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Action Despite Adversity for Climate Change

I’m stumped.

The urge to contribute in this year’s Blog Action Day is strong deep in my soul but having felt firsthand that I cannot by myself do anything to help my countrymen during one of the nation’s most trying times may have paralyzed my genius of a brain to function as needed. In an attempt to address a global call, I’ve been staring at a blank screen for hours on end. Melor and Parma devastating the country was no small chink on the proverbial national pride that the Filipino race, who is ironically lauded for snootily smiling at the intimidating face of adversity, can soon forget. Up north, they have just two days ago said that the roads are passable again. In nearby Pasig City, people still wade in knee-deep flood water that already started stinking. In hospitals, leptospirosis patients are being confined in growing numbers by the day. The devastation had been so great that some Filipinos continue tread on water pissed and shat on by rodents in order to work, sell things, or receive packed relief goods which, if a family of 6 is so lucky, can last them another day.

While globally, we dread of an impending climate change, locally we swim on stagnant water thick with the stench that had been a birthday celebration’s leftover food seeping from non-biodegradable plastic from six months ago. No, I’m not lobbying against elaborate merriments. Take that away (right, as if anyone can) and we’ll have nothing to look forward to. Nothing to draw our strength from. Let’s just be more… aware.

I strongly feel that anybody in the Philippines right now would agree to help and address the problem by contributing anything that’s within our capacity if only we can be assured that such efforts WILL yield VISIBLE RESULTS. Anything. Seguristas, that’s what we all are. Nothing wrong with that based on a simple logic: with limited resources, we all won’t go and waste them on something that’s not for long term. We, however, need something that will jump start the movement. A leader. Somebody who can think strategically yet act on instinct with a will power fueled by demand and, more importantly, socially sound morals. No, I’m not even referring to the highest seat in government. Don’t be silly, we all saw how clueless they were during the first few hours of Ondoy and Pepeng.

This person, the leader I’m referring to, is US. YOU, ME, THEM, US. It’s either we act or we lead, the choice is yours. You know you can do it. No more excuses.

Think about it. When Ondoy hit the countryside Friday, most of you may have been on the phone checking on your relatives, officemates, or friends who live in another side of town. When relief operations were put up, those who can gave their resources and those who are able, their services. In times of desperation, you forwarded a text to those who you think has access to devices and methods even if you only got those emergency contact numbers from twitter or facebook. Me in front of my desktop on higher ground, them on their mobile phones hoping to catch the faintest network signal (and trying to conserve battery power at the same time) in order to send a distress text, blogs/Internet authors putting up donation facilities, and countless others selflessly monitoring whatever is happening all over, all working, all acting. We had been each other’s eyes. The gesture had been so epic that it received praises from all over the world. Whodathunk that a third world country’s citizens can harness technology the way we did?

If only we can channel the same effort towards a grander cause.

To those who think that all we can do is “cure” rather than prevent, think again. As it is, we have all heard so much talk about Climate Change and how inventions and improvements are now more geared on producing eco-friendly contraptions and devices. So much had been said to the point that some may be led to think that the fate of the environment only rests on the hands of a few. As these tools are being perfected in production, we may just go on with out lives and wait OR we can do something to reduce our so called “carbon footprint.” No, “not breathing” isn’t the only way we can contribute, don’t be silly. How about carpooling, using less plastics, recycling, segregating waste, proper waste disposal, a regular car tuneup, re-using paper, and limiting the use of electricity. These things are doable. If each of us can influence our network to be mindful of our carbon footprint, and I can feel that that’s more possible than just probable, we can in our own way contribute and make a difference.

It’s either that or I unleash my powers to command a gathering storm to stay in the open sea where it can cause less devastations. I can also will earthquakes to reverberate outside the troposphere (and name it vacuumquake instead). Or paint a force field on the skies to protect us all from torrential rains and tsunamis.

Dig this, however. When I do that, only I will get the glory and I already have enough of that. I want us ALL to be heroes in saving the planet because, collectively, we also can. Just remember Ondoy. Remember Pepeng. Would you pass up on this chance? I didn’t think so, either. You’re just not the type.

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Read more Blog Action Day 2009 entries from fellow Filipinos via the extensive round-up at Blogger’s Kapihan.

