Imelda turns 80 in style

I had two interesting coverages yesterday. One was the National Day reception at the US Embassy and the other was Imelda Marcos 80th birthday bash at Hotel Sofitel.

My cellphone battery gave way and here’s the few photos I got.

Imelda with Dewi Sukarno

Baby Arenas, Pia Watson

Mrs. Marcos,in a bright pink terno and bedecked with jewelry, had a special guest, Dewi Sukarno, the controversial former First Lady of Indonesia.

Another special guest was the Chinese ambassador, who underscored in his remarks that it was during the term of Ferdinand Marcos when relations between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China started.

The whole Marcos family, Imee, Irene and Bongbong were there with their good-looking children.

There were a number of personalities I saw: Rep. Roque Ablan, former Senator Francisco Tatad, former Comelec Chair Pardo and others.

Another personality I saw was Baby Arenas, former Blue Lady, rumored special friend of a former president, and who is now director of the Manila Economic and Cultural office in Taiwan.

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Agence France Presse story in the Inquirer:

Imelda at 80: I feel vindicated
Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — Former First Lady Imelda Marcos turned 80 Thursday, claiming to be nearly broke but feeling vindicated more than two decades after her dictator husband was ousted in a popular revolt.

“I have reached the lucky number eight, for eight decades,” the flamboyant Marcos told AFP as she distributed rice to hundreds of poor residents at a dumpsite converted into a sprawling housing area in a Manila suburb.

“My birthday wish is that I be given more health and a longer life so I can devote myself to helping the Filipino poor,” she said.

Wearing a pink terno, jade earrings and sporting a large diamond ring, the woman known worldwide for her excessive lifestyle and 3,000 pairs of shoes still has something of a regal presence.

Her burly bodyguards jostled with a pack of press photographers as she waded through the crowd of supporters wanting merely to touch her.

At peace with truth

“I have always been at peace with the truth,” she declared. “I feel vindicated because no court has convicted me.”

She said she is nearly broke after 23 years of “relentless persecution, vilification and ridicule” by the government, but remains happy that she has the support of her family and the poor.

Late husband and dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted by a “people power” revolt in 1986 which sent him into exile in Hawaii. He died in 1989 and Imelda and his children were later allowed to return home.

In 1992, Imelda Marcos launched a failed bid for the presidency, but her children have since regained political control in their northern bailiwick.

While her husband is accused of plundering the national coffers of an estimated $10 billion, no member of the family has been convicted or jailed.

Scores of criminal and civil cases however remain pending in courts.

So far, only $683 million stashed in Swiss banks has been recovered by the government.

The fight to gain control of the Marcos wealth has in recent months focused on $310 million in Imelda’s confiscated jewellery. Confusion arose last month after the government said the jewels would be returned to Imelda, only to backtrack after a public outcry.

Historical treasures

“That decision was vindication already to me. These are beautiful historical treasures that they should return,” she said defiantly Thursday.

She said she bears no grudges toward arch foe Corazon Aquino, widow of assassinated opposition leader Benigno Aquino, who was swept to the presidency in 1986 after Marcos was toppled.

Mrs. Corazon Aquino, 76, has been hospitalized since last week with colon cancer and is said to be in a serious condition.

“I asked all these people to offer prayers to her. I have peace in my heart and am comfortable with the truth. I am praying for her safe recovery,” Marcos said.

owning a rangefinder

a friend was looking for a cheap rangefinder (meaning no leica, voigtlander, or contax) and couldn’t get hold of one. either a sizable number of people are shooting film these days or there’s an uptake for collecting these vintage cameras. i hope it’s the former. it’s a waste if these cameras jailed behind glass cabinets.

Bitstop Get Together @ Mayors Pavillon

Bitstop Inc will be taking advantage of little known jewel in Dagupan--Mayor's Pavillon located at the Japanese Garden of Tondaligan Beach. The facilities were recently renovated by the City Government and made available to the public for a low rental fee of only 500.00 !!

Picture below is the view from the deck of Mayor's Pavillon. We have reserved this for Sunday. If you are interested to book this, you can go to the Dagupan City's ONe stop business processing center to get the rental permit

Arroyo had breast silicone implant?

Jarius Bondoc confirms GMA mammoplasty. See article in comments.

I can’t believe this.

But this news item came out in the conservative newspaper Manila Bulletin.

