Leftover Thoughts!

No More Chatbox

2012-01-24T15:28:00.003+08:00

Today, I will delete my chatbox. It has not served it purpose anymore and has become the haven of spammers, and passersby who only want to promote their sites without leaving at least some sensible remarks.

In the past, when spammers were fewer and the bloggers were purer, we were not afraid of unwanted visitors. Now, times have changed. And it changed really fast. I think I could still blog without the chatbox. Most blogs don't have chatboxes anymore, and interactions are more on the comment portions.

So, if you want to leave a message here, you should know where the comment section is.

Google Panda Comes To Town

2011-12-16T11:09:00.004+08:00

Months ago there were stories of a Panda roaming around the internet slapping and slamming websites that a lot of webmasters cried foul. I didn’t bother to check it as I was lost in my day job and in some other ventures outside blogging.

Those who are seriously into SEO would know by now what I meant by this Panda. Perhaps they’re already affected and didn’t know what kind of truck had hit them. Or maybe they are now aware that all their SEO works in the past might possibly go down the drain.

So in the controversially reliable Wikipedia I got info about this Panda:
“Google Panda is a change to the Google's search results ranking algorithm that was first released in February 2011. The change aimed to lower the rank of "low-quality sites", and return higher-quality sites near the top of the search results. CNET reported a surge in the rankings of news websites and social Networking sites, and a drop in rankings for sites containing large amounts of advertising. This change reportedly affected the rankings of almost 12 percent of all search results. Soon after the Panda rollout, many websites, including Google's webmaster forum, became filled with complaints of scrapers/copyright infringers getting better rankings than sites with original content.”

Are you affected by this? Me, I’m not sure. I still get the same so-so traffic. My SEO skill is too basic and kinda old school. This site is used to be at PR4, and now it’s PR2. I don’t think Panda hit the PageRanks as well.

Perhaps we can now say that the field is leveled with this change by the big G. This initial hiccup, wherein they say that legit sites got struck while some scrapers got lucky, will surely come to pass. It’s reassuring to know that we’ll be getting less and less of the garbage when we do our web searches. It's also bad news for those making money online out of these search engine pollutants.

Azkals vs Lions

2011-10-07T18:22:00.002+08:00

Azkals vs Lions, who do you expect to win? No, I'm not referring to a match between stray dogs versus giant cats. Azkals vs Lions is a match between the Philippines and Singapore's football teams. It will happen tonight at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

I was one of those who in Twitter, cheered for the Azkals vs Kuwait. "#WeBelieve" alright. But we're actually waiting for a miracle to happen. The Kuwaitis were more experienced and better equipped. The Singaporeans, 30 notches higher in Rank, are also great footballers, so I'm also also waiting for another miracle to happen. Who knows really if there'll be 30 minutes of madness when the Lion's will stop playing and allow the Azkals to pass by them and score easy goals.

I'd like like the Azkals to win 15-0. That would at least tie the country's most number of goals in a single game. In 1917, during the Far Eastern Championship Games in Tokyo, Paulino Alcantara-led Philippine team defeated Japan 15–2. That was the Philippines' biggest win in international football.

We have some Fil-foreigners in our lineup. But are they at the level of Messi and Ronaldo? So I just have to lower down my expectations. 2-2 will be good enough. Perhaps the Filipinos will understand that. We cannot change our state of football overnight.

Facebook Hoax - Tiered Membership Fee

2011-09-28T10:24:00.003+08:00

I saw this in the shoutouts of a few of my Facebook friends a few days ago.

FACEBOOK JUST RELEASED THEIR PRICE GRID FOR MEMBERSHIP. $9.99 PER MONTH FOR GOLD MEMBER SERVICES, $6.99 PER MONTH FOR SILVER MEMBER SERVICES, $3.99 PER MONTH FOR BRONZE MEMBER SERVICES, FREE IF YOU COPY AND PASTE THIS MESSAGE BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. WHEN YOU SIGN ON TOMORROW MORNING YOU WILL BE PROMPTED FOR PAYMENT INFO...IT IS OFFICIAL IT WAS EVEN ON THE NEWS. FACEBOOK WILL START CHARGING DUE TO THE NEW PROFILE CHANGES. IF YOU COPY THIS ON YOUR WALL YOUR ICON WILL TURN BLUE AND FACEBOOK WILL BE FREE FOR YOU. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON IF NOT YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED IF YOU DO NOT PAY !

Another one protested, and posted some invectives against those who posted the above message. Oh, my, my gullible friends.

