Monday, October 27, 2008
ronjie.com.mag issue #9 (october 27, 2008)
9 issues. yey. what's special this week? nothing. but anyway. we have tons of stuff here. RAW. FWD. ENGG. FOG. RAW. CPC. R+R.
abbreviations, shmabbreviations.
did i say ENGG? did you catch on that? yup, we're trying to merge the RONJIE.COM engineering website (formerly http://ronjie-engg.blogspot.com/) here. but we'll see.
sudoku of course is this week's free online game (FOG). and there's a movie review somewhere there in coach potato's corner (CPC).
oh, wait, there's a reaction+reflection (R+R) here, which is a reflection on a reading from about a month ago. fortunately, that R+R post has found a home in today's issue. that's what's special for today.
well, hope you like the reads.
[reactions+reflections] Are you the elder or the younger son? Are you Martha or are you Mary?
In the Gospel last Sunday, 28 September 2008, Jesus asked which was the
better son, the elder son who said 'No' to his father's command but
eventually did as he was told, or the younger son who said 'Yes' to the
delight of his father but didn't really do what he was asked to do.
better son, the elder son who said 'No' to his father's command but
eventually did as he was told, or the younger son who said 'Yes' to the
delight of his father but didn't really do what he was asked to do.
I think it is obvious that it is better to follow the Father's command,
than to say 'yes' but not follow it up with any action. But I think you
would agree with me that it is best if you say 'yes' and follow the
Father's will.
The younger son represents the hypocrites in varying levels; e.g.
leaders in Christian communities but having a second life outside of it,
influential people in media who preach about God's goodness and yet it
is not enough for them to control their temper in front of their
subordinates, maybe even church leaders themselves who succumb to
temptation.
The elder son meanwhile may include those who do not go to church to
attend mass, but they help out in charity foundations like Habitat for
Humanity, or those who live their youth in sin, but 'convert' when the
wrinkles and grey hair are very obvious already.
Well, it is difficult to say 'yes' and immediately put one step inside
the door. One priest says, we should at least make that first step
towards the door, and progress with the second step and so on, with the
ultimate goal of experiencing the inexplicable joy of being by His side.
Because that will happen when we are ready. In the meantime, we should
prepare ourselves and take little baby steps. We were not born knowing
how to walk right away.
The priest told this story about this young college lady who did not
have a religion (her father was a Jew and her mother a Catholic and they
left the decision to her which religion to take) until she asked the
priest to baptize her. The priest asked why Catholicism? The young
lady had a dormitory roommate who had such a great positive disposition
and who she observed would wake up so very early in the morning to go
somewhere. One day she became too curious she followed her roommate to
where she went, and there she was, apparently she did not miss one
single morning mass at 6am even on weekdays and Saturdays. This was one
example of action (her attending mass everyday) - and consequence (her
being of a contagiously joyful nature) - that lead to the evangelization
of the young college lady to the Catholic faith. It was her dormmate's
yes (i.e. commitment) to worshipping God, to listening to His Word, and
to giving of herself (her time, and her contributions to the church),
and her subsequent action that lead to all this.
This is one of the things that this Gospel calls us to.
I remember one other Gospel reading where in Jesus was at Lazarus' home,
and Martha was busy preparing for the food and so on for Jesus and his
company, while Mary chose to be there listening to Jesus' teachings.
Which would you choose to be?
In the Martha and Mary situation, again it would have been best if your
home, your temple, is ready for His coming, so that you may have time to
sit beside Him and listen to his teachings, the Holy Bridegroom.
Sometimes, you may be offered two choices. Sometimes, one is better
than the other. Sometimes, it doesn't matter. Sometimes, choosing both
is best. Whatever situation it is, there is one thing you should
remember when you make up your mind and make your choice - you also Love
God with all your mind, and yes of course, with all your heart, and with
all your strength also.
God bless you.
[Book Review] How to Mend a Broken Heart (by Nelson Dy)
Not what I thought it would be. I expected something general, something to really heal broken hearts of all sorts. I do know this is a Christian book.
But this thing is targeted at male nerds/dorks who are already at their mid-30s to 40s and yet haven't hooked up yet. Not applicable to me! Sadly? Well, this also applies to young teeners and 20-something guys who are already "looking." In short, this applies to BOYS, not MEN.
By nerds/dorks/boys, I meant those who do not know how to win at least one girl's heart. And that is, a girl he likes. Because low-EQ nerds/dorks could settle for someone they don't really like, and well, problems could come like flash floods in the middle of the dark night (i.e. married life). Hopefully, this book encourages low-EQ people not to be low-EQ. Ha! As if that's not difficult.
The author was broken-hearted because he did not know what to do, and he wasn't yet ready (in terms of personality, spirituality, etc.), and yet he was barking at the wrong tree. That girl wasn't the right person for her but... if he knew what to do and he was the person he should be, i.e. a good Christian man and not just a nice guy, the girl could have fallen head-over-heels for him even though he didn't have as much money as that other guy, and she would've become the best person for her. Oh well.
But, with an open mind, there are some new stuff you could learn here and there. Like the story of David and Jonathan, or Ruth and Naomi and Mara--If you don't already know their story. Or, there's this one advice at the end for guys. The book says that as The Man in the relationship, it is your task to make your partner and future wife (if not yet your current wife) be SSS. That is, Satisfied, Safe, and Spiritual. You will want to be the man she likes. If not, you shouldn't be with her! You want to provide for her. You want her to feel secure. Financially, yes. Emotionally, too. And not only from evil outside elements. Like you don't let her walk down unsafe streets. But you also make her feel safe with YOU. So you should also control your temper. And by doing that, you are leading by example. You should also lead prayers, read scripture, attend mass and go to church at least weekly - and you bring her along on the ride.
I also like the story at the end - the story about a nice, Christian couple, who had a big fight over parking... There's a moral to that story. I am not sharing the whole story so that you have some reason to buy the book for.
Nonetheless, I do not recommend this book if you're looking to mend a broken heart. Instead, if you want to pick up a few Christian teachings or two, you could get it from this book. Or, if you are a male nerd/dork (God bless you more if you are humble enough to admit that) or a young boy at heart, whether you're 13 or 30 or already dirty, buy this book. Perhaps this is something I could have used maybe 6 to 10 years back. Because although I was already 25, I didn't know better yet, and I put myself at a huge risk of getting a broken heart. And so I became broken-hearted. I was still a nerd/dork; a "little boy" who had false illusions about love brought about by varying environmental factors. Although all the while, I knew I wasn't yet good enough. I wasn't yet the man that I should have been. After then, I started reading, and those helped.
What then is better reading for male adults (i.e. 25 and older for Filipinos)? These three books are better than HTMABH by Nelson Dy:
1. Wild At Heart by John Eldredge
2. For Men Only by Shaunti Feldhahn and Jeff Feldhahn
3. The Bible by GOD
But this thing is targeted at male nerds/dorks who are already at their mid-30s to 40s and yet haven't hooked up yet. Not applicable to me! Sadly? Well, this also applies to young teeners and 20-something guys who are already "looking." In short, this applies to BOYS, not MEN.
By nerds/dorks/boys, I meant those who do not know how to win at least one girl's heart. And that is, a girl he likes. Because low-EQ nerds/dorks could settle for someone they don't really like, and well, problems could come like flash floods in the middle of the dark night (i.e. married life). Hopefully, this book encourages low-EQ people not to be low-EQ. Ha! As if that's not difficult.
The author was broken-hearted because he did not know what to do, and he wasn't yet ready (in terms of personality, spirituality, etc.), and yet he was barking at the wrong tree. That girl wasn't the right person for her but... if he knew what to do and he was the person he should be, i.e. a good Christian man and not just a nice guy, the girl could have fallen head-over-heels for him even though he didn't have as much money as that other guy, and she would've become the best person for her. Oh well.
But, with an open mind, there are some new stuff you could learn here and there. Like the story of David and Jonathan, or Ruth and Naomi and Mara--If you don't already know their story. Or, there's this one advice at the end for guys. The book says that as The Man in the relationship, it is your task to make your partner and future wife (if not yet your current wife) be SSS. That is, Satisfied, Safe, and Spiritual. You will want to be the man she likes. If not, you shouldn't be with her! You want to provide for her. You want her to feel secure. Financially, yes. Emotionally, too. And not only from evil outside elements. Like you don't let her walk down unsafe streets. But you also make her feel safe with YOU. So you should also control your temper. And by doing that, you are leading by example. You should also lead prayers, read scripture, attend mass and go to church at least weekly - and you bring her along on the ride.
I also like the story at the end - the story about a nice, Christian couple, who had a big fight over parking... There's a moral to that story. I am not sharing the whole story so that you have some reason to buy the book for.
Nonetheless, I do not recommend this book if you're looking to mend a broken heart. Instead, if you want to pick up a few Christian teachings or two, you could get it from this book. Or, if you are a male nerd/dork (God bless you more if you are humble enough to admit that) or a young boy at heart, whether you're 13 or 30 or already dirty, buy this book. Perhaps this is something I could have used maybe 6 to 10 years back. Because although I was already 25, I didn't know better yet, and I put myself at a huge risk of getting a broken heart. And so I became broken-hearted. I was still a nerd/dork; a "little boy" who had false illusions about love brought about by varying environmental factors. Although all the while, I knew I wasn't yet good enough. I wasn't yet the man that I should have been. After then, I started reading, and those helped.
What then is better reading for male adults (i.e. 25 and older for Filipinos)? These three books are better than HTMABH by Nelson Dy:
1. Wild At Heart by John Eldredge
2. For Men Only by Shaunti Feldhahn and Jeff Feldhahn
3. The Bible by GOD
[did you know?] typhoon
The word "typhoon" (the East Asian / Western Pacific equivalent of
Hurricanes in the Pacific Northeast / Western Atlantic and Cyclones in
the Indian ocean and in Australia) came from a Chinese word that sounds
like... typhoon! It's chai fung, I think. Or something like that.
Look it up yourself! :-P
From Wikipedia: "The word typhoon, used today in the Northwest Pacific, may be derived from Urdu, Persian and Arabic ţūfān (طوفان), which in turn originates from Greek tuphōn (Τυφών), a monster in Greek mythology responsible for hot winds.[93] The related Portuguese word tufão, used in Portuguese for typhoons, is also derived from Greek tuphōn.[94]
Hurricanes in the Pacific Northeast / Western Atlantic and Cyclones in
the Indian ocean and in Australia) came from a Chinese word that sounds
like... typhoon! It's chai fung, I think. Or something like that.
Look it up yourself! :-P
From Wikipedia: "The word typhoon, used today in the Northwest Pacific, may be derived from Urdu, Persian and Arabic ţūfān (طوفان), which in turn originates from Greek tuphōn (Τυφών), a monster in Greek mythology responsible for hot winds.[93] The related Portuguese word tufão, used in Portuguese for typhoons, is also derived from Greek tuphōn.[94]
Another theory is that it may have come from the Chinese word "dafeng" (大風 - literally huge winds)."
