Mental in-take: From Product to Investments, From News to Information

 In today's digital age, we are inundated with information from various sources. From news articles to social media posts, it's easy to get swept up in the constant flow of information. However, it's crucial to be responsible for what we ingest mentally, whether it's through investments or the news we read, to protect ourselves from scams and misinformation.

Steve Comisar is a well-known actor and fraudster who spent over a decade in prison for running a Ponzi scheme that swindled millions of dollars from investors. Comisar's fraud was centered on convincing people to invest in a bogus film distribution company, promising high returns on their investments.

One of the most significant lessons to be learned from Comisar's case is the importance of thoroughly researching any investment opportunity before investing your money. This means not only understanding the product or service being offered but also researching the company or individual offering it.

To ensure that you fully understand what you are about to buy, it's important to take the following steps:

1. Conduct thorough research: Before investing in any product or service, take the time to conduct thorough research. This could include looking up the company's website, reading online reviews, checking with consumer protection agencies, and researching the market for similar products or services.

2. Seek expert advice: If you are uncertain about a product or service, seek expert advice from professionals such as financial advisors or lawyers. They can help you assess the risks involved and provide guidance on whether the investment is a wise choice.

3. Read the fine print: Before investing in anything, read the terms and conditions carefully. Make sure you understand any fees, charges, or penalties associated with the investment, as well as any restrictions or limitations.

4. Be cautious of unrealistic promises: Be cautious of investment opportunities that promise high returns or quick profits with little or no risk. These are often red flags for scams.

Another way to know the legitimacy of an investment or product in reading product reviews. But be attentive, product reviews can be easily manipulated to deceive and scam people, making it crucial to exercise caution and conduct thorough research before making purchasing decisions based on reviews alone.

When it comes to discerning information or news we read online, the same principles apply. With the rise of fake news and misinformation, it's more important than ever to be vigilant and skeptical about the information we consume. Here are some tips:

1. Check the source: Always check the source of the information and consider the reputation of the publisher or author. Look for sources that are credible, reliable, and trustworthy.

2. Verify the information: Verify the information by cross-checking it with other sources. Look for corroborating evidence to support the claims being made.

3. Be wary of clickbait: Be wary of sensational headlines and clickbait articles designed to attract attention rather than inform readers. They often rely on half-truths or outright falsehoods to generate clicks.

4. Be aware of your own "truth bias": We all have inherent biases and tendencies to believe information that confirms our existing beliefs. Be aware of this "truth bias" and actively seek out information that challenges your perspective, rather than simply accepting information that confirms it.

Whether you are about to make an investment or consume information online, it's essential to take a critical and cautious approach. By conducting thorough research, seeking expert advice, reading the fine print, and being skeptical of unrealistic promises, you can avoid scams and make informed decisions.

The Person Our Country Needs

This momentous day signifies the triumph of democracy through the Filipino people. We do know that the result of the Presidential race is a result of a clean and honest election. It is the first automated, first that the nation coped up with the advancement of the modern age. It is not surprising that the outcome is based from what the majority really inked on the ballot. It is not surprising because this is the nature of the true Philippines. The general public vote for the person they think our country needs.
And there he was, standing in the Quirino Grandstand and took his rightful place, a place given by the Filipino people. The man our country needs. To be honest, I did not vote for him. But hey, he won and he deserves a chance. He deserves respect. And regardless who we vote, he deserves our whole hearted support. He is what the majority says our country needs.
Can he give all of us a better life? Good education for each young Filipinos? Sufficient, if not more, income for every Filipino household? Ample food in our tables? Employment? Security? Can he abolish poverty? Can he totally wipe out corruption? The answer is he cannot.
The hard truth is he cannot do that. He is definitely not who our country needs. Not even those who ran for president and other positions along and against him. The slapping fact is that he might can give the best programs and rightful reforms but it is still up to the people being addressed to that program to take the initiative. He can give every people living in the squatters area home but it is still up to those people who were given those houses the choice to be relocated in their respective abode or continue living to a place where they do not have to pay for water or electricity. He can give a memorandum for better education but it is still up to the student to study or just fool around. He can create more jobs but was the unemployed qualify for a position knowing he fail a lot because he just do whatever he wanted to do during his years studying? How can he pull down our electric and water bill if many Filipinos have jumpers in their houses? How can he stop calamities if we ourselves cut trees, waste precious water, smoke, throw our garbage wherever we want. This is just some, there are a lot more things unsaid that makes each and everyone of us responsible for our own sufferings.
He is not what our country needs. He is just a representation of the many, a person that will serve and assist our country. It can’t be done by one man alone. The persons our country need are us Filipinos. Until the time that every Filipinos became responsible for themselves, for others, for his or her environment, and for the nation, the day of us going back to the glory that was ours is quite far-fetched than what we expect. Be responsible, know your role, do your part.

Walking on a border line

We certainly know the emerging subculture called Jejemon. They are individuals who makes a word different by means of changing it's appearance and even it's spelling. I can say at first that it is somewhat colorful and creative but there is something not right about it. What is wrong about it is that those people already applied that improper grammatic construction to their daily lives. A "lifestyle" as they say. What is improper is not a "lifestyle", it is destructive. Some businesses even capitalized on it. I personally received a text message from my mobile network about a certain promo that uses Jejemons way of talking as a ringback. It is cute at first and irritating after, and it is definitely wrong.