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Samsung’s Initiative for Ondoy Victims

I’ll post here as-is what I got from the mail last night. Samsung has put up a facility at the Ever Gotesco Mall in Ortigas for the washing needs (and more) of Ondoy victims in the vicinity. Free laundry, soap, and fabric softener! Read on.

SAMSUNG HOPE SERVICE CAMPAIGN

A public service announcement from Samsung:

As a way to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy, Samsung Electronics Philippines is offering the ff :

Free use of Samsung washing machines, (soap and fabric softener provided) (maximum of 7 kilos per person).

Free cleaning,check-up and repair of Samsung products (free labor for both in and out warranty & 50% discount on parts for in warranty-maximum of 3 units per customer).

Free call (maximum of two minutes talk time)

Free charging of phones (Samsung and Non- Samsung)

This will be from October 6-19, 2009 at the parking area of the Ever Gotesco Mall Ortigas from 9 am to 6 pm.

(Please) spread the word…… forward to all friends …..

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Rockfest Week on Pet Society (October 5, 2009 Update)

Now THAT’s what I’M talking about! I’m palpitating just looking these in anticipation. Thanks mayragracia (of youtube) for this update for Pet Society!!! W00t! My own stage with groupies and lights and amps and a new guitar plus an 80s hairdo… er, say what? There will also be a new food booth machine that has cheesy looking eggs (double er). Still, I’m excited about rockfest week!!!

I haven’t made an update on last week’s fishing enhancements featuring the knifefish and the pretzelfish and the pro fisher’s hat but I will within this week, I promise. The country I’m at recently got devastated by a storm is why. To empathize, we’ve been volunteering in every way we can to send help or personally help out our less fortunate countrymen. You may read more about the tragedy and how people had been pitching in from everywhere at the PhilippineAid.com website.

Moving on, here’s the Rockfest update for Monday. These are spoilers right here so please leave the site if you don’t want to see what’s in for next week. Until next time!

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Toblerone’s National Thank You Day Photo Competition

We have a photo contest! W00t! As part of Toblerone’s 2009 National Thank You Day initiative dubbed “Spread the Sweetness of Gratitude,” readers of fritzified.com may get a chance to win a Thank You Kit courtesy of Toblerone. The thought of them “Thank You Kits” containing Toblerone chocolates is already making me all giddy with excitement.

To join, just follow these easy mechanics:

1. Express your answer to this question with a photo: “How do you spread the sweetness of gratitude?“
2. Post your entries in your own website (blog, Multiply, Friendster, Facebook, etc.) and link these photo entries to the gallery found in www.thankyoudayphilippines.com. To be able to submit your entries, you must create a user account by registering at www.thankyoudayphilippines.com.
3. Once registered, you will be able to post your photos in the site’s gallery put up specifically with this purpose
4. In the comment section of this site, indicate your site’s URL where your photo is currently shown.
5. One original photo = One valid entry
6. Contest participants are limited to those residing in the Greater Manila Area only
7. To read about the entire machanics, click here.

I will short list five best entries from my comment section. These five will be automatically receiving Toblerone “Thank You Kits” (giddy again). If you have already submitted your entry in other blog sites with a similar contest as this, you already forfeit your chance at being in my short listed 5 (don’t be greedy, say thank you instead LOL). To have an idea of what other paticipants have submitted, visit Thank You Day Philippines website (if I were you, I’d make sure that my submissions would best all others in that lot, but that’s just me). More importantly, YOU get to show people your own unique way of spreading the sweetness of gratitude with your creative entries.

Submit that photo already because time’s running out. All entries/links must be in before 5:00 pm of October 16, 2009 November 10, 2009 (EDIT: new deadline date) in order to qualify.

Best of luck, everyone! If inspiration doesn’t hit you, just remember the phrase “Thank You Kits” (giddeeeeeeeeeeh!).

“Join Toblerone as they celebrate the National Thank You Day Awards on October 20, 2009 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall and see the unveiling of one notable Filipino personality from whom a grateful nation will choose to say a resounding ‘thank you’ to.” (from the Press Release)

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Photos and a LOL Vid (No to Con-Ass Ayala Rally)

Thirty minutes after my first video stream, the mobile vibrated a the “Low Battery” prompt. Bummed me out since I went out on full bat from work *sighs*. In my next vidcasts, I’d remember to either to bring a spare (fully-charged) battery or have the phone plugged in somewhere while streaming. Per plurk buddy aajao, “not bad for an initial broadcast.” My thanks to you and those who had to bear with the stream. We had to start testing this technology out on something (no, a scandal vid is out of the question). ANC did a live coverage which I only later on found out. Better quality and more “real time,” since qik.com gave me a 13-minute lag at some point during my broadcast *pfffft*.

