Money Is Just A Piece of Paper

Money is just a piece of paper...a piece assigned to create the illusion of belonging something. Richness nowadays is being measured according to how much money a person has in his bank account... if we truly believe that... then we believe in a lie... and we are doomed for believing it.


Pure richness is something that does not lose value no matter what.But what happens to money in times of crisis or during war? In times of crisis company loss their profits and they have to lay off workers to cut on their budget.As a result many people lose their jobs and end up in debts after all their money savings are used up.In times of war money losses its value or else becomes worthless...yes,in a war scenario, a hungry homeless person would surely bargain something else useful in return for basic needs like food and water.


Money is just a matter of mind-conditioning...it is not a real wealth. It's ironic how the owner of a burning house thinks of all the things gone when his house is burnt and with all his cash and jewelries in his safety deposit.He forgot to think about the real wealth that survived that burning which is himself... if the creator dies with his creations, now that's a real loss.But when it's just the creations, the creator can still create another one...maybe even better than the previous ones.Money can come and go, be earned but then just be spent on anything one desires...but real wealth will settle longer and its existence will remain with its bearer.

Think about talents and skills- these are real possessions... something that cannot be easily taken away in a blink of an eye or by a burning house.These are pure richness that cannot be stolen from your identity and can be offered and bargained anytime anywhere.In times of war and famine or whenever something needs to be bargained for food and shelter, the ones who are really wealthy are those who possess something in return for a favor. These are handy treasures that can be bargained.

Quest for the Effective Anti-Age Creams

Nowadays, TV commercials are emphasizing too much on selling anti-age creams as if it's really unacceptable to see wrinkles on a human face. "Anti-age", as it denotes, suggests that these brands of facial creams can fight the age-ing process and that they can manage to stop the body's natural process of deterioration.These TV advertisements just teach people to be scared of looking old and being close to death.

They instill into our brains the idea that getting a wrinkled face is a bad sign-- a symptom of a disease we call death. Of course we buy their crap advertisements of their commercials. It will get encoded into our brains whether we like it or not. you know how? --through repetitive exposure. They keep on showing it again and again until your brain will finally accept the information. And you still wonder why you suddenly hum a song you don't really like later after you heard it played everywhere. They know how it works and if you are not aware of what's going on around you, you'll surely be one of those who got under their control and yet you still don't know you've been manipulated into buying their products.

The truth is, everyone will get old whether we like it or not. And everyone will have wrinkles and crampled skins as the years pass by. And there is no such thing as anti-age cream. These creams don't work miracles of fighting the ageing process... it could delay the process,yes, but it's not a permanent solution. We have to accept the fact that nothing is permanent except change. Everyday, we change and our body changes as well. We see the visible marks and traces of the years we have experienced in this wonderful world-- the scars left on your left knee because you fell from a tree when you were a kid, trying to get your kite on a windy day, or the stretch marks left after a wonderful pregnancy and successfu delivery of your baby that left scars and damages on the mother's body figure. These are marks that tells a lot of story about your life and experiences-- how you enjoyed playing under the rain, exploring beautiful places that left traces of cuts on his arms and feet as you walked through a thick bamboo plantation, how you fought and escaped during the war and left a scar on you thigh due to a bullet that passed through the skin. Stories like this made an admiration of that person inspite of all these ugly visible traces of his past adventures.If I had those unforgetable memories,I wouldn't trade them for anything.

It's not about looking good that makes up a personality attractive and desirable. It's about feeling good about yourself no matter how much the society tells you how unattractive you are because of how you look. Knowing that every trace of wrinkled skin is a reminder of the body's progress as it matures and leaves traces of wisdom in life --that living and enjoying life and what it can offer-- all these years of life's ups and downs is a gift of joy a person can possess.And no matter how many times these creams and surgeries will try to erase the signs of the passing time, it will always leave traces that will remind you of the time you have spent on this journey of life.

Coltan and Congo Conflict

I have recently found out that I am partly accountable for the misery and war going on in Africa…as a consumer of the many latest electronic gadgets like cellphones and computers,I became a part of these people who profit on other people’s misery through my desire of owning things of comfort and sophistications.


Why do I blame myself? Because one of the root causes of the conflict is the battle over Congo's vast mineral and resource wealth-- a fight for control of minerals that drives the global economy. A mineral called “coltan” is the cause of the trouble in Congo. 80% of the world’s known reserves of coltan come from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Coltan is used in computers, cell phones, and various other electronic equipment such as the Playstations. Indeed Nicholas Cage was right in his phrase “there is always money in misery” in the film Bangkok Dangerous. Companies who depend on coltan don’t care much on what’s actually happening in the mining field…as long as they get their supply whatever it takes, that’s all that matters.

