Am I my Brother's Keeper?

This is the question asked by Cain after he murdered Abel and God asked him where is his brother.

Keeper is defined to "guard, protect, or attend to".

The photo below of the SOLISES is a priceless photo for me. It was taken at the temple, the day after we arrived in Manila. Me, my brother next to me is Bong, and my youngest brother, Carl. We are actually soon to be an OFW family, because my Bong is just waiting for his plane ticket going to Eastern part of Saudi. While Carl is on vacation, but will soon be back to Al Khobar.

18 years since our Mom died, and I still remember what she said as her last words. Holding my hands tight, she asked me to look and take care of my siblings. I was nearing 16 years old that time.

Today, we have separate lives, but we are always beside each other to support and to draw strength from each other. We have differences sometimes, but we face and confront challenges as a family, knowing that there is strength in unity.

Some people admire the way I solidify my family despite the absence of parents. Because of the hardships we been to, and because of the experiences we have had at a very young age, we have the firm resolution to make our lives better for our posterity, and we are strengthen by our faith and inspired by the challenges we overcome.

Sabi nga nila, gaano ka man kayaman o kasuccessful, if you failed in a home, wala pa ring kwenta ang yaman or success mo. Kaya't para sa akin, pamilya ang una. Kasi kahit ano pa man ang mangyari, they're the first you can run to. They're the source of inspiration as well, and tremendous happiness and joy. So am I my brother's keeper? Yes, we are all are. If we neglect them, we won't be successful, believe me.

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

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I Hate to Blog It, But We Have to Leave...

A couple of months ago, I blogged about my resignation letter that was intended to be just for fun or as a joke. Today, I will have to admit it. I am leaving. I was made to decide of whether to leave the company I’ve help built and worked for nearly 6 years and take a step towards the fulfillment of my dreams, or to just be contented with what we’re having and let opportunities pass by. I love the job, and the people I am working with, and my ever kind boss and the company who have given me the opportunity to be blessed. But here comes a new opportunity, and that we are not allowed to disclose for now. Sooner, we will blogged about it. We don’t want to serve it half-cooked kumbaga.

A long time ago, a received from a good friend an email that says about the relationship between TAKING A RISK, HOLDING ON and LETTING GO.

“The greatest irony of love is letting go when you need to hold on and holding on when you need to let go. We lose someone we love only when we are destined to find someone else who can love us even more than we can love ourselves. When you think of your past love, you may view it as a failure. But when you find a new love, you view the past as a teacher.”

There are things to hold on, and there are things to let go. But it is all risky. Taking a risk is responding to opportunities. In risking, there are two consequences, either we fail or succeed. In failing we learn, in success we reap the blessings of our hardships and efforts. When we fail, we will try again for the better. When we succeed, we share those blessings to others.

All my life, I have struggled holding on to many things, and letting them go. I have also experienced failures and disappointments, and a few successes. But I am a warrior by heart. I fight whatever I know and believe to be right. I am not afraid to step forward if I know I am standing in a solid ground. (Nahhh, tama na Kenji. Oo na, matapang na...tsk tsk)

Sabi ko nga sa wife ko kagabi while we are walking along Khobar center, I think you are ready if I leave you for a few months. You become a warrior already, as we engage together, side by side combating life trials and challenges. This girl who used to work in Dell Computers in Ortigas, and in Ayala Land in Makati who love malling and shopping and with simple happiness and joy, a woman of great character, an intelligent mind, and a sound understanding...(ibubulong ko na lang po sa kanya ang kasunod ng mga lines na ito, hehe)

We laugh what we been to the last 3 years, and I love her more for standing by me, fighting with me, and bearing with my failures and weaknesses. She blogged eloquently what I want to say here, so please find time to read it.

We might be leaving Al Khobar, but not blogging, FB or PEBA and KABLOGS. That's the best about that. We can transfer from anywhere around the world, but we are still seeing each other in the cyber world. So kitakits!

We will terribly miss this place, the people we’ve come to love, associate and befriended. But I believe it is only for a season. God will find a way; we might be back here someday. Insha-allah!

