Free Flip: Hodge Podge Info Under the Sun

Manny Pacquiao Makes History: An After-Fight Analysis

2009-11-16T02:13:00.000-08:00

Manny made history yesterday’s fight held at the MGM Grand Arena in a technical knockout victory against the Puerto Rican fighter, Miguel “Angel” Cotto.

Millions of Filipinos were glued to their TV sets just to witness the momentous event. For every punch that landed on Cotto’s face comes the deafening cheer of the crowd.

Pacquiao made history yesterday in boxing. Yes, he is a legend. Manny Pacquiao, the once poor boy from General Santos City, South Cotabato in the Philippines, got his seventh title after yesterday’s win (and he’s the first to do such feat).

Well, after-fight analyses were given by Filipino boxing analysts here and Pacquiao, according to them, was just amazing. He came into the ring very much prepared and was in his top shape.

On the first two rounds, Cotto was the one who bombarded Pacquiao with his signature left jabs little did he know that the challenger, Pacquiao, was just measuring his speed. It can be noted that Cotto was already releasing his bombs to the face of Pac-Man.

But the surprise came in the third round where a hook coming from nowhere landed to Cotto’s face which made him kneel to the canvas. Referee Kenny Bayless was alert for counting the fall as a knockdown, but ofcourse, the champion got up.

On the fourth round, Filipinos all over rejoiced on Cotto’s second knockdown. It can be noticed that Cotto already succumb to Pacquiao’s speed and power. Cotto’s face was badly cut and beaten but still he managed to continue the fight.

After the fifth and sixth round, it can be noticed that Manny does his version of “rope-a-dope” tactic which was used in the past by Muhammad Ali. He does this by just guarding his face with his arms while he curls his body for defense. This tactic was described by analysts as dangerous because it means that Pacquiao will be beaten and punched by Cotto at his will, yet, Pacquiao was unscathed not hurt by doing so which simply implied that he can take the Champion’s punches.

The demoralized Cotto switched stance in the seventh and eighth round, hoping to get his second wind, yet failed to do so because of the Pac-Man’s pressure. According to some news, it was noted that Cotto’s wife already left in between these rounds because she can’t stand to watch his hubby being beaten by the Filipino fighter.

Cotto then, “rode his bicycle” on the later rounds definitely, just to prevent Pacquiao from making his combinations and for him to just finish the match. Cotto was not responding to Pac-man’s punches anymore. Cotto’s cornermen were already telling him to stop and surrender the fight to prevent further beatings from the six-time world champion. But Cotto was hardheaded and just backpedaled and backpedaled until the twelfth round.

Fifty-five seconds after the twelfth round, Pacquiao once again tagged Cotto to the ropes. Seeing that Cotto was not responding already and just mere dodging the punches, Referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight.

It was a glorious night for Manny and the Filipino people.

The Pac-Man is an example of strength, courage, and determination.

Congratulations, Manny! Mabuhay ka!

My Family: Music has been part of our Lives

2009-11-07T03:45:00.000-08:00

Even when we were young, we were lovers of music back then.
Music has been part of our lives even when we were small.

I could still remember in grade school that we were the "regular" representatives for singing competitions in our school in South Cotabato in the Philippines.
Me, Celeste Mae, and Jasper Ian not there for any monetary prizes or whatsoever, it was just part of our talent that we share to other people.

There was even this instance where my brother and sister competed against each other in a singing competition representing their own grade level.

But ofcourse, much has changed now. Even I believe my sister has the voice and the high notes that can get her to the spotlight like Charice Pempengco did, she preferred to prioritize her studies.

My brother on the other hand went on with his career working at NCO, a multinational company located in Clarkfield, Pampanga (which was a former American Naval Base in the Philippines).
I continued my schooling and entered law school.

But eventhough me and my brother and sister were already separated and are on our own ways now. What is nice is that we still keep the music part of our integral lives. My sister never fails to sing and even get invited to be the wedding singer for her friends and relatives.
I sing alternative and rock songs while in my sparetime still developing my beatbox skills.

My brother still makes and writes songs as he ever did. He is a member of the FILSCAP, an association of Song Composers in the Philippines. I believe he has more than fifty songs written, and seven are already copyrighted by FILSCAP.

This I believe has been a problem here in our country, many talents, but little nurture and support coming from the government.
Hope this will be addressed in the future.

But as for me, my sister and my brother, we'll just still continue to sing our hearts away.

(P.S. My parents were not good singers. Just us. :-)

(Wanna listen to my brother's song compositions? Check his YouTube profile at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrSpinoy )

To all Southeast Asian Readers: Free Trip to Malaysia!

2009-11-02T02:32:00.001-08:00

Yes, you heard it right. I was scanning my e-mail this morning when I stumbled upon messages about the YES2009.

It is a movement that aims for change in the Southeast Region and in doing so, they are inviting 500 Southeast Asian Youths all over the region.

The movement will pay for the expenses that amounts to $2,500!
So, what are you waiting for?

Be a driver of SEACHANGE and be creative!
Click this link: http://bit.ly/4DvS27! #followseachange
or http://philippines.youthsays.com/seachange/go/rHX

SocSci 1 Final Examination Pointers

2009-10-13T22:58:00.000-07:00

Study the following:

1. The Declaration of Philippine Independence. Remember the composer of the first Filipino National Anthem, the national language of the Philippines, the independence dates: June 12, 1898 and July 4, 1946, the Mock Battle of Manila Bay, and more.

2. The American Occupation. Focus on the contributions of the Americans as compared to the Spanish contributions.

3. Lastly, the Philippine Presidents. Check your notes about my compact lecture about it. All is there.

The examination will never be difficult if you just studied.
God bless and Have a fun-filled semestral break to you all! :-)

SocSci 2 Final Exam Pointers

2009-10-13T22:50:00.000-07:00

Study the whole of Chapter 8 of Romana and Sta. Maria's book, "Rizal and the Development of National Consciousness".

