jadking

Okay, this is sooo not a scam!

I've been wanting to save for a possible college education in the USA, so I've been desperately hunting for scholarships and sources of money. Online, I subscribed to a few threads, and I stumbled upon this site called www.paybox.me. I joined this thing for free, and before I even began using the service, I got $50 for being one of the first registrants! Over more or less two weeks, I've already around $200 in my earnings from this program! All you have to do is log in regularly and accomplish any survey at least once a week. Also, the website is offering jobs to those who wish to become a part of the site maintenance/facilitation.

Since it's a new website, they are still trying to fix the system, and they are unable to cash money yet. But if ever the dollars you earn here are fake, there's no risk, as you don't have to spend a penny in order to get an account here, so you don't lose anything in trying! Also, if you can refer other people, you earn $5 for each referral!

Please join by pressing the following link! http://www.paybox.me/r/jadk1ng Follow the instructions on the page!

By clicking that link, you're allowing me to be your referrer! Please help me in fulfilling my quest of getting the necessary funding (and reap the benefits)!

You know that this is really me, Juan Anton "Uno" de los Reyes, by the following pieces of evidence:
1. I want to study in the States.
2. I use the name jadking and superpuppyone, and jadk1ng is merely a combination of both.
3. I'll say something totally random and sabaw. MONKEY! See? It's me!
4. This info is also on my multiply account.

The Light and Sounds Museum of Intramuros is an exquisite attraction. According to its advertisements, it is "the first of its kind" in all of Asia. Opened in 2003 by then Senator Richard J. Gordon, the museum chronicles the life and times of the Philippines' national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, and his mission to break down the mental murals that our colonizers had built around the minds of our people (Foz; Marasigan). In the museum, mechanical wax figures were built to resemble characters who had roles in the Hispanic era of the Philippines, depicting several scenes ranging from the culture of the early Indios to the slaying of Rizal. But a particularly notable montage was that of the construction of Intramuros.

The diorama depicted several Indios slaving to build the walled city. Several sculptures of Filipinos were seen hauling and stacking bricks while being verbally harassed with the derogatory remarks of Spanish men. A voice of a particular friar was heard, saying that the Spanish victory would be acquired by the construction of walls, that they would conquer the natives of these islands by building a wall around their minds. A wall of inability, of inferiority, and of defeat.

Rizal's was a noble quest, to reawaken the Filipinos and remove the blinds that the colonizers had sheathed over our eyes. By using the knowledge he gained in his educational upbringing to light a candle of hope, he shattered the disparaging wall that the Spaniards had built around the minds of our ancestors. His two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, were key in opening the Indios' minds and bringing an age of tyranny to an end. It was these novels that inspired the first Filipinos to wave the colors of red, yellow and blue over Cavite (Islands Accomodations).

And perhaps, Rizal was victorious in accomplishing his quest. But what was the meaning of his quest? What was the impact of his works made on our lives today? It was one thing for him to break down this wall. And it was another thing for him to leave this earth, while those whom he left behind mindlessly rebuilt it. The wall has undergone a cycle of destruction and reassembly. And sadly, it is the people who were originally imprisoned that are playing big parts in the reconstruction.

For ages hence, though the original wall was shattered, it has been rebuilt time and time again. Soon after the victory against Spain, Andres Bonifacio, the leader of the Katipuneros, was executed by the men whom he led in the revolution ("Andres Bonifacio"). When the Americans came into the picture, Katipunan began a trend of secession to the Americans, before ultimately swearing allegiance to the USA. It took a man named Macario Sakay to knock some sense back into the Filipinos by founding the Tagalog revolution ("Sakay"). Things did not turn out well, as this hope was once more shattered by the Japanese forces who terrorized the Philippines during the second World War. The men were made into slaves, and the females into sex objects (The Philippines). In the thousands, Filipinos were brutally tortured and killed (Rummel). The cycle of standing up and giving in has conditioned the Filipino mind into simply going with the flow. Filipinos today do not think of winning. They focus on their flaws, not on how they can make up for these flaws. Filipinos cannot recognize what they can do to change the nation for the better, and they simply choose join the side that wins.

