Pinoy Technocrata

Steve Jobs: The Resignation Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 01:21:00 +0000

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve

(via Steve Jobs’ Resignation Letter)

Tita Cory

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:10:00 +0000

jaredramos:

Project Pilipinas 020 - Cory
August 1, 2009 - Former Philippine President Corazon C. Aquino, the first female president in Asia, dies at the age of 76.

(via itstrixiacruz)

“copyleft”

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 05:34:00 +0000

Everybody knows what this symbol © means. It’s that type of symbol that says, “Don’t mess with me, unless I allowed you to.” But if there’s such a word as “copyright,” is there an antonym of the word similar to right having its opposite, left?

I was reading a blog from Mashable about “The Last True Hacker” when I chanced upon “copyleft.” The word does exist but not in Microsoft Word’s vocabulary.

And logically, it's symbol looks like this. No kidding!

Face-off: Nikon and Canon

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 18:22:00 +0000

I’ve always wanted to get into photography the minute I laid my hands on my father’s trusty Nikon FM2 SLR a few years back. What held me back was the accompanying cost in dealing with film and prints. Then came the digital age of photography with the advent of what we call the “point and shoot” type of cameras that eventually resulted to the conversion of SLRs to Digital SLRs. With DSLRs, no more worries about spending on film, shoot as much as you want and you may choose not to print your work and instead upload it to photo sharing sites up in the cloud.

Filipinos here and abroad are crazy over photography. A few years back, the common camera gear you’d see in the streets are point and shoot cameras, DSLRs are mainly reserved for photojournalists and their big bad lenses. That’s not the case today. With the creation of different market segments for DSLRs, there’s a particular model/brand out in the wild that would meet everybody’s performance and budget requirement. I attended a christening a year ago and the DSLRs in the room totaled to 6: 5 Nikons and 1 Canon, including 2 from the official photographer… I’m just saying :). It’s a shame though that Nikon doesn’t have a local service center in the Philippines! Boohoo!

Nikon or Canon?

I’m a little biased when it comes to brand and I blame my father for that. But in all honesty, I have no issues with Canon, Pentax, and Sony etc. I apologize for the question excluding the other brands but let’s face it… most users are either into Nikon or Canon. But let’s not forget, as every seasoned photographer (I call myself a hobbyist by the way) would say… taking great pictures does not depend on the brand/model you use… it depends on whose eye is behind that viewfinder!

And the reason we ended up with the uber-popular Nikon D90 (according to Flickr), simply… it was the latest released model at that point in time we decided to get one. And there’ve been no regrets since.

Nikon vs. Canon

Here’s an interesting take on the rivalry between Nikon and Canon. I got this info graphic below from Mashable and our Canon friends won… yipppeee? :) I’d be delighted to hear your own take on this one!

3G: Sun versus Globe

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:18:00 +0000

An anonymous fellow commented on my article “How to unlock your Huawei 3G USB modem.” Below is what he/she posted on my article:

“I use a ‘Redbox’ Globe tattoo. It is called such as it came from a red box. Its a Huawei e1552, 3G/HSDPA-capable modem that performs well anywhere. It even reached a max of 2mbps (using the Supersurf service of Globe-the 1-day no limits {almost-it has an 800mb/day LIMIT} surfing service), and 1mbps (using the tunneling service Tor++) But the thing is, it can't be unlocked. I can't use a Sun SIM (in some areas, I detect a Sun signal in 3G. This will work well with those using the SmartBROKE kit (almost all mobile broadband users I know find that SmartBROKE sucks). For Sun users, its good if you're from Metro Manila or in urbanized areas and will travel in the province.”

@Anonymous :)

Unlocking the E1552 modem

The next time I met my sister who uses Globe Tattoo, which I believe is the same “Redbox” variant you’re referring to, she asked me to have her modem unlocked. In her case, she wants to have it unlocked so she can use her Globe Tattoo modem with a Sun Broadband SIM or SmartBro SIM card. I tried to unlock the E1552 modem the way I did with my E160… and I failed. There’s no problem with the unlock code I got from the website. What I got after inserting the Sun Broadband SIM is a popup message that says, “action not allowed.” The thing is, the wise people from Globe might have disabled or used up the 10 attempts for unlocking the modem. Haven’t heard of any work around yet.

Globe unlimited 1-day service

Globe calls it “unlimited” for marketing purposes only. To be fair, it is unlimited if you’re going to surf the net lightly which involves opening web sites and not downloading large chunks of files. But nonetheless, it sucks to have an unlimited service only to find out that you have in reality a 800MB limit. I learned about this when I downloaded a 700MB movie in just 25 minutes and then after a while got a message that I reached my 800MB limit. Then my connection went ppfffttt. The speed though was remarkable compared to other 3G providers and so I went to a Globe center and asked whether their postpaid unlimited scheme also have a cap. To my dismay, the limit is set at 1GB per day. Not enough for heavy downloaders like me. Not switching to Globe anytime soon.

SmartBro, SmartBroke, SmartBulok

If you’re smart, you’re not going to go with SmartBro. This I learned a few years back when I used their canopy service. Back then, I usually get 15 percent of their advertised speeds. Surprisingly the other day, I looked at some SmartBro plans and I noticed that they have lowered their advertised speeds. And if I apply my 15 percent expectation of the service, I might be better off with a dial-up service.

Speed at 2Mbps

May I know where were you and what time of the day/night when you reached 2Mbps? Because if that was during the day, then it is awesome! The E1552 I believe is newer than the E160, however the E160 is also capable of reaching up to 3.5Mbps. Wireless connectivity is really a tricky business. Unpredictable number of clients in an area tends to degrade service but telcos are partly to blame too. Most of their installations are not optimized to handle heavy traffic; their slow back haul links are to blame.

Tor++

I haven’t used tunneling as I am much satisfied with Sun Broadband. But I’ll definitely try it out and play with it in the future.

As of press time

Sun Broadband is still the best 3G service versus cost and data limit. Sun Broadband is, for me, truly the “unlimited service.” Globe may have the largest coverage and the fastest network but they suck because of data limitations. If you’re a heavy downloader like me, you can leave your rig after midnight ‘till morning and enjoy 200+ kBps torrent download speeds (B is to bytes: b is to bits), which you won’t get with Globe.

Good news or very very bad news

Sun Broadband subscribers’ won’t be happy with current developments though. Sun was acquired by Smart recently. Will the service stay that way? Or dark days are upon us? Our last hope is Sen. Joker Arroyo but if he fails… Good thing my lock-in period with Sun is about to expire! Kampai!

