A Dream Match Indeed!

I watched the match late but the outcome was definite - Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao demolished our generation's boxing icon Oscar "Golden Boy" Dela Hoya. I managed to record the last round where Dela Hoya simply quit - an unfitting gesture for a fighter!

Well, savor this one and have a Merry Christmas my fellowmen!

How to Unhide Hidden Files Caused by Viruses

It's a drag to plug in your virus-free USB to your friend's computer only to find out later that your folders and files are gone or are simply hidden from plain sight.

For starters, you need to scan your USB first using a virus scanner with an updated virus database (I recommend Avast or AVG). After being sure that your files aren't infected, you have to see if the virus hid your files or folders. Just go to your current window's Tools > Folder Options > View and check Show hidden files and folders.



You can try to Right Click and select Property for a particular file or folder and uncheck the Hidden attribute. But there are times when the check box is disabled.

When the Hidden attribute is disabled for your files or folders, follow these steps to unhide them all:

1. Open the command prompt (Start > Run > type cmd and press Enter)
   
2. On the command window type cd x: (where x is letter of your USB drive)
3. Type in attrib /s /d -s -h *.* and press Enter
4. Type exit and press Enter to close the command window
   

Notes:

• attrib : allows change file/folder attributes.
• /s : includes subdirectories
• /d: include folders as well
• -s: clears system file attribute
• -h: clears hidden attibute

ICAC Website Updated

The official site of Immanuel Christian Assembly Church just got a face lift. The site now features a more dynamic look and the contents are updated to include recent news and documentation. The multimedia component also features a more comprehensive library of images and videos of recent ICAC events. For more details please visit www.ica-capiz.org.

Obama Wins!

It has been a long and exciting bid for the White House for Barack Obama and it ends with a historic win. With a nice gesture, John McCain immediately concedes. Sweet!

Voting the American Way...

I've been following America's election process since January this year and it has been entertaining. The candidates are colorful, not to mention historic - they could either have the first black president in Barack Obama or the first woman vice president in Sarah Palin. They also have a lot interesting sides to tell like John McCain's wars stories and Obama's swift rise to stardom from anonymity.

Their election process is quite different from ours and I do get to research a lot about Democrats, Republicans, and their Electoral College. I tuned in to CNN, left-leaning NBC, and Fox News Channel for a right wing view (please drop the "Fair and Balanced" slogan).


In view of the Philippine election setting, their process is much more efficient and refined. For one, they can determine the winner in a day or two, and that the air is much more of enthusiasm rather than fear. Their main election issues include voter fraud, history of candidates, and differing stands on their failing economy, defense, and health care. The bashing and smearing are prevalent but one thing that strikes me is the lack of casualties.

Here in our country entering into politics can be deadly as seen in the rise of body counts during election season. This can be attributed to Filipinos seeing political positions as means of living and opportunities to advance personal interests and not the public's.

I hope we could learn some lessons and inject relevant strategies in the hope of improving our election process and politics in general. Though far from being perfect, America has provided a framework on how democracy works - where everyone can agree to disagree but in the end, unite for the common good.

Beware of Site Hackers

Content Management Systems, with their free source codes, are prone to hacks because of MySQL vulnerabilities. Here's one site with damaged a home page by these malicious hackers.



Once on the net, no website is safe so it is a must that data must be backed up and the site checked regularly.

Resize Images to Save Space

Does your picture collection take up a lot of space in your computer? This is mostly due to the size of your images. When you take pictures using digital cameras, these are often set to high image sizes, which are good if you are doing detailed photography work or graphic design. But these could cost you megabytes of precious disk space.

One solution is to resize your images in a manageable size while considering quality. Note that changing image size actually changes the color information in the image.

There are a lot of graphics editing software you can use to accomplish this but they require a longer time if you plan to process a large batch of picture files.

A better solution is use an Image Resizer, which enables you to resize one or many image files with a simple right-click. With this installed, processing a batch of images is a breeze.

Follow these steps for a more productive picture collection and storage:

1. Download the Image Resizer here and install.
2. Once installed, select a picture file (or a group) and right-click
3. On the pop-up menu select Resize Pictures.
   
4. A dialog box like the one below will allow you to set your desired size for your selection.
5. Click OK to convert. Enjoy!

Guide for Buying Laptops

Laptops provide more flexibility and portability than the standard PC. With many brands on the market today, it is easy to be confused on what to buy. Here are some information you need to know to select the best laptop to suit your needs.

