SECURITY FOR IDIOTS

Do you know if you are being lied to?

2010-06-22T02:16:00.000-07:00

Man if we could only tell if we are being lied to. Can you imagine how much safer all of our lives would be.

I was watching a television show the other day called "Lie To Me". Since I am not reviewing the show itself and only discussing the subject matter, I will not be going into who stars in the show and its specific story lines. That being said, the show is basically about a group of "investigators" (if you will) that specialize in interpreting facial expressions and body language to solve crimes. Very intriguing stuff.

In my profession I use the body language of people that I am observing to identify potential threats. People that are planning on taking some kind of action against you always have certain "tells" that give away in a physical manner what their minds are thinking. We all have these tells. When it comes to lying, courtship, professional relationships, even how we deal with our children, we can all be read like an open book for those that understand how to read it. People that have this ability have achieved it through training and life's experience itself. Police are prime examples of how training can give you this ability. Poker players as well. Ever ask yourself why it is the same faces that turn up at World Poker Championships year after year if poker is supposedly a game based on luck?

If this topic intrigues you there is a fantastic book that can give you a clear and easy to understand introduction into the world of "Non-Verbal Communication". It is called "Crime Signals". Crime Signals is written by David Givens PH.D. and published by St. Martin's Griffin. Dr. Griffin is the director of the Center for Nonverbal Studies. He is a former contractor for the Department of Defense and has given seminars on the subject to "countless" law enforcement agencies. This book is easy to read and understand. It covers everything from uncovering lies to discovering con-artists to recognizing sexual predators and pedophiles.

Awareness is one of our greatest tools. We all have the ability to watch everything around us on a daily basis, but how much of it do we actually see? I always talk about bettering ourselves so that we can better protect those that we hold near and dear to our hearts. This is one way to start today. I will be posting more about non-verbal communication in the coming weeks. If this interests you, please do not hesitate to let me know to help me decide just how much time to spend on it and how in-depth I will go.

As always, take care my friends and keep your heads up and your eyes open. ;o)

SFI Broke finally broke the 100,000 Alexa Mark!!! ;o)

2010-06-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

I am not really sure what this means but I am nevertheless very happy about it. All I really have to say about it is...I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! ;o) (and Thank You for your Drops and visits)

Want to put your 125X125 card on one of my 3 sites? It's EASY...for now ;o)

2010-05-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

Would you be interested in placing your 125X125 card on my side panel to the right? I will eventually be coming up with some kind of contest for this but for now I want to offer 2 card slots for trade. If you place my card on your site, your card will stay on mine as long as mine is on yours. Not a bad offer I think. ;o) Just drop me a note as a comment letting me know that you are interested. Remember that I am offering only two slots on each of my three sites. Take care my friends. ;o)

I want you all to meet Mr Chuckles M. McNuckles ;o)

2010-05-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

I know what you are thinking, this creature has to be an Ewok. ;o)

In homage to all my friends that have sites dedicated to their pets and animals in general, I thought I would introduce you all to a very spoiled brat. My Shitzu. ;o)

Here is a fact that many of you may not know about this breed of dog, they think that they can fly. You have to be very careful to leave a shitzu on anything more than a foot high because no matter how high it is these dogs think that they can jump off and survive the fall. Chuck proved this the other day when he jumped off of my kids bunk bed. The most common injury to this breed of dog is a broken jaw and just for this very reason.

Pets can bring so much happiness to a home. The positivism that animals can bring to us all is invaluable. Unconditional love usually is. Pets are also a great responsibility. Study the kind of pet that you are thinking about getting before you actually purchase one. You want to be sure that you know what you are getting into. Some pets require more care than we are sometimes able to provide.

It isn't Ninjutsu (But it sure is cool) Watch this video!! ;o)

2010-05-10T03:20:00.000-07:00

I always love featuring people that are experts in their field. They have a way of showing us that nothing is beyond our reach if we truly apply ourselves. This gentleman is Damien Walters. He is a "Parkour" expert and what he does defies the rules of physics. ;o)

Why Manny Villar should be President...and Personal Notes to Noynoy, Erap, and Gibo

2010-05-06T03:13:00.000-07:00

Let’s take a closer look at Senator Manny Villar. At age 60, he has three children and is still married to his first and only wife Congresswoman Cynthia A. Villar. His three children on their own have impressive credentials, two of which having graduated from Wharton, an Ivy League University in the United States, and one still studying at Ateneo de Manila University.

Senator Villar himself holds both a Masters Degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the prestigious University of the Philippines at Diliman in Quezon City and also holds several Honoris Causa Doctorate Degrees such as; Doctor of Science, Doctor of Humanities, Doctor of Development Management, Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Entrepreneurial Management, and Doctor of Public Administration as awarded by virtually every major educational institution in the Philippines such as; ADU, BPSC, BSU, CSU, CLSU, FU, LSPC, PSU, NEUST, RMTU, RSC, TSU, WUP, and WVCST, and has received awards for being the Most Outstanding Alumnus in 1991 and the Most Distinguished Alumnus in 2004 by the University of the Philippines.

Entering into business, Manny was always bolstered by the idea that it was better to be a business owner than it was to be an employee. He first tried his hand at supplying seafood to restaurants. After all, he had learned quite a bit about the business after helping his mother hawk fish in Quiapo. Sales were great but unfortunately his customers were not paying their bills on time if at all so he had to close the doors to this business and go back to work as an employee. Not wanting to stay an employee for long Manny went back to those restaurant owners that owed him money; he made arrangements with them to be able to sell meals in their restaurants for the amounts that they owed him. He then sold these meals to who ever would buy them. The proceeds of these sales he used to start his next venture. Long story short Manny later started supplying building materials like gravel and sand to construction companies. Soon he was himself building houses. After years of work Manny turned his company into one of the biggest home builders not just in the Philippines but in the whole of Asia. You must remember that the bulk of the houses that Manny Villar builds are for people just like you and me, the regular folk who might never have had the chance to own their own home otherwise.

Manny Villar has had a prolific career as a Public Servant. He has served the Filipino People as the Congressman from Las Pinas and Muntinlupa in the 9th, 10th, and 11th congresses ultimately serving as the Speaker of the House during his 3rd and final term as a Congressman. During the 9th Congress Manny was the House of Representatives Representative to the IMF which demonstrated his colleagues respect for his ability and expertise with regards to all things economic in nature. He is after all a qualified CPA.

Not being satisfied with what he had accomplished for the Philippines as a Congressman he set his sights on the Senate. Running on a platform of accomplishment and vision, Manny was easily elected into a Senatorial position for the 12th congress and has remained there to this day through the 13th and now 14th congresses. Just like during his time as a Congressman, Manny Villar lived up to his well known slogan, “Sipag at Tiyaga” and was able to attain the position of Senate President Pro Tempore during the 12th congress before progressing to the position of Senate President for both the 13th and 14th congresses. He was also able to Vice-Chair both the committee on Foreign Relations and the committee on Agriculture and Food as well as Chair both the committee on Finance and the committee on Public Order during the 13th congress.

It can be argued that the performance and quality of a legislator can be judged by what he has actually been able to accomplish while holding the position. Presidential Candidate Manny Villar continued his stellar performance by displaying his awareness of what the Filipino’s needs are and acting on this knowledge by crafting legislation designed to improve the lives of those that he has sworn and dedicated his adult life to serve. After 18 years as a legislator Senator Manny Villar has authored an astounding 740 Senate bills 44 of which have become law and 880 house bills 14 of which have become law. Among those laws are RA 8289 New Magna Carta for Small and Medium Enterprise, RA 9178 Barangay Micro Businesses Enterprise Act, RA 9189 Overseas Absentee Voting Act, RA 9208 Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act, RA 9257 An Act Granting Additional Benefits and Privileges to Senior Citizens, RA 9262 Anti-Violence Against Women and Children, Retail Trade Liberization Act, New Central Bank Act, New Securities Code, and the New Banking Act. Senator Villar in both his personal and political life has also understandably won numerous awards but let us just focus on his concrete personal accomplishments, those kinds of things that are recorded in history and have benefited others. Ribbons, plaques, magazine covers, and trophies are largely a result of good public relations; and the servicing of various agendas.

The Holy Bible speaks of Feast and Famine. Scripture speaks of charity and kindness to your fellow man. All things considered, what would you value more, a man who gave you a fish to eat or a man that taught you how to fish? Let’s take a closer look at some of the other activities that Manny Villar has been keeping himself busy with through the years. There is the “Sipag at Tiyaga Kaalaman” program, “Sagip-Bukas” Drug Prevention Program, “Manpower on Wheels” program, OFW Helpline, Sagip Ilog, Community Mortgage Program, Depressed Area Electrification Program, Pagtatanim sa Kinabukasan program, and the Tulong Kalusugan sa Kapwa programs. Manny Villar has demonstrated that he truly cares for his fellow Filipino and has heeded the call from within his own heart and soul to take up the yoke of public service. He has followed a well developed road-map to the position he is asking us to entrust him with. Manny Villar has completed, in an exemplary manner, all tasks put before him and is only seeking to complete his life’s work as a public servant in the next logical position for a man that has done what this man has for this Nation. Wouldn’t you want this position to go to a person that truly wants it and has programmed his life to the attainment of it or to a man that has never aspired toward much of anything? If you were to send your child to a martial arts school to learn self defense what kind of teacher would you want for your child? Bruce Lee or Tigger? (You must forgive me for the martial art correlations. I am after all a martial artist)

Speaking of Bruce Lee, ask yourself why all the other candidates are attacking Senator Manny Villar. Listen to what they say then take note of who said it and when it was said. I think you will find that those that are the loudest have something to gain by their actions; they are frequently paid hacks or political or business rivals and their supporters. Take Enrile for example. He is very quick to attack Manny. What does he have to gain? Well for starters Enrile is a re-electionist Senator, he also happens to be an Erap crony. Let’s not forget that Erap is not only a rival presidential candidate but, if you remember, Manny was also instrumental in his ouster during his previous failed stint as president. No grudges there? Hmmmm. We must also look at how Senator Lacson attacked Manny with the unfounded C5 Double Insertion allegations. (At the time Lacson himself was a presidential candidate) Interesting how not long after he made these allegations against Senator Villar did Mar Roxas testify on behalf of Lacson during a hearing regarding the Dacer/Corbito murder investigation. (Here again, do not forget that at this point in time Mar Roxas was himself as presidential aspirant) For some reason I think that Lacson will suddenly come back to the Philippines if Noynoy and Mar were to by some miracle win on May 10. To Manny Villar’s credit he has said that he does not mind all the negative media that has surrounded his candidacy. He realizes that Black propaganda is the norm in Philippine Politics especially when seen through the eyes of a media machine that is largely beholding to a particular candidate for various quite obvious reasons. It is this bias that he laments, “Why do the media mention certain issues about other candidates then immediately discredit these issues as black propaganda but when it comes to me they present it as the truth or some kind of expose.” Why would big media do this? What would they have to gain? Let us not look at what they have to gain but what they have gained already. History will tell us that the Lopez’ media holdings that had been sequestered by Ferdinand Marcos had been returned to them by Cory Aquino during her stay in Malacanang. Interesting right? I still remember the Inquirer the morning after Ondoy hit the Philippines. The huge picture on the front page showed Noynoy and Mar Roxas smiling and flashing the Laban gang sign while campaigning in the south of the Philippines. This huge picture sat next to a small side bar story about 40 plus people being killed in the storm. (We later learned that so many more than 40 people died during that natural disaster.) Sad right?

Look at the kinds of things that are being mentioned with regards to Villar. There is the C5 road issue, the he is not really from a poor background issue, spending too much money on the campaign issue, among other nonsense trivial issues. (Funny that nobody accuses Villar of being incompetent or that he wasted the votes given to him to make him a Senator or Congressman or that he is a drunk or a womanizer) Ask anybody that actually uses the “useless” road if they do not value its existence. Ask most of these other candidates if they have ever truly experienced the life of a person that lives life hand to mouth everyday? Many of us would not be able to pay our rent next month if we missed a week of work this month much less had a close relative fall ill. All the serious candidates have spent near the 1billion peso mark and more at this point in the campaign, ask yourself who can actually afford it without owing to large special interest donors. Sometimes we do not appreciate the grandeur of things. We must remember that Manny Villar is a BILLIONAIRE. Let us assume that he makes 10% interest (to make the math easy) on 1,000,000,000.00 per year. That would be 100,000,000.00 per year or 8,333,333.33 a month. Don’t forget that his business interests are still pumping funds into the bank on a daily basis in addition to whatever interest his money earns. Let’s face it; Manny Villar does not need to become President to become wealthy or powerful. In fact, judging by his past performance, he has never rested on his laurels but has worked as hard at serving the Filipino people as he has in building his personal empire. There are after all certain people in the Senate that have personally authored pitifully few bills, let alone have actually had legislation enacted into law, in fact, NONE of the other so called “Presidentiables” has the legislative track record that Manny Villar has and at least three of them have never even been legislators. Sad to say that there are at least two presidential candidates that have almost criminally wasted the mandate afforded to them by the people that voted them into office. You can see for yourself HERE. Senator Villar truly believes that he can do for the Philippines what he has accomplished in his own life if given the position and the responsibility to do so. Manny Villar has never squandered a single vote entrusted to him by the voting community in any of his elected positions. It is unlikely that he will start now in this most crucial of times in Philippine history considering the position he is asking that you entrust him with. Many great men have aspired to awesome things but have been dragged back down into the mud with those that could not dream as big. It appears that the CRAB is alive and well even today in our country. For once let’s just eat the CRAB and lift Manny Villar to the presidency so that he can reach out and pull us one by one out of the mud into the sunlight where we too can dream big.

“Nothing ventured nothing gained”. Have you heard this before? Whether in politics, business, or just run of the mill life, if you never try anything you will never accomplish anything. I remember being told by a mentor of mine that a big bruise that I had just gotten on the outside of my thigh was a badge of distinction. You see I got the bruise attempting a kind of martial arts kick that I had never tried before. My mentor told me that the bruise showed that I actually did something and was trying to make myself better. Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. In the end you come out ahead. I could eventually do that kick quite well. There are other kinds of bruises that I got growing up that did not end up as I would have liked but I benefited just the same. I have gotten my heart broken more than once by childhood crushes but I now have a great wife and wonderful children. Nobody attains what Manny Villar has without both getting bruised and causing a few bruises himself. In the end he has become what he is today. They say that there are three kinds of people in the world. Those that make things happen, the kind that watches things happen, and the kind that does not know what the hell just happened. Manny Villar is a man that does and will always make things happen. He has never been a watcher, and most certainly has never been the man who asked, “What the hell just happened”.

There are other candidates of course. Each with his own set of accomplishments. If you sat down and wrote down all those accomplishments and then placed them side by side on a sheet of paper, (just happened to have that info right HERE) it is very clear that Manny Villar is the right man for the job TODAY. When President Manny Villar leaves office in 2016 I believe that GIBO TEODORO will be the right man to continue what was started by Manny during his 6 years in office, but only if he serves the people first as a senator and shows us that he is indeed his own man and can legislate as effectively as he talks.

For the most part the other candidates all bring something to the table. Like I stated earlier, each candidate has their own accomplishments which tread the line of their respective strengths. Fortunately for us, the Office of the President is not run by committee. There can be only one. (To borrow a line from Highlander) That person must embody the most qualities expected of a world leader. These others, while very capable, fall short when all the required qualifications are being considered, but as a group, have some undeniable character and potential. So to Gordon, Villanueva, Perlas, and DelosReyes, if I could scrunch you all into one person I could quite possibly put you into the position that I placed Gibo. I would dub you Gordonueva Perlosreyes. (Has a nice ring to it actually. Sounds like a Spanish soap star.)

Erap I respect you for the candid answers that you so freely throw out when asked some admittedly tricky questions. When asked about “other women” you freely admit “of course”. When asked about gambling you talk about legalizing jueteng as being one of your first acts if elected president. These do not strike me as the statements of a role model for our countries youth. I have trouble with statements from you like; “I want my power back” and “I want to be king again”. Erap, the fact is that you quite freely and openly spent hundreds of millions of your “share” of illegal gambling proceeds. The mess that exists with regards to the abuses in Customs is a direct result of your own meddling with that proverbial cash cow. The fact remains that you were removed as president once. If you “got off” it was due to technicalities and agenda. The highest office in the land is a yolk of service to the people not a throne of personal glory and vindication. The promises of public service that you spoke of when you were given your pardon should have remained the focus of your intentions. Let it go and be free.

