Saturday, November 08, 2008

hmpf

natatamad na akong magmaintain ng sobrang daming social networking accounts kaya 'di ko na uupdate lahat ito, Facebook nalang ang ititira ko at deviantArt siguro [http://jhedrotten.deviantart.com]. Sige. Ewan.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Installing Mozilla Thunderbird and Pidgin on Acer Aspire One

This How-To is Acer modded Linpus Lite specific, please don't try this on an Acer Aspire One that has Microsoft Windows XP or Vista installed.

This How-To will guide you in installing Mozilla Thunderbird and Pidgin Messenger in your Aspire One and change the icon on your desktop to the original icon. This will only work assuming that you are still using AME or the Acer e-mail client that came pre-installed with your Aspire One and the Acer Messenger as well.

First thing that we need to do is to uninstall AME, by typing this command in the Terminal [alt+f2 and then type Terminal and then click on Run]:

sudo yum remove evolution-data-server libpurple

When the terminal is finally done performing those task, we can go ahead and install Pidgin and Thunderbird using pirut or in my case the Smart Package Manager [assuming the you have already signed keys using this command: sudo yum update fedora-release]. Open pirut or Smart and then search for Pidgin and then Thunderbird. After we're done with that, we're going to associate both programs with the default Mail and Messenger icon by typing these commands on the Terminal:


cd /usr/acer/bin
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/thunderbird AME
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/pidgin UIM


Well actually, it is as easy as that and we are done. You should now be able to use Mozilla Thunderbird and Pidgin using the default icons, but in case you are unhappy with those icons and wants to have the original icons, don't worry because we can do that by going to the Terminal and then typing:

sudo mousepad /usr/share/applications/AME.desktop

It should open a notepad that has a lot of text written on it and just in case you want to label the icon differently, let's say change it from E-mail to Thunderbird, just replace the text after Name= and GenericName= to your preferred name. Let's get back to the icon. When we scroll down, we should be able to see a line that says Icon= , just replace it with thunderbird.png, save it and we're done. Well, sad to say for Pidgin it has to be done in a different way and I'll just cover that on my next post, because it involves tweaking of group-app.xml, and a single mistake can ruin your desktop.

If you're already satisfied, then that's all, however for additional info, you can read below.

So now we have Mozilla Thunderbird and its original icon, what to do next? Well this is not that necessary but just in case you found out, the Mozilla Thunderbird we just installed does not update itself automatically and if we check on the Help menu, Check for Updates is grayed out, that is due to the fact that this version of Thunderbird is from the Fedora 8 [the Linux distribution where Linpus is based] repository. So in order for us to fix this, we need to do these steps in the Terminal so that we will be getting the official release from Mozilla and we're going to install it in the /opt directory. This is how:

wget "http://download.mozilla.org/?product=thunderbird-2.0.0.17&os=linux〈=en-US"

sudo tar -xvf thunderbird-2.0.0.17.tar.gz --directory /opt

And then a lot of unpacking happens. After it's done we can type this again in the Terminal:

sudo chown user -R /opt/thunderbird
sudo mousepad /usr/share/applications/AME.desktop

And we just need to change the Exec= line to look just like this:

Exec=/opt/thunderbird/thunderbird

That's pretty much it. But if you're bothered to have 2 Mozilla Thunderbirds installed in your Aspire One, we can delete the old one via pirut or Smart but it will delete the icon as well which can be remedied easily by searching Google these keywords that I have used which is 'thunderbird.png 64x64'. Just copy the image to your Downloads folder and then move it to the pixmaps directory using this command:

sudo cp /home/user/Downloads/thunderbird.png /usr/share/pixmaps

After that, we're done. If something goes wrong or if you have questions, please feel free to e-mail me at jdcrisostomo@gmail.com. Have fun!

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

at last, my skate shots last malachi urban tactics summer tour 2008 are finally here!

yeah checkout http://jhedrotten.deviantart.com or check it out here [ http://dividethesubtract.multiply.com ] thanks

Sunday, April 27, 2008

crap

two words to describe my photography: "it sucks".

no new deviations, just decided not to join the digital bandwagon 'cause you can see kids here in the Philippines and even "conyos" of sorts without the slightest perception of photography and not even knowing shutter speed and aperture strutting around with DSLRs dangling in their necks[hey I'm not saying that I'm really good, but the fact disgusts me].

films and processing are really a tad too expensive, but it'll be better this way, with an old Canon EOS 500.

