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Safeguard the Web for Children

bloggerpower.jpgI came across Thinking Blog entry on “[tag]Safeguard the Web for Children[/tag]” which is originally a campaign from Blogger Power.

Basically, Blogger Power, is an open letter to all adult website owners:

“Please require a password-protected login before allowing even free access to explicit adult content. We understand that selling porn is your business and we respect your right to make a legal living. But understand our legitimate concerns and work with us. You already have the ““warning adult content” on your websites. Yet kids, who are not legal customers of your product, ignore the warning. So to prevent them from having direct access to explicit images, texts and sounds, the simplest way is to have a password-protected login. No more ‘free tours’ before a visitor supplies basic information.”

FACT: Children today are often left alone with a computer and sometimes visit pornographic sites accidentally. I truly support this move.

As a mother, I often monitored my children’s surfing activities until their high school years. In 1996, Lauren then a 10 year old often used my computer in my bedroom. One afternoon, I excused myself to get a phone call. Kids these days type really fast so by the time I returned to my room , I found Lauren with a puzzled look. Right in front of her, the images splashed across the screen was explicit sexual act with all genitals exposed. Mortified, I asked her why she was at that site. Seeing my horrified look, she meekly stammered that she typed the word “chat room” so she could chat with kids her age. The first link she clicked led her to that adult site. At that moment, I explained to her all about porn and the sexual act. Before this happened, I already educated her about sex through the CD “Adam’s body” but graphical images were never displayed. Sometimes I wonder if my dear daughter got traumatized at those porn images.

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Thursday Thirteen:Number 2

Thirteen Things to do before Moving to our New Home

I can’t believe it’s just 16 days before we move to our new home . My head reels of a thousand and one things to do. In fact, I carry a paper planner with me all the time. I take note of all my daily activities to keep me on track. In honor of [tag]Thursday Thirteen[/tag], allow me to list the top 13:

1. Order appliances like the refrigerator, gas stove, washing machine, water heaters and airconditioner. Why new ones? Well, our appliances are over 10 year old and almost dying. In fact, the airconditioner in our room conked out. Butch and I sleep in either L and M’s room if it’s vacant. If not, we sleep in the spare room just so we can enjoy the cool comfort of an airconditioned room.

2. Buy new beds for L and M. The girls want a new look in their respective rooms. “mom, our rooms are a 10 year old look”, they protest. I gave them the freedom to take ownership of their room design.

3. Prepare internet connection. I will have to cancel my internet service provider, Destiny Cable effective end of March. I’m sad to say goodbye to my trusty 8 year old provider. In 1999, they were the only cable or broadband provider and they have been really efficient and reliable. Unfortunately, Destiny Cable Internet is not yet covered in Pasig.

Since I need redundant internet connection, I will continue Smart Bro subscription since connection has been quite good the past few months. In place of Destiny Cable, I am choosing between PLDT and Globe Broadband. Any ideas?

Globe Broadband has this new promo that comes with free landline use and an internet connection for only 999 pesos a month. PLDT came out with the same promo at 888 pesos (?).

I might get Globe Visibility too.

4. Prepare for another garage sale on March 3. I think I have disposed about 1/4 of our junk but there are a few left. My husband surprised me by discarding his old clothes (oh joy!) and some of his books. Still, I am not satisfied. He needs to remove a lot of his stuff.

5. Finalize the design of custom made cabinets and tables. Thanks to Connie, I found Marlon, a talented carpenter totally dedicated to his craft. Right now, he is painting the work station I designed for my sooo disorganized husband. Other customized furniture in queue: bay window table for M, writing table for me and L. The problem is Marlon might need to leave for Australia anytime.

6. Finalize all documents for the sale. Our loan was just released last week so registration of title , and other papers need to be in place.

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Ten Ways to Getting Through Hard Times

twins.jpgA footage from “Joined for Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16” via The Learning Channel can truly inspire us during our deepest darkest despair. “Abigail and Brittany Hensel (born 7 March 1990, United States), are dicephalic [tag]conjoined twins[/tag]. Brittany is the left twin, and Abigail is the right twin. They have two spines which join at the pelvis. They have two stomachs, three lungs, and two arms. ” They are intelligent, energetic, fun-loving girls who just happen to share one set of legs and one set of arms – each girl controlling one half of their conjoined body.

