Showing posts with label ALex Esguerra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ALex Esguerra. Show all posts

Saturday, July 04, 2020

Ignorance, Deceit, Misinformation and Psychology as In The Room Where it Happened

The floundering America's 45th President brags on the first most important step he did in response to the COVID-19 response was that he closed the borders from China arrivals. A perfect answer to his loyal base. 
This base as written right after November 2016 elections,  "Donald Trump always enjoyed massive support from uneducated, low-information white people. Trump supporters might retort: “That’s because Trump supports the little guy and Clinton helps the already privileged college grads.” But that’s false: Trump supporters in the primaries had an average income of about $72,000 per year. They aren’t rich, but make more than the national average and more than Clinton supporters" quoted from the Foreign Policy

  The Room Where It Happened, John Bolton writes about January 6, 2018 one of the first book written on Trump being president "Fire and Fury" where Trump tweets that he is a very stable genius. As we've seen the last few years from books to commentaries writing about being unfit for president. Yet with all of this written culminating to the impeachment, Mr. Trump. Bolton talks about making his difficult decisions prior to resigning like other past officials. He describes the uniformity about how one is unsatisfied with the administration, He talks about the the Iran Nuclear Treaty, North Korea, China during his tenure as National Security Adviser. He credits Trump on his Defense budget initiatives yet he reflects on his concerns we loss on the nuclear treat on North Korea's ballistic program. He explains how Trump is so focus on his trade deal with China and most Trump is waiting for Nov. 4 until he calls the Chinese President on this. 

On impeachment, Bolton writes on the Democrats' Impeachment malpractice by merely concentrating on Ukraine. He claims potential issues beyond Ukraine should have been looked into. He explains why he did not testify as the democrats did not explore beyond their party lines to be bi-partisan. His concern mostly on the issue of abuse of power. This is why he believes his book is more useful in the philosophical usage in an election than an impeachment in a USA today interview recently. Bolton says he will not vote for Biden as well but his goal is for the Republican party to hold on control of Republican controlled senate. He also concerns on the Rule of Law to be even handed on the recent actions of the President on the legal justice system today, This is why he claims that the President wanted to do everything to stop the publication of his book. It's not really about national security but about the consequences of the effects on the elections is why the President wanted to stop this book from being out to the public, he states. Bolton claims he merely wants to substantiate that the President and the administration did not act on national security concerns as needed. He's always focus on trade which is why there's risk on America's national security. He knows that even as Republicans reads his book they will still vote for Trump but his distinct goal is to showcase people who and what they are voting for.

On Covid-19, Mr. Trump initially do anything at first as his fear was about his China Trade deal and he didn't want to say anything against the Chinese President. He states that the administration's initiatives can be tweak in second based on the President's personal needs. This is why it took this White House to even do anything about the pandemic for a long time. This is also the fact that he and himself and others who have left the administration had experience. There was a lot of thinking and re-thinking that your following the orders of the commander in chief and  the n at some point in time be challenged of the fact that should one keep doing so or arrive on one's conscience.

.......................................John Bolton's genius as a note taker is why this book extends to about 500 pages of extensive recollection even to Trump's rants and phone calls. He focuses on the visible "is all about me", his personal interest than what the country needs. The ignorant white based he had when he won and somewhat starting to disband lately in lieu of the recent events of the rising cases of covid-19 and the street protest after the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. 

Trump's conversation with Xi, in Bolton's book was even more dumbfounding. While Trump talks about his favorite trade, he turns on the upcoming Presidential elections alluding to China's economic capability to affect the ongoing campaigns, pleads with Xi to ensure he wins as Bolton wrote. Sounds familiar like Ukraine? I believe this is just once instance why Bolton stated the impeachment malpractice of the democrats should have gone beyond Ukraine.

Trump and his campaign today creates a post pandemic strategy totally opposite to the administrations corona-virus task force on face mask, testing and social distancing. The president still lives on his 2016 strategy that brought him victory with his then ignorant voter based. This is the first presidential campaigns outside the norm in historical perspective. If he wins with this strategy it gives a visual that America should be re-branded for being known as the land of the free, a nation of immigrants and equality to humanity.

Stable genius, uninformed, holds national security briefings once or maybe twice a week, does not want to read and study national security briefings and ask if Finland was a part of Russia. Erratic, foolish, indecisive, everything is about re-election are some excerpts on this book that stands out if one really gets to read to read in depth page by page.

How this will change the results of the upcoming US Presidential elections in November 2020 neither how the presidential historians writes about this president is something to look forward to,



Thursday, June 29, 2017

America's Dreyus Nixon's Case to Trump's Present Scenario

America's Dreyfus written by Bestselling Author Joan Brady author of the Theory of War writes on the trial of the century during the Nixon years. Similar to incumbent Donald Trump, Richard Nixon also had a single aim in life, "Win".

