The term digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology and those with very limited or no access at all. It includes the imbalances in physical access to technology as well as the imbalances in resources and skills needed to effectively participate as a digital citizen.
The realm of the reality
June 17, 2009 at 12:45 am (Uncategorized)
Being a Junior Communication student is such a big effort. There are lessons and subjects that you have to excel and you need to be sharp enough to make your own exploit. Yeah, I know that most of my classmates have different points of view about school and other school stuffs. They are free to have their own views as long as they are not condemning others view also. If they don’t accept the fact that in the realm of reality you need to be though and aggressive enough to compensate your short comings and eventually survive and make your own mark then they are entitled to think so, just leave others lives alone. They’ll have theirs to live and I’ll have mine too. I”l do what I think is rightful to do and I’m sure that I wont regret it. As long as I’m not oppressing others to have my exploits then I think I’m in the right track.
The cost of college education: Do the math; weep and wonder
June 10, 2009 at 2:05 am (Uncategorized)
First posted 07:40:54 (Mla time) May 26, 2008
Linda Bolido
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—With an income of P148,000 a year (according to 2003 data of the National Statistics Office), an average Filipino family will not have enough money for food and will be unable to pay rent (if it does not own its place of residence) even if just one child enrolls in any of the country’s top three universities this school year.
Definitely, sending a second child to the same school is out of the question.
Enrollment in several other major institutions, though not as expensive, will still mean drastic cutbacks on budgets for food, shelter and other essentials.
Data gathered by Inquirer Research from school accounting, admissions and registrars’ offices, showed that average Filipino families would have to set aside from a third to half of their annual incomes if they want to send a child to one of Metro Manila’s better known schools, with the exception of the state-owned Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).
Freshmen entering the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) will be charged P2,400 per unit and pay a total of P124,800 for two semesters with a full load of 26 units per term.
De la Salle University (DLSU), which has a trimester calendar, has an average unit cost of P2,045.33. A freshman enrolled for the whole year and taking the full 18-unit load each term will have to pay about P110,447.82.
The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) has a higher per unit cost than UA&P and DLSU at P2,517.03. But because one school year is only two semesters and a full load is only 18 units, the annual fee for a freshman only comes up to P90,613.
Higher UP rate
The state-funded University of the Philippines (UP) system, which recently raised its fees to P1,000 per unit amid protests from both students and faculty, will cost a freshman P36,000 in one two-semester year with a full load of 18 units per term.
Though that is almost one-fourth of an average family’s annual income, the amount is only about 28 percent of the UA&P annual fee.
This means a UP student can almost pay four years’ tuition in the state university with just one year of UA&P tuition.
The DLSU one-year tuition will pay for about three years at UP while Ateneo’s fee is equivalent to about two years and a half at the state university.
The UP is now more expensive than San Sebastian College, which charges P786 per unit or P33,012 per two-semester year of 21 units each and College of the Holy Spirit (Manila) at P903.91 per unit or P32,540 per two-semester year of 18 units each.
PUP, like the UP often in the forefront of student activism, charges an almost unbelievable P12 per unit, for a total two-semester annual fee, at 21 units per term, of only P504. Talk of a true school for the masa!
It was not immediately known how the school is able to keep its student population manageable but it has probably adopted stringent entrance requirements.
Of the 21 schools surveyed by Inquirer Research, three have per unit costs exceeding P2,000 and eight have rates over P1,000. Annual fees, with the exception of UA&P and DLSU, total less than P100,000 though they range from PUP’s very low P504 to ADMU’s P90,613.20.
Among the schools with large populations, the University of the East, reputedly the institution with the most number of students, charges P1,040 per unit for a total two-semester annual fee of P47,840, at 23 units per term.
Far Eastern University charges P1,100 per unit or a total of P55,000 a year for two semesters at 25 units per term. The University of Santo Tomas, at P1,072.90 per unit, charges P45,061.80 for a two-semester year at 21 units per term.
Four percent share
According to NSO data as of 1997, education accounted for a little less than four percent of an average family’s annual expenditure. This means, if the average annual income is P148,000, it would set aside, strictly speaking, less than P6,000 a year for education.
Needless to say, food eats up (no pun intended) half of an average family’s income although it appears some belt-tightening had also to be effected in 1997. NSO data showed that in 1988, food accounted for 50.7 percent of household expenditures. By 1997 this was down to 44.2 percent, a drop of more than six percent.
This was probably because housing costs increased over the same period—from 12.8 percent of a family’s budget in 1988 to 15.3 percent in 1997. What little remained went into fuel, electricity, water, clothing, transportation, medical care and other essentials. Saving is definitely an alien concept to a family with this kind of budget.
How the average Filipino family is able to send not just one but two or more children to school, pay for food and shelter, is probably not just the result of prudent budgeting but also the assistance of both formal and informal institutions like banks, money lenders and generous relatives.
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American Idol 9 auditions announced!!