Hero Time: The Faceless 50

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:55:00 +0000

excerpt from the article...

They crawl through labyrinths of equipment in utter darkness pierced only by their flashlights, listening for periodic explosions as hydrogen gas escaping from crippled reactors ignites on contact with air.
They breathe through uncomfortable respirators or carry heavy oxygen tanks on their backs. They wear white, full-body jumpsuits with snug-fitting hoods that provide scant protection from the invisible radiation sleeting through their bodies.
They are the faceless 50, the unnamed operators who stayed behind. They have volunteered, or been assigned, to pump seawater on dangerously exposed nuclear fuel, already thought to be partly melting and spewing radioactive material, to prevent full meltdowns that could throw thousands of tons of radioactive dust high into the air and imperil millions of their compatriots.

for the complete article... click here!

How to unlock your Huawei 3G USB Modem

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:12:00 +0000

I've never thought it would come to the point I’d be unlocking my 3G USB modem… but it happened. I was on vacation last December at my hometown of Iba, Zambales. I brought along my Sun Broadband USB modem believing I’d get a 3G signal since our house is located at the heart of our town and for the fact that they have been advertising their nationwide coverage plus my hometown is considered Digitel territory. And boy I was devastated to see my modem signal indicator turned “green,” meaning it is only able to detect a 2G signal. Still, I tried to connect to the net using SUN’s EDGE network and it totally sucked! Knowing I have to unlock my USB modem first I tried to insert my Globe Tattoo SIM thinking maybe those guys from SUN forgot to lock it! But they didn’t. As soon as the Mobile Partner app appeared, a dialog box appeared prompting me to enter the “unlock code!” With that… “Light Bulb!” (borrowed from “Despicable Me” hehehe) I had an idea that I don’t have to go to some cellphone repair guy and have them unlock it for me… I can do it on my own!

Luckily, my sister who is also home for the holidays brought along her Globe Tattoo USB modem which I’ve used before and quite satisfied with it. Most Globe Tattoo users in Manila have shelved their modems for other providers but in my hometown, Globe Tattoo is king! It provides a decent service better than what I get with SUN Broadband in Manila in terms of 3G signal strength! So I borrowed my sisters modem fired my browser and Googled “how to unlock your 3G USB modem.” I wasn’t happy about the search result because most of the sites listed required me to download some software for unlocking my modem. Aside from the fee, I feared that I might download some kind of malware. I rephrased my query and with a little bit of patience, stumbled upon a not so eye catching site that turned out to be “the way!” that lead me to “the site!”

the way!

the site... eureka!

So… How to unlock your USB modem?

All you need is your modem’s IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity). I thought I’d have a “Metal Gear” moment in finding my modem’s IMEI where I would exhaust all my energy just to find it when all of the time it was under my nose (play Metal Gear on the Sony PS1 so you’ll know what I mean). My modem’s 15-digit IMEI was printed on the backside of my modem. Entered it on the “unlock code calculator” of the site then BOOM!... returned a 10-digit unlock code! It’s that easy!

The only problem now is that the sites I’ve mentioned are sometimes down so just be patient :) The unlock code calculator might not cover all Huawei modems so be sure to check your modem model number with the modems covered by the calculator first.

Below are the pictures of my Mobile App with SUN Broadband SIM and Globe Tattoo SIM. And… Let me know whether you’ve unlocked yours :)

Johns Hopkins Update – Very Good Article

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 04:30:00 +0000

got this from my e-mail… just sharing :)

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (‘TRY’, BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins :

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system..

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7.. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat, like chicken. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including be an sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine Green tea is a better alternative e and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

No plastic containers in microwave. No water bottles in freezer. No plastic wrapin microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don’t freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in the paper. It’s just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Please share this with your whole email list.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Benigno (Ninoy) Aquino’s Letter to his son Noynoy

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 01:59:00 +0000

August 25, 1973

Fort Bonifacio

11:30pm

Mr. Benigno S. Aquino III

P E R S O N A L

My dearest Son:

One of these days , when you have completed your studies I am sure you will have the opportunity to visit many countries. And in your travels you will witness a bullfight.

In Spanish bullfighting as you know, a man – the matador – is pitted against an angry bull.

The man goads the bull to extreme anger and madness. Then a moment comes when the bull, maddened, bleeding and covered with darts, feeling his last moment has come, stops rushing about and grimly turns his face on the man with the scarlet “muleta” and sword. The Spaniards call this “the moment of truth.” This is the climax of the bullfight.

This afternoon, I have arrived at my own moment of truth. After a lengthy conference with my lawyers, Senators Jovito R. Salonga and Lorenzo M. Tanada I made a very crucial and vital decision that will surely affect all our lives: mommie’s, your sisters’, yours and all our loved ones as well as mine.

I have decided not to participate in the proceedings of the Military Commission assigned to try the charges filed against me by the army prosecution staff. As you know, I’ve been charged with illegal possession of firearms, violation of RA 1700 otherwise known as the “Anti-Subversion Act” and murder.

You are still too young to grasp the full impact of my decision. Briefly: by not participating in the proceedings, I will not be represented by counsel, the prosecution will present its witnesses without any cross examinations, I will not put up any defense, I will remain passive and quiet through the entire trial and I will merely await the verdict. Inasmuch as it will be a completely one-sided affair, I suppose it is reasonable to expect the maximum penalty will be given to me. I expect to be sentenced to imprisonment the rest of my natural life, or possibly be sent to stand before a firing squad. By adopting the course of action I decided upon this afternoon, I have literally decided to walk into the very jaws of death.

You may ask: why did you do it?

Son, my decision is an act of conscience. It is an act of protest against the structures of injustice that have been imposed upon our hapless countrymen. Futile and puny, as it will surely appear to many, it is my last act of defiance against tyranny and dictatorship.

You are my only son. You carry my name and the name of my father. I have no material wealth to leave you. I never had time to make money while I was in the hire of our people.

For this I am very sorry. I had hopes of building a little nest egg for you. I bought a ranch in Masbate in the hope that after ten or fifteen years, the coconut trees I planted there would be yielding enough to assure you a modest but comfortable existence.

Unfortunately, I had to sell all our properties as I fought battle after political battle as a beleaguered member of the opposition. And after the last battle, I had more obligations than assets.

The only valuable asset I can bequeath to you now is the name you carry. I have tried my best during my years of public service to keep that name untarnished and respected, unmarked by sorry compromises for expediency. I now pass it on to you, as good, I pray, as when my father, your grandfather passed it on to me.

