Save on Electricity, use Solar power?

To those of us who feel the sting of the electric price hike, especially during summer when it’s all hot and we want to cool down, we still try to eliminate excessive use of energy around the house. Often we tend to sacrifice comfort, just to get both ends meet and still live decent at least. Which in my opinion defeats the purpose of why we slave ourselves to work. Solar energy seems to be a better solution to most our electric consumption needs.

Solar panels convert sunlight to electricity, to power our appliances. Coincidentally, Go Green Electricity specializes in this kind of service, that not only gives solution to our electric bills problem but also help us protect the planet we live in. We all know that most electricity is produced and run in petroleum and nuclear power while Go Green Electricity provides every home a solar powered panels that would help you drop excessive electricity consumption. Imagine yourself using most your appliances all at once without having to worry about a huge electric bill!

Solar panels are apparatus that converts sunlight to electricity, usually fixed onto the roof or to a designated place where there’s always sun.

If you’re worried if you’d still have enough electricity to last you the whole night while the sun is down, most solar power generator stock up energy to last you the whole night until the next morning. This method is very cost-efficient because you are using the sun’s energy and it’s free!

O, Wow it's Elmo! (at Trinoma)

From the Press Release:

Elmo Magalona, the young and talented son of the late Francis M is now the newest ambassador for the Oishi O,Wow! campaign. Elmo, who is a self-confessed Oishi muncher is more than excited to have been singled out as the new Oishi brand endorser. Oishi is a Japanese term for tasty and/or delicious food.

Elmo enthused: "I'm really happy to be part of the Oishi family. I've been enjoying their products since I was a kid. And now I'm looking forward to all the work that I will be doing with them."

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but waking up to the sweet smell of pancakes cooking is something else—O Wow.

I guess it also goes to say the same about every Filipinos who also delights in munching on Oishi products like the Oishi Prawn Crakers, Kirei and Pillows and of course, who'd forget about Rin-Bee? Although this is only the beginning, Oishi brought smiles on people's faces last Sunday at the Trinoma Activity Center with the biggest names in entertainment, aside from the Oishi endorser Elmo Magalona, there were also the Pinoy rock band Callalilly and the Singer-Actress Julie Anne San Jose. The Oishi 'O, Wow!' campaign is to call on the youth to have an open attitude that embraces life's surprises from the simplest to the grandest. Oishi is about delightful and unexpected moments that make you go 'O, Wow!' Personally, upon realizing that the Marty's Cracklin' Salt & Vinegar flavor is a vegetarian chicharon, I was like 'O, Wow!' as I didn't really expected it until I closely examined the packaging, and this has become one of my companions while composing my blog posts.

Bo’s Coffee’s 56th Store Opens in Solenad

Whenever I smell the aromatic freshness of a newly opened packet of coffee, I remember my grandmother's voice telling my aunts and uncle to drink coffee so they would stay alert and awake throughout the day. Coffee has been an aid for people who need to work on times when they should be sleeping because this is another form of stimulating drink, like when I was working as a call center agent and I needed to stay awake through my shift. Though my mother would always warn us of the effects of excessive coffee drinking, she would impose a rule about how much we should consume coffee in a day. I also remember while growing up, whenever we’d have visitors, adults in the family would offer coffee to our guests. Coffee drinking has also been a staple in the Filipino table, coffee is good for breakfast combined with pan-de-sal, fried rice and a biscotti for meryenda (in-between meals).

So how does drinking coffee affect our health and body? I did a little research and here’s what I read from Wikipedia:

• Reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and Dementia
• Reduced risk of gallstone disease
• Reduced risk of Parkinson's disease
• Cognitive performance
• Analgesic property
• Antidiabetic
• Liver protection
• Cancer
• Cardioprotective
• Laxative/diuretic
• Antioxidant
• Prevention of dental caries
• Gout
• Blood pressure

Speaking of coffee...
Bo's Coffee loyal customers would be pleased to know that they are opening their 56th coffee shop in Solenad, in Nuvali located at Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Bo's Coffee started as a six-table kiosk in Ayala, Cebu and has been one of the country's most successful coffee brands.

Located right inside the Nuvali community, this is a great place for enjoying the fresh breeze of Laguna as people enjoy their quick coffee fixes, meeting up with friends and a talk over a cup of brewed coffee or even a romantic stroll with your sweetheart or having a fun stroll with your friends by the picturesque views of the lake while having a drink of the sweet concoctions of Froccino Primo. 

Bo's Coffee aims to increase awareness on homegrown brand, and they source their beans locally; Cavite, Batangas and Benguet. 

