Fuzzy Logic

test2

2008-10-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

test

2008-10-28T21:02:00.001-07:00

test

Popfly Facebook test

2008-06-03T00:12:00.000-07:00

This is a test app I made using MS Popfly... using Facebook and plotting my friends' pics on a map.

Popfly test

2008-06-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

How good are Lasallians? (part 1)

2006-01-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

Let me open this column with mathematical questions. If you are a technical course student or professor, answer these:

1. Given a regular pyramid with a triangular base set in a two-dimensional plane, select any edge of the three sides of the face touching the plane and use the edge as an axis to turn over the pyramid. Find the probability that, after repeating the action n times, the original face is again touching the plane.

2. Let a, b, c be positive real numbers. In the xyz-space, consider the plane R consisting of points (x,y,z) satisfying the conditions
x <= a, y <= b, z = c
Let P be the source of light on the plane z = c + 1 moving along the ellipse
(x2 / a2 ) + (y2 / b2 ) = 1, z = c + 1
once around. Sketch and calculate the area of the shadow projected by the plane R on the xy-plane.

For the humanities counterpart, answer these:

1. Find the maximum and minimum values of f(x) = x3 − 2x2 − 3x + 4 over the interval from -7/4 to 3 inclusive.

2. Consider the point P (2, 0, 1) in xyz-space and the curve z = y2 in the yz-plane. As point Q moves along this curve, let R be the point of intersection of the line PQ (extended) and the xy-plane. Letting F be the graph of the set of points R, draw F in the xy-plane.

These are entrance examination questions to a Japanese university, to be answered in 25 minutes each. I obtained these from maa.org. The prominent detail is the degree of difficulty of the problems. Even second year engineering students will find the humanities problems obstinately difficult; so much more will humanities students.

If DLSU would follow this format for application exams, I guesstimate that 95 percent of the Lasallian population would be whittled. DLSU would earn lots of money from charging students fees for reconsideration. Spurt out some of the great names in DLSU, chances are they won’t be able to solve any.

Though it may not be applicable to DLSU, one should consider why even humanities students are required to have good mathematical knowledge. Even abstract matters like politics could be made systematic with mathematics, for mathematics is not tied to numbers alone. Rather, it is the thinking and problem-solving capacity that mathematics molds in a person. It is a thinking skill that no other subject can teach. There are no math-hating persons; there are only math-fearing persons.

Sidestepping from the issue, I find it weird that mathematics in DLSU, especially in engineering, is strictly mechanical in nature. It robs students the possibility of getting the most out of math. As Paul Zeitz said in the title of his book, math problem solving is an art.

Going back, one root of the problem may be the prevalent culture in the Philippine educational system. But that will not be discussed here. In DLSU, things should be considered differently, I hope.

How good are Lasallians?

* * *

Star Scholars are normally considered the best of the best in the country of that particular batch. Some have made it a game to obtain the other prestigious scholarships: the Oblation and the Merit scholarships.

But in this setting, greatness is not absolute; it depends only on the criteria used to gauge greatness. Hence, a great boxer would tend to become mincemeat in the mixed martial arts ring because he does not know how to wrestle. He gains worldwide fame in the boxing ring because boxing does not place importance on wrestling, in fact, wrestling moves are barred. It is the same with scholarships, say the star scholarship: the way the selection process is structured favors some students to become star scholars, although they may not necessarily be the greatest.

Why would the champion of the Philippine Mathematical Olympiad of my batch be studying in DLSU and not have scholarship of any kind? Why would my friend become a Nanyang exchange scholar and yet not become a star scholar?

It depends only on the criteria. If the criteria places importance on holistic development, then not even Albert Einstein or Stephen Hawking would have become a star scholar had they studied here. However, they would far outshine any star scholar of their time – this will be their only merit.

It can be seen from another aspect: The Star Scholars – or awarded people in general – are such only because the people who can beat them are not given the same opportunity. I remember this crisply said by a professor. For instance, provincial students are not given the same opportunities to get into DLSU, since the Marketing Communications Office focuses more on the cities.

Image Driven

2005-11-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

A Lasallian must not be swayed by typical labels of greatness and constructs of excellence so heavily marketed in DLSU.

Politics places the utmost importance on images. Politicians depend on it for their survival in office. Apart from their contributions to society, it is the image they portray to the public – by the way they talk when interviewed, by the stands they take regarding certain issues and more – that determines whether or not they will succeed in politics.

