Regnard Raquedan: Self-Titled

Betting on Maguindanao

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:33:00 +0000

The Philippines and the whole world is aghast with the massacre that happened in Maguindanao in the island of Mindanao. As of this writing, the death toll stands at 57 and it could be higher as investigators are still excavating the crime scene. 34 of those killed were journalists.

To quickly summarize the events: Last November 23, 2009 armed men abducted and killed political rivals of the provincial governor, along with the media folks. The perpetrators tried to cover up the crime by burying the bodies, and even the vehicles of the victims.The harrowing images of the victims sent a collective chill through the spine of the country-- people are dumbfounded that a country, supposedly as civilized as the Philippines, would be a place a massacre of such magnitude happen. Global media has tagged the Philippines as the most dangerous place for journalists, beating places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.

How could something like this happen? Well, here in the country, there are still warlords in the provinces who have a stranglehold on their territories. This is very common in rural areas, especially in the island of Mindanao where the governors/local officials are political strong men with their private armies. (The massacre was purportedly carried out by the private army of the governor.)

What I find ironic is that during the day I first learned about this tragedy, I read this article in Business World entitled "Betting on Mindanao," which showed optimism on the region of Mindanao, where the province of Maguindanao is located. Said by the author: "Mindanao is a success story waiting to happen."

With what happened in the region, Mindanao became a tragedy waiting to happen because of Magiundanao. If people were to bet in Mindanao, it will be a losing bet, no thanks to Maguindanao and its leaders.

Tags: Magiundanao Massacre

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf got their Holiday Promo Right

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:32:00 +0000

If you ask me, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) has one of the best, if not the best, holiday promo for coffee shops this year.

What they are doing is that for every beverage you buy, you get a stamp in your card. You'll need twelve stamps for 1 Original Ice Blended, 1 Tea Latte, 1 Caramel Macchiato, and 9 any other beverage to complete the stamp card. Once you complete them, you'll get to choose one of three notebooks (pictured above).

Yeah, the notebook is pretty standard fare these days, but what makes their promo great is that proceeds of the sale during the promo period will be donated to a total of 24 charities in the Philippines. These charities include non-profit groups that advocate education, culture, poverty reduction, and environmental conservation.

One more thing: The notebook contains 12 coupons that can be redeemed for each month in 2010. (Starbucks had a similar coupons included in their planned a few years back). This inclusion of coupons is a killer addition since everyone wants more value in promos like these.

This is a very timely promo since social awareness is higher than it used to and I think the charities will appreciate folks drinking more tea lattes from CBTL. :)

Tags: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

World Usability Day 2009 & Five Years of Firefox in Manila

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:34:00 +0000

For the next two weeks, I'll be very busy with two community events.

The first one is Design/Sustain: World Usability Day 2009 in Manila. It's the last pending event I'm spearheading as the User Group Manager of the Adobe User Group - Philippines as I've stepped down a couple of months ago.

It's a very interesting event because unlike the past events on the World Usability Day in Manila, this year focuses on the theme around design and sustainability. The event will be on November 12, 2009 (3pm-5pm) at the Thomas Aquinas Research Center (TARC) Auditorium at the University of Santo Tomas
in Manila. Registration fee is PhP 50.00 and folks who are interested in attended must pre-register.

The next event is the Five Years of Firefox in Manila event on November 21, 2009 (3pm-5pm) at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City. This events marks the very first event of the Mozilla Philippines Community and the fifth year of the hottest browser in the planet, Mozilla Firefox.

The event will be free, plus Mozilla Firefox swag will be given away. So if you're interested in attending, RSVP at the event's official Facebook page.

Both events are very close to my personal advocacy on Web Standards and Usability and even though it's hard and time-consuming, I'll still find time to support these community events.

Tags: Mozilla Firefox, World Usability Day

Manny Pacquiao on Jimmy Kimmel Live

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:03:00 +0000

Manny Pacquiao has been known to throw mean uppercuts and fast combinations but he recently shared to the television-watching population his "hidden" talent: His singing!

Manny recently was a guest at Jimmy Kimmel's show and he was a very pleasant guest. I found his reactions and retorts typical Filipino-- from the giggling to questions he didn't quite understand and smiling when he has a hard time expressing himself in English. But what he showed was very authentic and I think it's shows his good nature despite being touted as the "Best Pound for Pound Fighter" of our era.

Here are some videos of PacMan's guesting on Jimmy Kimmel:

And for his rendition of "Sometimes When We Touch":

I personally found the guest appearance entertaining and funny. Great work Manny! :D

Tags: Manny Pacquiao

Uno Magazine's Band of Bloggers

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:06:00 +0000

Uno Magazine's October 2009 has lots of interesting features, and one of them is piece about bloggers in the Philippines. The 2-page spread (a seen in the photo above) puts the spotlight on 21 bloggers with a yearbook-style writeup by fellow blogger and Uno's online top guy Jayvee Fernandez.

