Last Song Syndrome...

Geez... Someone started singing this in the office and it was stuck in my head the whole day! Gardamit!

Okay everybody, sing with me....

Makulay / ang buhay /

Makulay/ ang buhay/

Sa sinabawang / gulay!



Entertaining and annoying at the same time!

WWH and Endangered Species Checklist

So far, I've been reading up on two current crossover events in the Marvel Universe: the World War Hulk and the Endangered Species.

The World War Hulk series includes 35 issues, the first 10 of which are already out. Here's the WWH comics checklist. Those with 'x' are the ones I either own or already read.

[x] 00 World War Hulk Prologue: World Breaker #1
[x] 01 Incredible Hulk 106
[x] 02 World War Hulk 1
[x] 03 Incredible Hulk 107
[x] 04 Invincible Iron Man 19
[x] 05 Ghost Rider 12
[x] 06 Heroes for Hire 11
[x] 07 World War Hulk: X-Men 1
[x] 08 World War Hulk: Front Line 1
[ ] 09 Avengers: The Initiative 4
[x] 10 Irredeemable Ant-Man 10
[x] 11 World War Hulk: Gamma Corps 1
[ ] 12 World War Hulk 2
[ ] 13 Ghost Rider 13
[ ] 14 World War Hulk: Front Line 2
[ ] 15 Invincible Iron Man 20
[ ] 16 Heroes for Hire 12
[ ] 17 World War Hulk: Gamma Corps 2
[ ] 18 World War Hulk 3
[ ] 19 World War Hulk: X-Men 2
[ ] 20 World War Hulk: Front Line 3
[ ] 21 Incredible Hulk 108
[ ] 22 Avengers: The Initiative 5
[ ] 23 Incredible Hulk 109
[ ] 24 World War Hulk: Young Avengers 1
[ ] 25 World War Hulk: Gamma Corps 3
[ ] 26 World War Hulk: Front Line 4
[ ] 27 World War Hulk 4
[ ] 28 World War Hulk: X-Men 3
[ ] 29 Heroes for Hire 13
[ ] 30 World War Hulk: Front Line 5
[ ] 31 World War Hulk: Gamma Corps 4
[ ] 32 World War Hulk 5
[ ] 33 Heroes for Hire 14
[ ] 34 Incredible Hulk 110
[ ] 35 World War Hulk: Front Line 6

The smaller crossover event, X-Men: Endangered Species, consists of 17 issues, each of which is embedded in the X-Factor, X-Men, and Uncanny X-Men comics series (similar to the format used in Civil War - Front Line). That is -- at least in the first comics indicated below -- you actually get two read two stories; the current storyline for that comic series, plus the Endangered Species storyline.

[x] Prologue - X-Men: Endangered Species One-shot
[x] 01 - X-Men 200
[x] 02 - Uncanny X-Men 488
[x] 03 - X-Factor 21
[ ] 04 - New X-Men 40
[ ] 05 - X-Men 201
[ ] 06 - Uncanny X-Men 489
[ ] 07 - X-Factor 22
[ ] 08 - New X-Men 41
[ ] 09 - X-Men 202
[ ] 10 - Uncanny X-Men 490
[ ] 11 - X-Factor 23
[ ] 12 - New X-Men 42
[ ] 13 - X-Men 203
[ ] 14 - Uncanny X-Men 491
[ ] 15 - X-Factor 23
[ ] 16 - New X-Men 43
[ ] 17 - X-Men 204

Human Security Act: Anti-Terror Law or Martial Law?

The Human Security Act of 2007 (Republic Act No. 9372) has been in effect since this last Sunday, July 15, 2007. Basically, this new law is designed to protect against acts of terrorism. The entire text of RA 9372 is posted in this blog.

As expected, this has been met with tons of criticism and controversy, especially from the opposition, the leftists, the activists, and the like.

Perhaps the most notable provisions of the new act includes (but is not limited to) the following:

SEC. 7. Surveillance of Suspects and Interception and Recording of Communications. (e.g. wiretapping)

SEC. 18. Period of Detention Without Judicial Warrant of Arrest. (aka. warrantless arrest)

EC. 27. Judicial Authorization Required to Examine Bank Deposits, Accounts, and Records.

So as of this moment, if you are already a suspected terrorist (take note, suspected, not confirmed yet), you can be wiretapped, arrested, and they can have a magnifying glass on all of your bank accounts.

Although we do need laws to protect us from terrorism, we may never know for certain if this is just a sweeter, a more pleasing-to-the-ears way of saying martial law.

The intention is good. However, you can't help but wonder if (or should I say when) this law can be abused. For one thing, who decides who the terrorists are? Who will "police" the "police"? (Hmm.. I see a similarity with the plot of the recently concluded "Civil War" in Marvel Comics -- you know, the one where Captain America died.)

