Posting via Blogger using an iPad 2

If you can read this post, that means that I was successful in my first attempt of using the Blogger app via iPad 2. The said app can be downloaded for FREE via iTunes and it's very user-friendly.  Discover it yourself and I'm sure you'll agree.

Now to explain the dark photo... I am actually doing this post in a dark corner of an apartment somewhere in Proj. 4, Quezon City.

And besides, it's Halloween in two day, rights?

What's a Healthy Deal?

Health is wealth.

How many times have you encountered this saying?  Did you ever consider it as your life’s mantra? Or you just treat it the same way you do with classic phrases like “Time is Gold” or “Love is God?”

It’s kinda sad that sometime most people only get concern with their health when they have symptoms of an ailment or worse, already suffers from a disease. 

Now here’s another motto that I’m sure would a ring a bell--- Prevention is the best cure.

I hate to admit it but I am one of those people who should be a little health conscious but would continue to live with the bahala na attitude. Bahala na if I get soaked wet under the rain… bahala na if I don’t exercise regularly… bahala na if I eat a lot of salty and fatty foods.

Then came a wake up call.  I got a news that a friend from high school was diagnosed with leukemia.  She’s just in her early 30’s and she’s a doctor.  It made me realize how life can be so short and that I am blessed to have a better health that I should maintain.  I should definitely take care of my body now.

Good thing, we are now in the times that health tips and useful information are easily accessed online.  Not only that, we can also avail of healthy deals with just a few clicks of the finger.  Have you heard about Healthy Deals Philippines?  HealthyDeals.ph, is the newest and only group-buying site in the Philippines that offers health and wellness deals, coupons and discounts exclusively.  It’s like I was browsing a mini health clinic online with the many products and services it offers.  The other good news is one can get quality and effective brands at less cost.

One product that caught my attention is the Glow Liniment and Glow rub that can be purchased at the discounted price of Php 60 each per bottle.  That’s 50% off from their original price.  I hate headache, stiff neck, back ache and muscle pain which is what Glow Liniment can take away from your body.  Glow rub is another pain killer that also helps better blood circulation.

This and other great health deals are available online at HealthyDeals.ph.

This is my entry to the What’s a Healthy Deal?” Bloggers’ Raffle Contest.

Did I say that health is wealth?

For more updates on products, events and promotions, kindly follow and like Healthy Deals Philippines’ Twitter account http://twitter.com/healthydeals_ph and HealthyDeals.ph Facebook page.

Got a biz? Multiply!

  
If there is one bible verse that will fit good as a mantra for every businessman, I think it would be "Go forth and multiply!"

One better way of taking it literally is by maximizing what technology and social media is offering today to every entrepreneur is by joining the Multiply marketplace.

I have just launched my very own Multiply store called Bargain Ben with the promise of quality products at less cost. Thus, my battle cry is Less Price, Let's Buy!  Please like Bargain Ben Facebook fan page for more updates. 

Of course, before putting up the said store I made sure that I have checked others store first to have a grasp on how the dealings would be like.  It was fun browsing to the many nice-looking shirts under Multiply Store Philippines which is one of the many merchants  that offers payments via BDO, BPI, GCASH, and PayPal and shipping options through Courier (Philippines) and meet-up or pickup between seller and buyer.

But what caught my attention that I end up buying an item is the store Check in Joy with it's various brand of perfumes at cheaper price.  It's very easy to buy a product. Please see the step by step procedure below on how I bought a Paris Hilton Pink 100 ml. for my wife.
  

Step 1: Choose the product you want to buy and click the BUY NOW button

Step 2: Click the PROCEED TO CHECKOUT button 

Step 3: You will be asked to log in to your Multiply account

Step 4: Choose your payment mode

Step 5: You will be redirected to your Paypal account (in case this is the one that you'll be using)

Step 6: A confirmation message will be sent to you and the merchant

Now, all I have to do is to wait for the merchant to contact me on how we can arrange the shipment of the product that I ordered. That simple, that easy!

