Working Under Moonlights

It has been approximately 2-3 months since I got a paycheck.

Although, it does not bother me that much right now I have to preempt possible inflation and emergency situations that may hamper my economic development. I find it funny that I sometimes consider my existence as a recognized entity by the UN

I was contacted by one of the local recruiters to join a startup seeking to grow as a pioneer in Recruitment. It sounded a good idea at that time and the proponents of this organization also founded the now rebranded Stream Global Services. I would still like to focus on writing but everyone still has to eat.

I accepted a lower paying job with lighter responsibilities and thin benefits. At that time, I thought to myself "why not?" It is a startup so they may not be able to pay much and perhaps now is the time to at least weaken the barriers a bit and see how it works out. Compensation-wise, according to some people that work on the local recruitment scene, it is above-average and since I came from a specialized industry they estimate that it does sound interesting and something new indeed.

I was not promised the moon and the stars during my job offer but I think they missed to mention that there are limits to how high the sky will be. Something I only learned during my first week.

Very disappointing in my opinion. They talk about the usual corporate values, mission and vision, blah blah blah. Potentially, I can compare this to another Dilbert world.

I have a week to decide and I guess I need to concentrate more on observing what I should anticipate from this organization.

I remember reading or hearing something regarding something that most likely would be apt for this conundrum "It is my lime & I will squeeze it when I want to".

Archos 43

I tried crowdsourcing for an answer in the quest for my new PMP from a previous post.

A kind soul answered my query and pointed me to the Archos line. I probably chose Creative at first due to it being a brand name and of course, they were the pioneer of sound back  in the mid-90s.

After my first day at work, I thought I'd pop in to one of the shops and ask around. I found out that the specific model I was looking for is relatively new but I saw a glimpse of the Archos 5. A soon to be discontinued model that basically looks like the iPod touch.

I checked the unsealed box and it seems a better choice than the Creative Zen X-Fi2 that alternative PMP users have been hearing about. The Archos seems to match almost everything that I am looking for in the PMP. If it was readily available and a few hundred off the current prices I would have probably made an impulsive decision just like when I purchased my ASUS 1000HE netbook which I still hold dear.

I am going to email the distributor right now and see if it is available. I hope I get to touch before making the purchase!

Alternative PMPs - The Day My iPod Died

I just found out that my 4th Generation iPod Nano died.

While I felt a tinge of sadness but I think now is the time to find an underdog when it comes to Portable Music Players (PMP).

Here are some brands that I found out as an alternative to the Apple iPod as being the best in its class.

Archos

Creative
 
iRiver

Samsung

SanDisk

I am thinking the following features should be available in search of that PMP:

• Full video, picture, audio support on both proprietary and open alternative formats
• MTP support on most sync software found in both Windows and Linux,
• 24 hours battery life when in continuous playing mode
• USB and WiFi support for synching data and installation of apps (latter could be waived)
• Small and thin form factor
• Digital recording function 
• Support for 3.5 mm connectors

So far, Creative is on top of my list. I have yet to explore which models are fit  for my needs. I'll have to research a bit more and get some ideas. It looks like I'll be thinking more during trips than just let wind vibrations distract and capture the attention of my brain!

Happy Days - An Evolution Of A Generation

'Happy Days' actor who played Mr. Cunningham dies - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos


When I first heard this I have always wondered what it would have been like to be there witnessing a generation change the world through free-thinking ideas. The Happy Days series was one of those shows you tend to keep close to your heart as it changes the way you view things.


I remember watching the show on an old colored TV with bad RF reception as Richie Cunningham and his gang going through the motions of American puberty growing up in the 50s. I must say that the 50s was a decade of innocence. Nearing the end of the decade, this generation started to question the necessity of conforming and realized individualism and innovation as the new "cool".


In my personal opinion, some time between the 50s and the 60s was where the term "being cool" became popular as the urge for individualism and being different in a socially acceptable level rose to be what defined their generation.


It would have been nice to be there and be part of the grassroots movement of coining the term cool in a global scale. 


