A Healthy Discovery

I have a new favorite this holiday season and it’s watching Discovery Home & Health.

It’s fascinating to learn about other people's stories and see how they live their lives. And I, in turn, get educated on how to live a better life.

Too bad the Christmas break is almost over. Back to reality.

by Mona Barro (7th entry)

O Ghostly Night

Christmas Eve. Good food. Good laughs. Great memories.

And despite having a million other things to talk about, we ended up sharing ghost stories with each other 'till the wee hours of the morning.

Everything changes but some things stay the same.

by Mona Barro (6th entry)

Good News, Bad News

Here’s something to cheer you for the holidays—or not.

Good News: People who download illegally may seek refuge in a new business model. According to the New York Times, FreeAllMusic.com will allow users to download songs for free without any digital rights management restrictions. The only trade-off ? One has to first endure watching 15 to 30-second advertisements.

Bad News: It’s not available in the Philippines—at least, not yet.

But just as plagues like the A(nH1N1) reached Philippine shores in no time, there’s reason to hope that this business model will be available here soon.
_____
6th Entry
Ralph Vincent Catedral

Did you know?

I found an updated version of the “Did you know” video the professors showed us at the beginning of the semester (please see link below)

As expected, the information was interesting and overwhelming. I especially like the following:

Traditional advertising is in steep decline. Digital advertising is growing rapidly. – This is not surprising since online advertising is cheaper. Come to think of it, digital advertising can even be free. I know of friends who advertise their products for sale via Multiply and Facebook. Orders can be made by PM or SMS.

How many text messages does an average American teen send each month? 2,272. – I wonder how many text messages an average Filipino teen sends each month. I guess it’ll be A LOT MORE considering that texting is cheaper considering the unlimited text (and call) promo's of the competing network companies.

Obama leveraged online social networks to raise $55M in 29 days. – Election time is just around the corner. But months before, we have seen candidates using the Internet to reach voters. Candidates have their own websites, Facebook accounts, blogs, and ads posted everywhere in the Internet. Before, their fake smiles taunt us in streamers and posters along the streets. Now, they haunt us even in the comfort of our own homes. Tsk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

- Glaisa PO
(entry no. 7)

Avatar Rules!

Just two days after Christmas, my brother and I were able to watch Avatar at Imax SM North. At first I was reluctant because 1.) I am not a big fan of sci-fi and 2.) I’d rather spend my P400 shopping. But after more than 2 hours of watching Avatar, I was enamored and more than impressed by the movie, especially the visual effects. Indeed, James Cameron has taken American film making to a higher notch.

Watching the film was like being in a trance, being in an exclusive world so pristine and magical that you would never want to go back into reality again (The last movie which had that effect on me was LOTR-The Fellowship of the Ring). Pandora(a lush, tropical earth-sized moon) was sooooo beautiful that I would like to go there and be an Avatar myself (I thought it was more beautiful than Rivendell, for the LOTR fans). Also, James Cameron did a good job in making the Avatars more human than the real actors (IMHO). So for some who haven’t watched the film yet, here are some pointers (not spoilers ha):

1. The plot is like Pocahontas + a little like Lord of the Rings + Warcraft rolled into one (don’t worry, I won’t tell how the story progressed hehe).

2. On a more serious note, the film reminds me of US colonization, how American imperialism resulted more to long term damage than progress to its colonies, not only to native culture but also to the environment.

3. Likewise, the film also reminds me of the capital lessons we learned in our Law and Environment class: a.) Everything is interconnected , b.) Everything has to go somewhere, c.) Everything has a price and lastly, d.) Nature has the last say

4. For the girls: the lead male character Jake Sully, portrayed by Sam Worthington is really hot (think Ben Affleck + Orlando Bloom).

5. For the guys: well, it’s sort of like warcraft (hehe). Seriously, it’s sci-fi + action at its finest :)

I just love how the marriage of technology and entertainment would result in movie magic. No wonder it garnered $278 million in weekend box office revenue during its release. I wish Philippine cinema will also reach this level of film sophistication. Ang galing! I want to watch it all over again :)

(Sixth entry)

Christmas and New Year, and Skype

My sister is currently working her way to become a nurse in Copenhagen, Denmark. This year we are celebrating Christmas and New Year in our home here in General Santos City without her.

Thankfully, high speed internet has become affordable. This is one of those rare moments when I laud capitalism (competition, better pricing). Yes, she is not here with us physically. But thanks to Skype, we can talk to her for as long as our internet connection permits. Of course, most important of all, we can see her. Carrying her laptop with her, she showed us around the house of her host family.

We were pleased to know that she is in safe hands. She already told us before several times how happy she is with her accommodation in Denmark and how nice her host family is. But, seeing what she merely described to us is still a different feeling.

Last year my Smartbro connection was ridiculously slow that I had to borrow a Globe USB internet kit from a cousin just to communicate through Skype. This year, Smart connection has improved a lot. We were able to talk to her uninterrupted by fluctuating signal. Best of all, at a very low cost!!!

The Internet is surely changing the lives of ordinary families such as ours. Years ago, there were several studies conducted stating that more and more Filipino families are breaking apart because parents had to go abroad to seek better opportunities. I am beginning to wonder if the results of those studies would change if they were conducted in the age of Skype.

The results of such new study, I am certain, would have great implications in policy making. One of the reasons for the urgency of domestic job generation after all, pertains to the emotion-laden rationale of families falling apart in view of breadwinners seeking opportunities abroad.

True, physical presence is still different but talking and actually seeing one’s loved one from time to time, feels different. It is quite comforting. I remember my mom really cried a lot when my sister left for Copenhagen. My mom was probably thinking that the situation would be the same when her brother left for the Middle East for several years during which time, letters through snail mail, was the only means of communicating with one’s loved ones. Telephone was then very costly.

Our hearts were put at ease when we saw she was doing well in Copenhagen. My sister might not be here in time for my graduation (God willing), but hey, she can watch me through Skype.




