I’m not sure if you guys ever heard of Net Neutrality?  This is a current development seemingly threatening the Internet.  A debate is going on whether or not Internet access be limited to those who can “afford”.   As we all know, the Internet at this time is a free way of information accessible to everyone.  Rich or poor, sane or not, everyone has equal access.  Some politicians in the US are passing a bill to give the big phone and cable companies the power to pick and choose what you will be able to see and do on the Internet.  Those who  are currently controlling Internet access would like to build a two-tiered system to block the access of those who cannot afford.

Though I am not fully convinced that they could ever control the Internet fast lane, this just brings a concern for all of us who consider Internet to be an avenue of expression, data gathering and communication.  I just felt that these politicians are merely looking for some meaty reason to rip people of money when taxes are just ain’t enough to fill their pockets.

Posted: June 28th, 2008 under Blogging, Events, articles.
Comments: 4

Internet gaming was perceived impossible some 50 years back. A total flip side of today’s society where we are all get slapped and spanked with gadgets and gaming breakthroughs. To some this brings excitement. And to some, a threat.

Video games, online/offline RPGs and a whole lot more are consuming the attention of kids, teenagers and yuppies. No wonder most parents, girlfriends and wives hate this stuff.  Read more

Posted: June 7th, 2008 under Family stuff, MU, articles.
Comments: 3

All lights are out now except for this PC monitor. It’s 8PM and the earth shuts all the lights off for an enlightenment. The organizers of Earth Hour tapped all of the “earthlings” into genuine concern about climate change.

A lot of industries thought this is a chance to cut back on power consumption, I bet. I’m sure this one hour of shutting off reduces their power bills by a significant percentage. But there’s more to this than just that.

“It’s a signal that people care,” says Julia Langer of WWF-Canada. “It’s a way to do it that’s accessible to everyone.” True enough, this is a call where all people (with lights) could participate in. Turning off the lights for an hour maybe a very tiny step. But those who joined in this hour of darkness sends out a message that we are in fact one in saving our tiny planet.

Happy earth hour everyone.

Posted: March 29th, 2008 under Blogging, Events, articles.
Comments: 4

Let me share to you something from my Inbox.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don’t send this to at least 8 people….Who cares?

George Carlin

What a difference a sad event in someone’s life makes.
GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died…)

Isn’t it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70’s and 80’s - could write something so very eloquent…and so very appropriate.

Posted: February 14th, 2008 under articles.
Comments: 2

Have you checked your email lately? I bet you have. Do you know that a cracker, a person who tweaks and manipulates some system loop holes for their own benefit, could trace your email accounts, change your settings and could hold your online properties in ransom? I didn’t know that until I have read David Airey’s blog. Says there, Gmail is Hacked/Hijacked and left his business sabotaged. If you read through the entry, you’ll know about how a cracker stole and held his domain for ransom. In his site, he stated how it was taken away, how it was recovered and how much damage it caused him.

Thieves appear in many forms and permeate in various ways. We’ve heard stories of people with hacked online accounts, of people who had to pay for something they did not purchase with their card themselves, but they pay anyway just to maintain a good credit standing. My friend, Michelle, received an email from a “supposedly” Gmail admin, asking for her account access because of a needed settings reset. She replied with the details in all innocence thinking it was legit. The next day, she can no longer log in. And her boyfriend from Michigan asked her the next day “Why do you need such a huge sum of money?”, pertaining to an email he “received from her”. She realized that a cracker accessed her email and demanded money from her American boyfriend. Good thing that the bf called to check before sending anything. Another friend of mine uses her Yahoo email to receive funds through PayPal. One day she can no longer access her PayPal account. She remembered giving her Yahoo account details through a form sent by a “customer service” rep of Yahoo for “maintenance check”. It was too late, her email account was cracked and so was her PayPal. She notified PayPal for a transaction hold, but it was too late. The funds were all transferred. All she could do was a request to close her account and get a new one, to prevent the thief from using her credit cards and debit cards any further.

I’m sure we don’t want anything like that to happen to us or to anybody. But the truth is, it is happening and we should all be aware of the booby traps set around this filthy online world. I highly suggest that you do not use free emails as contact emails of important accounts like Online banking, PayPal, Ebay, Domain Hosting.. anything that’s of value to you. Thieves would steal anything valuable, for money’s sake. Also, make it a habit to Log Out when you’re done checking your emails. When you browse through the net with a logged in Gmail account, some unsecured sites track your mail accounts and start their crime from there. So never leave imprints of your email accounts anywhere in the net.

If your budget allows, get a Lifelock account. As shown in LifeLock.com, LifeLock is America’s #1 Identity Theft Prevention Program. Works like an insurance, they guarantee to shield your identity up to $1,000,000. They’ll prove to be the most advanced, safest and easiest to use in cases of Identity theft. They have an Identity Theft Quiz form. They offer protection services for a minimal fee and even discounts. Try visiting their website to get your own LifeLock promotion code and subscribe to their services.

Above all, be aware of what’s happening. Be mindful before you lose anything you’ve been working hard on.

Posted: January 4th, 2008 under Reminders, articles, work.
Comments: none