In 2016 this book had so many reviews about the real story of Alger Hiss. Joan Brady believes that Hiss was innocent but thinks, as did many of his friends at the time, that he was suicidally naive about what he faced. Chambers had appeared before HUAC in 1948 and, in the fashion of the day, had produced a list of alleged communists in government service. 

The main summary of this book is that it is about the dirty tricks employed by Richard Nixon and his allies in the late 1940s and early 1950s to secure the conviction of Alger Hiss, a former government official, on a trumped-up charge of perjury. 

Thus, the start of the discussion on the statements of conversations could have been taped, was just a strategy to ensure the loyalty of Former FBI Director James Comey. Trump admits: 'I did not make, and do not have' tapes of Comey conversations.

The referencing of this book is not about Alger Hiss or Joan Brady. It's mostly to look into the present scenarios depicted on the case of whether President Trump does have a case for impeachment or are we just not used to the Trump ways of someone who has never held a public office prior to becoming President. Likewise, the new era of a President being pro-active on the social limelight of "Twitter" is also new to the world of political science.

As of this writing, the travel ban case being withheld to certain muslim countries for the last few months has finally been lifted by the Supreme Court. Stricter port of entry laws in the US had been announced and a celebrated case about an undocumented immigrant arrested in a sanctuary city as San Francisco, CA.

Since January's Presidential inauguration, a lot has happen, a lot of issues are on the table including the Senate version of the Trump Care Act replacing the Affordable Care Act.

Right now, there are pros and cons about how the administration is performing but at the same they are the sitting administration. We should continue to be vigilant watchdogs yet to some let us let history pave it's way.

Alex Esguerra
Life and Times

Friday, April 14, 2017

America's Global Environment Crisis or Not, Is it really important

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.Wikipedia on climate change says, "The United States is the second largest emitter, after China, of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. The energy policy of the United States is widely debated; many call on the country to take a leading role in fighting global warming.

  

Red Sky at Morning by James Gustavo Speth is a great read about this topic.

 James writes, "Pollution.Pollutants of many varieties threaten biodiversity.
Toxic substances; oxygen-demanding wastes; nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and 
phosphorous overfertilization; acidification; and photochemical oxidants (ozone)
all degrade the structure and functioning of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems."



In the US alone the Gulf of Mexico is toxic with oil, we’ve caused earthquakes in the midwest when Fracking for natural gas, and 
we’ve blasted the tops off mountains in Virginia looking for coal.
When we turn non-renewable resources into energy we’re releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere, driving climate change and creating a hazardous issues around for all living beings.

Red Sky at Morning talks about the Eight Steps to Sustainability by having citizens engage and individuals doing things to promote each of these eight steps towards sustainability. Transition 5 on Sustainable Consumption is already an on-going effort today where it focuses on greening consumer purchases.It also touches on Center for a New American Dream an organization giving useful resources on "lifestyle shifts" including guides on how to buy green, parent in a consumer society and they advocate for changes that support more sustainable consumption as the author wrote.

So with recent executive order directing the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency  to withdraw the Clean Power Plan  although concerning as far environment activist are, inn lieu of all the organizations and work in place through the years, “The Trump administration has to go through the same process of putting in a regulation as the Obama administration [did],” Orts noted.
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/trumps-executive-order-means-environment/

In conclusion, the threat on America and the Global Environment is real. Hence, we have to be pro-active as citizens on protecting the environment and working towards sustainability.  The US however has been a leader on environment science, and any action to damage this would risk climate science so it is imperative we continue to advocate for environmental issues.

Alex Esguerra

ADLE International

Thursday, December 29, 2016

The Economy as 2016 winds up to a close and Obama's leaves a legacy

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.2016 started strong with it's ups and downs on the economy. As we wind down the year amidst a change in the administration on January 20, 2017, 

It has been said that the election of President elect Trump gave a good economic indicator boost from the investments and banking industry in lieu of his plans on taxes, jobs and the like, the future still lies beneath.

Such boost as economists' stated would have not made an impact if Hillary Clinton had won as the markets transcends Clinton was a carry over of the Obama policies.

Yet economist noted that the US economy has been stable and strong with Barack Obama's legacy of job creation and turning around the biggest recession in modern time after taking over the reign from George W. Bush in 2008.

With an average of 180,000 monthly jobs created from January 2016 to the elections in November 2016, the labor market had been growing in the last 74 months.

In Spite of this, the business investments and new productivity efforts did not turn out a lot as expected for the year. Hence, the quality of life of US workers was one the main drawback with Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Obama administration. It is said the a lot of mainstream workers in the midwest and where industrial zones gave a hefty approval and vote for newly elected Donald Trump.

