Type Writer

Technology is not for everyone. Not for the poor. Not for the elderly. And definitely not for the technologically illiterate, including the luddites and technophobes. I have assisted seniors who struggle with the use of ATM and mobile phones and apps. Lucky me, I didn't have that struggle. I was an IT person. I used to create business application programs and provide desk support to troubleshoot Macintosh computers. One of my bosses, the big man Mr Zobel, even used to call me the Macintosh man. Then, one day, I got so frustrated I could not withdraw my money because of this darned technology. "Technology sucks!" I must have said.  The BPI ATMs That Sucked My Patience As an economically challenged senior citizen, I seldom go to an ATM to withdraw some cash because there's nothing much to withdraw. Most of the time, I shop online because it is convenient. But this day, I had to walk to the nearest ATM because my sister from the US sent some cash gifts to distribute for ...

On 31 May 2023, surely I was not the only one who was surprised to see that Eat Bulaga was airing a replay that day. Later, TVJ or Tito (Sotto), Vic (Sotto) and Joey (de Leon) announced what truly happened. Apparently, the new management of Tape Inc prevented them from airing live. On the same day, the three veteran hosts announced that they were disengaging themselves from Tape, Inc. The other hosts – Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, Allan K, Ryan Agoncillo, Paolo Ballesteros, Maine Mendoza, and Ryzza Mae Dizon – followed suit. Here's a clip about that announcement. The Surprise That Eat Bulaga Made True to its name "Eat Bulaga" made a surprise on 31 May 2023. The longest noontime show in the Philippines surprised the nation with an unexpected end. The word bulaga  is synonymous to surprise  in English. Recently, Eat Bulaga  was enveloped with "rumors" that the show was ending, rebranding, hosts being replaced, and moving out to another network. Here's a clip ...

Filipinos, generally, have a huge sense of humor. Most foreign bloggers would agree based on their published contents. Anyway, here are some proofs of Filipinos' sense of humor. Funny Business Names in the Philippines Restaurants / Small Eateries / Carinderia / Café Tulo-Laway Crispy Pata Angels Goto Heaven Gutom Jones Steak Side Brewhuh Coffee Bar McOnad Tapsilogan Café Pindot Café Rasso Tsoko Early Bread Shops Bread Pit Monay Lisa Other Food Shops Itlog Ni Tatay Fish of Mine Miss Sago Laundry Services Labadabadoo Kuskos Balungos Washing Well Wash Ko Laba Mo Wash Ko Lang Labadami Labango La Bandera Ola Other Establishments Harry Water (water dispensing) Baywash Carwash Edgar Scissorhand (a salon) Googol Manya Kins

They preach about forgiveness; but they do not practice what they preach. What I am writing here is addressed to the priests, bishops, archbishops, cardinals and nuns of the Catholic Church, whether religious or diocesan. To Forgive and To Love You must have heard or read the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:23-35. If you are a priest, a nun, a pastor or a priest of higher position such as a bishop, I am sure that you know about this parable. For that reason, I would no longer quote Matthew's gospel here. Instead, I am going to write about The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 2:5–11. Before reading the passage, if you are a religious leader of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, I want you to pause for a little while and think why I am addressing this post to you all. Reflect on the lines that I have emphasized. Forgiveness for the Offender 2 Cor 2:5–11 But if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but to some extent — not to exaggerate it —...

It's been more than a year; the pandemic has not ended yet. Despite the vaccinations, why is there a surge? Despite the current lockdown, COVID cases more than doubled in 11 days (66,895 active cases before the lockdown on 5 August; 106,672 cases on 16 August). I think, the lockdown will only delay transmission of the virus. Once the people start to roam again the cities and other places, there goes the dreadful COVID again. Perhaps, even for just a week, IATF could have implemented ALL-STAY-HOME-NO-ONE-GOES-OUT policy. In case of emergency, call an emergency hotline. Rescue and medical teams pick up the patient. The problem is: do we have a hotline? How many ambulances do we have? Well, that should not be a problem. Everything can be planned. Circuit Breaker: Total Lockdown Here's an actual scenario. A friend visited my sister on her birthday. She stopped her car in front of the house. Without getting off, she rolled down her window and had a quick chat with my sister. My sist...

How real is real time when live streaming a TV broadcast? While my sister and I were watching the same program on TV, I could hear from my room that the audio coming from the living room and my room were not synchronized. I could hear the audio of my TV ahead from that in the living room. So, I already know for a fact that a TV broadcast via cable has seconds delay compared to watching a program via air antenna (terrestrial). Cable TV Broadcast vs Live Streaming on the Net Outside my room, my sisters were watching GMA News on TV; while I was watching the same program via live streaming on my iPhone. I could clearly hear that the audio from the TV was ahead from that of my iPhone.  YouTube App vs Facebook App On iPhone, if live streaming via YouTube app, there was a delay of 20s10 (seconds). With Facebook app, the delay was only 10s19 (seconds).  Therefore, that makes live streaming on Facebook app nearer to real time compared to live streaming on YouTube app. Faceb...