I feel fortunate to get included in the list. Bloggers here in the Philippines are getting more mainstream and coverage in more established media is proof to that. Blogging-folk are appearing on commercials, getting featured in television shows, and even some are getting recognized in public. (Although I don't fall in any of those categories :P)

Here's a list of the bloggers who were included in Uno Magazine's feature:

Bim Barbieto of http://comicology.i.ph
Coy Caballes of http://www.thisiscoy.net
Ferdz Decena of http://www.ironwulf.net
Noelle de Guzman of http://pocketnoelle.blogspot.com
Enrico Dee of http://www.byahilo.com
Jonas Diego jof http://www.jonasdiego.com/theblurb
Kring Elezano of http://www.funnysexy.ph
Lia Espina of http://www.gadgenista.com
Jennifer Juan of http://sexynomad.i.ph
Liz Lanuzo of http://projectvanity.i.ph
Jehz Laurente of http://www.jehzlau-concepts.com
Sasha Manuel of http://www.stylemanila.com
Rico Mossesgeld of http://www.technogra.ph
Karla Redor of http://www.rockersworld.com
Marck Rimorin of http://www.marocharim.com
Juned Sonido of http://www.baratillo.net
Fritz Tentativa of http://www.fritzified.com
Sophie Uy of http://www.beautynomics.com
Gail Villanueva of http://www.kutitots.com
Hannah Villasis of http://www.flaircandy.com

Thanks again to Uno Magazine and Jayvee for the wonderful feature. :)

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Trivia: Among the 21 bloggers, there are some who are part of the original "Band of Bloggers" in the Philippines. Can you name them? Hint: Google Search. :)

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Blog posts on Uno Magazine's Band of Bloggers feature:

Photo credit: Fritz's blog post

Tags: Uno Magazine

I'm Not Yet Done with the Quezon City International Marathon

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:34:00 +0000

My blog post yesterday on the first Quezon City International Marathon (QCIM) elicited a feedback from one person I know. Pablo "Pabs" Yambot, an avid runner and marathon veteran, posted this on my Facebook account:

Regnard, to be fair- don't blame the organizers. They rely on the local government, police, traffic enforcers, etc- to reroute traffic, advice commuters (private & public transportation). I'm sure the 1st Milo Marathon 33 years ago was cursed as badly but it's now one of the longest running marathons in Asia. Instead of cursing the marathon- wouldn't you look to traffic management and the media for not controlling traffic and informing QC residents better?

A lot of great cities in the world block off significant portions of their streets on Sundays for a lot of good reasons. I suppose a lot of drivers cursed UP when it closed down the Academic Oval to vehicular traffic that first Sunday. It's now teeming with runners, cyclists, walkers, strollers; serious athletes in training, casual joggers to whole families. Cars- private transportation, are a necessary evil in a crowded metropolis without a very efficient mass transit system. One Sunday's inconvenience should help people figure out how to live without cars, even for just a morning.

Pabs makes an good point about the accountability of the Quezon City local government in managing the traffic and informing the public effectively about the traffic congestion the marathon will produce. After reading an article from ABS-CBN News about the massive traffic jam the marathon caused, I'm more convinced that the Quezon City government failed big time in the information campaign.

None other Quezon City mayor Sonny Belmonte made a comment that irked me a lot. He gave a condescending advice to the people who were affected by the traffic jam:

Read the newspapers and listen to the radio so you’ll be informed of events like this. This has been planned since last year.

Wow. Mayor Belmonte is washing his hands of any accountability and has gone as far as blaming the ignorance of the thousands of motorists and commuters for getting stuck in traffic. Let's put it this way Mayor Belmonte: It's your city government's job to reach the relevant people about the effects of your plan. You could have placed several advisories on the road where people can plan ahead.

Here's my advice to Mayor Sonny Belmonte: If you had utilized the areas where you and other Quezon City officials/wannabes place your "campaign" posters, then maybe the people could have been better informed about the traffic advisory on the traffic jam due to the QCIM.

Tags: Quezon City International Marathon

Quezon City International Marathon: Nightmare for Commuters and Motorists

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:55:00 +0000

Dear Quezon City International Marathon Organizers and Managers,

First of all, I am not a runner, but I do run casually some times. I can understand there's now a lot of people interested in running and marathons as a way to be fit and feed the competitive spirit.

However, the first Quezon City International Marathon (QCIM) was a nightmare for the thousands of people, commuters, and motorists who plied Commonwealth Avenue, C.P. Garcia Avenue, and the Quezon City Elliptical Road today. Closing a good portion of one major thoroughfares in northern Quezon City resulted in massive traffic in the area. If you ask me, I think you did a poor job in implementing this marathon.

I'm sure a lot will dub your event a success, but I shall not be one of those. I'm sure there are several other thousands of people who have cursed you to the high heavens for ruining their Sunday morning travel andhave probably vowed to tell their nightmare stories of the QCIM to their friends and family. I seriously think that the marathon did more inconvenience to the majority than good.

I hope that the first Quezon City International Marathon will be the last.

Sincerely,

Regnard Raquedan

Tags: Quezon City International Marathon

Climate Change is a Bitch: Blog Action Day

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:34:00 +0000

The video you see above is one of the harrowing scenes people in Manila saw and experienced last September 26, 2009. That was the day when Typhoon "Ondoy" (internationally known as "Ketsana") inundated the city with a month's worth of rain fall. To date, there are 712 deaths and losses amounting to almost US$400 million.