Important Laptop Components

1. Processor: This is the brain of the computer. All the data is processed here be it any manipulation, calculation or any other formatting. The choice of processor will depend on how you intend to use the laptop. The specifications are directly proportional to pace of executing the different tasks. Higher the specifications, faster will be the speed at which tasks will be executed. Same way, the powerful processor will help perform more tasks better. Core duo the latest technology is faster and more energy-efficient.
   
   
2. Software: These act as the instruction manuals of the computer. They decide the actions of the machine. Some of these softwares come along with laptop. However for better and more comfortable usage of the same extra softwares have to be purchased and installed. To serve your basic needs on the computer you need to have at least the basic word processing and email enabling software.
   
   
3. Operating System: The most important software that enables other softwares and applications to run on your PC is called the operating system. Without this software no applications shall work. Most of the PCS across the globe run a version of Microsoft Windows. They may be either Windows Vista (the latest version of Windows) or an earlier version, such as Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Me, or Windows 98. Apple computers run on an operating system called OSX.
   
   
4. ROM: A chip on the motherboard which stores a permanent set of start-up instructions for your computer is called ROM (read only memory). This chip is fixed when the system is manufactured and all the instructions in it do not erase even if the power is off.
   
   
5. RAM: This is the memory that the computer uses to run its operating system, applications and active data files. Higher RAM enables the computer to run complex programs and more of them at a time. RAM is highly responsible for the overall performance of the system. This memory makes your applications run faster and makes it possible to work with huge files. RAM starts at about 512MB; you can find some that can be upgraded all the way to 4.0GB.
   
   
6. Cache: This memory is similar to RAM but runs at a very high speed. The CPU makes use of it as a storage place for processing instructions. Information in the cache memory is not retained once the power is off.
   
   
7. Hard drive: Computer can take data from the hard drive to process information and also record the data back into the disk after the work is done. The sizes of the hard drive varies from 60GB, that is sufficient for basic computing needs, up to 120GB, ideal for multimedia, home entertainment and games.

Laptops based on your needs:

Below listed are the different user profiles and the kind of laptop that would suit each of them:

1. Home user:
   
   Most of the home users now prefer notebooks over desktop PCs. This is because these devices perform equally well and possess equally good features. Besides they can be easily carried to different locations.
   
   Undoubtedly all laptops would be suitable for home use; however there are two types of laptops that would best serve the purpose, the midsize notebooks, which are budget-friendly, and the desktop replacements, which are packed with features.
   
   Key features desirable in laptops for home use:
   
   A memory size of minimum 1GB is recommended for these laptops. A hard drive large enough to store digital photos and videos will be needed. The display should be 14.1 inch or larger. A fixed or swappable DVD burner will also be a necessity. Both wired and wireless networking will be needed. Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Apple Mac OS X is the operating systems recommended.
   
   
2. Student
   
   This is the kind of users who have strict budget constraints. Though this is a major factor, they expect a laptop that gives best performance for the money they pay. A laptop that should suit their need will be one that is light enough to be carried around, stylish enough to flaunt but tough enough to bear the wear and tear of each day.
   
   Key features desirable in laptops for student use:
   
   A memory size of at least 1GB is needed. A hard drive big enough to hold all those MP3s is needed. A DVD burner is needed as a backup for all those class projects, etc. Wired and wireless network will be needed as you can be in the network equipped classrooms or you may have to make use of the wireless in the other outside locations. Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Apple Mac OS X is recommended.
   
   
3. Frequent flier
   
   For those who spend a lot of time traveling, the size and the weight are key factors that have to be taken into consideration while selecting a laptop. These factors are so important that compromising slightly on the features and the performance wouldn't be a loss. Ultraportables are the smallest and the lightest notebooks. They weigh less than four pounds and as thick as a spiral bound notebook.
   
   Key features desirable in laptops for frequent fliers:
   
   A memory size of at least 1GB is recommended for these laptops. The display should be of maximum 13.3inch. Both wired and wireless networking will be needed here too. Extended battery is a must for those traveling far. An external CD-RW/DVD drive is recommended. A port replicator will be needed for the desk. Microsoft Windows Vista Business is recommended for this type of laptops
   
   
4. Business power user
   
   For those business people who make use of the same laptop in office, home and the road, a well balanced system is a must. The laptop has to be capable of delivering a performance that can gel with the wide range of applications that the business would make use of. A thin and light model would be the best option.
   
   Key features desirable in laptops for business users:
   
   A memory size of at the least 1GB is recommended. For those using Windows Vista, memory should be 2GB. A midsize hard drive will be enough. The display should be 14-inch or 15.4-inch. A dual-layer DVD burner will be more suitable. Both wired and wireless networking will give the desired comfort in using the laptop. An extra battery is undoubtedly a must for these users. Microsoft Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate are the preferred options.
   