Such pivotal role that image plays is also very much relevant among schools. Normally seen as the school for the economically fortunate but intellectually inferior, De La Salle University's institutional image is much more complex than this simple label. After almost a century of hard work, the University has gained a formidable foothold in the local academic scene, as evidenced by PAASCU Level IV accreditation status and membership in the ASEAN University Network.

Such a simplistic label then does not do the University justice. However, seeing DLSU as plainly an academic mover is still not enough. Going back to the politician analogy, image is not built by performance alone.

How DLSU handles issues both internal and external weigh in heavily on how other people view the institution. They affect popular perceptions of the school, Lasallians in the former and the national community in the latter.

Outward image

Clearest evidences of the latter, as this is the more sensitive of the two, are the Brothers’ stand on the Gloriagate scandal and the issue on ineligible Green Archers. What is clear in the two situations is that both were calculated risks. If either turns out negatively, the consequences will undermine the very foundations of DLSU.

The Brothers’ stand on the “Hello Garci?” tapes was a courageous act, a prominent first among all universities. While many people admired the courage of the Brothers, some parties were disdained by the political activity undertaken by DLSU. The University inexorably projected an image of high moral integrity, since it is calling for a “supreme sacrifice” on the grounds that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had lost moral ascendancy to rule. Political retribution on the University may prove to be a fatal aftereffect.

Whether or not this high moral image will backfire on DLSU will be tested in the Benitez-Gatchalian ineligibility debacle. The possible effects springing from media sensationalizing are disconcerting. Suspension in the UAAP and the branding of DLSU as granting special admission to athletes may mar its image for a long time. Consequently, there may be fewer freshman applicants and an inherent doubt in high school seniors regarding the validity of DLSU’s application process.

Evidently, image is drawn from leadership. The Brothers had prerogative to release their political stand although it is not the consensus of all. Similarly, the Administration was compelled to release its statement regarding ineligible athletes after hearing that the PEPTCR papers of the two athletes were possibly faked.

For now, the drama unfolds.

Embedded culture

Prior to the eruption of the two aforementioned controversies, DLSU has maintained a rather serene image for some years. During that time and relevant up to present, the pride Lasallians possess draws strength from this image. The assurance that DLSU is if not second the best in the country may be the reason for the prevalent culture of mediocrity and apathy in the university.

This mediocrity is everywhere. In academics, many students have already contented themselves with the 1.0 mark. The so-so in the best institution would still be excellent out in society anyway. In the context of career opportunities upon graduation, it is a popular belief that a DLSU diploma will carry the name of the student well into employment.

In student governance, mediocrity turns into apathy, where some do not even exercise their right to vote. Issues arise but students merely shrug them off, believing that dilemmas will be solved even without their participation.

From every batch of Lasallians arise the few politically and academically mindful. Often earning key leadership posts in student organizations, they position themselves for a lucrative career. One would expect them to be at the forefront of political reform upon graduation. However, a significant number of these outstanding students land in huge corporations.

Political initiative and standing up for students is neatly converted to maximizing profit for the company. Direct contribution to society gives way to indirect contribution – working for the company to enhance the lives of the Filipino consumer. The companies they used to ask solicitations from become the companies that they work for.

In this manner, questions will arise.

Crafting of an image

These unrelated occurrences all interplay in the crafting of image of DLSU. In turn, people are influenced by the stereotype the image establishes. But, there is no default destiny or career path for Lasallians. There is no “default Lasallian” anyone entering 2401 Taft should become. Anyone entering DLSU needs only to maximize his/her stay in the University and in the process, eliminate mediocrity, apathy and misconceptions.

A Lasallian must not be swayed by typical labels of greatness and constructs of excellence so heavily marketed in DLSU.

“The future begins here. ™” DLSU’s omnipresent tagline implicitly denotes by virtue of the singular noun, like a compass pointing in only one direction, a singular future for all Lasallians. That is arguably the corporate future.

“The future begins here. ™” could be better termed “Futures begin here.”

Avenue for Change and More - October minicolumn

2005-11-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

*October is the anniversary issue of The LaSallian. Therefore, we invited past editors to share column space with us. My counterpart wrote about rallies. This is my part:

To the people who have joined rallies, I wish to understand one thing: the first thought that majority of these people think of when they get home, after a long and tiring day rallying on the streets. Although I had been to quite a few of these, my experience is not enough to teach me the answer.