You can contact Multiply marketplace through the following:

Telephone: (+632) 655.0937
Globe: (0917) 813.6171
Smart: (0947) 393.3671
Sun: (0923) 967.2875
Email: csph@multiply.com
Inquiry Form: http://multiply.com/info/contact 

The World Will End on October 21... Magkita naman tayo!

Cartoon by Bob Englehart from The Hartford Courant

Whenever I hear news about soothsayers predicting about the end of the world on a certain date, I would just smile and say to my self, “Who the heck are these people to know when our planet will stop rotating.”

The last individual who boldly predicted rapture was evangelist Harold Camping who said in a special broadcast on his radio program Open Forum that May 21, 2011 is THE DAY.  Of course, it did not happen.  After five months, guess who’s back with a new prophecy--- Mr. Camping.

Now he’s saying that October 21, 2011 is the REAL DEAL.  Well, that’s just a few days from now and I bet this 90-year old wannabe fortune teller will again eat his words and hopefully will be fed up with it and just spent his remaining years on Earth drafting his will and testament, or why not make a bucket list instead.

Hmmm… which kinda inspire to come up with my own bucket list for the spirit of fun if indeed, October 21 is the end of the world.

I’ve been known to my friends as a person who easily got stars trucked whenever I meet celebrities specially when I least expect them.  More than likely, I will never leave the venue until I have a photo with the celeb.  So, here are the five local personalities I’d like to have a picture with before October 21:

Vic Sotto.  I am arguably his biggest fan.  I have watched his TV shows and movies ever since.  I even have clippings of news, features and interviews on newspapers and magazines and video copies of his films when I was a kid only to loose a lot of them during a nasty flood that hit our home in Pasig more than a decade ago.  I have watched Eat Bulaga live at Broadway Centrum for a number of times but never had the chance to get near him.  My best Vic Sotto experience happened when he greeted me and my wife on air in an episode of Eat Bulaga on December 2006, a week before our wedding, after he read an article I wrote about him for The Philippine Star.  With Vic Sotto mentioning my name… priceless!

Vina Morales.  I am not ashamed to admit that I have a crush on Vina--- with all her muscles and sometime kinda OA way of singing.  I don’t care what other people say but the moment I heard her sing “Perslab” during the Wednesday edition of That’s Entertainment, I was just swept away and still a fan until today.  I had so many chances of meeting her since I worked for three years with the VIVA Entertainment Group, his mother studio then, but it never not happen.  My best Vina Morales experience was on my 25th birthday.  I was in the shooting of our company's TV commercial when I got a call from a well-wisher.  My office mates who were left in the office manage to ask Vina to call and greet me on that special day.  I still keep the autograph picture of Vina which she left on my office table with the note, “Hope to meet you someday”

Ronald Tubid. I am a certified Ginebra fan ever since I learned to love the game of basketball.  When I was young, I sometimes end up in a fight with other kids who would say bad words about my all-time basketball idol, former Senator Robert Jaworski (who I also want to meet).  When the Big J left the PBA, I looked for another cager to follow and I found Tubid--- a former school mate at the University of the East Manila.  He was known as “The Saint” in the early years of his career after being tapped as the face of the next Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod.  But because of his rugged plays and dare-devil attitude towards the game, he was christened as Mr. Fearless.  My wife knows this, I have skipped countless dinners and some important occasions just to watch Tubid and the Gin Kings play. Uber but true.

Ely Buendia.  I don’t know if I would ever enjoy college life that same way I did if Ely and the Eraserheads were not able to penetrate the local music scene in the 90's.  Thank God, it did not happen.  Eheads’s music was my anthem during the time I was looking for inspiration as a working student who has only enough money in my pocket for the cheapest meal and jeepney fare to go home on a day-to-day basis.  On my first year in college, the band scored a hit with “Ligaya” from their first studio album and the rest is history.  They are the only artists, local and foreign, whose songs I will never get tired of listening to.  Until now, I still can’t believe how I manage to buy all their albums since the cost of the tape then (a little over Php 150) was already my one week allowance.  Huwag mo nang itanong sa akin.

