photo credit: inquirer.net

Saaad. My heart cries out to those who have lost their loved ones brought by the typhoon Sendong (Washi) that devastated Mindanao last week. To date, the flash floods have killed more than 1,000 people and left more than 40,000 homeless. Soo heartbreaking.

The President already ordered to investigate if illegal logging aggravated the damages.  Obviously, yes. The affected areas has been cleared by illegal logging so the soil wasn’t able to contain the immense rain, the flooding went down the mountains swiping the homes and villages nearby. Let’s do our part in saving our planet – plant more trees, reduce/reuse/recycle whatever you can, promote a “paperless office” (instead of printing piles of documents, let’s utilize the technology and use document imaging software), use renewable energy, conserve water etc. We can help in various ways!

I hope no more tragedies like this will happen again. Let’s work together and try to live in a way that doesn’t hurt our environment.

Finally, after 20++ years, I gave in and bought my first ever smartphone and I looovee it. It’s Galaxy Note, Babeeeeh!!! Brand spanking new!! I bought it last week with Ruthie. Thank you Ruth! Yesss, no remorse…for now. I hope I wont have any in the future hahahha.

Samsung Galaxy Note

And here are a few reasons whu I am loving it:

1. It’s super faaast! it’s even faster than my laptop LOL.
2. Its gigantic screen (5.3” display) makes everything easily readable
3. It’s huuuugeee but still very handy and it fits perfectly with my hands, it’s almost like we’re destined to be together LOL
4. Doesn’t look really awkward when you use it as a phone
5. It looks really stylish. Trust me, even if you’re just wearing a DASTER, you’d look 1000x times better with this phone lol
6. HD video baby! HD!!! I’m thinking of shooting a movie with this phone, you know.
7. S Memo and S Pen (aka stylus pen) so you can doodle whatever, whenever, wherever!
8. Super clear screen I can almost see your pores.
9. 8MP camera! Digicams today will become extinct tomorrow.

These are just 9 of the 10 things I love about my Samsung Galaxy Note phone. Will follow up with #10 when I’m done thinking about it LOL.

One of the many things I like about HK is their OCTOPUS CARD. It’s a small piece of card, ATM size, that you can use anywhere in HK – can be used on all forms of public transport (MTR trains, Airport Express, buses, Star Ferry, Peak Tram , as well as convenience stores, McDonald’s, KFC and many other stores).

There are no long lines and queeing anywhere in HK. I was totally impressed! It’ll be awesome if we can adapt that same system here in the Philippines. Imagine living in a cashless society. I really really like the idea. Convenient and efficient. The only prob I can see is issues of electronic pickpocketing may arise.

Octopus card uses RFID technology – same with credit cards and ATM cards, E-pass etc. These days, E-pickpockets can buy cheap RFID reader (similar to barcode scanners), sit next to you and steal your ATM cards and credit cards without you even knowing it. Ah, the downside of technology. While I agree that these advances can improve our lives, some of these inventions, could also be used to harm us.

There are also other forms of e-pickpocketing, esp in Paypal and email. Last year, I received a money request from someone I don’t know asking for 100$. I’m sure you also  have received a dozen emails telling you that you won $$$$$ and needs your bank info so they could send the money. So how to protect yourself from becoming the next victim of electronic pickpockets? Simple, just take extra care, manage your finances and use your common sense all the time.