The proponents included a provision stating that anyone falsely accused of being a terrorist will be given php500,000 per day of imprisonment. They say that this is supposed to prevent the abuse of this law. Got to ask: if the falsely accused person disappears, do they still have to pay php500,000 per day of imprisonment? :-)

I could go on and on about this, but I'd rather not; I don't want to cause any widespread and extraordinary fear and panic. :-)

The president approves swiftly laws that will promote her power. (She must have read the 48 Laws of Power!) Ah well. I told you to read that book!

Here's to hoping for the best. For progress. And, most especially, for peace.

VUE as sole testing center of Cisco

Got from a newsletter today from Cisco Career Certifications:

Cisco and Pearson VUE partner to expand access to Cisco certification and safeguard integrity of global exams

We're pleased to announce that Pearson VUE will be the single vendor of Cisco® certification exams worldwide, effective August 1, 2007. We’re very excited about this change, and we’re confident that as a valued Cisco customer, you’ll benefit from the new level of security, global access, and innovative technology that will now be available through this collaboration. Cisco and Pearson VUE are partnering to create a new standard for individual information technology certifications and specialization exams, elevating them to the level of prestigious professional certification and licensure programs. As a result of this change, all individual Cisco technical certification exams for Cisco customers and partners will need to be scheduled through Pearson VUE. July 31, 2007, is the last date to take a Cisco exam through Prometric.

As global demand increases for individual Cisco certifications, it is critical that we improve and make our global certification systems more agile. Hence, we need to scale and optimize our test delivery—that is, the administration of Cisco certifications such as Cisco CCNA® and CCIE®. Traditionally, Cisco has used two core test delivery partners worldwide to deliver our individual certification exams: Pearson VUE and Prometric. However, after significant research, Pearson VUE was chosen as Cisco’s single testing partner. Pearson VUE was selected for the following reasons:

• Unparalleled global reach
• Forward-thinking policies and vision of technical resource recruitment
• Ability to scale to new countries with new requirements
• Ability to meet forecasted demands
• Ability to deliver on additional investments to secure Cisco’s test delivery technology

Our expectation is that shifting to a primary vendor strategy worldwide will allow us to advance test security through the deployment of advanced biometric technologies. Having a primary vendor will also facilitate the rapid localization of exams around the world, and allow for increased certification scalability and coverage.

Pearson VUE has more than 4000 test centers in 162 countries worldwide. If you previously utilized a Prometric testing center to take Cisco certifications, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with your local Pearson VUE testing center: Test Center Locator.

We’ve also tried to anticipate as many of your questions as possible and have included detailed information on our Certifications Online Support tool. These FAQs will be updated regularly as new information and developments are announced. If you have questions that are not addressed, please contact the Cisco Certification Online Support Team. If you would like additional information about taking a Cisco test at Pearson VUE, you will find a complete listing of customer service phone numbers at the Pearson VUE Website.


Thank you for your time and attention.

Cisco Career Certifications

This is important news for those who are taking Cisco exams. Please spread the word.

Homebuddy thoughts on simple mundane home thingies

Spending time home, I managed to contemplate on some things here on around the house...

Monitor water use. Water is a bit scarce especially in Sucat, Paranaque. Everyone has to rely on water deliveries, which is actually a big business here; I'm pretty sure these businesses are threatened by the drill and pipework of NAWASA or MWSS (whatever this is called nowadays) slowly making its way along Sucat Road from the Kabihasnan area... Ah well, going back. I was surprised that our water tank was empty. At first, I was surprised because I wasn't expecting it to be empty so soon. I can't remember the last time we had the water delivered. Well, as it turns out, I remembered that I actually had the water delivered about two weeks ago, which is pretty good; on average, we have the water delivered once every two weeks. So that's around 5 drums per week. Well, point is, I should have listed down the last time I the water was delivered.

Checking many trashcans is harder than it looks. So let's see... We have one in the bedroom, one in the restroom, another in the restroom below, plus another one in the kitchen. So that's four trashcans that has to be checked everyday. It's actually harder than it looks. The task is simple; when the trashcan becomes full OR when it's more than three days, get rid of it. Most of the time, though, we simply forget to do this; coming home late, too many other priorities to do, or just too plain tired to work.

Doing home chores is a good distraction. In one of my previous posts here, I mentioned that I am at that stage in which I'm burned out and hate my job. I became so sick of my job that I literally got sick and had to stay home for a few days to recover. Doing simple chores somehow relieves some of the tension. Of course there is nothing more enjoyable and relaxing as actually having fun (i.e., movies, PC games, dining out, malling, watching my favorite shows, etc.). Doing simple things such as taking out the trash or washing the dishes, unexpectedly, has a relaxing effect on me. I guess I'm so burned out of my job that literally anything (even household chores) is a lot more enjoyable. Or maybe washing the dishes or taking out the trash has its psychological effects on someone. Ah hell, just something that I've heard. Go figure.

