ATM Anti-robbery System

Got the following email from a friend:

When a thief forces you to take money from the ATM, do not argue or resist. You might not know what he or she might do to you. What you should do is to punch your PIN in the reverse mode, i.e., if your PIN # is 1254, you punch 4521.

The moment you punch in the reverse mode, the money will come out, but will be stuck into the machine half way out and it will alert the Police (security) without the notice of the thief. Every ATM has it; it is specially made to signify danger and help. Not everyone is aware of this.

I’m not sure if this information is true, but I sure hope it helps a lot of people if it were. I don’t know in what way the police will be alerted and how soon they can respond. Maybe the guard at the bank can immediately act on it, unless he/she is in lala land. I also don’t know why depositors are not properly made aware of this feature. I surely wasn’t informed of such thing when I opened my account.

At any rate, be observant and mindful of your surroundings whenever and wherever you are using the ATM. It is our alertness and vigilance that will secure us from the evil that the system seeks to prevent.

Broke and Broken

In the life of this oak-bodied tree

It ought to sway as a bamboo would.

In times of raging storms and stifling heat

Firmly hold the ground its roots should.

For how else would its purpose be served

If it can provide no longer neither shelter nor food.

Yet it wills to bear fruit, still it shades its ground

Despite the sun that dries it off and winds that shake it down.

Listahan ng mga Nakaiinis na Bagay sa Buhay ng Isang Commuter

1. Driver na napakabagal magpatakbo.
2. Driver na nagmamadaling mamatay sa bilis ng pagpapatakbo.
3. Driver na preno nang preno.
4. Driver na lahat ng makitang nasa daan hinihintuan kahit hindi pumapara.
5. Driver na hindi nakakarinig ng pumaparang pasahero.
6. Driver na malakas ang pandinig pag nagbabayad pero nabibingi pag nanghihingi na ng sukli.
7. Driver na papalipatin ka pag magisa ka na lang at malayo pa ang bababan mo.
8. Driver na pipilitin kang lumipat kahit na wala pang malilipatan.
9. Driver na nagsasakay kahit punong puno na. (at sasabihin sayong may bababa naman sa malapit)
10. Driver na nagbababa sa gitna ng daan.
11. Dalawang drivers na magkukwentuhan pag nagkasalubong sa daan.
12. Babaeng ayaw umupo ng diretso kahit na puno na ang jeep. Pilit na ipinapaling ang binti patagilid para hindi makitaan kahit naka-jeans naman.
13. Babaeng walang pakialam kahit na humahampas na ang buhok niya sa mukha mo.
14. Babaeng nagbabayad nang pabulong at tamang tama lang para marinig ng katabi para kunin ang bayad nya at iabot sa driver.
15. Mga nagpapaabot ng bayad na ayaw namang i-extend ang braso para maiabot sayo nang mabuti.
16. Mga umuupo sa dulo ng jeep at nagpapaabot ng bayad kahit kayong dalawa lang.
17. Yun ikaw pa ang palalapitin sa kanya para kunin ang bayad nya kahit na nasa magkabilang dulo na kayo ng jeep.
18. Mga inaabutan ng sukli na ikaw pa ang palalapitin para maiabot sa kanya. (Madalas, gusto ko nang ibato sa mukha nila ang barya)
19. Lahat ng klase ng lasing na pasahero – mga nagsusuka, natutulog na akala kama ka, at yun maiingay at madaldal.
20. Mga pasaherong madaldal at malakas ang boses. (Lalo pa kung napapagitnaan ka nila)
21. FX na parang oven sa init.
22. FX na parang makakatetano. (mamamataan sa terminal ng MRT Quezon Ave. to Ortigas)
23. Mga magbabayad ng para sa dalawa kahit napakahaba ng pila.
24. Mga pilit na bubuksan ang pinto ng FX sa kaliwa kahit na may nakaupo na.
25. Mga nasa dulo at ayaw umusog.
26. Mga ayaw magbigay daan sa bababa.
27. Mga hindi nagsasara ng pinto ng FX pagkababa.
28. Mga nakikipagkarerang makasakay kahit nahuli sa pila.
29. Mga nang-so-solo ng aircon.
30. Mga sobrang lakas magpatugtog maririnig mo kahit naka-earphones sya.
31. Mga naglalaro ng PSP nang walang earphones.
32. Mga natutulog na ginagawa kang unan.

