ZETA202 - Zeta Phi Rho

Typhoon Ondoy Relief Benefit Concert

007 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:31:21 +0000

The Philippines is one of the few countries that can take on a succession of storms and typhoons with nerves of steel and an unusual degree of calmness. But when the latest typhoon named “Ondoy” hammered its fury full force last Saturday, the results were damaging at the very least. Weather bureaus have stated that the amount of rain for the whole of September 26 equalled one month’s output. Hardest hit were Marikina City, Quezon City, Manila, Pasig, Malabon plus the whole province of Rizal and parts of Bulacan topping the list of calamity-stricken areas. On top of the countless properties washed away by the rampaging flood waters, lives were also taken (more than a 2 hundred as of the last update) and hundreds upon thousands left homeless – rich and poor.

Please check this link to see what is really going on BACK HOME.

We responded by throwing a benefit concert in CSULB. This is a great way for the ONE NATION ORGS to help out our dear loved ones back home and at the same time making an impact here in the U.S.

All the proceeds will be going to Ka-Puso Foundation.

The Event will be held at the CSULB auditorium on MONDAY, OCT 12 from 7-9pm. Doors Open at 630

$5 for CSULB students with student ID
$7 for non-CSULB students

Our goal is to fill up 236 seats. We can have the chance to raise up to 1000 dollars if we make this event a successful one. Tickets will be limited once the presales have been sold.

Performers:
ANDREW GARCIA
MAE UBALDO
FIVE O’CLOCK SHADOW
KRYSTLE TUGADI
JENNIFER CHUNG
MIKE ISBERTO

Awaiting answers from other performers.

We will be selling “There is Still Hope” T-Shirts
Check out HIS PAGE!

The victims from this tragic typhoon are in dire need of necessary items: blankets, clothes, canned foods, and any other items that you think they need, please feel free to donate them!

If you would like to help/donate or buy tickets please feel free to contact Chester at (714) 588 6659. email: flipkid1287@yahoo.com

Thank you for your support,
Chester Profeta
Rush Chair/Academic Chair
Zeta Phi Rho, Alpha Chapter (CSULB)

Diesel – DZ7125

007 — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:55:59 +0000

This Ultra-oversized 65 millimeter “Super Bad Ass” watch is built for performance and definitely not for the faint of heart. Four displays (including a chronograph, digital and two analog clocks) allow you to navigate multiple time zones without losing a second. Finely etched case is attached to a genuine black leather strap.

KAP Michael Jackson Tribute Fundraiser

007 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:04:12 +0000

Hand and Heart is starting with the Man in the Mirror to bring you a night of MJ’s music. Live covers and dance party. All Proceeds will go to charity! For more info, please visit us at http://www.handandheart.org

Event Details:
Friday August 28th, 2009
$10 @ the door
$10 Bar/Food Minimum
Bands (subject to change):
Elson and the Soul Barkada, Soul Scratch, Trica Jamanila and Crhistine Aquino

UC Santa Barbara P-Grad Class of 2009 Speech

007 — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:13:47 +0000

Roland Navarro graduated from UCSB in 2003. Roland was the cultural and political chair for Kapatirang Pilipino and president of Zeta Phi Rho fraternity. In addition to being on the dean’s list several times, Roland has the unique distinction of convincing one of his professor to change an “F” grade to a “A-” one year after he recieved that “F”. He was probably one of the first undergraduates at UCSB to be a TA that taught a class while also being a student in the same course at the same exact time. Upon graduation, Roland was the first student to deliver the key note address for his department’s graduating class. After UCSB, Roland studied in the Philippines and helped start a foundation with his classmates called Kamay at Puso, which translates to Hand and Heart. The organization now is an internationally recognized non-profit that serves families in Pampanga who were affected by toxic waste contamination left behind by the Clark U.S. airforce Base. While providing physical therapy for sick children, mothers are also taught how to fish for themselves, …

Part One http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK1cXvnDxgk
Part Two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg2qLU16ui8

Atelier Maurice de Mauriac Black PVD Watch

007 — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:17:29 +0000

Relatively unknown in some circles but making a huge name for himself along with his 4 other watchmakers recruited from IWC, Daniel Driefuss, founder of Zurich based Atelier Maurice de Mauriac, is out with another instant classic.

Reviews upon reviews have placed Maurice de Mauriac on par with the likes of Rolex and IWC, in some cases, even surpassing them.

