Sunday, November 25, 2007

Scammers on Credit Cards - Big Numbers this Holidays

Holding a Credit Card in the Philippines in your hand today? If you are, you better stay tuned to this post and pay attention as there are new high tech-low tech ways these days to scam you out using some quick question-asking using credit card related words that will surely drive you to believe him/her where the aim is to drive or make you give your credit card details and personal details. This will come from somebody calling you right in your office posing through his/her words as a representative from a bank you happen to have accounts with. By the sound of his words and company name you wouldn't doubt at all that you are being scammed.

I learned about this when my supervisor at the office talked to me and asked if I know any company named as City Limits (Citi Limits). Of course I said no as I really haven't heard any business name by specifics related to credit cards like City Limits. He admittedly at once told me that he got scammed by the people behind the said company, according to him. The amount was not much big he said but ti took him sleepless overnight because of that.

Here's the modus operandi: Someone will call you, posing using some great deals and offers regarding some VIP card which will entitle you to get bigger discounts upon use of your credit card and has many affiliates where you can use it for. Afterwards, he will say that he is from a certain company ( usually this will sound like the bank that you have accounts with in your credit card). In this case, my supervisor had a newly approved credit card from Citibank so the posing scammer used Citi Limits as the business name. Note of the similarity of the business names. With his words, the scammer will try to sound as if he knows stuff about credit cards and will manipulate your decisions with the use giving and citing big advantages if you get their card that will only take a few minutes of your time and will tell you straight that you are an entitled recipient of this program. With the use of quick words and quick question asking about this or that which will later on lead to asking about some details about your credit card, the person talking to you will then be able to get your details and this is presto as according to my boss, after the talking session he had with the guy, he immediately called the bank he has a credit card account with (in this case Citibank) and the person he talked to told him that just a while ago, someone just got off with using his credit card details and took a quick 5,000 PHP from his account for whatever reason.

Now what does this implicate? Simple, either the person whom my boss talked to is online and he is already doing the transactions online or he must be right in the bank to do the transaction or he has someone else behind the conversation who has a direct access to the use of the credit card to be able to debit that amount and is already doing the transaction as the debit of his account for 5k is as quick as how the person got my boss's credit card details. Right on time and no delays. Well, whatever this means, it will all fall as simple as this, never enclose any detail about your credit card or credit cards to anyone especially here in the Philippines if your transaction is by phone or cellphone(text).

Note: This post is not the opinion of the writer and in no other way related to or the exact experience of the writer himself and takes no claim or responsibility on whatever cause it may contain and may provoke for readers to understand wrongfully regarding credit cards and banks. Specific names were given only to give a clearer outlook of the exact way the situation happened.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Where is Typhoon Lando?

Typhoon Lando Kills 14 People


Two typhoons devastated the archipelago of Paradise Philippines in just a few days of interval. The first one is typhoon Lando who killed 14 people, injured 11 more and left 11 missing after its rage on the Philippine lands.

Typhoon Triggers Increase in Sugar and Vegetable Prices


Typhoon Lando greatly affected the vast lands and the economy of the population in the Philippines as it leaves the agriculture lands with destroyed plantations of both rice and vegetables. It even triggered the increase of major commodities like sugar and vegetables which is one of the first to get affected everytime these typhoons wet the Paradise Philippines agricultural lands and plains.

Typhoon Mina - To Turn out into a Super Typhoon


After typhoon Lando leaves the country with its might, there is yet another typhoon feared to transform into a super typhoon. It's name is typhoon Mina. Expected to arrive this Saturday at the rich agricultural lands of the Bicol Region, typhoon Mina is estimated to carry wind strength that could reach up to 3 times the might of typhoon Lando. This speed and strength is according to PAGASA enough to declare an early warning to the people of Bicol region and issue words of warning and encouragement to government agencies to remain vigilant to this occurrence and be patient in expecting an all day long help to issue to the expected victims of the expected super typhoon that is estimated to arrive in the Paradise Philippines area of responsibility by Saturday.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Paradise Philippines SEO Contest Updates?

Update on the Paradise Philippines SEO Contest


Been looking for any update to the paradise Philippines SEO keyword ranking contest and came across an important update. Even if I said that I was not joining the contest but only helping a few friends in the paradise Philippines SEO community, it came to my mind that I have to look for some important details and update on the ongoing paradise Philippines SEO keyword ranking contest for my blog about paradise Philippines. Haven't been gathering any information about the contest updates and I guess this is the time to look for one tonight as I feel I have to seek for it.