GMA medical checkup OK

by Jonathan M. Hicap, Charissa M. Luci
July 2, 2009, 6:03pm

President Arroyo underwent removal and replacement of breast silicone implants at a hospital in Muntinlupa City, a source told the Manila Bulletin.

Meanwhile, a Palace official announced that President Arroyo has ended her two-day self imposed quarantine “with a clean bill of health,” and is expected to resume public engagements “in a few days.”

The informant, who requested anonymity since the source was not authorized to speak about the matter, said the President was scheduled to undergo augmentation mammoplasty at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

In addition, a cyst or lump in the groin area was also scheduled to be removed by surgery, said the hospital source.

A biopsy was also done on her breast, the source said. This does not mean that the President was ill. This was part of regular medical procedures, the source added.

The President cancelled the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday in preparation for her quarantine. She checked in at the hospital on Wednesday.

Security measures have been tightened at the hospital during the President’s confinement. All persons, whether visitors or employees, are subjected to intense inspection, a source said.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo has left Asian Hospital and Medical Center after undergoing self-quarantine following her 13-day visits from influenza-infected countries, including the former British colony of Hong Kong, Brazil, Colombia, United States and Japan.

In an interview shortly after the awarding ceremony of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang Palace, Ermita said the President will be out of the hospital “within the day.”

Remonde said President Arroyo yesterday checked out of the hospital at around 2 p.m. in the pink of health.

“She underwent certain check ups while on quarantine and all the results were okay. She has returned to Malacañang,” he said in a text message.

He also denied rumors that the President had some silicone removed from her body.

Ermita said President’s nearly three-day stay at the Asian Hospital in Alabang, Muntinlupa has given the President a “breathing space” from her hectic schedules.

But, he was quick to add that Mrs. Arroyo remains in touch with him and fellow cabinet members, citing that she “calls anytime she wishes to.”

“The President is taking advantage of her time na nag-self quarantine siya so mabuti na lang nakakapahinga si Presidente dahil masyadong hectic naman ang kanyang byahe and many, many other out of town trips before those trips abroad so mabuting nakakapahinga si Pangulo,” Ermita said.

The President just returned from her long trip on Monday with baskets of foreign investments and employment opportunities for Filipino workers.

Wait, there’s more!: Buy her a gift this Valentines! or send her flowers!

fixing urlseek.vmn.net

I was pissed off by urlseek.vmn.net browser – both IE and Firefox – redirects while using a friend’s laptop. The culprit, Dealio Toolbar, is catching the URLs entered and send me to a vmn.net domain and in turn be redirect to my target destination. To fix this problem, disable all Vendio browser add-ons and uninstall the application from the control panel. Do not accept its suggestion for hiding and select Disable/Uninstall during post-uninstall process. I hate malwares.

Worse than 2004?

Grace Poe, Gus Lagman, Ichu Maceda,and Harry Roque

Marichu Maceda shared with members of media a “shocking” conversation with her eight-year old grandson, Max, to underscore how Gloria Arroyo’s cheating of the 2004 elections has destroyed our concept of elections as a tool for good governance and an expression of democracy.

Manay Ichu said Max asked her how to contact “Garci”, former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano because he wants him to transfer one million votes to his Lola Gina de Venecia, who will be running as representative for the fourth district of Pangasinan.

Aghast, Manay Ichu said she had to lecture Max on the evils of cheating and the punishment that comes with violating the law and displeasing God. Max, she said, was baffled and asked, “Why is Gloria Arroyo not punished?’

Manay Ichu said she is still looking for a satisfactory answer to Max. That’s why she was at the presscon yesterday organized by the Concerned Citizens Movement on the issues in the 2010 elections automation that has surfaced with the feud between Smartmatic and Total Information Management.

Manay Ichu detailed to the media how Arroyo tampered with the election process starting with the voters list up to elections results. But, she said, “What happened in 2004 is nothing compared to what is going to happen in 2010.”

Lawyer Harry Roque said the quarrel of Smartmatic-TIM, winners of the P7.2 billion election automation contract, has exposed the anomaly that there is no joint venture deal between them as they tried to impress the Comelec.

Roque said he doubts if the two firms would be able to solve their “irreconcilable differences.” He said Comelec should not force the two parties to push through with the joint venture,”Huwag pilitin. Kung ngayon pa lang nag-aaway, lalo pa kapag implementation na.”

There are different versions of the cause of break-up of Smartmatic and TIM before their union was even formalized. One version says TIM is asking for bigger control in the operation because in case something happens later, they would be included of those that would be held criminally liable. There are talks that TIM asked Smartmatic for additional P500 million share in the payment.

