Day 15: Goodnight Teddy

Nice to sleep on your own bed ^.^

with teddy watching over you hehe.

Day 14: Coffee Stop @ YuYu

On our way home, Mayor Uy called Edwin and asked

if we want to drop by YuYu Cafe. 

Yey! We so love the coffee and cakes ^.^

Day 13: Tagum City

Left Davao for a photo safari 

with Olan, Marvin, and Angie in Tagum City.

The photo safari was requested as part of the prep

 the city is making  for the  Musikahan Festival to be

held on Feb 16.  An international Music Festival with

15 countries participating.  

Thanks Edwin and Olan for the invite!

Day 12: Pinaypay

a childhood favorite. 

Ate neng gave me this for merienda today ^.^

13th Zodiac Sign revealed

The heavens shifted and the astrologists who favor the tidiness of the 12 zodiac sign must acknowledge the 13th constellation to maintain accuracy, says Betty Mattison Rhodes.

• Capricorn: Jan. 20 – Feb. 16
• Aquarius: Feb. 17 – March 11
• Pisces: March 12- April 18
• Aries: April 19- May 13
• Taurus: May 14- June 21
• Gemini: June 21- July 20
• Cancer: July 21- Aug. 10
• Leo: Aug. 11- Sept. 16
• Virgo: Sept. 17- Oct. 30
• Libra: Oct. 31- Nov. 23
• Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29
• Ophiuchus: Nov. 30- Dec. 17
• Sagittarius: Dec. 18- Jan. 20

As of today, I am officially an Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder.  According to Rhodes, this sign is included in the 48 constellations described by Ptolemy but Astrologers did not include this sign because the sun only travels on the 13th sign for nineteen (19) days.  But the heaven have shifted, as it often does after hundreds of years and to maintain accuracy, astronomers must now recognize the 13th sign of the Mazzaroth.

 Ophiuchus is believe to have represented Greek mythology characters that include Asclepius the healer,Trojan priest Laocoon, who was killed by sea serpents, and Phorbas, who rescued theRhodeans from the plague of serpents. (Michelle Esguerra, Batangas Today)

 Ophiucus is the only sign linked to a real Man, some believed it to represent greek mythology characters but according to Rhodes, this sign represented Imhotep, 27th Century BCE.  Imhotep is known to the Greeks as Aesclepius.

Imhotep is credited with many accomplishments including the knowledge and use of medicine.  It is said of Imhotep that he brought the art of healing to mankind. The symbol of a serpent [or snake], which is still widely used today to represent the medical profession, was used to represent Imhotep.  Imhotep was also known as 'Aesclepius' to the ancient Greeks, but by any name the attributes are still all the same.

Ophiuchus is described as a mand holding a serpent, dividing the snake in two parts.  This image was patterned after Enki, a Sumerian god and the original serpent holder. One famous symbol that uses this sign is the medical staff.  It was believed that Imhotep was credited with many accomplishments including the introduction of the art of healing to mankind.

The Greeks identified him as Asclepius, the god of medicine. Asclepius was the son of Apollo and Coronis (although some say that his mother was Arsinoë). The story goes that Coronis two-timed Apollo by sleeping with a mortal, Ischys, while she was pregnant by Apollo. A crow brought Apollo the unwelcome news, but instead of the expected reward the crow, which until then had been snow-white, was cursed by Apollo and turned black.

In a rage of jealousy, Apollo shot Coronis with an arrow. Rather than see his child perish with her, Apollo snatched the unborn baby from its mother’s womb as the flames of the funeral pyre engulfed her, and took the infant to Chiron, the wise centaur (represented in the sky by the constellation Centaurus).

Chiron raised Asclepius as his own son, teaching him the arts of healing and hunting. Asclepius became so skilled in medicine that not only could he save lives, he could also raise the dead. (Ian Ridpaths, Star Tales)

When Hades realized that dead souls might stop entering hell if this practice is known to many, he complained to Zeus  and Zeus striked Asclepius with a thunderbolt.  Apollo, enraged by this harsh treatment of his son, killed the three cyclops that forged Zeus' thunderbolts.  To soothe Apollo's anger, Zeus made Ophiuchus immortal by setting him up in the stars.

