Jojo Paderes

Baloney Detection Kit

2012-01-30T01:17:00.003+08:00

People tend to believe in a variety of things, to be credulous and just accept stuff that appeals to their emotions and biases at face value. So is there something wrong with being a believer of something? Yes there is if we don't think critically about these things.

Carl Sagan, one of my favorite astronomer, science writer and popularizer, succinctly summed up with the following quotes why we humans are susceptible to believe just about anything:

“You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep seated need to believe”

"Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves."

In his New York Times best seller book "Demon-Haunted World", Carl Sagan provided the fine art of critical thinking and skepticism that people can use to tell if a claim is authentic or just deception and baloney. One of the best chapters in the book is entitled "The Fine Art of Baloney Detection" where Carl Sagan laid down the fundamentals of critical thinking and skepticism. It's an excellent jump start guide for anyone willing to arm themselves with the tools on detecting pseudoscience and other false claims. Unfortunately, the book is rare in the local bookstores here in the Philippines. I was fortunate to have bought the book at Fully Booked at Greenbelt 5. Personally I find it sad that such book like the Demon-Haunted World is not so much a common book that you can find in bookstores here in the Philippines.

Michael Shermer, a well known science writer and skeptic, offered an extension of the baloney detection kit based on Carl Sagan's original version. It's also a good reference and I highly recommend people to watch the YouTube video below:

From the video, Michael Shermer discussed 10 questions that should be ask to verify certain claims:

1. How reliable is the source of the claim?
2. Does the source make similar claims?
3. Have the claims been verified by somebody else?
4. Does this fit with the way the world works?
5. Has anyone tried to disprove the claim?
6. Where does the preponderance of evidence point?
7. Is the claimant playing by the rules of science?
8. Is the claimant providing positive evidence?
9. Does the new theory account for as many phenomena as the old theory?
10. Are personal beliefs driving the claim?

So if you're someone who believes on the stories from these books:

think critically and apply the baloney detection kit. You may realize that you're just wasting your money on these junk books.

Earthlings

2011-10-09T20:23:00.002+08:00

What do Racism, Sexism and Speciesism have in common?

EARTHLINGS is the single most powerful and informative documentary about society's tragic and unforgivable use of nonhuman animals, narrated by Joaquin Phoenix with soundtrack by Moby. Directed by Shaun Monson, this multi-award winning film by Nation Earth is a must-see for anyone who cares about nonhuman animals or wishes to make the world a better place.

http://www.earthlings.com

What really motivates us

2011-08-03T01:04:00.001+08:00

It's all about autonomy, mastery and purpose. Money is not really a good motivator. Surprised?

Stop CBCP politicking now!

2010-01-23T20:16:00.002+08:00

It is time now for Filipinos to put a stop to religious groups meddling on political and secular affairs of the government! The Filipino people must choose their leaders based on merits, capabilities, competence and secular development programs on what is best for the masses.

This article is taken from the Rational Hero website. I'm posting it here to spread the word.

Stop CBCP politicking now!

The CBCP is registered as a religious organization.

It is a misconception to think that any organization that participates in religious activities is automatically classified as a religious organization. A religious organization is actually a type of non-stock corporation. A religious group must apply for religious organization status with the SEC and BIR.

To register as a religious organization, an organization must participate exclusively in activities with the following nature:

religious
charitable
educational

This condition must be met to qualify as a religious organization and receive tax-exempt status from the BIR.

Participating in partisan politics is a political activity — not a religious, charitable, or educational activity. If a religious organization participates in a political activity, it no longer meets the condition above, and is disqualified from being registered as a religious organization.

It also loses its conditionally-given tax-exempt status.

By actively campaigning against pro-RH candidates, the CBCP is participating in partisan politics, which is a political activity. This disqualifies them from their previous classification as a religious organization. This also disqualifies them from receiving tax-exempt status.

Therefore, the SEC should revoke CBCP’s status as a religious organization, and the BIR should remove the CBCP’s tax-exempt status.

If the CBCP ceases to be a religious organization and loses its tax-exempt status, it may campaign against pro-RH candidates all it wants. It may even run as a party-list candidate.

But they should not be allowed to participate in political activities and receive tax benefits at the same time.

Yet they have been doing so for a very long time, and they will continue to do so until somebody stops them. Ideally, our politicians should, but they are too busy and too scared. Meanwhile, the CBCP continues its political meddling while enjoying tax-exempt status.

When elections are over and our politicians finally have time — not to mention guts, for they can finally stop worrying about the Catholic vote — it will be too late. The CBCP will already have done its damage.

The CBCP may not be able to influence the voters, but they can certainly influence the politicians.

Traditional media helps, but it is not enough, because they, too, are afraid of the CBCP. Some are willing to take a stand, but they are in the minority. Yet with the power of new media, there is something you can do:

Learn more about how the CBCP is violating our constitution.
Spread the message through your social networks.
Speak out against the CBCP’s political meddling.

