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Archive for June 27th, 2008
Potential catastrophe awaits Irisan dumpsite in Baguio
BAGUIO CITY – Old timers and waste pickers at Irisan dumpsite are now spending sleepless nights this typhoon season. But nothing will let them leave their only source of livelihood. (more…)
Shell fuel prices up by P1.50/liter Saturday
Prices of fuel products will increase again this weekend, the 17th in the weekly adjustment implemented by oil companies for the past few months. (more…)
John Lloyd and Sarah talk about ‘love’
John Lloyd has always been open about his relationship with fashion editor, Liz Uy and he describes it as the most mature relationship that he had so far. (more…)
Lack of Involvement
Typing this entry with a loud background music, partying with other bloggers here at Mall of Asia.
When Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio launched his blog, I raised one question that has been bothering me for quite some time now. I made several blog entries in the past about my frustrations regarding it. Good governance? Democracy? Well, they’re all good and dandy. But they mean nothing if the Filipinos don’t participate and utilize the chances given to them to live a better life effectively.
I inquired Governor Panlilio of his plans or programs to make the youth be involved more in his projects. His passion was commendable, but if people kept ignoring his initiatives, all his work would amount to nothing in the end. I asked him how in the world could he possibly catch the youth’s interest in good governance.
His answer was simple, yet oh-so-true. Aside from the fact that the Filipino youth have lost interest in anything political because of all the hullabaloo surrounding the Philippine government and all the people in it, they also have much things to worry about than some idiotic politician’s corrupt ways. They have school problems to deal with, and their love lives to take special care of. (The adults, on the other hand, have family to feed, bills to pay, and their children’s education to support.)
That’s why the lack of involvement in the part of the Filipinos, children and adults alike, is no surprise to anyone, really. Even if the hardcore activists try their hardest to spread the word about how Gloria is this and Zubiri is that, they wouldn’t be able to get through to most people’s minds. Words just don’t matter whenever one’s future, betterment, of even life is at stake. They would rather just go on with their lives and try to survive the challenges hurdled their way.
One can choose to preach, and one can choose to reach (one can even do both). Whatever your choice will be, it still does one good to be more aware and be involved even in small ways. Even the simplest and most random acts of kindness can mean a lot, and even make a big difference. Even if you can’t be involved in activities on the national level (e.g., you’re not yet of legal age to vote), participating in small community projects can and will make someone else’s (and even yours) life better. Even if other people accuse you of being an armchair activist or even a pseudo-progressive, just continue doing the things you do with all your heart.
We should break the monotony and the passivity that the Filipinos have cultured throughout these years. We should take action, however minor they seem to be.
Two dismaying court decisions
This is another sad day for democracy.
The Supreme Court junked the petition of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to be allowed to perform his duties as senator.
A Makati Regional Trial Court, meanwhile, dismissed the class suit filed by members of media and concerned citizens against government offficials responsible for the former’s arbitrary arrest and handcuffing duringthe Nov. 29, 2007 Manila Peninsula incident.
Following are the news reports:
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Smartphone Smarts
Penman for Sunday, June 21, 2008I WAS asked to write something up for the Star's new Sunday gadgets section, so I turned this in (as if you don't hear this from me enough, already.)
Like a true Apple fanboy, I managed to get my grubby fingers on a working iPhone barely a couple of months after its splashy rollout in the US last June 29, and I’ve been using it since—with the occasional resort to my other backup phone, a Nokia E61i. That makes a total of nine months’ experience with the iPhone—time enough, among gadget freaks, to develop an itch for the next great thing. (I had a long-running affair with the Treo 650 and its predecessor, the Treo 600—“long” in cellphone years being 18 months.)
But I’ve always been intrigued by that other star of smart telephony, the BlackBerry, which over the years has acquired a fan base almost as fanatic as Steve Jobs’ minions. These “crackberries” include Barack Obama, John Mayer, and Jessica Biel (and speaking of terminology, “smart” in phonespeak means a cellular phone that not only makes calls and plays music and movies but also takes pictures, organizes your life, has gobs of memory to spare and/or room to expand, and all kinds of ways of connecting wirelessly to Timbuktu: wi-fi, EDGE, GPRS, GSM/CDMA, etc.)
