You're sitting in front of your computer, staring at a blank post screen when all of a sudden, an idea springs to mind! You type away the thought and after a few moment churns out a lengthy, worthy post. Satisfied that it will be liked by your readers, you click 'Publish Post'. You sit a while waiting for comments to come. In the meantime, where did you post go?

Surprisingly, everywhere!

I sourced these information from www.wired.com from an article written by Frank Ros entitled The Life Cycle of a Blog Post, From Servers to Spiders to Suits — to You.

It's quite an interesting read (plus the graphics is really illuminating). Please visit the site.

Here's the translated texts of the article graphics.





Once the spiders have finished, the post is indexed and could be searchable on Technocrati or Google Blog Search.


Analysts at places like BuzzMetrics, BuzzLogic and Cymfony crunch data using proprietary AI programs to determine how bloggers like you are responding to the ad. They'll try to splice posters by age, sex, location, and level of influence.


Bots are constantly scouring the Web for data they can suck up and churn out elsewhere. Your blog might be targeted for desirable keywords, which are scraped up at random.


Minutes later, your post turns up on sites that collect content from across the blogosphere: Feed Readers like Bloglines and Google Reader display updates for their subscribers as well as meme trackers like Spinn3r, Techmeme and Technocrati (all relying on algorithms that analyze who's linking to what).


Contextual ad networks like Google AdSense, ContextWeb, and Tribal Fusion scan your post for keywords that will trigger the insertion of an ad. Within minutes, you will see related text ads to your blog (unless your blog is ad-free).


Sometimes, companies will want to know what bloggers are saying about their product. They may alter marketing efforts or even their products as a result; sometimes, they'll jump into discussion directly.


Scraped text from your post gets dumped willy-nilly into spam blogs, which rely on random keywords to get a high page ranking on search engines. When readers go to these blogs and click on or view text ads, the sploggers collects a bounty.


Other bloggers and new sites which use aggregators and search engines to comb the Web, may link to your post -- if it's interesting.


Readers use sites like del.icio.us, Digg, and Reddit to note whether your post is worthy.


Readers find your post and write their own comments, joining the discussion, setting off new pings, and starting the process over again.

Cool, huh.  Here's my simplified version of the source graphic.



The next time we hit our 'Publish Post', let's bear in mind: somewhere in this vast expanse of blogging and internet, someone big may be reading us.

Good news for people residing in Riyadh Region.

Starting soon, Philippine Airline's flight services will resume in Riyadh.




The last time I took a Philippine Airlines flight was some years ago when it was still in operation in Dhahran. After a bad experience of being delayed for four days (worsened because it was Christmas season -- I left Saudi on 19th and arrived in Manila on 23rd! That late!), I promised myself not to board any PAL international flight ever.

PAL's Gulf service is also a bit sub-standard (for me).

On the two or three ocassions that I took PAL Gulf flights, I formed this notion that PAL's flight attendants are rude. It seemed they were all forced to serve, they don't like what they're doing and really, they are unexciting. Parang napilitan.

I heard that their other international flights, especially those US-bound, are far, far better. This hearsay worsened my dislike of PAL.

Does that make me an un-nationalist?


One, because it has a direct flight from Bahrain to Manila. (That's why I don't take Cathay because from Bahrain, it still has to stop over in Hongkong).

Two, because their service, although not as award-winning as Emirates, is passable. (Heirarchy of importance: my priority is to get home safe and on time -- give or take an hour or two of delay. I'm so undemanding a traveller that all I'm looking for in an airplane is that the food is palatable, the seats comfortably spaced so I can sleep and, most importantly, loos should all be working).

Three, because their frequent flyer card gives you an extra 10 kg on top of the baggage limit weight. PAL doesn't offer this perk; neither Cathay Pacific.


What I like about PAL and Cathay is that they are benevolent with their frequent flyer miles. I know of a friend who uses his FF miles in getting a seat upgrade everytime he goes home. He thus sits comfortably in Business Class, whereas I, in Economy. PAL's FF miles, on the other hand, gets you to places around the Philippines. I like that!

(My Gulf Air FF miles, for five years now, can only get me as far as Dubai! They are that stingy!).

I saw Apocalypto over MBC Action last week. Never mind that it was past my bedtime, but I just can't let this pass. I've been intrigued by -- but never had a chance to watch -- this movie since it was released in 2006.