Let’s not allow the CBCP to violate our constitution and make cowards of our politicians any longer. Keep the church out of politics and politics out of the church!

Preserving & Cherishing the Earth: An Appeal for Joint Commitment in Science & Religion

2009-09-29T11:04:00.002+08:00

The recent tragedy of the Ondoy rampage at my country, which is perhaps a sign of the consequences man has made to his/her environment, reminded me of this joint commitment spearheaded by Carl Sagan, to unite leaders from the scientific and religious groups to face a common enemy. Carl Sagan believed that despite of the fundamental differences between science and religion, it is still possible to unite these groups and work on a common goal which is to preserve our species and our place in the universe.

It's is tragic also that despite of these efforts on consolidating global effort to fix the problem we all have made, there are no significant progress. We are still occupied with our short-term goals and narrowed-mindedness on how we are all in this problem together, whether rich or poor, atheist or religious.

Below are texts take from the website http://earthrenewal.org/Open_letter_to_the_religious_.htm

"The earth was entrusted to man by God so that he would cultivate and safeguard it. When this principle is forgotten, [and men] become tyrants instead of custodians of nature, sooner or later the latter will rebel." - Pope John Paul II, Vatican City, celebrating the farmers' Jubilee, November 12, 2000.

Over a decade ago, the late Dr. Carl Sagan spearheaded a joint appeal to the religious and scientific communities for environmental action on behalf of mankind. It was signed by thirty-two Nobel laureate and other scientists. The open letter/appeal was presented on January 1990 to the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders Conference in Moscow, Russia.

Two hundred and seventy-one well-known spiritual leaders from eighty-three countries - patriarchs, lamas, chief rabbis, cardinals, mullahs, archbishops, professors of theology - signed the appeal. See Also: Forum on Religious and Ecology Statements, Religious Witness for the Earth, Target Earth, Web of Creation & The National Religious Partnership for the Environment.

Yet despite the appeal's widespread support, little if any progress has been made on the issues it raises- over a decade since its' signature.

---

"The Earth is the birthplace of our species and, as far as we know, our only home. When our numbers were small and our technology feeble, we were powerless to influence the environment of our world. But today, suddenly, almost without anyone's noticing, our numbers have become immense and our technology has achieved vast, even awesome, powers. Intentionally or inadvertently, we are now able to make devastating changes in the global environment an environment to which we and all other beings with which we share the Earth are meticulously and exquisitely adapted.

We are now threatened by self-inflicted, swiftly moving environmental alterations about whose long-term biological and ecological consequences we are still painfully ignorant: depletion of the protective ozone layer; a global warming unprecedented in the last 150 millennia; the obliteration of an acre of forest every second; the rapid-fire extinction of species; and the prospect of a global nuclear war which would put at risk most of the population of the Earth. There may well be other such dangers of which we are still unaware. Individually and cumulatively, they represent a trap being set for the human species, a trap we are setting for ourselves. However principled and lofty (or naive and shortsighted) the justifications may have been for the activities that brought forth these dangers, separately and taken together they now imperil our species and many others. We are close to committing- many would argue we are already committing- what in religious language is sometimes called Crimes against Creation.

By their very nature these assaults on the environment were not caused by any one political group or any one generation. Intrinsically, they are transnational, transgenerational and transideological. So are all conceivable solutions. To escape these traps requires a perspective that embraces the peoples of the planet and all the generations yet to come.

Problems of such magnitude, and solutions demanding so broad a perspective, must be recognized from the outset as having a religious as well as a scientific dimension. Mindful of our common responsibility, we scientists, many of us long engaged in combating the environmental crisis, urgently appeal to the world religious community to commit, in word and deed, and as boldly as is required, to preserve the environment of the Earth.

Some of the short-term mitigations of these dangers such as greater energy efficiency, rapid banning of chlorofluorocarbons or modest reductions in nuclear arsenals are comparatively easy and at some level are already underway. But other, more far-reaching, long-term, and effective approaches will encounter widespread inertia, denial and resistance. In this category are conversion from fossil fuels to a nonpolluting energy economy, a continuing swift reversal of the nuclear arms race, and a voluntary halt to world population growth without which many other approaches to preserve the environment will be nullified.

As with issues of peace, human rights and social justice, religious institutions can be a strong force here, too, in encouraging national and international initiatives in both the private and public sectors, and in the diverse worlds of commerce, education, culture and mass communications.

The environmental crisis requires radical changes not only in public policy, but also in individual behavior. The historical record makes clear that religious teaching, example and leadership are able to influence personal conduct and commitment powerfully.

As scientists, many of us have had profound experiences of awe and reverence before the universe. We understand that what is regarded as sacred is more likely to be treated with care and respect. Our planetary home should be so regarded. Efforts to safeguard and cherish the environment need to be infused with a vision of the sacred. At the same time, a much wider and deeper understanding of science and technology is needed. If we do not understand the problem, it is unlikely we will be able to fix it. Thus, there is a vital role for both religion and science.