[FWD] Tips on Saving Gas
TIPS ON PUMPING GAS
>>
>> I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in
>>
California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my
>> lineof work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some
>> tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..
>>
>> Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in
San Jose , CA we
>> deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the
pipeline.
>> One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and
>> premium grades.
>> We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000
>> gallons.
>> Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the
>> ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations
have
>> their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the
more
>> dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying
in
>> the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a
gallon.
>> In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature
of
>> the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum
products
>> plays an important role.
>>
>> A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But
the
>> service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
>>
>> When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a
fast
>> mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages:
low,
>> middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed,
>> thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping.
All
>> hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the
fast
>> rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those
>> vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank
so
>> you're getting less worth for your money.
>>
>> One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is
HALF
>> FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in
your
>> tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates
faster
>> than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal
floating
>> roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the
>> atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations,
>> here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature
compensated so
>> that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
>>
>> Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the
storage
>> tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the
gasoline
>> is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick
up
>> some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will
>> help you get the most value for your money.
>>
>> DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!
>>
>> WHERE TO BUY
USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON
>>
>> Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It
>> might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods.
We
>> should return the favor.
>>
>> An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.
>>
>> Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into
the
>> coffers of
Saudi Arabia . Just buy from gas companies that don't import
>> their oil from the Saudis.
>>
>> Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I
fill-up
>> the
>> tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my
>> family, and my friends.
>>
>> I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies
are
>> the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle
Eastern
>> oil.
>>
>> These companies import Middle Eastern oil:
>>
>> Shell........................... 205,742,000 barrels
>>
>> Chevron/Texaco......... 144,332,000 barrels
>>
>> Exxon/Mobil............... 130,082,000 barrels
>>
>> Marathon/Speedway... 117,740,000 barrels
>>
>> Amoco............................62,231,000 barrels
>>
>> Citgo gas is from
South America , from a Dictator who hates Americans. If
>> you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18
BILLION!
>> (oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel
>>
>> Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:
>>
>> Sunoco..................0 barrels
>>
>> Conoco..................0 barrels
>>
>> Sinclair..................0 barrels
>>
>> BP/Phillips.............0 barrels
>>
>> Hess......................0 barrels
>>
>> ARC0.....................0 barrels
>>
>> If you go to <http://sunoco.com/> Sunoco.com, you will get a list of
the
>> station locations near you.
>>
>> All of this information is available from the Department of Energy
and
>> each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they
are
>> importing.
>>
>> But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas
buyers.
>> It's really simple to do.
>>
>> Now, don't wimp out at this point.... keep reading and I'll explain
how
>> simple it is to reach millions of people!!
>>
>> I'm sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it
to
>> at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)...and those 300 send it to at least
ten
>> more (300 x 10 = 3,000) .. and so on, by the time the message reaches
the
>> sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION
>> consumers!!!!!!! If those three million get excited and pass this on
to
>> ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted!
>>
>> If it goes one level further, you guessed it ..... THREE HUND RED
MILLION
>> PEOPLE!!!
>>
>> Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. How long would
all
>> that take?
>> Dave Imeson
>>
>> I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in
>>
California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my
>> lineof work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some
>> tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..
>>
>> Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in
San Jose , CA we
>> deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the
pipeline.
>> One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and
>> premium grades.
>> We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000
>> gallons.
>> Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the
>> ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations
have
>> their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the
more
>> dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying
in
>> the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a
gallon.
>> In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature
of
>> the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum
products
>> plays an important role.
>>
>> A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But
the
>> service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
>>
>> When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a
fast
>> mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages:
low,
>> middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed,
>> thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping.
All
>> hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the
fast
>> rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those
>> vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank
so
>> you're getting less worth for your money.
>>
>> One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is
HALF
>> FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in
your
>> tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates
faster
>> than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal
floating
>> roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the
>> atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations,
>> here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature
compensated so
>> that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
>>
>> Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the
storage
>> tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the
gasoline
>> is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick
up
>> some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will
>> help you get the most value for your money.
>>
>> DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!
>>
>> WHERE TO BUY
USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON
>>
>> Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It
>> might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods.
We
>> should return the favor.
>>
>> An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.
>>
>> Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into
the
>> coffers of
Saudi Arabia . Just buy from gas companies that don't import
>> their oil from the Saudis.
>>
>> Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I
fill-up
>> the
>> tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my
>> family, and my friends.
>>
>> I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies
are
>> the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle
Eastern
>> oil.
>>
>> These companies import Middle Eastern oil:
>>
>> Shell........................... 205,742,000 barrels
>>
>> Chevron/Texaco......... 144,332,000 barrels
>>
>> Exxon/Mobil............... 130,082,000 barrels
>>
>> Marathon/Speedway... 117,740,000 barrels
>>
>> Amoco............................62,231,000 barrels
>>
>> Citgo gas is from
South America , from a Dictator who hates Americans. If
>> you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18
BILLION!
>> (oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel
>>
>> Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:
>>
>> Sunoco..................0 barrels
>>
>> Conoco..................0 barrels
>>
>> Sinclair..................0 barrels
>>
>> BP/Phillips.............0 barrels
>>
>> Hess......................0 barrels
>>
>> ARC0.....................0 barrels
>>
>> If you go to <http://sunoco.com/> Sunoco.com, you will get a list of
the
>> station locations near you.
>>
>> All of this information is available from the Department of Energy
and
>> each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they
are
>> importing.
>>
>> But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas
buyers.
>> It's really simple to do.
>>
>> Now, don't wimp out at this point.... keep reading and I'll explain
how
>> simple it is to reach millions of people!!
>>
>> I'm sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it
to
>> at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)...and those 300 send it to at least
ten
>> more (300 x 10 = 3,000) .. and so on, by the time the message reaches
the
>> sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION
>> consumers!!!!!!! If those three million get excited and pass this on
to
>> ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted!
>>
>> If it goes one level further, you guessed it ..... THREE HUND RED
MILLION
>> PEOPLE!!!
>>
>> Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. How long would
all
>> that take?
>> Dave Imeson
[Repeat] Simplify and Create Abundance [Bo Sanchez]
Alright! I now have two reviews and counting! For my review (more like a "reaction paper") of Bo Sanchez' latest book, I actually wrote him a letter. It follows. By the way, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, it's a must-read I think as it is a good reminder for us all. Oh and it's cheap. Bo Sanchez is a simple and great guy. I wrote a little short something about him in the RONJBLOG, thoughts.
------------------ Book Review: Simplify and Create Abundance [Bo Sanchez] ------------------
Dear Bo,
I would just like to say that I am a big fan of yours, specifically your books. I have bought all five of your books (the P150 ones; I haven't bought "Embraced" yet. I do have "The Way of the Cross" also. I hope I got the titles right...): Thank God He's Boss, You Have The Power to Create Love, You Can Make Your Life Beautiful, Simplify and Live the Good Life, and, I am in the middle of reading "Simplify and Create Abundance."
I can't help but react to your book. It is the message that many Filipinos need to hear, I think. I just recently read the chapter/section about poor Leny and Manager (and former house helper) "Helen." I think those two are two stories many Filipinos need to hear. If I would write a reaction paper on that chapter/section, I would say this...
Christianity and the Bible tell us that we should learn to accept, and to be thankful to God for whatever we have, for wherever we are, for whatever situation or condition we are in, and for who we are. "Blessed are the poor, for they shall inherit the Kingdom of God." Et cetera. We know that envy and self-pity are our enemies... On the other hand, the Bible does not tell us that we should stop there. There was this one parable about... the talents? Or basically the one wherein the master gave his slaves some money and left for a while; he came back to find out that some of his slaves made more than the others out of those he left for them. In fact, the Bible is telling us that for whatever we have, we should make something out of it, make it grow. If it's money, we should make it earn. If we are indeed, say, financially deficient, we should accept that fact, be thankful for the littlest thing we have, but the thing is, we still have something. If we have hands and feet, we could use them in many ways to earn---to get to work, to use at work, etc. We have brains that we should not waste at all; by just internally brainstorming, we could come up with lots of ideas to be able to provide for our personal needs, and for the needs of others, including our families and loved ones. If we are not deaf, we could ask others to help us in our quest, and humbly give back in gratitude for their help. Even if we are blind, we know that even blind people could be productive. If we are still alive, let us not waste a minute of it doing nothing to make things better for ourselves and for others. If we have time, we could take a rest from all the work. The thing is, there are a lot of these "little" things that we forget we have that we could use so that we may not end up poor. Like Helen, she had free time in the evening, and she used them to take classes and finish school. She had feet to walk to her job interviews, a voice to communicate with her interviewers, a mind to help guide her to give her best answers, hands to fill up the application form, etc. Haha, and this is just one very simple example. There's this one person I know who thinks more like Leny; he thinks that "Mahirap maging mayaman..." And there's this other person I know who thinks that simplicity means being poor. On the other hand, I think we can be simple and have an abundant supply of whatever we need! Bo's message is truly something that all Filipinos should hear, and apply in their lives.
Okay, well that's that. But Bo, if I may make a suggestion. One thing I have observed is that, while many Filipinos understand English, like say when the LRT makes an announcement like "Next station is Araneta Center, Cubao", Filipinos can easily understand that; it's just one sentence. Most Filipinos know what "Stop" means, or "One Way", "Yes", "No", or "No Left Turn"... But I think not a lot of Filipinos really understand "Turn right anytime with care"... Haha, I might be being too judgmental of my fellow Pinoys now. Anyway, to explain my point better... I was an instructor for one semester at one of these universities and I made all of my students submit an index card with their full name, identification numbers, contact numbers, and I asked them to answer the question "What do you expect to learn in this class?" When I got the index cards, all their answers had all-English words, but I got frustrated because it's not even close to 50% who gave grammatically correct English sentences. My point is, though Filipinos are proud because we're probably the third largest English speaking nation in the world, it is still not our first language. It is not our natural language. Maybe only a few of us really may have had very good grades in our English classes back in Elementary or High School...
My point, Bo, is I think your books, your message should reach more Filipinos. Your books are not just for us who understand English. I appreciate it that your books are affordable (to me at least) at P150 each. I think it would be great if you would have your books translated into the natural language for most of us. Maybe you could have at least a Tagalog or Filipino version, or a Bisaya version... What do you think?
Nway, keep up the Good work, Bo. By the way, I did listen to one of your tapes already, "Loving difficult people." Hehehe.
That's it for now. God bless!
Ronjie Aquino
[sub-labels: CPC books]
------------------ Book Review: Simplify and Create Abundance [Bo Sanchez] ------------------
Dear Bo,
I would just like to say that I am a big fan of yours, specifically your books. I have bought all five of your books (the P150 ones; I haven't bought "Embraced" yet. I do have "The Way of the Cross" also. I hope I got the titles right...): Thank God He's Boss, You Have The Power to Create Love, You Can Make Your Life Beautiful, Simplify and Live the Good Life, and, I am in the middle of reading "Simplify and Create Abundance."
