PLANET of the APPS

“Numbers tell the story.” I have used this phrase often to explain things to my barber and to others who appreciate points made when supported by real numbers.

About seven (7) billion people now populate planet Earth.  Since the start of the digital age, there are now about two (2) billion personal computers in use worldwide. Fifteen percent (15%) of these computers carry the Apple brand.

There are now about five (5) billion cell and smart phones used on Earth.

A planet getting digitized, Earth interconnects its inhabitants, phones and computers through a worldwide web or what is commonly called Internet.

Currently, more than two (2) billion earthlings use the Internet worldwide. About 900 million and counting are on Facebook.

Twitter, in a blog published early this year, came up with the following numbers:  it takes 1 week to send 1 billion tweets; 140 million is the average number sent per day; and 460, 000 new accounts are being created daily.

In 2010, 6.1 trillion text messages were sent.

For every computer, cell/smart phone, use of the Internet, Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, there are corresponding operating systems, drivers and thousands of other applications.

The software applications involved would equate to trillions, if not more, as we who populate the Earth assume a complementary and supplementary “digital or cyber life”.

Welcome to the PLANET of the APPS!

As we begin to appreciate and get used to this new cyber way of life, we try to live guided by the Golden Rule of “doing good and avoiding evil”.  As expected, there are those who, for economic, political and other unknown reasons, would wish to disturb our positive cyber ways.

These evildoers are called “hackers”, “cyber attackers”, or what we call in legal parlance, “cyber criminals”.

During the last 3 weeks, I attended 3 conferences at the Washington Convention Center.  They were the Enterprise Architecture Conference, the Government Video Expo, and the Cyber Security Conference and Expo.

I was lucky to have attended them as a member of the Press.  My Press Pass allowed me to join in all the conference sessions, expo, and eventually access any or all the presentations online. Let me express my deepest appreciation to Ms. Andree Diggs who approved my Press Credentials. Her company, 1105 Media, efficiently and effectively managed two of the conferences: the Enterprise Architecture and the Cyber Security.

These conferences are follow-ups to E-GOV (electronic government) gatherings that started in the 1990’s as computers, wireless communications, and the Internet began to engulf our way of life. I used to attend them as the U.S. Government defined its role being E-GOV of, by and for the people.

E-GOV is basically the use of information technology (IT) by the government to provide better service to its citizens, the business community, its employees, organizations, and other governments by providing easy access to government information and public services.

The information technology as developed by both the private and public sector became so sophisticated and complex that IT Architecture has become necessary. Eventually called Enterprise Architecture, it provided better understanding, more efficient and effective electronic governance.

The enemies of E-GOV and the citizens of the world have become very sophisticated as well. According to FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) data cited in a U.S. Senate testimony, “annual cybercrime profits and damages have hit a trillion dollars.”

The tools that are increasingly used by hackers for these cyber crimes are called “botnets”. Symantec estimates that there are about 3.5 million to 5.4 million botnets worldwide.

Bloomberg BusinessWeek reported that companies such as Sony, Google, Lockheed Martin and two of South Korea’s largest banks have been hacked. Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Citigroup announced that their computers were breached a few months ago.

In effect, the battleground against terror and crime is no longer limited to Air, Land and Sea. Cyberspace has become a place for warfare. For this reason, the U.S. Military has declared it a military domain.

China, for example, has been accused of hacking Google’s infrastructures. On the other hand, the former accused the United States of being an “information imperialist,” and of using the Internet to overthrow governments.

The Pentagon, despite budgetary problems, “requested US$3.2 billion worth of funding be allocated to “cyber security”.  A U.S. Cyber Command has been established and in fact, has had operational capacity.  Cyber Commands are likewise being established in other countries. It was reported that India is looking to establish a “Cyber Control and Command Authority” while China has established a “Blue Army” to defend the People’s Liberation Army from attacks on its networks.

The Cyber Security Conference was informative, educational and self-reassuring.  I hope to write more on the topics and issues discussed in the very near future as the likes of my barber begin to understand and appreciate them.

The Philippines has been dubbed as the Facebook Capital, Tweeting Capital, Texting Capital and the Call Center Capital of the world.

