Funny Bird Cage

We bought a bird cage at a mall last night and while waiting at a bench for my better half shopping for shoes, people curiously looks at the cage the pass by with some sort of disappointment...as if "where's the bird?" I'd expect kids to look at it but the adults seems to be looking for something inside the cage. Weird

Serious stand on plastics on my former hometown.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20101002-295517/Muntinlupa-to-ban-plastics-starting-January

"The Muntinlupa city government has reminded residents and business owners that the grace period of a ban on the use of plastics, Styrofoam and other nonbiodegradable materials within the city would end by 2011."

This is a tough one to follow through. Let's see if it happens and hopefully it will. Though I'm not a big fan on non-biodegradable containers, the issue may have an impact on the sanitary handling of food.

But, putting softdrinks in ice plastic bags creates less solid waste than a PET bottle doesn't it? Remeber those?

Glass feeding baby bottles

I've never been a fan of plastic feeding bottles for my baby. But one made of glass is either limited or expensive (had a hard time looking for one retail in California as well). It was a cause of concern when I noticed that sterilizing of plastic bottles by boiling(!) based it on tradition was commonly used at our household. And sure enough when you forget about it and overboil the bottles, it melts or deforms meaning the plastic composition has been compromised and could leak.

Good thing there are still glass bottles being sold here. The particular one we bought (since it's the only one we found) is the Pigeon brand. But its almost Php 400!

So ok, you don't skimp on your baby's health, the issue is the downside of baby bottles, once baby learns to walk around or feeding outside the crib, bottle slipping occurs and breaks it. Now sure, you can replace it again but with the plastic one going as low as Php 200/3pc pack (Disney pa!), you'll really be tempted to go for that.

Recently, I found at Toytown, Evenflo (made in Mexico) distributes glass bottles as well for less than Php 250. Now I started to replace my baby's plastic bottles one by one every payday and would matter much even if she breaks it. It looks retro too, hexagonal in design and the cap and rim reminds me of the old bottles.The only issue with Evenflo is it seems to have a lower quality plastic rim and cap compared to Pigeon and has a very small hole on the nipple. I'll retrofit a Pigeon nipple on the next grocery round.

I'll keep the remaining plastic bottle when I complete 6 of the glass ones, to use for travel.

Flooding arise

I was surprised watching the early morning shows about the flooding that happened in the metro except in my area of Cainta! And I'm thankful for that considering when the rains started, paranoia sets in everytime.

Still have time to stock up on supplies, hopefully, since I'm low on funds to buy everything.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20100725-283052/Metro-areas-flooded-as-ITCZ-hovers-over-Luzon-Visayas

Insult

Overheard ko sa elevatorfrom a group of call center agents nagkukukulitan going home: GUY agent: BAKLA KA!, GAY Agent: LALAKE ka! -- moral of the story: hindi insult to call someone the obvious

McDonald's World cup glass

We threw a birthday party at McDonald's for our little girl's 3rd birthday. After the party, the host informed everyone that they can avail of the glass without any purchase of the value meal necessary! Just the P25 fee. Now that's a sweet deal for our guests who would like to collect the glasses. But all the wind down process after the party, I, myself forgot to get the glasses! Sigh.

EarthWatch - May 2010 (from pdi)

13 moderate to strong earthquakes notes for May

First Posted 22:29:00 05/03/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100503-267910/Strong-quake-strikes-off-JapanUS-geologists

23 dead, more than 160 injured in China tornado

First Posted 10:29:00 05/06/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100506-268374/23-dead-more-than-160-injured-in-China-tornado--media

First Posted 08:05:00 05/04/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100504-267979/Strong-earthquake-rattles-offshore-Chile

First Posted 12:10:00 05/08/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100508-268780/59-magnitude-quake-hits-Indonesia

First Posted 14:01:00 05/13/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100513-269718/47-magnitude-quake-hits-Agusan-del-Norte

First Posted 14:09:00 05/15/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100515-270128/51-magnitude-quake-hits-southern-Iran

First Posted 12:12:00 05/16/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100516-270316/Moderate-quake-hits-Indonesia

First Posted 16:07:00 05/16/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100516-270334/Moderate-quake-off-Puerto-Rico

First Posted 23:18:00 05/18/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100518-270792/60-magnitude-quake-hits-Indonesia

April 2010 the hottest April on record: WMO
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 23:17:00 05/18/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100518-270791/April-2010-the-hottest-April-on-record-WMO