Jamby, Jamby, Jamby......................................................Jamby.

Finally Noynoy, I want to reserve the deepest of what I would like to say to you, for the most part I consider you a VICTIM. Frequently I speak of agenda. You are a victim of that word. The Liberal party saw in your mother’s death an opportunity, an opportunity to place somebody in the Presidents Office. I actually believe that the spark of the idea that you could be president was actually hashed before Cory’s death. Certain vile individuals knowing that she would pass on due to her failing health had to consider what their options were. They knew that the battle for the presidency was not in the bag. Senator Villar, New Money, and not a member of the club, had already thrown in is hat by announcing that he was running. The thorn in their side was that they did not know when she would die. Mar was the logical and better choice for them. Once Cory died, and since Mar was not as strong in the polls, as they would have liked him to be, they hashed the plan to use what was left of Cory magic to place a ringer as the President of the Philippines. They just needed proof that the magic still lived. Cory’s funeral provided that proof and now here you are. Think about it Noynoy, your camp is already fighting over 2016 and you have not even been elected yet. The facts speak for themselves; you have repeatedly wasted the mandate given you by your voters each time you have been placed into office. Your record speaks loudly and it speaks clearly, but I am not able to blame even this squarely on your shoulders. I am not sure you are actually capable of accomplishing more than you have with your life. You might well be functioning at the outer limits of your capacity. I am sure your intellect is off the charts. I can see a quiet brilliance buried deep within your eyes. It is just that within those same eyes there seems to be a raging battle for control. What are you fighting with? Noynoy you must remember that it is impossible to fight FOR anything if you are in a battle WITH yourself. How can you serve the Filipino people if you are struggling with some secret inner Demon? I see you as a babe in the woods with a pack of wolves leading you back to their den. I hope you know plenty of tricks for their entertainment because as soon as they get bored with you I shudder to think what will happen. I sincerely wish the best for you…but not as the president of this fine nation.

What does a Train Wreck, Jesse James, and Tiger Woods have in common?

2010-04-28T23:03:00.000-07:00

I find it interesting how we all really enjoy a good train wreck, the more gruesome the better. Two very recent train wrecks we have all basked in have been the ruining of the marriages of Tiger Woods and Jesse James.

We have all heard the sordid details of sexual escapades involving these men and some very questionable women. I find it funny how many people commented on how they could not believe what bad taste these guys had as opposed to the cheating in and of it self.

In a recent People Magazine article it discloses not only the fact that Sandra Bullock has indeed filed for a divorce but apparently had already been secretly in the process of adopting a 31/2 month old baby boy. It appears that before the infidelity bomb exploded Sandra wanted to add another child to the family roster already consisting of three of Jesse’s children from a previous relationship.

Train wrecks being what they are, I must ask just what have we learned, if anything, from all this? Men are pigs? Women should take better care of their pigs? Is a little money a dangerous thing when melting a hole in a guy’s pocket? Yes, I am trying to shed a little humor on a potentially heavy subject but I think that we can get something real out of these displays of public laundry washing.

Lets take a close look at our own relationships. How healthy are they? Do not ask “What have you done for me lately?” instead ask “What have I done for you lately?” If you are not happy with the level of intimacy that you have been receiving a quick look in the mirror should be your first option before going on the attack. How intimate have you been? How emotionally available have you made yourself? Have you taken care of yourself and remained as desirable to your mate as you were when you first met? DO you listen? Do you complain incessantly? Sometimes it is us who create the beast that we live with.

Congratulations Psyche for winning the Miss Philippines Earth Title!!

2010-04-27T03:09:00.000-07:00

A very good friend of mine recently won the Title of Miss Philippines Earth. She will be heading to Vietnam soon to compete for the Miss Earth title. This young woman is truly deserving of this crown because she is a very kind, considerate, very intelligent, and of course beautiful person. From the time that I first met Psyche I have always seen her as a driven individual with definite opinions about the world around her.

She is not a child of comfort and convenience and has worked for hard for most of the opportunities that have come her way. It is because of this that I want to spotlight her accomplishment.

It takes a certain self confidence to stand before a panel of judges who are going to be critical of every aspect of your being. Dealing with the other candidates in a highly competitive environment also offers up its own set of challenges. By believing in herself and making the decision to do the very best that she could, Psyche stepped up to the plate and hit herself a life changing home run.

Lets all follow her in the coming year to see how she blossoms into the life of a celebrity beauty queen. ;o)

Thank you Big Daddy Richards of Traders Hub ;o)

2010-04-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

I remember when I first started my blog. I was full of ideals and ideas. I had a message to deliver. I wanted to say something and I
wanted people to listen. I…I…I…I……

After having been a blogger for a relatively short period of time the realization has set in that a successful blog cannot be attained by “I”. I cannot after all be the only one reading my own posts. I cannot just sit in front of my computer agreeing with myself and wondering who this brilliant guy is writing all this deep and life changing stuff. (;o))

I have said from the beginning that my goal was to “build a community of like minded people”. Where there are numbers there is power. That was, and still is, my vision. Reality says that not everyone will agree with what I have to say. My argument is that disagreement breed’s discussion and when you discuss things with an open mind, every person in that conversation comes out of it a better person thus accomplishing another one of my stated goals which is to help people “be the best that they can be so that they can better take care of those that they love and care for”.

I have joined several communities of blog authors whose intent is to promote their sites via interaction with other site authors. One of these is Entrecard. I have found Entrecard to be an excellent platform to promote SFI and at the same time build friendships.

Basically Entrecard allows you to advertise your site on other sites by displaying a small banner ad someplace on the other site. (Hopefully at the top of the fold and not at the bottom of the page where you have to go searching for it…oh ahem excuse me…that is another post (;o)) You have to submit your site to the site you want to advertise on for that site’s approval to allow your site to be displayed. Believe it or not, my wholesome “G” rated site has been declined two times since being at Entrecard. Such is Democracy right?

Thus we come to the point of this post. While I respect the right of those sites to decline my site being advertised on theirs, I cannot help but wonder what it was about my site they disliked or did not agree with. I personally approve all sites that want to advertise their banners on my site.

Case in point: In the Philippines there is a Presidential election looming on the horizon. The lines have been drawn in the sand and it appears that it has come down to a struggle between two candidates; Senator Manny Villar and Senator Noynoy Aquino. There is a site called Traders Hub authored by no other than Big Daddy Richards. He is without a doubt a staunch supporter of Noynoy. His site’s banner is Noynoy and he devotes a good number of his site’s posts to Noynoy via negative posts about Manny. I on the other hand believe that Manny Villar is the man for the job.

President Manny Villar

One day I find that Traders Hub advertised on my site. This would mean that his “Noynoy for President” political banner would appear on my site. What should I have done? Well, I did not have a problem with it. Why might you ask? It is because I am a member of a community of people that all do what they do because they want others to hear what they have to say, have ideals and ideas, and messages for their fellow man. Entrecard does not allow porn sites so what do I have to be worried about, right?

It is with this post that I want to thank Big Daddy Richards. I mentioned earlier that he posts, what I consider, attacks against Senator Manny Villar. I have on 2 occasions left comments on his site regarding topics he decided to pursue against Manny. My comments were in direct contrast to what he had to say. My comments were as much against his candidate as his posts were against mine. When I pushed “submit comment” I was not sure my comments would see the light of day, but to Big Daddy Richards credit, he published both comments in their entirety.

I applaud this and believe that he deserves a pat on the back. We can be political polar opposites and still be blogging friends. I appear on his Entrecard drop list and I have his drop list on my site. I think that we are both better people for this and as such, I am accomplishing my goals pertaining to why I became a blog author in he first place.

Do your kids have a "Right" to privacy?

2010-04-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

We all demand a right to our privacy. There is a valid concern for who knows what about you. Everything from financial information to that brown shoe box that you keep stashed on the top shelf in the back of your closet. Lives, relationships, businesses, and even governments have been toppled because some piece of privileged information has fallen into the wrong hands.

What I would like to know is what you think about your child's right to privacy. When he/she is old enough to want to keep her/his bedroom door locked. Cell phones, internet, who their friends are, and where they go when they leave the house. What is your stand? Do you have a right to know? Do you think you should know?

For me, I want to know everything about my children. Where they go, what they do, who they know. I do not allow them to lock doors in the house. I have access to cell phones and internet accounts. I know their friends parents. Do I always exercise my right to "invade" all of these areas of their developing lives? I do occasionally with no rhyme or reason. With no malice of forethought, it is just something I do. It is something they expect. They do not mind either because it has always been that way.

We need to know everything about our children and their lives. This lessens the possibility of ever having to say, "I wish I knew".

P.S. My good friend over at fledgling blogger is celebrating his 100th post. In connection with this momentous occasion he is holding 2 contests to help spread some happiness to his readers as well. Click HERE to check out his site and how to enter both contests. GOOD LUCK! ;o)

New look for SFI ;o)

2010-03-29T23:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the comments regarding the new look of SFI. I have always loved the layouts with multiple sidebars. I really enjoy checking out all the interesting things that people decide to place on them. My problem is that I am just not that tech savvy and am learning this stuff as I go along. I was really happy to hear about the Blogger Template Designer. This new Blogger feature makes it very easy to create a new design for your site with an abundance of layouts and looks to suit most every taste and need.

I will be adding some new things and getting rid of some old things in an effort to make your visits interesting as well as rewarding for those that actually participate. For my Entrecard friends one of the things that I have added is a "My Top Droppers" blogroll, so if you drop often your site will get an automatic link on my site. I am also working on a simple drop list. The websites that will appear on the list will not only be regular droppers but also post new articles regularly thus making it a more interesting surfing session for all involved. This will be some time in the making though. (If you post regularly, at least once every 7 days, and your Entrecard Widget is at the "TOP" of your site, please leave a comment below and I will check your site for inclusion on the list.)

Thanks to all and take care. ;o)

Earth Hour! Let's join the party ;o)

2010-03-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

I think the poster says it all. Amazing how easy it will be for us to show some solidarity for the desire to save our planet. This planet after all is the only one we have. Unless Tom Cruise has some information that we don't have. ;o) (A friend at http://lakbaydiva.com/ posted about this. I agree that this is something worth spreading.)

Check out my new BLOG!! ;o)

2010-03-18T23:19:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to tell you about my new site. It is called “Dads Against Pornography”. I know there will be a lot of mixed reactions out there but before you make any judgment calls please visit the site and read my opening post explaining the reasoning behind the creation of my new blog.

My hope is that many of you will identify with what the site is trying to do and in some way participate. All participation is and always will be appreciated and reciprocated.

The reason why this post is so short is so that you can head over to the new site and check it out. ;o) For all of my Entrecard friends, I will be placing the Entrecard widget on the site as soon as I have five posts on board.

Thank you all and take care. ;o)

Just thought I would share this with you. ;o)

2010-03-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

Manny Pacquiao is a giant among men today. One of the greatest boxers living today, arguably one of the greatest boxers that has ever lived. This weekend he will be fighting Joshua Clottey who is himself amazed that he is going to be fighting the Pacman.

Both of these men come from simple backgrounds and through hard work and determination worked their way into the spotlight. Manny Pacquiao is nearing the end of his boxing career not because of age but because he has already accomplished more than any other boxer in history. If anything, after this fight, he has only one more thorn in his side; Floyd Mayweather Jr. who had previously retired as the best "Pound for Pound" fighter in the world. Joshua Clottey is himself no new comer to the ring but he readily admits that this fight is the biggest of his career.

People from every nation around the globe will be watching this fight. Just remember that while you are admiring the skill and determination on the screen in front of you, there is only your own determination or intent keeping you from attaining your goals in life. Remember to always live your life and don't let it live you. ;o)

My top ten Droppers for the last 30 days! ;o)

2010-03-07T17:04:00.000-08:00

Go Las Vegas Baby!

Lakbay Philippines

EzGreatLife

Behind the Bit

The World is Coming to an END!!...now that I have your attention ;o)

2010-03-03T01:23:00.000-08:00

The recent earthquake in Chile has had an effect on the Earth's axis. This according to a report by scientists from NASA. Due to the severity of the earthquake the length of our days have been shortened and the axis on which the earth rotates has been moved by about 3 inches.

The 9.1 Sumatran earthquake that created the Indian Ocean Tsunami shortened our day by 6.8 microseconds and moved the earth off its axis by about the same amount as the Chile shaker.

What were the long term effect of that earthquake and how were they exacerbated by this more recent event?

The weather being what it has been, world politics, wars, famine, disease, drought, earthquakes, and other natural and man-made disasters might have you asking questions. The Mayans predicted an end to the earth in the year 2012, Nostradamus has made similar predictions. The Bible even describes the world that we live in
today as being the "Last Days".

What do you think? Does the idea of this disturb you? Will it change how you live your life? How about how you look at the future of your children? Do you still want children if you do not yet have any?

Regardless of what happens to the earth as a whole we must all never forget that the gift of life is as fleeting as the wind and can be just as ethereal. Tomorrow is another day, this minute is what you can control and you should strive to do just that. Live your life, do not let it live you.

That being said, do you know how to start a fire using a shoelace or the bottom of a soda can? Good skills to have...

Take care my friends. ;o)

Entrecard Marketplace now it's own site. ;o)

2010-02-28T18:55:00.000-08:00

Entrecard marketplace just went "Craigslist". Well they are not acutally craigslist but did use the famous marketplace site's name to describe what it's new Marketplace site looks like.

As a kicker they even offered 2,000 EC to the first 50 people to place an ad and post about it on their site. First you must place an ad which might look something like this.

After placing your ad you must post about it on your site which might amazingly enough look something like what you are reading now. ;o) Finally, just email Entrecard at support@entrecard.com and advise them of your site's URL and EC user profile then if you are one of the first 50 people to complete the task you will be given the 2,000 EC.

If you "Drop" visit a friend of mine ;o)

2010-02-22T17:42:00.000-08:00

With the recent hullabaloo over at Entrecard regarding the use of the dastardly and dreaded "Ghost Droppers" lists out there, I want to introduce you to a friend of SFI that feels he has developed the answer to the dilemma facing both groups. One side abhorring the idea of a "ghost list" because the person using it does not actually visit your site yet will still get credit for clicking on your Entrecard Widget. (Which by the way; as the clicked site you still received your credit as well for the visit.) The real harm in this was that if you "regularly" updated your blogposts, your hard work would not be read by the person using the ghost list because they were not actually visiting your site. The other side of the coin were the people using these lists. I believe that the list was used as primarily a time saver. Dropping 300 cards a day can take a long, long, long, time.

The site I am writing this post about is called, Dropzone. You can find it via the following widget;

When you arrive at this site, you will be lead to a series of thirty buttons. The author of this site says that "You will save 270 clicks per day and avoid carpal tunnel syndrome". Who can argue with that logic? ;o) When you click on a button, a total of ten sites will open on your browser (Firefox is the recommended browser) and you will be able to visit and see the most recent post on each site. If your internet connection is good this can be accomplished very quickly using this system. Another thing that I really like about this service is that the sites he includes on is list all place the Entrecard widget "Above the fold" mostly right below the header. No Fuss No Muss.

If I could give some unsolicited advice to this site, it would be to monitor the sites on the list to make sure that the included sites post regularly. In this way, the users of this list will be sure that they are dropping on the sites of active authors who will be interested in participating in the Entrecard program the way it was envisioned by delivering quality traffic to our sites that participate by commenting and dropping. Take care my friends. ;o)

Martin of Cornyman Apologizes. This is a Good thing ;o)

2010-02-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

Martin of Cornymans Money-Blog has apologized and removed the cards of those Entrecard Members from his blog thus ending once and for all the unfair indictment of those he labeled as "scammers" and "cheats". Following is the comment I left on his site regarding his apology;

Please accept my heartfelt concern for your child. Having personally experienced having a child being hospitalized for an extended period of time I full understand the stress that you had and may well still be enduring. I sincerely look forward to your child’s full recovery.

