I had to give up blogging for a while now. I've had a lot of work to do lately and with this in my mind ---- very little time to spend on blogging, irony, coz I face computers all the time.
At the moment, I'm making sure everything's in order since i'm organizing a workshop for our region and more or less 80 participants will be attending. hmmm...not a tough job 'coz i like organizing...
So I wanted to remind myself "to be like a duck". Always relaxed on the surface---no matter how my thoughts are scattered....
Sending large files is no more a problem to me now. I used to chop PowerPoint presentations just to match with the email attachment limits in Yahoo mail. It’s time consuming to the sender as well as the recipient. The sender needs to divide the file so it can equal the email requirements and send it twice. Once received, the recipient has to put back the files together. There’s no more need to do that. We can make use of free services for sending large files and even store large files online. Here I found ten useful sites where you can send and store large files. Most of these sites offer up to 2 GB of file attachment. These are sorted by service name, file size, download limit and file life.
1.SendOver | File Size : 2000 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 7 Days
2.Uploading | File Size : 500 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 30 Days
3.MegaShares | File Size : 1500 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 25 Days
4.mooload | File Size : 500 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 30 Days
5.zUpload | File Size : 500 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 30 Days
6.FileFactory | File Size : 500 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 15 Days
7.Spread-It | File Size : 500 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 14 Days
8.Bigupload | File Size : 300 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 30 Days
9.CyberUpload | File Size : 500 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 7 Days
10.RapidUpload | File Size : 300 (MB) | File Download Limit : Unlimited | File Life : 30 Days
My big sister (coined by hubby) from central office announced that she’s coming over next week to evaluate capacity of our regional office for an open source GIS. If they find us able, they will introduce the system. I asked her if all regions are involved or yung nakapag-workshop lang. Only few regions were selected and might be qualified for workshop daw in China. So, anyway, when I heard the news, I was glad kasi “finally final” na ang decision na pumunta dito because when we had a chat, na-refresh yung memory ko dahil last year pa niya plano punta dito but they were busy with the “ebola virus” incidence.
After that, she told me maybe makakasama siya or hindi but for sure an IT staff from FAO is sure to come. Then she asked if merong abu sayyaf dito sa Davao. I'm not surprised kasi when she mentioned FAO dapat secured and safe talaga. It reminded me nuong nandito din ang mga taga ACIAR, as in meron silang military guard. Funnily, I just thought that as long as Duterte is in power, they cannot penetrate here in Davao. At huwag naman sana! But I’m totally unaware of any abu sayyaf atrocities here in the city. So as usual, with the help of the internet, I found this article from www.abs-cbnnews.com about it. I honestly don't know if these were accurate or not, pero napansin ko lang tinira ng ASG ang Davao city 1993 and 2003. (???)
Timeline: The Abu Sayyaf atrocities
By Enrico Antonio La Vina and Lilita Balane, Newsbreak | 03/31/2009 11:53 PM
The abduction of the International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) personnel last January is only the latest in the string of terrorist acts perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf Group. Since the early 1990s, the group, which has sown terror mostly in the southern Philippines, has been involved with a number of kidnappings, beheadings, and bombings.
A number of these acts victimized civilians, foreigners and members of the media. Newsbreak compiled some of the most infamous atrocities perpetrated by the group since 1990s:
1991-1992: Abu Sayyaf Group launches a string of attacks against Christian churches, missionaries and communities. Two American evangelists are killed in a grenade attack in Zamboanga City, and the Christian missionary ship M/V Doulos is bombed.
December 26, 1993: Six people are killed and 132 wounded in the Abu Sayyaf’s bombing of a cathedral in DavaoCity.
June 10, 1994: The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) blames the Abu Sayyaf for bomb attacks in ZamboangaCity that left at least 71 people dead.
April 4, 1995: The ASG raids the town of Ipil in Zamboanga del Sur (now Zamboanga Sibugay). The attack left at least 53 people dead and wounded 48 others.
March 20, 2000: ASG kidnaps more than 50 students and teachers from two schools in Tumahubong, Sumisip, Basilan. Four of those kidnapped are killed.
April 20, 2000: GMA-7 Television reporter Suzan Enriquez is kidnapped in Basilan by the ASG. She is released after a few days.
April 23, 2000: The ASG kidnaps 19 foreigners and two Filipinos from a resort in Sipadan, Malaysia. Most of the hostages are released after paying ransom.
May 2000: Ten foreign journalists—seven Germans, a French, a Danish, and an Australian—are abducted in Jolo, Sulu. They were released after 10 hours.