June 10, 2009 at 1:45 am (Uncategorized)
It’s been weeks since Kris Allen won the Idol 8 and now the Idol Execs announced the audition date and place for the coming Idol9.
Other cities that will be hosting Idol auditions are:
June 12-14 at Gillette Stadium, Boston
June 16-18 at Georgia Dome, Atlanta
June 28-30 at Rose Bowl, Los Angeles
July 7-9 at Amway Arena, Orlando
July 12-14 at INVESCO Field at Mile High, Denver
Dates for Chicago and Dallas have yet to be announced
Could Adam Lambert Become Queen’s New Front Man?
May 26, 2009 at 12:14 am (Uncategorized)
By Adam Bryant Mon May 25, 7:52 AM PDT
If you thought Adam Lambert looked like a natural fit with iconic rockers Queen during American Idol’s finale, you weren’t the only one.
Hours after it was announced that Lambert was Season 8’s runner-up last week, widespread speculation began circulating that the 26-year-old singer had been offered a job as Queen’s new front man. While that’s not true yet, guitarist Brian May isn’t ruling out the possibility.
“Amongst all that furor, there wasn’t really a quiet moment to talk. But [drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with him at some point,” May told Rolling Stone. “It’s not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn’t that easy. But I’d certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there.”
Queen recently ended a four-year relationship with Paul Rodgers, who was handling the vocal duties for the band.
Lambert auditioned for Idol with Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and instantly became a buzzed-about contender for the show’s Top 36. His revved-up, glam-rock numbers and hauntingly restrained ballads made him the front-runner all season before ultimately coming up short. While the show has produced more pop artists than rockers, May recognizes that springboard it provides young artists.
For now, Lambert must first complete the 50-city tour with his fellow Top 10 members, and the Idol producers, 19 Entertainment, will likely have first dibs on anything Lambert does next. May said whatever happens, he’s excited to see what Lambert and Idol winner Kris Allen (who also shared the stage during “We Are the Champions”) do next.
“Both those boys are well worthy of big success,” May said. “So it’s pointless for someone like me to stand on the sidelines jeering. I’m confident Adam will make great use of this wonderful opportunity. I hope I’m there to see it.”
Aiken’s Lambert Rant: Claymate Turns To Clayhate
May 23, 2009 at 1:10 am (Uncategorized)
Posted Fri May 22, 2009 11:03am PDT by Lyndsey Parker in
Clay Aiken and Adam Lambert’s names have been linked quite a bit in the media lately–not just because of rumors (reported in the Chicago Sun-Times last week) that Clay actually wanted to record a duet with Adam, but because after Adam’s shocking second-place finish on American Idol this week, many Lambert supporters have predicted that Adam will follow in Clay’s footsteps and ultimately be more successful than the singer who actually won this year, Kris Allen.
But yesterday on his official website, ClayOnline.com, Clay Aiken made it clear in a personal blog titled “Silence Broken” that he is not a Lambert supporter at all.
Posting in the subscription-only “Ultimate Membership” section of his site, Clay responded to a fan’s query about his opinions on Wednesday night’s Idol finale with this rant:
“Now that it’s all over, and for the record…. I couldn’t be happier about the way AI ended this year. I only turn the show on once a season, and only to see what the set looks like each year. This year, I happened to turn it during the minute that Adam Lambert was singing ‘Ring of Fire’ and, at that moment, thought my ears would bleed. Contrived, awful, and slightly frightening! I wasn’t really a fan and found myself surprised whenever folks told me that they liked him. Granted, I never saw another performance (and many folks who I trust said that he was great) but I can’t imagine I would have enjoyed it. Just not my cup of tea at all. To each his own. I never saw Kris sing on the show, but whether he was good or not is really relative. It’s usually a matter of taste, right? But Idol is not always a matter of musical taste only. It’s about the person you like. From what little I saw, Kris seemed likable. (That’s not to say that Adam isn’t just as likable as anyone.. maybe more so… I don’t know) When Ruben and I were standing next to each other every night (many years ago) you had two equally talented, equally unlikely, equally unpolished contestants…. so it really was a matter of taste as to who was voted for. While some may argue that one of us was hyped more than the other, I don’t feel that was the case. However, this year, there was an obvious bias. Not even having watched the show, I can tell you that I was WELL aware of the bias from the judges as to who should win. In my opinion, that is awfully unattractive. I don’t think I am alone.”
Wow! And…MEOW!
Surely some will jump to the conclusion that Clay’s bitter post was spurned by his un-amicable split with BMG and 19 Entertainment, or by 19’s rumored attempts to prevent Clay from collaborating with Adam. And it does seem that if there’s any “feud” going on here, it’s between Clay and the Idol machine, not Clay and Adam himself.
