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Showing posts from 2009

Summer Dreaming

The term panama city beach Florida reminds me of fun loving and Spanish speaking people who all seem to look good in beach attire. Many films have been inspired by beaches and now, even some of the more popular television programs have beach settings. CSI Miami, for instance, never fails to show shapely people in the beaches sipping pinacolada. In this cold month, the idea of being in a warm beach seems to be the best dream of all.

Funny Crook!

Does acne treatment cost that much? A helmet clad pickpocket on a motorcycle was nabbed by cops and he begged for clemency saying he only wanted some cosmetic cure. When they took his head gear off, they saw a pimple and acne infested face. It actually looked more of acne that grew a face. Funny but true. The guy looked quite terrible but still, it does not give him any excuse to become anything other than a law abiding citizen.

Business Insurance

Another casualty of the floods is thousands of laptop computers in consumer homes as well as supplier’s warehouses. In my belief, warehouses in the low lying areas that got hit are so badly damaged and will probably have to encash on their insurance premiums. I am not sure though if existing policies cover natural disasters. In my experience, normal warehouse coverage included only fire and theft. I hope the suppliers were not so badly hit. In the end, the losses will have to be carried by the buying public.

Extortionists

In the country where I live, I saw how a dark circle of lazy gentlemen extort money from legit businessmen. The modus operandi was simple. They bar deliveries from ever leaving a warehouse until the owner agrees to part ways with his hard earned money. In my very uneducated opinion, the method is nothing short of extortion. It is no different from the thugs in slum areas who demand money in exchange for people’s passage.

An Offer That I Cannot Refuse

With the renewal of my car registration, I started searching for the best offer from insurance companies. I am not sure if I communicated myself well but an agent sent me a life insurance quote . It wasn’t so bad however, since I read the proposal and eventually decided to get the policy. It was a good thing for the lucky agent that I had time to read the obviously wrong proposal. At the end of the day, one just cannot turn down a good offer.

Steam those walls!

For those residing in areas that were hit by the massive floods, consider using Ladybug vapor steam cleaner . Walls and other surfaces may have been badly stained by floods and had become difficult to clean up. The steam cleaners will take out the mud and steam and perhaps, even rid the place of most of the harmful germs that had gotten embedded in the porous surfaces.

Get Insured!

Speaking of catastrophes, I am reminded that it is once again time for me to check out bcbsnc for the renewal of my health plans. With force majeure hitting us at monstrous magnitudes, having health and property insurance is an idea that had become very wise. Life is short and let us not waste it by working so hard just so we can have something to pay for our bills. Get insured

Storms, storms and more storms

Since the storm made a wreck of my laminated walls and flooring, I am now thinking of installing stainless steel tiles as replacements. These series of bad incidents are thought of by people to be consequences of bad environmental stewardship by the private sector as well as poor leadership by corrupt and negligent governments of so many countries. Let’s do something to reverse the trend before it becomes too late.

Christmas is Coming

Growing up in a place without pine trees, we only had an artificial christmas tree for several years. It was only later on when I had the fortune of spending Christmas overseas, when I had my first natural pine tree. Because of better trade routes and relaxed tariffs, my family finally had the first natural tree imported from the US. The smell and feel of a real tree makes the trouble worthwhile but without one, a good artificial tree serves the purpose.

Needed: Help for Household Pets

With so much human suffering brought about by the typhoons that hit the Philippines and the quakes and tsunami that devastated Sumatra and American Samoa, it is quite easy to overlook the needs of our pets that are also suffering. pet supplements are also badly needed to restore animals back to their good health, both physically and mentally. Without good supplements, animals that are cold and in unfamiliar territory (evacuation centers) can get very sickly and can even pass on their illnesses to humans.

Flooding in Manila

The typhoon that hit the Philippines gave rise to the demand for the electric blanket . October in the Philippines is more or less the start of cooler nights. With so much rainfall and strong winds, one cannot help but feel cold at night. With thousands of people temporarily homeless because of the heavy flooding, the need for warm blankets cannot be underestimated. There simply is a lot of people in need of warmth.