Metro reaches 37.3 degrees C again; to remain hot in next 4 days
First Posted 17:47:00 05/19/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20100519-270944/Metro-reaches-373-degrees-C-again-to-remain-hot-in-next-4-days

First Posted 10:11:00 05/21/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100521-271249/Strong-earthquake-rocks-Costa-Rica


http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/half-the-earth-uninhabitable-in-2300-study-says.php?campaign=th_rss

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100522-271471/Tourists-not-too-happy-about-Baguios-heat

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100522-271454/After-El-Nio-comes-La-Nia

First Posted 00:24:00 05/24/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100524-271724/Indonesian-volcano-spews-ash-and-lava


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20100526-272194/Metro-Manila-hits-38730C--Pagasa


First Posted 02:01:00 05/28/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100528-272452/Major-earthquake-hits-South-PacificUSGS

First Posted 12:20:00 05/29/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100529-272726/54-quake-hits-northwest-ChinaUSGS

First Posted 19:30:00 05/31/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100531-273125/Magnitude-6-quake-strikes-parts-of-Mindanao

First Posted 19:30:00 05/31/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100601-273252/61-magnitude-quake-in-Costa-RicaUSGS

BDO buys GE Bank

I closed my GE bank account upon receiving a note from the bank that BDO has acquired GE and my account will be transferred to BDO which means I am forced to use the BDO banking system.

GE's full banking servince in any branch was the sweet deal for me. I can deposit and WITHDRAW at ANY GE branch. Now, becoming BDO, that will probably cease. I've had previous accounts with BDO ranging from passbook to dollar to atm, and their Saturday and late banking was a nice service innovation but GE's full banking was a great one.

Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

Publish Post

The commuting parent - Baby milk

We are just an ordinary commuting family. We don't have a car yet. "Yet" because, once you have kids, a personal vehicle will be very helpful in transporting a family and so it is a priority for me.

When we commute, we have to bring our baby kit. It used to be the diaper bag but since our baby's almost 3, the handy diaper mat was a big help in keeping things organized and portable.

But with the milk, we used to place it in the dispenser, the 3 layer container with holes plastic thing, where you put your pre-measured milk, plus the bottles with the distilled milk in it. If we were going to the malls, and might stay for the whole day, we'd probably bring 2-3 bottles and that milk container. Of course you can imagine how'd that stack up in your baby bag.

But recently, I've started using plastic ice bags to store the milk.


Yes, it is not a 100% environment friendly solution but my back is killing me from bringing the bulk by commuting.

Take note of the stroller as well as part of the entourage.

Using the plastic milk dispenser, at the end of the day, it is empty and it is still occupying the same space. With this, the more milk you consume, the less you have on your bag. Plus with abundant bottle water in convenience stores, I don't have to bring the all the water for 3 servings. The water bottle is another environment issue altogether.

So as you stroll in the malls, and allocate your shopping items, it gets messy, bulky and heavy. The stuff in your baby bag gets less as the day pass and accomodate the other small shopping stuff.

It's not a solution I totally admire for environmental issues, but heck, it helps me with my strained back and eye problem.

EarthWatch April (from pdi)

6 news worthy earthquakes for Apil


First Posted 18:50:00 04/05/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100405-262523/Strong-quake-hits-Indonesian-waters-no-damage

First Posted 08:23:00 04/14/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100414-264208/Strong-69-quake-hits-northwest-ChinaUSGS

First Posted 08:24:00 04/18/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100418-264944/Strong-quake-hits-off-Papua-New-Guineageologists

First Posted 07:08:00 04/19/2010
http://sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20100419-265127/Quake-hits-central-Afghanistangeologists

First Posted 09:45:00 04/20/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100420-265388/Biggest-quake-in-50-years-hits-Australias-Goldfields

First Posted 11:23:00 04/26/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100426-266547/69-magnitude-quake-strikes-off-TaiwanUSGS

First Posted 08:24:00 04/27/2010 -- volcano
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100427-266708/Volcano-showers-sand-and-ash-over-Guatemala

Manila sizzles on hottest day this year Manila sizzles on hottest day this year
First Posted 16:54:00 04/28/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20100428-266946/Manila-sizzles-on-hottest-day-this-year

Smart Bro prepaid unlisurf vs Sun unlisurf

I've been using this promo for a long time now and now it's nearing the end of its run, I'm hoping this will become a regular feature (if connection is still the same).




