4 Easy Steps in Starting a Business

The best way to start any business is to do the following:

1. Know the business. Before venturing, you should be able to at least check the be basics of the business. Is it in need? Is it viable to a certain location? The more specific and prepared the business plan you have, the better chances of succeeding the entrepreneurial life.

2. Secure small business loan. Think big, start small. Investing in small amount for a time, to learn the ropes of the trade is wise. This is secured spending. Your initial small business financing loan is pretty much better to fire-up the venture.

3. Take a journal. Taking a business journal of what had happened to you business from time-to-time can certainly help you recall things you may forget in the future. This nitty-gritty details somehow can help you improve your business management skills as it enables you to recall certain specific events as a benchmark.

4. Take a Step at a Time. Never rush things in business. You can get somewhere by taking an action at a time. Businessmen are risk takers, but they do make intelligent guesses. As soon as you are able to see your return of the investment (ROI), take some additional small business loans to better finance your project.

"Three Days of Darkness / Tatlong Araw ng Kadiliman"

FAST FACTS:

Directed by Khavn Dela Cruz

Starring Katya Santos, Gwen Garci

Introducing Precious Adona and Bugz Daigo

Opens on December 12-24 exclusively at Robinsons Movieworld IndieSine-Galleria, Manila and Bacolod



Inevitable. Inescapable. Inexorable. The only option left is to be prepared!

The unsettling events we see in the world today are sure signs of what is yet to come, doomsayers everywhere unceasingly warn an increasingly skeptical public. Yet it will come to pass- the `Three Days of Darkness,' an apocalyptic scenario which sees all of mankind literally groping in the dark under a dead sun, leaving the world in pitch black existence.

This highly-cerebral premise is merely but a starting point of the full length feature "Three Days of Darkness" (Tatlong Araw ng Kadiliman) which then ponders- what unspeakable horror awaits man if he's all too suddenly thrown in the blindness of three seemingly endless nights? More interestingly, what if instead of a man, it is a woman, nay make that three covetous women who are left to themselves in the dark? And are they, in fact, truly alone? Push the envelope further and see what if these lovely women become "playthings" in the hands of IT that thrive only in the dark? Can lust and desire veil the body from the assault of the unimaginable monsters of the night?

Questions on spirituality, morality, (homo)sexuality- one film simply cannot mix all three opposing elements. It is almost taboo.

But "Three Days of Darkness" is not a film.

From the recognized Father of Philippine digital cinema, Khavn Dela Cruz, comes "Three Days of Darkness" (Tatlong Araw ng Kadiliman), a full length feature unlike anything the local audience has been offered to see before. Little wonder as its creator, enfante terrible Khavn is unlike any Filipino filmmaker the world has known before. Before any other, he has long decided to shoot only in digital. Non-traditional digital features. No non-sense non-traditional digital features. You get the picture? (in digital-pun intended!)

So even for his most "commercial" endeavor, an admitted attempt of the filmmaker to entice and expose to a much wider LOCAL audience his version of cinema, Khavn could not be anything but true to his passion-the exploration and exposition of themes and ideas many others would find too taboo to even mention. Simply put, the digital master painstakingly chose his material, one that would equally excite the artist in him and the audience's dictum for unqualified entertainment.

The result is "Three Days of Darkness" (Tatlong Araw ng Kadiliman), a horror-thriller without a single ghost yet will MOST DEFINITELY leave the audience engulfed in a sea of terror and nightmare PLUS an unblinking dose of lesbian encounters that likewise stretches the limits of Viva's most daring sex goddesses, KATYA SANTOS and GWEN GARCI. Newbie nymphet PRECIOUS ADONA and young hunk BUGZ DAIGO complete the libidous quartet.

If a film be rated FOR ADULTS, let it be with a genuine adult premise and stance and substance. This year, no other local feature could be as adult as the encounter of the three women with their darkest secrets and the unseen monster in the darkest corners of the house that just suddenly went black. Total blackout for three days.

"Three Days of Darkness." It is here and escape is only for the sissy. Challenge your gut and your senses and experience an overblown scare-ride in the darkness of IndieSine cinema. That is if you're 18 and above-and we don't just mean your birth age.

Filipino Americans demand for apology from ABC and Desperate Housewives

This subject is all over the net for several days and the Online petition, as of this writing, is gaining more than 60,000 online signatures.

Started by Kevin Nadal, , knadal@gmail.com, the petition is filed online against ABC -- the creator of Desperate Housewives.

Here is Kevin's Petition for the Filipino people in http://www.petitiononline.com/FilABC/ :


To: ABC

To the producers of "Desperate Housewives" and ABC:

We are writing to express concern and hurt about a racially-discriminatory comment made in an episode of Desperate Housewives on 9/30/07. In a scene in which Susan was told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause, she replied, "Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines."