   
5. Multimedia author or gamer
   
   If you have to make use of the laptop to design a Web site or edit home movies, the device will need a powerful processor, large memory, great graphics, and a healthy hard drive.
   
   Key features desirable in laptops for multimedia users:
   
   A memory size of 2GB and a display size of at least 15.4 inch or more is a must in these laptops. To serve the need an advanced graphics card with 256MB or 512MB of its own memory or dual SLI graphics is needed. The hard drive has to be the largest and the fastest, in order to enable the laptop to perform according to your needs. Dual-layer DVD burner, possibly HD-DVD or Blu-Ray compatible is recommended. Multimedia connectors, such as S-Video, HDMI, FireWire, S/PDIF, external keyboard and mouse can make the use more comfortable. Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, or Apple Mac OS X is recommended.

Source: http://www.naaptol.com

Acer Aspire 4730z Windows XP Drivers

It has been a challenge to convert to Acer Aspire 4730z to Windows XP with a bundled suite of Vista device drivers. Following are some links to the coveted Windows XP drivers.

• Chipset_Intel_V8.7.0.1007_WHQL Driver forWin XP ( 2,090 KB )
  
• VGA_Intel_V6.14.10.4969(14.36.0.4969)_XP(WHQL)x32 Driver for Win XP ( 20,080 KB )
  
• VGA_Intel_V6.14.10.4969(14.36.0.4969)_XP(WHQL)x64 Driver for XP 64 Bit ( 18,170 KB )
  
• 04. Modem_Agere_V2.1.87.0_WHQL Driver for Win XP ( 1,430 KB )
  
• LAN_Reaktek_V5.698.701.2008_XP_WHQL Driver for Win XP ( 4,470 KB )
  
• Touch Pad Driver for Win XP ( 9,060 KB )
  
• VGA_NV_6.14.11.7609_XPx32 Driver for Win XP 32 Bit ( 70,830 KB )
  
• VGA_NV_6.14.11.7609_XPx64 Driver for Win XP 64 Bit ( 82,170 KB )
  
• Audio Driver for Win XP ( 42,760 KB )
  
• CardReader_JMicro_V1.00.11.02 Driver for Win XP ( 2,880 KB )
  
• CIR_ENE_V2.5.0.0 Driver for Win XP ( 2,190 KB )
  
• JAL90 Launch Manager_Dritek_v2.0.06 Driver for Win XP ( 2,780 KB )
  
• JAW50 Launch Manager_Dritek_v2.0.02 Driver for Win XP ( 2,780 KB )
  
• WLAN_Atheros_V7.6.0.239Driver for XP ( 5,280 KB )
  
• WLAN_Broadcom_V4.170.25.19 Driver for Win XP ( 4,150 KB )
  
• WLAN_Intel Shirley Peak_V12.0.0.78 Driver for Win XP ( 7,060 KB )
  
• WLAN_Ralink_V1.1.5.0 Driver for Win XP ( 3,060 KB )
  
• Camera_Bison_V7.96.701.13 Driver for Win XP ( 10,690 KB )
  
• Camera_Chicony_V5.8.33.402 Driver for Win XP ( 14,150 KB )
  
• Camera_Suyin_V5.8.32.500 Driver for Win XP ( 20,920 KB )
  
• FingerPrint_Authentec_V6.0.00.17 Driver for Win XP ( 103,110 KB )
  
• Bluetooth_Broadcom_v5.1.0.4500_XP_x64 Driver for Win XP 64 Bit ( 44,120 KB )
  
• Bluetooth_Broadcom_v5.1.0.4500_XP_x32 Driver for Win XP 32 Bit ( 54,670 KB )
  
• VGA_ATi Driver for XP ( 157,030 KB )

Here's another resource link. Download but scan for viruses first.

Beware of Pyramid Scams

I have seen enough pyramiding scams in my lifetime and I am grateful that I wasn't a part of any of them. Not so lucky are a few of my relatives and friends who lost hundreds of thousands of hard-earned money in this faulty business setup whose ends serve only the interests of only a few at the top of the pyramid. Filipinos are especially vulnerable because of the country's economic situation. Despite of their low purchasing power, they bite easily because of the scammers' highly convincing and lucrative offers. Believe me that the desire to get rich easily almost got me scammed when I was out looking for a job, but I was able to weigh in the feasibility of this venture and that got me back to reality.

