KahelOS, anyone?

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I changed… I switched… But I am still the same old me.

For two years now, I was using Ubuntu. For six months before that, Fedora it was. And way before that, I was on MS Win (and well, Wordstar eons ago).

And I can say, I am still a linoob, and they say, no Linux newbie dare try Archlinux. KahelOS is based on Arch and for a linoob like me, this is one heck of a trek. Whew!

Yes, I can find my way around in CLI (thanks to $ man, and the wealth and dearth of online HowTos). But my brain can’t retain further than ls, rm, cp, and some other not-so-simple. So here’s me, an ever trying-damn-hard linux end-user and loving every instance of it (yes, even failed efforts), but that’s console-speaking.

But you’d never imagine how frantic I was the first time when I HAVE TO un-use MS Win. Yes, I really have to. Part of the work environment. I remembered the first laptop assigned to me. It was a Compaq Presidio on MS. That first issued laptop and I had been fallen prey by the “Basag Kotse Gang” in Gilmore. Then, I got issued another one. It was running on MS until big boss declared — no computer or machine running on MS is allowed at 8layer!

Oh boy!

And the rest is history. No more system crashes, lost files and well, somehow, I missed the VIRUSes. But doing the switch is like losing an apartment and finding that you won a house and lot, tax free! (Or being dumped by a long-time boyfriend who you thought would be THE ONE only to be courted by an unpretentious gentlemanly debonair! hahaha!)

I am still tinkering here and there with my newly-installed Kahel OS on my Acer Aspire 4720. Good thing, the “issues” I encountered were already discussed on the KahelOS forum:

1. Slow browser refresh which is why I am currently following the instructions to enable KMS (Kernel Mode Switch)
2. Big fonts on my webpages which I will configure next
3. Sound control defaulting to minimum volume on boot up so I need to set up my alsa

What I find awesome after installing KahelOS are:

1. It has automatically detected wi-fi connections. My wi-fi button indicator miraculously came alive too! I thought it is simply just a button. Haha!
2. The integrated Crystal Eye web camera has been auto-detected too. KahelOS included Cheese Webcam Booth and in one simple click, I saw myself’s vid grinning from ear to ear (self: go get a comb!).
3. Moovida is also already installed. I still have to try this though, but I heard this is one application that makes multimedia experience a true delight.

I’d definitely be posting more of how I progress. For now, I would have to call it a night. And a good night at that.

Torta, bagyo at ang PD 1566

Naulinigan kong nagbibiruan na naman ang magwishart — sina Popsy at Mumsy — kaninang hapon. Sabi ni Popsy, “Nakakahiya naman kay Jenny,” may kasama pang tawa. (Oops, Jenny nga pala ako sa amin. Hehe.)

Kaya napababa ako sa kusina.

Dugtong pa ni Popsy, “Minsan nga lang mauwi e tortang talong ang iluluto mo.”

Ay naku, eto talagang tatay ko. Isasangkalang pa ko. Peborit ko kaya yun! Lalu na kung sasamahan ng pininong sibuyas at bawang na may paminta!

Kaya ang ending, tortang talong ang ulam namin kaninang hapunan. With matching swak na swak na bulanglang na patola na konting araw na lang e pwede nang ibilad para maging loofah. I didn’t mind though. Sarap kaya nung sabaw. Perfecto!

At habang nasa hapag, tulad ng maraming pagsasalo sa tuwing mauuwi ako, hindi mawawala ang “dessert” na pagpapalitan ng kuru-kuro. Napapanahon ang topic. At hindi ako ang nagsimula — Ondoy-Pepeng tandem, si Gibo, at ang NDCC.

Buti na lang, medyo nahagip ng pagbabasa ko ang PD 1566 kaya nabigyan ko sila ng background tungkol sa NDCC na pinamumunuan ni Gibo. Dahil sa nakakaantok na hanging habagat, at oras na ‘yon ng “May Bukas Pa” na sinusubaybayan pala ni Popsy, hindi ko na nakuhang kondenahin ang implementasyon ng PD1566.

Ni hindi ko na nga nai-share na ang PD1566 and nagpasinaya para maitatag ang NDCC noong June 11, 1978.

NINETEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT!  31 years ago! And look at them now?