Consumer confidence soared after 15 years this holiday season hence 20,000 point benchmark from the Dow Jones index which Trump twitted as a vote of confidence for his election.

The question lies on how a sitting president will be able to pass policy legislations with congress as after all this is where the divides on opinions was always the challenge of any sitting president. Trump talks about a 4% growth on the economy when he officially takes over, a goal we have to watch and see.

As of the writing of this article, outgoing President Obama had just signed an executive order with sanctions on Russia. Diplomats in Washington and San Francisco were given a 72 hour notice to depart the US while Trump acclaims he will lift the said sanctions as soon as he takes the oath of office. The great divide is with this signing today, the US Congress vowed to make their own independent investigation of the Russian hacking of the US Presidential elections of 2016 with a promise of more harsh sanctions.

As investments and productivity played a big factor in this turn around of the outcome of US elections being said that the declines were compared to the Great Recession and which started to improve right after the elections, this is where we can come back a year from now if this was indeed worth for the outcome.

The maybe's are there as what Obama mentioned that until you get to officially take the helm of the Office of the President is when you indeed will get to know what to do next. Credit goes to Trump as a billionaire business expert on managing the economic aspects needed but until he gets to sit on the chair will he realized what the position entails.

While the strong US dollar right now enjoys a rise in exports, domestic US companies which have international operations had been hurt as their goods and services became more expensive overseas. Hence, Trump's lessening the taxation in order to pushed local operations instead of international, has been one of the battlecry of this incoming administration.

Although the job growth in 2016 was exquisite, a lot of the growth factored on retail and fast foods for example which unequal opportunity factors as these jobs are low paying and minimum wage jobs.
So far economist viewed this neither positive or negative as this were not really good jobs per se.

Another factor affecting investments and productivity especially for small independent businesses are still lacked of working and access to capital. As an example, on the bookselling industry, booksellers were extremely hurt pre and post elections on book sales. The dominance of leading Amazon still continues to hold market share and the price stability of the actual book market value continues to be a challenge to be profitable as an independent small bookseller.

Connecting all of this in 2016 predicts 2017 to be a big working year to get back on track, be "positive" and after all we just have to wait and see how the new incoming administration will deliver their campaign promises to the detriment of the working class Americans.

As I continue my philanthropy in writing in behalf of the small independent businesses, the young entrepreneurs and low income families, my staff at ADLE International and http://www.affordable-booksonline.com contiuues our efforts on books which I thanked greatly.

Alex Esguerra




Saturday, December 10, 2016

Bureau of Economic Analysis Data - What's in for the New Administration

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.


On December 22, 1016 comes a new data release from the BEA (Bureau of Economic Analysis) from the last revision last Nov. 22, 2016.

On our particular industry on books retail line 31 S4 Book, periodical, and music stores - the 4th quarter of 2015 had 4,065 from 2015's 3rd quarter of 3,937 vs. 2014's 4th/3rd quarter of 3,865 and 3,876. This year 2016 - 3rd quarter was 3,964 and 2nd quarter was 4,044.

Then looking at line 35 S4 on Used Merchandise Stores, the 4th quarter had 4,037 and 4,154 on the 3rd quarter of 2015. 2014's 4th quarter was 3,820 and the 3rd quarter was 3,907. 2016's 3rd quarter is 3,976 and 2nd quarter is 3,940.

On line 37 S2 Electronic Shopping and mail order houses (Nonstore retailers) 2015's 4th quarter was 112,187, 3rd quarter for 2015 was 109,582 versus 2014's 4th and 3rd quarter of 100,752 and 97,741. 2016's 3rd quarter is 124,191 and 2nd quarter is 121,019.

Hovering at this data, the true facts over the years are that the 2nd quarter is the back to school time and the 4th quarter is the holidays. Hence, the 3rd quarter is usually a drop in between for bookselling. Used merchandise had a growth in the 3rd quarter of 2016 as this category is general meaning it embodies all used merchandise where clothing plays a big factor as well.

Although line 38 S2  Electronic Shopping is also general in category, it is said that since 2012 to 2016, books online shopping has been a growing trend in this category. Although, a typical traditional book buyer still goes to a book retail store front, it is a fact that online book sales has consistently grown over the years.

So from traditional big book online marketplaces also comes the typical brand big box retailers like Sears.com or even technology websites like Newegg.com now augmenting a lot of accessory sales on what they carry with new release books.

Textbooks still plays a big chunk online for students but new release books has been growing more and more than used books. This is especially true with fiction, juvenile fictions, and bestsellers like Harry Potter's "Fantastic Beasts".