The following are the pointers:
1. Study the Subtopic on the Revolutionary Leaders such as: Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Aguinaldo, Emilio Jacinto, Andres Bonifacio, Claro M. Recto. The secret society called Katipunan.

2. Study Rizal and the Later Leaders, still under Chapter 8: Specifically read about: Manuel Quezon, ASEAN, Martial Law, Osmena and the World War II, and the radical groups such as NPA.

3. Lastly, remember the lines of YOUR SONG during our activity and try to reflect and think about Rizal's ideas there as embodied in the poem.

4. Study Rizal's Cosmopolitan concepts.

God bless and have an enjoyable Semestral Break! :-)

SocSci 3 Final Exam Pointers

2009-10-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

Our examination focuses on the contemporary problems and issues in the Philippines:

Corruption
Prostitution
Crimes
Drugs
Poverty

For crimes, you need to know about its definition and its relation to poverty.
Know the definition of poverty, corruption, and drugs.

CORRUPTION

Click these link for info about corruption:

http://www.hobotraveler.com/co5philippinescorruption.php

PROSTITUTION

Got this from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_the_Philippines

Read this as some of the things that came out of the exam’s from here.

Prostitution in the Philippines is illegal. It is a serious crime with penalties ranging up to life imprisonment for those involved in trafficking.[1] It is covered by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.[2] Prostitution is sometimes illegaly available through brothels (also known as casa), bars, karaoke bars (also known as KTVs), Massage Parlors, street walkers and escort service.

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women - Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) [1], quoting from Kyodo News, estimated that in 1998 there were 400,000 prostituted women in the Philippines.[3][4] The International Labor Organization estimated that in 1993/94 there were nearly half a million prostitutes in the country.[5]

[edit] Prostitution in various regions

Prostitution catering to local customers and foreigners . Media attention tends to focus on those areas catering to sex tourism, primarily through bars staffed by bargirls. Cities where there is a high incidence of prostitution are Angeles, Olongapo, Subic Bay and Pasay City[6] , with the customers usually foreign businessmen from East Asian and Western nations.[6]

Prostitution in Olongapo City and Angeles City was highly prominent during the time of the U.S. military bases called Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base, respectively.[7][8] When Mount Pinatubo, a volcano, erupted in 1991, it destroyed most of Clark Air Base and the US closed it down in 1992.[citation needed]

Most of the associated prostitution trade closed with it, but when the mayor of Manila, Alfredo Lim, closed down the sex industry area of Ermita in Manila during his first term, many of the businesses moved to Angeles, finding a new customer base among sex tourists.[9]

Other tourist areas such as Cebu have also developed a high profile prostitution industry.

[edit] Violence and coercion against prostitutes

For information about Human Trafficking and Child Prostitution in the Philippines please see Human trafficking in the Philippines

Women and children involved in prostitution are vulnerable to rape, murder, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.[10]

Surveys of women working as masseuses indicated that 34 percent of them explained their choice of work as necessary to support poor parents, 8 percent to support siblings and 28 percent to support husbands or boyfriends.[5] More than 20 percent said the job was well paid, but only 2 percent said it was easy work and only 2 percent claimed to enjoy the work.[5]

Over a third reported that they had been subject to violence or harassment, most commonly from the police, but also from city officials and gangsters.[5]

A survey conducted by the International Labor Organization revealed that in the experience of most of the women surveyed, prostitution is one of the most alienating forms of labor.[5] Over 50 percent of the women surveyed in Philippine massage parlors said they carried out their work “with a heavy heart,” and 20 percent said they were “conscience-stricken because they still considered sex with customers a sin.”[5] Interviews with Philippine bar girls revealed that more than half of them felt “nothing” when they had sex with a client, the remainder said the transactions saddened them.[5]

There are 400,000 to 500,000 prostituted persons in the Philippines. Prostituted persons are mainly adult women, but there are also male, transvestite and child prostitutes, both girls and boys. (International Labor Organization. Dario Agnote, "Sex trade key part of S.E. Asian economies, study says," Kyodo News, 18 August 1998)

For DRUGS, Study this:

Illicit drugs: domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing problem in recent years despite government crackdowns; major consumer of amphetamines; longstanding marijuana producer mainly in rural areas where Manila's control is limited.

Definition: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis.

These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels.

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).

Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter.

Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid).

DRUGS are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.

Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual.

Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self-awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn).

Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).

Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.

Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant.

Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). This is also the most common kind of drug in the Philippines.

Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussan AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil)

Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines (Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor, Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others (Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).

Mafia Wars Moscow: Vory of Mafiya?

2009-10-09T01:17:00.000-07:00

Upon arrival to Moscow, The Godfather will give you this achievement.

After doing your first jobs on Episode 1 of Moscow is Chapter 2, the Godfather will ask you to choose me to choose between Vory or Mafiya.

If I choose Vory, then I have chance to loot Cherepakha Compact as a vehicle on this chapter..

And if I choose Mafiya, I will able to loot Molotok Pistol..

So far, this is all I know about both side.. but great news, guys.. if we have chosen one side, we'll be able to choose again on next mastery level.. So, don't worry and just enjoy. :-)

I am a Teacher

2009-10-06T04:30:00.000-07:00

After my fifteen years of education at school, finally, I was able to apply and share my knowledge to other people.

I've never imagined I'll have this kind of opportunity, really. I submitted my resume last April with little hopes for the profession. But with God's grace, I was able to have this. All I ever wanted before was just to have a decent job while studying law at the same time.

I would want to work because for me, it is the time to do something useful after getting an undergraduate degree, and besides, it will be a big help to my parents financially wherein they're supporting the expenses of my sister for Bar Exam Review.