The BB’s killer application is “push” email, which means that you get your email on the road—anywhere, anytime—without having to go online, a few minutes after it’s sent. (Like most nice things, that translates to “you’ll pay more”, as it requires a special plan that you can get from both Globe and Smart.) If you’re one of those people with three or four e-mail accounts, coupled with an urge to check them every 30 minutes, then the BlackBerry will get you drooling.
Blackberry phones have been around since 2002, but they used to be clunky one-trick ponies, looking like large pagers with monochrome screens (which the original BB was, in 1997). Now, with the Curve, the Pearl, and the even sexier (and, hmm, iPhone-like) Bold, the BlackBerry’s exterior has become as smart as its innards, and people too long accustomed to Nokias, SEs, Motorolas, and even iPhones are giving it a second look. I’d actually tried the BB experience on the E61i, and liked it (some non-BB phones can make use of the software), but I wanted to see it working on a BlackBerry itself.
So when I found myself with some loose change (make that a lot of loose change, from an analog alcancia the size of a 55-gallon drum), I scored a new T-Mobile BB 8320 Curve off eBay, unlocked it, and put it to work.
The iPhone and the BB share nearly all the bells and whistles a top-tier smartphone should have: wi-fi, the Internet, email, SMS/MMS, camera, media player, etc. Price-wise, they’re both in the P20-25K range. But going head-to-head, which one would you rather bring with you to your desert island?
(Ah, decisions, decisions! And just to complicate things further, let’s not forget that the 3G-enabled Nokia E61i is no slouch, either, and has its own pluses over the other two. Sadly, I never developed fuzzy feelings for Sony Ericsson smartphones; I used an M600i and its unique “rocker” keypad for a few months then handed it down to my youngest brother, whose phone had been stolen. Moving to that from the trusty Treo was one of the stupidest things I ever did. The Treo 680 would be on this list if it had wi-fi.)
As a Web browser and mp3 player, the iPhone is “light years ahead” of the BlackBerry, as even local BB guru Ric Pacana acknowledges. The iPhone’s Safari browser is the only real usable phone browser out there that comes close to the desktop experience, and the iPhone’s ability to automatically reorient images (horizontal or vertical) and to resize them with a two-finger “curtain” effect is matchless. However, Ric prefers his BB for its strengths: push email, long battery life, better security, and multitasking.
Me? Take a peek into my bag—I’ve got the iPhone in there, and the BB Curve in my pocket. Call it a reverse-Solomon: instead of having just one, why not two? Or three? (I keep the E61i on my table.) When they get Truphone or Skype (the real thing, not clumsy workarounds), push email, and cut-and-paste into the iPhone, then maybe I’ll consider ditching the other two for good.
Here’s a quick overview of my own findings and conclusions:
Best camera: the BB (it’s got digital zoom, and flash to boot)
Best sound: the iPhone (but get third-party earphones)
Best screen: the iPhone, hands down
Best keypad: the Nokia E61i—good size, great feel, easy layout (still nothing like a real, physical keypad for your fingers to walk on)
Best for SMS: the Nokia E61i—one button press and you’re ready to text
Best for email: the BB, of course
Best calendar: a draw, although you need third-party software for a “Today” list on your iPhone’s home screen
Best looks: the iPhone, all around
Killer programs: Truphone on the Nokia, Safari on the iPhone, push email on the BB
Sturdiest: the iPhone (pretty but also tough as nails; I use mine without any sleeves or protectors); the steel-backed Nokia comes close
Easiest to hold: the BB (just the right size and weight; the iPhone’s too thin, the Nokia’s too wide)
How do you build a steady stream of website traffic for your site?
Submissions to web directories.
For some internet marketers, web directories is not something they would have preferred if only they are given a choice. But without a doubt, web directories are sure-fire ways of driving website traffics.
These directories are effective ways of building PR (page rank) that helps websites get good rankings in the Google search engine. Google uses page ranks to grade the results based from the searches that visitors are making. Having a higher PR is having a better listing compared with others.
PR are based on the backlinks that you have and its quality. So it follows that the more backlinks you have, the higher your PR will be. You will also get better rankings.