The watches are customizable, handmade, designed in-house and innovative. The new black PVD model features a 42mm casing, sapphire crystal treatment on the front and back (revealing the automatic movement), Kevlar strap, and waterproof up to 100m. Economy-friendly priced. Wearing this watch, a Distinguished gentlemen will surely resembles toughness yet smooth, DISTINGUISHED style.

ZETA INSIGHT : The S.M.A.R.T Program

reachroland — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:33:39 +0000

Written by : Abel Guzman

I’m so excited that Abel has been able to highlight and offer some insights to the creation of the S.M.A.R.T (Students Making Academics a Reality Today) Program.

What really sets this philanthropy apart from other Zeta Phi Rho philanthropies, is the hands on and practical approach of Zetas actually mentoring, motivating, and providing leadership to high school students unsure of whether or not they should go to college.

In the overall picture, the S.M.A.R.T. program is designed to increase the eligibility and college attendance rates of underrepresented, low-income, and other specifically identified disadvantaged populations.

Abel basically reminisces and tells us the story of how the S.M.A.R.T program initially started, and how it evolved into a program that brings in busloads of students from Bakersfield to experience a life-changing weekend in Santa Barbara.

——–

If there is anything that us as Distinguished Gentlemen want to avoid, it’s segregation, after all Zeta Phi Rho is a multicultural fraternity. However, from time to time a group of let’s say…darker skinned fellas would gather to do some mediocre freestyle rapping. Yup, that was the MCC crew (Multi-Cultural Crew) composed of Moiz Ali, Piaget Jenkins, Salvador Gutierrez, me, and a few guest “rappers.” Our freestyling was inspiring- well, at least it was to us. One night Ali, Sal, Ramiro (a recurring guest on the MCC show) and I were hanging out in the Rec. Room. We talked about college and the fact that many youth from our ethnic backgrounds see college as an impossible feat, or simply never consider it as an option. Many students from minority backgrounds opt out of attending college and go straight into the workforce instead. It was at that moment that we realized that if we found a way to let those students know that they could attain a college education just like us, that we would be able to extend our horizons as a fraternity. Don’t let the old beer smell, sticky floors, and broken window blinds fool you, the Rec. Room is a factory of ideas and inspiration.

Sal and I had been members of Hermanos Unidos (another student organization on campus) for a few years, and had taken part in organizing CLOP (College Link Outreach Program) which allowed students from disadvantaged Los Angeles area high schools to explore UC Santa Barbara for a few days. So we figured that we could do the same. Ali, who was the president at the time said, “Hey man put in on paper and we’ll do this.” So Ramiro and I did just that. We began formulating plans for our program based on my prior experience with CLOP. When we discussed what students we would serve in our program I brought up the fact that CLOP already serves the Los Angeles area and that a few other programs serve students in the Bay Area. This left the central valley out of the picture. I got in contact with my high school counselor who had since then become the director of the “Educational Talent Search Program” at CSU Bakersfield. He liked our idea and said that he would love to take some of his high school participants to our program.

Once we had the program somewhat laid out; and had students to take part in the program, we realized that it was not going to be something we would be able to fund with our member dues. One of my good friends in Hermanos Unidos was the CLOP head-organizer that year and he pointed me in the direction of SIOP (Student Iniated Outreach Programs). SIOP was a committee composed of different university representatives who read grant proposals for outreach programs, and funded those whom they decided where worthy of the money. Ramiro and I filled out the application and drafted the grant proposal in a couple of days. All we had to do now was attend an SIOP informational meeting. When we arrived the room was packed with many representatives of other student organizations on campus. One of those organizations was Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority. As I walked into the room I thought, “We need $10,000 dollars for our program, I’m sure all these people do to…we’re screwed.”

Later that week Ramiro and I were at the library doing study hours for the fraternity. On one of the many study breaks that we took, we wandered around the library and ran into a group of Lambda Theta Alpha members whom I had known for some time. I asked them what their program idea was and much like us and they didn’t really know. Patty and Lorena were LTA’s outreach coordinators for that year. Ramiro, Patty, Lorena, and I decided “Hey, we’re bringing guys and girls to the program. Why not team up and do a program together?” Lorena and I grew up in the same community and were both part of my counselor’s outreach program throughout high school. When Ramiro and I brought up the idea of bringing students from Kern County, Lorena agreed that it would be of great benefit to the students of that area.

