The Making of My Blog (Sinag.i.ph)

"A One-on-One Interview with Me and Myself"

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

I think, these are simply the questions I need to answer. Let me outline it for you.

I. WHO

• Who writes this blog?

Although I am not the type of person who tells everything and anything about myself to people I barely know, I think it's still vital to give my readers some information about myself.

My name is Renji Caranijuan (which is obviously just an alias), who just started blogging on January 2007.

I AM NOT —
(1) a professional blogger,
(2) a journalist,
(3) a techy freak guy, and
(4) a pretender/wannabe.

I AM JUST ONE OF THE EXISTING —
(1) 6.5 billion people on Earth,
(2) 3.4 billion people in Asia,
(3) 87 million Filipinos, and
(4) few hundred thousand Christians.

If my educational attainment concerns your interest, I don't have any degrees or diplomas that I can boast of. I am just a High School graduate.

• Who is your target audience?

Anyone who browse the internet. Who can read & understand my native language (Tagalog) and my adapted language (English 'karabaw').

II. WHAT

• What kind of blog is this?

A personal blog about something, somebody, or somewhere.

• What is the purpose of this blog?

To translate the things in my mind and in my heart in an online repository. Where anyone can make their own remarks, convictions, criticisms, and appreciation.

III. WHEN

• When will you post your blog entries? How often?

It depends on my available time. It can be weekly, or twice a week, or daily. Whenever I found or learned something, or about somebody, or about somewhere that I think is worth blogging whether it is a recent story or untold story long ago, I'll just compose it then post.

• When will you update your design/layout?

Although I want to customize my page with my own codes and design, I'm still waiting until i.Ph, who provides me this free blogging service, to finish their updating too. If they will allow the scripts and other codes, you'll just see visual changes and functionalities that I want to apply here.

IV. WHERE

• Where do you do this blogging stuff?

Practically anywhere. Wherever there's a pen and a sheet of paper, or a computer with word processor, plus the internet connection to upload this, I'll just keep on blogging.

V. WHY

• Why do you do this?

Other bloggers call it a conviction or passion. But I chose to call it a 'commitment'. I am Christian, and I want to promote Christianity and the Word of God by all means, even here in Internet media. This is only a part of the battle I am fighting for. If you want to know the rest of 'My Commitment', you should join 'our' fight, the "Christian's fight".

• Why call your domain name like that?

I put some thoughts to it. This concept is the result of the words I combined:

SINAG = "ray", "spectrum", "bright", "shine", "glow" (attributes of light)
I = "myself" (denoting that this is a personal blog of an individual and not of a company, or of an organization)
PH = "Pinoy", "Filipino", Made in the Philippines

SINAGIPH = is my online character, suggesting the word "naligtas" or "saved". It's also by chance similar from the name Moises "sinagip" in Ang Biblia (Tagalog): from the Hebrew word "mashah" = means to rescue, to pull out, or to draw out from water. (EXO. 2:10)

With this cleverness (*joke lang po*), I am obviously a Bible enthusiast. A proud Christian. And now becomes a blogger who wants to share some light to the world — wide web.

• Why is your design like that?

Despite the limitations in what I can do to customize my page the way I like it, this is just the result of my creativity.

I put a header image with contrasting red & blue gradient to symbolize 'HOLY' (blue) & 'SIN' (red). It may also imply any other pairs like: good & evil, rich & poor, war & peace, old & new, happy & sad, heaven & hell, physical & spiritual, life & death, truth & lies, abstract & concrete, thoughts & emotions, reality & fantasy, dogs & cats,  microsoft & open source, spoon & fork, dolphy & panchito …. possibilities are just too many to enumerate now. It may also look like the flag of the Philippines, but it's not part of my initial plan.

I also chose a dark background to symbolize the huge darkness in the world, plus a small star with rays of light in the center of the header image to match my theme: "Sinag, Sinagiph". (You may call it a sun, but it doesn't matter to me, 'coz the sun in our solar system is also a medium-sized star, f.y.i. )

VI. HOW

• How long do you plan to keep blogging?

As long as God's Will permits.

• How do you blog? I mean, do you have any particular style or format?