LIST OF KEY WORDS DESCRIBING THE SIGN OF OPHIUCHUS

• interpreter of dreams, vivid premonitions,
• attracts good luck and fruitful blessings,
• serpent holder, lofty ideals,
• a seeker of peace and harmony,
• doctor of medicine or science, natural-pathic,
• adds, increases, joins, or gathers together
• poetical, inventive nature, expanding qualities,
• seeks higher education and wisdom,
• overseer, supervisor of work,
• fame - either grand, or completely misunderstood,
• longevity, aspirations of healing the ills of man,
• architect, builder, reaches for the stars, figuratively and literally,
• tax assessor, or levys taxes,
• astrological talents, intuitive, 
• large family indicated, but apt to be separated from them when young,
• the number twelve holds great significance, 
• foresight and good fortune to benefit from hard times,
• has secret enemies in family or close associations,
• many jealous of this subject,
• notable father, apple of father's eye when young,
• high position in life expected [depending on aspects] highest fame and legend comes after death
• feelings of granular, wise, genius mentality,
• likes to wear clothing of vibrant colors, and plaids in particular,
• receives the favor of those in authority.

Day 11: Pansit Guisado

Order night last night. 

Pansit Guisado from Garridos Foodhouse

No to broadband capping

Official position of Davao Bloggers and Mindanao Media on Proposed broadband capping
 by Ria Jose in collaboration with Cocoy of ProPinoy.net, Pierre of Jester in Exile, and Karen of Bury me in this Dress. This shall be submitted to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

POSITION PAPER Re: NTC’s Broadband Capping

In a revised draft Memorandum Order (MO), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will allow internet broadband service providers (ISPs) to cap the daily volume of data allowed for each broadband user.^[1]  The MO on the Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections is NTC’s answer to the concerns raised by the Department of Trade and Industry regarding customer complaints on the poor service of ISPs.

Among others, the MO on the Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections directs broadband ISPs should specify their minimum broadband connections speeds, service reliability, and their service rates.  The MO also allows ISPs to set a maximum volume of data allotted per subscriber per day.

There is an assumption that broadband capping will improve the services of broadband ISPs.  I beg to differ.  Rather than improve the services of broadband ISPs and address that concerns of consumers regarding the poor service of ISPs, broadband capping is anti-consumer, regressive, and counterproductive.

Broadband capping will limit the consumers access to the internet.  The policy will not do any good to consumers and businesses.  Furthermore, it will not encourage broadband ISPs to improve their services and will likely increase the current service rates of ISPs.

According to the Yahoo-Nielsen Index 2010, 69% of Filipinos use Internet cafes to connect to the internet.^[2]  Out of 133 countries, the Philippines ranks 85 on the Global Technology Report 2009 – 2010 and lists the country’s internet bandwidth per 10,000 population at 1.1 Mb/s.^[3]

In a published paper entitled “Broadband and the Economy” by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the expected economic impact of broadband is explained:

“Broadband, when combined with Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), has many channels through which its effects can operate.  Direct effects result from investments in the technology and rolling out the infrastructure itself.  Indirect effects come from all aspects of economic activity affected by broadband and which drive economic growth and prosperity e.g. firm efficiency and increased productivity, reduced costs, innovation, globalization, and new employment opportunities from the gains achieved.

