TSA and Terrorism: Visualizing

Ever wonder why you need to take off your shoes for X-ray at Ninoy Aquino Airport? I did because we were not required to do the same procedure in our flights from Thailand to Malaysia. But because of the following infographic on TSA (Transportation Authority Administration) and Airline Terror, I came to understand that Philippines NAIA is just following the protocol . On December 2, 2001 , TSA requires all travelers to remove shoes for X-ray following Richard Reid;'s attempted shoe bombing.

Click here to magnify
More useful and interesting resources at OnlineUniversities.net

The next time you're boarding on plane, don't get agitated with the long process of inspection, the TSA personnel are just doing their jobs for our safety. Most of all, our safety is their utmost prority.

Fraternities in the US

While working before as instructor/registrar/secretary to our school director, I noticed that during board meetings he exchanged secret handshake to other directors. If you happen to notice the same with your company directors or Big Bosses, don't be surprised. They happened to be members of college fraternities.

Why would anyone want to join a fraternity? It can't be denied that once you're a member of a certain fraternity,there's the promise of parties, living college life to the fullest, meeting pretty sorority girls and indulging in wild, alcohol-soaked adventures. On the other hand, there's the chance to become a leader and embody the values and ideals of a fraternity.

What I just dreaded about this kind of group is the process on how they recruit members. We're not strangers of the dangers of hazing and explore fraternity life.

Take a look at the following infograph about fraternities in the US. You notice that  fraternities (and sororities) are more than just freshman rush and beer busts. The social skills that help students gain admittance into the fraternity are the same aptitudes that can later give them a leg-up in corporate climbing. Plus, once they've graduated, they can tap into the network of past fraternity brothers or sisters who litter all tiers of corporate America.  

Browse similar resources at www.Online-Colleges.org

Should a Christian join a fraternity / sorority? Let me ask you first, Why would you want to join a fraternity / sorority? Depending on the motivating reasons, different issues come to the forefront. If one wants to join a fraternity / sorority because they have the best parties, the Bible says that such a life should belong in one's unsaved past, not in the present life of a believer (1 Peter 4:3). If you want to join a fraternity / sorority because of it being a status symbol, it may be an issue of pride. A Christian’s closest relationships should be with fellow Christians and not based on externals tie such as belonging to the same fraternity / sorority, having gone to the same school, coming from same race or social class, etc. Most colleges have branches of Christian organizations such as InterVarsity, Campus Crusade, and Navigators as well as good local churches who have college ministries to help young people come to know Christ and grow as His disciples. These groups and fellow Christians should be sought after as the core group of friends while one is away at college. In the end, the question of whether to join a fraternity or sorority is a matter for prayer and following God’s leading in our hearts.

Share your Bucket List and Get a chance to win $500 in Cash!

It all started when I watched the movie "The Bucket List" ( a movie about two terminally ill men who escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die)  when I started to make my own bucket list. My kind of bucket list is not really BIG things to do before I die but kind of "wish list" that I dream to have or accomplish before each year ends. I found one of my bucket lists yesterday while cleaning my desks. It was made last year and I was pretty amazed that I ticked them all! When I wrote them I never thought of the possibility of visiting Philippines on summer but we did! So that list inspired me to do another bucket list, this time it's kinda long term, let's say to be accomplished before I die I reached 40 years old:

1. Start a successful small business (boutique , perhaps?).
2. Learn to read and write Thai.
3. Get a Masteral Degree in Education.
4. Learn to play a piano.
5. Migrate to a country of choice.(more greener pasture) .
6. Read all of Agatha Christie's mystery novels.
7.  Go on a luxury cruise vacation.
8. Own our dream house and car.
9.  Celebrate important anniversary milestones in our marriage.
10.  Make a difference in the lives of others. It may be a simple random act of kindness or it may be a dedicated effort or cause that I'll join.

I still have got more to go! It is my intent to live fully, authentically and meaningfully before the good Lord take me back home!