Ricky Lo.  If only I have the look of Piolo Pascual, height of say, Dingdong Dantes and the voice of Martin Nievera… I could have been a movie star.  Well, I thought then that being a movie fan is the nearest thing I can be until Ricky Lo, Editor of the Entertainment section of The Philippine Star opened the doors to writers who wants to contribute articles and movie reviews.  I don’t know if Ricky knows how people like me feels seeing our names going side by side with the newspaper regular columnists like Boy Abunda, Joey de Leon, Venus Raj and other veteran writers.  Feeling celebrity na rin ako for a day.  I have a dozen of my articles Ricky has allowed to be published in the newspaper which I will forever be thankful.  Thank you so much, Sir Ricky!

I really have a long list of the people I want to meet but since October 21 is just within the week, I'll have a short list for now.  Oh well, I can make another list after the said date. That is if the prediction is wrong.

The Watch that will make you Gwapo!

Suplado is the new sexy. This catchphrase is inscribed on the Suplado Watch, Stanley Chi’s exclusive timepiece from UniSilver Time. No, it’s not just some silly slogan. Or maybe it is – and therein lies its appeal.

Suplado Tips, Stanley Chi’s most recent book, has sold thousands of copies in less than three months. As the book continued to exceed expectations, corporate giant UniSilver Time knew better than to shrug it off as a mere fad. UniSilver Time came out with a watch that just might become as iconic as the book that inspired it: the Suplado Watch by Stanley Chi. 

The Suplado Watch is a digital timepiece available in black and white, with the tagline “Suplado is the new sexy” stamped on the strap.

To match the brazen humor of the timepiece, the ad poster shows local celebrity Iya Villania chasing after Stanley Chi, apparently made irresistible by his Suplado Watch.

The many retorts in Chi’s book, Suplado Tips, show off an unapologetic candor that is relatable yet funny, making suplado the new “it” thing. Being suplado (roughly translated as “standoffish”) has become an unorthodox trend in Philippine pop culture. It dares to stand on the edge of convention, a way to vent frustrations by walking away from what would have been a compromising situation, with one’s head still held high.

Because of the success of Suplado Tips, the country’s pop culture watch birds soon took notice. Spot.ph, a top online news provider in the Philippines, lauded Chi as an unconventional hottie. To quote, “Stanley's hot factor recently jumped from being simply nerdy college-boy crush to sexy hard-to-get hottie when he started dishing out Suplado Tips that apparently drive Pinays wild.” FHM, one of the country’s leading men’s magazines, also featured and depicted a few of the suplado tips from Chi’s book. Undeniably newsworthy, Chi’s iconic book was then featured in Yahoo! Philippines.

Chi’s suplado campaign is arguably the most sellable concept to grace the Philippine market this year. People who want a copy of Chi’s book often find themselves empty-handed; despite being available at all National Bookstore outlets nationwide, Suplado Tips is usually sold out. And if everybody starts wearing the Suplado watch, it will come as no surprise. 

As Chi says with pride, “Daig ng suplado ang gwapo (Suplado beats being handsome).” Owning a Suplado Watch is then a way for a suplado to show off without saying a word. Who knows? It may even have special powers to ward off bullies and other evil spirits.

The Suplado Watch by Stanley Chi is now available at unisilvertime.com and all UniSilver Time stores nationwide. 

For more suplado stuff, visit http://www.stanleychi.net. 


* This article was written by fellow bloger Stef dela Cruz

The Young Market Masters Awards is On!

Mansmith and Fielders, Inc., an advocacy-based company that aims to uplift the level of marketing practice among young professionals in the Philippines, announced that the search is on for the new batch of nominees who will vie for the 7^th Mansmith Young Market Masters Awards (Mansmith YMMA) 2012.