This defeatist mentality has been the cause of its lack of progress, as evidenced in recent events. During the elections, majority of Filipinos voted not for the one whom they believed was fit for the job, but they voted for the one whom they thought would win (Robles), without perspective of how this would affect the economy and the wellness of the country. As a result, our president's lackadaisical performance has become the laughingstock of Asia and the world. Again, during the event that happened in Quirino Grandstand, when our police were blamed with irresponsibility, they did not accept responsibility, but they blamed their carelessness on the lack of resources and training, hence the infamous redefinition of the acronym S.W.A.T.(Landicho).

It is high time that the Filipinos looked back at Jose Rizal, and what he hoped would become of our country. He wanted them to be a people free, a people hopeful, and a people powerful. Let us all take into heart the sacrifices of our heroes, the steadfast who fought for our liberty until the very end. I quote a stanza from his last poem, "Mi Ultimo Adios":

And when the cemetery is enveloped in dark night,
And there, alone, only those who have gone remain in vigil,
Disturb not their rest, nor the mystery,
And should you hear chords from a zither or psaltery,
It is I, beloved Country, singing to you.

(Rizal, JP)

As Jose Rizal wished, let us not disturb the sacrifices of our heroes past. Let us not let their effort go to vain. Rather, let us continue the spirit of the Katipunan, let the spirit of hope and victory live on in our lives. Let us break down the walls that barrage us from accomplishment. Let us think no longer about our flaws, but rather, our strengths, and what we can do for the betterment of our brethren and our nation.

Works cited:

Foz, AD. "Intramuros Light and Sound Museum: A tribute to heroes and hardy Filipinos". 10 Jul 2003. Manila Bulletin. 17 Sep 2010. <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-105076604.html>

Landicho, LR. "Mistakes". 24 Aug 2010. The Professional Heckler. 25 Aug 2010. <http://professionalheckler.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/mistakes/>

Marasigan, JA. "1st RP Light and Sound Museum opens tomorrow". 28 Nov 2003. Manila Bulletin. 17 Sep 2010. <http://www.travelsmart.net/article/105256/>

Rizal, JP. "My Last Farewell". 22 Aug 2003. Carayan Press. 17 Sep 2010. <http://www.carayanpress.com/ultimo.html>

Robles, JA. "Don't vote for Noynoy". 07 May 2010. Manila Standard Today. 19 Sep 2010. <http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideOpinion.htm?f=2010/may/7/jojorobles.isx&d=2010/may/7>

Rummel, RJ. "Statistics of Japanese Genocide: Estimates, Calculations and Sources". University of Hawaii. 19 Sep 2010. <http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.CHAP3.HTM>

"About Cavite Province". 15 May 2010. Islands Accomodations. 19 Aug 2010. <http://www.islandsaccommodations.com/places/cavite.htm>

"Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897), father of the Philippine Revolution". University of Hawaii. 19 Sep 2010. <http://www.hawaii.edu/cps/bonifacio.html>

"Notes: The Philippine Revolution". 05 Apr 2010. University of Hawaii. 19 Sep 2010. <http://opmanong.ssc.hawaii.edu/filipino/RevLinks.html>

"Sakay and his resistance movement". 05 Apr 2010. University of Hawaii. 19 Sep 2010. <http://opmanong.ssc.hawaii.edu/filipino/sakay.html>

"The Philippines". University or Rhode Island. 19 Sep 2010. <http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/philippi.htm>

At the start, I was not quite amused by today's first activity. After breakfast, my bus headed to a warehouse owned by the institution The Wish Foundation, where the delegates helped in sorting and cleaning goods to be distributed to less fortunate families. Call me a selfish skeptic, but I was turned off by the thought that I was helping people who, if they lived in the Philippines where I do, might have probably lived better off lives than I did. It didn't really make any sense, I initially thought.

Then afterwards, we went over to this camp, Hale Reservation. We had some burgers and hotdogs, and I once again got that bubbling feeling in my stomach. After some hilarious conversation at the table, we headed for the woods to do some team building activities. With the guidance of a guy named "Ken," we played some pretty fun games. First, we had a game where we all were in a circle and had to pass tennis balls across the circle in a certain order, and then we had to swing across a grassy "sea" with a rope tied to a "magical seagull" from a log "ship-pierced-by-a-narwhal" to a square-platform "lifeboat." It was really fun, and it was my first time to ever swing on a rope. Finally, each member of the group, supported by a harness, had to climb up a tree then walk across a tightrope with two rope "rails" for support. I am admittedly afraid of heights, but after the encouragement of Ken and every single person there, I was able to muster the courage to complete the tasks. It was extremely exciting.