I'm a container freak. I've always known this, but I never realized that this is actually something I can use. I always want to keep things organized so much that I actually bought several types of containers from National Bookstore, SM, etc., even though I sometimes I actually don't have much to put in there. I have a several small boxes with mini-drawers where I place from the simplest stuff (pins, clips, thumbtacks, sewing needles) to the more technical thingies (capacitors, resistors, LEDs, wires, soldering iron bits). I also have several big containers for my bigger tools (pliers, several screw drivers, wrench, etc.) and some for my collections (mostly transformers, Jolly Kiddie Meal/Happy Meal toys, colored wooden blocks, CDs, DVDs, etc.). Ah yeah... They say every person has his or her own quirks. If that's true, mine is this one. :D

Make lists and reminders. In light of the above, I need this to monitor simple things around the house; the last time water was delivered, when the Meralco, PLDT, and Cable TV bills are due, things like that. I have a cokboard near the stairs, but I haven't actually used it yet. :-) I also need a calendar. I wonder where that calendar went....

Decorating the home is an art. You can only truly appreciate your home once you have personalized and customized it. So far, I like what I've done with some parts of the house, although that is still not enough... Hmmm.. I better get that reminder up so that I can finally schedule my simple home do-it-yourself projects. Doing projects is one of the things that I miss in school.

Like cellphones, the Internet connection is now a necessity. Years ago, I thought of cellphones as just a luxury not worth wasting my baon on. Years later, if I only had enough cash and no other higher priorities, I would have bought a newer cellphone. Anyway, with that respect, cellphones and Internet access are the same -- they are now necessities. Of course not everyone will agree, but hey, if you want to be competitive and you want to be always updated, just like what you'd learn in the 48 Laws of Power, you need information. And there is no other faster method of getting that information than through the Internet. What, you don't agree? Just how the hell are reading this blog?? ;-)

Be on the lookout for (farm) animals you can use. One of our neighbors have acquired a goat. He's a natural farmer -- he grows several kinds of plants around the free lots around his house, and, as I've just said, has a knack for taking care of farm animals. In case you didn't know, goats eat grass. (hehehe) Using a leash, he brings the goat around the neighborhood, looks for places where there are lots of grass, hooks the leash on a nearby pillar, post, or whatever, and leaves the goat there the whole day to feed on the grass. Good thing for me today, he actually placed the goat at the gate of our house where there are very tall grasses. I was actually planning on hiring someone to cut and remove the grass there, but it appears the goat has done most of the job already. hehehehe..

I didn't realize my post got this long already. Well, my other ideas, I'll post another time.

Demonoid back online

Actually, Demonoid website has been back since July 3. Yey! Time to download once again! =D

UPDATE: WWE on Chris Benoit

It's official. As of today, all entries about Chris Benoit have been removed from the WWE website. Check my previous post for the Benoit-related WWE links that you will probably never see again! Good thing Wikipedia has compiled all the known information as well as rumors surrounding the tragedy on this link. Youtube was lined up with tons of videos about Benoit. This is my favorite video so far. You should see the different comments people port there! Man, we see the whole range of people there; while there are those who condemn the man for allegedly committing double murder-suicide, there are those who worship him regardless of what he's done.

Me? I cannot condone what he has done. Killing is wrong no matter how you look at it; well, except perhaps if it's in self-defense, but otherwise, it's just plain wrong.

What I won't do is condemn the man for whatever he has done; "let he who committed no sin cast the first stone". I'm certainly no saint. I didn't play judge and jury back then, I won't start now.

Needless to say -- whether he did commit those crimes or not -- sports entertainment will never be the same.

Chris Benoit found dead.

Yup, that's the WWE werestler Chris Benoit, found dead on June 25, 2007, in his his home in Fayetteville, Georgia, along with his wife, Nancy Daus, and his 7-year old son, Daniel.

I'm placing these info now before WWE.com finally removes all information about Chris Benoit, apparently as a part of their decision to sever all ties with the deceased wrestler (see below).