As members and allies of the Filipino American community, we are writing to inform you that this type of derogatory remark was discriminatory and hurtful, and such a comment was not necessary to maintain any humor in the show. Additionally, a statement that devalues Filipinos in healthcare is extremely unfounded, considering the overwhelming presence of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the medical field. Filipinos are the second largest immigrant population in the United States, with many entering the U.S. (and successfully passing their U.S. licensing boards!) as doctors, nurses, and medical technicians. In fact, the Philippines produces more U.S. nurses than any other country in the world. So, to belittle the education, experience, or value of Filipino Americans in health care is extremely disrespectful and plain and simply ignorant. Many of the hospitals in major metropolitan areas of the U.S. (and the world) would not be able to operate without its Filipino and Filipino American staff members.

As Filipino Americans and allies, we band together to ensure that this type of hateful message should not be allowed to continue on our television and radio airwaves. Given the recent amounts of media attention that has been given to Michael Richards (against African Americans), Isaiah Washington (against gays), and Rosie O'Donnell (against Asian/ Chinese Americans), it is ridiculous that this type of hateful speech made it through various screenwriters, the show's producers, the show's actors, and ABC itself.

We demand a public apology to the Filipino American community, and we demand the episode be edited to remove the ignorant and racist remark. We will not allow hateful messages against our community (or any other oppressed community) to continue.

To sign the PETITION, click this LINK or copy and past this link to your browser: http://www.petitiononline.com/FilABC/

THE BETTER SIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES

INTEL General Manager Robin Martin About the Philippines looks at the current Philippine situation as half full-half empty. Here is what's in his mind:

Filipinos (including the press, business people and myself) tend to dwell too much on the negative side, and this affects the perception of Foreigners, even the ones who have lived here for a while. The negative perception of the Philippines is way disproportionate to reality when compared to countries like Columbia , Egypt , Middle East, Africa , etc.

Let us all help our country by balancing the negative with the positive especially when we talk to foreigners, whether based here or abroad. Looking back and comparing the Philippines today and 1995 (the year I came back), I was struck by how much our country has progressed physically.

Consider the following:

1. The great telecom infrastructure that we have now did not exist in 1995. 1995 was the year the telecom industry was deregulated. Since then billions of dollars have been invested in both fixed line and cellular networks producing a system with over 5,000 kms of fiber optic backbone at a world competitive cost. From a fixed line capacity of about 900,000 in 1995 we now have over 7 million. Cellular phones practically did not exist in 1995; now we have over 11 million line capacity .

2. The MRT, many of the EDSA flyovers (including the Ayala Avenue flyover), the SKYWAY, Rockwell and Glorietta 4, the Fort, NAIA terminal 2 and most of the new skyscrapers were not yet built in 1995.

3. If you drive to the provinces, you will notice that national roads are now of good quality (international quality asphalt roads). I just went to Iba, Zambales last week and I was impressed that even a not so frequently travelled road was of very good quality.

4. Philippine exports have increased by 600% over the past eight years. There are many, many more examples of progress over the last eight years. Philippine mangoes are now exported to the US and Europe .

Additional tidbits to make our people prouder:

1. INTEL has been in the Philippines for 28 years. The Philippines plant is where Intel's most advanced products are launched, including the Pentium IV. By the end of 2002, Philippine operations became Intel's biggest assembly and testing operations worldwide.

2. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS has been operating in Baguio for over 20 years. The Baguio plant is the largest producer of DSP chips in the world. DSP chips are the brains behind cellphones. TI's Baguio plant produces the chip that powers 100% of all NOKIA cellphones and 80% of Erickson cellphones in the world.

3. TOSHIBA laptops are produced in Santa Rosa , Laguna.

4. If you drive a BENZ, BMW, or a VOLVO, there is a good chance that the ABS system in your car was made in the Philippines.

5. TREND-MICRO , makers of one of the top anti virus software PC-Cillin (I may have mispelled this) develops its "cures" for viruses right here in Eastwood Libis, Quezon City . When a virus breaks in any computer system in the world, they try to find a solution within 45 minutes of finding the virus.

6 . Today a majority of the top ten U.S. Call Center firms in the U.S. have set up operations in the Philippines . This is one area in which I believe we are the best in the world in terms of value for money.

7. America Online (AOL) has 1,000 people in Clark answering 90% of AOL's global e-mail inquiries.

8. PROCTOR & GAMBLE has over 400 people right here in Makati (average age 23 years) doing back-up office work to their Asian operations including finance, accounting, Human Resources and payments processing.

9. Among many other things it does for its regional operations network in the Asia-Pacific region here in Manila , CITIBANK also does its global ATM programming locally .

10. This is the first year ever that the Philippines will be exporting cars in quantity courtesy of FORD Philippines. (I have an idea this article was written between 2001 - 2002, so this operation should have been on-going for the last 3 years or so. CYN)

11. The government is shedding off graft and corruption slowly but surely. This is the first time in our history that a former president is in jail and facing charges of plunder. Despite all odds, we are still pursuing the ill-gotten wealth of Marcos now enjoyed by his unrepentant heirs.

Next time you travel abroad and meet business associates tell them the good news. A big part of our problem is perception and one of the biggest battles can be won simply by believing and by making others believe. This message is shared by good citizens of the Philippines who persevere to hope and work for our country.

56,000,000 Filipinos speak, read and write in English even if we have our own national language. Speaking a second language takes a certain kind of unique intelligence.