I have learned that this crucial mineral is often mined in working conditions that we would deem as utterly unacceptable in an American or European mine. The child labor documented in these mines is absolutely appalling, as most of us could never even fathom having our children face such conditions that threaten their health and life. Many multi-national corporations have displaced whole villages without adequate compensation in order to exploit minerals and they operate without regard to any sort of human dignity. I wonder how they can care more for money and care less for their fellowmen…especially those innocent children.

As I am sure you are aware, conflict has resumed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a conflict that is fueled by control for Congo’s riches. Over 5.5 million people have died since 1998 in DRC, which is the equivalent of seven Rwandan genocides and five Darfur conflicts. Much of the coltan finds its way to the US via Rwanda after it has been extracted by men, women and children, who are meagerly compensated for their intensive labor. There are workers who are even terrorized by beatings, killings and rape at the hands of soldiers, rebels and militias who trade coltan for funds and weapons. There are many armed groups who are even hired by western corporations to protect their interest.

The film “Blood Diamond” by Leonardo di Caprio portrays the same scenario of people living in misery and fear because people in power control the wealth of the land through war. Children end up working in the mines or recruited as a soldier instead of going to school to learn good things.

What can I do to help? The only thing I can think of right now is to make the people find the right answer to mankind’s big question… Why there’s poverty and misery in the world? Let’s start to evaluate ourselves. Our way of life, our actions, in some ways, contributed directly or indirectly to the poverty and misery of other people. If you are a millionaire, you are guilty of acquiring more money to yourself and so in this situation, many people get less…and much less because the more you have, the less you share due to fear of losing what you have possessed. You’d prefer to spend your money having a good time in casinos and partying all night long with other rich people rather than providing aid to help the less fortunate. By fancying things of comfort and luxury, other people have to work very hard to produce it for you if not exploiting other people to do the job.

Now, I’ll try my best to desire less and hope this way I’ll be able to at least minimize the damage that has already been done and help in the process of recovery and healing. And right now, I’m starting to spread the word to make the people aware of their participation in the world events even if they are miles away. What other thing can we do to help heal Africa? By surfing at their website Heal Africa or just by using the search engine you can contribute a donation not coming from your own pocket but from Microsoft company. Check here Search and Give to help even in just a small and simple way.

Getting Out of Economic Bondage

With almost everything commercialized, someone needs to earn money to pay for everything...electricity,water,food etc etc. The list goes on.We have become dependent on money to sustain our everyday life as if we live a life that revolves around money and its influence. As a result people experience poverty and misery.


When I was 5 years old I thought everything was free and available whenever I needed anything. When I was hungry I asked for food and there it was given. Then I turned 6 and had to go to school.My mother had to give me a coin that I did not know for what use.I was told I had to give it in return for a snack and a drink.And I started wondering why we have to do that.After school I wander around our neighborhood to spot for ripe fruits on trees.Then all I need was to ask permission to climb on their tree to get some then share my harvest to the generous owner.I did that "climbing trees hobby" until I was 14 and got told "Ít's inappropriate for a girl to climb on trees like a monkey". I became conscious when they say 'my panty is showing off.But anyway,I minimized my climbing activities to concentrate more on my school activities and home chores.Life as I see in my teenage years became more complicated.

That was my experience years ago.Now that I am married and have kids,life gets more and more complicated especially with the newer and newer technology that offers almost everything you want in return for your fortune and hard earned money.One thing I learned.We only have these basic needs : food and water, clothing, shelter. The rest of the other things which consume a lot of money are mostly miscellaneous bills that add up to become the pricey "liked or wanted items" that you can REALLY LIVE WITHOUT.


It's not easy to get out from the bondage of money where each citizen of a country is always under economic control of these big-time businessmen and politicians.Capitalism has long been introduced in many countries starting from the western world and spreading to the developing countries and most people engaged in businesses just socialize for the sake of business. As they say: "Nothing personal, just doing business." That's the few things I don't like about businessmen... you cannot be sure of their sincerity... as the term goes- they are usually business-minded and always go for money and profit.

I don't fully blame these bussinessmen and capitalists. I understand that it's their goal in life and so they have to go for it no matter how much it had to cost for other people and how much other people had to suffer to do manual labor to obtain their products.

The only solution to get out of this economic bondage and to be free from poverty is to realize first that all these material things beyond your needs which are for sale are just decorations of life-- creating temptations to motivate people to work harder.It's their choice to be tempted or not. To be free from poverty is to know what poverty really is and to realize we can do simple things to get out from poverty -- if we really think we are poor.As long as you still meet the basic needs everyday, you are not poor. Poverty is just in the mind.And money is not the basis to measure poverty and richness. As long as you are capable of doing something to provide your basic needs, you are still free to choose to live a life dependent of the economy that big businesses controlled or live an independent life free from the dictations of the society.