We now had the idea, the students, a Zeta Phi Rho and Lambda Theta Alpha team, and most importantly because we were not competing against each other for the funding, we now had the money. Last thing we needed was a name for the program. Patty, Lorena, Ramiro, and I decided to go with an acronym. For about two hours of “study hours” at the library we brainstormed. “M.I.L.K” seemed like a good idea for the program shirts, so we could do “Got M.I.L.K?” but the letters stood for nothing. Then we thought, “think college..think college.” Somehow, (I’m not too clear on how it actually happened) but we ended up with S.M.A.R.T. People in college are smart after all. But what would the letters stand for? Half an hour later we decided it would stand for “Students Making Academics a Reality Today.” It was extremely fitting. We were college students making college academics a reality for high school students.

The day finally came for the students to arrive to sunny Santa Barbara for the experience of their lifetimes, and the beginning of something great for us. I woke up to the sound of thunder and crazy rain. I stood at my balcony window for a moment. Our program was ruined, the tour would be cancelled and we would have to be running everywhere. All I kept thinking was “The students are not going to experience Santa Barbara at its best.” Sadly, I put my suit on walked over to Sal’s room and said “dude, what the F,” to which he replied with something like “don’t worry about it man, it’ll work out.” Surely enough as we went downstairs to the car the rain stopped and the sun shined through. The rest of the weekend was classic Santa Barbara weather, and the program ran smoothly. By the end, about 35 students from underprivileged high schools had experienced living in the dorms, eating at the dining commons, sitting in on college lectures, going to the beach, hearing motivational speakers, and most importantly they experienced leaving home.

One of the students who participated that first year is currently a second year at CSU Bakersfield and is my student assistant. She tells me all the time, “Man Abel the first day of S.M.A.R.T I was like ‘get me out of here,’ but by the end I didn’t want to leave.” Since that first S.M.A.R.T; students who participated, have been turning down offers to universities like UCLA and Cal to attend UCSB. Bryan Ching took over S.M.A.R.T the second year and did an even better job with the program, and was followed this year by a great program led by Alejandro Cervantes. For the Zeta Phi Rho brothers, helping out ended up with an extremely rewarding feeling. They know that they helped make college a reality for a group of students who otherwise would not have given thought to leaving home and becoming educated individuals in society.

I always get praise for “starting S.M.A.R.T.” It is really humbling, but it wasn’t me. It was that talk with the MCC crew, it was Ali supporting the idea, Ramiro and Sal backing me up all the way, Lambda Theta Alpha taking half of the work load, all the bros that served as facilitators for the program the first year and did all the actual organizing, and the counselors at CSU Bakersfield who actually worked with the students on a daily basis.

Pho Clement

reachroland — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:05:33 +0000

Voted time and time again as the best Pho (a Vietname Noodle Soup Dish) in San Francisco, Pho Clement, is almost like a standard go to restaurant in the Richmond.

I have to tell you, coming from LA, this is probably on of the best Pho places in all of California.

Obviously the service isn’t quite there, my co-worker Aaron had hot soup spilled on his lap, but the food is good, especially for its price, and the XL bowls are freaking huge!

If you don’t like the decor, you can go to the new Pho Clement 2, ironically on Geary, but the broth seems to be stronger at the original location.

Panerai Luminor Base Titanium 176

reachroland — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:51:58 +0000

Any watch conossiuer can tell you how in demand this simple and clean looking face is to the watch collecting world.

Panerai is simply so. A watch that is rare, but sets you apart from the Rolex, TagHeuer, and Breitling crowd.

This Titanium 176 model, has a deeper gray / silver finish, and a brown crocodile strap. Truly a timepiece for the Distinguished Gentlemen.

Pollyn / Big Moves / Gaslamp Killer [6/9] Los Angeles

reachroland — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:17:07 +0000

I know a lot of folks familiar with the Low End Theory crowd, which in my opinion, is one of the hottest Independent Music scenes in the country.

No such sounds are possible without Los Angeles at its core. Something special is brewing out here, so enjoy it now while it lasts.

But honestly, literally doing this post for a video I just saw. Check out this group, Pollyn just got included in URB’s Next 100. You can see their “Gave It Up” Video here.

Check them all out live at the Echo!

1822 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

8:30pm / $10 / 18+

Brotherhood Spotlight : YourSash

reachroland — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 05:04:21 +0000

YourSash.com is currently one of the highest volume, highest quality providers of Graduation Stoles and Sashes on the Internet today. Such a business would not be possible without its Distinguished Creators, Christian Vuong and Bond Tantisukarom of the Beta Chapter and Chance Downs of the Zeta Chapter.

As the ultimate plug, the default setting for the custom graduation stole is the Navy Blue Zeta Phi Rho stole! The following spotlight will tell us more about their story.