I know I won't get rich by being a teacher, as what I tell to my students. But there's a fulfillment of being one. All the great men that I've read, most of them were teachers. Socrates, Plato, Rizal, Confucius, John Rawls, Jesus, many more. I believe that sharing someone else's knowledge is one of the best and noblest professions of them all.

As to now, I still have many challenges. Teaching in the morning and studying law in the evening is not that easy. I know. But I need to survive. But either way, whatever happens in the next chapter of my life, my teaching career here in Saint Michael's College will be one of those memories I will never forget.

To all the Teachers in the world, Happy Teacher's Day! :-)

Friends for Sale in Facebook

2009-09-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

Who says you can't buy friends? You can now do buy your friends in the FFS or Friends for Sale Application on Facebook.

An Australian online marketing company is selling friends and fans to Facebook (which is now the world's fourth-most visited website) after offering a similar service to Twitter users.

The Advertising, marketing and promoting company uSocial (usocial.net) said it was targeting social networking sites because of their huge advertising potential. "Facebook is an extremely effective marketing tool," according to Leon Hill, uSocial CEO.

"The simple fact is that with a large following on Facebook, you have an instant and targeted group of people you can contact and promote whatever it is you want to promote," he added.

"The only problem is that it can be extremely difficult to achieve such a following, which is where we come in. The company offers packages for Facebook, the world's number one social networking site, that start at 1,000 friends up to 10,000 friends at costs ranging from $177 to $1,167.

"All we do is send them a welcome message or friend request from the client. If they decide to go ahead and add that person as a friend or a fan then they will; if not, then they won't," Hill told Australian media.

The company, which counts venture capitalist Peter Thiel, Accel Partners, Microsoft Corp and Russian Internet investment firm Digital Sky Technologies among its investors, has more than 250 million registered users.

But uSocial's packages are not without controversy. According to some Australian websites, Twitter tried to shut uSocial down, accusing it of spamming members, while the Los Angeles Times reported that Digg.com, a website where people vote for their top news stories or websites, has also tried to shut down uSocial because it sells votes.

But all in all, uSocial was successful in putting the FFS Application that let’s you buy your friends and bully them in unclogging the toilet. Hahaha. Let me buy you. :- )

Bamboo Strikes Back-to-Back With Sugarfree in Iligan City, Philippines

2009-09-29T04:57:00.000-07:00

Last night will definitely be one of the greatest rockin’ nights I ever had. The night before the fiesta celebration here was rocked by two featured Filipino rock bands. The event was sponsored by Junior Chamber International and by Globe Tattoo (A telecom network). There were no tickets required, you only need to purchase a Tattoo SIM worth 40 pesos.

I just had, for the first time, watch a concert performance by the premiere band in the Philippines – Bamboo. Bamboo is the lead vocalist of the band, “Rivermaya” in the 90’s. But after being under the influence of drugs, he left the music scene and was rehabilitated in the United States. After sometime, he went back, turned into a new leaf and formed the band “Bamboo” (named after himself, ofcourse).

I’ve been singing Bamboo hits ever since they came out in the Music industry. Bamboo is an award-winning band, as their hit “Noypi”, became an anthem among the Filipino youth.

Last night, I was quite early for the concert, at five thirty in the afternoon, we were there already. I was with my girlfriend, Siobe. At first, only about a hundred were there inside the MSU-IIT Gymnasium but as time passed, throngs of people flooded in that before Bamboo’s performance, about 5,000 people were there.

Since it has been a promo tour for Globe Telecom’s new SIM, Tattoo, there were games and a lot of commercials and endorsements for the new product. There was a front act by a local Iliganon band, Dreamscape. They sang about five songs.

What followed was that of the first featured band, Sugarfree. They played the songs, “Tulog Na”, “Makita Kang Muli”, “Hari ng Sablay”, “Mariposa”, “Kwarto”, and more. The crowd was turned afrenzy, most of it was students from MSU-IIT.

My girlfriend and me stood and jumped in the crowd. It was a great and fun experience jumping and jamming with the rest. We were forming a large wave of people with hands raised high.

It can be noted that Sugarfree’s lead vocalist is good in easing and jamming with the crowd that situations were eased out even when a pit was made by some mobs. Ofcourse, the security team were dispersed to pacify those hyped up guys who consciously or unconsciously hurt other people in the crowd. Good thing I was able to put my arms around my girlfriend to protect her from the possible stampedic situation.

People all around were really enjoying, singing and all. After Sugarfree’s performance, was that of the most-awaited Bamboo. Everyone including me, was shouting, “Bamboo! Bamboo!”

A little while, Ira Cruz, the mestizo-looking lead guitarist of the band showed up, followed by the bassist, and the drummer. Loud rock guitar tune filled the gym, as the band started the intro for the song, “Kailan”. People were running wild as Bamboo came out.

He was a robust man, fair-skinned and hyped up like the crowd as well. He was wearing a black shirt with the statement, “Kill Your TV”.

Bamboo’s songs were known to be nationalistic and patriotic at the same time. During their performances, he would ask with his signature twang, “Do you want more? Then you got more!” The people were crazy.

I can’t help but stare at him either directly or through the large two screens placed beside the stage. Following the song, “Kailan”, were the songs “Elesi” and “Hinahanap-hanap Kita”. These two songs were one of their gargantuan hits when he was still in the band, Rivermaya. I jumped up and down to the melody of the songs. It was great!

Bamboo also sang other hits such as “Masaya (Happy)”, “Truth”, and “Tommorow Becomes Yesterday”. Bamboo rocked the stage with the Rivermaya’s hit, “Awit ng Kabataan (Song of the Youth)”. I believe that was one with the greatest participation of the audience. Everybody was jumping and shouting in unison. Even Ira, the band’s guitarist can’t help but be mesmerized by the five thousand Iliganon crowd.