***The picture above shows my sister with The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen (They say that it is a must-see for visitors of Copenhagen. I am not sure though if it is a Danish tale. hehe. But it is a National Monument)

Bryan A. San Juan
Entry No. 6

Sixth Entry: Excited for Christmas

In a few hours, we'd be off to the airport. This is the first time that we'll be celebrating Christmas and part of my birthday out of the country, that’s why I’m very very very excited! Also, this is the first time that a significant other will be celebrating Christmas with my family. Indeed, this year will be a merry Christmas! :)

Well, we will have to forego some of the things we traditionally do during the holiday like the looooonngggg Christmas Eve mass in a monastery in the province (and the even looooonnnggeerrr walk to get there) and the yearly mini-reunion with our relatives (but we will be very glad to accept your Christmas gifts on New Year instead *wink*). Also, no more mass-Christmas-text greetings to everyone in my phonebook. (I promise to greet you all on New Year) But surely, nothing beats celebrating Christmas abroad with all the persons very special to you.

Pardon me for this blog (which has no substantial significance to IT :c), but hey, it’s Christmas! So now, while I still have the chance, I want to wish you all a happy and fun-filled Christmas!

:)

(source: picture- http://www.allthingschristmas.com/images/Christmas/merry_christmas.jpg)

Reunited

Christmas season means parties, reunions, and get-togethers. After almost a decade, we had our high school reunion. And the usual question that I got during the evening was, “When will you graduate?”

We were 34 in class then and now, only three of us are still students. I was the only one who took up law and two are taking up medicine. The rest? They took up engineering or a computer-related course.

When I was deciding what course to take in college, my parents suggested that I take up computer science since it was “in demand” then. Indeed, almost everyone took it up and I must say, they are all doing well now. Most of my classmates are working in big companies, are being sent abroad and are very well-compensated. Now I wonder, did I make the right choice? Haha.

I remember the video the professors showed as at the beginning of the semester. It said that we are preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet. I asked the computer geeks (as we teased them) how they’d become so good with computers. I asked if college taught them everything. They said that they only learned the basics in college and the rest was a matter of trial and error, experience, and lots of luck and patience. But of course I still think that they’re just geeks. Hehe.

Someone asked me before: “When you marry and have kids, will you encourage them to become lawyers?” I said I’d want them to become astronauts - because it's the coolest job on earth! And who knows, it might be the most in-demand job by then. :)

-Glaisa PO
(entry no. 6)

Christmas and Crime

The Interview of Unang Hirit with NCRPO Chief Rosales this morning (December 21) disturbed me when he said that the rate of street crimes in Metro Manila was surprisingly low this December. I am not sure if he is speaking in comparative terms vis-a-vis last year’s crime rate or last month’s but I find it hard to believe in light of unreported crimes.

Just last Thursday, 17 December 2009, around 6 p.m., my blockmates (Lora, Jojo, Marge) experienced/witnessed first hand street crime in Agham Road, Quezon City. Two men (one middle aged person, and the other one, a teenager) each carrying long knives boarded the UP-SM North Jeep they were riding. These men tried to snatch the bag and cellphone of a female UP student seated near the entrance of the jeep.

Despite the fact that these men were armed with long knives, the female UP student resisted and kept begging them not to. The middle aged man wounded the female UP student’s hand forcing the latter to let go of her bag and cellphone. Probably aware that they have drawn too much attention, the men were satisfied with the bag and cellphone of the female UP student and walked away (casually, as Lora described it).

Thankfully, none of my blockmates were harmed. None of their belongings were taken (thanks to the attention drawn by the brave UP student). But, the trauma of the incident was already ingrained in their minds. Because of the panic, none of them recall the face of the robbers.

The driver did not do anything (or couldn’t do anything anyway).

My blockmates were mad because the jeep was not supposed to traverse Agham Road. The driver claiming that traffic was heavy followed a different route, which made the entire incident suspicious. The driver encouraged them to report the incident to the Barangay Captain of the community of informal settlers in front of Philippine Science High School. Fearful that the barangay was the territory of those hooligans, the passengers (all female) decided not to report the incident. Besides, the wounded female UP student needed to bandage her wounded hand soon.

Agham Road is really a hotbed for street crimes. During typhoon Ondoy, I was part of the Crisis Committee for Student Refugees in UP Law constituted by Dean Leonen. I recall that a UP Law Student was also robbed in the corner of Agham and North Avenue. We had to send someone to fetch the law student who took refuge in the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC).

I don’t mean to be sexist or “gender insensitive” but the usual targets of these criminals are women. I know a majority of our students in UP Law are women and a lot of them pass by North Avenue or Agham Road. Even Lora, Jojo, and Marge suspect that their jeep was carefully chosen by the perpetrators since all of them (except the driver) were women. So, just be careful.

I wish that the Philippine National Police (PNP) would tap the Internet to address peace and order problems. Effective Reporting of crimes is critical to formulation of effective strategies to combat lawlessness. Face to face reporting of street crimes in slum areas can prove intimidating for victims of crimes. The PNP should take a leaf or two from GMA 7’s and Channel 2’s new method of gathering news through the internet (where a site is provided for uploading of videos or information that may be newsworthy).

I view street crimes as reflective of the state of our nation. At the pace we are going however, it is my considered opinion that long term solutions should go hand-in-hand with short term solutions. While we make our move to solve poverty, may our authorities not lose sight of the immediate security and safety concerns of the people.

Have a merry and safe Christmas.

Bryan A. San Juan
Entry No. 5

Blind specific.

Hermilia C. Banayat-Nas

(4th entry)

I would forever be grateful to the world wide web for information I have I get from it. This is because while hardcopy-Webster, for example, would always be a reading companion I find it more convenient to use Google: information at my fingertips. Literally.

While I am glad that the internet is here to provide information I make a Machiavellian musing and realize that the empowerment of people by giving them access to information is merely an incident to a means. The means to an end.

I am in the middle of a desert, physically away but in touch with people. When this mini-oasis was built, a list of necessities was made and among them were shelter, water, electricity, internet. While the distance is comforting to my paranoia, I know that the miles that keep me away from other people can easily be traversed by a click.

My TV does not work, and the cable company has added me to their service list--the only problem is that I am 3 hours away from the city. Good thing that I stuffed my laptop in my bag and brought it here, where the internet is more reliable than CNN signal. For days I relied on this laptop and wi-fi for knowledge and news.

Thank you, internet for the information.