It started out around post Christmas holiday season, when I chanced upon an ad in the newspaper while waiting inside a bank. It was the Smart Bro prepaid unlimited surfing for 5 days for only Php 200! I read it twice over for the catch because I could not believe the promo. When I got back to my PC, I tried searching Smart's website and other posts but I could not find any. I even bought weekend newspapers to catch the ad again. When I chance upon one post about it, I bought some load and tried it. Since then I've been using it and been satisfied with the value.

Aside from my Smart Bro, I have a Sun USB Wireless pre-paid broadband which I almost haven't used since this promo started. I figured, to cover a month of unlisurfing, that'll be around Php 1,200 or 6 unlisurf registration.

Discussions on forums when this started pointed out that it cost, P40/day but compared to what? their P33/day for post paid on the average of Php 999/mo? It seems a small price to pay. Add the initial cash outs for post paid systems, this prepaid just starts at P995. Plus if there's no broadband signal, I can quit anytime I want to without being tied to a post paid contract. I've read and heard to many stories of interrupted post paid services that equals to customer support frustrations wherein customers always demand for some payback for cut service (do they get any?). Pre-paid is a nice way of getting around it, No service? Then don't reload! No waiting for your contract to expire or be penalized for early termination.

When on a budget, I just buy the Php300 card every payday, enough to cover for 5 days and leftover load for any important internet needs. I used to buy, the Smart Bro 300 and 2 Sun 50 1-day unlimited to cover the gap days before the next payday purchase. It turned out a bad idea since my Sun prepaid is still so slow and no torrent connection (and as always posted, we're a stones throw away from a Sun cell site). My wife disliked the Sun since she always plays farmville, it takes forever to load and now we're back to full Smart Bro prepaid unlisurf

In fairness to Sun, it is usable if your going to check web emails, and simple websites as well as good for Instant Messaging. I usually have problems using YM and Meebo on Smart Bro prepaid (they say it's because of the constantly changing IP), as well as accessing my company webmail. That's where Sun comes in. But it's rare I work on company email at home, it works via Thunderbird for reading and I usually reply via gmail or yahoo since my Smart Bro is connected all the time.

Finally, downloading contents! Whether torrents or from websites, SmartBro delivers for me.

With its promo nearing the end, I've always felt lucky reading that ad and has been using this for a long time considering I don't buy broadsheet newspapers anymore, since a lot of people STILL have not heard about this UNLISURF promo. Tracing back, it seemed the people I told and they told are NOW just benefiting and enjoying this promo and it appears that it is only recently that Smart is fully promoting this. I still don't see this in their main website though but they updated this on Twitter. Speaking of Twitter, Smart has a customer care page and is quite responsive too.

Oh yes, the best part of this is I can use it on ANY COMPUTER, ANYWHERE!. I know people who has succesfully networked their Smart bro PP via their PC or Laptop to their PS3, Xbox and other PCs. Depending on your location and possible users on that location, yes, it can.

Too much excusivity gets into kids' heads

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20100327-261151/Film-director-sues-arts-school-for-daughters-hazing

Usually exclusivity can make heads bigger, schools, clubs, etc.

The likes of Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant, where they've been trained to be the best and being to told they are the best since they were young seems to make them out of touch with the real world and a-whacked with social relations.

So these kids who are conditioned that they are the best artists in their feild because they are at the most exclusive art school in an isolated location with the real world seems perplexing.

Unreal location? I went to art school and when I came out of the campus, there is traffic, vendors, street childen, pollution, robbery, etc. Them? rolling hills? Serene vegetation? Oh well

Your pee can be fertilizer

So, it's been a known fact urine (sterile) can be fertilizer. So why hasn't this been a universal approach to farming as well as construction standards all along?

Why is the split toilet just been introduced now?
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/03/nomix-toilets-positive-survey-in-7-european-countries.php

It seems to be easier to throw away waste rather than collecting it effectively as in the case of the urine fertilizer that it has to be sterile or fresh, so it needs extra effort to do this.

Peeing in a bottle seems so backward and unsightly with all the collected specimens in your backyard or bathroom?

But this is still doable, maybe if I'm retired and always at home, yes I can do this, but for now, the split toilet can help.

I've heard of big realty companies having separate sewage system to be used for methane or fertilizer. I think it would need a large scale collecting system to make it more commercial, for home use will suffice the home garden.

Embarrasment over saving on fertilizer on your home garden and lawn? I can live with it. There's a work around this.


http://www.howtodothings.com/home-garden/how-to-use-urine-as-a-fertilizer

Road Events: Fine for driving without a license down to P150 from P300

Great.