While there are many theories how a month's worth of rainfall can happen in six hours, there's one that makes sense: Climate Change.

From storms like these to sinking islands, Climate Change is a bitch.

Finally, here are some photos of the aftermath of the floods in the video shown above (taken by Rod Dizon):

Note: This post is my contribution to the 2009 Blog Action Day.

Tags: Blog Action Day

Buy a Krispy Kreme Doughnut, Help Typhoon Ondoy Victims on October 11

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:42:00 +0000

Tomorrow, October 11, 2009, Krispy Kreme branches in Metro Manila will donate all sales revenue from Original Glazed doughnuts to relief operations helping the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

While the dangers of the flooding in Metro Manila has subsided, there's still much work to do and help to give as people displaced by the typhoon get back on their feet. People in the city (myself included) responded to the call of volunteerism in the first week of the natural calamity and this move by Krispy Kreme could let people who'd like to help contribute a little bit more.

So if you're in these places tomorrow-- Bonifacio High Street, SM Megamall, Greenhills Drive-Thru, Trinoma Mall, SM Mall of Asia Main Mall and Drive-Thru, Robinsons Galleria, Gateway Mall Ground Floor and Cinema Level, Glorietta 4, The Annex SM North EDSA, SM Fairview Annex-- you can buy an Original Glazed doughnut and help the typhoon victims.

I just hope Krispy Kreme can extend its support to the typhoon victims in the northern Philippines who were slammed by Typhoon Pepeng. ;)

Tags: Krispy Kreme

Why I Won't Vote for Anyone in the Philippine Blog Awards' Bloggers' Choice Award

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:21:00 +0000

The Philippine Blog Awards opened the voting for the Bloggers' Choice Awards last October 1, 2009. Unlike last year, I have opted NOT to support anyone this year.

The reason? Well, nothing controversial really. I was tabbed as one of the judges for this year's Philippine Blog Awards. I evaluated blogs for the preliminary screening that shortlisted the entries and I'm still going to judge for the final round. I personally think it's inappropriate for me to vote for anyone in the Bloggers' Choice Award, since the votes are counted via blog posts expressing support for a particular blogger.

It's too bad because there are lots of blogs worth supporting for this year's Bloggers' Choice Award. So if you feel like supporting a blog, vote for it by writing a blog post expressing your vote of confidence. Deadline for voting is on October 7, 2009.

Tags: Philippine Blog Awards

Volunteering at the Typhoon Ondoy Relief Operations

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:02:00 +0000

Relief operations for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy in Metro Manila is now in full gear. My girlfriend and I participated in some of the relief operations in the city.

We dropped off relief goods in Ateneo De Manila University in Quezon City. This place is near her place and the efforts there are very organized. People who are near the area and want to donate relief goods, you can drop by Cervini Hall and approach the relief operations reception desk.

After that, we went to support ABS-CBN Foundation's Sagip Kapamilya relief operations. We initially went to the warehouse located in Examiner street, but the place was already teeming with volunteers and the place was already too crowded. The coordinators referred us to a newly-opened relief center in the compound of ABS-CBN in Scout Bayoran Street.

A television studio was converted into a relief operations center and a hundred or so volunteers were able to lend a hand.Volunteers were segregating the goods, packing them, and transporting the goods to the trucks that were going to the affected areas. Despite the number, the operations lacked male volunteers to do heavy lifting of sacks and boxes of relief goods. So, you could say I had a workout while helping out the relief efforts.

Here are some pictures of the relief operations:

If you're interested in helping with the ABS-CBN operations, just go the their relief operations in Examiner Street or in Scout Bayoran Street. Coorindators will give instructions on how you can volunteer. For other relief operations, you can check out my previous post on helping out Typhoon Ondoy victims.

I encourage folks who weren't severely affected by Typhoon Ondoy and who are willing and able to volunteer and share your strength and effort in helping our countrymen out in their hour of need.

Tags: Typhoon Ondoy

Help the Typhoon Ondoy Flood Victims

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:27:00 +0000

The shocking video you see above is just one of the effects of Typhoon Ondoy (internationally known as Typhoon Ketsana) in Metro Manila yesterday. It was said that the city experienced a month's worth of rain in just a few hours, that's why a good portion of the city was submerged in flood water.

There are a lot of victims of the flood lost a lot and now need clothes, food, and relief goods. If you want to help, one of the best ways is to support the efforts of the Philippine National Red Cross in giving help to the victims.

Here are just some of the ways we can extend our support to the Red Cross:

Cash or Check
Please send cash or check donations to the PNRC National Headquarters in Manila. Checks should be made payable to The Philippine National Red Cross. We can also arrange for donation pick-up.