The cold air is gone and I want to explore the salmon pink dunes. But I can't. While I am allowed to download shared music from this internet connection I cannot cross an invisible boundary line in the sand for security reasons.

I wonder how this government utilizes the internet to its advantage. As the richest country in the world, I would be naive to think that the internet service here, in the middle of this man-made oasis, was provided simply to give its visitors the power to know. Just like what the history of internet would show, the free wi-fi accommodations here is an intelligence move, a means to an end.

While I am allowed to do anything in the internet, I could possibly be sending combinations of ones and zeros that would trigger a security breach. Yes, like the invisible line on the sand that I cannot cross, I believe that this unlimited access to the internet is a security measure. Giving me the power to know is simply a means to an end.

Automation.

by desmayoralgo (entry #5)

I don't think it's the time to be snooty. I applaud the COMELEC for its attempt at reaching out to the masses and educating them on the automated election system.

Fifth Entry: Here's to a Merry Christmas

The only thing that’s keeping me from doing a holiday blog and from feeling Christmassy is this “lapsed” appeal in a case I’m currently handling in OLA. OLA received the order denying the MR on November 25, which means I still have until December 10 to file the appeal. When I filed the appeal on December 9, lo and behold, the Clerk of Court gave me a Certification from the Post Office to the effect that OLA received the Order on November 11!!! Thus, for the past week, I’ve been in and out of the Pasic RTC, the QC Post Office, my SL’s office in the Fort and all, trying to figure out what went wrong with that damned mail.

So, here are my Christmas wishes for all of you:

For the COC and the Postmaster: A supercomputer dedicated only to mails which has this online database system to keep track of all the mails sent and received by the court and the post office. The supercomputers in these two offices shall be linked so that the COC can know whether an appeal has lapsed without ever needing a (an erroneous) certification from the Post Office. For the post offices specifically, a tiny tracking device to be placed in the return cards of registered mails. This device allows online tracking by the interested parties similar to UPS or even LBC.

For the Postman: A handy gadget (similar to that used when paying by credit card in case of food delivery) whereby the addressee can digitally affix his signature to signify receipt of the mail. The electronic signature shall be automatically transmitted to the supercomputers of both the court and the post office, to prevent the Postman from giving yet again another erroneous date of receipt.

For my client: Patience, lots of it.

And of course, my personal wish: Peace of mind.

(Source: picture-http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/news_impact/2009/07/large_mail.jpg)

Recitation Redux

Prof: Do you have a Facebook account?

Me: No sir.

Prof: Well, you don’t exist in this class.

___
5th Entry
Ralph Vincent Catedral

The Lawphil Project

by: Melissa Sicat

(fifth entry)

Perhaps every law student in the Philippines would agree if I say that life in law school nowadays would not be the same without lawphil.net. I first discovered the website when one of my former blockmates from the evening section texted me the assigned case for our mock recitation. If I remember it right, it’s the case which involves Chi Ming Choi. I had an 8am-5pm work schedule in Makati then and I could not go to UP Law Lib to photocopy the SCRA version so I googled the case title sent to me and voila, I was able to read the case through lawphil.net!

If a case is too long and I want to save my allowance (and if I feel that I won’t get called anyway for recitation), I just download the case from lawphil.net and read it from my PC/laptop. That way, I can just cut and paste the pertinent paragraphs so that I wouldn’t waste ink printing so many pages, most of which are irrelevant to our subject.

Now that I’m a senior law student, lawphil.net has become even more important, especially now that we’re already under internship in the UP Office of Legal Aid (OLA). When I draft my pleadings, lawphil.net is indispensable since I have to cite the most recent and relevant jurisprudence to make my pleading more convincing and authoritative. I can do that in just a few minutes through lawphil.net. Because of lawphil.net, defending OLA clients has become more efficient and effective. An abused and illegally dismissed employee has been awarded backwages and underpaid salaries. A sexually harassed teenager would be avenged from her molester uncle. A client who is indebted to several banks for millions of pesos, but who is a victim of typhoon Ondoy and has practically nothing now has the option of filing for insolvency. All of these were done faster than the time I would have spent had I conducted my legal research manually in the law library.

So to all the wonderful people from the Arellano Law Foundation who created lawphil.net, I would like to take this opportunity to send my deepest thanks for making the lawphil project the best and most reliable website a law student can depend on (well, it’s the best in my opinion). A lot of lives have been changed because of this brilliant website.

Cry Me A River

I am a BIG WEEPER. I cry over a good movie, a good book, a good song, a good story and even a good conversation. But lately, I've been crying A LOT MORE than usual. And I don't know why.

I wonder if crying too much over something is a medical condition. I hope not. I just might have to google it up and see what's written about it - make sure that IT is just a phase. I wouldn't want things to get worse and find myself crying over food. That would be completely weird and just plain messy. haha

by Mona Barro (5th entry)

google

I google everytime I go online. Whether it be a school homework, song lyrics, upcoming movie or book, or news or gossips – I google. I even tried googling my name before. Come on, who hasn’t? Haha!

I remember the days when a salesman would pass by our house to offer my Dad to buy a set of encyclopedias. They really cost a fortune then! I remember in grade school when my friends would brag about their new set of encyclopedias at home (I wonder if they still have them.) Now, those big and heavy books are obsolete. I haven’t seen one in ages!

Before, when our teacher would ask us to bring pictures of certain animals or objects for a project, my Mom would hep me browse through magazines and old books. Now when my nephew needs a picture of a dog, he can have a picture of all the types of dogs in just one click!

Most professors, when frustrated during recits, would say that students nowadays are lazy – far different from how the students were during their time. The students would roll their eyes and whisper to themselves, “But sir, you didn’t have any other thing to do then but to study!” True, there are a lot of distractions and temptations now and the convenience that technology brings asks only a little effort from people.

I wonder what it would be like ten years from now. How could things be more convenient and what would be the price we have to pay?

- Glaisa PO
(entry 5)

Castle Age(s)

During class today, the professor mentioned that Facebook users have control over certain things they publish on walls, but not other things like messages sent or replies to messages received. At that moment, my mind drifted (sorry sir) to my current dilemma.