How about you? What's in your Bucket List? Do share them and have a chance to win $500! I'm making this bucket list because I really wanted to win the $500 Budgets are Sexy giveaway, sponsored by Life Insurance Finder. I invite you to join me. How? Visit Budgets are Sexy for more details! Make sure you joined before midnight on Tuesday, October 4th.

6 Reasons on How a Blog could Help your Online Business

If you're into direct sales, Multilevel Marketing (MLM), freelance services, virtual services, tutorial, coaching and other online businesses, you NEED blogs! Facebook and twitter aren't enough. Business website is not enough. Though the aforementioned social networks could help, you still need blogs for the following reasons:

1. Connecting with Your Customers. I knew handful of magazine editors and businesswomen who maintained blogs. In their blogs you can read about their design philosophy or motivation in life and other things that would look out of place on a business website. They simply give us customers a peek into their private lives and put a human face behind their business. In this way, they're able to connect with their customers.

I will soon launch my own mini-fashion shop online and I already prepare a blog for this. This blog will allow me to be more relaxed, sort of let down my hair a little bit.

2. Giving Useful Information. This is going the extra mile for your customers. It is not enough to just sell them a product or service; they also get useful information from you regularly. Giving away this information for free on your blog boosts your credibility and makes a customer become a repeat user.

Example, I will be selling handmade jewelry proudly from Thailand. It's not enough to just show my customers beautiful photos of the products to enticed them to buy. I need to inform them what these handmade jewelry are made of:

They're made of stones (i.e. turquoise, howlite, jasper, jade, amethyst), fresh water pearls, brass, wax cord, glass beads and other embellishments. Having a blog will allow me to give my customers a closer look of what the products are made and that the price I set is reasonable. If they can't decide which product to purchase (I could understand with that because they're all fashionable, gorgeous and highly recommendable!) I could help them decide by producing product comparison chart, if that would be necessary.

3. Forming Community. Social networking sites are great for creating community but there are several other communities there to distract. Having a blog where people can read and leave comments is a way to create a community that engages. These are the people who eventually might turn out to be your most loyal customers.

4. Your Portfolio. Maybe you are a freelancer and are wondering how a blog could possibly benefit you? There is no better place to have a portfolio. If you are a freelance writer for instance, you are going to get asked for your writing samples a lot and not everyone who asks has scruples about using your work without paying for it. But if you had a blog with your writing on it, already published, you could just direct them there. Same with other freelance services offered like photography. A blog can serve as your ready portfolio.

5. Search Engine Optimization. For some reason, search engines love blogs and they get picked up regularly when searches are made within your relevant keyword, probably because of all the comments and links that go within a blog. So while it might take your website several months to show up within the first few pages of a Google search when your keyword is mentioned, with a blog it happens that much faster.

6. Giving Back. Yes, you can use a blog to give back to your business community. You can give up space on your blog for a guest post which links back to another’s business. This way, you are helping that business spread the word and the guest blogger will most likely share the post with their network. It is a win-win situation.

A blog is a useful marketing tool to have and even big brands are beginning to recognize and harness the potential of a blog. The great news is you do not have to be a long established business or a huge brand to get a regular following of loyal readers on your blog; you just need to focus on delivering quality content on a regular basis.

Mommy Kat and Mommy Rubz Birthday Giveaway!

Mommy Kat of www.MommyKat.info and Mommy Ruby of www.MommyRubz.com is hosting this multi-blog giveaway as Birthday Thanksgiving for their little princesses Max and Bella.

There are 36 blogs sponsoring this event and a total prize pot of $380 can be won by 6 winners. This giveaway event is open worldwide to anyone with a Paypal account during the event or right before the winners are announced. If winners do not reply to the email within 48 hours with their Paypal email address, another winner will be drawn.

There will be a total of 6 winners for the total prize of $380.

• 2 winners for $100 each,
• 2 winners for $60 each, and
• 2 winners for $30 each

Note: Prizes are gross amounts. Should there be fees during the transfer of payment, it will be deducted from the prize (for cross-country transactions). If there are no fees, then you get the whole amount.