People again roared to the nth decibel with the last three songs played by the band, which is of course, their greatest hits. I caught myself forming a triangle with my two hands lifted high when they played the social awareness song, “Tatsulok (Triangle)”. Two monster hits then followed, “Noypi” and “Hallelujah” which ended the night with fire effects and fountain sparks.

Bamboo rocks, and he will always do. It completed my night, the first concert that I was able to witness, was with the country’s best band. Just how cool is that? :-)

5 Helpful Twitter Hints to Sweeten Your Experience

2009-09-26T01:30:00.000-07:00

Twitter is an awesome social networking tool as well as resource. It has grown over the years and serves many different functions for a large, growing number of people. That being said, here are the five things that you can do to brighten your Twitter experience.

1. Be Yourself! Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to anything you do in life, and on Twitter, this is especially true. People want to feel like they can relate to you- that they have something in common. An easy example of how to apply this logic to Twitter is to use an actual picture of yourself. In your profile, say something interesting about yourself and/or link back to your personal blog/website. Not only does it let others know that you are a real person (and not a spammer), but it lends you some credibility.

2. Share Interests! On Twitter, you can actually track certain keywords, which makes it easier to find out who is talking about things you are interested in. For instance, I am an athlete and love to run, so I was able to search for the keyword “run” and “cross country” to find other folks who shared the same interest. Tracking keywords is also a great tactic when discussing issues related to marketing and blogging.

3. Reach Other Bloggers! Twitter is great for marketing. If you start to focus on writing about things that are more relevant than the last movie you saw and how cold it was outside, you can actually start to form meaningful relationships. Remember, Twitter is all about networking, which is a great thing when it comes to business and marketing.

4. Ask Questions! Sometimes the best way to get a conversation started with other people is to start off by asking a question. Pay attention to the people who actually respond to you. If you really do your homework, you can figure out how effective your twittering actually is based on the number of people who are following you, the kinds of people who are following you (i.e. business people versus your next-door-neighbor’s 16 year-old son), as well as the types of replies and retweets you are receiving. It all counts!

5. Say it Well! You’ve only got 140 characters or less to say what you’ve to to say, so make it good! Tell people why they should listen to what you have to say. Think about how you feel when you read what other people have tweeted about. This will give you a better idea of just what kind of a Twitterer you’ll be!

Check my twitter account at:

http://twitter.com/JRJRGon

Cuba: Mafia War’s Island Empire

2009-09-25T00:46:00.000-07:00

After reaching Level 35, Mafia Wars player can travel to Cuba from New York. It is a whole new world of booze, drugs, crime, and violence. This blog will give you a bird’s eye view of the island empire.

Money

Your hard-earned cash is no good in Cuba (don’t worry it will stay in New York when you fly back) which uses Cuban pesos (C$) so you have to earn it the old fashion way, do jobs, take over businesses and fight other mafia until a money-laundering system is in place.

You can only take C$ from fighting only if that person has them and only if you’re fighting in Cuba. Sorry New Yorkers.

Jobs

There are 5 classes of jobs that you can do: El Soldado (35-59), El Capitan (60-84), El Jefe (85-109), El Patron (110-129) and El Padrino(130+). The lowest energy-costing job starts at 10 and only gives you a maximum of C$290. That’s tough considering the next job already requires Cuban equipment that you need to buy.

Properties

In Cuba, the Properties are replaced by Businesses which you can take over and upgrade. Tobacco Plantation which costs C$25,000, Sugar Plantation (C$50,000), Factory (C$100,000) and Coca Field(C$250,000). You have to earn $25,000 before you can start getting passive income.

Items

There are 20 items that you can buy from the mafia store including 7 decently powered armors. There are also loots but I still have to get to a job that drops them.

As of writing, the items that I bought from Cuba are not being used during a fight whether the fight takes place in Cuba or in New York.

Energy and experience are both shared in NY and Cuba so you don’t have to level up again. I guess the only benefit beta testers have is a head start in Cuban jobs, loots, bonuses and money. And also bragging rights to be flaunting those Cuban items in your profile page.

Even so, it’s nice to be in Cuba!

On Being a Healthy Gamer

2009-09-25T00:45:00.000-07:00

It has been note that there has been a connection between the gamers gaming ‘til they drop and its impact on health. Let me post my thoughts as a stream of consciousness type post:

For starters I think people in all occupations can get stressed and suffer from ill health. I’ve had friends pass away from and survive heart attacks who work in numerous fields - including gaming. I’m a little skeptical that gaming is any more stressful than other activities - yes it can be a pressure cooker of a job - but I wonder if it’s more about the person, the way they deal with pressure, the choices that they make and the boundaries that they put around themselves etc than the occupation itself.

I can see how gamers might suffer from the impact of a lack of exercise and poor diet. Gaming can be highly addictive and the temptation to the games through meal breaks, skip opportunities to exercise and to eat poorly is no doubt there for most of us. I know until late last year my exercise routines all went completely out the window and I began to put on weight.

Lack of sleep is another common thing that many of us as gamers fall into the trap of. I know of quite a few others who suffer from insomnia as a result of gaming right up until bedtime and then not being able to ’switch off’.

Another health related aspect of gaming is that I’ve come across a large number of gamers lately who suffer from the effects of sitting on poor chairs all day every day. I know for the first few years of my own gaming ‘career’ that I had this problem from sitting on a kitchen chair and then a poor office chair all day. More recently with an investment in a ergonomic chair my back’s been a lot better.

We need to be healthy gamers. Our body is our own capital, without it, we’ll not enjoy the world of games. We need to play moderately.