After I waking up during mornings, my usual routine is to press the "on" switch of both my laptop and my modem. I then wash my hands to put my contact lenses on, and then proceed to play Castle Age. This usually takes about an hour, so I wake up two hours early before my class so as to avoid being tardy. I, however, still usually end up late.

This is one of those things that I think makes internet use a negative thing. If there is abuse of less-useful materials in the internet, or if there is uncontrolled gaming, such results in the adverse effects on a person. I don't really know why, but text-based games like Castle Age is very addicting to me. I can probably only attribute such to the anime-like appeal (which I love) of the game or the mindlessness of the clicking involved (a change in pace after all the thinking involved during the day).

In any case, Castle Age has some really commendable features. Unlike games also in Facebook like Mafia Wars and Vampire Wars, Castle Age pits the player not only against other players but also against monsters which could be summoned through items collected. In addition, the developers of the said game continuously provide updates, and therefore enhances the game's playability.

As is apparent, the internet is a valuable tool, not only for education and business, but also other things like leisure. Castle Age is a worthy diversion after a stressful day, but there should still be a reasonable limit to such gaming, in such a way that it does not affect productivity and other relevant portions of one's life.

I'm Glad There's Television

Some people just don’t watch t.v.

I have a blockmate who doesn’t watch t.v. Just try asking her about any local celebrity or show and chances are, she is absolutely clueless. And up until two days ago, I thought she’s unique. Apparently, I’m wrong for it turned out that many government officials (or at least, those who came to the joint session in Congress last Monday) don’t watch t.v. either. Devenadera claimed that one of the justifications for the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao was the military’s inability to take control of the situation there. Yeah, right. Every person who follows the news know saw the closing down of the local municipal hall and the detention of the people from the Ampatuan household inside their home last week. And of course, who is not aware of the massive crackdown that occurred subsequent to the massacre, i.e., the many warrantless search and seizure and arrest performed by the authorities? And yet, we have the government trying to convince the people that all these are mere apparitions and hallucinations, and do not reflect the real state of affairs in Maguindanao.

And it got worse. It seemed that no one in the Administration has access to any decent copy of the RPC.

Art. 134. Rebellion or insurrection; How committed. — The crime of rebellion or insurrection is committed by rising publicly and taking arms against the Government for the purpose of removing from the allegiance to said Government or its laws, the territory of the Philippine Islands or any part thereof, of any body of land, naval or other armed forces, depriving the Chief Executive or the Legislature, wholly or partially, of any of their powers or prerogatives.

Art. 248. Murder. — Any person who, not falling within the provisions of Article 246 shall kill another, shall be guilty of murder and shall be punished by reclusion temporal in its maximum period to death, if committed with any of the following attendant circumstances:
1. With treachery, taking advantage of superior strength, with the aid of armed men, or employing means to weaken the defense or of means or persons to insure or afford impunity.
2. In consideration of a price, reward, or promise.
3. By means of inundation, fire, poison, explosion, shipwreck, stranding of a vessel, derailment or assault upon a street car or locomotive, fall of an airship, by means of motor vehicles, or with the use of any other means involving great waste and ruin.
4. On occasion of any of the calamities enumerated in the preceding paragraph, or of an earthquake, eruption of a volcano, destructive cyclone, epidemic or other public calamity.
5. With evident premeditation.
6. With cruelty, by deliberately and inhumanly augmenting the suffering of the victim, or outraging or scoffing at his person or corpse.

Art. 249. Homicide. — Any person who, not falling within the provisions of Article 246, shall kill another without the attendance of any of the circumstances enumerated in the next preceding article, shall be deemed guilty of homicide and be punished by reclusion temporal.

It doesn’t take a lawyer or a law student to understand the difference between Articles 134 and 248. But how come the representatives from the Administration last Wednesday couldn’t get this right? I have three theories on this:
1) The government doesn’t have access to RPC.
2) The government’s version was lifted from Hitler’s diaries or from Despotism for Dummies. Some public officers just mistook it for the RPC.
3) The government is engaged in its own brand of statutory construction (or maybe “distortion” is the more apt term) that is abysmal and dangerous.

The Bill of Rights was meant to protect the people from abuse perpetrated by the government. And the media is a potent tool that we can use to safeguard our rights, especially when those in power has began manipulating the law itself to further their iniquitous interests. And shall I say, I’m glad there’s television.


Jen T. Paguntalan
Blog4

Government In-Action (4th Entry)

Everyone (except the telecoms) hailed the order of the NTC mandating a per pulse or 6 seconds billing system for voice calls. The NTC memorandum circular was issued last July thus giving the telecoms at least FOUR months to comply. The new system should have taken effect last December 6 for same network calls. Other network calls were given an extended deadline of December 16.

Guess what? The telecoms have failed to comply and so far the NTC have failed to impose sanctions on the erring telecoms. I'm no expert but it seems absurd that the telecoms are claiming that the new system would lead to network/billing problems considering that all three telecoms are offering unlimited call services and Globe is even offering a per second charging system (Globe requires the addition of an annoying prefix 232).

Government should put its foot down and impose a policy in favor of consumers. Consumers have actually been complaining of the per minute charging system for YEARS.

- Just Guessing/Mark Lim (4th Entry)

missing ola client found through the internet

Rowena Ricalde (Fifth Entry)

Yesterday, I had my first hearing for OLA this semester. I reviewed the case file very meticulously and even prepared the Formal Offer of Documentary Evidence since we wanted to terminate the presentation of prosecution's testimonial evidence. I was super confident in my work (sadly enough, for the first time in OLA). However, I had one big blip - the client is missing.

After the rigorous calling through the teleophone all the contact numbers in the case file and sending out letters in the addresses found in the case file - I still could not locate the client. Then, I decided to do the drastic measure of looking for my client personally through their old address.

I googled the address for directions. After my hearing, I decided to visit the last address since I was in the vicinity of Mandaluyong. The client indeed moved out from their old house. I asked around and said that they had relatives in the other street. I remembered that the other street that they were talking about was the house of the aunt of the victim where the crime happened. I visited the aunt of the victim and the scene of the crime. She was so glad to see me (in my OLA attire and all) and gave the contact info of the OLA client. I was so proud of myself for finding our long lost client.

