carps which my cousins and myself get our free foods daily. If PNOC could have donated more funds to cement the roads so that the infrastructure will be okay even if they no longer hire more 
people from the barangays.  

Thinking of infrasture, I also thought of contributing by putting up the first Internet service provider by setting up a satellite antenna and re-distributing such resource through WiFi or WiMax. Cable television can also be introduced by utilizing satellite cable television. Such telecommunications infrastructure is the other thing lacking in this town. Although the cellphone GPRS signal is available but due to the poor situation of the residents, no one will care to surf the internet with a per minute charging. 

Knowledge or skills infrastructure is also lacking due to the absence of technical schools. But I heard that the first public college will open this coming semester. 

Anyway, as I think of the role I would play in the improvement of the town, I thought of the 
following career path:
- Continue w/ Accenture and raise/save money...
- Buy the Manito house and lot in poblacion through PAG-IBIG fund...
- Establish businesses such as:
 - TV/Cable/Internet
 - Graphics
 - Soft Dev
 - technological school
 - Hydroponics
 - Aircon FX transpo
 - Tourist spot
 - Speed farmer boats
- Retire in Manito town with Accenture retirement benefits
- Teach in owned technological school
- Write books 

Opps before I forgot, despite of the slow development and the very far mountainous place here, 
I am happy today because:
- I was now able to buy my parents a refrigerator, a TV, a bamboo sala set etc.
- I was able to buy house materials to contribute in building the house here in the barrio.
- I like the little house with room, sala, TV, ref, fresh air, good volcano view and of course water.
- I am so happy as we frighteningly used our first pressure cooker today!
- I am happy coz I was able to maintain humility and low profile.- I am still praying for God's continuous guidance and support so I can move on further.

Almighty God, please help me coz only You know everything about me. Only You know about the role I must play as I live in this world.

How to be happy & inspired daily through mind power!

Nowadays, even if we don't admit it, the world is really getting more difficult -- we work hard everyday in order to buy our needs, we suffer the pollutions caused by industrialization, we travel far just to see a clean beach, we search for friends or lovers just to be happy, and we never stop on thinking how we will live the next day. The daily workload alone is enough to put wrinkles in our faces or the long lines in the train stations can easily disappoint us and spoil our day. Sometimes, we experience leaving the doors of our house feeling good, but when we come to the office or go somewhere else, we feel bad about what we see or experience. It's because, we humans find it hard to accept that we are no longer living in a paradise. Despite of the many technological developments, our lives are just getting more difficult and it will continue to be like this as long the earth rotates on its axis. As long as humans continue to live, we can't avoid these never-ending miseries in life. So, what we need is to find ways on how we can live normally even if the world we are living in is no longer normal.

For the past couple of days, I found a new technique on how to become happy and productive at work. It also helped me have a good aura towards other people. The technique is so easy that all you need to do is "close your eyes" and "think of good things that you want to experience in life." You see, I really believe that "it's all the mind" and it's really true! If you will read my blogs, I once thought of the things I wanted and I was able to get them. Anyway, going back to my technique, I usually try this technique before going to sleep. 

So, lying in bed, I close my eyes.... and voila! I never think of my work nor what I need to do... I'm in a virtual world... I imagine saying to our "katulong" to prepare my tasty dinner with seafood, fresh fruits and wine... I imagine instructing our "boy" to clean the car early in the morning... I imagine lying in bed in my very nice "green room" wherein my windows and roofs are transparent so I can see the moon and stars... I imagine my very special someone whom I usually see at the gym lying right beside me, hugging me tight and telling me "I love you..."! Yes, all those impossible things, I can freely experience them right in my imaginations. After thinking of all the things I would want to experience right at that moment, I would usually fall asleep and I would wake up full of energy and inspiration!

Guys, please try this technique. It will not only help you but all the people surrounding you. Good luck!!!!

Human Necessity Business: Sure way to get rich!

