Author Archives: Arbet Bernardo

12
Mar

Pitiful, 2 (or Malu Fernandez, again)

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged ,

The subject of a blog post here is at it again. Let me reiterate what I had said then:

As much as I want to react to her ramblings, I cannot. I should say, I will not. Because if I do, this post will turn into the most virulent, and trash-talk filled post ever.

Right now, I pity two people, both of them society columnists who wrote only about who’s rich and who went to what party. They treat those who they feel are inferior to them with disdain and contempt. I pity them because what they write reflects on the shallowness of their minds, the corruptness of their souls, the emptiness of their hearts. I pity them because the more they speak up against their fellow men, the more they lose their humanity.

Just an additional thought: she said this “I’m always a glass half full kinda girl anyway…” My question, madam, is simple: If you are a glass-half-full girl, how come you ranted against your own in that plane on that fateful day? I rest my case, your honor.

—

No, I will not react to it anymore. Let others do so, and the following did more eloquently that I can ever do:

* Malu Fernandez thinks blogging is a slacker job.
* Acerbic Wits Extraordinaire, At It Again!
* Malu Fernandez gunning for Master Link Baiter of the Year
* Malu Fernandez, again
* Looking for Trouble (updated)
* If she was a lolcat
* Jayvee Fernandez on Malu Fernandez’s latest on blogging
* Malu Fernandez and Blogging As A Slacker Job
* Let us eat dinner
* The Problem With Journalists…
* “Thar she blows again!”
* Malu Fernandez, You Attention Whore You
* Ms. Fernandez on blogging
* Malu Fernandez is Back!
* The Problem With The Problem With Blogging…
* Malu Fernandez: I’m Back Y’all!
* Malu Fernandez is at it again
* Malu Fernandez and the problem with blogging
* Malu Fernandez Share’s Her Observations on What’s Wrong With Blogging (sic)
* Journalist Malu Fernandez vs Pinoy Blogger
* Malu Fernandez Strikes Again: “Blogging is a Slacker Job”
* Blogging: A SLACKER JOB according to Malu Fernandez
* Slacker Job?
* ooops! she did it again! malu fernandez redux
* Malu Fernandez on Blogging
* Blogging is a Slacker Job – Malu Fernandez
* Malu Fernandez a “Victim of Vicious Blogging”
* Shame on YOU MALU!
* Malu Fernandez on blogging
* I Tried to Stay Away But I Can’t
* And So She Does It Again
* Open Letter to Malu Fernandez
* Si Malu Fernandez at ang mga napakong pangako ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
* the malu-gma connect
* Malu Fernandez Hits Bloggers
* Joining the Malu Fernandez bandwagon…bakit ba? hehehe

11
Mar

Blogging as an action for a cause

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged , , ,

Siege Malvar asked me several questions about blogging in the context of social causes.

1. Can you tell me about the whole psychology of blogging as an “action” for a cause?

Every blogger has his own reason for blogging. For some, they just want to vent out their strong feelings, you know, ranting. For some, they blog to share information, like when a blogger finishes a PS2 game and shares his experience and tips. Some bloggers want to express their thoughts on matters that are important for them. And there are bloggers who blog to influence others. Some bloggers may be motivated by some or all of these reasons.

Your question fits nicely with the profile of a blogger whose aim is to influence. To influence in this case is to convince the reader that the blogger’s idea/opinion is correct, and to goad the reader into action. So there are two operative phrases: to convince, and to translate that into action. It’s like being a salesman or marketer.

A blogger may not know if he has successfully influenced a reader, enough for the reader to take action.

2. Do you really think it works to “just blog” about stuff? Is it enough to blog?

We can never tell. Again, it depends on why you blog, on what you want to achieve from blogging. We Filipinos are inherently indolent. We also have a keen sense of conscience. The two don’t mix. We all know we have social responsibilities, but not all of us want to exercise that. So we have half-hearted activism. We have armchair analysts. For some, it is enough to just express their thoughts. If that is the case, with some many people wanting Arroyo impeached, how come it doesn’t happen?

No, I don’t think it is enough just to blog about it, but for some of us, that’s the least we could do.