In the immediate future it could become the Capital of the PLANET of the APPS.  My advice is for the country to seriously focus on Cyber Security.

Tech IT or leave it!

Fighting Enemies of Economic and Political Democracy

“Justice delayed, justice denied.”

The Supreme Court issued a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) on the travel ban on former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) and husband WITHOUT DELAY.

The COMELEC filed electoral sabotage charges against the former President WITHOUT DELAY.

The RTC Judge issued a warrant to arrest PGMA (the accused) WITHOUT DELAY.

My barber asks, “Is justice served?”

PGMA’s spokeswoman who has a name with a HORN attached does not think justice was served. In fact, she went as far as criticizing the school that produced Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brilliantes and the immigration lawyer who stopped the PGMA entourage at the airport. The school referred to is SAN BEDA COLLEGE, my Alma Mater, which was described by the U.S. Embassy in Manila during our time as the Harvard of the Philippines.

“Justice for Aquino, Justice for All” (JAJA) was the cry of the people and gathered en masse to demand it when Ninoy Aquino (father of PNoy) was assassinated. When Marcos cheated Cory in the Presidential elections, it generated the People Power Revolution.

“Justice for Arroyo, Justice for All” is also the cry of HORN and other PGMA drumbeaters. But I do not see people marching to the beat of HORN’s drums.

On the contrary I see Blue Legal Eagles flying high clearing the clouds for economic and political democracy supported on the ground by Green Archers and legal tigers as brave as, and with the heart of, Red Lions.

Electoral sabotage or fraud is “corruption of democracy”. It consists of stealing the people’s dignity and their inherent right to choose their agents/representatives as principals of the government. It is using the resources of the government to grab power.

In Presidential and national elections, it has the effect of “coup d’état”.  It would be a betrayal of public trust. It substantially reduces the people’s confidence in democracy and, hence, less inclined to accept election results.

I understand that while the current charges refer to electoral sabotage in the 2007 elections, there will be more cases filed based on the 2004 elections, which cheated Fernando Poe, Jr. out of the Presidency and illegally seated PGMA as President for another six years. The “Hello Garci” tapes which prompted the majority of PGMA’s Cabinet to resign, and Cory to join the demand for PGMA’s resignation will be revisited.

This is one battle that PNoy and his administration have to win if the Philippines were to prosper as a democratic nation. PNoy’s father Ninoy died for it. His mother, Cory and People Power won it back for the future generation. Now PNoy has to preserve it, protect it, and go after those who tried to destroy it. He must prevent new enemies from killing it.

A few days ago I attended a World Bank forum on “Ill-Gotten Money and the Economy”.  The panel discussed the effects of corruption activities on the economy of certain countries.

I got interested when I received the email invitation because of its relevance to PNoy’s “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” slogan.

According to the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), the Philippines with a corruption grade of 8.06 is the 4^th most corrupt country in Southeast Asia. Only Vietnam (8.07), Cambodia (9.10) and Indonesia (9.27) are more corrupt. Worldwide, the Philippines is ranked 139^th among 180 countries compared to Singapore which ranked 4^th as being least corrupt.

The negative impact of corruption on the economy is tremendous. According to a study, about 20% of the total national budget or close to P300 billion pesos is lost to corruption yearly. That’s a lot of money that could be used to reduce poverty, create jobs, or finance the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program that would guarantee higher income and greater dignity to farmers who still compose the majority of the masses.

During the Presidential elections, when asked why PNoy did not author or sponsor that many laws when he was a Senator or Congressman, paraphrasing his answer he said, “There are enough laws in the Philippines. What we need is effective and efficient enforcement and execution of these laws. That I will do as President.”

This is the same answer that then Presidential candidate Raul S. Manglapus gave when asked why he had very few Senatorial and Congressional candidates to help him pass laws.

Indeed, there are many existing Philippine Anti-Corruption Laws that PNoy and his team could enforce to fight corruption. I can name at least 8 of them:

(1)  Republic Act 6770 (The Ombudsman Act of 1989);

(2) Title Seven (7), Crimes Committed by Public Officers, Revised Penal Code;

(3) Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act);

(4) Republic Act 1379 (Forfeiture Law);

(5) Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees;

(6) Republic Act 7080 (Plunder Act);

(7) Presidential Decree 46 (Unlawful receipt of gifts by government personnel); and

(8) Presidential decree 749.  It gives Immunity to bribers if they testify against recipient public officials, etc.).