You can enter through the form below:

Lab School Symposium 2011

Symposium originally came from the Greek term sympinein, "to drink together". It was a forum for men of good family to debate, plot, boast, or simply to revel with others. They were also frequently held to celebrate the introduction of young men into aristocratic society. Symposia were also held by aristocrats to celebrate other special occasions, such as victories in athletic and poetic contests.

Nowadays, the term Symposium  is used to define social gathering at which there is free interchange of ideas
or a formal meeting at which several specialists deliver short addresses on a topic or on related topics.  This year, my hubby's school hosted the Lab School Symposium where government schools all over the South Province joined . It's aim is to acquaint the students of the basic culture and traditions of Asian countries- Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei, Japan and more! Each country was represented by a group of students . They wore the national costumes of the countries and displayed figurines/miniatures that represent the countries treasures (flags, buildings, tourist spots and more!). Let take a peek of what took place on that Symposium day:

The stage is ready to parteeeyyy!!!!

Booths for each ASEAN countries are represented

Here's our very own flag:)

This booth has made a very elegant entrance hall

A student representing the country of Malaysia. Behind him is the face-in-the hole board photo of Philippines' national costume. Too bad, hubby forgot to snap a closer version of this photo board:(

Bridal couple at a Malay wedding. They are beautifully dressed in traditional Malay wedding costumes in gold color theme. Even the wedding dais (raised platform) color matched the costumes of the couple. They are preparing for the 'bersanding' ceremony.

The wedding bands + gifts the bride & groom exchange to each other placed on wrapped step stools ( reminds me of  medical step stool )

Here, the students were busy jotting down important notes about the Philippines because they were required to make a narrative report about the symposium and important information about each ASEAN countries.

Hubby managed to capture Philippines miniatures- figurines wearing our costume, desk flag, Chocolate Hills...There's a poster about Manny Pacquiao but I didn't include it because it's blurred:(

a Thai vendor exhibition on making the famous Thailand Milk Tea "Chaa Yin"

We also had our own symposium but I only manage to have a photo with our students with their costume for the dance. Aren't their attires so fabulous?

How's my Thai Language?

I've been in Thailand for 5 years already but still my Thai is worst than ever! For me, Thai is a very difficult language to learn because it's a very tonal language. Basically, the same word can have multiple meanings depending on the exact renunciation and whether you use a rising tone, falling tone, mid tone, etc.! I know some people that pick it up fairly easily. I think if on my first few years here I have decided to seriously attend a Thai language school, I might learn enough to get by within a few months and be fluent by this time...*sigh*...However, though I'm not fluent yet with my Thai, I have survived because I learn how to ask for directions, ask how much something cost, and handle some of the basic travel type of situations. I could do basic conversations like how am I,  I could talk about where I was from, where I was going, I could bargain, give the taxi driver directions, and make my way through Thailand pretty well.

Now that Hyzyd will start his pre-school on November, I think I gotta learn with him. I'm pretty sure kids could easily pick up different languages. Hyzyd could now do basic greetings accompanied with wai (Thailand's way of greetings that consists of a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion), saying Khop Khon Khrap (thank you) and Chuay Duay (Help!). I need to buy a Lecteurs MP3 (MP3 players) to make use of the Thai Lesson series I had in MP3 format.The series could be very helpful because I can listen to the words and they are very repetitive so I don't forget them .

I'm glad my motivation to learn Thai is back again! Thailand is a great place and Thai people are the best and the more I can communicate with them in their language the better the experience!

Rain

It's wet season here again in Thailand. Though I love rain on weekends because we could just snug on bed while watching movies with snacks and hot coffee, I could hate it when it hinders our plan to go outside the house like going to the market, to church , to the post office and to go anywhere! Tuktuk is kinda expensive and hard to find on rainy days especially in our side of town. Thus, the necessity of car for every family which we don't have yet! I read from Thaivisa.com that Phitsanulok in the lower North is still suffering from heavy flooding - at the highest level in 16 years, provincial authorities said. Hope we won't have flood again this year, I pray!