The 7^th Mansmith YMMA 2012 is open to Filipinos 35 years of age and below with at least 2 full years of service with a company at the time of nomination and who is described as an innovator.

There will be three categories: “marketing,” “sales” and “entrepreneur.”

The “marketing” and “sales” categories are open to marketing and sales achievers, whether they are marketing managers, brand managers, trade marketing managers, account managers, sales managers, business development managers, etc., and were responsible in uplifting not only their company’s status against its competitors but also built the sustainability of the brand.

The entrepreneur category, on the other hand, is for the owner or part owner of a business considered as the catalyst of the business. The business should be an innovative and pioneering enterprise that offers either a new product or an enhanced product but nonetheless should be out-of-the-box and inventive.

The independent judges for the 7^th Mansmith YMMA 2012 are all recognized experts in the field of marketing. The official awarding ceremonies for the 7^th Mansmith YMMA 2012 will be held on February 9, 2012.

 

The Mansmith Young Market Masters Awards was conceived in order to encourage and inspire today’s young marketing professionals to become innovators and catalysts of change for a progressive Philippines. Awardees are chosen based on how they create and implement ground-breaking, responsive and creative marketing and sales approaches that help build businesses and brands and achieve greater heights.

The Mansmith Young Market Masters Awards 2012, supported by its learning partner Abenson, and officially endorsed by the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA), the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), with TNS and Kantar World panel as research partners, is an advocacy project of Mansmith and Fielders, Inc. The group was founded and established in 1989 by industry leaders led by Chairman and Chief Marketing Strategist Josiah Go, and is composed of successful practitioners and entrepreneurs who specialize in the fields of marketing and sales, strategy and innovation training.

Deadline for submission of entries is on October 31, 2011. For inquiries, call (02) 584-5858 or (02) 584-8989 or email info@youngmarketmasters.com. Entries can also be sent via fax at (632) 722-2318 or 412-0034.

For more details about the 7^th Mansmith YMMA 2012 and to download nomination forms, go to http://www.youngmarketmasters.com.

Steve Jobs hugs the headline

I was looking for a tasty breakfast this morning and I got bunch of apples.  But they are not the usual red and tasty ones I love to munch.  Instead I got these black and white Apple and a reason to mourn for a few moments.

It's a Great Job, Steve Jobs!

UPDATE: This blog post was published in the October 10, 2011 issue of the Philippine Star Entertainment section.

When I was young, my eyes would light up whenever I hear the word “apple.”

It’s my favorite fruit that I only get to taste every New Year’s eve after I asked my Tatay to get it from the mouth of the roasted pig on our table (actually, it’s only roasted head of a pig).  It’s also a pasalubong from my Auntie Fe who works overseas every time he takes a vacation in our home in Pasig City.  That’s how rare a bite of apple then.

Today, apples are every where. From the market to grocery stores to sidewalks and restaurants, you’ll see them in various sizes and packaging.  But I am into another kind of “apple” these days.  It’s not something that I can bite and chew but it sure does satisfy my cravings for fun, information, entertainment and more.

I am talking about Apple Inc., a multinational corporation that makes consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad.     

I am not rich but due to persistence and the urge of want, I was able to own an iPod shuffle and an iPad2 courtesy of online contests where I manage to win.  Amazing is an understatement to describe my experience using these gadgets.  I need not to discuss what these stuff can do since I am sure many of us already had a hand on an Apple product, whether owned personally or by someone we know.

That’s why I look up the man who have invited the innovative line of creation that have provided not only joy and convenience to users but the priceless experience as well.  I am talking about Steve Jobs, the American computer entrepreneur and inventor who was the co-founder, chairman, and ex-CEO of Apple Inc.  Jobs also previously served as chief executive of Pixar Animation Studios; a member of the board of directors of The Walt Disney Company in 2006, following the acquisition of Pixar by Disney. He was credited in Toy Story (1995) as an executive producer.  