I can't help but react to your book. It is the message that many Filipinos need to hear, I think. I just recently read the chapter/section about poor Leny and Manager (and former house helper) "Helen." I think those two are two stories many Filipinos need to hear. If I would write a reaction paper on that chapter/section, I would say this...
Christianity and the Bible tell us that we should learn to accept, and to be thankful to God for whatever we have, for wherever we are, for whatever situation or condition we are in, and for who we are. "Blessed are the poor, for they shall inherit the Kingdom of God." Et cetera. We know that envy and self-pity are our enemies... On the other hand, the Bible does not tell us that we should stop there. There was this one parable about... the talents? Or basically the one wherein the master gave his slaves some money and left for a while; he came back to find out that some of his slaves made more than the others out of those he left for them. In fact, the Bible is telling us that for whatever we have, we should make something out of it, make it grow. If it's money, we should make it earn. If we are indeed, say, financially deficient, we should accept that fact, be thankful for the littlest thing we have, but the thing is, we still have something. If we have hands and feet, we could use them in many ways to earn---to get to work, to use at work, etc. We have brains that we should not waste at all; by just internally brainstorming, we could come up with lots of ideas to be able to provide for our personal needs, and for the needs of others, including our families and loved ones. If we are not deaf, we could ask others to help us in our quest, and humbly give back in gratitude for their help. Even if we are blind, we know that even blind people could be productive. If we are still alive, let us not waste a minute of it doing nothing to make things better for ourselves and for others. If we have time, we could take a rest from all the work. The thing is, there are a lot of these "little" things that we forget we have that we could use so that we may not end up poor. Like Helen, she had free time in the evening, and she used them to take classes and finish school. She had feet to walk to her job interviews, a voice to communicate with her interviewers, a mind to help guide her to give her best answers, hands to fill up the application form, etc. Haha, and this is just one very simple example. There's this one person I know who thinks more like Leny; he thinks that "Mahirap maging mayaman..." And there's this other person I know who thinks that simplicity means being poor. On the other hand, I think we can be simple and have an abundant supply of whatever we need! Bo's message is truly something that all Filipinos should hear, and apply in their lives.
Okay, well that's that. But Bo, if I may make a suggestion. One thing I have observed is that, while many Filipinos understand English, like say when the LRT makes an announcement like "Next station is Araneta Center, Cubao", Filipinos can easily understand that; it's just one sentence. Most Filipinos know what "Stop" means, or "One Way", "Yes", "No", or "No Left Turn"... But I think not a lot of Filipinos really understand "Turn right anytime with care"... Haha, I might be being too judgmental of my fellow Pinoys now. Anyway, to explain my point better... I was an instructor for one semester at one of these universities and I made all of my students submit an index card with their full name, identification numbers, contact numbers, and I asked them to answer the question "What do you expect to learn in this class?" When I got the index cards, all their answers had all-English words, but I got frustrated because it's not even close to 50% who gave grammatically correct English sentences. My point is, though Filipinos are proud because we're probably the third largest English speaking nation in the world, it is still not our first language. It is not our natural language. Maybe only a few of us really may have had very good grades in our English classes back in Elementary or High School...
My point, Bo, is I think your books, your message should reach more Filipinos. Your books are not just for us who understand English. I appreciate it that your books are affordable (to me at least) at P150 each. I think it would be great if you would have your books translated into the natural language for most of us. Maybe you could have at least a Tagalog or Filipino version, or a Bisaya version... What do you think?
Nway, keep up the Good work, Bo. By the way, I did listen to one of your tapes already, "Loving difficult people." Hehehe.
That's it for now. God bless!
Ronjie Aquino
[sub-labels: CPC books]
[Repeat] Bo Sanchez
Bo is a living example of a man who has a lot of time to serve God first, and still have time to earn a lot of money. He earns more than enough money to feed his family, and more than enough love for other people to give some of that extra money to the needy. That is how his latest book, “Simplify and Create Abundance,” impressed upon me. It is a must-have book. Go get a copy for yourself and your loved ones!
ronjnote: i'll be most likely reviewing Bo's "Simplify..." book and a few others (recently read and not so recently) at the coach potato's corner.
ronjnote: i'll be most likely reviewing Bo's "Simplify..." book and a few others (recently read and not so recently) at the coach potato's corner.
[wikiHow] How to Make Money As Oil Prices Rise
How to Make Money As Oil Prices Rise
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
As crude oil prices reach record levels, it seems you can’t go a day without hearing two or three people complain about the price of gas or heating oil. Indeed, the surging prices are a source of concern—and sometimes anger—for everybody. Well, almost everybody: while the rest of us suffer at the pump, some people are actually making money off the situation, and it’s not just CEOs of oil companies that are cashing in. Here’s how you can get a share of the oil boom.
Steps
- Do your due diligence. No matter what you’re investing in, you need to make sure you go into the decision as well informed as possible. Reading an investment’s prospectus is a good start, but your research should not end there. Due diligence is the process of researching an investment before you buy in, and it involves looking at the historical returns on an investment, understanding the terms of the investment, and analyzing its future potential. While no one can know for sure how any given investment will fare in the future, you can make a better guess by being well informed.
- Think about your risk tolerance. Every investment carries some degree of risk or uncertainty, but some carry far more risk than others. Each person should choose investments based on his or her own risk tolerance, which should be dictated by his or her age and financial situation, the level of diversification in his or her portfolio, and personal preferences. A young person just getting started in investing typically has a greater risk tolerance than a retired person, because the retiree needs a steady income, while the younger investor probably has a steady income and is looking for the greatest return on investment. In addition, the more diversified your investment portfolio, the more risk tolerant you may be, since you stand to lose only a part of your total portfolio if any one investment goes south.
- Open a brokerage account online or with a local brokerage firm. Most of the investments listed below must be purchased through a stockbroker or through an online brokerage account. Whether you use a stockbroker or go it alone is up to you. A stockbroker generally charges a higher commission, but you can get more advice and develop a personal relationship. Online brokerages vary in their degree of customer assistance and advising, but may be suitable for some investors.
- Consider your options. There are a variety of ways to profit from high oil prices. Some of them are listed below for your convenience. The list progresses from the theoretically highest risk investment to the lowest risk investment, although the actual risk involved in each type of investment will depend on timeframe and the specific stock, fund, or situation you are investing in. Generalizations of risk level are no substitute for performing due diligence on an actual investment prospect.
- Buy an oil well. Obviously, if you own an oil well, your revenues increase as oil prices rise. There are, of course, a lot of operating expenses to be considered before purchasing such an asset, and there is a lot of uncertainty, as well. Wells that produce oil inexpensively and those that have large proven reserves are typically not for sale, and those on the market are outrageously expensive. Beyond producing wells, you can purchase exploratory wells or invest in start-up drilling ventures, but such investments are even riskier than they sound. You’ll need a fair amount of money and a gut of steel to get into this part of the market.
- Buy oil futures. Crude oil is a commodity and futures are traded on the commodities market. The market has developed a number of sophisticated financial instruments, but the most common is the futures contract, in which the buyer purchases the obligation and right to sell a certain quantity of a commodity on a certain date in the future. Buying oil futures essentially entails guessing what the price of oil will do down the road, and is extremely risky.
- Invest in a commodity exchange-traded fund. Exchange traded funds for commodities are like index funds that track the price of one or more commodities. As with futures, these are risky and depend solely on the price swings of the commodity. They are traded like stocks, however, and thus offer a good deal more freedom in buying and selling.
- Invest in an oil royalty trust. Oil royalty trusts provide the shareholders with dividends on the profits from one or many oil producing operations. The dividends can be staggering—up to 30% per year or more on the investment—but they are difficult to predict because any given field’s production is subject to all sorts of uncertainties, not the least of which being that the field’s reserves could be depleted.
- Buy stock in supporting players. There are only a few large oil companies that are publicly traded and produce most of the world’s oil, and their stocks are usually quite expensive and do not experience tremendous, rapid fluctuations (either up or down) very often. If you’re looking for something a bit riskier (and potentially more profitable), consider buying stock in the companies that supply Big Oil with its specialized tools and research. Some such companies are quite large and diversified themselves, but many are smaller engineering or tech firms that might land a huge contract for a new technology. Or they might just go bankrupt.
- Buy stock in an alternative energy company. In the long run, rising oil prices should make alternative energy sources much more attractive. If you want to prepare for this scenario, or if investing in oil leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you can invest in companies that research, design, and produce alternatives to oil. Since it’s hard to say just what will be the big new fuel or fuels of the future, and it’s even harder to say what companies will find the best way of exploiting these fuels, this can be a risky gambit. Ironically, the big oil companies are the biggest players in alternative energy, as well, so don’t overlook them if you’re purely seeking profit from this growing market.
- Buy stock in Big Oil. Seven huge oil companies control most of the oil in the world, and their stock prices benefit from record crude prices. What’s more, these companies are large and diversified enough to offer some shelter from sudden drops in oil prices. The stocks are expensive, though, and don’t offer much of a chance for overnight riches. Smaller oil companies offer a bit more risk (and potential return) for more intrepid investors.
- Invest in a mutual fund that holds oil company stock. Most mutual funds hold at least one or two oil companies, and many hold stock in some of the supporting companies as well. You’re best off holding a mutual fund for the long haul and choosing a mutual fund on its overall performance and management, rather than on specific holdings, but if you want to bet on oil and expose yourself to a bit less risk, mutual funds may be the way to go for you.
- Use less oil. There’s one sure bet on this list, and that’s to reduce your own dependence on oil. Drive less, use mass transit, buy a fuel-efficient car, and improve energy efficiency in your home, and you can partially avoid the burden of rising prices. It may not seem like making money, but remember: a penny saved is a penny earned.
- Buy an oil well. Obviously, if you own an oil well, your revenues increase as oil prices rise. There are, of course, a lot of operating expenses to be considered before purchasing such an asset, and there is a lot of uncertainty, as well. Wells that produce oil inexpensively and those that have large proven reserves are typically not for sale, and those on the market are outrageously expensive. Beyond producing wells, you can purchase exploratory wells or invest in start-up drilling ventures, but such investments are even riskier than they sound. You’ll need a fair amount of money and a gut of steel to get into this part of the market.
- Implement your investment as part of a diversified portfolio. It’s old advice, but it can’t be stated enough: the surest way to make money while protecting yourself from the uncertainties of the market is to diversify your investments as much as possible. No one should put all their eggs in one basket.
Tips
- Remember the adage: “Buy low and sell high"? Oil prices are booming now, so everybody wants to get in on the action. But will they stay high, or will they plummet? No one knows, but make sure you come to your own conclusions before investing. One good rule of thumb is that if there's a "wikihow" about an investment, it means the market is already oversaturated and it's time to sell.
- If you’re looking to hedge your stock portfolio with commodities, oil probably isn’t the best choice. If the economy takes a downturn, oil demand is likely to decrease, and the price of oil may plummet along with your stocks.
Warnings
- This article is intended for general information only. Do not make investment decisions based solely on this information or any other general source of information.