The Xbox

The xbox 360 is todays gadget of choice. Of course, there are new brands that are threatening to take away such distinction but it will not be that easy to overtake the leader who at this point, had already sold a lot. I however, appreciate the challenge being posed by the competitors. Because of them, prices have gone down a bit and the qualities of games have improved. I hope however, that the prices will continue to drop.

Battle of the Bulge

I really do not know how to deal with my belly fat . It used to be so easy but I guess, age has caught up with me and I have to work harder to regain my previous state. Exercise used to do it for me and even when I was already working, simple diet reductions or momentary addiction to Atkins diet used to do the trick. This time however, all of those do not seem to work.

Why?

In countries where a lot of people are poor, there never fails to exist those who are filthy filthy rich… An engineer once told me that the outdoor furniture covers that was used by one of his clients was so expensive that he cannot even afford to but swatches of those cloths and sew them to become his shirt. Why do some people starve when there is enough resource to feed the world?

Green Shopping

In the supermarket where we regularly go to, Green shopping is being seriously promoted. Durable and Reusable shopping bags are being sold and whenever shoppers come using such bags, rebates or discounts are given. Other department stores are yet to follow but I hope that it will happen soon. Shopping bags create tons of trash every day because of disposable plastic bags. Drains are constantly being clogged because of it and floods happen as a result.

Green Shopping

In the supermarket where we regularly go to, Green shopping is being seriously promoted. Durable and Reusable shopping bags are being sold and whenever shoppers come using such bags, rebates or discounts are given. Other department stores are yet to follow but I hope that it will happen soon. Shopping bags create tons of trash every day because of disposable plastic bags. Drains are constantly being clogged because of it and floods happen as a result.

The Fierce French

Enjoying my new plasma mounts in my living room, I leaned back and watched the news reports claiming that a French agent escaped from his Somali kidnappers and killing three captors in the process. The story reminds me of the fierce French military who fought back whenever pirates attacked ships bearing their country’s colors. The French foreign legion is another symbol of French courage and fierceness. All in all, a lot of people are probably right when they claim that one should never mess with the French.

Today's Thoughts

Just today, I entertained a salesman who gave me a dozen life insurance rates . During our conversation, I realized that life insurance have taken a number of forms. Riders have been introduced to include various forms of medical reimbursements, sick bay allowances, etc. Our environment today is much different from what we had yesterday. It had become more dangerous and most of all expensive. Therefore, there is nothing but preparing for huge eventualities. Indeed, prevention is much better than cure.

Slower Bandwidth Caused By New Online Gaming Consoles

One can probably blame the XBox for a much heavier bandwidth consumption in the world. However, the benefits and potentials that it unleashed is probably worth every inconvenience that it caused the internet world. Technology is the driving force in this world’s economy and in the search for perfection, inconveniences encountered along the way is nothing compared to the foreseen benefits brought by development.

Secure Thyself!

In this day of economic e uncertainty, the demand for motorhome insurance has gone up by seven folds. A lot of homes are being taken over by the banks and other lending institutions and a lot of people have shifted to motor homes as their primary residences. While we hope not to fall as victims of some of our desperate brothers, let us prepare for the possibility of theft or vandalism that may occur. Get an insurance. It may be your only safeguard for any eventuality.

A Salary Man On A Diet

With my search for effective and safe weight loss pills now in full speed, I have read close to a hundred reviews made by various “authorities “ on the subject matter, as well as a number of supposed testimonials. The problem however remains. I am yet to find a drug store that can regularly supply me with what I need. I am a travelling salesman, in my current post and I need to find good suppliers all over the world.