Because of the rain, my marketing is delayed. We don't have vegetables, meat and fish in our fridge already. I badly needed to go to the market amidst this heavy rain! Plus, I need to call our water vendor. Every time we run out of drinking water, we just call him up and he’ll be in our doorstep after few minutes. The drinking water that we ordered is the special one – 25 baht per container instead of the usual 12 baht. It’s much expensive because of the upgraded reverse osmosis systems used. We’re really sure that this type of system remove an extremely broad range of contaminants , thus, we’re safe with it.

I've decided this Sunday morning that instead of grumbling for the rain, I have to thank God for it. As I am writing this post, I am listening to the splashes of heavy rain hitting the Land of Smiles.

My Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs 2011

This is my official entry for The Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs 2011.

1. Tottering Mama. This mama-blogger shows ways to joyfully maximize your time at home as stay-at-home mom- from cooking simple and healthy meals to homeschooling tots! From time to time she's sharing parenting tips from choosing shoes to building character and self-confidence. I'm currently following their Playhouse Preschool Themes. It's fun and I'm sure my lil Hyzyd loves the activities!

2. My Painted Lips. This blog is more than just a lipstick blog. It hopes to inspire other stay at home moms to spent a "Me-time" for themselves like dabbing lip gloss or lipsticks before starting the day. Stay-at-home moms may not well-dressed all the time but with the help of painted lips , these really brings out the va va voom in here! My Painted Lips helps the readers (especially the busy SAHMs like her) to unleash their inner glamour girl with beautiful lip color that lets them know just how sexy they are!

3. Mom Writes .This mom just write for the sheer pleasure of writing , not because she's paid to it! It's one of those blogs that a writer pours out her soul. She likes spreading the joy that is her life amidst the struggles and qualms she met in life.

4. Green Living Ideas. It's a blog that gives the readers tips to help save energy, money and our planet!

5. Mommy Survival Guide. You just enrolled yourselves into motherhood and don't have any idea to survive? This blog could give you tips and guides to enjoy motherhood instead of enduring it!

6. Pepperrific. A blog about the highs and lows of being a single mom. It offers bits and pieces of advice on raising a kid alone. This one of the bloggers that could really write well- amazing, talented writer she is! Wait till you read 5 Things a Single Mom Forgets and Why You should Forgive your Ex? and you'll be hooked to read the rest of the posts in her archives.

7. Notepad Corner. A personal blog of a mom that's filled with tips in running household and how to handle a child with ADHD. The posts are both inspiring and informative. You'll never get bored in visiting this mom's corner!

8. Certified Foodies. A food blog maintained by siblings who's love for food never get wasted.They share, review and rate new dishes they've tried on in order to educate readers not to be afraid on trying new food. You can't help but drool over sumptuous food imagery they presented on their blog!

9. LEVYousa. One of the blogs that radiates good vibes and spreading positivism around the blogosphere through her entertaining posts that makes one appreciate life and embracing life to the fullest!

10. The Bloggers Journal. For those who are on infancy stage in blogging , you need this blog to help you get through the Basics of Blogging. For those who are already in the blogging world for quite some time, you need this blog to tour you around the world of blogging which you haven't known before,  get to know the do's and don'ts of blogging and make us of the tips and tutorials offered in order to survive the tough world of blogging and earning from blogs.

The Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs is a writing project that aims to identify new and emerging blogs that are making an impact to its reader. This year is the 5th year of this writing project. And this writing project would not be possible if not for the following sponsors:

Cyber Monday Deals, TRIbeca Private Residences, How To Videos, Palawan Beaches for Sale,Green and Natural Lubes Philippines, Philippine data center, Philippine online shopping, Singapore Jobs, Pinoy Party Food, Apartment for rent, and Best deals tips.