Let me put it in another setting I call setting X: During a spiritually engaging evangelistic meeting, the pastor has “rekindled” in you the passion for God, and you stand up and proclaim, “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” Spirited, you get home and: A) your naughty sibling plays a nasty trick on you; B) your mother scolds you for being late; C) your friends invite you to watch an “exotic” movie; D) your father orders you to pray to Buddha. What comes into your mind?

Whether or not the willingness and initiative to change on a personal level exists in a person is reflected in this seeming triviality. Much more - this triviality is a moment of truth.

In the first half of the story for both settings, the person is in a group, and with others the little energies of individual people snowball into one behemoth of an emotion. The people initiate, or at least attempt to initiate, changes as a group. The collective drive the group generates is often enough to overshadow personal doubts and weaknesses.

But when one leaves the group, everything magically changes. The terms people within the group have used so naturally and matter-of-factly suddenly become taboo. I point the reader to case D of setting X, as this is the most evident scenario. Imagine saying “Holy Spirit” in front of your father. Try saying “I can’t pray to Buddha,” and you’d expect a lengthy sermon/debate.

When one is alone, the real world presents constraints that groups are not limited by. People are normally discouraged and revert to their old selves.

The same happens with people involved in rallies. If people maintain the same level of passion they had in rallies when they get home, then real change may not be farfetched.
So a rally may not be that bad.

Happy thoughts? - September column

2005-09-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

It seems that oil prices will not go down anytime soon. Given this hardship, some may have begun walking to their destinations instead of riding vehicles.

It costs me P13.50 to commute from my residence near Binondo. To find out what 13.50 means, I tried walking - counting every step of the way - starting from the South Gate, home. I arrived ninety minutes and 5850 steps later. Just for information, each step (2.5 to 3 feet in distance) cost 0.23 centavos.

Lasallians should be grateful they still have oil to fuel their cars. It is scary to think of the day Lasallians will have to go on “forced exercise.” This is bad, which is why everyone should help conserve fuel in their own little ways.

* * *

If the number seven is considered lucky, then DLSU should be quadruply lucky. 2401, in 2401 Taft, is seven raised to the fourth power.

* * *

Life in DLSU is certainly not utopian. We all know the openly taxing trimestral academic system. However, the opening statement does not just point to that. Every so often, “disruptions” sprout, tangling in a jungle of dispute some of these sectors: the students (Student Council usually), the Administration, Faculty, and in the background, Employees.

Is it normal for a respected institution like DLSU to have internal disparities? It should be normal, since each sector of the university comes from different backgrounds, hence possessing distinct viewpoints about the world. Age is another complicating factor. As Randy David wrote in his column “Salute to the New,” the new blood politicians are openly pushing changes of a radical nature, while their older comrades prefer the status quo. I could say the same is true with DLSU’s politics.

These internal disparities sometimes get out of DLSU’s walls. Employees file legal cases against DLSU, and DLSU retaliates with cases of its own. Sometimes the order is reversed, but the irrevocable fact is that money is spent in these cases and wasted on ones with trivial roots. Mang Bay showed us a memorandum on one case and I found it rather weird for DLSU to have spent 800 thousand on one theft case of not more than 3000 pesos’ worth. But of course, DLSU has an image to protect. My only question is why this wasn’t solved within DLSU.

Quite many people have asked me blatantly, “Do you hate DLSU?” pointing to the fact that The LaSallian comes out with articles seemingly highlighting these disparities and do not necessarily put the institution’s best foot forward. My answer is an unequivocal no.

It is not a contradiction. Matthew 10:34 in the New Living Translation version paraphrased Jesus Himself saying, “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword.” This simply meant Jesus did not want to ignore deep and hard-to-reconcile differences to bring about superficial harmony. Rather than keep it hidden, it should be brought out and tackled in the hope that a lasting solution will be found.

In our government, politicians have long ignored the deep problem of patronage politics among others (Randy David again) and recently shrugged off the Gloriagate controversy to make the government move on. Unity, the Administration had clamored. Superficial harmony. But is the problem solved by ignoring the impeachment complaint? It is time to start the great debate on which came first, the egg or the chicken. What is the root of the problem as our politicians see it?