But when I got home, I realized, what if I google the name of the client? Or what if I search him on facebook? And true enough, I found him in the internet. Wow. If only I did that the first time around and saved me the trouble. So, lesson in OLA life, if you have a missing client, google the name first or search it in facebook. Nowadays, almost everybody is in facebook.

Viral Media Gone Bad

*this is not the photo of the impostor

Last week, more than 7500 fans (a very good number for a D-League game) of the NBA D-League team Utah Flash went to the team's home opener, hoping to see Michael Jordan play one-on-one with former Utah Jazz player Bryon Russell. When the supposed match was about to start at halftime, fans realized that they had just been duped, as they saw a Michael Jordan impostor enter the court. A rain of boos followed. Some left the arena and did not even bother to finish the game.

The elaborate scheme was planned by Utah Flash's owner, Brandt Andersen. A few days leading up to the game, he spread rumors that the Utah Flash's home opener would feature Jordan and Russell in a game of one-on-one. He then hired a Michael Jordan look-alike (even accompanied by bodyguards!) to go around town, hoping to create buzz. And buzz he did create. Numerous Jordan sightings were reported over the radio and the Internet. A video of the Jordan look-alike was even posted on Youtube. All of this led to people buying tickets to the game.

The Utah Flash owner claims that this was merely done in fun and that he expected that the hoax would be uncovered soon enough as the imposter was only 6'1 tall. Seeing that the fans did not get the joke, he offered to refund the tickets of the people who attended the game.

Anderson clearly underestimated the effectiveness of viral media. Given the ease of communication nowadays (especially through the Internet), it may even just take a single sighting or video to spark a rumor. Imagine a single person emailing his friends, ''Michael Jordan is here! I saw him eating at xxx, and here's proof'', while providing the corresponding Youtube link. That email could easily be forwarded multiple times to different lists of contacts in a matter of minutes. The effect is further amplified by the fact that most people just absorb all the information they come across without being critical as to its source and authenticity. And ''most people'', would definitely include me, as I KNOW I'll be buying that ticket if you told me Jordan would be playing! Good thing I don't live in Utah!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4724195

http://dleagueutah.blogspot.com/2009/12/mj-vs-b-russ-challenge-didnt-go-like.html - This is the Blog of the said team owner. See the comments for the fan backlash!

Monch Bacani

02-01003

4th entry

caveat emptor: false reviews run amok

Rowena Ricalde (Fourth Entry)

E-commerce as discussed in class is becoming more and more prevalent. The bricks-and-mortar form of stores have been deemed more expensive to maintain than selling goods and services online. But, as selling goods and services online become cheaper and easier, it has also become much easier to trick customers.

Recently, Apple's iStore kicked out one iPhone developer. Molinker, a Chinese developer, continuously received five stars from its customers. Strangely enough, it only had few one star ratings and no two to four star-ratings. And to top it all of, it became one of the Staff Favorites in Apple since it consistently garnered high ratings. This caused an investigation and, true enough, all the applications of Molinker were either copycat knock-offs or poor applications. Molinker supposedly gave out promotional codes and paid people to give their product a rating of five. Apple announced that Molinker is banned from iStore and a rebate will be paid by Molinker to those who bought their applications.

I download a lot of songs and tv series online. And I usually download on the specific torrent or link if there are many great reviews. I kept thinking that if people had great reviews for this download, then maybe it will also work for me. That method never failed me. In fact, when I chose to download from a link where only two or three people downloaded, I usually get a bogus file or a dead link. But now, I think I will think twice.

Sellers are more creative since the internet can be easily manipulated. Just like any other sales transaction, we always have to be cautious and choose the products that we buy online or services that we vail online wisely.

Source:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/12/apple-expels-1000-apps-from-store-after-developer-scam

Internet and Education

My teammates and I in OLA went to the Sandiganbayan Second Division last Wednesday, December 9, to observe the court proceedings. One of the cases heard was about a the President of a public school in Batangas who was charged under RA 3019 for allegedly collecting Internet fees, where there was allegedly no Internet use or connection in the said school.

If not for this experience, I did not know that the Department of Education has actually taken initiatives of integrating the Internet to education, especially to public schools in the provinces. In my research through the net, I found out that DepEd has provided use of Internet services in administrative offices and schools in the country. To what extent it has covered, I am not sure. Also, DepEd has tied up with Intel in launching Skoool.ph which provides learners and teachers with all they need to support their understanding of Science and Maths. Actually now, “DepEd, in partnership with the private sector, is targeting to provide Internet connectivity to all public secondary schools nationwide by the end of the current school year, 2009-2010. Aside from the students and teachers, the schools can also use the Internet for research, study, communication and administrative services.”

Except for the case of the School President above – which I hope is merely an isolated case – and despite budget constraints, this is good news. DepEd is moving in the right direction. Political aspirants in the incoming elections, national or local, should devote part of their resources and energies for this project.

References:
http://www.deped.gov.ph
http://skoool.ph/
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:ipEWoL2QNucJ:www.deped.gov.ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/nov4-internet.pdf+department+of+education+and+Internet&hl=en&gl=ph&sig=AHIEtbQURwY1ZLRxx7Ehw4w6i6joa8WPGw

Rean Balisi
Fourth Entry

Fourth Entry: Look Out! Student Netizens on the Rise

According to a study commissioned by the UNICEF, almost three-fourths, or 74% of Filipino school children are active “netizens.” The respondents, ages 10-17 years old and enrolled in public and private elementary and high schools, identified e-mailing, social networking and computer gaming as top reasons for using the web. On the other hand, for the remaining 26%, the absence of Internet connection at home and school was cited as the prominent reason for non-use. Others reasons include lack of knowledge on how to use computers, high cost and parental disapproval.

I took up my primary education in a province where public schools rarely had computers, or even if they had, either the students greatly outnumbered the available computers or the computers are so out-of-date that they hardly worked. I remembered in one public school in our province, the computer room only had around ten computers. Since said public school had a large student body, the school policy was that only the students in the top section were the ones given the privilege to use the computers. The others unfortunate students would have to settle with mere computer textbooks and their imagination. In fact, the common scenario in provincial public schools is that computer lessons were taught to students who may have never touched nor seen a computer, or may never even use a computer in his or her lifetime. My grade school teacher would often tell us how lucky we were as computer classes were part of the school curriculum and there is an adequate number of computers in our school. However, despite this, sometimes we still had to share computers as, given the cost of computer hardware at that time, the demand for computers in our school still outnumbered the computers units.