According to Wikipedia there is a timeline of cool:

For what it's worth, Thanks to the Happy Days gang for allowing us to remember how it was like to be innocent and documenting what it was like to be part of a generation that has freed us from the shackles of conformity and promoting individualism.


I certainly hope that future generations will take the better characteristics of individualism and conformity and unite them to form a better society than we have now.

Norton 360 - Does Any Self-Respecting Geek Still Use This?

I don't know about you guys but I don't use Norton or McAfee anymore. I am unsure why Norton 360 was there on the scene but does anyone still actually use this on a geek-powered production environment?

Fail!

If you do, let yourself be heard!

Media Consumption - It Can Eat You Alive

The Internet is just piles of stacks of information bunched up together, read or viewed by persons who have interest in a particular subject. Personally, I call it a media glut.

Strangely enough, people just like to consume information. We have become or soon to be a media-consuming society. If anyone remembers the movie WALL-E, the little robot saves humankind from lethargy and the heavy loss of physical human social interaction which has lost its appeal due to the addicting lure of media consumption. The humans in this animated movie have subjugated themselves to a comfortable chair and the basic needs have been rendered so common that they take it for granted.

The majority of developed countries have these conveniences easily accessible that they are considered fat. I mean no offense to those who are horizontally challenged but I would bet that a part of that group is plopped down on a comfy chair, consuming media. I know it must be hard to pry off yourself from the chair but if you think about it, this will lead you to consume large amounts of visually appealing forms of entertainment and render your body physically unfulfilled with huge amounts of energy being stored in unappealing areas. Let me ask you, why would you want to be glued to the tube and feel bad about it?

If you don't feel anything at all then you may be as worse as the crack addict on the street. We start becoming dependent on media and forget the other niceties that life has to offer. Social relationships for one comes to mind. When was the last time you had an intellectual conversation over a non-intoxicating drink with a friend? When was the last time you grind yourself against another warm body in the dance floor? Better yet, when was the last time you felt you have reached a higher form of physical exhilaration because you made your body go through an adrenalin-induced exercise?

Recently, someone posted this story in a forum. You would not want to be the subject of this story.

On a chemical level, you need endorphins. I remember being so bored once I watched Legally Blonde. There was this scene where the heroine got an internship in a law firm and had this bright idea to prove why the defendant could not have allegedly murdered the victim. As it turns out, the defendant excercised a lot and to quote the heroine directly "I just don't think that Brooke could've done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't"

I for one, am still thankful that in the real world we still try to cope up with the conveniences that technology offers but there are certain people I know who have been enslaved by these lures of convenience. When was the last time you really went out? 

I encourage you to spend some time outside. Once in a while, try working that physical body of yours and try a mental exercise to get the rust off of those underutilized parts. You don't buy a car that you never use, right? It is a waste of money and resources if you don't use that car once in a while. The same goes for your meat bag, how about using it by helping those who lack the physical faculties to do simple things.

Maybe you should stop reading this and start contributing by making yourself useful!

Dog Dating

You know I'm cute, right? In case you haven't noticed, I can be funny too!

That's it, Dating has gone to the dogs!!!

The Weather

I think I saw a bird pant in midflight!

Map Of Online Communities

Map of Online Communities

I chanced on this while browsing Gizmodo.

LOL at the Icy North part of the map! Ha ha

Found a larger map posted by Zak. Credits to the author and the original poster.

Laptop VS Notebook VS Netbook

I just finished reading a netbook review and the 126 comments crawling with ideas and opinions about the distinguishing features of a Netbook, a Notebook, and a Laptop. It seems that on every new product model that comes out, the lines between them get blurrier and blurrier which strikes me as odd.

In the interest of simplicity, I researched more on what the official definitions of each is:

Laptop - From what I understand, this is your desktop replacement. Huge 17in screen and works as a desktop that you can carry. Typically, powerful enough to run the latest games and other productivity apps you want to run. This category is also heavy. I have heard they can weigh around 8-10 lbs but it comes with almost all the bells and whistles that a desktop can have.