As the online space continous to grow in the bookselling industry, still the typical challenges are there for independent bookstores and online book sellers. From the dominance of mighty Amazon, minimum wage, health care for employees to "Still" lack of working capital and expansion for warehousing and home offices.

Thus, this is what faces the upcoming Trump administration's slogan of making America Great Again. Now that a billionaire businessman takes over the US Presidency, lies the question of how this administration will role out it's economic policies fitted for small business in industries that had grown over the years.

Come 2017, the data speaks as well as the problems faced by independent booksellers. 

Affordable Books







Sunday, July 31, 2016

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One & Two (Special Rehearsal Edition Script): The Official Script Book of the Original West End Production - Rowling, J.K.; Thorne, Jack; Tiffany, John

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One & Two (Special Rehearsal Edition Script): The Official Script Book of the Original West End Production - Rowling, J.K.; Thorne, Jack; Tiffany, John

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.It finally arrived:



About the Author

J.K. Rowling is the author of the seven Harry Potter novels, which have sold over 450 million copies and have been translated into 79 languages, and three companion books originally published for charity. She is also the author of The Casual Vacancy, a novel for adults published in 2012, and, under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith, is the author of the Cormoran Strike crime series. J.K. Rowling is making her screenwriting debut and is a producer on the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a further extension of the Wizarding World, due for release in November 2016.

Jack Thorne writes for theatre, film, television and radio. His theatre credits include Hope and Let The Right One In, both directed by John Tiffany, The Solid Life of Sugarwater for the Graeae Theatre Company, Bunny for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Stacy for the Trafalgar Studios, 2nd May 1997 and When You Cure Me for the Bush. His adaptations include The Physicists for the Donmar Warehouse and Stuart: A Life Backwards for Hightide. On film his credits include War Book, A Long Way Down and The Scouting Book for Boys. For television his credits include The Last Panthers, Don’t Take My Baby, This Is England, The Fades, Glue and Cast-Offs and the upcoming National Treasure. In 2012 he won BAFTAs for best series (The Fades) and best serial (This Is England 88).

John Tiffany directed Once for which he was the recipient of multiple awards both in the West End and on Broadway. As Associate Director of the Royal Court, his work includes The Twits, Hope and The Pass. He was the director of Let The Right One In for the National Theatre of Scotland, which transferred to the Royal Court, West End and St. Ann’s Warehouse. His other work for the National Theatre of Scotland includes Macbeth (also Broadway), Enquirer, The Missing, Peter Pan, The House of Bernarda Alba, Transform Caithness: Hunter, Be Near Me, Nobody Will Ever Forgive Us, The Bacchae, Black Watch, for which he won the Olivier and Critics’ Circle Best Director Awards, Elizabeth Gordon Quinn and Home: Glasgow. Other recent credits include The Glass Menagerie at A.R.T. and on Broadway and The Ambassador at BAM. Tiffany was Associate Director of the National Theatre of Scotland from 2005 to 2012, and was a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University in the 2010-2011 academic year.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

The Candidate's Speech Entrepreneurial yet Clueless on Foreign Policy and Statesmanship

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.I'm working on my computer overwhelmed by this candidate's acceptance speech which caught my attention for a few minutes to pause and listen.

Listening through, I remember when I hit 21 years old successful transform a start-up 2 years of ago to US$500,000 which back then was a lot of equity and stability for a micro cottage enterprise. I started with this as this was the arena how I got started to be a presidential appointee for the Youth and Young Entrepreneurs then. 

When I started that new role,  I have all these entrepreneurial ideals that I've tested in being successful as an entrepreneur. This speech tonight reminded me of this idealistic ideals I did have to start then especially when I entered the foreign affairs relationship as APEC Youth Representative and co-chair of then APEC Young Entrepreneurs Assn. 

During those years, I've to admit although some of my entrepreneurial skills and ideals were really essential I also learned a lot of what race, culture, foreign policy/relations as it relates to trade policies and governance. Likewise, I got a more better understanding why politicians have these so called platforms as when I started of course I just associated them with corruptions, dynasties and the like.

As I hear this speech tonight, my biggest concern as a struggling small independent business thinking back to my days and exposure to foreign policy is we cannot afford an individual that will be in the learning process and curve like me.

This country's liberal and urgent problems needs an experience statesman as we cannot afford for that person go through a training process. Of course, I don't mean to state that the other candidate my be the ideal person neither had we heard that other candidate's speech and platform.

Criticizing the starting from the the present policies does not give the message of what this candidate indeed brings to the table. However, I may be wrong just because I compared what I'm hearing to my personal experiences.

All I can say, let's hear what is there for the independent small businesses?