Another version is that a businessman known to be in the inner circle of the Arroyos is muzzling his way into the joint venture as a “carried partner”.

Malaya’s report said a “carried partner” is one who wants to get a piece of the action without contributing a single centavo.
Before the Smartmatic-TIM imbroglio, sources said Mike Arroyo, someone surnamed Aboitiz, and an official of Smartmatic were seen having coffee at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati.

After that meeting, TIM President Jose Mari M. Antunez reportedly got a call from a well-connected businessman for him “to cooperate” so as not to offend “powerful people.”

In yesterday’s presscon Harry Roque expressed concerned about the participation of 2Go, an Aboitiz-owned cargo forwarder, who has been given the contract to transport the 80,000 counting machines all over the country and keep on standby the 1,200 spare machines.

Roque recalled how Arroyo’s men took out the genuine 2004 election returns stored under guard in the Batasan Pambansa and changed them with manufactured ones to match the certificate of canvass they tampered in anticipation of the election protest of FPJ.

Roque said, whoever has custody of those machines determines the result of the 2010 elections. Given the branzenness of Arroyo’s operators, the 2010 elections could be worse than the fraudulent 2004 elections.

Grace Poe appealed to the public to be vigilant saying that it is not just elections that we are fighting for but the future of democracy in our country.

Singtel Mobile Broadband

Signed up for Singtel Broadband on Mobile as VAS. I’ll be paying around $22/month for 50 GB. It’s still pending activation at the moment. In 2 days I’ll know how fast Singtel’s 3G connection.

lifestream

I’m feeling anti-social (based on today’s standards, btw) that’s why i’m posting on my asides here. I’m on Twitter, Facebook and everywhere. Stalking me (bah!) is all over is getting out of hand so I’ve aggregated all my microblogging activity under one roof. Head over to my lifestream site to know what I’m up to these days.

Sisophon

work longer, happy

sometimes i wish we have longer work hours. enjoyed refactoring and optimizing code i barely notice the time.

Boom and Booming

Sabotahe ng kasakiman

Hindi pa malinaw ang lahat ngunit mukhang sinasabotahe ng kasakiman ng mga nasa kapangyarihan ang computerization of 2010 na eleksyon.

Nabahala ang marami noong Lunes ng sinabi ni Comelec Chair Jose Melo na umatras ang Total Information Management, ang Filipino na partner ng Smartmatic Corp, ang nanalo na kumpanya na taga Barbados sa $7.2 bilyon na kontrata para magiging computerized ang bilangan sa eleksyon simula sa 2010.

Iba-iba ang lumalabas na dahilan. Isa dyan ang pagpipilit ng TIM na sila ang may kontrol ng operasyon dahil sila ang mas may malaking share ayun sa ating Constitution na 60 per cent ang sa Pilipino at 40 ang sa mga banyaga.

Gusto raw kasi ng Smartmatic sila ang may kontrol dahil sa kanila ang technology. Sabi ng TIM, labag yan sa Constitution. Ang lalabas nun para lang silang dummy katulad ng maraming malakihan na joint ventures.

Sabi kasi ng TIM, gusto nila sila ang may kontrol dahil kung ano ang mangyari na bulilyaso, sila ang mapapahamak. Pilipino sila kaya kulungan ang bagsak nila.

Itong isyu ng TIM ay lumabas daw ng malaman nila na merong isang negosyante na malapit sa malacañang na pumasok sa eksena bilang “carried” partner.

Ang “carried” partner ay isang kumpanya o negosyante na gustong maki-ambon sa kita kahit na wala namang binigay na capital. Siyempre ang may lakas na loob lang na gagawa niyan ay ang malapit sa may kapangyarihan.

Itong negosyante daw ay taga-Cebu kung saan lumamang kuno si Arroyo kay Fernando Poe, Jr. noong 2004 ng sobra isang milyong boto. Maraming isyu na lumabas kalaunan sa mga boto sa maraming presinto sa Cebu na hindi kapani-paniwala. Sobrang taas ng voters’ turn out na para bang walang namatay o nag-abroad sa mga botante sa listahan.

Sinabi ng presidente ng TIM na si Jose Mari Antunez na nakita raw ng isang kasama niya sa kumpanya itong negosyante na taga Cebu at ang isang opisyal ng Smartmatic na nag-uusap sa isang hotel.

