Fixing a Globelines Speedtouch Connection

I've been trying for several days. Every time I try to connect the computer to the internet, it hangs at "Verifying user name and password".

This was very frustrating because we are paying P995 a month to Globelines for the DSL connection and we couldn't use it. We tried terminating the service but they said we were locked-in until December. If we insist, we would have to pay the pre-termination fee which was more than what out montly bills would be.

I had to find a way to fix the our internet connection.

I thought it must be some spyware or virus that's blocking the connection so I cleaned it up. I installed a new antivirus software and I detected a couple of trojan horses. I ran an anti-spyware program and deleted a few suspicious files and registry entries. I ran msconfig and HijackThis and cleaned up the start-up.

Still, the computer cannot connect to the internet. It hangs at "Verifying user name and password". Tinkering with the internet options proved frustrating. Besides, I'm no expert in these TCP/IP stuff.

I resolved to look for online help. For the first time in quite a long time, I used dial-up! I used the netexpress service of our prepaid landline and searched for a solution. It was only about 30 centavos per minute anyway. Whew! The dial-up was indeed slow, but seeing websites crawl in my browser isn't as bad as having no internet at all.

From the painstaking (because the connection is so slow) research on the net, I decided to reinstall the Speedtouch program. Speedtouch is the brand of the modem Globelines provided us with. I was faced with cryptic choices during installation so I simply took chances and chose the first on the list.

To make things short, that did the trick. I could feel the happiness flowing through my body as I read "Connection Established".

Guimaras Petron Project Launching

I'm off to Guimaras to document the launching of a Petron-sponsored project.

Stormy Weather

The weather was very stormy last night and the rain battered the roof of our house I had a hard time sleeping. Even as I woke up at 5am, the weather led me to believe the project launching would be canceled again. It wasn't, and just rightly so. The rain stopped when I left the house and the sea was surprisingly calm.

Iloilo Port Expansion

Another thing that surprised me was to see the Iloilo Domestic Passenger Terminal undergoing renovation and expansion. They are extending the wharf up to the Rotary Park, hinting that it's present size will be doubled. This is good news for Iloilo's infrastructure.

Getting there

It took about 1 hour and 30 minutes to travel from Parola-Jordan by pumpboat , Jordan-Nueva Valencia by multi-cab, and Nueva Valencia-Igang Marine Station by another pumpboat. The scenery at Guimaras was really a good breather to Iloilo's urbanity. The asphalted road gave a smooth ride across orchards of countless mango trees.

We stopped at a bridge where we rode another pumpboat that was to bring us to Igang Marine Station. From the river, the station's is easily spotted as you move out to the sea - tiny white cottages perched on top of tiny islets.

Program Emcee

I could hardly enjoy the stay at first because I was to be the emcee of the program. Changes after changes in the program came. The congressman, governor, Petron Foundation president, and parish priest can't come, but the list of people to be acknowledged was getting longer. For me, the most awkward part is having to acknowledge each "VIP". Why can't I just say "Welcome guests"? Everything in the program went good. "Good", but not excellent.

I was told earlier that maybe I should host programs as a sideline. Somebody also said my voice was like that of a call-center agent. Uh-oh.. not my liking. I'd prefer to avoid unnecessary stage-fright.

The launching

The rain was intermittent and we waited a while for it to stop before proceeding to the cages. As they released the fish, the rain visited us once more. I had to hold an umbrella over the videographers I hired as they shot clips of the event. I had to be very careful about their equipment. It might cost us our entire year's budget for video production.

I was surprised they cooked a sabalo (milkfish broodstock) for lunch. Nevertheless, it was an interesting experience eating a humongous slice of milkfish. The interstitial bones were not so much of a bother since they were large and easily removed.

Petron might be the sponsor for the project we launched but the ladies washing the dishes didn't care if the bandanas they wore were Shell. Coincidence?

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This post has been staying in my drafts for a long while. I'm deciding to just post this unfinished.

New Bag; SM vs. Gaisano

I finally got to buy myself a new bag!

My old backpack has gone dirty and torn inside and outside. The zippers are a headache and opening a pocket takes three unconvenient steps. The old bag I inherited from my dad who bought it from the ukay-ukay needs to retire.

I spent more than an hour scouring Gaisano City Iloilo's Department Store for a bag. At some point I resolved to prefer a sling-bag instead of the usual backpack. Bags at Gaisano were really cheap, seldom going over P500. HOWEVER, they also looked "cheap". There were a few "okay" ones but not OK enough! I gave up and headed over to SM Delgado.

A few paces inside SM Delgado and there was the line of bags at the Department Store. I was quite amused. All the bags were great! Some of them were just what I was looking for! After several minutes of comparing them to one another and making sure my things would fit in it, I brought a dark-blue Illustrazio sling-bag to the counter. It was P720 (inclusive of a 10% discount). A major purchase for me.

Gaisano does offer much cheaper items and for a while I was happy about the low prices. I would however conclude that, unless you don't mind quality, it would spare you frustration, time, and effort searching if you go to SM Shoemart. I would say SM's slightly higher price is justified by their much better selections... and shopping environment.

How much tip do you give your barber?

I just got myself a haircut at one of the two barber shops in SM City Iloilo. As I was about to sit on the big chair when my barber's previous customer approached from the counter to give him a tip. I didn't mean to, but from the large mirror in front I saw the barber just received a crisp 500 peso bill!

Do most people give three-digit tips to their barbers? Am I the only one giving 20-peso tips? Sometimes I don't even give any. Or perhaps, that was one extra-generous-philanthropist customer who doesn't mind a tip seven times the cost of his haircut.

As for me, I gave that barber 20 pesos.