As DLSU is but a microcosm of the real world, should DLSU be exempt from this route? DLSU is small, can’t we all be friends, someone once quipped. On a person-to-person basis, correct. But on a large scale, this is what I see as an easy way out, the superficial harmony that lulls everyone into a false sense of security. Maybe this is what ecumenism has led us to thinking.

To me, it’s an enigma why people tend to connect loving DLSU with “praising” DLSU. To some extent, this is the same logic as telling an ugly child that he/she is the prettiest/handsomest kid in the world. Or the Backstreet Boys “As Long as You Love Me” chorus.

Rather, the question I ask myself is, “is there any difference between love and
tolerance?”

Because seeing differences and taking action only to avoid clashes of principle, i.e. reach a common ground, is not the same as seeing differences and taking action to resolve the differences though it’s not the most pleasant option.

The operative idea may be akin to a saying I read once. It says that people take praise by the bucket yet receive criticism by the grain.

People should find the banksia a fascinating plant. Unlike normal plants that die upon contact with fire, banksias need fire before its seeds crack and grow. I can see that institutions like our government need to be more like the banksia.

Of course, this doesn’t mean the institution of The LaSallian is perfect. If this was the requirement, then not even God’s prophets can pass analyses on DLSU’s situations.

There may be another installation on this topic soon.

Needs, emotions, and X - August Column

2005-08-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

Needs, emotions, and X

A colorful election and at least 22 padded resumes later, it is finally time for our frosh student leaders to work. But what should be expected? I’m no prophet, but this I believe will hold true nonetheless: a leadership that will focus on students’ want rather than need will achieve nothing but inherit the wind.

I use my favorite analogy, religion. (As early as now, think from the student perspective – Who is the leader? Who are the followers?) Jesus was the best leader who ever walked the planet. But He was not popular or rich. Being a carpenter’s son and living a simple life, one should wonder how He managed to completely convince twelve people to give up everything and follow Him and much later, millions of people as well.

Simple: Jesus addressed a need that no one else could address, and that is spiritual peace. The disciples may have wanted money, power or fame – Jesus had none of these – but Jesus pierced these superficial whims. Jesus offered the disciples what they needed, not what they wanted. It is not necessary that the disciples knew what they needed, it is enough that He knew.

People naturally flock around a leader who offers what they need. There is no hype, just a simple desire.

There is a fine line between need and want. The world’s economy relies on it. Does one really need an iPod? Does one need to buy a Lacoste shirt over an exact shirt sans only the brand name? Does one need a pimped-up ride a la Xzibit when the money could be given to NGOs?

Governance that addresses only want is no different from entertainment, even without media coverage or Lupita Kashiwahara. Is this probably the reason why actors could ascend to high governmental posts? The student version is only a more innocent mirror.

What do our freshman students need? Need is always very hard to distinguish, but I believe that need could be realized when you filter out the wants, the same way that political parties filter out aspiring candidates. The filtering process is extremely tedious, it involves an observant eye. It involves thinking: it should keep leaders lost in thought when others should be relaxing their minds. It involves receiving criticisms and reacting constructively. (unless you believe you’re perfect) It involves taking fire for your constituents. It involves unexpected circumstances. It involves time. Leading is more than managing.

I bet GMA’s political survival, our fledgling leaders must’ve thought of that. That’s why they seemed so energetic during the campaign.

* * *

It turned out that the initial suspect in the issue we had when we were working on our July issue (that we did a follow-up on this month) turned out to be wrong. I think this is rather normal, as police investigators normally have many suspects which they eliminate one by one.

The whole process of investigation seems pretty much a pseudo-Josephus problem to me, only this time there is no formula to solve it.

My apology to Roderick Salita for it had been made clear to me the article had made such a negative impact on him.

That “Eric” was not him. It had never been him.

* * *

It is quite saddening how innocence could easily be drowned by utters of dubious nature. It could be a beacon of light piercing the darkness, and yet now it seems to be utterly useless. Only three possible scenarios fit: the light is insufficiently bright, the darkness eats up the light, or the light is hidden under the table and not on the lamppost.

* * *

As I write this, the real “Eric” is still frolicking. I confirmed that he still used the name Eric at least once. Males need to be alert.

* * *

My mother likes reading romance pocketbooks and watching romantic movies. In one particular instance, I had nothing to do and seeing the book lying around, I thought of skimming through it. These books and movies could be full of very cheesy lines. Snippets of the infinite list would go: I won’t be able live my life normally if you do this to me… I have not slept well after you left me…

It is very interesting why people from all walks of life resort to emotion to get their point through. It could be the research topic of psychology majors.

