Official Blog

BancNet Security Advisory

2011-12-08T08:22:00.001+08:00

Security Advisory

Dear BancNet Online Customer:

This is to inform you of the increasing number of “phishing” cases that may come in the form of a legitimate looking email in an attempt to get confidential information such as your ATM card number, bank account number and ATM PIN among others. A sample of this email is shown hereunder.

---------------------------------------- Sample “Phishing” e-mail --------------------------------

Dear Valued ATM Card / Account Holder,

Due to BancNet upgrade, Your Bank has disabled your ATM Card / Account due to recent upgrade. Activate your ATM and Account now. Your are required to activate immediately.

Activate: http://www-bacnet-upgrade.com/BancNet/activate.htm (this link will redirect you to a different site)

Sincerely,

BancNet

----------------------------------------- End of Sample e-mail ------------------------------------

Should you encounter this or similar messages, kindly disregard immediately. BancNet does not require such information to upgrade its system. The ATM Card Number and PIN are only used to complete a banking transaction.
The BancNetOnline legitimate website is http://www.bancnetonline.com.

Thank you.

BancNet, Inc. Webmaster

[SOURCE: www.bancnetonline.com/]

RCBC Warns Against Phishing

2011-10-12T08:01:00.000+08:00

Here is the official statement of RCBC regarding the recent phishing attacks:

IMPORTANT REMINDER

Please be warned of Phishing attacks presently being lodged against Philippine banks by foreign syndicates. Such attacks are perpetrated by unscrupulous groups (called "phishers" / "scammers") who randomly send bank clients an email message asking for their User IDs, Log-in and Transaction passwords and claiming that this is for the purpose of ensuring their continued use of the bank's internet banking facility (in RCBC's case, RCBC AccessOne). Please be informed that these messages are fictitious, fabricated and are only meant to mislead you into allowing these phishers to steal your online financial identity and then illegally transact on your behalf.

Falling for this ploy could also allow these "syndicates" to steal your money.

Given this scenario, RCBC would like to remind you to NEVER trust or click on any link sent via e-mail or SMS if it requests for any personal information.
RCBC WILL NEVER ask customers to provide these confidential information through email.

Please ensure that you use your User ID and Passwords ONLY when transacting directly to www.rcbc.com.

Likewise, please be reminded that as stipulated in the Terms and Conditions you signed for RCBC AccessOne, the bank will NOT take responsibility for whatever losses you may incur in case of incident accessing bogus/unsecured websites.

Should you receive a suspicious "phishing" email, please report this immediately and email customercontact@rcbc.com or call 877-7222.

Thank you.

Click here for more information on Phishing Scam.

-------------------------------------------
(SOURCE: http://www.rcbc.com/)

A Clever Dog

2011-10-07T20:15:00.000+08:00

A butcher watching over his shop is really surprised when he saw a dog coming inside the shop. He shoos him away. But later, the dog is back again.

So, he goes over to the dog and notices he has a note in his mouth. He takes the note and it reads "Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please. The dog has money in his mouth, as well."

The butcher looks inside and, lo and behold, there is a ten dollar Note there. So he takes the money and puts the sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the dog's mouth. The butcher is so impressed, and since it's about closing time, he decides to shut up shop and follow the dog.

So off he goes. The dog is walking down the street when he comes To a level crossing.

The dog puts down the bag, jumps up and presses the button. Then he waits patiently, bag in mouth, for the lights to turn. They do, and he walks across the road, with the butcher following him all the way.

The dog then comes to a bus stop, and starts looking at the timetable.

The butcher is in awe at this stage. The dog checks out the times, and then sits on one of the seats provided. Along comes a bus. The dog walks around to the front, looks at the number, and goes back to his seat.

Another bus comes. Again the dog goes and looks at the number, notices it's the right bus, and climbs on. The butcher, by now, open-mouthed, follows him onto the bus.

The bus travels through the town and out into the suburbs, the dog Looking at the scenery. Eventually he gets up, and moves to the front of the bus. He stands on 2 back paws and pushes the button to stop the bus. Then he gets off, his groceries still in his mouth.

Well, dog and butcher are walking along the road, and then the dog turns into a house. He walks up the path, and drops the groceries on the step.

Then he walks back down the path, takes a big run, and throws himself against the door. He goes back down the path, runs up to the door and again, it throws himself against it. There's no answer at the house, so the dog goes back down the path, jumps up on a narrow wall, and walks along the perimeter of the garden. He gets to the window, and beats his head against it several times, walks back, jumps off, and waits at the door.

The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts abusing the dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him.

The butcher runs up, and stops the guy. "What in heaven's name are You doing? The dog is a genius. He could be on TV, for the life of me!" to which the guy responds: "You call this clever? This is the second time this week that this stupid dog's forgotten his key."

Reflection:
Looks like some, people will never be satisfied with what they've got.

When it comes to the work place, Employers do not know how to appreciate their people who have served them loyally through the years. I've seen companies lose good people for the simple fact their leaders failed to show appreciation. Employers with big egos enjoy the fact that they have more power and authority than others. They show, in the way they give orders and directions, that they think they are superior. They get a kick out of displaying this superiority. People who do this are fools, and everyone but them knows it. They are never satisfied because they could not be satisfied even if their people perform well.

They don't listen to the opinion and ideas of their subordinates.

Why? Because of their stupid pride and insecurity.

People of this kind will never be satisfied. Why? Because they are so busy wrapped up in themselves and, fact is, the self can never be satisfied. Happy and productive people are always those who are "others-centered" rather than "self- centered." The greatest idea of leadership is not someone who throws his weight around. Rather, he is a servant. As Bible would say, "He who wish to be a leader should first be a servant."

His joy is derived from delivering a job that others benefit from his contribution. Aim for service, and success will follow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown
(just forwarded to me)

ANOTHER FAKE BANK NOTICE

2011-10-03T08:43:00.001+08:00

BEWARE of fake DEACTIVATION NOTICES/MESSAGES from your bank.

I received a CHINABANK deactivation email below even though I'm NOT their CLIENT.

Hahaha!!! Nice try!

From: CHINABANK <cbonline1@freenet.de>
To:
Sent: Sunday, October 2, 2011 4:17 PM
Subject: Account Deactivation Notice !

#Alert#

CHINABANK

Dear Valued Customer.

This is to notify you that your account is now inactive and may be closed for security reasons as you failed to provide valid details during the last update and verification process.
Reactivate your account now. (Inactive accounts will be deactivated till further notice if not activated now.) Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Activate: http://www.chinabank.ph/account/activate.php

Thank you,

CHINABANK

China Banking Corporation

Fraudulent Bank Message

2011-09-28T08:14:00.001+08:00

BEWARE of fake SUSPENSION NOTICES/MESSAGES from your bank.

I received a "FINAL NOTICE" email below even though I didn't receive any prior notice.

When I clicked the link, it lead to a suspicious looking URL.

(For more info on this kind of web trickery, you can search and read about "phishing")

From: RCBC ] <onlinemcbc1@freenet.de>
To: <my email>
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 3:10 PM
Subject: RCBC Account Suspended / Locked [Security Issues]

. .

RCBC " PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS YOUR FINAL NOTICE "

ATTENTION: VALUED RCBC CUSTOMER

We upgraded our services for security reasons. Your account has been disabled for security reasons. Kindly reactivate now. We take this opportunity to thank you for your understanding and patience.
( * NOTE: ACCOUNT WILL BE DISABLED IF NOT VERIFIED/ACTIVATED NOW. )
Activate Now http://www.rcbc.com/access-active.aspx

Thank you,

RCBC - - -- Copyright © 2011. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation -

UP Pep Squad. UAAP Cheerdance Competition 2011

2011-09-21T20:16:00.000+08:00

No extravagant props.
Just pure talent.
That made them champions.

Pokemon-bullying

2011-09-13T15:40:00.000+08:00

That Snorlax you called fat? Its eating rare candies by the dozens for you to accept it.

That Gastly you called ugly? Its been trying to learn a new move to replace its Mean Look.

That Slowpoke you tripped? He has a learning disability that makes him legally retarded.

See that Hitmonchan with the scars? He fought in Vietnam for your freedoms today.

That Magikarp you called useless? Its getting its ass beat trying to evolve into a Gyarados.

Put this as your status if you are against Pokebullying!

(SOURCE: just a spreading Facebook campaign. Original source is unknown.)

Fable of the chicken and the pig

2011-08-19T09:43:00.000+08:00

A pig and a chicken are walking down a road. The chicken looks at the pig and says, “Hey, why don’t we open a restaurant?” The pig looks back at the chicken and says, “Good idea, what do you want to call it?” The chicken thinks about it and says, “Why don’t we call it ‘Ham and Eggs’?” “I don’t think so,” says the pig, “I’d be committed, but you’d only be involved.”

Interpretation and lessons

Analogies

Agile Project Management

This fable is referenced to define two types of project members by the scrum agile management system^[2]: pigs, who are totally committed to the project and accountable for its outcome, and chickens, who consult on the project and are informed of its progress. By extension, a rooster, or gamecock, can be defined as a person who struts around offering uninformed, unhelpful opinions.
A successful project needs both chickens and pigs (roosters are seen as unproductive). However, given the sacrifice required of being a pig—forswearing other projects and opportunities—they can be difficult to collect. Thus, the construction of a successful project-team must ensure that the project has sufficient "pigs" and that they are empowered to drive the project in return for committing to and taking accountability for it.

Sports

The fable also is used in as an analogy for levels of commitment to a game, team etc. For example, variations^[3] of this quote have been attributed to football coach Mike Leach:

On the officials in the 2007 Tech-Texas game in Austin:

"It's a little like breakfast; you eat ham and eggs. As coaches and players, we're like the ham. You see, the chicken's involved but the pig's committed. We're like the pig, they're like the chicken. They're involved, but everything we have rides on this."^[4]

(SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chicken_and_the_Pig)

5-Minute Management Course

2011-08-17T16:13:00.000+08:00

Lesson 1:

A priest offered a Nun a lift.
She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg.
The priest nearly had an accident.
After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg...
The nun said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'
The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'
The priest apologized 'Sorry sister but the flesh is weak.'
Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way.
On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, 'Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.'
Moral of the story:
If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

Lesson 2:

A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp.
They rub it and a Genie comes out. The Genie says, 'I'll give each of you just one wish.'
'Me first! Me first!' says the admin clerk.. 'I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.' Poof! She's gone.
'Me next! Me next!' says the sales rep. 'I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas, and the love of my life.' Poof! He's gone.
'OK, you're up,' the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, 'I want those two back in the office after lunch.'
Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.

Lesson 3:

An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.
A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, 'Can I also sit like you and do nothing?' The eagle answered: 'Sure, why not.'
So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Lesson 4:

A turkey was chatting with a bull. 'I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree' sighed the turkey, 'but I haven't got the energy.'
'Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?' replied the bull. It's full of nutrients.'
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.
The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch..
Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree.
He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.
Moral of the story:
Bull Shit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there...

Lesson 5:

A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.
While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.
As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was.
The dung was actually thawing him out!
He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate.
Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.
Moral of the story:

Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.
Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep your mouth shut!

(SOURCE: http://www.humoretc.com/jcontent/management-course.php)

Taga U.P. ka kung...

2011-08-17T09:00:00.000+08:00

Ano ang palatandaan ng isang tatak U.P. ?

I Love Science

2011-08-15T08:36:00.000+08:00

Watch as today's top entertainers promote "science".

It's never to late to appreciate and embrace science.
Science is everywhere.

my robot is better than your robot,
my robot is better than your robot,
my robot is better than your robot

UPCAT - The Movie

2011-08-06T09:33:00.000+08:00

UPCAT the Movie is a Philippine independent film written by Alfred Geoffrey Reyes and directed by Roman Olivares. A light drama-comedy, it tells a coming-of-age story of 2 teenage boys from the province who believe that passing the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) will help them achieve their dreams of a better future.

UP or Nothing.

(SOURCE: en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=UPCAT_the_Movie)

Angry Animals (Not Just Birds)

2011-08-01T16:02:00.000+08:00

If you are sick of playing the "hit" game "Angry Birds", why not try throwing other animals instead.

(The farm's cows and sheep are ready for take-off.)

(As you can see below, you can also catapult some "angry pigs".)

Play ANGRY ANIMALS here: http://hoodamath.com/games/angryanimals.ph p

Somedaydream -- Philippines' Owl City

2011-08-01T15:43:00.000+08:00

"Somedaydream", a new pinoy musician sounds very much like the synth-pop one man band "Owl City".

Compare their songs below (just ignore the music video).

Fireflies -- Owl City

Vanilla Twilight -- Owl City

Hey Daydreamer -- Somedaydream

If I haven't seen Somedaydream's music video, I'd think that he is another foreign artist.

Sablay na Pinoy Quotes

2011-08-01T15:01:00.000+08:00

Konting kasiyahan ng konti (hehe). . .

1. You are barking at the wrong dog!
2. The sky is the langit. (tama nga naman).
3. Class get one whole sheet of paper, lengthwise! (di ba pwede crosswise na lang)
4. What's your next class before this? [ANO RAW??!!!]
5. Nothing in this world is perfect except the word "change".
6. Can you repeat that for the second time around once more from the top? [ULITIN NATIN HANGGANG MAMATAY TAYO!]
7. My dad brought home a lot of hand-me-downs! [TRANSLATION: DAMING PASALUBONG NG TATAY KO.]
8. Standard and Chartered Bank
9. I'm very iterated!!! [TRANSLATION: GALIT SYA!!]
10. I'm sorry, my boss just passed away. [KADADAAN LANG NG BOSS NYA.]
11. Don't touch me not!
12. Hello? ... For a while, please hang yourself...
13. It's spilled milk under the bridge.
14. Don't change anything! Keep it at ease.
15. Hello McDo? Mag-iinquire lang ako, kung magkano ang kidney meal?
16. You!!! You're not a boy anymore! You're a man anymore!
17. Out of fit ako these days eh... [TRANSLATION: di nakakapag-exercise]
18. Come, let's join us!
19. When it rains, it's four. [WOW!]
20. Bring down the house down!
21. Hello, my boss is out of town. Would you like to wait?
22. What happened after the erection of Mayon Volcano?
23. Once in a new moon.
24. Please don't make fond of me.
25. The more you hate, the more you laugh. [Ahh... ganun pala yun.]
26. Alma Mother.
27. No holes barred.
28. Keep your mouth shock! [:O]
29. Well, well, well. Look do we have here!
30. It's just the tip of the icing!
31. Connect me if I'm wrong.
32. I hope you don't mine.
33. I wanna portrait that role.
34. Will you please give me alone?!
35. True good to be true.
36. So far, so good, so far. (ang layo!)
37. The more the many-er.
38. Come here, you and you, the both of you two.
39. I couldn't care a damn!
40. Ok guys, form a straight circle.
41. Let's give them a big hand of applause.
42. Annulled and void.
43. Been there, been that!
44. Give him the benefit of the daw.
45. Take things first at a time.
46. First and for all. . .
47. Now and there.
48. I'm only human nature.
49.That's what I'm talking about it!
50. The feeling is actual.

(SOURCE: Elbert Or's book -- see images above)

Why is sitting with "good posture" tiring/uncomfortable?

2011-08-01T14:39:00.000+08:00

Is it so terrible to prefer slouching?
Why shouldn't we just sit with what is most comfortable?
What can really be the effects of such?
Is good posture just something that is seen as "socially" desirable rather then good for the back?
If it was good for humans, then why does it become to tiring?

Actually, sitting with poor posture will eventually cause back pain, spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, etc.
The pain when we have when we do proper posture is because our body is used to poor posture, so we're working muscles that don't normally get used.

PhilNITS -- Philippine National Information Technology Standards

2011-07-12T18:00:00.000+08:00

What is PhilNITS?

The Philippine National Information Technology Standards Foundation, Inc., or PhilNITS, is a non-stock, non-profit, non-government organization that is implementing in the Philippines the Information Technology standards adopted from Japan, with the support of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Philippines and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan.

Current Certifications

The ITPEC certification exams (known locally as PhilNITS certification exams) are administered throughout the day with the first half involve fundamental IT concepts and terms while the second half require the examinee to develop and trace the output of a computer program.

ITPEC Fundamentals of IT Passport Exam (IP Exam, Level 1)

Known locally as PhilNITS IP, the Information Technology Passport Exam requires the person to have basic knowledge in IT that all business workers should commonly possess, perform and utilize IT related tasks in his/her charge. The exam lasts about 165 minutes. It consists of 100 questions in multiple choice (one per four choices) broke down into two types: the short question type, one question per item, 88 questions; and medium question type, four questions per item, 12 questions (3 items).

The pilot examination was conducted last March 28, 2010. The first regular exam was conducted last October 24, 2010. This exam is conducted twice a year.

ITPEC Fundamentals of IT Engineers Exam (FE Exam, Level 2)

Known locally as PhilNITS FE, this exam is conducted twice a year on the first Sunday of April and third Sunday of October. The 300 minute multiple choice examination are administered in 10 exam centers in the Philippines: University of Baguio for the north Luzon area, Philippine Christian University in Manila, Ateneo de Naga University for the Bicol Region, University of San Carlos in Cebu and Holy Name University in Bohol, Lorma Colleges in La Union and Leyte Academic Center for the Visayas region, and for Mindanao: Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro, Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City and the University of the Immaculate Conception in Davao City.

The UP Mindanao BSCS students/graduates who passed the March 2011 PhilNITS-FE Exam are Tim Duhaylungsod,Ray Gabriel Ebero, Cinmayii Garillos, Glenn Guden, Redrose Serrano, and Cherrylyn Parreño. This is the sixth consecutive year that UP Mindanao students/graduates/faculty members have passed the PhilNITS-FE.

The Fundamental IT Engineers Exam requires the person to have knowledge of techniques related to basic-level algorithm and data structure. Those who fail either the morning or afternoon part of the exam are given another chance to take the removal exam after which they will have to take the entire test again. This means two chances to pass the exam.

ITPEC Applied Information Technology Exam (AP Exam, Level 3)

Known locally as PhilNITS AP, this software design and development exam is conducted once a year on the first Sunday of April. The 350 minute multiple choice examination is administered in Manila. Other locations are also administered upon request. It is given to people who have at least two years work experience and competent in basic software, middleware and applications software development.

(SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhilNITS)

Exist Code Camp (ECC)

2011-07-04T18:21:00.000+08:00

DESCRIPTION:

a free program complete with daily allowance; screening tests are administered from January to April in Manila and Cebu
a six-week intensive training and practical application on software development methodologies and cutting-edge open source technologies
a chance on securing a rewarding career in Exist, the Philippines’ pioneering open source software engineering firm with over 170 developers based in Manila and Cebu with key clients in Asia and North America

REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics or any IT-related course
resume and transcript of records or true copy of grades, whichever is available
willingness to be trained and good communication skills

ECC Cebu Camp 2011 Graduates

- Anthony Eliezer Arellano (University of the Philippines – Cebu College)
- Romel Campos (Visayas State University)
- Mark Diaz Ng (University of San Jose – Recoletos)
- Ezra Jane Gayon (Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan)
- Glenn Guden (University of the Philippines – Mindanao)
- Billie Mikhael Ko (University of Cebu – Banilad)
- Steffany Marie Serino (University of the Philippines – Cebu College)
- Theodore Terdes (University of San Carlos – Talamban Campus)
- Leo Martin Villasica (Visayas State University)
- Jesse Mari Louie Ypil (University of San Carlos – Talamban Campus)

(SOURCE: http://info.exist.com/blogs/bid/56240/More-Pinoy-Technology-Innovators-from-Exist-Code-Camp)

How to Stay Young and Happy Always

2011-01-23T17:45:00.001+08:00

1. Throw out nonessential numbers.
This includes age, weight, and height.
Let the doctors worry about them.. That is why you pay them.

2. Keep only cheerful friends.
The grouches pull you down.
(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)

3. Keep learning:
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.
Never let the brain get idle.
'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'
And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

4. Enjoy the simple things

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with him or her!

6. The tears happen:
Endure, grieve, and move on.
The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourself.
LIVE while you are alive.

7 Surround yourself with what you love:
Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.
Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health:
If it is good, preserve it.
If it is unstable, improve it.
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips.
Take a trip to the mall, even to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

------------------
( NOTE: Received from a chain e-mail. If you own this piece, please contact me. )

Don’t Alienate Yourself

2011-01-03T00:22:00.001+08:00

When you are in a situation in which you feel being left-out, you can either continue being out-of-placed or you can calmly try to fit-in.
Don't make a big deal out of it.
Try to make your presence known, but do it gently. Don't throw caution to the wind. Don't be too blatantly assertive. Don't make other people feel that you deserve their attention. Speak your mind, but don't be harsh. The tension that you are trying to build is not worthy of anybody's reaction.
Don't let your pride ruin the moment. It will just make things awkward. Excuse me; you are not even the class celebrity. Just face the situation with acceptance. Accept that it's happening, and just try to fit-in peacefully.
If you continue to isolate yourself, it will just get worse. You should be mature enough to face the fact. If you think you are an adult, act like one. If you want to be respected, respect others. Don't expect others to succumb to your futile pride and pointless angst.

2011 will be a Transition Year

2011-01-01T17:59:00.001+08:00

First blog entry for the year.
OK, here it goes.

My best friend told me that 2011 will be a "transition year". And I think she's right.
MMXI will be a year of change.
Some doors might have closed in 2010, but I believe more doors will open this year.
After reflecting on the events that happened in 2010, let's learn from the bad experiences and treasure the good ones. Let's live a more positive life.
Let's rectify wrong choices. I will be wiser now, especially concerning long-term "stuff".
However, I will learn to enjoy life more. Going back to the simple things made me realize that we should unnecessarily complicate our lives.
This year, I will not put limits on myself. I believe that there's still more to my life. I will not let anyone compromise my dreams for their own benefit.
I will move on from the hurt.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

2010: A Review

2010-12-31T20:23:00.000+08:00

Some notable things that happened to me and to some people around me:

•My Best SP poster made it to UPMin CSM’s Wall of Fame
•My friends and I tried Ice Giants and then experienced Zorbing on Valentines. -- very suffocating!!!
•participated in DMPCS Curriculum Revision at Mer Grande, and proposed new courses for BSCS
•was a speaker for my Special Problem at National Philippine Computing Science Congress
•SPARCS conducted the 2nd Annual KomSai Night.
•UPMin met Teachers from Pennsylvania (HACC)
•was excited for my advisees’ first manuscript defense with Francis Marie Morales and Clarice Germin Manluctao.
•attended a Crash Course on Digital Image Processing
•helped organized the Best SP Search, which looked successful on the outside but was really impertinent behind the scenes (as headed by Vladi).
•made my 3rd video for the graduate’s send-off party. My invitation design also made into the stage design.
•dyed my hair dark brown, and no one even noticed.
•attended my 2nd UPMin graduation as a faculty. Hannah and Aizza finally went on-stage.
•My family and I spent a week in Bohol for summer. Went to the Chocolate Hills, saw Tarsiers (and almost killed one. Yikes!) , and super-duper enjoyed the longest zip-line.
•Bought my first Lego set and glow-in-the-dark stars.
•Participated in UPMin’s Academic Workshop at Eden
•BSCS Cheerdance had better costumes.
•Finally ate at Al’s Diner (longest burger!!!!!!!!!!)
•My Canon camera got broken, and I spent almost Php2,500 for repair.
•grew my hair long (as a sign of my rebellion… hehe)
•Finally resigned from my teaching post.
•Froze at Seagull Mountain Resort… hehe
•I bought a 5-foot tall camera tripod.
•I gained 10 kgs thanks to Appeton and L-Men.
•Karen still didn’t win at IT Quiz.
•Ma’am Van went to Canada.
•Rochelle and Arma became teachers.
•Lucille Borreo died of a tricyle accident.
•Experienced the scarcity of PUVs during Christmas -- worst night-out ever.
•Bt Talong was uprooted, thus making Dr. Rasco furious and making UPMin feel ashamed.
•Someone posted a death threat to me, and that served as “the straw that broke the camel’s back” that motivated me to start writing my resignation letter.

...and...

•Went back to blogging – more outspoken and fearless.

Smart is Generous?

2010-12-30T08:54:00.000+08:00

You are about to enter a paid site. Unfortunately, your airtime balance is below the minimum amount to allow you to browse the internet at P10 / 30 minutes. Your airtime balance is P5.
This Season of Giving, Smart will allow you to browse the internet for 4 minutes valid for 1 hour with your P5 balance. You will be deducted P4. DTI Permit # 8259 series of 2010
Please click on PROCEED to continue

[PROCEED] [CANCEL]

---------------------------------------

Of course, I clicked cancel.

It's funny how Smart tries to sound generous, but they are just actually trying to extract every remaining bit of credit load you have.

Christmas is Ceasefire

2010-12-24T19:37:00.001+08:00

Christmas is ceasefire. The season usually involves gift-giving, while some prefer to receive than give. But for others, it simply means peace -- no gun shots, no war, no noise. And in line with this thought, I would like to give a message to those who hate me:

No matter how hard you hate me, I will never hate you. I will not say, "Burn in hell you morons." but I will just wish for your soul to be enlightened. So much hatred might have caused your psychological problem. I will not say bad things to you because it might aggravate your mental condition. You might even need some psychiatric therapy. I am truly concerned for you. You really need help.

We are Delusional

2010-12-24T19:36:00.001+08:00

We are all delusional.
Reality is just how our mind perceives everything around us.
We all interpret the world differently.

I'm Not Sorry

2010-12-24T19:35:00.001+08:00

You know what?
I don't really care about your life.
I don't regret it.
I'm not sorry for it.
In fact, you deserve every single painful bit of it.

Official Statement on "Bt Eggplant" by U.P. Mindanao

2010-12-23T03:40:00.000+08:00

Dear Editor:

This statement is issued by UP Mindanao to present its side on the December 17 and 18, 2010 incident wherein the Officer in Charge of the City Agriculturist Office of Davao City implemented the Cease and Desist Order of the City Mayor on the on-going experiment on Bt eggplant in the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Mindanao) campus in Barangay Mintal, Davao City, and to take advantage of the opportunity to further educate the public on Bt eggplant and its benefits.

The complete and formal title of the project in UP Mindanao is:

“Assessment of Yield Performance, Bioefficacy, and Effects on Non-Target Organisms of Promising UPLB FSB-Resistant Transgenic Open-Pollinated Lines with MAHYCO Eggplant Event, Ee-1 for Variety Accreditation and Biosafety Approval”

The following are the people and entities involved in the project:

Implementing Organizations:
UPLB Foundation, Inc. for UP Los Baños
UP Mindanao Foundation, Inc. for UP Mindanao

Regulatory Agency:
Bureau of Plant Industry – Biotech Core Team and Plant Quarantine Service

Project Leader:
Desiree M. Hautea, Ph.D.
Institute of Plant Breeding – Crop Science Cluster
College of Agriculture, UP Los Baños

Co-Project Leader for UPMin:
Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr., Ph.D.
College of Science and Mathematics, UP Mindanao

Background of the Project:

The project arose from the need to address a common problem among eggplant farmers in the Philippines. Eggplant is one of the more important, inexpensive and popular vegetables in the country. Eggplant farming can be very profitable especially for the small farmers. However, it has been shown that the average yield of eggplant per hectare in the Philippines is 5-6 tons lower than the average for Asia. This low yield can be attributed to high infestations of the most destructive pest of eggplant, the Fruit and Shoot Borer or FSB, a worm-like pest. Infestation starts soon after transplanting and continues up to harvesting, resulting in up to 70% total yield loss per cropping season in commercial-scale farms. Existing eggplant varieties have no effective resistance to Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer. It is an impractical remedy to remove the damaged shoots and fruits. Instead, the farmers have resorted to frequent (20-72 times per season) and heavy spraying of insecticides to control the infestation.

Bioengineered eggplant presents a potential remedy for the chronic problem of Fruit and Shoot Borer infestation and high pesticide use. The use of crystal protein genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to engineer resistance to biting and chewing insects has been one of the best success stories of bioengineered crops. A famous example would be Bt Corn, which also initially met resistance but is now accepted by the agriculture industry. To make the eggplant resistant to pest, Bt genes are incorporated into the plant genome to produce the protein that is toxic to the target pests.

Introduction to the Philippines:

UP Los Baños is responsible for the development of the Bt eggplant technology in the Philippines. Testing was done at the UPLB greenhouse facilities (2006-2008), and confined trial sites at the experimental farm of UPLB’s Institute of Plant Breeding (2007-2008). The test results show that Bt eggplant can effectively control the local Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer without adversely affecting non-target organisms, such as non-harmful insects and mites that inhabit eggplant farms. The Bt eggplant varieties were shown to be substantially equivalent to traditional non-Bt eggplant. The Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer-resistant characteristic of Bt eggplant was also found to be stably inherited across succeeding generations of Bt eggplant. Because of these findings, the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) issued a Certificate of Completion and endorsed the project to the next stage of assessment, i.e. field testing, under the Department of Agriculture’s Administrative Order No. 8, Series of 2002, also known as "Rules and Regulations for the Importation and Release into the Environment of Plants and Plant Products Derived from the Use of Modern Biotechnology", also referred to, in short, by the acronym "AO 8".

Field Testing in UP Mindanao

On September 29, 2009, UPLB, represented by UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco and project leader UPLB Professor Dr. Desiree Hautea applied for a permit with the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) for field testing of Bt Talong in UP Mindanao. Note that field testing is under the jurisdiction of the BPI, and not the NCBP. NCPB regulates contained use of regulated articles, like what UPLB did in its greenhouses and experimental farm.

As stipulated by AO 8, an Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) was constituted to "be responsible for the initial evaluation of the risk-assessment and risk management strategies of the applicant for field testing. It shall be composed of at least five members, three of whom shall be designated as "scientist-members" who shall possess scientific and technological knowledge and expertise sufficient to enable them to evaluate and monitor properly any work of the applicant relating to the field testing of a regulated article. The other members, who shall be designated as 'community representatives', shall not be affiliated with the applicant.. and shall be in a position to represent the interests of the communities where the field testing is to be conducted. For avoidance of doubt, the NCBP shall be responsible for approving the membership of the IBC." The IBC for this project is composed of Prof. Annabelle U. Novero (UP Mindanao) as Chair, with Prof. Prof. Virginia P. Obsioma (UP Mindanao), Reine Kathryn Taya-Rala (UP Mindanao) and Mr. Jose Amor R. Yabes (Brgy. Bago Oshiro, Davao City) as members, and Prof. Erwin E. Protacio (Brgy. Catalunan Grande, Davao City/UP Mindanao) and Bgy. Captain Ramon M. Bargamento II (Brgy. Mintal, Davao City) as community representatives. The application to approve the field testing of Bt Talong was favorably endorsed by all the members of the Institutional Biosafety Committee, as seen in the application form, in September 29, 2009.

A Biosafety Permit for Field Testing No. 10-01 1e was issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry on 28 June 2010 that states, "the Bureau of Plant Industry has approved the conduct of the proposed activity in UP Mindanao Experimental Plot, Bago Oshiro, Davao City to the following conditions:

a. the proponent shall submit to the BPI the duly accomplished Oath of Undertaking before commencing with the field trials.
b. the proponent shall submit to the BPI and inform the designated monitors of the detailed schedule of planting, planting plan and monitoring activities, assessment of damage and all kinds, rates and schedule of pesticides applied.
c. the proponent shall adhere as closely as possible to the planting schedules for these sites. Modification in the planting schedule and other activities should be made only with the concurrence of the BPI.
d. the proponent shall strictly observe the 200 meter physical or temporal isolation from all eggplant fields outside the enclosed experimental area at all times; should strictly implement regular monitoring/inspection of the surrounding 200-meter radius isolation.
e. the proponent shall ensure that the whole field trial area be provided with pollen trap plants.
f. the proponent shall ensure that no wild relatives (of eggplant) are present within the isolation distance throughout the duration of the experiments.
g. the proponent shall ensure the security of the experiment, the field workers and the monitors.
h. the proponent shall gather all relevant data for the test.
i. the proponent shall provide a detection kit for Bt eggplant.
j. the proponent shall ensure that the workers and monitors have access to health facilities as the need arises.
k. the proponent shall ensure that only authorized persons are allowed inside the trial sites.
l. the proponent shall ensure that stray animals are excluded from the trial sites while tests are being conducted.
m. to preclude escape, the proponent shall manage the number of possible volunteers by removing fruits before they ripen, fruits that will be retained for seeds shall be bagged.
n. at the end of the season, the transformed and untransformed counterparts shall be collected and plowed under or buried at a designated spot on the sites.
o. the proponent shall ensure that the site will not be used for a minimum of 60 days after the completion of the field trial.
p. after termination of the experiments, the site must be left undisturbed, volunteer plants must be monitored, and plowing will be done after 10 days to allow other volunteers to germinate.
q. the proponent may reuse the area for the second season field trial planting only if no volunteer plants are observed for two consecutive weeks.
r. the proponent shall strictly adhere to the provisions on Section 5 of the Planned Release Guidelines for GMO and PHES of the NCBP and the trial is subject to any other conditions that may be required during the experiment."

All the conditions imposed by the regulatory agencies of government are being strictly followed. More importantly, these conditions show that the experiment is a confined field testing of the Bt Talong, and not open field testing. Perhaps some of the negative publicity stemmed from a lack of understanding of what constitutes confined field testing. Someone who is not learned in plant breeding will probably find the cyclone fence that surrounds the experiment area as insufficient. There is speculation that the cyclone fence will not prevent cross pollination to native eggplants or to other organisms. Those speculations simply have no basis because:

1. The eggplant is a highly self-pollinated crop. The biology of the species makes sure that it is so.

2. The possibility of insects pollinating eggplants outside the testing area is further diminished by the pollen trap plants around the Bt talong plants. Pollen traps do not refer to physical objects that enclose the testing area that will ensure no pollen gets out of the testing site. Pollen traps, as set out in the permit, are living plants that attract insects. By attracting the insects, these plants trap the pollen that the insects may be bringing with them.

3. Moreover, the 200-meter isolation distance is more than enough to prevent cross pollination.

Prior to starting the experiment, representatives from UP Mindanao, UPLB, the barangays went around the vicinity to inform the farmers who have planted eggplants within the 200-meter isolation distance about the experiment. The group found 5 farmers and they readily agreed to remove their crops for which they signed agreements duly witnessed by the barangay officials. Mr. Gerardo A. Santos, a resident of Brgy. Mintal and one of those who witnessed this action by UP Mindanao confirmed this in his letter to Councilor Conrado Baluran and to our City Agriculturist, Mr. Leo Avila III. This letter of Mr. Santos clarifying all the issues against the experiment came as a pleasant surprise. It was unsolicited and was an objective assessment of the ongoing experiment.

In UP Mindanao's meeting with Mr. Avila, the latter pointed out that India’s Minister of Environment and Forests already issued his decision against the commercialization of the Bt eggplant. His decision was to put a moratorium on the commercialization of the Bt eggplant. However, he did not order a moratorium on any research on Bt eggplant. In fact, he encouraged more experiments to be conducted to validate the initial findings on its commercial viability, sustainability, and safety. The moratorium on commercialization does not mean that India’s Minister of Environment is finally saying no. The decision only means that the commercialization is suspended pending results of more research on Bt eggplant.

At any rate, what UP Mindanao is doing right now is just the field testing of the Bt eggplant to see if it can be a viable alternative to our commercial, pesticide-ridden eggplants. All those talk about UP working for giant multinationals with vested interest in monopolizing the eggplant seed industry are untrue and constitute black propaganda against a legitimate research program that only aims to offer our Filipino farmers a more cost-effective option to cultivate eggplants. The Bt eggplant technology is a property of the University of the Philippines, a state university. A product of 10 years of work, designed to reduce the risk to life and environment caused by the widespread use of highly toxic chemical pesticides in eggplant farming.

UP Mindanao has been faithfully complying with the conditions in its permit. The Progress Report prepared by Prof. Rasco, that was appended to our letter to the City Mayor, explains in detail how we have been meticulously following the BPI’s conditions to the letter. We also updated our City Agriculturist since August 2010 to keep him informed about the project. More importantly, we have not done anything that goes against the wishes of our local government officials. We are not doing open field testing. All the documents appended to our letter to the City Mayor prove that our experiment is confined, and highly regulated.

Regarding allegations that our on-going field trial constitutes a challenge to the policy of the city to promote organic farming, we point out that co-existence between organic farming and other technologies, such as the use of Bt eggplant, is possible with proven practices such as temporal and spatial isolation. It is necessary because the majority of farmers are conventional farmers, who also need to make a living, like organic farmers. Many countries produce both organic and genetically modified crops such as eggplant.

As further required by AO 8, the IBC of UP Mindanao posted copies of the Public Information Sheet about the proposed Bt Talong experiment in the bulletin boards of Bago Oshiro, Mintal, and UP Mindanao as early as May 2010. Before the experiment started, UP Mindanao also conducted two seminars in August and September 2010 which were open to the general public. Barangay officials of Mintal and Bago Oshiro were invited to the forum. The researchers and regulators involved in the experiment were likewise present to explain the project.

UP Mindanao, through Prof. Eufemio Rasco, Jr., also participated in the consultation organized by the Davao City Agriculturist Office at Ateneo de Davao University on 30 September 2010. Prof. Rasco gave a one-and-a-half hour talk regarding the experiment.