I prepared a statement which I intend to read before the military commission on Monday at the opening of my trial. I hope the commission members will be understanding and kind enough to allow me to read my statement into the record. This may well be my first and only participation in the entire proceedings.

In this statement, I said: Some people suggested that I beg for mercy from the present powers that be. Son, this I cannot do in conscience. I would rather die on my feet with honor, than live on bended knees in shame.

Your great grandfather, Gen. Servilliano Aquino was twice condemned to death by both the Spaniards and the American colonizers. Fortunately, he survived both by a twist of fate.

Your grandfather, my father was also imprisoned by the Americans because he loved his people more than the Americans who colonized us. He was finally vindicated. Our ancestors have shared the pains, the sorrows and the anguish of Mother Filipinas when she was in bondage.

It is a rare privilege for me to join the Motherland in the dark dungeon where she was led back by one of her own sons whom she lavished with love and glory.

I ended my statement thus: I have chosen to follow my conscience and accept the tyrant’s revenge.

It takes little effort to stop a tyrant. I have no doubt in the ultimate victory of right over wrong, of evil over good, in the awakening of the Filipino.

Forgive me for passing unto your young shoulders the great responsibility for our family. I trust you will love your mother and your sisters and lavish them with the care and protection I would have given them.

I was barely fifteen years old when my father died. His death was my most traumatic experience. I loved and hero-worshipped him so much, I wanted to join him in his grave when he passed away. But as in all sorrows, eventually they are washed away by the rains of time.

In the coming years, I hope you will study very hard so that you will have a solid foundation on which to build your future. I may no longer be around to give you my fatherly advice. I have asked many of your uncles to help you along should the need arise and I pray you will have the humility to drink from their fountain of experiences.

Look after your two younger sisters with understanding and affection. Viel and Krissy will need your umbrella of protection for a long time. Krissy is still very young and fate has been most unkind to both of us. Our parting came too soon. Please make up for me. Take care of her as I would have taken care of her with patience and warm affection.

Finally, stand by your mother as she stood beside me through the buffeting winds of crisis and uncertainties firm and resolute and uncowed. I pray to God, you inherit her indomitable spirit and her rare brand of silent courage.

I had hopes of introducing you to my friends, showing you the world and guide you through the maze of survival. I am afraid, you will now have to go it alone without your guide.

The only advice I can give you: Live with honor and follow your conscience.

There is no greater nation on earth than our Motherland. No greater people than our own. Serve them with all your heart, with all your might and with all your strength.

Son, the ball is now in your hands.

Lovingly,

Dad

The Dell Controversy

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 08:44:00 +0000

“Dell didn’t make those capacitors, but once the company knew they were faulty, it obviously had a duty to its customers to recall the affected machines. It didn’t. Instead it covered up the problems, relying on ridiculous excuses and blaming its customers.”

—

The ignominious fall of Dell | The Industry Standard - InfoWorld

hmmm I remember my brother-in-law’s Dell XPS overheating last year… he switched to HP…

i know a company in Laguna used to supply them with optical drives… they shut down the whole line because of quality issues… then the whole department was closed down…

last week… I saw a lady who just bought a Dell laptop… good luck to her! :)

The LEICA FREEDOM TRAIN

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:35:00 +0000

An interesting fact ... Why Leica has good Karma.

The Leica is the pioneer 35mm camera. It is a German product - precise, minimalist, and utterly efficient. Behind its worldwide acceptance as a creative tool was a family-owned, socially oriented firm that, during the Nazi era, acted with uncommon grace, generosity and modesty. E. Leitz Inc., designer and manufacturer of Germany 's most famous photographic product, saved its Jews.

And Ernst Leitz II, the steely-eyed Protestant patriarch who headed the closely held firm as the Holocaust loomed across Europe , acted in such a way as to earn the title, "the photography industry's Schindler."

As soon as Adolf Hitler was named chancellor of Germany in 1933, Ernst Leitz II began receiving frantic calls from Jewish associates, asking for his help in getting them and their families out of the country. As Christians, Leitz and his family were immune to Nazi Germany's Nuremberg laws, which restricted the movement of Jews and limited their professional activities.

To help his Jewish workers and colleagues, Leitz quietly established what has become known among historians of the Holocaust as "the Leica Freedom Train," a covert means of allowing Jews to leave Germany in the guise of Leitz employees being assigned overseas.

Employees, retailers, family members, even friends of family members were "assigned" to Leitz sales offices in France , Britain , Hong Kong and the United States

Leitz's activities intensified after the Kristallnacht of November 1938, during which synagogues and Jewish shops were burned across Germany ..

Before long, German "employees" were disembarking from the ocean liner Bremen at a New York pier and making their way to the Manhattan office of Leitz Inc., where executives quickly found them jobs in the photographic industry.*

Each new arrival had around his or her neck the symbol of freedom – a new Leica.

The refugees were paid a stipend until they could find work. Out of this migration came designers, repair technicians, salespeople, marketers and writers for the photographic press...

Keeping the story quiet

The "Leica Freedom Train" was at its height in 1938 and early 1939, delivering groups of refugees to New York every few weeks. Then, with the invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939, Germany closed its borders...

By that time, hundreds of endangered Jews had escaped to America , thanks to the Leitzes' efforts. How did Ernst Leitz II and his staff get away with it?

Leitz Inc. Was an internationally recognized brand that reflected credit on the newly resurgent Reich. The company produced range-finders and other optical systems for the German military. Also, the Nazi government desperately needed hard currency from abroad, and Leitz's single biggest market for optical goods was the United States .

Even so, members of the Leitz family and firm suffered for their good works. A top executive, Alfred Turk, was jailed for working to help Jews and freed only after the payment of a large bribe.

Leitz's daughter, Elsie Kuhn-Leitz, was imprisoned by the Gestapo after she was caught at the border, helping Jewish women cross into Switzerland . She eventually was freed but endured rough treatment in the course of questioning.

She also fell under suspicion when she attempted to improve the living conditions of 700 to 800 Ukrainian slave laborers, all of them women, who had been assigned to work in the plant during the 1940s.

(After the war, Kuhn-Leitz received numerous honors for her humanitarian efforts, among them the Officier d'honneur Des Palms Academic from France in 1965 and the Aristide Briand Medal from the European Academy in the 1970s.)

Why has no one told this story until now? According to the late Norman Lipton, a freelance writer and editor, the Leitz family wanted no publicity for its heroic efforts. Only after the last member of the Leitz family was dead did the "Leica Freedom Train" finally come to light.