I am one of the millions who were shocked and saddened by his sudden death which was reported due to pancreatic cancer.  He was just 56.

Now, I feel like watching the made for TV movie Pirates of Silicon Valley, a 1999 film based on the book Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer by Paul Freiberger and Michael Swaine. It documents the rise of the home computer (personal computer) through the rivalry between Apple Computer and Microsoft. The film stars Anthony Michael Hall (The Breakfast Club) as Bill Gates and Noah Wyle (TV's ER) as Steve Jobs.

The movie begins with Steve Jobs (Wyle) speaking to director Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator), who was in the process of creating the first-ever commercial for Apple Computer to launch the Macintosh personal computer to US consumers in 1984. Jobs wants the TV ad to be a poetic, consciousness-raising statement but Scott is more concerned its technical aspects.  At this point, viewers are introduced to the kind of personality Jobs is.

The movie segues to a flash forward to 1997 where Jobs was announcing a new deal with Microsoft at the Macworld Expo. His partner, Steve Wozniak, played by actor Joey Slotnick, is introduced as one of the two central narrators of the story. Wozniak notes to the audience the resemblance between "Big Brother" and the image of Microsoft CEO Bill Gates (Hall) on the screen behind Jobs during this announcement. Asking how they "got from there to here," the film turns to flashbacks of his youth with Jobs, prior to the forming of Apple.

This is where the great stuff of the film starts to unravel.  Imagine, we will be taken back to the time how and where Apple and Microsoft started.  Jobs and Gates were just like any ordinary guys then who also experienced being caught on the campus during a riot between students and police, spending sleepless night with home works and other life’s ups and downs.  It just happened that the so called Pirates of Silicon Valleys have visions and innovative minds that would shake the world after a few decades.  And it all started in the garage of their home, of all places.

One eyebrow raising moment in the film, which I actually find cute happened at a San Francisco computer fair where the Apple II computer was introduced, Gates (the then-unknown Microsoft CEO), attempts to introduce himself to Jobs, who snubs him.  Now, that’s what you call clash of the titans.

Through the years, we have been witnesses to the “rivalry” between Jobs and Gates or Apples and Microsoft which was actually sort of a good thing for consumers because both companies strived to be on top in the industry thus producing the best products they can.

The movie ended with a scene during Steve Jobs’s birthday in 1985 where he was given a toast and then he was fired by CEO John Sculley from Apple Computer.   Of course, having of one of the greatest minds of the century, Jobs got his job back 12 years later and conquered the tech world for the next decade before his death.

Jobs maybe gone now but his legacy will continue to live on.  To this I say, great job, Steve Jobs!   

Say Goodbye to Acne

Proactiv Solution kiosk is Trinoma

Medical text books defines acne as a disease of the hair follicles of the face, chest, and back that affects almost all males and females during puberty. It is not caused by bacteria, although bacteria play a role in its evelopment. It is not unusual for some women to develop acne in their mid- to late-20s.

In my book, it is something that I squirm to recall having. You see, acne is the worst thing that I ever experienced during my college years. It has been an everyday ordeal for me on how to hide it (as if I can) or pretend I don't have it whenever I go out with friends and meet new acquiantances.  Actually, it might have been acne that caused bits of feeling of inferiority that I had then.

Well, good thing I survived it and can talk about it candidly the way I am writing about it now.  What made me blog about this topic is because I have a nephew in high school whose face is prone to acne.

But kids these days are just lucky to have innovative and effective anti-acne products that are made available by Proactiv Solution.


I was in Trinoma a couple of weeks ago and had a chance to talk to the saleslady of the Proactiv kiosk there and she was kind enough to discuss the Proactiv family of products.

