Farewell Steve Jobs...

Today the world mourns the passing of one of the greatest minds in the world. The person who inspired me during my younger years to become who I am. A symbol of innovation, perseverance and intellect. The man behind the company symbol, "the apple with a bite". My idol... Steve Jobs.

Since I was twelve, I already had an experience with the inventions he created, the Apple II computer. Working side by side with my personal TRS-80 computer and Texas Instrument TI/99A, I was able to compare these three and that time, the Apple Computer was already years ahead of the rest. And as I type this blog on the i-Pad 2 loaded with the Blogger+ software, I can't help but think how these things have touched my life and the life of others. We will miss you Steve and we will always remember you...

I dedicate this blog to you... Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011)

Fuel Rationing. Is this the right solution?

Early this morning fuel prices again have risen to new record highs. I'm taking the public transport to help ease in my own small way the inefficient way of consuming fuel by going to the office alone inside my car. I normally drive alone simply because like any other household people will always have have different destinations and work schedules. The Department of Energy is planning of issuing cards to ration fuel consumption at the same time monitor it to be able to better assess the current fuel consumption of the motoring public.

In my opinion I find this too short-termed. You can't just keep to rationing when there is a price surge or when there is a shortage. You can not just simply keep on collecting data. You have to find real solutions to real problems. As everybody knows fuel can be transformed into energy and this energy is what sustains economic security and social stability. National governments should find specific and attainable solutions to this fuel crises that is being felt everywhere. Alternative fuel sources are abundant it is just that we can not keep a blind eye to this. We need to tap these sources. We need to revamp laws that oppose to the development and usage of these.

We need to create an infrastructure of an effective and efficient mass transportation system to carry people and goods to places where it is needed and wanted. Of course there are no.straight and simple solutions to that but we have to try. We have to manage and balance everything putting with the utmost importance the protection of the environment we live in because this is the only home we have. We need to show future generations and educate them what is right if we are to survive as people living on this planet. We need change.

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Installed blogger for My Android Tablet Phone.

Still up this late. Can't sleep. Got a text from my honey in Bacolod. She just went home from the office. So what do you do when you're up? You tinker around with your devices. One thing I remember was that I haven't posted any new entry on my blog. Too busy and internet at the office is vey slow. Still waiting for my line upgrade.

So, remembering that I had downloaded several useful tool on my android tablet but forgot to download something for my blog. So I went inside the Android market and started to search and found this application called Blogger-droid. I immediately downloaded the apps and configure it. Now I can blog anytime anywhere through my android phone. Pretty cool. I love it. Not that easy to use but adequate for me. Now I have no excuse not updating this blog. Cheers to the maker of this app!

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Career or Lovelife...

Been very busy lately. I'll be leaving for Bacolod in the afternoon to see the woman who inspired me to who I am today. (My Mariposa) Just can't wait to see her. ;-) Super excited!

Career can take a toll on relationships and what's making this relationship a bit different from the ordinary is that we are far apart (10 hours apart by Bus, 30 minutes apart by plane) and I'm on a day job and she's on a graveyard shift(Call Center). For some, that's not too far especially if you live in countries like China, Canada or the US but here we have ever changing bus and plane schedules so going to and from place can be a little bit challenging.

The country also is riddled with year round typhoons so that can affect schedules quite much. Airports and seaport are closed when there's a typhoon or a weather disturbance. (Typhoons here are getting nasty year on year by the way) Roads through shorter mountain routes can sometimes be closed during foggy or rainy days so that can also greatly affect travel time.

The only tool that keeping us in touch with each other is technology. We have Skype for chat and sometimes video conferencing (It's free!). We keep ourselves update on Facebook and just recently I'm on Twitter. (I'm still trying to convince her to get into Twitter) and there is the classic e-mails. But nothing can still beat the times when you're there hugging each other.... ;-) hope the plane ride this evening will be smooth (I hate air pockets!)

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Politics and e-Governance...

I guess everyone know the lyrics by Billy Joel the song "Honesty". One line goes something like, "Honesty is such a lonely word. Everyone is so untrue. ". I guess I'm just too naive about so many things in this world and that I have to start realizing that Billy Joel is right and that you can never trust anyone but yourself not even the people closest to you (no, not even your dog...LOL).

Funny, I've been in the government for 5 years and I still have yet to learn that trolls and witches exist and that they are real, flesh and blood. That everyone has its own agenda and that I have to trust only my instinct and gut feeling. Trust no one. I should put that in my head.

Even your connections and relationships you shouldn't rely on. If you do, you committed the biggest mistake. You will realize that suddenly you're all alone. Never rely on promises, and words like "I will do something about it" or "Don't worry, we will find a way!". Keyword "we" is actually equivalent to "you" or "good luck".

In a few minutes, I will be in a budget hearing that will come into terms of whether it will make things happen or it will break me (alone with no one but myself). I can't do anything for now but watch on the sideline as the Titans battle it out with the trolls and witches.

Wish me luck... ;-)

Excited!

I have two important places and events to go to this week and next week. Will be in Davao to present about our experiences on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Projects and then off to Manila for Futuregov.

It's going to be a busy day for me today. ;-)

My Twitter Account

You can also follow my active Twitter account by clicking this link -> IT Guy

Please click on to follow.... ;-)

How worst I've become...

How worst can one guy become? Let me count the ways...

He does not go to his father's tomb on his death anniversary...