Cash via SMS

SMS
text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)

G-CASH
text DONATEAMOUNT4-digit M-PINREDCROSS to 2882

Cash via Bank Deposit
Account Name: The Phil. National Red Cross

METROBANK
Port Area Branch
Peso Acct.: 151-3-041-63122-8
Dollar Acct.: 151-2-151-00218-2
Type of Acct. : SAVINGS
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS
Port Area Branch
Peso Acct.: 4991-0010-99
Type of Account: CURRENT

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS
UN Branch
Dollar Acct.: 8114-0030-94
Type of Account: SAVINGS
Swift Code: BOPI PH MM

For your donations to be properly acknowledged, please fax the bank transaction slip at nos. +63.2.527.0575 or +63.2.404.0979 with your name, address and contact number.

In-Kind Donations

Please send in-kind local donations to The Philippine National Red Cross – National Headquarters in Manila.

For more information, please visit the Philippine National Red Cross website.

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Here are some blog posts on Typhoon Ondoy:

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Here's a list of the Typhoon Ondoy relief efforts from all over the city:

Victory Fort is opening its doors to those affected by the typhoon. Call 813-FORT.
NoyMar relief Operations: Clare Amador (+639285205508) or Jana Vicente at +639285205499). Drop off for relief donations is at Balay Expo Center across Farmers Market Cubao.
Miriam Quiambao drop off points: One Orchard Road Building in Eastwood, or message http://www.twitter.com/miriamq for more details.
Philippine Army Gym inside Fort Bonifacio or GHQ Gym in Camp Aguinaldo are now distributing donations for Ondoy Victims.
Team Manila stores in Trinoma, Mall of Asia, Jupiter Bel-Air and Rockwell shall be accepting relief goods (Canned Goods, Ready-to-drink Milk,Bottled Water and Clothes) for distribution by Veritas.
Caritas Manila Office at Jesus St., Pandacan Manila near Nagtahan Bridge (+632-5639298, +632-5639308)
Radio Veritas at Veritas Tower West Ave. Cor EDSA (+632-9257931-40)
Aranaz Stores in Rockwell & Greenbelt is accepting donations of any kind for Payatas communities affected by Ondoy
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan Task Force Noah, a disaster response arm of the Jesuits, is accepting donations. Please drop it off sa Ateneo Cervini Dorm.
Philippine National Red Cross‘ different ways to Donate.
Red Cross Load Donations: Right now the easiest way to make donations from the seat of your chair is via mobile phone load. The Red Cross Rescue and Relief Operations. Text: RED<space>AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)
Ateneo de Manila University is now accepting donations for the victims of Ondoy. Donations can be dropped at MVP Lobby. For those stranded/those who need help: To all students who need help or know of people who need help. Please text the name, location, and contact number to (+6329088877166). ATENEO, which is now an open shelter, accepts refugees. Call (+632917-8952792)
Papemelroti stores in 91 Roces Ave. / Ali Mall Cubao / SM City North EDSA / SM Fairview / SM Megamall / Glorietta 3 in Makati / SM Centerpoint / SM Southmall are accepting relief goods (canned goods / milk / bottled water / clothes – NO CASH pls.)
TXTPower now accepts donations via SmartMoney 5577514418667103, GCash 09179751092 and Paypal http://is.gd/3GvuN
Our Lady of Pentecost Parish (+632-4342397, +632-9290665) per Gabe Mercado, donations are very much welcome. The Parish is located at 12 F. Dela Rosa corner C. Salvador Sts., Loyola Heights, Quezon City.
Hillsborough Village Chapel – Water, blankets, shoes, and clothes may be sent to Hillsborough Village Chapel in Muntinlupa City. These will go to families whose houses were washed out in the nearby sitios.
Greenhills/Mandaluyong/San Juan Area, if you want to help out with the rescue and relief operations, you can drop off your donations (clothes, food, etc..) at La Salle Greenhills Gate 2 tomorrow or volunteer from 9am to receive, sort, repack the donations.
Petron: You may bring your relief goods to all Petron branches.
LUCA stores (Rockwell, Shang-rila, Eastwood, or GA towers): Send your old clothes & donations (no cash pls).
“LUZON RELIEF: Volunteer / Donate / Pray”: Donations can be brought to RENAISSANCE FITNESS CENTER, 2nd Floor, Bramante Building, Renaissance Towers Ortigas, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City starting MONDAY (Sept.28) / 9am – 7pm Contact Person: Warren Habaluyas (+632929-8713488) or email at luzonrelief@gmail.com
MOONSHINE boutique in Rockwell also accepting relief good to help Ondoy victims in Marikina and Cainta.
Katipunan Avenue. Contact Erica Paredes at (+632917-4741930) — they need bread, packed juice, sandwich filling (tuna, chicken, anything) You can help her make them, deliver the sandwiches to her house, or help her distribute! Call for more details.
Manor Superclub, Eastwood City will accept goods and other emergency items starting Sunday at 10 am.
Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC): Relief goods for typhoon victims being accepted at 72-A Times St., West Triangle, QC. Tel (+632-9299820/22)
MINISTOP IBARRA (Espana cor. Blumentritt, Sampaloc Manila) is also accepting relief goods, Food (non-perishable goods only) Clothing, Medicines, Beds, Pillows, Blankets, Emergency Supplies to help Typhoon Ondoy victims.
Whitespace 2314 Chino Roces Ave Ext as a Mkt drop-off for relief goods.