Haven't you noticed the timing? Facebook made some overhauls, Google+ is now available to everyone, and then this hoax. I don't know which came out first. But I know of someone who compared the complex Facebook changes to the last days of MySpace. I have not even tried MySpace and now it's gone.

Goodbye Madam!

2011-08-06T02:03:00.002+08:00

The other day, a batchmate announced in our Facebook group page that one of our high school teachers died. She was 83 years old.

Scores of messages filled our group's wall. "She was my favorite English" says one. Another mentioned the teacher's unusual habit of eating menthol candy during class and sticking the wrapper in the blackboard. "She was my favorite Math teacher" says another.

I don't know if it often happens but I find it unusual for someone to be an English and Math teacher at the same time. And she's excellent at both, inspiring students to do better and excel. I remember a time when half of her literature class had to take removal exams.

Also, I love how she pronounced the word "POEM". She even corrected us from our wrong pronunciation. Imagine, no one among us got it right the first time!

She's a motivator. Every week she gives us an assignment - a quotable quote, plus an explanation why it catches one's attention. Even the funniest quotes gathered by some of my comical classmates turn into something that gives us serious moral lessons.

She's compassionate. She gave some of my naughty classmates second chance when what they did could have cost them dismissal, or even some time in jail. They were forever grateful to her.

And so, what are my memories of her?
1. A principal at that time, she signed my suspension letter - due to habitual tardiness. Up to now, I haven't overcome it.
2. She gave me 3.0 in all grading period. I could not believe my consistency.
3. She scares me when she raises an eyebrow and throws a question. It will surely throw you off your seat.
4. Her pronunciation and the way she reads poems is quite intimidating. It has some chilling effect on me which I cannot explain at that time.

But hey, it was because of her that I began to appreciate poetry and literature. My early poems were done because it was for a class assignment. But a few of my friends continued writing poems and short stories even after we're through with lit class. And even until now, I collect quotable quotes.

What can I say but goodbye, Madam! You are surely the best!

Tired

2011-07-22T11:40:00.005+08:00

I'm tired of blogging. There are so many things I wanted to do with my blogs but can't seem to pull it off.

What were my goals? Before I even achieve them, I changed them. Here now this blog is going nowhere. Blogging anonymously is a thing of the past. To my blogging friends, I'll one day reappear in your blogs, with my real name. And I hope you are still as welcoming as before and not have become snobs or too engrossed with traffic, adsense and blog community.

Ania Na Pud Ko Sa Sugbu

2011-06-02T13:20:00.000+08:00

Ania na pud ko sa Sugbu! (I'm back in Cebu again).

Pero mubalik ra ko sa Manila unyang kadlawon. Kadali ra ba! Mura man lang ko ug nisimhot sa kwarto, midulog sa akong kapikas, unya biya na sad. Hahay, kapait ining kinabuhia! Taud-taod na man diay akong wala makabalik diri. Enero pa kadto ug karon Hunyo na.

Sa eroplano kagabii, sa iyang pag take-off, gisud-ong nako ang kalapdon sa Metro Manila. Nindot tan-awon ang kahayag sa syudad. Nakita ko sad ang mga highway diin naglinya ang mga suga, ug murag tadlis kun tan-awon sa itaas. Gipiyong na lang nako ang ako mga mata,ug nahimuklod. Nganong napadpad man ko aning dapita nga ang akong kasing-kasing tua man sa sugbo?

Tuig 2008 kadto nga gibalhin ko sa akog kumpanya diri sa Manila. Taas nga posisyon, ug dako sad nga responsibilidad. Kini laging duna pud tay ambisyon mao nga gikab-ot nako ang oportunidad. Niuban pirmiro akong asawa apan nibalik dayun kini tungod sa kalaay ug sa mga oportunidad sa negosyo balik sa Sugbu. Lahi man diay ning mag-inusara ta. Walay mosugat nato inig-uli kundi ang iro sa silingan. Walay panihapon nga naghulat, kundi mga plato nga wala mahugasi sa pipila na ka adlaw. Wala sad kay magakos sa tugnaw nga kagabhion ug mahagkan nga mga tam-is nga ngabil.

Mao sab ang gibati nga kamingaw sa akong asawa. Maayo gani nga naay Sun Cellular kay pwede ra mi mag-istorya sa celphne bisag duha ug tulo ka oras kada adlaw. Kun wala pay Sun, linibo gyud among gasto. Maayo ra pud naa promo ang mga airlines para kun mibisita sya nako, dili na pud dako ang gasto.