- Do your own research. Don’t merely trust the advice of others, including your investment advisers. In most cases, if you end up losing money because you weren’t reasonably well informed, you have no one to blame but yourself.
- Beware the tax implications of certain investments. Taxes can be a pain for any investor, but for sophisticated financial instruments, the tax implications can be extraordinarily complicated.
Related wikiHows
- How to Buy Stocks
- How to Get Started Trading Options
- How to Retire in Your 30's
- How to Help Prevent Global Warming
- How to Change a Fuel Filter
Sources and Citations
- Motley Fool Tons of articles on investment
- Chicago Board of Trade Glossary of investment terms
- Bloomberg.com Stock, mutual fund and commodity prices; investment news
[FOG] SUDOKU
NOTES:
- If Sudoku doesn't load properly, please refresh this page (Press F5 or Ctrl+R). If that still doesn't work, your browser/viewer might not be able to load Sudoku for some reason that I cannot tell. Try it from somewhere else! :-D
- When you refresh this page, the Sudoku game also changes.
- Sorry, answers are not given. You'll have to figure it out yourself! But if you send me the puzzle, I can have it solved (and even checked if it has multiple solutions).
Monday, October 20, 2008
ronjie.com.mag issue #8 (october 20, 2008) - FWD special issue
welcome to issue #8 of RONJIE.COM, the magazine of interesting bits. this is a special issue devoted to... Forwarded Mails! or FWD for short.
FWD is intended here for my friends (you) and i do not claim any copyright on the content of all FWD posts. the intention with FWD is instead of forwarding the forwarded mails to my friends, i post them here instead. and if ever, i will just forward the site's address to friends - saving them and their servers precious e-mail space wasted otherwise on forwarded mail junk. :-D
anyway. most of these FWD stuff in this issue have something to do with me, one way or the other, or at the very least they're funny! enjoy. :-D
P.S. i know, 4 weeks ago, i promised another FOG special. i lied. :-P anyway, i promise you'll get that 4 weeks from now. :-D
[FWD] John Gokongwei, Jr. Ad Congress Speech
John Gokongwei , Jr.
Ad Congress Speech
Nov 21, 2007
Before I begin, I want to say please bear with me, an 81-year-old man who just flew in from San Francisco 36 hours ago and is still suffering from jet lag. However, I hope I will be able to say what you want to hear.
Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Thank you very much for having me here tonight to open the Ad Congress. I know how important this event is for our marketing and advertising colleagues. My people get very excited and go into a panic, every other year, at this time.
I would like to talk about my life, entrepreneurship, and globalization. I would like to talk about how we can become a great nation. You may wonder how one is connected to the other, but I promise that, as there is truth in advertising, the connection will come.
Let me begin with a story I have told many times. My own.
I was born to a rich Chinese-Filipino family. I spent my childhood in Cebu where my father owned a chain of movie houses, including the first air-conditioned one outside Manila. I was the eldest of six children and lived in a big house in Cebu 's Forbes Park ..
A chauffeur drove me to school everyday as I went to San Carlos University, then and still one of the country's top schools. I topped my classes and had many friends. I would bring them to watch movies for free at my father's movie houses.
When I was 13, my father died suddenly of complications due to typhoid.
Everything I enjoyed vanished instantly. My father's empire was built on credit. When he died, we lost everything-our big house, our cars, our business-to the banks.
I felt angry at the world for taking away my father, and for taking away all that I enjoyed before. When the free movies disappeared, I also lost half my friends. On the day I had to walk two miles to school for the very first time, I cried to my mother, a widow at 32. But she said: "You
should feel lucky. Some people have no shoes to walk to school. What can you do? Your father died with 10 centavos in his pocket."
So, what can I do? I worked.
My mother sent my siblings to China where living standards were lower. She and I stayed in Cebu to work, and we sent them money regularly. My mother sold her jewelry. When that ran out, we sold roasted peanuts in the backyard of our much-smaller home. When that wasn't enough, I opened a small stall in a palengke. I chose one among several palengkes a few
miles outside the city because there were fewer goods available for the people there. I woke up at five o'clock every morning for the long bicycle ride to the palengke with my basket of goods.
There, I set up a table about three feet by two feet in size. I laid out my goods-soap, candles, and thread-and kept selling until everything was bought. Why these goods? Because these were hard times and this was a poor village, so people wanted and needed the basics-soap to keep them clean, candles to light the night, and thread to sew their clothes.
I was surrounded by other vendors, all of them much older. Many of them could be my grandparents. And they knew the ways of the palengke far more than a boy of 15, especially one who had never worked before.
But being young had its advantages. I did not tire as easily, and I moved more quickly. I was also more aggressive. After each day, I would make about 20 pesos in profit! There was enough to feed my siblings and still enough to pour back into the business. The pesos I made in the palengke were the pesos that went into building the business I have today.
After this experience, I told myself, "If I can compete with people so much older than me, if I can support my whole family at 15, I can do anything!"
Looking back, I wonder, what would have happened if my father had not left my family with nothing? Would I have become the man I am? Who knows?
The important thing to know is that life will always deal us a few bad cards. But we have to play those cards the best we can. And WE can play to win!
This was one lesson I picked up when I was a teenager. It has been my guiding principle ever since. And I have had 66 years to practice self-determination. When I wanted something, the best person to depend on was myself.
And so I continued to work. In 1943, I expanded and began trading goods between Cebu and Manila .. From Cebu , I would transport tires on a small boat called a batel. After traveling for five days to Lucena, I would load them into a truck for the six-hour trip to Manila .. I would end up sitting on top of my goods so they would not be stolen! In Manila , I would then purchase other goods from the earnings I made from the tires, to sell in Cebu ..
Then, when WWII ended, I saw the opportunity for trading goods in post-war Philippines .. I was 20 years old. With my brother Henry, I put up Amasia Trading which imported onions, flour, used clothing, old newspapers and magazines, and fruits from the United States .
In 1948, my mother and I got my siblings back from China .. I also converted a two-story building in Cebu to serve as our home, office, and warehouse all at the same time. The whole family began helping out with the business.
In 1957, at age 31, I spotted an opportunity in corn-starch manufacturing.
But I was going to compete with Ludo and Luym, the richest group in Cebu and the biggest cornstarch manufacturers. I borrowed money to finance the project. The first bank I approached made me wait for two hours, only to refuse my loan. The second one, China Bank, approved a P500,000-peso clean loan for me. Years later, the banker who extended that loan, Dr. Albino Sycip said that he saw something special in me. Today, I still wonder what that was, but I still thank Dr. Sycip to this day.
Upon launching our first product, Panda corn starch, a price war ensued.
After the smoke cleared, Universal Corn Products was still left standing.
It is the foundation upon which JG Summit Holdings now stands.
Interestingly, the price war also forced the closure of a third cornstarch company, and one of their chemists was Lucio Tan, who always kids me that I caused him to lose his job. I always reply that if it were not for me, he will not be one of the richest men in the Philippines today.
When my business grew, and it was time for me to bring in more people-my family, the professionals, the consultants, more employees- I knew that I had to be there to teach them what I knew. When dad died at age 34, he did not leave a succession plan. From that, I learned that one must teach people to take over a business at any time. The values of hard work that
I learned from my father, I taught to my children. They started doing jobs here and there even when they were still in high school. Six years ago, I announced my retirement and handed the reins to my youngest brother James and only son Lance. But my children tease me because I still go to the office every day and make myself useful. I just hired my first Executive Assistant and moved into a bigger and nicer office.
Building a business to the size of JG Summit was not easy. Many challenges were thrown my way. I could have walked away from them, keeping the business small, but safe. Instead, I chose to fight. But this did not mean I won each time.
By 1976, at age 50, we had built significant businesses in food products anchored by a branded coffee called Blend 45, and agro-industrial products under the Robina Farms brand. That year, I faced one of my biggest challenges, and lost. And my loss was highly publicized, too. But I
still believe that this was one of my defining moments.
In that decade, not many business opportunities were available due to the political and economic environment. Many Filipinos were already sending their money out of the country. As a Filipino, I felt that our money must be invested here. I decided to purchase shares in San Miguel, then one of the Philippines' biggest corporations. By 1976, I had acquired enough shares to sit on its board.
The media called me an upstart. "Who is Gokongwei and why is he doing all those terrible things to San Miguel?" ran one headline of the day. In another article, I was described as a pygmy going up against the powers-that-be. The San Miguel board of directors itself even paid for an ad in all the country's top newspapers telling the public why I should not be on the board. On the day of reckoning, shareholders quickly filled up the auditorium to witness the battle. My brother James and I had prepared for many hours for this debate. We were nervous and excited at the same time.
In the end, I did not get the board seat because of the Supreme Court Ruling. But I was able to prove to others-and to myself-that I was willing to put up a fight. I succeeded because I overcame my fear, and tried. I believe this battle helped define who I am today. In a twist to this
story, I was invited to sit on the board of Anscor and San Miguel Hong Kong 5 years later. Lose some, win some.
Since then, I've become known as a serious player in the business world, but the challenges haven't stopped coming.
Let me tell you about the three most recent challenges. In all three, conventional wisdom bet against us. See, we set up businesses against market Goliaths in very high-capital industries: airline, telecoms, and beverage.
Challenge No. 1: In 1996, we decided to start an airline. At the time, the dominant airline in the country was PAL, and if you wanted to travel cheaply, you did not fly. You went by sea or by land.
However, my son Lance and I had a vision for Cebu Pacific: We wanted every Filipino to fly.
Inspired by the low-cost carrier models in the United States , we believed that an airline based on the no-frills concept would work here. No hot meals. No newspaper. Mono-class seating. Operating with a single aircraft type. Faster turn around time. It all worked, thus enabling Cebu Pacific to pass on savings to the consumer.
How did we do this? By sticking to our philosophy of "low cost, great value."
And we stick to that philosophy to this day. Cebu Pacific offers incentives. Customers can avail themselves of a tiered pricing scheme, with promotional seats for as low a P1. The earlier you book, the cheaper your ticket.
Cebu Pacific also made it convenient for passengers by making online booking available. This year, 1.25 million flights will be booked through our website. This reduced our distribution costs dramatically.
Low cost. Great value.
When we started 11 years ago, Cebu Pacific flew only 360,000 passengers, with 24 daily flights to 3 destinations. This year, we expect to fly more than five million passengers, with over 120 daily flights to 20 local destinations and 12 Asian cities. Today, we are the largest in terms of domestic flights, routes and destinations.
We also have the youngest fleet in the region after acquiring new Airbus 319s and 320s. In January, new ATR planes will arrive. These are smaller planes that can land on smaller air strips like those in Palawan and Caticlan. Now you don't have to take a two-hour ride by mini-bus to get to the beach.
Largely because of Cebu Pacific, the average Filipino can now afford to fly. In 2005, 1 out of 12 Filipinos flew within a year. In 2012, by continuing to offer low fares, we hope to reduce that ratio to 1 out of 6.
We want to see more and more Filipinos see their country and the world!