We know that the well-being of our planetary environment is already a source of profound concern in your councils and congregations. We hope this appeal will encourage a spirit of common cause and joint action to help preserve the Earth."

Earth Hour, March 28, 2009 Saturday, 8:30PM

2009-03-14T18:30:00.000+08:00

In support for our most precious heritage, our planet, Earth.

Pearl Jam announces reissue of band's debut album, TEN!

2009-01-06T19:03:00.000+08:00

A must for Pearl Jam and grunge rock fans! I have always wanted to have a copy of their 1992 MTV unplugged gig. Finally, they're going to release it!

https://www.pearljam.com/news/pearl-jam-announces-reissue-band’s-debut-album-ten

PEARL JAM ANNOUNCES THE REISSUE OF BAND’S DEBUT ALBUM, TEN:

FOUR SPECIAL EDITION PACKAGES IN STORES MARCH 24, 2009

TEN CLUB PRE-SALE OF SUPER DELUXE BOX SET BEGINS NOW

Album extras include:

Remaster of original Ten album + remix by producer Brendan O’Brien •

DVD of previously unreleased 1992 Pearl Jam MTV Unplugged performance with 5.1 surround sound audio remix • LP of the band’s 1992 “Drop in the Park” concert • Replica of Pearl Jam three-song demo cassette with Eddie Vedder’s original vocal dubs • Recreation of Eddie Vedder composition notebook • Never before seen memorabilia • Bonus tracks and more.

Fight Fire With Fire in Cello

2008-12-17T16:38:00.000+08:00

Metallica's trash metal classic played by cellists!

The Matrix Runs on Windows

2008-12-13T04:11:00.000+08:00

Take the red pill. Get the blue screen.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Jira Personal License for Free!

2008-10-16T16:41:00.000+08:00

At last! Atlassian is now providing free personal licenses for Jira!

http://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRA-10393

Sesame Street Metal

2008-10-08T18:07:00.000+08:00

These are the pioneers of death metal and grindcore heh

Resource Based Economy

2008-10-05T19:23:00.001+08:00

Too good to be true! I learned about this website from the Zeitgeist movie.

http://www.thevenusproject.com/resource_eco.htm

A Resource-Based Economy is a system in which all goods and services are available without the use of money, credits, barter or any other system of debt or servitude. All resources become the common heritage of all of the inhabitants, not just a select few. The premise upon which this system is based is that the Earth is abundant with plentiful resource; our practice of rationing resources through monetary methods is irrelevant and counter productive to our survival.

Modern society has access to highly advanced technology and can make available food, clothing, housing and medical care; update our educational system; and develop a limitless supply of renewable, non-contaminating energy. By supplying an efficiently designed economy, everyone can enjoy a very high standard of living with all of the amenities of a high technological society.

A resource-based economy would utilize existing resources from the land and sea, physical equipment, industrial plants, etc. to enhance the lives of the total population. In an economy based on resources rather than money, we could easily produce all of the necessities of life and provide a high standard of living for all.

Consider the following examples: At the beginning of World War II the US had a mere 600 or so first-class fighting aircraft. We rapidly overcame this short supply by turning out more than 90,000 planes a year. The question at the start of World War II was: Do we have enough funds to produce the required implements of war? The answer was No, we did not have enough money, nor did we have enough gold; but we did have more than enough resources. It was the available resources that enabled the US to achieve the high production and efficiency required to win the war. Unfortunately this is only considered in times of war.

In a resource-based economy all of the world's resources are held as the common heritage of all of Earth's people, thus eventually outgrowing the need for the artificial boundaries that separate people. This is the unifying imperative.

We must emphasize that this approach to global governance has nothing whatever in common with the present aims of an elite to form a world government with themselves and large corporations at the helm, and the vast majority of the world's population subservient to them. Our vision of globalization empowers each and every person on the planet to be the best they can be, not to live in abject subjugation to a corporate governing body.

Our proposals would not only add to the well being of people, but they would also provide the necessary information that would enable them to participate in any area of their competence. The measure of success would be based on the fulfillment of one's individual pursuits rather than the acquisition of wealth, property and power.

At present, we have enough material resources to provide a very high standard of living for all of Earth's inhabitants. Only when population exceeds the carrying capacity of the land do many problems such as greed, crime and violence emerge. By overcoming scarcity, most of the crimes and even the prisons of today's society would no longer be necessary.

A resource-based world economy would also involve all-out efforts to develop new, clean, and renewable sources of energy: geothermal; controlled fusion; solar; photovoltaic; wind, wave, and tidal power; and even fuel from the oceans. We would eventually be able to have energy in unlimited quantity that could propel civilization for thousands of years. A resource-based economy must also be committed to the redesign of our cities, transportation systems, and industrial plants, allowing them to be energy efficient, clean, and conveniently serve the needs of all people.

What else would a resource-based economy mean? Technology intelligently and efficiently applied, conserves energy, reduces waste, and provides more leisure time. With automated inventory on a global scale, we can maintain a balance between production and distribution. Only nutritious and healthy food would be available and planned obsolescence would be unnecessary and non-existent in a resource-based economy.