Harsh Realization

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s recent collapse, hospitalization and release made me rethink my diet and fitness plans. I have now included diet pills that work in my list of items to consider. Gym workout needs plenty of time and religious devotion and food intake programming is not as easy as it sounds. I am therefore in need of a new option and the search for safe diet pills have now been added to my daily google list.

RP POSTS BOP SURPLUS ON A BAD YEAR

January to June Balance Of payments (BOP) surplus reaches $2.216 billion. This country, which has very rarely experienced BOP surplus, is still at it as of now. Let's hope that all poor countries experience this, especially at times like this. Here are some excerpts: - Manila's successful $750 million global bond sale this week and strong remittance inflows could push up the balance of payments surplus to $1 billion this year, the central bank said, higher than its original $700 million surfeit estimate for 2009. [ID:nMNA000302] - The Philippines had a balance of payments surplus of $89 million in 2008, the lowest in four years, after a record $8.58 billion surplus in 2007. - The central bank expects remittances in 2009 to match the previous year's $16.4 billion. But central bank Governor Amando Tetangco has said the bank's forecast is conservative since inflows have held up well despite the global downturn. Continued here

Kutcher's Promise

Much has been written about the wealth of today’s business and political leaders from the Timex wearing George Bush to the pro bono and unintentional Patek Phillipe endorser Vlad Putin to those with a penchant for Rolex studded with loose diamonds . However, articles of equal quantity, were also written about these leaders and the charities that they support. One gesture worth writing about is the recent contest between Ashton Kutcher and CNN on who will be able to reach One million Twitter followers first. Kutcher won by promising to people that he will donate 10,000 mosquito bed nets to charity should he make it.

Exercise!!!

The amount of excess weight in my body had become so unbearable that exercise is now at the top of my list. However, I am scared of suddenly hitting the elliptical for I have not had any serious workout for at least three years and I am in present danger of suffering from a heart attack. I t is for this reason that I started playing golf. Oh my, it’s nice!

The governor's beach home

What now, another governor sex scandal? Not again!!! This week, a US governor that was deemed missing turned out to have visited a mistress in Argentina. After a televised apology, he visited his family, who had kicked him out. As I watch the footage of his family beach home, I am reminded of the Outer Banks rentals place that is very affordable and yet as elegant as the rich governor’s. I hope to be able to visit the place again. I have been working for many months since the start of this year and I feel that I deserve a break.

Bye Michael

The other day, it would not have been unusual to see so many faces bent down on their zero radius sinks and have water running into their eyes. The demise of Michael Jackson came so sudden that people were totally not expecting it. Michael is just fifty years old and the end was a long way down the road, for most people, at least. But not for the king. Like Elvis, he left so sudden. Maybe, that’s the way kings leave.

A word of caution

With this industry now as big as a few billion dollars a year, not a few people ask what is the strongest diet pill ? The link contains a lot of information that will benefit people looking for that miracle supplement that will help them get back to shape and attain good health. On February of this year, CNN.com/health published an article warning the public against possibly harmful diet supplements. Tests have shown that some brands are tainted with prescription drugs and most of all, diet supplements are not regulated by the FDA. Take care fellows. Study your options and more.. seek your doctor's opinion. source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/23/healthmag.weightloss.supplement/index.html

WATCH HITLER IN FULL COLOR

Horrendous it may sound like, but this in no way glorifies the man who sent hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people to their deaths. Here it is, full color photos of Hitler from his fellow Nazi and personal photographer. Embedded video from CNN Video

Citizens Defense Against DWI Charges

In the state of Texas and perhaps, in most other states, a person charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) needs to request for a hearing within fifteen (15) days of the arrest in order to avoid getting slapped with a suspension oh his/her drivers license. For those unfortunate enough to have to face these charges in Forth Worth, there is a good fort worth dwi lawyer whose track record is exemplary. The law firm has successfully defended 91% of its DWI cases set for trial through dismissals or not guilty verdicts. Whoa! For those looking for a fort worth dwi attorney , or even those within the neighboring areas, the law office of Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy is one good place to start looking. DWI cases have gotten more complicated today compared to a few years ago due to the specialized training that apprehending officers and prosecuting attorneys go through. Without specialized representation, those accused with DWI offenses will face rough sailing in the courts. I theref

Battle with the Bulge

Just had dinner today and oh boy, Chinese food really rocks! If only I can get my hands on some appetite suppressants that work , I would not have the midsection that I have now. I have gained more weight during the past few months than I have accumulated during the last three years combined. This battle of the bulge is getting more difficult as I get older. I need to use more artillery to be able to win this time.