Not Sure Why, But I’m Back

I don’t know what came over me, but the social networking world just won’t stop luring me back into it. I’m not excited nor proud nor happy to do this, but I guess it won’t hurt. I don’t expect to have fun with it too. Just trying things out. At least I’m happy about that. Maybe, just maybe, it will be interesting enough to hold my attention, as well as my account. Sorry friendster. Nothing personal. Who knows, maybe I’ll have my current account deactivated sooner than expected.

Friendster Account Obituary

I finally did it! I finally had the lapse of social sanity to cancel my friendster account. I’ve been deliberating on it for a few months already and I knew that it was just a matter of time (and a fit of introvert) to do it.

Why I did it? Simple. I just don’t see why I should continue maintaining it.  I never really had fun with it in the first place.  It was interesting at start, but sooner or later you grow out of it.  I’m still not sure if my social ineptitude is the sole reason for this decision, but I know it has a lot to do with it.

I’m feeling right now what I felt when I created the account a few years back.  I took the plunge into the deep sea of social networking and I managed to salvage myself out of it… at least from friendster.  After all, I still have this blog don’t I? But then again, blogging isn’t social networking.

Testimonial: I killed my friendster account and it’s exhilarating.

Confessions of a Gun Runner

I wasn’t born with a silver spoon so I knew even as a child that I have to work hard to be successful. I knew then that life wouldn’t be easy.

In grade school I couldn’t buy snacks from the canteen. I always had packed lunch. Although I had an allowance (5 pesos) I refused to part with it for some lame snack. I always saved it. Being a kid, it was hard watching your classmates indulge on combos, yan yan, and chocolate bars while you eat your sandwich or nothing at all. Don’t get me wrong though. I’m not complaining; just reminiscing. Those times were hard but when I look back at it I feel proud of myself. For a child to practice self control and not whine when he can’t get what he wants is a big step towards maturity.

Since I don’t have enough money to address my wants, I decided to enter into business – 5 pesos is enough to support my needs because I always convince myself that I don’t need what I don’t have and anything other than that is just something I want. My problem then was what business and how to establish it.

Fortunately, the idea presented itself soon enough. My classmate wanted badly to get back at some guy from a higher batch for embarrassing him during lunch. Then when I got to my cousin’s place from school I saw him holding the answer (it was one of those classic cartoon moments when a big bulb lights up above your head) – a gun. So I approached him, asked about the price, how to get one, and if it wouldn’t get us in trouble. I was satisfied with his answers so I decided to push through with it. I floated the idea to him and he agreed to help me out. When I offered it to my classmate he excitedly agreed. And so it started. This guy told that guy who told another guy and this guy’s friends what I was selling. Orders came pouring in. I even had to bring brochures because they wanted varying models aside from the favorites Desert Eagle and Beretta.

I was getting what I want. I was doing good business. But of course, not all good things last. I wasn’t matured enough to anticipate problems and act to prevent it. I was so into the business that I failed to consider how dangerous it was for us kids to be playing with big men’s toys. I failed to take the side of safety, of prudence, and of discreetness. I erred.

At the time when business was done so publicly that exchanges were made under the cover of huddled students, my business venture slipped away at an instant. One of the buyers, after getting his item, immediately opened it for testing. In a blink of an eye he took the gun, loaded its magazine, and popped at an unsuspecting nerd who, of the most unfortunate of circumstances, was just passing through. He got hit in the eye. His scream echoed through the classroom. The huddled students quickly dispersed. I knew right there and then that it was the end of my booming business. I slipped all the pellet guns in my bag and walked away from the scene all the while thinking that what happened was my fault.

Luckily, the victim didn’t complain. Teachers asked questions but no one squealed. The code of silence among kids prevailed. Pellet guns were never seen in the hands of students again… at least in my classmates’.

An Old Cellphone Story

A story I made when I “lost” my mobile phone last June 2006.