List taken from http://sourpolitics.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/typhoon-ondoy-emergency-hotlines-and-relief-operations/

Tags: Typhoon Ondoy

International Coastal Cleanup Day 2009

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Last Saturday, September 19, 2009, I joined the P&G Philippines volunteers that participated in the International Coastal Cleanup Day activities in Manila Bay.

There was a short opening program that kicked off the cleanup, but it was quite late and disorganized, so after the program, people were more than happy to get on with the cleanup.

There were lots of volunteers in the Manila Bay cleanup, mostly from schools and colleges. There were also volunteer groups from private, public, and even religious sectors that helped in removing garbage from Manila Bay. (Which was a LOT.)

To be honest, when I first came near the area top be cleaned, I almost threw up, as the garbage from the bay stank. Imagine trash in the form of plastic containers, styrofoam cups and plates, even waste food floating in the murky Manila Bay waters for days. But for some reason, I eventually found the fortitude to just pick up a sack and shovel garbage in to it as I saw the hundreds volunteers doing it.

The cleanup reminded me of the "Bayanihan" spirit I was working with people I didn't know (mostly folks from Land Bank and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), dredging garbage and pulling big chunks of waste from the water. It was tiring and but it gave me a new perspective on how hard it is to handle waste of massive proportions and how irresponsible folks near the Bay can be.

I'd recommend groups, not necessarily volunteer groups, to join the International Coastal Cleanup Day next year. But make sure you have the following: face masks, heavy duty gloves and boots. I think they should be required as muck and dirt will splash over you-- and that includes your face. (Eww...) Yeah, I had my share of getting garbage all over me, but after seeing we did make a little difference in making Manila Bay cleaner, I think it was all worth it.

Tags: International Coastal Cleanup Day 2009

Propaganda, Evil, and Good

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:53:00 +0000

I just finished reading posts by Juned and Caffeine Sparks about the same topic: "Good" and "Evil"in Philippine politics.

After reading them, I remembered a line from the TV series "Lost," said by a character named Frank who encountered an group of strangers that claimed that they were the "good guys." Frank replied to them, "In my experience, the people who go out of their way to tell you they're the good guys are usually the bad guys."

I remember that line because the "Good" and "Evil" lines are being drawn now in the political scene, ie a certain candidate is the "Good" choice and anybody from the current administration is "Evil." To be honest, I believe nobody can ultimately say which is which because I think all politicians are ethically compromised. It's just that some people have a bigger burden of not doing evil, if you ask me.

I think Juned is spot on when he talked about "Good" political perceptions as a result of propaganda:

The story of Good and Evil is a story.Yes good and evil exsist but not distinct in humans, specially when applied to politicians. It is spin. It is myth building. It is cult promotion. It is marketing and PR. It is branding. It is propaganda.

But with the way the country is being run, may people have lost hope that any act the government does gets the "Evil" tag outright, deserved or otherwise. People taking the "Good" side are having a field day because I think the folks on top lo longer have any moral ascendancy. It's easy to be perceived as "Good" because a lot of people in power are just so "Evil."

And a lot of times, it's what perceives that matters.

Tags: Politics

12 Topics to Watch at the 2009 Y4IT Conference

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:15:00 +0000

It's Y4IT season once again and this year's 4-day event is full of very interesting topics on Information Technology and Computing. Here are 12 topics that I think are worth taking a look at (in random order):

Developing Web Toys - Mr. Luis Buenaventura II
Marketing Through Social Networks - Mr. J. Angelo Racoma
IT in the Early Grades- Ms. Sabrina Par
The 7 Habits of an Effective Developer - Mr. Chuk Munn Lee
The Next 5 in 5: Predicting Innovations - Mr. Lope Doromal, Jr.
Love in Cyberspace - Prof. Cherrie Joy Billedo
Creating Dynamic Web Application Using ASP.NET 3.5 - Ms. Alezandra Nicolas
Democratizing Innovation Using the Web - Mr. Mark Ruiz
Empathic Computing: Innovations and Challenges - Dr. Merlin Teodosia Suarez
Innovation on the Web -Mr. Jay Trinidad
Internet Romance - Mr. Jayvee Fernandez
To Tumble, to Twitt; to Twitt: Perchance to Plurk: Ay, There's the Rub - Mr. Juned Sonido

I'll also be speaking at the conference with the topic "Web Usability and User Experience Design".

The Philippine Youth Congress in Information Technology (or Y4IT Conference) is an annual event organized by the UP Information Technology Training Center (UP ITTC) to give the Filipino youth a glimpse of relevant current and emerging topics of Information Technology in Business, Society, and Research.

Tags: Y4IT

Canon Digital IXUS 95 IS

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:46:00 +0000

I recently was asked the folks at Canon to take the Digital IXUS 95 IS for a spin and share my thoughts on the gadget. After a week of using it, I think it's a solid digital camera.

