Privilege

A recent poster campaign by MacEwan University's U-SOLVE (University Students Offering Leadership for Violence Elimination) has sparked controversy with the student body. White, male, straight, able-bodied individuals cry foul as it felt like an attack on their being. "It isn't their fault, they were born that way" as Lady Gaga would say.

Peggy McIntosh's White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack illustrates what white privilege is. Although people are saying that there is something called the "minority privilege" as well. 

As a member of the minority, I believe that it is good to be aware of our privileges and to make sure to use our privilege to help others but a message that segregates other individuals based on their race, sex, gender, and physical attributes is counter-productive.

I love Canada and how multi-cultural it is. However, I believe that everyone of us have a tendency to be racist, except we don't say it out loud for fear of being labeled "racist". Attacks on white people, saying they have everything they have because they are white is wrong. Although studies have shown that just being white will make you healthier than compared to coloured counterparts with the same annual income.

My point is, there is no point trying to bash groups or individuals in an effort to make an awareness that there is inequality in our society. Arguing the white privilege versus the minority privilege is pointless. There will always be inequality. There will always be someone that is smarter than us, more fit than us, more attractive than us, more wealthy than us, more people who have it better than us. We can't always cry out foul and scream "inequality". 

As a member of a minority, all I can do is work my ass off to become the person I want to be without holding a grudge on other people who has it better than me. Even I have some privilege, I am from a middle income family who lives in a first world country. Should I feel bad for my fortune because there are people living in poverty in war-stricken countries? It is not my fault that I am in this position, but I am able to be in a position to help others.

But then again, you have to help in a way to make other people independent. You can't just give people hand-offs, they have to work for it. Providing people money to buy necessities is a short-term fix. Instead, we should invest in businesses to provide these individuals with jobs so that they can have a life. 

Having some privileges is not something to be ashamed off, it's something to be proud of.

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Image taken from ninapaley.com
This is just my opinion

Philippines: The World's Texting Capital

There is no denying it the Philippines is the texting capital of the world! Why? Well the Philippines is the only country where:

1. Almost everyone has a cellphone (It's like a part of a Filipino's hand).
2. Cellphones are considered a need and not a want. A Filipino who could barely have food to eat would still have a cellphone and money for air time credits.
3. The Philippine market for cellphones is HUGE! Offering different kinds of cellphone models which are renewed every month.

I only realized this because here in Canada the cellphones are well old... they don't have the latest Nokia phones that we have back in the Philippines. The high end phones here are mostly Blackberry's and Iphones but the selection is very limited.

That's why when I use my Sony Ericsson W960i touchscreen phone someone would compliment my phone and ask where I got it. And I always answer that I got it from the Philippines and it always raises eyebrows. Like how can a third world country have such hitech phones right? Well that is also a mystery to me.

The Filipino Channel

I have been surfing through my TV and from the 999 channels I couldn't find The Filipino Channel on it. I tried the channels with Pay Per View and searched the ones I need to subscribe to and I still don't see The Filipino Channel anywhere.

Oh well... but I sometimes ask myself why I want to have a subscription to the Filipino channel when I don't even watch Philippine shows even when I was back home at the Philippines. Well, maybe I'm getting a little bit of homesick. But I'm already home here. I'm an Edmontonian and a Canadian...

...but I am also a Filipino...

Library In a Mall?!

Yup I'm in a library right now and guess where it is located. The Mill Woods Town Center. It's a mall. But having a library in a mall is quite convenient really. So if you want to go to the mall you just tell your parents, "Mom, Dad... I'm going to the library!"

Well the library here has a huge collection of books, CD's, DVD's, magazines, and the sort. I haven't really browsed because I'm only here for the internet hehehe. Evil little me. Well this is just temporary though. I won't be visiting the library anytime again soon because this Monday we will finally have our internet connected. Well we still don't have our own phone and cable TV services connected yet but we already have access to the telephone and cable TV since the previous owner didn't have his utilities disconnected. If we were evil we could have called our friends over the Philippines and the cost would all go to him because his account is set to automatically deduct his fees from his bank account. How convenient (for us) right? But I'm going out of my topic right now.

Well I have ot go home and call my bank. I can't seem to enter my bank account through the internet.... I wonder if someone hacked my account already... oh no... That's why I have to hurry home.