Today, after going w/ a friend in the "car accessories central district" in Banawe St in Quezon City & spending a lot in beautifying my new car (high-tech back sensor, license plate case, mud guard), I get to watch the James Bond 007 movie entitled  "Quantum of Solace". I decided to write this blog because I was challenged by the movie's message. It's seems so real & help's me think about my life and where I am going...

It's so challenging to know that while there are some people living normal & thinking about good things in this world, there are also some people from the higher class of society who care about nothing but how to get rich -- how to hoard every possible human necessity or resource in order to gain insurmountable wealth! That's what I realized after watching the movie "Quantum of Solace".  I also realized that "I can only be rich if I can establish a business that capitalizes or focuses on the human necessities or resources". Take for example the biggest companies in the Philippines below:

[Resource Name] [Company/Business]

ABS-CBN/GMA --> Broadcasting business (people needs media/info)

Meralco --> Electricity/Energy (people needs power)

PLDT/Smart/Globe-->Telecommunications (people needs communications)

LaSalle/AMA-->Education (people needs education)

RP Government-->Society/Order (this invisible company manages people)

SM Malls-->Entertainment/Shopping (middle-class needs)

ManilaWater-->Water Supply (people can't live w/o water)

Metrobank/BDO-->Money (money is now like water; can't live w/o it)

The list above may not be enough to show that the successful and longest-running businesses nowadays are really those that focuses on the necessity of the people. Or to better say it, the successful businesses are those that not only capitalizes on the human necessities but also those who even creates resources which wasn't present before. 

After watching the movie, I also realized that blogging will not make me as rich as Henry Sy or as billionaire as Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. I need to be able to enter the human necessity market. How? As I've said, nothing is impossible!

Professor and Student's Story about God and Science

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his

class on the problem science has with God, The

Almighty.

He asks one of his new Christian students to

stand and.....

Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son?

Student : Yes, sir.

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student : Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student : Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he

prayed to God to heal him.

Most of us would attempt to help others who are

ill. But God didn't.

How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start

again, young fella. Is God good?

Student :Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student : No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student : From...God...

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in

this world?

Student : Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did

make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred?

Ugliness?

All these terrible things exist in the world,

don't they?

Student :Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to

identify and observe the

world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever

seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student : No , sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your

God, smelt your God?

Have you ever had any sensory perception of God

for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable,

demonstrable protocol, science says

your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that,

son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science

has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as

heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student : No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this

turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even

more heat, superheat, mega heat,

white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we

don't have anything called cold.

We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no

heat, but we can't go

any further after that. There is no such thing as

cold. Cold is only a word we

use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot

measure cold.

Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat,

sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture

theatre.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is

there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is

the absence of something.

You can have low light, normal light, bright

light, flashing light....But if you

have no light constantly, you have nothing and

it's called darkness, isn't it?

In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would

be able to make darkness

darker, wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young

man?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical

premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of

duality.

You argue there is life and then there is death,

a good God and a bad God.

You are viewing the concept of God as something

finite,

something we can measure.

Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It

uses electricity and magnetism,

but has never seen, much less fully understood

either one. To view death as

the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the

fact that death cannot exist as a

substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of

life: just the absence of it.

Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your

students that they evolved from a

monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural

evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with

your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile,

beginning to realize where the

argument is going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the

process of evolution at work and

cannot even prove that this process is an on-

going endeavour, are you not

teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a

scientist but a preacher?

(The class is in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has

ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard

the Professor's brain, felt it,

touched or smelt it?.....No one appears to have

done so.

So, according to the established rules of

empirical, stable, demonstrable

protocol, science says that you have no brain,

sir.

With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust

your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the

student, his face

unfathomable.)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith,

son.

Student : That is it sir.. The link between man &

god is FAITH.

That is all that keeps things moving & alive. 

Note: I also got this interesting story somewhere and I thought this will help you understand the undiscovered links between God and science.

