Voters' Registration (for 2010 elections) has ended

Today's the last day of filing voters' registration for the 2010 Philippine national elections. Actually, Supreme Court extended voters' registration to January 9, 2010 but for some reason that I cannot understand, first time voters for the May 10, 2010 elections can file their registrations only until today, 29 December 2009. I understand that government employees are off from work starting tomorrow until 3rd of January next year but that still leaves another week for filing of voters' registration, so why are you cutting it short?

Some argue that voters should have registered by October 2009, anyway. Based on what I saw, it's easier said than done. I don't know how organized or disorganized other provinces exercised their registration system but the one back home was chaotic to say the least. People were literally waiting by the Comelec office's door, waiting for a god-send or something. None of them were holding a number, they weren't lined up, they were just there. So how in the world do you register in that kind of environment?

How did I get through all that mess?

The same way other people did. Someone knew someone and told someone to take care of me. I filled up my registration forms before I went to the municipal hall, that someone accommodated my papers and then whispered that all I have to do is wait for half an hour. I was actually more than willing to wait for two hours because that's how bad everything looked.

My name was called (for my picture and my finger print scans) after only 15 minutes. I got through the voter's registration ordeal without a scratch on my arm. I guess it was the only way for me to get through - it's either I get through without fuss or I'll never get through at all and I'll be ranting and raving for an hour about how stupid and incompetent this government is.

Honestly, I'm pretty embarrassed about how things went - but it was either me or no body else. I didn't take anyone's place, I wasn't prioritized over anybody else (those people waiting outside the door? They were told to leave because it was 4PM and they weren't going to process anymore than the 250 registration forms they took that morning -- office hours end at 5PM and those Comelec employees weren't doing overtime unless they'll get paid for it.

BTW, on May 10, 2010, I'm voting for Dick Gordon.

How to Act Around Filipinos

iLikeGrass Productions presents "How to Act Around Filipinos"

1. Expect them to come late (for a party)
2. Respect their parents
3. Pray before you eat
4. Ignore their weird accent
5. Skip conversation about punishments
6. Expect cheap gifts
7. Know what bootleg movies are
8. When a joke is told, just laugh
9. Know your Filipino dance moves
10. Always root for Manny Pacquiao

I'm Filipino and I found that funny.

Good to see kids with a good sense of humor.

BDO deducts P200 from fund transfer

Yesterday I successfully transferred P1,250 from my UnionBank account to a BDO account in payment for 5 Geek Shirt orders.

The transfer cost me P10.00 (so that's P1,260 from my account). I was very happy about how smooth the transfer went until today...

The beneficiary reported that she only received P1,050 instead of P1,250 - which was how much I owed her. I immediately called UnionBank's (24h) customer service to inquire. The helpful service representative confirmed that P1,250 was transferred for the cost of P10. However, she said that the receiving bank deducts from P100 to P500 from funds that it receives.

Thank you, BDO, for making me lose P200.

Happy holidays, muthereffers.

UnionBank - it's a love-hate relationship

The employees in the near UnionBank were not helpful in the recent visits I made:

1. They don't know which banks their ATMs allow funds transfer to ("E subukan na lang nila." ~ "Just tell them to try and see for themselves.")
2. They don't know how to resolve the infamous PayPal username-UnionBank username matching problem (and the few employees that do know this still don't give useful advice to people who inquire about their PayPal tie up).

Background information: PayPal would allow bank transfer only to a Bank Account that matches your PayPal name exactly. Since PayPal does not consider your middle name/middle initial and UnionBank does, you're left with two options:

• Create a new PayPal account that would match your existing UnionBank EON account -- that would mean you also have to create a new email account for this and go through the tedious process of PayPal verification, or
• Test the system (thinking, "they must at least be smart enough to consider the situation!") and risk paying Php250.00 if you're wrong.

Side note: that's 70% of the current Minimum Daily Wage (approximately Php350) in the Philippines.

UnionBank was able to partially redeem itself in my view when I successfully transferred funds through their online banking system. The whole process took 10 minutes - that should have only been 5 but they require that you provide the beneficiary's address (for some unknown, incomprehensible reason) so I had to ask.

Their online funds transfer is a smooth process all in all and pretty secure based on my experience: aside from your ATM PIN, you also have to provide the username you registered with. That will let you view the recent transactions in your account. In order to transfer funds and to pay bills online, you also have to provide your Transaction Password - which is something that most people forget.

If you're of the unlucky ones who forgot their Transaction Password, call 84186 - option 5 to talk to a customer service representative.

Microsoft steals Plurk's code and design

An excerpt from Plurk Blog:

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but blatant theft of code, design, and UI elements is just not cool, especially when the infringing party is the biggest software company in the world. Yes, we’re talking about Microsoft. Blerg.