Pagtapos daw ng ilang araw tinawagan siya ng negosyanteng ito na kailgnan siyang makikipag-cooperate. Kung hindi magagalit sa kanya ang mga “may kapangyarihan.”

Siyempre maraming hakang-haka kung sino itong negosyante na taga Cebu na malapit sa kapangyarihan. Ewan, hindi ko rin alam.

Bago ko makalimutan, may isa pa palang kasama ang Smartmatic at TIM: ang 2GO, isang freight forwarding na kumpanya na pag-aari ng mga Aboitiz ng Cebu na kilalang malapit kay Arroyo.

Nang humarap ang mga taga- Comelec sa Senado, sinabi na ang 2Go daw ang magdadala ng mga computer sa lahat na 80,000 na presinto sa buong bansa.

Ayos na.

Restos in Angeles City: VFW, C’ Italian Dining & 19 Copung Copung

Most recently, a foreign friend bent on staying for a time in the Philippines asked me for recommendations about places to go and the cost of living in the country. “Anywhere I should avoid? Like Angels City? I mean those places where sex tourist and ’sexpats’ gather. Don’t want to end up somewhere like Thailand’s Pattaya. ”

I presume Angeles City has such a rep among the males by virtue of word of mouth and what they read in the forums. I was here this week and the trusty pedicab I rode in drove through the city’s (in)famous bar strip in Fields Avenue where some joints were indeed open 24/7.

However, it’s an unfair accusation to just associate Angeles City with ‘ affordable girls’ and sleazy entertainment. I really like the food here…and I don’t mean the carnal kind The place was after all one of the sites of our forget-your-diet, ultimate food trip way back in ‘06.

This time around, I made sure to try the much-acclaimed C’ Italian Dining along Don Juico Avenue (also known as the Friendship Highway.) My first attempt to visit this resto during Christmas ‘07 was a failure because the place was closed. And my first impression now was that it looked like an enoteca due to the bar with all those bottles of wine that greeted guests upon entering. And of course those plates on the wall signed by satisfied guests.

Verdict: C’Italian deserves the accolades, even though it was a bit on the expensive side. Service was efficient and the food was very good. You should have a reason to go here though, like a date or a milestone celebration or simply be someone like me who’d like to know what the hype was all about.:D

The receptionist at the hotel recommended their panizza (P595), a cross between panini and pizza, which was the house specialty. It was a big square thin crust pizza with five cheeses which you had to top with alfalfa sprouts and fresh arugula leaves (served separately.) Only then can you roll it like shawarma. The fact that the pizza was thin and crusty enough made it perfect for biting. This, plus the order of spaghetti frutti di mare (570) , made it a very heavy meal. As a starter, the resto also serves their signature bread with salsa verde (green sauce) in olive oil. I could not wait to try their other specialties, if only the place was nearer. Fine dining all the way!

19 Copung Copung Grill along MacArthur Highway (near the grand-looking casino) was also another excellent resto we tried. The name is quite catchy.. I don’t know what the name means for Kapampangans, but Kopong Kopong over here sure refers to something that’s from a bygone era. Anyhoo, the resto serves the culinary specialties of Pampanga like sisig, adobong itik and others too exotic to write about. The waitresses are even garbed in their native Filipino costumes. A great place to drink beer, eat and hang out – the Pinoy way.

Last but unfortunately the least was my rather forgettable lunch at the VFW Canteen which I raved about in a previous post. This barbecue beef sandwich sure looked awesome on the outside, but was rather disappointing on the inside. The barbecue was sauce was too strong and sour for my taste. At P195, I would have been better off ordering the lunch specials, like the sirloin steak with mashed potato.

VFW Post 2485 Canteen is quite known for its huge American-size servings, for obvious reasons. VFW stands for Veterans of Foreign Wars. But it was quite a letdown to know they’ve scrapped a few of the choices from the menu, like the Reuben Sandwich and the S.O.S (Sh*t on Shingle). Don’t know what else is in store for this VFW. Like the veterans of war, it looks old and beaten.

magsafe adapter problem

i hate the magsafe adapter that came with my macbook. three nights in a row it’s refused to power up. i suspect it got something to do with low power or voltage – whatever. it works fine during the day, though.

WP for iPhone OS 3.0, finally

finally a working wordpress app for my iphone. i think i’ll post more on my sideblog.