A Simple Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. I thank You for

my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm

blessed because You are a forgiving God and an

understanding God. You have done so much for me and

You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for

everything I have done, said or thought that was not

pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me

to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of

gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day

to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please

broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me

not whine and whimper over things I have no control

over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes

and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me

repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and

receive the forgiveness of God. And when this world

closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -to

slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the

best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know

that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart.

Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless

me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong

that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted that I

may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for

those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray

for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray

for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for

those that will delete this without sharing it with

others. I pray for those that don't believe. But I

thank you that I believe. I believe that God changes

people and God changes things. I pray for all my

sisters and brothers. For each and every family member

in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in

their homes that they are out of debt and all their

needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this

knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation

greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for

You to fight. I pray that these words be received into

the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth

that confesses them willingly.

This is my prayer. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Note: I just got it from my emails or while browsing the Internet. I liked the message of the prayer and I thought this might also inspire other people.

Do sleeping positions have an effect in a persons life?

Today, I won a Nokia 6230 during our company's Christmas Party. Could it be attributed on the way I sleep? All the previous nights I've been sleeping with my body resting on the left side of my brain. But just tonight, I slept with the right side of my brain and look at what happened today? Is it luck or something caused by a good chemical reaction when ur blood is concentrated on the right side of your brain? This could be a good personal belief which I still need to prove. Could this also be attributed on my life's wishlist which includes buying a nice PDA phone? The night before I won the cellphone, I was actually browsing the net on new cellphones but didn't have the idea how to purchase coz I don't have any cash or the luxury to do so. So now, one of my wishlists have been solved! How about u? Have u made ur personal life wishlist?

Could Philippines be an industrialized country?

Our class is very silent... waiting and understanding difficult troubles in studies... recitation... reading... and listening to the teacher's sermonettes and dreaming for impossible things in life. I doubt if they are happy and love their studies. But for me, I am unhappy about my studies and about the system of education. It is merely because we are studying and taking many kinds of subjects that we do not know if we could really learn from it. "Araling Panlipunan... Values Education... What is X&Y in Mathematics... Filipino... a very unanswerable question shoots, "Are all these subjects that we are learning would give us the knowledge that can promote the biggest program of the Philippines? I am talking about the Philippines 2000, a program that assures that on year 2000, our nation will be an NIC. What is an NIC? It means that Philippines will be a newly industrialized country in year 2000. Could it be a reality?

I know that for a nation to be an industrialized is a very difficult task to accomplish isn't it? It needs to have an advanced education in Science and Technology... not on the subjects that had no sense of improving the humanity.

"On the year 2000, the Philippine education will focus only in Science and Technologies", this was the news I heard from someone.

For me, I agree to the proposal that the education system must focus on S&T because it will really make the gaoal of the Philippines to become an industrialized country a reality. For the simple reason that, the students will have special attention and will learn more in science and technology. Just like in Japan, they focus only in science and technology, that's why most of them are fond of promoting science and technology, yet, I can say that they are also the lowest nation in terms of speaking different kinds of languages...

In this situation, there must be a wider cooperationn between the government and the people. As a matter of fact, we as Filipinos, can help most if we will study harder, discipline ourselves and support the nation's programs. Although, there are many difficulties in this, there are still Filipinos who have heart, mind, own land and especially a chance of living.

As the bible says "Give God his due and He will give back to you."

"Rome was not built in one day".




----------
Edwin D. Vinas, Manito High School, Manito, Albay, Philippines
Taken from "Unthinkable Thoughts Volume 1 -- Edwin D. Vinas"
Encoded this January 11, 2006 by EDV

Tips for Companies on how to motivate employees

IMHO, if i have developed something or has accomplished a job well done, what do i want?