3. Do you think blogging is an effective way to solve the country’s problems, and why?

Blogging is effective if (1) we can convince people that our solution to the country’s problems are correct and (2) we can convince people to act on our solution. Otherwise, blogging is just an academic exercise and not much else.

For example, what if you want to foment a revolution? You need strategists, tacticians, officers, soldiers, and propagandists. The strategist defines the goals of the revolution, the tactician designs missions to reach those goals, officers execute these missions, and soldiers implement them. However, as in any war, the support of non-combatants is necessary, for logistics and military buildup. Here comes the propagandist. His job is to convince the people that the war is a necessary evil, and that volunteers are needed.

Blogging as it is will never be a solution – that idea is simplistic. There should always be action after much deliberation. Blogging is a great tool for presenting information and analysis, and exchanging ideas and opinions. In any problem solving, this interaction, this exchange, is essential, since from this exchange, we can draft plans. The hardest part is always in execution.

11
Mar

gOS/Ubuntu laptops heat up considerably?

Posted by | Categories Byte | Tagged , , ,

One major observation that I can share about gOS/Ubuntu over MSI VR320 K2 is that the laptop generates more heat as compared over the same machine running Windows XP. Sure, under WinXP, it heats up, too, but for laidback use like Web browsing and music, the heat is minimal. It only heats up that much when playing WarCraft III.

However, whenever I use gOS/Ubuntu for Web browsing and music, the heat is more considerable. I am using gOS’ Enlightenment desktop as a matter of preference, so it should not be using the advanced graphics effects of Ubuntu (though I am not sure).

Has anyone experienced the same on Ubuntu-powered portables?

10
Mar

Annoyance of the Week: Cable to the sky of annoyance

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged , ,

There are two reasons why Sky Cable ads annoy me.

One, they keep on plugging their freaking promos and subscription plans, but they also keep on making the fine print – their promos and premium plans do not cover CAMANAVA/Rizal areas. Yeah, I live in Caloocan, and no, I cannot join their promos, nor subscribe to their hideously-priced platinum plan. What a way to lose potential premium customers. Not that I have any plans of paying top buck for sucky channels anyway (even if I could afford it, which I cannot).

And the most annoying thing – they keep inserting their freaking commercials on non-Sky Cable channels. It can be most annoying, specially if they manage to interrupt a program that you are watching. While they only insert ads when the program is on a commercial break, on several occasions their ads were longer than the commercial break.

What annoying things have you experienced with Sky Cable?

10
Mar

For an anti-political narcissism law

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged

In a previous post, I talked about the anti-political dynasty provision of the Constitution and the pending bills for an enabling law. Yes, ten years later, our good lawmakers have yet to enact the law. Maybe those who chose to sit the current situation out may want to make this their advocacy – it may appeal to their “change in our own little way” philosophy.

Anyway, I would like to propose an anti-political narcissism law. Have you been to Caloocan? If you are going to Caloocan via EDSA, descending from the Cloverleaf bridge, you will see a large tarpaulin covering the pedestrian overpass. On the tarpaulin you will see the mayor’s mug shot and several texts. Further along EDSA approaching the Bonifacio monument, the entire pedestrian overpass near Manila Central University is covered by a tarpaulin, carrying words of congratulations to the son’s mayor, who won as national president of the barangay league. On the sidewalks, new lamp posts were installed, topped by the mayor’s pirated smiley.

And that’s just along EDSA. Along Biglang Awa Street (which terminates to EDSA), you can see several streamers of congratulations also. Near our house, the sidewalk has those smileys. On some waiting sheds, you can see tarpaulins carrying – what else? – the mayor’s face.

Go to the city/municipal hall, and you would see the pictures of the president, governor, and mayor in every offices. Imagine, if there are 100 offices in a city hall, that would amount to 300 8R pictures! And look at the goverment cars and ambulances. They carry the names of the incumbent, as if the funds for their acquisition came from the incumbent’s wallet. And don’t forget those billboards saying “Proyekto ni Mayor Kapalmuks” or “Project of Congressman Makapal.” And the canvass tents carrying the politician’s name. And coffee mugs (I am not kidding – I saw a notice of bidding at a certain city’s Web site for 500 coffee mugs).