As we outgrow the need for professions based on the monetary system, for instance lawyers, bankers, insurance agents, marketing and advertising personnel, salespersons, and stockbrokers, a considerable amount of waste will be eliminated. Considerable amounts of energy would also be saved by eliminating the duplication of competitive products such as tools, eating utensils, pots, pans and vacuum cleaners. Choice is good. But instead of hundreds of different manufacturing plants and all the paperwork and personnel required to turn out similar products, only a few of the highest quality would be needed to serve the entire population. Our only shortage is the lack of creative thought and intelligence in ourselves and our elected leaders to solve these problems. The most valuable, untapped resource today is human ingenuity.

With the elimination of debt, the fear of losing one's job will no longer be a threat. This assurance, combined with education on how to relate to one another in a much more meaningful way, could considerably reduce both mental and physical stress and leave us free to explore and develop our abilities.

If the thought of eliminating money still troubles you, consider this: If a group of people with gold, diamonds and money were stranded on an island that had no resources such as food, clean air and water, their wealth would be irrelevant to their survival. It is only when resources are scarce that money can be used to control their distribution. One could not, for example, sell the air we breathe or water abundantly flowing down from a mountain stream. Although air and water are valuable, in abundance they cannot be sold.

Money is only important in a society when certain resources for survival must be rationed and the people accept money as an exchange medium for the scarce resources. Money is a social convention, an agreement if you will. It is neither a natural resource nor does it represent one. It is not necessary for survival unless we have been conditioned to accept it as such.

Gojira - Environmental Metal

2008-09-19T00:13:00.003+08:00

My new found favorite, Gojira. Hailing from Bayone France, these guys can combine death, progressive and trash metal disciplines into one harmonious noise. Their lyrics mostly deal with nature and spiritualism.

Now let's hear their live version of "The Heaviest Matter of the Universe" from their 2005 album "From Mars to Sirius". Long live heavy metal!

Their new album "The Way of All Flesh" will be out on October.

The Dillinger Escape Plan "Milk Lizard"

2008-09-17T20:18:00.000+08:00

Mathcore, technical hardcore, progressive metalcore, algebra metal, whatever. TDEP's music is for the intellectual metalheads and who hates pop music. From their critically acclaimed album "Ire Works", here's a video of Milk Lizard. I can't wait to watch these guys perform live.

Alice in Chains readying first album after 13 years!

2008-09-14T19:20:00.000+08:00

Hell yeah! One of my favorite Seattle grunge bands Alice In Chains are on the works with their latest album after 13 years. New vocalist William DuVall will be an interesting addition to the group. More story from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAwH3bxHWw0

And here's one sample how the new Alice in Chain sound would be like with William DuVall

Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden

2008-09-13T19:32:00.000+08:00

2008 will be another great year for Metal, same as with 2007 were a lot of legendary metal bands unleashed their power with new materials. While doing my weekly updates on the metal scene, I came across with this tribute album for Iron Maiden - Maiden Heaven.

From Wikipedia, "Maiden Heaven is a tribute album to the heavy metal band Iron Maiden that was released on the 16th of July, as a free gift with Kerrang!Issue 1219". Highly respected metal bands like Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, Dream Theater and Machine Head contributed their own version of Iron Maiden's timeless metal songs.

Here's the track list in the album:

"Prowler" (Black Tide)
"Remember Tomorrow" (Metallica)
"Flash of the Blade" (Avenged Sevenfold)
"2 Minutes to Midnight" (Glamour of the Kill)
"The Trooper" (Coheed and Cambria)
"Wasted Years" (DevilDriver)
"Run to the Hills" (Sign)
"To Tame a Land" (Dream Theater)
"Caught Somewhere in Time" (Madina Lake)
"Wrathchild" (Gallows)
"Fear of the Dark" (Fightstar)
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" (Machine Head)
"Iron Maiden" (Trivium)
"Running Free" (Year Long Disaster)
"Brave New World" (Ghostlines)

Randy Pausch reprising his "Last Lecture"

2008-09-04T21:04:00.000+08:00

The Human Calendar

2008-04-26T04:15:00.000+08:00

New 7 Wonders - Cast Your Vote!

2008-04-25T18:30:00.001+08:00

Boto na! Suportahan ang sariling atin :)

Tubbataha Reef
http://www.tubbatahareef.org
http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/nominees/asia/c/TubbatahaReefReef/

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/nominees/asia/c/PuertoPrincesa/

The Mac Owners' Conceit

2008-04-20T09:18:00.003+08:00

Are you self-centered, arrogant or conceited? Do you have a strong need for recognition? You must have a Mac.

http://www.thestreet.com/video/10404600/index.html#10404600

Reminds me of the high-consumption but low net worth folks being described from The Millionaire Next Door. One can easily identify these UAW types. Usually they brag about their status symbols by posting pictures and blogs at social network sites. It could be their cars, gadgets or their lifestyles.

