Author: deuts

Cebu CPAR Center

I didn’t know that such review center, Cebu CPAR Review, exists until of late. I’m not sure how they are related to CPAR in Manila, as they adopt the same name CPAR. But at least they have a website to offer some information about the institution, unlike its Manila counterpart and even the other review centers in Manila.

Browsing through the site, I’ve noted that:

  1. They are using Mambo as their CMS platform.
  2. It was their second batch that took the October 2006 exams.
  3. The roll of reviewers include former CPAR-Manila reviewers as well, namely:
    • Jekell Salosagcol
    • Hilario Tan
    • Michael Tiu
    • Almanzor Macmod
    • Apolinario Bobadilla

The CPA Licensure examination is one of the most difficult professional examinations in the Philippines today. Considering the gap between your undergraduate preparation and this licensure examination, successful completion of the 4-year BSA Course could not guarantee your passing. It is therefore our great honor and pleasure to fill this gap, serve you and help you become a CPA.

Database Error – Surviving the Disaster

Yesterday, we had a very bad day. Our database just simply failed. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but it was only a good thing I had a back-up last Saturday morning. Nevertheless, I lost some comments especially from Val, regarding the NBA, etc. Also, my entry regarding Yahoo! Mail offering unlimited storage space wasn’t included in the back-up. So if you’re a subscriber by email, and thought you received that post twice, this is the main reason, the database failed and I had to re-post it.

My good friend Val and I had a really interesting conversation last Saturday, so I felt compelled to just re-post our conversation then here in this very entry.

Post Title: A Glimpse at the NBA Playoffs

Val: It’s been rumored that Jermaine O’neal will be traded to LA Lakers. Deuts and Sherwin any opinion about this?

Val: It appears to me that San Antonio will win the title this year. Duncan remains dominant and Parker and Ginobili are playing extremely well for both series against Denver and Phoenix. I agree with Sherwin that Detroit Pistons have the best chance to beat a western superpower but still I think Spurs will be the likely victor in this match up. It maybe a different story should Big Ben still a Piston. Looking at the teams defeated by Detroit, both teams have no dominant big men as compared to the Spurs have to offer. To argue that Dwight Howard is a dominant player is an idea that I don’t agree for the time being because experience wise he is not yet there. As compared to Spurs, they showed us how to stop Phoenix even with the dominance of Amare and defended the perimeter well with the likes of Carmelo and A. I.

However a championship match between San Antonio and Detroit is something that I am not excited about. These are few of the teams that are boring to watch. No acrobatic moves, no fast break dunks, not much three points shoot out, not much cross over moves.

It looks like you are watching Jorelle playing NBA Live. In fairness to Jorelle I was guilty too. In NBA Live 2004 I tend to rely more on half court offense even I have a clear fast break. Beginning NBA Live 2006 I learn to use the USER control (I used cpu control in 2004) and this change my game style. Now I employ the run and gun theme which of course is fun to watch and play.

deuts: Great analysis there, Val! It’s nice to see the views of other people from a different perspective. You’re lucky to be so sure! hehehehehe

di ko na rin maintindihan sinulat ko! hehe gusto mo ibalik natin ang mga NBA Live days eh! para malaman natin kung sino tlga ang magaling! hehehehe

Val: sige tamang tama bibili kami laptop sa June

Post Title: The deuts.net Annual

Val: congrats on your first anniversary. When are you coming back? You still owe me a cup of of coffee and ensaymada. hehe

deuts: Instant coffee? hehehe

Sado! NBA naman tau, Detroit ako sa Finals.

Val: sige. ganito na lang basta pustahan tayo sa finals either detroit or cleveland sau sa akin either san antonio or utah. deal?

deuts: cge deal! so pag nanalo ako, quits na tau. pag nanalo ka, dalawang starbucks at ensaymada bibilhin ko, isa sau, isa sakin! bwehehehehhe

Val: wala namang dayaan. ginagamitan mo na naman ako ng talino mo e

Lesson of the day: Always back-up.

Yahoo! Mail Goes Unlimited

This is what you’ll see in the current login page of Yahoo! Mail. The news is over at Yahoo!’s blog.

The first time I encountered Yahoo! Mail, back in 2001, they were offering I think 4MB of mail storage space for free accounts then. This, I also think, is the primary reason how Yahoo! Mail took the front seat as regards free email service over MSN’s Hotmail, which was offering 2MB only.