How's Noriega?

My girlfriend’s microdermabrasion appointment reminds me of the former Panama strongman Manuel Noriega. The guy has acne marks in his face that his enemies referred to him as “Pineapple face”. The guy was arrested and extradited to the US on charges related to drug trafficking, money laundering and many others. His sentenced ended sometime on October 2007 but pending extradition requests from France and Panama, he remains in a US jail to this day.

Plagues Plagues Plagues

I thought, mesothelioma would be the sickness of the decade. I thought that people would be talking about it everywhere, leading to reforms in the way workers is exposed to various illnesses. However, that is not to happen, at least at this time. The Swine or whatever you call it flu virus, is to threaten humanity like no other and once more, people are in great danger from deadly plagues. let’s hope that we will be able to breeze through this.

Deserving Some Rest

This weekend, I feel like staying at the Stratosphere hotel . Having travelled halfway across the globe, the need to get myself voluntarily quarantined tops my list. I am feeling no fever symptom but still, I have to go through this. After the home quarantine, I will probably check in the hotel and get myself some peace and quiet time, reading a book.

Circuit City in the Philippines

The current Red Cross debacle in the Abu Sayaff infested region reminds me of the Circuit City where I buy my electronics and entertainment needs but also, the Go kart circuit near my place of work. In a Go cart circuit. I feel that the place is nothing a few square meters of track but the chase doesn’t seem to end. The race becomes monotonous after a few laps but the race nonetheless needs to go on. In the Abu Sayaff country, the place is also just a few thousand hectares but the soldiers can’t seem to find the enemy despite having been around it several times. Of course, reality is a lot more complicated than theory but I just can’t help but feel disappointed.

Will The Trial Of the Somali Pirate help Curb Piracy?

Here's what will happen. The pirate will be given free calls to his comrades and relatives and here is how the conversation will go: Mama/Comrades: Hi Mate, How are you there? Pirate: So great!!!! Mama/Comrades: What do you mean? Pirate: The prisons here are much better than the big houses back home. There's running water, airconditioning, gym, etc.. Oh, did I mention the food? They even have so called balanced diet in here. If this is the destination of all arrested pirates, i'd go for it again, anytime!!!

Older, Wiser, Sexier!

The words Solo Slim reminds me of one of the great thinkers of our time. Rita Levi Montalcini is a Nobel prize winner in the field of medicine, 100 years old, very much alive, sharper than ever and most importantly, very fit. She claims to be much more intelligent and sharper than she was at the age of 20. due to the fact that she has accumulated more experiences and has learned a lot more. I used to think that if I will live to become very old, I would want to be just like Hugh Heffener. But upon reading about Rita Montalcini, I realized that there is actually a better model to follow. Cheers! Salud, Signora Levi!

Take a Walk!

A look at a site offering MBT shoes reminds me of the days when I was in grade school. In the boys school where I come from, everyone spoke about NBA legends of our time and those guys seemed to wear the same pair. Nowadays, it’s quite different and competition seemed to have taken everything a notch higher. Nowadays, basketball shoes look different from the ones people wear when on casual stroll and there seems to be specialized pairs for different purposes.

A Random Thought

Renovating a house can get costlier than necessary. The desire to come up with a better home comes with the want to upgrade furniture and other home gadgets. Like in my house, for instance, we are now looking for Kettlebell exercise dumbells in order to give our modest gym a new look and to inspire us to workout a bit harder. Weird, huh?