Up Dharma Down live at Mosaic Music Festival, Singapore, March 13!

2008-03-10T18:25:00.000+08:00

Another exciting week here at Singapore! Up Dharma Down, one of my favorite Pinoy indie bands, will be playing at the Mosaic Music Festival here at Singapore on March 13. Venue is at Stage@Powerhouse. More details at this link.

Imago, another Pinoy rock band, also played at the festival yesterday. Too bad I missed it.

The inevitable collapse of the dollar

2007-11-06T19:56:00.000+08:00

It's a good time to go shopping at the USA...

Summary:
Americans are living beyond their means and Asia is currently financing that. But eventually the Asians/Europeans will stop financing the USA and then the bubble will burst...

Apparently, the "Asian Development Bank was reported last March 28 2006 to have issued a memo, advising members to be ready for a collapse of the US dollar." More info from this article.

Exiles, All of Us by David C. Martinez

2007-10-24T18:34:00.000+08:00

For those who are planning to work and live abroad, or migrate to another country for better opportunities, here's a story by David C. Martinez that will make you think twice.

Exiles, All of Us
By David C. Martinez
INQUIRER.net

Link to article.

Six weeks after the imposition of martial law in September, 1972 I left the country through its “back door” for Sabah in Malaysia. A year and a half later my wife and two young sons, 3 and 2, rejoined me in Japan. Our next stop, courtesy of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees’ assistance, was the U.S., where we resettled.

The day Marcos fell from power I began to make arrangements to quit my job, sell our home in Los Angeles, California, pay off our debts, and prepare for our return. Our long-awaited return – this was the sole, unspoken premise of our life abroad. Dictatorial rule had made it imperative for me to leave, and now it was gone. It was time to go home.

And there was something else. We had nothing more, nor did we want or require anything more than refugee status in America. And now the basis for that privilege was gone.

But something was astir. In the days that followed, unless spoken to, none of our three children [we had a daughter born to us in 1976] spoke to me, and neither did Rose, my wife. “What are we doing, Dad?” my eldest son, then 15, finally asked during dinner. His siblings, along with their mother, mirrored the question in their anxious eyes. “We’re going home,” I said.

I had always deemed myself smart. Indeed, I often thought I was super-smart. But what my son said next shattered that fragile illusion. “Your home, Dad, or ours? We grew up here, our friends are here. We have no memory of the Philippines. This is home.”

He was right, of course. They were all right. And they outvoted me – a proud and firm believer in majority rule – four to one. It was among the most bitterly agonizing decisions I had ever needed to make. For Rose it was fairly simple: her children’s home was hers. For me it meant saying goodbye to whatever dreams I had about helping rebuild the country hands on. To a political future. To returning for good to the soil of my birth.

But the pain, however deeply devastating, didn’t last very long. I simply couldn’t let it. There was family to help look after, futures to help ensure. It’s a decision I’ve never learned to regret.

Jerry E. had his wife and six children in mind too when he first came to the U.S. as a tourist in 1977 and rented a room in a house next door to mine. With the help of an attorney he divorced his wife and, with the help of a cousin, married an American divorcee. By the mid-80s he had become a U.S. citizen and successfully petitioned all his children. And his wife – or rather, ex-wife – in the Philippines was preparing to come, having been sponsored by a prospective employer.

All had gone as planned - except for one thing. He and his second wife – although their relationship had started out as an “arranged marriage,” had had a child. It seems their business arrangement had become something much more. He was torn between keeping and leaving his new family. But there was the baby to think of. Or so he said.

Fast forward to the early ’90s - Jerry’s ex-wife had finally come to the U.S. and was in the process of becoming a permanent resident. Feeling unpardonably betrayed, she refused to speak to Jerry, even when he was in the hospital after a serious car accident. Neither did any of their children, save for the youngest.

The last time I saw him was 15, 16 years ago. I ran into him in downtown Los Angeles and he invited me for a beer. One for me and half a dozen for him, as it turned out. By his third mug he was already crying. A grown man crying - in a public place. A policeman in Ilocos Sur before he left the homeland, he said he knew that but for a minor miracle he wouldn’t be able to provide for his family decently.

Learning as much as he could from friends and relatives in the U.S. he had made his plans meticulously. And they necessarily included, ultimately, reunion with his wife. But something happened. A baby happened. “How I wish there were two of me -” he said, “one to return to my wife, the other to be a father to my new kid. I chose the latter, as you know, and now my wife and other children detest me.” He was quivering as he spoke, and all I could do was offer words of consolation. “But for me, none of them would be here, you know,” he said. “And yet none of them, except for the youngest, can forgive me.”

Save for the youngest, Jerry had become an outcast to his original family - an exile.

Ron D. is a distant cousin of my wife. For decades a consul for the government, he spent decades abroad in as many as seven countries, finally resettling in southern California upon his retirement. He had been petitioned by a brother. One more time, over a drink, a friend opened his heart to me. [There may be some truth to the adage which teaches that for some of us truth flies out the window when alcohol enters the doorway.]