1. I want others to apprciate my work?
2. I want the institute to have a public posting of this work whether in a form of a simple congrats in a bulletin board as "employee of themonth" or "researcher of the month" or whatever that is that will makemy name known to others.
3. I want to have a simple webpage in asti for listing the accomplishments orresearch outputs done by the person.
4. I want to rest after about a week.
5. I want to be treated for a free lunch or something similar.
6. A day-off.
7. A training for free.
8. Maybe a program will be held in the training room where all asti employeeswould recognize me, show my work, and eat together.
9. A press release can be good especially if the work is new.
10. A free supply of office materials (coffee, diskette, cd etc)
11. A gift (plaque, sign pen, trophy etc)
12. A recognition day every after six months just like a recogintion dayin school where students gets recoginzed together with the rest of the outstanding students (researchers).
13. If the work is stunning, asti can possibly work out for immediate promotion of the person.
14. Maybe a money incentive (P500) siguro. he he heetc. Anything that will make me happy... as someone doing great in a company.

What kind of job a person searches so he can stay and feel secured?

I think i need a jobe that will offer me not just good compensation butstable job with no interventions ( i mean continuous) and with benefits thatwe can enjoy.

The job I want... 

For three years that I have been working, I have been involvedin many things without focus. I would like to have a job that:
- concerns with research and development pref in communications and neworking
- trains subordinates and presents new concepts and ideas
- pays me at least 25T per month (Philippine-rate)
- guarantees employment for at least 20 years (local or abroad)
- challenges my skills to think innovatively
- motivates me to do things- accepts me as what I am
- the field? [network engineer, systems administrator, scienceresearch specialist, product developer, consultant and many others aslong as it concerns ECE, IT, computers and networks!]
>>Read more

Personality Traits Needed in Jobs

# Team player
# Quick learner
# Good problem solving skills
# Good analysis skills
# Able to work well under pressure
# Fluency in English and French (oral and written)
# Good oral and written communication skills
# Occasional travelling
# On-call duty required (Pager Support).

Is there any ultimate technology that will really unite all people in the world which would result in a new paradise on Earth?

- The internet began based on curiousity on networked computers.
- The developers were jokers too but very serious in the ideas
- The Internet which is a very sophisticated network right now did nit
evolve overnight, it even started with simple protocols such as FTP
and simple browsers such as the Gopher. It would mean to say that any
system or product cannot be produced at one sitting. It evolves! But
the dedication, vision and perseverance of the people behind the
Internet are really insurmountable. How were they able to come up with
such big ideas! Is it really just out curiousity or God teach them to
do it?
- If we are going to trace the evolution of other communication
systems, the end-goal is all about making people live closer in one
world which besets boundaries, cultures, and geographic locations. But
the current technologies does not yet make the world a nice world for
everyone. Is there any ultimate technology that will really unite all
people in the world which would result in a new paradise on Earth?
>>Read more

Theory on World Formation

The formation of the world seems very much myeterious until today. Despite of all the advances in technology in our planet, scientists haven't found if what is the begining of the world.

Most of us, especially the christian communities believed that the world was created by God in heaven. We can find its stories in Genesis in the Bible. We always base our beliefs in the Bible, a book that is not really written by God but by the people who worship Gods.

Going back to that creation theory, we know or we believe that the world is created by God in heaven. But where is heaven? Where does it come from? If there is God, where does God came from? Is there also a kingdom of God, I mean a community of God?

Scientifically speaking, I believe that the world has a unique beginning... a beginning that we really don't know. Now, let us relate this in some of the theories in science nowadays. Aside from creation theory, we have evolution theory which is purely scientific. This includes the scientific theory on world formation which is still unverified nowadays. There is a theory that says that the world came from the sun. It says that during the beginning, the sun exploded and its particles are spread in space which believe to be world and planets itself originated. There is also a theory that the planets in the solar system came from a primordial egg which exploded and its parts were spread in the vast space and its where the world has originated. Now the very big question is, where do this particles came from? Where does the sun came from? Where do the primordial egg came from?

All this things are very myterious and this myterious beginning will just be proven by God, if there is any...

Click here for a more comprehensive inf0rmation about scientific theories about the history of time, space and the universe.