Notebook - This would be the lighter version catered more for the mobile office user. In this category, you deal more with office productivity apps and other office-related tasks. You need it to be portable if you switch desks to sit with clients, create presentations for a meeting, or just check your office mail. They are not as powerful as the Laptop but that is compensated for mobility and longer battery life. 

Note: There is a sub-category for the notebook called a sub notebook. This is a much more lighter version of the notebook usually by taking out the optical drive and replacing it with more USB ports or better design for cooling.

Netbook - This is a relatively new category in the market of mobile computing. I am actually writing on one right now. The Netbook is more for the casual user who wants to surf the web and is very light by a pound or two from the Notebook. It is also the cheapest among the aforementioned but is not as fast and runs apps at minimum speed. I chose this category since I do not plan on doing heavy graphics from games plus I do more light writing and browsing. The battery life is a little better than the Netbook and theoretically some manufacturer claims to provide up to 15 hours battery life which I have yet to experience.

By this time you may be wondering why the lesson of distinction for this category. I'd like to hear from you folks if the ASUS 1215N is a netbook or a notebook? I am considering selling this one and start getting something much more powerful. 

You think it is worth the upgrade from an ASUS 1000HE?

Possibly The Most Racial Field Trip Ever

During the first 3 months of the beginning of the year, students usually go on field trips. Signed waivers, unhealthy snacks, and other contraband one usually cannot bring in to the classroom is now in backpacks getting the student ready for an awesome field  trip.


The usual destinations for a break from the dreary walls of the classroom are museums, Beverage manufacturing plants, Pencil factories, planetariums, and historical sites.


I found this little gem from last year about how an innocent little field trip goes hilariously wrong at the end.


I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Cebu Pacific Flight Attendants Are Concerned With Your Safety

For regular flyers, safety is important but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. Cebu Pacific Air communicated this messsage on safety through dance when someone posted this video.

Personally, I think this is a great idea, especially for their upcoming IPO. Reading various comments and news about this video were half and half on the pros and cons.

In my estimation, people are entertained by this but it begs the question, Does this stunt actually deliver the message clearly on flying safely with Cebu Pacific Air? One of the points that were made is that the dance is distracting, the pros of this is that it grabs the attention of the passenger before the long boring flight. I think I will leave everyone to their own opinions on this one.

Unfortunately, as quoted by the Philippine Star, Vice president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog mentioned that this demo on flight safety is just a test while they are up in the sky. Frankly, I hope they continue this and make it worthwhile for the long trips.

It would be interesting to note that another video was posted that they have been practicing the dance.

Nevertheless, Kudos to the person(s) behind this bright idea. I think PAL needs to come up with great ideas and we do need innovation through competition.

Credits to the posters and articles linked to this post.

Vogon Poetry

Here is a little anecdote I thought of before my brain cells gave up...

"I tried turning my life around too many times I ended up dizzy and puked a little"

Someone out there may have thought of the same thing but I posted it first! Ha ha

Modern Jose Rizal Protests In Church - A Commentary

December 30, 1896 was a day when a national hero died. His name was José Rizal. A Filipino educated in the west and died by firing squad during the 333 year colonial rule of Spain. Some local historians claim his heroism to be riddled with controversy and historical rumors surround this character as one of the proponents of the Philippine Revolution against Spain's colonial subjugation.


September 30, 2010 a quaint man dressed in the fashion of the late 1800's holding a placard with a name inscribed, "DAMASO" protesting the Church's involvement in state politics by shouting during the normal ritual of professing one's faith through holy mass as a member of the Roman Catholic church.


Carlos Celdran is a big supporter of the Reproductive Health bill and for what its worth I partially agree with the freedom of choice. Unfortunately, I do not agree to his methods of protest. Out of respect to any religious enterprise, one should not interrupt their rituals of solemnity. I do not see the point of committing a sin by a catholic against the heads of their own religion. 

Nevertheless, I agree that the church should never involve itself in politics. Their opinion matters but they cannot decide for themselves on behalf of others as to what should be the best course of action. This is why we have religious conflicts, they tend to decide with others that they are right and the rest are wrong. Why can't we just say our piece and leave it to the public to decide what the best course of action is?