Hence, after four years, when I saw its advert on tv, I promised myself to watch the movie.

And I did.



Verdict: I was floored.

One of the best films I've ever seen. It's a visual triumph. No matter what they say of Mel Gibson, I still admire him when he megs his movies. It's true that his movies are bloody and gory and not for the weak-hearted (like The Passion of the Christ, for example), but I admire their glory and the story and the lessons behind each film.

Apocalypto was set during the Mayan Ages. The storyline was quite simple. It narrates the life of a native, Cougar Paw, whose village was suddenly attacked by bandits and all their able-bodied men and women captured as either slaves or life offerings. Cougar Paw who was about to be killed as an offer to the Sun God, by fate, escaped although not unscathed to return to his pregnant wife and son whom he hid inside a deep well.

I guess the quotation used at the beginning of the movie, that of William James Durant, author of The Story of Civilization summarizes the heart of the movie: "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within."

The film was dubbed in Mayan language (subtitled in English) which added credence to the setting of the film.

One line which moved me is that of Cougar Paw's father who said: Fear is a sickness. It will crawl into the soul of anyone who engages it. It has tainted your peace already. I did not raise you to see you live with fear. Strike it from your heart. Do not bring it into our village.

The Apocalypto I saw on MBC 4 was, I'm sure, unnecessarily cut for tv programming reasons. I read that the movie was more than two hours long; what I saw, therefore, was only three-fourths of the movie. I hope I can get hold of a DVD of Apocalypto. Warning for those who may be interested to see it for the first time: it's not for kids. If you hate the sight of blood, cadavers and hacked heads, you will not enjoy this movie. But if you enjoy grand production films sans CGI magic, as I do, you will definitely enjoy Apocalypto.

It's either you're good or you're bad;
you're ugly or you're beautiful;
you have or you haven't;
you rock or you suck;
you're right or you're wrong;
you get it or you don't.

In a black and white world,
there are no maybe's;
there are no pwede na;
there are no half-baked;
there are no second chances;
there are no middle grounds.

It's cruel. It is sometimes unfair.
It accepts no reason.
It offers no explanation,
and the choices, simple:
either you are...or you're simply not.

Ever notice that there comes a time when you don't feel like writing anything? Or that moment when you dread opening your blog to find lesser and fewer comments?

Ever notice how infrequent thoughts come, or maybe there are some seed thoughts but you can't put them in writing?

Ever notice how you put aside some ideas only to find out later that other people managed to write about it?

These past few days, I keep noticing exactly that!

My posts are few and far between unlike a year ago because I really don't feel like writing anything now. There's just no idea coming out of my head. I guess I need to go back to the basic -- of what my blog is really all about: myself and my life in Saudi.

Here then are the snippets of what I wish I could write about, but just can't because words would just not flow. Huwag pilitin kung ayaw!

Story 1: The other day, while we were on our way home, I saw a group of Saudi kids playing American football. I suddenly remembered my elementary days when, after we've watered our garden (I wonder if school kids still have gardening activities in school), we would gather together to play Filipino version of a football (where someone rolls a plastic ball and you kick it). I wish to write extensively about that -- the lessons the game taught us, our tricks in winning the game, the pains of being unselected by your favorite team captain, etc.

Story 2: Because I've a working parents, most of time they leave my sister and I alone at home. My father who works on second shift (from 2pm to 10pm) would cajole us to take a long nap in the afternoon before he goes to work, and by the time we wake up, our mother (who works first shift from 6am to 2pm) would already be home from work. It was really a very rewarding experience because we learned to fend for ourselves while we wait for one of our parents to arrive home. A great deal of lessons there: independence, practicality, the greatness of the old times when you can leave your kids with a neighbor and need not worry about their safety.

Story 3: Most of us spend more time at work than anywhere else. Unknowingly our work slowly defines us. Or should it? I have a rewarding job. Rewarding in a sense that I get a regular salary decent enough to provide assistance to my family in the Philippines and just enough to leave me a few savings. But I still yearn for that job which would reward me inwardly? Confession: I wish to own my own business. I know it's not impossible, but the thought of not receiving a steady monthly salary scares me. To own a business is a courageous act. Too bad I'm a spineless business dreamer. Perhaps when necessity comes, I'd be forced to reinvent myself and finally realize my long time dream.

