Author: deuts

Deuts.net No. 100

It must have been awhile, and now, I’m on my 100th entry on this site. It’s amazing looking at how this thing has even started.

The Start

It was around last year when I was looking for a way by which I can save my bookmarks (or favorites in internet explorer) so that I can access them in whichever machine I’m working on. I had my computer reformatted that time, and I had to add the websites that I frequented for quick access.

I was thinking if I could have a customized website where all my bookmarks, shortcuts to my favorite sites (e.g., email, personal internet banking, chessworld.net, etc.) are immediately available, it would definitely help speed up my online browsing. I googled “free website”, and it led me to the best user-friendly, free webhost so far then — Yahoo! Geocities. (Unfortunately, I didn’t happen to stumble upon the various bookmarking tools like Delicious, not even the much simpler ones like My Yahoo!, Personalized Google Homepage, etc.)

What made geocities most viable is the handiness of the site builder. At least, I didn’t need to have knowledge of html encoding (although eventually, I decided I needed at least the basic commands so I tried studying them, I even bought a book for html that I didn’t finish reading at all).

So what have I got back then? Presenting…. the J.O. TUVILLO & CO. website.

jotuvilloco.jpg
Continue reading Deuts.net No. 100

Eid ul-Fitr

It is an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Fitr means “to break” and therefore symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period and of all sinful habits. The detail of the significance of this holiday and its celebration I’ll simply leave to wikipedia to explain.

To the muslims, this could mean a very special day. To non-muslims like us, though, especially living in this Muslim country, it means a long weekend, a long holiday, a long rest…. ahhhhhh!

From October 20th to 28th, 2006, work day is only on the 26th. Regular office days resume on the 29th.

Free Hosting

I was really mesmerized when I happened to bump into this website, iGB.net and read that they were offering webhostings for free…..! What? Who in the world could offering something for free? There’s got to be a catch! There must be something the webmasters/authors should receive in return.

I was finding it hard at finding about how this is gonna work. I was looking for that catch. Reading through their sub-pages, if you may call it, like About, Services, Support, the footer, sidebar, etc., but I couldn’t find one!

In the services page though, there is a price, 50, 250, and 1,000 posts for each respective plans. Eventually, I realized I think that you need to have these numbers of posts in the site’s forum in order for you to avail of the free hosting. Oh I see… Now maybe somehow it makes sense.

Grand Master Chess Set

One of the items in my wishlist: price exclusive of shipping costs US$219.95

grand master chess set

Excalibur Electronics brings you an electronic chess masterpiece: the Grand Master! “Grand Master” is the highest title awarded to human players. Excalibur’s Grand Master earns its name by capturing the essence of top-level chess competition, not only in its powerful play, but in its look and feel. Its tournament-size vinyl playing surface shows off a meticulously crafted set of official pieces, weighted so they won’t tip over during a game. And Grand Master features some of the most technologically advanced chess features in the world. The result’s a highly sophisticated but easy-to-use competition chess computer that combines classic design with 21st century technology.

  • World’s first auto sensory board with actual vinyl surface used in tournament play.
  • Super strong chess program capable of beating over 99% of all chess players. Estimated rating of approximately 2100 master-strength.
  • 2 Large LCD Displays with Dual Chess Clocks and Countdown Timer shows your every move, hints, warnings, and scores 100 levels of play, plus 5 teach modes, 32 book opening trainers, and 32 great games.
  • 1 or 2-person mode with scoring, hints and analysis.
  • Saves game in memory for future use.
  • Powered by 4 “AA” batteries or optional A/C adapter.

Vladimir Kramnik

kramnikThe 13-year schism over the world chess crown has finally ended after 16 games of full-packed chess action in Elista, Kalmykia, during the World Chess Championship Match 2006 intended to unite the titles of classical champion Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) and FIDE champion Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria).

Report follows:

Friday, October 13, 2006 (Elista, Russia):

Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik won a match against Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov in a tiebreaker on Friday, becoming the first universally recognised world chess champion since 1993.

Kramnik won the tension-filled match by a score of 8.5-7.5 in a final day of quick, time-limited games.

Each of the 41-year-old players was to receive 500,000 dollar for taking part in the match, which was arranged to heal a 13-year-old schism in the chess world dating back to World Champion Garry Kasparov’s withdrawal from the World Chess Federation.

Kramnik secured his victory in the fourth game today, which Kramnik won with White. Today’s score was 2.5-1.5. (AP)

Well, the match being a “REUNIFICATION” match, was I think too short yet historic. It was a big event in the history of chess. You can even see and feel the struggle between the two players. The tie-break of 4 games even yielded only one draw. The rest were won one by Topalov, and two by Kramnik.