Nasayod ko nga dili ra ako ang naa niining sitwasyon. Ang uban, wala gyud sila makaantos ug natintal gyud tungod sa lawasnong panginahanglan. Mao nga mag-ampo gyd mi pirmi sa Kahitas-an nga iya kaming buligan ug tagaan ug kusog sa pagbarog sa husto ug matarong.

Ang akong mga ginikanan, ug bisan akong ugangan, wala gyud makasulay ug panaglagyo sa ilang isig kapikas. Karong mga panahuna, uso na kaayo ni.

Karon, ania na pud ko sa Sugbu mao nga pahimuslan nako ang gamay nga panahon kay unyang kadlawon mubalik na ko sa Manila. Mubalik na sad ko sa mamingaw nga lugar, apan nasayod ko nga sa pipila ka mga bulan, mag-uban na gyud mi sa akong pinanggang asawa ug dili na kami magkalagyo pa.

Rapture Day: May 21, 2011

2011-05-20T03:57:00.001+08:00

There’s a group announcing that May 21, 2011 is the Rapture Day. It isn’t just a solitary bearded old man carrying a placard, shouting “Repent for the Judgment Day is Near”. The group, led by Harold Camping, put an exact date on Rapture Day – May 21, 2011. And five months later, they say, would be the end of the world.

They put up signs in lots of places including a full page ad at Reader’s Digest. How did the guy know the exact date when the Bible clearly says that no one knows? Well, he claimed to have found the secret calculation. As revealed now, the initial secret calculation of September 6, 1994 was flawed because Christians were still here. Camping recalculated and is now dead sure that his math is correct. If he is still around on May 22, then he must have been left behind.

I grew up in an evangelical Christian Church where rapture is taught. I’d say I prefer the Pre-mil, pre-trib – rapture precedes tribulation. But only God knows exactly when.

Here’s an MTV I found in Youtube which briefly describe what rapture is.

Will you be left behind?

Gmail Motion (Beta) - What is it?

2011-04-01T14:21:00.004+08:00

Today, Google introduces Gmail Motion. What is it all about that it tops today's search trend? It is the internet giants innovation wherein users can interacts with their Gmail account in a new way.

Gmail users can simply sit in front of their computer equipped with a webcam and use their body to interact with Gmail. Isn't it great?

Gmail Motion uses your computer’s built-in webcam and Google’s patented spatial tracking technology to detect your movements and translate them into meaningful characters and commands. Movements are designed to be simple and intuitive for people of all skill levels.

A printable guide that will include all of the body motions that Gmail now supports, is also provided. Stretch here, stretch there. However, Google also warns that you have to take some break every 30-40 minutes to give your muscles time to relax. This is fun really. Check out the video below on how this new feature works.

According also to Google, "This new motion detection technology doesn't stop with Gmail. We're excited to announce that Google Docs Motion will be coming later this year".

Yehaah! This is getting to be more exciting. It's April first everyone!

Of Blogging Plans Again

2011-03-30T11:53:00.002+08:00

My blogging plans never materialized. With time in my hand between 9pm to 12am on weekdays and whole day on weekends, I should have worked my butt off to make more money online. Instead, I just stared at the computer screen, facebooking, or those online games, wasting precious time.

I write this with a sigh. The other night I chatted with my cousin regarding some new plans. Maybe I was just envious that some of my friends are now earning more online when, a couple few years ago, they were earning cents. Rumors of a friend had it that than one heyday, a single post raked in $100 of adsense money. How's that for a sideline!

Or maybe I was convinced of the internet's potential, yet looked at it as a clear blue sky while lying on my back in a green green grass.

This has to change. Now.

Will The Real Big Bad Blogger Please Stand Up?

2011-01-29T00:07:00.001+08:00

It was a Sunday when an article about blogging was published in my favorite daily. I really didn’t know about it until a Facebook link from a friend pointed me to another page and then to the article.

The article written by Margaux Salcedo, also a blogger herself, mentioned a restaurateur and her resto and how the villains - Bad PR firm (probably not big) and a Big Bad Blogger, applied extortion in presenting their services. The title, catchy to the bloggers’ eyes it seems – Please Don’t Give Blogging a Bad Name.

Some readers were quick to point a finger at a certain popular blogger. And some bloggers, were also ready to aim fire at whoever that shows up. Probably it is easier to shoot a blogger than the PR firm. But who is REALLY giving blogging a bad name?