Photos of the URBAN TACTICS MALACHI SKATE TOUR 2008 coming up after a few weeks.

I need to work harder to earn a fisheye. whew.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

why? why not?

An angelic skinny girl with snow-white complexion who happens to have a supposedly immaculately sweet face if only it does not have accidents of an array of ostentatious facial piercings that would make Satan himself proud. A really emotional girl [well yeah, she used to be somehow a ‘boy’ and a playboy at that sense] yet shrouded by a mist of subtlety and right dosages of ‘girly’ complexities. Does have a flair for composing great thought invoking songs and is very passionate in performing on stage [miming her favorite emo front men over these past few years have resulted in developing her own unique style of singing], whether drunk or not. Surely this girl deserves the second-looks from passersby and the open-mouthed stares she gets from ‘emo-emohan’ kids on the local scene.

Superficial details, you might say? Aside from these things, I’m proud to say that this girl of sixteen years or so decides to bloom towards more artistic possibilities [she’s studying the art of tattooing and plans to have a major in painting, mind you] than spending her precious time in pretentiousness inside famed coffee shops and wasting vast amounts of time partying in conspicuous clubs [or bars] experimenting with the sexual privileges she gets from her adolescence. Aside from being the vocalist of the Learn To Understand band, and serves as the principal composer of the band, Angelica [or ‘Tisay’ to her friends] here have been improving her drums and guitar playing skills and is even excited on learning how to play the piano and other musical instruments.

So there you go, I don’t care whatever those closed-minded dimwits might say, it can be dog food for all I care. This is just a simple way of showing how proud I am to have her, too proud indeed that I sneer every time I see those guys who have waited so much for her to become a girl, and yet failed to do anything about it, greatly astonished to see a portrait of us, striding outside counter-culture gigs at after hours, holding hands and inebriated.

And last thing: I don’t need a vain, super sexy and pretty girlfriend if she’s going to lie to me every time she goes out with her friends and thinks she’s too hot to go to clubs and car shows, pretending she’s still single and having sordid affairs [some call it fornication, but I’d rather name it that way]. No, I don’t think that’s hot and aesthetically satisfying for me: I just need someone who values literature and is musically-inclined to share the rest of my life, I never asked for a fashion zombie.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Mga Kababaihan at ang Kapitalismo sa Mass Media