July 2000: German Andreas Lorenz, who was kidnapped before on May 2000, was kidnapped again in Jolo, Sulu. He was released after 25 days.
French Television reporter Maryse Burgot, cameraman Jean-Jacques Le Garrec, and sound technician Roland Madura are abducted in Jolo, Sulu. They are released after two months in captivity.
ABS-CBN television reporter Maan Macapagal and cameraman Val Cuenca are abducted in Zamboanga. They were released after four days in captivity.
Televangelist Wilde Almed and 12 people from the Jesus Miracle Crusade go to the Abu Sayyaf base in Jolo, Sulu to pray over the 21 Sidapan hostages. The preachers are kidnapped and become captives of the ASG. They were rescued by the military a half month later.
August 28, 2000: American Jeffrey Schilling, a Muslim convert who went to the Philippines to marry a woman he met online, is kidnapped after visiting an Abu Sayyaf camp in Jolo, Sulu. He was rescued by the military on April 12, 2001.
May 27, 2001: The ASG abducts 20 foreign and Filipino tourists from Dos Palmas beach resort in Palawan and brings them to Basilan. The government then launches large-scale military rescue operations to free the hostages, including Americans Guillermo Sobero, Martin Burnham, and Gracia Burnham. Of the three Americans, only Gracia survived. Sobero was beheaded in June 2001.
January 2002: Philippine Daily Inquirer contributor and Net 25 television reporter Arlyn dela Cruz is captured in Zamboanga. She is released after over two months in captivity.
August 20, 2002: The ASG kidnaps six Filipino Jehovah’s Witness missionaries in Sulu. Two of them are beheaded while the remaining hostages are rescued and are able to escape. May 4, 2003: ASG claims responsibility for the bombing of the DavaoInternationalAirport in DavaoCity that killed 21 people and injured 166 others.
February 27, 2004: The SuperFerry 14 explodes and catches fire off the coast of Corregidor Island. The incident killed at least 100 people. The government later filed criminal charges against six people linked to the ASG.
July 10, 2007: The AFP sends 50 troops to Basilan to search for a missing Italian priest.
The soldiers are ambushed and 14 of them were killed. Ten of the soldiers are beheaded. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front blames the Abu Sayyaf Group for the incident.
June 2008: ABS-CBN reporter Ces Oreña Drilon and cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama are kidnapped in Jolo, Sulu. Valderama is released on June 12 while the other two hostages were released on June 17 .
January 15, 2009
Gunmen on motorcycles intercept a vehicle carrying three representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The workers are 62 year-old Italian national Eugenio Vagni; 38 year-old Swiss national Andreas Notter; and 44 year-old Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba. Lacaba was released on April 2 and Notter on April 18.Vagni still captive.
When I began working I never realized how data was important until I was assigned in a project which would entail me to handle large amounts of data. I confess that before I was careless in a sense that I didn’t have a tracking system on how data should be kept or stored or how it should be used. There are really times that I would do poorly but not badly. So one day, I just got interested because I have to take responsibility and who wants to look bad?
Data is very important. We are a data-driven government. If we don’t present data, we don’t have budgets. No input, no output, no outcomes. And last Thursday in our travel to one of the municipalities, I had a bad experience of witnessing how three people clash because nobody could present the information that we need. It’s so frustrating to hear that they have no idea on how to do their job. There was a (usual) problem of not getting progress reports. We were there to get updates and also to visit those eight barangays to get their GPS location coordinates. So it turned out ugly because when the person in charge with the reports was confronted, he became very defensive and had so many issues and most bolted out difficulties before he can produce a report. They seem to be at odds at everything. I would be spiteful to predict that it was a “politics” thing. Maybe this would have a familiar ring to others who would have to deal with local government counterparts. They were cutting each other in-front of us. Awful anger.Tsk.tsk.tsk!
I felt there were many issues to be resolved between them. But honestly, I think they can’t resolve it. I'm pretty sure oldies would never allow a chance to let go.
Anyway, because of what happened, I’m going to speak to a bunch of report officers from their province to discuss about the importance of data or data management.
“Man is a tool-using animal….without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all.” Thomas Carlyle
Did you ever try doing your work without a tool? Did you ever felt helpless at that time? I work in an office and fortunately, I got all the things I need to do my work. I have my desk, pc, printer, camera, telephone and internet. And if I realized I didn’t have something that I need that is essential to do my work, I ask for it. And thank God that my boss is supportive, as long as you can convince him that you really need it, you will really really get it. My conscience is bothering me; it seemed I heard him yelling “How come you don’t get things done right away?” (sorry, never heard him yelled. Not yet) Why I don’t get things done right away?--that’s another story, another time, OK.