If getting paid for a review already qualifies one to become a bad blogger, then I am a bad blogger too. And so are my friends, who despite having great blogs, kept other secret sites used to generate $$$. I used to have paid posts here when the price was still at $20-$50. Now when there were already lots of us bad bloggers, the price went down to a pittance wherein you can’t even buy a Starbucks coffee with it. It’s probably because we’re not big and we write for the fun of it. It’s not the review they wanted, but rather the link.

So, will the real big bad blogger please stand up? Oh there you are, eating in a resto, taking pictures of the food and the crews whom you asked to give their best smile. “Pay up or I’ll scr*w you with my review”. Unbeknownst to the big bad blogger, somebody might have already wished that he choke up or something while he chews his meal. That unless he writes a positive review.

Welcome 2011

2011-01-02T00:24:00.002+08:00

Today is the 2nd day of 2011 and it actually feels like 2010. I planned to make a blog entry on the last day of December but geesh, I forgot about it. It must be the age. But I'm young(if 30 something is young), and shouldn't be forgetful.

Okay, so who among my early blogging peers are still blogging? I mean blogging. Not copypasting and/or reviewing and/or newsreporting. My blogroll isn't that filled because I deleted that blogrolling link that they say contained malicious codes. What malicious code? Was there a proof?

I'll take a peek at the blog of my peers. Must be 50plus of them. Some had already shed off their masks of internet anonymity. I did. But partially. What will my niece say if she reads this blog? She'll be amused because she will not understand anything until, maybe 10 years from now.

Others retired. It's really sad to think that those I interacted with 4 years ago are no longer blogging. Some may have forgotten that we were once internet friends. They should know by now that I am only using a pen name. And that if you ever try to search me on Facebook using my pen name, you'll be surprised to see that I am Caucasian, tall and handsome. That is NOT me, of course.

So, what's up for 2011? Nothing, really. This blog will still be about my leftover thoughts, and that I am still here blogging.

Let us try politics next time.

Trying-Hard Haggler

2010-10-24T05:53:00.003+08:00

Yesterday I went to Tutuban Mall. I would have wanted to go to Divisoria mall but I got stuck in traffic. The normal 30-minute drive from Makati to Divisoria became a two-and-a-half-hour ordeal. When I tried to maneuver, as I thought of taking another route, I was caught on a u-turn violation. What I did to get away without paying the hefty fine is another story. But it's somewhat related to my title, if you get my drift.

So, what's with Tutuban?. First, I wanted to buy some RTWs to bring to Cebu. Second, I wanted to try my best to haggle like my wife does when she goes to the area. The P250 becomes P150, or something like that. Wifey sells them at margin.

My problem is not in the selection of items to buy. I can manage even if I have to endure the suspecting gaze of the salesladies. "What is this big guy doing, buying women's clothes?". I don't also need to ask the salesladies of their opinion on the design of the clothes. If I like what I see, I directly go for it.

Now, I have this difficulty in haggling, negotiating with the seller to bring their price down. P250 for a dress is already cheap, right? That is if you are in a department store. But in Divisoria, you can bring it down to P100 if you have the skills. So what were my intro lines?

"I buy these for wifey. I'm gonna resell these. I have no money left, and I appreciate if you sell it to me at this price." I am a trying hard haggler, you know. The most I got is a P50 reduction of their initial price. For the uninitiated, this is already a good start. But I am not yet satisfied.

If I'm gonna resell to wifey all the items I bought yesterday, I'm very very sure that I will incur losses.

Where's The Blog Money?

2010-10-19T14:45:00.003+08:00

This blog already earned around $500. This month? Before your imagination goes wild, I want to make it clear. I made around $500 only in its more than four years of existence. On the average, it's roughly $10 a month. If I bought Starbucks coffee with it, I only got to drink three mocha frappe.

So, where do you find the big money in blogging?

After the sponsored post frenzy two years ago, wherein I earned 99% of my keep, the income from this blog is purely on adsense. And looking at my adsense stats, I earn less the twenty cents per month. I got a big fat zero yesterday, and nothing also the other day. Maybe I should write weird stuff in here. A lot of people are searching for scandals, right?

Seriously, there are ways to make money from one's blog. Here a video posted two years ago by someone who must be successful by now:

Now you can earn millions with your blog. Sorry I didn't.

So, You're A Blogger Too!

2010-09-25T21:24:00.003+08:00

A few days ago, I had this conversation with a new colleague and she noticed the sticker on my laptop. "What is that sticker?" she asked. "It's very familiar to me."

