SK Elections Postponed

The election of Sangguniang Kabataan representatives, which is scheduled simultaneous to the Barangay Elections on October 28, has been postponed. A new schedule has not yet been announced though it will be a definite postponement. SK Elections will push through between October 28, 2013 and February 23, 2015.

This postponement is in line with the new "measures" to amend Republic Act 9430.

Voyage | Heineken's Most Daring Experiment

Global premium beer brand Heineken has launched a worldwide campaign named "Voyage" in their quest to find out whether Legends are born or made. Voyage looks a lot like the reality tv show Survivor, except that Voyage does not always include the component of social interaction or competition with other contestants, this experiment is made more realistic because the participant is made to interact with the locals of the place. I've seen the trailers of all the episodes of Voyage via Heineken® Dropped YouTube channel, and what made me very excited is the fact that the participants are literally taken out of their country, out of their comfort zone, and dropped into a totally different place. In one of the episodes, two people were chosen to embark on a journey in a remote island here in my own country, The Philippines, and they have to face the challenges of their day-to-day lives while on handcuffs. In another episode, a participant found himself alone in a glacier, with nothing but a telephone ring waiting for him.

I have been a follower of quite a few reality shows and I have always thought marveled how great it would be to embark on an adventure that will test physical prowess, self strategy, and emotional limits. I have been wanting to participate in reality shows but the closest that I have come to participating was when I joined in a one-day all-out race patterned from the Amazing Race show. With my experience, I did not only ticked off a lot of adventures on my list, I was also oriented with the basic legalities of reality shows.

For shows such as Voyage, the main legal component that they must get from their participants is consent. Consent is the approval or agreement given after careful thought or consideration, to not only participate in the challenges, but also the assent to face the consequences of participating in the challenges. We've seen contestants in Survivor who get cut, burnt, or hurt themselves during the show. This does not mean that the producers of the show are allowed to do these things to their participants. However, if these unfortunate things happen, the participant, generally, cannot sue.

A waiver is the most common legal document that embodies the consent of the participant to be in the show and is also the most common document that binds the participant not to sue in case of accidents or untoward incidents which are beyond the control of the producer. On the producer's part, he must ensure that the challenges that the participants will embark are safe. In the video above, you can see that Clint was taken out of Capetown to be literally dropped in Poland in a very unusual way: skydiving. To ensure Clint's safety, the producers of the show should of course hire professional and licensed pilots and skydivers disguised as angry clowns.

Generally, in shows like these, the producer cannot release itself from all liabilities. They have a legal responsibility to give the basic needs of their participants, and after-care, if needed. In this particular Heineken social experiment, participants are given their basic supplies and directions. Participants were also screened before the show to determine if they are fit, physically and emotionally, to do the challenges. If due to accidents a participant incurs cuts and bruises, he must be given with the proper treatment, or first-aid at the least. For major concerns, these are generally covered by insurance which the producer must get for their own participants.

If you want to know more about Heineken's most daring experiment, go to their YouTube Channel now and watch videos of adventurous men fighting to preserve their sanity in Morocco, Poland, Alaska, Cambodia, and The Philippines. And find out why legends are neither born nor made: they're DROPPED.

How Serious a Problem is Bike Theft?

Bike ownership is on the rise, as more and more people are looking for ways to get to work and get around town that are greener, and less expensive. Once you own a bike, cycling is essentially a free way to travel, and of course it also offers some significant health benefits. As bike ownership rises, however, bike theft is also on the increase. Bikes can be reasonably easy to steal, if not protected properly, and can also be sold on more easily than a lot of other commonly stolen items like mobile phones and laptops. So how serious a problem is bike theft, and what can you do to protect your own bicycle?