Regarding your apology, I want to say thank you for doing the right thing by making a public apology and by removing the cards which publicly indicted as “cheaters” and “scammers” those concerned from your site. It is obvious, even within your apology, that you still feel there are some out there whose sole intent it is to scam Entrecard and its members, I respect your right to hold that opinion.

It is unfortunate though that a certain few of those felt the need to remove their sites from Entrecard as a result of your post. Whether your post was the straw that broke the camels back or the primary reason makes no difference. I hope that they see fit to return to Entrecard once they see your apology and know that Entrecard appreciated your efforts but did not agree with labeling any of its members as cheaters.

We all have concerns or input about how Entrecard, “shoulda, coulda, woulda”. It is for us to convey these thoughts to Entrecard via whatever channels of communication might exist. It is for Entrecard to implement, censure, or further discuss any items they feel will benefit the greater good of its members at which time the members must decide if Entrecard still serves it needs.

With or without Entrecard we all still must remember that it is not the Entrecard Widget that engenders comments or interaction with our sites, it is good content and an aesthetically pleasing site that will get them to stop and take the time to let you know what they think.

Now that this is all behind us, I look forward to moving on and all of us being friends again. ;o) I will post this comment on my site as well as a link to your apology.

There will be those of you out there that will feel that the damage has been done and that the apology was not an open release of his unjust indictment. Just as with Martin having a right to his opinion, you too have a right to yours. Regarding the damage done, I agree it is impossible to retrieve a bullet once it has been fired. What we can learn from this is that we should all endeavor to be more careful in our dealings with others because we can all say or do something that we may someday regret. This lesson alone will make us all better husbands, wives, friends, etc.

Regarding the Cornyman "Scam" expose. Pahleeezzz!! ;op

2010-02-13T00:21:00.000-08:00

Today I am posting about;

“Cornymans Money-Blog”
All you want to know about being financial independent... Saving, investing, earning money worldwide opportunities for your personal finances!

The previous being his blog title and by-line respectively.

On Wednesday February 13, 2010, Mr. Corny posted what he felt was an expose ala Heraldo Rivera about certain people “scamming” Entrecard members. An accusation he stated he unearthed via a “secret” test he conducted on the 8th and 9th of February.

Mr. Corny apparently removed the Entrecard widget from his site to see if his account would still reflect the cards of other sites being dropped on his account. Lo and behold to his “shocking” surprise, there were more than “65” despicable scammers out there in the vast wild territory called the internet.

What you need to know about this is that nowhere in the Entrecard system was Dropping Cards in this or similar manner referred to as a “SCAM” or “CHEATING”. The particular method of dropping cards which Mr. Corny referred to as, “A Ghost dropper list or a program that is dropping only on the yellow drop box”. These lists were openly marketed on sites right below the Entrecard Widget via their own widget usually titled something like “300 drops in minutes”. Every dropper has seen them and more than a few have clicked them to see what it was about. When you arrived at a site that offered the so called “ghost list” you were not greeted by a smoke filled dimly lit gritty room but a normal site who believed this to be a service for its fellow Entrecard members. You did not need some secret invite or password to enter this supposed covert world of Entrecard Scammery. If there was some negativity involved, I guess you could accuse the owners of the sites that offered these lists as trying to increase visitors to their sites who in turn would visit several pages and spend a longer period of time on each. I think that we would all like that particular benefit. I know one particular owner of one of these “ghost lists” that placed two of his own sites as the first and second one clicked. I guess he wanted to “scam” himself as well.

The primary concern for this manner of dropping would be that the people that use these lists do not see your current postings unless they make an effort to visit your site outside of dropping on one of these lists. I agree that if somebody did use one of these lists they should only use it at times when there were some issues with download speeds and when time issues prevented them from investing the time visiting upwards of 300 sites a day. Otherwise every other benefit of dropping and being dropped on is being enjoyed by both parties. The dropper shows his support for those on his list by dropping a card on their site thereby elevating that sites popularity score in Entrecard as well as getting the credits needed to place ads on other sites. Where else will these credits end up if not eventually used to buy advertising on Entrecard itself? Is there some syndicate I am not familiar with that trades in Entrecard Credits for the benefit of some terrorist organization?

I sent a message to the Administration of Entrecard about Mr. Corny’s post. Their response was as follows;

Hi David,
We are not affiliated with Cornyman and while we appreciate his investigation, Entrecard does not believe the users he listed are cheaters. We stand by our users.
On Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 1:50 AM, wrote:
Feedback received from user 13192 ( http://entrecard.com/user_details/13192 philippinepanda@aol.com ):

Following is the message that I sent the Entrecard Administration:

I visited a site called "CORNYMAN" (I think that is correct.) His recent post displayed the cards of several Entrecard members describing them as "Cheaters" and "scammers". My card was among them. I would just like to clarify a few things;

1. While faithfully dropping on sites, I frequently came upon a widget that looked just like the Entrecard widget which was placed just below the actual Entrecard widget. This widget stated, "300 drops in minutes". I never did click this widget. This widget was obviously out in the open for every Entrecard user to see including Mr. Cornyman. He did not have to undertake some secret experiment of deleting the Entrecard widget from his site to see if "ghost clicks" would appear.
2. One day I received a thank you message from a site the I had commented on; (See Attached)

Many thanks for such comments. They are meaningful and full of insights.

Just a thought...maybe there are days you are so busy and have little time to complete dropping 300 ECs in a day...I would like to share with you my personal EC Quickie Dropper (http://hereanythinggoes.info/ec-quick-dropper/) ...this system is free ... you may finish dropping 300 ECs in around 3 to 6 minutes per day...

Regards.

This site is called "Here I am" and you can check my message in box to verify this message. Again, this "quick dropper" was not a secret and open for anybody visiting this site to see.
3. I have never seen anything on Entrecard telling its members not to use this type of system. The widget was clearly displayed on a lot of sites openly offering this service to all Entrecard members. The widget displayed on this sites list looked exactly like the Entrecard Widget with the "Drop" on it.
4. The sites that were on this system were by and large sites that I had already been dropping on. I did not use this system daily but only during those times that I was short on time and wanted to fulfill the commitment that I had made to Entrecard to drop as many cards as possible. I still commented and visited these sites frequently.
There was no malice in my heart using this system those times that I did. I was not aware that using this system was not allowed by Entrecard seeing as how it was so openly "marketed" even here at Entrecard. I take it as a personal insult and slander to be called a "cheater". This person even ranted on about how "these cheaters" should not be dropped on, etc.
I want to know what Entrecard’s position is on my situation. I do not feel that there should have been this blanket statement without knowing the specific circumstance of each individual involved.
I have fully supported Entrecard by giving it top of the fold placement as required by your rules not like many sites that bury the widget at the bottom of the page. I market the site to try to build referrals. Check your system to see how many times the Entrecard widget with my referral id was displayed.
Please respond to me as soon as possible. I really do value my name and the reputation of my site to much to allow it to be besmirched by this part time wanna be private eye who does not ask questions before shooting.

Regards,
David Tamayo

---
Entrecard.com, linking bloggers together.
Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Entrecard Support
http://entrecard.com/docs/

I appreciate the quick response from Entrecard and its subsequent defense of those on this list of alleged “scammers” to which I have been included.

I believe that Mr. Corny owes those sites he defamed by outwardly calling them “scammers” and publicly humiliating them an apology and a retraction of his post or removal of specific sites and their corresponding images from his site and the defamatory post. He has a right to his own personal opinion of the issue but he does not have the right to slander others and convict them as “scammers” without any type of due process hearkening to “shoot first and ask questions later”.

In closing, please visit Mr. Corny’s site. He apparently needs the visitors badly. I hope that you will also comment on his posts and tell him how brilliant he is because I believe that all of this was about a small man that needs to be puffed up. There was a better more “educated” way to approach this subject. I just wish that Mr. Corny himself can open up his evidently vast consciousness to this reality.

Add your site to my Mcklinky list and state your opinion as well. Take care. ;o)

Part 4 of "Belief" Let's discuss it. ;o)

2010-02-11T22:37:00.000-08:00

This is part 4 of the "Belief" series. I hope that you enjoy it. ;o)

....The fantastic thing about all this is that you just have to decide that you believe in whatever it is that you want. Initially you may need certain things to help you focus the will of your intent. Meditation, religion, philosophy, education, lucky rock, rabbit’s foot, crucifix, dream board, self help books, crystals, and seminars; whatever. Intent is a power in and of itself, and just like a bolt of lightning; it can be harnessed and focused towards the accomplishment of any goal. As more and more positive opportunities come your way and you are able to take advantage of them, the easier it will be for you to accept the reality of the fact that it really is not that hard to create your own universe. You have to decide that this course of action is not only what you want, but that you are going to actually start living the life that you want for yourself. Yes, it is that easy. It is if you BELIEVE it is. Nike says, “Just do it” I like to say, “Just LIVE it”. Is Warren Buffet any more brilliant than any other mega investor in the world? Arguably yes he may well be, but I believe that he is so successful not only because of his brilliance in and of itself but also because he believes that he is the best and as such will make decisions based on entirely his own interpretation of whatever information he is given to the exclusion of the advice of many others who would have never made the same investment. Every time that he is right, this bolsters his self belief and thus makes him even more powerful. He just simply wills things into existence. Cool right?

The fantastic thing about all this is that you just have to decide that you believe in whatever it is that you want. Initially you may need certain things to help you focus the will of your intent. Meditation, religion, philosophy, Are we talking about magic or some arcane telepathic power? Well if these thoughts make it easier for you to grasp the ideology, why not, but in fact; no we are not talking about magic or anything of the kind. Just like anything worth having in life, you have to work for it and have patience in the realization of its fulfillment. If you plant a watermelon seed today, will you wake up tomorrow to giant sweet watermelons the next morning?....

Sometime soon I will be posting part 5 of "Belief". Take care my friends. Please comment or ask questions. ;o)

Is your site GOOD or EVIL?

2010-02-08T00:46:00.000-08:00

In the course of my internet journeys I happened upon a site that had a widget which displayed how "evil" (yes I said EVIL) that site was. It actually quoted a percentage amount in a widget located on that sites side-bar. Of course I was immediately intrigued by this. I mean I pride myself for having a positive site geared towards helping and creating good will and peace through self security. Well as you can see by the results below, my site is not perfectly benevolent after all...;o)

The following is an explanation of how this site comes up with its numbers...

"The Gematriculator is a service that uses the infallible methods of Gematria developed by Mr. Ivan Panin to determine how good or evil a web site or a text passage is.

Basically, Gematria is searching for different patterns through the text, such as the amount of words beginning with a vowel. If the amount of these matches is divisible by a certain number, such as 7 (which is said to be God's number), there is an incontestable argument that the Spirit of God is ever present in the text. Another important aspect in gematria are the numerical values of letters: A=1, B=2 ... I=9, J=10, K=20 and so on. The Gematriculator uses Finnish alphabet, in which Y is a vowel.

Experts consider the mathematical patterns in the text of the Holy Bible as God's watermark of authenticity. Thus, the Gematriculator provides only results that are absolutely correct."

It actually gives you a full breakdown of every word in your site and all the commensurate values it gives to each. If you have a site try inputting your site to see what score it gets. If you do not have a site, you can input any site's address. Let me know via the Mcklinky. (Might as well get a little link love for participating) (Links not giving a score from the above source will not be kept in the Mcklinky.) This is just something interesting I found along the way. Have some fun with it. I am not endorsing nor am I bashing any belief in numerology or any other similar idea or belief. (Just read my "Belief" posts.) Take care. ;o)

Do you have a child, senior, wife, or husband whose safety is your concern?

2010-01-30T01:04:00.000-08:00

There is a great little gadget that I found the other day while surfing the internet. It is a pocket sized GPS or Global Positioning System unit. This device is small enough to fit into a pocket, briefcase, computer bag, or backpack.

The idea behind this little James Bondish piece of technology is that its location can be followed via satellite. The unit itself can send you real time updates by sending you text messages notifying you of its current location; even opening a communications line allowing you to hear any sounds or conversations around the unit. Following the location of the unit is also possible by internet.

The unit has a “Panic Button” that when activated will notify pre-programmed contacts of an “emergency” situation. There is even a “Geofencing” alert which will notify the same pre-programmed contacts if the unit is moved more than 500 meters from a preset position. It works via GPS and GSM cell networks (Cingular & T-Mobile) meaning that you only have to insert a SIM from your existing telephone network for the unit to work. No monitoring fees from the manufacturer of the unit itself.

If you are a parent, this is a wonderful way to keep track of your child. By discreetly placing the unit inside the pocket or jacket of your child then programming into the unit the schools location or that of your home, the unit can notify you if the child has been moved from that location without your permission.

This unit can be easily placed on the visor of a car, in your lap-top carrier, or pretty much anything you would want to find again if stolen.

One of the worst things that can happen to a person of any age is abduction. A woman wrestled into a dark hallway in a parking structure can activate the “panic” button thus notifying a loved one the she needs help. A senior citizen has a major medical problem either at home or while shopping. The unit can let loved ones know that something happened then assist them in finding that person whether he/she is conscious or not.

Of course the best defense is living a life that does not put you or loved ones into situations where there might be increased risk but sometimes things can go very wrong very quickly through no fault of our own. It is for these times that “chance favors the prepared”. Take care my friends. ;o)

(This is not a paid endorsement of any device or service.)

Let's all share some link love! Post your link here!

2010-01-25T22:48:00.000-08:00

Just want to show some appreciation to everybody for visiting and showing your support for Security For Idiots. I found this link list while visiting another great site and decided that it would be a fantastic idea to share with you. In the future I will think of special themes for the list but for this one, the fact that you are visiting is good enough for me. ;o)

Thank you to my TOP DROPPERS for the last 30 days!! Heres some LINK love!! ;o)

2010-01-21T00:54:00.000-08:00

A Rose By Name

The Way I See It

Lakbay Philippines

Go Las Vegas Baby

Learning How To Make Money On Line

The Wii Mommies

Seek No More

Cat Lovers Site

Wonderful Things In Life

The Last Bear

Guns? What do you think?

2010-01-18T20:36:00.000-08:00

Photo from: http://fun-pics.com/guns.html
Here in the Philippines it is election season. The people of this proud nation will soon be electing a new president. As a result of the elections and the preceding campaign period, a nationwide gun ban has been implemented with the intent of minimizing or eliminating gun related violence.

Violence has been a part of Philippine politics for a very long time. Armed factions have sought to change the political landscape of this country for generations. The tampering of ballots, outright threat, and as witnessed by the recent Maguindanao massacre; murder.

It can be argued that by eliminating firearms totally, it would stand to reason; the use of firearms would definitely be controlled. Political thugs and their ilk would have to resort to using clubs and knives to do their dirty work. Would then the call to ban all sticks and knives be made for the same reason? Just asking.

In the United States police officers are allowed and often expected to carry their firearms while off duty and out of official uniform. The current gun ban, as executed here, will land an off duty police officer carrying his firearm in jail, what more any regular law abiding citizen who has a licensed firearm and a legally obtained permit to carry? If a fully trained and commissioned police officer cannot be trusted, Would it be logical to assume that a civilian with no criminal intent could not be trusted with this privilege either? Should either parties ability to defend themselves or their loved ones be taken away?

What about criminals themselves? Can they be trusted to follow the gun ban? Do we believe that they have obtained their firearms through legal means? In a country with thousands of islands and teetering on a population of nearly 100 million people, can we expect a severely undermanned police force to provide its citizenry the protection it truly needs?

Photo from: http://fun-pics.com/guns.html
Of course we are just talking about a ban on the carrying of firearms and not the ownership of firearms in general. Although, admittedly there are those truly idiotic individuals out there who do not deserve the privilege of owning a gun. I speak of the college administrators who threaten gas station attendants and the Jason Ivlers who kill people due to minor traffic altercations. In fairness of course to the good guys, these aforementioned morally challenged individuals changed sides to the bad guys and cannot be used as part of any arguments meant to take away the rights of us good guys.

Just to clarify my own opinion. I believe that law abiding citizens should have the right to own a legally obtained firearm. I believe that law abiding citizens should be required to take a psychiatric test and undergo a background investigation to provide a legal baseline that the citizen in question is in fact, “law abiding”. I believe that every gun owner should undergo a rigorous training program and be tested and retested upon renewal of any permit or license to demonstrate a minimum proficiency with regards to the handling and firing of any firearm. Finally, I believe that there should be stiff penalties for all gun related crime.