It is now the subject of a book, "The Greatest Invention of the Leitz Family: The Leica Freedom Train," by Frank Dabba Smith, a California-born Rabbi currently living in England .

Thank you for reading the above, and if you feel inclined as I did to pass it along to others, please do so. It only takes a few minutes.

Tech Repair 001: Annoying cooling fan!

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:59:00 +0000

Having experienced what I call the “black death” (for windows, you have the “blue screen of death”) of my computing gear early this year, I am not going to gamble the second time around and decided to buy a cooling pad. After scouring the net for user reviews and seeing all available cooling pads in the market, I’ve settled for the cooling pad made by Belkin. It was a bit pricey but I was totally sold with the clear-cut design. Unfortunately, I stumbled upon a knockoff a third of the price I paid for grrrrrrr! Where else?... At CD-R King.

Anyway, I learned to appreciate the use of cooling fans as they really serve their purpose. From a “bottom enclosure” temperature of 33 degree Celsius and above, it was able to lower the temperature and maintained at a range of 30 to 32 degree Celsius. The change doesn’t look drastic but I learned to appreciate the Celsius scale again as one degree Celsius is not a puny number.

I’m a power user and after a month of using my cooling pad, I noticed an annoying noise emanating from the cooling fan. The noise however only occurs upon switching the fan lasting for about a few minutes. At first I thought it was normal and the fan might not be receiving enough supply current since I attached it to a very cheap USB hub (which I bought at CD-R King… already learned my lesson this time and worthy of another story by the way). Then the situation switched from bearable to really annoying. I thought of sending it back to the shop where I bought it but that would be futile for it’s been a month that passed. I thought of also replacing the fan myself as the pad only has a few screws, it wouldn’t be a big problem. I realized that my unit is new and it should not be the case. These days where people must reduce contributing waste, especially electronic devices, replacing the cooling fan was my last resort.

Luckily today, most questions can be answered by typing a phrase or sentence on Google. “How to repair a noisy cooling fan” lead me to ZD Net UK (http://www.zdnet.co.uk/talkback/0,1000001161,2135514-20039487o,00.htm) with the how-to guide here complete with pictures (http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,1000000091,2135514,00.htm). It totally solved my problem with just a mere drop of oil!!!

I remember I had this problem before with my first personal computer back in ’94. Google wasn’t around that time and not too many tech-perts to talk to. Come to think of it, my old PC still works back home!

Thanks Google! Thanks ZD Net! A drop of oil goes a long way…

gma.. all in!

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:29:00 +0000

Got this from a friends Facebook account. Whoever took this picture is freaking sick!!! Not that it's bad hehehe... 'cause upon close examination... it's got good depth of field!!! I just wonder whether the one who took the picture made use of a zoom lens?!?

I guess this is how she handles things; shady dealings with people in amassing an alleged unexplained wealth...

open wide, tongue out.... ALL IN!!!

mbps? you must be kidding me!?!

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:18:00 +0000

After seeing the latest advertisements of Sky Broadband, theoretically the fastest Internet connection for home use as I haven't tested it, I cringed on my seat after seeing the last part. I tried to check on YouTube.com whether somebody already uploaded the ads. Unluckily there were none. Instead, I was able to find the old ones and to my surprise, with the same issue!

Below are the old advertisements.

Just in case you missed it... due to quick pacing of the video... here is what I was talking about in the first place.

Who would want an Internet connection already advertised at 12 mbps? They might have mistaken "m" for "M!" As "m" is for milli (x10 raised to the -3) and "M" is for Mega (x10 to the 6)!!!

MacBook Air One!

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:10:00 +0000

First of all… Congratulations President Barrack Obama! Though there might have been a hiccup on your inauguration, it was quietly corrected with your second oath taking inside the Oval Office. Nonetheless, what a spankingly hot reception from the American people with all those parties and concerts even though the stock markets thinks otherwise. It speaks a lot for the new President doesn’t it?

I don’t know when did the naming or tagging of everything the President uses with the word “One” started? All I know, I learned about it after watching the movie “Air Force One.” Is there a “Spoon and Fork One” and “Toilet Bowl One?”

One of the new things I heard labeled with one is his official ride, which is “Cadillac One.” President Obama considered a techie is a big fan of the Blackberry and though there are some security issues that may arise with the Blackberry… there will surely be a “Blackberry One.” I happen to read from MacWorld.com that President Barrack Obama is a Mac fan. The blog suggested that President Obama be outfitted with his very own… what else… a “MacBook Air One” preferably in glossy black.

Weekend Commuter Chronicles 003: On-board Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:03:00 +0000

One ritual I do the night before my weekend commute is to stay up late… so I‘d sleep most of the way and wake up just in time at my destination. A lot has changed when it comes to added value-services from bus companies. The crooked V (Victory Liner) now more appropriate as the glutton V due to non-reduction of fares even though the price of oil per barrel is now below $40/barrel, has made some improvements with regards to riding comfort and on-board entertainment though not all of their buses. The following are some of the things I do to pass the time for the long journey and some are observations of fellow commuters.

On-board AV

Movie experience inside the bus has improved from Betamax and VHS formats to VCD and DVD. And if the Optical Media Board would shift their campaign to targeting those who patronize pirated material, they’ll have their hands full with city and provincial buses. For a “probinsyano,” we are at the epitome of commuting if we get the chance to ride those top of the line Hyundai “Universe” coaches of the glutton V which dropped the conventional CRT TV in favor of LCD TV (though I wished they could have pushed the envelope and opted for a much larger screen). The audio component is short of those experienced from surround systems, but viewing movies is fairly satisfying even if you’re situated at the back of the bus unlike before where the sound most of the time fails to reach the back of the bus. Improvements are still needed though. I know that it’s a long shot before we see small LCD screens for each passenger like those in modern/pimped automobiles but they could at least provide ear phone jacks for each passenger like those found in airliners for better sound quality… just bring your own earphones. The downside to this boredom fix is when the conductor runs out of movies to play and resort to concert DVDs, which are still pirated material. Somehow it signals karaoke time to overzealous passengers whom most of the time sings out of tune and should they be carried away… have a sleepless journey ahead.

Kitiki-TXT

The cell phone, one of the 21^st century’s greatest gadgets, have evolved into “the all-in-one” entertainment system. And with telecom companies providing 24/7 unlimited promos, keypad erasing button bashers can text or even call whomever they want from the time they board the bus until they disembark. Time flew like the wind but with a sore thumb or burnt ear if you don’t have a Bluetooth earpiece. But that is just one facet of what a cell phone can do, I remember going to Baguio when my sleep was cut short (yeah… I’m a sleeper!) by the noise of a showboating Nokia N-Gage owner playing at full volume plus the annoying chat with the curious seatmate.