* * *

Professor X did it again. If X had read my last column, some changes should have been effected. Maybe X’s so psyched up X hadn’t read, and so X reruns X’s students through X’s seemingly orchestrated debacle. X has been flaunting X’s inefficiency efficiently.

There is a reason why X is called X. X is the 24^th letter of the alphabet. If you add the order (in the alphabet) of the first letters of X’s first and last name(s) together you will get 24.

* * *

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the fire espoused by the DLSU community regarding the Gloria controversy is getting weaker.

Like a piece of firewood that has been exhausted, it will turn to ash and be blown away by the wind. Will we let this happen to us?

Untitled - July Column

2005-08-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Untitled

The way I see things, there is a connection between social apathy - particularly student apathy - and spiritual apathy. I say it now, and my explanations and sidetracks follow: There is apathy because there is lack of a clear threat jeopardizing your current lifestyle or beliefs.

Way back several centuries, when Christianity was at its infancy, the Christians' very lives were at stake. The mere act of calling on the name of the Lord had gotten many people killed. But then for the early Christians, there was a clear distinction between what was spiritually right and wrong. Either you stand up for your beliefs and die or you live, but forfeit your faith.

One group called the Anabaptists had preached the Gospel in Europe. In exchange, their members got decapitated and had their heads displayed on street posts. Some believers who died due to torture suffered extreme pain for their faith. Imagine a human being crushed at every joint by a mallet, and having his now flimsy and blood-dripping body threaded through the spokes of a wheel like an octopus and hung to die. Imagine a person hung upside down for hours (so blood rushes to the upper body) and having his groin displaced towards his torso by a wood saw (since blood is accumulated in the upper body, lesser blood is lost as the saw cuts, and the longer one suffers).

Given the situation, no Christian could profess and be apathetic. He was deeply involved in what was happening around him, because there is a threat that keeps him on his feet, completely alert and watchful.

By the way, as for the Anabaptists, their children continued to preach the Gospel. Many people were awed by this exceptional courage and converted to Christianity.

Fast forward. As the years passed by, the threat level gradually subsided from life threatening to "trivial" problems of interpretation. Now, Satan attacks Christians with the weapon called subtlety. Sins are sugarcoated to look innocent, but inside are rotten as ever. This happens because the evil image has been whittled down to look docile and harmless. Sometimes, blatantly bad things are made to look as not that bad. Not going to Church is excusable because you are busy. Anyway, you can make up by cutting down on your sins the next week. Viewing pornography is alright because it's a sign of manhood. Besides, it may help you in your future relationship.

Although Satan is busy chopping you down, it's hard to see because the immediate threats are not there, only the long term ones. Most often, people only realize when they have sunk deep into the quicksand, but from there, it’s hard to recover.

In the same way, I think that issues in the University have always been whittled down to look harmless to the student body. The fact that an ordinary student could not identify any campus issue that can significantly affect his life as a Lasallian is proof. Although the issues are there, they have not been presented to him as something he SHOULD know about.

Swing over to the national picture. Any public official who has said sorry (it’s safe to assume that you say sorry after doing something bad), and yet acts as if that “bad” thing is not that “bad” to merit a punishment (resignation should only be the beginning) should be immediately questionable.

In GMA’s case, her promise to atone for her “lapse in judgment” by working doubly hard is a rip-off of a child’s excuse of studying harder after she failed in a test to avert being spanked by her parents. If I was the parent, I would not buy this excuse – my child should be punished – because this is how love works.

Some students do not care about the issue because of the fact that it seems there is nothing he can do. The issue is distanced from the students: students don’t think their lives could be directly affected. In effect, students are tolerating GMA’s lapses in judgment.

Using the religious argument, this is exactly what Satan wants: tolerance of sins for more sins to pile upon. In fact, why corruption crept up to the top ranks of government is because seemingly nonessential faults in the grassroots level of government were tolerated. Mere “cutting of corners” as Br. Armin said, like our sometimes not following traffic regulations.

Lastly, the thought that there is nothing one can do to influence change degrades the humanity of a person. Are Lasallian students, professors and administrators fully human?