Monday, May 30, 2016

Young Entrepreneur's Emerging Saga Then and Now

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.

Under 18 and making serious $$$

What do billionaires Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban and Richard Branson have in common?
They each started their first business before graduating high school.
Stories of 20-somethings launching start-ups from their dorm rooms seem to pop up everywhere, but it seems entrepreneurs are getting even younger.
While they aren't billionaires yet, these eight entrepreneurs under 18 years old are making a name for themselves—and some serious cash.
—By CNBC's Sarah Whitten

Posted 27 July 2015

This quote is barely a year old yet the principle that lies beneath goes back ages when entrepreneurs start on a early age. It goes way back then when we started the APYEA or APEC Young Entreprneur's Association in Ottawa, Canada in 1997 during the APEC Economic Ministerial Meetings leading to the Declaration during the Economic Leaders Meeting.
Thank God in the quote above are some names that were also in the helm of establishing their business empires so lol I don't feel that "old" in such sense. I guess nowadays it's already kinda hard to continue my discipleship on young entrepreneurship when I've graduated that age demographics. Yet, I still have the spirit, the mission, enthusiasm and most I still fell responsible in continuing the quest as my flagship site: http://www.affordable-booksonline.com  continues to exist with it's core mission built of my discipleship.
Continuing on the CNBC article above, here is my favorite part of the youngest millionaire at 7.

Sebastian Martinez

He's only 7, but he's already CEO of his own company and a philanthropist.
Sebastian Martinez's passion for collecting bright and zany socks turned into a business when his mother suggested he design his own. The result was a company called Are You Kidding which Sebastian started at age 5.
In 2014, Sebastian made $15,000 selling his specialty socks with the help of his director of sales and big brother Brandon Martinez.
Since January revenue has continued to grow. "We have been able to already reach the $15,000 that we made last year and are on track to double and hopefully triple our sales this year," Rachel Martinez, the president of the company and Sebastian's mother, told CNBC.
Are You Kidding teamed up with organizations like the American Cancer Society and the Live Like Bella Foundationlast year to raise more than $3,000 for cancer awareness. In April, the company partnered with The Hue Studio and donated 25 percent of all proceeds from its "Eye See You" sock sales to Discovery Arts, a charitable organization that brings art programs to children with serious illnesses.
My take on Sebastian and the new emerging young entrepreneurship keep up the spirit yet enjoy life to the fullest after all youth is the best part of growing up in life.


Tuesday, March 08, 2016

What Lies Between Us, A Novel by Naomi Munaweera, New York Times Bestsellers

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.What Lies Between Us, a winner of the Regional Commonwealth Book Prize for Asia signifies similarity to a lot of Asian Americans having the culture within yet living the challenges of growing up as an American.
                         Like Ganga fulfilling the American dream of graduating from college, moving to a city like San Francisco, working as a nurse while reminiscing the scars from the past. After which a love story begins with Daniel yet secrets from the past haunts her until she finally commits the terrible dreaded act followed by her confession.

                         Author Nayomi Munaweera a foreign born Sri Lankan who grew up in Nigeria deficts the story of Ganga. Nayomi immigrated to the USA as a teenager and currently is resident in Oakland, California. 
                         Way back the days of ABAC @APEC, Asian literary award giving bodies really recognizes Asians that have exceeded notability. Nayomi's first novel then, "Island of a Thousand Mirrors" won the 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize  for the Asian Region, was long listed for the 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2013 DSC Price for South Asian Literature.

                          Her first novel was "The Beating heart of Island of Thousand Mirrors is not so much its human characters but Sri Lanka itself and the vivid, occasionally incandescent language used to describe this teardrop in the Indian Ocean" - The New York Times Book Review.

ADLE International - Livre-Rare-Book
http://www.affordablebooksonline.com
http://www.lifeandtimesofalexesguerra.com



Sunday, February 07, 2016

Super Bowl 50 San Francisco

Super Bowl 50 invades San Francisco Bay Area.

It was a week of high profile and high security from the NFL Experience at the Moscone Center,  Super Bowl City at the Embarcadero to Levis Stadium in Santa Clara for today's Super Bowl 50 Sunday.

With thousands of people on these venues getting the 1st time Super Bowl feeling in San Francisco the NFL wants everyone to experience what Super Bowl.is about.

The first step on getting to the venues like Moscone Center is downloading the Road to 50 app simplying. the registration process to be able to participate in the activities like throwing a football, picture at the Lombardi trophy etc..

With Alicia Keys playing also at Super Bowl City leading to Game Day which is 8 hours as of writing this blog..