I want to know what you think. There is no right or wrong opinion. You have a right to state your belief here and have it heard and reacted to by others who will in turn have their own opinion. I sincerely hope to hear what you have to say.

Google Friend Connect - Just joined my own self. ;o)

2010-01-14T22:21:00.000-08:00

I just added the "Google Friend Connect" widget on my side bar. If you are one of the first 20 people to join I will post a comment to your site and also join your Friend Connect as well. (Provided you have one on your site) Take care and hope to be leaving comments on your sites soon!

Who and Why? Choose Carefully

2010-01-04T23:59:00.000-08:00

If you had to vote for the next President of the Philippines today, who would you vote for and why? I have always wondered who responded to these surveys that get so much attention. Now is your chance to speak up and give your opinion. The upcoming elections are so very important for the Philippines. Take a long hard look at each of the candidates and decide who you think will give you and your loved ones a better future.

Have you seen it yet? WHY NOT!!??

2009-12-23T04:07:00.000-08:00

I love movies! I enjoy everything about the experience of going to a theater and watching a good flick. The popcorn, the over sized ice cold soda, chocolate covered raisins, and let’s not forget the onion and jalapeno laden hot dog. Dolby surround sound, high back reclining theater seating, arm rests that can be raised, and a warm date with a heartbeat round out the beginnings of what promise to be another trip into the ethereal suspension of belief.

This love affair all started for me with one movie more than any other; “Star Wars”. Star Wars was a pivotal point in cinema. No science fiction movie since has been the same. Long dead are the days of a lit sparkler stuck into the south end of a northbound plastic model space ship hanging by fishing line. In fact, to this day pretty much every major motion picture that utilizes some form of special computer effect is done in whole or in part by ILM which is George Lucas’ brain child.

Like I stated earlier, I feel fortunate because I was able to experience that ground breaking film in a theater during its original release. Now my children will have the same fortunate experience of being able to watch a film that will again revolutionize the movie experience. I am speaking about the movie, “AVATAR”.

It is not my goal here to tell you the story, comment on the underlying political message, compare, contrast, or otherwise try to dazzle you with my insight into the whys and motivations of the actors, producers, or studios. Without being paid or in any way receiving any kind of recompense whatsoever, I am telling you to leave reason at home, load the kids, wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend, next door neighbor, and mailman into your preferred mode of transportation and head to the nearest theater to watch this film. The only rule that I must insist be followed is that you MUST watch this film in 3D preferably in IMAX 3D if at all possible. If not, you will have just “watched” this movie but you will have never actually “seen” it.

More Avatar Info

More Avatar News & Previews

Many thanks to my new ENTRECARD friends!!

2009-12-21T00:27:00.000-08:00

The following sites have dropped the most cards on my site. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank them for their support. I have just recently been able to start blogging regularly again and the folks at ENTRECARD and BLOGCATALOG have been wonderful about beginning to post comments again. Of course I always return the favor and immediately return comments to the blogs of those wonderful people that have taken their valuable time to leave a comment on my site. So here is the list of those valued droppers that I mentioned earlier. If you are a member of ENTRECARD, stop by and drop a card on their site, you will get many a visit in return. ;o)

The Way I See It @ http://www.buckrobin.com

Wii Mommies @ http://www.wiimommies.com

Duck and Wheel With String @ http://duckandwheelwithstring.blogspot.com

Bible Examples @ http://bible-examples.blogspot.com/

Leading Edge Personal Development @ http://www.attractsuccess.com.au

Shortinfosec @ http://www.shortinfosec.net/

Cat Lovers Site @ http://catloverssite.info/

On A Lighter Note @ http://www.louscircle.com

Serian Man @ http://salamsmkserian.blogspot.com/

Lakbay Philippines @ http://lakbaydiva.com

I teach Ninjutsu therefore I must show support. ;o)

2009-12-14T16:14:00.001-08:00

Part 3 of "Belief"

2009-12-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

The third part of a somewhat lengthy series. As usual I would be really interested to hear what you have to say about the following post or even what your personal outlook is on "Belief". Please read on and if you have not started from Part 1 of Belief please take some time and check it out. Even if you do not agree with one letter of what I have written, we can all come out better for the experience. Until part four, Take care...

....A very close friend of mine recently made the statement, “If you fly with crows, you are a crow”, this being said in the context of the need to prudently pick your battles in order to keep your eye on a more important prize. As crows go, I am sure that there are successful crows out there, first one to get the worm and all that. Same thing with head hunters, I am sure that there is that one guy that all the other head hunters aspire to be. (I am not talking about the corporate talent scout kind of guy either.) So if your intent in life is to be either a crow or a neck chopping head hunter, then by all means, go for it. Your beliefs will guide you to that place, the morals of course relative to the belief. (I will address mental illness later. I mention this now because there is a difference between a mass murderer and a head hunter.)What I am talking about here are those people that want to be successful in simply personal or professional ways; a happier marriage, better parent, son/daughter, manager, student, teacher, investor, salesman, etc. You should try to associate with those people that reflect the success that you would like to attain for yourself. How do you do this? There is invariably some organization or group dedicated to every segment of society today. A simple search on the internet will provide the curious with at least several options to explore. Remember the guy who looked for (and found by the way) people that would be interested in being murdered by him then eaten ala Hannibal Lector? Understand that the exploring in and of itself will open even more options that may give seed to personal epiphanies that could prove life changing. By seeing how the “other side” lives, you will allow your psyche to open to the truth that there are more ways to look at things in the world than just what you have been raised or educated to see, it will allow you to question what you had just previously accepted as truth. Remember that without questioning what is currently accepted as truth, we could all still believe that the earth is flat and that man could never fly. Women and black Americans would not be able to vote. America itself might not exist today. Filipinos allowed themselves to create what is now known as a people’s power revolution. Even more fascinating is that once they discovered that it could be done, they did it a second time. This should give you the courage to open your mind to new and exciting potentials that you but need to reach out and capture. People or circumstances that reflect your ideal situation or status, by virtue of that fact itself, already possess the belief structure, to some degree, that will support its existence. Rich people know how to get rich, artistic people know how to create, and so on. Happy people are happy for a reason. Positive people are positive for a reason. Ever hear the term, “Money begets money” or the “Rich just get richer”. The obvious thing to derive from these statements is that it’s nice to be rich. DUH! Yes the rich have more money to invest and because of that they have more opportunity to make money. Okay I get that, but just stop to think about the idea that because money is not a problem for these people, at least in the way that it is for you and me, the negativity associated with money is lessened or even negated all together. Money can now be looked at as a tool and not a weapon. The abundance of money itself will create positive energy and the lack of it creates a void or negative energy. Rich people are concerned with being creative with their money. What do I invest in, whom do I donate it to, etc. Poor people are relegated to defending themselves from the lack of it, bill collectors, process servers, and the like. Of course I am generalizing and oversimplifying for the sake of this discussion. Not all poor folk are being hounded by the aforementioned. Some live comfortable lives content with what they have, but that is the key, they are content and contentment is a belief associated with satisfaction. You can allow yourself to believe in the idea of success and wealth, thus opening up those potentials to you. Even cashless societies, few that there may be, have wealth and class systems. They have leaders. They have their wealthy by virtue of who owns more pigs, chickens, etc, and they have their hunter gatherers. All societies have haves and have nots, even socialism cannot escape this paradigm as proven again and again throughout history....

Part II of "Belief"

2009-11-22T21:24:00.000-08:00

I will be able to access the internet now on a more consistent basis, so I should be able to take better care of my blog and of course my readers. Following is my second installment in the series of postings I mentioned on "BELIEF". Please read on and let me know what you think. As always, take care. ;)

...Why do placebos work on an almost equal scale to the actual medications they are supposed to be? Because the mind is a very powerful tool, one that when given a set parameter of information with a desired outcome and not allowed the convenience of deviation from that path, will do some amazing things that have been defined as miraculous in nature. If you go to a doctor, that you “believe” will be able to cure what ails you and he gives you a “medicine” that he tells you will help you, your belief is what gives power to your course of action. Your mind accepts as truth the positive opportunity that was presented to it by your decision to follow your belief. On the other hand, if you don’t believe that modern medicine has the answers for your problem, you would have never followed the previous course of action and even if you had, might not have enjoyed the same potential results. What about faith healers? Medical science is constantly being confronted with cases of people that have undergone miraculous cures to diseases that were believed to be terminal in nature, faith, another word for belief, right? Ever wondered what fueled the idea that a rabbit’s foot was lucky? Well out of the total number of people that were presented with this idea, a certain percentage of them actually believed it and another percentage of people had something positive happen to them shortly after having gotten a rabbit’s foot thus creating a believer, each one of these people in turn telling other people who in turn are presented with the same potential opportunity. Here again we are talking about belief and not the vehicle specifically. Imagine that, somebody gives you the amputated foot of another living being and telling you that it is lucky, being called a “potential opportunity”. I bet the rabbit did not see it that way.

Ever been to a network marketing event? You know what I am talking about right? Somebody invites you to a meeting where you will learn about some amazing new product or service that will not only make life easier for whomever buys or uses whatever is being sold, you will get rich just by getting everybody you know to buy and introduce the wonder item to everybody they know. Did you ever wonder why they want you to attend a meeting instead of relying on their own sales ability to sell you on their idea in the comfort of your own living room? Well, there are several reasons for this, let’s look at a couple of them: 1. Get a group of like minded people together. The people who show up are interested in how to get rich, great soap or a new vitamin is just the bonus. 2. Large groups of people tend to lend credibility to the message, thus inspiring trust, then belief. 3. The guy at the top of the network ladder then gets to give his pitch to the masses thus maximizing his effort. You must remember that a sale in any form is a numbers game. (Your goal as a salesperson is to get through as many no’s as possible to get to the yes’s. Enough no’s there statistically has to be a yes eventually to whatever is being sold. This very successful salesperson has found a way to get through the no’s exponentially faster to be able to deliver the sales pitch to a group of people with a predisposition to wanting whatever the product or service if for even selfish reasons.) You get to see the guy wearing a Rolex and driving the Ferrari who shows you pictures of his quaint mansion on the shore. (Yes, the Rolex and the Ferrari were bought just to show you.) You are told, “I was just a poor schlep just like you. Now look at me. If I can do it so can you”. 4. You are then swept up in the mob frenzy to buy/join. You don’t want to be the idiot who didn’t take advantage of the, “Be one of the first 20 to join and get a free microwave” offer. Don’t get me wrong, I am not slamming these types of businesses. There are people who get really rich, but that is the point, you must believe the message and then decide that you will make the life changing decisions needed give power to your new found belief in your present course of action. Sounds easy right?

There are a lot more people that end up poorer than richer for their experience, at least financially. Who was the last friend or relative that came to you inviting you to one of those meetings? What did you tell them? Were you supportive or did you offer evidence to contradict all the positive things they were being told by the guy with the Rolex? What if that was you? How easy would it be to change your beliefs to allow for these positive opportunities having all that negativity trying to convince you otherwise? It would not be impossible only much more difficult. If you chose to believe the guy with the Rolex instead of 9 to 5 Aunt Mabel, your circumstance may well have ended up different. Ask yourself what the guy with the Rolex likely believed in the beginning. What might have been different for him had he been related to 9 to 5 Aunt Mabel? (You and I both know that we all have an Aunt Mabel in the family, so what made things different for this guy?) Oh, if you are this guy, congratulations!...To Be Continued

First in a series titled "Belief"

2009-09-03T01:43:00.000-07:00

I have been putting thoughts down but just have not been posting them. I now have about 20 pages put together and with your permission will start posting them one or two pages at a time. Please let me know what you think as we go on. As always, I really appreciate and respect your feedback. Take care until the next post:

There is a word that has such powerful meaning but is almost always taken for granted and not given the proper respect it truly deserves. This word is usually associated with religion or spirituality and not appreciated for its importance in our more mundane every day existence. The word to which I am referring is “BELIEF”.

Belief dictates how you live your life. It will affect your decision making. Where you go, why you do or don’t do something, which person you will date or associate with, even what you eat and how you deal with what comes out after. Everything you do is affected by what your beliefs are. What you hold true to be self evident as it were.

This one word controls so much of our lives, yet how much of “it” do we actually control? Do you walk under ladders? Step on cracks? Knock on wood? How much of what you believe have you consciously made the decision to believe? Beliefs are fed to us from a very young age. Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, don’t go to bed with wet hair or you will go blind, don’t walk under ladders, Friday the 13th, Buddha, Mohammad, and the Dali Llama and so on. As children we are brought to a Sunday school or a Synagogue. Boy Scouts, Tae kwon do, ballet, or baseball practice, each group representing different trains of thought, goals, morals, and possible futures.

What you believe makes you what you are because your actions define the kind of person your beliefs will allow you to be. If you believe that gambling is wrong and because of this you never buy a lottery ticket, could you ever win the lottery? If you believe that every one is out to cheat you? If you don’t believe there is a God, or that there is a God. If you think that you are as successful as you will ever be? That the world is flat? That the swampland that nice man was trying to sell you might be a great investment? If by eating the flesh of your enemies, you will gain their strength? That the world will end in the year 2012? Some of the simplest thoughts going through your mind can have life altering effect on both you and those around you. What if Hitler was not able to get a nation to believe as he did?

Love, hate, fear, happiness, and hope are all examples of belief in our lives. You have to believe in something to make anything tangible to your intellect. Why do you love somebody? Why do you hate anything? Why do you lend money to a friend? Why do you push your child to take singing lessons? Why do you not walk down dark alleys at night? Why do you walk down dark alleys at night? Why do you vote? Why get married or divorced? Why are you writing that book? Why aren’t you writing that book? Why don’t you like black people or white people? Do you prefer wheat or white, Coke or Pepsi? Without belief, decision would be impossible. Without decision, definition would be absent. Who would you be? Where could you be? Why aren’t you?

When it comes to belief, do you have a choice? We are programmed from birth to death, a living, breathing computer, if you will. Unlike computers though, we can program ourselves. We can have ultimate control over our own lives. Computers have to follow the path they were given. You and I may decide to follow any path that presents itself to us. The statement I made at the end of the preceding paragraph can be read and more importantly lived in reverse. Here is how it works; if you desire to “Define” your life in a specific manner, you must make the “decision” to change your “beliefs” which will allow you to make “decisions” that will “define” you in the manner that best suits “beliefs” that will create an environment of positive opportunities. Something I like to call, “Power Through Superior Intent”.

....To Be Continued

Tuhon Ray Dionaldo, need I say more?

2009-02-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

I had the honor recently of attending a seminar in Manila taught by Tuhon Ray Dionaldo. If you go to youtube you will find a plethora of videos from around the globe showing you just what this incredibly talented man can do.

What is incredibly interesting but not surprising is that Ray lives his life in utter control of his universe. I will be posting some more things in the coming days and weeks regarding Ray and what he teaches. In the meantime enjoy the video.

You can visit him at http://fcskalionline.com/ or at his Martial Arts social networking site at http://martialmatrix.ning.com/

A chapter of his organization is being organized in the Philippines. You can visit http://fcsphilippines.blogspot.com/ to find out where they are in their development.

Yet another story about customer service from the land of extremes. =0)

2009-01-03T04:33:00.001-08:00

Why, you may ask, do I bother to bring to you stories of this kind? What do these kinds of stories have to do with security and how can they possibly improve your personal situation? Well it is simple; I want to share with you the idea that you have a right to be treated well as a part of maintaining control of your life. If you are treated well and are happy with decisions that you make, like where you decide to bring your family for dinner, you will enjoy a more positive outlook on life in general. More positivism will breed more opportunity which in turn will breed more happiness. Not a bad cycle to be caught up in, right?

Now let’s see…how do we start this story? I brought my family, (see picture to the right), to a Pizza Hut located here in the Philippines located in a place called Makati Cinema Square. This whole commercial structure is one of the older “malls” located in Makati. Now it is renowned for being the place to go to buy pirated or bootlegged DVD’s. There are also gun shops and two shooting ranges located in the basement. (The later will give the casual visitor an insight into my personal interests. This site is called “Security for Idiots” after all.)