Challenge No. 2: In 2003, we established Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc. and developed a brand for the mobile phone business called Sun Cellular.
Prior to the launch of the brand, we were actually involved in a transaction to purchase PLDT shares of the majority shareholder.
The question in everyone's mind was how we could measure up to the two telecom giants. They were entrenched and we were late by eight years! PLDT held the landline monopoly for quite a while, and was first in the mobile phone industry. Globe was a younger company, but it launched digital mobile technology here.
But being a late player had its advantages. We could now build our platform from a broader perspective. We worked with more advanced technologies and intelligent systems not available ten years ago. We chose our suppliers based on the most cost-efficient hardware and software. Being a Johnny-come-lately allowed us to create and launch more innovative products, more quickly.
All these provided us with the opportunity to give the consumers a choice that would rock their world. The concept was simple. We would offer Filipinos to call and text as much as they want for a fixed monthly fee.
For P250 a month, they could get in touch with anyone within the Sun network at any time. This means great savings of as much as 2/3 of their regular phone bill! Suddenly, we gained traction. Within one year of its introduction, Sun hit one million customers.
Once again, the paradigm shifts - this time in the telecom industry. Sun's 24/7 Call and Text unlimited changed the landscape of mobile-phone usage.
Today, we have over 4 million subscribers and 2000 cell sites around the archipelago. In a country where 97% of the market is pre-paid, we believe we have hit on the right strategy.
Sun Cellular is a Johnny-come- lately, but it's doing all right. It is a third player, but a significant one, in an industry where Cassandras believed a third player would perish. And as we have done in the realm of air travel, so have we done in the telecom world: We have changed the marketplace.
In the end, it is all about making life better for the consumer by giving them choices.
Challenge No. 3: In 2004, we launched C2, the green tea drink that would change the face of the local beverage industry -- then, a playground of cola companies. Iced tea was just a sugary brown drink served bottomless in restaurants. For many years, hardly was there any significant product innovation in the beverage business.
Admittedly, we had little experience in this area. Universal Robina Corporation is the leader in snack foods but our only background in beverage was instant coffee. Moreover, we would be entering the playground of huge multinationals. We decided to play anyway.
It all began when I was in China in 2003 and noticed the immense popularity of bottled iced tea. I thought that this product would have huge potential here. We knew that the Philippines was not a traditional tea-drinking country since more familiar to consumers were colas in returnable glass bottles. But precisely, this made the market ready for a different kind of beverage. One that refreshes yet gives the health benefits of green tea. We positioned it as a "spa" in a bottle. A drink that cools and cleans, thus, C2 was born.
C2 immediately caught on with consumers. When we launched C2 in 2004, we sold 100,000 bottles in the first month. Three years later, Filipinos drink around 30 million bottles of C2 per month. Indeed, C2 is in a good place.
With Cebu Pacific, Sun Cellular, and C2, the JG Summit team took control of its destiny. And we did so in industries where old giants had set the rules of the game. It's not that we did not fear the giants. We knew we could have been crushed at the word go. So we just made sure we came prepared with great products and great strategies. We ended up changing the rules of the game instead.
There goes the principle of self-determination, again. I tell you, it works for individuals as it does for companies. And as I firmly believe, it works for nations.
I have always wondered, like many of us, why we Filipinos have not lived up to our potential. We have proven we can. Manny Pacquiao and Efren Bata Reyes in sports. Lea Salonga and the UP Madrigal Singers in performing arts. Monique Lhuillier and Rafe Totenco in fashion. And these are just the names made famous by the media. There are many more who may not be celebrities but who have gained respect on the world stage.
But to be a truly great nation, we must also excel as entrepreneurs before the world. We must create Filipino brands for the global market place.
If we want to be philosophical, we can say that, with a world-class brand, we create pride for our nation. If we want to be practical, we can say that, with brands that succeed in the world, we create more jobs for our people, right here.
Then, we are able to take part in what's really important-giving our people a big opportunity to raise their standards of living, giving them a real chance to improve their lives.
We can do it. Our neighbors have done it. So can we. In the last 54 years, Korea worked hard to rebuild itself after a world war and a civil war destroyed it. From an agricultural economy in 1945, it shifted to light industry, consumer products, and heavy industry in the '80s. At the turn
of the 21st century, the Korean government focused on making Korea the world's leading IT nation. It did this by grabbing market share in key sectors like semiconductors, robotics, and biotechnology.
Today, one remarkable Korean brand has made it to the list of Top 100 Global Brands: Samsung. Less then a decade ago, Samsung meant nothing to consumers. By focusing on quality, design, and innovation, Samsung improved its products and its image. Today, it has surpassed the Japanese brand Sony. Now another Korean brand, LG Collins, is following in the footsteps of Samsung. It has also broken into the Top 100 Global Brands list.
What about China ? Who would have thought that only 30 years after opening itself up to a market economy, China would become the world's fourth largest economy? Goods made in China are still thought of as cheap. Yet many brands around the world outsource their manufacturing to this country.
China's own brands-like Lenovo, Haier, Chery QQ, and Huawei-are fast gaining ground as well. I have no doubt they will be the next big electronics, technology and car brands in the world.
Lee Kwan Yu's book "From Third World to First" captures Singapore's aspiration to join the First World . According to the book, Singapore was a trading post that the British developed as a nodal point in its maritime empire. The racial riots there made its officials determined to build a "multiracial society that would give equality to all citizens, regardless of race, language or religion."
When Singapore was asked to leave the Malaysian Federation of States in 1965, Lee Kwan Yew developed strategies that he executed with single-mindedness despite their being unpopular. He and his cabinet started to build a nation by establishing the basics: building infrastructure, establishing an army, WEEDING OUT CORRUPTION, providing mass housing, building a financial center. Forty short years after, Singapore has been transformed into the richest South East Asian country today, with a per capita income of US$32,000.
These days, Singapore is transforming itself once more. This time it wants to be the creative hub in Asia, maybe even the world. More and more, it is attracting the best minds from all over the world in filmmaking, biotechnology, media, and finance. Meantime, Singaporeans have also created world-class brands: Banyan Tree in the hospitality industry, Singapore Airlines in the
Airline industry and Singapore Telecoms in the telco industry.
I often wonder: Why can't the Philippines, or a Filipino, do this?
Fifty years after independence, we have yet to create a truly global brand.
We cannot say the Philippines is too small because it has 86 million people. Switzerland, with 9 million people, created Nestle. Sweden, also with 9 million people, created Ericsson. Finland, even smaller with five million people, created Nokia. All three are major global brands, among others.
Yes, our country is well-known for its labor, as we continue to export people around the world. And after India , we are grabbing a bigger chunk of the pie in the call-center and business-process-outsourcing industries.
But by and large, the Philippines has no big industrial base, and Filipinos do not create world-class products.
We should not be afraid to try-even if we are laughed at. Japan, laughed at for its cars, produced Toyota.. Korea , for its electronics, produced Samsung. Meanwhile, the Philippines' biggest companies 50 years ago-majority of which are multinational corporations such as Coca-Cola, Procter and Gamble, and Unilever Philippines , for example-are still the biggest companies today. There are very few big, local challengers.
But already, hats off to Filipino entrepreneurs making strides to globalize their brands.
Goldilocks has had much success in the Unites States and Canada, where half of its customers are non-Filipinos. Coffee-chain Figaro may be a small player in the coffee world today, but it is making the leap to the big time. Two Filipinas, Bea Valdez and Tina Ocampo, are now selling their Philippine-made jewelry and bags all over the world. Their labels are now at Barney's and Bergdorf's in the U.S. and in many other high-end shops in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
When we started our own foray outside the Philippines 30 years ago, it wasn't a walk in the park. We set up a small factory in Hong Kong to manufacture Jack and Jill potato chips there. Today, we are all over Asia.
We have the number-one-potato-chips brand in Malaysia and Singapore. We are the leading biscuit manufacturer in Thailand , and a significant player in the candy market in Indonesia .. Our Aces cereal brand is a market leader in many parts of China .. C2 is now doing very well in Vietnam, selling over 3 million bottles a month there, after only 6 months in the market.
Soon, we will launch C2 in other South East Asian markets.
I am 81 today. But I do not forget the little boy that I was in the palengke in Cebu . I still believe in family. I still want to make good. I still don't mind going up against those older and better than me. I still believe hard work will not fail me. And I still believe in people willing to think the same way.
Through the years, the market place has expanded: between cities, between countries, between continents. I want to urge you all here to think bigger.
Why serve 86 million when you can sell to four billion Asians? And that's just to start you off. Because there is still the world beyond Asia. When you go back to your offices, think of ways to sell and market your products and services to the world. Create world-class brands.
You can if you really tried. I did. As a boy, I sold peanuts from my backyard. Today, I sell snacks to the world.
I want to see other Filipinos do the same.
Thank you and good evening once again.
[FWD] naaalaala ko pa..ikaw? (i still remember... do you?)
Subject : NAAALALA KO PA!
NOTE: English translation at the end in italics;
Si Nanay ay nasa bahay pag-uwi namin galing sa
paaralan;
Walang mga bakod at gate ang magkakapit-bahay,
kung meron, gumamela lang;
10 sentimos o diyes lang ang baon: singko sa
umaga, singko sa hapon;
Merong free ang mga patpat ng ice drop: buko man o
munggo.
Mataas ang paggalang sa mga guro at ang tawag sa
kanila ay Maestro/a:
Di binibili ang tubig, pwedeng maki-inom sa di mo
kakilala.
Malaking bagay na ang pumunta sa ilog para
mag-picnic, o kaya sa tumana;
Grabe na ang kaso pag napatawag ka sa principal's
office o kaya malaking kahihiyan kapag bagsak ka sa exams;
Simple lang ang pangarap: makatapos,
makapag-asawa, mapagtapos ang mga anak...
Pwedeng iwan ang sasakyan at ibilin sa hindi mo
kakilala; wala namang lock ang mga jeep na Willy's noon.
Mayroon kaming mga laruan na gawa namin at hindi
binili: trak-trakan (gawa sa rosebowl ang katawan at darigold na maliit
ang mga gulong, "sketeng" (scooter) na bearing na maingay ang mga
gulong at de-sinkong pako para sa preno; patining na pinitpit na tansan
lang na may 2 butas sa gitna para suotan ng sinulid (pwede pang
makipag-lagutan) ; sumpak, pilatok, boca-boca, borador, atbp.
Di nakikialam ang mga matanda sa mga laro ng mga
bata: kasi laro nga iyon.
Maraming usong laro at maraming kasali: laste,
gagamba, turumpo, tatsing ng lata, pera namin ay kaha ng Philip Morris,
Malboro, Champion (kahon-kahon yon!)
May dagta ang dulo ng tinting na hawak mo para
makahuli tutubi, nandadakma ka ng palakang tetot, pero ingat ka sa
palakang saging dahil sa kulugo;
Butas na ang sakong ng Spartan mong tsinelas - suot
mo pa rin;
Namumugalgal ang pundiya ng kansolsilyo mo kasi
nakasalampak ka sa lupa.