Those are the ideas that are playing in my head which I can't find time to expound and write about.

I'm revving up. I hope sooner than later, I'd be on the road again to posting decent and sound thoughts.

I'm not sure if many (or any) of you would remember this declamation piece. I searched unsuccessfully on who the author is of this wonderful piece. I remember memorizing this during high school, but never managed to perform it in public (thankfully, for I was timid in school; am actually still timid until now! :{

Sourced the piece from Takdang Aralin website.

Alms, alms, alms.
Spare me a piece
of bread.
Spare me
your mercy.
I am a child
so young,
so thin, and
so ragged.

Why are you
staring at me?
With my eyes I cannot see
but
I know that you
are all staring at me.

Why are you
whispering to
one another?
Why?

Do you know my mother?
Do you know my father?
Did you know me five years ago?

Yes, five years of
bitterness
have passed.
I can still remember
the vast happiness
mother
and I shared
with each other.
We were very happy
indeed.

Suddenly, five loud knocks
were heard
on the door and
a deep silence
ensued.

Did the cruel
Nippon's discover
our peaceful home?

Mother ran to Father's side
pleading: "Please, Luis,
hide in the cellar,
there in the cellar where
they cannot find you."

I pulled my father's arm but
he did not move.

It seemed as though
his feet
were glued to the floor.

The door went "bang"
and before us
five ugly beasts
came barging in.

"Are you Captain Luis Santos?!"
roared the ugliest of them all.

"Yes," said my father.

"You are under arrest,"
said one of the beasts.

They pulled father roughly
away from us.
Father was not given a chance
to bid us goodbye.

We followed them
mile after mile.
We were hungry and thirsty.
We saw group of Japanese eating.
Oh, how our mouths
watered
seeing the delicious
fruits they were eating,

Then suddenly,
we heard a voice call,
"Consuelo...Oscar...
Consuelo...Oscar...
Consuelo...Oscar...

We ran towards
the direction of the voice,
but it was
too late.
We saw father
hanging on a tree,
dead.

Oh, it was terrible.
He had been badly beaten
before he died,
and I cried vengeance,
vengeance, vengeance!

Everything went

Kids, kids at heart and those who are kidding themselves that at the age of 50+ think they can seriously play volleyball, basketball, bowling, badminton and scrabble gathered together yesterday at International Philippine School in Alkhobar (IPSA) to formally open the three-month long 1st Alfidasca Chairman's Cup.

Had it not been for my appendectomy, I will surely be playing volleyball or even the strenuous badminton.



To show my support to my elderly churchmates (just kidding), I attended the ceremony. I think there were more than 150 other Filipinos who attended the event composed of small prayer groups from Alkhobar and Dammam. It was a blast! Labour Attache Delmer Cruz graced the event and didn't fail to remind the OFWs that absentee voting schedule will be a month early and that we should encourage others to cast their votes too! Cool.

There were contests too for best in uniform, most sportsmanly guy and gal, the group with most delegations, etc. Our group lost in all categories but we had a fine and fun time enjoying the revelries.

Here are the photos.

When I created my navigation bar, no one taught me how and it really was a hit-and-miss exercise for me. Good thing I found Dynamic Drive website which offers a number of codes for various types of navbars. (If you click View, Page Source in your browser, you'll see how mine is laid out using Wire Frame Aura Menu).



But did you know that you can now easily create your own navigation bar using Googlepages? It's as easy as creating a post!

Here's how: (If my explanation is not understandable, there's this Google page to guide you):

1. From your Dashboard, click Settings, Posting, Edit Pages.



2. Click New Page.

3. Add in your page title like 'About me' which is shown on the sample below. Write the contents of your 'About me' page. (If you click 'Post Options', you can select whether you'll allow comments for your page or not).



(Suggested pages include 'My Family' which can contain photos of your kids, or 'Sources of Ideas' which may contain links of your favorite websites, or 'My Awards So Far...' which may contain all the awards your blog has received since its inception, etc).

4. When done, click Publish page.

5. You will have a choice whether you want your nav pages vertically or horizontally. Click Save and Publish.



6. Click View Page. Voila! There's your new nav bar.

This is how it will look like in your blog. (Note: A page called Home is automatically created which, when clicked, will bring you to your latest post entry).



You can add as much as ten pages in your navigation bar. Now, isn't that cool?

Good luck.