“I was able to send my kids to the best schools in the Philippines” he said, “because I earned enough to do that. I even sent one to Singapore.” Now, along with his wife, they had all rejoined him in the U.S. as immigrants. “The thing though is that I was fortunate to see them for a month or so every year. Some years it just wasn’t possible. Now it’s true I’m with them once again, but they hardly know me. Sometimes I feel that they’re total strangers, and I’m sure they feel the same way. I simply wasn’t there for their youth.”

Count Ron as one more exile.

Perhaps we’re exiles, all of us. Every time we open a new chapter in our lives - or new chapters are opened for us. Every time, voluntarily or otherwise, we move on. Each time we make a major decision, rightly or wrongly. It’s the immutable result of cause and consequence.

Needless to say we all ought to try to do the right things and make the right decisions. Or at the very least choose what for lack of better words we call the lesser evil. But we can’t foresee every single contingency. And we do, we do make mistakes. Some of which are pardoned, some not. When they’re pardoned, we’re blessed. When they’re not, we can’t let the pain, however devastatingly deep, consume us. We’ll need to make the best we can given what we have, which is to say to give the most of ourselves and want the least. In the end, if we’re to live out our imperfect lives with any meaning, we can’t be exiles from ourselves.

Pinoy Inmates Doing The "Thriller" Dance

2007-07-29T22:00:00.000+08:00

Amazing! I'm impressed how these inmates performed the "Thriller" dance!

This video reminds me of those field demonstration activities during my elementary and highschools days. They pulled it off really good!

And it's on the news at BBC! Philippine jailhouse rocks to Thriller

Why I Quit: Linux Kernel Developer Con Kolivas

2007-07-25T23:58:00.000+08:00

I'm giving up using Linux as my primary desktop OS. Productivity and usability features are still far behind compared to Windows and Mac OSX (I'm going to miss ALSA and Amarok a lot, sniff). Forget about advocacy, what is more important IMHO is getting the OS out of the way and do things that really matters most for the typical desktop user, that is, getting things done.

http://apcmag.com/6735/interview_con_kolivas

Excerpts:

Linux is burdened with "enterprise crap" that makes it run poorly on desktop PCs, says kernel developer Con Kolivas who recently walked away from years of work on the kernel in frustration.

"I guess you can say the CPU scheduler is a steamroller that we as desktop users use to crack nuts with, and they didn't want us to build a nutcracker into the kernel."

"If there is any one big problem with kernel development and Linux it is the complete disconnection of the development process from normal users. You know, the ones who constitute 99.9% of the Linux user
base."

"The Linux kernel mailing list is the way to communicate with the kernel developers. To put it mildly, the Linux kernel mailing list (lkml) is about as scary a communication forum as they come. Most people are absolutely terrified of mailing the list lest they get flamed for their inexperience, an inappropriate bug report, being stupid or whatever. And for the most part they're absolutely right. There is no friendly way to communicate normal users' issues that are kernel related. Yes of course the kernel developers are fun loving,
happy-go-lucky friendly people. Just look at any interview with Linus and see how he views himself."

"I think the kernel developers at large haven't got the faintest idea just how big the problems in userspace are. It is a very small brave minority that are happy to post to lkml, and I keep getting users telling me on IRC, in person, and via my own mailing list, what their problems are. And they've even become fearful of me, even though I've never viewed myself as a real kernel developer."

Saksi: Filipinos most stressed out in Asia, says survey

2007-07-14T12:49:00.000+08:00

Workplace, more than 8 hours of work (including weekends) and insufficient income are the top-most stress contributors for fellow Pinoys in the Philippines. I'm not surprised.

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Fete de la Musique 2007 @Manila, Philippines June 23, 2007

2007-06-18T01:18:00.000+08:00

Here's a scanned copy of the poster from Pulp which I found from PinoyRock Yahoo Groups.

Too bad I won't be able to see this year's Fete since I'm here at Singapore...

Five Steps to a Kinkless Desktop

2007-06-06T01:35:00.000+08:00

Link to article.

Some of the tips listed in the article are applicable also on my favorite desktop operating system Ubuntu. But then again I might as well buy the iMac 20" and get all those 5 kinkless desktop tips to work!

How to Kill a Great Idea! The Jologs Killed Friendster

2007-06-06T01:32:00.000+08:00

Link to article.

So it seems that the Filipinos caused the business failure for Friendster :))

Excerpt:

Meanwhile, scant attention was paid to Friendster's users. Lunt remembers marveling sometime in early 2004 at how Friendster's traffic would mysteriously spike at 2 a.m. Intrigued, he started looking at the site's log. Oh, my God, he thought, everyone is from the Philippines. He worked backwards, looking for "patient zero"--the first American to "Friendster" a Filipino. He found Carmen Leilani De Jesus, a 32-year-old marketing consultant and part-time hypnotherapist from San Francisco, the 91st person to join Friendster. She was directly connected to Abrams as well as to dozens of Filipinos, who'd in turn connected to thousands more. In fact, more than half the site's traffic was coming from Southeast Asia.