Digest these Facts

• A pyramid scheme is a non-sustainable business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, usually without any product or service being delivered. It has been known to come under many guises.
• Pyramid schemes are illegal in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Malaysia, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Iran.These types of schemes have existed for at least a century.
• A scam also known as a con, swindle, grift, bunko, flim flam, stratagem, or scheme, is an attempt to swindle a person or people (known as the "mark" or sometimes "griftee") which involves gaining his or her confidence.
• There are other commercial models using cross-selling such as multi-level marketing (MLM) or party planning which are legal and sustainable, although there is a significant grey area in many cases.
• Most pyramid schemes take advantage of confusion between genuine businesses and complicated but convincing moneymaking scams.
• The essential idea behind each scam is that the individual makes only one payment, but is promised to somehow receive exponential benefits from other people as a reward. A common example might be an offer that, for a fee, allows the victim to sell the same offer to other people, or receive bonuses through other people they refer. Each sale includes a fee to the original seller.
• Clearly, the flaw is that there is no end benefit; the money simply travels up the chain, and only the originator (or at best a very few) wins in swindling his followers. Of course, the people in the worst situation are the ones at the bottom of the pyramid: those who subscribed to the plan, but were not able to recruit any followers themselves. To embellish the act, most such scams will have fake referrals, testimonials, and information.

You have been warned...

Creating Panaromas

Panoramic photographs have been around for a long time. Before digital photography came along, there were two ways to make a panorama. Special cameras—loaded with special extra-wide film—were capable of taking photos that were much wider than they were tall.

The other traditional way to make a panorama is to take a series of photographs and connect them, sort of like a collage. This collage technique allows you to make very, very wide panoramas. Unfortunately, you can often see the seams between each photograph, since each print is simply layered, one on top of the other.

Digital photography allows us to make panoramas in an entirely new way. Using a still camera, it is a piece of cake to take a high-resolution photograph that spans your entire field of view from left to right, including your peripheral vision.

Some cameras boast right on the box that they have this capability. Some cameras don’t. Either way, you can make a panorama; so don’t despair if it appears that your camera does not have a panorama mode. Creating a panorama on the PC is actually pretty similar to making a collage of prints. The software simply takes a series of photographs and stitches them together digitally so that the seams are essentially invisible.

Before we get there, though, we need to take the initial batch of pictures. Believe it or not, you can get some very nice panoramic photographs even if you are a bit sloppy when you take the original images. For best results, however, you should be as careful as possible when you take your pictures. Just like the old computer axiom “garbage in, garbage out,” the better your original images are, the better the final panorama will be. Panoramic images allow you to see a picture more or less the way your eyes see the real world.

My Chipmunks Music Video Series

Voltes V Theme performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks


Informer Rap Video by Alvin and the Chipmunks

Result of Oscar De La Hoya vs Steve Forbes "Homecoming"

May 4 - Oscar De La Hoya (39 Wins, 5 Losses, 30 KOs) won over Steve Forbes (33 Wins, 6 Losses, 9 KOs) in a unanimous decision at the Home Depot Center, Carson, California, USA. Dubbed "Homecoming", this fight is De La Hoya's preparation for his rematch against the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (38 Wins, 0 Losses, 22 KOs) who captured his sixth belt in his fifth different weight class.

Postscript Vol. 2 will be out soon!

Postscript - The Official Publication of the FCC College of Computer Studies will be in circulation by May. It is a timely release as the college prepares for another school year while heralding its claim as the best computer school in the province. Major topics include:

• FCC-CCS: STAKING CLAIM AS NO. 1 Laying out the facts on college’s rise to the top.


• A STRONGER FACULTY LINE-UP A glimpse at the team behind the college’s success.


• SCHOOL YEAR-END REVIEW Stories and Highlights of School Year 2007-2008.


• CHANCE OF A LIFETIME Brilliant CCS students avail of a scholarship in Taiwan.


• KUDOS! A roster of students who have excelled in academics, sports, and socio-cultural fields.

Computer Science – Beyond Zeros And Ones

The field of computer science has a lot of wisdom masquerading behind its seemingly pragmatic and technical atmosphere. As a practitioner and mentor in this field, I have come to realize these eccentricities and have unearthed principles that are applicable and relevant in real life. Comparing this to other areas of knowledge is futile for it integrates expertise from a variety of fields and returns the favor by enriching these fields. Virtually all areas of knowledge have embraced the concept of automation and this is evident on how courses integrate computer subjects as a vital part of their curriculum.