Palawan Underground River falls behind the Amazon River in New 7 Wonders voting

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River slips to number 2 on the New 7 Wonders of Nature (N7WN) poll, prompting the Department of Tourism (DOT) to appeal for support from voters. The Philippine entry is vying for the top spot, which is currently occupied by the Amazon River, among other 54 nominees under the category of Forests/National Parks/Nature Reserves.

There are currently 261 nominees from all over the globe, competing in 7 different categories, only 77 of which will remain after voting ends in July 7, 2009. The campaign is at its second of three stages.

The contenders have been classified into 7 groups which are: Landscapes/Ice Formations, Islands, Mountains/Volcanoes, Caves/Rock Formations/Valleys, Forests/National Parks/Nature Reserves, Lakes/Rivers/Waterfalls, and Seascapes.

Voters anywhere in the world can take part in the poll through the internet or via the international telephone voting line, or with a personalized voting certificate.

Renowned as the world’s longest underground river, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park also features a stunning limestone karst mountain landscape. Inside its large chambers are stalactites and stalagmites formations, while at the mouth of its cave thrives a bustling ecosystem which includes monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels.
After the top 77 candidates have been determined, the New7Wonders Panel of Experts, led by Prof. Dr. Federico Mayor, former Director-General of UNESCO, will then take over to select the 21 Finalists.

The New 7 Wonders of Nature is an ongoing campaign sponsored by the New 7 Wonders Foundation based in Switzerland. The same group initiated the New 7 Wonders of the World project in 2007.

Majority of the visitors on the N7WN website has likewise voted for Manila as the venue for the proclamation of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 2011.

You like reading this blog post? You might also be interested in BYAHILO's other adventures at Sugarloaded!

Palawan Underground River falls behind the Amazon River in New 7 Wonders voting

EDITORIAL : Tormentors beware!

ANY way you look at it, and despite the seeming “caution” of the Espino provincial administration not to make it look like a political issue against the previous Agbayani administration, the investigation into the fiasco that is the buried expired medicines and medical supplies in the Capitol compound is one nasty wound inflicted on Victor Agbayani’s record.

There is reason to believe he may not have really done the direct authorization, as in micro-managing even the disposal of the said unusable medicines. But even if his underlings or lower lieutenants did it, the fact is he cannot escape blame. Legal prosecution? We doubt that.

Anyone who frequented Urduja House  or the Capitol or had basic knowledge of the workings of   Victor’s  administration in those days would know  there are a cabal of  executives then who could practically preside over the province’s seat of power most times, that is, while the governor was away. But whether, even thru remote communication, the actual burying of the items was made known to the governor or not at all, remains a matter of conjecture.

What is quite obvious to us in this whole dramatic scenario about, to make light of the subject, spilt milk, is that it stems from the usual fallout from internal squabbles, petty power struggles or plain office intrigues that inhabit nooks and crannies of centers of power in a given corporate atmosphere.

The “squealer” in this case may not have intended to hit at the Chief but at some of his lieutenants who may have become so snug with their authority they consistently ignored basic objections or observations of the “lesser” power players.”

What better way to get back at the past  “tormentor (s)” than  to rat on them when they’re out of power and unable to fix things up in a new dispensation?

If there’s a lesson to be learned from this case however by any executive leadership or political administration, it is that no skeleton remains hidden in any closet  — or even under the earth.

Column/ AFTER ALL : PNP ‘on top of the situation?’

By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

WE have received not a few complaints on the arrogance and discourtesy of GSIS personnel the past several months on even the simplest query or request for assistance of members who go to their offices. It looks like the attitude of their top officials — take a bow, Winston Garcia — has rubbed off so very well on their subordinates in the field.

Considering that this government insurance system has been having this problem (supposedly technical) with its processing system the past months such that claims for retirement and loans have suffered big delays, the least this government unit’s staff can do is make up for it by being a bit more courteous and patient with the members who pay their salaries.

Courtesy appears to have long gone out the window with this government corporation’s employees who feel no one, certainly not any ordinary member, can disturb them at all from their siesta time or their self-imposed and highly arbitrary time deadlines for submission of papers or release of monetary claim checks.

It is clear customer service is not – or has never been – on their work priorities and we-will-serve-you-when –we-wish –to- syndrome is very much alive and well in their sluggish ranks.