This is the essence behind using web directories and linking. Once these combination have worked successfully, you can expect an increase in your website traffic.
To get a list of web directories, all you have to do is type in the keyword in the search engine. Then, all you need to do is choose from among the number of lists given.
Read the rest of this entry »
Please Help the Children of San Fernando, Sibuyan
firefox crash
thanks for the help :-)
Grand and Majestic celebration of Sangyaw Festival set June 29
TACLOBAN CITY- A grand and majestic celebration of the Sangyaw Festival this coming June 29 is guaranteed as 11 major cities plus two big municipalities outside Tacloban City will be sending their own cultural contingents to join the festivities here.
Makati City’s Caracol Festival
Malou Tabao, chairwoman of the Sangyaw Organizing Committee, disclosed that 11 cities as far as Isabela in Basilan and Laoag in Ilocos Norte plus two major towns have confirmed their participation in the upcoming celebration.
“Cultural contingents from 11 cities and 2 municipalities will be coming here either to compete for big prizes at stake or to exhibit dances, “Tabao said.
Tabao disclosed that the grand champion will receive P500, 000, the second placer 300, 000, while the third placer will bring home P200, 000.
Lumad Basakanon, Sinulog Festival
Aside from the cities of Isabela and Laoag, cities that have confirmed their coming here were Navotas, Marikina, Makati, Talisay, Lapulapu, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Ozamis, and Cebu.
Also sending their own contingents are the municipalities of Abuyog in Leyte and Catarman in Northern Samar.
The contingents, ranging from the 30-man Isabela City contingent to the 200 plus-man Cebu City delegation, will be headed by their own mayors.
According to Tabao, City Mayors Maridess Fernando of Marikina, Jejomar Binay of Makati, Socrates Fernandez of Talisay, Tomas Osmeña of Cebu, Evelio Leonardia of Bacolod, Jerry Treñas of Iloilo, Toby Tiangco of Navotas, and Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. of Ozamis will be coming here as head of their own contingents.
“They will be joining a bevy of celebrities, prominent political leaders, and media personalities that would also be gracing the Sangyaw Festival,” Tabao pointed out.
City Councilor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez in an earlier interview said that they are expecting former First Lady Imelda Marcos, Ilocos Norte Representative Bongbong Marcos, former Congresswoman Imee Marcos, and prominent media personalities led by Ricky Lo of the Philippine Star to be here on June 29.
“Everything is set. We are looking forward to the successful holding of a “grand” Sangyaw Festival with the big number of contingents that will compete with our own “Tribu Tacloban”,” Tabao said, as she also disclosed other activities to be hosted by the city government leading to the main event.
In the run-up to the festival, from June 11-28, the Balyuan Park Amphitheater, Tacloban City Convention Center, and Kanhuraw Convention Center, and Fiesta Food and Barbeque Garden will be the venue of different cultural activities like the Search for Miss Tacloban, Sangyaw Sayaw, Search for Ginang Alaska, Search for a Star, Balyuan Rites, Children Mascot Show, Calbayog Night, Warak Concert, Brown Man Revival, Manila Artists Show, Parokya ni Edgar Concert and other exciting and beautiful shows.
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Grand and Majestic celebration of Sangyaw Festival set June 29
ABS-CBN to probe if Drilon breached coverage protocols
By Elizabeth Sanchez-Lacson
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Television network ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. will investigate the conduct of kidnapped journalist Ces Drilon to determine whether she breached protocols on news coverage that led to her kidnapping last June 8.
“There is a process of investigation and I don’t want to preempt that process. At the end of that, we have to find out if the proper process was followed by Ces,” network chair and chief executive Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III said at the sidelines of the ABS-CBN stockholders’ meeting Thursday.
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19 festivals confirm participation in today’s Tacloban Pinta
The office of the provincial Tourism office of Leyte has confirmed that this year’s Pintados Kasadyaan Festival 2008 will feature 19 festivals from the towns of Leyte, Samar and Biliran.
In a phone call, a staff from the Office of the Provincial Tourism Office confirmed that the grand street dance will start at 10 in the morning today. She also revealed that the Pintados Kasadyaan Festival 2007 Champion Buyogan Festival of Abuyog Leyte will be this year’s last performer. Last year’s first runner-up and the Pintados Kasadyaan 2005 and 2006 Grand Champion Alikaraw Festival of Hilongos Leyte is set to make a grand comeback and try to snatch the title from Buyogan Festival of Abuyog. Alikaraw will be the fifth performer in today’s grand contest.
