Texting and Blogging: Where do we (Filipinos) stand?

The Philippines used to be tagged as the world’s texting capital, and still is. But given the high incidence of traffic accidents attributed to texting, how did we fare on this one?

Sending text messages from your mobile phone while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, a study by Britain's Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) revealed.

The reaction times of people texting as they drove fell by 35 percent, while those who had consumed the legal limit of alcohol, or taken cannabis, fell by 21 percent and 12 percent respectively, according to the study. Drivers who are fond of texting were distracted by taking their hands off the wheel to use their phone by trying to read small text on the phone display and by thinking about how to write their message.

Surprisingly though, we are not number one on this folly. We are a poor third behind the U.S. and Britain. Could this be due to lack of incidence of this kind reported or documented? It could be so. It could also be due to the fact that we had learned our lessons faster than other countries. Still another probability is that the apprehending ‘authorities’ don’t really mind the cause of traffic accidents most of the time.

Well, the good thing is we (Filipinos) have graduated from one flair to another. From texting to the internet mania. But what about it? The internet offers a lot of buzz in friendster, facebook, myspace, hi5, blogging, etc. or the so-called ‘internetworking’ (short for internet social networking).

In Universal McCann’s study on social media, the Philippines had the highest penetration of social networking among Internet users at 83.1 percent, compared with the global average of 57.5 percent. This is quite high, which means that we are getting further into becoming the most internet savvy. Of course, being savvy is one thing and being the most number of users is another.

The Philippines also had the second highest incidence of blog-reading among Internet users at 90.3 percent. South Korea topped the blog readership list at 92.1 percent. The global average is 72.8 percent.

All over the world, including the Philippines and South Korea, personal blogs or diary blogs are the favorite reading fare.

About 65.8 percent of Filipino Internet users write blogs, compared with China which topped the survey at 70.3 percent. Globally, 44.8 percent of Internet users blog, mostly about themselves.

No country can possibly beat China in terms of number of internet users given its 2 billion plus population. And coming in next is amazing if not mind-boggling.

It must be noted, though, that Internet penetration in the Philippines was relatively low—around 15 percent—compared to cell phone penetration of more than 60 percent – which means there’s definitely a lot of room for growth in the internet business in the country.

Still, Universal McCann said its study indicated that blogs and social networks were becoming “mainstream” media and were a valid platform for spreading information.

The Pacquiao-De la Hoya Extravaganza!

A “Manny-making” bout that is designed for the “Oscar Awards”?

Did we hear the news right? A $100-million Pacquiao-Dela Hoya bout this coming December? Is this the ultimate in boxing hype that is imagined to drown even the heydays of the Ali-Frazier thrilla in Manila? Maybe this is one big joke or, better yet, hoax of a fight. This can be a propaganda that is part of a “Manny-making” project with the “Oscar awards” in mind.

This movie-in-the-making will be acted out by its lead stars Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya (with the referee and the judges in supporting roles) ably directed and scripted to the “draw” unless one of the two superstars would be willing to take the role of the “vanquished” at the end of the story—for a much, much bigger take of the purse, of course, plus other obese deals on the sideline.

If indeed the fight ends in a “draw”, there is absolute certainty that the boxing fans are doped into a big fight that’s actually crafted for the ‘movies’ – a make-believe super-bout that’s all intended for the crowd and money it can draw.

Anyway, whatever happens the sharing between the two boxing superstars is already pegged at 60-40 in favor of Dela Hoya. The ‘producer’ and ‘director’ of the show knew too well that a ‘draw’ is to the advantage of the boxing career of the two fighters. So no one would be tempted to retire after the fight.. And the real fight thus takes place in the rematch in 2009 - the year when both boxers are contemplating to retire on.

Let’s see what happens or till the outcome proves us right or wrong.

So, to the boxing fans all over the world: “See you at the movies!” And this one is certainly a “blockbuster”.