Sa modernong buhay at sa lahat ng kasaganaan sa high
technology.. . di ba minsan nangarap ka na rin... mas masaya noong araw!
Sana pwedeng maibalik...
Takot tayo ngayon sa buhay. Kasi maraming
napapatay, nakikidnap, maraming addict at masasamang loob...
Noon takot lang tayo sa ating mga magulang at mga
lolo at lola. Pero ngayon, alam na natin na mahal pala nila tayo kayat
ayaw tayong mapahamak o mapariwara.. . Na una silang
nasasaktan pag pinapalo nila tayo...
Balik tayo sa nakaraan kahit saglit...
Bago magkaroon ng internet, computer, at cellphone.
Noong wala pang mga drugs at malls.
Bago pa nauso ang counter strike at mga game boys.
Tayo noon... Doon ...
Tinutukoy ko ang harang taga o tumbang preso kapag
maliwanag ang buwan;
Ang pagtatakip mo ng mata pero nakasilip sa pagitan
ng mga daliri pag nanonood ka ng nakakatakot sa
"Mga Aninong Gumagalaw"
Unahan tayong sumagot sa Multiplication Table na
kabisado natin, kasi wala namang calculator.
Pag-akyat natin sa mga puno; pagkakabit ng kulambo,
lundagan sa kama ;
Pagtikwas o pagtitimba sa poso; pingga ang pang-igib
ng lalake at may dikin naman ang ulo ng babae;
Inaasbaran ng mga suberbiyo;
Nginig na tayo pag lumabas na ang yantok-mindoro o
buntot-page.
Nai-sako ka rin ba? O kaya naglagay ka ba ng karton
sa pwet para hindi masakit ang tsinelas o sinturon?
Pamimili ng bato sa bigas; tinda-tindahan na puro
dahon naman; bahay-bahayan na puro kahon; naglako ka ba ng ice-candy o
pandesal noong araw?
Karera sa takbuhan hanggang maubos ang hininga;
pagtawa hanggang sumakit ang tiyan;
Meron pa bang himbabao, kulitis at pongapong? O
kaya ang lukaok, susuwi at espada?
Susmaryosep ang nadidinig mo pag nagpapaligo ng
bata...
Estigo santo kapag nagmamano.
Mapagod sa kakalaro, minsan mapalo; matakot sa
"berdugo" at sa "kapre";
Tuwang-tuwa kami pag tinalo ang tinale ni itay kasi
may tinola!
Yung crush mo?
Pag recess: mamimili ka sa garapon ng tinapay
-alembong, taeng-kabayo o biscocho?
Pwede ring ang sukli ay kending Vicks (meron pang
libreng singsing) o kaya nougat o karamel;
Kung gusto mo naman - pakumbo o kaya kariba,
mas masaya kung inuyat;
Puriko ang mantika, at mauling na ang mukha at ubos
na ang hininga mo sa ihip kasi mahirap magpa-rikit ng
apoy.
Madami pa...
Masarap ang kamatis na piniga sa kamay at lumabas
sa pagitan ng daliri para sa sawsawan; ang palutong pag
isawsaw sa sukang may siling labuyo; ang duhat kapag inalog sa asin; ang
isa-sang isubo ang daliri kasi puno na ng kanin...
Halo-halo: yelo, asukal at gatas lang ang sahog;
Sakang ang lakad mo at nakasaya ka kasi bagong tuli
ka; o naghahanap ka ng chalk kasi tinagusan ang palda mo sa eskwelahan.
Lipstick mo ay papel de hapon;
Labaha ang gamit para sa white-side-wall na gupit;
Naglululon ka ng banig pagkagising; matigas na
amirol ang mga punda at kumot; madumi ang manggas ng damit mo kasi doon
ka nagpapahid ng sipon, di ba? Pwede rin sa laylayan...
May mga program kapag Lunes sa paaralan;
May pakiling kang dala kung Biyernes kasi magi-isis
ka ng desk.
Di ba masaya? Naalala mo pa ba?
Wala nang sasaya at gaganda pa sa panahon na
yon...
Masaya noon at masaya pa rin tayo ngayon habang
ina-alaala iyon...
Di ba noon...
Ang mga desisyon ay ginagawa sa awit na "sino ba sa
dalawang ito?
Ito ba o ito?" Pag ayaw ang resulta di ulitin: "sino
ba sa dalawang ito? Ito ba o ito?"...
Awit muna: Penpen de Serapen, de kutsilyo, de
almasen. How how the carabao batuten...
Presidente ng klase ay ang pinakamagaling, hindi ang
pinaka-mayaman;
Masaya na tayo basta sama-sama kahit hati-hati sa
kokonti;
Nauubos ang oras natin sa pagku-kwentuhan, may oras
tayo sa isat-isa;
Naaasar ka kapag marami kang sunog sa sungka; kapag
buro ka sa pitik-bulag o matagal ka ng taya sa holen.
Yung matatandang kapatid ang pinaka-ayaw natin pero
sila ang tinatawag natin pag napapa-trouble tayo.
Di natutulog si Inay, nagbabantay pag may trangkaso
tayo; meron tayong skyflakes at Royal sa tabi at pahihigupin ng mainit
na Royco.
Kung naaalaala mo ito... nabuhay ka na sa
KAPAYAPAAN!
Pustahan tayo nakangiti ka pa rin!
Kung naka-relate ka sa lahat ng nabanggit sa itaas, ibig
sabihin lang niyan ay.......... ...
MATANDA ka na! he he he... pero kung hindi ka
maka-relate, padala mo na lang sa akala mo ay kapanahunan nya ito para
maalala din niya at mangiti rin siya.
Translation : I CAN STILL REMEMBER!
Mother is at home when we get back from school;
In our neighborhood, our homes do not have gates or fences; if there was, fences were made of gumamela flower plants;
We only had 10 centavos in our pockets; 5 centavos for use in the morning, and 5 centavos in the afternoon;
There was something for free found in the sticks of ice drops: coconut or monggo beans.
There was high respect for school teachers and they were called Maestro or Maestra:
Water wasn't bought; you can drink from someone you didn't know.
It was a big thing to be able to go to the river or to the tumana for a picnic;
It was an extreme case already when you're called to the principal's office, or it would be very embarrassing if you flunk the exams;
People had simple dreams: finish school, get married, and get children to finish school;
You can just leave your car anywhere and entrust it to a stranger; Willy's-type jeeps didn't even have locks back then.
We had toys that we made, not bought: toy trucks with a body made of rosebowl and tires made of darigold, scooter ("sketeng") bearings with squeaky tires and 5 cm (1/4") nails as brakes, tambourines made of flattened bottle tin caps with just 2 holes in the middle for thread to go through (can be even used for lagutan) ; sumpak, pilatok, boca-boca, borador, etc.
The adults didn't mind us when the kids are at play - exactly because it is play.
There were many popular games and many can play along: laste, spiders, spinning tops, tatsing tin cans;
We would use used Philip Morris, Malboro, Champion cigarette packages as play money;
There was some kind of sticky ink at the tip of a stick you're using to catch dragonflies, you would grab tetot frogs, but you would be careful of banana frogs because you might get a wart from holding them;
Your Spartan rubber slippers/thongs have a hole already in the sole - but you're still wearning it;
Namumugalgal ang pundiya ng kansolsilyo mo kasi nakasalampak ka sa lupa.
During today's modern times and will all the advances in high technology.. . don't you sometimes dream... about how fun and happy it was back in the old days!
If only we can bring it all back...
Now we fear a lot of things. Because many are killed, or kidnapped, and there are many drug addicts and people with bad intentions...
Back then we were just afraid of our parents and grandpa and grandma. But now we realize... that they really did just love us and that they did not want us to get hurt or go on with life in the wrong direction.
that they're the first one to get hurt when they spank us...
Let's go back to the past for one bit...
Before there was the internet, computers, and cellphones.
When there were no illegal drugs and shopping malls.
Before Counterstrike and Nintendo Gameboys became popular.
Back then, there... We...
I point to the harang taga or tumbang preso when the moon is bright;
Covering the eyes but peaking through the fingers to watch the scary parts of "Mga Aninong Gumagalaw" ("Moving Shadows")
We raced each other to answer multiplication questions using the Multiplication Table that we have memorized, because there were no calculators back then.
After climbing trees, setting-up the bed nets (kulambo) to protect us from mosquitoes, and jumping up and down the bed,
When we make tikwas or get water from the well; a small basin is what guys used to get water and ladies would carry the pails of water on their heads;
There's pag-inaasbaran of the suburbs;
We shiver when the yantok-mindoro or buntot-page come out.
Where you put in a sack? Or did you secretly put in your pants cartons to protect your back/behind from the spanking belt or slipper?
Filtering stones from the rice; Play store but selling just leaves; Play house all made of cartons; did you ever sell ice candy or pandesal bread back then?
We raced until we ran out of breath; we laughed until our stomachs ached;
Are there still himbabao, kulitis and pongapong? Or maybe the lukaok, susuwi and swords?
You would hear "Susmaryosep" when someone's bathing a kid...
"Estigo santo" when you get blessing by the hands of an elder.
You would get exhausted with playing, and sometimes get spanked; you would be afraid of
"berdugo" and "kapre";
We were so happy when Dad's fighting cock lost because we know we have Tinola for lunch!
And your crush?
During recess: you would select a bread from the container - alembong, taeng-kabayo or biscocho?
You would give Vicks as change when you run out of coins (and it comes with a free ring) or maybe some nougat or caramel;
If you want - pakumbo or kariba, although it's better if it's inuyat;
We would use Puriko oil, and your face is charcoaly already because you ran out of air trying to blow at the flame to make it larger for barbecuing.
And there's more...
Hand-crushed tomatoes taste better, particularly when the juice flows out in between your fingers; for that perfect sauce, you dip palutong in vinegar with chili; you would eat duhat (black plum) after letting it "swim" in salt in your hands for a few seconds; you suck on each of your fingers to wipe them all clean of rice...
Halo-halo: ice, sugar and milk are the only ingredients;
You walk akwardly and you're wearing a skirt because you're newly circumcised; or you look for chalk because your monthly period is a big red dot in your school uniform.
You would use as lipstick some papel de hapon;
Classic shavers (Labaha) is used for that white-side-wall haircut;
(Hmmm, this is too long to translate. Come back again soon!)
Naglululon ka ng banig pagkagising; matigas na
amirol ang mga punda at kumot; madumi ang manggas ng damit mo kasi doon
ka nagpapahid ng sipon, di ba? Pwede rin sa laylayan...
May mga program kapag Lunes sa paaralan;
May pakiling kang dala kung Biyernes kasi magi-isis
ka ng desk.
Di ba masaya? Naalala mo pa ba?
Wala nang sasaya at gaganda pa sa panahon na
yon...
Masaya noon at masaya pa rin tayo ngayon habang
ina-alaala iyon...
Di ba noon...
Ang mga desisyon ay ginagawa sa awit na "sino ba sa
dalawang ito?