From a business standpoint, the revelation was devastating. Friendster, it turned out, was paying millions of dollars a year to attract eyeballs that were effectively worthless to its advertisers. Says Abrams: "We needed to make a tough decision"--either spin off the Asian business or become the No. 1 Filipino social network. But because the Filipino users had come by way of their American friends, there was no easy answer. If Friendster cut the cord to Asia--either by drastically cutting back on engineering resources or by kicking the Asian users off the site altogether--it risked damaging its American user base. The Carmens of the world might look for a less restrictive site.

Philippines: Hunger Still A Record High at 19%

2007-04-01T10:56:00.000+08:00

One of the reasons we Filipinos (especially OFWs and migrants enjoying financial stability abroad) should be philanthropists and help charity institutions in the Philippines on fighting hunger.

Link to PCIJ.org blog post

MILLIONS of Filipino families are still experiencing hunger, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) reported in its latest survey.

In the First Quarter 2007 Social Weather Survey, SWS reported that the percentage of families who experienced "involuntary hunger" at least once in the past three months stayed at a record-high of 19.0 percent, or an estimated 3.4 million households.

SWS said hunger has been at double-digits since June 2004 (see table). The record-high incidence of household hunger at 19 percent was first seen in November 2006.

Radioactive Sago Project released their latest album. I watched their album launching held at Saguijo last February. Good album I would say, and an album title that will really catch your attention :-)

The Wild Swans To Release New Album This April 2007

2007-03-18T01:12:00.000+08:00

The Wild Swans, one of my favorite 80's band from Liverpool, England, will be releasing a new album entitled "Magnitude" this coming April 2007. Paul Simpson made the announcement at his MySpace blog site.

We will be bringing home the ashes again :-)

Cost Of Living at Metro Manila, Philippines - Cheap But Not Affordable For Poor Juan

2007-03-18T00:18:00.000+08:00

Link to article. You can download the "Prices and Earnings" PDF report by the Union Bank of Switzerland from this link.

Despite of the low cost of living at Metro Manila, Philippines, majority of my "kababayans" are not compensated well, worst are being forced to work in harsh and stressful conditions. These hardships are pushing many Filipinos to work abroad to be able to support their families back at the Philippines. Also, many Filipinos choose to migrate to other countries for a better life. I agree with the article on pointing out that the Philippine government should "implement programs and policies to balance the low cost of living with high purchasing power." These Filipinos who are seeking a better livelihood in other countries shouldn't be judged by "patriotic crabs". They are just acting out of practicality that they deserve a better life.

Excerpt from the article:

How is it like to live in Metro Manila nowadays? Ask this question and most likely, you will get a cluster of answers detailing how worse the situation is. Here and there, you will see Filipinos complaining about the low wages and the constant struggle to make ends meet. Unfortunately, for most Filipinos, a decent and quality life is almost unattainable.

However, the result of a recent survey, “Prices and Earnings” published by the Union bank of Switzerland (UBS) revealed that the cost of living in Metro Manila is one of the cheapest in the world. The survey compared the prices of consumer goods and services in 71 cities around the world. Consumer prices in New York were used as the basis of comparison.

The city with the highest cost of living turned out to be Oslo in Norway. On the other hand, the cities with the cheapest cost of living are New Delhi, Buenos Aires, Mumbai, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia which was ranked number 71. Metro Manila is among the lowest at number 67.

If this study is accurate then why is it that so many Filipinos choose to work abroad and settle in a foreign country? The answer was provided by the same survey: apparently, the salary given to the Filipinos is also among the lowest in the world! Aside from the low wages, unemployment rate is also high forcing most Filipinos to look for better opportunities overseas. Basic goods and services like food, clothing, and house rent may be more expensive in New York and Oslo but the residents can still afford to live comfortably because of the higher wages they receive. The low cost of living seems insignificant to a population that has little purchasing power. Manila ranked No. 70 in the purchasing power listing.

The Philippine government must strive to implement programs and policies to balance the low cost of living with high purchasing power. This is what will truly give Filipinos a decent and comfortable life.

Patriotic Crab Mentality

2007-03-14T02:21:00.000+08:00

Link to Politically Correct Patriotism of our Failed Elites.

It's similar to false faith to a particular religion. It's so easy to feel patriotic and at the same time be a bigot and narrow minded.

The cases and reasons of nurses and doctors moving to America for a better opportunity are no different to most Filipino workers (even domestic helpers) working at other countries (myself included here at Singapore). I don't believe there is a shortage on manpower in the Philippines (check nyo lang kung ilang mga IT graduates every year). Sa dami ng tao sa Pinas ito nga ang pinaka-asset ng bansa natin, MANPOWER. Kailangan lang magbigay ng kalidad na edukasyon at training sa workforce sa Pinas at syempre sapat na sahod para sa pamilya (na hindi papatayin yung empleyado sa trabaho).