I don't think too much about my style. I just do it. I intend to keep my post easy to read, entertaining, and informative. And I want to promote the following:

(1) FAITH,
(2) HOPE, &
(3) LOVE

I'll just focus on these three with my own way of writing. I'll use the strategies I've learned as a Christian, to convey these "three" in any topics of general interest. For example, I may post something about .. umm, "a pencil" … (whatever it is, and how obscure it is at first glance) then I will impart any of these "three" to share and add 'light' (and/or 'salt') into my posts. Not all people may understand what I mean, but I know there are few who would.

I guess I'll call it a "Christian Style of Blogging". Inspired by the words of:

(1) God Almighty,
(2) Lord Jesus Christ,
(3) Apostle Paul & other writers of the Bible, and
(4) Brother Eli Soriano (the Godsent Preacher I have known) 

VII. DISCLAIMER:

The contents in this blog site is personally maintained by the author. I.Ph provides this free blogging service by Calliope's blogging system using Wordpress CMS.

The views and opinions expressed here does not necessarily reflect the views of, nor are they endorsed by the company I work for and the Church/Religion I belong.

If you have complaints or any legal matters of concern regarding the blog author (that's me ), please do it formally by emailing me and provide your name & contact info so I can answer back your letter.

Pinoy si Agent Bill Kim ng Prison Break

Sa mga fans ng Prison Break (TV), di ko alam kung news pa ba ito. Pero dahil alam kong interesado ang mga Pinoy sa mga ganitong balita na "uy pinoy pala si ***" (name ng isang sikat na aktor, aktres, o kahit sinong sikat o papasikat pa lang sa mundo sa anomang larangan).

Si Reggie Lee ay yung kontra-bida na Secret Service Special Agent na lumabas sa Season 2 ng Prison Break. Siya si Agent William 'Bill' Kim na nakakaasar ngumiti. . At ayon dito sa website niya, Pinoy din pala siya.

Sa ngayon, nasa Episode 18 pa lang ako ng season 2.

The Earth has Enough For Man’s Need, But Not For Man’s Greed

I searched Google who said this quotation, and I found it was Mahatma Gandhi.

I guess it can't be helped not to post another topic related to world issues. And I'm happy to receive various comments from my previous post.

We may all have our own convictions and battle. And I know many bloggers also do. We use the power of words (either in written or spoken) to fight for it.

Opposing views are much expected, but we still insist our side. Some choose to bend the truth while others stand under the weight of it. Although we have the options to choose in some areas of life, no sane person can deny the fact that we all have limitations and a lot of things are beyond our control.

Against many odds, not everyone keeps on fighting. Many people loose hope, so they QUIT.

But what I'm trying to impart to you is the COMMITMENT to live what you say.

To make all those noises that you shouted, those ranting, and those silent protests that you put into words must also be put into actions.

If you said something, DON'T JUST SAY IT, DO IT.

If they want to fight against poverty, then good.  If they're really doing the necessary actions and not just plain noise campaigns.

And this blog post is my way of advocating their cause. I'd like to inform those who are also in this fight, and let them consider these facts:

Based on the reports of world organizations, these are the facts related to poverty, hunger, and malnutrition:

• In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food. (http://www.bread.org/learn/hunger-reports/are-we-on-track-to-end.html)

• Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness. (http://www.bread.org/learn/hunger-reports/are-we-on-track-to-end.html)

• Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and often lack the social safety nets we enjoy, such as soup kitchens, food stamps, and job training programs. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help. (http://www.bread.org/learn/hunger-reports/are-we-on-track-to-end.html)

• 854 million people across the world are hungry, up from 852 million a year ago (http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0750e/a0750e00.htm)

• Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes–one child every five seconds (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673603137798/fulltext)

But these are not the only facts you should consider, because aside from the problem to poverty, hunger, and malnutrition — did you know that according to statistical report by the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity and overweight is greater in percentage than poverty?

• Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them obese. (http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity/en/)

What's my point? Let me summarize these two FACTS:

First,

• 854 million suffers hunger. 1 child / 5 sec. dies in hunger everyday.

Second,

• 1.2 billion are overweight (including obese)

And my question is, if you were to choose, what will you really fight for? Will you fight to eradicate poverty, or will you fight against greediness? Are we really short to feed those dying children every 5 seconds, or there are just greedy people who choose to die in prosperity than to share their richness that can feed those poor people? 

Just let me repeat what Mahatma Gandhi said, "The Earth has enough for man's need, but not for man's greed."

I will not delve more to this topic. Ponder on these words and make your choice.

Actually, I have made my choice, too.