Aside from the visual pollution that these idiocies bring, imagine the amount of public funds (coming from our taxes, withheld from our hard-earned salaries) being expended just to satisfy the narcissism of our public officials. These are unnecessary expenditures, spent in aid of the incumbent’s re-election bid. It could be spent somewhere else, like an honest-to-Heaven drainage that works, or public markets whose rentals small sidewalk vendors can afford, or for an efficient street lighting system.

This is the rationale for my proposed anti-political narcissism law. This law will disallow the use of public funds to have the name, face, signature, picture of the incumbent (in any form, analog, digital) plastered all over the place. While I know that public works need to be announced via billboards, they should not contain the face of the incumbent, only the name and position of the incumbentonly text like “Project of the City of Caloocan.” This law will cover all government officials (elected or appointed) and employees, including those from government owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs).

One can argue that this is unconstitutional under the Bill of Rights (free speech, anyone), and I will leave that to the courts. I don’t think it is a violation of the Bill of Rights – the law would only prohibit the use of public funds for such narcissistic acts. Politicians can plaster their faces anywhere using their own money – as long as the money is legitimately earned; donations are not allowed.

These forms shall not be allowed:

* Billboards (analog or digital), streamers, tarpaulins, posters, stickers, and the likes
* Web sites
* Publication materials (books, pamphlets, etc)
* Pictures
* Collaterals (coffee mugs, canvas tents, etc)
* TV/radio/print/online ads

Did I miss anything?

7
Mar

Climb every mountain err.. stairs

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged

This happened two years ago, back when I was working at a place whose name is a misnomer. I arrived at the building where I was working a bit late than my usual time (that is, an hour before start of work). A lot of people were standing at the lobby, huddled in groups. Approaching the elevator, I found out why – all the elevators were offline for repairs. The building administrators assured in the memo released the night before that the elevators would be online within a hour.

I wasn’t able to read the memo beforehand, since I worked an every-other-day shift back then. And since it was just 10-20 minutes before shift starts, waiting was not an option. The fact that the office was on the 14th floor meant a long climb.

The climb was testament to my state of health back then. By the 10th floor, I was huffing and puffing, my legs refusing to take another step; there must be some credibility in the mind-over-body philosophy or else I might have given up at that point.

So I got in via the service stairs door. There was an RFID terminal there, so I tapped my card, and entered. I was sweating like a pig, and so I went to the toilet, using a roll of paper towel, and dried myself.

After that, I went to my little kingdom in the office, and surprised to see another officemate, who just arrived. She appeared as if she exerted no effort – she used the elevator.

And to add insult to injury: apparently, the RFID at the service entrance does not log the time when an employee enters. So of course I was “late.”

PS:

Since most buildings in the Philippines do not have a 13th floor, how many floors are there in a 30-story building?

7
Mar

Justice eludes Cris Mendez

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged

Today would have been Cris Anthony Mendez’s 21st birthday. It should have been a happy family occasion, but it was not meant to be. Instead we have a mother and a brother who is still grieving his death, wondering if justice will be served for CA. Instead we have his friends who are still sorry about such a loss.

While his family and friends are thinking of what-ifs, his killers are on the loose, defiantly taunting the law, wickedly evading justice.

He would have taken the UP Law Aptitude Exam. Knowing that life at law school would be tough, he thought that joining a fraternity would help him. Paolo Ante recruited him. He knew that joining has its perils, but he took a risk, assuming that his future brods would be gentle (since there is a law, but criminals regularly disdains the law).

Yet he died. And still, the criminals are free, living a life of a fugitive, perhaps, but still free. And alive.

And while his family and friends are grieving, Sigma Rhoans are acting as if nothing happened. As if taking a life is as easy as snuffing out a lighted cigarette. I wonder what these Rosigs are doing. Probably thinking of recruitment plans.

The Sigma Rho alumni are no different. While some notable alumni had spoken out (and one of them resigned), most stuck it out, reminiscing the good old days in a round of beer or two, reliving the gauntlet and the rumbles.

“To stand by the side of any brother Sigma Rhoan right or wrong,” so states their basic tenet. Too bad for Mendez, he died soon enough, so the cowards of Sigma Rho abandoned him – besides, he is no brother, technically speaking. Anyway, the facts speak for themselves – the killers are on the run, and Rosigs stand by their brothers. That makes them virtual accomplices to the crime. They’d side with the criminals, and not with justice.