Proactiv Oil Free Moisture with SPF 15, 50ml, Php1,099

This moisturizing sunscreen helps keep oily skin hydrated, balanced, and healthy.  This is ideal for people with dry or oily skin and frequently exposed to sunlight because it provides moisture with out added oil; It also protects the skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays that damages the skin

 

   Proactiv Sheer Finish Compact Foundation, Php 995

The medicated foundation helps to heal blemished skin.  It is a lightweight powder to wear alone or over Compact Foundation. It evens skin tones and absorbs oil to help keep your skin smooth and fresh looking all day. This is for people that are acne prone and wants to cover their acne blemishes since the medicated powder which helps prevent pimples from forming; it has salicylic acid that keeps pores clear and clean while giving a soft and natural finish.

Proactiv Sheer Finish Translucent Pressed Powder,  P 995

The sheer and light-weight pressed powder goes on smoothly and translucent for a truly flawless finish. Recommended to people with oily skin.  This serves as an Oil Free Make Up that eliminates shine and controls oil for a fresh face throughout the day.

Proactiv Clarifying Night Cream, 30ml, Php1,199

Skin clarifying pore treatment combines acne-fighting salicylic acid with retinol for powerful anti aging benefits. Perfect for people who are acne prone and sensitive to benzoyl peroxide. This is an acne treatment that contains salicylic acid to eliminate most acne blemishes and help prevent new break outs.  With the help of  retinol, this night cream improves clarity of the skin and reduce thee appearance of fine lines. It’s the perfect night cream for acne-prone skin.

Proactiv Daily Oil Control, 50ml, Php 899

Eliminate shine with our breakthrough lotion for oily skin!  A dramatic breakthrough in skin care, this oil-free formula gently helps your skin balance its own natural oil levels to help stop excess oil before it starts. Ideal for people who want to manage their oily skin because it acts out as an oil absorber that helps keep pores from clogging, skin from looking shiny and make up from streaking.

Proactiv Daily Protection plus Sunscreen SPF 30, 118ml, Php 1,099

Developed for acne prone skin, this light, oil free sunscreen shields you against the effects of the sun. Patented micro sponge technology helps absorb extra oil. People with acne prone skin who are frequently exposed to sunlight should have this for for daily use because it provides UVA/UVB protection for face and body

Proactiv Deep Cleansing Wash, 240ml, Php 999

Deep Cleansing medicated body wash fights acne on your back, chest & shoulders – everywhere! Highly-recommnded for people with acne all over the body especially in shoulders, chest and back. This is also a good alternative to benzoyl peroxide.  It is formulated to unclog pores and reduces oiliness while preventing future breakouts.  It also made to clear blemishes on the entire body.

Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer, 30ml, Php1,099

Perfect daily moisturizer for dry, acne prone skin absorbs and hydrates instantly.  This feather-light moisturizer absorbs instantly, designed to deliver deep hydration to dry, tired skin. It’s formulated with concentrated botanical extracts and powerful antioxidants for a moisturizing experience that’s as healthy as it is refreshing. Ideal for people with dry, acne prone skin as it provides moisture, hydrates the skin without clogging the pores and feeling greasy.

Proactiv Mild Exfoliating Peel, 30ml, Php 1,099

Complementary product for people with oily skin specially to those looking for an effective acne treatment. This is specially formulated with Salicylic Acid to penetrate pores for a clearer complexion. Mild sloughing action rolls away built-up sebaceous oil on the skin’s surface, while calming botanicals soothe the skin.

Below is a testimonial of a Proactiv Solution user which I found via Youtube: 
 

  
You may contact the following Proactiv Mall Mall kioks to check out the above mentioned products:

a.       Glorietta 3, Ground Floor  - (02) 388 2848
b.       Trinoma, 2nd Floor - (02) 380 3801
c.       Robinsons Galleria, 3rd Floor  - (02) 380 5506
d.       Marquee Mall, Ground Floor - 0915 385 3103
e.       Alphaland Southgate Mall, 2nd Floor - 0915 485 6660
f.        Ill Terrazzo Mall, Upper Ground Floor - 0932 720 6900