The blog continues:
“In my opinion, it all often comes down to that last night of voting. Until the finale, folks are voting for the contestant that they want to see continue. But, I believe that on that last night, the dynamic changes. No longer forced to choose one person that they want to see win, the audience can effectively vote AGAINST the person that they don’t want to see win. In the case of season two this might have happened. There may have been some folks who voted for myself or Ruben because they didn’t like the other of us. I was the nerdy little girly boy who some didn’t want to see win, so they may have voted for Ruben. I don’t know. .. But again, I feel that Ruben and I were fairly matched. We both had our detractors and negatives, but I feel we were both very worthy of being on that stage in that moment, and either of us would have been worthy of winning. The show was different then, and folks made it in seasons 1-3 because they were ‘real’ people who happened to sing/entertain well. But, somewhere along the way, AI stopped being about real people.
In a battle between David and Goliath, my money is on David!
I think many voters got sick of being ‘told who to vote for’. I think many were turned off by the blatant favoritism shown towards one contestant. Therefore, on that last night, they used their votes against a contestant that they were tired of hearing about and for the contestant who had been written off. And, at the same time, I think they voted AGAINST an American Idol that has, for four years now, been more about the slick productions and polished contestants than it has been about finding the raw talent that it did in its first three seasons.
Those votes for Kris were also votes to return the show to its roots of finding ‘real’ contestants with undiscovered talent and giving them the chance to grow and shine. They were votes that said ‘we’re tired of seeing contestants who already seem to know it all’.
Will American Idol choose to listen to the resounding and clarion call that those voters gave them?…. ‘Enough with the pretention. More Rubens, more Clays, more Fantasias and Tamyras and Kellys please.’ My faith has always been in the voters. I think they have gotten it right every year (mine included). It’s now up to American Idol to decide if it will finally REALLY listen to the folks that keep it on the air.”
Hmmm…but you know, maybe Clay’s motives aren’t so sinister after all. Maybe (despite his claim that he never saw Kris perform on the show, which seems odd) he just prefers Kris Allen’s music–which, like Clay’s, is pretty safe, sweet, and mellow. However, if Clay WAS trying to record a duet with Adam, this blog sure isn’t going to help his chances. Maybe he should try to collaborate with Kris instead?
Idol8 Finale (the ever wanted pictures)
May 22, 2009 at 2:02 am (Uncategorized)
| May 22, ‘09 9:04 AM for everyone |
Kris Allen is shocked!!! super duper major cool (his jaw drops)–loving this picture a lot.
Kara had a Back to Back with Katrina (the bikini girl) with their rendition of Mariah’s “Visions of Love”
Luha
May 16, 2009 at 2:06 am (Uncategorized)
by: peejhayemadera
Dumaloy ka aking luha,
Hagkan ang isang dukha.
Hugasan ang sugat,
pati ang pait at ang lahat.
Daloy ka aking luha,
Pawiin ang pusong aba.
Punasan ang bakas,
ng pighating lumalagaslas.
Pawiin ang pusong aba.
Punasan ang bakas,
ng pighating lumalagaslas.
Haplusin mo ang pagdurusa,
Pahirin ang luha ng kusa,
Nang sa aking pagtulog,
kamay ng Langit ang dudulog.
Love (peejhaye madera)
April 30, 2009 at 2:26 am (Uncategorized)
Love
It is the air that I breathe,
and the reason why I live.
The sweets in my coffee,
the glam in my jelly.
It is in my eyes that glow,
and the reasons why emotions flow.
It is the beating of my heart,
the finest work of art.
It is the strength of my soul,
making me special and whole.
A beautiful alley,
painted in a serene valley.
Love it is that suffices us emotionally,
and the force that totally defies gravity.
The soul that completes the body,
a cure for a deep malady.
Random Thoughts
April 30, 2009 at 2:19 am (Uncategorized)
Life is a complex thing. It will let you experience joy,pain suffering or pleasure.Life is a shopping mall. It offers a lot of things and variety of earthly temptations.
Life can be cozy like the fine dining restos you’ve been with but in the same way it could be restless and chaotic like the tiangges and Divisoria.
In life, you can not have it all. Sometimes you need to shed a bunch of tears for you to know that life is unfair, until you see another person crying next to you; then you’ll realized that life is fair because it’s unfair to everyone.
In life, you have to suffer just to know that things aren’t always upon your reach, that there is a DIVINE ONE that we need to cling to for us to be a stronger person.
In life, we need to win and to loose for us to know that we are superior and inferior to others.
In life, we fell in love just to know that life is not about fame and wealth but about loving someone and be loved.Love makes the world crazy. Nothing could ever makes a man crazy but love. People might clamored over money but when love comes along everything will change.
When you fall in love you’re just “you”, no pretentions, no concealing. When you love, you aim for better things for the one you love even if it means giving up your own happiness.
Happiness is the most volatile thing a man could ever had, it is therefore precious. Happiness keeps a man going, so one’s happiness is being sacrificed, it is therefore TRUE LOVE.
Life is a two word away from love,they coexist. So live and love life.