Just recently, on 9 December 2010, UP Mindanao had another forum regarding the Bt talong. Present to discuss it were Prof. Rasco, Dr. Randy A. Hautea, the Director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), and Ms. Merle Palacpac of the Bureau of Plant Industry. Invitations were sent out to the Office of the City Mayor, the City Council, the City Agriculturist Office, and Barangays Bago Oshiro and Mintal. The forum was open to the general public. In fact, it was a well-attended event which perhaps mirrored the high level of interest in the project. Farmers, mediamen, and non-government organizations were likewise represented at the forum. A visit to the experiment site (just outside the perimeter) and briefing was also done after the forum.

It is not true, therefore, that UP Mindanao has been remiss in educating the public about the experiment. Despite budgetary constraints, we were able to do an information drive.

We sincerely hope that this statement will help our local government officials understand the project and appreciate the efforts of UP Mindanao in trying to help our local farmers through this important research. We affirm our commitment to the interest of the country and deny any allegations that we are beholden to private interests.

from: UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES MINDANAO

A Day of Shame for UP Mindanao ( by Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr. )

2010-12-21T09:15:00.000+08:00

PERSPECTIVE
December 17, 2010: A Day of Shame for UP Mindanao
by Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr.

Few considered it an important issue. For the first time in the history of the 100 year-old university, a scientific experiment, the symbol of UP’s academic tradition, was destroyed upon the order of the honorable mayor of Davao City.

The order is unjustifiable. It was based on half-truths and exaggerations manufactured by the City Agriculturist. UP Mindanao took pains to clarify all of these directly and indirectly to the City Mayor, in newspapers and in various public fora. But the explanations fell on deaf ears. UP Mindanao pleaded for more time to explain; this was summarily denied.

Even if the City Agriculturist’s claims were true, it could be argued that the local government could not justify the destruction of the experiment. There was no imminent danger to life or the environment that might justify a drastic local government action on an activity that is officially permitted by the national government. The basis of the order, in the final analysis, was that UP Mindanao failed to post a notice in 1 out of 4 places in Davao City where it is supposed to, as a condition for granting a national government permit to do the experiment. The punishment, if warranted, would have been to revoke the permit. This could only be decided by the Bureau of Plant Industry, the organization that issued the permit. But the permit had not been revoked; BPI had not been asked by anyone to revoke the permit.

The order was carried out, in full view of the leadership of UP Mindanao, and by the same people who worked hard to set up the experiment, all of whom knew that the order was at best questionable, if not outright illegal.

Who gave the command to destroy on site? It was not even the City Agriculturist, the man who
was sent to carry out the order. She was an associate professor, a member of the Institutional
Biosafety Committee (IBC) of UP Mindanao -- the same IBC, by the way, that was remiss in posting the controversial notice.

The role of the IBC at that stage of the experiment was to monitor the procedures to ensure that they comply with BPI’s (the regulatory body’s) conditions for granting the permit to do the experiment. If the experiment was compliant, it was IBC’s duty to make sure that no one illegally interfered with it. If it was not compliant, it was IBC’s duty to report this to BPI. But the experiment was compliant; BPI, the official body to whom the IBC reports, said so in an official certification that everyone knew exists.

But one member of IBC decided that it is her role to carry out the order of the City Mayor, even without consulting the rest of the committee. In a fit of sadism, she asked the young researcher who worked so hard for the experiment, to destroy her own work while a noisy mob of anti-GMO advocates cheered. It is a spectacle that I will never forget.

While the rape of the university tradition’s symbol was taking place, most of the university’s constituents were in downtown Davao City 20 km away, participating in the annual parade of Christmas lanterns, even as they were alerted earlier in the day that the order was about to be carried out, and that their presence could help prevent the virtual invasion of UP Mindanao. Few cared. Those who do and were present in the experimental site, did little to stop the invasion. The project leader of the experiment, the UP Mindanao faculty who should be most concerned, was hundreds of kilometers away, enjoying an early Christmas break…

December 17, 2010 permanently tarnished the University of the Philippine’ self-image as a family of fearless, principled advocates of social change and a bastion of righteousness in the academic world. This image, recently enhanced by the standoff with the Supreme Court over a plagiarism issue, was lost in UP Mindanao.

On December 17, 2010, the name UP Mindanao has assumed a derogatory meaning. It is too
embarrassing to print what this meaning may be. We will forever carry this badge of shame. A
former UP President once rhetorically asked: Does UP Mindanao deserve to be called UP? Many of us questioned this skepticism. But he may be right, after all.

(this is an e-mail sent by Dr. Rasco to HIMATI, the official student publication of UP Mindanao.)

Hybrid eggplants uprooting starts

2010-12-19T19:49:00.000+08:00

(NOTE: Directly copied from http://www.sunstar.com.ph )

THE Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) eggplants in a field test at the University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UP-Min) were uprooted Friday, four days after Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte issued a cease and desist order.

The uprooting will continue on Saturday since it was already growing dark. The chopping and burial of materials will also be done on Saturday.

Duterte issued an order for the uprooting of the Bt eggplants, some 1,800 hills in an experimental station inside the UP-Min campus last December 13.

The uprooting was supposed to have been done Thursday, but this was called off since the UP-Min through officer-in-charge Vic Calag, who is representing Chancellor Gilda Rivero who is out of the country, asked for a five-day reprieve.

At that time, Mayor Duterte was also out of town and could not be contacted.

When finally contacted late afternoon Thursday, Duterte told City Agriculture Office officer-in-charge Leonardo Avila III that the order remains and that Avila should oversee the uprooting the following day.

The uprooting was thus set for 3 p.m. after Avila coordinated with Ramon Millora of the Bureau of Plant Industries (BPI) Plant Quarantine Division and BPU Bio-tech national officer Merly Palacpac.

At the site, however, Duterte texted Avila to wait for the UP officials who wanted to witness the uprooting.

The officials arrived around 4:30 p.m. and stalled the uprooting, saying proper protocol dictates that the uprooting can only be done with the proper authorization from the BPI.

Palacpac also said that since the order of uprooting does not come from them, then they do not need to issue any written authorization and should make sure that the proper procedures of destroying the plants are followed.

This means, she said, that the Bt eggplants are uprooted, chopped and buried within the restricted area.

Protocol also dictates that only members of the Institutional Biosafety Committee and laborers whose names have been submitted to the BPI three days before can be allowed to enter the restricted area.

Since the order was to implement the uprooting, then only those present were allowed inside, including IBC member UP personnel Cyrose Suzie Silvosa and Mario Navasero, researcher of UP in Los Baños. With them inside the restricted area to oversee was Dr. Ruth Gamboa of UP-Min.

The field is made up of 50x50 hills of which the five hills deep on all sides are regular eggplants intended to serve as pollen traps.

Outside, the information about the experiment says these were planted on November 25, 2010.

The letter of Mayor Duterte stating her opposition to an open field trial and insisting on a strictly confined environment was dated October 16. It was acknowledged after a follow-up on December 6, only last December 7, and the response to the mayor's letter was received only on December 13.

The primary opposition of the city against the continued testing is that there were no proper public consultations and hearings held. There were just one forum inside the school in September and another after the follow-up by the city in December.

The BPI on June 28 released the Biosafety Permit for the Field Testing approving the conduct of the trials "provided (UP-Mindanao) followed stipulated conditions."

"However, based on the report of the Davao (CAO), you have complied with only three of 15 conditions that enable you to engage in such field testing," Duterte informed the university.

She added that UP-Min was "also unable to conduct a public consultation through the posting of the Public Information Sheet for Field Testing approved by the BPI."

The consultation is a requirement, based on the Administrative Order 8 Series of 2002 of the Department of Agriculture, which detailed the approval process for field testing of regulated articles, Duterte said.

The uprooting was witnessed by supporters of organic farming in Davao City and the media.

When the different groups arrived, there were posters hanged around the cyclone wire fence chiding the city for not following the "rule of law" and for not "respecting academic freedom."

There were also posters castigating Avila.

These were later covered by the protesters with their posters demanding safe food and pro-people technologies. (Stella A. Estremera)

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on December 18, 2010.

Ledesma: Bt eggplant and Frankenstein

2010-12-19T19:47:00.000+08:00

[By Jun Ledesma, Sunstar Davao, December 6, 2010]

IT DOES not stand to reason that the University of the Philippines Mindanao would waste time, money and effort in experimenting with the lowly eggplant, which grow anywhere in any kind of soil and even in the most adverse climatic condition in this part of the globe. Assuming that they have genetically modified eggplant UPMin achieved nothing except the credit of successfully threatening the otherwise well-adapted native eggplant variety to creepy vegetable.

UPMin should stop this stupidity as the exercise is nothing but a gross insanity. This institution is merely wasting peoples' money on the experiment. They have not made clear their objectives of having to alter the genetic makeup of our eggplant which is so easy to grow. Among the veggies which we are taught to grow during our gardening period during our primary and elementary grades was how to prepare the seeds of ripe tomatoes and eggplants. We dry the seeds which come aplenty from a single fruit and plant these in seedbeds. In time hundreds of plantlets emerge and we select only the robust seedling for our garden. We do this in school as well as in our homes.

Before the owner of the land in front of our house in Guadalupe Village fenced the vacant lot, I grew eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers and kangkong there, no sweat. Eggplants bear luxuriantly fruits even without being fertilized. With what I was taught and saw from childhood up to this time nothing seemed perplexing that would prod an institution of education to genetically modify a robustly growing talong that we love to eat boiled or broiled with bagoong or as an add-on to our favorite tinola or sinigang.

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte is correct in amplifying her objection to propagate GT eggplant in the UP campus in Mintal. The UPMin administration even had the temerity to insult the intelligence of Mayor Inday by setting up cyclone wires around their experimental field. C'mon professors, if the pollens from the plant is not encapsulated these can either be blown by the wind or carried by insects that would lead to crossbreeding and ultimately banish our native talong.

We are happy that we have UPMin in Davao but we should not countenance the Jekyll and Hyde adventurism in this institution. The students must stand against this as this is not a measure of genius. Like Frankenstein in the movies this is a symptom of insanity.

*****

By the way, a friend and colleague in the media, Ely Luciano, has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy presently. Ely is the managing editor of Sun.Star Superbalita which has the biggest circulation in the region. Ely needs help. I am personally appealing from the readers of Sunbursts to come to his aid. A fund-raising dinner will be held on December 9, at 6:30 p.m. at Lorie's Caf‚ along Araullo Extension (near Jacinto Extension). If you wish to help, please make it there otherwise email me at scledesmajr@yahoo.com for pick up. I had the permission of Ely to make this appeal.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on December 07, 2010.

Mayor orders halt to Bt eggplant trials

2010-12-19T19:31:00.000+08:00

(NOTE: Directly copied from: www.sunstar.com.ph)
(Published on: December 17, 2010)

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte has issued a cease and desist order on the operation of the Bt talong/eggplant (Bacillus Thuringiensis) field trials and to uproot "all existing Bt talong specimens" effective Friday.

She informed University of the Philippines-Mindanao chancellor Dr. Gilda Rivero of the city's decision dated December 13.

"The City Government is ordering you to cease and desist the operation of the Bt talong field trials and to uproot all existing Bt talong specimens, which have been planted within your area. Otherwise, we shall be constrained to supervise the uprooting of the said specimens. The City Agriculturist's Office shall monitor your compliance. We look forward to your full cooperation," Duterte said.
Duterte said the university has failed to comply with majority of the conditions set by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

City Agriculturist's Office (CAO) officer-in-charge Leonardo Avilla III on Thursday afternoon delivered the decision of the mayor to UP Mindanao himself.

Avila said the administration of the University asked for a 5-day grace period and Avila was obliged to inform the City Mayor, who is currently in Cagayan de Oro.

The City Mayor, however, ordered that there will be no delay to her order, and that the uprooting of Bt talong specimens should be done immediately Friday.

The BPI on June 28 released the Biosafety Permit for the field testing approving the conduct of the trials "provided (UP-Mindanao) followed the stipulated conditions."

"However, based on the report of the Davao CAO, you have complied with only three of 15 conditions that enables you to engage in such field testing," Duterte informed the university.

The Mayor added that the university was also unable to conduct a public consultation through the posting of the Public Information Sheet for Field Testing approved by the BPI.

The consultation is a requirement, based on Administrative Order (AO) 8 Series of 2002 of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which detailed the approval process for field testing of regulated articles, Duterte said.

Reactions

Go Organic Mindanao (GOM) members welcomed the cease-and-desist order issued by the Mayor to the university regarding the field trials.

GOM coordinator Angelica Castro said the stand of the mayor "is consistent with the City's Organic Agriculture Ordinance which provides against the co-existence of genetically modified (GM) crops with local organically grown produce."

Castro noted in a press statement that perhaps the recently issued resolutions from Barangay Bago Oshiro and Mintal, which called for the immediate cessation of the field trials, added weight to the decision of the City.

Members of the Go Organic Mindanao were quick to comment on the development and lauded Duterte for having written the letter to UP Mindanao. They said the university should abide by the rules.

CAO officer-in-charge Leonardo Avila III, in his "Bt Egglant Site Visit Report," detailed his observations of the ocular visit she conducted at the trial site at UP Mindanao in Mintal last December 6, 1:30 pm.

Avila said Chancellor Rivero was not around then but was represented by OIC Vic Calag, lawyer Marie Glenn Sorila, and Professor Eufemio Rasco Jr.

Avila's main concerns were:

* UP Mindanao did not immediately respond to the City Mayor and the City Council's resolution stating the official stand of the city on Bt talong.

* The university's compliance to the biosafety regulation.

* The plausible violation by the University of the DA's AO 8 series of 2002.

"When asked why they didn't respond immediately, even going beyond the 15 days requirement of the National Law, they said that the UP Chancellor was out of town and they were consolidating their response to the City Mayor and the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council). They apologized for the delay and said they will acknowledge the letter immediately which they did on December 7, 2010, together with an invitation for a forum and ocular inspection of the site," Avila said in his report.

Avila said that the university complied with three biosafety conditions of the regulation.

Avila requested the university to officially put down in writing the reason why they are using cyclone wires around the test site.

"I pointed out to them (AO 8) the rules and regulations as there could be a violation on this, particularly: G. Public Consultation... There was no invitation for comments and no posting of the Public Information Sheet for Field Testing in City Hall," Avila said.

He said that after the field visit, the university agreed to conduct a forum, which they did on December 9 and which was attended by CAO personnel Jojo Tabora and Lorna Alderite.

Avila said the forum was conducted by UP Mindanao and was attended mostly by UP students, a few non-government organizations, and Councilors Conrado Baluran and Emmanuel Galicia Sr.

Speakers of the said forum were Dr. Desiree Hautea of UP Los Baños and Dr. Eufemio Rasco Jr.

"They talked on their stand: Bt as non-toxic and even helpful to farmers who plant talong since the farmer need not spray during the cropping season of talong," he said.

According to Dr. Rasco, Bt can be found in soil, food, and even in the body, Avila said.

"The problem, according to him, is UOD and the solution is Bt. He also presented the letter of Mayor Sara to the audiences that 'Yes, you can go on with your field trial as long as you follow the Biosafety measures,'" Avila said.

Avilla added in his report that follow-up communications are still being awaited from the university regarding their compliance with the Mayor's request. (Jade C. Zaldivar)

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on December 17, 2010.

Envy is a Sin

2010-12-19T10:38:00.000+08:00

Do everyone a favor, don't wear anything "grand" this Christmas or any other special occasion. Other people might get envious, and we know that envy is a sin. And since you are the one who induced the envy of others, you too have sinned.

Facebook Friend Dilemma

2010-12-11T21:27:00.001+08:00

(Note: This is a revamp of my previous entry: “Block a Facebook Friend”)

The thing that makes Facebook very attractive is also the thing that annoys me the most: being updated about the lives of so many people (usually called “friends”)… some of which you don’t really care about. You may think that the immediate (and obvious) solution to my problem is to remove those so-called “friends.” But, I don’t want to delete them because I’ll be losing “contacts.” More “contacts” mean that more people will be able to read your posts, but the downside is that I have to endure reading (or being flooded by) their posts too.

Other social networking sites remedied this problem:

Twitter has the concept of just following a person, instead of adding him/her as a friend. A "follower" is a person that wants to be updated about your posts. The best thing is that you don’t have to follow your follower in return. It’s your choice. In other words, he/she will get a continuous "stream" of updates for you, but you don’t need to be bothered by his/her presence.
Fanbox is a relatively new social networking site. The name is reminiscent of Facebook, isn’t it? The site also resembles Facebook a lot: the icons, menus. layout and all. I don’t know if Fanbox is made by the same people from Facebook because the site looks as if they deliberately copied the “look and feel” of Facebook. However, I personally think that it has the potential to be better that Facebook. It has more new features and benefits, but I’ll leave that for you to explore. I’ll just point out how it solves my dilemma. Aside from having the “friend” concept similar to Facebook, it also has the “fan” designation. Fans are like your “followers” in Twitter. I know Facebook also has the “fan” concept for celebrities, but in Fanbox, you may eventually promote/upgrade your chosen “fans” to become your “friends,” and that’s when you become “mutual followers.”

What I just want to point out is that the term "friend" is Facebook is so underrated. When we add someone as a “friend” or plainly a contact per se, we should be given an option to what level should our connection be. Do you really want to know more about that person? Are you actually interested in his/her daily activities? Or do you just want to keep him/her in your list for future reference? Some of them may be our actual friends, while some are not really our friends, and sometimes we haven’t even met them at all.
P.S.

I’m not lashing out on Facebook. Sorry, Mark Zuckerberg… hahaha!

All Punishments, Never Compliments

2010-12-05T20:39:00.003+08:00

Usually in training people, it has always been a common practice to implement the “rewards and punishment” system, rewards are given to those who do good, while punishments are inflicted who do otherwise. But in our house, this concept is a bit twisted. At home, being punished/scolded frequently is a normal occurrence. On the other hand, hearing compliments is as rare as falling stars.

We are often scolded for something bad that we haven't done yet. Why? We know that you deserve punishments if you “did” something bad. (Notice the emphasis on the past tense.) But in our case, even if you didn’t do anything yet, you’ll still receive that punishment. It’s because they assume that you’ll eventually do something bad, and that’s why you are being “scolded in advance”.

Now, we’ll discuss the scarcity of complimenting words in our house. In normal situations, whenever we anyone does good, he/she at least receives some form of reward or praise, but in our set-up, it’s not like that. When we fail or do bad, we are of course punished, but if we do something good, nothing happens. Why? It’s because everyone is expected to do good things (since that’s what you are supposed to do). And, since it’s what you are expected to do, there is no reason for any special praise.

There are many ways to motivate someone to do something. In our case, we are motivated to do something because we have the “fear” of being punished. We have no reward to look forward to because it doesn’t exist.

Worst Canteen Food Experience

2010-12-05T20:39:00.001+08:00

Several constituents of UPMin have always been skeptical about the canteen’s food offerings.