* * * *
Public relations men and paid hacks of LTO Chief Art Lomibao (particularly in at least two radio stations) are having a field day drumming up his name and image in the fourth district where he is widely rumored to be running for congressman. The funny (or ironic?) part of it is some of his chosen rah-rah boys and girls also seem to have their own “loyalty crisis” as regards their “promotion” of the good general because their umbilical cords are associatively tied to Manay Gina de Venecia, the major candidate in the district congressional race.

Sure, some of them would try to claim they’re just doing their job as media practitioners in spreading the news (that is, polishing the image) for both aspirants but people know better about them— that they simply want to have and enjoy the best of both worlds.

The Comelec and civic groups have this information assistance for voters by sponsoring “Know Your Candidates” fora. I guess they should also start thinking of having a “Know Your Media Relations Men ” fora so candidates won’t be shortchanged by some highly skilled acrobats in the PR trade.

* * * *
There’s been one death in the country from the Influenza A(H1N1) affliction but Health Secretary Pingcoy Duque is quick to say the woman had many medical complications to begin with and A(H1N1) may have just exacerbated her condition. The DOH estimates that about 25% of Filipinos could be infected before the swine flu virus tapers off.

Everyone hopes the virus downing Pinoys these days will continue to be of the mild strain and more and more of those infected do recover because that would mean, as one medical analyst pointed out, they’d have immunity from that particular strain of flu in the future. By that is meant, possibly, these recovered patients would have antibodies present in their system already to ward off the virus, if and when it does return in the future.

Let’s hope our luck insofar as mortality rate in the swine flu virus is concerned continues — with help from Someone Up There.

* * * *
How can the cops in Pangasinan led by cool and smiley Supt Perci Barba say the series of gunslayings in the province, throw in a rape or stabbing incident in a week, are “isolated cases” and proceed like it’s the usual market day in the province.

Just this week, a lady bank manager of San Carlos City – Mrs. Alice Baun – got a bullet in the head right in that city’s busy poblacion area from a gunman who, as always, escaped on a motorcycle.

Late last week, Calasiao’s bids and awards committee chair, Doming Ballesteros, — a classmate of ours in the grade-school days – while calmly walking along the road with some office subordinates, was slain by, again, the familiar gunmen riding in tandem on a motorcycle. Many other similar gangland fashion killings have occurred early this month and the past months. People are dying like chickens in the streets.

And the police is “on top of the situation?” Anyone here reassured by that dismissive statement of the PNP? It sounds more like whistling in the dark gesture to me.

Adobe iFilter for Sharepoint

Taking off from the tip given to me by Steven Sofian, I decided to test out the inclusion of PDFs in the search index of sharepoint. Prior to this, only microsoft word, excel and office documents were searchable on sharepoint search results.

The best instructions on how to do this came from : http://workerthread.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/configure-pdf-ifilter-in-wss-30/

First, you need to download the Adobe PDF IFilter 6.0, which you can find at this URL. You should also get hold of a suitable Icon to use with PDFs, so that when they are listed in a document library they are easily recognisable. There is a 17 x 17 one available on the Adobe web site here.

Once you’ve downloaded the IFilter, install it on your WSS 3.0 server, and then follow the instructions on registry settings in Microsoft KB Article 927675. I’ve always found that providing the Adobe IFilter installed properly, the only setting I need to add is the Search Extensions one listed in step 2.

Also note step 5 re stopping and re-starting the search service.

Now you need to set up the Icon file. If you downloaded the icon file in step 1 above, you will have a file called pdficon_small.gif. You need to copy this onto your WSS 3.0 server, into drive:\Program Files\Common FIles\Microsoft Shared\Web Server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\IMAGES.

Next you need to edit the XML file which WSS uses to link file extensions to icons. This file is called DOCICON.XML and is located at drive:\Program Files\Common FIles\Microsoft Shared\Web Server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\XML. Navigate to that folder and locate the file. I would suggest making a backup copy first, then opening the file in NotePad.

You need to add a mapping key for PDFs at the bottom of the file, above the closing tag. The new key will be
(note that XML is case sensitive so make sure you use same case as previous entries). Then save the file.
That’s pretty much it, but if you already have PDFs uploaded to your WSS server I would recommend starting a full crawl.

You can do the with STSAdm, the command syntax is Stsadm -o spsearch -action fullcrawlstart . More on this on TechNet here.

Firefox 3.5

Upgraded to Firefox 3.5 yesterday. The irony is that my Mac machines have more up-to-date open source softwares than my Linuxes. Partly my fault for depending on distro packages for my linux which takes time while my macs got them direct from source.