Not only that, I’ll be focused and committed in one way or another. And every day will be a better day. I won’t live it like it was my last day on earth, because I can.

See ya.

I hate to admit this, but I’m old.

A few weeks ago, ABS-CBN premiered a teleserye called Budoy. It’s about a young adult with Angel’s Syndrome, played by Gerald Anderson.

Inspirational? Heart warming? Makes people realize that persons with psycho-social disabilities exist? The first two, I’ll doubt. The third? Maybe.

However, I have a different point to make.

During a discussion in a social network, a friend pointed out that Budoy could promote stupidity in the future. A few hours after, I commentated that Budoy is nothing more than a show that feeds on the baser instincts of many Filipinos. A few posts after, an online buddy posted that he has Aspergers syndrome and doesn’t want to be relegated to some theater group for special children, whose productions can only be fully understood by the thinking élite and the participants of the theater group.  In fact, he’d rather be working as a director for a big television station.

As the thread went on and on, one person noted that that teleserye will feed more stereotypes to the Pinoy mentality (which is basically true), while another stated that “Budoy” will become part of a vocabulary of  insults by flippish children and more flippish adults. To conclude the conversation, the future director posted that “competent enough” Filipinos will be singled out and be subjected to name-calling and insults, like Tasyo in that Rizal novel.

Fast forward to yesterday. Someone asked if what’s the thing that made “Budoy” special. Here’s the summary of their answers:

• Unusual things/persons
• Stereotypes
• Appealing actors and actresses
• More rich versus poor crap (as if we haven’t been thoroughly exposed to that angle)
• More love triangle schiesse (not again)

Not only that, one posted that superficial stuff matter in Popular media, especially in mentally messed up Flipland the Philippines.

So, what’s it gonna be?

Postscript: Hindi ikaw Budoy. Delusyonado kayo.

Some content from this post were summarized from many posts gathered by the author.

UPDATE: Here’s a gem of a comment from YouTube:

Dapat ganito ang Pinapanood ng mga kabataan kaysa na nakaka gagong Budoy

Also, I’ll try to make a OpenStreetBugs fork within that time period. My purpose for it is to inform people of infrastructure lapses (unlit streets, potholes) so that they can be remedied to prevent future tragedies and crimes from happening. The fork’s initial name would be “Flashlight”

Not only that, I’ll use the almighty form 5a because I’ve successfully shifted from BS Applied Physics to BA Sociology. I’ll use this opportunity to thank those who helped and guided me in the various challenges, those who celebrated my triumphs, and to those who molded me into my present form. Especially my parents, relatives, peers, former classmates and batchmates.

Not only that, I will get a better grade in that subject.

UPDATE (10312011 at 2030 PHT): The initial posts feels “incomplete”. Hence, an update. In the next four months,

• I’ll release two OpenStreetMap-related posts – one to encourage government offices, entities, institutions and bureaus to use (and contribute to OpenStreetMap), another to encourage OpenStreetMap contributors to improve the data, and to fix (and hopefully prevent) certain kinks on the map, since a good number of Google Maps API users are planning to either shift to or have shifted to OpenStreetMap (due to the imposition of API limits).
• I’ll reconnect with my online friends, and meet with some of them in real life. Also, I’ll take part in my alma matter’s pearl anniversary sometime in January.
• I’ll deactivate my Facebook account sometime between November 15 and December 15.
• Finally, I’ll be updating certain OpenStreetMap-related goals in my OpenStreetMap Wiki userspace.

That’s all for now. See ya and have a Safe Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

Initial stages

Ask the nearby contributors if they’re cook with the skillshare event. If yes, proceed. If not, take your time. Maybe they’re too busy with IRL stuff.

Announcing the event

First, announce the skillshare event on the right mailing list. If nearby OpenStreetMap contributors use certain social networking sites/tools/platforms, invite them using those services. Checking your userpage in OpenStreetMap for nearby contributors won’t hurt either.

When making an announcement, take note of the time and date of the planned event. Make sure that you announce the event 2-3 weeks in advance to give you (and other organizers and participants) enough time to prepare and scout for a place where you can hold the event. If possible, as the other contributors for other possible meetup sites.

Scouting for locations

When looking for the right place, take note of the following:

• A good internet connection
• Plugs for laptops and other gadgets
• Ambiance/feel of the place
• Smoking areas
• Accessibility (fire exits, wheelchair access)
• Consumables offered (food, drinks, etc.)
• Mode of transportation used by contributors
• Distance of the place from contributors
• Public safety and the surrounding environment

As much as possible, visit the sites at least 1-2 weeks before the event.

