This blog is a finalist at the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards, News and Media Category.
I have to concede now for the following reasons:
1. This blog is the non-journalist blog among the finalists:
* By Jove!
* Cyberbaguioboy
* Inside PCIJ
* RG Cruz, Observer
2. This blog pales in comparison with the other nominees for the said category.
I am rooting for By Jove! or Inside PCIJ.
Congratulations to the other finalists and good luck!
Google and Yahoo, beware. K-Fed is out to put you out of (the search) business.
With tight integration with FireFox and IE via plugins, this tool will do search and presents
* results with K-Fed’s comments (as if you want to know)
* results being delivered by K-Fed – in rap (prepare to mute your headphones/desktop speakers)
* results with relevant products that K-Fed endorses (if any)
* results with pictures of Britney Spears (bald or with hair)
You have been warned. Get it here. As if you’re interested. And hey, if you want to party with K-Fed on his birthday, better get it fast.
My mom loves watching those telenovelas (TV soap shows) being shown on ABS-CBN. She watches them all time, although she had to contend with (1) the kitchen chores, and with five males in the house, kitchen chores can be a mountain pile; (2) five males who would either want to watch anime or movies; (3) or me who wants to watch the news or play PS2 or GameCube. But having invested in three TVs (back in the late 90s, though the latest one was a hands-me-down by an uncle), numbers 2 and 3 are no longer in contention. It is the first that competes with her TV time.
If there’s one thing that I would get for my mom (and if I have the money, of course), this would be it:
It features
an 8.5-inch widescreen LCD display and can play audio and video from an iPod, DVD, (S)VCD, MP3-CD, CD(RW) and Picture CD. The system also offers a built-in ATSC/NTSC TV tuner, digital AM/FM tuner, two 2-inch speakers, cooking timer and clock, and wireless remote.
With the features like that, I might end up using it, and relegate the old TV to the kitchen, he he.
An interesting case.
Questions:
1. Do students surrender their rights when they are at school?
2. On what grounds can the school exercise censorship? Should censorship be allowed?
John Marzan and I are currently thinking of setting up an unofficial GO Web site. John rues the lack of official Web sites for both GO and TU. He suggests (for GO) to create one.
And since GO is unlikely not to bother with one, why not an unofficial one?
So, content is not a problem, as John is much willing to contribute. So here are the problems:
1. Platform – I have tried creating a blog on WordPress.com using my login there. I already own a blog there, and they say you can create one. Which I did. Unfortunately I cannot access the Dashboard for the newly-created blog. (Or it seems it might take some time.) One option is to host it here. Which leads to problem # 2.
2. Bandwidth – That’s not a problem with WordPress.com, but a problem here.
3. Design – Either on Blogger or WordPress.com, we have to select a theme that will be snazzy but not that flashy.
4. Domain name – Who will donate one? Only Php600 for .com, good for one year.
Will update this when new things happen.
If you are an IT admin, read this post by Richard Bejtlich on incident response. Helpful in case your network/system is attacked. Just a reminder: enforce your security rules always. All it takes is a vulnerable laptop connecting to your network. Or an employee downloading a suspicious file attached to an email.
Trend Micro spells out how Windows’ StickeyKeys can be a potential attack vector. The mitigation method outlined in the post will work, but how about those who use StickeyKeys? Another disadvantage of signature-based detection.
Speaking of Trend Micro, iDefense has reported a vulnerability in the Trend Micro scan engine. When exploited, it causes the operating system to crash. Trend Micro has issued a response here. Trend Micro users are advised to update their scan pattern to at least version 4.335.00.
When I was still teaching, I remarked to my boss (the school director), “How come people get to be idiots when they are promoted to boss positions?” Nope, I was not pertaining to my boss, who is one of the brilliant persons I know. It’s just that in the school system where I taught, I encountered a lot of people who were great when they were peons, but became idiots when they were promoted. Eaten by the system, I guess.