I told her that it's a Wordpress sticker. "Wordpress is a blogging platform" I added. What was supposed to be a work-related conversation shifted to blogging. She has a blog too, using an alias she don't want me to know about.

"So, you must have started it 3 or 4 years ago?" I told her. "Every blogger then used an alias".

She smiled. "I have a few entries in that blog that a colleague once told me that I could publish them. But I don't want my real name attached to it, and publishers, she said, won't publish works of anonymous writers. And... it's just some personal essays."

"Oh!".

I discreetly searched her name, (yahoo and google alike) like a detective. No relevant results. I don't really know why I did it. Maybe it's because I want to see the person behind their corporate persona. But then again, if she wants to keep it a secret, why my intrusion? No one would like their diaries read without the owners permission, isn't it?

When God Ran

2010-08-30T12:10:00.002+08:00

I thought the song title "When God Ran" was ridiculous and blasphemous when I first heard of it way back a couple of decades ago. A friend recommended it and lent me a cassette tape. I almost cried the first time I heard the song. It was about the prodigal son and God's love for all of his children, strayed or not. I copy recorded it and played it over and over again.

Here's youtube video of "When God Ran" .. by Benny Hester:

And for the lyrics, it is here:

WHEN GOD RAN (by Benny Hester)

Almighty God,
The Great I Am
Immovable Rock,
Omnipotent powerful

Awesome Lord,
Victorious Warrior
Commanding King of Kings
Mighty Conqueror,

And the only time,
the only time I ever saw Him run
Was when He ran to me,
Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest
And said "My son's come home again".
Looked in my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice
He said "Son, do you know I still love you?"

It caught me by surprise when God ran

The day I left Home,
I knew I'd broken His heart
I wondered if
Things could ever be the same,

Then one night,
I remembered His love for me
And down that dusty road, ahead I could see
It's the only time,
the only time I ever saw Him run

Was when He ran to me,
Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest
And said "My son's come home again".
Looked in my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice
He said "Son, do you know I still love you?"

It caught me by surprise, He brought me to my knees
When God ran
I saw Him run to me
And then I ran to Him

Instrumental Bridge

Holy God, Righteous One
Who turned my way
Now I know, He's been waiting
For this day

{Repeat Chorus}

And then He ran to me,
Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest
And said "My son's come home again".
Looked in my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice
I felt His love for me again

{Repeat Chorus}

He ran to me,
Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest
And said "My son's come home again".
Looked in my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice
He said Son, He said Son, My Son!
Do you know I still love you
oohhh...He ran to me
When God ran

May God touch your hearts as you listen to the song. He loves you no matter what.

Spur of the Moment

2010-08-15T19:15:00.002+08:00

One good thing about blogging is that you can write anything you want anytime you want. There is no pressure for me to fill this blog with blahblahs. Even if I'd stay silent for a month or two without updates, I'd still be able to sleep worrying not about web metrics. I have no obligation to please my readers either. But if you are wondering where I am or what I am up to, I am just around Metro Manila. Almost two years ago I left Cebu for a temporary assignment here. (My bosses would raise their eyebrows if I say temporary. But really, this world is just a temporary place for us.)

This blog was created at the spur of the moment. A friend told me about blogging, then suddenly out of the blue, I registered a blogger account and wrote my first post on March 16, 2006. I was fighting off boredom so I titled my first post, "Boredom".

This spur-of-the-moment writer in me got so excited that from 2006-2008, I was able to write 321 blog posts. Of course, there were lots of trash in there that earned me a few hundred dollars. And it's not something that I should be ashamed of. This is my blog, and I can do whatever I want to do with it. I can sell it if I want to. But who would buy it? Offer me something that I cannot refuse. Yeah, who cares about PR4 these days.

So I'll just write my leftover thoughts. If you have your own writing standards, keep it in your blog, please. Also, let's no longer talk about passion to blog, because maybe that stage is behind me now.

Stupid, Stupid

2010-08-12T15:03:00.002+08:00

Stupid of me not to make updates for this site for many many weeks. A lot of things has changed - even the looks of this site. Blogger has really made improvements to make them more relevant and attractive to bloggers and readers alike. Don't you like my new mask?

So what's with the title? Nothing really. It's just a remark I overheard from someone. "Stupid, stupid! That guy is really stupid!" If it was just in a movie, I'd like to join him. But it was not. It was directed at a colleague who was just doing what was vaguely instructed to him by a boss.