Items to bring in the Skillshare event

• Laptop with OSM-related tools & programs (JOSM, Merkaartor, Mapsource, Maperitive)
• Batteries for laptops and/or an AC connector
• A GPS device or a mobile phone with GPS capabilities
• Miscellaneous writing materials
• Promotional items (leaflets, tarpaulin, stickers, pins & business cards just to name a few)
• Camera and/or mobile phone with in-built camera
• Some examples of OSM Maps

Announcing the event, part 2

Now that you’ve initially announced the event time and date and scouted for initial sites (and made a decision whether to select one place or another), it’s time for you to  announce the location of the Skillshare event on the mailing list and other social sites/tools/platforms.

Final preparations

Here are some questions that will guide you in the final preparations for the Skillshare event:

• Have you create a checklist containing things to bring in the skillshare event?
• Have you visited the place? Have you made any reservations (if required or necessary)?
• Is the area safe enough?
• Have the participants confirmed their attendance (or non-attendance) to the event?
• (For retail areas) Will big events [mall tours, sales] affect the ambiance of the event? Are you willing to postpone it for another day?

If you’re done with the final preparations, then it’s time for you to host the event [and hope that nothing wrong will happen on that day].

The event itself

When meeting mappers, introduce yourself, and vice versa. After the introduction, have a brief chat. [Possible discussion points: What brought you to OSM, did it change your life, were you diagnosed with OCOSMD] Once the chat is over you may want to make an intro that the Skillshare event has started.

To start the Skillshare event, introduce yourself to the participants, then explain to them that they’re attending an OpenStreetMap Skillshare event (it’s an event where experienced OpenStreetMap contributors give hands-on tutorials to newbies mapping techniques and other fun things you can do with OpenStreetMap data). After that, explain to them what is OpenStreetMap, its origins and the evolution of the map in various places – London, Berlin, Paris, Atlanta, Kibera, Gonaives, Sendai, Tandale, and your local area/s.

Once you’re done with explaining the origins of the map, explain and expand the reasons why we should use OpenStreetMap. Below are my suggestions – you can freely add your own.

• It costs less and has less copyright restrictions compared to other maps
• Anyone can contribute to it
• It’s crowd-sourced and community-based
• The data in the map can be improved

Once we’re done with the reasons part, go to the part where you’ll explain the challenges met by OpenStreetMap contributors. You can add more concerns, if needed.

Though contributing to the map is interesting, many contributors have faced many challenges in their mapping experience. Some of them are:

• The lack of high-resolution imagery.
  
• Not enough contributors
• “Broken edits” done by some contributors. To quote a more experienced OpenStreetMap contributor, “You spilled the milk, you wipe off the liquid with a cloth. If you notice it, email the concerned user.”
• Contributors who aren’t active
• Places that can’t be mapped. Some countries like Israel and Russia have strict rules when it comes to cartography-related concerns. For example, military installations, power generation and distribution facilities and other places are omitted on some maps due to security-related issues.
• Misconceptions. From comparison with Wikipedia to association with other companies (CloudMade, MapQuest) to data inaccuracy. Fortunately, they can either be clarified or corrected.

“Despite the challenges, I believe that they can be overcome through patience, trial and error, cooperation and consensus. Besides, we all want OpenStreetMap to succeed.“

From this point, you’ll explain some reasons why should people contribute to OpenStreetMap. Again, you can add more examples.

• Tourists, backpackers, and other travelers will use it to find their way towards their destinations and related facilities.
• People from the education sector can use it to teach cartography, point out the notable places in their local area, and increase the awareness of their respective neighborhood and communities
• Persons employed in service and logistics-related companies can use it to aid their delivery of various goods and services
• Businesses can highlight their online presence [without resorting to online advertisements] and put the neighborhood/s that host them on the map

Now that we’re done with the benefits part, explain to them the process of contributing to OpenStreetMap.

• Create an account on OpenStreetMap.org
• Edit [will be discussed in a few moments]
• A more experienced mapper introduces you to the local OpenStreetMap community
• You’ll learn from other mappers and vice versa
• You’ll improve your mapping skills and have a somewhat unique editing style
• Your work will be featured in OpenStreetMap, for the right reasons
• You’re contributing to OpenStreetMap! Keep up the good work!

Once we’re done with that, go ahead to the part where we get GPS traces and uploading it to the OpenStreetMap database

• Open your GPS and/or a GPS-enabled phone
• Get a reliable signal
• Go to your destination
• Take notes
• Extract GPS traces from your device
• Clean them using Mapsource or JOSM
• Upload them to OSM for tracing

Once we’re done with this part, you’ll teach them how to get POI’s using their gadgets.