Sony PSP

They’re everywhere!!! When I was still hooked on the Playstation mania, the product’s arrival is imminent as mobile gaming is no longer for kids and their cutesy Nintendo’s. But I really thought the Sony PSP would not succeed in the Philippines, which is a haven for pirates, due to the introduction of the Universal Media Disc (UMD). It was a well thought out scheme if not for its Achilles heel, the teeny weenie USB port. With some tweaking, games can now be downloaded from the Internet and loaded to the PSP via the USB port. Anyway, I was really amazed on how the Philippine market embraced the PSP. Every time I ride a public transport, kids and even adults can be seen playing one and I marvel at how they do it because to some… sudden starts and stops of the bus with your eyes focused on your PSP… can be nauseating.

A good book

I remember reading Da Vinci Code years ago while on a bus and I finished sizeable chunks of the book without boring my self to sleep. But I seldom do this now as it somehow affects ones eyesight and may cause unpleasant circumstances like those with gaming gadgets.

Apple iPod

High-end and medium range cell phones are personal music players too but it did not happen overnight without the emergence of MP3. MP3 players at first were not that good and appealing but as technology improved and Apple took notice, MP3 players got reinvented and are now popularly known as “iPod.” I find my puny iPod Shuffle very helpful in accompanying me with trips, it may not have a colored screen where one can watch movies, but it does the trick. Sound quality is not bad as it can equally match with my Sony Mini Disc which I no longer use and which I recently realized was an overly hyped and overpriced piece of mechanical audio gadget. My iPod shuffle is my savior/last resort in having a peaceful commute. When I don’t like the movie being played or already watched it… I don’t have a PSP… or there’s a wanna be American Idol contender, it’s time to push the play button.

Tap Water

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:16:00 +0000

When was the last time you drank water straight from the taps? That may be decades ago or maybe never if you have lived most of your life in the city. Water, which is a major component of the human body, is a very important resource. Reader’s Digest recently had an issue whose main theme is the status of water in Asia and it’s so relevant today even the latest 007 movie “Quantum of Solace,” made mention.

I’m am not 100% sure, but I believe there’s no place here in the Philippines where you can safely drink directly from a water tap. That’s why inside city dwellings, large blue containers with water bought from a water purifying station or those portable purifying contraptions connected to water taps are common. Rural areas like provinces have also adopted this trend and in just a few years, water refilling/purifying stations have sprung up. I don’t know, but there might be a conspiracy from lawmakers and businessmen as bottled water turned up to be a very profitable business. Recent news in Manila indicates water borne diseases due to poor management of water distribution systems and a few years back, I think it was “hepatitis” (due to the drinking water system) that shamed a respected university.

So, what is the government doing? We’ll for starters, it assigned Prospero Pichay as Water Czar, which is obviously payback for his support for PGMA. I don’t expect too much from him since he’s a politician whose type is common in our government who won’t lift a finger unless somebody complains or maybe even if some would complain. He may be the Pichay that won’t “prosper” with tap water.

Enough with my ramblings… here is an interesting e-mail I received from my sister months ago…

Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 11:15 AM

Hello everyone,

Na-feature sa news yung homeroom teacher ni Enki ngayong 2nd grade.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/sidebar_video.jsp?contentId=7386177&version=1&locale=EN-US

This is a class project for one of their "units of inquiry" under the International Baccalaureate Program - "Water is a finite resource." The class footage is Enki's current class (sabi ni enki nakita niya ang kamay niya hahaha!) but the kids interviewed are from last year's second grade class. I'm excited to see what Enki's batch might do.

Napanood ko ang complete video documentation for the school, maganda talaga ang pag-tackle nila sa topic ng water, dahil tayo, nakaka-relate sa reality na ito, pero karamihan sa mga bata dito, wala sa immediate consciousness nila since it is so cheap and readily available here in the US, especially with bottled water being the staple here - hardly anyone drinks from the tap anymore.

There were a lot of activities and workshops leading up to the grand project. Although the video clip mentions mostly their fund-raising efforts, the focus of the curricular unit was on internalizing the message and letting their beliefs and convictions about water as a resource manifest in their actions - from simple things like being judicious in how much to open a faucet, to directly contributing to a water installation project in Columbia. And that's where I think the school is doing an extra good job - by training the kids early on to live what they learn. In an affluent society (I know, Nanay, this term is debatable but humor me na lang, I mean "materially abundant") like in the US, it is easy to be generous because people have too much and they know it. Thus there are so many charities here, and so many charitable people. So you see the news clip focusing more on the fund-raising project, which was indeed a wonderful gift from the children. But for me, the more important worth of the whole endeavor was the attitude developed in the kids. It is far more challenging to be compassionate. I believe this is something that has to be nourished from a very young age. Generosity is just one of its corollaries, but not the end-all. Generosity borne out of pity and self-abundance is still a good deed, but also a dead-end. What the world needs is more empathy and compassion, then humanity would have a fighting chance. I imagine not all the kids "got it". But I'm sure a majority of them did. That's where the hope of the future lies. Amyendahin natin si JPRizal - ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan kung pinalaki silang may malasakit sa kapwa. Compassion=malasakit (literally, "pseudo-aching", looking at the etymology, it actually seems closer to the meaning of empathy) while pity=awa, right? Magkaiba di ba?

Nagsimula ito na kwento lang ng isang over-zealous nanay, ngayon nagmukha nang blog entry. My rambling has lead to some good sentences, perhaps I will turn this into an essay/article some day. Kuyang, i-guest mo ako minsan sa blog mo hehe.

aniway

chemist by profession, socio-anthropologist at heart

Pilipinas Basketbol: The Future

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:31:00 +0000

There have been two developments in the local basketball scene for the past week. One is the appointment of Yeng Guiao as the PBA backed national team head coach and the desperate radical move to improve our brand of basketball… the introduction of Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.

Who is Rajko Toroman?

Toroman is Serbian and he coaches professional basketball. His recent exploit was coaching Iran to its first ever victory in the Fiba Asia Championships (held every two years) last year 2007, which earned them a spot at the recent summer Olympics. Philippines won the Fiba Asia Championships 5 times in 1960 (first tournament), ’63, ’67, 1973 and lastly 1985 and is second to China with the most wins with 14. Iran’s best finish prior to winning the tournament was at 4th place back in 1993. In 2005, Iran finished 6th and in two years time under the helm of Toroman have finally sealed the deal. Philippines finished 9th in 2007… will Toroman’s formula for success work for us?