New Mafia Wars Expansion: Moscow, Russia

2009-09-25T00:36:00.000-07:00

I was able to taste the Moscow air just this afternoon (3:00 PM here in the Philippines) and boy does it feel good.

It was after my 35th level that I was able to travel to Cuba and now, in level 98, I was able to fly to Moscow, too.

Like in Cuba, there are also businesses given by the Godfather for starters (sort of the same with the bodegas in Cuba). The money there is rubles.

Kudos to Zynga for the expansion and I feel great about the new expansion. Can't wait to travel the whole world and expand my empires!

How To Make Money by Blogging

2009-09-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

To start with, the site has to have unique content.

You should give the readers a reason to keep on coming back for more. If you just copied some other source or blog then there is no reason for your reader to come back to you. You can do this by being controversial for instance. If your talking about Obama for example, I don’t suggest writing extreme controversial things about him that would be considered a hate crime or racist instead perhaps something a bit off-beat.

Before you get all trigger happy with your mouse putting ads galore all over your website you might have to do a few things such as assessing if your site has the constant traffic to support such ads as possible revenue streams.

I found a few awesome tools and sites you will want to use to assess your site’s traffic value.

Site Rankings

The first website you will want to go to is Google Webmaster Tools, basically this gives you in pure detail if google is indexing your site correctly and if there is any errors in while doing it. I strongly recommend this. After you do this, there are a few popular sites that can show you the popularity of your site.

Google Analytics - Google Analytics is a great tool, it tells you Page View hits , Unique hits as well as which countries your users are coming from and who refers them. I use-to-use Mint & Peppers but then my friend introduced me to this and I haven’t looked back once since.

Alexa - This is a well-known site that gathers traffic data on websites based on a few criteria as well as depending on its users using the Alexa Toolbar

Compete - This is another site like Alexa that can give you statistics on your page traffic.

Google PageRank – Basically, in this site, the higher page rank your site has, the stronger the traffic to it. From what I have read and personal usages it is more accurate than either Alexa or Compete. The site I linked lets you check the popularity of your website and if you would like you can post a script that updates it on your site.

After you have contacted and signed up for Google Adsense you might be eager to place lots of ads on your site. But after some research and personal experience the more google ads you put on your site the less you will likely make , I say this because as you have noticed or heard of each click will get you different rates some $2.00 + while another gets you .002 cents. If you put more ads let’s say 3 different banners, then the chances are most of the links will be worth low amounts while the high value clickable ad that will be randomly placed. So I would suggest to use only 1-2 ads at most this increases your chances of receiving a high value ad.

Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo (Patrol Your Vote) Campaign In Iligan City, Philippines

2009-09-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

I was able to attend the Boto Mo, Ipatrol Mo campaign this morning at Saint Michael’s College of Iligan, Inc. (Basic Education Department) in Iligan City, Philippines.

I work in the Higher Education Department and it feels good to attend such event. It is a national campaign by the Television Network giant, ABS-CBN, which advocates transparency and participation for the upcoming 2010 Presidential Elections.

At about five thirty in the morning I was able to be at the campus where the Kapagintaw Band of Iligan Medical Center College was there. They were singing the “Ako ang Simula” (I am the Change) which is the theme song for the Boto Mo, Ipatrol Mo Campaign.

Close to a six hundred people where there specially the students of SMC. It was a colorful event as the street dancers dressed in native Iliganon costume, were there. At seven, the hookup video was passed to ABS-CBN Northern Mindanao where it televised the campaign in the ABS-SBN Morning Show, Umagang Kay Ganda.

It was successful event, as the Regional TV Network featured the campaign at SMC. There was a motorcade at the city following the grand launch, but before joining the parade, I registered as a “boto (vote) patroller”.

I still have to register myself as a voter before the registration ends this October 31. I know my country still has a chance. There will still be hope, I’m crossing my fingers.

Mafia Wars: Add Family Member without Adding Friend

2009-09-15T18:48:00.001-07:00

These are the steps to add the family member without adding the friend:

1. First, login to Face book account and take you mouse pointer over Settings. Then click on Privacy Settings and click on Profile.

2. Now you will see a new window with profile privacy. Now click on Basic Info and choose “everyone” from the drop down menu. After that click on Status and Links and choose “everyone” from the drop down menu.

3. Scroll down and click on SAVE CHANGES. Now go to mafia wars and go to your My Mafia page. Click on the blue button to give Mafia Wars permission to set your status. Click the button a second time to set the status message. It will set your invitation link.

SOCSCI 1: Philippine History: Roots and Development

2009-09-13T20:43:00.001-07:00

There are three Examination types:
I. Multiple Choice (20 points)

II. Matching Type (30 points)

III. Essay (30 points)

Familiarize on the following points:
1. Study more about Rizal:
a) Some Rizal's poems
b) aims
c) Rizal Children
d) Novels

2. Antonio and Juan Luna
3. KKK
a) Membership
b) Presidents
c) Recruitment

4. The Propaganda Movement (La Solidaridad, propagandists, its aims)

5. Bonifacio (his poems)

6. The Role of the Middle Class (and the mestizos)

God bless!

SOCSCI 3: Philippine GOvernment and Constitution

2009-09-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

I. Multiple Choice (30 points)

II. Matching Type (20 points)

III. Essay (30 points)

Familiarize the following:
1. The main functions of the president.
2. The Presidents of the Philippines (remember our quiz show?)
3. You don't need to study dates.
4. For the essay, try to study about the Constitution.
What is an adoption of the Constitution? Who are the participants in the adoption? What is an amendment? What are the steps in amending the constitution? Why is the Constitution called as the "sureme law of the land"? And try all other questions you can formulate given the topic, "Constitution".