An important part of this story is the fact that my family has an argument every time we have to decide where and what to eat. Really, without fail every meal that we are together becomes a heated debate as to where to go or what to cook. Usually ending up in a non-committal, “Whatever”. A bad dinning experience will become fodder to be used against the recommending party for years to come. Ergo, the food better be good, the place clean and comfortable and the service good. This particular day we decided upon Pizza Hut. Why? Well, pizza is an easy pitch to kids and they have this great special where you can get a personal pan pizza, a bowl of soup, and a soft drink for only 99.00 Philippine Pesos. (That is about $2.20) A good deal right?

So in we walk and are immediately seated in a window box. Remember, this is an older “mall” so that makes this Pizza Hut an “older” Pizza Hut. (At least as far as appearances) A server takes our order and leaves. A reasonable amount of time passes and we are served our food. So far so good right? Well, no sooner had we started eating when my daughter says, “Eeewww, Daddy look on the wall!” I look up and on the edge of a picture frame hung on the wall behind my son is a cockroach is staring back at me. My son, who is sitting next to my wife sees it and immediately starts to crowd into my wife pleading, “Keep it off me”. (Hey, he’s just a kid) I swat at the roach in an attempt to put an end to the crisis and its life. The roach senses its impending doom and jumps just milliseconds before sure death landing on the floor before scurrying off to the adjacent table where it stops and looks back taunting me to chase it down. Refusing to be goaded by a roach, we continue our meal. (I know that some of you would have walked out right there) After about 5 minutes, another roach falls from somewhere above, landing square on my wife’s bosom. Yes, in her shirt right between her…you get the picture. You can imagine her swatting at her chest trying to evict this squatter from its newly found home. At this point we called a server over to make our grievance known. She came over and was told what had happened including showing her the freshly killed carcass of the bosom raider on the floor as well as the little tough guy roach still sitting under the adjacent table apparently wanting a piece of me.

What happens next will take longer to explain than what I am willing to invest in it. Let’s just say that the customer service aspect to this outlet was somewhat lacking as much as the hygiene. Apparently, the staff on duty did not realize the gravity of the situation. Ultimately, the half eaten meal was begrudgingly offered for free with an assurance that something would be done about the “problem”.

Boy, was that an understatement. That same day I received calls from Pizza Hut apologizing for the incident. I was told that an exterminator would be called in immediately and was invited back to the store for a walk through tour so that I could verify myself that all possible corrective actions were taken. Oh, when I say “calls from Pizza Hut” I mean from the store manager, the area manager, and the President of Pizza Hut Philippines himself.

I did go on that walk through tour a few days after the incident. The store was impeccable. Still a little out of date on the ambiance side, but clean. I did not see a single roach. One of the managers from Pizza Hut’s corporate office met me there to guide the tour. She was courteous and professional. It did indeed appear as if they took the situation seriously and took all the necessary corrective action. Needless to say, I felt important. I felt like I mattered and that my money was valuable.

After a few weeks the family decided that they wanted to eat out and since we were in the area, I suggested Pizza Hut. Yes, the very one. Upon entering the dining area, we were seated by a very polite smiling waiter named Archie Santos, who by the way remembered my name. I was shocked. Our order was taken, prepared, and delivered correctly and hot. The service was great and the restaurant clean. After we paid the check and were preparing to leave one of the restaurant supervisors named Janice Castillo approached me and offered me a discount certificate for use during my next visit. My wife and kids also noticed the changes and were pleased. My wife even commenting that she felt like a VIP.

As far as the restaurant business goes, these guys experienced a restaurateurs’ worst nightmare. I could have very easily just got up and walked out with my family in tow. By complaining and demanding that corrective measures be taken, Pizza Hut was being given a chance to shine, to have the chance to redeem itself if you will. (They really did in my book) For my part, I was standing up for my right to be treated well and get what I paid for and was expecting; good food, good service, in a clean and comfortable setting.

In the end, Pizza Hut shone like the sun and I got what I expected. Kudos

2008-11-30T22:26:00.000-08:00

I was recently able to meet two world class shooters. Martin Kamenicek and Adam Tyc.

This is a video of Martin Kamenicek in action.

This is a video of Adam Tyc in action.

Meeting champions in any sport is definitely an honor for me. I really admire the determination and hard work it takes for individuals like these to attain their goals. Of course it does not hurt to have fantastic equipment to work with. If you have time, check out what the net has to say about CZ products. Especially about the CZ SPO1 Shadow.

Both of these shooters are members of team CZ. They were recently in the Philippines for the second of two annual gun shows held in the country for 2008.

These guys know what they are doing...RIGHT?

2008-11-07T22:41:00.000-08:00

Barack Hussein Obama wins the Presidential election. I love it when things that are sure to be milestones in human history occur during my lifetime. It will give me license at some point in my life to tell stories starting with, “I remember when….”

Sure let’s state the obvious, BHO is the first black President of the United States of America. Okay, yes a milestone considering that not to many years ago a black person had to sit at the back of the bus and drink out of water fountains marked, “For coloreds only”. America has come a long way. Or has it? Maybe our prejudices have just changed or been re focused? Maybe racism or prejudice had absolutely nothing to do with this election at all?

What I saw during this campaign and election was a country hungry for a status quo. For quite a few years now America was content being fed a steady diet of the Whys and What for’s. Fresh from a presidency of relative peace and prosperity we were told that the national budget was not only balanced but had actually given birth to a surplus. National turmoil mimicked reality TV created under the desk of our political savior. National debate rose around the definition of what sex really meant at the same time our military shrank to but a shadow of what it was at the end of the cold war. Walls fell and we were fat and well fed, eons apart from soup lines, world wars, nuclear bomb shelters. Hey, these guys knew what they were doing.

We then moved into an era where we were told that if we were given some of our money back and got to keep more of what we would earn in the future, the country itself would ride the wave of prosperity into the foreseeable future. Three airplanes and two wars later, lo and behold the New York Stock Exchange was still above 13,000 and your house was worth 4 times what you paid for it. Hey these guys know what they are doing.

After a double dose of Democrats and a Double dose of Republicans where have all these gains gone? Most of us know the meaning of sex now and can correctly pronounce nuclear. Even more obvious to us, we can see the current value of our homes (Which for many Americans is ZERO) and the balance of our 401k’s (Which for many Americans might as well be ZERO considering retirement may be just around the corner.) We are being told that Social Security won’t exist much longer but the wars will. That our kids have to say happy holidays at school instead of Merry Christmas for fear of angering some organization or another, but then those same groups want Islam and the Jewish beliefs to be taught in public schools so as to foster understanding and tolerance. Wouldn’t you want to know if your child wanted to get an abortion? Ever anguish over the fact that your loved one will be leaving for his/her 5^th tour of duty in some country you were never taught to locate on a map, or that you don’t have a job because the company you worked for decided it was cheaper to do business in another country? Maybe, they don’t know what they are doing. Maybe they never did.

When we don’t have to answer the tough questions we can stay in the boat a little longer. When the ugly things come home, we start to be concerned. When you can see it affecting your ability to protect and provide for those that you love, you might think it is time to do something about it. We can jump off the boat or row it to someplace we want to be.

Bush claimed during the last election that he was given a “mandate” by the people to do what he needed to do to preserve life, liberty, and the American way. His misinterpretation came when he overstepped the real mandate of basically maintaining a certain status quo. President Elect Obama has been re-issued the “mandate” that Bush had been given yet slightly more daunting, to return America to the lifestyle to which it had become accustomed. At best, Mr. Obama will be expected to make the real changes that all politicians promise they will bring yet rarely truly deliver, at the very least he must return America to the level of “status quo” that it had become accustomed to. If he can accomplish either level of this “mandate” he will have put the woken giant back to sleep and will then enjoy many years governing the well fed slumbering masses, thus ensuring 12 possibly 16 years of Democratic rule in the White House.

I contend the real milestone about this election was that it was a true display of people empowering themselves to make a difference. Enough people wanted to do something for themselves that it actually made a difference for a country. Isn’t it wonderful what can happen when enough like minded people get together? What is the real limit of what can be accomplished? Is there a limit at all?

In truth my hero is Obama himself. Not the politician but the man. This man believed in himself and had the vision and fortitude to overcome every obstacle in his life. He accomplished exactly what he had set out to do. He took control of his life so that he could protect and provide for those that he loves. Somebody at some point of his life told him anything was possible, his real strength is that he believed it and lived his life accordingly. I believe enough people saw this and wanted to be part of it. Never mind political experience and longevity. It is this extreme and powerful kind of positivism that I expect of myself and want for all of you.

An Update about Eddie Boy. Light on the horizon?

2008-09-07T21:25:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone~ this is Luz again, Eddie's girlfriend. I just wanted to share what has happened since I last wrote about Eddie Boy.

He celebrated his 34th birthday on July 4th with some family and friends. Even though he was still asleep, and in the bed, it was beautiful that we got to share this day with him and we all could feel his happiness at us all being around him singing and laughing with him there.

Well, we started this new alternative procedure called Cold Laser Light Healing. We are really quite excited about it. It is a technology that has been around for around 30 years (but because of the strength of the Pharmaceutical companies, it is kept quiet). I feel very inspired by this new treatment because it is a laser that goes into the blood system via a micro-optic fiber. Its intention is to clean out the cell into becoming 100% pure in capacity and work the way it is supposed to work (since we have toxins in the body). It is a 10 day procedure with 3 day intervals of rest.

The procedure begins with a scan of the whole body. In the beginning of the scan certain points were made regarding this physical body and where we should target for him to get better, such as (of course) the brain, the liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart.

When we began this treatment, (he is now on his second set of treatments) Eddie had a blood test taken, then ten days later we (out of curiosity) took another blood test and the numbers all improved! (Interesting) Eddie's heart was shown to be enlarged and overworked. His pulse rate was at 125+ (and the normal is supposed to be 70-80) After the ten days, his pulse rate has decreased to 100-103! He has begun to respond more frequently to our voices and his eyes are really moving faster when we open up his eye lids. He has also begun to sporadically open up his eye lid on his own and leave it open for a few minutes while his eye is moving. Along with, his jaw begins moving up and down as if he is trying to reply or say something. He has begun to move his left knee up and down and instead of his hands being in a fist they are now relaxed and opened.

He turned very red (as if he had a sunburn) the first couple of days he begain getting the treatment which worried us, but his temperature was normal, so we asked the doctor (which by the way is a naturopath deals in natural remedies and doesn't believe in medicines to maintain healthy body) and he was quite happy to hear about his color being red. He said this is a good thing and he wasn't expecting Eddie to have this until 3-6 weeks into the treatment! Apparently, this is a sign that the circulation in the body is improving! When Eddie was first given the scan, (a normal brain, the number registers at 50) Eddies brain number registered 8. Ten days later, it has now registered at 13! (That’s a huge improvement) And honestly speaking, I know Eddie is working hard at recovering. I am just so glad we have found someone who can help us help Eddie instead of just trying to tell us to make sure his taken cared of and the end...

The doctor has told us that he himself was a hopeless cause. He is an active man who has been in motorcycle accidents and any other imaginable situation. He went parachute jumping one day in 1997, and had a malfunction with the parachute and fell to the ground. He broke his spine in 3 different places and the doctors all told him that he would never move again. He said he never gave up and he could still think, he could still talk and most importantly, he could still BITCH. He said I did not take their words, and only surrounded myself with people who could help me.

He had a friend who worked in NASA and basically became their guinea pig. It took him three years, being injected and operated on by so many things, but He is now parachuting again!!! He is walking and scuba diving and surfing etc... He has told us keep the positivity going because EDDIE NEEDS IT and HE NEEDS US TO BELIEVE!

Thank you so much for the prayers, the interest and the CARE. Thank you DAVID FOR THE HUMANITY AND MOST ESPECIALLY FOR THE LOVE!

Love

Luz

Manny Pacquiao carries the Philippine flag for Olympic ceremony…great idea…right?

2008-08-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

Manny Pacquiao is a dynamo, arguably the best boxer in the history of the

Philippines

. Fame and fortune have been Manny’s rewards for hard work and determination. Clearly an example of how one can realize one’s dreams by taking advantage of every opportunity and pushing past adversity. Congratulations and adulation are definitely in order.

The president of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, had an idea. Why not let Manny Pacquiao carry the country's flag in the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games being held in Beijing.

Great idea…right?

After waiting some considerable time for the Philippine Olympic contenders to make their historic walk of nations, an image of a man entering the stadium carrying a familiar flag came into focus. Sure enough, Manny Pacquiao, carrying the Philippine flag and wearing his now famous ear to ear grin walked into the camera’s view. The camera zoomed in for a close-up of Manny while the announcer recounted Manny’s boxing accomplishments also managing to mention that Pacquiao will not actually be competing in the games.

Great idea…right?

Right after giving us this insight into the accomplishments of the Philippines greatest boxer, the time usually allotted to showing the world each countries Olympic contingency was eaten up. All those athletes that have worked so hard to get to Beijing were never seen by their countrymen, friends, and families. We were left with a brief panning shot of blurry blue outfits while the camera looked for the next countries contingency. Needless to say, the Philippines political contingency was also absent a courtesy shot though not all the various countries leaders got one.

All of the Olympic competitions are not aired. Usually only certain matches in each competition will be broadcast to the world. This being the case, the opening ceremonies were the only chance many of these athletes will ever have to be seen and be recognized. I for one would have liked to see the faces of the Filipino Olympians who worked so hard to get to the Olympic Games. Being held only once every four years, many of these champions will never experience Olympic glory again.

Great idea…right?

What an honor! An "Arte y Pico" award!

2008-07-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

Security for Idiots and Other People the Care was recently honored with an award. More specifically the “Arte y Pico” award. The "Arte y Pico" award was created and to be given to bloggers who inspire others with their creative energy and their talents, whether it be writing or artwork in all media's. When you receive this award it is considered a “Special Honor”. The instructions given to those that are given this honor are to carefully choose at least 5 other blogs that they feel embody the traits described above and to pass on this very notable recognition.

Heidi of "healthnutwannabeemom" fame honored us with this award. She herself was recognized with this award by not only one but two fellow bloggers. This fact does not surprise me one tiny bit. This incredible person is a vibrant and loving wife and mom. Her site is a must read for anybody that has an interest in nutrition and other information regarding health and fitness. Heidi presents information that is well written and extremely useful and relative to current trends. Having such a generous heart, she is also more than willing to give you tips on other authors who have posted material on subjects that she feels will also benefit her readers. Please visit her site at the following link;

http://healthnutwannabeemom.blogspot.com/

"Hi! My name is Heidi and I am a married stay at home mom who is trying her best to get the health thing down. I started this blog so that I can pass along all the great things that I learn everyday on damage control for our wonderful bodies. It is tough to keep up sometimes with all the things going on in our daily lives so hopefully some of the helpful hints that I provide can make your life easier and healthier. I welcome your comments and tips as well! I am a vegetarian, animal rights advocate and avid animal rescuer. So, there you go-me in a nutshell."

Like with Heidi’s blog, I have placed blurbs under each website address that were written by the authors of these sites themselves. What better source of information about what these sites are about. In parentheses I have added a little blurb of my own. Please visit these wonderful sites and support the work that they do.

The Incredible blogs I have chosen to pass this award on to are as follows:

http://docinthebiz.com/blog

"Hi there! I’m Dr. KC and I am swimming in a pool of optimism of what is to come! Visit my website, READ and COMMENT on my blogs! Write in to me for professional counseling! Can't wait to hear from you!"

(The author of this site is truly a sweet and caring person. I really do love sites that have the basic intent of truly helping people. Dr. KC presents useful relevant information and is available to her readers for advice and consultation. She even has a social networking site geared towards bringing like minded authors together. You can find this site at GLCzone.com)

http://greyyogi.blogspot.com

“Yogi and Bio Nuclear Physicist...Who wants to bring an understanding of Vedantic Philosophy and Yoga to the World, and make it applicable to the 21st Century. By passing on the Wisdom handed down to me by my Teachers...Namaste”

(Wow, how can you beat that blurb? What I can say about this great person is that he truly lives what he writes. This fact just shines through in his posts. He knows what he is, where he is from, and where he wants to go. His teachers and others that he reveres are frequently quoted and their words explained in a way that makes sense in today’s world.)

http://fancysweden.blogspot.com

“Wireless for the Moment.. Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walkside me and be my friend.”