Kung tayo ay mag-iisip nang mabuti, para sa mga posibleng solusyon sa ating problemang pambansa, pulitikal man o rehiyonal, marahil ay ang ‘mass media’ ang unang-una sa ating mga listahan. Ang ‘mass media’ ay may angking lakas na hindi kayang tumbasan ng kahit anung sandatang pangdigma; marahil ay hindi nga pisikal ang tama nito sa atin, subalit kaya nitong tumagos sa ating ispiritwal at emosyonal na komposisyon ng ating pagkatao, at maari nitong mabago ang ating nakagisnan nang paniniwala at gawi ng pamumuhay habang buhay.
Sisimulan ko ito sa isang sariling negatibong pananaw ukol sa ‘mass media’: Itinuturing ko ito bilang isang epidemya: isang sakit na nakakahawa na patuloy ang pagkalat hindi lamang sa bansa subalit pati na rin sa buong mundo. Isa itong sakit na hindi namamalayan, walang sintomas, subalit malaki ang pinsalang nagagawa sa ating mga sariling katauhan. Hindi ko alam kung saan ito nagsimula, o kung ano ang tunay na layunin ng nagsimula nito, pero sa nakikita ko, ang epidemyang ito ay may kakayahan na iisipin ng tipikal na Filipino na hindi posible at ang mga ganoong ideya ay naglalaro lamang sa ulirat ng isang taong may masyadong malawak na imahinasyon, o ‘di kaya’y isang taong wala nang bait sa sarili. Kaya nitong magpasiklab ng isang pambansang rebolusyon; isang away pulitikal; alitan sa magka-alyansang bansa; isang transpormasyon sa katauhan ng isang tao, mapa-pisikal man o emosyonal; magsimula ng digmaan; magkalat ng hindi pagkakaunawaan; lasunin ang isipan at kung anu-ano pang hindi na mabilang na mga posibilidad. Lahat ng ito sa loob lamang ng ilang minuto.
Nakakatawang isipin na ang epidemyang tulad nito ay nasa ating realidad at namumulutan sa ating mga sariling interes. Ginagamit nito ang ating mga mithiin at pagnanasa upang tayo ay maging papet ng mga nasa likod ng ‘mass media’, sa pamamagitan ng paghahalo ng lason na hindi agad napapansin sa kanilang mga proyekto. At dahil ginagamit nitong puhunan ang ating mga sariling mithiin, hindi natin namamalayan na tayo pala ay nasa ilalalim na nito at tuluyan na tayong naapektuhan. At dahil sa patuloy nitong pagpapakain sa ating mga pagnanasa, hindi na natin ito maalis sa ating sistema at nakakalimutan na natin ang mga mahahalagang bagay na itinuro at ipinasa sa atin ng ating mga ninuno. Nagiging sarado din ang ating isipan sa ibang mga bagay na pupwedeng pagkunan ng impormasyon bukod sa ‘mass media’, at nagiging alipin na tayo at sunod-sunuran sa mga gusto nitong mangyari.
Ang ‘mass media’ din ay isang kilalang pugad ng mga kapitalista. Hindi ganun kadaling paikutin ang mga ulo ng milyung-milyong tao sa buong mundo, at hindi rin madaling kumuha ng mga taong magaling magsalita, manlinlang, at magbigay ng impormasyon. Subalit, madali lang ang solusyon dito: pera. Ang sandata ng bawat kapitalista, at ang bagay na kayang magpaikot ng mga pangyayari at tanggalin ang kamalayan ng sinumang tao naakit sa materyalismo: ‘wala akong nakita at narinig, wala nang nangyari simula ngayon, hindi ko kayo kilala,’ o di kaya’y ‘opo, ganoon nga ang nangyari, alam ko na po ang sasabihin ko’.
Siguro ay may kinalaman ang ‘crab mentality’ sa layunin ng mga kapitalistang magpakalat ng ganitong uri ng sakit. Kasi sa nakikita ko, ganito lang ‘yun eh: ang mga may-alam, nagiging kapitalista at ginagamit ang mga bobo at mga dukha. Hindi ko sinasabing lahat, subalit hindi iikot ang mundo ng wala ang dalawang sangkap na ito. Syempre, kung matalino ka, hindi ka magpapatalo, at sa tingin mo ay alam mo ang tama. Hindi mo gugustuhing talunin ka ng mga hampas-lupang walang pinag-aral at walang alam sa paghawak ng pera at pagpapalago ng negosyo, lalo na kung ikaw ay lumaki sa isang mayamang pamilya, na araw-araw mula pagkabata ay itinatanim sa utak mo ang saysay na ginagampanan ng mga dukha at walang alam sa lalong pagpapalago ng negosyo ninyo, na kasalanan nila ito kung bakit sila nagkaganun at dahil din ito sa kanilang pagiging materyalismo at hindi pagbibigay ng importansya sa pag-iimpok.
At kapansin-pansin sa hindi ko alam na kadahilanan na mas madaming kababaihan ang kasangkot sa mga kilalang mga balangkas ng ‘mass media’. Ayon sa datos na galing sa National Statistics Office noong taong 2003, 47.9% ng kababaihan sa edad 10-64 ang nasa dyaryo, laban sa 45.1% ng mga kalalakihan; 38.4% naman sa mga magasin at libro; 63.9% naman sa telebisyon; 57.5% sa radio at 21.3% naman sa kompyuter at internet. Ang mga nabanggit na balangkas ng ‘mass media’ ang naturingang pinakamalakas, dahil ang mga ito ay naging kasama na ng araw-araw nating pamumuhay, at ang iba dito ay nakaka-aliw panoorin o basahin.
Subalit hindi naman lahat ng nasa ‘mass media’ ay nagtuturo ng masama, o lumalason sa ating isip. Kung gagamitin ng wasto ang ‘mass media’, maari itong magturo sa atin at sa ating kabaatan ng mga magagandang asal at mga bagong tuklas sa larangan ng syensya, tulad ng mga palabas sa telebisyon na Discovery Channel at Animal Planet. Sa tingin ko ang talagang layunin ng ‘mass media’ ay ang magbigay ng impormasyon at ng pagkakalibangan sa ibang tao habang kumikita sila ng pera. Hindi pa rin talaga maiaalis ang pera sa usapan, dahil isa ito sa ating realidad, at halos lahat ng mayroon tayo ay galing sa mga kapitalista. At marahil ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit ganito karami ang kababaihan na pumapasok sa ‘mass media’ ay para mabuhay, dahil sa malaking halaga ng salaping makukuha dito, lalo na sa telebisyon. Masasabi kong ito ang pinakamalakas na sandata ng ‘mass media’. Sa telebisyon, hindi mo na kailangan pang magpakahirap matutong magbasa, o magbasa ng napakahabang nobela o gamitin ang imahinasyon sa hindi gumagalaw na larawan sa isang magasin: ang kailangan mo lang ay isang komportableng upuan o higaan, telebiyon, pambayad sa kuryente at matang walang depekto o karamdaman, at tada! Nakatanga ka na sa iyong idolong artista. Ito din ang pinaka-kinamumuhian ko sa lahat ng kayang ihain ng ‘mass media’.
Dito ipinapakita ang lahat ng kalapastanganan ng mga tao, mga kagagaguhan, at kung paano nila ipaglantaran ang kanilang kabobohan sa buong bansa. Marahil ay ito ang nagpapaliwanag kung bakit mas marami ang mga babae sa telebiyon kaysa sa mga lalaki: dahil simple lang ang puhunan mo dito. ‘Pag may maganda at makinis kang mukha at katawan at ikaw ay maputi, pasok ka na, kahit wala kang alam at hindi ka marunong umarte. At kung ayaw ka namang tanggapin ay sabihin mong pwede kang maghubad, at humanda kang kumita ng limpak-limpak na salapi habang pinagpapantasyahan ng lahat ng kalalakihan sa bansa ang sariwa mong katawan.
Kung hindi ka naman pasado sa mga nabanggit sa itaas, huwag mag-alala dahil may isa ka pang pwedeng pagpilian. Kung ikaw ay kasalungat ng mga nabanggit na katangian sa taas, maari ka pa ring kumita ng salaping kayang bumuhay sa iyo at sa iyong pamilya. Kung ikaw ay maliit, maitim, tatanga-tanga may mala-mongoloid na mukha na sa tingin mo ay pwede sa karnibal at maging paksa ng araw-araw na tawanan at kagigiliwan ng mga pamilya tuwing tanghali, handing batuk-batukan ng mga tarantadong host na akala mo kung sino, lait-laitin sa harap ng masa at magmukhang kawawa, pwede ka pa rin. Alin lang naman sa dalawa yun: magpakyut o magmukhang tangang kinakawawa. Ang lahat ng ito ay kaululan na lumalapastangan sa ating mga kababaihan, sa kanilang pagkatao at moralidad. Lahat ng ito nang dahil sa pera. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ako nanonood ng telebisyon.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