Bullheaded Yeng Guiao

Yeng Guiao is undoubtedly one of the best homegrown coaches around. Physicality in defense is what I remember of his style. He’s simply discipline personified like when he asked his boys to shave their heads years ago if they wouldn’t shape up. Come to think of it, he never grown some hair since then which is kind of sinister or simply… because he liked it. We all know that a decent defense would translate to offense and his mettle would surely be tested when it comes to international play.

Philippine Basketball would surely benefit from these two good coaches if… they can work together. But early on, there’s already a problem brewing since Yeng Guiao was appointed head coach and Toroman’s appointment is not yet clear. Yeng Guiao as reported has demanded an explanation or clarification on Toroman’s appointment from SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas). From the way I see it, Yeng Guiao is an achiever on his own and is more effective when he’s calling the shots. His appointment at this time however is ill advised since he’s too busy trying to boot out Gov. Ed Panlilio from the helm of Pampanga. Hmmm and I sense a pattern here… he might also try to boot out Toroman in the guise of being patriotic!

Bullheaded Guiao or Toroman (forgive the pun)… let’s wait what happens.

Weekend Commuter Chronicles 002: Halleluiah!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:55:00 +0000

It didn’t rain for last weekends commute to Manila but surprisingly, the crooked policy of the crooked V changed! I don’t know if it’s official and I’m not sure if it’s back to normal for good but they started leaving the air conditioning or maybe just the blower on while on stopover in Pampanga. I didn’t bother to talk to the conductor because they might realize they just forgot to turn off the air conditioning on my trip to Manila. But on my return trip, they really left the air conditioning on or again… maybe just the blower.

It’s a welcome development even if it’s just the blower as the weather last weekend was the usual hot humid tropical Philippines. With the price of diesel going down plus the expected 5 pesos rollback in September (if the worldwide price continues to drop), I expect the crooked V to permanently revert to its original operating procedures. And maybe, even a rollback on the ride fee!

It’s weekend again, should I still wish for the rain to come?

Weekend Commuter Chronicles 001

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:08:00 +0000

In another and most probably my last chat with a bus conductor who they themselves cannot voice out their frustration with the crooked V (Victory Liner). I learned that there are two types of air conditioning system being used by the crooked V buses. One is the old system wherein buses have a separate engine for the air conditioning. The reason for such a system I assume is so that the bus main engine can deliver all of its horses in moving the bus. Two engines running at the same time result to high consumption of fuel and such is found mostly on old buses. The other system is dubbed as the “direct drive” air conditioning system. As the name implies, the bus engine gets to run the air conditioning system much like the ones found in cars. Supposed to be, this is a more wasteful system but only at the start of the engine. Due to advancements of engines (diesel), they are now the preferred choice resulting to lower fuel consumption. The new crooked V buses use this system, buses made by Hyundai.

So how did my last two weekends commute turned out? It was OK… comfortable. Unfortunately the crooked V hasn’t budge and the crooked policy is still on. Thank the Almighty for the rain that made the ride cool and comfortable.

This coming Saturday… Rain! Rain! Don’t go away!… come this weekend and not some other day!

Victory Liner: Health Risk!

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:30:00 +0000

It’s been a month since I started spending weekends in Manila. Bus fare going from Iba, Zambales to Manila is now at 330 pesos, a very high price compared to bus fares three months before. Did the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) approve the increase? But taking public transports is still the choice over using ones car especially with the current fuel prices. Victory Liner is the only bus company plying the Zambales route. It’s been that way since I was a kid even in the days when my parents went to college in Manila. It’s a virtual monopoly practiced by owners of transport companies that have intermarried to form a cartel like organization that selects areas to operate avoiding competition.

I used to brag to my friends that compared to other bus companies whose service I’ve tried, Victory Liner is way better. But lately, due to rising fuel prices, the quality of service have gone from better to worst. First time I rode the bus last month; I noticed that they tend to turn off the air conditioning at a stop over in Pampanga. According to the driver, it’s a new company policy and if we have issues we should complain to their supervisor. It’s a good idea since turning off the air conditioning and at the same time the engine saves a lot of fuel and reduces carbon monoxide emissions… hence, save the planet! When they restart the air conditioning system of the bus though, the rest of the journey to Manila is considerably hot. The other times I rode the bus, luckily it was raining and it somehow helped in keeping the temperature cool inside the bus. On a recent trip on my home from Manila, I immediately talked to the conductor as the bus left the terminal. I asked him if the air conditioning system could get any more cooler because I suspect that they are only allowed to set the air conditioning system at a specified level. He said that “it’s company policy” and they can’t do anything about it and of course you do not argue with the people that’s supposed to move you from one place to another. Take your complaint to the bus company! A co-passenger who overheard my little chat with the conductor agreed with my observation and relayed his dismay at the so called “company policy.” He said, usually buses starts their air conditioning system way before the departure time at the terminal to cool the insides of the bus. Unfortunately now, they just open the air conditioning when the bus is about to leave. Imagine the combined temperature of human bodies that would occupy the bus, he added. If the normal body temperature is at 36.8 °C ± 0.7 °C, multiply that with the number of passengers plus the inside temperature of the bus… that’s a lot of heat! My co-passenger talked with the supervisor at the stop over in Pampanga and was given the number of Victory Liner’s “customer care” and according to the supervisor; Victory Liner already received a lot of complaints.

Obviously it’s not only us passengers who gets to suffer from a “hot” air-conditioned bus, even the drivers and conductors. All I do is sit, they get to drive and walk up and down the aisle to attend to passengers. I don’t get to spend much energy compared to them hence I produce less heat. Although I believe I have recurring colds every weekend, I pity Victory Liners front line soldiers. They get to do their jobs, but the owner doesn’t care about their health. Sooner or later, all of them would get sick paralyzing operations and the company’s income.

I hope the company policy gets changed before Saturday, as I’d be going to Manila again.

At 330 pesos a ride, I hope I’d get the soothing cool service I paid for.

Oh my gas!

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:36:00 +0000

Saturday last week, the price of diesel went up by 3 pesos, considered the highest price hike to date. Come Monday, a rollback was announced amounting to 1.50 pesos. Why is that when there’s a fuel price increase, oil companies uses the same rate? Do they get their oil from the same supplier? Do they buy it at the same time?