Final Date of the Paradise Philippines SEO Contest?


This was actually the first time that I learned that the paradise Philippines contest was actually moved from July 1, 2007 to October 1, 2007. The paradise Philippines SEO contest end was supposed to be on January 25, 2008 and was moved to March 28,2008 at exactly 8:00 PM which most contestants thought was final until learning lately that the paradise Philippines contest was again moved from the last date on March to a seemingly undecided date on May 2, 2008. Everybody hopes that this will be a final date and no more over the edge changes as the people who joined the contest are eager to go all out in the last 2 months of the contest.

Paradise Philippines is Still Open for Sponsorship


The sponsorship by the way is still open for people and companies who would like to take part of this most prestigious SEO contest ever launched here in the Philippines. A forum over at SEOPh is ongoing also which is purely dedicated to the invitation for sponsorship for the paradise Philippines contest.

Paradise Philippines Contest Code Generator is Open


The paradise Philippines contest code generator for those who would like to join the contest is now open for clicks. If you would like to join the contest, then all you have to do is to visit the official updates website which you can find at Bayanihan SEO. Just visit the website and you will see from there the contest mechanics, the contest rules and regulations, the contest code generator, contest updates, contest sponsorship, contest standings, initial prizes and many more.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Kites in Paradise Philippines

Flying Kites No More in Paradise Philippines


Supposedly, this month, November, is the end of the kite season in paradise Philippines. At least according to me and other kite addicts here in the Philippines. Yes, I am not afraid to be called as a kite addict in my early days as a kid and I am proud to be part of the no lessening tradition of kite flying here in paradise Philippines during my childhood days as a lover of kites and an artist of small plastic kites that used to fly the Philippines skies.

Nostalgia in Kite Flying in Paradise Philippines



I remember when I was a small tot that even as early as the morning mist of six o'clock in the morning I would drag a spool of thread touched with small pieces of pulverized glass and what we call as cola to make it stick in the "sinulid" with my kite. This tradition of having "bubog" in the thread that we use is for fighting kites and to avoid loosing the kite in a tag of war in the Philippine skies during the kite season which usually starts as early as August. The windy season by the way starts at September when the typhoon usually starts to devastate the paradise Philippines green land of pastures. While we start to smell the aura of the Christmas mist, I am starting to feel a new era of kite flying and many battles that I am going to fight against rival kite flyers in the land of kite flying gladiators here in the Philippines. This to me is the most unique tradition of kite flying, unknown to many.

Smelling the Kite Season over Christmas Scent of Air



I remember when I was a kid that I used to get excited not by the smell of Christmas in the air during the month of September but with the start of the seasons here in flying kites in paradise Philippines. I also remember the first time that I flew my own plastic-made kite with a best friend beside me, it was in the squatters area where we used to live near. A small strip of vacant lot vacated because of the biggest fire here in Paradise Philippines during the 80's. I can also recall "Pasong" as we call him, the bestest friend that i had. The same person who taught me to fly kites in Paradise Philippines skies using the old roof in their house where we climb to get the advantage of being able to fly the biggest kites in the sky and win almost all battles of tag of war with our competing rivals from other places that we could reach using the threads called as Alexander equipped with what we call as "bubog". Defeating the battles between rival kites never really had anything more than the best feeling of getting the advantage to be over the others. This way you can be called as the great kite flyer or the "namamayani. Nmamayani is the tagalog version of a hero that never gets defeated by anyone else in the battles between rival kites here in paradise Philippines skies and what good feeling it is as I recall when you are being called as the "namamayani", in fact this is the best feeling as other boys in the hood would even see who's flying the best kite they can find in the skies.