Day 32 The 30-day quarantine was extended to until 30 April 2020. On this day, there were 1.95 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 of which 126,000 had died - a mortality rate of 6.45%. Day 21 Background What is like being locked down inside a community quarantine? It's first for me, and perhaps to everyone else. How would one see life then – seriously? Hopefully? Angrily? When dengue epidemic hit the Philippines in 2019, it caused more than 46,000 cases with 622 deaths in 7 months. No town or city was quarantined for the reason that dengue was not communicable from human to human. In the case of COVID-19, there are only 307 cases as of this writing, yet the whole Luzon and parts of Visayas and Mindanao are under quarantine. With dengue, it takes one mosquito bite to get sick. With COVID-19, infection is exponential. In 1906, Mary Mallon did not know, that she was a carrier of typhoid bacteria. Wherever she cooked, people near her would develop typhoid fever...

Ever heard of a company called IBM? Of course you have! Well we are here to tell you that both IBM and UBS are investing in a project titled “ Batavia.” The project involves more than just these two giants. It also involves the Bank of Montreal, Estre Bank, Commerzbank and Ciaxbank all whom which to start using this new technology with real transactions this year. The combined Market value of those companies is over $300 Billion!! These are very intelligent corporations that have thousands of analyst evaluating the best investment opportunities.  And they have chosen to invest in blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. They believe that the technology has the potential to change the banking industry forever. Blockchain technology allows for almost immediate transfer of money worldwide. Don’t understand what blockchain technology or cryptocurrencies are? The revolutionary Bitcoin Breakthrough has got you covered! With our step-by-step guide you will be an expert ...

1 OMG Mother of a bishop: Alam mo, nang maging bishop ang anak ko, proud na proud ako tuwing tinatawag siyang "Your Excellency." Mother of a cardinal: Huwag ka! Nang maging cardinal ang anak ko, para akong nasa ulap kapag tinatawag siyang "Your Eminence." Mother of a model hunk: Kayo na ang mag-ako! Para akong nasa langit sa tuwing may nakakakita sa anak ko at napapasabing "Oh my god!" 2 Noah Picked a Wrong Couple After the flood, all the animals from Noah's ark went out in pair – one male, one female – to multiply and populate the earth. In one dark corner, Noah noticed two snakes lingering and cuddling. "Why are you still here?" Noah asked the snakes. "Go! Go out and multiply!" "We can't," said the snakes. "And why is that?" asked Noah. The snakes replied, "We're both male." 3 Wala Talaga Teacher: Iho, bakit ba laging sabug-sabog 'yang buhok mo? Wala ka b...

Don't worry. This ghost is not scary at all. In fact, when I saw it in the photo that I took, I thought of what Philippines like in the past. 10 April 2009. Good Friday. Around 3:00 PM. I just came from a Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by a friend at St John Bosco Parish Church in Makati. My friend, who was just ordained a priest at the Church of Gesu in Ateneo de Manila University six days ago, had chosen to celebrate his first Mass at Don Bosco in Makati. After the event, I decided to walk home instead of taking a ride. Like A Ghost Town The Ayala business district in Makati is a very busy city. However, during Lent, the business district is like a ghost town. And this is what I like so I could take snapshots of Makati when it is almost empty — quiet and peaceful, almost no people in the streets, no honking cars and public buses and jeepneys that block your way. That day, Good Friday, was one of those beautiful days. The Ayala Underpass This is the Ayala underground ...

If Globe broadband may have hijacked your browser recently, and has been annoying you each time you open your browser, here's a way to stop this malicious malware from pestering your online quality time. Reset Your Browser Resetting your browser means setting it to its original clean state. It's like having a just installed browser. For Chrome, you go to settings and click Advanced Settings . Down below you will find the Reset command. For Firefox, from the menu click the help icon (?), choose Troubleshooting Information , then click the Refresh Firefox button. For other browsers, the reset function does the same thing. It simply varies with the terms used by the browser. What is this Globe BroadBandStatus2 Malware?  The malicious URL, which is  broadbandstatus2 dot globe dot com dot ph slash fup (warning: do not visit the site),  shows your broadband data usage for the month. If your usage is almost up to the maximum limit, it reminds you that your Internet...

Maligayang Kaarawan, Ichu! Panoorin mo ang pagbati ng iyong mga kaibigan sa iyong kaarawan. It's around 5:00 AM. Got to get this done before sunrise. Been working for two days now. Haven't got much sleep. Time for me to rest! Just one last wrenching. So, exhausted! I slept like a log for 10 hours. Pasensya na sa mga nag-submit ng powerpoint files. Hindi ko naisama mga messages ninyo dahil hindi ko mabuksan yung mga files.