Last Friday, I got engaged in a long text messaging with my brother. He’s over 30 and yet, he seeks my opinions like I’m a real good role model. I know myself; I can say and affirm that I am a role model at least in his eyes. Whenever we exchange messages, I always sense that he needs motivation, encouragement and inspiration. I always felt strong about giving advises. I presumed he missed our father. He was 15 years old when Papa died. But that’s not the issue.
There were issues. But I only want to talk about the issue regarding his work duties. His work is technical which requires him to travel to give animal health assistance to livestock owners. I told him not to complain if he gets exhausted since he knew beforehand what his work entailed when he applied for it. I told him that those who persevered knew that they were tired but keep on trying because they’re working towards a goal. Never focus on being negative—like being tired and unhappy because you will attract more tiredness and unhappiness. He told me further that what really makes him tired to do his job is that, an office jerk is insensitive to their needs. The jerk regularly wants him to do technical assistance WITHOUT providing gasoline…that’s OK unless my brother wants to be an office HERO! That’s OK unless brother wants to spend utterly disgusting very low salary on gasoline alone. The jerk wants him to provide visual documentation without providing him camera and computer. It really puzzles me why jerk expect brother to achieve high standards when they are poor in resources. The jerk was totally unsupportive, insensitive when brother tried reasoning out lack of office resources.
So I told him now that this will get crooked for a while so he better stay low profile. He better shift his mind on happy thoughts and try concentrating on his other goal – job hunting.
I’ve been interviewed for a potential part time job lately. It was a mock interview- thought it was part of the course. Once the interviewer started, he told me right away, I really don’t understand people from the government. I think that you have a stable job and pretty good experience, why are you still applying for us? I never thought he didn’t see my objective was to secure a part-time career in a customer-driven environment. It’s never my intention to resign from my current job because I still love the leniency, in fact, I’m not feeling guilty if for a time now, work didn’t get 100% of my time. He proceeded to ask me about pressure. How would I handle pressure? I told him that, for many years, I’ve been doing work alone, without a team. I do multi-tasking and it’s really not difficult as long as I have a system or time management. I thought I gave a good answer. I was doing well because I prepared for it – although it was just a mock interview but I learned that was already for employment. I already figured out that they’re not enthusiastic about hiring an 8-5 employee. I asked questions about technical support and he told me about it. I told him that I might be interested in that account since most of my experience was to provide information to clients or troubleshooting in the computer. I got recommended then for technical support but I didn’t apply for it. They have a flexible schedule but it didn’t suit me. Out of the question (at the moment)
Before this interview, our young instructor asked me if I’d be willing to resign from my job, heck, I told him no! I figured out from him that they usually didn’t hire full time employees for the reason that the job I’m applying had to use a lot of energy. And if you have an 8-5 job, the energy level for your part time job might be affected. Well, that’s somewhat true for part-time jobs that have employers but I enjoy doing part time jobs online where I do transcription at Amazon Mturk.
Anyway, since they’re not hiring a full-time employee for a part-time job and I’m not gonna resign from my current job--- the feeling is mutual! But I have to thank them because I enjoyed the course and I learned so many things. The tips are practical and they’re very effective.
I finished a report yesterday that's been taking so long to finish at my desk. I know this is some pathetic excuse not to submit it on due date.I cannot just invent the reports because these should be verified by our lab units. Before I could make a report, I have to contact all concerned regions to submit their reports to me. And before the regions can do that, they have to contact the provinces. It doesn't stop there, the province have to ask the reports from the municipalities and from the barangays. Just imagine how long the reports get back to me, how long I have to wait or how long the central office can read this reports. Or worse, it won't get read at all.
It's such a nagging concern for me everytime I wait because I couldn't do anything to make them submit on time. I totally understand their situation. It's not very easy to do their job. Sometimes their bounded by many factors why they couldn't do their job efficiently. Often times, the reasons are economic. What's a better reason than that? Maybe people have other priorities, consequently, they don't get support and cooperation from the people who should give support. Or there's only one person doing all of the jobs because they can't afford to hire another person.You know how it works if you're from this government.
I harass, hahaha that's not the right word. So I ask again and again, no matter how annoying I may be when I need the reports. Good thing there's chikka and YM, I can send messages easily when I ask for it. I used to communicate with them through formal letters. It's just depressing to imagine the long chain again. I'm thankful and appreciate the technology.
Meantime, while I wait again to complete the partial reports, I'm just thankful, I can blog. Blogging helps clear my mind. Blog, blog, blog.......