Spoting Somalian Pirates

With all the money being made by Somalian pirates, it will not be surprising if we will soon find out that there are letters of credits being (made from that country) for container loads of the diet pill after they have read a nuphedra review . Those pirates who make millions of dollars by having their captive cargo vessels and crew ransomed, must be a rarity in the country. they must be among the very few fat people in that country.

BLACKLISTED TAX HAVENS

The problem with some countries is that they always refuse to cooperate for the greater good, period! They only do when dire consequences have already been imposed and that kinda pisses me off. Take for example the recent blacklist issued by the OECD. They imposed sanctions against countries that are continuing to act as safe havens of money being laundered by drug lords, dictators and corrupt officials of various governments and other types of dirty money. Because of such states, dictators and drug lords continue to be in business. Let's hope that that the rest of the globe act in harmony and weed out these channels of corruption, murder and societal decay. Otherwise, this century will be marked by the triumph of evil.

Auctions Galore!

These period of economic slowdown has made a lot companies resort to unloading of company assets. In addition, a lot of firms engaged in production of various products items are left with a lot of unsold items. Because of that, wholesale auctions of both brand new and used products are all over and for people with money, this is a good time to buy.

Less Food Does Not Equate to Lesser Weight

It seems that several days in captivity cannot be included in the list of the best diet pills ever. The recently released volunteer of the International Committee of the Red Cross seems to look well on television and it looks that she hasn’t lost weight. I am actually expecting to find somebody who looks very frail after a long stay at the jungle but that is not what I see on TV. Of course, her psychological condition may be different. Good counseling should commence together with her debriefing in order to minimize the long term impact of the ordeal.

Post Campaign Fiascos

I am reminded of the not so long ago fiasco involving a presidential candidate who, after the elections, naturally folded his headquarters. His people started disposing the office furniture and equipment but failed to sanitize the cell phones and computer memory . As a result, the buyers who checked their newly bought 2nd hand equipment were treated to a number of confidential communications. It seems that some sensitive text messages were left in the phones and the new owners had fun reading it. I wonder what else they found in there.

Convicted US Marine Face Possible Release

In the Philippines today, a US military personnel Lance Corporal Daniel Smith was a few years ago, convicted of raping a Filipina. After serving a few hundred days in a specially built detention facility, he is facing the possibility of release. That should be good for men clad in safety equipment . In the US embassy compound where Corporal Daniel Smith is being detained, a construction activity is ongoing in order to expand one of the largest US government diplomatic operations outside of the mainland. Daniel Smith's accuser is reported to have executed a sworn statement virtually clearing the GI of the charges that she, not so long ago, filed against him.

Brokering Peace Agreements

Brokering a successful peace agreement between long time enemies is similar to maintaining a plant nursery . One has to nurture many plant types and make sure that they grow the right way. Weeds are routinely uprooted and all plants are monitored to make sure that they grow in the proper direction with none of them ever posing as a hindrance to another. That is how delicate the process is.

MY PICK FOR MAN OF THE YEAR 2009

In this time filled with uncertainties, people are always worried about the negative things that may befall them. Jobs are being deleted from companies' databases by the tens of thousands and a lot of families are getting sad and more worried as the days go by. This CEO however, has something that others with his credentials have-- A good heart! He went down to ground zero and recognized the importance of rank and file and inspired everybody else to think of something to make sure that the company will have enough to pay everybody. Here's the story .

Everybody Loves Luxury Watches

And all of them seems to want to be seen wearing one. The quality of replica watches are so good that it takes an expert or at least a connoisseur to pinpoint one. In the Philippines a few decades ago, there were rumors of a government mafia called the Rolex Gang. The name comes from the members’ preference for the luxury brand. In published pieces that came years after, it was alleged that the watches are actually gifts by the gangs leader and those are nothing but imitation pieces.