Tinawaran na naman ang buhay ng mga mamamayang bumabyahe.

Fines are there for a purpose. If you don't want to pay, don't commit the violation! Sigh.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20100304-256658/Fine-for-driving-without-a-license-down-to-P150-from-P300

Commuting: Jeepney Bad Design-mounting handlebars

Q: Bakit ang hirap sumakay sa harap ng Jeepney lately (for me anyways)?
A: Palpak na pagkakakabit ng side mirror sa handle bars.



Ipagsama mo na ang madulas na apakan sa tapalodo, mataas na pinto at masikip na lugar dahil sa makapal na dashboard PLUS! hindi pag-full stop o biglang andar ng driver = aksidente

Nung kabataan ko, mahilig ako sumakay sa harap ng Jeepney (bummer ang gitna). Kasi may salamin sa harap at harap ang tama ng hangin sa buhok mo (hindi sa gilid na nasisira ang suklay ng buhok mo).

Plus ayaw ko nagaabot at nakikiabot ng bayad (LALO NA SA MGA HINDI MARUNONG MAGPASALAMAT).

Pero kamakailan, napapansin ko parang nahihirapan na ako sumakay. Dahil ba tumatanda na ako at gumagamit ako ng liksi noong nag-aaral ako?

Ang napansin ko lang ngayon sa sanhi ng extra effort ko sumakay ay:

Side mirror: na nakakabit sa handle bars sa harap. Madalas gawa-gawa lang ng driver o kaya may extension na bakal na muka rin na handle bars mula sa main handle bar mismo. Kinanin na na ng salamin at ng extension bars nito ang bakal na halos wala ka mahawakan pag sakay mo. Pag hinawakan mo naman ang extension bars, masisira dahil nagsusuporta lang ito ng side mirror. Magagalit pa ang driver sayo.

Minsan pampasikip pa ito. Nakabasag na ng side mirror ang pinsan ko na medyo may kalakihan kasi nagpasikip na ang maling side mirror, nawalan pa ng mahahawakan at ayaw mag full stop ang driver. Bakas sa mukha ng driver na mali ang disenyo niya.

Minsan hindi naman kailangn maging inovative or engineer pag pag gawa at paglutas ng mga bagay-bagay. Common sense lang naman po eh.

Earthquake Watch March (from pdi)

Here's a list of newsworthy earthquakes posted on the Inquirer's website for March alone. Almost half of them in the Philippines.


Local-6.1 magnitude quake rocks Tuguegarao
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100302-256230/61-magnitude-quake-rocks-Tuguegarao

Chile Earthquake May Have Shortened Days on Earth
Why does it seems to happen a lot and happen close from one to the next?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20100302/sc_space/chileearthquakemayhaveshorteneddaysonearth

3/3/10 3 earthquakes (local) bicol, northern luzon, mindanao
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100304-256597/3-earthquakes-hit-RP

in Taiwan too
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100304-256613/No-Filipinos-hurt-in-Taiwan-quakeMECO

3/5/10 in batanes 4.7
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100305-256811/Twin-quakes-jolt-Batanes

CHILE- not an aftershock
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100305-256804/Strong-quake-shakes-northern-Chile

Moderate quake hits TaiwanAgence France-Presse
First Posted 23:36:00 03/08/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100308-257495/Moderate-quake-hits-Taiwan

Strong Turkey quake kills 57
First Posted 12:14:00 03/08/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100308-257395/Strong-Turkey-quake-kills-57

Local Mindanao: 3-11
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100311-257978/Parents-give-kids-fewer-bad-genes-than-thoughtstudy

First Posted 16:45:00 03/14/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100314-258624/Strong-66-magnitude-quake-hits-northern-Japan

First Posted 03:52:00 03/27/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100327-261053/Magnitude-5-quake-hits-off-Catanduanes


Strong earthquake hits off Myanmar—US seismologists
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 05:17:00 03/31/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100331-261729/Strong-earthquake-hits-off-MyanmarUS-seismologists

Environews - Earth hour, mapupulitika kaya?

Yes, lets shut out the lights for 1 hour while probably a big percentage of Filipino people in the rural areas doesn't have electricity to turn of a lightbulb.

Anyhoo, better than no promotion about saving the planet even if this this is superficial.

I can see it now: 4, 3, 2, 1... woohoo, I switch off my bathrooms light and help create awareness of energy consumption! Now what to do in 1 hour... I know, I'll twitter and facebook what I've done, let me just turn on my PC here and my router tha is connected the power grid!