I feel empathy for my fellow OFW heroes working at foreign lands to support their families. I share their dream of a better life for our families. These people clamoring that they are so patriotic should throw away all their wealth and put themselves in the shoes of families struggling with their daily needs. The last shall be first and first shall be last!

Gmail Theater: Why Use Gmail?

2007-02-23T23:04:00.000+08:00

I ditched my Yahoo mail way back 2004 after I received my Gmail invitation from Migs Paraz. Gmail's neat features like grouping email threads into conversations, labeling emails based on context (as opposed to using folders) and powerful searching capabilities are very helpful and intuitive tools especially when subscribed with a lot of mailing lists. I plan to use Gmail also to access other email accounts via pop.

This nice YouTube video from the Google channel explains in a "creative" way why Gmail really rocks.

For those who like to try out Gmail, I still have a lot of invitations to give away. Just post your email address at the comment section.

It's Time For A Fresh Start

2007-02-06T00:44:00.000+08:00

I will be using again Blogger after more than 2 years of hibernating from using it. My decision was motivated by my frustration with JRoller's lack of cool features and intuitiveness and the recent improvements and enhancements on Blogger. Hopefully I'll stick to Blogger and blog more about my thoughts, rants, frustrations and other stuff that needs to be flushed out from my head.

The following sites are some blogs that I have maintained since I started blogging way back 2003. I often find myself laughing whenever I read my old blog posts and realized how silly some of my opinions were at that time and how much I have learned for the past 4 years.

JRoller Blog Site - This is where I started out on blogging. I won't be maintaining this anymore. Goodbye!
Java Blogger Site - My old Blogger site about Java Technology. My first attempt also on using Google's AdSense and tried making money out of it.
Linux Blogger Site - Another old Blogger site about Linux and FOSS. I was glad to see Jeff Waugh's comment on one of my blog posts (at least someone famous from the FOSS world was reading my post)
My SCC Blog Site - My blog site hosted at my soon-to-be-ex employer's server. The blog site was an attempt to motivate my teammates to share their ideas and opinions through blogging. It's powered by Roller, the same blog engine used at JRoller.
Multiply.com Journal - My personal blog journal. I won't be maintaining it anymore and instead blog my personal thoughts and opinions here at Blogger.

Gmail Contacts New Feature

2004-10-05T18:36:00.000+08:00

Gmail just launched their latest feature - the amazing Contacts list. So what's nice about this new feauture?

Unlike the former Contact link located at the upper right of your Gmail view, the new Contacts link displayed at the left pane does more than just editing or adding your contact list. Here are the cool features I like about this new Contacts tool:

Simple interface for displaying/editing contacts info.
Can use it for specifying which contacts you want to send your composed email.
Click an entry to display not only the contact's details but also all emails related to this contact (harness the power of Google's search engine)

Although this new Contact feature is more usable than the previous version, some useful features should have been retained or added:

Filter tabs to easily navigate on the contact list based on the first letter of the contact's name.
CC and BCC options/checkboxes.
Can be used when replying/forwarding emails. Using the autocomplete function can be a pain if don't remember the contact's name, or if you want browse which people you want to forward the email.

CDR Backups: For How Long?

2004-10-04T17:50:00.000+08:00

CDR is the most inexpensive medium for saving important digital files. I use it all the time to backup my precious digital pictures and audio files to free up some space on my hard disk. Although I can invest on more hard disk space, it's an expensive approach and not always a reliable option. If you are using Linux and have enough hard disk space for backups, using squashfs can be a good option. Still, saving those files on a CDR will save you from disaster in case the hard disk gets corrupted. I also create backups for my original CD collections so I don't have to worry about my friend damaging my CD in his pathetic player, hehehe.

But as with most data storage like the CDR, life expectancy is a big issue especially if you're archiving important files and audio CDs. So if you don't mind your data vanishing into oblivion after 3 years or you just want to copy the latest Linux distro version release, cheap CDRs are enough to do the job (usually costs around 4 to 8 pesos). For important files such as pictures, audio cds, MP3s/Ogg, codes, documents, I would rather buy branded CDRs like Kodak, Maxell, Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden (very expensive).

The following links provide useful information about CDRs and their durability:

Against Software Patents in the Philippines

2004-09-30T14:11:00.000+08:00

Sign up now! - Against Software Patents in the Philippines

I just signed my name in agreement to the petition. Software innovation whether proprietary or open source will drive our country's IT infrastructure to new heights. By implementing software patents, it will deprive our brilliant Filipino developers from creating innovative softwares.

Stop software patents, promote free/open source technologies.

For some added information on the downside of implemeting software patents, check this site: FFII Logic Patents at Europe. The Software Patent Crisis article shows more about the horrors of software patents on a developer's everyday coding.

To know more about who's behind such idea on patenting software, visit the Software Patent Institute. That's weird, I thought IBM is a big fan of Linux.

It's time we act and protect the future of software development and innovation in the Philippines and the rest of the globe!