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

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Me, my friend and the hacker

This was blogged already by my good friend, LordCM over the Dungeon, pero I'll blogged it here with my thoughts and impressions. A blog from the victim also, The Pope is posted here.

Conversation with the Hacker, May 10, 2010

Background:
Umabsent ako that day for two reasons, one is to process the original birth certificate of our daughter from the Saudi Office of Civil Affairs, and secondly, so I can come to IPSA (International Philippine School of Al Khobar) to vote. We wanted to be out early so we can beat the long queue in case meron mang mahabang linya sa processing ng papers and sa botohan.

I was waiting for my two girls while nagbibihis sila so I decided to check my Facebook muna, at the same time, while listening to the internet radio via RMN. After reading a couple of minutes about other statuses, may nagpop out sa chat ng FB. And the conversation below…

7:35am Hacker
mr.solis san ka?
Heheh

(Unusual sa una pa lang, for the last couple of years, never ako tinawag ni Pope na “Mr. Solis” kaya lang may “Hehe” kaya akala ko nagbibiro lang siya.)

7:36am Me
hey george
boboto ako
we're leving on the 20th for phils.
musta?
Hehe

(now, that’s may usual greeting every time we have a chat with my mentor-friend, and the date of disclosure that we are leaving, nah, may separate na blog yan, hehe, pupunta seguro kami ng Canada? Wish ko lang!)

7:38am Hacker
san ka ngayon are you in the office ?

(I admit in real chatting with Pope, he asked me the same question several times, so my doubt fades. I was thinking this time I was chatting the real Pope)

7:38am Me
hindi
nasa haws
umabsent ako today

(ang perfect ng timing niya di ba? Nasa haws ako, and sa likod lang ng haws namin ang Western Union! Alam ba niya na sponsor namin yan sa PEBA 2009, hehe)

7:39am Hacker
ahh okay parekoy baka pwede huming pabor sayo may malapit ba dyan western union sa inyo?

(Parekoy? Tinawag ako ni Pope na “parekoy” anak ng tokwa at sinamahan ng pancit at sabaw ng beef!Ang tumatawag lang sakin ng ganun, si KosaPogi at si Prof Pajay! Halos araw –araw kami nagchachat ni Pope for more than a year, pero never niya ako tinawag na ‘parekoy’ kaya right then and there, sabi ko kay Mrs. Thoughtskoto, “nahack seguro itong account ni Pope. Then she sat down beside me and read the conversation. I decided to play along.

7:39am Me
yes
bakit?
what cn i do

Ang daming naglalaro sa isipan ko, but I already asked my wife to find the Pope’s mobile number in our phones. I am buying time though, playing with this Hacker.
(Yes, you can ask for a favor)
(Bakit, what is that favor I can do for you, Hacker!)
(What can I do? Bite it, Hacker, I’ve been around online for more than 10 years now, and I know what life is in the Cyberspace. What can I do? I am willing to entrap you!)


7:41am Hacker
pare baka naman you can send 5000 dollars to my rlative sa cebu emergency lang ehh babalik ko na lang sayo bukas din ..kasi nasa office ako ngayon ehhh...kung okay lang gawen ko na lang 6000 bukas..

(Boom! Naconfirm ko na right away. Me and Shiela was laughing kasi sabi ko, pambihira naman si Pope, 5,000 USD? Tapos may emergency sa Cebu, 5,000 USD? I don’t agree with you Pope, this guy is not a pro. He will pay me the next day 6,000USD? Is he aware of Anti-Money Laundering Act? Or Anti-Terrorism Act? Haha, pero hindi ako nagpahalata, nagyabang pa ako na kunwari marami akong pera, pero in real life, nagbebenta na nga kami ng mga gamit kasi pauwi kami. Matalo man si Villar, manalo man si Noynoy.)

(My take, this guy is a call center agent, working somewhere along the high rise buildings in Ayala Business Park in Cebu who have nothing to do but violate other people’s privacy, fool the list of our contacts and extort money from them. But yes, I was still searching for Pope’s number under PEBA, KABLOGS, or searched it even in my gmail account.)