Of course, a corrupt free Judiciary led by the Supreme Court is a necessary condition to eventually dispense justice for the benefit of the governed. When she was President, Arroyo appointed a total of 22 Supreme Court Justices. Of these, 14 were appointed after the controversial elections of 2004. A substantial majority of them remain in control of the magistrate.

Two of the current Justices I personally know. PGMA appointed one (Justice Jose Mendoza) and PNoy the other (Justice Bienvenido Reyes). Both opposed the issuance of a TRO against the travel ban on PGMA. Both are as brave as, and with the heart of, a San Beda Red Lion. As another friend Bedan Bar topnotcher Senator Rene Saguisag said, “In San Beda, we work and pray.”

There is HOPE. Just pray and work with HUMILITY, HONESTY AND HONOR!

Seated in front from extreme left: Author, Benjamin Maynigo and wife Tina Manglapus Maynigo. Others in the photo are PNOY, DFA Secretary del Rosario, Ambassador Cuisia and other leaders of the Filipino community in Washington, D.C.

Land of Bondage, Land of the Free,

Land of No Bail Bond

In a classic oratorical piece delivered in the presence of then President Manuel L. Quezon, young Ateneo student Raul S. Manglapus depicted what was then and still is the social inequities engulfing and involving almost two-thirds of our country’s masses.

Entitled, “Land of Bondage, Land of the Free”, the orator impressed President Quezon so much that the latter asked the former to be his Presidential Youth Adviser.

Excerpted from the oration are the following words:

“Give me land. Land to own. Land unbeholden to any tyrant. Land that will be free. Give me land for I am starving. Give me land that my children may not die. Sell it to me; sell it to me at a fair price as one freeman sells to another and not as a usurer sells to a slave. I am poor, but I will pay it! I will work; work until I fall from weariness for my privileges, for my inalienable right to be free.

BUT IF YOU WILL NOT GRANT ME THIS…  If you will not grant me this last request, this ultimate demand, then build a wall around your home… build it high…place a sentry on every parapet! For I who have been silent these three hundred years will come in the night when you are feasting, with my cry, and my bolo at your door. And may God have mercy on your soul!”

The demand and the threat manifested in the above piece symbolize what has been the crying voice for social and economic justice by peasants who had been in effect enslaved not just for decades but centuries.

Attempts had been made to correct this social and economic injustice by powers that be.

In the ‘50s President Ramon Magsaysay instituted the Land of Promise encouraging peasants and other citizens to go to Mindanao and be provided with public lands to till and own. He went even as far as enunciating the doctrine that “those who have less in life must have more in law.”

FRONTING HISTORY: Seated in front: Benjamin Maynigo (author); Seated behind starting from left: Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Tina Manglapus Maynigo, late President Diosdado Macapagal, Pacita Manglapus and Senator Raul Manglapus.

In the ‘60s, President Diosdado Macapagal working with then Senator Raul S. Manglapus who led the legislative fight to pass the first real but still insufficient Land Reform Code. It faced so much resistance by a legislature controlled by landlords, they were happy just to pass it.

In the ‘70s President Ferdinand Marcos on October 1972, a month after declaring Martial Law, issued Presidential Decree No. 27 declaring the Philippines as a Land Reform Nation. The decree specified how the big tracts of land should be divided and distributed, how the landowners are to be compensated, who are entitled, the restrictions and others.

Marcos was hoping that with Land Reform, he would be able to suppress the revolution launched by the communist left and slowly being joined by a restive population led by the youth.

Of course, what really brought Marcos down was not just the cry for economic and social justice but more because of his suppression of the people’s political, civil and human rights.

It was not just getting out of economic bondage; it was also the yearning for political freedom!

Author with President Cory Aquino

 In the ‘80s, after leading the People Power Revolution that toppled Marcos, President Cory Aquino finally got the passage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform in 1988 assuring the eventual transfer of ownership and control to the farmers.