One thing though, Lets see kung mapupulitika tong event na ito with the candidates fakingly care for the environment by showing up.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100226-255528/Filipinos-urged-anew-to-join-Earth-Hour

Road Events - C5 crash

Being a casual fan of motoring ( I appreciate vehicles, more on utility vehicles than cars, more on basic models than top of the line, more on the racing machine than the superstar driver), I tend to analyze anything motoring coming out of the news.

I'll lump them all together in one topic as Road events as my own personal reference. Hoping this may show any trending that humans as drivers never really evolved from being a cro-magnon (I'm looking at you PUV drivers) and car tech is actually evolving to make cars more of an appliance like computers (as well as you Toyota).

What a bleak way of starting this thing: A C5 road accident with an AUDI using its engine as a projectile? C5 is named like the deadly explosive and so as C5 the road has become.


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20100227-255638/2-dead-1-hurt-in-C5-road-accidentreport

Earthquake watch - local, Mindanao

Here's another one

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100227-255625/Two-moderate-quakes-rock-Mindanao

SmartBro vs Sun - battle of the unlimited broadband pre-paids

SmartBro just recently launched an unlimited surfing promo for Php200/5days. Prior to this I was using Sun's unlimited (Php50/1day).

I was purchasing 2 cards every weekend to cover the family's internet usage but unfortunately, Sun's "Fair usage policy" washed out the promo to almost of no value. It was only good for basic surfing, checking email or if you want your IMs to be online for a day. Considering we were in line of sight from a nearby Digitel tower, speeds were not that impressive. Plus torrent speeds were virtually slow or non-existent. Forget flash heavy sites as well (forget Farmville).

But I was still using it due to the fact it was a more affordable alternative (compared to Php10/30mins).

Until Smart came along with this promo. One thing that bothered me was the 5 day length of the unli promo. But after using it, it became apparent it was worthwile. We got decent speeds, decent torrent downloads. Rather than my son keeps on buying Php30 of load everyday to use it just for Mafia Wars (wish it was for something productive), this came about Php40/day. And better, it came close to post-paid rates (Php999).

I can live with a week out of a month with no unli internet that will come out Php 800/month on this! Plus with out the hassle of a 24 month tie-in, a monthly subscription cost that you might still have to pay if the service goes out (customer service run-arounds). With this unli promo, pag-wala connection eh di wala! Pag walang pera pang internet, eh di wala, nothing to pay! Unfortunately it is only a promo. Lets see where Smart takes this.

note: as of lately, my speeds in my area is going down. I'm not sure if a lot of people has taken notice of this and now is clogging the network. They didn't even post it on their website. Learned through this from a newspaper ad and twitter.

Earthquake watch

Eversince Ondoy, I've been monitoring other natural disasters/calamities for reference and preparation. This will serve as a reminder for me to purchase all emergency items my family needs.

During all this time of gathering info, it just seems peculiar that a lot of seismic activity is being published after the Haiti quake and one thing struck me to start this is on January 12, 2010, I felt a quick seismic jolt at 7 in the evening and then news came out after two days Haiti had a big one. Sure, sure, the earth crust is constantly moving, but it's just surprising to me how frequently it comes out in the news nowadays.

Below are the logs mostly from the PDI website.

1/12/10 7:11 PM ten minutes ago,,. saglit lang.. but it bobbed my monitor.. texted lene, naramdaman din nya

1/14/10 12:13 PMrelated kaya sa lindol dito? --HAITI QUAKE

1/21/10 1:25 PM Quake shakes Mexico-Guatemala border

1/25/10 6:59 PM IN japan, 5.5 http://www.inquirer.net/map_api/earthquake/isa pa in solomon island -

1/25/10 7:29 PM http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100125-249314/Shallow-quake-strikes-near-Solomon-Islands

1/28/10 8:05 PM http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100128-249966/49-quake-jolts-Siargao-Island -LOCAL

2/3/10 3:03 PM http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100202-250950/46-magnitude-quake-hits-off-Surigao-del-Norte - LOCAL

Ronald Kwan 2/4/10 7:33 PM http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100204-251254/39-magnitude-quake-shakes-Ilocos - LOCAL

and now

2/23/10 sinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100227-255611/Minor-tsunami-hits-Okinawa-after-70-magnitude-quake

Mini-Stop Roastbeef hotdog is the shiznit

Yum

Mammoth iceberg could alter ocean circulation

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20100226-255454/Mammoth-iceberg-could-alter-ocean-circulationstudy

Magiging lake na ang Cainta.