Ito ba o ito?" Pag ayaw ang resulta di ulitin: "sino
ba sa dalawang ito? Ito ba o ito?"...
Awit muna: Penpen de Serapen, de kutsilyo, de
almasen. How how the carabao batuten...
Presidente ng klase ay ang pinakamagaling, hindi ang
pinaka-mayaman;
Masaya na tayo basta sama-sama kahit hati-hati sa
kokonti;
Nauubos ang oras natin sa pagku-kwentuhan, may oras
tayo sa isat-isa;
Naaasar ka kapag marami kang sunog sa sungka; kapag
buro ka sa pitik-bulag o matagal ka ng taya sa holen.
Yung matatandang kapatid ang pinaka-ayaw natin pero
sila ang tinatawag natin pag napapa-trouble tayo.
Di natutulog si Inay, nagbabantay pag may trangkaso
tayo; meron tayong skyflakes at Royal sa tabi at pahihigupin ng mainit
na Royco.
Kung naaalaala mo ito... nabuhay ka na sa
KAPAYAPAAN!
Pustahan tayo nakangiti ka pa rin!
Kung naka-relate ka sa lahat ng nabanggit sa itaas, ibig
sabihin lang niyan ay.......... ...
MATANDA ka na! he he he... pero kung hindi ka
maka-relate, padala mo na lang sa akala mo ay kapanahunan nya ito para
maalala din niya at mangiti rin siya.
NOTE: English translation at the end in italics;
Si Nanay ay nasa bahay pag-uwi namin galing sa
paaralan;
Walang mga bakod at gate ang magkakapit-bahay,
kung meron, gumamela lang;
10 sentimos o diyes lang ang baon: singko sa
umaga, singko sa hapon;
Merong free ang mga patpat ng ice drop: buko man o
munggo.
Mataas ang paggalang sa mga guro at ang tawag sa
kanila ay Maestro/a:
Di binibili ang tubig, pwedeng maki-inom sa di mo
kakilala.
Malaking bagay na ang pumunta sa ilog para
mag-picnic, o kaya sa tumana;
Grabe na ang kaso pag napatawag ka sa principal's
office o kaya malaking kahihiyan kapag bagsak ka sa exams;
Simple lang ang pangarap: makatapos,
makapag-asawa, mapagtapos ang mga anak...
Pwedeng iwan ang sasakyan at ibilin sa hindi mo
kakilala; wala namang lock ang mga jeep na Willy's noon.
Mayroon kaming mga laruan na gawa namin at hindi
binili: trak-trakan (gawa sa rosebowl ang katawan at darigold na maliit
ang mga gulong, "sketeng" (scooter) na bearing na maingay ang mga
gulong at de-sinkong pako para sa preno; patining na pinitpit na tansan
lang na may 2 butas sa gitna para suotan ng sinulid (pwede pang
makipag-lagutan) ; sumpak, pilatok, boca-boca, borador, atbp.
Di nakikialam ang mga matanda sa mga laro ng mga
bata: kasi laro nga iyon.
Maraming usong laro at maraming kasali: laste,
gagamba, turumpo, tatsing ng lata, pera namin ay kaha ng Philip Morris,
Malboro, Champion (kahon-kahon yon!)
May dagta ang dulo ng tinting na hawak mo para
makahuli tutubi, nandadakma ka ng palakang tetot, pero ingat ka sa
palakang saging dahil sa kulugo;
Butas na ang sakong ng Spartan mong tsinelas - suot
mo pa rin;
Namumugalgal ang pundiya ng kansolsilyo mo kasi
nakasalampak ka sa lupa.
Sa modernong buhay at sa lahat ng kasaganaan sa high
technology.. . di ba minsan nangarap ka na rin... mas masaya noong araw!
Sana pwedeng maibalik...
Takot tayo ngayon sa buhay. Kasi maraming
napapatay, nakikidnap, maraming addict at masasamang loob...
Noon takot lang tayo sa ating mga magulang at mga
lolo at lola. Pero ngayon, alam na natin na mahal pala nila tayo kayat
ayaw tayong mapahamak o mapariwara.. . Na una silang
nasasaktan pag pinapalo nila tayo...
Balik tayo sa nakaraan kahit saglit...
Bago magkaroon ng internet, computer, at cellphone.
Noong wala pang mga drugs at malls.
Bago pa nauso ang counter strike at mga game boys.
Tayo noon... Doon ...
Tinutukoy ko ang harang taga o tumbang preso kapag
maliwanag ang buwan;
Ang pagtatakip mo ng mata pero nakasilip sa pagitan
ng mga daliri pag nanonood ka ng nakakatakot sa
"Mga Aninong Gumagalaw"
Unahan tayong sumagot sa Multiplication Table na
kabisado natin, kasi wala namang calculator.
Pag-akyat natin sa mga puno; pagkakabit ng kulambo,
lundagan sa kama ;
Pagtikwas o pagtitimba sa poso; pingga ang pang-igib
ng lalake at may dikin naman ang ulo ng babae;
Inaasbaran ng mga suberbiyo;
Nginig na tayo pag lumabas na ang yantok-mindoro o
buntot-page.
Nai-sako ka rin ba? O kaya naglagay ka ba ng karton
sa pwet para hindi masakit ang tsinelas o sinturon?
Pamimili ng bato sa bigas; tinda-tindahan na puro
dahon naman; bahay-bahayan na puro kahon; naglako ka ba ng ice-candy o
pandesal noong araw?
Karera sa takbuhan hanggang maubos ang hininga;
pagtawa hanggang sumakit ang tiyan;
Meron pa bang himbabao, kulitis at pongapong? O
kaya ang lukaok, susuwi at espada?
Susmaryosep ang nadidinig mo pag nagpapaligo ng
bata...
Estigo santo kapag nagmamano.
Mapagod sa kakalaro, minsan mapalo; matakot sa
"berdugo" at sa "kapre";
Tuwang-tuwa kami pag tinalo ang tinale ni itay kasi
may tinola!
Yung crush mo?
Pag recess: mamimili ka sa garapon ng tinapay
-alembong, taeng-kabayo o biscocho?
Pwede ring ang sukli ay kending Vicks (meron pang
libreng singsing) o kaya nougat o karamel;
Kung gusto mo naman - pakumbo o kaya kariba,
mas masaya kung inuyat;
Puriko ang mantika, at mauling na ang mukha at ubos
na ang hininga mo sa ihip kasi mahirap magpa-rikit ng
apoy.
Madami pa...
Masarap ang kamatis na piniga sa kamay at lumabas
sa pagitan ng daliri para sa sawsawan; ang palutong pag
isawsaw sa sukang may siling labuyo; ang duhat kapag inalog sa asin; ang
isa-sang isubo ang daliri kasi puno na ng kanin...
Halo-halo: yelo, asukal at gatas lang ang sahog;
Sakang ang lakad mo at nakasaya ka kasi bagong tuli
ka; o naghahanap ka ng chalk kasi tinagusan ang palda mo sa eskwelahan.
Lipstick mo ay papel de hapon;
Labaha ang gamit para sa white-side-wall na gupit;
Naglululon ka ng banig pagkagising; matigas na
amirol ang mga punda at kumot; madumi ang manggas ng damit mo kasi doon
ka nagpapahid ng sipon, di ba? Pwede rin sa laylayan...
May mga program kapag Lunes sa paaralan;
May pakiling kang dala kung Biyernes kasi magi-isis
ka ng desk.
Di ba masaya? Naalala mo pa ba?
Wala nang sasaya at gaganda pa sa panahon na
yon...
Masaya noon at masaya pa rin tayo ngayon habang
ina-alaala iyon...
Di ba noon...
Ang mga desisyon ay ginagawa sa awit na "sino ba sa
dalawang ito?
Ito ba o ito?" Pag ayaw ang resulta di ulitin: "sino
ba sa dalawang ito? Ito ba o ito?"...
Awit muna: Penpen de Serapen, de kutsilyo, de
almasen. How how the carabao batuten...
Presidente ng klase ay ang pinakamagaling, hindi ang
pinaka-mayaman;
Masaya na tayo basta sama-sama kahit hati-hati sa
kokonti;
Nauubos ang oras natin sa pagku-kwentuhan, may oras
tayo sa isat-isa;
Naaasar ka kapag marami kang sunog sa sungka; kapag
buro ka sa pitik-bulag o matagal ka ng taya sa holen.
Yung matatandang kapatid ang pinaka-ayaw natin pero
sila ang tinatawag natin pag napapa-trouble tayo.
Di natutulog si Inay, nagbabantay pag may trangkaso
tayo; meron tayong skyflakes at Royal sa tabi at pahihigupin ng mainit
na Royco.
Kung naaalaala mo ito... nabuhay ka na sa
KAPAYAPAAN!
Pustahan tayo nakangiti ka pa rin!
Kung naka-relate ka sa lahat ng nabanggit sa itaas, ibig
sabihin lang niyan ay.......... ...
MATANDA ka na! he he he... pero kung hindi ka
maka-relate, padala mo na lang sa akala mo ay kapanahunan nya ito para
maalala din niya at mangiti rin siya.
Translation : I CAN STILL REMEMBER!
Mother is at home when we get back from school;
In our neighborhood, our homes do not have gates or fences; if there was, fences were made of gumamela flower plants;
We only had 10 centavos in our pockets; 5 centavos for use in the morning, and 5 centavos in the afternoon;
There was something for free found in the sticks of ice drops: coconut or monggo beans.
There was high respect for school teachers and they were called Maestro or Maestra:
Water wasn't bought; you can drink from someone you didn't know.
It was a big thing to be able to go to the river or to the tumana for a picnic;
It was an extreme case already when you're called to the principal's office, or it would be very embarrassing if you flunk the exams;
People had simple dreams: finish school, get married, and get children to finish school;
You can just leave your car anywhere and entrust it to a stranger; Willy's-type jeeps didn't even have locks back then.
We had toys that we made, not bought: toy trucks with a body made of rosebowl and tires made of darigold, scooter ("sketeng") bearings with squeaky tires and 5 cm (1/4") nails as brakes, tambourines made of flattened bottle tin caps with just 2 holes in the middle for thread to go through (can be even used for lagutan) ; sumpak, pilatok, boca-boca, borador, etc.
The adults didn't mind us when the kids are at play - exactly because it is play.
There were many popular games and many can play along: laste, spiders, spinning tops, tatsing tin cans;
We would use used Philip Morris, Malboro, Champion cigarette packages as play money;
There was some kind of sticky ink at the tip of a stick you're using to catch dragonflies, you would grab tetot frogs, but you would be careful of banana frogs because you might get a wart from holding them;
Your Spartan rubber slippers/thongs have a hole already in the sole - but you're still wearning it;
Namumugalgal ang pundiya ng kansolsilyo mo kasi nakasalampak ka sa lupa.
During today's modern times and will all the advances in high technology.. . don't you sometimes dream... about how fun and happy it was back in the old days!
If only we can bring it all back...
Now we fear a lot of things. Because many are killed, or kidnapped, and there are many drug addicts and people with bad intentions...