I am chronicling the events and activities related to the super typhoon Yolanda on The Yolanda Chronicles. While gathering information for the first anniversary of the super typhoon, I stumbled upon a sentiment expressed by an Italian-American for the Filipinos. This Italian-American speaker from New York was invited by a Filipino-American organization, also in New York, to speak before them, most likely, about a topic related to the theme of the event, which was Filipino-American civic association in Staten, NY . In the middle of his talk, the president of the organization stopped him. Embarrassed, the speaker left the event. Below is the speaker's sentiment verbatim which he wrote in the comments section of a news story related to his speech, which was about Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the Filipinos. If not deleted yet, you may find the comment here . This is all a waste of time. Last Saturday, I addressed a large group of Filipinos entitled "the Filipino-A...

Not every man knows how to tie a necktie. Most men know the simplest one — the four-in-hand knot, which can look lousy if the material is not right. If your necktie is short and its fabric is thick, use the four-in-hand knot. Otherwise, use the half Windsor knot. If the length of your necktie is too long for your body or its fabric is too thin to form an elegant knot, use the Full Windsor knot. For some men, it is easier to tie a Windsor knot while the necktie is around their neck. What if somebody asked you to prepare his necktie with a half Windsor knot but does not want to wear it yet? This video shows the trick. It takes practice to perfect it. Remember that the half Windsor knot is like a double four-in-hand knot. So make sure that the necktie is coiled twice around the narrower width. Also, while pulling the necktie to its perfect form, make sure that the back of the knot shows 3 perfect cone shapes – left, right, and middle. How would you know if you made a perfect Wind...

Currently being tested in U.S., Twitter will soon allow you to buy merchandise via popular Twitter accounts. This addon feature would not, however, rob you from enjoying Twitter the way you enjoy it today. Due to this commercial feature, the Privacy Policy of Twitter would be amended to include new sections related to your purchasing info. For the reason that your Twitter would now include your buying info, like credit card information, Twitter had to make stricter measures and procedures to protect your account, prevent spam, fraud, and abuse. In the future, Twitter also plans to include special offers that you can redeem at select stores. I don't blame Twitter for planning to make Twitter commercial other than social. Facebook has ventured into that since 2007. We've been enjoying Twitter's free services since 2006; and I wondered how Twitter was earning for giving those SMS-like services for free. After 8 years, I believe Twitter has the right to enjoy return on its i...

Can One Really Make Money Online? The answer is Yes, theoretically and technically! It is possible. However, a big HOWEVER, your success rate depends on a plenty of factors that successful online marketers would not tell you completely. I know. I've been there and until now I have not earned a single cent. (Update. I earned $9.95 three times in 9 years. Nice numbers. Go ahead, play them in a lottery. :-) Traffic ( not in the streets ) The right system ( this is actually complicated ) The right mentors ( they are expensive ) The right products ( needs extensive research ) The right niche ( that's hard to target ) Geographic location ( good if you're in US, New Zealand, Australia, UK and other prime cities .) Good site content ( this is serious; don't play with content ) Time ( it requires work like a full time job ) Strategies ( sorry, these are the masters' secrets ) MONEY. ( you need cash to earn cash ) I classify MMO (short for make money online) ...

Now, you can request an NSO certified copy of your birth certificate online. No need to queue in a long line before a counter. And, yes you can already avoid those nasty, often rude, city or municipal employees who, if they had their way, would rather receive their paychecks "trabojo en absencia." If you've heard of "working from home", this is new — earn a paycheck by "not working from home or office." Anyway, this is not about the [some] corrupt government employees. Sorry to say that but I yet have to encounter a government employee who is full of kindness, if such exists. Going back.

RCBC Bankard has a new feature that benefits each cardholder. Each time you use your credit card online, just a few seconds after, you are going to receive a alert message to your mobile phone saying your card xxxx-xxxx just made an online transaction in the amount of Pxxx. If you didn't do this transaction, you are advised to call its hotline immediately. So far, Bankard's customer support persons who have called me up reminding me of my payments are friendly and considerate. On the contrary, some other credit card companies still use the old tactics of harassment and malicious stories. Good job, Bankard! Please maintain it that way. amikvs.com

Without spending much money, you can bring your children at these places in Metro Manila to enjoy music, lights, and colors. Whether you spend big or not, your children will be just as happy. Ayala Triangle Gardens Lights and Sounds Show It started in Christmas 2010. Set in a garden, the lights dance with the rhythm of a medley of Christmas music. The show lasts only 5 minutes. It starts at 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM. Show is every 30 minutes. Each show is not like the next one. The show runs from Nov 16 to Dec 30. The show is held just behind the Philippine Stock Exchange. After the show, you can dine at the row of restaurants within the park. Ayala Triangle is located within the corners of Ayala Avenue, Paseo de Roxas, and Makati Ave in Makati City. It was the old Ugarte Field. Even older than that, it was called the Nielson Field -- an airport. Yes, there was a Makati airport -- the Manila International Air Terminal. It was the first modern and commercial airport in the Phil...