The first of three consecutive Sundays of boxing featuring Filipino champions produced wonderful results. Flyweight champion Nonito 'The Flash' Donaire defanged previously unbeaten Raul ‘La Cobrita’ Martinez over four one-sided rounds this morning. This proves that Donaire's best known win over Vic Darchinyan was not a fluke. The Filipino Flash proved his power again in this fight knocking down his opponent twice in round one, once in round two, and once again in round four. The referee might have prematurely waived off the fight since the Martinez showed signs of recovery in round three and just prior to the last knockdown. Martinez initially appeared to protest but eventually relented and congratulated the winner.
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In 'The Furious' side of the bill, Brian Viloria captured the crown of frequent Filipino tormentor Ulises Solis with a spectacular eleventh round knockout. Viloria started very well in the first five rounds, inflicting cuts over Solis' both eyes. Solis was deducted points in rounds three and five for low blows. But in the second half of the fight, Solis appeared to outbox Viloria, until Viloria unleashed a well-timed “Hawaiian Punch” that dropped Solis in round eleven. The former champion was not able to get up before the referee made the full count.
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Promising Filipino fighter Denver Cuello won a vacant alphabet soup belt with a fourth round knock-out over his opponent. He earlier scored a knockdown in round three.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Not as good as advertised
My office had our annual team building today. This is my first time to join this summer event in my three years at the organization. I decided to come along because of the fun stories and happy pictures brought back by those who join. The photos of the venue, as posted in their website, were also very inviting. The pricing scheme posted in the website was snobbish (in dollars, and they were boasting of affiliate resorts in other tropical countries). A world class resort in Rizal, this I got to see. This might just as well be a good way to escape the searing summer heat if only for a day.
The mandatory games, trivial as they are, were good for their 15-seconds of laughter. After the games we went to explore the other services and amenities of the resort. The Thunderbird Resort in BInangonan, Rizal is a hotel casino overlooking Laguna de Bay. It boasts of a private 18-hole golf course and an infinity pool, and of course casinos. Prior to coming over, organzers told us that there were some restrictions like - trunks only, no surfboard shorts for men; no sandals or shorts in the casinos. Ok, we understand. It's world-class after all.
The golf course covers a wide expanse of the hilly area. I don't play golf, and if I do, I don't think I'll be hitting and following a ball over 7000 yards under the unforgiving sun. I didn't prepare to swim either because I didn't want to bring home wet towels and clothes. And the infinity pool turned to be very finite. The photo on their website was cleverly cropped just off the pool's edge. The majority decided not to swim either. The pool was small for all two busloads of us. It was not as good as advertised.
The rooms were spacious and comfortable enough - for a family of four. If you try to squeeze a busload, they are bound for some discomfort. So I went to the casino where two of my sandal-clad office mates charme the guard to let them in. So much for the shoes only policy. I told my officemates of my theory of malas sa sugal, suerte sa pag-ibig. They all wanted to be both. Those who lost in the slots comforted themselves that they were lucky in love anyway.
As for me I walked away with Php300. How did I do that? I went in with a Php1000.
The mandatory games, trivial as they are, were good for their 15-seconds of laughter. After the games we went to explore the other services and amenities of the resort. The Thunderbird Resort in BInangonan, Rizal is a hotel casino overlooking Laguna de Bay. It boasts of a private 18-hole golf course and an infinity pool, and of course casinos. Prior to coming over, organzers told us that there were some restrictions like - trunks only, no surfboard shorts for men; no sandals or shorts in the casinos. Ok, we understand. It's world-class after all.
The golf course covers a wide expanse of the hilly area. I don't play golf, and if I do, I don't think I'll be hitting and following a ball over 7000 yards under the unforgiving sun. I didn't prepare to swim either because I didn't want to bring home wet towels and clothes. And the infinity pool turned to be very finite. The photo on their website was cleverly cropped just off the pool's edge. The majority decided not to swim either. The pool was small for all two busloads of us. It was not as good as advertised.
