Onion Drops - It's Not About Onions!

The Best Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Hi there! Today is one of the best day I have ever had. I had a chance to meet and greet kids in Alay Pag-Asa, giving them the best Christmas party in the best way we can. Full of dance numbers, games and presentation, it was a successful outreach even though we only had barely two hours. I met Andrey (the little kid whom I had an honor to have a picture with and open his chocolate bar), Annaliza (the smart one), Carl (the sweetest kid, Jen will attest to that) and to name a few; they are a blessing. I just hope they could have the best future and dreams for themselves and to their family as well.

Then, we head to Libis, to watch 'Avatar'. Again, as I have said it in my Facebook shout out, it was the best film exceeding my expectations from special effects and story-telling (15 years in the making should be worth the wait, and almost $400 million budget should be wisely spent).

Then I watch a free concert and 10-minute fireworks display. What a day!

To know more about how to help through donations and outreach services, visit Alay Pag-asa website by clicking here.

Wake Me Up When October Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:48:00 +0000

Here I am, waiting inside the office; looking how once a crowded and busy office became a scene from an aftermath of war – quiet, cold and uncertain. These words underestimate our situation here in the Philippines. Our president just declared our country in a state of calamity. And as early as 3 PM, our administrator ordered to dismissed our work and go home to prepare and pray.

Not yet recovered from the ordeal we have experienced from Ondoy (International Codename: Ketsana), another weekend of ordeal will be dealt with, in the name of Pepeng (Codename: Parma). I hope he splashes us with rains, enough for us to recover, blows its wind, enough for us to withstand. I welcome him, although I do not know if he’s going to be good to me. He, too, shall pass.

I pray and have faith, because I believe it can move mountains, and typhoons too.

Windows 7: To Be or Not To Be?

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:46:00 +0000

I know some of you, geeks and skeptics, might skip this article anyway. You might choose Mac OSX or Linux over this issue-prone OS, Windows. And now that Microsoft has yet to shelf-off their new OS, Windows 7 on October 22, 2009 (I suppose its name is Windows 7 because it is the seventh Windows OS with GUI), the web has been circulating buzz about it, like everyday it has something 'new' to offer. Readers deserves better and unbiased information, and because, honestly, I did not experience to use the release candidate, I found these good reads that might excite you or at least give you an interest to switch. And because it's Windows 7, Wired.com provided us the 7 Reasons to Switch & 7 Reasons to Avoid, for the benefit of your doubt. I love their punch line, "Remember Vista?".

Let's Build Habitat

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:50:00 +0000

(Image Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity)

Even the scorching heat of the sun did not stop us from attaining our goal - help our destitute Filipino families to build their own home for a better future.

From a simple company email announcement to a full-pledged community involvement, being involved with Habitat for Humanity was a rewarding experience in each one of us who have devoted our time and best efforts to build lasting shelter. Armed with our gloves, construction hat, and sheer determination, we have managed to pull heavy blocks, mixed cements and also chat with homepartners and even count airplanes (the place, Brgy. Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, happens to be the runway path for landing domestic and international flights).

To know more about Habitat for Humanity Philippines (and how to be involved), visit their official website here.

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:38:00 +0000

It's seldom I find videos on the Youtube interesting. Most of the videos are covers, mainstream, videoke, opinions and some are just for the sake of impressions (videos that use related keywords but not related to content). But, I would like make an exception. Lo and behold, Her Morning Elegance by Oren Lavie, deserves two million views. It pushes another boundary of creativity and story-telling in videos (although stop-motion videos are here a long time ago). Also, I can't ignore the indie/acoustic music; simple yet poetic.

Google: You're Site May Harm This Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:35:00 +0000

My browsing experience with Google would never be the same again. Before it was seamless, uncluttered and lenient, now, it's, completely annoying and time-wasting (sorry if I'm being too harsh) but at least I came across to their explanation...

* * *

We want our users to feel safe when they search the web, and we're continuously working to identify dangerous sites and increase protection for our users. This warning message appears with search results we've identified as sites that may install malicious software on your computer:

If you click the title of the result, you'll be shown the following warning rather than being taken immediately to the webpage in question:

You can choose to continue to the site at your own risk. However, please be aware that malicious software is often installed without your knowledge or permission when you visit these sites, and can include programs that delete data on your computer, steal personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers, or alter your search results. For more information on these types of sites, please visit StopBadware.org

If one of these sites downloads malicious software onto your computer, please read our additional information about reporting these sites and removing the software from your system.

