Facebook is IKEA, MySpace is Las Vegas, Friendster is ASEAN?
June 27, 2007Here is an interesting study by a sociologist who specialized in studying the trend of Facebook and MySpace.
Very funny…
"The goodie two shoes, jocks, athletes, or other "good" kids are now going to Facebook.
"MySpace is still home for Latino/Hispanic teens, immigrant teens, "burnouts," "alternative kids," "art fags," punks, emos, goths, gangstas, queer kids, and other kids who didn't play into the dominant high school popularity paradigm.
—
Now where does Friendster stand? For me they’re now ASEAN.
But Friendster never went away — its user base just shifted to overseas. Today, more than 70% of Friendster's traffic comes from Southeast Asia. It is the most popular Web site in the Philippines, according to site tracker Alexa. It is No. 2 in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. It has 10 times the registered users it had in 2003 and 20 times the daily page views. And it is growing fast.
Because it’s Summer Time…
June 24, 2007It's summer time in the other half of the world… enjoy this song (of course it's still related to the Philippines 
). Not sure who made it, if you know let me know
Summer Time/Breeze
Thanks to Lola a.k.a, Disillusioned Spinsterella here's the music video and it's by 7 Shots.
Manny Pacquiao: The New Poster Child of Philippine Education?
June 22, 2007With the rate of Filipinos dropping out of school has been increasing, can Manny Pacquiao save them?
According to recent news, Department of Education has cited the education of the Philippines has been dismal. Everyone knows that education is a vital key to help fight poverty.
Manny Pacquiao has become a internationally known sports figure in boxing and also became Fighter of the Year.
Now here it comes… Manny Pacquiao has gone back to school:
Now what does this two have something in common? If I was part of Department of Education or any some sort PR person. I would have put the two together.
Manny Pacquiao being nationally known in the Philippines as a great fighter and a sports hero to the youth, he has been idolized by many children. Now that he is going back to school, he knows how education is very important. If the media and Department of Educations spins this in the correct way, this may help the youth to keep out of streets, keep them in school and motivate them to be like the Pacman.
Vatican’s 10 Commandments for Drivers
June 20, 2007Interesting that the Vatican has published 10 Commandments for Drivers.
Adopting this in the Philippines should be interesting. Maybe more drivers wil now listen because the Vatican had said so. Also it will probably help MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando.
The Drivers' Ten Commandments
1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.
Source: Yahoo! News
World’s Largest Shopping Malls
June 19, 2007So you like to go the mall huh? How about checking out the World's Largest? If a Filipino lives in Metro Manila, the chances are they've been to all 3 of the largest malls located in the world!
8 out of 10 of the largest are located in Asia
4 out of 10 are located in China
3 out of 10 are located in the Philippines
1 out of 10 is located in Malaysia, Canada and the US
World Largests Malls in order by Forbes.com (01/19/07)
1. South China Mall - Dongguan, China
2. Golden Resources Shopping Mall – Beijing, China
3. SM Mall of Asia – Pasay City, Philippines
4. West Edmonton Mall – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
5. SM Megamall – Mandaluyong City, Philippines
6. Berjaya Times Square – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7. Beijing Mall – Beijing, China
8. Zhengjia Plaza – Guangzhou, China
9. SM City North Edsa – Quezon City, Philippines
10. King of Prussia Mall – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Source: Forbes.com
The New Iloilo Airport
June 18, 2007The New Iloilo Airport, probably the most modern in the country. So far the news is that this airport is for local, but there are plans next year to receive international flights.
Credit: Skyscrapercity
BigFoot Entertainment: Movie Industry > BPO
June 17, 2007Mick Gleissner, the chairman of Bigfoot Entertainment, which is based in Cebu, Philippines was interviewed on this show. From what I gather in this conversation he is also an investor in the BPO industry.
Bigfoot Entertainment is confident that the movie industry will have stronger/greater rewards than the BPO industry.
This interview also highlights my views of how media has influence over the masses. (See sample 1, sample 2)
Interview Highlights:
1:30
First time in the Philippines during September 11, and decided to set-up Bigfoot Entertainment.
7:35
Surprised by ability of Filipinos to sing.
13:00
The close relationship of US and the Philippines and command of English is the reason why BigFoot Entertainment has chosen the Philippines.