Broadband also enables the emergence of new business models, new processes, new inventions, new and improved goods and services, and it increases competitiveness and flexibility in the economy….”^[4]

The same paper asserts that broadband is an enabling technology with a huge impact on productivity and that the largest productive gain of broadband come from its use, rather than the production of ICTs.^[5]

Furthermore, the paper posits that broadband creates a positive impact on consumer surplus by lowering search and information costs and giving consumers access to information, the ability to compare prices easily, increasing competition, and creating a downward pressure on prices.^[6]  

Broadband also changes the roles of individuals in the productive process by facilitating user-created content and user-driven innovation.^[7]  Examples of these are blog posts, photographs, and audio-video recordings posted online.  The paper posits that as the new creative outlet, the Internet has “altered the economics of information production, and led to the increasing democratization of media production and changes in the nature of communication and social relationships.”^[8]

According to NTC Commissioner Gamliel Cordoba the MO was drafted to address the concerns of the DTI regarding customer complaints on the “poor services” of ISPs.^[9]  In the first nine months of 2010, there were 622 complaints against telecommunications companies with more than half of the complaints referring poor Internet connections.

NTC’s answer is the MO which orders broadband ISPs to specify their minimum broadband connection speed, service reliability, and service rates in their advertisements, services literatures, and in their service and legal agreements.

However, this disclosure ISPs are allowed by the NTC to set broadband caps or a maximum volume of data allotted to each subscriber per day, thereby limiting broadband usage of subscribers.

Allegedly, the broadband cap is to protect consumers from abusive users.  According to NTC Common Carriers Authorization Department Director Edgardo Cabarios,  “There were apprehensions raised (by telecommunications companies) over abusive users.  This is meant to discourage unfair use, to give everyone a chance.  The idea is to protect the majority of consumers.”^[10]  Allegedly, the abusive users being referred to include software and movie pirates and compromise just one to two percent of Filipino broadband subscribers.  

According to a clause in the the MO,

"WHEREAS, it has been observed that few subscribers/users connect to the internet for unreasonably long period [sic] of time depriving other users from connecting to the internet; NOW, THEREFORE... Service providers may set the maximum volume of data allowed per subscriber/user per day.”^[11]

NTC Public Relations Officer Paolo Arceo explains that this clause in the MO was suggested by telecommunications companies

“to prevent network prevent network abuse by unscrupulous subscribers who violate intellectual property laws, particularly on copyright, by downloading movies and software, similar to abusive subscribers of unlimited call/text promotions which were primarily designed for person-to-person use but used for voluminous commercial undertakings.  These types of network abuse limit accessibility to a few instead of providing adequate access for all of the subscribers. Commercial or high volume users may avail of other internet connection packages which have committed higher speeds and allow heavy data exchanges.”^[12]

Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators President Atty. Rodolfo A. Salalima, in a letter to Cordoba, reiterates that the clause regarding broadband capping is necessary for fair use in the interest of consumers:

“This guarantees that abusive consumers of broadband/internet service do not monopolize available capacity to the detriment of other paying customers. The definition of the volume cap can be left to the individual telecommunications providers to define based on the different service plan offers they provide, all in the spirit of competition.”^[13]

While the clamor for fair use is laudable, the means of doing it by capping broadband is unfair and goes against consumers’ rights.  The complaints against broadband ISPs and telecommunications companies for “poor service” cannot be attributed to the one to two percent of abusive users.  Managing the abusive users via broadband capping subverts the real issues being raised against the ISPs and telecommunications companies.  The problems of “poor service” does not lie on the abusive users who compromise a mere  one to two percent of the consumers.

The clause in the MO is counterproductive for individuals and business that rely on broadband services for their productivity and for the delivery of their goods and services.  Broadband capping will hamper the economic impacts of broadband as stated by the OECD.  It will also greatly hinder the changes in the individual and the society that is supposed to be brought about by broadband and internet connectivity.

Moreover, international rights lawyer Romel Bagares iterates that broadband capping goes against the basic right to information.^[14]

Instead of addressing the real reasons for the reported poor services of broadband ISPs and telecommunications companies, the NTC MO on the “Minimum Speeds of Broadband Connections” is regressive and counterproductive.