The Facts:
During the press conference, the investigating authorities made the following points, all of which run contrary to the media speculation that "roid rage" was a factor in the senseless murders and suicide:

1. The authorities stated that all drugs found in the house were believed to be legal prescriptions.
2. Steroids were not, and could not, be related to the cause of death (asphyxiation). Authorities had no factual basis to speculate as to Benoit’s state of mind, and rightly did not do so.
3. Toxicology tests have not even been completed, so there is no current evidence that Benoit even had steroids or any other substance in his body. In that regard, on the last test done on Benoit by WWE's independently administered drug testing program, done on April 10, 2007, Benoit tested negative.
4. The physical findings announced by authorities indicate deliberation, not rage. The wife's feet and hands were bound and she was asphyxiated, not beaten to death. By the account of the authorities, there were substantial periods of time between the death of the wife and the death of the son, again suggesting deliberate thought, not rage. The presence of a Bible by each is also not an act of rage.
5. WWE strongly suggests that it is entirely wrong for speculators to suggest that steroids had anything to do with these senseless acts, especially when the authorities plainly stated there is no evidence that Benoit had steroids in his body, pending the toxicological reports, and that they had no evidence at this time as to the motive for these acts.

WWE's Next Steps:

From the WWE/Benoit timeline:

The decision to cancel the live event scheduled in Corpus Christi that night was made between 4 and 5 p.m. In keeping with company policy, and with limited knowledge regarding facts of the case, WWE choose to air a memorial dedicated to the career of Chris Benoit. As facts emerged surrounding the case, all tributes to Chris Benoit were removed both on-air and on WWE.com.


From A message from the Chairman:

"Last night on Monday Night Raw, the WWE presented a special tribute show, recognizing the career of Chris Benoit. However, now some 26 hours later, the facts of this horrific tragedy are now apparent. Therefore, other than my comments, there will be no mention of Mr. Benoit tonight. On the contrary, tonight's show will be dedicated to everyone who has been affected by this terrible incident. This evening marks the first step of the healing process. Tonight, the WWE performers will do what they do better than anyone else in the world – entertain you."

- Vincent Kennedy McMahon

The Possible Aftermath Note: These are just my speculations...

WWE severs all ties with Chris Benoit as described above so as to not be associated with a known suicide. Although probably not a popular decision especially among fans, this is actually an expected move from the company and we really can't blame them from protecting their name. Anyway, that means Chris Benoit will have:

• no entries in WWE.COM (articles and video tributes removed , BIOs removed, Benoit-related products pulled out from the WWEshop.)
• no news books sponsored by WWE will mention Chris benoit in full detail
• no WWE Hall of Fame :(
• no nothing

Sadly, Chris Benoit has always been dubbed as one of the future Hall-of-Famers, but his actions that fateful day has guaranteed that will never happen.

The Chris Benoit tribute aired on Monday, June 25, 2007, will no longer be aired again. It won't surprise me if JackTV (here in the Philippines) will not show that tribute. I hope I'm wrong with this one.

Many WWE fans will note the parallels with Eddie Guerrero, particularly, how WWE deals with the deaths of the two. Whereas Eddie Guerrero has been given countless tributes, Chris Benoit name will not be mentioned, as if forgotten. The same thing Egyptian pharoahs do when they defeat an enemy pharoah -- stripped all traces of them from history to be forgotten and, hence, be deprived of eternal life. Well, maybe not erase everything he has done -- he's almost 20 year career cannot be totally forgotten, especially with such a large fanbase -- yours truly included.

Another possible parallel: whereas Eddie's death prompted the drug-prevention program of the WWE, Benoit's death will prompt WWE to initiate a psychological wellness program. I hope this one does push through.

You're only as good as your last match, some wrestlers say. In Benoit's case, his last actions may have permanently stained his name in history.

What a waste...

MAN-SEC Milestone - 73 cases on Queue!

Today, June 26, 2007 APT, the MAN-SECURITY team reached (for the second time) the highest number of cases taken.

For the second time this month, MAN-SECURITY engineers took a total of 73 cases in a single freaking' shift! I can't remember when exactly we first reached the 73-point mark.

And guess what, one hour after the case-taking, there were still about 5 either burning or toasted cases on queue. Garrr..

And that's not all, Shubs pinged one of and DEMANDED that we take one of the cases IMMEDIATELY! The nerve! For someone who is not physically present in the office, she sure makes her negative presence felt by everyone.

This is definitely one of the more gruelling days we had.

Demonoid crash

Earlier today, you cannot go and login to the demonoid website, although you can actually ping that hostname.

Just now, when you go to demonoid, you'll get:
____________________________________________

We had a system problem which will force us to restore everything from backup.The disks are pretty much empty right now and until we are able to upload the backup and set up everything up, we have to close down.

We'll be back as soon as possible. Sorry for the inconvenience.
____________________________________________

Too bad... :(

Note that you can still upload and download stuff (I just finished leeching the Sensational Spider-Man volume 1). Although obviously you cannot download any other torrents from the site nor is it likely that you upload/download ratio could improve...

I'll continue monitoring this....