Back then we were just afraid of our parents and grandpa and grandma. But now we realize... that they really did just love us and that they did not want us to get hurt or go on with life in the wrong direction.
that they're the first one to get hurt when they spank us...
Let's go back to the past for one bit...
Before there was the internet, computers, and cellphones.
When there were no illegal drugs and shopping malls.
Before Counterstrike and Nintendo Gameboys became popular.
Back then, there... We...
I point to the harang taga or tumbang preso when the moon is bright;
Covering the eyes but peaking through the fingers to watch the scary parts of "Mga Aninong Gumagalaw" ("Moving Shadows")
We raced each other to answer multiplication questions using the Multiplication Table that we have memorized, because there were no calculators back then.
After climbing trees, setting-up the bed nets (kulambo) to protect us from mosquitoes, and jumping up and down the bed,
When we make tikwas or get water from the well; a small basin is what guys used to get water and ladies would carry the pails of water on their heads;
There's pag-inaasbaran of the suburbs;
We shiver when the yantok-mindoro or buntot-page come out.
Where you put in a sack? Or did you secretly put in your pants cartons to protect your back/behind from the spanking belt or slipper?
Filtering stones from the rice; Play store but selling just leaves; Play house all made of cartons; did you ever sell ice candy or pandesal bread back then?
We raced until we ran out of breath; we laughed until our stomachs ached;
Are there still himbabao, kulitis and pongapong? Or maybe the lukaok, susuwi and swords?
You would hear "Susmaryosep" when someone's bathing a kid...
"Estigo santo" when you get blessing by the hands of an elder.
You would get exhausted with playing, and sometimes get spanked; you would be afraid of
"berdugo" and "kapre";
We were so happy when Dad's fighting cock lost because we know we have Tinola for lunch!
And your crush?
During recess: you would select a bread from the container - alembong, taeng-kabayo or biscocho?
You would give Vicks as change when you run out of coins (and it comes with a free ring) or maybe some nougat or caramel;
If you want - pakumbo or kariba, although it's better if it's inuyat;
We would use Puriko oil, and your face is charcoaly already because you ran out of air trying to blow at the flame to make it larger for barbecuing.
And there's more...
Hand-crushed tomatoes taste better, particularly when the juice flows out in between your fingers; for that perfect sauce, you dip palutong in vinegar with chili; you would eat duhat (black plum) after letting it "swim" in salt in your hands for a few seconds; you suck on each of your fingers to wipe them all clean of rice...
Halo-halo: ice, sugar and milk are the only ingredients;
You walk akwardly and you're wearing a skirt because you're newly circumcised; or you look for chalk because your monthly period is a big red dot in your school uniform.
You would use as lipstick some papel de hapon;
Classic shavers (Labaha) is used for that white-side-wall haircut;
(Hmmm, this is too long to translate. Come back again soon!)
Naglululon ka ng banig pagkagising; matigas na
amirol ang mga punda at kumot; madumi ang manggas ng damit mo kasi doon
ka nagpapahid ng sipon, di ba? Pwede rin sa laylayan...
May mga program kapag Lunes sa paaralan;
May pakiling kang dala kung Biyernes kasi magi-isis
ka ng desk.
Di ba masaya? Naalala mo pa ba?
Wala nang sasaya at gaganda pa sa panahon na
yon...
Masaya noon at masaya pa rin tayo ngayon habang
ina-alaala iyon...
Di ba noon...
Ang mga desisyon ay ginagawa sa awit na "sino ba sa
dalawang ito?
Ito ba o ito?" Pag ayaw ang resulta di ulitin: "sino
ba sa dalawang ito? Ito ba o ito?"...
Awit muna: Penpen de Serapen, de kutsilyo, de
almasen. How how the carabao batuten...
Presidente ng klase ay ang pinakamagaling, hindi ang
pinaka-mayaman;
Masaya na tayo basta sama-sama kahit hati-hati sa
kokonti;
Nauubos ang oras natin sa pagku-kwentuhan, may oras
tayo sa isat-isa;
Naaasar ka kapag marami kang sunog sa sungka; kapag
buro ka sa pitik-bulag o matagal ka ng taya sa holen.
Yung matatandang kapatid ang pinaka-ayaw natin pero
sila ang tinatawag natin pag napapa-trouble tayo.
Di natutulog si Inay, nagbabantay pag may trangkaso
tayo; meron tayong skyflakes at Royal sa tabi at pahihigupin ng mainit
na Royco.
Kung naaalaala mo ito... nabuhay ka na sa
KAPAYAPAAN!
Pustahan tayo nakangiti ka pa rin!
Kung naka-relate ka sa lahat ng nabanggit sa itaas, ibig
sabihin lang niyan ay.......... ...
MATANDA ka na! he he he... pero kung hindi ka
maka-relate, padala mo na lang sa akala mo ay kapanahunan nya ito para
maalala din niya at mangiti rin siya.
[FWD] UP Professors' Quotable Quotes
UP Professors' Quotable Quotes
"The aim of policy making is to invoke
action! Because action speaks louder
than words! You do not just say I love
you. You say: If you love me, enter
me! "
-Dr. Alfonso Pacquing
"Class, next week na lang ung result sa
exam nyo. I am having a hard time
checking it. I will seek first the
divine guidance on what to do about it.
Class dont worry about your grade. Let
me worry about it."
-sir de jesus,envi sci 1
(valentines day)
"Ano ba yan? Students ba kayo ng UP?
Bakit ang bababa ng scores niyo?
Siguro wala kayong date ngayong
valentines kaya ganito kayo. Losers!!!
When i was your age i had a date. Hindi
ba naapektuhan ng UP FAIR
euphoria ng grades niyo? Parang di
kayo masaya..."
(sabay matching tapon ng quizzes sa
sahig)
"I won't record this. Go find a date."
(sabay walk out.)
-Sir Doliente,BA.
Ma'am: Many people believe that we,
psychology graduates can read minds...
(silence) Actually, we can.
Class: Weh.. Sample..
Ma'am: Right now, you think that I'm
bluffin
-Ma'am Chei
"I don't give surprise long exams. all
exams are announced. Halimbawa,
Class, mageexam tayo, NGAYON NA!"
-Ma'am Chei (again)
"The human body is 70% water. Kaya wala
kayong kasaysayan lahat. Pag may
kaaway ka, sabihin mo sa kanya, TUBIG
KA
LANG!!!"
-Dr. Recio
"Oo, nagpapaulan ako ng uno... baket?
aanhin ko ba nun? di naman ako
yayaman dun."
-Sir Atoy, histo I
(commenting on a thesis of a senior
student)
'Yang thesis mo? .. Mamamatay ka!!
Mamamatay ka!!'
- Dr. llanes, UPM.
"Nasa bandang gilid ang fallopian tube.
Kaya kung gusto niyong magka-anak
ng asawa niyo, dapat nakatagilid kayo
habang gumagawa."
-Ma'am Meggie, Zoo 10
"Last sem was the first time that I
gave
a grade of 5, and it felt good!!!"
Prof Goldie, Comm II, circa 1998, first
day of class
[FWD] JOKE FOR THE DAY
Pinoy Haircut
There was this good old barber in a city in the United States. One day
a florist went to him for a haircut. After the cut, he wanted to pay the
barber but the barber replied, "I don't accept money from you. I'm
doing community service." The florist was happy and left the
barbershop.
The next morning when the barber opened his shop, there was a "thank
you" card and a dozen roses waiting at his door.
The following day, a policeman went for a haircut and he also wanted to
pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replied, "I don't accept
money from you. I'm doing community service." The cop was happy and
left the barbershop.
The next morning when the barber opened his shop, there is a "thank you"
card and a dozen freshly baked donuts waiting at his door.
On the third day, a Filipino software engineer went for a haircut. He
also wanted to pay the barber. But the barber also replied," I'm sorry.
I don't accept
money from you. I'm doing community service." The Filipino software
engineer was happy and left.
The following morning when the barber opened his shop, he had a big
surprise! Guess what he found!
>
>
>
>
> * * * * Can you guess?....
>
>
>
>
> * * * * Do you know the answer yet?....
>
>
>
>
> * * * * Come on, think like a Filipino....
>
>
>
>
> * * * * O, sirit ka na ba?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> There were a dozen FILIPINOS waiting for free
> haircuts ! ! ! ! ! !
>
>
>
There was this good old barber in a city in the United States. One day
a florist went to him for a haircut. After the cut, he wanted to pay the
barber but the barber replied, "I don't accept money from you. I'm
doing community service." The florist was happy and left the
barbershop.
The next morning when the barber opened his shop, there was a "thank
you" card and a dozen roses waiting at his door.
The following day, a policeman went for a haircut and he also wanted to
pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replied, "I don't accept
money from you. I'm doing community service." The cop was happy and
left the barbershop.
The next morning when the barber opened his shop, there is a "thank you"
card and a dozen freshly baked donuts waiting at his door.
On the third day, a Filipino software engineer went for a haircut. He
also wanted to pay the barber. But the barber also replied," I'm sorry.
I don't accept
money from you. I'm doing community service." The Filipino software
engineer was happy and left.
The following morning when the barber opened his shop, he had a big
surprise! Guess what he found!
>
>
>
>
> * * * * Can you guess?....
>
>
>
>
> * * * * Do you know the answer yet?....
>
>
>
>
> * * * * Come on, think like a Filipino....
>
>
>
>
> * * * * O, sirit ka na ba?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> There were a dozen FILIPINOS waiting for free
> haircuts ! ! ! ! ! !
>
>
>
[FWD] gender
EVERYTHING HAS A GENDER
You may not know this but many nonliving things have a gender:
Ziploc Bags are Male - because they hold everything in, but you can see
right through them.
Copiers are Female - because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them
up again. It's an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are
pushed, but can wreak havoc if the wrong buttons are pushed.
A Tire is Male - because it goes bald and it's often over-inflated.
Sponges are Female - because they're soft, squeezable and retain water.
A Hot Air Balloon is Male, because, to get it to go anywhere, you have to
light a fire under it, and of course, there's the hot air part.
A Web Page is Female - because it's always getting hit on.
A Subway is Male - because it uses the same old lines to pick people up.
An Hourglass is Female - because over time, the weight shifts to the
bottom.
A Hammer is Male - because it hasn't changed much over the last 5,000
years, but it's handy to have around.
A Remote Control is Female - Ha! You thought it'd be male didn't you? But
consider this - it gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while
he doesn't always know the right buttons to push, he keeps trying!
[FWD] Beauty of Math
Beauty of Math!
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111
9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
987654321 x 9 - 1 = 8888888888
9876543210 x 9 - 2 = 88888888888
Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:
1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321
Now, take a look at this...
101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE
than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are
giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants
you to GIVE OVER
100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might
help answer these
questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y
Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26.
If:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
And:
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But:
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical
certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close,
and Attitude will
get you there, It's the Love of God that will put
you over the top!
It's up to you if you share this with your friends
& loved ones just the way I did.
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