It is under this law that the recent decision of the Supreme Court was based upon. Hacienda Luisita, as decided, should now be transferred to the control of farmers via ownership and the related rights that come with it. The Hacienda has been owned by the Conjuangcos for a long, long time and PNoy is a member of the Cojuangco clan.

The Share Distribution Option (SDO), which makes the farmers part owners but still without control, is not what is really envisioned by the law.

This development is really a gift as well as a blessing for PNoy despite what many might perceive as retaliation by Arroyo’s appointees in the Supreme Court.

The 14-0 voting clears PNoy of any responsibility that befell his relatives and other haciendas that would soon suffer the same fate.

Implementing Cory’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform of the Philippines (CARP) aggressively is consistent with the promotion of social justice as provided for in the Cory Constitution.

“Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” policy would accelerate the government’s role to promote economic and social justice. Recovery of the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family and cronies; GMA, Mike Arroyo, relatives, cronies; and other corrupt officials by PCGG and the other agencies would hasten the implementation of CARP by providing assistance to the farmers and giving just compensation to the Landlords.

Prosecution of electoral saboteurs and cheaters, warlords, drug lords, gambling and jueteng lords are consistent with promoting a healthy, just, humane, democratic and free society.

As PNoy frees the peasants from their land of bondage, he must go after the enemies of democracy and honest government. He must make the latter live the lives of men and women in the Land of No Bail Bond.

Tech IT From My Barber

Happy ThanksGeeking!

As a takeoff from my current column/blog, “Take It From My Barber”, I have decided to write a new blog to focus entirely on new technologies and scientific discoveries that I feel are or should be of great interest and/or of benefit to people of all walks of life. As in other fields, my barber will be consulted knowing that he would be reflecting the public pulse from the barbershops.

There are now about 7 billion people in the world. Those aged between 0-14 years compose 26.3%; 15-64 years, 65.9%; while 65 years and over, 7.9 %.

The median age is 28.4 years: 27.7 for male; and 29 years for female. Studies show that the population is also categorized into the digital natives and digital immigrants. Those who were born in 1980 or before belong to the former while those born after are categorized as the latter.

Digital natives are naturally techno savvy or almost automatically responsive to digital gadgets. Expose the digital device to them and they would learn how to use it without much effort. Free and affordable applications usually accompany the devices to complement and/or supplement their built-in features.

Digital immigrants are those whose ability to absorb digital knowledge is not necessarily innate or automatic but no less interested or proficient in the use of the gadgets and their corresponding apps upon exposure to them.

I am a digital immigrant, so I write this column/blog from such perspective. But my exposure to digital natives are extensive and quite often.  Added to the feedback from the barbershop, my own experience using and evaluating the devices, plus the usual accompanying research that go with my writings, I hope to be able to impart useful data, info, knowledge, intelligence and even wisdom to our reader.

BGM with Digital Natives

No finite being on earth is all knowing. So everybody is ignorant or “stupid” about some things. If one admits being such initially, he or she correspondingly begins the path to being knowledgeable, learned, expert or in digital parlance, “geek”.

Whether as natives or immigrants, we yearn to learn consciously or sub-consciously. It is a process of growth and development regardless of age. Some could be late bloomers but the desire to acquire knowledge is as strong as that of a freshman compared to being a graduating senior more yearning to earn as he joins the workplace.

The fact is the new technologies and scientific discoveries have become useful tools in our daily lives; personal, home, work, business, church, government, school, neighborhood, car, hospital, etc.

We wish having these tools as we begin to live a quality digital life. The more you get involved with the gadgets and software, the more you desire for more of them and their latest upgrades. Sooner rather than later, you become a geek yourself – a big lift from initially admitting being ignorant or “stupid”.

BGM - The Digital Immigrant

Personal Use

I will start in this column by briefly describing to our readers the gadgets or tools that I currently use. Therefore, I know whereof I speak. Subsequently, I will go into specific details about their built-in features and applications developed by internal and third party developers.

APP APP and AWAY

I am writing this with my MacBook Pro laptop. It has both iWork and Microsoft Office. I installed Boot Camp allowing me to install Windows 7 and Windows XP as a virtual PC. This guarantees accessibility to all my software and databases that require any of the operating systems. In the 1980’s I had an Apple Quadra that used a combination of MAC, MS and DOS operating systems. So I know the value of flexibility in accessibility.