Papasok ako ng office sa Ortigas from my apartment sa Pantranco. Sumakay ako ng jeep papuntang Philcoa from Pantranco (in front of Jollibee). Inaantok antok pa ko dahil puyat sa kung anong dahilan na di niyo na kailangan malaman. So naiidlip idlip ako sa jeep nang biglang nagkaron ng kaguluhan. May 2 kalalakihan ang nanghoholdap. Nasa bandang estribo ang isa, samantalang nasa bandang gitna naman ang isa. nakaupo ako sa likod ng driver so medyo malayo ako dun sa holdaper. Pilit niyang kinukuha yun bag ng babaeng katabi niya. Maganda siguro ang cellphone kasi sigaw siya ng sigaw at ayaw ibigay ang bag. Maganda yun babae. Chinita, maputi, shoulder length ang buhok, maliit at mapula ang labi, medyo matangos ang ilong, maganda ang kutis, nursing ata ang course. In the end, nagtagumpay ang masamang loob na makuha ang bag ng magandang dilag. Tinutukan nila ang iba pang pasahero para hingin ang kanilang mahahalagang gamit. Mabuti na lang at nang mga oras na iyon ay kasalukuyan na kaming bumabaybay sa delta. Nagkataong may police outpost doon. Ginilid ng driver nang mamataan niya ang police station. Nataranta ang mga magnanakaw. Nakatalon agad yun isang nakapwesto sa may estribo samantalang ang isa na katabi ng magandang babae ay hindi pa. Nang magtatangka na siyang tumalon mula sa jeep, nakaisip ako ng isang malabayaning aksyon. Dinukot ko ang cellphone ko mula sa aking bulsa at ibinato sa patakbong magnanakaw. sakto namang tinamaan siya sa ulo nang patalon siya mula sa jeep kaya naman nawalan siya ng balanse at nalaglag sa daan. Swerte lang niya at nakaiwas ang sumusunod na revo at hindi siya nasagasaan. Hininto ng driver ang jeep. Nagbabaan ang mga kalalakihan at ginulpi ang magnanakaw.

Matapos ang pangyayaring iyon, nagkatinginan kami ng magandang dalaga. Naiiyak siyang nagpasalamat sa ginawa kong kabayanihan. Nagkataon palang di lang cellphone niya ang nasa bag – naroon din ang pang-tuition niya. Oo ngayon pa lang sana siya magbabayad dahil kulang ang kanyang pera noong enrolment. Kurot sa puso ang magandang pangyayari. Tumagal at mas lumagkit ang aming pagtitinginan. Namalayan ko na lang na habang hawak na namin ang kamay ng isa’t isa unti unting na palang naglapit ang aming mga labi. Ngunit sa di inaasahang pangyayari ay nalubak ang jeep. Dumukot ako sa bulsang kinalalagyan ng cellphone ko… kinapa ang iba pang bulsa… nagbukas ng bag… naghanap sa kailailaliman… at napagtantong gising na ako at wala na ang cellphone ko.

1st time

First time ko.

Ikaw pang ilan na? Ok ba? Hindi ba mahirap? Hindi ba nakakapagod? Hindi ba nakakasawa? Tuwing kailan mo ginagawa? Gaano karami kaya mo sa loob ng tatlong oras? Mabilis lang ba o dapat matagal? Saan saan mo ginagawa? Paano kung maisipan mo pero walang pagkakataong gawin, ano ginagawa mo? Paano pag habang nasa gitna ka bigla kang napagod, itinutuloy mo ba o inuulit mo na lang?

Pasensya na kung madami akong tanong. Gusto ko lang kasi mas magaling yun mga susunod. Gusto ko yun masisiyahan lahat. Saka gusto ko madami. Mas marami, mas maligaya. Di ba lahat naman tayo yun ang gusto – ang makapagpaligaya?

Ang dami kong tanong. Ang dami kong alalahanin. Pero dahil alam kong hindi masasagot ang lahat ng yan ng hindi ko ginagawa, dapat gawin ko ng madalas. Excited pa ko, pero pagod na sa ngayon. Bukas na lang ulit. Bukas second time ko na gagawa ng blog. Ikaw pang ilan na?