Read full post from Plurk Blog: http://blog.plurk.com/2009/12/14/microsoft-rips-plurk/

I'm a big fan of Plurk because it has a better style, timeline, organization compared to any other micro-blogging site (especially the unbelievably cluttered Twitter user interface).

This is too much. Help Plurk spread awareness on this theft!

How to: Test on IE6 with IE8 installed

IE6 has been a pain in the arse ever since...EVER!

Installing a Virtual Machine that has IE6 installed is still the best way to test websites (that you/your team is developing) because it will give you the same exact experience your IE6 users get - except for that you actually have the sense to either upgrade from IE6 or stay from IE altogether.

A useful application for developers who actually NEED to test their stuff on IE6 is the IETester by DebugBar.

It's still on its alpha version release and you can send them your bug reports, comments/suggestions to make their product better.

This tool saved me a couple of hours of waiting for the sysadmin to get me my Virtual Machine with IE6. Withing a couple of minutes, I was able to determine which of our web pages were buggy.

Thanks to the team behind IETester.

I found the Gourmet King on Restaurant City!

I finally found him! Ever since Restaurant City announced that the Gourmet King was spotted on the streets, I've been lurking around, trying to catch him by surprise!

Unfortunately, I've been doing it wrong until Migs told me he found him. You can spot the Gourmet King by visiting your friends and looking around their restaurants.

1. Look around, not inside the restaurant
2. Visit friends, don't expect him along the streets while you're browsing through the facades of your friends' restaurants.

See, here he is by the Merchant's stall!

Gourmet King was also spotted near the backyard, looks like he's enjoying a picnic by himself!

When your friends spot him, click on their Facebook notifications in order to claim either a free recipe (I got Simple Chocolate Mousse when I clicked on Migs' notification) or a free ingredient (Migs got a raisin when I found the Gourmet King on the streets).

Note: you, yourself, won't receive a prize for finding the Gourmet King. You have to click on your friends' Gourmet King notifications in order to receive either that free recipe or free ingredient.

See the following status updates:

I found the Gourmet King and Migs was able to claim the free ingredient I chose to post!

PayPal's WishList on Facebook - earn upto $100

Accept the PayPal WishList application on Facebook (“PayPal WishList”), create your own PayPal WishList, and PayPal will pay you $1 USD into your PayPal account.

Don't forget to provide your PayPal email address via the PayPal WishList. To submit the PayPal email address you would like linked to your PayPal WishList, go to the home page of the PayPal WishList at www.paypalwishlist.com and click the link below to the 'submit your email address' in the upper left side of the page.

Timelines
This Promotion begins at 00:00:01 Singapore Standard Time (“SST”) on November 16th, 2009 and ends at 23:59:59 SST on December 31st, 2009 ("Promotion Period").

Eligibility
In order to qualify for this Promotion, you must:

1. successfully complete registration for a new PayPal account within the Promotion Period or already have an existing PayPal account prior to the Promotion Period;
2. submit to PayPal via the PayPal WishList and within the Promotion Period, the email address to which your PayPal account is linked;
3. be at least of 18 years of age, and have a PayPal account with a valid registration address in relation thereto located in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia or Singapore (“Eligible Countries”);
4. have a PayPal account in Good Standing, with current contact information throughout the Promotion Period. In order for an account to be deemed in Good Standing as that term is used herein, the account must not have a hold status and/or be suspended or past due as of December 31st, 2009; and
5. complete the downloading of the PayPal WishList, and use the same to create a PayPal WishList, within the Promotion Period.

Create your own wishlist!

Christmas Leica Lottery

The Leica M9 digital rangefinder is a dream a little too out of reach for the majority of us. To spend $7,000 (or $10,000 in Sweden!) on a camera (without a lens!) would mean selling our car or stop eating for six months, none of which is a very tempting idea…

So these guys decided a make a lottery out of it!

SexBomb Girls instruct Filipinos on Automated Poll Elections

On 2010 elections, the Philippines would have its first taste of an Automated Election System. So far, reports say that 6 out of 10 Filipinos have little or no knowledge on automated elections.

Well with this new novelty song and dance being made popular by the Sexbomb dancers, those ratios would soon improve.