Personally, I have always been particularly suspicious about the “new” chicken dish that looks like yesterday’s fried chicken, and the fried rice that looks very moist, i.e. conducive for fungal growth. But these apprehensions were surpassed by my worst food experience at the canteen: I found a worm in my food. Yes, you read it right – a worm/caterpillar or whatever you call it. It happened around four years ago. I ordered a vegetable dish (chopsuey), and I just instinctively scrutinized it since the cabbage leaves had holes in it. For goodness sake, anyone would be suspicious to see that. And then, I saw the horror – a worm was in my food. Ew!!! At least it was already cooked with the dish. Ha ha ha!... I looked at it and then turned it around with my fork to confirm if it was really a worm, and yes it really was. It had a black head and little feet. It looked it a common leaf borer… at least it wasn’t a maggot. He he he… Luckily, I didn’t eat the damn dish yet.

I didn’t complain to the canteen’s management because I didn’t want to deal with the commotion that might ensue if ever I brought it to their (or anybody’s) attention. Nobody else knew that this happened. I just hope that someone else was observant enough to also notice it, and they didn’t eat it.

My appeal to the canteen:

Please make sure that the food you are serving is fit for human consumption. Don’t compromise safety for affordability.

My advice to UPMin’s constituents:

Be wary about what you are eating there. You’re in a remote area, and there are a lot of profiteering cheapskates. Don’t become victims.

CMSC 127 Class of 2008 - Quotes

2010-12-05T20:38:00.002+08:00

Albert Neil Oponda - I'd rather go to China and watch the Olympics than study CMSC 127.
Armida Glaiza Talaugon - I'd rather read American novels than study CMSC 127.
Bryan Carlo Manos - I'd rather eat and sleep and eat again than study CMSC 127.
Chieckerzon Molina - I'd rather play DOTA than study CMSC 127.
Clarice Germin Manluctao - I'd rather read manga volume than study CMSC 127.
Criselle Zion Ampo - I'd rather fantasize my wedding day than study CMSC 127.
Crystal Dianne Yutiamco - I'd rather have a toothache for 15 minutes than study CMSC 127.
Eden Jane Parreño - I'd rather play Dream Chronicles than study CMSC 127.
Francis Marie Morales - I'd rather play computer games and enjoy life than study CMSC 127.
Jo-Anne Gacer - I'd rather sleep than study CMSC 127.
Johanna Rizza Ladres - I'd rather shift to another course than study CMSC 127.
Kim Vanessa Terencio - I'd rather sleep than study CMSC 127.
Leonid Adolph Guadalupe - I'd rather play computer games than study CMSC 127.
Peter Raff Alsado - I'd rather sleep than study CMSC 127.
Philip Batingana Jr. - I'd rather have good times with Sir Glenn than study CMSC 127.
Prince Fouad Lagasi - I'd rather play computer games than study CMSC 127.
Princess Nelia Magdalena Ibanez - I'd rather read the bible than study CMSC 127.
Ria Theresa Ebero - I'd rather eat and sleep than study CMSC 127.
Rio Vee Borja - I'd rather sing Korean songs and watch Korean movies than study CMSC 127.
Rochelle Tapulado - I'd rather eat and watch anime shows than study CMSC 127.
Ronnie Ray Salvador - I'd rather sleep than study CMSC 127.
Sheina Vi Paclibar - I'd rather sleep and dream than study CMSC 127.
Tessie Job Pesidas - I'd rather watch TV (anime) than study CMSC 127.

( NOTE: These students were asked to complete the statement: “I’d rather ________ than study CMSC 127.” as a bonus item in one of our exams during AY 2008 CMSC 127 class. )

Crazy Things You can do Today

2010-12-05T20:38:00.001+08:00

1. Sell your cellphone, and buy it again.

2. Give your wallet to your seatmate, then say you’ve been hold-upped.

3. Play hide and seek, then go home without the seeker knowing.

4. Separate the ingredients of 3-in-1 coffee.

5. Drink 5 cups of coffee and then sleep.

6. Spank your little siblings, but cry before he/she cries.

7. Play rock, paper, scissors (jack and poy) with the mirror, and try to win.

HAHAHA.

Have fun!

Appreciate Today

2010-12-05T20:37:00.001+08:00

A blind boy was waiting for someone to drop a coin in his can, he had a board beside him written, “I’m blind, please feel pity.” A man came and dropped a coin and erased what was on the board. Soon the boy heard a lot of coins being dropped in his can. The boy wondered and asked someone to read what’s on the board. It says, “Today is a beautiful day. Too bad, I can’t see it.”

Learn to appreciate this day.

[NOTE: from a received text message.]

On the Spot Programming (OTSP) Rules

2010-12-01T22:21:00.000+08:00

• Notes/References of any kind (written, printed, or softcopy) is not allowed. This is a form of cheating.
• This OTSP will be for 2 hours only.
• The maximum perfect score is 100 points. Each problem is worth 25 points. Thus, if you obtained more than 100 points by answering beyond the expected number of problems, the exceeding points will be cut-off.
• Codes shall be checked to see if the instructions were followed.
• Each program will be checked 5 times only. 5 points deduction everytime a program is found to be incorrect upon checking. Thus, if your program is already correct on its first checking, it will be worth 25 points. But, if your program becomes correct only on its second checking, it will be worth 20 points. Therefore, if your program was still found to be defective after two attempts, there will be no points for it. However, you can still answer the unchecked ones.
• All programs must be checked before the allotted period ends. Thus, unchecked or defective programs when the period ends will not be entertained.
• Those sharing their answers will also get zero for this OTSP. Both the source of the answer and its recipient will get zero.
• When testing your programs, consider inputs other than the given examples.

[NOTE: I'm just reminiscing the rules that I've formulated before... hahaha]

PCSC 2010 Papers

2010-12-01T22:07:00.001+08:00

Philippine Computing Science Congress 2010
Contributed Papers

Route Generation of Public Transportations in Metro Manila
Mark Jayson Abesamis, Matthew Keiser Miranda, Rezley Castylle Chua, Francisco Lee, Nathalie Rose Lim
De La Salle University – Manila, 2401 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila

eESH: An Extensible Expert System for Health
Grace Agustin, Anna Andrina Lobaton, Carlson Ngo, Riza BatistaNavarro,
Michael Echavez, Prospero Naval, Jr.
Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman

A Unified Framework for Examining Program Correctness
Alcabasa, Lance; Alcabasa, Lean; Chua, Franz; Pagsisihan, Michael
De La Salle University, Manila

Broadcasting in n-Dimensional Star Graphs
Camille Bianca Alipio, Anna Patricia Tinio
Algorithms and Complexity Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman

MYMATHVENTURES: USING WII REMOTE AS A MULTIPLE- INTERACTION TOOL FOR MATHEMATICS
Guillard Alvarez, Joanna Bagunu, Angelica Gomez, Aubrey Pareja,
Jaime DL. Caro, Rommel Feria, Rowena Solamo
Web Science Group, Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering
University of the Philippines-Diliman

Techniques for Masquerading and Motivating Community driven Ontology Engineering
Tinmon Ang, Alloy Chua, Roland Chua, Arthur Dychiching, Danny Cheng
De La Salle University, College of Computer Studies
2401 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila, Philippines

AdBot: Robust Advertisement Recognition from TV
and Radio Broadcasts
Aljon Rey P. Aniban, Emmanuel B. Cagadas, Anna Mae C. Yap,
Carlo R. Raquel and Prospero C. Naval, Jr.
Computer Vision & Machine Intelligence Group, Department of Computer Science
College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman

Idea Generation using Web-based Collaborative Decision- Making System
Azcarraga, Arnulfo P., Ph.D., Chiu, Christian Valeen R., Dy, Jeric Bryle S.
Lee, Peter John L., Liu, Michael David, S.
College of Computer Studies, De La Salle University
2401 Taft Avenue, 1004 Manila, Philippines

Laughter Detection using Support Vector Machines and Artificial Neural Networks
Hans Paulo Bantiling, Stefan Ron Gadi, John Vincent Yang, Jasper Charles Lee, Merlin Teodosia Suarez
Center for Empathic Human-Computer Interactions ,
De La Salle University 2401 Taft Ave., Manila

Automatic Detection of Student Off-Task Behavior while using an Intelligent Tutor for Algebra
Allan Edgar C. BATE, Ma. Mercedes T. RODRIGO
Ateneo de Manila, Loyola Heights

Traffic Data Analysis and Visualization via BC Method
Jona G. BECERRAL, Karmina Rosette C. CABREROS,
Richelle Ann B. JUAYONG, Jasmine A. MALINAO, and Henry N. ADORNA
Department of Computer Science, Algorithms and Complexity Laboratory,
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines

Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping Using A Least Squares-Based Method
Jan Fredric K. Bernabe, Anna Karen Michiko C. Ilano, Jhoirene B. Clemente, Jan Michael Yap
Algorithms and Complexity Lab, Department of Computer Science
University of the Philippines Diliman

Implementation of an Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm with Constraint Handling for Continuous and Mixed Variable Domains
Ricardo M. Bernardo, Jr. and Prospero C. Naval, Jr.
Computer Vision & Machine Intelligence Group, University of the Philippines Diliman
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

EMSys: An Emotion Monitoring System for Call Center Agents
Princess Florianne O. Boco1, Diana Karen B. Tercias1, Kenneth R. Dela Cruz1, Carlo R. Raquel1, and Rowena Cristina L. Guevara 2 Prospero C. Naval, Jr.1
1Computer Vision & Machine Intelligence Group, Department of Computer Science
College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman
2Digital Signal Processing Laboratory, Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute
College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman

Using Rhetorical Structure Theory in Automatic Text Summarization for Marcu-Authored Documents
Allan Borra, Almira Mae Diola, Joan Tiffany T. Ong Lopez, Phoebus Ferdiel Torralba, and Sherwin So
College of Computer Studies, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila

S-URE C.O.U.N.T.
Secure Canvassing for an Open and Urgent National Tally
Danielle Canlas, Chrysoberyl Francisco, Anna Katrina Simbulan, Philip Zuniga, MS, Dr. Susan Pancho-Festin
UP Diliman

PHIS: The Philippine Health Information System
Critical Challenges and Solutions
Ruben D. Canlas Jr., MSIT, MBA

The Application of Distributed Discrete Event Simulation Algorithms to Concatenated LOcalarea and Widearea Network (CLOWN) Simulator
Mario Carreon
Department of Computer Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City

Modeling Student Affect and Behavior using Biometric
Readings, Log Files and Low Fidelity Playbacks
Vincent Raymond C. Castillo, Kathrina Blanca V. Villaflor, Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo
Department of Information Systems and Computer Science,
Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Philippines

Automated Vein Density Measurement Using In-Focus Region Isolation
Maria Art Antonette D. Clariño, Vladimir Y. Mariano
Institute of Computer Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños
College, Laguna, Philippines 4031

Fair and Secure Auction Systems Over Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
Olive Ruth Dag, Gian Paolo Samson, Franciz Kyle Yao, Philip Zuniga, Susan Pancho-Festin
Computer Security Group, Department of Computer Science,
University of the Philippines – Diliman Quezon City 1101

A Product Eigenvalue Algorithm for Unitary Matrices
Roden Jason A. David
Mathematics Department, Ateneo de Manila University, Katipunan Road, Loyola Heights,
Quezon City, Philippines

Implementation of Occupancy Grid-Based Mapping Algorithm on an ATRV-mini Platform with Openwrt
Divina Joy Dela Cruz, Ezmorazher Tiblani, Percival Magpantay
Mobile Robotics Laboratory, EEE Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman,
Quezon City, Philippines

Webcam for Educational Games in English (WEdGE):
Using the Web Camera as an Interaction Learning Tool for English
Maria Criselda De Ramos, Inah Mae Vinluan, Jaime DL. Caro, Rommel Feria, Rowena Solamo
Web Science Group, Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering
University of the Philippines-Diliman

Implementation of Gaussian Sonar Sensor Model for Grid-Based Robot Mapping Simulation in IBot3D
Johnson Diputado, Menandro Roxas, Percival Magpantay
Mobile Robotics Laboratory, EEE Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman

Detection of Non-literal Java Errors in an Introductory Programming Class
Thomas T. Dy, Edward John D. Robles Jr., Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo
Department of Information Systems and Computer Science Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Philippines (632) 426-6001

MDDT: Model Driven Development Tool as Aid for
Learning Programming Fundamentals
Dy, Jeric Bryle; Laureano, Philip; Liu, Michael David; Syliongka, Leif Romeritch; Roxas, Rachel Edita
College of Computer Studies, De La Salle University
2401 Taft Avenue, Manila, Metro Manila 1004

Multimodal Emotion Recognition System for Spontaneous Vocal and Facial Signals
Marc Lanze Ivan C. Dy, Ivan Vener L. Espinosa, Paul Patrick V. Go, Charles Martin M. Mendez, Jocelynn W. Cu
Center for Empathic Human-Computer Interactions, De La Salle University
2401 Taft Ave., Malate Manila, Philippines

Extended Visual Cryptography on 2D Barcodes for ID Card Security
Loraine Corese T. Edrosa, Misato G. Hirono, Sam Claudemir S. Lee, Philip Christian Zuniga, Dr. Susan Pancho-Festin
Computer Security Group, Department of Computer Science
College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman

Simulating the Foraging behavior of Trigona Biroi using Multi-agent Systems
Roberto B. Figueroa Jr.1, Arian J. Jacildo1, Jomar F. Rabajante2
1Institute of Computer Science, University of the Philippines Los Banos
2Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics, University of the Philippines Los Banos Los Banos, Laguna

When Leechers are Left to Tend for Themselves:
Performance of Orphaned File Sharing Networks
Irish Charisma B. Flores and Jaderick P. Pabico
Institute of Computer Science, College of Arts and Sciences
University of the Philippines Los Banos, College 4031, Laguna, Philippines

Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm with Modified Local Search Using One-Point Crossover Operation Applied to the Bounded Knapsack Problem
Glenn M. Guden, Ritchie Mae T. Gamot
University of the Philippines Mindanao Kanluran Building,
UP Mindanao, Bago Oshiro, Tugbok, Davao City

Identifying Catchment Areas near Selected Mountains in the Philippines using FlowViz
Joseph Anthony C. Hermocilla, Jaderick P. Pabico
Institute of Computer Science, College of Arts and Sciences
University of the Philippines Los Baños, College 4031, Laguna, Philippines

Tracking and Modelling the Behavior of Students in Learning Online
Paul Salvador Inventado1, Merlin Teodosia Suarez1, Roberto Legaspi2
1Center for Empathic Human-Computer Interactions, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue Manila,
2The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan

Development of a Software Kit for OpenWRT-based Mobile Robot
Percival Magpantay, Khristian Rey Camongol, Menandro Roxas, Mary Grace Santos
Mobile Robotics Laboratory, EEE Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman,
Quezon City, Philippines

Generating a Set of Strong Spanned Patterns Using SubCP Reduction and the MHA-Product Operation
Jasmine A. MALINAO, Richelle Ann B. JUAYONG, Nestine Hope S. HERNANDEZ, Henry N. ADORNA
Department of Computer Science, Algorithms and Complexity Laboratory,
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines

An active set method on removing salt and pepper noise
Marrick Neri
Institute of Mathematics, UPDiliman

Image Processing Applied in Measuring Rice-Leaf Interveinal Characteristics
Francis Michael F. Paje, Vladimir Y. Mariano, Maria Art Antonette Clariño
University of the Philippines Los Baños Institute of Computer Science

ARLENADDE: Automated Rice Leaf Nutrient Assessment and Disease Detection Using Digital Image Analysis
Reinald Adrian DL. Pugoy, Dr. Vladimir Y. Mariano
Institute of Computer Science University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna, Philippines 4031

Combining Random Indexing and Instance-Based
Learning to Analyze Sentential Units of Text
Rodolfo C. Raga, Jr., Jennifer D. Raga
Jose Rizal University, 80 Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City, Philippines

Automated Essay Content Analysis using Concept Indexing
Abigail R. Razon1, Prospero C. Naval, Jr1, Belen D. Calingacion2, Rowena Cristina L. Guevara3
1Dept. of Computer Science, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman,
Quezon City
2Dept. of Speech Comm. and Theater Arts, College of Arts and Letters, University of the
Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
3Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute, College of Engineering University of the
Philippines Diliman, Quezon City

Pitch Paradise: Evaluation of a Mobile Game as an Educational Tool for Learning Music
Jr Flores U. Respino, John Michael G. Sta Juana, Ma. Rowena C. Solamo, Rommel P. Feria
Web Science Group Department of Computer Science College of Engineering,
University of the Philippines Diliman

KineSpell2: A Comparative Study Between SunSPOTs and Wii Remote
Rose Ann Sale, Manica Dimaiwat, Ma. Rowena Solamo, Rommel Feria
Web Science Group, Department of Computer Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101 Philippines

Toward the Automation of Detection of Refactoring Opportunities
Raymund Sison, Ryan Dimaunahan, Joseph Aquino, Rafael Arce, Nicole Toledo
College of Computer Studies, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

On the Octagonal Drawings of a Class of 2-4 Plane Graphs with Bends and with Prescribed Face Areas
Natalie W. Sy, Henry N. Adorna, Jaime DL Caro, and Nestine Hope S. Hernandez
Department of Computer Science (Algorithms and Complexity),
University of the Philippines, Velasquez Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1101

A Constraint Logic Programming Approach to the Course Timetabling Problem Using ECLiPSe
Grace S. Tacadao
Ateneo de Davao University, Computer Studies Division, E. Jacinto St. Davao City

A numerical technique for solving optimal control problems with constraints on the control variable
Michelle Vallejos
Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Harvster: A Handy Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Algorithm on Restraining Flow for a Versatile Scalable Topology with
Efficient Replication
Ben-Hur C. Viray, Cedric Angelo M. Festin
Department of Computer Science, University of the Philippines Diliman
1101 Quezon City, Philippines

Image Retrieval Through Wavelet Analysis
Ferdinand C. Yanto III, Allan A. Sioson
Computer Science Department, Ateneo de Naga University
Ateneo Avenue, 4400 Naga City

Morphological Rule Acquisition for Tagalog Words Using Moving Contracting Window Pattern Algorithm
Orfi L. Yturralde1, Don Erick J. Bonus2
1College of Information Technology Education, System Plus College Foundation,
McArthur Highway, Balibago Angeles City
2Information Technology Department, Jose Rizal University
2CITE Research Office, System Plus College Foundation

CMSC 161: Interactive Computer Graphics -- DAY 2

2010-12-01T21:48:00.001+08:00

2D Graphics: Basics
1. Introduction
• A 2D graphics system models the virtual world with a two-dimensional space.

2. 2D Rendering Process
• A graphics object can be defined in its own object space and then placed in the 2D world space by an object transformation.
• A 2D rendering takes a snapshot of the world and produces an image representing a particular view in a device space.