Grand Cheapo!

Watching a DVD in my home theatre is way better than getting a freebie from that... Let me go a few days back. I received a note from an entrepreneur who has just finished building a luxurious movie house with the finest amenities. The movie house supposedly doubles as a spa wherein one can get foot spas and the works while watching a movie. How cheap can that theater be? Let me count the ways. The guy wanted bloggers to write about his business and in return, get a chance to watch a movie for free. They are supposed to pick two “lucky” blog posts and give them a ticket or two each. Pro blogging can be cheap or very worthwhile monetarily speaking but that is very low.

What makes me feel good at work

Reese Witherspoon’s chosen comfort treatment is a manicure. For that girl in that TV series, it is clean underwear. As an office boy who walk a lot in the office, I like comfortable shoes with matching Smartwool socks . Walking in comfortable shoes and socks makes me feel good and confident whereas lousy pairs gives me aches at the end of the day.

For those with Class!

If a guy’s got class, he will give away Cartier watches to the bloggers who write excellent posts about their classy businesses. Prices to blog contests that are being given away by entrepreneurial souls differs based on the kind of business they have. Home businesses therefore are expected to give away simple prices but the classy upscale ones should give away something proportional to their size. And if you happen to be running something that caters to the affluent, one should not be so stingy in advertising expenditures.

Front Seat View of Man's Evolution

Perched on top of my luxurious home theatre seating system, I can’t help but reflect a bit on what transpired during the past week and plan the coming six (6) working days. In my country now, the effects of the global recession have started to hit the papers. Thousands of workers are being retrenched en mass as exporting companies close shop on the account of weak demand from the United States. The best employees in that bunch will probably be absorbed by others the average and the mediocre will take a hit. Call it Darwin’s evolution in action. It’s good when discussed inside classrooms and read in textbooks but to be around when it is actually happening sucks!

BYE BUSH!

His throwing Saddam out of Iraq was fine. His handling of the country, afterward, made the country a worse place for the Iraqi's. Now, they are about to pullout and my guess is, it will become Iran's playground. Bye, Bush! Don't ever come back.

Business Insurance

A freak accident at a monster truck show brings to mind every entrepreneurs need for business insurance . Should an employee experience an unfortunate accident or any property suffers any damage, a good insurance company will be able to cushion the financial repercussions. One thing that I am not sure though. The unfortunate incidents that damaged China’s milk industry resulted to thousands of hospitalizations and some deaths. And based on the narratives that got into the press, there is strong doubt if any insurance company will shoulder financial remunerations to the victims.

A Mulberry Tree Dotted White House Lawn?

Do you think Obama loves Mulberry trees ? Well, at least one blogger has related him to it. His call on McCain right before his oath taking is somewhat reminiscent of the days when Ben Franklin when he brought combative figures under beneath his mulberry tree and had them settle their differences there. With so much of the world covered by the cloak of darkness, the white house should have a few mulberry trees planted in its yard so that feuding world leaders can be accommodated at the same time and today’s troubles can be settled.

Some Economic Indicators

Until a few years ago, Hummers were considered very expensive items that it wasn’t available in car rental companies. Besides, online car insurance quotes for the said vehicle shows its value as a priced automobile. This year however, lots of Hummers can be found in rental listings. To me, it speaks of the economy’s inability to absorb the industry’s production. The economy is probably in dire straits or simply a victim of bad speculation. But whatever it is, I hope the people are not suffering as much as the indicators tell us.

Watches of Powerful Men

The website of Festina watches reminds me of the immediate past Russian President Vladimir Putin who was widely cited to have worn a Patek Philippe despite his modest salary. In contrast, the oil billionaire George W. Bush, who also receives a $400,000 salary as the president of the United States, wears a $50 Timex watch. Of course, Putin is one of the world’s most powerful men and people everywhere are not surprised with his expensive watch. He can easily obtain such gadgets and more while remaining true to his post as leader of his people.