I am boiling all over again… stop me!!! Pero masisisi nyo ba ako? PD1566’s opening clauses say:

“WHEREAS, the Filipino has always endured the hardship of a hostile environment;

WHEREAS, he has continually sought survival against typhoons, floods, earthquakes, epidemics, fires and other major calamities;

WHEREAS, the technological advances of the modern world have ushered in more lethal weaponry, environmental pollution, huge aerial and maritime disasters, and flash holocausts;

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to direct, control, and coordinate the entire manpower material, monetary and spiritual resources of the entire Filipino nation in meeting major disasters that come our way;

WHEREAS, there is a need for a revitalized system to enhance the survival capability and economic stability of our country supported by LOI 453 against all types of disasters whether natural or man-made;

WHEREAS, there is a cogent requirement for pre-disaster planning, community disaster preparedness and positive, precise disaster control action for rescue evacuation, relief and rehabilitation to insure the survival of every Filipino in the New Society;

NOW, THEREFORE…”

And so the NDCC was born. It is now 31 years old. One salient point has been made, THIRTY ONE YEARS AGO — it is already known that we are prone to natural disasters. Our geographic location has made it that. Something must be done to prepare us, and thus enjoin the members of the NDCC, among others, DPWH, DILG, DENR, etc. to help in any way they can for disaster reduction and preparation.

Has the law appropriated enough calamity funds… sheeeeet. The calamity fund was used up. Want to guess who did?

What are they DOING?! What have they been planning to do for the past 31 years? Have we been prepared and equipped to handle calamities? Have we learned enough so that the next time a disaster hits, the damages, at least, could be reduced?

Seemingly NOT. Laguna Lake can’t breathe. Sewers and drainage can only bleed. Solid foundations slide. Huge scale loss, both lives and properties.

And here comes disaster. We all know what happened. Should we say, it was unexpected?

31 years of PD1566, 31 years of preparation for disasters. Unimaginable? Could we have lessen the effects of what we have supposed to have prepared for? What could have been done? Who should have done it? To each his own? Running a list would be like writing a story longer than Harry Potter’s.

And what are WE doing? Tiny itsy scale. Taking a blind eye that our one little act of non-chalance will not amount to anything. One little candy wrapper thrown in an open manhole. But was there just one candy wrapper blocking the drainage? One little shanty built along the danger zone in Laguna Lake. But there isn’t just one. Do I need to add one little garbage bag thrown into the Pasig River?

How are we doing? Have we become so apathetic and half-hearted to not realize that our lives have devaluated with the dollar? I bet my balls, I mean, my eye BALLS, that PD1566 is not the only law that would call for “ensuring the protection of life and property”.

We all have a hand on this. No matter the scale.

But now, after the storm, I see three sets of hands:

Those up high, and closed to a fist;

Those reaching out, and have just calmed their fears; and,

Those stretching out, palms open, still eager to get the goodies.

Damn! Galit nga ako. Napaingles na naman.

let’s talk about death

death.

most often, i delve on this subject just to go extreme. changing topic is more like it. when i feel cornered or when i want to veer away from a boring topic. or simply, just in tune with it.

but the truth is, this is one discussion that i don’t get tired of.

death.

call me the authority on death. (tidum-tadah!) ahm, not really.

the “Poets” (that’s what we call our *clan*), during bouts of laughs and jeers, would laugh about the way our interment would go.

i told them, during my wake, i don’t want to hear any sad songs. i don’t want anybody wearing black. and then, i want a cheering squad to celebrate my “eternal peace and happiness”. and then of course, my parents and siblings would interject that they would not only invite a cheering squad but pay for a rock band to play nonstop until i am six feet under. that’s how they would celebrate my passing away. haha!

there were also those times when we would think of what business to put up. a business that would always be a “need” and would never go out of style. where we would all pitch in for adverising ads and media releases. then, the idea of putting up a funeral parlor became a very hot topic.

so, we came up with really morbid sales pitches: buy 1 take 1 for caskets, family package, reserve now and get 50% off…

morbid, morbid.

we were laughing so hard, really. i belong to a typical filipino family — just laughing our heads off when confronted with crisis. the pinoy sense of humor to the rescue.

so here i am now, being morbid once again. thinking about death. fave topic but seldom blogged. i just touched on this once, as take off, i believe.

anyway, this is one BIG secret (now, it’s not). i almost always think about death, if and when i say bye-bye, would there really be a heaven where everything is melodic white and shining? a hell where everyone is shouting the lament of pure pain and agony? a purgatory where everyone is purged of *forgivable* sins? a bottomless abyss where no one knows what is happening? a nowhere? a nothing?

i shared this with a friend and told her, if and when in the morning, i don’t wake up, i’ll tell her what has happened to me in the afterlife. if i don’t get back to her, then there’s nothing really to worry about. just eat, live and be merry. but if i do come back from the grave, i would at least tell her where i’ve been.

awooo!

now i wonder, would i be able to escape from the after-life guards?

just in case there is one.

hmm, morbid.

but am i really? there are three things constant in life: change, life and death.

it’s just that the last is a topic most avoided.

Kuya

Sabi ni Kuya Rey kahapon, kung absent siya ngayon, ako ang may kasalanan.

Pero binawi din niya. Absent kasi siya kanina. At hindi ako ang may kasalanan. Yung umapak sa likod niya. Tsk tsk. (E, Lav, ikaw ba yun? Ahehe!).

