Venturing into 360 Product Photography

Although I do not really have any special photography skills except for the usual point and shoot, 360 degree photography has captured my fancy lately and I've tried taking some shots last week. The new Alcatel One Touch also added to my resolve to try out some 360 photo apps over at iTunes. But when I tried downloading YouSpin 360, there was an error message and I was not able to go through with it. Because it was my first time, I downloaded it again on my PC and it went well. But then, I encountered another technical glitch- my video cam refused to function! There was a problem on the device driver I guess, so the PC and video cam are conspiring to stop me from making spins. 

So I just settled for getting shots of my shoes to train my eye on what is a good capture or not. 

Too bright.

 Pardon if the angles are bad, I was just playing around while working out.

Still, these would have been awesome if I was able to use 360 degree product photography. I'll definitely get the app moving next time.

Leo Horoscope - May 4

Just want to remind myself with my goal setting plans through this Leo Zodiac sign horoscope last May: 

You have big plans, Leo, and your dreams may be keeping you from paying attention to your work. Don't get too stressed. You've never missed a deadline, so you know that one way or another you will get everything done. In the meantime, begin to make plans for your next getaway. Plaster your office with photos of exotic locations to satisfy your wanderlust for the time being.

Dubai Visa Requirements for Work or Visit

I was chatting with a friend back home on how her two sisters are faring in Dubai. We discussed salaries, companies, Dubai jobs, and the overall working conditions there. We agreed that compared to HongKong and other OFW attracting countries, it is easier to find employment and easier to enter Dubai. As I am also training my sights there for better career opportunities, I might as well post the requirements on how to get a work or visit visa to Dubai for Filipinos.

@ First you need to have a sponsor. It would be better if he/she is a close family member or an immediate relative and he/she needs to be a visa holder that is earning more than AED 4000 monthly.A visa application and a visa fee will be required from your sponsor.

@ If you do not have a relative there, you can get a company to sponsor you. But this will be a tricky process as it will entail fees on the part of the company.

@ A travel agent can also facilitate your visit visa especially if you will be staying in Dubai for less than a month. 

@ Validity for a Dubai visit visa is for 55 days only from the time of entry and can be renewed for another month.

Additional info:

For those who need to file for a residence visa, it can be done through buying a property or with the assistance of an employer.

For addtional details on getting a Dubai visa, you can check out http://www.dnrd.gov.ae. It is best that you use Google Chrome and enable transliteration since the website is in Arabic. 

Good luck to all aspiring job seekers out there!

Motivational Author Stephen R. Covey Dies Last Monday

from Laura Zauckerman at Reuters

This is sad news indeed especially that we are still getting over the great Dolphy's passing last weekend. Now another great man has gone and I can't help but feel a little melancholy about these events. The cause of Mr. Covey's death was reportedly due to a bike accident near his home in Provo, Utah last April, in which he suffered head injuries. What a waste. Just last May, my previous team talked about having an empowerment training that would center on his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He had been a highly respected motivational speaker and author who has touched so many. 

According to his son, Sean Covey from a Huntsman Alumni Magazine interview, "He always treated everybody the same, exactly. It didn't matter if you were the CEO of a Fortune 10 company or the local barber. You wouldn't have ever known the difference."

For Utah State President Stan Albrecht, "Dr. Covey touched the lives of people around the world in very personal ways. He was an inspirational leader who was always a powerful voice for individual integrity, strong character and extreme trustworthiness in every aspect of life."

As for me, Mr. Stephen Covey will remain an inspiration to continue striking a balance in my personal and professional life. Thank you, dear sir. May employees of the future will find comfort and guidance in your books and other works. Rest in peace. 

How to Get an SSS Death Benefit Claim (Funeral)

Death will not only rip us with grief emotionally, but it will also drain us financially especially if we were not able to get insurance beforehand. So when it comes knocking on our door, we not only need to come to terms with it, we have to make financial decisions too. And, at a very fast pace at that.

So when my grandfather died last August 2010 (RIP my dear Lolo), my grandma extremely needed to get his death benefit from the SSS as soon as can be. He had been a hardworking man all his life, being a farmer during his youth and then joined the seafaring profession at a time when the shipping industry of the Philippines was still beginning. He was one of those elder folks who get tired when there’s nothing to do so even when he retired, he still continued tilling his land. He would wake up at dawn, way before the roosters make their first crows, and head to his farm which is quite a distance from their house. This habit actually helped him defy age and only succumbed to death due to prostate cancer at the age of 76, if I remember right.

He dutifully contributed to the SSS the whole 30 or so years of his working life. He tasted the fruit of his labor with P1,500 monthly allowance when he retired. During Christmas, he would be very happy receiving twice the amount at P3000. This went on for 10 years and then the allowance was increased to P2500. And he and Lola were really glad. Another increase went up to 3,500 and although it is very difficult to meet their monthly needs, it was still better compared to no increase.

After a month from his burial, my Lola then filed a claim for his SSS Funeral Benefit. The requirements were:

• Claim for Funeral Benefit (SSS Form BPN-103)
• Death certificate duly certified by the local Civil Registrar
• Receipt of payment issued by the funeral parlor
• Affidavit of funeral expenses
• Report of Death (if cause of death is work-connected)
• Photo of filer and valid IDs
• Original or certified true copies of the supporting documents should be presented during the filing of the claim.

Then, after another month, the check arrived to the relief of my Lola. Now she can  finally repay some remaining debts made during my Lolo’s wake. She also checked Lolo’s ATM and seeing as three months’ worth of his pension was reflected on the balance, she withdrew the money immediately. Un-beknown to my Lola, the process of transferring my Lolo’s pension to her name should have been filed as well, together with the funeral benefit claim. Now this is the concern, nobody from the SSS ever mentioned this fact. So when she came out of her mourning, and decided to move on with the practicalities of life, she then filed for the transfer of Lolo’s pension to her name. When alas, the process would take two years! And this was all because she was not able to file the necessary papers on time, as what SSS personnel explained to us.

So for other SSS members out there, do your research well and know your rights beforehand. Read the fine print on SSS documents, their announcements and on their official website.

For next post, I will be discussing the intricacies of how my Lola transferred her name as an SSS beneficiary to her late husband.