• The basic steps for rendering graphics in a simple 2D graphics program can be outlined as follows:
1. Construct the 2D objects.
2. Apply transformations to the objects.
3. Apply color and other rendering properties.
4. Render the scene on a graphics device.

Spaces
• Refer to the collection of all points or coordinates.
• Three types of spaces are typically involved in a graphics system:
o object space, world space, and device space.
• Each space is usually characterized by its own coordinate system.

Object Space (object coordinate system)
• also known as local or modeling coordinate system.
• associated with the definition of a particular graphics object or primitive.

World Space (world coordinate system)
• also known as the user coordinate system.
• defines a common reference space for all the objects in a graphics model.

Device Space (device coordinate system)
• represents the display space of an output device such as a screen or a printer.
• Java 2D's coordinate system originates from origin (0, 0) with the x-axis increasing rightward and the y-axis increasing downward.

Transformations
• translation -- the object can later be placed anywhere in the world space through this transformation.
• scaling -- the relative size can be changed to any value proportionately.
• nonuniform scaling -- The object can even be stretched disproportionately.

Glee Season 2 Episode 9 Song List

2010-12-01T09:16:00.001+08:00

"Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
-originally by: Evita
-Glee version by: Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry

"The Living Years"
-originally by: Mike & The Mechanics
-Glee version by: The Hipsters

"Hey, Soul Sister"
-originally by: Train
-Glee version by: Dalton Academy Warblers

"(I've Had) The Time of My Life"
-originally by: Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
-Glee version by: Sam Evans and Quinn Fabray

"Valerie"
-originally by: The Zutons
-Glee version by: Santana Lopez

"Dog Days Are Over"
-originally by: Florence and the Machine
-Glee version by: New Directions

I want to Rebel

2010-11-29T12:05:00.001+08:00

Everybody secretly wants to rebel.
I know, because I do.
I felt fooled.
I felt betrayed.
You fed on my inhibitions.
You took advantage of me.
I should have known that it was typical for you to deceive people.
You manipulated everything to your advantage.
It was sad for me to realize what kind of person you are.
Your intentions were cruel…. At least to me.
Don't restrain me.
I won't let myself be trapped in the situation that you induced.
I have a choice, and I decide to use it.
Sorry, but you're making me into an irate person.
This is my life.
I know what's good for me.
I know what makes me happy.
Don't control me.

[NOTE: This was intended to be posted last August. That was when I felt this. I wrote this on my Nokia E72. I just forgot to post this.]

Block a FaceBook Friend Update

2010-11-29T12:03:00.001+08:00

I hope there was a feature in FaceBook which will allow me to block the updates concerning a certain friend, but I still want to keep that person in my friends list. Sometimes, it's annoying to be prompted about a person who I don't really care about.

ABS-CBN New Program Line-up for Davao Weekdays (starting Nov. 29)

2010-11-27T04:52:00.001+08:00

Morning:

Gising Pilipinas
Umagang Kay Ganda
Dora the Explorer
Down With Love
Banana Split Daily Servings
Kapamilya Blockbusters
Showtime

Afternoon:

Pilipinas, Win Na Win!
Juanita Banana
Alyna
Local TV Patrol
Shoutout! (New Show)

Evening:

Kokey @ Ako
TV Patrol
Noah
Mara Clara
Imortal
Kristine
Perfect Match
SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon
Bandila

CMSC 161: Interactive Computer Graphics -- DAY 1

2010-11-26T17:03:00.001+08:00

[some notes from my defunct class -- CMSC 161: Interactive Computer Graphics]

Introduction to Computer Graphics

Computers have become a powerful tool for the rapid and economical production of pictures.

Today, we find computer graphics used routinely in such diverse areas as science, engineering, medicine, business, industry, government, art, entertainment, advertising, education, and training.

Applications of Computer Graphics

Computer-Aided Design

CAD methods are now routinely used in the design of buildings, automobiles, aircraft, watercraft, spacecraft, computers, textiles, and many, many other products.

For some design applications, objects are often displayed in a wireframe outline form that shows the overall facade and internal features of objects.

Software packages for CAD applications typically provide the designer with a multi-window environment.

Animations are often used in CAD applications.
Real-time animations using wireframe displays on a video monitor are useful for testing performance of a vehicle or system.

Wireframe displays allow the designer to see into the interior of the vehicle and to watch the behavior of inner components during motion.

When designs are complete, or nearly complete, realistic lighting models and surface rendering are applied to produce displays that will show the appearance of the final product.

Architects use interactive graphics methods to lay out floor plan, that show the positioning of rooms, doors, windows, stairs, shelves, counters, and other building features.

Realistic displays of architectural designs, permit both architects and their clients to study the appearance of a single building or a group of buildings, such as a campus or industrial complex.

In addition to realistic exterior building displays, architectural CAD packages also provide facilities for experimenting with three-dimensional interior layouts and lighting.

Presentation Graphics

Presentation graphics is commonly used to summarize financial, statistical, mathematical, scientific, and economic data for research reports, managerial reports, consumer information bulletins, and other types of reports.

Time charts and task network layouts are used in project management to schedule and monitor the progress of projects.

Computer Art

the picture is usually painted electronically on a graphics tablet (digitizer) using a stylus, which can simulate different brush strokes, brush widths, and colors.

an example of mathematical" art. This artist uses a combination of mathematical functions, fractal procedures, Mathematics software, ink-jet printers, and other systems to create a variety of three-dimensional and two-dimensional shapes and stereoscopic image pairs.

The artwork of this composer is often designed in relation to frequency variations and other parameters in a musical composition to produce a video that integrates visual and aural patterns.

For many applications of commercial art (and in motion pictures and other applications), photorealistic techniques are used to render images of a product.

A common graphics method employed in many commercials is morphing,
where one object is transformed (metamorphosed) into another.

ENTERTAINMENT

Computer graphics methods are now commonly used in making motion pictures, music videos, and television shows. Sometimes the graphics scenes are displayed by themselves, and sometimes graphics objects are combined with the actors and live scenes.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Computer-generated models of physical, financial, and economic systems are often used as educational aids.
Models of physical systems, physiological systems, population trends, or equipment, can help trainees to understand the operation of the system.

For some training applications, special systems are designed.
Examples of such specialized systems are the simulators for practice sessions or training of ship captains, aircraft pilots, heavy-equipment operators, and air trafficcontrol personnel.

VISUALIZATION
Scientists, engineers, medical personnel, business analysts, and others often need to analyze large amounts of information or to study the behavior of certain processes.

Mathematicians, physical scientists, and others use visual techniques to analyze mathematical functions and processes or simply to produce interesting graphical representations.

IMAGE PROCESSING
Image processing, on the other hand. applies techniques to modify or interpret existing pibures, such as photographs and TV scans.
Two principal applications of image pmcessing are (1)
improving picture quality and (2) machine perception of visual information, as used in robotics..

Medical applications also make extensive use of imageprocessing techniques for picture enhancements, in tomography and in simulations of operations.

GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES
major component of a graphical interface is a window manager that allows a user.

Interfaces also display menus and icons for fast selection of processing options or parameter values. An icon is a graphical symbol that is designed to look
like the processing option it represents

---class end---

Questions anyone?
Prepare for a quiz next meeting.

Disappearing Cellphone Prepaid Load (Smart Telecom)

2010-11-25T05:48:00.000+08:00

Why does the load of my Smart cellphone keep disappearing without me even using them?
I just Pasaloaded 60 pesos to my other cellphone, and it confirmed that it received the same amount. Then, a few minutes later, I re-checked the load balance and I was shocked to know that only 30 pesos remained. What the hell did I do? I didn't subscribe to anything. I didn't even used it for texting. And obviously, it didn't expire yet. From what I know, 60 pesos doesn't expire in at least 15 days.
Even if this was an unfortunate event, I wasn't that surprised. Smart Telecom is known for screwing with their subscribers through the disappearing load magic. Magic? Because even if a subscriber hasn't used his prepaid load, the load just magically (tragically disappears).
This has happened several times to me several times. But before that, I already heard some people complain about Smart's nasty "habit." I was still using Globe back then, and I thought that the disappearing load issue was just a rumor to destroy Smart’s strong following, but when I got a Smart prepaid, I was smashed in the face. The first time it happened to me, I got really mad (expectedly, anyone would). I felt that Smart was a voracious profiteering leviathan. Then, a few days later, I got over it. It felt like my 10 pesos that time just flew away. A few months later, it happened again and again and again... It even happened for several consecutive days where it consumed three sets of two-peso load. I had to re-load two pesos during that time because it kept disappearing over and over again. I was just glad that it wasn’t an emergency, but still it is still unreasonable.
Amid these ill-starred occasions, why did I remain a loyal Smart subscriber? It’s because Globe has a slightly crappy reception in our area. I was glad that Smart’s signal was strong enough to sustain important mobile transactions.
I just hope that smart can provide us with a detailed log of all the transactions we’ve made to them so that they could prove that they aren’t unjustifiably consuming unused and unexpired prepaid load.

Unlearning

2010-11-23T20:17:00.001+08:00

The first step in learning is unlearning.
This statement might seem paradoxical, but let me put it into context.
Most of the time, students especially those who retake a particular subject, are the ones who are more prone to failing it (again and again). Why? Because they refuse to accept and practice the correct techniques taught to them.
The first time a student fails, it may be due to his/her inability to understand (in the limited time) the concepts taught to them. When they take subject again, it should've been safe for the instructor to assume that these students will find the subject easier compared to the new students who'll take it for the first time. These re-takers already know the flow of the subject, have the notes and references for it, and developed study techniques for it. But alas! They're the ones who'll fail in it more miserably (compared to their new classmates and even themselves when they first took it).
Are they just overconfident because they are already "veterans" to the subject? Or did they just become tired of taking it again (or again and again)? One factor my colleagues pointed out is that these students did not "unlearn." When I say unlearn, I mean letting go or unlearning our wrongdoings or incorrect practices in doing/solving something. This is just like emptying a full glass. If we unlearn or vacate our brains of these wrong ideas, we will have space for new correct or even better practices to learn. How can we fill a glass that's already full. For example, there are students re-taking Basic Math who'll solve a problem using a wrong technique because that what was embedded in their minds when they first took the subject. Even if they are already taught the correct technique by their "new" teacher, they'll still use the wrong technique that they are always used to. These students are just overconfident of their incorrect idea. They might be
present in the classroom, but they refuse to listen to the lecture, thinking that they already know what is being taught. If they already know it, why are re-taking it?
So, keep in mind that the first step in learning is unlearning. Unlearn the wrong concepts to make space for the correct ones.

HOTS or LOTS ???

2010-11-23T08:39:00.001+08:00

These labels has caused a lot of issues in UPMin (University of the Philippines Mindanao) in the past. I just want to discuss these since the intensity of the subject has faded.
HOTS means "Higher Order Thinking Skills."
LOTS mean "Lower Order Thinking Skills."
These were used to refer to specific types of students. Obviously, HOTS referred to the intelligent ones, while LOTS referred to the otherwise. The labels themselves are not very insulting, but there was an instance in which these were used in a racy manner.
There was an argument at school a few years ago in which HOTS and LOTS became almost taboo terms. I don't know what really happened, but HOTS became an exclusive term for students whose majors are science and math, while LOTS became a label to students whose majors are under the arts and humanities. I think this started as an argument during the school's annual sports fest in which a particular LOTS student insisted that a particular scoring system was correct but the HOTS students thought that the system was inappropriate. And as they say, everything is history.
I just hoping that everything was resolved.
We shouldn't generalize a whole course as having HOTS or LOTS. Only specific individuals have incredible HOTS or disappointing LOTS. Everyone is capable of having HOTS. On the other hand, those with extreme LOTS should not be mocked. We should help them achieve HOTS.
Do you have HOTS or LOTS ???

Back to Blogging???

2010-11-22T16:06:00.001+08:00

I always indicate in my profile that of my interests is "blogging"… but recently I was bit hesitant to call myself a real "blogger" because I haven't been making blog posts for a while now (almost a year!!!).
To reinvigorate myself, I was looking at some blogs of my friends. Then, I stumbled upon Raissa's blog, and she had a post that she also felt the same thing about being a blogger. Hehe.
In the past months, I was hindered from blogging because I was too preoccupied with other things. I might consider myself really busy at that time. However, I always try to make an effort to post my comments about daily life through the "micro-blogging" site Twitter. But lately I realized that tweeting didn't feel like blogging at all. Twitter seemed to me like a poorly designed bulletin board. Haha.
All I wish from now on is to find an motivation to blog, like a significant topic or event. For example, I could write about:
* Raissa's lovelife (e.g. she and Bryan W. was rumoured to be having a romantic relationship)
* reconnecting with Lynette and my other barkadas. I miss them so much.
* my journey towards a new career. I just resigned as a teacher and I'll dare to become a programmer. I have always been fond of inventing… and programming might be the closest I'll get to inventing (sort of).
* how it feels like to live in the middle of a forest. Our house is really in it. Sometimes it just brings the worst of me.
I hope I could think of more relevant topics. But for now, I'll just enjoy life.
Am I back to blogging? Definitely, yes!!!

2001: A Space Odyssey

2010-11-22T15:40:00.001+08:00

...is a complete waste of time.

I thought it would be similar to the classic Start Trek or Star Wars movies, but it really wasn't, aside from its space travel theme.
I'll just enumerate below the bad aspects of the movie:
* It was utterly boring. I've seen boring movies before, but the plot of those movies were clear, and it justified the boringness. However in this one, the plot is unclear. The point or message of the movie wasn't conveyed, if the writers did make a central theme/message.
* Although the visual effects were impressive, the actors' execution of their piece was far below satisfactory. I don't know how to describe it -- emotionless, no projection of feelings, unrealistic.
* There were a lot of blank scenes (dead air???) in which a minute or more was spent in playing background music a amid a black scene. I didn't think it helped set the mood of the movie because I found it pretty annoying.
* There were also some scene where the actors just sat very still and no background music or audio effects was made. I actually thought that during those moments, my movie player hanged.
* The entertainment value is in its minimum, if any was perceived.
Encarta said that a sequel entitled "2010" was made. It's hard for me to understand how the people in the 1960's find the movie interesting enough for it to merit a sequel.

Top Pinoy 90's Children's Shows

2010-11-19T08:28:00.001+08:00

not in any particular order:

Batibot
E Kasi Bata
5 and UP
Ang TV
Hiraya Manawari
Bayani

Fight or Quit

2010-11-19T08:27:00.001+08:00

when i really love something, i'll fight for it. but when fight is not worth it, just learn to give up. you can always look forward to a better day. don't be too harsh on yourself.

Serve your Alma Mater

2010-11-19T08:26:00.003+08:00

When you GRADUATE, dedicate some of your TIME to serve your ALMA MATER. you owe them BIG TIME. return the favor. take advantage of the OPPORTUNITY.

Signs that You are Pathetic [PART 1]

2010-11-19T08:26:00.001+08:00

you:
*1st to reply at your own status message
*spend 8 hours at the internet "cafe" to chat
*use some cheap sidewalk ointment for your skin condition
*make a blog all about hate, but hoping that nobody reads it
*stalk people on the net, e.g. facebook, friendster, etc...

Humans as Antagonists

2010-11-19T08:19:00.001+08:00

I like watching movies or shows in which the humans are antagonist, i.e. destroying or invading homes of other species. These types of shows illustrate how evil humans can become towards other animals (or aliens).
I we humans cannot control ourselves, we will be the most destructive beings the in the universe.

Recover Deleted Files

2010-11-19T08:01:00.001+08:00

If a file is deleted when the Recycle Bin is active, Windows just updates the file system index to move the file from its current
location to the Recycle Bin folder. However, if you empty the Recycle Bin (or delete a file that isn’t protected by it), Windows doesn’t erase its blocks on the hard disk – it just updates the
index to show that the blocks are now available for use by another file.
Undelete utilities work by ignoring the current file system index and looking for older copies that still contain references to files you want to recover. This is simple stuff, and a free utility such as PC Inspector File Recovery (www.pcinspector.de) is more than adequate for recovering most files.

Repairing Scratched CDs

2010-11-19T08:00:00.000+08:00

Scratches prevent the laser accurately reading that part of the disc, but even serious scratches can usually be polished out enough to be invisible to the drive. The mild abrasive nature of toothpaste is thought to be ideal for polishing (applied with a
soft, lint-free cloth at your own risk).

Fair Use Policy

2010-10-22T07:32:00.000+08:00

[copied from: http://site.globe.com.ph/broadband/fup?sid=TMDMJ8uxpRcAAC4DseEAAABae]

The Fair Use Policy of Globe is aligned with the global industry practice of telecommunications providers all over the world. It is intended to ensure that all customers will have the equal opportunity to enjoy the services offered by Globe. As such, the Fair Use Policy may be used to protect Globe customers against entities or persons utilizing Globe services in a manner that runs counter to the intent of the product or service, fraudulent, or exceeding normal standards of use.

In your purchase or use of our products and service, you accept our Terms and Conditions and agree to be bound by the policy. Please see as below the terms relating to the relevant service that you have subscribed for.

Tattoo Sticks Broadband (Nomadic)

How is Fair Use applied to this product?

The Globe Tattoo Stick broadband product is designed to provide quick and convenient surfing access while on-the-go (mobile use). It allows you to enjoy mobile broadband service that is fast and reliable – anytime, anywhere.

The product is normally used for emailing, browsing and base search activities. By design, this product is not intended for file sharing software and downloading files in large format like music, videos, and movies (users of peer to peer/torrent applications). In case a customer uses the product other than its intent, the customer might experience slow browsing.

Our fair use policy applies to products or services as well as special offers or promotions, providing data usage for free or at rates lower than standard rates, or unlimited access to data usage.

The Globe Tattoo Prepaid Stick service provides a peak volume capacity currently set at 1 GB per account per day. Should you exceed the peak capacity within the day; the service will be temporarily unavailable until end of day. However, service will resume on the following day.

On the other hand, the Globe Tattoo Postpaid Stick provides a peak volume capacity currently set at 10 GB per account per month.

Am I likely to be affected by the Fair Use Policy?

If you don't use file sharing software or download large files from the internet, it is unlikely that you will ever be affected by this policy. Media streaming and downloading of torrents contribute to your use of bandwidth capacity and if left permanently on, may cause you to be in breach of this policy.

What will happen if my usage requirement is high?

To fully enjoy Globe nomadic broadband services, make a quick assessment of your usage. If it is more than the plan you subscribed for, it would be best to upgrade your plan or subscribe to a broadband service for your home to suit your usage requirement and lifestyle.

Occasional high bandwidth usage is unlikely a cause for concern. However, regular peak bandwidth usage may require you to upgrade your plan to optimize use of the product.

What net activity can I do with 1GB?