The rooms were spacious and comfortable enough - for a family of four. If you try to squeeze a busload, they are bound for some discomfort. So I went to the casino where two of my sandal-clad office mates charme the guard to let them in. So much for the shoes only policy. I told my officemates of my theory of malas sa sugal, suerte sa pag-ibig. They all wanted to be both. Those who lost in the slots comforted themselves that they were lucky in love anyway.
As for me I walked away with Php300. How did I do that? I went in with a Php1000.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Use Facebook, Get low grades?
There's a new reason to stay away from Facebook, if a new study from Ohio PhD candidates is to be believed. According to the study, college students who use the social network have significantly lower grade-point averages than those who do not. The study surveyed undergraduate and graduate students and found that GPAs of Facebook users typically ranged a full grade point lower than those of nonusers. But the study also says that most of Facebook members did not believe there was any link between their GPA and their networking habits.
The authors clarify that the study does not suggest that Facebook directly causes lower grades, merely that there's some relationship between the two factors. "Maybe [Facebook users] are just prone to distraction. Maybe they are just procrastinators," said one of the authors.
Hmm, does the study indicate that I, and my 90 friends, are less intelligent? Or if not, are we procrastinators? Or are we easily distracted?
Other earlier studies have warned that social networks were "infantilizing the brain into the state of small children" by shortening the attention span and providing constant instant gratification. A new book, iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind, warns of desensitizing effects of social networks and other modern technology to reading real-life facial expressions and understanding the emotional context of subtle gestures.
The study may have its flaws and there are definitely other distractions aside from the social network sites. Facebook tries to defend itself by pointing out a study released earlier this month showing that personal Internet use at work can help focus workers' concentration and increase productivity. Facebook also said that "it's in the hands of students, in consultation with their parents, to define priorities and decide how to spend their time." That is equally true with the workforce and management. Facebook is saying don't blame us, blame the users.
People do spend a lot of time logged onto Facebook. A Nielsen report earlier revealed that social networks are the fastest rising segment of the Internet. Educators are iked with students who post messages more than listen to lectures. Management is equally up in arms. Offices have banned Facebook, etal., on their corporate computer networks. But there's no stopping this surge.
I found a lot of former classmates through the social networks, particularly Facebook. We are now happily reminiscing, catching up, and once again sharing heartaches, pleasures, ideas. Facebook did its function famously, it connected me with my past friends. It is the educators' and management's turn to find ways to do their jobs amidst these technological innovations.
The authors clarify that the study does not suggest that Facebook directly causes lower grades, merely that there's some relationship between the two factors. "Maybe [Facebook users] are just prone to distraction. Maybe they are just procrastinators," said one of the authors.
Hmm, does the study indicate that I, and my 90 friends, are less intelligent? Or if not, are we procrastinators? Or are we easily distracted?
Other earlier studies have warned that social networks were "infantilizing the brain into the state of small children" by shortening the attention span and providing constant instant gratification. A new book, iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind, warns of desensitizing effects of social networks and other modern technology to reading real-life facial expressions and understanding the emotional context of subtle gestures.
The study may have its flaws and there are definitely other distractions aside from the social network sites. Facebook tries to defend itself by pointing out a study released earlier this month showing that personal Internet use at work can help focus workers' concentration and increase productivity. Facebook also said that "it's in the hands of students, in consultation with their parents, to define priorities and decide how to spend their time." That is equally true with the workforce and management. Facebook is saying don't blame us, blame the users.
People do spend a lot of time logged onto Facebook. A Nielsen report earlier revealed that social networks are the fastest rising segment of the Internet. Educators are iked with students who post messages more than listen to lectures. Management is equally up in arms. Offices have banned Facebook, etal., on their corporate computer networks. But there's no stopping this surge.