7:42am Me
sige, what details info?

(I played well, huh? I was asking for the details hoping to get some lead. Take note of the time, 7:42AM. Our appointment is at 8:00AM so you can imagine that we are terribly in a hurry, or else we will be so late and we will be done by afternoon. Details info, I ask.)

7:44am Hacker
may roaming ka naman diba?
kasi yung sa akin nadeactivate ehh
pwede din ba text mo sa kanila yung tracking number kasi break time lang ehh di ko na maasikaso mamaya yan ehh..pano ko babalik ulit sayo bukas thru bank nalang ba o western union din?

RECEIVERS NAME: Mr. Joe Miranda
RECEIVERS ADDRESS: 4th Floor Citiland Tower 1, Cebu City ...
cellphone number+639995750612

malapit lang ba dyan western pare kasi urgent yun ehh manganganak na misis nya ehh..
???
pare
pakisulat nalang sa papel ha ...

(I was not replying by that time, because I copy and paste the same exact conversation to my gmail account, and sent it to Pope, Azel, and CM, with out saying anything.

I didn’t know he has the email of Pope also in Yahoo, so he replied back to me saying

“Bro, ako to.”

So I send again another email, this time with subject “SPAM” and send it again to the people mentioned above asking them to inform Pope about this. Then I started dialing Pope’s number, and yes, I heard the man, who for nearly two years now become my adviser, confidante, and mentor friend, and who sounds like a 30, no, make it 20 years old. I said, “George?” He replied, “Yes” “This is Kenji.” “Oh, Hi! Yes Kenji.” “Can you please check your Facebook account, someone is using it asking from me 5,000 dollars.” Our conversation was short, with a sense of shocking surprise and nervousness. Me and my wife, we were discussing about this incident while on the road. Kawawa naman si Pope, sabi ni Shie. I was calling Nebz mobile phone but guess it was muted since he is still at work. I was trying to contact as much people as I can. Then I receive a call from the Pope. He is worried, and he told me, this hacker had victim already, his niece in Pasay for 5,000 pesos. He asked if I can warn our friends in FB and Kablogs to spread the word that his account was hacked and that he can’t access it anymore. My wife found Azel’s mobile phone number and dialled it. And right after Pope hanged up, I was talking to Azel, the ever online, and ever reachable PEBA Lady, to spread the word like a wildfire.

It’s even funny, ang cool pala ng boses ni Ms. Aze, magaling din kaya siyang kumanta? Sabi ko, “Hello Azel?” “Yes” “Si Kenji toh.” “Hi Kenji” Halatang nagulat eh. Hehehe. “oh, Kuya.”

Then Nebz called back, but he know’s the story already sa FB. I was checking my email in my mobile phone. I read the reply from the Hacker, explaining that he is actually asking for 5,000 pesos, not 5,000USD. But I ignored him.

Sana magkaroon ng batas na magawa sila Bong Revilla, Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada and Vic Sotto, forget about Bong Bong Marcos na baka pag mamatay si Imelda, tatakbo na namang presidente. Forget about Ralph Recto na may author ng EVAT, maliban sa VAT, may expanded VAT. Iimbitahan namin kayo lahat sa PEBA 2010, dapat magsponsor kayo ah.hehehe

Okay, alam niyo, pag ako tumakbong senador, over my slim body and bulging belly, dapat ang mga hacker na yan, pag nahuli, pinapalagay ang mga daliri sa mesa tapos binabagsakan ng lumang monitor ng PC, hindi LCD ah, yung mabibigat na old model para baka tumino.

Payo ni Azel, wag daw po the same ang password sa messenger, email at social networks.

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

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Just Plain Photos for Mothers Day

Happy Mother's day to all the moms and all those who have a mom!

CLICK THE PHOTO'S TO SEE ORIGINAL SIZES

My Mom, love and missed you - SO MUCH!

All photos, except for the first one, are linked to each respective owner's URL in Picasa.