Right out of the box, the product contains the digital camera, basic interface and AV cables, a battery pack with charger, a wrist strap and the manuals (printed & digital on CD). The Canon folks included an extra SD card for storage, as this is not included by default. The assembly was pretty straight forward, but I encountered some little hitches as after turning on the camera, it took some time before the SD card was recognized.

As far as the actual using the digital camera is concerned, it took some time to get used to. I initially found he navigation key too small. Also, there are instant functions in the physical interface (aka buttons for the flash, review, white balance, image deletion, etc.) that I found confusing, considering there were other options found in the screen interface (color settings, scene settings, etc.) . It probably took me a few minutes to figure out the distinct features on both menus.

What I liked about the camera:

The Image stabilizer was pretty fast and the processing did not take much time (unlike my current digital camera).
The preset color themes and scenes were easy to choose and implement.
Unlike my current digicam, the IXUS 95 IS had a nice viewfinder. Plus, the LCD was crisp and clear.
At 10 Megapixels, the image quality was pretty sharp and not too grainy.

I grew to like the IXUS 95 IS. I think it's a nice upgrade camera to those who bought digicams 2-3 years ago (5-7 Megapixel generation). It may take some getting used to at first, but I think the IXUS 95 IS is a camera the point and shoot person will definitely love.

Tags: Canon IXUS

My 3 Realizations on Quarter-Life Angst

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 07:14:00 +0000

The term "angst" is defined as "an acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety; usually reserved for philosophical anxiety about the world or about personal freedom." The word is often associated with the feelings of teenagers (who are caught up in all the emo shit) and middle-aged folks (who go usually through midlife crisis). But what about those in between?

I'm 29 and people my age are not spared from angst. But this feeling (at least my feeling) is not spurred by idealism nor self-doubt, but rather some sense of "getting it"-- understanding how the world operates what's needed to . Here are three realizations I feel are the themes of these "angsty" feelings:

First Realization: You have to work hard for the money

I never realized how much importance money is in making your goals a reality until I started working several years ago. From that nice house or car you're dreaming of, to making a difference in society, lots of money is needed.

And the thing is, you have to earn it-- nobody will just go over to you and give you wads of cash until you deserve it. People spend countless hours working hard to earn their keep. All because money, along with effort, are converted to the pieces of the puzzle that we call success.

Second Realization: You won't be doing what you really love

In relation to the first realization, I realized that you have to make some sacrifices to reach your aspirations., particularly on the career side of things.

Case in point: I love to teach. There's a little bit of satisfaction that I get from imparting knowledge and morsels of wisdom to other people. Heck, I don't mind making a career out of it. And while I still do teach (at the UP ITTC and AIM), I don't see it as the thing that will pay the bills. That's why I keep a job and do projects here and there to be fiscally responsible.

I'm sure a lot of my contemporaries have felt this way at some point (or even worse). You hear stories of people who feel they are "stuck" in jobs they don't like, or are forced to abandon a job they they are truly happy with because it's the financially rewarding thing to do. I don't feel stuck in any way, but I do feel I've shed some of the things I really like.

Third Realization: The Myth of Work/Life Balance

Finally, it all comes together to balancing the personal and the professional life.

People my age are, in all likelihood, in a serious relationship or looking to be in a serious relationship. You could really imagine the pressure to keep things together in your relationships (i.e., making things work) or to find "The One". Then compound that with the pressures from career and the demands of the job to earn money (see the First Realization) and to find the thing that I love doing (the Second Realization). Just thinking about it is already enough to drive anyone into a Quarter-Life Crisis. :P

But kidding aside, this IS the busiest of times for people like me and the challenge to strike a balance between these seemingly opposing forces. But I've come to the realization that this scale will always tip towards the favor of something and balance will never be in stasis. It will always be a constant shifting, tipping, and swinging of priorities, both coming from the professional and personal aspects of life.

In Conclusion

With these three realizations, I've touched on the sources of my angst-- The drive to be a financial success, the desire to be personally fulfilled, and the never-ending tug-of-war between the different priorities. I feel a lot of people in their twenties and thirties will probably be able to relate to these three things and the next few years' issues will revolve around themes surrounding these.

But after realizing these things, what do I do? I honestly don't know... I really can't go on a rebellious phase and play loud rock music like when I was a teenager (What will that achieve?) and I don't think buying a sports car like the midlife crisis guys is practical (Where will I get money?).

Oh well, I'll just try to figure it out.

Tags: Quarter-Life Crisis

The Discovery Weekend Experience

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:36:00 +0000

My fiancée and I just came from the Discovery Weekend and we're still high with the experience. :)

The Discovery Weekend is a weekend retreat for engaged couples and couples who want to become more serious in their relationship. The retreat is organized by the Ateneo-affiliated Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM), in partnership with the Discovery Weekend Foundation. The retreats started over 30 years ago and, by my estimate, around 9,000 couples have undergone this retreat together. Retreats are held monthly and is based in the Oblate Missionary Center (OMI Retreat Center) in Quezon City.