Kahit naman papano, naguilty din naman ako. Hindi niya kasi natanggihan ang aking makabagbagdamdaming text na, “Libre mo ko dinner! Or else, itatatwa kitang kapatid!” kahit iniinda na niya ang kanyang likod kahapon pa.

Kidding, ako ang nag-invite kay utol. Umuulan kasi noon sa pinagtambayan kong mall na walking distance lang dun sa pinanggalingan kong client call, at medyo may “lagnat” daw ako ayon sa nagkuha ng aking temperature, kaya naisipan kong magrelak-relak. At si bro ay isang ride lang (kung magtataxi… hehe).

At dahil na rin minsan lang naman ako “maglambing” kaya siguro hindi niya ako natiis. Hehehe.

Nakakamiss din pala ang utot! Naturingan kasi kaming magkapatid, pareho naman kaming nasa “menila”, pero minsan sa kalahating kalendaryo lang kami magkita. Siguro sa isang taon, wala pang accumulated 48 hours yun!

Nakakatuwa lang. Sa sarap kasi ng kwentuhan, hindi na namin namalayan yung oras kung hindi pa lumapit yung waiter na nagsabing “last order na po”.

Ambait talaga ni Kuya. Kasi nagyaya pa siyang magkape. Akala ko naman, sa may istarbax… Pero okay na rin. Kahit anong libre, masarap! Haha!

Nga pala, hindi ko “Kuya” si Rey. Mukha lang talaga siyang mas matanda sa akin ng dalawang taon.

Ahehe, peace, bro! At sobrang salamat. Sabi mo nga, next time, sana kasama naman natin si Atenggot. Para may libreng hatid, bago maluma yung kanyang Chevy.

Tunay at walang paki

Araw ng Kalayaan ngayon! Pero hindi Independence Day ang gusto kong gunitain. Masalimuot kasing isipin kung totoo bang tunay tayong naging malaya bilang isang bansa. Kaya sa pagmumuni-muni ko, sarili ko na lang ang aking tinanong. malaya ba ako bilang AKO?

…

Ahm, hehe. Ibang tanong na lang. Masalimuot din yata ito. Nag-freeze ako for about 15 seconds. Nag-hang ba.

Ito na lang. Isang salita na paborito kong gamitin. Siguro dahil hinahanap-hanap ko palagi: tunay na kaibigan. Pwede na rin itong pang-Independence Day topic kasi nahaging ko naman ang salitang “tunay” doon sa unang paragraph. Hehe.

Tunay na KAPANALIG.

Siya yung walang paki. Oops, parang mali no? Paano magiging kaibigan kung walang paki?

Ang ibig ko lang sabihin, wala siyang paki kung ano ang sasabihin mo, ano ang magiging reaksyon mo, anong magiging pagtingin mo, basta nagsasabi siya ng totoo sa iyo at ikaw sa kanya. Yung walang ekek na drama na kahit isang linggo o isang buwan kayo hindi magkita, alam mong nagtitiwala pa rin siya sa iyo na kahit anong mangyari, isasambulat mo sa kanya ang nangyari sa iyo, at siya naman sa iyo. Walang taguan. Walang sikreto.

Kapanalig keyword: Tiwala
Hindi kapanalig: Ka-tsismisan

Tunay na KAKAMPI.

Isa pang taong walang paki. Walang paki kung sabayan ka sa anumang laban o proyekto mo sa buhay at gamitan ka ng panggising, pangsindak, pangmotivate, pang-encourage, pang-inspire, panggulat, etc. para mapabuti at mapahusay ka sa anumang ginagawa mo.

Kakampi keyword: Kumpiyansa
Hindi kakampi: User

Tunay na KASANGGA.

Siyempre, walang paki ulit. Siya yung tipong ipagtatanggol ka muna bago alamin kung tama ka ba o mali. Kung mali, pagkatapos ka na niya ipagtanggol, saka ka niya aawayin, babatukan, pagagalitan, kukunutan, sesermunan para maitama ka naman.

Kasangga keyword: Panatag
Hindi kasangga: Tambay

Tunay na KABAGANG.

Hehe, walang paki na naman. Wala siyang paki kung saan mo dalhin at saan man kayo magpunta — sa away, sa gulo, sa inuman, sa mall, sa shopping, sa seminar, sa merry-go-round. Hindi mo na kailangang ayain kasi tiyak na hindi siya tatanggi at gagawa ng paraan para magkasama kayo sa adventure at misadventure.

Kabagang keyword: Kuntento
Hindi kabagang: Kaladkarin

Sa ngayon, ito lang yung napatid ng malaya kong utak. Pwedeng madagdagan, pero baka sa susunod na long holiday na lang. Hmm, sa August daw, meron. Hehe.