With 1 gigabyte capacity, you can do the following activities using the Internet:
Send/receive 28,000 plain text emails
Send/receive 3,400 emails with document attachments
View 3,400 web pages
Download 250 songs
Upload/download 2,000 social media posts
View 340 minutes of streaming video
Download 1-2, 90-minute movies

Inaugural Speech of President Benigno S. Aquino III

2010-06-30T23:03:00.000+08:00

His Excellency Jose Ramos Horta, Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and members of the Senate, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and members of the House, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the foreign delegations,Your Excellencies of the diplomatic corps, fellow colleagues in government, aking mga kababayan.

Ang pagtayo ko dito ngayon ay patunay na kayo ang aking tunay na lakas. Hindi ko inakala na darating tayo sa puntong ito, na ako’y manunumpa sa harap ninyo bilang inyong Pangulo. Hindi ko pinangarap maging tagapagtaguyod ng pag-asa at tagapagmana ng mga suliranin ng ating bayan.

Ang layunin ko sa buhay ay simple lang: maging tapat sa aking mga magulang at sa bayan bilang isang marangal na anak, mabait na kuya, at mabuting mamamayan.

Nilabanan ng aking ama ang diktaturya at ibinuwis niya ang kanyang buhay para tubusin ang ating demokrasya. Inalay ng aking ina ang kanyang buhay upang pangalagaan ang demokrasyang ito. Ilalaan ko ang aking buhay para siguraduhin na ang ating demokrasya ay kapaki-pakinabang sa bawat isa. Namuhunan na kami ng dugo at handang gawin itong muli kung kinakailangan.

Tanyag man ang aking mga magulang at ang kanilang mga nagawa, alam ko rin ang problema ng ordinaryong mamamayan. Alam nating lahat ang pakiramdam na magkaroon ng pamahalaang bulag at bingi. Alam natin ang pakiramdam na mapagkaitan ng hustisya, na mabalewala ng mga taong pinagkatiwalaan at inatasan nating maging ating tagapagtanggol.

Kayo ba ay minsan ring nalimutan ng pamahalaang inyong iniluklok sa puwesto? Ako rin. Kayo ba ay nagtiis na sa trapiko para lamang masingitan ng isang naghahari-hariang de-wangwang sa kalsada? Ako rin. Kayo ba ay sawang-sawa na sa pamahalaang sa halip na magsilbi sa taumbayan ay kailangan pa nila itong pagpasensiyahan at tiisin? Ako rin.

Katulad ninyo ako. Marami na sa atin ang bumoto gamit ang kanilang paa—nilisan na nila ang ating bansa sa kanilang paghahanap ng pagbabago at katahimikan. Tiniis nila ang hirap, sinugod ang panganib sa ibang bansa dahil doon may pag-asa kahit kaunti na dito sa atin ay hindi nila nakikita. Sa iilang sandali na sarili ko lang ang aking inaalala, pati ako ay napag-isip din—talaga bang hindi na mababago ang pamamahala natin dito? Hindi kaya nasa ibang bansa ang katahimikang hinahanap ko? Saan ba nakasulat na kailangang puro pagtitiis ang tadhana ng Pilipino?

Ngayon, sa araw na ito—dito magwawakas ang pamumunong manhid sa mga daing ng taumbayan. Hindi si Noynoy ang gumawa ng paraan, kayo ang dahilan kung bakit ngayon, magtatapos na ang pagtitiis ng sambayanan. Ito naman ang umpisa ng kalbaryo ko, ngunit kung marami tayong magpapasan ng krus ay kakayanin natin ito, gaano man kabigat.

Sa tulong ng wastong pamamahala sa mga darating na taon, maiibsan din ang marami nating problema. Ang tadhana ng Pilipino ay babalik sa tamang kalagayan, na sa bawat taon pabawas ng pabawas ang problema ng Pinoy na nagsusumikap at may kasiguruhan sila na magiging tuloy-tuloy na ang pagbuti ng kanilang sitwasyon.

Kami ay narito para magsilbi at hindi para maghari. Ang mandato ninyo sa amin ay pagbabago—isang malinaw na utos para ayusin ang gobyerno at lipunan mula sa pamahalaang iilan lamang ang nakikinabang tungo sa isang pamahalaang kabutihan ng mamamayan ang pinangangalagaan.

Ang mandatong ito ay isa kung saan kayo at ang inyong pangulo ay nagkasundo para sa pagbabago—isang paninindigan na ipinangako ko noong kampanya at tinanggap ninyo noong araw ng halalan.

Sigaw natin noong kampanya: “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” Hindi lamang ito pang slogan o pang poster—ito ang mga prinsipyong tinatayuan at nagsisilbing batayan ng ating administrasyon.

Ang ating pangunahing tungkulin ay ang magsikap na maiangat ang bansa mula sa kahirapan, sa pamamagitan ng pagpapairal ng katapatan at mabuting pamamalakad sa pamahalaan.

Ang unang hakbang ay ang pagkakaroon ng tuwid at tapat na hanay ng mga pinuno. Magsisimula ito sa akin. Sisikapin kong maging isang mabuting ehemplo. Hinding hindi ko sasayangin ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob ninyo sa akin. Sisiguraduhin ko na ganito rin ang adhikain ng aking Gabinete at ng mga magiging kasama sa ating pamahalaan.

Naniniwala akong hindi lahat ng nagsisilbi sa gobyerno ay corrupt. Sa katunayan, mas marami sa kanila ay tapat. Pinili nilang maglingkod sa gobyerno upang gumawa ng kabutihan. Ngayon, magkakaroon na sila ng pagkakataong magpakitang-gilas. Inaasahan natin sila sa pagsupil ng korapsyon sa loob mismo ng burukrasya.

Sa mga itinalaga sa paraang labag sa batas, ito ang aking babala: sisimulan natin ang pagbabalik ng tiwala sa pamamagitan ng pag-usisa sa mga “midnight appointments.” Sana ay magsilbi itong babala sa mga nag-iisip na ipagpatuloy ang baluktot na kalakarang nakasanayan na ng marami.

Sa mga kapuspalad nating mga kababayan, ngayon, ang pamahalaan ang inyong kampeon.

Hindi natin ipagpapaliban ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga estudyante, kaya’t sisikapin nating punan ang kakulangan sa ating mga silid-aralan.

Unti-unti din nating babawasan ang mga kakulangan sa imprastraktura para sa transportasyon, turismo at pangangalakal. Mula ngayon, hindi na puwede ang “puwede na” pagdating sa mga kalye, tulay at gusali dahil magiging responsibilidad ng mga kontratista ang panatilihing nasa mabuting kalagayan ang mga proyekto nila.

Bubuhayin natin ang programang “emergency employment” ng dating pangulong Corazon Aquino sa pagtatayo ng mga bagong imprastraktura na ito. Ito ay magbibigay ng trabaho sa mga local na komunidad at makakatulong sa pagpapalago ng kanila at ng ating ekonomiya.

Hindi kami magiging sanhi ng inyong pasakit at perwisyo. Palalakasin natin ang koleksyon at pupuksain natin ang korapsyon sa Kawanihan ng Rentas Internas at Bureau of Customs para mapondohan natin ang ating mga hinahangad para sa lahat, tulad ng:

• dekalidad na edukasyon, kabilang ang edukasyong bokasyonal para makapaghanap ng marangal na trabaho ang hindi makapag-kolehiyo;

• serbisyong pangkalusugan, tulad ng Philhealth para sa lahat sa loob ng tatlong taon;

• tirahan sa loob ng mga ligtas na komunidad.

Palalakasin at palalaguin natin ang bilang ng ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan, hindi para tugunan ang interes ng mga naghahari-harian, ngunit para proteksyunan ang mamamayan. Itinataya nila ang kanilang buhay para mayroong pagkakataon sa katahimikan at kapayapaan sa sambayanan. Dumoble na ang populasyong kanilang binabantayan, nanatili naman sila sa bilang. Hindi tama na ang nagmamalasakit ay kinakawawa.

Kung dati ay may fertilizer scam, ngayon ay may kalinga na tunay para sa mga magsasaka. Tutulungan natin sila sa irigasyon, extension services, at sa pagbenta ng kanilang produkto sa pinakamataas na presyong maaari.

Inaatasan natin si papasok na Kalihim Alcala na magtayo ng mga trading centers kung saan diretso na ang magsasaka sa mamimili - lalaktawan natin ang gitna, kasama na ang kotong cop. Sa ganitong paraan, ang dating napupunta sa gitna ay maari nang paghatian ng magsasaka at mamimili.

Gagawin nating kaaya-aya sa negosyante ang ating bansa. We will cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies. We will level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance, to business. Sa ganitong paraan lamang natin mapupunan ang kakulangan ng trabaho para sa ating mga mamamayan.

Layunin nating paramihin ang trabaho dito sa ating bansa upang hindi na kailanganin ang mangibang-bansa para makahanap ng trabaho. Ngunit habang ito ay hindi pa natin naaabot, inaatasan ko ang mga kawani ng DFA, POEA, OWWA at iba pang mga kinauukulang ahensiya na mas lalo pang paigtingin ang pagtugon sa mga hinaing at pangangailangan ng ating mga overseas Filipino workers.

Papaigtingin namin ang proseso ng konsultasyon at pag-uulat sa taumbayan. Sisikapin naming isakatuparan ang nakasaad sa ating Konstitusyon na kinikilala ang karapatan ng mamamayan na magkaroon ng kaalaman ukol sa mga pampublikong alintana.

Binuhay natin ang diwa ng people power noong kampanya. Ipagpatuloy natin ito tungo sa tuwid at tapat na pamamahala. Ang naniniwala sa people power ay nakatuon sa kapwa at hindi sa sarili.

Sa mga nang-api sa akin, kaya ko kayong patawarin, at pinapatawad ko na kayo. Sa mga nang-api sa sambayanan, wala akong karapatan na limutin ang inyong mga kasalanan.

To those who are talking about reconciliation, if they mean that they would like us to simply forget about the wrongs that they have committed in the past, we have this to say: there can be no reconciliation without justice. Sa paglimot ng pagkakasala, sinisigurado mong mauulit muli ang mga pagkakasalang ito. Secretary de Lima, you have your marching orders. Begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all.

Ikinagagalak din naming ibahagi sa inyo ang pagtanggap ni dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide sa hamon ng pagtatatag at pamumuno sa isang Truth Commission na magbibigay linaw sa maraming kahinahinalang isyu na hanggang ngayon ay walang kasagutan at resolusyon.

Ang sinumang nagkamali ay kailangang humarap sa hustisya. Hindi maaaring patuloy ang kalakaran ng walang pananagutan at tuloy na pang-aapi.

My government will be sincere in dealing with all the peoples of Mindanao. We are committed to a peaceful and just settlement of conflicts, inclusive of the interests of all – may they be Lumads, Bangsamoro or Christian.

We shalI defeat the enemy by wielding the tools of justice, social reform, and equitable governance leading to a better life. Sa tamang pamamahala gaganda ang buhay ng lahat, at sa buhay na maganda, sino pa ang gugustuhing bumalik sa panahon ng pang-aapi?

Kung kasama ko kayo, maitataguyod natin ang isang bayan kung saan pantay-pantay ang pagkakataon, dahil pantay-pantay nating ginagampanan ang ating mga pananagutan.

Kamakailan lamang, ang bawat isa sa atin ay nanindigan sa presinto. Bumoto tayo ayon sa ating karapatan at konsensiya. Hindi tayo umatras sa tungkulin nating ipaglaban ang karapatang ito.

Pagkatapos ng bilangan, pinatunayan ninyo na ang tao ang tunay na lakas ng bayan.

Ito ang kahalagahan ng ating demokrasya. Ito ang pundasyon ng ating pagkakaisa. Nangampanya tayo para sa pagbabago. Dahil dito taas-noo muli ang Pilipino. Tayong lahat ay kabilang sa isang bansa kung saan maaari nang mangarap muli.

To our friends and neighbors around the world, we are ready to take our place as a reliable member of the community of nations, a nation serious about its commitments and which harmonizes its national interests with its international responsibilities.

We will be a predictable and consistent place for investment, a nation where everyone will say, “it all works.”

Inaanyayahan ko kayo ngayon na manumpa sa ating mga sarili, sa sambayanan, WALANG MAIIWAN.

Walang pangingibang-bayan at gastusan na walang wastong dahilan. Walang pagtatalikod sa mga salitang binitawan noong kampanya, ngayon at hanggang sa mga susunod pang pagsubok na pagdadaanan sa loob ng anim na taon.

Walang lamangan, walang padrino at walang pagnanakaw. Walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong. Panahon na upang tayo ay muling magkawang-gawa.

Nandito tayo ngayon dahil sama-sama tayong nanindigan at nagtiwala na may pag-asa.

The people who are behind us dared to dream. Today, the dream starts to become a reality. Sa inyong mga nag-iisip pa kung tutulong kayo sa pagpasan ng ating krus, isa lang ang aking tanong – kung kailan tayo nanalo, saka pa ba kayo susuko?

Kayo ang boss ko, kaya’t hindi maaaring hindi ako makinig sa mga utos ninyo. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to the people’s needs and aspirations.

Kayo ang nagdala sa akin sa puntong ito—ang ating mga volunteers—matanda, bata, celebrity, ordinaryong tao, na umikot sa Pilipinas para ikampanya ang pagbabago; ang aking mga kasambahay, na nag-asikaso ng lahat ng aking mga personal na pangangailangan; ang aking pamilya, kaibigan at katrabaho, na dumamay, nag-alaga at nagbigay ng suporta sa akin; ang ating mga abogado, na nagpuyat para bantayan ang ating mga boto at siguraduhing mabibilang ang bawat isa; ang aking mga kapartido at kaalyado na kasama kong nangahas mangarap; at ang milyun-milyong Pilipinong nagkaisa, nagtiwala at hindi nawalan ng pag-asa—nasa inyo ang aking taus-pusong pasasalamat.

Hindi ko makakayang harapin ang aking mga magulang, at kayong mga nagdala sa akin sa yugto ng buhay kong ito, kung hindi ko maisasakatuparan ang aking mga binitawang salita sa araw na ito.

My parents sought nothing less and died for nothing less than democracy, peace and prosperity. I am blessed by this legacy. I shall carry the torch forward.

Layunin ko na sa pagbaba ko sa katungkulan, masasabi ng lahat na malayo na ang narating natin sa pagtahak ng tuwid na landas at mas maganda na ang kinabukasang ipapamana natin sa susunod na henerasyon. Samahan ninyo ako sa pagtatapos ng laban na ito. Tayo na sa tuwid na landas.

Maraming salamat po at mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!

[NOTE: Copied from INQUIRER.NET]

Work and More Work

2010-06-25T16:28:00.000+08:00

Whoah!!! I love work. It keeps me from being idle.
Here is my "busy" work schedule:

Tuesday to Friday --> Full-time Job
Saturday --> Part-time Job
Sunday --> Extra Outreach Job
Monday --> Free day... unless summoned by bosses... hehe

Screams, Sighs and Shrieks by Christine C. Rivero

2010-06-16T16:44:00.000+08:00

*****************************************
NOTE: I will treasure this event forever.
If you want to know why, then read on.
--Glenn
*****************************************

HEARING the screams from outside the PhilAm Life Auditorium, you probably wouldn't believe that a science contest (yep, you read that right, s-c-i-e-n-c-e, as in the realm of usually vewy, vewy quiet people) was going on inside. But that really was the scene during the National Finals of the 1999 Young Scientists Competition.

Davao rules in Team Category
From the first round onwards, the audience alternately cheered and clapped wildly as five teams from Regions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 11 duked it out in the Team Category. For the first few questions, all teams were tied as everyone kept choosing the right answer. Then the teams from Regions 3 and 11 started to pull ahead. Neck and neck all the way until question No. 10, the audience held their breath trying to decide who would finally emerge the winner. Finally, Region 11, got a point over their opponent and when they perfected the practical exam in the 12th and final question, there was no doubt, Region 11, representing Davao City, had three new science champs to be proud of.

Sixth-graders Ralph Kristoffer Porio, Glenn Guden and Jomerr San Luis made up the winning team. The three boys only started training as a team in December after they had each been declared champs in the regional finals. To get the teamwork rolling, they started sharing their interests and soon found out that they all loved books.

"Fantasy books," says Ralph who plans on becoming a marine biologist someday.

"Books about astronomy," adds Glenn, an astronomer-in-the-making. "Encyclopedias . . . even atlases, anything basta libro!" pipes in Jomerr, the future zoologist whom the audience will remember as the "Smile of the Night" for grinning a big wide grin throughout the whole competition.

Together the boys worked on an investigative project that involved observing the behavior of different kinds of spiders. Says Ralph, "We hope our project can help in making use of spiders instead of insecticides for getting rid of pests."

Jamie (and fans) bring down the house
Things began to really heat up the moment the contestants for the individual category were announced. NCR's representative, 12-year-old Jamie James Javier, was followed by a whole phalanx of his classmates from Divine Light Academy in Las Piñas. The moment Jamie took the stage, they all whooped and cheered in support. Every time he got the right answer (which was just about all the time), his classmates made such thunderous applause it felt like the auditorium might suddenly come apart. They had every reason to be happy, of course, because Jamie was completely in the lead. That is, until region four's Mark Timothy Agarrado fixed him in place with a tie.

Those watching that night will probably remember Mark as the "Bahay Kubo kid." In one practical exam, the contestants were asked to fill some glasses with different amounts of water to try to come up with the tune for "Bahay Kubo." Not even Jamie got this one right and after to listening to four really painful versions of the song, Mark tinked his glasses and out came the unmistakable first four notes of "Bahay Kubo."

So it was nail-biting suspense time as the host announced the tie-breaker. Two questions were asked and Mark and Jamie were still tied. Just when we were thinking we would probably need our pajamas, the whole place erupted in joyful screams and we saw Jamie jumping up and down onstage before running over to shake Mark's hand.

Jamie, an incoming freshman at Philippine Science High School, says the best part about winning is, "I can motivate other children to be interested in science too."

Pinoy Big Brother is Stressful

2010-05-28T14:27:00.000+08:00

I used to enjoy watching "Pinoy Big Brother." I even spend so much time in watching live raw footages. I was totally engrossed in the show that it felt that I was one of the housemates. But, I realized something...
The show magnifies everything in real life. Petty issues seemed to be of national concern. As a former big fan, I am always affected by the conflicts of people in the show. I am the type of person who likes thinking of other people's problem, thus, seeing other people fight greatly concerns me, especially if I have known them for so long. The problems of the housemates seemed to be my problems too. I was stressed with all the issues in that house. But one day, I realized that I shouldn't take the show seriously. Of course, it's just a show. We are just supposed to be spectators. Even if it's reality TV, it's not real life.
I am still a fan of the show. But now, I know the limits.