Like what our chaplain said, the retreat is a time of discernment-- meaning the retreat could show you that your significant other could be the "next big thing" in your life, or someone you are better off without (ouch!). Yes, we heard stories of couples breaking up after the Discovery Weekend experience, I've also heard stories where the weekend became the magic bullet that cured the ills of a dysfunctional relationship.

If there's anything scary about the Discovery Weekend, its the prospects of reliving old problems & sins and facing problems you as a couple may encounter in the future. If you ask me, I think folks in a relationship who aren't open to each other may be in for a rude awakening.

As far as our experience is concerned, it was hugely positive. The accommodation and food were modest, but adequate. The venue was arranged to facilitate couples spending time together, like chairs placed in pairs all over the retreat center. Over-all, the retreat center was peaceful and conducive for shared reflection.

The activities in the retreat are meant to cover the little nooks and crannies in a couple's relationship that the couple may have otherwise been sweeping under the rug. Thanks to a very solid dialogue and communication framework, the relationship may be put through the wringer, but couple will be able to sort it out and end up closer in the process. :)

We followed the guidelines as much as we can, like making the weekend about your partner and not letting ourselves be distracted with other things like time and practically everything else outside the confines of the retreat center. To be honest, I don't want to go into the specifics of the activities, because I don't want to spoil it for future particiapants. But there are other blog posts about the Discovery Weekend from couples who attended it in the past:

BTW, the retreat is also a good way to meet nice folks and talk to couples who may be undergoing the same experiences as you and your significant other. We met a lot of friendly couples and the organizers make sure you get in touch with your new-found friends with a nice little batch directory.

One more thing: attendance to the Discovery Weekend can be used as a compliance to the required pre-marital seminar in certain Catholic parishes. Isn't that great? Check with your parish of the Discovery Weekend is an accredited pre-marital seminar.

The Discovery Weekend experience was huge one for my fiancée and I-- it strengthened our resolve to move forward in our relationship and I feel it made me a better communicator of my feelings. Here's my advice to the guys who are apprehensive about these mushy retreats: From one guy to another, I highly recommend the Discovery Weekend to you. It will help you express yourself better than just the cop-out line "Fine. I'm sorry, let's just stop this already." :P

Update:

Here are some pics of the Discovery Weekend we took:

Here's a pic of me and Liza:

Here's one with another couple we made friends with, Ian Ardiente and Michelle Robles:

And one during the graduation ceremonies with our Discovery Weekend chaplain, Rey Magno:

Tags: Discovery Weekend

Photo Caption Fail

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:37:00 +0000

It's always a sad day for a nation when its president dies. But what's sadder is when a newspaper writes the death of a president... erroneously!

The Manila Bulletin ran a photo of the recent events surrounding the final rites for former president Corazon Aquino. (She died August 1, 2009). However, as you can see from the photo caption above, it stated that current president Gloria Macapacal-Arroyo was in the coffin.

Thank about photo caption FAIL!

Tags: News

My Twitter Account was Hacked!

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:01:00 +0000

If you look at the image above, you will see that in my Twitter account, I sent over hundreds of direct messages to my Twitter friends about some get-rich-quick scams.

If you look at the time stamp of those direct messages, all of them were sent simultaneously. This would make the sending of the messages humanly impossible (plus given my low WPM). I was led to the conclusion that some bot was able to compromise some API.

What makes it really annoying is that I had to explain to several of my friends that what I sent was a scam and that my account was compromised and never in my right mind would I send a crappy message like that.

So, to the owner of the sites mentioned in the spam direct message: Remember that whenever an account is hacked, a puppy dies.

Tags: Twitter

Meet VSO

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:14:00 +0000

VSO Bahaginan is having its first set of "Meet VSO" events in Manila. The first one was held last week and another one will be held on August 1, 2009 at their new office in Unit 305 Pacific Corporate Center in West Avenue, Quezon City. (The building is near SM City North Edsa).

The events are meant to introduce the public and potential volunteers what's it like to be a volunteer with VSO Bahaginan. I dropped by the first orientation program last week and it featured an introduction talk and a couple of testimonials from return volunteers. (One happened to be my former professor in U.P.!)

If you're eligible and you'd like to lend a hand to a community in a developing country (VSO sends volunteers to 40 developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America), attend the next orientation event on August 1, 2009 at 1pm in the afternoon.

Who knows? You may be making a difference in a far-away land as a VSO volunteer. :)

Tags: VSO

The Vicious Banawe Avenue Car Parts Cycle

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:46:00 +0000

Yesterday, two of my car's side mirrors were stolen. This has been a pretty common occurrence in my life as either one or both of my car's side mirrors has, on average, been stolen every year since 2005. This is really sad/ironic/surprising since the car I'm driving isn't that great. My car seems to attract thieves like a piece of tiramisu in a picnic would attract ants. Sheesh.

And every year after the thefts, I would scoot on to Banawe Avenue in Quezon City and buy the side mirror/s I need. For those unaware, Banawe Avenue is popular for the number of car parts dealers along the road. However, not all of them are legit, as evidenced by these news stories:

If you read the news stories I cited above, you'll see that the modus operandi of the car parts syndicates is that they work with thieves and shady characters to steal the car parts and create an unnatural demand for the wares being sold in Banawe Avenue. They get away with it because the parts being sold in Banawe is dirt cheap, compared to the spare parts being sold in legitimate dealers. This is the same reason why car owners (myself included) patronize Banawe.