This same thought goes to Carlos Celdran's approach to showing his support for the Reproductive Health Bill. As clever as he is, I think he would have been more effective doing this in Luneta instead of disrupting a holy ritual (maybe after?). If this was done in a Mosque he may have ended up being stoned or whatever form of punishment our Muslim brethren deem appropriate for such intolerable behavior.


Looking at this from my point of view, the intention seems to have merit but the creative approach could have been better.


Can't we all just get along through civil debates and letting the public decide for themselves what the merits of your side of the argument is?


Of course, this is just commentary but I believe it is something that you, the public, should ponder on. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts and bicker about them.

Geotagging On Games

I recently tried using FourSquare via Firefox on my netbook. If you do not know what FourSquare is you need to read up on your mobile app news. In a nutshell, it's a social networking site similar to the recently introduced Facebook Places. The site logs where you and your gadget is which they call "checking-in". It seems fun for a few times but it gets boring and the fact that you tell people where you are seem to be a bit too invasive on one's privacy.


On another note, there is also Alternate Reality Games. The first time I heard of this was back in 2005, the biggest one of all was Perplex City. I subscribed to their mailing list and found out that you have to actually travel and purchase cards from the creators to actually enjoy the game.


In this mobile world becoming increasingly smaller, I wonder about the business opportunity on these two great ideas. Why not a Geotagged game local to a specific region (or country)?


I remember back in the 80's when I was still active on the RPG scene, AD&D was one of the hottest pen and paper games played by those who loved to read and imagine. Fanatics went a little bit beyond the pen and paper and started it out in real life.


I see a potential profit model here with most of society owning mobile phones and love to play games. Since social networking is the big thing nowadays, why not create a new mobile alternate reality game? If I only knew how to code this would probably be a good idea. I am probably not the first person to come up with the idea but I would encourage anyone with the resources and knowledge to think about it.


We all like money in some level and if you have the talent and resources why not go and start it up? Please don't forget my cut, by the way....


Enjoy!

How To Make Your Roomie Wash The Dishes

For most people, dishwashing is a boring chore. You are stuck next to a sink and get wet while still smelling like last night's bad dinner.

If you can skip for work before your room mate wakes up, you may try this as an incentive to get him/her to wash the dishes...

If you put it this way, who knows? Your mate may just say yes.... Ha ha

Enjoy!

OpenOffice files Oracle divorce papers

OpenOffice files Oracle divorce papers:

"Uncertainty breeds mistrust

Open sourcers have seized control of the OpenOffice project and product and declared their independence from database giant Oracle.…"

It appears the Open Source community is doubtful of the capitalist corporation Oracle, and their intentions with one of the more popular competitors of MS Office. I just renewed my use on OpenOffice since I installed Linux again on my laptop. I'm glad to say it is still as solid as ever but then again I am a light user of the open source office suite so that observation may be mixed with bias.

Nevertheless, the name change to LibreOffice will not affect my decision on sticking with what works. I'm happy with what I have and I thank the developers and maintainers for keeping the software free from capitalist hands.

If I were you, help support free software by encouraging it's use. Eventually, when the dust settles, everyone will follow suite to the standards and you may never have to pay for a full office application again.

Now, let me cash in my last paycheck and get back to my pursuit of the great capitalist dream!

Plan On Changing Your Notebook Soon?

I found this on my RSS reader. Never hurts to spread out some good news....

Planning on getting a new laptop or a desktop PC, perhaps shopping early for a Christmas gift? Then you might want to visit The Great Lenovo October PC Fest on October 1 to 3 at Metrowalk Ortigas.


Score up to 60% off on selected Lenovo laptops and desktops. You may want to surprise your kid with a Lenovo S10-3 netbook for Christmas. Or get an All-In-One PC for the family. Well if you’re looking for a new laptop or a desktop then this sale might be something that happened just for you.


Also, if you find it in your kind hearts to buy me one, you know where to contact me. :)

According to Wikipedia, this is what "blaming others" looks like.

 Don't you feel silly when blaming others for your fault?

The Best Bill You Can Ever Recieve!

You know it, I know it! We hate pending bills! Ha ha