Thailand blocks Youtube (UPDATED)

(JIM’s Notes: Italicized are additional edits for this post timestamp: 9.00pm, Bangkok time.)

If you happen to be in Thailand and try to access your Youtube account, you’ll be welcomed by this page.

The Bangkok Post reports that the Thai government blocked access to the popular website after Youtube turned down request to remove a clip about King Bhumibol that it deemed offensive.

Here’s an excerpt of the article:

Internet users reported on Wednesday that Thai authorities had blocked the popular website YouTube, over an insulting video of His Majesty the King.

Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom, the minister of information and communication technology, told the Reuters news agency he personally ordered a block of the entire site from Thailand after the ministry’s attempts to block the offending page last week failed.

“Since Google (which owns YouTube) has rejected our repeated requests to withdraw the clip, we can’t help blocking the entire site in Thailand,” said Mr Sitthichai. “When they decide to withdraw the clip, we will withdraw the ban,” he said.

So, it’s a wait and see situation for us here. My kids have to settle for their regular Thai soap operas for now instead of their usual Philippine movies and Eat Bulaga excerpts.

CNN posted a report at around 0827 GMT (1527 Bangkok Time) today that the Offensive YouTube clip ‘removed by user’. While there are news that the ban might be lifted, Thai media, ironically, reported a way around the ban. They reported early this evening that users can still view Youtube via http://www.proxxxy.org.

I think Google has been very insensitive on this issue and to compare Thailand’s King to George Bush is simply illogical (I won’t elaborate on this). I think Google might have reacted differently had it been a different group. Enough said.

The 2007 Philippine Blog Awards winners

It was impossible for me to attend the awards night but followed the event online (well, waited fro the result this morning 🙂 And the winners are…

Best Personal Blog: Misteryosa
Best Home & Living Blog: Wifely Steps
Best Socio-Political Blog: Philippine Commentary
Best News & Media Blog: Inside PCIJ
Best Fashion & Lifestyle Blog: Bryanboy: Le Superstar Fabuleux
Podcast of the Year: HappySlip
Best Technology Blog: Leon Kilat: The Cybercafe Experiments
Best Business/Entrepreneur Blog: Reflections of a BizDrivenLife
Best Entertainment Blog: Retzwerx
Best Sports & Recreation Blog: Who rides a Vespa?
Best Travel Blog: Ivan About Town
PhotoBlog of the Year: Señor Enrique: Wish You Were Here

For the Special Awards winners, we have…

Best Blog Design: Far from Neutral Notions
Best Free Custom Theme: Blu3zin3
Best Plugin/Extension: iPap
Best OFW Blog: Kwentong Tambay
Bloggers’ Choice Awards: MarketManila

And last but not the least, the Globe Broadband Awards winners…

Blog Achievement Award: The Mommy Journals
Pinoy Ako Blog Award: ederic@cyberspace
Family Blog Award: About My Recovery
Blogirl Award: Well Whatever
Deliblog Award: Dessert Comes First

To the winners (also to the nominees and finalists) and organizers (great job!), congratulations!

Mabuhay kayong lahat!

The 2007 Philippine Blog Awards FINALISTS

The list of finalists of the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards has been released. I was a bit disappointed that only two of three nominations I submitted made it to the finals–but ei! still good. Anyway, voting for the blogger’s choice awards is on this week. I think one has to choose from the finalist list??? Anyway, here’s the list of the finalist for the main awards:

Personal:

• Bikoy.net
• Fight Pompe
• Jessica Rules The Universe
• Last Leaf Designs and Chronicles
• Misteryosa

Technology:

• Digital Life by Chin Wong
• PinoyMacLovers
• JaypeeOnline
• Stellify
• Leon Kilat: The Cybercafe Experiments

Travel:

• Byahilo: Your Journey Begins Here
• Coconuter
• Ironwulf.net: En Route
• Ivan About Town
• Walk This Way

Entertainment:

• Kiven
• The Man Blog
• Pinoy Rickey
• Retzwerx
• The Rocketboy Chronicles

Home & Living:

• dessert comes first
• Finestkind Clinic and fish market
• MarketManila.com
• Our Awesome Planet
• Wifely Steps

Socio-Political:

• Far From Neutral Notions
• Philippine Commentary
• Philippines Without Borders
• Salita Blog
• Tingog.com – Voice of The Filipino

News & Media:

• blog @ AWBHoldings
• By Jove!
• Cyberbaguioboy
• Inside PCIJ
• RG CRUZ, Observer

Business & Entrepreneur:

• Jozzua
• ManuelViloria.com
• Reflections of a BizDrivenLife
• Sonnie’s Porch
• The Unlawyer

Sports & Recreation:

• Be@rbrick Love
• ChiyoDad Learns Go
• Sporting Break
• Vespinoy
• Who rides a Vespa?

Fashion & Lifestyle:

• Beautynomics.Com
• Bryanboy: Le Superstar Fabuleux
• GIBBS CADIZ
• Manila Fashion Observer
• Nostalgia Manila

Photo Blog:

• The Dubai Chronicles
• Glance Over
• Project Manila
• Senor Enrique
• The Sleepy Traveler

Podcast:

• Cuying Podcast
• Happy Slip
• The Liberal Times Manila Podcast
• Noypi.com
• OhMyGulay

Special Awards finalists are as follows:

Best Blog Design:

• Far From Neutral Notions
• Ironwulf.net: En Route
• Midori-X
• Noel Perlas – Perlas Design Studio
• Seasonal Plume

Best OFW Blog:

• Balikbayan Box
• coffee with amee
• francescanfrance
• Kwentong Tambay
• Palabok

Best Free Custom Theme:

• Blu3zin3 by Tew Reonal
• Papillon by Beng Hafner
• Psalm 8 by Joni Ang
• SimplaZEN by Jorge Cosgayon
• WoWza by Kevin Codamon

Best Plugin / Extension:

• Guestbook Generator by Andrew dela Serna
• iPap by Markku Seguerra
• Name Dropper by Andrew dela Serna
• Post Avatar by Vicky Arulsingam and Dominik Menke
• Top Posts by Category plugin by Marc Macalua

To all the finalists, congratulations! Awards night is on 31 March 2007, 5pm at Podium 4, RCBC Plaza Auditorium in Makati City.

Mornings in Bangkok

If I’m lucky (or not too tired) I wake up early in the morning, go to the office and catch monks collecting offerings from Buddhist around Bangkok.

I got lucky this morning and caught one monk around our neighborhood carrying a pot for offerings. A lady rushed out of her house to greet the monk with her offering. She removes her slippers before approaching the monk. With heads bowed down, her hands joined together in prayer in front of her face, the lady prayed to the Monk.

She then offered her the offering walked backwards to retrieve her slippers and waited for the monk to go his way. It was an awesome sight.

On the way to the office, I got luckier and yes good thing I have my camera with me. I caught five to seven novice monks following an elder monk, they, too, have just completed collecting offerings around the district.

As you can see they don’t have any slippers on whenever they are doing this duty. They started early.

On an ordinary day, though, these monks have slippers on, rides the bus for free (with a dedicated seat reserved for them–so when you’re sitting on it, you are required to vacate it and give it to them regardless of your age or gender), rides the taxi (I think they pay when they ride luxurious mode of transport) and yes, they rest.

Slow Down

Last night, I told my wife that this was one of the best weekend–I was really rested. It was an ironic statement given that my eldest daughter got sick early this week and just as she was recovering by the end of the week, the second one followed suit. My second daughter was quite healthy so she easily shrugged off the symptoms before it became a full-blown flu but then my youngest daughter started to show some symptoms. However, they all recovered by Sunday evening–thank God.

So, our usual routine of going to the mall was skipped for this week, which I welcomed as all of us had a good rest, except for my wife who got to do her regular weekend chores. This morning as I was reading the 11 March entry of Our Daily Bread the title aptly says what I should be doing regularly–slow down.