The 90's Kid TV Shows

2010-05-28T14:15:00.000+08:00

You know that you're a 90's kid when you know the following TV shows:
Flying House
Superbook
She-ra
He-man
Voltes 5
Daimos
Ultraman
Mask Rider
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

I recently watched the re-runs of some of the shows above, and it felt quite nostalgic. I remember that we used to watch these in our small 14-inch TV set. Sometimes, we go to our friend's house to watch animated movies in their "betamax." It used those large video tapes.
Hehe, just reminiscing the yesteryears...

Argentina's Hot & Spicy Corned Beef is Awful

2010-05-28T14:09:00.000+08:00

I'm talking about the Philippine brand "Argentina Corned Beef." Their Hot & Spicy variant just doesn't taste acceptable. It tastes like a "trying-hard chili con carne." Although the classic/original variant is just fine, the Hot & Spicy seems to be produced by a totally different company. The texture and consistency of the meat is really very different.

Telephone - Lady Gaga or Britney?

2010-05-28T14:02:00.000+08:00

I just listened to Britney's version of Lady Gaga's hit "Telephone."
Britney's rendition has more angst in it. Although it sounded nice, Lady Gaga already owns the song now.
By the way, the Beyonce-less version is more soulful. The mixed version, having Beyonce in it, makes the song a bit awkward when it comes to Beyonce's part.

My Plaid Polo Search

2010-05-16T15:41:00.000+08:00

small. size small. where are they?

why in the world can’t i find a polo similar to the ones above?!!

i have searched through every mall and department store in the city, and i still can’t find them. well, i actually did find the design that i wanted in the penshoppe stores, but they only had large-sized ones. what the hell happened to size small? i think there are more people who would prefer sizes medium or small. ugghh!!! why are they even selling those large-sized plaid polos? no massive person would ever buy such clothes. it doesn’t complement them.

ok, i maybe overreacting. i just hate it when they are displayed, but i can’t even wear them.

i am currently a big fan of plaids right now, especially the basic color on a black background type. the other plaid combinations which are severely multicolored do not look good on me. tsk tsk….

… and my search continues.

Dolphins are Slaughtered in Japan

2010-05-16T08:37:00.000+08:00

I just watched this documentary entitled “The Cove” which reveals that in a certain province in Japan, hundreds of dolphins are annually caught and some are even killed.

This movie will surely change the way you look at Ocean Parks.

Hundreds of dolphins are lured into a cove in order for Ocean Park managers to select the ones that could be used for their shows, while the remaining ones (i.e. rejected ones) are all killed. No dolphin is allowed to escape, even the younger ones. There was even a shot of a baby dolphin bleeding and eventually died in the water after trying to swim away. Watch the sea become so red as it mixes with the dead dolphins' blood.

Take note, this horrific activity is being done yearly, and this has been going-on for several years already.

You may ask yourself, “Why is the media so blind about this?” The locals imposed strict means to cover up to truth. Bringing of cameras and shooting the the dolphin slaughter in that area is strictly prohibited. The locals can get really violent.

How did the film-makers defy this? What happened to the dead dolphins' bodies? And what is the Japanese government doing to address this? Just watch the movie, and be shocked to know the answers.

To help save the dolphins, you can go to: http://www.takepart.com/issues/whale-dolphin-and-porpoise-hunting/13814

Unreasonable Class Appeals

2010-05-15T20:09:00.000+08:00

Examples are:

- postponing a test just because another subject also has a test on the same day.

- postponing a class because of an unofficial affair. –> e.g. practice, project

Teacher’s are humans. Thus, teachers are understanding. Teachers understand the needs of his/her students. Appeals can be granted as long as it is reasonable.

Since teacher’s are understanding, they understand when an appeal is nonsense and plainly stupid.

A class should be spent in the whole specified period with the teacher.

telling the teacher that it is already time is up although only half of the period has been consumed.

lectures has been designed to fit in the time allocated.

if you are not willing to accept the information, then you will not absorb it.

it is unfair for the other students who are actually interested in class. they will lose the momentum of learning that topic.

the unwilling are just lazy,

the rest of the class are interested and willing to learn, while a certain few are lazy and noisy. their noisiness is disturbing those who are really willing to learn.

unnecessarily delaying the topic too much – early dismissal, late arrival.

and besides, topics are already set for every meeting. The topics enumerated in the course outline are all expected to be covered for the final exam at the end of the semester. thus, whether or not the topic has been discussed in class, it will still be covered in the final exam. if the students wants to delay the class because of some lazy reason, they are actually bringing the disadvantage to them. so, if there are still topics that were not discussed in class, the student will now be forced to study on their own (without any assistance from the teacher, who they pushed away) since those topics will still be part of the final exam. see the disadvantage.

topics can be delayed as long as the lecture time is not wasted. the whole class period should be spent inside the classroom to discuss questions about the topic, ask for further examples, practice the concepts learned, and consult with the teacher.

early dismissal, late arrival is time wasted outside the classroom. there is no learning occurring for that wasted time. the classroom is the most conducive place to learn: the teacher is there to answer your questions and the your classmates are also their to help you. What more can a hard-working student ask for?

life may seem difficult for a student, but after all of this, he/she will reap the fruit of the effort he/she has invested.

P.S.
I didn't revise this anymore. I wrote this when I was angry with some of my students.

SMS to E-Mail Services

2010-05-14T09:56:00.000+08:00

These services enable us to send text messages (SMS) from our cellphones to e-mail accounts, and we can even receive e-mails as text messages.

SUN SMS2EMAIL - P1.00 per message
To register, send SMS2EMAIL to 2575. To send email text to 2575. For more info, go to http://www.sun.net.ph

GLOBE TEXTMAIL - P2.50 per message
Compose an SMS using the following format: email address{space}(subject){space}message and send to 2300. (ex. friend@domain.com (hello) how are you?).

SMART BUDDY MAIL - P2.50 per message
To activate, send REGISTER to 409 and follow the instructions on the messages you'll receive. Registration is FREE. To create new email, follow this format: Text TO{space}email address{space}message to 409. For more info, go to http://www.buddymail.com.ph

SMART TEXTMAIL - P2.50 per message
Registration is optional. To send a message, type in email address{space}(subject){space}you message and send to 200. For more info, go to http://www.mysmart.com.ph

Sun Cellular SMS-2-EMAIL

2010-05-13T06:38:00.001+08:00

sun cellular's SMS2EMAIL feature is so cheap. it just costs 1 peso. i can now e-mail on the go, just like texting.

Three SIMs, One Purpose

2010-05-12T16:03:00.001+08:00

I now have SIMs from each of the three leading cellphone networks in the country: Smart, Globe, and Sun.
I just want to test their mobile internet service.

Voting Seems to be a Nightmare!!!

2010-05-11T14:58:00.001+08:00

Voting seems to be a nightmare in the Philippines. And, I can personally attest to this.

First, when I went to check on my precinct #, I was shocked to know that my address was incorrect. The COMELEC mistakenly placed me in another barangay; thus, I had to vote in a separate (not to mention, far away) precinct. Well, these cases might happen when the voter really has bad hand-writing thus causing minor misspellings. However, my case was totally different. I am sure that my handwriting wasn't that bad for them to incorrectly read my application. But, setting that claim aside, even if I had bad handwriting, the difference between my written barangay and the barangay stored in the database is pretty obvious. I had written "Barangay Tugbok" but they encoded "Barangay Ula"... My goodness!!! "Tugbok" versus "Ula". Nobody could interchange those two words!!! This only shows that COMELEC hired incompetent data encoders to do the job.
Moreover, I have already voted during the previous election (2007), and my address back then was correct i.e. "Barangay Tugbok". I am angered by the fact my address back then was perfectly correct, but now it is entirely wrong. Did the fools in COMELEC mess my name in the process of tidying up their unreliable database?
Furthemore, my Voter's ID indicated my correct address. My Voter's ID was given to me over a year ago. How come my address was correct a year ago, but it suddenly went wrong just now???
Again, I want to emphasize the incompetence of the COMELEC people. Clearly, the mistake is on their part, NOT on the voters.

Second, the voters (including yours truly) had to wait in line for more than five hours. I just can't imagine how I survived yesterday's chaos. My goodness!! Five hours!!! Five hours of waiting in line just to fill-up the ballot for eight minutes. The persons assigned to handle the voters should really study queuing next time.
The bottleneck wasn't on feeding the ballots to the counting machine. The traffic was heavy on getting the ballots. In other words, there was only one line for all four precincts. If this was the case, they should not have clustered the four precincts into one to share one counting. They should've still followed the original precinct divisions in which there were only 200 voters per precinct. Thus, they could have four shorter lines of people instead of one longer one. This will avoid people waiting in line for too long just to claim the ballots. It would be more understandable if there was one longer line in front of the counting machine since feeding your ballot in the machine takes around less than a second. But, what actually happened is that the machine was vacant most the time.
This is bureaucracy at its worst... hehe

I do not want to condemn COMELEC for this, but I just want them (and even everyone) to learn from these unwanted situations.

P.S.

I did cast my vote, but I went home hungry and cranky.

UPMin Firefox Persona

2010-04-19T13:32:00.001+08:00

Get it here:

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/134099

"The Big Bang Theory" by Barenaked Ladies

2009-09-05T11:46:00.000+08:00

Our whole universe was in a hot dense state,
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started. Wait...
The Earth began to cool,
The autotrophs began to drool,
Neanderthals developed tools,
We built a wall (we built the pyramids),
Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries,
That all started with the big bang!

"Since the dawn of man" is really not that long,
As every galaxy was formed in less time than it takes to sing this song.
A fraction of a second and the elements were made.
The bipeds stood up straight,
The dinosaurs all met their fate,
They tried to leap but they were late
And they all died (they froze their asses off)
The oceans and pangea
See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya
Set in motion by the same big bang!

It all started with the big BANG!

It's expanding ever outward but one day
It will cause the stars to go the other way,
Collapsing ever inward, we won't be here, it wont be hurt
Our best and brightest figure that it'll make an even bigger bang!

Australopithecus would really have been sick of us
Debating out while here they're catching deer (we're catching viruses)
Religion or astronomy, Encarta, Deuteronomy
It all started with the big bang!

Music and mythology, Einstein and astrology
It all started with the big bang!
It all started with the big BANG!

Problems Make a Strong Person

2009-09-05T11:44:00.000+08:00

Smooth roads never make good drivers.
Smooth seas never make good sailors.
Clear skies never make good pilots.
Easy exams never make good students.
A problem-free life never makes a strong and good person.
Be strong enough to accept challenges in life.
Don't ask life "why me?" instead say, "try me."

Exact Change Please

2009-06-03T17:11:00.001+08:00

I have always wondered why some grocery stores price their products with a denomination of 1 centavo, (e.g. 14.31 pesos) eventhough the smallest centavo denomination is the 5-centavo coin. Thus, if the an item is priced at 14.31 pesos, you are forced to pay 14.35. And since there is no denomination less than 5 centavos, you'll never get that 4-centavo change. So, you'll be paying extra 4 centavos for that item. This difference might seem negligible, but if hundreds or even thousands of customers pay these extra cents, the grocery store would have more and more profit. Haha!!! How wise of them.
I demand my exact change.

Swine Flu Questions

2009-05-28T04:34:00.001+08:00

Is swine flu the final step in the Illuminati plan to drastically reduce the earth population?

Can the swine flu virus be transmitted to a laptop computer?

How did the swine flu come about?

How is Swine Flu different from regular flu?

Does swine flu cause you to start oinking?

If the swine flu gets worse, will they be closing a lot of schools and businesses?

How and why did this swine flu pandemic start?

Who thinks the Swine flu is a Ploy to get our minds off the Economic Troubles?

How does the ''Swine Flu'' actually kill humans? How does it work to kill us?

What is the difference between the swine flu and the bird flu?

Is the swine flu a serious problem or another over hyped disease fueled by the media?

Is the Swine Flu just one of the many tragic events leading up to December 2012?

How will Obamas teleprompter tell him to react to Swine Flu becoming a pandemic?

Is it safe to travel to Disneyland with the swine flu?

What are your predictions about the swine flu?

Can you imagine the panic if Swine flu kills just one-tenth of the number that regular flu kills?

Will masks really protect against contracting the swine flu virus?

How is Obama responsible for the swine flu?

How are people recovering from the swine flu if theres no cure?

Do you think countries are going to use the swine flu pandemic to institute informal protective tariffs?

(SOURCE: Yahoo! Answers)

I Can Do This!!!

2009-05-20T10:27:00.001+08:00

I hope I can do this.
I believe I can do this.
I know I can do this.
I will do this... yeah!!!

Groupmates from Hell

2009-05-20T10:24:00.001+08:00

Teachers usually group students in order to promote camaraderie and cooperation among them. But sometimes, groupwork may become a traumatic experience.
Working in a group allows students to collaborate so that achieving a certain goal would become a bit less of a drag. This is true if the members respect the ideas and work of each other and are enthusiastic to participate in the group's activities.
However, there are people who tend to drown the whole group, plummeting it into the abyss of failure. Meet the groupmates from hell. Although they're part of the group, they prefer to be alone and invisible. They don't cooperate, and they just wait for someone in the group to salvage what's left of the group's dignity, as if they don't have dignity themselves. They are so lazy and doesn't care what will hapen to the group. They are parasites. People like these don't have the initiative to help. They let the hardworking member(s) perform all the tasks. The hardworking member might be risking his/her life to do the job, while the lazy ones just sit there and watch -- with their blank thoughts.
What's the point of having a group if just one person performs everything?
What's the use of the others? Moral support? -- The hell!!!
People like these make life really hard for those who are actually putting so much effort into the work.
And what's worse? The uncooperative members receive an equal credit with those who really worked hard.
They should be ashamed.
It is so unfair.
I'm sending these members back to hell.

PasaLoad versus Share-a-Load

2009-05-05T08:10:00.001+08:00

I have been a Globe Prepaid user for almost six years now. And take note, I'm still using the same number ever since. Before that, I was a loyal Smart user, but my family bought new cellphones that were sim-locked to Globe, so I had to make the change from Smart to Globe in order to keep-up with myds who used Smart, and I will not be able to text them more frequently coz I'm now on another network. The change was hard, but it was all worth it.
Globe and Smart share very similar features with regards to their prepaid services. Probably, the best feature that each of these networks have devised is the PasaLoad or Share-a-Load. As all of you have known, this service allows you to give a part of your current prepaid load credit to another prepaid account within the same network. So, your load doesn't just get stuck on your own account, duh!...
Smart, the convoluted and strict type that they are, allows you to give a prepaid credit only once. In other words, although you could simultaneously divide and give your current prepaid load to several other accounts in order for them to consume it, the recipients of that load will not be able to forward the load that they received to another account. Thus, the PasaLoad recipients will be forced to consume all the prepaid load that you gave them. Technically, the prepaid load has been stuck to their account forever. In short, if someone gave it to you, you cannot give it to somebody else. Just plain tragic!
However, Globe provides more convenience. Aside from being able to concurrently divide and give your current prepaid load to several other accounts in order for others to consume it, the recipients of thate it, the recipients of that load will are also able to divide and forward the load that they received to other accounts as if the load that they received was originally theirs. Thus, the gift that they received can also be given to others. Hahaha!
But, what's my point here? It's the length of time the prepaid load is still valid. In Smart, if you accidentally gave a large amount of prepaid to someone, that person will be burdened to use-up all that load. What if the person you gave it to is not a frequent cellphone user, then the load might get expired eventually. On the contrary, since Globe allows you to forward the same prepaid load over and over again, you could actually extend the life of that load. Hehe.. Simply amazing. (Oops! That's Smart's tagline.) Moreover, if the person you forwarded the load to is not a frequent cellphone user, he can re-forward the load to someone who can use of it. Waaah!!!
Furthermore, Smart's PasaLoad has fixed load denominations that can be passed, like 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20. But in Globe, any amount will do starting from 1 peso. In other words, Share-a-Load enables you to give 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc... whatever you like. It's your choice.
I love Globe because of this.
Go Team Blue!!!

(PS: But I presently have another phone that has a Smart SIM in it -- just to accommodate all the unfortunate Smart users. :D Hehe... Peace out!!!)

Diet Pill Spam on YM

2009-05-05T07:22:00.001+08:00

For the past couple of months, I have been receiving messages on Yahoo! Messenger that are starting to get pretty annoying. Here are some of them:

*A word of advice from a friend here, I ordered those acai pills that I kept hearing about from everyone and on oprah too, well its been two weeks now and I lose 22 pounds and still losing more, I am living proof that they do work, try them for only five dollars at http://kindgrid.com

*Do you realize that If I would not have tried those acai berry pills that everyone is talking about that I would not have lost 23 pounds in just about two weeks now? Well they do work, I am living proof and they only cost five dollars over at http://laingirl.com

*Ever since Derek and I seen those Acai pills on Cnn and Oprah we have been taking them and losing so much weight so fast with no diets or excercise , we are living proof that it works like magic and they are only five dollars now to try from http://dropbest.com

*FInally after all this time I found the only way to lose a lot of weight in just a few weeks and not have to diet or excercise. I seen it on Oprah and the news, ordered it and lost 36 pounds in just a few weeks and still losing, they have it now for only five dollars order it at http://farchit.com

*Hey , been a while since I found something this awesome. It let me drop 21 pounds in two weeks and only cost me 5 bucks. Check it out here http://saidtake.com

*Hey, how are you. Just wanted to let you know about these new supplements I tried. I lost 12 pounds in just a week and a half. Best thing, it only cost me $5. Check it out here: http://droplose.com

*Hey, you know those messages about the acai berry pills we have been getting all the time, well I actually tried them and I lost 23 pounds in no time at all and best thing was it only cost me five dollars. If you want they are still the same price at http://kindgave.com

*I am done trying all the different fat burner pills out there. I finally found one pill that forces your body to drop a lot of weight very quickly. Its called Acai, costs just 5 dolars and I always order from http://backtrays.com

*I have been taking Acai Berry now for over a month and already lost 36 pounds, it is the same stuff that was on the Oprah show, Mikey and Karine lost so much weight too with no diets or excersise. Get it now, its only five bucks a bottle, we are living proof that it works like magic. Get it over at http://ratewith.com

*I just have to let you know, I actually ordered those acai berry pills that I heard about on oprah and in messages on here, well I been on them for two weeks and lost 21 pounds so far, so I am living proof that they really do work, they are only five dollars over at http://laingirl.com

*Just wanted to give you a heads up on some cool supplements. I lost 9 pounds in a week and I only paid $5. You can see the page I found here http://bothbask.com

*Sarah and Angie have both lost about 40 pounds each in just a few weeks, no diets no excercise just been taking those acai pills that Oprah had on her show. I been taking them now and dropped 27 pounds in just over 2 weeks. Get them now for only five dollars at http://divecost.com

*Tony and Linda just told me to try these red tablets I saw at their place, Acai berry. They get them for $5 and they swear they lost weight, 23 pounds in two weeks. Anyways, I seen them both and wow they lost a lot of weight it really shows. http://bothflip.com

*Wanna lose a lot of weight without diets or excercise? Kathy and I have both lost over 31 pounds in a couple weeks just by taking Acai tablets daily, the same ones that Oprah talked about on her show. They are only five dollars to try, We get them from http://bothfar.com

*Well I finally ordered those acai berry pills that I have been hearing about all the time and it has been 2 weeks now and I lost 22 pounds already, so I am living proof that they did work and still are working, best of all they cost only five dollars to try at http://laingirl.com

*Woah those acai berry pills are no joke I just lost like 23 pounds in two weeks, I am living proof that they work with no special diet or nothing, they only cost me five dollars over at http://kindkell.com

I first received this message from a friend, but with much doubt, I immediately thought that it was another of those YM spam, which are probably induced by a virus. I remember those viruses that dwell inside your computer and then send weird messages to your contacts. Oohh!... Just nasty!... The messages are usually short and end with a URL of a site that. The people are deceived to enter the site, but once they click and load the site, voila! the virus gets installed to the receiver's computer.
The older viruses that did this usually send short and stupid messages. The messages looked so crappy that you could immediately discern that it's not from your friend. However, this new diet pill spam is longer and well scripted. If you are not familiar with these type of viruses and if you don't consider the actual manner with which your friend creates messages, you'll get tricked right away.
I onced followed the link to one of these messages (but I used Linux -- the virus-free operating system... haha) just to see if the sites provided are real. And indeed they are.
If the sites are real and the products that they are promoting are legal, why would they annoy people with such messages? Their promotion system behaves like a virus, and personally, any site that does should not be trusted. I wouldn't buy a single crappy pill from these sites since the promotion scheme that they have is so disrespecful. Let us not support these sites and products that go through extreme measures just to gain exposure. They can bombard me with all those messages, but it's also easy to ignore and delete them.
Die on your diet pills you morons!!!