On the way home from the trip, I fell into a deep sleep on the bus. Someone woke me up by fuzzing up my hair and calling me "Juanito." (My nickname in the summit was "Juan," but I didn't mind.) I got up and headed for a delicious taco dinner, which would fill our bellies before we proceeded to our next session, a speech to be given by a lady named Donna Hunnewell, the founder of the Wish Project. In her speech, she presented the living conditions of the poor people whom they helped. I then realized that even if the poor people here were relatively richer than those who lived where I live, they had their own context, their own problems different from those that we had back home, and they still needed help.

I learned today that to be a good leader, I have to know the abilities and disabilities of the people I'm with. Even if they seem strong in some aspects, I have to know that they have weaknesses. And even if they seem week, they also have their strengths. As a leader, I will not just have to see how their strengths will help the goal, but I also have to find ways to appreciate and support them despite their weaknesses.

P.S. I am getting so fat. >_

Today was much better than yesterday,  I guess. Last night, I was probably very jumpy in my sleep. I ended up kicking the plug of my computer out of the socket, and hence, the battery ran out, and my alarm wasn't able to sound. Thankfully, I was woken up by some knocking at wake-up hours, so I was able to get up on time. I dressed up in a jiff, and went downstairs, only to have forgotten my umbrella and my backpack. I ran back up, and got down again to head for breakfast. We got to Pound Hall and had the usual cereal and bagels. For some strange reason, my belly always feels bloated as a water balloon whenever I eat American food. It's probably the heaping amount of grease that these foods usually have, that I am not used to eating.

What I learned today was quite similar to the feeling in my stomach after every meal here. I honestly wasn't very impressed by the speech of Mr. Bostick, as his style did not appeal to me, and my beliefs go against the content of his speech. (Although, I still tried to be respectful by participating in his discussions.) Most of what I learned came from the discussions of the StrengthsQuest results, and the lesson on Active Listening.

Prior to the seminar, the delegates had been assigned to take the StrengthsQuest personality test. This is basically a personality test that is built for people to understand their five strongest traits as individuals and as leaders. It was this that we discussed in the first lecture. Also, we were trained to speak to each other and listen to each other in Active Listening, a style of listening where it is the listener's objective to listen in full intent to the speaker, probing, delving into and analyzing the speaker's words with both ears.

Why is this all like the food in my gut? Well, food from different places has different characteristics. But unlike the food back at home, which is more comfortable, food from here actually has good nutritious qualities that are not present in Philippine food. Although I am unable to digest these, I must try what I can to make the most of it. It is like this. The people and friends I met here have traits, opinions and personalities, strengths and talents, that are different from those of my friends back home. By listening intently to them, I'll be able to develop positive communication with them, and be able to build new and lasting relationships as well.

P.S. I've gained so much weight already. As soon as I get home, it'll be back to running for me.

When sorrow is tenacious
And selfishness, voracious
And loneliness to spacious for the sane
When I feel abandoned
When life feels too demanding
It's when You shine Your love to me that I recall your name
Yes I know I haven't been the faithfullest of sons
But I know Your promises can never be undone

So I will praise my Father's holy name,
To the One who takes away my shame
Purge me with Your fire true, and my heart let You renewa
I want to rest in Your loving arms again

ANTI-CORRUPTION

GIBO: Was a key in the impeachment of the corrupt Chief Justice Hilario Davide. Also created a system in the AFP that reduced corruption in the AFP by %70.
GORDON: Was a key in the impeachment of corrupt president Joseph "Erap" Estrada. He also spearheaded the investigation of the fertilizer fund scam, as well as the corrupt ZTE Broadband Contract.


JOBS

GIBO: (-)

GORDON: Gordon provided almost 100, 000 jobs by formulating Subic Bay alone. Added to this is his work in the Department of Tourism, which he was able to sufficiently promote.

PROGRESS

GIBO: Gave civilians the opportunity to hold non-military positions in the AFP.