Sometimes we take task after tasks without thinking if we can do it or not–which is true for me most of the time (blame it on wrong judgement). It was bad a bit on a professional side as I do miss deadlines (while there are legit reasons for some other delays) but the fact remains that my hands are always full. My wife longs for the day that I come home and tell her that this task is finished for today or this week–but that seldom happens.

God . . . rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. —Genesis 2:2

If God rested, why shouldn’t we? We’re just humans anyway. 🙂 Take it easy..

Captain America (Steve Rogers), 1917–2007

Captain America felled by sniper fire. Read details here.

I used to watch the cartoon series when I was in elementary, he would definitely be missed but Superman died in 1993–well he was resurrected. So, there would definitely be a resurrection for this superhero!

Thanks Captain America! (so are you going to beat the hell out of Iraqi insurgents or the man at the White House when you return???) 🙂

Tag Game

Surprise, surprise!

I’ve been tagged! 🙂 This is my first time to do this. In fact, I seldom forward emails as I’m lazy to continue chain letters, games but I think this is an exception–I think this is fun!

Courtesy of my online pal, Chuck (the famous Chuckie Dreyfus for my Filipino readers–astig ba?! 🙂 ), one is obliged to blog about 10 weird things/habits or little known facts about himself/herself. Then the blogger would return the favor and tag six other bloggers, who are asked to do the same. No tagbacks are allowed however, so here it goes: 

1. Less than a year old, I was under the knife to remove a cyst at my gluteus maximus area (rightmost part though)–without any anaesthetic!   
2. I first had worked as a garbage scavenger without my parents’ knowledge during my elementary days. When I failed to report at home for a day, they filed a police blotter and reported me missing! I was a rookie scavenger then that I only earned a measly PhP15.00 (compared to the regular PhP75-100) for a whole day’s work–and to think the hardship I experienced–I got stuck in a hole in the middle of this big garbage bridge on a river. 🙂
3. I stumbled on a sharp stone during a pilgrimage to Mt. Banahaw. My knee was hurt so bad that it looked like slash wound (I was elementary then). A New People’s Army rendered first aid–I believe the man was Ka Roger if my memory serves me right.  
4. I was dragged by a calf during a carambola (well, the objective was to lasso the calf), the rope burn was so bad that it looked like a sniper’s guide albeit very, very wide guide.
5. I stopped schooling after my first year in college to serve full time in our church’s music ministry. 
6. I was one of the first church attendees in our city to be under disciplinary action (well, close to being excommunicado)–bad boy! 
7. I played Aladin in the theater play of Florante at Laura back in college. For those who knew me then, they would have laughed throughout the play as I’m as thin as Palito but younger of course. The play did well though. 🙂 
8. My ex-girlfriend, now my wife, used to tease me as bumbay as I always bring a long umbrella whenever I go to class–the rain, man, the rain!! (oh yes, also the sun)
9. Back in college, I used to drink coca cola during breakfast, lunch and dinner. 500ml each
10. Now this is not much known since I was college or since I started blogging–my first name is Domingo. I’m the third Domingo but at home they call me Jimbo. 🙂 Elementary classmates call me by my first name. High school classmates call me by my last name (well, during the last two years). Close friends call me Dom’s but at home I’m known as Jimbo (given by my father) or Bo (as in bow and arrow) so, to settle that Inggo is my lolo (RIP), Jun is my father, I just introduced myself as Jim when I stepped college. So, I usually go for Jim Caro when I introduce myself.

Il est fini !

 Hope you enjoyed it?! Now, I tag (drumroll)… Massa P., Lynette, Joey, Czille, Nick and Ivy–take it away pals!

PHILIPPINES FRAUD-CASE COUPLE FIND B.C. HAVEN (The Province, 05 Mar 2007, Page A1)

This is big news in Canada, but obviously not big news in the Philippines and to think that they defrauded the Philippine Government that much money??? Is the Philippine government that stupid or there were just too many (or few powerful ones) who benefitted from this racket.

PHILIPPINES FRAUD-CASE COUPLE FIND B.C. HAVEN

The Province
05 Mar 2007

read more…Tech Tags: The Province newspaper Front Page

Read the full story here.

I’m on Blog Addicts!