It is WiFi ready. It has all the browsers: Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox Mozilla, and Google Chrome. The major search engines led by Google, Yahoo, and Bing make my laptop exponentially capable. Access to data, info, knowledge and expert views are almost instant especially if your network is broadband. My computer has become an extension of my brain. So have all the computers and electronic libraries worldwide that the network browsers and search engines connect me to. I call this localizing global knowledge and globalizing local knowledge. The Skype app also allows me to converse with anybody in the world live and on video.

It has a YouTube and video downloader and, of course, a camera that takes and records editable videos and still photos. It has an audio and music recorder allowing me to download music, speeches, lectures and audio books. I have software that converts texts or documents online and offline to audio. I also have one (Dragon Dictation) that converts audio into text.

For web pages that I like to read again in the future, I could either bookmark them or include them in my reading list.  Or if I want to preserve them permanently, I could copy and paste them into my documents library. My screen capture software can also copy texts and pictures on the screen. Most amazingly, another software allows me to copy and preserve entire websites for easy retrieval offline later.

The internal memory of my MacBook Pro, like all laptops, is limited. So I have external hard drives with memories up to 1TB. But if I want some important documents, pictures, videos and other databases accessible and available from anywhere, the iCloud takes care of them. Dropbox allows me to store online as much data as possible depending on the storage capacity that I have reserved.

For more mobility, I decided to get an IPAD2.  Now it goes with me wherever I go. With WiFi and a data plan and having downloaded about 200 Applications categorized into News, Productivity, Education (Books), Finance, Health, Sports, Games, Entertainment, Music, Business, Photo and Video, Reference, Social Networking, Medical, Travel, Weather, Utilities and Lifestyle, I cannot leave home without it. The IOS 5.0 allows the use of very powerful applications.

Armed with all these, you cannot help but feel educated, informed, cultured, entertained, boredom-free, productive, smarter, friendlier and most importantly, more confident in the belief that solutions are provided somewhere if you patiently search for them.

I also have an iPhone and an iPod. The former replicates most of the IPAD applications plus the features of a very smart phone. The iPod replicates also many of the IPAD applications and iPhone but without the features of the latter.

I have many other gadgets with different systems, features, and uses other than Apple and its Apps. Many of the devices are launched every so often. Software applications are developed, tested, and sold everyday. I intend to discuss some of them in this column at the appropriate time.

The season for giving and receiving is now with us. Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas promotions prove it. The must have gadgets lead in the wish list of both possible recipients and giving donors. GKs such as Geeky Kids, Gawad Kalinga, Global Kalinga (eRotary) and God’s Knights all recognize that the Gift of Knowledge could revolutionize one’s life.

Happy ThanksGeeking or Happy ThanksGKing to all!

From The MACnigo Clan

Pacquiao Fights 2 Battles; Wins Both By Majority Decision

I did not plan to write about the Pacquiao-Marquez fight but after talking to my barber, reading the post-fight comments and listening to some friends including Filipinos, I felt compelled to join the discussions. I also watched the bout twice.

Climbing into the ring, Pacquiao had one goal in mind – to win the bout. Like all boxers, he knew that, according to the rules, he must convince the Judges to declare him the winner. To be declared the winner he must do either one of the following:

1.             He must knockout Marquez;

2.             He must beat Marquez lopsidedly to leave no doubts; or

3.             He must score more points than Marquez.

Based on the results, he did not do any of the first two, but he did the third one. One Judge scored the fight 114-114, another one scored it 115-113 in Pacquiao’s favor and the third one gave Pacquiao the win, scoring it 116-112. For these official results, Pacquiao was declared the winner.

How did Pacquiao earn more points to get the Judges’ nod? Boxing is about throwing punches and landing them either soft or hard legally in any of the opponent’s face or body parts. Official statistics show that Pacquiao threw 578 punches while Marquez did throw 435.

The more important statistic, of course, is how many of the punches thrown landed. The official counter counted 176 landed punches for Pacquiao and 138 for Marquez.