(This author uses imagery to communicate what is inside her heart and mind. She does write short posts to accompany the images that she creates and the combination of the two are quite thought provoking. You have an opportunity to live through her art and feel what she is trying to convey. She has a project called “Bridges”, stop by her site and see what it is all about.)

http://mybedroomblog.blogspot.com

“Real talk on all things sensual... Relationships, sex, love, dating... a girl's point of view!”

(This author is one of the most talented writers that I have had the pleasure to come to know. Every post gives her readers an unimpeded view into the life and mind of this young vibrant human being. Her outlooks are edgy yet sober. She approaches the myriad of topics contained in her site with unabashed openness and frankness yet maintains tasteful dignity throughout. A song writer and entrepreneur, she has a multitude of talents that round out her perspective on life and make her words useful for those that enjoy her site.)

http://teensuicidetalk.com

“Have the Courage to Live Anyone Can Die” Robert Cody

(I am going to leave the, what and why, to the quote above. Life is precious. Young life, has not even begun to blossom and move towards the potential it represents.)

http://focusorganic.com

“My name is Stefanie, and I started Focus Organic.com. I am currently trying to live a more green life myself, and I hope to share what I learn with the visitors of this site, and to also learn from the visitors. In learning to be more eco-friendly, we can better ourselves, our lives, and the planet. Implementing even just small changes into your daily living can help to make a big difference, and my hope is that, with this site, you may learn something new and decide to make your life more green, as well.”

(The intent of this site is apparent in its title. Stefanie is a talented author that has chosen to champion the Green Movement. I was able to trade comments with her for a while because of one of her posts regarding the recycling of cell phones.)

To all the recipients of this “Arte y Pico” award, congratulations! A great deal of time and consideration have gone into the decision making process as to just who to give this award to. All of you have been found to truly deserve this recognition. I hope that you also take the time and effort to pass this honor on in the spirit of this award.

How is Eddie Boy doing?

2008-06-25T04:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! This is Luz again! I just wanted to share with all of you some of the amazing things Eddie has done. Since the April 17, (which by the way, the doctor is so surprised at what a fighter he is) Eddie had not been moving his eyes, but a few weeks ago, after a prayer and meditation, we all noticed, he began to move his EYES! (he's still sleeping but it was a miracle just to see his eyes moving)
Eddie currently has had a tracheotomy installed in his throat. When you have this, you can not make any sounds because of the cut in your throat the air escapes thus not allowing sound to come out. Well, Eddie has started making grunting sounds, and you can hear him coughing! The doctor is so surprised saying that he is so strong. She can not understand how he is making any noise at all.
Eddie began to move his little toes when touched, then he began to move them when he heard us speaking, then he moved his ankles, and last week, began to bend his knee! (the healing is moving upwards. We just need to make it go higher to the lungs and the brain stem). He is really doing better! We really believe your prayers are soooo strong. We can all feel the love.
Eddie is here with us, he just needs our prayers and love to show him how to wake up, because believe me he has the strength to wake up, and the will, he does not give up. Thank you for the love.

Would you leave your family to take a job in another country?

2008-06-14T01:19:00.000-07:00

Recently I watched a movie called “Caregiver”, made by media giant ABS-CBN and Star Cinema, starring Sharon Cuneta and John Estrada. The story focuses on a woman whose husband has left the Philippines to take a job in another country because the pay is considerably more in this other country than what it would be in the Philippines. They decide as a couple that she would leave their young son with relatives in the Philippines so that she could follow her husband to the foreign land. She resigns from her job as an English teacher and sells their home just before leaving. The plan is that within 2 to 4 years they might possibly save enough money to send for their son. Upon her arrival in this new country, she is hired as a caregiver in an assisted living facility. Here, she suffers some culture shock in her new job in that she is required to change the soiled diapers of elderly residents and also by the idea of this type of care, in and of itself, because it is not customary for Filipino families to “deposit” their seniors in this type of facility. She perseveres however and even experiences some minor triumphs even being promoted after a fashion due to her fine work ethic and excellent command of the English language. As the story progresses, we learn that the husband, who is a trained nurse in the Philippines, is but an orderly earning a fraction of what she believed him to be earning. Because of this he plunges into an emotional downward spiral becoming resentful of his life and even somewhat jealous of his wife’s modicum of perceived success in her new “career”. By the end of the film, her husband has decided that he has had enough and wants them to return to the Philippines where they will start life over from nothing. She had already given everything up to make this move in the first place and was inspired by her personal potential in this new land as well as feeling that her husband had already emotionally abandoned her. She decided that she would do something for herself and refused to go back with the husband to the Philippines. The last scenes of the film were of her still in the new country, only now her son was with her and the husband nowhere in sight. There were some sub-plots worthy of mention but this Post is not about the movie but what it is trying to show us.

There are men and women actively seeking employment in other countries because they cannot find meaningful employment in their own country. Another issue is that while they may have employment, the same position in another country might pay double or triple what they are able to make in the Philippines. This issue is especially marked among professionals, like doctors, nurses, and teachers who are lured out of the Philippines by salaries and opportunities that cannot be found in their homeland. This creates another problem known as “Brain Drain” because many of the finest in any given field leave the country and are not working for the benefit of their countrymen but for a whole other people and culture. Some of these OFW’s (Overseas Filipino Worker) work towards assimilation in their adopted lands and others are employed via contracts that last a couple years to as much as a few years.

The personal issues are abundant. Many of the people being recruited are not well educated and fall into the hands of human traffickers and sold into slavery or prostitution. Immense fees and loan payments of loans taken out to pay for the “fees” of both legal and illegal recruiters make it nearly impossible for some of these people to pay off the cost of getting the “job” much less being able to send money to loved ones. Others are abused by what would otherwise be legitimate employers, sometimes being accused of crimes and jailed because of false allegations. Often times, Overseas Filipino Workers, become stranded in far off lands because of war, natural disaster, or due to these unscrupulous employers and recruiters themselves. It is then up to the families to scramble to put together the means necessary to rescue their loved one thus adding to their burden. On occasion well meaning government officials pool resources to offer rescue to these families in need. An example of this type of assistance happened recently when the Senate President of the Philippines, Manny Villar, pooled certain resources and was able to facilitate the return of several such stranded Philippine Nationals.

Not all stories are nightmares. There are many that find meaningful employment in these far off lands. While abroad, these workers have built reputations as being talented and hard working. Often these OFW’s live frugal lives so that they can send relatively large amounts of money back to their families. It is not uncommon to hear stories of nice houses being built, businesses being started, and educations of children being paid for by OFW remittances. For some of these people, the opportunity to make this kind of money and the lifestyles that they have become accustomed to almost necessitate leaving repeatedly on new contracts. Minimum wage in the

Philippines

is currently pegged at approximately 380 pesos a day, or roughly $9.05. Meaning that for an eight hour day, you would be getting paid approximately $1.13 an hour. What would you do making this amount of money? Would you be motivated to find an overseas job thus requiring that you leave your loved ones behind even only for a couple of years?

The movie itself presented a real life scenario of people making difficult decisions. We all want the best for our families. Whether for our parents, siblings, spouses, or children we are all willing to make sacrifices for their benefit. Where do you draw the line? Is money the only consideration when deciding to be apart from your loved ones? Is leaving them for extended periods of time the only possible solution? Is the human cost worth the financial gain? (If there is a financial gain to be had) These are questions that can only be answered by you as the one living the life in question. The decision though must be weighed very carefully making sure that you do your due diligence to ensure that it is an educated decision, a decision that can affect not only your destiny but that of your loved ones and even that of your nation.

A message for everyone that has accepted Eddie Boy into their hearts and minds.

2008-06-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

The following words are meant for everybody that brought Eddie Boy into their lives by sending their positive thoughts, to him and for him, through prayers, well wishes, and inspirational advice.
Your continued support is sought and very much appreciated. I think that after you read the following message, you will agree that everybody's efforts have made a difference not only in Eddie Boy's life but that of his families and loved ones lives. Please let these words fill your heart with satisfaction;

Dear Sphinx & all you sweet wonderful people,
This is Luz (Eddie's girlfriend) Thank you for your words... I must admit that I have gotten a bit teary eyed by the beauty of your words. I am FEELING and SEEING and KNOWING that Eddie will open his eyes. The Doctor has said that he is doing things that someone in his state shouldn't be doing! THANK YOU EVERYONE... THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE AND LIGHT AND PRAYERS! I know for a fact that Eddie himself would be so touched by the love and kindness you are all showing to him, someone you do not know... THANK YOU and thank for spreading the word...
Love,
Luz

Can a positive thought save a life? Let’s find out together.

2008-06-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

Eddie Boy, as he is lovingly called by his family, was badly injured in an accident that left him with a severe head injury. He is currently living on a respirator in what can be described as a comatose state. Certain Medical Doctors have said that he has no chance for meaningful recovery. More optimistic Doctors have basically advised the family to wait and see. Needless to say, his family and friends are not willing to accept either prognosis. We all want Eddie Boy to open his eyes so that the real struggle toward recovery can begin.

Personally, I have heard several stories about people that have suffered severe head trauma caused by everything from gunshot wounds to being hit in the head by a helicopter blade. With proper care and support, these individuals have pulled through these life threatening incidents. I have no doubt, with our help; this same outcome will be available for Eddie Boy.

He is a good man that wants nothing more that to fulfill his obligations to his loved ones and live a life striving to be a positive influence on those that he may come into contact with. He is a teacher for a school that provides job training to young adults so that they in turn will be able to fulfill their obligations to their loved ones. His students love him and are also pulling for a speedy and complete recovery.

How much is a moment worth? How about a moment a day until further notice? Your good thoughts are urgently needed. We are not asking you for money, to buy a raffle ticket, or even leave the comfort of your favorite chair sitting in front of the computer.

I do humbly ask you for this. When you sit in front of your computer to check email or visit your favorite blog, please take a moment to think a positive thought for Eddie Boy. Please look at the picture of Eddie Boy as he is now after his accident then look at the picture of him before his accident. See in your mind his improvement from his current condition to how he looked when he was uninjured and happy, and then encourage him to open his eyes. We are all made from the same stuff. You can make a difference.

Also, if you have encouraging words for him and his family, please post them here and I will make sure that he gets every one. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude at this point for those of you who are already saying to yourselves, “I want to help this man because I can.”

You have heard the saying, “Penny for your thoughts.” How about, “Save a life for a thought.” That is, a thought a day until our friend opens his eyes.

“Same Sex Marriage” What does it mean for you?

2008-06-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

First off, let me preface this post with a simple disclaimer; Morality is relative to the life being experienced by the one living it. I do not endorse any particular religion or belief system. I do, however, endorse having one because such things are prisms through which we can focus the minds active force, also known as intent. By being able to focus your intent, you will have the ability to become a truly powerful being capable of serving and protecting those that you hold near and dear to your heart. These elements define your universe. The intent of this post is not to determine right from wrong. Our goal is to expose the topic in a way as to engender conversation. By doing so, people can make their own educated decisions and adjust their life paths accordingly.

Whew, now that the disclaimer has been taken out of the closet and set prominently on the mantle, let’s get ready to have a nice orderly discussion.

What is the issue? (Is there even an issue?)

Until recently, same-sex couples could not marry anywhere in the world. This final restriction was lifted during 2001-APR, when The Netherlands expanded its definition of marriage to include both opposite-sex and same sex couples. Belgium followed suit during 2003-JAN. Next came Ontario, a province in Canada in 2003-JUN. By 2004-NOV, same-sex marriage had become available in most Canadian provinces. When federal law C-38 was signed into law on 2005-JUL-20, SSM theoretically became available across all of Canada. However Prince Edward Island ignored the civil rights of same-sex couples, and refused to issue marriage licenses to them for almost a month until threatened by a lawsuit. Spain passed a law allowing same-sex couples to marry on 2005-JUN-29. South Africa's law came into effect on 2006-NOV-30.

The status of same-sex marriage in the U.S.:

Currently, only one man and one woman can be joined in matrimony and have their marriages recognized by the state, except for residents of Massachusetts who successfully won a court battle for the right to marry. Same-sex couples were able to obtain marriage licenses in San Francisco, CA, and in various towns in New Mexico and New York for short intervals of time during 2004. However, none were able to register their marriages.

As of 2007-MAR, almost all states have "Defense of Marriage Acts" or constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage, Exceptions are: New Mexico and Wyoming in the West, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont in the Northeast.

The Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian legal activist group, maintains "DOMAwatch" that describes the current status of same-sex marriage, court cases, etc. in each state. See: http://www.domawatch.org/

Text from: ReligiousTolerance.org (www.religioustolerance.org/hom_marr.html)

California under the leadership of “Arnie” is probably about to legalize same sex marriage because of a California Supreme Court decision. New York, while not legalizing it, intends to honor such unions consummated in other states or countries.

Let’s look at the word marriage. Yet once again I crack the cover to my ever faithful Encarta Dictionary: mar riage (noun) 1. A legally recognized relationship, established by a civil or religious ceremony, between two people who intend to live together as sexual and domestic partners. 2. A married relationship between two people, or somebody’s relationship with his or her spouse. 3. The joining together in wedlock of two people. These are definitions good enough for Microsoft Corporation, so they must be good enough for this discussion. Do you find it interesting that when addressing the “whom” in these definitions they use the term, “two people?” Not a man and a woman? Why is that, PC being displayed in educational text? Another interesting statement is that marriage is established by, “civil or religious ceremony.” We must be reminded that not all civil law is based on moral guidance. It is also civil laws that allow a pornography store to be located on the same block as a church. Both the church and the porno store having their own devotees. Civil laws in general are intended to serve the greater good of the community it is intended for without prejudice towards any specific group. Can the same be said about religious doctrine? Which religion you ask? I say, exactly.

Are we discussing societal or religious concerns? What about scale? Whose society or religion are we talking about? There are practices in certain societies around the world that are beyond the fathom to any other society around them. The same can be said for religion. So it can be understood that there are people around the world who are on both sides of the fence regarding this subject. But alas, we are talking about the United States of America, the land of the brave and home of the free. What about America? How will this affect America?

There was a time in our history that a man and a woman were expected to get married to somebody from the same community or church. By this I mean the same circle of friends, same background, more blatantly, the same color or race. It was unheard of for a white person to be dating, much less marrying, a black person. This separation was supported and even enforced by both religious and civil authorities of the time. It was said that to allow such unions to exist would cause the very fabric of decency and propriety to be irreparably damaged. The same stigma exists even today to some degree in certain communities around America.

Not to long ago being homosexual was something to hide and keep secret. If this statement were not true why does the saying “coming out of the closet” exist? There were laws, and still are in many places, threatening prosecution and jail time for people engaged in homosexual relations. In the past, people were released from military service because they were “gay”. Today we have the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy. Some of today’s most popular television shows have either homosexual themes or star people that live publicly homosexual lives. Ellen DeGeneres being a prime example.

The prejudices in America have evolved not disappeared. New egos are controlling the system that we live in. We have grown so intolerant that we tolerate the previously intolerable. Our horizons have broadened to the point that we can no longer see the trees for the forest. We now define society in terms of the individual without first defining just who that individual is. Glassy stares are intertwined with the angry glares. Some of you say, “What?” Some of you say, “Why”. Some are saying, “Huh?”

Picture in your mind a couple that lives in small apartment in the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. A small dog runs in circles elated that its master is turning a key in the front door lock. In the kitchen, a pot of home cooked tomato sauce is being stirred lovingly by skilled hands. Entering the kitchen, a leather briefcase is dropped onto the kitchen counter and a soup ladle is tossed into the sink as two lovers embrace and share a passionate kiss. Jeff pulls away and says, “What smells so good?” A smile crosses Philip’s face as he proudly announces that he is making a pasta dinner using his grandmother’s secret recipe. Just then Jeff’s six year old son from his recently failed marriage comes into the kitchen and announces that he is going over to his friend’s house to play video games.

If I did not mention any names would you have surmised that it was a story about two men? If I never mentioned any names at all would it have made a difference? This type of relationship exists on a grand scale in today’s America. With or without laws “legitimizing” such unions, these “families” will continue to exist and even flourish. Will the “legalization” of this standard result in even further societal change? I put it to you that “society” will change regardless. Will the change be for the better or worse? Relative to whom?