Pacquiao's 2 Rounds Will Run for a Week

2009-05-05T06:30:00.000+08:00

Ricky Hatton got his ass kicked during his fight with Manny Pacquiao last Sunday. After a dreadful beating that immediately knocked him out on the second round, you might expect Hatton to be in a coma or something. Hahaha!
Before that fight, Pacquiao was already popular, but this might multiplied that popularity ten-fold. That really placed Pacquaio in the limelight of boxing. Some boxing analysts say that he is the greatest boxer ever -- even better that Muhammad Ali. What do you think?
Anyway, the only nosebleeding that Pacquaio had was during the post-fight interview. Hehehe... At least he tries his best. Watch out for his spontaneous "You know..." and "I mean...".
Manny, you can do it! Hahaha... (But don't you ever venture into politics or showbiz.)

What is in Cigarette?

2009-05-01T10:41:00.001+08:00

Butane – also present in Lighter Fluid;
Cadmium – also present in Batteries;
Stearic Acid – also present in Candle Wax;
Hexamin – also present in Barbecue Lighter;
Toluene – also present in Industrial Solvent;
Insecticide – also present in Insecticide;
Ammonia – also present in Toilet Cleaner;
Acetic Acid – also present in Vinegar;
Methane – also present in Sewer Gas;
Arsenic – also present in Poison;
Carbon Monoxide and Methanol – also present in Rocket Fuel;
...and other synthetic materials also present in Paint.

Would you still want to take another sniff?

What is in Cigarette?

2009-05-01T10:40:00.005+08:00

Would you still want to take another sniff?

What is in Cigarette?

2009-05-01T10:40:00.003+08:00

Would you still want to take another sniff?

What is in cigarette?

2009-05-01T10:40:00.001+08:00

Would you still want to take another sniff?

Nature is Cranky

2009-04-30T23:13:00.001+08:00

Summer this year doesn't feel like summer at all. Nature just seems cranky. It rains whenever it wants to rain. Oh yeah, the sun is out, but you still can't play Frisbee with your dog since the sky might get gloomy all of the sudden. It's already the middle of summer vacation, but I still haven't accomplished anything on my summer itinerary. Will I just do away with my plans or just pursue it and accept whatever happens?
I don't know when to wear shorts or thick pants, slippers or boots, sando or jacket, etc. since the change of weather is like a rollercoaster – extreme and sudden.

Civet Coffee: A Thousand per Cup

2009-04-23T12:58:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, I took another sip of the coffee that is allegedly worth a thousand pesos per cup. This type of coffee is known by many names: Kape Kubing, Kape Alamid, Kape Luwak and more formally known as the Civet Coffee. This coffee was derived from the droppings (poop!) of the wild Civet cat.
Dr. Dulce Flores, the head of UPMin’s Department of Food Science and Chemistry, promotes that Mindanao has the potential of being a major exporter of Civet coffee since the Civet cat is also endemic in the region.
But, what is the correlation of all of these? Why all the fuss?
Civet coffee is supposedly one of the best tasting coffees around the world. It is also one of the most expensive. In the country, just a cup of Kape Alamid is worth a thousand pesos.
But what is more peculiar about this type of coffee is how it is produced. The Civet cat eats coffee berries in the wild, and then defecates (as would other normal creatures would do) leaving the coffee seeds in its feces (poop!) still intact. The farmers then pick those coffee beans from the animal’s feces, clean it (of course!), grind it, and it is eventually brewed into the expensive coffee that we know now. This might have sounded disgusting, but it’s true.
It is fascinating how the Civet cat plays a big role in all of this. Dr. Flores explains that the Civet cat only picks the best ripe coffee berries in the wild, in contrast to human coffee berry-pickers who just haphazardly pick berries that seem to be ripe enough. Moreover, she also said that something in the digestive track of that animal might have facilitated in fermenting the coffee beans.
An initial idea to mass-produce Civet coffee would be to breed in captivity several Civet cats in order to obtain a lot of the necessary coffee beans; however, this might go against animal welfare. A solution, brought up by Dr. Flores, is to investigate on the processes involved in the Civet cats body in order to know what really happens with the coffee beans, and then ultimately simulate the same process in the laboratory. In this manner, we can do away with capturing the Civet cats, but still be able to produce the Civet coffee – same taste, same aroma, and same price.
Interesting, isn’t it?

UPMin BSCS Graduates of 2009

2009-04-23T07:27:00.001+08:00

Amidst the challenges of being a student in UPMin, these people never gave up. Kudos to all the new BS Computer Science graduates!

Graduates as of 1st Sem AY 08-09:
- Julius Matthews Bonghanoy
- Margareth Ann Lacsamana
- Hazel dela Peña
- Precita Samonte (Best SP 2nd Runner-up)

Graduates as of 2nd Sem AY 08-09:
- Sedfrey Dickson Atay (Best SP Winner)
- Kenn Gerard Cal
- Maepril Louise Masacupan
- Kevin Bernard San Gaspar (Best SP 1st Runner-up)

Search for the 2009 Best SP

2009-04-18T08:25:00.001+08:00

On Friday, April 17, the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM) of the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UPMin) conducted the "Search for the 2009 Best Thesis in Biology" and the "Search for the 2009 Best Special Problem in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science."
The event started-off with an opening program held at room 227 (AVR) at around 9 AM. The respective judges for each category were introduced. The set of judges for Biology (Bio) was first introduced. All of them were externally-tapped, and I don't know any of them. (Haha! I was late.) Soon after, the set of judges for Applied Mathematics (AMat) and Computer Science (CompSci) were introduced. The panel of judges for AMat were composed Ms. Lyna Mie Daisog, Ms. Mabele Malagamba, and Mr. Joseph Belida. Moreover, the panelist CompSci were Mr. Riannel Tecson, Mr. Vicente Calag, and Mr. Aloysius Torres. After the program, the different courses (categories) were asked to proceed to their respective rooms in order for them to conduct their defense. The Bio remained at room 227, the AMat went to the conference, while the CompSci stayed at the new computer lab. The different courses conducted their respective defense simultaneously in order to maximize the
time. After all the defenses were done, we were supposed to go back to room 227 for the closing program and lunch. Since there is only one Glenn (me) and I don't have the power to divide my self into two, I stuck with the CompSci Best SP defense.
The Bio had 5 Best Thesis finalists, I think. (I was not familiar with their names, sorry.) Anyway, the AMat had 3 Best SP finalists namely Joey Marie Nuñez, Danielle Marie Leonor, and Rommel Real. On the other hand, the CompSci also had 3 Best SP finalists. They were Kevin Bernard San Gaspar, Sedfrey Dickson Atay, and Precita Samonte.
As I mentioned earlier, I only witnessed the defense of the CompSci finalists. The first to present his SP was Sedfrey. His study was about a system created for Barangay Mintal's human resource management. It was a site that is intended to be used by the community's officials in order to manage efficiently barangay records in order to better serve the people. The second presenter was Kevin, who was almost late. Kevin's study came in two parts. The first part was mainly concerned about finding the software combinations that allowed his adviser's original system to work properly in Windows Vista, while the second part was about adding a compiler feature (to handle Java and C codes) to his adviser's original system. The last presenter was Precita (Pchi) whose study was about the modification of the Joomla content management system in order to create a new system for UPMin's Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Student Organizations A.S.
(SOAS). The system would allow the recognized organizations of OSA to create and manage their own websites easily. After the nerve-racking presentation and interrogation, the judges finally consolidated their scores and decided who the winner was. However, the result of the competition will be announced during the CSM Send-off Party on Tuesday (April 21). Hehe... So, we'll have something to look forward to at that event. Who will prevail as the winner of CompSci's Best SP? I already know, but I won't tell. Let's just wait for the right time. (I'll be right here to blog about it later... Haha!)
After the simultaneous presentations of each category, we all went back to the AVR to have our lunch. It was already past 12 noon, and I'm sure that everybody's starving from the tense-filled day.
As we were eating, the lights was suddenly turned-off. Aaaagh! Brown-out again...

You are Gone

2009-04-13T05:43:00.001+08:00

I always thought that your days were numbered, but I always denied it. Really bites, and now you're gone without the faintest warning. Goodbye!

This statement is dedicated to everything that I lost over the last couple of days:

…my USB thumb drive
…my red and black ball pens
…my last clean sheet of yellow paper
…my newly-loaded prepaid cellphone credits
…my one- year –and-six-month-old laptop
…my free WAP connection

It's so sad.

Easter is Another Christmas

2009-04-12T23:08:00.001+08:00

A few days ago, I heard someone say that the Easter Sunday celebration should be more extravagant than our celebration for Christmas. In fact, it should since Easter symbolizes the triumph of Jesus over the trials that He encountered while he was still alive. It is the highlight God's display of power as He resurrects His son from the dead. This shows us that if we just learn to sacrifice for the good of others without asking for any reward in return, and if we have strong faith in God's mercy and guidance, He will bestow us with everlasting life in heaven.
Well, virtually Easter is more amazing than Christmas. Which is more surprising: a baby being born, or someone being resurrected from the dead?

Electronic Piano 2.5

2009-04-09T03:31:00.001+08:00

From the name itself, it would be very obvious what this program does.
Anyway, this program, as a name implies, is piano simulator for your PC.
This program comes in very handy if you do not have a keyboard/piano but want to learn the basics, or if you are just too lazy to bring your own keyboard anyware but want to play it whenever you have idle time.
The only required peripheral to fully utilize this program is just the computer keyboard, which will act as a substitute to the piano keys. The keys of the computer are already pre-assigned to a virtual piano keyboard on screen. So, you will just have to press the corresponding key for the note to be played from corresponding key on the virtual piano keyboard.
Moreover, you can also use your computer's mouse to manipulate the on-screen keyboard; however, using the computer's keyboard will bring you closer to the experience of using an actual piano keyboard.
Electronic Piano 2.5 does not only simulate piano or organ sounds, it can also be adjusted to play sounds from xylophone, drums, and other musical instruments.
However, one thing that might annoy expert players is that you can only play in one octave at a given time. In other words, although you can try playing notes from lower or higher octaves, you cannot play in different octaves simultaneously. But, for beginners, it might not be an issue. :D
The program's interface might be a bit intimidating, but it is actually really easy to handle. It also has other musical effect adjustments that you might want to explore.
By the way, it is a freeware. So, there's no need for cracks and licenses.
I just downloaded it, and I am having experimenting with the beats. Anyway, here's the link:
http://www.pianoeletronico.com.br/index-en.html
Enjoy!

A Return to Love (by Marianne Williamson)

2009-04-09T03:00:00.001+08:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

~Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles" 1992 (commonly misattributed to Nelson Mandela, 1994 inauguration speech)

When Notties Think They’re Hotties

2009-04-06T11:49:00.001+08:00

Usually in social networking sites, and even in our daily lives, we encounter people who think that they are good-looking even though they are exact epitomy of what is ugly.
It is so scary when people like these try to act as if they were cute. They have all this fancy pictures with weird facial expressions (posted on their personal webpages) which could actually be used to scare away evil spirits. Haha! There are also people who we meet in the office or in school that look too horrendous and awkward to even mingle with the crowd. They have physical attributes only they could appreciate (as in, not even their parents). Anyway, most of these people watch too much TV/movies or read too many magazines, that they tend to emulate how the models look even though it does not suit them. Sometimes, they also imitate the voice of their favorite TV/movie character. It is just way too awkward to even look at.
In the positive side, at least they are confident enough to even dare to do it.
Confidence is not bad, but people like these are going overboard. They are putting unnecessary emphasis on themselves to the point that they have become embarrassing.
The key is to mellow it down, and choose what works best for you.
No matter how we look at it, the world is unfair. Some things that may be good for others, may not be good for you. Our job is to find the things that complement our assets, and supplement what we lack.

Blamers

2009-04-06T11:47:00.001+08:00

There are types of people who likes blaming others for something that has gone terribly eventhough it is obviously their fault, and sometimes, the person they are blaming it on is not even involved with the event.
Take for example, a person who is struggling to perform a certain task but does not ask help from those around him. Accidentally, this person slips and breaks whatever object he is carrying or does an irreparable damage while performing the task. He then looks at the bystanders and suddenly blames them for just standing there and not helping. He tries to remove all the guilt from himself by throwing all the fault to the people who does not even have a clue of what has happened.
Another one is a person who intently seeks help from you. However, if the job suddenly goes wrong, he suddenly blames everything to you. He usually says that it is all your fault, that everything went wrong when you began to help, and that you should not have helped him in the first place. Sssssh!!! The nerves of this guy!
The world is full of blamers.

Palm Everything

2009-04-05T21:36:00.001+08:00

Today is Palm Sunday, and this morning, my parents brought young coconut leaves to church to have it blessed (a.k.a. sprinkled with holy water by the priest). Catholics to commemorate the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem. It is the first Sunday of Holy Week, and the Sunday before Easter.
Usually on this day, people get creative with the palm leaves. They transform leaves into various figures (ala origami for leaves).
Some commonly fabricated figures out of palm leaves are crucifixes, swords, and bouquettes. Some people even try to make a business out of it by selling their created palm leaf figures to church-goers who did not bring their own palm leaves. Fortunately, our house is surrounded by coconuts.
Anyway, after the palm leaves are blessed, it is customary for Catholics to place them on certain areas of the house. It is usually found on doors and altars.
That sorta reminds me that it is already Lent season, in which Catholics are supposed to fast, pray, and abstain.
Well, should I abstain from blogging this season???

The Wolverine Leak - My Reaction

2009-04-04T05:37:00.001+08:00

The previous entry was just a re-post of BBC or Yahoo's article about the leakage of the upcoming film "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
A few days ago, I was shocked to know that the movie, which is scheduled to premier on May 1st, is currently being spread online.
This is so alarming.
From what I have read in other forums, those who have downloaded the leaked version say that the movie (plot-wise) is 90% complete. Basically, the essential parts (background story, ending, etc...) are there. So, if you watched the leaked version, there might be nothing to look forward to in the movie if you're just concerned with the storyline.
Although the leaked version has a DVD quality, it still has a lot of shortcomings. The un-edited ropes, wires, green-screens, etc. are still in the frames. In other words, the special effects are not polished. For now, the only reason why people might watch the movie is for its special effects.
Those who leaked this movie really spoiled it for us.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Leaked

2009-04-04T05:22:00.001+08:00

Today an unwatermarked, time code free workprint of X-Men Origins: Wolverine leaked on the internet. Within hours thousands of people had a version of the upcoming Fox release, and once a file like this is in the wild it can never be fully brought back in.

How the hell did this happen?

I got in touch with a friend of mine who works in a post-production facility here in Los Angeles and he seemed to think my question was funny. "I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often," he said.

While studios bend over backwards to police film critics at press screenings (I've become used to security guards with night vision lenses staring at me while I'm watching a movie), the post-production process is apparently porous. Burned DVDs are swapped around with aplomb in this world; in fact I was told that the Wolverine DVD was switching hands for the last couple of weeks. It's hard to nail down where in the post-production process the Wolverine leak originated; it could have been someone working in digital FX, someone working on the titles, or even someone working on the trailer. Hell, it could be somebody working on the DVD release, for that matter.

My source told me stories of people blithely taking home DVDs of major upcoming studio blockbusters - some with watermarks, some without - so that they wouldn't have to work overtime at the office. And it's not just the honchos who have this access. My source told me about interns bringing DVDs home to watch with their friends. Even he seemed incredulous about the lackadaisical security at most of these post-production houses.

I've experienced some of this stuff first hand. I had someone from a post house meet me at a coffee shop and show me the Cloverfield trailer on a laptop. I've had files emailed to me that are clearly watermarked with post house names. I know a filmmaker who had his film pirated in the post-production stage, and who managed to nail the guy who was handing out DVDs to his friends. And I've come across some of these DVDs myself, although I never knew that they were so rampant.

Post isn't the only source of major leaks; these days getting a script to an unmade movie isn't even a badge of insider honor. They seem to be available to anyone who wants them. Someone told me that the security on the script for Cabin in the Woods was so tight no one would get it. Just to prove him wrong I got it three days later. I don't say that to boast but to explain how lax security is on the script end; once something hits an agency, PDFs of it may as well be deposited in the mailboxes of the biggest movie site writers. But while that's a problem - the mass leak of the script to Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds being one example - it's not half as damaging as the leak of an actual movie. Very few people will read a script. Many more will watch a DIVX file.

I have a feeling that the Wolverine leak is the tip of the iceberg. My source tells me that he suspects the person who leaked it may have been motivated by a grudge against the house where they work - perhaps someone who has been laid off or had his hours reduced (although to be fair he did also say that it's just as likely that this leak came from a dumb intern who simply made a copy for a friend. My friend has no actual knowledge of the particulars of this specific leak). The ease with which a DVD can be ripped and disseminated makes it child's play, and the ubiquity of laptops make it simpler and simpler for someone to rip a movie without even taking the disc off premises. Studios can keep being worried about someone sneaking a Flip camcorder into a press screening, but the real problem is right in their own system. So far they've been amazingly lucky, but how long can that luck hold out?

[SOURCE: BBC NEWS]