But that was during my time. Of course, everything is different now. The use of internet among school children has increased significantly due mainly to developments in technology, wider accessibility and the decline in the cost of access. Most schools now have computer laboratories. Computer classes are currently part of the basic academic curriculum. Internet cafes are sprouting everywhere, mostly nearby schools, and are readily accessible to students. The price of PC units, computer rental and internet usage has sharply decreased. When I was in high school, computer rental can go as high as P100.00 per hour; now it’s down to P15.00. In certain areas, wi-fi is even free. And to think, all these happened in a span of less than ten years.

However, despite the numerous developments, there is still room for improvement. A More Child-Friendly Cyberspace. Guarding against Child-Pornography. Online Privacy Protection. Responsible Internet Use. IT-Training for Teachers. Wider and More Accessible Internet Especially for Poor Students and those in Far-Flung Areas. Addressing Computer Addiction. These are just some of the issues which I can think of on the top of the head. But for now, suffice to say, the increase in access to the internet among schoolchildren has greatly changed the life of Filipino students. As to whether such change contributed for the better or merely exposed students to further dangers and distractions, now, that is the question.

(Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/231543/filipino-schoolchildren-are-active-netizens-aijc-survey-reveals, http://www.phototour.minneapolis.mn.us/pics/6706.jpg http://files.myopera.com/lexiz08/blog/DSC01758.jp)

Just Us or Justice?

As much as I'd like to write about technology and all, I can't help but write about what I read about on the net, specifically news regarding Martial Law and anything Ampatuan Massacre related. The internet is my only source of news regarding these matters as I have neither radio nor TV and this fact (that I got it through the internet and not through TV or radio) is probably the only aspect of this blog that I can possibly relate to ICT (which is a stretch, really).

I just came across an article which said that the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), through Chairperson Leila De Lima asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision to transfer the hearings for the criminal cases filed against Andal Ampatuan Jr. from Cotabato City to Quezon City, saying the move poses security threats to Metro Manila. I thought that it was great foresight on her part but the problem is, by choosing to have the trial in Mindanao and not in Metro Manila just so the violence does not spill over in the country's political capital and therefore give basis for the Government to declare Martial Law, the CHR only reinforced the notion of an "IMPERIAL MANILA" and through its chairperson, no less. In other words, the CHR was saying, you can go ahead and kill yourselves in Mindanao, as long as we're safe and sound here in Manila. My interpretation of the CHR position is that, the victims and those who suddenly find themselves in the unenviable position of being involved in the trial proceedings (prosecutors, judges, witnesses) must sacrifice (they could get killed) just so that we won't be giving the Government its excuse to declare martial law in Manila.

That there is a danger of a miscarriage of justice because of violence and other hostilities should the trial be held in Mindanao is not something we all just magically imagined. The threat is very real, in fact, there was an article about the Ampatuans may have killed 200 other people and buried them in mass graves even before this last one, a matter which was reported to the CHR in July 2009 but has not, to my knowledge, been brought up before or exposed by it until now. Another article said that the military and police convoy carrying evidence in the Nov. 23 massacre was ambushed by suspected Ampatuan clan supporters Thursday night (Dec.10) as it headed for General Santos City. The Ampatuans have been in power for a long time and have consolidated their power in Maguindanao, and it is no secret that they aren't exactly peace-loving folk, the same goes for their followers.

I also think that the threat of martial law being declared here and Congress merely saying "yes ma'am" to it, is by no means a stretch of the imagination either. The joint session held yesterday was particularly telling, it showed us all we need to know.

What to make of all this, what do we do now? I really don't know. Do we deem the administration of justice subservient to national security now? Is it justice that is administered or justice for "just us?" Will the cities where the CHR asked to have the trial transferred be able to handle it? I don't know. If people are concerned with security issues in Camp Crame itself, the command base of the Philippine National Police (PNP) where the trial is set to be conducted, shouldn't they, with more reason, be concerned with cities such as Davao or GenSan, the cities to which the trial proceedings are sought to be transferred to? Will the change of venue back to Mindanao assure that the violence in connection with the massacre won't erupt in Manila? What if the alleged Ampatuan supporters turn to terrorism and resort to car bombs, suicide bombers, etc? There are so many questions, and to think, I haven't even gotten into the issue of the declaration of Martial Law yet.

On a lighter note, perhaps the trial should be moved to another planet! Mr. Aaron Ho just blogged about space law, and I think it can't come soon enough!

References:
1. Before backhoe, 200 other murders
2. Convoy carrying massacre evidence ambushed
3. Ampatuan case should be heard in Mindanao - CHR

Nightwork Prohibition for Women

Article 130 of PD 442 or the “Labor Code of the Philippines” provides a prohibition for women to engage in any kind of profession or occupation at night subject to several exceptions provided in Article 131. This provision was drafted in response to our treaty obligation in ILO Convention 89 which recognizes the physiological differences between males and females and aims to “to protect working women by providing safe and healthful working conditions” as mandated by the 1987 Constitution.

 

However, this law is beginning to show its antiquity. Because of the unprecedented increase in women workforce, the evolving concepts of women’s rights, and the advent of BPO industries and globalization, the subject provision is touted as discriminatory and a curtailment of the rights of women workers to free choice of profession and employment. This 30-year old labor law needs to be amended to adapt to the vast changes brought about by technology and globalization.

 

Despite the failure of the law to address the inequities and inconvenience caused by the nightwork prohibition, the Department of Labor and Employment adopted measures which ensure the expediency of applying for exemptions under Article 131. In the call center industry, for example, the company need only write a formal letter to the Secretary of Labor stating the type of business and why it is seeking an exemption. The DOLE shall process the application within 15 working days. Upon approval of the DOLE, the Secretary shall provide copies of the formal letter to corresponding legal and regional labor offices which can monitor and inspect the working site. Throughout the process, the company need not pay a single centavo. This is an example of how a law impedes the development of an industry reliant on globalization and technology. It is relieving, however, to consider that the slow response of the legislature to changes in the industry is cushioned by the adjustments made by the corresponding administrative bodies. 