It's all about the feeling and experience of Super Bowl for all walks of life per the NFL.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

State of the Nation : Obama's Farewell Writing History

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.Listening and yet blogging while Barack Hussein Obama delivers his last State of the Nation address, as any sitting President starts on his administrations successes. Watching these speeches on television over the years one thing I've noticed was a change on how the applause was on this congress. The Speaker of the House who sits by the Vice-President seem to be real serious including the Presidential Candidates Republicans on the audience. In saying this, it's the first time I've noticed there were not applauding when the rest are. Over the years as a gesture I remember everyone was applauding or standing.

The President touched a lot of points from the Economy, Unemployment, Auto Industry, HIV-Aids to even Cuba and Bin Laden. Although such audience gesture might indicate agree or disagree, we should looked at the facts of Obama's case. First and foremost he was the first sitting minority as President, he started with one of the hardest part - A Recession, a post Iraq invasion and a climate to redeem trust in the Presidency.

I do want to note the differentiation of then Senator to President Elect Obama as a political figure transcending to a realist commoner leader. From depending Social Security towards his fourth talking point about the future moving forward. Democracy he said goes into a haul distinguishes the difference of the rich and poor  reminiscing his greatest frustration. 

I remember in my year as APEC Youth Representative and the last year of Bill Clinton's Presidency, the similarity of both siting Presidents is this transformation of the true reality of what's going on in America.

Even as a private citizen openly active in youth and political affairs then and now as middle age, you start off with all the ideals that you want to accomplish and over time you augment things, you learn, deviate, mature and transcend your vision towards the real time factors and prevailing conditions.

One ideology I'm proud of is when we started ADLE International in 1998 with the vision of affordability we have endured this vision 18 years after. It's because more than ever what I've seen is that Obama's disparity on the gap between rich and poor really affects a lot of students. This is why till this day we have special promotional prices for textbooks, etc..

Do we make money on this special deals, not really but it's about the vision and mission of what we started and Entrepreneurship is a long development process which one should be looking at the long term results, customer loyalty, fulfillment and   brand recognition. 

As I finish writing this, Obama has just ended his farewell Sate of the Nation. My take, regardless on how history writes about Obama, a salute to a visionary realist the greatest minority President the United States ever had.
                                                                                                                                                                     Alex Esguerra                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Monday, January 04, 2016

Online Shopping Apps and Mobile Integration

Today's online shopping portal has totally evolved. From a world of auction listing bidding and winning to mobile apps integration. Added to it comes seamless e-commerce shopping carts powered by www.google.com, www.amazon.com, www.paypal.com, www.square.com and many more. Gone are the days you have to re run your credit cards or input the numbers manually then you get the continued decline messages even though you haven't  really use your credit line.

Online websites such as ours at Affordable Books have been undergoing reengineering as not only does it needs to be socially interactive and seamless it needs to be mobile device friendly.

Hence from the traditional html/css protocol and API integration we had to wake up and operate differently in this new age.

So when Affordable DVD's,
Affordable Electronics and Quality CD'S came live all of these platform integrations came to effect.  The truth is everything is Mobile nowadays.

So I guess the thing to think about is being mobile friendly on your online selling presence being easy user friendly and seamless.

Alex Esguerra  

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Creating Millions of Customer Virtually Free Online

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.Today's online web marketing retail shopping has changed in terms of customer acquisitions and even retention.  Years ago when we were developing our first online storefront
Affordable Books on line there were so many facets in marketing it online. From Search Engine optimizations, ad-words and then emails using 3rd party channels seem to be so many task especially for an individual small operated business.

Then came the power of blogs which was indeed excellent in my case as I do a lot of writings and contributions ater APEC 1997. This blogger profile and our Wordpress were part of the first series which later duplicated and duplicated some of our traffic.

So to any aspiring new online wanna be my recommendation is optimized through blogging as not only you'll get a lot of opinions, ideas, comments and interactions it's also a way of really spreading your online presence and storefront.

Back then as mentioned in my previous blogs , my then branded name domain which I bought for $9.99 a year is now being sold for $2,300. The domain has so many back links and domain referrers in the world of SEO.

So today on top of the two blog sites, I try my best to write when I can at my life blog.
We are also blessed and fortunate to have duplicated our initial storefront.

Three of our other sites can be found at; Affordable DVD's, Affordable Electronics, and Quality CD's

There is also the influx of social media syndication's, feeds, RSS, pins and postings.

So to any aspiring online entrepreneur of 2016 you have a lot of tools and even free ones to indeed create customers virtually, You jus have to do your homework and as any endeavor you ahve to commit your dedication.






Thursday, December 10, 2015

Independent Contractor Brand Ambassadors Mis-Classifications in California Trade Shows

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu. Major cities in the State of California hold a lot of Trade Shows for promotional and marketing of different companies. Recently there has been a proliferation of these exhibiting companies using third party staffing agencies for booth personnel and other promotional activities during these shows.