Abigail and Brittany narrate their top ten list of interests since they turned 11. Despite the obstacles , they are able to drive, shop, attend high school which any “normal” teenager would love to do. After watching their video, I am amazed to see their wonderful positive attitude and their ability to live a normal life. Of course, they are probably adapted to their bodies.

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Thursday Thirteen:Number 1


Thirteen Things about Me

Naturally the first thirteen things should be about me, so here goes:

1. My mom got my name from the Biblical name, Naomi

2. My husband calls me “Noyt” because of our then toddler , Lauren who couldn’t pronounce “noem”.

3. I am the second among 7 siblings.

4. I became interested in computers in 1980.

5. I cannot drive without pop music playing inside the car.

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Fellow Pinoy Blogger Legal Fund Drive

justiceFellow blogger Abe is in a legal mess. After reading J Angelo’s entry on Help Out a Fellow Pinoy Blogger, I knew I had to do my share. I am aware on how much Abe has spent already in the quest to clear his innocence from a [tag]libel suit[/tag] filed against him (for case details, read this). I know he is not even responsible for posts made in that forum. Why doesn’t the complainant demand the original poster? Why does it have to be the web host?

J Angelo and Blog Herald are finding ways to start a legal fund:

In line with this, some regular readers of the Herald suggested that we help out Abe with his expenses by setting up a legal fund. After all, this is a case where online publications are involved. And this could happen to any blogger (I’ve heard of bloggers in other countries being sued because of comments that readers have posted).

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Pinoy Moms Network

Pinoy Moms Network
On a lazy sunday night (February 4, 2007), I surfed to Connie’s blog and saw her mommy links. I thought about the wonderful moms on my own blogroll and wondered if these mom blogs garnered adequate exposure to the blogosphere. I knew I could just link them in my blogroll but I thought linkages did not cut it enough. Last Monday, Connie talked to me via Google Talk about the possibility on ““pinoy mommy blogs to go high profile”.

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What Blogging brought me

Sorry Annamanila for the delay of this meme. Reason is that this meme is similar to my talk on Personal Blogging Experience which I gave at Digital Filipino’s Blogging and Social Networking Forum last January. And I didn’t feel like blogging about a similar topic just yet.

I started this blog almost a year ago and Blogging has brought me so much, more than I ever imagined it to be. I feel that writing about it might look like bragging . Yet I believed I just had to share it so you will continue to blog. Who knows what blogging can give you?

The Good things

1. It became a platform for my advocacy

-It inspired bereaved family members to start a blog , a memorial site or read The Compassionate Friends website
-It also inspired women or mothers to start blogging ( I was told)

2. Expanded social and business network.

My main purpose for the blog is my advocacy and not to plug my webhosting business. I mention my business in passing at my ABOUT ME page. Somehow, readers discover and order hosting plans. Business is quite good that I had to close down a fast selling plan. Because of blogging, my social network now encompass new bloggers/friends that share my love for the internet, technology information and blogging. I have very few “offline” friends (save for my siblings) that share my passion for the internet.

3. It brought an Award (I’ve never received an award before) and Magazine , Radio Newspaper and TV interviews.

Thanks to Google and my search engine optimized titles, my blog is often ranked high for certain keywords. Somehow I ‘m contacted for resources on recovery, health, grief, internet related topics.

4. Pride that even if I am not a creative writer, I continue to hone my writing skills through blogging.

Writing is a work in progress for me. I am still learning.

5. It started my [tag]problogging[/tag] career.

Based on the criteria of this blog entry on Top Pinoy Probloggers, I am listed in the Top 10. (and 3rd as an independent blogger)

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Marie Claire Magazine Features Country’s Female Bloggers

Marie Claire
Grab the February 2007 issue of [tag]Marie Claire[/tag] Philippines Edition. You will read the article written by Luz Rimban entitled “The Secret Lives of [tag]Pinay Bloggers[/tag]”. I feel so vindicated . Finally , there is an article that I can show to puzzled family members that explains what blogging is or what my online business is all about. An ex sister-in-law once confided to me that certain family members think I do nothing but sit at the computer all day . How can one explain in simple terms that I earn a living online? Maybe the magazine article might help.

Other female bloggers featured are Connie (but of course) , Wysgal, Lori, Chuvaness and myself.

Looking at the photo taken during the second week of December…

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