Lyrics:

May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog
Mare, mare,
May ikukuwento ako sa 'yo, puwede?
Oo naman mare! Puwede!
Simula na po ang automation
Sa darating na twenty ten elections
Sa automation bibilis
bibilis ang bilangan
Kaya lalong dapat nating bantayan
Nasa balota na, mga pangalan
ng kandidatong pagpipilian
Alamin na po natin ang automation
Paano nga ba'ng gagawin?
Ano bagong instruction?
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog
Ang kailangan sa bilog
ay simpleng-simple lang
Itiman, i-shade loob ng bilog
Hanapin ang bilog sa tapat ng pangalan
ng kandidatong napupusuan
Ang bilog, ang bilog
sa tapat ng pangalan
'Yan ang dapat nating markahan
Gets mo ba?
Gets ko na!
Gets na gets na talaga!
Computer ang magbabasa
ng ating mga balota
Kung mali ang pagmarka
Baka boto mo'y mabasura
Sayaaaang!
Balota mo'y alagaan
Boto'y makapangyarihan
Huwag gusutin o dungisan
Upang tiyak na mabilang
Ang boto mo, boto mo
Makapangyarihan
Pumili tayo ng tuwid
ng may paninindigan
Tunay na lider na magsisilbi sa bayan
Yan ang kailangan
Kailangan ng bayan
Isang Presidente
Bise Presidente
Mga Senador puwede hanggang dose
Isang Congressman
At isang Party List lang
Huwag na, huwag nang dagdagan
Isang Mayor
May Vice Mayor
At kung ilang Konsehal ang kailangan
Isang Gobernador
At kanyang Bise
At kung ilang Bokal puwede!
Hanapin ang bilog
Sa tapat ng pangalan
ng kandidatong napupusuan
Ang bilog, ang bilog
Sa tapat ng pangalan
'Yan ang dapat nating markahan
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog
Ang kailangan sa bilog
ay simpleng-simple lang
Itiman, i-shade loob ng bilog
Ang loob ng bilog na hugis itlog
Huwag bibilugan
loob ang dapat itiman
Ang loob ng bilog na hugis itlog
Aw!!!

Geek Shirts for Php250

Gift ideas for your geek/techie friends? You can never go wrong with Geek shirts!

To place an order/reprint, email CompSAt Geek Shirts at compsat.geeksleek@gmail[dot]com

Filipion Christmas Tradition: Belen (Nativity)

The Belen is a wonderful Christmas tradition in the Philippines. It is a clear depiction of the Nativity scene when Jesus Christ was born. Its most basic characters are Jesus Christ as an infant, Mary, and Joseph. However, it also often includes barn animals and the Three Magis (a.k.a. Three Wisemen) who paid Him homage.

Here is a Belen in Tarlac, Philippines that has won first place as best Belen in the province for two consecutive years (2007-2008). This is their entry for Christmas 2009.

Buses stop in front of the Belen for a few seconds to allow their passengers a glimpse of the life-size display.

The traditional Filipino Christmas lantern (parol) is also often part of the Belen. It represents the Star of Bethlehem that lead the Three Magis journey to find the King.

These are a couple of lanterns out of dozens in one of the many roadside dealers in Gerona, Tarlac.

Plants vs Zombies

Image source: PopCap

Zombies are here to eat your brainzzz. Fortunately in PopCap's bizarre Plants vs Zombies world, plants can shoot peas, butter, watermelons, frozen watermelons, cabbages, etc. So protect your home by forming the best gardening strategy!

Here are several game play screen shots and tips to help you win the battle! Different levels have different layouts and different sets/types of zombies that will try to get into your home.

I bet there are gurus out there and I'm more than willing to learn to be a better anti-zombie gardener so feel free to share your tactics!

Level 4. Foggy night on your backyard

• Use Sun Shrooms to harvest sun (you need a certain number of suns in order to plant). They're cheaper and they work just as well as Sunflowers when fully grown.
• Make sure you have lots and lots of those free purple mushrooms (Puff Shrooms). They're weak shit but they're FREE! They're best for slowing down zombies so you can put them right on the front lines to also maximize their short range limitation.
• If you spot Digger Zombies before the game starts, plant Potato Mines on your last row.
• Either equip yourself with the Hypno Shrooms that makes zombies fight for your side, or have a Squash at hand -- these are additional safety precautions when dealing with diggers.
• Killer combination: Repeater (upgraded Pea Shooter) + Torchwood.
• Torchwood gives Repeater double damage
• Torchwood lifts the fog around it

Level 5. On the roof

• Use the cabbage and the corn plants for their lopsided hits.
• Use magnets to remove the zombie's metal tools: ladder, pogo, helmet.
• Higher levels would give you plants with more powerful hits.

Mini Game: Last Stand 2

• Plant Spikeweeds on the right-most are of your garden. Spikeweeds do significant damage on the zombies that step on them. Zombies also don't stop to eat them so the only way your Spikeweeds expire is when a zombie sled kabooms ontop of it.
• Tallnuts are tougher than their relative walnuts.

Mini Game: Dr. Zomboss' Revenge

• Melon-pults are the toughest wide ranged plants I have (Aside from their upgrade, Winter Melon-pults).
• Save your Jalapeño and your Ice Shrooms
• Use your Jalapeño when Dr. Zomboss is shooting ice balls
• Use your Ice Shrooms when Dr. Zomboss is shooting fire balls

Ready to play? Download it for FREE!