14:15
Thailand’s formidable movie industry is because of the governments support. And the creation of movie infrastructure.
19:32
Comapring quality, people judge through product perception.
Local perception is that a local movies cannot do the following:
Shoot in 35 MM
Light things up properly (see: Fix Crappy Philippine TV part 1: Lighting)
Shoot in soundstage.
20:10
Local market is very limited. Thailand realized this and does not encourage locally target movies only.
20:40
It’s not just local film industry that there are revenues but enticing people to shoot movies in the Philippines. Thailand had 500 shootings, in the last 5 years which accounts for $1 Billion.
21:30
There’s a big government intervention in Thailand, because of it’s a big advertising tool for the country.
22:20
Most of the movies that was shot in the Philippines which had broad audience has always been about war.
23:20
Movies (media) subtly, bring lifestyle, culture to the world, because we glorify what we see in movies. People go to Starbucks, buy SUV’s and acknowledge the power of cinema.
25:30
Product placement is shown in the movies are shown as the norm.
25:54
When Starbucks expanded into Italy, Italians said there’s no way Starbucks will succeed. But people watch movies, and this lead to instant recognition.
26:40
There will $0 needed in terms of tourism commercial is exposing a beatiful location.
30:20
Filipinos are starting to confident in their abilites, and the Asia’s cultural content is significant that they it will be available to surpass or even match the west.
42:10
Korean creativity has been awaken… Korean films are doing well.
43:20
Producers of “Napoleon Dynamite” were invited by BigFoot Entertainment and were asked to bring down the myth of Hollywood with hardworking, and creativity.
Philippines Nuclear Power Plant, a $1.06 Billion Debt, Finally Paid
June 14, 2007Finally…!
Nuclear power plant loan finally paid
Agence France-Presse
Last updated 08:08pm (Mla time) 06/13/2007MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government has finally paid off the Bataan nuclear power plant almost 32 years after work began on what became the country's biggest white elephant that never produced a single watt of electricity, a government official told AFP Wednesday.
"The final payment of $15 million was settled in April," Filemon Condino, head of the fiscal planning and assessment division of the Bureau of the Treasury said.
One of the pet projects of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the controversial power plant cost the Filipino taxpayer a total of P21.2 billion ($460 million dollars at today's exchange rate) on a debt of $1.06 billion.
"It is now officially off the books," he said. "Today, it is just a big white elephant."
The nuclear power plant, located in Bataan province west of Manila, was a knee-jerk reaction by Marcos to the energy crisis of the early 1970s.The Middle East oil embargo of the time put a heavy strain on the Philippine economy, and Marcos saw nuclear power as the best way forward in terms of meeting the country's future needs and reducing reliance on imported oil.
Construction began in 1976 and was completed in 1984 at a cost of $2.3 billion.
Jeepney Ads: An Incentive to Reduce Pollution?
June 13, 2007This idea came from this picture:
We know jeepneys in the Philippines are an icon of the country, it is also a major contributor to pollution in the country. But maybe, just maybe this idea can turn things around.
The idea is to use big corporations (for example Jollibee, Globe, PLDT, Ayala, SM, Nokia, upcoming movies etc.) to use jeepneys as their next advertisement medium and help the Philippines pollution problem. So far jeepney owners are earning nothing from this even though they are placing such brands on their vehicles.
Now the set-up is that the sponsors will only sponsor jeeps that will pass emission test (without cheating!). They may even have a stricter test, they have to pass. Jeepneys that are no less than 5 years old. Then sponsors will then pay a good amount of money for this, possibly every month. Essentially the jeepney reflects the corporation who sponsored (They better be good drivers too, or there will be no payment).
The big corporations will have their additional exposure through the ads, even smaller companies can do this. The jeepney driver will be earning additional money. The upkeep of the jeepney will be better, thanks to additional funds. And the environment will hopefully be better, because of the addition of the emmsion test. A
The true downside of this are the proliferation of ads, ads, and even more ads. Corporate world heaven, mass insanity (?).
The PhUV
June 12, 2007
The PhUV (above), maybe a little too boxy just like Scion (by Toyota, below).
Update: Pics and Specs
In comparison to IloIlo's
Comment: No Comment, then again it's a prototype. 