What Is YourSash.com?
Started in 2007, YourSash.com is a division of Define3 focused on providing quality customized graduation stoles and sashes at affordable prices. We believe in personal success and celebrating achievement. Our goal is to provide sashes and stoles that celebrate your uniqueness, whether you are in a fraternity, sorority, student group, pageant or just darn proud of your school!

Why YourSash.com? How did the idea of starting an internet business come about?
For us, the notion of starting your own business, being your own boss, and setting your own hours seemed so cool. Really, what college graduate wouldn’t jump at this idea? You hear of how Microsoft started in a garage, how Google was started by college dropouts, YouTube by three guys with an idea, and Facebook by a college student. With that said, it was probably a mix of this American dream but also because we felt we could fill a void in the market. While seniors in college, we experienced first hand a lot of vendors in the industry who were either overpriced, terrible with customer service, or provided poor quality products, and we wanted to fix this! We felt that as recent college graduates we’d be best at relating to our client’s needs, and well… that’s how this story began.

Did everything go smoothly at first?
Far from it. Like many start-ups, we ran into numerous hiccups on the way. We thought we had everything locked down, from the website, to order management, to actual production timelines, and quality control, but when we got our first order we started scrambling! The tricky thing with graduation stoles and sashes is that they are all individually made and hence a very time consuming task. Our OCD habits would not let us settle for anything less than perfection. I still remember the nights (yes nights) we spent perfecting our very first sash. I’m glad to say our production has since sped up and become much more streamlined.

What advice can you give to those interested in taking advantage of a business opportunity?

Know your customers, love your product and expect to lose a lot of sleep. If you are starting a business solely for money, it’s going to be tough to stay motivated day to day. You need to love what you’re doing because at the end of the day, you are your own boss, and if you can’t motivate yourself, nobody else will. Be honest about your goals and be honest to yourself.

What is that crucial link between the idea & the actual first sale that occurs?

Execution. Hardwork + Communication = Execution. This is exactly what many people lack. Every day, people talk about great ideas, but very few actually act on them. Making a business profitable takes a lot of work and as any business owner will tell you it’s no longer a “build it and they will come” world. Our biggest chunk of advice to entrepreneurs would be to set milestones. Whether you hit them or not is on you, but setting deadlines will help you benchmark your progress.

Furthermore, what is it exactly that keeps ideas from ever being reality?

Laziness and lawsuits. Don’t do something if it’s illegal! If you’re going to start a business, make sure you set it up legally. Another part would be the hard work. In the graduation industry, similar to weddings, live events and many other industries, you only have one chance to do things right. With YourSash.com we’ve come to live by the “do it right the first time” mantra because we can’t afford to make mistakes on our products or ship them out late. Graduation only happens once, and by embracing that reality of our industry, we believe it has contributed to our company’s growth.

Do you have any future plans for YourSash.com?

Many! We’re continually innovating and thinking of new ideas, styles, and products to align with today’s trends. Unfortunately we can’t share them here incase our competitors are reading.

Where do you see the business going in the next five years?
Like all businesses, we hope to continue to grow and not lose sight of our mission, which is to provide quality stoles and sashes at affordable prices. On the philanthropic side, it’d be nice to give back to the community. I think we’ll start this year.

Ferrari F430 Scuderia Spider 16M

reachroland — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 04:55:53 +0000

This is a special shout out to Sascha over at The Auto Gallery over in Calabasas, thank you for showing us this beautiful car. Even though my man Mr. Lambo Steven may beg to differ. ;)

To commemorate Ferrari’s victory in the Formula 1 Constructor’s World Championship 2008, Ferrari unveiled Scuderia Spider 16M. It was Ferrari’s 16th Championship, and is a convertible version of the 430 Scuderia.

Engine is rated 510 PS (503 hp/375 kW) at 8500 rpm and 470 N·m (347 lb·ft) torque at 5250 rpm. The car has 1,340 kg (2,954 lb) dry weight (80kg lighter than F430 Spider) and 1,440 kg (3,175 lb) kerb weight. It accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds, with top speed of 315 km/h (196 mph).

Four hundred ninety-nine vehicles are to be released beginning early 2009, even though for the most part all of these puppies are sold out, with an asking price in the $320K-plus range.

I honestly have a much better appreciation for the Ferrari, and can see where Wes is coming from. In the meantime, I’ll stick to my Prius and wait for my Fisker. lol.

Blackberry Curve 8900

reachroland — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 04:23:20 +0000

Ok…yes, i know, i know…I’m lame and couldn’t wait for the 3G iPhone.