Requiescat in pacem, CA.

5
Mar

Depapepe – Pachelbel’s Canon

Posted by | Categories Sound | Tagged ,

Depapepe is a duo of Japanese guitarists Takuya Miura and Yoshinari Takuoka. Almost all of their recorded works are instrumental, using only two acoustic guitars. The video above is their performance of Pachelbel’s Canon – using guitars, of course. This performance is part of their single DEPACLA – Depapepe Plays the Classics. Excluding the outrageous hair, I think they are good performers.

5
Mar

More Filipinos poor in 2006 – Enchanted Kingdom under siege (updated)

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged , ,

This is another blow to the Arroyo regime’s dream of this country having a first-world status by 2010.

The National Statistical Coordination Board (NCSB) has reported that the number of poor families have increased from the period between 2003 and 2006, from 24.4% in 2003 to 26.9%, but lower than that recorded in 2000, at 27.5%. That means 27 out of 100 families are poor, or an increase of 3.8 million poor Filipinos from 2003.

National Economic and Development Authority’s Director General, Augusto Santos (and Romulo Neri’s successor) attributed this increase to “increasing prices and/or insufficient rise in personal income.” Other contributors included the expanded Value-Added Tax (eVAT) imposed in 2005, higher oil prices, typhoons, and a population growth rate of 2%.

(NB: I think this is a good indication of eVAT’s immediate impact on Filipinos.)

Santos also believes that the 7.3% GDP recorded for last year will help alleviate poverty. Uhm. Since 2001, our GDP is increasing (so the Fortress claims), and so thus poverty incidence. It doesn’t add up. My math must be failing me (not that I am good at it).

Lorelei Fajardo, what’s your take on this one? Blame the opposition and destabilizers? Lozada? The Senate?

I remember that series of commercials with the icky tagline “ramdam mo na ba ang pag-asenso?” I wonder what 27.6 million poor Filipinos ha d felt when they saw/heard that commercial (pilosopo: syempre wala kasi di nila napanood/narinig, poor nga eh, di ba?). No wonder they are no longer airing it. (Is it in YouTube?)

—

For the past few days, my mother is complaining that prices of some goods have increased. Have you experienced this? Can you itemize?

And don’t forget to vote at the poll (at the sidebar), in case you haven’t yet.

—

UPDATE:

And add more blows to Gloria Arroyo’s Enchanted Kingdom:

* Peter Wallace tells everyone it is time to face the facts. And this is a strong indictment:

We have an economy today that is skewed to favor a few. The growth is not widespread and is not reaching the bulk of the people. It is an economy that is losing its middle class (it shrank in 2007). One could say that it takes time to reduce the huge inequality that exists, or that the momentum toward that is there. But after six and a half years, surely there should have been some improvement, not a worsening.

* RP poverty up due to weak tax take, corruption – ADB study Despite the eVAT, “corruption undermines tax collection, reduced resources for and quality of infrastructure development.”

4
Mar

MBR rootkit ups the ante

Posted by | Categories Byte | Tagged

The battle against malware has just become a bit harder. Welcome the MBR rootkit!

This new Windows MBR rootkit launches itself very early during the Windows startup process without requiring any registry or file modifications. In fact, it is quite surprising that it’s possible to write to the MBR from within Windows to begin with.

The MBR rootkit — known as “Mebroot” — is very advanced and probably the stealthiest malware we have seen so far. It keeps the amount of system modifications to a minimum and is very challenging to detect from within the infected system.

A rootkit allows a program to be hidden from the user – it is used as a stealth mechanism, to hide from old antivirus applications and plain computer users (like me). But most AV products nowadays can detect rootkits, so rootkits’ usefulness ebbed somewhat. An MBR rootkit changes the game.

A master boot record contains the first code loaded during the computer’s startup process. That means an infected MBR will load the suspect code even before your operating system is loaded. That means your AV product, if not updated, will not be able to find it. That means the rootkit is loaded every time the system is started.

Always update your security software, and be careful in downloading files from the Internet. Also, do not open email attachments, specially coming from untrusted sources.