My observation in this match is brief: that it showed Kramnik can win a match against Topalov, even with 1 point odds. (duh!)

For me, it was a good thing that Kramnik won. It would be much easier for chess fans to accept the fact. Otherwise, the game 5 contoversy would be another gruelling deliberation that could unfortunately even lead to continued split in the world chess organization. At least, now we have a one and only legitimate world champion, and that is, in the person of Vladimir Kramnik!

rook

Download games in PGN, Chessbase, Official Website, FIDE

Aswang Festival

ROXAS City – There’s no stopping the controversial Aswang Festival. The organizer — the Dugo Capiznon Inc. (DCI) says will not succumb to public pressure and will stage the third edition of the event on October 27 and 28 as a pre-Halloween activity.

Last year, the festival faced stiff opposition mainly from the religious sector of Capiz but DCI managed to stage it.

In Philippine folklore, “aswang” (witch) is a visceral, sucking creature that flies at night in search of human internal organs, fetuses and infants. And for much of its existence as a province, Capiz has been unluckily associated with the “aswang”.

DCI ” a group of young and creative Capiceños — wants to make something positive out of this “negative” impression on Capiz. Its Aswang Festival capitalizes on the stigma to “sell” Capiz as in fact a “bewitching” or attractive place for tourists and investors.

Source

I don’t think the end justifies the means in this case. Surely, the rest will be left to everyone’s (a foreigner to Capiz) imagination.

A Standoff After Eleven

After 10 games of pure battle plus a controversial game 5 forfeit in favor of Topalov (a total of 11 games), the match stands even at 5.5 points apiece. The 12th and final game is scheduled on Thursday (Kalmykia time).

What impressed me about this match is either players are resolved to win. Excluding the controversial game 5, which was never played anyway, there were 5 draws of the total 10 games, (only 50% draw instance). No one seems to settle for a draw.

It has got to be the spirit of a reunification fight. After 13 years of schism over the World Chess Crown, the two players are really giving us fans a great, big show! How I only wish that contestation over the game 5 forfeit didn’t happen. I hope FIDE and Kirsan Ilyumshinov will be able to resolve the matter so that the world can indeed recognize only one true master, one champion.

Go Topalov!

Summary of the match follows:
Continue reading A Standoff After Eleven

The Math Grid

It has been say almost 20 years since I first learned arithmetic. Yet, I could still feel the agony of solving those 100 items each for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Almost the same items or questions were given from grade 2 to grade 4, yet I only mastered arithmetic on the 4th grade. Of course, the most complex of the four process is multiplication, especially when it involves 2-digit factors (multiplier or multiplicand, see i can still remember those terms…:LOL:), much more with higher-digit factors.

Well, the diagram below offers an alternative way of solving multiplication probles involving 2 or more digit factors. Easy? Yeah, I think it’s interesting.

the math grid

PS: Did you know what helped me become quick at addition when I was yet learning arithmetic? It’s a secret, ok? I used to play “Lucky 9” when I was small…:LOL:

The Accountant

The following movie is a spoof of an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie trailer. It is using youtube, so for those who have youtube blocked in their office internet, I’m sorry, I really can’t help you with that. I guess you might have to wait when you can browse through an open access internet. Yet, I really recommend that you watch this because it is very hilarious!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUx87Vt6Mbo]

Thanks to Tina Smith for referring this video to me.

Retake of the 2006 Nursing Exam

In a bid to redeem the sullied integrity of the country’s nursing profession and the professional licensure examinations, President Arroyo has ordered a retake of the June 2006 nursing tests which were earlier marred by leakage.
Read the news. (Update: Nevermind reading that Manila Bulletin article. It’s broken. I think their server can’t handle old articles. That’s what you call a newspaper of national circulation. After you read the paper, you throw it away. They thought the same is applicable in online publication! How pity!)

In a way, maybe. But the question is why it took the President too long to decide on this matter? The exam was in June, and her order comes in September? Okay, maybe she was awaiting the result of the investigation (by the NBI?). Now another question arises, “What was the result of the investigation?” Why don’t they make it black and white. Did the investigation proved that there was indeed a leakage or otherwise?

Looking deeper into this matter, has this practice been happening before? And since when?

In order to restore public confidence in new nursing graduates as well as the conduct of the licensure exams in the country, there has got to be a clear result, a vantage point at which we (Filipinos and foreigners alike) can share a common perspective on this incident. From then on, we can form our own opinion and judgment.

Fortunately, this did not happen to the accountancy profession…(knock on wood!)