From 4MB, I think it went to 6MB, then 100MB, 200MB, now 1GB.

Now you ask, “what do I get out of this development”? Well, at least it will prompt my favorite service, Gmail, to offer the same in order to directly compete.

The deuts.net Annual

Today marks the first year anniversary of deuts.net!

It has been exactly a year since deuts.net started to propagate across the modern media called the internet. A year of occupancy in this piece of real property in the world wide web.

If you browse through all the contents of this site, you might find entries dating back since February 2006, which I just actually re-posted here from my other previous blogs in livejournal and blogger.But the deuts.net domain just officially went online on 17 May 2006.

During the last one year, the site experienced several downtimes, thanks to my webhost. Nevertheless, we come to you loud and clear almost all the time.

My primary objective for creating this site was basically to connect to friends and relatives, to create a hangout (tambayan) where we can share ideas, news, sentiments and opinions. Now, did I achieve that objective? Well, probably yes.

For a year, I received visits from former officemates, classmates, friends and even strangers who usually are looking for Mr. Valix or an answer to their NBA Live 2007 queries. Established bloggers with established blogs, the likes of Jozzua, Jaypee, and Selaplana, are regular visitors as well. We have also featured four entries from 3 guest bloggers so far.

So, to deuts.net, happy birthday! I wish you more years of online existence, more entries, more visitors, more subscribers, more inbound links, and more comments to come!

Thank you very much for your time reading this! 🙂

deuts.net photography 103

We spent a long walk the other Friday along the Corniche area while lagging around my Canon EOS 30D.

Sheraton

Boat at the Corniche

After around 2 hours of walking, we found ourselves at the Salam Plaza, looking into more photography gears. I tried the Canon Speedlite 430ex into my camera and they were inseparable thereafter. The damage: QR 998 (US$ 268).

The results of my new found flash photography to be posted in future posts.

Deuts on Candid Photography

When I got into photography, I had few types of photography in mind. One is the regular snapshot of events like dinner, etc. Another is sports photography, although this one I haven’t practiced really yet and test what can I do with my current set of photography gears. And another, taking photos of candid moments, just as when your subject is not looking up to the camera.

I like the way a candid photo can convey an emotion to the audience. Whether it be the feeling of excitement, happiness, “love”, pride, sorry, etc. Let’s exclude, however, in this discussion those shots that were taken to look “as if” candid. :LOL:

In the Digital Photography School, there are 11 Tips for Better Candid Photography. In these 11 tips, I think I can best relate to Tip No. 11, to wit:

Take Posed Shots into Candid Territory

This is because everyone in the shot is focused on the one element (the other photographer) – but it’s not you. If the main photographer has posed the happy couple of the day or their bridal partly look for a different angle to them to take a shot of the same subject. Often if you take a few steps to the side and shoot from almost a profile position you can get great shots.

Just like in this photo I took some time ago:

Candid Photography
(Click on the picture to enlarge)

Actually, in this particular scene, I believe I took a better looking shot than the one the group actually posed for. It’s not a pity after all if no one’s posing for you! :LOL:

deuts.net photography 102

I was just exploring flickr, and I stumbled upon this stunning pictures taken of the Villagio Mall here in Doha.

Villagio Mall

Villagio Boat

Remember, I also once featured here in deuts.net the Villagio Mall:

Venice at the Heart of the Desert?

Venice at the Heart of the Desert

I’m wondering, how can this guy still can take more interesting pictures of the same place than I can? I guess, I still have a lot to learn in photography huh. The problem is, there’s not much interesting place here in Doha to practice my skills. Or maybe I just lacked the talent, to turn an uninteresting subject into an interesting one?

I need to find out, I have to go out this Friday to find out!

Hey Marky, wanna join me for a stroll this Friday? 🙂

Now, That is What I Call Speed

Whoa! We just upgraded our internet connection to a 2Mbps plan and so far we got this actual speed from speakeasy:

Internet Speed

Now, isn’t that great. So far, we haven’t experienced any buffering while watching youtube videos!

For how much? 400 Qatari Riyals (about USD 110) per month. That’s a lot of money, huh? I’m just glad we are 5 in the house to share with the cost.

But it’s a great experience. Looking forward to someday find myself cry in exasperation when I’m back to reality with slower DSL internet connection, hopefully not back to dial-up though…..:)