Over all, the rally was peaceful. Police were rounding the periphery for both the safety of the surrounding establishments and, most importantly, the rallyists which I found to be a good thing. I felt more secure with them around, really. News said 6,000 people attended. I’d have to agree with this statement, though:

“Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said the crowd peaked at between 13,000 to 15,000” – from Inquirer.net

Some of people holding office within the Ayala circuit would pass by, linger some, and give a thumbs up gesture to people on the street before leaving for their homes. Some, like several of my colleagues at work, stayed on. I’d say this was bigger than the previous No to ChaCha rally held on the same venue, from the POV of someone who was apparently present in both events (i.e. ME).

The thing that caught more of our attention while we were heading out was this tarpaulin laid down on one side of the street where faces of the Congressmen who said “Yay” to ConAss were printed and shown. Bystanders were free to step on their “favorite” Congressmen’s faces. Some expressed their disgust by doing, um, “creative” things on the photos. Please watch the 3-minute video below to know what I mean.
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Live Video Stream form the “No To Con-Ass” Rally in Ayala

To put the proposed Live Streaming via Mobile Phone technology to a test, I’ll be broadcasting a LIVE video stream from Ayala Avenue today (this afternoon) at around 5:00 P.M. or thereabouts (I’ll either Tweet or Plurk about it when we start so follow me via Twitter or Plurk already). Video will stream on the screen below (replacing the place holder video) so stay tuned!

Will Smart’s HSDPA signal deliver? Will my battery last long enough? Will the sound be audible? Let’s know firsthand, later today.

We’ll see you on the streets of Ayala! No to Con-Ass!

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Broadcasting Live Mobile Video Streams during the 2010 Elections

There’s this technology that I’ve seen AJ Matela do several times during events: broadcast a live video stream using only his mobile phone. It is this great development on mobile technology that actually inspired this plurk (sorry, my plurk timeline is currently set to private and for contacts only):

My excitement level in sharing the idea ate some grammar and coherence right there but you get the drift, right? What the more than 100 comments that plurk generated in less than an hour did prove that everyone got fired up by either buying, enhancing, testing by contradicting, or raising concerns over the idea.

Simply put, we can harness the technology available to almost all 3G-network (3G capable) mobile phone user in the country if it is utilized to transmit a live broadcast/video feed from the precincts (in real time) during the May 2010 election period. The video streams are subsequently archived in uStream should there be a need to pull out a reference (in the event that concerns are raised versus the propriety of the vote tally, for one). Brilliant, yes, but how do we go about doing the streaming/transmission? Good thing AJ himself shared his wisdom with the following replies in that same plurk (posted above):

I use both Ustream.tv and Qik.com. You can download (the software from Qik.com) direct into your phone or via the internet. The software (for both Ustream and Qik) may or may not be available for your phone (they have a list of compatible phones). With Qik, you can sync it with your Twitter (bleck) account so it will tweet automatically as you start streaming. You can sync Qik with your: Twitter, Blogger, Tumblr, and even your Wordpress blog! Both Ustream and Qik can also be synced with your Facebook account. Gusto niyo ng live seminar-workshop on Mobile Livestreaming? hehe

Exciting, yes? If this info is disseminated to everybody, think about what each of us can potentially contribute to meeting the objective of seeing to it that we don’t get robbed of our votes. The possibility of a broadcaster lurking somewhere in the precinct area should keep cheats on their toes.

Of course, if the full automation/computerization of votes do happen, there’s no more canvassing (the manual tally/count) to broadcast but I’m sure we can think of something worthwhile to use this technology on during the count.

The first step to making this idea known is via this blog. We will need all the help we can get if we want to make things happen so please do not hesitate to spread the word to people who may be interested to help. We’ll also be taking this matter up later today (Saturday) with the PPCRV (wish us luck!).

Do stay tuned for future developments regarding this initiative.

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