MY GREATEST FIGHT is not only against poverty or other world problems.

My fight is not just like any man's fight. I'd like to call it the "CHRISTIAN'S FIGHT". We can call it "OUR FIGHT" if you believe that we're both Christians sharing the same faith.

Because this is what St. Paul, a fellow servant of Christ, said in Ephesians 6:12

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Make Poverty History, (Ano daw?)

I just saw this ad "Make Poverty History" on the top-right corner of many blogs that I visited.

The first thing I've noticed was "it seems not right", so i thought, "ANO DAW?". In english, it is just a big "HUH?" or "WHAT?".

And then, I found out that it is an Anti-Poverty Campaign on the web.

Then i said, "yeah, it's simply wrong". (Hindi man ako mahusay mag-ingles, nakakaintindi naman ako kung may sense ba yung nababasa ko). Although, I'm not a journalist, a writer, or an skilled communicator in English. I just feel it's wrong.

Here's my point that you might want to consider, i-tagalog ko lang ha:

• "GAWING MAKASAYSAYAN ANG KAHIRAPAN" = MAKE POVERTY HISTORY

i think it should be,

• "GAWING KASAYSAYAN ANG KAHIRAPAN" = MAKE POVERTY A HISTORY

Did you see the great difference with and without the article "A"?

If they are saying that POVERTY SHOULD BE A HISTORY, meaning 'to make poverty belong to the past', they should not omit "A". Because to 'MAKE HISTORY' means 'to do something memorable or spectacular enough to make the course of history.' (Sentence example, The first space flight made history.) So, if a sound mind will perceive the slogan "MAKE POVERTY HISTORY", it will give a negative implication. It becomes the direct opposite of the campaign against poverty.

*******

Ewan ko lang kung mapapansin 'yan ng mga politiko at mambabatas na pinag-uukulan ng kampanyang ito. At palagay ko nga, manatili mang ganyan o kahit pa ayusin ang slogan na 'yan at magdagdag ng isang titik, hindi pa rin tuluyang masasawata ang kahirapan.

Alam kong o.k. naman yung layunin ng grupong M.P.H., pero hindi ko naman sinasadyang pumuna. Kung wala kasing pupuna kahit may nakikita ng mali, paano na kaya?

Ano sa palagay mo? Punahin mo din sana kung nakikita mong mali ako, basta ipapakita mo sa'kin kung alin naman ang tama.

Introducing: HEROES

Masi Oka as Hiro Nakamura, Ali Larter as Niki Sanders, Noah Gray-Cabey as Micah Sanders, Leonard Roberts as D.L Hawkins, Milo Ventimiglia as Peter Petrelli, Adrian Pasdar as Nathan Petrelli, Hayden Panettiere as Claire Bennett, Sendhil Ramamurthy as Mohinder Suresh, Greg Grunberg as Matt Parkman, Santiago Cabrera as Isaac Mendez, Tawny Cypress as Simone Deveraux

"What if you woke up and realized you possessed super powers?"

HEROES is another popular TV show on NBC that follows a Genetics professor (M. Suresh) who, while investigating the disappearance of his father, discovers there are people in the world who have amazing super powers.

If this was your first time to discover about this show, the story is like in super-heroes action comic books. Yeah, you're right! — just like Wolverine, Cyclops, Phoenix, Professor X, Magnetto and the rest of the uncanny X-MEN. They were considered dangerous to the society and need to be eliminated. And these people who just discovered their abilities and still can't control how to properly use it (and all those how & why questions in their minds) are having a hard time dealing with those powers. Some are capable of doing it, and those who consider it as a gift or 'godsend' wants to use it to save the world.

And to give you an insight of the first season, I'll start with a Japanese guy named, Hiro Nakamura who has the ability to control time who have seen an act in the future which should be prevented — it's a great explosion of an entire city by a guy with uncontrollable power to be like a nuclear bomb. And then the heroic mission begins: "save the cheerleader, save the world"

This is Claire Bennett, the cheerleader.

What the heck does it mean 'saving this girl is saving the world'?

Please, don't make me spoil the rest of 16 episodes you've missed. I believe that the last aired full episode can be watch on NBC's website. If you're thinking to jump start watching the latest episode ahead, think again. Or if you just want to read more info try here on Wikipedia.

I've just finished watching my recently downloaded EPISODE 17 (yeah).

And please, don't expect me to be your online story-teller for those previous episodes.