These so called third party staffing agencies still employ exhibition staff and brand ambassadors as independent contractors or W9 category which hopefully in the very near future the State of California will require these agencies to convert to W2 or employee categories for their personnel.

Some of the mis-classification violations in these marketing endeavors are these exhibiting companies requiring sales goals to independent brand ambassadors per hour, per day and at the end of these shows.  Sometimes there are so called apps to be downloaded, signed on and promotional codes to be redeem with such goals. In doing this the brand ambassadors are using their personal smart devices and internet data plans to achieved these goals and not even get reimbursed for the expenses.,

In addition, the exhibiting company interferes with contractor schedules when they think a scheduled individual does not hit the so called sales goal within the first hour the show opens. They also would dis-allocate the said person of whom might be scheduled in the next days by relieving him/her of the assignment and replaced by another person which they think might accomplished the said sales goal.

Likewise, the exhibiting company micro-manages the event entirely to their liking in spite of having independent contractors initially contracted to run the event. This extends to asking access and pictures of contractor's daily time and in out sign in sheet as well as sending the brand ambassadors home early when the show is slow even though they were scheduled to work at the end of the show hours. Before the start of the show the so called exhibiting company conducts a training session heavily emphasizing the sales goals required for the project.

In addition, exhibiting companies interferes with rest and meal breaks without even thinking that brand ambassadors are already working 10 to 14 hour shifts without receiving overtime compensation as they are not employee classified.

The sales goals are also micro-manage per hour by way of the exhibiting company communicating every hour, daily, end of the show and two weeks after when said sales goals are achieved or not. Some of these companies will even get back two weeks after questioning the validity of the emails generated integrity and validity.

There are so much violations that entails  in this industry and bottom line the brand ambassadors who just wanted the additional income as independent contractors does not deserved to be in such ordeals.

I will end by citing the excerpts from the National Federation of Independent Businesses with the categorization.

FACTORS: The Common Law Test consists of twenty factors. Not all of the factors need to be present in every case in order to make a determination about classification.The test merely weighs the existence of factors indicating a level of control against those factors showing independence. 1. INSTRUCTIONS a. Employee: provided with instructions from the business regarding when, where and how to perform the work. b. Independent Contractor: decides when, where and how to accomplish the services he or she is providing. 2. TRAINING a. Employee: receives training directly from the employer, demonstrating that the business wants the services performed in a particular manner. b. Independent Contractor: receives little or no training from the business, but rather, hiring is based on pre-existing proficiency or expertise in a particular line of work. 3. SERVICES RENDERED BY THE WORKER PERSONALLY a. Employee: personally performs any assigned duties. b. Independent Contractor: free to hire employees or subcontract tasks. 4. SET HOURS OF WORK a. Employee: works hours established by the employer. b. Independent Contractor: retains the ability to set own hours. 5. REALIZATION OF PROFIT OR LOSS a. Employee: receives pay for time and labor only without realizing any additional gain or sharing in the risk of loss realized by the company based on the worker’s services. b. Independent Contractor: personally stands to gain or to lose economically based on performance of his/her services. 6. TIME REQUIRED a. Employee: usually devotes his/her employment to the business; full-time employment could prevent the worker from engaging in other gainful employment. b. Independent Contractor: does not necessarily work solely for one business and remains free to pursue other projects. 7. DOING WORK ON EMPLOYER’S PREMISES a. Employee: performs services on the premises of the employer to the extent which the nature of the services requires the work to be done on the employer’s premises. If the business has the right to compel the worker to perform services at an alternative specified location, then the level of control remains the same. b. Independent Contractor: chooses where to perform the services. 8. ORDER OR SEQUENCE OF THE WORK a. Employee: required to perform services in the order set by the employer. b. Independent Contractor: retains the option of deciding the sequence in which the work is performed. The Common Law Test 2 In 2006, the IRS issued a revised test that consolidated the 20 factors into 11 factors, divided into three groups: (1) behavioral control, (2) financial control, and (3) the type of relationship between the parties. Functionally, this new test is very similar to the 20-factor test. IRS Publication 15-A lists the factors and is available at www.irs.gov/publications/p15a/ar02.html#d0e346.