Source: Concerns About Web Search Results: Results labeled 'This site may harm your computer'

Kung Hei Fat Choi! - Happy Chinese New Year 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Tonight the Chinese around the world, including the Chinese-Filipino community here in the Philippines, are going to welcome the Year of the Ox. Everyone is preparing to welcome their luck and fortune this coming year, even I, can't resist watching and eavesdropping on Feng Shui masters in the boob tubes and mall tours and why not? There's no harm in doing it. Even with the economic downfall, retrenchments and problems with our government, Chinese-Filipino community are not going to miss the chance to at least have a high hopes for the "bullish" (I hope not) year. Since, I find reading horoscopes and feng shui interesting and entertaining as well, I found this online article about how my Chinese sign, Dragon, going to perform its luck, wealth and health in the challenging year of the Ox.

* * *

Dragon Ratings

40% (3 favorable and 4 neutral and 5 unfavorable months)
The year of the Ox may slightly hinder the Dragon's independent spirit. There will be gains, but you may have to adapt to situations with different strategies than your usual style. There are three favorable months to provide periods of substantial progress and you would do well to take notice of these times and make the most of the opportunities offered. You will have many situations socially that provide great joy throughout the year. The single Dragon will be happy to know that romance is favored this year, so you may find someone to share your experiences. Be conservative in your spending or it could result in problems next year.

Dragon Career

The Dragon's career may be one of the more positive aspects of the year. This will be a year of reasonable progress. Even though the Dragon may have some distinct ideas on what you want to accomplish, 2009 will disclose conditions that you will have to adapt and overcome. You may have to adapt and work with others to gain what you want, rather than doing things in your own independent style. With care and effort, you can make considerable progress and improve your position, but your true gains will be with experience and skills you acquire this year that will prove invaluable in the future.

Dragon Relationships

The Dragon is a social creature and you will invariably relish in the company of others adding enjoyment and pleasure throughout the year. Your family life will offer the support and encouragement you need. You will have to pay attention to your family members feelings by using tact and discretion in vulnerable situations. By not doing so could deteriorate close relations. There will be a number of occasions that will allow you to add to your circle of friends. The single Dragon will be pleased to know that romance is favored.

Dragon Health

The Dragon has an active spirit and it is important that you involve yourself in a number of physical activities to maintain your health. You enjoy being outdoors and you might want to get involved with something that tests your skills and provides a change of scenery, such as rock climbing or hiking. Failure to remain active could result in added stress and emotional swings that could effect your work, as well as your personal life.

Dragon Wealth

The Dragon would do well to pull in the reins on lavish spending and take a more conservative approach this year. You may want to avoid any risky ventures or speculative investments in the year of the Ox. Failure to take care and caution this year could result in future problems. Keep a close watch on your financial situation throughout the year and you may find that you will have times when you can make purchases that coincide with your budget.

* * *

Overall, it's a better forecast if not the best, because in other articles I don't find them boon at all. So, that is all there's to it. Kung Hei Fat Choi! And have a prosperous and lucky year to everyone!

Source:
Chinese Astrology Forecast - Dragon

Obama Fever is Escalating

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:38:00 +0000

Okay, I missed the Inauguration Day because I'm such a slacker. It was 12:00 midnight and my eyes are feeling reluctant. Then, I it was a streak of sunlight burst into me and I realized it was 7 o'clock in the morning. Oh well, I may not feel contagious feeling of inauguration, but sure I'll still see it on my video dictionary named Youtube, because everyday there's unabridged entries, and I don't care if it's cut into pieces, actually it saved a lot of excitement.

* * *

Obama-fever is everywhere. Pop art, music, social blogs, micro-blogs and media frenzies. On my previous post, you saw a pop art of Obama, and it's very cool. Though it reminds me more of Russian art revolution, there's an impression of modern art (not because it was made of pixels). I also saw an Obama morphed into famous Abraham Lincoln. And the headlines, online articles and blogs; can you try read them all? At least count them?

Then, I saw this commercial, long before the inauguration. It's Barack Obama acting in a commercial for a pharmaceutical company.