If you really want to see it too, or looking for download links, or just contented enough to read some reviews, this blog site is not the right place for that. There's Google search for all our query needs, try it.

Tagalog, English (Quiz Game)

Gaya ng nauna ko nang sinabi dito, mas sanay akong mangusap sa aking wikang kinalakhan, ang wikang Tagalog.

Oo, tama ang nabasa mo. "Tagalog" at hindi po "Filipino". Bagaman maaaring tutulan ako ng mga nakapag-aral at lalo na ng mga propesyunal na tagapagturo ng wikang ito, dahil ang tamang katawagan daw sa pambansang wika ng mga Pilipino ay ang "Filipino". Ito marahil ay bunga ng maraming hiram na salita mula sa iba't ibang dialekto ng ating kapuluan at pati na rin mga salitang banyaga na isinama na sa ating diskyunaryo, at hanggang ngayon ay ginagamit na sa ating pakikipagtalastasan.

Gayunpaman, hindi mapasusubalian ng marami na talaga namang "Tagalog" ang ating wikang ginagamit na pangkalahatan bilang mamamayang Pilipino at hindi talaga "Filipino". Kahit sa mga aklat-publikasyon (hal. diksyunaryo) ay tagalog pa rin ang ginagamit na termino. At hindi naman lubusang nakamit ang naunang layunin ng komisyong pangwika sa panahon pa ni G. Manuel L. Quezon na magkaroon ng pangkalahatang wika na magagamit sa ating bansa. Nilayong mapag-isa ang wika ng mga Pilipino sa kabila ng napakamarami nating mga hiwa-hiwalay na pulo kaya nagkaroon tayo ng humigit-kumulang 80 iba't ibang mga dialekto, at isa na dito ang Tagalog.

Bagaman ayon sa ating konstitusyon batay pa noong 1987, ang Filipino at English ay maituturing na parehong opisyal na wika ng ating bansa. Hanggang ngayon ay masasabi kong "Tagalog" ang wikang alam ko, dahil iyon ang natutuhan ko mula pa sa aking mga magulang. O kung sabihin man ng mga kapwa ko Pilipino na ang kanilang wika ay Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, Bicol, Pampango, Pangasinense, o kung ano pa man, hindi mawawala ang isang katotohanang pare-pareho tayong Pilipino. Kung nais mo mang sabihin ang wika mo ay "Filipino", walang problema sa akin iyon, gayunman, ito ay masyadong malawak na pahayag at hindi kasing tiyak ng pagsasabing ang wika mo ay alinman sa mga katutubong dialekto na iyong kinalakhan. Gusto ko rin sanang matutunan ang iba pang mga dialektong ito lalo na ang Bisaya, Ilocano at Kapampangan .

Umaamin akong hindi ako mahusay sa pakikipagtalastasan sa wikang Ingles at kasakukuyang pinagsasanayan ko pa lang iyon. Maaaring mapalad lang ako na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa napupuna ng talagang mga dalubhasa at mga grammarian ang aking mga pagkakamali sa mga nauna ko nang naisulat dito. Hindi ko ito ikinababahala kundi bagkus pa ma'y inaasahan ko ang mga ganitong pagkritiko sa ikatutuwid ko at ikatututo.

At ngayon, upang masubukan ang inyong kahusayan sa katutubong wikang Tagalog, maaari mong  i-download ang pagsusulit dito at sagutan o bigyan ng tamang salin ng bawat salitang Tagalog sa wikang Ingles.

(Halimbawa: Ano sa ingles ang salitang ADHIKA, nagsisimulang sa letrang "A")

Kung handa ka ng sagutan, i-download mo na dito. 

At pwede mo ng maipagmalaki na ikaw nga ay Pinoy bago mo ito iwanan at ipagpalit sa wikang banyaga kung makakuha ka ng grado na 100 porsyento. (*joke lang … pero may tama*)

(Maaaring i-request sa aking email ang kumpletong kasagutan kung ikaw ay umaayaw na o umaaming hindi mo na talaga kayang maisip pa ang sagot, sa kabila ng lahat ng paraan na iyong sinubukan at kinonsulta upang pagtanungan)

Note: Ang ida-download mo ay Excel file at tinitiyak na walang nilalamang computer virus o anomang katulad nito, na maaring makapinsala sa iyong paggamit ng computer. Natapos ko na itong sagutan, kaya ikaw naman ngayon.