I Hate Telus

Yup this is another episode of my rantings so you better stop reading right now but if you are intersted and want to hear (or read) my ranting then read on ahead.

Well I was so excited yesterday because Telus was supposedly scheduled to arrive at our apartment yesterday to install our Cable Tv, internet, and phone but they didn't come. it seems that they called us up at the lobby and since no one answered they just left with out even checking with the main office of our building to perfom the other installations outside our apartment. The thing is calling us would really not work because we first of all don't have a telephone line yet so the one they were calling was the previous owner. You see the door phone was programmed to call the previous owner and not us. My mom informed Telus about this and even gave her phone number so that we could let them in the building if they arrive but they didn't have the initiative to call 0r what so ever.

My mom called Telus today and they said that they were sorry and they would come again next week. NEXT WEEK??? We've been waiting for 2 weeks now and they want us to wait next week? The operator was not that even nice when we called the other day asking why the Telus installers weren't around.

So my mom terminated our account with Telus and set-up a new bundle with Shaw. Shaw is better indeed as it would only take them 1-3 days to set-up everything. It seems that the stupid previous owner didn't bother disconnecting his utilities so we used it for a while hehehe. Shaw said that they will contact the said owner and will take care of disconnecting and transfer of ownership or what so ever. I'm really impressed with Shaw.

And you kniw what Telus said when my mom said that she'll look for another service provider? "Customers always come back to us..." How cocky can you get?

Google Adsense Move

I'm glad that my Google Adsense has earned me around $80 now and I am going to cash this out as soon as I reach the $100 mark. But I still have some issues regarding the payee address (my address) because I can't seem to change my Country in the Payee Information. But I've already sent a request form to Google about the change in address so I guess that everything will be ok for now.

I've been a very bad blogger these days since I'm always out of the house and all but once we get the internet connected I guess that everything will work out. I'm actually using the library public pc right now since my brother wanted to use my laptop instead and I wonder why...

Anyway, I'll leave blogging for another day.

My First Pay Check

Canada Day was very memorable to me indeed. It was not only the very first Canadian Holiday that I have experienced but it was also the day that I received my very first paycheck! Yup all my hard work was finally paid off.

Although I still have thoughts of quiting my job, getting that paycheck is like a motivation to me. Besides, what else would I do at home? I'm an Out of School Youth so I'd rather do something more productive right?

Oh yeah, I also have my own debit card which I already used by the way. I used it to pay for the electronic key cards for our apartment. You see our money is still frozen as the bank is still waiting for the banks in the Philippines to clear our bank draft.

I just hate having no money. I feel so low that's why I'm working to supplement our income. Although my parents have jobs already it would take a while for them to get their paychecks so my brother and I are kind of the bread winners for now. We do have money that my mom brought but it's not that much because she didn't expect our bank drafts to clear that long.

Maximizing Web Advertising

I am a consumer, just like all of us are, and what makes a great business bloom and expand is if a website has it's own website. Yup! A business should definitely have it's own website so that a business list of clients can expand.

Like me for example, when I bought my Sony Ericsson W960i, I searched on the internet for a cellphone shop with the lowest price. And I did find a shop that meets my needs and because the cellphone shop had a website I was able to tract that store and buy my phone.

But before you think that making a professional looking website is enough you also have to find a way to drive potential customers to your website. This is where ppc advertising comes into the picture. This form of advertising is also called paid search advertising because as you search for a product, Google or Yahoo will provide "sponsored links" and these links will have your website and a short description of your website and your product.

But how do you do all of this? Well I have absolutely no idea too because I am a novice when it comes to these stuff. That is why you need the services of NetworkSolution's ppc advertising.

With NetworkSolutions does all the work for you from analyzing your website, purchase keywords, and create ads. In other words you just have to sit and relax and wait for reports on your campaign. And if you're thinking that you need hundreds of dollars per day for advertisement well that's where you're even more wrong. Because NetworkSolutions provides affordable plans for you. And guess what? You only pay when someone clicks your ads!

So if you want your business to bloom and reap more profits then ppc advertising is the way to do it!

Suicide

There are times when I would wish that I could just give in to my weakness and just jump from a tall building to end everything... end my pain... end my suffering... end my hardship... end my loneliness...