I'm just kidding when I said it's Barack Obama, because he's not. He's Ilham Anas, an Indonesia magazine photographer. And according to a source (Wikipedia), Obama lived in Indonesia for some quite time, before he migrated with his Dad to Hawaii. Hmm, anyway, I'm sure this carbon copy will be having a job for the next six years, aside from being a shutter-bug.

Yes, We Can

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:59:00 +0000

Goodbye 2008, Welcome 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:45:00 +0000

It's been a heck of a year and there's another reason to celebrate. Say hello to 2009! Happy New Year to everyone. I wish you all the luck each day and don't forget to pray. What are your resolutions for this year? Mine is, a jump start to a career, couple of social initiatives, travels and outdoor sports. And I promise to bring you the latest and hottest news and too-hot-to-handle gadgets, or any topic we can soaked into. You can comment on this post so I can have an idea on where would I'm going to start. Thanks and Happy New Year!

Watch this video as 2008 bids goodbye and the rest is another history. Watch also this video in Youtube in HD.

Yahoo! Mail 2.0 in Classic Mode

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:54:00 +0000

Okay, I am not a fan of the new Yahoo Mail, the one bloated with many divisions and heavy ads on the side. But I am a fan of Yahoo Mail Classic. It's more comfortable to use; clean, honest and uncluttered. And today, I was surprised that AJAX was incorporated in classic mode. It's cool and feels like I'm using a familiar webmail. Ever since, Yahoo classic mode, was like a simple web mail, where everything jumps off to another page, refresh with the disappointing white screen and feels like it's so 20th century. Evidently, the Yahoo Mail classic had this familiar "loading..." thing at the center top of the mail making everything works in real time. I think you know what I mean.

Look at the middle part, cool.

If you want to know more about the recent changes in Yahoo! Mail Classic, click here.

How to Fix Firefox: Secure Connection Failed

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:09:00 +0000

It's been bugging me for days, and I lose hope. I made the bravest of the bravest attempts (Install/Uninstall/Update/Best Google keywords) but the possibility of being fixed is blur. Firefox 3 is not working for me, so I decided to turn back time and use the older version. It works but it's still a hassle for me. I can feel the slowness, the numerous pop-ups of asking me the same question, and the frequent crashing. Just like my friend, Sweet, said - DUH!

Okay, I've been thinking of this little mystery in Firefox on why I always receive a message that says: "Secure Connection Failed" in some websites that have certificates to be authenticated by the browser (e.g. Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Facebook, etc.).

There are two ways to fix this, first you can add an exception to every sites that need authentication, by clicking the link at the bottom, which is very tiring (two clicks of mouse is very tedious). Second, which is my discovery and I blame to by dumbfounded BIOS which do not update the date and time settings, is obviously to check if your system's date and time settings are correct. I think it should work now. And I need to buy new BIOS battery. What a feck.

Gmail Goes Gooey

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:32:00 +0000

I was surprised when I was about to log in to Gmail. Everything was the same, except the Gooey (GUI) part. Google finally decided and realized that minimalist is not the only theme that was accessible, but the Graffiti theme as well. How come? If you have Gmail account, you can change the theme by navigating through its settings and look for Themes tab. There are 30+ themes available and I think they were considerable number to choose from, because I will never like the idea of creating personalized themes (may it be CSS embedded/upload or customized color chooser) for Gmail, ever. Let alone, Google does it for you.

The Sign-in Interface, the Mountain View.

The Inbox, refreshing.

Themes, amazing.

More Themes, dude that's perfect.

Yahoo! Did the Halloween Too!

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:36:00 +0000

Yahoo! put some costumes. But, I did not notice until my mouse hovers into the infamous logo. Surprise! That's not all, Yahoo! did some tribute to Michael Jackson's Thriller music video, showing zombies dancing the zombie-esque steps completely. In fairness to Google, Yahoo! put smiles on each site's impressions. Visit Yahoo! now before the flash-based Halloween tribute gone after the party.

Happy Halloween 2008 from Google!

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:31:00 +0000

It's October 31 and everyone is excited for it's Halloween. Google homepage did try to wear costume, made by no other that Sir Wes Craven (creator of 'A Night on Elm Street' franchise), what would be yours? Mine's would be Willy Wonka , straight from the Chocolate Factory. So, kids you better behave, or you'll be like this, at 2:48.

This is just an image, you can't search with Google here.