If you have read this far you might be asking me, “What now?” Well what now? How does any of this affect your universe? If you let it affect your universe it will. As with any issue that you decide to become part of, it becomes a part of you. You must take a stand and defend your opinion because it is your’s, it belongs to you; at the same time you must accept the fact the every human has the same right as you, and it too, must be defended.

Is there security in wealth? Can money make you happy?

2008-05-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

While planning this post I asked a friend of this site what she would like me to tackle as a topic. At first she stated that she was not sure but then immediately came up with, “How about security for money? Many people think being secured is about having money.” (By the way, her site is called Adventures of a Comsci Student and the address to her site is http://comscistudent.blogspot.com )

First, let’s look at the word security. Again back to my trusty Encarta Dictionary which defines security as follows, state of feeling of safety, freedom from worries of loss, something giving assurance, safety, precautions to maintain safety, asset deposited to guarantee repayment, and guarantor. There are more, but these should suffice. Apparently security is a hefty word affecting everything from emotion to financial growth. So on to the first question, “Is there security in having money?”

Money like everything else in your life is a tool, a weapon if you will. Like I have said before, weapons are only as good or effective as the person using them. This being the case, all weapons (or tools if you prefer) are just as capable of being a liability as they are of being an asset. Case in point, we have all heard of unfortunate chainsaw accidents as well as stories of the guy who won millions in a lottery only to end up broke and in jail a relatively short time later. We should now be able to deduce that money, in and of itself, cannot provide security. Can money move you in the right direction?

There is an old saying that money begets money. It is usually taken to mean that when you have money and invest it wisely, the more money you will make to reinvest. This cycle continuing until you’re extremely wealthy living the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Try looking at it this way. I have been saying that positivism and decision making, motivated by positivism, will create results filled with positive energies that translate into the attraction of a multitude of opportunities, which if taken advantage of, will better your position in your own universe. Could you agree that wealthy folk have fewer monetary worries than us average folk? The amount of worries may stay the same or even increase, but the focus will change. Once wealthy, priorities with regards to money usually evolve from trying to create wealth to maintaining, expanding, and guarding it. The stress and worry involved in not having money is and of itself a factor which drives negativity making being positive about money itself a difficult task indeed. So if the presence of money can foster positivism and the absence of it breed negativity, we now have a catch22. What comes first?

Ultimately, you CAN be positive and CREATE the environment for opportunity even without money. You just have to decide that this is what you want and make it happen. You will see that the more opportunities that you are presented with and take advantage of the easier it will be for you to advance your position in your own universe. Can money move you in the right direction? Yes it can, but the initial lack of it will have to be overcome by “YOUR DECISION” to change your position in your own universe.

Are you waiting for that perfect someone or are you with someone you want to be perfect?

2008-05-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

Governments have spent billions trying to avoid landmines. Here we are purposely stepping on them. If anything, we are here to try and help those that are coming up the path behind us.

The first word that I want to address is “perfect”. Is there such a thing? I believe in the pursuit of perfection. If you aim for the stars, you are sure to hit clouds. The problem with the “concept” of the word perfection is that it’s very perception is relevant to the one making the observation. How many of us have stood in front of a painting with a small sign beneath it declaring it a “masterpiece” while thinking that you wouldn’t hang it in your garage, yet somebody out there was willing to spend millions on it. Go figure. So is it okay to seek the perfect partner? Yes it is.

Here is the catch. Because everything can be perfect relevant to the person making the observation, the observation itself will be tempered by the condition of that persons universe at the time the observation was made, perfect perfection cannot truly exist. Can you name one thing that without exception, everyone who was exposed to it, would think that it was perfect? I did not think so. (This not being a perfect observation, somebody will think I lost my marbles.)

We are all in a state of change. Every day when you wake up, you are not the same person that went to sleep the night before. Thus the old saying, “change is the only constant”. This being the case, you can always pursue perfection tempered by the knowledge that the pursuit will never end.

We now know how to deal with our expectation of perfection. Let’s add to the flavor of the stew by slowly stirring in acceptance and gratitude to the mix. We must strive for personal control of our universes. Part of doing that entails following paths in our lives that make us the very best we can be. We do this so that we can protect and serve those that we hold near and dear to our hearts. Whatever life situation you find yourself in, including relationships, you need to ask yourself if it drives or hinders your attainment of your life goal. If you say no, then corrective measures need to be taken. But if you say yes, then you have by doing so, indicated acceptance of your situation. Once you have accepted your situation, you now “accessorize” your universe by showing gratitude for those things that you do have that further your pursuit of your life goal. When you move into a house or apartment, do you put your couch in the middle of the living room and think that you are happy with your new abode? You most likely will want to paint the walls, put up a picture, and change the shower curtains, right? You may never be able to add that second floor, but you accepted what was there, and were grateful for the protection your home provided for you.

You are thinking that is all well and good for those that are still looking. What about everybody that is already in a relationship? Well, I suggest that you read the previous post,”Is LOVE ever enough?” Well is it? Once you have answered this question and decided that the WHO is who it should be, then the steps are the same. You have made the educated decision to accept your situation. You now have to strive to make it what you want it to be first remembering that you can only change or control your own universe. The power that you do have is that through positivism and gratitude, you can affect change in those around you. Notice I said “affect” not outright change. The key is to do constant assessments of your situation and modify your decisions accordingly. When you ride a bicycle or drive a car, you will find that you make subtle adjustments as you move along to keep you on the path, right? Life is the same way.

Wait for that perfect somebody or is that somebody perfect? The pursuit of perfection is the key. Just remember that the expectation of perfection is unreasonable. Our mantra here is to be the very best you can be, not be perfect. Take care until next time.

Is LOVE ever enough?

2008-05-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

When is LOVE just not enough? Enough for what you might ask. I think that we need to explore just what love is a little more.

Why doesn’t he/she love me? I have done everything I can for him/her and I feel so unappreciated. Have you ever found yourself asking these questions? You might need to examine what love really is.

What is LOVE? Well the Thesaurus in my trusty Microsoft Word defines it as follows: to feel affection for, adore, worship, be in love with, be devoted to, care for, find irresistible, be keen on, be fond of, and lists hate as the antonym of LOVE. The defining factor in all of these examples is that they are all “outward bound” acts. LOVE is something you give and not something that can be expected in return.

Love has many defining factors depending on where it is coming from. Mother, father, child, sibling, teacher, mentor, or even coaches have the ability to love you. Each one of those people that I just mentioned will love differently depending on their individual life experience. Each one of us has experienced love in different ways from the time of our births. The ideal of love has been burned into us by our life’s experiences and decisions. (And Hallmark card quotes)

We have all heard the term “unconditional love” have we not? Again, it is an ideal which is outbound by nature and by its own name more in line with what we are discussing here today. You cannot hear that term and expect unconditional love. You have to be the one to be willing to give it. You have to make the decision that you will love, serve, and protect the target of this priceless gift whether or not the same energy and devotion is ever returned to you. A parental relationship is where you most often see this kind of love thrive, mothers more specifically. We have all heard of the mother that still housed her floundering 29 year old “child” who is still trying to find his/her niche in the world. That floundering “child” by the way verbally and in some cases physically abusing the doting mother. Yet there he/she is, cowering in the safety of mom’s apron. Ask her if LOVE is enough.

Now we look at marriage. You were attending a party when out of the corner of your eye you spot her/him. Out of the corner of your eye you notice her/him glancing your way. Before you realize it you are out on your first date ordering that house salad when you would have ordered the full rack of beef ribs with all the fixins. In a flash a diamond ring is purchased and being gingerly placed on a delicate finger. You turn around and running by at breakneck speed is your son being chased by his sister with a pair of scissors. Now you want to ask if LOVE is enough. Your decision making abilities have brought you this far. Now where will they take you?

It is now when the word martyr comes into mind. Does anyone have to martyr themselves in a marriage? Well if you consider yourself one, you have already given up and left. Love is no longer what you have to give. Self pity and regret are what now consume you. By staying in this situation you are perpetuating the negativity that you so desire to escape. It is akin to a drowning person asking for a glass of water. The real tragedy here is the fact that the negative energy you are creating is affecting those around you also. Maybe better said to say that it is infecting those around you. It would be virtually impossible to maintain any level of positivism in this situation. I ask you again, Is LOVE ever enough?

Is LOVE ever enough? That can only be determined by the person giving it. You need to look within and decide that you want to be where you are at. That you have a clear understanding of what particular situation you are in and once you have decided that you are “all in” you need to make clear decisions as to how your decision will effect those around you. Remember that you should make decisions that first improve your position in your universe with the intention of improving the position of those that you love in theirs. LOVE is always enough. The real question is, FOR WHOM?

Speak up about poor service and give people a chance to shine.

2008-05-03T23:20:00.001-07:00

Part of owning your universe is defending your right to be treated well in everyday situations. In short, when you are a customer, you should be given every courtesy and respect that should be given by a business wanting your loyalty and more importantly, your money.

The other day a good friend of mine invited me and my family to watch Iron Man at a local shopping center called Rockwell. Yes I am a fan of these comic book based movies. Shoot me.

Rockwell Power Plant Mall is an upscale shopping and dining destination. This mall is a very nice place. One of the attractive features here is the fact that there are not that many people walking around so the environment is unhurried and relaxed.

We arrived a bit early for the movie. My friend had actually pre-purchased the tickets so there was no need to stand in line. Deciding that we were all hungry we began the difficult process of choosing which of the many fine restaurants we would eat in. Finally after careful deliberation and a couple of false starts, we chose a place called “Kaya”.

Located in what would be considered the “food court” of this mall, Kaya is competing with several of Manila’s heavy hitters in the restaurant industry. Kaya itself focuses on Korean fare on a somewhat affordable level compared to other similarly apportioned establishments. The restaurant itself is relatively small but nicely decorated in what could be considered a fusion style of modern Asian design and Denny’s. You would have to read a menu to fully realize that this was a Korean restaurant.

Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted by several employees repeating what I think was “welcome” in unintelligible Korean. I asked to be seated in a place that had an electric outlet nearby because I knew that the battery of my laptop was running low. Without hesitation the server lead us to a table near the kitchen entrance and after seating us, proceeded to pass out menus.

It was when the server came to take our orders that the problems started. First, my wife usually does not order anything when we dine out with our two children. There is inevitably a large amount of leftovers which she then happily consumes so as to not waste perfectly good food. The problem here is that to keep the pricing deceptively reasonable, it appears that the portion sizes were kept very small. I did not have a scale with me but it seemed that the portions were approximately 80 grams or so. When you order kalbi ribs a good portion of that will be bones. This order did not go very far and we were forced to order more items. Good for the restaurant but does not make you feel like you are getting very much value for the buck. I would have preferred to have been charged slightly more and been pleased with what was brought to the table. My wife had a sour look on her face almost the whole time. Not only was there nothing left for her but the kids wanted more.

I on the other hand was “watching” everybody eat. Yes I said watching. My food was missing in action. My friend followed up twice. Each time he would ask where my order was our server would rush off never to be seen again. The third time we followed up, another server came back informing us that all the items we ordered had been served already. By this time, the group had finished eating and I was upset and hungry. I immediately called for the original server. When she arrived at the table I tried to ask what had happened to my order. Not having a good answer to my question, she said sorry and asked if I still wanted it. That was the last straw, I asked for the manager.

Her name is Cynthia A. Esperanza. She introduced herself as the manager of the restaurant. After explaining what happened she called the server over to ask her side of the story. The server to her credit admitted that she made a mistake. Ms. Esperanza then explained that the server would be disciplined and apologized for any inconvenience before she returned to the kitchen. I thought that the problem was solved. I was still not happy at this point and definitely still hungry.

After a few minutes a server came out with two bowls of ice cream. I thought it was a nice gesture and thanked the server. I thought again that the problem was solved. I was less hungry and a little happier by this time.

A few minutes later, two full plates of cool delicious watermelon, and two plates of sweet sliced pineapple were placed in front of us. The group was shocked. I was impressed. I called the manager to tell her that I was very happy with her attitude towards customer service. I could not think of anything else that she could possibly do to show us how much she did not want to loose our business. After we paid the bill, she had one more surprise. As we walked out of the restaurant, she handed me my missing order. Incredible. She even handed my two kids lollipops as we left. I will definitely be dining here again.

My point in telling you this story is two fold. First, when you do not get what you are paying for, you must not be afraid to speak up. By “letting it go” you are actually empowering the negative service to continue and affect others. You are also perpetuating being a victim. This negative energy will remain within you attracting more such incidents. Secondly, this manager should be very secure in the service industry that she chose as a career. She was willing to make decisions that some may think went above and beyond what was necessary to not loose a customer’s loyalty. To her it was a natural decision which demonstrated that she has taken ownership of this business. This is an invaluable asset in an employee and the owners of Kaya should be happy to have her on board.

Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana. Scandal or Stupid Decision?

2008-05-01T00:33:00.000-07:00

Miley Cyrus, maybe better known as Hannah Montana, is in the spotlight yet again, not because of a great new song but because of what appears to be “inappropriate” pictures taken with her father who is also her manager.

I viewed an online video of the photo-shoot where these photos were created. Did I perceive the set up to be inappropriate? Let’s take a closer look.

Miley was dressed in jeans and a tank top. During the video she playfully hung upside down during the setup of the shoot like any girl her age would, but in front of the camera gone were the girlish and sometimes goofy smiles she is so well known for. What posed in front of the camera was a blossoming young woman becoming used to her feminine charm and power. I was surprised to see her father come onto the set and strike a reclining pose sitting on the floor resting on one arm. Miley then “decorated” her father by leaning onto him then lying next to him with her head resting on his lap.

What was my initial impression? Inappropriate. She was not just being a girl hanging out with dad shooting some promotional shots. She was not being Hannah Montana in those shots. The poses with the dad were not your average daughter and dad shots. The eye to eye contact captured in the shots did not have parental overtures. If I did not know that this was a father and daughter, I would have believed that these two were intimately involved.

Do I think that they are having some kind of illicit relationship? No I do not. Was this a textbook example of incredibly poor judgment? Yes it was. Some image consultant probably advised them to do this photo shoot saying that Miley has to develop her image after Hannah Montana. That she will not be a kid forever. Show the fans that she is maturing and in connection with that, not be type cast as a Disney character for the rest of her career. Was this good advice? Maybe it was. But the execution was a blunder in the umpteenth degree.

Lastly, the dad was the most to blame for this situation. He is her manager. More importantly he is her father. He is there to not only protect her business interests but to help her make the proper decisions regarding her image and lifestyle. To help her learn the thought process that goes into making good solid decisions for herself. What I saw was an aging man who enjoyed the attention he was getting to the detriment of his daughter. He was posing for his fans trying to look cool and attractive. He was not there trying to look like Miley’s dad.

Another example of how your bad decisions can have far ranging effect on those around you. Ego strikes yet again and claims two more victims.

What is the purpose of religion? Does religion or its lack of, affect your personal security?

2008-04-20T22:50:00.000-07:00

First off, this blog does not intend to promote any religion or spiritual belief over any other. There is no hidden agenda looking to demonize any culture or viewpoint. Morality is relevant to the person reading these pages.

My target is the mind and the intent that is the minds active force. By having control over your mind, you can direct your intent to accomplish the goals that your mind sets. Every person has the ability to accomplish grand things. The scale of the grandness that you are capable of is relative to the scope of the life that brought you to this point. An example of this would be a baby taking its first step. That first step is quite a grand event for that baby, but relatively mundane for its older sibling. The older sibling rides a bike successfully for the first time, but not quite so impressive to Lance Armstrong who won the Tour de France 7 times. Each one of these events is equally stupendous for the person enjoying the success. The same can be said for failures.

Religion, meditation, spirituality, Buddhism, and every other form of belief that exists today are prisms through which we focus the intent of our minds. Why are there so many? Why are they so different? Remember that what will make sense to you today is relative to the maturity and intellect afforded to you by the life that you have led which brought you to this point. People will naturally gravitate towards those people with the same basic principles, intellect, and temperament. There is security and comfort in being with a group of like minded people and it is easier to belong to a group that already exists in a form that closely resembles the person you already are. Hence, since there are so many different kinds of people, the need to cater to them gave birth to the multitudes of religions, sects, cults, and multi-level marketing schemes we see today. Some very tolerant and forgiving and some quite militant in the way they deal with society in general around them.