My first blog confirmed a new-found passion (well, addiction with a purpose, i.e.–keep me sane in my mind-cracking activities). After a few months of blogging, with the last four months almost regularly, I’m starting to get the feel of it and starting to get friends online–and yes started to get some exposure–vane :)! I’ll get on the purpose of this post as you read on, by the way, title was inspired by Cyberbaguioboy’s entry.

To business, as of this writing, my hottest post (most read post) is my post on Inquirer.net’s Radio Online. Most people got to find my blog when they searched Filipino radio, Inquirer.net Radio, Radio online among others. It got me thinking, hmm, Inquirer.net has got a few good hits from this site. Well, I think that was compensated recently. Well, my plug of recent developments in the Philippine Media especially Inquirer.net got reciprocated–I’m on Blog Addicts! The post also got some attention from cybersoc.com as having some good links in here worth exploring.

Yes, this is the second blogsite of Inquirerbloggers.net–after Joey Alarilla’s @play (I think they’ll be building this site just like Inq7.net, i.e., take-off sites for blogsites of Inquirer.net).

Inquirer.net reporter Erwin Oliva explains that Blog Addicts is a team blog on Inquirer.net. He further explained that…

Blog Addicts is a section under YOU (a youth portal on INQUIRER.net) that features bloggers.

The Inquirer.net‘s blog addicts are Joey Alarilla, Jayvee Fernandez and Erwin.

Thanks to Joey for adding me in his blogroll at @play–indeed an honor!

More power to Inquirer.net and to the millions of Netizens, enjoy reading (didn’t I tell you that readers will benefit in the end from this new media development)!

Cheers! 

Of news media and blogs

There has been a growth in news media using blogs as another medium of delivering news or newspaper blogging–allowing its pool of reporters or editors to post their views on any news in real time albeit filtered (in compliance with the company’s policies among others). Last year, a journalism class from the New York University Department of Journalism noted that there’s been a slow adoption of newspaper sites of blogs.

So, what’s with newspaper blogging? Well newspaper blogging, according to the NYU, can make a difference especially for a small newspaper. For big news media outfit it serves its hordes of followers as it gives readers added value services, which they would hardly get on the regular program or the traditional form of that medium.

Among the few media outfits that’s now into blogging are Newsweek, BBC, Time, CNN among others. Actually, Newsweek‘s presentation is more of a blog right now, readers or surfers could comment on every article and actually blog about it from the Newsweek site! (well, if they have a MySpace account). BBC combines a podcast and blog so it’s really a multimedia approach to blogging. Time seems to have hosted their own blogging software (forgive my lapses on tech stuff), you have the option to add your choice blog post to Sphere it!, newsvine, facebook, Digg, del.icio.us or reddit. CNNs blog presents majority of its program presentors and it also tries to engage its readers and viewers to join in the submitting fresh stories, photos, videos and more (contributors have a chance to be seen worldwide–no royalty or fees whatsoever).

Now blogging about news is also becoming tech savvy these days. Pressdisplay, for one, allows guests (limited access, usually first page articles only) or account holders to blog about a certain article on any newspaper around the world–yes with the replica of the paper’s front page. I posted this blog from their site.

Here in Thailand, The Nation has a list of blog written by its pool of writers and editors. The Bangkok Post still has to catch up though. I’m not sure how many Thai journalists are maintaining a blogsites.

In the Philippines, the Philippine Daily Inquirer Inquirer.net  recently had a soft launch of its blogsite with Joey Alarilla trying the waters. So here’s one media outfit trying to test the untried waters of newspaper blogging in the Philippine scene. One Philippine Media institution which first tried blogging was the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, which has its own institutional blog. Its pool of writers also blog personally along with other journalists all over the country.

What I like in the move of the Inquirer.net is they are going the BBC way with their approach to media convergence. Readers will notice that they are trying to integrate video, podcast among others. As Erwin Oliva, another PDI Inquirer.net reporter, blogged, readers want to interact with the news–reason I think that there’s a declining popularity of radio in the Philippines.

So, I think newspaper blogging is paving the way to the wide acceptance of new media in the Philippines.