To get out of the economic bondage is to learn ways to be independent from the outside supply-- meaning you have to learn to produce and sustain your needs-- from food to clothes to shelter.Food is the most important and the solution is to plant in your garden.I guess for the rest you can figure out a way to solve your needs.This process has to be done slowly but surely you will see the sweet fruits of your labor.

Consumerism and Economic Enslavery

Since money was invented, people's way of thinking have changed. They have shifted from being productive into being money dependents.And that causes consumerism to explode.

Consumerism has always been exploited by money-- and even farmers or producers have been selling their lands for more profits and shifting from producers into steady consumers.And we asked: why is money involved in this? Because the idea of having money changes everything... you think you can buy whatever you want-- food, shelter,clothings,anything you need and want.

Consumption mirrors, mimics and mocks the severities of labour. It is driven by the same compulsions, the same economic necessities, the same inescapable rigours and rhythms of an industrialization without end. The role of the consumer is to turn the body into an absorber of more and more industrial products, denatured but more expensive foods, medicines and remedies.

Women are always the first subject of these exploitation. We invent stuffs for their body: items made of gold, jewels, diamonds for facial, hand and arm ornaments, the use of gems, crystals, rings and even rings in nose, ears, eyebrows,anything a woman could desire and fancy... as what is being depicted on the story of the famous Eve... women were said to be the subject of temptations.

And now comes the new trend of consumption : services that "work wonders" --the manipulation of identity, be it for those who want face surgery to look like someone else, or those seeking to defeat time with anti-ageing creams. And the cosmetics industry with its shampoos of elderberry and jojoba, its facials of cucumber and wild herbs, its body-mousse of strawberries and avocado, purports to apply to our body a freshness and purity which has long ago disappeared from what we eat.

Money enslaves the so called "third world countries" which in fact are the ones who are truly rich in natural resources.These innocent people have been taught that they are poor because they don't have what westerners have-- nice clothes, fancy cars, huge houses,latest technologies, and every "rich people's bling blings" . And so these poor people got enslaved into labour inside their own territory for sugar production, tea or rubber plantationsand the list goes on ... people exploiting other people on the other side of the world for the sake of the consumers of the controlling westernized world.And as labour gets intensified in these "third world countries",an evergreater toll of the bodies of the poor are more and more exploited and consumed up to the last drop of their blood,at the same time the bodies of consumers must be pampered and protected more than ever before, so that they will go on serving as consumers of industrial products of the future.

Time will come, the people all over the world will start to feel and see the symptoms of this massive form of epidemic disease.Oh yes,Mother nature will always find a way to get rid of the causes of the imbalance--but first she will send warnings before she strikes... we might hear news about crisis in banks,hospitals,petrol companies and even government,debates about economic issues, conflicts between labourers and owners of factories..and so on.And obviously, we could see bodies wasted from insufficiency and overwork on the one hand and, at the same time, bodies bloated and wasted by excess and all the sicknesses of hyperconsumption.

Each one has to start to be wise and responsible in their own production and consumption.Those who spend too much money in the consumption of unnecessary things has to learn to consume moderately because it has always been proven that TOO MUCH OF SOMETHING IS BAD ENOUGH.

Clean and Renewable Energy: For What Price?

Nowadays,people are complaining about the prices of commodities.Basic needs have become less and less affordable even to the people with average income.

Few smart people working for years to find solutions that would fill up the energy shortage in the near future manage to create promising stuffs yet with prices that only rich people can afford.We all know that there's limit to this source of energy we're getting right now. As humanity is finished digging up all the fossil fuels and all there are left of the limited resources, where can we go to ask for help?

Brazil has already its alternative to petroleum consumption which is bio-ethanol.Some farm tractors in Europe run with colza oil.Some experimented with used oil from their kitchen fryers which I think is too risky for the motor engine.

The problem is not finding the solution to the future crisis.The solutions are already found.The only real problem is the investment....those people who have the money to invest on solutions want to profit more so they'd prefer investing on limited resources rather than the unlimited...because they know they can control the money inflow... that's what happens right now.Businessmen controls the money profit through overpricing due to what they call as the "low supply and high demand".We will just expect another oil price increase next year due to another lower supply and higher demand.And then what's next?

If they are really serious on solving the energy crisis,they should start to invest on projects that will provide clean and renewable energy...and please make it affordable for the majority of the people.