We do stupid things sometimes. Or maybe we watched too many movies where cursing is as common as a period in a sentence. A joke may be tolerable. But in all seriousness, and you call someone stupid, damn or fool, you're actually inviting hailstorms from heaven to fall on you.

If you call me stupid, I'll hate you forever. Stupid and hate aren't really in my dictionary. Peace, brother!

Thoughts On Spain Winning The World Cup

2010-07-09T15:30:00.006+08:00

It will be Spain's first. First at the Finals, first trophy if they win, and first team to win the cup despite losing its opening match. Would you believe that they had not entered the semifinals in any of the World Cup they joined? Considering that they have Real Madrid and Barcelona, two of the world's top clubs, Spain should be on top of the football world, right?

Now Spain is on top of the world, literally. Spain is seeded second to Brazil. Now that the five-time winner is out, Spain is the toughest bunch into the Finals. They will face Robben-led Netherlands, the team that disposed of Brazil in the quarterfinals.

Spain's Chances

Spain is the heavy favorite to win the 2010 World Cup, especially now that they easily disposed of the quick-footed German team in the semis. The current team is fast, and jelled well in the rotation. 7 of the players are from Barcelona and 3 from Real Madrid. The Barcelona-type of play of quick touches and slick passing is very evident in their every match. This is the type of football everyone loves.

David Villa is the main man for Spain. He scored 5 goals in six games and is every inch a remarkable striker. Villa is ably assisted by Andres Iniesta, whom Rooney says, is the best player in the world. Iniesta has always been the threat up front, and he can absolutely fire a goal anytime. Fernando Torres, another world-class player, is coming off from injury. He had not shown much though, but given the right moment, he can fire plenty of shots.

Come Sunday (Monday dawn Philippine time), Spain will face the Netherlands, another team hungry for the title. I don't know what Paul, the octopus seance, will say about Spain's chances. This 2010 could be La Furia Roca's time.

But sorry, I'll be rooting for the team in Orange.

Thoughts on the World Cup 2010 Semis

2010-07-06T07:49:00.003+08:00

The FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa, which opened last June 11, 2010, is now on its last stages of the tournament. Only 4 teams remain. Some teams had already left the tournament, including the favorites France, Italy, England, Brazil and Argentina.

Who would have thought that Italy and France, both football powerhouses in Europe and finalists in the 2006 edition, were eliminated in the first round? Their awful performance was jeered by fans, and they went home in humiliation. France had a star player sent home because of some verbal tussle with the coach. The other players went on strike. The Prime Minister wanted to intervene and demanded some explanation.

In Italy, it was just a shame for the defending champ. They don’t have the glitter and the legs to perform at the top level anymore.

So, how about England? They are very strong on paper. They have one of the best coaches in the world named Fabio Capello. But their stars brought no ammunition in the actual battle at the football field. Wayne Rooney, despite being dubbed as one of the best soccer players in the world, was a major disappointment. He even had some ugly confrontation with a few of the English fans. Lampard, Gerrard and Terry were no shows. Even against teams like USA and Algeria, they failed to win. Their early and embarrassing exit at the hands of a young German team was not a surprise anymore.

At the quarters, there were 4 teams from South Africa, 3 from Europe and one from Africa. Brazil, the current no. 1 team in the world and the favorite to win the Cup, was also favored to win against Netherlands. They looked lethal on paper and they easily beat their opponents. But even great teams crumble. After the unfortunate own goal from Felipe Melo, Brazil never recovered and lost 1-2 to the Oranges. The coach was immediately sacked. 4 years of preparation, and winning every game along the way, was all for naught because they failed to win the greatest prize of them all – the World Cup. That could have been their sixth. But they will have a chance against as they will host the 2014 edition in Sao Paulo.

Cry for Argentina this time. They were badly humiliated by the Germans, despite having one of the most solid and experienced squad in the tournament. 0-4 is such an embarrassing defeat that it need a National Day of mourning. I cried for Messi and for Diego. The latter will no longer have to run naked in Buenos Aires, as he promised if his team wins the Cup.

Who are the teams left? It is such an unlikely group. Netherlands, Uruguay, Germany and Spain remained standing after the other fell along the way. Spain is the next favorite to win, but their performance in South Africa is suspect. They lost their first game again Switzerland. No team that lost its first game ever won the Cup. Can they break that jinx? Germany, on the other hand, is riding high on its trashing of Argentina. The young Germans are lethal on the attack and yet solid on defense. Spain has to be lucky to win against the mighty Germans.