In our town, we have all the major oil companies, Shell, Caltex and Petron. At a neighboring town, there’s Flying V who was first to jump on the 1% bio-diesel blend. Geographically between two big players is an “un-branded” fossil fuel reseller whom according to an associate buys its fuel from the big oil companies mentioned above. Whoever gives the lowest wholesale price, that’s where the un-branded reseller buys its fuel. As a result, he gets to sell or compete with the big oil companies at a lower price. I noticed Petron does not care to lower it’s price to compete with the un-branded reseller and even Caltex since geographically, they are far from the un-branded reseller. Shell on the other hand is just a few feet away, and to compete with the unbranded reseller, sells their product at the same price with the un-branded reseller. This way worked for Shell, as one gasoline attendant would say, they lowered their price at par with the unbranded reseller to get more customers. They believe that by offering the same price, consumers would prefer Shell to the unbranded reseller. As a result, we enjoy a lower or sometimes the same price for diesel with those from Metro Manila, which should not be the case since the cost of transport of fuel is factored on the selling price at the pumps.

Rising oil prices is a global phenomenon. My friend who resides in Germany told me 2 months ago that the price of diesel there is 90 pesos per liter. Knowing that, do you think we are lucky that the price of diesel hasn’t broken the 60-peso price? Even if we look at it as a global crisis, do you think our government can’t do anything about it? Are the militant people wrong in staging rallies in front of big oil companies demanding for cheaper fuel?

The Arroyo administration can do something about it. So it pleaded with Petron for a rollback and it did with 1.5 pesos. The answer to skyrocketing oil prices is as of the moment Petron. The government has a considerable stake on Petron (40%) but sadly, instead of increasing its shares and taking full control of Petron, the government is opting to sell it’s remaining shares to turn it into funds for infrastructure that we all know majority of it would not really materialize! Screw deregulation! What would happen if the government takes over Petron? When I say, “take over,” not the hostile one but the legit corporate buying of shares that the government can exercise. The government can now freely adjust fuel prices that should be lower than the other big players are setting on us. Thus will result in lowering of fuel prices that is reasonable to all stakeholders just like what happened when Petron lowered their prices by 1.5 pesos, the other oil companies followed suit.

Come to think of it, the unbranded fuel reseller looking rag-tagged with surplus pump machines has done a better job in exercising competition than the big fat government who has the means but tries to do the moronic thing. With this, I really think Sec. Angelo Reyes should resign. It’s okay with me if he makes a fool of himself, but being in government and as retired military personnel, he gives the men in uniform a bad precedent.

The picture above is from my friend Vhlad

Check out his flickr account!

Earth Browser!

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:52:00 +0000

We all know the popular Google programs available through the net for free. Everybody knows Google Earth and on its release I bet your first use of the program is to locate your whereabouts. Google Earth is one revolutionary product whose predecessors were previously available only for select people.

A few months ago I received an e-mail regarding Earth Browser. At first I thought it’s a clone of Google Earth so I ignored it. Then I chance it upon a second time and checked it out (http://www.earthbrowser.com/).

Installation

Earth Browser was developed using Adobe Air so it’s an Internet application used as a desktop application (a desktop application connected to the Internet). Why the term ‘air?” Applications made on Adobe Air create an illusion that they float on your screen and is perceived to be the cause of death of all Internet browsers. In installing Earth Browser, by clicking the “install now” option on the Earth Browser homepage previously mentioned, it would first install Adobe Air if you don’t have it. When I installed using this method, I encountered an error with Adobe Air. So I decided to visit the Adobe Air homepage (http://www.adobe.com/products/air/) and installed it first (separately).

First Impression

It looks like Google Earth at first but when you try to zoom, you won’t be able to see that much detailed topography as the maximum zoom view is only up to 45km from the earth’s surface. If you want to view those detailed maps like in Google Earth luckily you don’t have to open your Google Earth anymore. Inside Earth Browser, there’s an icon that let’s you access Google Maps.

Strengths

Real-time display of weather patterns is what caught my attention. Earth Browser can display the weather condition for a particular area like or shall I say even our little town. Click a particular area with a “yellow dot” and it shows the week’s weather forecast. Let’s say the recent typhoon “Frank” that hit the country. Using Google Earth and by clicking or enabling the “weather” option, one would get to see the swirling mass of a typhoon over the country. However, it does not plot the probable path of the typhoon and that’s where the Earth Browser comes in, which can plot the 4 possible path points.

Though we all know that there’s no such thing as an accurate weather forecast and even an accurate prediction of a typhoon’s path like what the typhoon Frank just demonstrated. But it’s good to know that Earth Browser’s weather forecast comes from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

I think ABS-CBN is already getting its weather forecast from Earth Browser as one time, I was watching the evening news and their forecast was exactly the same.

The Earth Browser 3.0.4 is the current version and can be tried as a demo. Certain functionalities I guess are available for a fee of 29.95 USD (with two years free upgrade and support).

30 USD plus an Internet connection? I guess that’s not too much for a company like Sulpicio Lines.

Earth Browser

Google Earth

SCTX Myth

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:04:00 +0000

SCTX stands for Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway, a new addition to long high-speed stretch of roads aim at improving trade and commerce in the Philippines. It was primarily built to connect two former US military installations now export processing zones, Subic and Clark. On paper, Subic to Clark section would take 40 minutes and from Clark to Tarlac, only 25 minutes. For the mean time, there are three out seven interchanges that are ready for public use. For a Zambaleño to reach Manila, two interchanges are available, the Dinalupihan-Hermosa Bataan Interchange (1^st interchange from Subic) and the Clark Logistics Interchange (5^th interchange). The Clark Logistics Interchange is the one that connects with NLEX (Northern Luzon Expressway).

Last week, I got the chance to experience the 47 km Subic to Clark Logistics Interchange stretch that would in paper take me to Manila sooner than usual. Like the NLEX, everybody would enjoy the quality of the road especially the dragster community. BMW might place an ad “Another road worthy for a BMW” as they did with NLEX (replace “another” with “a”) when it opened years ago. Some would probably say it’s like driving interstate roads in the US but the way it had punched through hills, reminds me of inter-city roads of South Korea. There are some portions whose surface is noticeably rough, probably just 1% of the whole stretch.