Broadband capping is not the solution to curtailing abusive users.  It is the role of the broadbands ISPs and telecommunications companies to make sure that their services are not abused and surely there are other means that the NTC and the ISPs can curtail these abuses, other than oppressing the rest of the consumers.

Broadband capping hampers the access of users to the services they are paying for and curtails their basic right to information.  Furthermore, it does not assure consumers that the broadband ISPs and telecommunications companies will upgrade their infrastructure and improve their services.

Broadband capping is counterproductive, regressive, and subverts the issues raised regarding the poor services delivered by broadband ISPs and telecommunications companies.

---

[1] “NTC Caps Broadband Data Volume,” Manila Times, 27 December 2010,http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/36310-ntc-caps-broadband-data-volume-.

[2] Yahoo Nielsen, “Digital Philippines 2010: Yahoo-Nielsen Net Index Highlights,”Scribd Slideshow,http://www.scribd.com/doc/32801291/Net-Index-2010-Highlights-PD-2010-06-05 (accessed on 10 January 2010).

[3] Cited by Cocoy, “State of the Internet in the Philippines 2010,” Philippine Online Chronicles,  entry posted on 29 June 2010, http://www.thepoc.net/thepoc-features/lintech/lintech-features/8176-yahoo-nielsen-digital-philippines-2010-the-state-of-internet-in-the-philippines.html (accesse 10 January 2010).

[4] Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) “Broadband and the Economy,” Scribd Document, http://www.scribd.com/doc/33640345/Broadband-and-the-Economy (accessed on 10 January 2010).

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] “NTC Caps Broadband Data Volume,” Manila Times, 27 December 2010,http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/36310-ntc-caps-broadband-data-volume-.

[10] Quoted by TJ Dimacali, “NTC’s Proposed Data Caps Violate Consumer Rights, Lawyer Says,” GMANews.TV,  http://www.gmanews.tv/story/209385/ntcs-proposed-data-caps-violate-consumer-rights-lawyer-says, 29 December 2010.

[11] “National Telecommunications Memorandum Order with Subject: Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections,” Google Document embedded  by TJ Dimacali, “NTC’s Proposed Data Caps Violate Consumer Rights, Lawyer Says,”GMANews.TV,  http://www.gmanews.tv/story/209385/ntcs-proposed-data-caps-violate-consumer-rights-lawyer-says, 29 December 2010.

[12] Quoted by TJ Dimacali, “NTC’s Proposed Data Caps Violate Consumer Rights, Lawyer Says,” GMANews.TV,  http://www.gmanews.tv/story/209385/ntcs-proposed-data-caps-violate-consumer-rights-lawyer-says, 29 December 2010.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Ibid.

Day 10: Sardines

Sardines for lunch for today ^.^

Pens of Hope Distribution is Tugbok

Pens of Hope made its 5th Distibution @ Tugbok

with 300 children beneficiaries.

Thank you to our supporters and volunteers.

Day 9: Milo Mug

had cold Milo for dinner using Alex's mug
"I was a cat" heheheh love the caption.

Day 8: Time Traveler's wife

BWL sent me a copy of this and someone
borrowed it and never gave it back.
I found a copy at the National Bookstore yesterday and decided
to buy one.

Note to self - no more sharing of books, especially to people
who doesn't know how to return it.

PULP YOUR BLOG Contest by Minute Maid

I just drank a bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy. They say it’s got ‘no preservatives added’. Aw, c’mon…It’s bottled juice. Is that even possible? So I thought maybe... I'd try it and maybe even check smoothie receipes and make an orange smoothie out of it.

I didn’t believe it the first time I heard it’s got no preservatives added.  So I read the ingredients (even the fine print) and everything checked out! It really has NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED!  That means it doesn’t have ingredients that may turn out to be allergens, or worse...carcinogens!  Whew! Now that’s healthy goodness that tastes so good, I... am slowly getting addicted to it.