Article 130 needs to be amended ASAP. Aside from the fact that it is discriminatory against women, it also affects the industries where both men and women can fully participate and excel in. The law has to be responsive to the changing times lest it serve as a chain of restraint over national development.

Try hacking into his typewriter

I love the Road. It’s a novel written by American author, Cormac McCarthy. I love Cormac McCarthy. He churns out Pulitzer-worthy work using his old and faithful Olivetti typewriter. That typewriter, McCarthy has recently decided to auction off.

"Do typewriters hold the keys to fine writing?" The Guardian asks.

It appears that, aside from McCarthy, a number of writers like Don DeLillo and Frederick Forsyth remain married to old technology. DeLillo, for example, says that he likes to hear the clacking sound that his typewriter makes. Like a sculptor, he wields it as he shapes words and sentences. Interestingly, Forsyth likes his typewriter because of the sense of security it gives him. "I have never had an accident where I have pressed a button and accidentally sent seven chapters into cyberspace, never to be seen again," he points out. Also, no one has ever hacked into his typewriter.

I guess even old gadgets have their advantages.

If only I have the money, I would buy that Olivetti typewriter for Christmas.
_____
4th Entry
Ralph Vincent Catedral

I Will Follow Him: A Mild "Cyberstalker"'s Diary Entry

by Awi Mayuga (Fourth Entry)

I was fueled by A Perfect Circle on my third year in school. I love their songs so much that I littered my multiply account with anything connected to them: videos, lyrics... and blog posts that related the lyrics to my life. I even changed the sections to the lines off their songs.

The band is still on hiatus while they're attending to their individual creative pursuits. I must admit that I follow Maynard James Keenan's and Billy Howerdel's actions more closely than any of the other members'. So when I learned of MJK's and BH's twitter accounts, I couldn't contain my joy. I was presented with a legit way to "stalk" them -- to know of the updates from their own lips (or fingers, as is more apt). At first, I just religiously looked at their twitter pages; I couldn't bear to publicly follow them because I had this paranoid feeling that they'd block me if I do so. (Please read again: I said paranoid.) But when ASHES dIVIDE, BH's new musical incarnation, created their own twitter account, I gave in to the temptation and publicly followed all three accounts.


It was about a month or two after that I realized I had three new followers. I was pleasantly surprised -- an understatement, if ever there was one -- that ASHES dIVIDE, their bassist Matt McJunkins and drummer Jeff Friedl were following me! But that made me extra cautious not to post APC lyrics as tweets, because I didn't want any copyright infringement suits being sent my way. (Fair use, guys?)

I was more than eager to follow Matt and Jeff back. (Forgive me for taking the liberty of using their first names like we were friends.) Recent updates on ASHES dIVIDE's, Matt's and Jeff's twitter pages were all about Jeff being on DRUMHEAD magazine's November/December 2009 issue. Since there wasn't even a picture of Jeff on the magazine's web site, I gave up and went to his myspace profile instead. I ended up listening to his playlist, which includes songs from Puscifer, ASHES dIVIDE, and Shane Alexander. Of course, I'm familiar with the songs of Puscifer and ASHES dIVIDE, but Shane Alexander was a pleasant discovery. That sparked a flurry of web searches on "Shane Alexander". No Wikipedia entry yet, but he has a website and a Youtube channel (which I'll consume at a later date since I can't bear to tear my eardrums away from Jeff's playlist).

Now I'm contemplating on whether or not to send a friend request to Jeff on Facebook. Of course, in case he is kind enough to confirm my request, he can always set his profile so that a lot of its sections won't be accessible to me. (Incidentally, Facebook announced that it has improved its privacy settings. Go, Facebook?) But to a fan like me, being his Facebook friend is enough.

Thank you, social networks -- you've given international fans like me more hope of getting in touch with our favorite musicians.

TV Girl

Two months ago, I came across this news article about Baby Einstein offering video refunds to consumers. For those who are not familiar with Baby Einstein, it is a multi-million line of multimedia products and toys in the US that specializes in interactive activities for toddlers. I think the main objective is to develop prodigies through their products. The Baby Einstein line of videos, flashcards, books and DVDs, which also include Baby Mozart, Baby Shakespeare and Baby Galileo spin-offs, is estimated to be worth more than £120 million a year in Britain and the US, where it represents 90 per cent of the baby media market.

Apparently, Disney (its manufacturer) offered the video refunds after admitting that they do not boost toddlers’ intelligence. Just a few years before this, a group called Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against the Baby Einstein Company and the Brainy Baby Company, a producer of similar videos. The group sued these companies, alleging false advertising. They cited the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that children under two should be discouraged from watching television at all. In addition, a study by Washington University found that for every hour that infants of 8 to 16 months watch educational videos, they understood six to eight fewer words than other babies not exposed to such videos. The University specifically mentioned Baby Einstein when announcing the study. The studies also shown that there is evidence to show that screen-based activity is bad for the development of the brain."

This actually bothered me. The best days of my life as a little kid were actually spent in front of the television. I remember how my mom would tell our relatives how much money she saved by not hiring a full time baby sitter since I behave so well anyway when I’m watching my favorite TV shows like Sesame Street, Batibot, Carebears and the like . Up to now, I can still remember vividly the music video of Kermit the Frog singing Kokomo and the lyrics of “Isda-da-da-isda”, a song from the now defunct Batibot. The television has become my bestfriend until I reached high school and started to have a social life. I thought I turned out just fine. I got relatively good grades, won quiz bees (hehe), became an “iskolar ng bayan” and was privileged enough to acquire my law education from the country’s premiere state university (where law is being taught in the grand manner).

Therefore, the cause of the toddler’s aforementioned intellectual underdevelopment could not have been the Baby Einstein videos but bad parenting. I may have foregone hours of siesta sleep just because I would not want to miss an episode of Jem and the Holograms. I may have missed quality patintero time with my playmates just because I would not dare miss an episode of Sailormoon. But my mom would always remind me to do my homework first (right after I arrived from school, FYI). My parents exposed me not only to the television but also to music (I had piano lessons since I was 5 from none other than my mom herself) and to literature (back when PeterPan, Princess Sarah and Heidi were not yet tagalized animated shows in Channel 2). They taught me the importance of love, discipline, respect and perseverance not just through Disney animated films but through actual personal interaction. So I guess it’s up to the parents how they could use technology as either a tool for enhancing their children’s intellectual growth or as a poor substitute for quality parenting/family time.

References:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/children_shealth/6425271/Disney-offers-millions-of-parents-Baby-Einstein-video-refunds.html
wikipedia.com

(4th entry)

Hapinoy

TEDxManila was held last December 5 in the UP College of Law. True to TED’s mission of sharing ideas worth spreading, TEDxManila included speakers like Prof. Antonio Oposa on CPR Economics, Iliac Diaz of MyShelter Foundation on sustainable solutions for building weather-proof classrooms and clinics, and Melizza Tan on eSkwela.

One of the presenters was Social Business Entrepreneur Mark Ruiz, the managing director of Hapinoy (Microventures). Hapinoy started as a microfinance program, providing small unsecured loans (Php3,000-Php5,000) to be used as start-up capital to sari-sari store owners. Soon it evolved to be an entrepreneur enhancement program, whereby it groups together sari-sari store owners for bigger bargaining power in their supply and financing needs; more efficient provision of marketing, and training support; and for the sari-sari store owners (in Hapinoy lingo, the nanays), empowerment.

Recognizing the significant contributions of the sari-sari store in the retail industry of the nation, the efforts of Hapinoy are mainly concentrated on helping the nanays. It is the heart of their operations and most efforts are focused on giving them the necessary services, training, and know-how to operate their own micro-business. They even assist their nanays in store branding and other basics in marketing and operations management. And if the store is big enough, they teach the nanay to use simple softwares to keep track of their inventory and transactions. Most importantly, the entire program of Hapinoy empowers the nanays. With the help of Hapinoy, they are no longer just borrowers; they are businesswomen.

The Hapinoy shows that information and technology need not be used only in the larger scale. Even sari-sari stores may take advantage of whatever advancement may be developed in ICT, with the proper networking and support. The people behind Hapinoy show that business and social development can indeed go together.

To know more about Hapinoy, visit their website at http://www.hapinoy.com/
To know about TEDxManila, visit http://www.tedxmanila.com/
Picture courtesy of Hapinoy.com

Did they end up together?

by desmayoralgo (entry #4)

I made a bet with someone this morning. Did Whitney Houston end up with Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard? I voted in the affirmative. My dignity and a bowl of Red Mango were on the line. I sent out seven text messages, no one knew the answer. Until a friend offered to look it up on Google. Ten minutes later. "Wikipedia is vague. It says Kevin went off to work for an archbishop." I froze. Did that mean he really did break up with Whitney? Another message. "Well, just because he's working for the archbishop doesn't mean that they're not together anymore." Good point, but still. It's not determinative of their relationship status.

I thought that Google held the answers to everything.

My techno wishlist

Fifteen more days to go before Christmas...

‘Tis the season to be jolly and a lot of Christmas wishlists here and there are cropping up. Here is my own Techno Wishlist for this Christmas:

1. Asus EEE PC – Seems very cheap at only P20,000++ for a notebook. Although I currently have my bulky 15” VAIO to use, I wouldn’t mind having an extra 10” notebook especially if it’s this particular one. I am particularly attracted to its very long battery life notwithstanding its small size. My current laptop’s battery life lasts for almost 3 hours only which is not very satisfactory compared to the 11.5 hours battery life of this one. Although it runs under an Intel Atom processor at 1.6 GHz compared to the Intel Pentium processor of most laptops now, that doesn’t seem to be significant especially if one will primarily be using this for typing papers. It would be very convenient to have this one handy whenever I’ll be typing papers or pleadings at any place unplugged without having to worry about my battery going dead. Seems like a real value for money.

2. Wii – I’ve been persistently asking my brother to buy me this one. I’m not a video games fanatic but I want to have a Wii because of the games and other applications which seem to suit me such as Wii Fit. This home video game console by Nintendo, I heard, is already the leading video game console in terms of worldwide sales, even toppling the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. This could probably be attributed to its distinguishing feature which is its wireless controller, or the Wii Remote which can be used as a handheld pointing device and detects movement in three dimensions. Using this seems an enjoyable way to spend free time and bond with friends and family.

On that note, I hope my loved ones buy me either or both of these for Christmas. (I wish!) Happy Holidays everyone! :)

Source: wii.com and eeepc.asus.com

Carol Deang, 4th entry

Are you sure you're literate?

Fourth Entry:

“Digital literacy is about education and workforce preparedness in a competitive global economy. It is also key to a full and successful life in the 21st Century. Children, youth, young adults, workers, and families, each require an understanding and mastery of basic digital literacy skills to effectively participate in a global knowledge-based society.” (http://www.ictliteracy.info/About-us.htm; emphasis in pink supplied)

Being literate used to mean having the ability to read and write, plain and simple. Now, there’s a whole new species of literacy! Related to it is ICT proficiency. It is defined as “the ability to use digital technology, communication tools, and/or networks to define an information need, access, manage, integrate and evaluate information, create new information or knowledge and be able to communicate this information to others. (http://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/ictreport.pdf)

As I searched the internet for more information on this digital literacy, I came across Microsoft’s website and discovered that the company offers a Digital Literacy Curriculum consisting of 5 courses: Computer Basics, the Internet and the WWW, Productivity Programs, Computer Security and Privacy, and Digital Lifestyles!

Digital literacy may be just another term coined to be able to keep up with the ever-growing field of technology. But it is a term I dread. In our country where the basic concept of literacy is still a goal to be achieved, a far-off dream for some/many, introducing a new level of literacy would only mean digging a deeper hole of illiteracy. If this kind of literacy would be factored in in coming up with global rankings measuring the development of countries, where will our dear Motherland end up? In the field of law, what would this digital literacy signify? Being illiterate has numerous consequences in law, would these now embrace the concept of digital illiteracy?

Despite these issues, digital literacy is an unavoidable fact of a “digitally enhanced” life. I just hope that this would not be the only or the most important measure of a person’s being and of having a meaningful life.