The New Macbooks are Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:12:00 +0000

The new Apple Macbook family is here and the buzzes & diggs still keep increasing after its release last October 14. Although the new Macbook has new looks (Aluminum case) and NVIDIA 9400M graphics (GDDR3 SDRAM-shared), it still has no SD-card slot (too bad for photographers) and lose the Firewire (which I always look forward of still having it) port. You can read a full review and benchmark from CNET or directly from Apple to see all the features and comparison of the new Macbooks.

I'm escapist, so I look on YouTube for some funny videos. And I found this one - about how Macbook sucks because of lacking the Firewire port. But I did not like video actually, (nerds seldom use Macs, because it seldom needs troubleshooting, virus removal and out-of-the-box tweaks); the comments. Click here to watch the video.

So, what exactly is the issue on why did not a Firewire port is not included in the design? I found this forum by Rainer Brockerhoff and he did provide us with an informative explanation on the design issue of Mac, click here to read.

Brand New Identity - Onion Drops

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:21:00 +0000

I was looking at my blog all the time. "It's really blunt", I said to myself. Well, it's what I want, minimalist layout, but it's still blunt. It does not even speak for itself; no central idea, no path; just there for my writing impulse or whatever news comes out. And to the fact that it's it's really boring my identity is another concern. So I have decided to change it. From this -

To this -

What can you say? Is it cool? Or I should change? Any suggestions.

I would like to give credit to Kienan and Dylan Smith for this free font. You can download it here.

***

So, why Onion Drops? It started as my favorite for bulb things continues and onion is one of them. I just love the aroma of onion when it's mixed with foods - cooked or raw. Like in a SNL spoof, anyone can be a president, I repeat, anyone; then I can choose anything to be the title of my blog. So, if you're looking for onion ring recipes and other recipes, alas, this is not the blog to read.

I'm a PC (and Mac stereotyped me!)

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:32:00 +0000

The internet never cease to bring laughter on Mondays. Just when I was browsing, I came across with Joshua Harris website and I never thought he would blog for advertisement (okay, Joshua, I am sorry, did I just stereotyped you?) specifically the new I'm a PC ad of Microsoft in return to I'm a Mac ad of Apple. Click here to watch it on YouTube.

Happy Birthday Google!

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 05:10:00 +0000

If there is a common thing that speculative hacker, lost researcher, traveling president, a 10-year old kid looking for science projects, writer looking for a subject, an undecided buyer and crazy like me, that would be Google. Happy Birthday!

[I see you got a new server rack there! Cool!]

Winamp playback is distorted - Fixed it

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:38:00 +0000

Times like these where your documents are not the only affected files in your computer. Even the music files you have are in 100% possibility. Okay, after I suffered from the Windows Media Player flashcodec problem, another problem was bothering me for few weeks. My Winamp player plays my Mp3 (Wav and AVI are not affected) files but distorted and fast (a very very strange playback). And after a long week of finding a solution, I finally found one that is effective and perfect.

The genius behind the solution is the FS-MP3Fix program. It's lightweight about (3mb in RAR file) and it saved all of 4K Mp3 files I have in my hard disk. So how was this done?

First, I downloaded the file FS-MP3Fix.

After downloading the file, extract it to the folder where all of the affected music files are. So you should have the folder FS-MP3Fix which contains ffmpeg (that looks like a MS-DOS based program), FSMP3-Fix (this is the program that we are going to use) and a DLL file named pthreadGC2.dll.
But, we need those three files to be paste in to the folder where the music are, because the program will only read the directory where the music are in. If it finds no Mp3 files, the program will never work. So, paste the three (3) files in the folder where your Mp3s are.
Okay, let's get it started. Open the FSMP3-Fix program.
You will see a DOS-based window and you have to choose which language are you going to use (English or Spanish) or just exit the program. So, we choose English (and don't ask me why) which is no. 2.
You are going to be asked if you want to continue the fixing of your Mp3 files (of course) that these actions are not reversible (well, if you want that strange playback to continue then why are you reading this, peace).
Okay, after pressing Enter key, the program starts working. You will see the process of calculating bitrates of your Mp3 files and you'll be amazed that there are files created in the folder of your music files with _FS name at the end. If in case, the program does not stop working (which is always my problem) press and hold q to stop duplicating other copies again. The program create three duplicate copies which is a headache for me. If you find _FS okay, then remove the songs with added filename with _FS_FS and FS_FS_FS, because they are all the same.
Then, play it on the Winamp, voila! Your favorite Mp3 files are saved at last.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any of the Mp3 files that could be damaged using this program.