In the other semis match, it is Netherlands vs Uruguay. The South American came off with a controversial win against Ghana. The ‘hand of Suarez’ rescued them. And luck was not on the Africans side as they missed the ensuing penalty. Uruguay will be without their main striker. But Netherlands, the team that dismantled Brazil, has all the chances to win the Cup now. They’ve never won the tournament before, despite being in the finals twice. Maybe, this is their chance to surpass the greatness of Johan Cruyff’s team of ’74.

The semis matches are both good to watch. All four are known not to play boring football. Expect more goals. But I like to see a finals of Netherlands vs Germany. That would be a remake of their 1974 encounter.

See also - Netherlands vs Uruguay: World Cup 2010 Semis Preview and Results Prediction

Watch Spain vs Portugal Live Stream Online for Free

2010-06-29T15:25:00.003+08:00

I love to watch live online Spain vs Portugal tonight. The two will be battling for a place in the quarterfinals. It is a must see game for all football fans in the world. Big names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Fernando Torres, David Villa and Iker Cassilas will be playing.

The game will start at 230pm ET (12am HK time). I am sure a lot will be searching for a free live stream online of the Spain vs Portugal match for the 2010 world cup.

For those with cable TV in the Philippines, Sky Cable has its Balls Channel airing the games live. For those wanting to watch it live online, ESPN3 offers free live stream for US residents.

For those who are unwilling to pay, hostream.net offers various channels. But most of time, the quality is so bad that you would just want to go the neighbors house and sneak in to their living room just to watch TV.

What to Expect?

History has not sided with both countries. Despite their greatness in Europe, not one of the two had made it to the Finals. Portugal placed third in 1966 and 4th in 2006, but Spain is unluckier as it had not reached the semis. The latter is even considered a football superpower, and ranked second to Brazil.

So today they'll make history. Head-to-head, Spain is ahead, even in the rankings. But player-wise, Cristiano Ronaldo is much a better footballer than any of the Spanish squad. Spain has Fernando Torres, David Villa, Cesc Fabregas, and Andres Iniesta. Explosive strikers they are. But in this tournament, only Villa made a significant contribution. Spain's fans should hope for better things to come around tonight. They need to claim their place in world cup history - not as an underachiever, but a true football superpower. Just as the papers said about them.

Spain or Portugal?

If you haven't had an opportunity to watch any of the two teams play, you ahould watch tonight. Spain vs Portugal, neighbors at war in South Africa. As for me, I am rooting for Portugal to win 1-0 vs Spain. Sorry La Liga fans! Anyway,you have Ronaldo in Madrid.

See also Spain vs Portugal: Preview and Results Prediction

Thoughts on Overtime Work

2010-06-22T21:45:00.006+08:00

When a staff worked hours beyond the normal office hours, he should received overtime pay, right?

Yes and no. Yes if he is required. No if he is plainly killing time at the office, and OT wasn't approved by the direct head.

When I was just a newbie at an audit firm, we were told not to overshoot the budgetted working hours for a particular client. If you worked in an audit firm, you'd know how it is during busy season. Work 16 to 20 hours, yet claim ony 3 hours overtime. Or to some extent, claim nothing at all. Martyrs, eh!

When I joined another company after audit life, I thought my job would be easier. It wasn't. In fact, I spent more hours at work as compared to my previous job at the audit firm. And so I made efforts to fix the system and hired competent people. After a few months, nobody from our group stayed beyond office hours. How's that for the manager?

When I arrived here in Manila, I also noticed that plenty of my staff were doing OT work. I asked them about their family life, and what they do other than work. I learned that they also longed to go home but because of the volume of their work, they have to stay and render overtime. It seemed that everybody were resigned to the idea that they have no option left but to render overtime. Their head, was also staying late. And this is what I noticed:

1. The manager gave the staff reason to work OT
2. Free meals with no limit
3. Late afternoon instructions, with the 'urgent' tag, when actually, it can be done the next day.
4. Lack of planning on the part of the supervisor and manager

Having started from the associate position, I know why I wanted to work OT. And these are some of the reasons:

1. OT pay is good.
2. There's no reason to hurry for home.
3. Free meals
4. It's traffic at 5pm. Leaving at 8pm or at a later time is much better.
5. There are those who gauge one's dedication by the number of hours spent at work
6. Your co-workers have become your friends
7. Work is fun.

From management's point of view, this I also learned from experience, that there must be something wrong with the department if people there put in lots of overtime hours. It could be a problem of efficiency and lack of proper planning. One has to change the mindset of the department head when it comes to overtime work.