 9. CONTINUING RELATIONSHIP a. Employee: a continuing, non-sporadic relationship exists between the business and the worker. b. Independent Contractor: free to perform a service and then move on to other projects. 10. HIRING, SUPERVISING AND PAYING ASSISTANTS a. Employee: may hire assistants only under the direction of the employer. b. Independent Contractor: free to hire, supervise and pay additional assistants or subcontractors as necessary. 11. INTEGRATION OF THE WORKER’S SERVICES a. Employee: services are integrated into the daily success and operation of the business. b. Independent Contractor: services provided do not substantially affect the overall success of the business. 12. ORAL OR WRITTEN REPORTS a. Employee: submits regular reports to the employer for whom the services are being performed. b. Independent Contractor: accountable for end results only and not necessarily required to provide regular reports. 13. PAYMENT METHOD a. Employee: paid by the hour, week or month. b. Independent Contractor: paid by the project or on a straight commission. 14. PAYMENT OF BUSINESS EXPENSES a. Employee: the business usually pays expenses for the worker. b. Independent Contractor: pays for own business and traveling expenses. 15. FURNISHING OF TOOLS AND MATERIAL a. Employee: receives tools and equipment from the employer. b. Independent Contractor: provides tools, equipment and materials. 16. SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT a. Employee: depends on the continued success of the business without taking on any investment in the working facilities or equipment. b. Independent Contractor: invests in facilities or equipment used to perform any services, showing that the worker is in business for himself/herself. 17. WORKING FOR MORE THAN ONE BUSINESS a. Employee: restricted, either explicitly or effectively, from providing services to several businesses at once. b. Independent Contractor: free to provide services to multiple, unrelated businesses at the same time. 18. AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC a. Employee: provides services to only one business. b. Independent Contractor: offers services openly to the general public. 19. RIGHT TO FIRE THE WORKER a. Employee: employer maintains the discretion to discharge a worker. b. Independent Contractor: may not be terminated as long as the performance proceeds according to the agreed-upon terms. 20. WORKER’S RIGHT TO QUIT a. Employee: generally has the right to terminate the relationship with the business at any time. b. Independent Contractor: must fulfill any contractual obligations or else risk liability for breach.

https://eventspeak.com/co-employment-liability-every-brand-agency-needs-know

http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs13.htm


www.affordablebooksonline.com

New laws to take effect since 2013.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

A Great Parking App Start up Evolves

Seamless and Convenience Technology , a great idea from Chicago based Spothero.com
a less than 5 year old Start up invades metro San Francisco a commuter driven city with a great public transportation system and nowadays a niche for Car Sharing and Uber, Lyft riders
The greatest strength of Spot Hero which it should focus on a city like San Francisco is affordability and living to the concept of a guaranteed reserved parking spot with its pool of partner garages.
At the recent San Francisco Auto Show this last Black Friday madness, the company showcased for the first time which gave the venue of interfacing with new and current user customers. At their booth at Moscone Center North people flock with excitement to share they indeed got the reserved parking spot when the initial show attendees this year was approximately 12,000 on the first few hours of black friday rush.
Kudos to its 29 year old CEO Mark Lawrence whom I've monitored way back their Interactions with VC's..It's great to hear the new generation Young Entrepreneurs evolves niche marketing using applications technologies.
At the show the company offered a great $15 instant parking credit to new spot hero app users.
From hereon, my recommendation is living to the promise of continuously improving it's technology for its App, make the application. as  convenient even for consumers starting on smart phone devices and the great niche live to the promise of "Guaranteed Reserved Parking Spot" .  This promise will entail a lot of work and customer service but in the end a huge metropolis like San Francisco may be this company greatest potential having presence in 14 major cities compared to San Francisco based luxe valet of whom is only in 3 cities.
More wishes and as always this is the talent of young entrepreneurs being creative and consumer driven in focus.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Integrating success in a small business

Life and small business survival is like a chain. Sometimes it's the top part and sometimes it's the bottom. In the book "How do u integrate success" I wrote about the ultimate challenges that one can face and still "hope" for the best.


Integrating success is a chain of events that occur in one's entrepreneurial or everyday life. The key is learning from the mistakes and trying to start a new beginning towards renewed hope.

I recommend buying a copy of this book at: http://www.howdoyouintegratesuccess.com so that so can find out the different trials and tribulations I have personally gone through. Hopefully it will inspire you that nothing is impossible as long as we aim for it.

www.alex-esguerra.com
www.lifeandtimesofalexesguerra.com



Saturday, July 04, 2009

Independence Day

Independence day brings to us memories of how we had achieve our freedom. This year is a challenging one due to the economic uncertainty. However, we should recognize this time to remember the people that had been helping to fight for our freedom and liberty.

So as we celebrate the fireworks display tonight, let us remember the blessings that we receive each day for independence.

Happy 4th of July.

www.alexesguerra.com

Pnoy Joins Cory at 61. Remembering The Fight to Democracy of the Aquino's in the Philipines

  Former President of the Philippines Benigno Noynoy Aquino III died Thursday at the age of 61 after being hospitalized in Quezon City, Phil...