Going to Manila from Zambales according to a friend who’s on the wheel, using the SCTX is a wise choice but he said if one would decide to use the Clark Logistics exit, it is more costly! Since it’s going to be my first time on the expressway, I get to decide which route to take (har har har!). After five minutes of driving, doing 80 to 90 kilometers per hour, I can’t sense vibration brought by the road the same thing I noticed when I first tried NLEX. It’s a lot better than traveling through the usual route using the Dinalupihan-Bataan and Sta. Cruz-Pampanga route. What amazed me most was the view from both sides of the road. One gets to enjoy the mountain ranges and plains of Central Luzon that are surprisingly green, maybe due to the early rainy season. Years of heavy logging (illegal) had made its mark though… similar to the mountain ranges of Zambales. For the next 10 minutes, it was starting to get a bit boring… Then I remember what a friend said to me regarding long stretches of road, one could use his/her knee to do the steering. But my friend wasn’t that adventurous to even try.

So we plied the long road for 43 minutes with the average speed of 90 kph and exited using the Clark Logistics Interchange costing us about 112 pesos (class 1 vehicle). That’s 2.38 pesos per kilometer. We were off to NLEX and it took us 9 kilometers (I’m a little bit not sure on the 9 km) to reach the Dau Toll Gate then exited in Balintawak. And since we came from Dau, we paid a toll of 180 pesos. Total distance traveled before reaching NLEX is therefore 47 plus 9 km, 56 km. Total toll fees from SCTX and NLEX, 112 plus 180 pesos, 292 pesos.

To compare the toll fees and the distance traveled, we decided to use my friend’s “economical route.” We used the NLEX San Fernando Toll Gate for our return trip then used the Dinalupihan-Bataan Interchange of SCTX. This time we just paid 130 pesos for NLEX and 24 pesos for SCTX which amounted to 154 pesos. The 138-peso difference for us using a diesel powered vehicle translates to extra 3 liters of fuel using the 45 peso to a liter rate for diesel. In terms of distance, this time we only traveled 45 km as opposed to the 56 km using the whole stretch of SCTX. Average speed however was down to 65 to 80 kph and there are usual stop and go’s due to the usual traffic.

After using the two routes, I finally realized my friend’s argument. The SCTX is no doubt the choice of road if a person would be coming from Zambales and Clark or Tarlac is his/her destination. But considering the price of fuel and toll fees nowadays, going to and from Manila using the Dinalupihan Bataan Interchange is the more economical way. That is considering the following assumptions:

 Since I don’t have a digital gauge to measure actual mileage, I just assumed that the fuel used in traveling the Subic to Clark stretch averaging above 80 kph is basically the same using the usual route plus the Dinalupihan Bataan Interchange of SCTX with it’s usual traffic.

 In terms of tire wear, the SCTX would present a bit of advantage. But if one would be driving fast say above 100 kph, I think it is the same as taking the not so smooth roads of Pampanga traveling below 80 kph and of course… the way a person drives.

A word of caution though, during the rainy season, portions of Dinalupihan-Bataan is prone to flooding.

The SCTX is one (or the “only”) of the good news that is hard to come by in our country nowadays and I believe first timers would really try the whole 47 km of SCTX as we did. Travel to and from Manila may further improve once the other interchanges are complete.

Photos of SCTX… click here!

Downloading movies from the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Pinoy Technocrata) — Sun, 18 May 2008 10:49:00 +0000

Residing on a small town that was able to produce a President of the Republic of the Philippines, watching movies on the big screen is no longer a practice. There used to be two movie houses in the 80’s and 90’s, one in our town and the other on the neighboring town. Movie houses in the countryside usually have this double feature format that means you get to watch two movies for a fee. One Filipino movie usually of the action or comedy genre and one foreign film with a Chinese martial arts theme (notably the Kung-Fu Kids series) or an American B-movie are what usually shown. With no air conditioning, air circulation inside is done by two large industrial fans and anyone you came across after watching knows where you’ve been by the way you stink… courtesy of the fascist smoking movie goers. The other movie house, the one on another town, is modern at that time for it can play movies by using the Betamax and VHS formats and also because you won’t smell funky after watching. Since it can play movies out of cassettes, they had a much wider selection of movies but catered to a select audience that might have a hand in ballooning our countries population to 80 billion.

A lot has changed since the 80’s and 90’s. The movie houses have closed prompting people to look for other sources of entertainment fix. Cheap DVD players have popped up courtesy of merchants down south with a price tag a tenth of the branded ones which for the good of everybody prompted OEMs to lower their prices. Usually not at par with branded ones when it comes to durability, one can practically watch a movie all over again and depending on how many times you’ve played it, the cost incurred (discounting electricity) in buying one disc is negligible. Piracy has taken a new form and definition and with the help of advancements in technology has found its double-edged ally.

The Philippines is a hotbed of pirated materials, name it… I’m sure we have it. From audio, software, movies etc. For a couple of years, we were stricken off from the US watch list but unfortunately, were back this year singling out the notorious Quiapo area.

How do you solve a problem like piracy? There are raids as seen on the evening news but mostly in the Manila area. But even with the raids, I bet one can still purchase pirated materials in Manila… even in malls. Pirated materials have widened its reach ironically because of the raids in the cities. When things gets hot, pirates move to provinces where the arm of the law is not for upholding the law but for receiving cash in exchange for protection. Sometimes I suspect that they simply don’t care and worst, they insist it’s not their jurisdiction, as the Optical Media Board (OMB) must handle the raids.

The local art scene is aching from piracy. A Filipino music artist can only dream of a platinum album award and are now limited to gold album awards. Similarly, a Filipino movie perceived to be less than a blockbuster turns out to be a flop. The difference, compared with American artists, is that even if there’s such a thing as piracy, their artists’ still ends up millionaires (in US$). The only screwed party is the producer who by the way still makes millions.

There were reports that pirated materials are money-making machineries of terrorist organizations. The only way to not contribute to such organizations is to buy the original material. But if you don’t have the money and as there is always another way, downloading movies (started with MP3’s and now even software downloads are available) using the Torrent technology from the Internet is the way to go. But downloading movies via the Internet without shaving a few bucks is still a form of piracy on a legal standpoint. It may take away the guilt feeling of aiding terrorists with their dastardly acts but somehow one is indirectly aiding their cause and movie executives are not happy with it.

So comes the question… Who started piracy in the first place? According to an article published by Wired Magazine (Issue of March 2004), it’s the people who built Hollywood. In order to avoid paying Thomas Alva Edison for royalties from using his motion picture technology, they moved to the west coast and the rest is history.

Bad karma? As Austin Powers would say… Maybe.

As for me, a movie aficionado by the age of 6, I only get to watch movies on the big screen whenever I go to Manila. On a recent trip, I enjoyed watching Iron Man in full THX glory (190 pesos at Greenbelt – 4.5 US$). I enjoyed it so much that I might… armed with the cheapest and slowest broadband connection… download it from the net as soon as it’s available.