The parade will start at the Grandstand and will move towards Tacloban’s major streets. Each contingent shall be within the minimum of seventy-five (75) to one hundred (100) dancers, a minimum of thirty-five (35) to maximum of sixty (60) instrumentalists. Additional twenty (20) props bearers shall be allowed.
Props and sets shall part and parcel of the parade as well as the dance presentation. As such, leaving them at the sports center shall not be allowed. All contingents are encouraged to include in their general pageantry a float that may also serve as water station for the group.
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19 festivals confirm participation in today’s Tacloban Pinta
Side forum on rising price of gas
May I invite you to take a look at the topic on the right hand column of this blog:
The Rising Price of Gas in the Philippines
Please click on it and post you views there. Thanks.
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Coding No More?
Two surprising things have happened.
First, I have admitted to myself that I have grown tired of coding.
Second, I have been reading business books, and will be reading some more. I choose these from the Personal MBA reading list.
How did this happen?
After being a programmer for 23 years - since age 11 - I have grown tired of it. I do code for work, but I no longer relish the thought of coding in my spare time. No personal hobby projects. Sadly, no open source contributions - a cause for open source angst. Who would write Pinoy open source now? I still hope some of the younger generation pick it up. Perhaps that itch to scratch will find its way back to me.
Will it come back? Perhaps. It could just be a phase.
I now find analyzing requirements and writing specifications and designs interesting. I used to think that this was a boring, or even unnecessary activity - just hack away on hardcore tech! I guess understanding this stuff is part of growing older - and wiser, I hope?
I still love software development. The difference is that I see it from a wider perspective.
If You Can’t Blog, Get Interviewed
Thanks to Keith Rull! He interviewed me as the first Pinoy developer in his interview series.
Things I’d like to add: to get to do stuff, you need to put in a lot of hard work - and often, you’ll think about the road not taken. And, nostalgic oldtimers might be surprised when I say that the kids of today have it better. I must add - that’s why expect much much more of them, and then get disappointed.
Sharing your stuff is made much easier if someone asks you questions. I remember the old interview meme. I did not remember it just like that. Instead, WordPress told me that I got a new comment.
Now, I am restarting my blogging once more.
DZRH – Dolorosa
- Dolorosa - Thursday June 26, 2008
- For Port 8080 access Click Here
- For MMS access click here
This podcast is made possible by the collaboration between DZRH and Eradioportal a Bitstop media production. Also checkout Taft Tower Dormitories official site hosted by BNShosting.net.
DZRH – May Pangako ang Bukas
- May Pangako ang Bukas - Thursday June 26, 2008
- For Port 8080 access Click Here
- For MMS access click here
This podcast is made possible by the collaboration between DZRH and Eradioportal a Bitstop media production. Also checkout Taft Tower Dormitories official site hosted by BNShosting.net.
DZRH – Hinding hindi ko malilimutan
- Hindng hindi ko malilimutan - Thursday June 26, 2008
- For Port 8080 access Click Here
- For MMS access click here
This podcast is made possible by the collaboration between DZRH and Eradioportal a Bitstop media production. Also checkout Taft Tower Dormitories official site hosted by BNShosting.net.
DWIZ – Karambola
Karambola - Thursday June 26, 2008
Click Here If your ISP is blocking port 8080, try this other link for DWIZ Karambola.
This podcast is made possible by the collaboration between DWIZ and Eradioportal a Bitstop media production. Also checkout Taft Tower Dormitories official site hosted by BNShosting.net.
On coverage of typhoon Frank’s other victims
I got this letter from PJ Gubatina Policarpio in the United States. I agree with points he raised although I also understand the limitations of media.
I’m from Antique, which was also badly hit by typhoon “Frank” but it’s hardly in the news. In our barrio, so many houses near the beach were carried away. Thankfully, no one died. But it’s not the same in other towns. The approach of Sibalom bridge, the longest in the province, was carried away by the floods which makes travel very difficult.
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