I found a lot of former classmates through the social networks, particularly Facebook. We are now happily reminiscing, catching up, and once again sharing heartaches, pleasures, ideas. Facebook did its function famously, it connected me with my past friends. It is the educators' and management's turn to find ways to do their jobs amidst these technological innovations.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Everything is connected
We are none of us alone; Even as we exhale, it is inhaled by others; The light that shines upon me, shines upon my neighbor as well; In this way, everything is connected to everything else; In this way, I am connected to my friend even as I am connected to my enemy; In this way, there is no difference between me and my friend; In this way, there is no difference between me and my enemy; We are none of us alone.
These lines are from my new favorite TV show, "Life", about a wrongly imprisoned cop who got his job back and now does police detective work with Zen. In this age of hyper-connectivity, with all the social networking sites and tools around, indeed now we are none of us alone.
Social networking is the new global consumer phenomenon. According to a Nielsen report, two-thirds of the world’s Internet population visit a social network or blogging site and the sector now accounts for almost 10% of all internet time. Social network and blogsites has overtaken personal email to become the world’s fourth most popular online sector after search, portals and PC software applications.
Facebook has become the dominant player in social networking sites. The phenomenal increase in the amount of time people are spending on these sites is changing the way people spend their time online and affects how people behave, share and interact within their normal daily lives. According to the same Nielsen report time spent on social network and blogging sites grew at over 3x the rate of overall Internet growth. In terms of audience numbers the greatest growth for Facebook, for instance, has come from people aged 35-49 years of age. My school mates and I belong to that demographics. It is not surprising that after more than 35 years we meet again online.
Among Filipinos, Friendster got an early foothold in the market. But its ornate design appeals more to the younger set. Some say it is 'jologs' and Facebook is the 'sosyal' version. I do have accounts in almost all the various platforms because I invariably accept all account invitations sent my way, but I actively maintain only my FB account.
I joined Facebook to keep in touch with fellows I met in a conference and to meet new ones that share the same passion for RSS for banks' online communications and other web applications. It is pure serendipity that I got in touch with elementary school classmates as well. With Internet search and social networking sites, I managed to track down several more classmates and friends and relatives. I hope that soon everyone will be connected with everyone, again.
These lines are from my new favorite TV show, "Life", about a wrongly imprisoned cop who got his job back and now does police detective work with Zen. In this age of hyper-connectivity, with all the social networking sites and tools around, indeed now we are none of us alone.
Social networking is the new global consumer phenomenon. According to a Nielsen report, two-thirds of the world’s Internet population visit a social network or blogging site and the sector now accounts for almost 10% of all internet time. Social network and blogsites has overtaken personal email to become the world’s fourth most popular online sector after search, portals and PC software applications.
Facebook has become the dominant player in social networking sites. The phenomenal increase in the amount of time people are spending on these sites is changing the way people spend their time online and affects how people behave, share and interact within their normal daily lives. According to the same Nielsen report time spent on social network and blogging sites grew at over 3x the rate of overall Internet growth. In terms of audience numbers the greatest growth for Facebook, for instance, has come from people aged 35-49 years of age. My school mates and I belong to that demographics. It is not surprising that after more than 35 years we meet again online.
Among Filipinos, Friendster got an early foothold in the market. But its ornate design appeals more to the younger set. Some say it is 'jologs' and Facebook is the 'sosyal' version. I do have accounts in almost all the various platforms because I invariably accept all account invitations sent my way, but I actively maintain only my FB account.
I joined Facebook to keep in touch with fellows I met in a conference and to meet new ones that share the same passion for RSS for banks' online communications and other web applications. It is pure serendipity that I got in touch with elementary school classmates as well. With Internet search and social networking sites, I managed to track down several more classmates and friends and relatives. I hope that soon everyone will be connected with everyone, again.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Easter Master 4
Whew! Tiger was gone, so was Phil. With Kenny Perry up by 2 with 2 holes to go, I went to the office thinking that there will be no more drama to unfold in the Masters. Dead wrong. I have thought it was for Kenny Perry to lose. But I thought he'd lose it to Tiger. Kenny choked and lost it alright, but to Angel Cabrera, in a playoff. Seems people named Perry are in a funk nowadays. Sayang!
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