God bless! :-)

SOCSCI 2 (Life and Works of Dr. Jose Rizal): SEMI-FINAL EXAM POINTERS

2009-09-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

These are the types of exams:
I. Cadena de Storia (20 points)
Arrange the events in Noli Me Tangere according to its chronological occurrence. Write only the letter after the number. (Example: 1. d., 2.f., 3. a.)

II. Identification (20 points)
Identify the following in El Filibusterismo.

III. Essay (40 points)

Familiarize the following:

1. Sypnosis or the summary of Noli Me Tangere. You need to familiarize the events that happened chronologically.

Example:
1. The dinner given by Capitan Tiago in honor of Crisostomo Ibarra who just returned after several years of successful study in Europe.

2. In an unfortunate incident, former curate Father Dámaso belittles and slanders Ibarra in the house of Capitan Tiago.

2. For El Filibusterismo, know the main characters of the story and some terms and some significant events in the novel.

Example:
What is El Filibusterismo all about?
Answer: subversion

3. For the essay, recall our discussions on Jose Rizal, the movie.
What are the injustices done by the Spaniards to the Filipinos. What were the reasons for Rizal's capture and execution? How was Rizal depicted in the movie? Was there any difference with the one written on books? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the movie's depiction? Try to anticipate more questions as you can about the movie.

Mafia Wars Guide: List of Goodies

2009-09-09T21:43:00.001-07:00

TROPHIES

a. Boss Fight Trophies :
1) Street Thug (Level 1 - 4) : Boss Fight - Confront Giancarlo Morillo
Received for defeating Giancarlo Morillo - Blackmail Letter

2) Associate (Level 5 - 8) : Boss Fight - Confront Detective West
Received for defeating Detective West - Badge

3) Soldier (Level 9 - 12) : Boss Fight - Confront Luis Castana
Received for defeating Luis Castana - Pair of Broken Glasses

4) Enforcer (Level 13 - 17) : Boss Fight - Confront Warrant Officer McDonald
Received for defeating Warrant Officer McDonald - Military ID

SPECIAL GIFTS

Received at random time of the year (New Year, Christmas etc.)
- Bottle of Champagne
- Cognac
- Cuban Cigars
- Diamond Necklace
- Gold Rolex
- High Def TV
- Silk Armani Suit

LOOT

a) WEAPONS

1. .22 Pistol - 2 Attack - 0 Defense
- Beat Up Rival Gangster (Street Thug Level 1 - 4)

2. .45 Revolver - 3 Attack - 2 Defense
- Take Out a Rogue Cop (Associate Level 5 - 8)

3. .50 Caliber Rifle - 16 Attack - 11 Defense
- Disrupt Rival Smuggling Ring (Hitman Level 18 - 24)

4. 9mm Semi-Automatic - 3 Attack - 2 Defense
- Rob a Pimp (Street Thug (Level 1 - 4)