B.A.D.A.F. forever

Classic. Ba't nga ba mahirap maghanap ng clear archives ng mga TV shows? Even pinoy movies? It seems everything was recorded on a betamax.

Joe Quirino, a real cool host.

John Mayer plays with kid, lessens douchebaggery?

Well, he promised to shut up naman eh.

Spotted: 4G broadband serving in the Philippines

Just spotted a tent/booth for a 4G broadband service in front of Mini-Stop, Gate 5 Imelda Ave. in Cainta, Rizal. It was marked "Wi-Tribe". They had some sort of Motorolla units (unverified if mobile phone or broadband device).

But it seems to be a broadband service:

http://www.wi-tribe.com/en/section/about-wi-tribe

http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/1980232/WI-TRIBE-4G+INTERNET+BROADBAND


THEN AGAIN....
4G is not much to hype about?
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/160844

The Cult in O.C.

The Cult in Orange County on February and I'm not going to be there. Sigh.

http://www.musink.org/orange-county

Sun Prepaid Broadband: Smart vs. Globe vs. Sun (Cainta Junction area)

I recently purchased a Sun prepaid broadband kit due to the new Php 50 1-day unlimited load offering this January. I thought their promo was over since it was valid only till the end of 2009.


Went to Robinson's Galleria and asked if my area was covered in Country Homes Cainta. So the rep checked out their map on a laptop (which is available only to them), and found out we are near a cell site with 3.5g. With that news, I agreed to purchase one. Then after paying the rep brought out the kit but asked if I have my laptop and If I want to activate it. Since the kit comes with a free 24 hr unlimited load. I said I don't have one and the rep still asked if I want to have it activated on the store. I thought that my time credit would be wasted as soon as she activates it since I had to go home and not sure if I can use my PC immediately so I said I will activate it myself since it looked like the same as my Smart Bro. The rep said the ask all who purchase the kit because they have encountered users cannot initialize the kit.

I went home anyways without them activating it and took my chances. That info made me think twice about my purchase, but I thought, my area was just almost a stones throw away from the cell site, how bad can it be? Plus there are news that my neigbors who uses Sun had some stable connection.

Setting it up, I thought hard when I would start using my free hours since I thought its 24 hrs unlimited, better find a nice time to maximize it. But I want to try it out immediately so I just started. That was around 8pm, when I checked my balance, I was expecting of my limit would be 8pm the next day. The text message said my load was for the next day but not time. I found out it ended 11:59 of the next day.

For the connection. I'm not going to go technical on this but just from user experience. It started out same as my Smart Bro prepaid. It was fast if your checking websites and email, but our test basis is usually Farmville which my wife loves playing. The loading time was longer than Smart. Other flash or media heavy sites are slower too on Sun. But it still does the job and with unlimited 1 day for P50, it seems to balance itself out, compared to Sun's P60 that will expire out in a few hours.

I tried it in my office in Libis Eastwood area. As I remember, there was a signal on the map but a little further compare to my house. It still worked but a little slower. Around the afternoon it was lagging really bad as I presume that internet traffic was increasing after work.

Next issue is buying the actual P50 unlimited load card which was very difficult to find in regular outlets. It seems like you can only buy it at Sun outlets only, as I went to load stores with posters of the unli card didn't have them either. So I lined up in Sun Robinson's East Mall and had to endure the line (they always have a slow line on Sun outlets), I bought 3 cards. Then went home to load them up. Compared to the free hours from the kit, the card load gives you exact 24 hr time.

It seems at around 7pm the connection looks stable but using torrent became irritating. During the first time, I had magnificent download speed, but now, I have 0 bitrate downloading no matter how I change my download limit.

Let's see with in a month if this will make me happy.

Conclusion:
Sun vs Smart vs Globe prepaid broadband in Cainta Junction area:
SMART: for general connection
SUN: for pricing / value
GLOBE: still a loser in my area. Nothing opens.


UPDATE (01-18-10): To my surprise, even with good line of sight with the source, my Sun Broadband Wireless Prepaid was very slow during the daytime and not much improvement at night especially at weekends and holidays. Did all of the sudden all of the people in my area bought SBW? At par with Globe prepaid's slowness. At start, I used to have torrent download and now even with 5kbps of limit, nothing comes out.

It is still in second place due to the P50 unlimited/day. Its great if you're just checking emails and websites but not for resource heavy sites. Or IM all day.