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

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Para sa Akin: Ang Boto kay Villar at Ople ay Boto para sa mga OFW

Ninoy Aquino’s 12 years as Congressman and Senator compared to Manny Villar’s 18 years of service as Congressman, and Senator as well?

Open you eyes, and feel it in your heart.

Washington Post reported about Noynoy’s track record;

“The campaign slogan of the presidential front-runner, Sen. Benigno Aquino III, says: “Without corrupt officials, there are no poor people.”

“Aquino is beloved for being the only son of assassinated opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. and of former president Corazon Aquino, who died last year. But after 12 years in public office, he has little record of introducing legislation aimed at poverty reduction.”

The News Today reported about Manny Villar's track record;

“In 1992, he entered politics and was elected Congressman of Las Pinas and Muntinlupa for three terms in a row, consistently posting landslide victories. As congressman, he authored 44 laws among which were

New Foreign Investments Act,

RA 9178 Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Act,

RA 9189 Overseas Absentee Voting Act,

RA 9208 Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act,

RA 9257 An Act Granting Additional Benefits and Privileges to Senior Citizens, and

RA 9262 Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act.”

“In 2001, he was elected Senator where he gained the respect of his peers at the Senate and elected Senate President. As a senator, he has been consistently among the top filers of bills and resolutions in the Upper Chamber. He continues this distinction until the present 14th Congress. As of December 31, 2009, for the 14th Congress, Villar has the second most number of legislation filed in the Senate with 737 bills and resolutions.

“In fact, among the presidentiables, Villar has the highest number of bills and resolutions filed.”

Sa mga batas po na nabanggit na naipasa ni Manny Villar, tatlong batas ang directly supporting OFW’s. Ang Absentee Voting, ang Anti-Trafficking, and the Anti-Violence against Women and their children.

“He has filed Bills aimed at providing business opportunities for the people and improving the Filipinos’ quality of life through basic health care, decent shelters, responsive social services, and high quality education.”

Para sa akin, the way I understand it, Manny Villar wanted us to teach the value of endurance and patience as well industry and hard work in achieving our goals, our dreams, that is to rise from poverty. He doesn’t need money. He was blessed to have much of this. He just wanted to help, because you know, that’s what life is all about. When you are blessed with tremendous wealth, you wanted to lift and help others. But you cannot simply give fish and feed others; you have to teach them how to catch a fish.

This election we are given choices, and the difference is clear as the sunshine. Here is one chance given to rise and shine and be proud as a nation to have a leader who’ve been there at the bottom and raise himself well to be there on top of us all. Sabi nga, you can learn someone by his fruits. Look, he has a family, someone is still single! He has raise his family well. Manny Villar reaped the fruits of his labors, and we are seeing the things he has done while serving the people. We can close our eyes and be a deaf, but we can’t be dumb to see the difference, eh?

Darating din po ang panahon na ang isang mahirap na OFW na kagaya ko ay babalik sa Pilipinas, magnenegosyo, at makakaahon sa hirap. Darating din po ang panahon na uuwi ang mga OFW at sa Pilipinas na magtratrabaho at di na kailangan pang mamasukan sa ibang bansa kasi dadagsa na ang mga investors, maraming itatayong planta at pabrika. Darating din po ang panahon na magiging mataas na ulit ang antas ng ating edukasyon, na wala na pong mga agency, at contract workers dahil aalisin na ni Susan Ople, at wala na rin pong mga corrupt na officials na reason kung bakit walang gusting mamuhunan sa bansa. Darating po ang panahon na magkakaroon na ng libreng insurance sa mga manggagawa at maging mandatory na po yan sa mga kompanya. I can see lots and lots of them. But I don’t know when it will be realize.

I can see them starting to be realize with Villar’s leadership, and with Toots Ople in the Senate. I don’t believe na magagawa po ito ni Senator Noynoy. Magpasa muna siya ng batas para sa mahirap, ng batas para sa mga OFW or manggagawa, kahit isa lang, please! I am voting Manny Villar for president, and I am voting Susan Ople for senator. The vote for them is a vote for every OFW’s and their families, labors and workers and the rest of the Filipino people.

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

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