5. AK-47 - 22 Attack - 21 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

6. AR-15 Assault Rifle - 32 Attack - 10 Defense
- Rip Off the Armenian Mob (Underboss Level 60 - 99)

7. Automatic Rifle - 4 Attack - 4 Defense
- Bust a Made Man Out of Prison (Soldier Level 9 - 12)

8. Bloody Chainsaw - 18 Attack - 16 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

9. Bloody Horse Head - 18 Attack - 16 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

10. Bonus Weapon - 20 Attack - 20 Defense
- Inventory (Level 100+)

11. Bookie's Holdout Pistol - 24 Attack - 12 Defense
- Fix the Big Game (Consigliere Level 35 - 59)

12. Brass Knuckles - 2 Attack -.2 Defense
- Rough Up Dealers (Associate Level 5 - 8)

13. Butterfly Knife - 2 Attack - 1 Defense
- Collect Protection Money (Associate Level 5 - 8)

14. C4 - 5 Attack - 2 Defense
- Destroy Enemy Mob Hideout (Soldier Level 9 - 12)

15. Car Bomb - 18 Attack - 16 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

16. Cattle Prod - 18 Attack - 16 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

17. Chainsaw. - 18 Attack - 12 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

18. Combat Knife - 22 Attack - 21 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

19. Cupid's Tommy Gun - 24 Attack - 22 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

20. Desert Eagle - 22 Attack - 21 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

21. Firebomb - 4 Attack - 2 Defense
- Steal a Tanker Truck (Soldier Level 9 - 12)

22. Flamethrower - 22 Attack - 21 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

23. Gold Mac-10 - 30 Attack - 30 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

24. Gold MP5 - 30 Attack - 30 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

25. Gold-Plated Magnum - 18 Attack - 16 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

26. Gold 9mm Gun - 15 Attack - 10 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

27. Grenade Launcher - 14 Attack - 10 Defense
- Repel the Yakuza (Hitman Level 18 - 24)

28. Light Anti Tank Weapon - 22 Attack - 21 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

29. Mac-10 - 7 Attack - 5 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

30. Magnum - 8 Attack - 6 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

31. Meat Cleaver - 22 Attack - 21 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

32. Meat Hook - 23 Attack - 22 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

33. Mini Uzi - 23 Attack -.22 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

34. Napalm - 25 Attack - 9 Defense
- Exterminate a Rival Family (Hitman Level 18 - 24)

35. Piano Wire - 10 Attack - 5 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

36. Police Baton - 23 Attack - 22 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

37. Propane Bomb - 22 Attack - 21 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

38. Revolver - 3 Attack - 2 Defense
- Godfather's Gift(?)

39. RPG Launcher - 20 Attack - 12 Defense
- Sell Guns to the Russian Mob (Hitman Level 18 - 24)

40. Semi-Automatic Shotgun - 5 Attack - 4 Defense
- Fight a Haitian Gang (Soldier Level 9 - 12)

41. Silenced Pistol - 18 Attack - 16 Defense
- Godfather's Crate

42. Sniper Rifle - 22 Attack - 21 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

43. St. Valentine's Shotgun - 24 Attack - 22 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

44. Sub Machine Gun - 24 Attack - 22 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

45. Tactical Shotgun - 3 Attack - 2 Defense
- Perform a Hit (Associate Level 5 - 8)

46. Violin Case Machine Gun - 23 Attack - 22 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

b) ARMORS

01. Armed Guards - 8 Attack - 25 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

02. Body Double - 10 Attack - 25 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

03. Bodyguards - 8 Attack - 25 Defense
- Protect your City against a Rival Family (Hitman Level 18 - 24)

04. Bulletproof Trenchcoat - 10 Attack - 25 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

05. Federal Agent - 15 Attack - 25 Defense
- Buy Off a Federal Agent (Boss Level 100+)

06. Falsified Document - 2 Attack - 30 Defense
- Take Over an Identity Theft Ring (Underboss Level 60 - 99)

07. Gas Mask - 8 Attack - 20 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot

08. Lucky Shamrock Medallion - 1 Attack - 7 Defense
- Clip the Irish Mob's Local Enforcer (Soldier Level 9 - 12)

09. Night Vision Goggles - 5 Attack - 16 Defense
- Assassinate a Political Figure (Hitman Level 18 - 24)

10. Stab-Proof Vest - 2 Attack - 5 Defense
- Kill a Protected Snitch (Soldier Level 9 - 12)

c) VEHICLES

01. Armored Car - 14 Attack - 15 Defense
- Invade Tong-controlled Neighborhood (Hitman Level 18 - 24)

02. Armored Limousine - 16 Attack - 36 Defense
- Shake Down a City Council Member (Boss Level 100+)

03. Armored Truck - 4 Attack - 8 Defense
- Smuggle Across the Border (Enforcer Level 13 - 17)

04. Bullet Proof Bentley - 10 Attack - 30 Defense
- Mafia Poker Casino

05. Escalade - 16 Attack - 16 Defense
- Limited Edition Loot (Godfather)

06. Harley Davidson "Fat Boy" Motorcycle - 18 Attack - 6 Defense
- Run a Biker Gang Out of Town (Capo Level 25 - 34)

07. Humvee - 26 Attack - 22 Defense
- Break into the Armory (Underboss Level 60 - 99)

08. Luxury Yacht - 10 Attack - 20 Defense
- Influence a Harbor Official (Consigliere 35 - 59)

09. Police Cruiser - 22 Attack - 28 Defense
- Blackmail the District Attorney (Boss Level 100+)

10. Porsche 911 - 20 Attack - 14 Defense
- Ransom a Businessman's Kids (Consigliere Level 35 - 59)

11. Private Jet - 12 Attack - 38 Defense
- Make a Deal with the Mexican Cartel (Boss Level 100+)

12. Prop Plane - 5 Attack - 20 Defense
- Steal an Air Freight Delivery (Capo Level 25 - 34)

13. Stolen Mail Truck - 10 Attack - 20 Defense
- From joining Mafia Wars newsletter on the home page of the game (really?)

d). SPECIAL LOOT

01. Blackmail Photos - 0 Attack -0 Defense
- Obtain Compromising Photos (Hitman Level 18 - 24)

02. Computer Set-Up - 0 Attack - 0 Defense
- Rob an Electronics Store (Enforcer Level 13 - 17)

03. Concealable Camera - 0 Attack - 0 Defense
- Rob an Electronics Store (Enforcer Level 13 - 17)

04. Illegal Transaction Records - 0 Attack -0 Defense
- Steal Bank Record (Capo Level 25 - 34)

05. Untraceable Cell Phone - 0 Attack - 0 Defense
- Rob an Electronics Store (Enforcer Level 13 - 17)

e) CONSUMABLES (Maximum : 10 Items each)

- Getaway Driver : The getaway driver let you escape with no penalty

- Health Kit : The health kit heals you for 20 - 30 health

- Shiv : The shiv does instant light damage to your enemy

- Stun Gun : The stun gun stuns the enemy allowing for a free attack
*All items looted through Jobs

COLLECTIONS

1. Chips (Level 9 - 12) : Reward (+2 Attack Skill Points)
- Blue Chips
- Brown Chips
- Gold Chips
- Green Chips
- Purple Chips
- Red Chips
- White Chips

2. Sculptures (Level 9 - 12) : Reward (+3 Defense Skill Points)
- Dragon Sculpture
- Monkey Sculpture
- Rat Sculpture
- Rooster Sculpture
- Sheep Sculpture
- Snake Sculpture
- Tiger Sculpture

3. Cigars (Level 13 - 17) : Reward (+2 Energy Skill Points)
- Ebony Cigar
- Gold Cigar
- Ivory Cigar
- Rose Cigar
- Royal Cigar
- Sky Cigar
- Turquoise Cigar

4. Rings (Level 18 - 24) : Reward (+5 Defense Skill Points)
- Amethyst Ring
- Diamond Ring
- Emerald Ring
- Opal Ring
- Ruby Ring
- Sapphire Ring
- Topaz Ring

5. Paintings (Level 25 - 34) : Reward (+6 Energy Skill Points)
- Cezanne Painting
- Dali Painting
- Matisse Painting
- Monet Painting
- Rembrandt Painting
- Van Gogh Painting
- Warhol Painting

GODFATHER'S CRATE ITEMS
(For the Characters for Attack/Defense see the list above)

a) Common Items
- AK-47
- Bloody Chainsaw
- Bloody Horse Head
- Car Bomb
- Cattle Prod
- Gold 9mm Gun
- Mac-10
- Magnum
- Piano Wire

b) Uncommon Items
- Armed Guards
- Chainsaw
- Combat Knife
- Desert Eagle
- Flamethrower
- Gold-Plated Magnum
- Light Anti Tank Weapon
- Propane Bomb
- Silence Pistol
- Sniper Rifle

c) Rare Items
- Gold Mac-10
- Gold MP5

I still need more info of these items (Which job, which level)
- Bullet Proof Bentley