So okay, it’s got no preservatives added. That’s really good, right?  Not just because it doesn’t have those icky, harmful ingredients, but it also means... it's the perfect drink if you are planning on having a healthy diet.

So far anyone who still has a hard time believing that Minute Maid has got no preservatives added - meaning it's THAT natural, it's almost like it's plucked straight from the tree, it's just as Mother Nature wanted your orange juice to be, it's got nothing but the good stuff yes, none of those potentially toxic stuff that can harm your brain, kidneys, heart; cause tumors aargh- the list of preservatives' bad effects just go on!!! Anyway, just to prove a point on just how good Minute Maid Pulpy is 'cause it's got NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED, I'm gonna stock more for me and my kids.

Feels good to know about the real pulpy deal, right? C’mon show me a smile on the comment box, and you might win yourself a Really Pulpy Deal! (That’s a chance to win a Minute Maid gift pack simply by commenting. Sweet! C'mon you just might be picked as the lucky 'commentor'!)

Love,

Leah

Run for a Cause

A 3k, 5k, 10k Fun Run for the benefit of the Psoriasis Club members of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Department of Dermatology.

Date: January 16, 2011
Time: 5:00am
Assembly Area: SPMC Parking Lot
Registration Fees:
P200: without singlet
P250: with singlet

Prizes:
10k Run: 1st place (P5,000), 2nd place (P3,000), 3rd place (P2,000)
5k Run: 1st place (P3,000)
3k Run (for 12 years old and below): 1st place (P1,500)

Registration Forms are available at:
- Southern Philippines Medical Center: Department of Dermatology
2nd floor JICA Building, Out Patient Department
- Skin Doctors Clinic
Gaisano Mall, Robinsons Cybergate
- C5 Dormitel
Roxas Avenue, Davao City
- Holiday Spa
- Run Club

For inquiries, please contact: 2272731 local 4705 and email at dermadmc@yahoo.com

Day 7: Leanne and Liam's Christening Cake

Chevelle is already a mom!

She gave birth to a little Liam months ago.  The baby girl
is so tiny when i saw her at the church
and this is her christening cake...a yummy chocolate moist cake ^.^

Day 6: Boystown

Mayor Duterte donated lugaw for hte fifty kids in boystown

was sooo tired last night wasn't able to post  my photo for the day...
but here it is ^.^
We had our 6th distribution of pencils
@ Boystown yesterday.

The outreach program was arranged 

by Angie Maestrado with Knights of Columbus and Vita C.

view outreach photos 

Day 5: Scrap metal

building my own junk shop empire and went to look at other

shops today. *excited over this...

advertised it and it was funny how people also offered not only

broken appliance but broken hearts and promises haha

Day 4: Pork Stew

Had a good dinner last night and an old friend made it =)

Learned something too! in cooking, it is basic to have salt and pepper...

He scolded as he scoured for ingredients he cannot find in the kitchen,

commented on our wilting vegetables and then gave me 

basic cooking 101 tips that I am excited to try...haha as if! =P

Day 3: Slumdog Millionaire

finally saw the movie last week.  

Ii cringed when I saw him do what he did to get Armaan's autograph

I read the book first...

and love the book better than the movie for these reasons:

1. in the book he is the elder brother

2. Armaa, the actor is actually gay

3. he ran away because he pushed Smita's father off the second floor

3. he was a butler of Colonel Taylor,  an Australian Spy

4. his younger brother, Salim, arranged the death of the mafia lord

5. the host was the reason why he joined the contest

6. he was loyal to Neelima, the tragedy queen

7. He took care of a baby who's been abandoned by his mother

8. Smita, became a lawyer and saved him, but she is not a love interest

Spaghetti and Mommy Blues

Tonight is spaghetti night.  

Thanks to my ex-husband, let's call him the Silent One, who is somewhat remarkable in the kitchen,  we get to skip meat loaf for dinner.  