He does not post because he too tied up to so many many things but people think he's not doing anything...

He does not greet his Family good tidings...

He does not do what he is supposed to do...

He does not give enough to others... time, care, attention, love, help...

He hates his guts...

He hates the world around him and he hates the people and environment around him...

He does not grab or take credit for his works...

He does not enrich himself with material things and does not think grand things for himself and others...

He does not have time for himself...

Don't read this post if you think this is not good for you....

My Humble Beginnings Continued...

It's 1:00am here (GMT +8) and I'm now wakeful. I just drove my honey to work a few minutes ago and then when I got home decided continue writing about myself. :-)

So to continue... There I was, with my new found skill but still haven't decided what course to take in college but was determined to finish college. One things for sure was a course I was planning of taking either a course related to sciences or engineering.

Right after I graduated high school, I got a summer job fixing motorbikes. It was fun and at the same time I got an allowance which I could use to buy me things. My dad and I use to fix the car and his motorbikes ourselves so working there was not hard for me. That was how we spent our quality time together aside from the fishing trips we had together with his friends even though at times, the child in me wanted to just go out in the open field, fly a kite or just play with my neighbors. Now, my dad had a favorite. When it come to chores he would ask me instead of my elder brother benny. When I was younger I didn't get why me instead of him but through the years I begun to understand why.

Summer was almost over and my parents were now asking me if I had already decided on what course to take. My first choice was Chemical Engineering. (My most favorite subject in high school. I always liked balancing chemical equations.) But my dad disagreed to it because he said that there was no future for it in our place and I might have a difficulty finding a job. My heart broke, so told them of my next option, Electrical Engineering.

Now my dad never agreed to this because he said both were difficult courses and that I was not cut for it. He never believed in my abilities and when it comes to academics, my bother was also a favorite. I was just a work horse for him... :-( Sad as it was, I told them of my third choice, Computer Science. Now this, he agreed but the only problem was, it's not offered in the University from were I finished my high school so my mom didn't agree to it this time. I got furious. They comforted me and said that they only want what best for me.

Seeing that I was running out of options I went to the college registrar and got a list of the courses offered and funny as it may seem, the closet one which had computer on it was Computer Engineering.

Yes, Computer Engineering. Ah! this time, they both agreed to my fourth choice. Not actually my favorite but what the heck. So, after summer I enrolled Computer Engineering. Gosh! I didn't know that the Technological Center of the University which offered the engineering and sciences courses was located in the middle of nowhere! It was far and the only way to get there was a small dirt road of which by the time you get there, your hair will turn white because of the dust! LOL

This was it. There's no turning back. First day of school, I had to wake up early to ride a public transport for the long trip. When I got there, the place wasn't bad at all. It was quite, cool, very neat place and very conducive for learning. I said to myself, well this is it, enjoy the next five years here. The next five years proved to be the best time of my life. I learned a lot not just academics, but about friends, relationships and hard work... :-)

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Got this link from mariposa's blog. Anyway, here's the result...

Your Birthdate: September 15

You take life as it is, and you find happiness in a variety of things. You tend to be close to family and friends. But it's hard to get into your inner circle. Making the little things wonderful is important to you, and you probably have an inviting home. You seek harmony with others, but occasionally you have a very stubborn streak. Your strength: Your intense optimism Your weakness: You shy away from exploring your talents Your power color: Jade Your power symbol: Flower Your power month: June

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Welcome to My Blog...

I'm not the type who wants to write about things. I'm just too lazy to write or scribble on a notebook. :-P My friends has been telling me to write because I talk a lot, but again I told them that I just too damn lazy to write. Then I got this idea from my girlfriend. She was into this blog thing and told me that if I was too lazy to write on paper, why don't I just type what's in my head and make a blog. So, there I was, staring at the computer think of a good title. Wow! I never thought that it would be this difficult but as the saying goes "The most difficult thing in anything that you want to do is making the first step"

So what's this blog all about? It's about life, experiences in and out of my workplace and everything I get to encounter everyday in and out of IT.

My humble beginnings... :-)

Information Technology has been my life since. What started my interest in IT? It all started in a computer game. My dad got a call from one of his friends. The plumbing broke and they wanted it fixed right away. Their house was located in one of the upscale villages in the city. Gosh! The house was huge!

When we got their, my dad's friend introduced me to one of his sons and he brought me to the living room where I saw a keyboard connected to a large TV. It was Commodore VIC20. Back then, computers were so rare and expensive that only the rich could afford one. The computer was loaded with space invaders game but I was more interested on how this machine operate and how it made this images on the TV. That's where my interest in computers begun.

My interest grew even further when one of my dad's friends received several packages from the US containing computers of which he was willing to give one for me experiment on. It was a TRS-80 computer from Radio Shack. My first computer ever. I was so excited that I went to the school library the next day and found tons of information about this machine. I read and tried experimenting with it by creating my first ever program. Nope, it was not printing "hello world!" on the screen. My first program was displaying the sum of two numbers.

So there it was, my first program using the Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code or BASIC for short, my first programming language. Since the computer did not come with a storage device, I wrote my programs on a notebook containing useful codes which made my life easier in my math and science subjects. I guess I was a computer geek but I never minded it. I never had too many friends back then so I spend most of my time on the computer from dusk till dawn. To me, it was the start of a new skill which eventually lead me to where I am today... :-)