* * *

I wonder why professors whose forte is supposed to be improving efficiency could not handle a quiz efficiently. X comes to the test site 15 minutes late, and suffers from the seeming misfortune of having insufficient test papers to distribute to students. Another 15 minutes is shaved off the 90 minute exam. Was the test extended? No. What’s intriguing was X’s final comment made during the last minutes of the essentially 60 minute exam, and it went something like this: you can always guess the answer. Speaks a lot about how some professors see students.

Grab the wheels - June column

2005-07-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Grab the wheels

The view from my silent observation post tells me DLSU is like an automobile. Now, one only needs to have taken driving lessons in order to drive a car. There is no need to understand how the engine works, or how the power is transmitted to the wheels. As if in a car, students in DLSU are shown only the interior and they are expected to enjoy the ride, from frosh to graduation. There is no encouraging them to step out and inspect what’s under the hood. This “passenger” mindset I believe had crept slowly through the years because of pop culture.

I wonder how DLSU could propagate critical thinking in the classroom (if it really does) and yet provide glaring counterexamples outside of it.

Consider the then-rumored merger of the College of Engineering (COE) and the College of Computer Studies (CCS), now a defunct idea. When the issue was still hot, the Administration kept completely silent. Only a few brave souls went ahead and shared stories with the students.

This issue was cleared with a tone of finality no student can question. And only now has the Administration spoken. Was the Administration transparent in this scenario? Delayed and selective transparency, yes. (See Paul Garilao’s column) However, delayed transparency is not transparency at all. It is useless. Keep a debatable issue under wraps and release it only when any inflow of ideas from the student body will not affect its outcome. This means the Administration has an innate sense of distrust against the student body. It betrays disrespect for students’ abilities to think critically for the future of THEIR university.

Consider the installment of the CCTV camera system. Up to now, the student body can only guess how much was actually spent for the system. Had it not been for a source, we would never have known the winning bid alone cost DLSU 940,000. Call that transparency!

There was virtually no consultation of the student body in this acquisition. Two questions: Was the Administration expecting resistance from the student body, so they bypassed this process? Or had Aikee Esmeli and company done one lousy task of student consultation/representation?

Various policies that have taken effect just this year include CCTV installment, dress code policy especially banning of slippers inside campus, and transformative learning. Obviously, all these policies have started as mere ideas by someone somewhere, just like the merger rumors. (An administrator told me that something classified as “mere idea by someone somewhere” should not be given importance) Now, why does it seem that no matter how hard the student body, represented by the Student Council, tries to resist these new measures, all their efforts are in vain, at best only a compromise is achieved? What I think: There was minimal, if not non-existent student representation when the idea was at its infancy. This is the level where only members of the Administration discuss and come up with conclusions. By the time the idea is presented to the students, it has already been pre-finalized.

This is like uprooting a tree that has ingrained its roots deep underground. Remember the Art of War: The best general wins with the least effort, the best doctor cures before the symptoms come out. This tree should be uprooted while it is still young.

This is why I hope Tapat’s Executive Board would deliver on its promise of having student representatives in several important University committees/councils, like the Board of Trustees and the Operations Council. Who knows where the next big addition to DLSU’s paradigms will be born? The student’s voice should be heard there.

* * *

I salute the guys at Microsoft for coming up with one hell of a difficult yet fun Imagine Cup, Algorithm category. In turn, I wonder why DLSU restricts Internet use so much. Allow me to connect the two sentences.

Imagine Cup is a global competition sponsored by Microsoft. There are several categories including business planning, rendering, software design, IT and algorithm. For the algorithm category I joined, there are three rounds: the elimination round open to everyone internationally, the semifinal round open to the top 200 scorers in the eliminations, and the finals open to the six highest scorers in the semis.

Sorry for self-congratulation, but I was the only Filipino who made it to the semifinal round. Now both the elimination and semifinal round are online (http://imagine.thespoke.net and http://www.wildnoodle.com/msic respectively). The semifinal round was in the form of a game called Herbert (a robot program), and it required .NET framework installed in PCs. So much for up-to-date computers. The framework was not even installed in Velasco computer labs then! I had to bug one technician to allow me to install the update.

The real problem was when ITC required everyone to log in using their MyLaSalle account. Though I am not a computer wizard, I experienced firsthand how this policy restricts student activity on the Internet. Herbert, which runs directly from the Internet, could no longer run in any DLSU computer lab. And my Internet connection at home is as slow as a snail.

This may be my personal ire, but I am quite sure that soon someone will have problems just like what I had. The ITC should carefully review its implementations to not severely delimit Internet use.