Earn Php 100 -Php 200.00 per hour as HOMEBASED CALL CENTER AGENTS

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A Home of our Own

Since its humble beginnings, it has always been the dream of the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF) to have its own home. Thirty-four years later, what was once just a vision has now become a reality.

Along the busy lane of North Road Jagobiao in a northeastern city in Cebu rises a new 2-story building. In white hue, the new building best represents the people behind the success of the Foundation: its membership. Situated in a 2,415 square meter lot in Barangay Tungasan, the structure is at the heart of Mandaue City – the home of 60% of the Foundation’s membership.

HOW IT CAME TO BE. The plan of having a home of its own was the product of more than a decade of challenges for the CFIF Board of Trustees. In 1994, the first committee to search for a lot was established. It was unanimously decided that the building be located in the heart of Mandaue City where about 60% CFIF membership is located. CFIF Executive Director Ruby Babao-Salutan recalls: “it was the consensus of the board to locate the building in the ‘center of action.’ ”

The planning and the search for the site were not only the challenges faced by the Foundation. Funding the construction of this building took a long way. Every year since the committee was formed, a portion of CFIF’s savings was allotted for the building of its “home”.

THE “WHITEHOUSE”. The new edifice is the convergence zone of the Foundation’s operations. It houses all of CFIF’s support and service centers: Membership and Advocacy, Market Development, HRD and Productivity, Environmental Management and CFIF Information Centre (CFIF IC).

The lobby is furnished by no less than the renowned Kenneth Cobonpue.

CFIF IC, the business and design information powerhouse of the furniture industry, sits on the ground floor, just next to the lobby area. Furnished by the excellently-crafted furniture of Dedon Manufacturing Inc., which showcased of the Cebuano craftsmanship and German technology, CFIF IC hosts top-of-the-line design and product development materials and market reports accessible to CFIF member companies and other clients. It also prides itself for its Material Collection – a library of swatches and materials used by the furniture industry.

Also on the ground floor is the training area which houses the HRDP’s office and three training rooms ready to accommodate industry-related functions, trainings and other events. Each is capable of providing ample space for 50 individuals with state-of-the-art audio and visual facilities courtesy of the German Development Services (DED). Furnishings of the conference room were provided by Cebu Fil-Veneer Corporation.

CFIF’s dining area will be a special setting by itself with furniture pieces from Classical Geometry Export Trading.

Guests and clients coming to the reception area of the second floor are welcomed by the furniture set by Murillo’s Export International Corp. with lighting and fixtures from Raphael Legacy Designs Inc.. The second level houses the Executive Director’s office fully furnished by Detalia Aurora Inc. Adjacent to this room is the CFIF Board Room dressed with a complete regal boardroom set by Maitland-Smith Cebu Inc.

Sitting right next to the Executive Director’s office is the Membership and Advocacy and Finance and Admin Units’ area. Across them resides the Market Development Unit, whose main function is to run the annually celebrated Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition (Cebu X) and the upcoming regional trade fair christened as “Treasures of the South: The Best of VISMIN”.

CFIF’s new building is a new milestone of its history. The Foundation’s new home humbly stands as an epitome of its undying commitment to serve its role: the voice and the primary support organization of the Philippine furniture export industry.

*This article was was published in the 2008 CFIF Annual Report.

Earn Online Through Mylot.com

There are true-blue online income generator sites that can help you earn income while sharing your insights on issues and idea. Take Mylot.com.

Numerous testimonies (aside from my own) can attest that you can earn dollars if you have just the patience and the guts to join Mylot.com and do the on improving your posts in Mylot published by C. McCarthy in Associated Content's website.

Just follow this tips and your on your way of earning your first bucks through the internet:

1) A lot of the discussions on MyLot are only one or two sentences and, frankly, are a waste of time. These weak discussions earn less money through Mylot's algorithms than a well thought out, interesting discussion. If you write a good discussion question about something interesting, people will have more to say about it and you will get more comments. The length of a good discussion question should be about three to six sentences long. The longer and higher quality your discussion is, the more money you will earn from Mylot. Of course, quality posts also make the site more worthwhile to surf over to and spend some time at.

2) Post a picture with each discussion question and comment that you post. This will add a few cents to your earnings and will increase the amount of responses you receive to your discussions. People are more likely to participate in a discussion that has a picture posted with it.

3) Respond to all of the comments that are made on your discussions. The more comments you respond to, the more you will earn at MyLot. The more that other people participate in your discussion, the more you earn for it.

4) Submit several "tags" or keywords for your discussions and comments. This makes it easier for people to find your discussion and participate. Next to each discussion and comment there is a little plus sign and minus sign. Rate all of the comments that you receive. No one knows exactly how the payment algorithms work at MyLot, but rating your comments is likely to raise your discussion's status or importance.

5) Under your profile at MyLot, there is a section called "My Interests." Fill out the subheadings in this section very thoroughly. When you start a discussion, start it under one of these interests if any apply."

Don't just stare there.

Start your own account now in mylot.com. Just click this LINK or the Mylot logo above.