---
Taken from Unthinkable Thoughts
Written September 1, 1995 12:42pm, TUP manila
Encoded this January 25, 2006

BRAIN: Preserving the Evolution of Knowledge

The universe is a continuously growing body of knwoledge. These knowledge can be of different forms. Educational knowledge is the one that contributes to the upward technology revolutions. Old knwledge can serve as a basis for new knowledge. The greater is the amount of knowledge availabe for humans, the more advanced humans can become. This project aims to setup a BRAIN that consists of storing information, filtering informatin, preserving information and delivering information.

Creator - Creature Heirarchy

You and I belongs to a what we call "creator-creature heirarchy" in this vast universe. We think of God as our creator. As we will notice, God doen't talk to us directly. But He communicates with us with the environment, through our senses and the minute sensors and systems He designed us. Truly, the universe is such a big heirarchy of different creatures who were created by different creators. We humans, is one big part of a whole that makes up a big universe. We are created by God which no one has ever seen for we can not truly see who created us for we are on a different level of understanding. To better explain the dilemna of understanding the human situation, we can compare it to computers who were created by humans. In the future, through evolution, humans will make way to a new era of humanoids who are half computer and half-human. Computers cannot directly communicate or talk at the same understanding as its creator for we humans have a different level of knowledge and understanding compared to our creations. Computers may sense our inputs through computers but they can never have control over its creator --humans. Same is true with God whom we consider as our creator. We can never ever have control over who created us. God may also be created by another super being and that is far more advanced and of different level of superiority over us. What is important is that we, humans, are performing what we are designed to do in this world.

Philippines is a divided country between caring and non-caring citizens

As a regular passenger of the Metro Rail Transit(MRT) from Cubao to Mandaluyong, I realized that the Philippines is not a solid country -- it is still a divided country consisting of people who cares and people who doesn't care at all. On the left side of this divided country lies the youth and the oldies who are filled with hope that this country will someday grow into a righteous and prosperous country. On the other side of the divided Philippines is the group of Filipinos who merely exist to live and chooses to be a burden of the society. Now the question is, will we ever reach a point wherein the Filipinos will be a solid country?

Here are some observations I have while riding the MRT:
1) I was standing on a compact group of sweaty passengers waiting for the next train. Then, a young guy beside me slowly gets something from his pocket which I realized as a candy. This MRT passenger, who looks like he studied in college, suddenly throws a candy wrapper in the rails of the train. Whenever I see scenes like these, I feel my hope in the Philippines is being diminished since I know that there are still a lot of Filipinos who doesn't care about the society.

2) MRT passenger not cooperating to give way to passengers to alight first or to go the vacant space at the center. In the MRT, it was so funny especially in Cubao station because even if the train is so full, one goes out and 3 or more gets in! I know we Filipinos are strong, but this doesn't show that we are disciplined citizen of this country. If you are a disciplined Filipino, why would you block the way of the passengers who are alighting the train? If you are a caring Filipino, why don't you adjust your position to the center of the train so others can fill the space near the train doors?

But despite of all these bad scenarios, I know that this country is still moving forward. So, let us all work toward the same goal! Let us all unite and eliminate the group of non-caring people! As someone who belongs to the group of caring Filipino citizens, I know that we have come a long way but we should realize that the neighboring countries have come a much farther way because they are now exploring the solar system! They have perfected the modern economics and good governance! 

Which group of Filipinos do you belong?

My First Car - a Toyota Vios 1.3E M/T!

Five years ago, I dreamed of owning a car so that I will not worry in walking through the dark streets from home to work. On many occasions, I thought a person like me can never own a car since I was just a poor guy from a poor family. But since I am a man with a lot of goals and wishes in life, I now own a Toyota Vios 1.3E car! Until now, I still can't believe I made this dream a reality. So far, it's the most expensive I ever spent on in my whole life! So, I am here sharing to you the story on how a poor boy from the mountain was able to buy a car!