So imagine when I had read this headline:
“If You’re Going To Steal Software, Steal From Us: Microsoft Exec”
Shiver me timbers!
Apparently, this is a marketing strategy to expose individuals to MS products and lead them to buy originals. Makes sense. A bit.
But, add the MS Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool, and it really makes sense. You know, “pirate us and we’ll know, so settle or else.” That nifty spyware will bring lots of cash for MS so it is OK for them to “encourage” piracy. Neat.
Wait. WGA is spyware? Just peruse this Google search and judge for yourself.
I don’t know where in the space-time continuum is Bill Esposo. Maybe he was affected by the early DST imposed in the US.
His column today advises the opposition to change its campaign strategy. Fast. His thesis is that using Estrada as an emblem/flag/standard of the opposition is wrong, divisive, and drive the opposition to defeat.
Isn’t the replacement of the campaign manager a signal of a shift in strategy? Or is Esposo still thinking that JV Ejercito is still the manager (well, he is, but will be replaced by Serge Osmeña soon)?
Hasn’t he heard Serge said in an interview that the campaign will concentrate on boosting Sonia Roco and Nikki Coseteng’s rankings? That the campaign will concentrate on places where the opposition is weak?
His defense of Francis Pangilinan is noteworthy for being a non-issue. He rued the opposition’s seemingly ganging up on Pangilinan. If it is a non-issue, how come Esposo is still hitting the opposition because of that?
Anyway, his other points are logical and the opposition should pursue those talking points.
Speaking of Serge Osmeña, Babes Romualdez is happy that the debate being organized by pro-status quo businessmen will push through tomorrow, and called Osmeña Dr. No. He he.
And like every other ivory tower columnists, he looks down on a Plaza Miranda-type debate with these words:
Those who still insist on holding the debate at a public place like Plaza Miranda will just have to wait until somebody comes up with the bright idea to produce something like a Philippine Political Idol contest, where the candidates can sing and dance on stage so people can choose their Top 12 by texting or phoning in their choices. We can even throw in Boy Abunda as host to add the personality that would make the show complete.
His opinion is most probably shared by businessmen all over the country.
And his final words on the topic is plain wrong:
The opposition can continue with plans for another impeachment attempt if they so decide, but I really wish they would also realize that the country will not be able to move forward if we continue to keep dragging all the heavy baggage of the past. The time to move on has come, and hopefully the coming elections will be an opportunity for everyone to forge an even better future for this country – and this “great debate” is a step towards that direction.
Those who don’t learn their history are bound to repeat it, so goes a cliche. Move on, huh? Mr. Romualdez, tell that to those people whose relatives “just” died. Tell that to those who trusted your president for six years and yet to experience what you and your ilk have been experiencing. Tell that to Gloria’s street sweepers, who are being paid way below the minimum wage – the minimum wage that you and your ilk wants to remain that way, minimum.
The concept of justice is really alien to a lot of people in this country, I’m afraid.
Speaking of learning from history, here’s a scary news story: Champagne corks pop in Manila in echo of Marcos era. The ending part is what scares me:
“There is this mindset, which I think is so passe, that says: “The country is in shambles and the country is having a hard time and you are out there partying”.
But this generation is guiltless when it comes to that.”
This generation will have to learn history the hard way.
Surprised that this blog was nominated at the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards under the Socio-Political category.
Wow.
I am still in shock, and to whoever nominated this blog, thanks. Just the same, just looking at the nominees is enough for me to concede defeat. It is a great honor to be nominated together with the other great blogs, and that is enough for me.
Congratulations to the other nominees!
(Basically a copy-paste work from here.)
Via Technology at Hand (thanks for the heads-up), I found out that this blog was nominated at the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards under the Technology category.
Wow.
I am still in shock, and to whoever nominated this blog, thanks. Just the same, just looking at the nominees is enough for me to concede defeat. It is a great honor to be nominated together with the other great blogs, and that is enough for me.
Congratulations to the other nominees!