Because of the frequency of the crimes, it had almost become routine on how the transactions would happen: A person on the street would immediately approach my car as it turns right from Quezon Avenue as my missing side mirrors would automatically suggest to them that I'm looking to buy a pair. I'd tell the guy, who also would be peddling car tint or any other accessories, what I need and he will tell me that he can arrange for the spare parts for a particular price. This is when the negotiations will take place.

Tip: If you find yourself negotiating with these Banawe folks, shoot for the moon, like ask for a 70%-80% discount. And try to be angry/assertive. It will show them who's boss. :P

As soon as both of us agree on a price, he'd ask me to park my car in an alley. I'd just wait for a few minutes and a colleague of the guy I negotiated with would bring the car parts sourced from an unknown supplier. Several guys would come near my car to cross-sell me other items/services pertaining to my car (windshield tint, bull bars, car lights, etc.) while the side mirrors are being installed. After the job, I'd hand over the cash and, of course, no receipts would be issued. It's as if the transaction never ever took place.

Yesterday, I didn't go for the "usual transaction"-- I did try initially, but the guy I approached first was an a$$. So in frustration, I decided to buy from a legitimate shop. Yeah, it cost me more than twice what I would have paid from a shady vendor, but at least that's one less person in the vicious Banawe Avenue Car Parts Cycle.

Tags: Crime

form function & class 2009 Done!

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:09:00 +0000

Finally!

The very first major activity of the Philippine Web Designers Organization (PWDO) is finally done.

The 2009 form function & class Web Design Conference was concluded last July 10, 2009 and I'm proud to share that it was a success. We had a great turnout, the speakers were great, and our costs were manageable. The only thing to remaining is the feedback from the attendees so we can assess how much of a success the event was.

(Speaking of attendee feedback, we have set-up an short survey for this. I hope the attendees will help us out. )

Props are definitely in order:

The event sponsors: Asian Institute of Management, Adobe User Group - Philippines, Web.com.ph, Google, Pinoy Web Startup, Power Mac Center, CIIT, and Philippine Web Accessibility Group
The speakers: Rico Sta. Cruz, Nap Lara, Aileen Apolo, Prof. Ricky Lim, Jojo Esposa, Marco Palinar, Gail Villanueva and Luis Buenaventura.
The student volunteer groups: UST ISyS, UST Tomasino Web, UP ACM, UP Cursor, and students from iAcademy.
And of course, The FFC 2009 PWDO folks: Ia Lucero, Mae Paulino, Michelle Santos, Jonel Uy, Aja Lapus, Marie Casas, Sarah Cada, and JP Dela Torre

Thanks to everyone again. PWDO is set for more, bigger things because of all of you. :)

Tags: form function & class Web Design Conference

Why am I not Blogging as much lately?

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:45:00 +0000

My blogging output has been on a downward trend lately.

Why?

Primarily because of this:

I've been quite busy with the Philippine Web Designers Organization (PWDO) doing the final set of preparations and last-minute firefighting.

Also worth noting is the factors surrounding my other favorite blogs

Big Lakers Fan - the NBA season finished last month so I decided to take a little break.
Screensucked - the blockbusters seem to be coming in at a slow pace here in Manila, thus the almost weekly postings.
Standard Web Standards - I'm reading a book I will be posting a review here soon.
The AIM Blogger - This is one blog I should be posting more often but the web design conference preparations have eaten so much of my free time. Heck, a lot of interesting things have been happening there, especially in the class I'm co-teaching.

After the event, I'll probably be writing more blog posts with regularity. :)

Tags: form function & class Web Design Conference

My Top 5 Michael Jackson Songs of All-Time

regnard@raquedan.com (Regnard Raquedan) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:52:00 +0000

Michael Jackson had been the object of ridicule for his eccentricities when he was alive. But not long after his untimely death, his legacy as a gifted music-maker has overwhelmed the media. To wit: Sales of Michael Jackson's music skyrocketed globally and according to the Bloomberg, Jackson has eclipsed Elvis Presley and John Lennon in posthumous music sales.

To be honest, I stopped liking Michael Jackson in the 90's, a period that coincided with sexual abuse allegations and his decline as a recording artist. But I've always liked his music.

Jackson had an impressive catalog of music and portfolio of chart-toppers, I have my Top 5 Michael Jackson songs:

Bad - I was in second grade when this song came out, and I remember parodizing this song a lot.
Black or White - The music video was cutting edge at that time.
Beat It - Best song in the "Thriller" album. 'Nuff said.
The Girl is Mine - Not as popular as another Paul McCartney colloboration (Say, Say, Say), but who would forget the unintentionally funny spoken exchange of the two musical giants in the recording?
Give Love on Christmas Day - Well, technically, this is credited to the Jackson 5, but I think this is one of the best modern Christmas songs that people still sing in the holidays.

Thanks for the music Michael Jackson!

Tags: Michael Jackson