GORDON: Promoted volunteerism, order and discipline in Olongapo. As mayor, he also organized the Subic Bay Freeport, which allowed the citizens to engage in free and untaxed business.

RESCUE

GIBO: Headed relief efforts during Ondoy and directed Government Relief Operations. He provided rubber boats for the rescue.
GORDON: Was there firsthandedly rescuing victims of the Ondoy floods, an addition to so many other "active roles in rescue, relief and rehabilitation in various disasters from shipwrecks, [and] typhoons," including the 1990 Cabanatuan earthquake, the 1991 Pinatubo eruption, the 2004 Aurora landslides, the 2006 Ginsaugun mudslide and the PhilSports Arena stampede.

TOURISM

GIBO: (-)
GORDON: Was able to promote tourism in the Philippines, bringing tourist rates up by 8%, despite "the challenges of the times, with the removal from office of the sitting president, the SARS outbreak, the Oakwood mutiny, the Dos Palmas kidnapping, and numerous bombings, not to mention the global terrorism problem."

Carpio, K. 21 Apr 2010. Yahoo! Messenger. "Gibo hails Malabon's role in helping Ondoy victims." 02 Mar 2010. Balita.ph. 21 Apr 2010.

I wish to expose what is true. I am simply opinionated, based on what is true and right. This is not prejudice, it is check and balance. It is an exposition of the truth, which we as a country so direly need.

The liberals are blind when they claim that they do not make use of "dirty tactics." Dirty tactics is badmouthing another person for the sake of personal benefit. Now, I simply write what is true and what is right, for the benefit of you, the reader, and for the good of the Philippines. Besides, what dirtier tactic is there than to obscure the truth at the expense of one's entire nation!

Noynoy is neither prepared to be the next leader of our country nor deserving of our national trust. His mother overthrew a dictator, but did nothing more to help our country become any better. Her revision of our constitution made it more hyphaluting and incomprehensible than it has to be. His family left a legacy of destruction and injustice to the farmers of Hacienda Luisita, and he has not made any action to recompensate or repare for his family's mistakes. Look at his track record, and you will see that it is terrifyingly clean, with him having done nothing to help the oppressed and needy of our people to any meaningful extent. 

This man claims to have values and virtues. But I challenge him and ask you, what is his long-term and vision for our nation? He claims to fight for freedom, but what is this freedom that he fights for? To say that he doesn't lie, and to say that he is not corrupt, is that not already corruption in itself?

Think WISELY before you vote.

Kwok, A. "Hacienda Luisita massacre remembered." 16 Nov 2009. Inquirer. 06 Apr 2010. <http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20091116-236602/Hacienda-Luisita-massacre-remembered>

Senate of the Philippines: 14th Congress. 06 Apr 2010. <http://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/sen_bio/aquino_noynoy_resume.asp> 

"Credentials." NOYNOY AQUINO FOR PRESIDENT. 06 Apr 2010. <http://www.noynoy.ph/v3/credentials.php>

Bakit si Gordon, ba't Bagumbayan
Sa lahat ng aking mapagpipilian?
Si Gordon kasi, ay teka muna,
Doon muna tayo sa pinakasimula.

Dati, kawawa ang, Olongapo,
Biglang sumabog ang Pinatubo,
Umalis sa mga base ang mga Amerikano,
At maraming nawalan ng trabaho.

Si Gordon, tigas, hindi sumuko,
Maraming tao, kaniyang sinaklolo.
Ginawang freeport ang Subic Bay-O,
At naging chartered city ang Olongapo.

Lalong pinaganda ang mga tulay,
Mga gusali, pinatibay.
Sa kaniyang tapang, bisyon at husay,
Ang Olongapo ay A-Okay!

Si Gordon, 'tinalaga sa turismo.
Maraming turista, dito dumalo
Walang kaya ang terorismo,
Nagkahanapbuhay ang libu-libo

Bilang senador, maraming nagawa,
Sa korupsyon, siya'y umalsa
Automated Elections ay naipasa
Para maiwasan ang pandaraya.

Dick Gordon, napatunayan
At alam ninyo siya'y maaasahan
Lahat ng Pinoy, sugod, laban!
Para sa ating Bagumbayan!