• Enter waypoint
• Take notes
• Extract waypoints
• Convert to GPX if necessary
• Upload to OSM for tracing

To be fair with those who don’t have a GPS [as in the case of some OpenStreetMap contributors], introduce to them the concept of “Walking Papers”

• Go to walking-papers.org
• Scroll to the “Make a Print” section below
• Go to the area where you want to map
• Once satisfied, choose the orientation (portrait or landscape)
• Once done, click on “Make”. It will take you to a page that you to a page that says “Preparing your print”. Don’t worry, you can bookmark that page and re-enter that site in 15-30 minutes.
• Once you re-enter that page, you’ll notice that there’s a link that says “Download map PDF for print”. Click on that link, then save it. After saving the PDF file, print it.
• Once you’re done printing, go outside and map!
• If you’re done mapping, scan the map as a JPEG file with a 200+ DPI resolution. You’ll use that JPEG file to edit OpenStreetMap.

Once you’re done with the waypoint/POI/note/trace gathering part, it’s time for you to introduce the editing part.

First, introduce to them a basic yet powerful OpenStreetMap editing tool – Potlatch2. [For more details go to the Potlatch2 Primer on the OpenStreetMap Wiki] After that, introduce to them a more powerful (yet memory intensive) editing program – JOSM. [For more details, go to the JOSM page on the OpenStreetMap Wiki. For the guide on how to use JOSM, go here.] You may also discuss other editors (like Merkaartor and Mapzen), if time and enthusiasm permits.

If you still have the time, invite them to participate in the talk-ph mailing list (http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-ph). If they are not part of it, then invite them. You may also invite them for another meetup or a mapping party in the near future. If they need more help (which tag to use, how to fix errors), send them the link to the OpenStreetMap help page (http://help.openstreetmap.org/)

And remember: Be friendly and courteous, even if some of them messed up a huge part of the map at some point.

Sources:

• http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Philippines/Events/SkillShare
• http://walking-papers.org/upload.php
• http://walking-papers.org/about.php

PB: Hi, Dr. Jelly!
Dr. Jelly: Hello, PB! Do you have good news for me?
PB: Yes, since you are interested in the entertainment industry in the Philippines.
Dr. Jelly: O RLY?
PB: Yes, you are. Anyhow, a matinee idol named Coco Martin kissed Maja Salvador. Apparently, the former didn’t realized the fact that the latter had a suitor named Matteo Guidicelli until the suitor gave Coco a fist in his face.
Dr. Jelly: When was that?
PB: During the Star Magic Ball last Saturday.
Dr. Jelly: Are you sure about that?
PB: Yes, Dr. Jelly.
Dr. Jelly: What was the outcome?
PB: During the ball, it was tense. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed.
Dr. Jelly: What happened next?
PB: Maja appeared in “The Buzz”, cried her heart out and wished that the two will bury the hatchet on the ground and stop the fighting. The next day, Matteo apologized in the noontime show that he co-hosts. Matteo’s co-hosts in “Happy Yipee Yehey” took a neutral stand and also hoped for a peaceful settlement.
Dr. Jelly: Pardon my french but this is total bullshit. I have a hunch that this is used to promote something.
PB: Okay, Dr. Jelly. Will chat with you later.

I’ve read two interesting points of view about the “heroism” of Ninoy Aquino today. The first is by that noted enemy of home furnishings, Philstar columnist William Esposo.  He makes the point that the real value of Aquino’s death, what earned him the sobriquet of “hero,” was that it gave the nation courage to speak out openly against the excesses of the Marcos regime. The other point of view is from Paul Farol – who generally does not spend so m … Read More

via Weather on Neptune

The book 1984 is about a member of the Outer Party who eventually dabbled with various kinds of rebellion (one example of it is to have sex for the sake of sex, which is illegal) having to the point that he got snitched on by his “closest contacts”. If you’re going to buy the book or look for the ebook, which is clandestinely distributed in some countries due to copyright laws, then you’ll probably understand the next set of paragraphs.

Oceania is similar to the Philippines while “Big Brother” is just a figurehead. In reality, BB is just a puppet of the Inner Party. The Inner Party represents the ones who have the power – the oligarch scum that is known to distort facts and waste people just to keep their asses in power. Winston Smith represents the government officials who are either disgruntled with the current regime or powerless citizens who claim that they can’t do anything about it. The proles are the “masa”, who are distracted by prolefeed, various stuff that the regime and its lackeys produce. Some members of the masa provide “distraction” to other members of the masses (go figure).

People like Julia and O’Brien represent the oligarchs who are entrenched in government positions and they have various goals – one goal is to perpetuate their political influence and go on a “power trip” while another goal is to make those offices, bureaus and departments their personal cash cows. Some are so loyal to the ones in power that they mount attack on the government’s perceived enemies.

The telescreens are television sets, computers and various gadgets – garbage in, garbage out. Fortunately, we can shut them off. What about Newspeak? We got Taglish, a bastard language used by and intentionally promoted in the media to lose our competitive edge.