Two years ago, I said to myself "It's almost six years now after I graduated and worked; but then buying a car is still next to impossible." Yes, that's how frustrated I am in attaining my dream of buying my own car but I didn't give up. I just waited for two more years until last June 2008, I was able to take a very big risk of investing in buying a new car. Of course, since I don't know how to drive, the Toyota dealer from Marikina delivered the car in my house. It was such an unforgettable experience riding in your own car for the first time. It feels like I am deeply blessed!

My interest in buying a car intensified when I was assigned onshore in Florida, USA. I still don't how to drive back then but my officemate let me drive the car around the apartment. Then, to prepare myself, I enrolled in A1 Driving for a straight 1-day rush course after our onshore assignment. When I first learned to drive during that rush course, I realized that drivers are really skilled people -- imagine they can coordinate with precision on how to control the clutch, brake, gas and steering wheel while still minding the speedy cars on the front, side and back of the car! After our rush course which I got to experience driving along EDSA, I realized driving is one skill that needs to be learned and it's not easy! So, from that time, I learned to appreciate the taxi or jeepney drivers who helped us get to the destination everyday.

After almost a year, I decided to buy a car because I am so tired riding the MRT especially during rush hours in the Cubao train station. So, even if I am just an ordinary employee who earns just enough, I still decided to buy a car. Besides, I want to mark this goal as "Done" together with my goals of graduating in college, buying a pocket PC, letting my brother finish college, finishing my competent communicator norm in Toastmasters club, and buying a laptop! Now, I can add to my dream-come-true list -- I was a able to buy a car!

Another reason, why I decided to buy a car is to use it when I go to my province in Bicol so that I can tour around the city and town's beautiful places. In our province it's very difficult to go around since there are not much jeepneys available. We only have once a day jeepney trip. When I have perfected my driving skills, I am going to drive from Manila to Albay province!

Saving money and continuously wishing really helped me attain my goal of buying a car. I fought the temptations of buying a PSP or Ipod and tried to save at least 50% of my salary and bonuses. It's difficult to deny yourself of something while saving money but since I really need a car, I decided to buy one when I already have the opportunity. So when I felt my heart is beating fast whenever I thought of a car, I decided not to wait for the TL car loan -- I really can't wait and I no longer want to suffer. Besides, if I have a car, my family can already go to some places.

Before I get to buy my new car, I also encountered a time when I almost decided to drop or exclude this as one my goals in life especially now that there is a controversial issue w/ global warming. But during the Toastmasters Discon2008 in Tagaytay, I found a booth of Toyota Cavite and so I inquired at how much or how can a poor man own a car! Then, I also get to meet some other dealers especially in malls where they have a booths and display of cars they're selling. Whenever I see beautiful cars being displayed at the malls, all I can say is "Wow! How I wish I can own a new car!".

For those who wants to know the steps in buying a car, assuming you are as poor as I am, here are the important steps:
1) Open a time deposit account at any bank (i.e., Metrobank). When you have a money, gradually increase your deposit. If you want, you can open two or three accts and then merge them into one big TD account. In this way, you are sure your money will not be spent since you can only get it after maturity.

2) Enroll in A1 Driving w/ expenses amounting to P4,100 including student permit processing and 5-hour Manual driving rush course.

3) Inquire at a Car Loan from a bank. The system in car loans is that the back will pay the car to the dealer and you will just pay the monthly payment to the bank. In effect, if you buy a car through a loan, the car is already fully-paid by the bank.

4) Decide if you want to go back to square one. After I submitted my car loan application, I am still confused since I will start over again w/ 0 savings. But then, I am not wasting money here -- if I really do, I think I have the right since it's a product of my sweat and blood. I'll just work harder so I can cope up with the expensive-owning-a-car lifestyle.

5) Processing of purchase order from the bank. Basically, you need to pay for the 30% downpayment, 1-month advance and chattel mortgage.

6) Pay LTO and insurance at the car dealer after the bank has forwarded the PO to the dealer.

7) Deliver the car!

8) Enroll again at A1 and apply for a Non-Professional License at the same time.

9) Enjoy driving!!!!!