Each religion has its methods by which it inculcates its agenda or belief upon its members or followers. Rigorous studying, verbal indoctrination, or sermon, meditation and chanting, guided prayer, seclusion, pain, or intimidation. Through prayer or meditation, one is able to seek the assistance of some higher being or god to accomplish things that are important to the person seeking the help. Many people thinking the same and praying or meditating for the accomplishment of a common goal is quite often requested or organized among these groups. Again some are benevolent and some are quite malevolent in intent. The interesting thing is that these extremes can exist in the same group purporting to have the same goal, serving the same higher being. Inevitably, in many cases the leaders of these groups at the base of the alter are serving a very powerful force indeed, and that force is known as the “EGO”. It is because of this, that the followers of these leaders become tools being used to push an agenda which serves the human leader of a group and not the higher being or god that it was intended to serve.

Ultimately humanity itself is the only common irrefutable baseline that we all share. As humans we are all born with innate abilities to create reality for ourselves. We all have the right to make decisions for ourselves and die fighting for them if necessary. If we could only leave being judgmental, our egos, and personal agendas at the door, what kind of world could we enjoy today? Mankind has the ability to attain perfection, nirvana, and heaven, but not the will to do so. As individuals we can strive for these things and even attain them within our personal universes. One day we will attain them as a species.

Can allowing yourself to be raped be considered "Self Defense"?

2008-04-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

What a question right? You are screaming at your screen thinking there is no possible way letting yourself be raped be considered "self defense". Let's see if we can modify your outlook.

We now understand about "broadcasting" but remember that predators occasionally make mistakes or you were distracted by some life altering incident leaving a hole in the fabric of your armor. Then it happens, you are confronted by an attacker. What now?

First, you are still the confident and self controlled you. This is important in that when we "loose it" we really are losing self control and therefore the control of our life. When that happens, the circumstance now controls you and not vice versa. Assess the situation. Where are you? Are there people around or nearby? What is around you? What does your attacker look like? What is he wearing? If you get a good grasp of the knowns, you can more methodically handle the unknowns. Listen to what the attacker is saying. Etc. etc. etc.

We will spend more time, another time, going over making assessments and what to do with those assessments. Right now I am trying to intrigue you, so let's get to the question.

You are now, after careful assessment, at the point where the attacker is about to rape you. Remember, your universe is yours. You have created this universe for yourself decision by decision since the day that you could make decisions. You are now cornered in a place that nobody can come to your aid. (Why you are here in the first place?) You have tried talking to this person. You told the attacker your first name and that you have three kids or a mom, dad, and little brother. This humanizes you. You have asked that the attacker simply does not do this.

The attacker moves closer. You assess the attackers size and strength. Can you fight? Do you know how? The attacker grabs you. What are your options?

Remember, when you make a decision for yourself, your psychological "survivability" is much improved over when your ability to make a decision for yourself is forcibly taken from you. Rape is just such a thing. It is not sexual in essence. Rape is about power and control. The very things that you work for on a daily basis. The decision to allow yourself to get raped, gives you back control over your body and psychological health. Here's how.

There have been women that before being raped asked the assailant to wear a condom. She would say that she has an STD or that she did not want to get pregnant. There have been women that offered to give the assailant oral sex instead of vaginal intercourse, some even getting the person to wear a condom for that. Ultimately, some knew that if they did not give in to the attackers demands, they could quite possibly be severely injured or killed. The difference between these women and too many others, is that these women made the "conscious decision" to "allow" the rape to take place. This is quite different from "losing it" and your decision making ability being torn from you leaving you totally helpless and ultimately victimized.

In the end, the decision is yours to make. Fight or not to fight? What is right or wrong? The answer is, what can you live with? What can you accept? Make your call and go for it.

Think of these things now. Then make decisions in your life that will prepare you for whatever may come your way. First, live your life in a way that minimizes the opportunity for these types of things to happen. Where you travel, how you dress, your "broadcasts", the people you know, are just some of things that determine your "threat matrix". Do you know how to fight, use that gizmo your friend gave you, shoot that gun?

I want you to ask yourself right now where you are in connection with all of this. Ask the questions I asked in todays entry. Then make decisions to improve your knowledge base. If you need more information or advice, just ask via the comments box. I will do my best to give you an answer as soon as possible. If I do not know the answer, I will research it for you and let you know where to look.

Thanks for reading. Please tell a friend about this BLOG. Take care.

Advice for women regarding "Self Defense"

2008-04-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

"Self Defense", "Peace of mind", and "Personal Security" all start from within. You must develop a sense of self and personal worth. Again, we are back to decisions. Remember that we are in total control of our personal universe.

Let's talk about the practical application of this. Picture a lioness crouched low in a thick cover of brush. She is observing a small group of animals foraging for food relatively nearby. In the group of animals that she is observing there are several that appear to be strong and healthy. Among the group there are also old and young along with one or two that appear to be sick or injured. She is deciding which one she is going to attack. It is hot, very hot. She will only have enough energy for one attempt. If she exerts to much energy, there is a chance that she might not be able to recover from the exertion. Which one would you pick and why?

The lioness will go after the one that her instincts told her will be the easiest for her to down. The animal that she decides to chase will be "broadcasting" to the lioness certain signs or symptoms of weakness or vulnerability. It is these "broadcasts" that over time drew the attention of the lioness and ultimately steeled her intent to attack. The broadcasts I speak of are things like a limp, labored breathing, distance from the rest of the animals, and age. The social structure of some animals can also come into play. Can lioness make a mistake? Yes. There are many incidents where the Lioness attacks an animal that is able to fight back and sometimes even kill the lioness. These mistakes are often due to inexperience or simple desperation. What does this have to do with you or any other woman?

Simple, you control your universe and the "broadcasts" that you impart to the world. If a video was made of you going about your daily activities that you did not know was being made, what would you think about the woman you were watching? Was she confident, strong, determined, intense, and friendly? Did she appear weak, sick, confused, lost, sad, or ambivalent? Now put yourself in the place of the lioness. Which one would you attack if you saw both versions of you moving about?

Now the first step to personal safety. Is your life your own? Do you control your personal universe? In an earlier blog entry, we talked about this using a person with an addiction as an example. When you give your life away, you no longer have the power to make decisions for your yourself. Your addiction is now in charge and making decisions for you. Your addiction will not make decisions in your best interest but in it's own best interest to your detriment. Does this sound appealing? When your life is living you like this, you can rest assured that whatever predatory element there is in your addictions life, it is looking straight at YOU. Please read that last sentence again because it is not a typo. It is very important.

Let's end today's time together by deciding to take a long look at where we are in our lives. At the end of that moment of reflection, consciously ask yourself if you own your life. If your answer is no, ask yourself who or what owns it now? Knowing what or who is in control of your life is the second step in taking it back. The first being able to admit that it is no longer your life and that you in fact gave it up. After this, I want you to stand in front of a mirror and tell your addiction that you are taking your life back, and that as of that moment you are in charge. From that moment on start living your life one decision at a time. You must look at every decision from that moment on and determine if it will further your life goal at that moment of keeping your life and not giving it away again. This is our journey together. Not yours and mine alone, but all the like minded people that share the same intent.

We are going to be on this for a while. For the guys out there that may have gotten this far in this entry, please know that this is also for you. The same principals apply to male beasts in the wild. Not just the females of the species are hunted. Another way this applies to you is that it would become a requirement that you educate the people you love for their best interests. If you were given a vaccine for some deadly disease that was going around, would you share it with your wife, daughter, mother, or sister? Do I really need to ask?

Take care. See you soon.

In Loving Memory of Rose Mabel Thorpe April 19, 1924 - April 6, 2008

2008-04-11T08:14:00.001-07:00

I just found out that my Grandmother died. The last time I actually saw my Grandmother I was still quite young, less than ten years old in fact. I remember the first time I was able to talk to my Grandmother after so many years of not seeing her, it felt like I was still that little boy who dearly loved his "Gramma".

I opened my email for the first time in a while and was looking through the subject list when I saw the email regarding the death of my Grandmother. My aunt sent it to me. I am so thankful that she thought to do that. It was a very wonderful thing for her to do considering how things must be right now. I love her and respect her a great deal.

Grandma was a spunky, quick witted, loving person. I was getting regular phone calls from her for quite a while. She was on a fixed income, yet she found the resources to keep in touch with the ones she loved. No matter how I was feeling at the time of her calls she would lift my spirits and with a simple, "I love you", make me feel needed and appreciated.

Right now I feel not only an emptiness inside of me but also a deep and gnawing sense of personal guilt. I live a long way from family. Grandma complained that I lived too far away and would ask me to move closer to kin. I always told her that I would try. When she called, Grandma used to ask me to call her more often because her limited income did not let her talk to me often enough. I always told her that I would try. Grandma would ask for pictures of her grandkids and my wife so that she could at least look at the pictures if I could not bring them to visit. I always told her that I would try. I apparently did not try hard enough. I let my Grandmother down.

I want to say goodbye: "Grandma, it's me David. Thank you for keeping me in your heart and mind. Please forgive me for taking you for granted. For thinking that you would always be there, and that I would have all the time in the world to fulfill my promises to you. Please forgive me for not being there to hold your hand and comfort you when you had your stroke. I can only find comfort in the hope that you were never alone. Just know Grandma, that you will always be in my heart. More importantly I want you to know that you were a large part of the catalyst that helped changed my life for the better. That change inspired me to start this blog. So if we can help even one person in a meaningful way, your legacy will live on as part of a much greater movement. I love you Grandma. Rest well."

I still feel shallow and dissatisfied.

My Grandmother's decision to show me how much she loved me really did change my outlook on things. A decision that she made not knowing what set of circumstances she would be unleashing on the universe. A decision made with no other motive other than to get and give a little love and attention. She helped change my life. I am motivated to help change others lives as well.

Your life path is complete Grandma. Good Job. I am so proud of you!

What can we learn from "American Idol"?

2008-04-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...What the heck is this guy talking about? What in the world does that show have to do with security and/or self improvement. Well the first may not be so obvious but the second should be fairly obvious. Again, give me a modicum of your ever so stretched patience.

Well first off, it can be debated whether "American Idol" is actually purely a singing contest or a popularity contest. I do happen to think that the best singer has not always won or even placed commensurate to the talents ability. That being said, it is not my intent to critique singers here. What I do want to comment on are the singers as plain old people. The day before the auditions are even aired, these folks were salespeople, teachers, high school students, etc. They came from every walk of life imaginable. We have seen them rich, poor, tall, short, white, brown, beautiful, and ugly.

Of course all of these observations are relative to the person making them. Me and you. There is one common thread that ties all of these people together no matter what any body's observations are. Each one of these people had enough belief in themselves and the intestinal fortitude to go through the onerous procedure of first trying out for this show then doing what it took to stay in contention for as long as the soft hearted public would allow. That to me is a prime example of creating an ultimate goal for oneself then following a narrow and stringent path toward the ultimate realization of that goal. Again, everything being relevant to the person living the dream, for some, even getting in line in the first place was an accomplishment that would change their lives forever. Remember that lives are lived not one day at a time, but one decision at a time. Would your life be any different today if Fantasia decided that it was too hot to stand in line while she was waiting to audition and left? If your memories are a part of what you are today, then yes, your life would not be the same. For some, the idea of a struggling single mother suddenly not having to worry about next months rent would be at the very least inspiring. If her deciding not to get out of line that day can change lives, Should you be more concerned about how your decisions may affect other peoples lives? If you cannot see this logic then please ask the drunk driver how he felt after the accident when he could have not had that last couple of beers. If you cannot see this logic then ask the child of a single teenage mother who did not insist that her boyfriend wear that condom.

We are not only a product of the decisions that we make, but quite frequently others can become a casualty of the decisions that we make. In the end, when you do something erring on the side of the positive, more often than not the outcome will also err on the side of something good.

My next blog entry will focus more on the cookie cutter side of "Security", but as we grow together, you will see that everything has to do ultimately with us needing to be the best us that we can be. Take care.

You are a result of the decisions that you make!

2008-04-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

Hello again. Well, I feel that if we are to take this journey together We must have a concrete starting point. What I mean is that true personal peace of mind can only come from something that you have total control of. That something is what you decide to do on a daily basis. More simply put, how you live your life.
I teach a martial art that believes in what is called a life path. It says that a person should set for themselves an ultimate goal in life. Once set, it is not the accomplishment of the goal itself that really matters. What matters is if at the time of your death, can you look back and honestly say that you did everything you possibly could to accomplish that goal. A person needs to set the life path to ultimate personal fulfillment and only follow paths that lead you directly to the accomplishment of your ultimate goal. It is when you start down side roads that conflict come into play.
What is an appropriate life goal? Well like everything in life, that is a relevant issue to where you are in life. What is your personal maturity? What is your spiritual maturity? Does a life goal need to be awe inspiring in nature? No. The point in your life that you are now is a direct result of the decisions that you have made in the past. Right now you have to decide where you want to be in the future. This future can be in an hour, in a day, in a year, in ten years. There is nothing written in stone telling you what the rules are, only that decisions need to be made. If you have a an addiction, your decision making with regards to life goals will be very narrow in nature. First off, your life is no longer yours to live. You gave your life to something else. It's priorities are now what is important. You must first take your life back. This is your first decision in your new life. Now everything after that must lead you only to your ultimate goal which can be not to give it away again. Your life decisions at this point may be to get you through the next 30 minutes, never mind tomorrow. You cannot take life day by day. Life at this level must be lived decision by decision.
How does this relate to security? Bear with me.
Remember, it is not the actual accomplishment of the goal that will define you as a person. It is the way you lived your life in the pursuit of that goal which will truly define you. We have all seen the beauty contestant who bravely states that it would be her goal to solve hunger in the world. Does she actually do anything about it? Would it be possible even for one person to do this? Look at Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, even George W. Bush. Each of these people have changed the world to some degree. Have they changed anything totally for either the better or worse? No, but it can be argued that their personal decisions based on what they wanted for themselves and the world in which they lived, did indeed define them as individuals and more so, left an indelible effect on those people around them. You as a father, brother, mother, sister, or friend can do the same thing in your world.
Did I say "your world"? Yes I did. I bet you did not know just how much power you have? Close your eyes for a moment. Relax your mind. Take a deep breath. Now open your eyes again. Congratulations, you just created the world in which you live. The more people that you can get to see the world the way you do, the more power you have to make change on a global basis. The larger your influence will become. Your life on the other hand, is yours to command NOW.
Some of you say, "Huh?" Some of you say, "Ah!" Some of you say, "I knew that." Some of you are saying, "What an Idiot." Good for all of you. Tell or ask me why you are saying any of those things. As for this topic, we are not finished just yet.
Take care until next time.

Why discuss this?

2008-04-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

First off, I do not want anyone to think that I will only be talking about security in the missionary sense. Really how one lives one's life will reveal the total sense of how secure one's life can be. Don't get me wrong, gadgets gizmos and techniques will definitely be covered. Please feel free to ask questions, give feedback, or just critique.

First topic will be true to the title of the blog. Is pepper spray and/or an electric zapper a good method of self defense for your loved one. The simple answer is that out of the package, NO. Any weapon is at its basest an extension of the person using it. So if your loved one is timid and introverted, the way that the weapon will be brought to bear will reflect those same traits. Your loved one must be trained to use the weapon, and more importantly be willing to use it.
You must make sure that your loved one knows how to use the weapon. This means training. Many martial art schools will be able and willing to offer some basic instruction with whatever gadget you may present. You may just have to sit through the sales presentation trying to sell you 3 years for the price of two. As we grow together within this blog I will give specific training recommendations for whatever topics we may get into. For now please be a little patient because I am still getting used to this whole blog thing.

Then there is legality. Is your loved one even allowed to have the weapon in question on their person in the area in which you live? Let me explain my base philosophy on this matter. It would be better to be alive in jail than dead in a morgue. Most trials in self defense situations take into account extenuating circumstances which require an individual to take actions considered to be above the norm. My best piece of advice here is to make sure that the situation that is being "handled" is indeed a "self defense" situation and that you honesty and wholeheartedly felt that "your life or that of your loved one was in danger". That last statement was very important and should be part of any sworn statement that you make to the police after any self defense situation.