I have a difficult time in comparing Eurasia and Eastasia to IRL examples, except for the fact that Eastasia is “centered” around China, which claims a chunk of Philippine territory (the town of Kalayaan in Palawan).

We have various ministries, though the applications and functions are different. For example, doctoring photos to eliminate persons who were killed because they were a threat to the party. Instead, various kinds of people are doctoring photos using programs applications and sites like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP and Picnik. Though the the use of such technologies in the present is not bad, it has been used to manipulate various stuff like in China and Syria.

We have our own version of Two Minutes Hate. It is found in pro-oligarch editorials, opinion columns, news reports, and various commentaries, plus official pronouncements from the palace along the river. Too bad that many proles believe in it.  Our version of Hate Week is the State of the Nation Address and various speeches from certain government officials who glorify the Highway to Hell the Straight Path and vilify the various enemies of the government (collectively known as “The Noisy Minority”)

I forgot to mention that our version of Emmanuel Golstein is either Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo or Ferdinand Edralin Marcos. Or both.

Also, books like Greed and Betrayal by Cecil Arillo are being chucked into memory holes because many established bookstores and bookshops do not carry them since they are either connected to or support the oligarchs.

We are lucky since we don’t have a though police. But we should be vigilant, as the Yellow Zombie regime will do use any method necessary to lengthen their stay in power – an irony since they used that alibi in halting necessary changes in the constitution.

Final note: I may not understand the book in its entirety or add similarities and comparisons between the events and scenarios that happen in the book and our current situation but it gives us an ample warning and a preview of a nightmare that will scare the ones who truly love our country.

Also, constitutional reform is an advocacy that many Filipinos want to succeed, especially if the goal of such reforms is to lessen the influence of Imperial Manila, to liberate the economy from clauses that the oligarchs benefited from and to have an efficient system of government that chucks away the likes of rabblerousers and attention whores.

Ian: Good afternoon. I’m Ian and I’m going to interview you. Is that okay with you, sir?

Brownie: Sure. You can call me “Brownie”. I don’t want other people to know my “other name”.

Ian: Okay. Speaking of names, how did you enter the country?

Brownie: I flew from Tokyo to Manila using an assumed name. Used a Brazilian passport during my arrival, will use another identity when I get out – that is, when I survive raids by authorities.

Ian: Okay… So, how’s the Philippines?

Brownie: Leaves much to be desired. I LOL’d at immigration since they’re telling Filipinos to turn in our kind instead of turning them away. Thanks to that, more of my kind are entering your country in droves.

Ian: I think that the Tourism Department wouldn’t like to hear that. Anyway, what are the other aspects that you’ve noticed?

Brownie: I love the food, and I love the people even more. Especially that special group of people that makes my heart warm. Speaking of warm, the weather is hot and I can barely tolerate it. To be honest, it’s like Cancun.

Ian: Do you like the weather?

Brownie: Not that much, but it’s way better than summers in Brazil.

Ian: Have other places in mind?

Brownie: CamSur, Boracay and a lot of major cities plus typical tourist spots.

Ian: Are you afraid that something bad will happen to you once you enter Mindanao, considering that the area is volatile?

Brownie: Fuck no. Here to spread the love, not the hate. I’m sure that the people in Mindanao will understand.

Ian: you have a busy schedule, right?

Brownie: Yup. I have a flight later in the evening and its chartered by yours truly. If I go the commercial route, it would be a horrendous experience. plus, I could be arrested at the airport.

Ian: Why aren’t you in Laguna?

Brownie: No time, maybe in the summer.

Ian: Do you have time to go to Malacañang and deliver a message to our sports car-loving president?

Brownie: Not in the near future, but he should repeal RA 9775. “Protecting the children” is a great excuse to impose political controls and censorship and I don’t want that. Don’t cry running to me or to Anonymous once your country ends up like China or even worse, North Korea.

Ian: I understand that you’re busy buying and packing stuff for your flight. DO you have Skype? I may have to do a follow-up interview tomorrow or on the other day.

Brownie: Sure, Ian. I’ll give you my Skype account off the record.

Ian: Okay, Brownie.

This is the first part of my interview. In the next 3-4 weeks, I’m going to post at least two more interviews with the same subject. He will drop hints about his identity and personality in the succeeding interviews.

“Why the fuck aren’t you publishing my interview on your blog?”

I replied

“Busy with schoolwork”

After five minutes of electronic correspondence, he went offline but not before he sent this request:

“As much as possible, publish the first part of the interview on or before June 30. You can deal with other parts of the interview next month. Hope you make contact real soon!”

Yes, it’s time to GTFO of inactivity. Time to post an interview with someone who influenced me the most for the past year or so.