i don't want

I want to have something to write about but it seems that every time I tried thinking of a subject, my mind betrays me in a way that makes me not want to write anymore about anthing or anyone. That stirs up wafts of melancholy billowing in my inner self (who am I anyway?). There are also times when I feel alienated by everything and everyone. Something sucks today is such a lame word to put it. Everything sucks is more apt. I feel like a robot, driven by an abstract force that looks through the eyes and hides in solitude inside this complex composition of organs, flesh, circuits of nerves intertwined, blood that is composed of blood cells pumped in the center of the nervous system. I want to see myself. Not the sheer image that forms in the face of the mirror everytime I gaze at it absent-mindedly, examining every feature of my countenance. Isn't the eyes mirrors our soul? I don't know. I am confused and abused by these facts, by these imformations, by these propagandas, conspiracies and whatever you call them that proclaims that everthing has a counterpart, has an opposite, everything is relative, and all relative things that makes things different and dual. I have even thought about a different world that is opposite to what we know, and yet it makes no sense. When will humanity end? How did we know that the sun will stay billion of years ago? Questions that are not answered echoes inside the bottomless pit of curiosity. I am just waiting for science and technology to stab our backs. Technology is advancing. Technology will leave us falling and will be gone without a trace, just like what happened to Laika, the spacedog.