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Haaaayyy…My future wife has to understand — she’s just a second choice. Nyahaha! Biro lang, KC.

In a Perfect World, You Don’t Settle for Less

I just had a short chat with a friend who’s in the US right now. She’s working there as a legal assistant and part-time tax analyst. She got the previous of the two jobs just recently (because it’s April once again and filing tax is in its peak right now). Anyway, she was so happy that in such a short period of time, she was able to earn a relatively huge amount of income. (If I’m not mistaken, she mentioned earning almost equivalent to her half-a-year of earnings here in the Philippines. W.O.W.) By the end of this month, all the payday loans she availed of when she was still here in the Philippines will be wiped off already. Again, WOW.

It’s amazing how some people are complaining of how bad the economy is, how badly they are affected, how they cannot afford this and that because they don’t have a job, and at the same time, there are those non-picky and industrious people who are earning so much because they are determined to earn. I know the bad (and probably worsening) economy has had a huuuge impact to a number of people. But maybe, just maybe, if we won’t be so choosy of the work we have to do, we’ll be able to get through this. I know, this sounds so cheesy, but there’s a certain truth to this.

In the news last night, a number of activist groups are blaming the government, specifically the Arroyo administration, because of the many people who don’t have a job. I am not blaming or condemning these activists, or those people who can’t find a job. But I know the government should not be blamed, too. It’s doing its part. But are these people doing theirs? You can’t find a perfect job in an instant; but there are a number of available ones that you can do. I know some people who are still looking for jobs, who are letting go of some opportunities because they want a better one; they don’t complain. Those who are complaining are mostly the ones who are so choosy, those who won’t settle for less even if the economy has already nose-dived. Hayyy… I just hope people could realize that we are in desperate times, and some sacrifices have to be done. And probably settling for a little less is one of those sacrifices to make…

Delaying Gratification

In one of my previous posts here, I said I am considering changing career. I took the ITTC exam last February, and fortunately, I passed it. I am qualified for enrollment to the full-time 1-year IT program of UP-ITTC. But unfortunately, the scholarship — the application for scholarship — won’t be available until the second quarter of the academic year. which means, I have to take the risk of enrolling and committing to at least 1-year, 100-K worth of full-time study. Hayyy…

I am a risk-taker , but I think this risk is too much for me to take. I have some other urgent and more important commitments to attend to at the moment and this additional one might be too much for me. (If only I can avail of those cash advance instruments they offer at a very, very low interest… or no interest at all.)

For now, I guess I’ll have to say no to this learning opportunity. But I am not giving this challenge a chance to stop me from learning something else. I already found a 7-part book series on computer systems, and believe it or not, it actually covers a large portion of the ITTC program. So, who knows? I might be able to gain that knowledge on my own! Hehehe.

E-Votes for Sale

Have you guys ever wondered how far technological progress has brought us since the wheel was invented? I don’t want to sound academic-ish here but it is technological revolution that has allowed globalization to work, i.e., economic, political, and geographic boundaries were dissolved by the Internet. I can still remember when I ordered a hard-to-find (more like impossible-to-find) book at Amazon.com. It was delivered to me two weeks later. Transactions were done right in front of my PC. And that was 5 years ago! If you are looking for a diamond for someone you love, you can go to an online store database like ShopWiki. (And while you are at it, you might want to check these wrist watches and imagine how it feels like to wear a $375K or PhP18M Patek Phillippe watch. Oohh-zaa…) If you want to find a certain place in the world, you can check and visit Google Map or Wikimapia. There are sooo many things that technology can offer to us.

But here’s the problem: Did you watch the news last night? According to Canadian researchers, a group of Chinese hackers were able to infiltrate the firewalls of many Asian government IT facilities. Needless to say, confidential information are there. Information that may, in extreme cases, cause civil or political unrest. In my other blog, I wrote some potential benefits and harm or risks present in the Internet. This hacking incident is way beyond what I am afraid of.

Which brings me to a very significant concern: The automated 2010 national elections. If the news on the hacking incident is indeed true, then, I am afraid our basic right as free individuals is at risk in this automated election. I am not a techie person, but if the hackers can infiltrate government firewalls across Asia, well, we might be heading to an automated cheating. I know that IT is the way of the future, but I really hope, and wish, that we are not spending so much on something that can only facilitate cheating… that can automate cheating.

Hayyy… Is this the price we have to pay for technological advancements? Sometimes I am wondering if it is possible for any development to happen without any potential drawbacks. Oh well…