Remember when I wrote about that very, very nice car I saw at The Bellevue one early Sunday morning? Richard Gutierrez’s car? The Nissan GTR? Well, that car is in total ruin. What a shame. 
I read yesterday that the said actor had an unfortunate accident along the northbound Sta. Rosa–Tagaytay Road at 1:30 AM, where he and his bodyguard were injured and which caused the death of his assistant. It’s an accident really. Nothing freaky. Just one bad accident on one poorly lit curved road.
Being frequent visitors to Tagaytay, we pass by that road all the time. And I agree, it is very poorly lit. Accident prone as the police admitted. And so with that knowledge, how come there were very few signs, if any, and shouldn’t they at least provide ample lighting to the accident-prone area? I’m guessing the authorities are waiting for a high-profile case such as this before they take action.
The Tagaytay area is bustling with charming, old and new, little B&B (bed and breakfast) inns that serve as fast hideaways for the metro’s toxic life and pollution. We go there to relax, listen to our ipods, watch a DVD movie, or to enjoy some delicious food. It’s not enough that just one particular area is developed. The road going there must be looked at too, and this means providing travelers with safe roads, one that has ample danger signs, traffic signs, and lighting.
A few months ago, I wrote about a Paypal scam here (along with a screenshot of a sample e-mail). For the past months, I’ve been getting these malicious e-mails again claiming to be from Paypal. As always, these e-mails get sacked at the Spam folder. But just this morning, I was alarmed when I saw the following email from Paypal:
Of course this is a scam. I logged on to the official Paypal site using another browser to check if I really have “unusual charges to my credit card linked to Paypal.” None. Nada. Zilch.
When reading e-mails from sites that even look legit, better confirm that by manually typing the address on your browser instead of using the link(s) provided. We can never be too careful when it comes to giving sensitive info over the Internet. One minute we’re using our hard-earned money for term life insurance quote, and the next thing you know, it’s all gone. Be careful. Be safe.
Again, here are some important reminders to take note.
PayPal doesn’t address its clients as “Dear Customer”, “Dear PayPal User”, “Dear Member” or “Dear Valued Client.” They always address their members by their complete registered names.
Don’t give out any information such as your name, account number and password, credit card details, etc. that the email asks for. Once you do that, it’s goodbye to your account for these scammers act very fast, emptying accounts the minute they receive the vital information they need.
Don’t click on any link provided in the email. Hover your mouse over the link and check for its URL. If in doubt, don’t touch the email. What I did when I first received such scams was to contact PayPal and forward the email to them. I then received a prompt reply to my query together with a verification of the email and guidelines on how to avoid being scammed in the future.
If you have already entered valuable information, or clicked the link provided, you take immediate action to protect your identity and data. Report it to PayPal at once. If you only clicked on a link inside of a spoofed email, you may also want to run a security scan on your computer. eBay has a help page with valuable information regarding the steps you should take to protect yourself (http://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/index.html).
Tell your friends about it and publish your experience as much as possible. This will help disseminate valued information and, more importantly, always make others aware of this ongoing threat in cyberspace. This scam has been as old as the internet itself but many are still being victimized because of complacency. The email scam syndicates will never stop as long there are “willing” victims out there.
Please be reminded that this scam does not only happen to PayPal clients. eBay, bank clients (especially those involved in online transactions) and credit card holders are also a prime target. But let us always remember that awareness is the key to fight this. Rina has learned her lesson, and I hope this post will serve as a reminder to other out there to be more careful next time.
As I mentioned in my previous post, we are in a rut on whether it’s time for us to buy or to continue renting. We’re still weighing all the pros and cons and considering all the different problems we may face like construction, reconstruction, hiring a contractor, etc. But the fun part is house hunting; it’s like searching for the best diet pills, only it’s much more pricey. hehe Thus far, this is most probably the most beautiful house (duplex) I’ve ever come across. It’s a bit off on the area where we want to buy a property but it just looks so good. So if you have around Php5M lying around, you can invest and have this beauty.
(Photo Source )
Last Sunday’s teaching really hit the bull’s eye. And if you’re curious about the teaching, you can download it here, along with other life lessons you might need, like getting out of debt perhaps?
For over a month now, my wife and I have been struggling on whether it’s high time that we buy our dream home. As you know, we’re currently renting an apartment near our office, which also happens to be near my in laws. I’ve talked to my parents about buying our dream house, and they said that if we could buy our own lot, then they would finance the construction of the house. Which is a great deal, really (like the best acne treatment there ever is). One of the advantages of having our house constructed is that we have a say on what designs and specifics we want: what goes here and what goes there. But constructing a house takes months, even years, which means that we’re stuck to renting, again, which we want to avoid in the first place (download and listen to the teaching to know why). Whereas if we bought a house and lot, we could move in a few months. So now we’re torn between buying a house and lot or buying a vacant lot and have our house constructed. What do you think? Which is better? How did you guys get your own dream house?
Just like that, 5 minutes and 59 seconds, and Manny Pacquiao pocketed US$12 Million, which roughly translates to half a billion pesos. And there’s more, much more from advertisements, endorsements, pay-per-vew, gate receipts, show licenses, etc.
If I were Manny, I think I’ll buy myself a yacht (or two) that’s better and more luxurious than that of Willy’s and travel luxuriously all over the world. Maybe I’d also buy an island and have it made just like one of those Aman resorts. Of course I’ll have the new Mercedes Benz S-Class AMG for everyday use. And on weekends, I’ll choose between my SLR McLaren or my Ferrari Enzo. I can have the best of everything until I die. The best cars, mansions, watches, jewelry, shoes and clothes, even the best weight loss pills and the best personal chefs and trainers. I could have it all.
But before all that, I’d set up a foundation to help the needy. I’d start with those boxing champs whose living a destitute life. A scholarship for the kids. I don’t need to choose the brightest kid; I’ll help every kid that wants a good education. With all that money, I can do something for them, make their lives better, to somehow give back all the blessings I’d been given.
What will do you if you’re as blessed as Manny?
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