Resources:

Winamp

(Shrugs) Dead Silence: "It's good that it has alternative ending"

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:14:00 +0000

After watching the movie Dead Silence (via HBO) featuring the horror villainess Mary Shaw, I thought it was cool, but the ending was like very tragic for me. It's not that I don't like it, but it's pretty darn cool story that the protagonist should have to die (well, it's just the nibble of spoilage don't worry). Right before I was thinking of an alternate ending (pause) wait, the YouTube must have had it and it did. Well, if you have seen the movie at the last year's opening or just like me who might have accidentally press down the change channel button for some decent movies, well, watch the alternative opening and ending below. I found out that Dead Silence was created also by the people who made Saw, right before I was thinking (again) the doll in the near end of the movie there was a doll having resemblance with the mask in the Saw movie. It's not that morbid and gruesome as Saw, so I think you can still stand to watch it, just pretend there were hundreds of busy people in the back you called production team saying "action" and "cut".

The Alternative Opening

The Alternative Ending

SNL - Tina Fey as Palin & Amy Poehler as Clinton

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:39:00 +0000

What would likely to be the scenario if Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin come together to address the sexism in politics? Saturday Night Live has already painted it, just few hours, when Tina Fey comes back to the show with history as Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton. This is really funny and Phelps did try hosting the live show.

Click here to watch it on NBC.

Gates + Seinfeld + Crispin Porter + Bogusky = Microsoft® Windows $300M Ad Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:10:00 +0000

Geeee, Windows got a makeover, by recruiting the hotness, Crispin Porter + Bogusky (the shop behind the Burger King ICs). It's a tough decision for them, because the brand and the image of Windows Vista has been dragged down below and overshadowed by the "I am Mac and I am PC" campaign of Apple. Though I like the Mac commercials, take a look at the $300 million dollar campaign, baby. Tell me your comment and I'll tell you mine.

Billboard Hot 100: "I'm 50 and healthy!" - Anniversary Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:02:00 +0000

The Billboard Hot 100 celebrates it's 50th anniversary with a blast. The magazine published an anniversary issue which features all the No. 1 songs from August 1958 - August 2008. To music historians, chart-addicts, magazine collectors or just plain paperweight users, this is a must have weight. Based on sales and airplay, the magazine features artists that have peaked the No. 1 status. To see if your favorite artist have No. 1 song/s, visit the official Billboard Hot 100 Chart, anniversary website.

9/11 Commemoration

noreply@blogger.com (Rom Simplicio) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:37:00 +0000

I can still remember that day when the world stops. People are scared and crying. I don't have much to tell about the details, but all I can hear is the silent scream, collective of those people who, still, cannot believe that a tragedy is happening. The scene of attack that once shoot, continuously break the hearts of the left families and friends of the innocent victims, until this moment, where their lives could never be the same again.

Let us all pray... so help us God.

Onion Drops - It's Not About Onions!

The Best Day

Wake Me Up When October Ends

Windows 7: To Be or Not To Be?

Let's Build Habitat

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie

Google: You're Site May Harm This Computer

Kung Hei Fat Choi! - Happy Chinese New Year 2009!

Obama Fever is Escalating

Yes, We Can

Goodbye 2008, Welcome 2009

Yahoo! Mail 2.0 in Classic Mode

How to Fix Firefox: Secure Connection Failed

Gmail Goes Gooey

Yahoo! Did the Halloween Too!

Happy Halloween 2008 from Google!

The New Macbooks are Here!

Brand New Identity - Onion Drops

I'm a PC (and Mac stereotyped me!)

Happy Birthday Google!

Winamp playback is distorted - Fixed it

(Shrugs) Dead Silence: "It's good that it has alternative ending"

SNL - Tina Fey as Palin & Amy Poehler as Clinton

Gates + Seinfeld + Crispin Porter + Bogusky = Microsoft® Windows­­ $300M Ad Campaign

Billboard Hot 100: "I'm 50 and healthy!" - Anniversary Issue

9/11 Commemoration

Gates + Seinfeld + Crispin Porter + Bogusky = Microsoft® Windows $300M Ad Campaign