From the top, we went to the middle. We had the supervisor check the job description of each associate and compare it with their actual work. How much time will the supervisor need if he's the one doing the associate's staff? Is he going to do it differently? These are some questions we asked. After a week, the supervisor reported that we need one more staff, then the others will no longer have to work OT.

Today, my department has lowest number of OT hours. And on most nights, I am the only one left from my department.

Thoughts on Fathers' Day

2010-06-21T00:56:00.003+08:00

An hour had passed and today is no longer Fathers' Day in our part of the world. But I can't stop thinking as I saw posts and pics in Facebook about my friends' thoughts on Fathers' Day.

One posted a general greeting of 'lots of hugs to all Fathers out there'. From what I know about her family, her dad has a new family now, and it was her mom who solely raised her and her sister.

Another one had posted a pic of her and her father. Such a lovely scene, and some lines she posted that would make you green with envy. But a year ago, it wasn't the same. She told me she hates her dad for having vices and for not giving them enough attention. She even blamed him for what happened to his brother.

In another entry, a lady friend thanked her current partner for having changed for the better and for being a good father to her children. Knowing the guy, I hope he is for the long-term.

I would have wanted to post something on Facebook about my Dad but I restrained myself for reasons that I can't explain. So I just decided to post it here - my thoughts on my own Dad this Fathers' Day.

1. Dad loves my mom so much. I never heard them argue, whether in secret or in public. Dad always takes good care of my mom and he is always there for her. Dad never keep anything secret from mom.

2. Dad loves us his children very much. He provided for us, and he spends time with us, and he tells the world of how proud he is in whatever success that we had.

3. Dad has his faith grounded in God. Dad always reminded us of God's words and that we should live by it everyday in our lives. Here's Proverbs 3:1-4 "1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."

4. Dad told us to live in peace with everyone. Even if we had uneasy and jealous neighbors, dad always treated them kindly and fairly. "This is how people will know that we are Christians", was how he told us.

5. Dad told us to be thankful and be content of what we have.

6. Dad told us to help those who are in need and not to expect something in return. Many times I witnessed the ungratefulness of some people he helped. But those situations didn't deter my dad from helping more people, even if he has no money left.

I thank the Lord for my Dad! I know it's not enough to remember him on Fathers' Day. Every day should be Fathers' Day.

Traffic-less

2010-05-31T20:20:00.002+08:00

My other site got suspended last week by its host because of the rushing traffic that it got from web searches. I was expecting traffic (and G-clicks) that day, but not the suspension. I only did simple SEO, hoping to get at most the no. 3 spot on page 1 of SERP. (The top two were occupied by my friends who worked hard for two months prior to the event.)

After only 3k pageviews within an hour, my host kicked me out. They said that I as causing disturbance in the shared server. And so for hours I waited and waited for the restoration of my site. Surely I missed the dollars that went along with the traffic. During that same event last year, I got around $70 in three days. No suspension, no problem. But this time around, I only got less than $15.

I just have to accept the fact the no blog in a shared-hosting environment will survive a rushing traffic. Even some friends of mine who had their blogs hosted by US companies, got their sites down. But not those hosted by Blogger.

So today, I took a look again at this traffic-less site. The PR 4 is still there. And I know the underlying power of PR4 site. 4 years in existence yet only under 25k of visits. What if I optimize this leftover blog and direct traffic here? Surely this won't go down even if with 10k visits in an hour.

What do you think?

PR4 Again?

2010-05-21T06:48:00.002+08:00

I don't know if my eyes or the big G is playing prank on me. But I was surprised to receive an email this morning about a writing opportunity in which only blogs with PR3 and higher qualify.

And so I immediately checked this site, despite being in a half-sleep mode. I was still hugging my pillow and just turned to my right where my laptop was open overnight because of some browser game from Facebook. And to my surprise, the toolbar on top and the PR checker on the left indicate that I got my PR 4 back.

Now oh boy, oh boy! With my paypal empty, I am once again tempted to fill it with dollars. Now what? $20 per post like they used to? Or should I ask for more now that PR4 blogs are rare nowadays?

Nah nah nah. Maybe I will have to wait for a few days to see if this is real. Two events are forthcoming: The 2010 Champions league finals - Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich, and the May 2010 CPA board exams results. I have big interests in those two.

So those of you who got PR3 or 4 in the past but got penalized, maybe the lords of G issued some reprieve. Go check your own PRs.