On the official store launch in Nuvali, Bo's Coffee offered two latest selections:

(1) Biscotti Amaretto as the Summer beverage - Blended coffee with biscotti and Amaretto syrup topped with whipped cream, dark chocolate drizzle and crushed biscotti sprinkles.

Biscotti Amaretto paired with Super Moist Chocolate Cake

(2) Fillet O’ Dory Cream Sandwich for Lent - Golden brown, crispy breaded cream dory fish fillet with fresh lettuce in tangy tartar sauce.

Mr. Benitez's passion to bring world-class coffee experience to Filipinos look forward to an even more aggresive expansion in the coming years, both locally and abroad.  

THE BIG SUMMER OUTLET SALE at the SMX Convention Center 2012!

Looking for a way to beat the heat of the summer? How about shop till you drop and get up to 80% off on this Big Summer Outlet Sale, happening at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia, Philippines?!

BPI Express Credit Edge, The Philippine Daily Inquirer AND Malibu Enterprise bring you:

THE BIG SUMMER OUTLET SALE 2012!
When: April 27-29, 2012, Fri-Sun 10a-9p
Where: SMX Convention Center, Hall 1, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
Who: FREE Entrance to ALL BPI cardholders (w/ a valid ID)
– Additional discounts & Raffle draw for BPI Edge Cardholders
– P50 entrance fee to non-BPI Cardholders
What: Everything ON SALE! Up to 80% off on select items from selected brands!

Click on the image to enlarge.

When your kids back talk.

Children nowadays have learned this obscure confidence when being dealt with by their parents. They think they are being smart when they back talk. I've had this predicament with my children first when my son was approaching young adult age and when he started going high school. Sometimes, it doesn't help that children from a broken family and when there's no stronger authority around, the children learn to fight back when they don't get what they want.

I was reading this on a magazine and thought of sharing it on my blog:
1. SET CLEAR RULES. Friction between a child and parent arises when the latter would come up with new rules that wasn't existing before. This makes the children confused and frustrated, they feel that they are being chocked too much. There should be a clear rule between house chores and rewards for abiding with the rules.

2. BAD BEHAVIOUR HAVE CONSEQUENCES. Parents who tolerate a child's rude behaviour will think that it's okay to back talk or to fight back. Mean what you say, if kids don't want to obey rules, there should be punishment for disobedience. Be firm and don't feel too guilty for putting a child on ground rules.

3. MAKE THE CHILD UNDERSTAND. One of the biggest mistakes that  a parent does to a child is when they do not clearly explain to their children what the punishment was for or why they are being grounded. Just like adults who always tend to forget what they should be doing, kids should be told that if they are being grounded for a week because they sneaked out on a school day. Explain to the children why they are reaping this consequence in a more acceptable manner.

4. USE CODES WHEN IN PUBLIC. Sometimes, children will test your patience when other people are around, they will try to see if they can get away with it. Kind of like when you're busy talking on the phone and they will ask you favor because they know you will not refuse because you're busy. Establish a pre-arranged signal with your children that you know they are trying your patience and you're not oblivious to what they are trying to prove or establish. It could be a hand signal or with the looks that you're giving them.

5. DON'T GET INTO THE SCREAMING GAME. I know I'm a bad example on this one and glad that I've gotten over it. But a moment of silence is precious, especially this gives the children an uneasy feeling that any moment you will have a good comeback and there will be no escape.

Children, as they say are a gift from heaven, and they can be angels at times or during their toddler years, but parents should be armed with enough courage and discipline to teach a child the way he should go (Proverbs 22:6).

My first travelogue: Rizal Park (Luneta)

It's summer vacation here in the Philippines, and people are out to enjoy the sun and maybe the cool summer breeze by the beach. My country boasts of nice and lovely beaches that often flocked by foreigners. To be brutally honest, I never really concerned myself with these kind of "travels" because of my different opinion and many monetary concerns I would always go by my "poverty mentality" thus making life a little unhappy for me, but through the persuasion of my very good friend Lalaine and other friends, I am now posting my first travelogue. I've decided to start with a little stroll at the Luneta Park in Manila, which is the capital of the Philippines.

Luneta or most popularly known as Rizal Park and formerly known as Bagumbayan (New Town) is the home to the Philippine national Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal (José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda). His heroic deeds varies from attending to patients for he was a physician to his famous writings that depicted the poor treatment Filipinos get from our Spanish invader. Dr. Jose Rizal was executed by rifle squad on December 30, 1896 which is a Philippine holiday celebrated every year.