The kids were so excited to see spaghetti that you'd think I am starving them.  Noah was hovering at the bowl while cheese was being sprinkled and Alex, my dear Alex, managed to lick the sides of the bowl where the sauce was accidentally smeared.  

alex hugging the spag with noah beside her

How come they never do that when I cook?  in fact, if I remember correctly, they ordered bread when they saw me cooking in the kitchen and managed to skip the breakfast that I, their mother dear, so lovingly prepared for them.  The brats!  

I like mommy duty except that I suck at it sometimes.   I have certain moments where I can hear Kira doing his weird noises downstairs while I am hiding at the studio.  He has this habit of looking for me when I don't want to be bothered.  He is a version of the BWL.  In fact, he is a mini BWL.  Curls, eyes, timing and all.  And he is insistent.  Too insistent for my patience sometimes, that I get scared to see him, so sometimes I opt to hide away.  Nothing wrong with being non-confrontational.

Also, I find it weird how the kids want to drag me to their bedroom just so I can see them jump up and down the mattress.  So for 2011, I have decided to work on getting a new and better mattress for my bed.  So the kids can jump up and down on it without me having to go downstairs.  You see, My room is on the second floor and it is kinda tiring to go up and down to see a jumping escapade.  They can just do it in my room. I can pretend I am watching them while I doze off and then they can stop when they hear me snore.  Brilliant plan.

Another thing that I don't like them doing is they tend to have this need to be heard...at the same time.  All adamant about getting their point across and bawling out when you get them wrong.  Imagine four kids talking to you at the same time at a decibel that is hurting your ears.  

Like with the spag meal, they want it and they want it now.  They have their own reasons why you should choose to serve them first.  What I did was make them take their own share.  

They are also very strict in terms of measurement.  God forbid that you put more coke in one child's glass while the others are staring.  Alex, the ever so clever one, got the cup with calibration printed on it, you know, the one you use for baking (?). Seeing this, Leon decidedly grabbed his milk bottle, that one has calibrations too...and of course the other two followed.

The good thing is, I think, they get my frustrations sometimes.  

When I just want to hear my own thoughts, and they feel like mommy wants to rest and maybe sleep forever--- not the sleep-death-forever-thing...the sleep-rest-almost-dead-but-still-a-good-mom-thing,  they just let me lie down on their bed while they watch the barnyard animals (or spongebob).  They've seen it a hundred times and could even tell me the story.  They tell me a lot of things and when they see me confused and grinning --- that often makes them happy.  They shush me if I become too opinionated because the teddy bear is sleeping.  It's a way of telling that I need not be stressed.  It's apparent in the looks they give each other.

But they are not without cunning.

They try to gently fish for prizes that I am not offering.  Like Leon telling me what happy meal toy I will get him if he decided to ditch the cartoon show and sleep.  

They make small talk about monster trucks, cartoon shows, and lately, harry potter.  

That's them trying to cheer me up when I am kinda tired.  Still a handful,   but nonetheless affectionate.  And because they are very considerate children to their weary mother, they silently elbow each other instead of bawling.

It is fortunate that in their young age, they have learned the fact that food is a category they cannot primarily discuss with me.  Actually it's cooking they don't discuss with me, lest I take on the idea that they want me to cook for them.  They urge me to order take out, mcdo is a favorite.

They have accepted the fact that their mom cannot cook anything and spaghetti is just not happening if I am in charge of the kitchen.  Noah offered to cook with me the one time I was left alone with them.  Te neng was out and Long-long was in school.  She was reassuring me that she is an expert in frying eggs.

They do know I am good with the camera though.  

And in that, they are very demanding.  So what do I do when good food is served? I take a photo.

Day 2: Furry Slippers

furry doggie slippers

Yammy gave me these as a birthday present last December.  Was stashing it for almost a month to avoid theft.  The kids might steal it.  Wore it for the first time today ^.^

Day 1: Talong og Ginamos

Bought vegetables yesterday and te neng 

boiled some eggplant and made a salad mixed with fish sauce and tomatoes ^.^