Oh yeah, but how many were power punches? Well, the official counter also answered that question. Pacquiao attempted 274 and landed 117 power punches. Marquez had 254 attempts and landed 100.

How about jabs thrown and connected? Pacquiao’s jabs according to the official counter numbered 304 and connected 59 while Marquez’ was 182 but connected 38. The latter’s accuracy reflected in percentages (21% for Marquez and 19% for Pacquiao) is higher than the former in this particular case. Unfortunately, what is counted is the number of actual jabs in absolute figures and not the percentages. 1 out of 1 is 100% and 5 out of 10 is 50%. The latter obviously wins.

Even analyzing them on a per round basis, Compubox reported that Pacquiao averaged 49 punches (578/12) and landed 14 (176/12) per round while Marquez averaged 36 punches (435/12) and landed 11 (138/12).

No matter how you look at it, the official numbers dictated who the winner should be.  The Judges had no choice but to declare him as such – still the best in the world, MANNY PACQUIAO!

That made me proud!

But why is there an apparent controversy? Let me start with some Filipinos. Unfortunately, Pacquiao, had to fight another battle – the Battle of Expectations.

Filipinos expected Pacquiao to win. Some expected him to win by a knockout. Others expected him to win lopsidedly scoring a unanimous decision. And many put their money where their mouth is. There lies the issue.

Online betting was that Marquez would not get beyond 10 and ½ rounds.  Others were even willing to bet that Pacquiao would knock him out much earlier. If this happened, some Filipino gamblers would have won a lot of money.

Another bet is that Pacquiao would win by unanimous decision. This was a very tempting bet and many followed this route.

Las Vegas puts the odds at 10-1 for Pacquiao winning regardless of how.  This means your $10,000 wins only $1,000.  To win $10,000, you have to bet $100,000.

If I were a real gambler, or one of the 26 Filipino Congressmen traveling to Las Vegas to watch Pacquiao, what were my options to recover my expenses and still make money? The Las Vegas 10-1 odds for Pacquiao would require too much investment. This would leave me either the knockout route or the lopsided unanimous decision one.

Many Filipinos went through that process in some small ways. Many got disappointed and lost.

Fortunately, there are more Filipinos who are non-gamblers. The majority just wanted Pacquiao to win and like me they are just as proud. President PNoy praised him for his victory on behalf of the majority of the Filipino people. Senator Lapid sponsored a Senate resolution also praising and congratulating him. I still have to hear from the 26 Congressmen who went to watch him. A win is a win is a win!

Now, briefly, let us deal with Marquez and the Mexicans. Marquez is the challenger and must take away the belt from Pacquiao, the current champion. To win he had to be declared by the Judges as the official winner. He had the same options as Pacquiao: knock Pacquiao out; obtain a lopsided unanimous decision; or get at least a majority decision from the Judges.

He failed to do any. The best he could get was a draw from one Judge. Even if the two other Judges decided it as a draw, the incumbent champion would remain. As a challenger, he had the greater burden. He should have been more aggressive and more on the offensive.  He cannot dethrone a champion by receiving 14 punches for every 11 that he lands. Or since he is supposed to be a great counter-puncher, he cannot counter with 11 punches for every 14 inflicted upon him. For a possible knockout, his best chance was to throw more power punches but he also lost there. To obtain more points, his best chance was to land more jabs. Again the numbers tell a different story.

Marquez failed in fulfilling the great burden of a challenger. His team and his countrymen proceeded on false expectations. He decided to be defensive in the last round based on the false assessment of his coach. He introduced the trick of stomping of Pacquiao’s foot to disrupt the latter’s footwork. He did it at least 5 times and got away with it. In Basketball and in Soccer, the trick is a no-no. However, it did not change the outcome. But he fought hard and deserves another chance.

Financially, Pacquiao and Marquez were winners. A rematch would give Pacquiao about $25-30 million while Marquez should be able to command at least $10 million. For Marquez who is thinking of retiring at his age, that’s more than the golden parachute of some CEOs or several times more than the 401-Ks of many retiring managers.

Looking forward to Pacquiao-Marquez IV.  Mayweather will have to wait for a better climate.