I just want to cease existing. You see I see no point in living because we are all slowly dying anyway. Why live when people are killing other people anyway. Why live to repeat each day doing the same routine over and over again.

I walk home each night wishing I would just drop down on my knees and just disappear. You know the feeling when you're asleep. For a while you disappear from the world and you are at peace. No one is there to hurt you and you can be anywhere and be anyone you wish to be.

How easy life could be if that's the case... but there's much more to life really. Each day has its own unexpected happenings even if they are that minute. It is sad that because we live in such a fast-paced world that we fail to appreciate the simple things in life that makes living worthwhile...

Yup... even if my life is crappy and that there are some rough edges... I still continue and go on... Why? Because there is always something beautiful that I can look forward too.

Koreanovelas in Canada

Koreanovelas are really so good that the family who we are staying at are addicted to it! Like when they visited Hong Kong and the Philippines they bought DVD's of Korean Drama Series and they really liked it.

I think that the series that they currently are watching is "My Girl" and it's a really good story. I was going to ask my co-worker who looked like Korean if all Korean dramas were that good but it turned out that she was half-Filipino and that she was born here in Canada. But I have watched a variety of Korean movies and series and they actually are good. What makes the series have more impact on the human emotions is the great soundtrack that goes with the series/movie and it makes you go into that "moment" where you emote and act as if you're in your own drama show.

What's great with Korean drama series is that they also have a mix of comedy in them that's why you really get hooked with the story. I actually prefer Korean dramas over Filipino dramas because Filipino drama shows sometimes become so unrealistic and there's that something that doesn't make me want to watch more.... hmm... don't get me wrong there are several good Filipino movies and shows but I prefer Korean dramas and movies, as long as they have English subtitles hehehe.

Nice Shirt!

I was walking to a 7-eleven store with my mom to buy some food (like ice cream) since my brother is eating food from the fridge that doesn't belong to us. The food that he's eating (with no guilt at all) is our host's fridge. We were only supposed to stay here at their house for a week until we found an apartment but we had to extend our stay because our apartment won't be available until this July 1.

Anyway, we were walking down the street when a Canadian lady suddenly said, "Hey nice shirt!" I was like, "Huh? What?" But of course I didn't say that, I said, "Hi. Thanks!" I was emotionless when I said that because I was thinking about something and I was caught off guard hehehe.

But really, two people already complimented me and told me that my shirt is nice. I'll repost a picture of the said shirt and tell me what you think?

Yup, it's my beloved Missy the Doggie! Awe, I really miss her. We were supposed to visit her at her new home before we flew to Manila but then she was already adjusting to her new home so we didn't want to disturb her because she was always sad during the first week that we left her.


Hmm... anyway yup that's my shirt hehehe.

Poor People in Canada

I just hate it when people beg for money here in Canada. These are the people considered poor here because they could always get a job like we did but instead they rely on the subsidy by the government and through begging for a living. They are well dressed, have a shelter under their heads, and they are able to eat three times a day.

They are poor but they aren't like the poor in the Philippines where children starve. Because here in Canada children are fed at schools (and schools here are free mind you, except college). Also there are no sick people who are left untreated because Canada has tertiary hospitals that are open to the public (poor or rich). And government hospitals in the Philippines are of no match here because hospitals here are very clean and well supplied with medical equipment and medicine.

But you know what? If you work hard and don't have children if you can't afford to have any then you will be more productive. Well, that's what I believe anyway.

The Puzzle Ring

I just love my ring that my mom got me. It's from Unisilver (yup it was bought from the Philippines) and it's literally a head turner with people asking me the question, "Are you married young man?"

Well aside from looking good and looking expensive (it's just Php 600 really, don't tell anyone hehehe) it totally fits my personality. Why? Well because it's complicated. Why again? Well take a look at my ring now:

Yup it doesn't look like my ring right? But it actually is the exact same ring I wore on my finger. Take a look at my ring here:


Yup it's a ring made of 6 circular loops and I tell you, it sure is hard to get it back together so I really hate it when people touch it and end up breaking it apart and they absolutely have no idea how to place it back together.


So why is the ring like me? Well aside from being complex and difficult to understand, I am easy to break and people have no idea on how to put me back together emotionally. But even how many times people try to ruin me, I am still able to place myself back together even if some of me are bent up.