Bike Theft Statistics

The facts about bike theft are quite alarming. Nobody actually knows exactly how many bikes are stolen each year because often these thefts are never reported to the police, but there are statistics from the USA that say that there, over $50 million worth of bikes are stolen every year. That equates to around 800,000 actual bicycles, though some believe the figure to be closer to a million. In the UK, the problem is just as widespread, and the figures are mirrored throughout Europe, particularly in very bike friendly countries like the Netherlands. Only about 5% of bikes that are reported stolen ever make their way back to their original owners, so once your bike is gone, chances are you'll be looking at claiming on your insurance, or, if you don't have any, buying a new bike. This is why it is important to take care of your bike, both at home and when you are out and about.

How You Can Protect Your Bike

As most people are aware, a very strong bike lock is an important thing for any bike rider to have in their arsenal. This will prevent all but the most determined and well equipped thieves, but they aren't completely fool proof. Something not a lot of people think to do however, is take notes on the bike's specifics. Documenting your bike's serial number and other specifics will be useful for the police and will enable them to identify your bike if it is recovered. It may not prevent your bike from being stolen, but you'll be glad you have these records if your bike is taken. The serial number will be embossed somewhere on the frame of the bike.

In addition to taking down your bike's details you also may want to consider taking out an insurance policy for your bike. This will make it much easier to resolve the situation if your bike is taken, as you'll be able to get funds to replace it. It will also come in handy if your bike is in an accident. Protect Your Bubble are one company who do good comprehensive insurance policies for bikes, and there are also policies available from general insurers and bike retailers.  Take the time to read the policies thoroughly to ensure you are covered for all eventualities.

Laura Ginn is a blogger who specialises in personal finance, insurance and security. She is also a keen cyclist, and loves riding her mountain bike at weekends, as well as using a bike to get around town. She insures her bikes with a specialist bike insurance policy.

The Best Real Estate Courses

If you are thinking into getting into Real Estate, then you are going to need to make sure you find the right courses in order to give you the best amount of information and learning for the job you want to do. While there are several courses and schools out there that can teach you want you need, there are several courses on books that teach you tricks that the other leave out. This list will showcase some of the best real estate courses and why, so you can find them for yourself and learn all that you can learn in the field.

The Allied Online School

One school that many people talk about is Allied. Similar to Purvis Real Estate Institute, Allied offers online real estate course that has many features, including practice quizzes that is incredibly beneficial, and many have reported the quizzes are so accurate that, when practiced a lot, allow people to pass the tests fairly easily. However, online courses aren’t for everyone, and people should review their own personal learning styles before committing to one course. Many real estate agents swear by Allied, stating it allowed them to past the test on the first try; however, this is not for everyone.

Local Courses

For classroom style learning, many reality offices offer courses and training so you can get in-house teaching, if that works better for others that need a classroom environment. What works best about this setup is that you get in-house questions, and many of these reality offices hire from the people who they train after they pass their broker’s test. For those that learn better in a classroom setting, it may be easier to take in-house courses, or at least a mix of online and in-house courses to get the best of both worlds.

Local colleges and universities might also teach the courses as well, provided that they are a DRE approved school. The courses can be fast-paced and tailored to teaching to the test, but they work for those that have the ability to get the courses in a college environment.

Specialized Trainers or Teachers

There are also trainers that give you a crash course allowing you to pass the exam. These RE trainers offer specific test crash courses that guarantee that you pass or your money back. While they are not good for those that need a longer class that teach all the ins and outs of real estate brokering, they are a great course for those that want to pass the test. Also, they have a money back guarantee if you do not pass the test, since they are so confident in their abilities.

While many courses are varied, it is best to find the one that would work for you. To decide this, you should examine your needs and how you learn best based upon previous schooling experience, and then find the course that will help you learn and also pass the test. If you are a better learner on your own, online may be the way to go, if not, then a classroom environment may be best. Either way, you are learning, and learning enough to pass the test and become a great real estate agent.

About the author

As the operations office manager for an internet website marketing firm, D.H. works as a visiting poster in an effort to support the business world owned and operated in the United States. He is based out of The Golden State, and is drinking in the seasons along with his wonderful lady plus their 3 little ones. Daniel-son welcomes tourists to look through his G Plus vignette when they can.