Pagbububog for Kites in Paradise Philippines - A process to do



The kite flyer called as the "namamayani" by the way is also a kite watcher at times where all he does is to take a look and watch who is the best and tries to engage in a battle with him upon seeing that he wins his kite battles also to see who's the best. In my early days as a kid who loves to fly kites in paradise Philippines skies I never forget to drag my friend along wherever I go to fly kites. The most favorite place where we fly these hero kites that we have is the "riles" or the railroad tracks, the same place where we pulverize the glass from a busted fluorescent tube put inside a sardine can and let a train run pass through it early at six o'clock, the schedule of the train to pass in the railroad. The railroad is the site of many battles lost between kites but usually, this does not include us as we always win battles there and other kids would not even dare get close to our kites. We are unsung heroes of the kite flying kids in paradise Philippines back then and I never regret being part of that tradition. I will never forget the railroad tracks, the friends that we have gained during those days, the artful kites that we used to make, the threads that we use and process that we call "pagbububog" or putting pulverized glass in the thread that we use wehn flying kites. There are traditions that we have observed to be most effective in the "pagbububog". This is that the more strict you are in limiting the "bubog that gets in your thread, the more you can win battles against other rival kite flyers in the paradise Philippines skies.

The Cola Used in Kite Threads - The Best Accesory



The "pagbububog" is actually the first step of knowing that we will win many battles against rivals when our kites get to the skies and engage in a tug of war with other flyers in the hood. I can also remember that after the process of "pagbububog", we make what we call as "salat" or feel the constant distribution of the pulverized glass in our threads. This way, we can be sure that we will surely win our battles in the paradise Philippines skies. A tradition to use in making the "bubog stick to the threads that we use is called by the way as the "cola". Something sticky when heated. This "cola" gives us the advantage that the "bubog will not be touched away by our hands as the less water we put while cooking the liquid bubog, the more sticky the solution will be and the harder the threads will become when the process of "pagbububog" is done.

Kites in Paradise Philippines, A Disappearing Tradition



Nowadays, all I can do is to grieve for the dying tradition of flying kites in paradise Philippines and the happiness that it brings to my heart. The beautiful tradition is almost gone. The days of excitement, perished with the existence of cyber gaming, cell phones, early marriage and many more. These are probably the culprits of the dying tradition of the unique way of flying kites in paradise Philippines. The tug of war and many unnamed battles that we have won in the early days of the the tradition. I'm afraid will soon be a lost paradise for me while I live here in the Philippines. At least i am proud that somewhere in my heart and in this beautiful life that I have lived, I am a proud member of the early kite flyers and gladiators in the skies of paradise Philippines. There may be many other reasons that you can name aside from those that I have mentioned here but there will never be another era as exciting as the time that battling kites used to fly in the paradise Philippines skies.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

The Cotabato City Fire in Paradise Philippines

Cotabato Fire Ashed 200 Homes



A Cotabato City fire ashed almost 200 homes in Paradise Philippines yesterday according to the news. All in all, there were 500 families that were left homeless as the Cotabato City fire ashes about 200 homes. A video showing the fire caught a citizen using the small icon of a Santo Nino fronting it to the fire location while praying for the said fire in Cotabato to stop.

There were also some people caught in the video jumping from the roof while the fire was going on. Families that are rendered homeless by the Cotabato City fire in Paradise Philippines were brought to a school vicinity where they will be sheltered until they find homes to stay and be given some relief operation help in terms of food and medicines.

UFC in Paradise Philippines

Solar Sports and UFC in Paradise Philippines


UFC ( Ultimate Fighting Championship ) in paradise Philippines is being brought to us via Solar Sports and since we have cable connection in our home, my father always sees to it that he never misses any fight especially with his all time favorite Tito Ortiz. He is always excited to see what's in store with the upcoming fights at Solar Sports when the UFC belt championship matters are at stake.

No UFC in Paradise Philippines, Cavite


There is no UFC fight available back in Cavite because the house there does not have capabilities to display UFC fights as there is no cable connection yet in the place where the house was located and built. This caused us at home here in Caloocan to loose time to watch other movies and regular shows when my father is at home because he is always excited to see the fights in UFC as it has always been a different matter when UFC in paradise Philippines fights are involved. We always give way to my father because he is rarely present in the house in Caloocan and so this is the way it goes whenever watching the television is on the line.

My Father Loves Mixed Martial Arts in UFC


Mixed martial arts is always the best for him whenever UFC fighting styles is being talked about as he is an avid fan of mixed martial arts champion like Tito Ortiz. Tito Ortiz is one of the best in mixed martial arts as he is currently the UFC in paradise Philippines TV champion on the 200 pound division which is commonly known as the light heavyweight division. Tonight, my father is watching the fight between a challenger and Tito Ortiz, the champion in a fight for the defense of the UFC light heavyweight belt. The champion prevailed in the end and my father is happy with the way his idol fought tonight in the UFC arena.