Moral of the Story: It's so easy to break and hurt other people but they don't even give any effort to fix what they have broke. They don't apologize and they don't care that they have hurt others...

Top Wordpress Themes

I have been visiting some blogging friends (their blogs of course not their houses) and I have to say that I love their blogs. They are using Wordpress by the way and I am so jealous of their blogs, because it's so easy to maintain, that's why I'm even thinking of moving my blog to a Wordpress blog.

But what really me jealous is that their blogs really look so good. Wordpress templates really look so cool and they are so easy to install. And you can get these templates completely for free at several wordpress templates sites but the one that I liked most is a site called TopWPThemes.com.

Check out this theme. Isn't it a beauty? There are more where that came from so you Wordpress users should really take most of what you have and give your blogs a new look with new wordpress templates.

What's Wrong with my Blog?!

If you check my blog clearly you would notice that my blog has a second set of posts at the bottom part...

Hmm... I'm really bummed and I don't know how to fix this. Maybe I could just edit the blog layout. But then I'll lose all the customizations that i did for this blog but I don't really care right now. And I plan to abandon this blog too. I'm becoming too busy to blog already and having two blogs is proving to be difficult. It is sad though because this blog has been with me for so long too.

Toddler Left at Wal-Mart

I was just watching TV when I caught a CNN Headline at Nancy Grace that a 2 1/2 year old toddler was left at Wal-Mart in Indiana! What are people thinking today? Why are they having children and abandoning them. These are the kind of parents that make my blood boil!

And my insensitive father commented that the child must be naughty or something that's why the mother left the toddler at Wal-Mart. So if there were numerous parents in the world like my father the future leaders and generations would surely be broken, angry, and sick!

The mother was actually even shooing the child as she sped away. What a stupid parent would leave a baby alone in a crowded where a pervert could abduct that child, molest him, or what ever!

Just a disgusting story indeed! Maybe I'll just adopt a child in the future so that poor abandoned and neglected children could get the chance to have a better future.

Missing the Philippines

You know what? I know that I have said that I'm happy that I was able to go away from the Philippines and be able to love in a first world country with plenty of opportunities but the hell with that. Nothing beats home and that's the truth!

I seem to be missing life in the Philippines especially my friends. I also miss the weather! Filipinos complain that it's too hot or whatever but here people stay under the sun but even if they do it's still so cold because of the chilly winds that blows.

Oh well...

Intellectual Rights Dispute hehehe ^_^

I was quite ashamed that a blog owner sent me a comment asking me to host my pictures that I got from other blogs (like his) instead of just grabbing the photo URL and placing it on my blog. Well he did say it in a very polite and calm way that is why I am more ashamed and guilty. Well lesson learned for me there so from now on I don’t use pictures with out hosting them and properly giving credits as to where I got the pictures from.

Case solved. ^_^

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Picture credit to http://web.anglia.ac.uk/virtualvisit/img/main_picture_large.jpg

Sim Card for $40

Yup a sim card for $40 (Rogers Mobile)! That’s like Php 1680 and to think that’s Canadian dollars people (Canadian dollars are higher compared to US Dollars). I’m kind of not over the converting-to-peso phase because woah I can’t live like this. Good thing thought that earning here is no problem. Got a job already at Tim Hortons and I like what I see (so far).

I kind of want to go back to the Philippines to go shopping. Just wish our baggage capacity is big enough hehehe. I’m being too ambitious. The truth is all may look good over here but if you don’t work hard and watch your budget then being bankruptcy is not that far.

So where ever you are in the world may it be the first world or the third world, working hard and spending thriftily is the key to a life of success. Hey that reminds me, is there a second world? If there is what are these countries? Because all I’m hearing is first world and third world. Weird.

Hollywood Baby!

I don’t know why but the shows flashing on my TV screen are Hollywood gossip shows! Like why am I watching these crap? Uhm am I like absorbing western culture? The glitz and glamour part of it? Maybe. Anyway I really can’t live a life of a celebrity because the paparazzi will eat me alive!

Like having cameras around you and being famous is very difficult. It’s like being in an arena and you are open to everyone’s criticism and scrutiny. Not a very comfortable idea. Geez… good thing I’m a nobody hehehe. ^_^

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Photo credits to http://www.maggieandannie.com/Web/HollywoodSign2.JPG