MASTERING ALL JOBS in

- Street Thug (Level 1 - 4) : Earn the title as Street Thug (your Mafia's name)
- Associate (Level 5 - 8) : Earn the title as Associate (your Mafia's name)
- Soldier (Level 9 - 12) : Earn the title as Soldier (your Mafia's name)
- Enforcer (Level 13 - 17) : Earn the title as Enforcer (your Mafia's name)
- Hitman (Level 18 - 24) : Earn the title as Hitman (your Mafia's name)
- Capo (Level 25 - 34) : Earn the title as Capo (your Mafia's name)
- Consigliere (Level 35 - 59) : Earn the title as Consigliere (your Mafia's name)
- Underboss (Level 60 - 99) : Earn the title as Underboss (your Mafia's name)
- Boss-Jobs (Level 100+) : Earn the title as Boss-Jobs (your Mafia's name)

* Received +1 Skill Point after mastering each job.

Note: Onecan get the loot (not Collection) via fights too. It is 'easier' getting the loot from fights than from job.

10 Strategies You Need To Know in Mafia Wars

2009-09-08T22:57:00.001-07:00

These are the 10 strategies you need to know in Mafia Wars:

1. Put Your Money In A Bank – This is a game that is about mobs. Having money on you makes you more susceptible to losing it in a fight or by getting robbed. Put it in a bank.

2. Be Good to the Family – The only way to be successful at this game is having a strong family. That means you have to buy weapons and other items required to make each part of the family strong. Make sure there are no weak people on the team.

3. Defend Your Family – You’re a team and you have to keep your family strong. When one person is in trouble, you have to answer that call for help.

4. Work and Buy Property – You got to work hard to get as much money as possible, so you can start buying up property.

5. Get the Best Weapons – There are a lot of weapons to choose from, but you have to go with the ones that are going to provide the most attack points. You send your strongest weapons into fight first because you need to do as much damage as possible.

6. Double Each Level – Your attack and defense points should be at least two times as strong as the scale for the particular level you’re in. If you’re in level 2, you should have your attack and defense points at 4.

7. Don’t Brag About Gifts – Giving gifts to family members is a nice thing to do, but it is annoying to play the game when this fact is announced. It’s just excessive information that is completely not necessary.

8. Save Energy Packs – Typically when you’re within 200 points of reaching the next level, you shouldn’t be using any energy packs. Save them for after you make it to the next level, so you can instantly reenergize then.

9. Go to Cuba – When you reach level 35, you’ll have the first chance to go to Cuba. You should do it because you can obtain much better weapons and get some experience.

10. Be a Fan of Stone Cold Pimps – This is a trick you can use to help get a lot more people to join your mafia family. Capici.

Studying Technique: Memorize Texts Word-for-Word

2009-09-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

Studying requires memorizing, (that is whether we like it or not). Memorizing has become a chore for most of us, ESPECIALLY if we need to memorize it WORD-FOR-WORD. Whew! It surely takes a lot of time effort, and next thing you know, you haven’t memorized your lessons yet.

To memorize verbatim text easily, click or copy this link:
http://www.productivity501.com/how-to-memorize-verbatim-text/294/

Productivity 501 Website features “How To Memorize Verbatim Text”. I was able to find this in the Internet and it has great results. On this site, tips are given how to memorize verbatim texts.

The most important part of Productivity 501’s site is the TOOL that they have within the webpage. This tool helps you extract the FIRST LETTERS of any article, any speech, or any definition. HOW?

First, you copy the WHOLE ARTICLE and PASTE it to the WINDOW and then press CONVERT. For example, if you want to memorize the sentence:

“The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”

after pressing CONVERT, it will be shortened to

“T q b f j o t l d”.

The initial letters converted would greatly help anyone in studying long articles. I used this in studying articles and I would say, it helps. Try it! :-)

Facebook's Mafia Wars Hacks: Use Mafia wars Auto Player

2009-09-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read it right. You can use Mafia Wars Auto Player!

This tool can auto play you mafia wars game according to you saved settings.

To install this tool you need to use Mozilla Firefox. Follow this steps to to install this tool for Mafia wars.

1. First is to download and install Mozilla Firefox Browser if you don’t have it yet.. If you are already using Firefox then go to the next step.a

2. Now install Greasemonkey Add-on for Firefox. Here the link for Greasemonkey:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748

Go to this link and click on Add to Firefox and install the add-on and restart Firefox.

3. Now go to http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/43573 and click on Green Install button now it will a window will appear. Click on install button from the window.

4. Now go to Facebook and log in to your account. Now go to mafia wars you will see some new link named Auto Play Settings, instructions for this Mafia wars auto player (cheating tool) can be found at the following link.

http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dfwpt84g_21db9g8gcd&pageview=1&hgd=1&hl=en

Setup your own settings to cheat mafia wars game on Facebook and have fun!

(Never forget to leave your comments for this article)

Extra Tips on Mafia Wars in MySpace

2009-09-07T18:44:00.001-07:00

More Energy – Send an energy pack to a friend along with the message, then go to your MySpace page and click on the link (the image) and you will send one to yourself.

Beat the Bank 10% – Annoying, but if you deposit $9 at a time you will beat the system.

Best Early Cash & Experience Jobs:

Level 1 – 4: Auto Theft
Level 5 – 8: Bank Heist
Level 9 – 12: Museum Break In
Level 13 – 17: Wiretap the Cops

Best of luck, happy gaming and don’t forget to comment on this article. Capici.