The problem was; after getting my last Blackberry stolen, each passing day with an old school cell phone was dragging me down. I was missing out on opportunities to reply to my clients email in real time, while also connecting with folks on Facebook, Yammer, Linkedin, Twitter, etc.

I do agree with CNET, that the Blackberry Curve 8900 is a very good phone. Booo, to the fact it has no 3G, but the screen quality and brilliant display is the best I have ever seen on a Blackberry. It’s a lot more solid, the pearl you use to navigate the interface is more responsive, and suprisingly the 3.2 Megapixel camera takes better pictures than the iPhone.

If you don’t have a MicroSD Minicard, it will be a little sluggish, and obviously doesn’t have the application features and intuitive interface that makes an iPhone so much fun.

But for business purposes, this thing is an email master, with a fun personality. Overall, a solid update to the last Curve, and easily one of the best smart-phones currently on the market today.

Now, what to do when the new iPhone comes out….lol, what to do…what to do.

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach Miami

reachroland — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 03:45:09 +0000

Literally just stayed at this place a couple of weeks ago. And man, if you want to talk about staying and relaxing at a classy, Art Deco restored, Miami lifestyle kind of place….this is the hot spot to be at.

Excellent service, great pool, full service spa, right next to the beach, walking distance to all the restaurants, bars, and clubs on Lincoln Road AND Ocean Drive.

No wonder Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler rank this as one of the best Hotels around. If you want to rock South Beach Miami, like a true Distinguished Gentleman of Zeta Phi Rho…look no further than the Ritz.

Christine Corpuz [6/3 - 7/8 : Every Wednesday] Sherman Oaks

reachroland — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:49:08 +0000

There are a lot of things you can say about Christine Corpuz. First off, she’s a distinguished Zeta Sister from the Beta Chapter.

She’s a graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts in New York, and a nationally recognized actress. But above all, she is a strong and independent woman, with an unparalleled drive that is inspiring, and a heart that deserves to be recognized.

Over the next 6 weeks, she will be performing her one woman show, “I Am Nothing Like My Mother” which originally debuted at New York University’s Graduate Acting Freeplay Festival, and was re-mounted and produced by New York City’s Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe. Now being presented with support and in association with The Whitefire Theatre. Christine Corpuz is now making the show’s West Coast Debut!

I’m telling you, a talent like this cannot be missed. I’m really proud that we have a Filipina who can really rock the stage amongst the best of them. You have to see her in person to believe me. Some of the various characters she plays just draws you in, and slaps you silly. I swear! It’s nuts.

For reals, do not miss out on this show. You will be sorry.

8pm Every Wednesday - 6/3 - 7/8

$20 admission.

The WhiteFire Theatre
13500 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Lexus LF-A Roadster

reachroland — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:31:32 +0000

The Lexus LF-A Roadster is a dramatic departure to this relatively tame but luxurious car company.

Known for quality rather than exotics, Lexus; which plans to sell the Roadster for around $225,000, is destined to lose a bunch of money on this car for the sake of branding.

Its low-profile, sleek, aerodynamic shape is fashioned from lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum and features a speed adaptive rear wing. The LF-A Roadster is powered by a high-revving V10 engine capable of over 500 horsepower which can reach an astonishing top track speed of over 200 mph on the track.

A Ferrari slash Lambo looking Lexus…sweet.

Christian Louboutin Very Prive Patent Pump

reachroland — Mon, 25 May 2009 08:11:44 +0000

Alright brothers. Don’t let this post confuse you. Yes, those are high heels.

One of the most distinguishing features that sets us apart as Zetas, is our ability to take care of our women.

And I’m telling you, I don’t even know how to say or even pronounce this particular brand name, but they seem to be really popular and they look really sexy on your woman’s feet.

Christian Louboutin can be easily distinguished with the red soles on the bottom of the shoe, and they just look dang good on your girl!

If you can hook yourself up with nice things, then you need to shower your woman with gifts, and let her know how beautiful and deserving she is.

Real Distinguished Gentlemen of Zeta Phi Rho know how to treat their women right.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

reachroland — Mon, 25 May 2009 05:36:42 +0000

I have had the honor of giving one of these bottles as a birthday present for someone I respect.

And I tell you, these bottles make for a very fine gift. How appropriate that this bottle is in Zeta blue.

Appreciating the delicacy of a fine Scotch whisky, is much akin to the art of wine tasting or the nuances of a cigar’s flavor.

For Johnnie Walker, the most widely distributed brand of blended Scotch whisky in the world, the Blue Label is the finest and most prestigious.

Every bottle is serial numbered and sold in a silk-lined box, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. There is no age declaration for Blue Label.