Setting aside the technology and technicalities, Computer Science and Philosophy have a lot in common than most would probably think. Both are founded in logic and reasoning, and both seek to understand the nature of knowledge and reality. Computer Science takes it further by taking philosophic thought into more practical and useful terms. It aims to make processes efficient, endowing them with some form of intelligence as evidenced by advancements in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

This understanding is step back into the real world where the hype is getting wired to an electronic and virtual world. My goal is to broaden the perspective of my students and colleagues in this very challenging and equally interesting field. To those who look down on Computer Science as a relatively new field because of its dynamic nature and its experimental structure, I can assure you that these critics, like others before them, have no idea how this field have changed or will change their lives in more ways than they could ever imagine. But in the end, the field I chose proved to be a very deep and fulfilling one - full of practical principles waiting to be revealed and put to good use. I have only scratched the surface and that it is my hope that many would come to realize that Computer Science is not merely a course to undertake but a philosophy to live by.

Congratulations Batch 2008 Graduates!

To my former BSIM, BSCS, and ACS students, it has been a privilege to be able to spend time with you. As you leave the portals of our dear alma mater, hold on to the conviction, strength, and resolve that sets you, my dear Filamerians, apart from a multitude of graduates.

As mentors we have done our best to mold you and gave you the best available resources with the hope that you would continue pursuing excellence in aid of our beloved country. Be the best!

Finally, "May all those who come behind you find you faithful."

Filamer in 3D

A simple demonstration of what you can do with a good drawing tool, a great deal of patience and a lot of imagination.

Left-Right Dancer

This one is interesting. Which way do you see the silhouette turning? Supposedly, if you see the dancer turning clockwise, you are mostly using the right side of your brain. If you see her turning counterclockwise, you are mostly using your left hemisphere. Which way do you see it turning?

Try this: http://www.web-us.com/brain/braindominance.htm

Vigan: A Long Road Trip

I was off to Vigan City last Jan. 22 to 25 to present my research study in a national forum hosted by the REDTI* and UNP**, and what a trip that was!



For starters, it has been the longest road trip of my life (totalling 10 straight hours from Manila to Vigan) considering I am a frequent traveller. I have no qualms of being on the road but what was off of it which bothered me a lot.

The trip served its purpose, an enlightenment perhaps, or even an analogy of life itself. Every trip has beginning and an eventual end, with full throttles and momentary stop-overs, awesome scenery and gloomy ones.

In the end, these contrasting views seem to balance themselves out and it is understanding this basic truth which still aludes most of us.

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." - Dorothy Thompson

---

*REDTI - Research Educational Development and Training Institute

** UNP - University of Northern Philippines

Webcasting Pioneer...

Finally, Roxas City could be heard from anywhere in the world!

This media plug-in automatically starts and plays my webcast1. This is still in the testing phase and hopefully I could incorporate it in my projects. I noticed that there is about a two-minute delay maybe because of my connection. I'm also limiting my users up to 4 at a time due to bandwidth constraints. FM Broadcast Test Time: 8:00-10:00 am.

Please leave a comment or e-mail me at c.e.1980@gmail.com, I want to hear from you!

---

1. A webcast is a media file distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology. As a broadcast may either be live or recorded, similarly, a webcast may either be distributed live or recorded. Essentially, webcasting is “broadcasting” over the Internet. The generally accepted use of the term webcast is the "transmission of linear audio or video content over the Internet". (Wikipedia)

CEH Centennial Celebration this 2008

Capiz Emmanuel Hospital is celebrating its Centennial Anniversary of providing health care services from January to December 2008.

Capiz Emmanuel Hospital is located at Roxas Avenue, Roxas City, Capiz beside Filamer Christian College and Capiz Evangelical Church, which are sister institutions. For more information, you can call (036) 6210-443.

PBB Big Night Winners

I'm no fan of Big Brother, but here's one for the masa...



(P.S. They removed the PBB Big Night Video with more than 10k hits in less than 2 days! hehe... Lousy!)

About the FCC Official Website

The Official Website of Filamer Christian College (http://www.filamer.edu.ph/) has been down for quite sometime now since its domain registration expired last Nov. 22, 2007. The person in charge for the domain did not renew the registration within the grace period.

I'm responsible for managing the content but not the domain. Rest assured that the site will be up and coming, and fresh contents will be uploaded regularly at http://www.filamer.edu.ph/.

For starters, here are some video links to the FCC@103 Foundation Week Celebration. Long live Filamer!


Dr. Señeres, FCC President, during the Alumni Night.


FCC College Computer Studies - Basketball Kings Again!


Cheer-Dance Featuring BSECE Pioneer Batch.

More to come at http://www.filamer.edu.ph/.

Visit Roxas City and Filamer Christian College this 2008!

Happy New Year! 2007 was a good one and we expect more good things this year 2008 for our school, Filamer Christian College, for Roxas City, and for our country as a whole.







If you have a chance take a tour of Roxas City and Filamer Christian College.