Those kids in that generation could have a hard time communicating in a proper manner. Especially, we train our kids to be creative and innovative but always take morals and ethics into consideration for them to be ready to the professional world. Ask a high school student to speak proper tagalog, take note, not english, TAGALOG, to the elders. Most of them really find it hard to fluently speak their native language. We are all walking in a border line, we cannot always play safe. We, as human beings, have the capacity to decide on what option to take. We should always take precautions and responsibility on our actions. Go beyond the walls of technicalities but always be sure that your move is always grounded by morality and ethics. Let's take the Americans as an example. Definitely, they culture of the black americans, the way most of them talk, like "there ain't no shit about it", "wazzup doug?" are some basic colorful words that we might be hearing from them. Ask them to write or speak proper english, they will definitely be properly outdone by Filipinos. I can't imagine native Filipinos who can't speak their native tongue.

I like the move made by the Department of Education. Please read the link: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/deped-declares-‘all-out-war’-vs-jejemons

Another thought, we could not make our children take drastic actions because they know that they can say sorry and go for a fall back. They should also learn discipline and responsibility. It is not only our obligation to the young ones but to each and everyone of us as well. CReativity is something that nourishes and flourishes life, not destroy it. Language is part of a culture and culture is life. Always do what is right and you can never go wrong.

Ten of Hearts

I often ask myself, was right a privilege? Sure, people will tell me that if our society doesn't establish "rights", definitely the defenseless will be exploited, anarchy rules. If that' the case, we will have a lawless society. Rules are made for everybody's benefit. It concerns us all. Therefore it is wrong to violate someone's rights. May I ask you another question. Let's say a person who owns a property, particularly land, have his property used by some people who doesn't own it, would you consider it as a violation made by the latter? Now these people, after being given a notice to evacuate, still didn't mind continuing occupying the said space, can they raise they're right of settling in that area? I don't think so. I am not an elitist, people who knows me that I was living in a depressed area, only that my grandparents and my parents worked so hard just to provide us with a quality way of living. I do have connection with those people since we both shared the same street, the same dilemmas and the same fun living and growing under the same situations. But would it be right to occupy somebody else's property? What if the owner acquire the said lot through his hardwork, isn't squatting the same as stealing? As far as I know, people from the squatters area originally live in provinces. Provinces which lands should be cultivated and are also the original source of our country's wealth. Those people think that it is really easier to live and be rich in Manila so they migrated and hoping to look a job right away. And when they were wrong with their decision and nowhere else to go, they will either live on the street or occupy somebody else's property. As an indirect effect, we now import agricultural products from other countries. It is their right to dream and live prosperously, but not at the expense of somebody's rights are being violated. I can't blame the owners to evict this people, they need their land and it is the reason why they acquire it. I believe that a person doesn't have to leave his place just to be successful, the same as a Filipino can be rich in his own country. They will use rally, hunger strikes, and sometimes it results to a bloody encounter just because they feel that they are being oppressed. I know, their right of having a decent abode as already given up from the moment that they leave and migrate away from their own original house. They cannot blame the owner or even the government. They have their rights so they should decide wisely.

The same goes with a writer or a public personality. We know the pen is mightier than the sword but if they unethically use their right to write, or what we call freedom of the press, they will definitely expect that those people whom they wrongly accused, will retaliate. Nobody wants to be stepped on. But there is always somebody that doesn't care if he or she has stepped on somebody's right.

The quote 'WITH EVERY RIGHT THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY" applies not only to those people occupying a high position but most especially to each and everyone of us. Our so-called rights is our protection, our privilege, our power. But using these so called "power" should always comes with responsibility. We can enjoy those rights while others enjoy them as well. And for us to do that, we should ask ourselves, do we respect ourselves? If not, maybe that's why we didn't respect others.

What We Have Lost

As you know, I am explaining some quotes written into the deck of cards. Unfortunately I have lost the next card. When I come to share some personal thoughts with the King of Diamonds only I found out that it somewhat disappeared. I really checked and took care of those special decks of cards but for some unexplainable reason, I really can find it. I even took a day looking for it, until I realize that the probability of retrieving it is nearly zero. I will have to go through the other cards, hoping that I will see that missing part someday.

I have skipped a day because I really feel that I have to look for it for the reason of not skipping any deck. After that exhausting search, I realize that I have lost another thing too. But this time I know I cannot retrieve it, Zero percent retrieval. Again, I have lost some hours just finding the card. Neglected my love of sharing thoughts and experiences, a negligence to my own passion. Although I know I do take good care of it, and as far as I can remember, a cousin of mine look at my special deck of cards, it is still negligence on my part.

The good thing that people don't usually realize when encountering failure or mistakes is the capacity to grow more and use those negative things to bring out the positive in you. Anyways, I think I have to move one now to not loose some more precious time and if God permits, I can see again my missing King of Diamonds. What I have learned, value time by being responsible, and again, stand up and walk farther ahead.