Is there relationship between a nation's IQ and wealth?

Did it ever come to your mind to ponder whether a nation's level of intelligence (or Intelligence Quotient, IQ) tells us of the economic status of a certain country?

Or, in a more acadenic postulate, can the average national intelligence quotient (IQ) of a country correlate to its national or the per capita gross domestic product (GDP)?

This is what Dr. Richard Lynn and Dr. Tatu Vanhanen have been trying to prove in their controversial 2002 book IQ and the Wealth of Nations.

In the book, the authors state that IQ is an important factor contributing to differences in national wealth and rates of economic growth. The authors believe that average IQ differences between nations are due to both generic and economic factors. They also say that a low GDP can cause low IQ, and a low IQ can cause low GDP.

The authors included in the book their calculation of average IQ scores of 81 countries, based on their analysis of published reports. Their reported observation was that national IQ correlates with gross domestic product per capita 0.81 and with the rate of economic growth from 1950-1990 at 0.64

However, the authors data based it on what they believe to be the average IQs of the world nations. Because doing their own IQ studies, would be a massive and taxing project, they averaged and adjusted existing studies on these issues.

In countries where no studies are available, the authors used and estimated value by taking averages of the IQs of neighboring or comparable nations, such as the case of Guatemala and Colombia whose IQ average were based on those of El Salvador.

Different methods of obtaining figures were used for different countries. Sometimes based on different ethnic groups, sometimes on their neighboring countries and sometimes on countries that is not actually neighbors, but whose language are the same of the majority of the population of the country being studied..

The data, methodology and conclusions in the book have been criticized, but it was cited several times in the popular press, notably of the British conservative newspaper. And because Tatu Vanhanen is the father of Matti Vanhanen, the Finish Prime minister, his work has received wide publicity in Finland.

I find the study quite interesting, and really, if I can squeeze it into my routine I'd like to replicate this one on a regional scope.

(Dr. Richard Lynn is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland and Dr. Tatu Vanhanen is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.)

How TV networks maintain the ratings game

TV shows have been resorting to cheap tricks, conscious inconsistent writing and other gimmickries to keep viewers glued to them. Mostly done because of the ratings game or to salvage a poor-performing program… and obviously, with total disrespect to the intelligence of the televeiwers.

Since the two TV sets in the house are glued to GMA and ABS-CBN, I can only cite examples from them.

The top 5 of these cheap tricks are:

No. 5 – Cliffhangers… Not!

Obviously to keep viewers excited in anticipation for the next episode. The program ends with a major character in tight fix… only to be seen in the following episode unscathed and untouched even, from the cliffhangers he was left-off in the previous episode. Ex. All action-thriller soap operas.

No. 4 – Habitual on-and-off couple relationships

To generate more interest and to instill romance in the show, two main characters would suddenly find themselves falling for each other. And to add appeal to emotion, you can be very sure that one of the couples is very rich and the other one very poor! Blissful romantic scenes follows, then something happens and they would part ways. Their separate lives however would find ways to bring them back together again… only to part ways again some other time… and be back together again. It all depends really on how long the show runs. Ex. Marimar, Dyesebel (GMA), My Girl (ABS-CBN)

No. 3 – Villains on Reality Shows

No matter how real they claim to be, reality shows follow certain script. Management needs to create interest in the show for the advertisements to pour in. That is why they decide who goes out or who stays in. Ever wonder why that character that seem to be out-of-control often, the one that nobody can easily get along with, stays longer in the show? Because, they can always stir the show and create conflicts and interests, much to the delight of the management. Again, ratings game. Ex. Pinoy Idol (GMA), Pinoy Dream Academy & Pinoy Big Brother (ABS-CBN)

No. 2 – Back from the dead

People who were supposed to be dead, suddenly come back in the show. And it’s not even Halloween yet. This plot that has been widely abused by writers is happening more often than we notice. A convincingly death scene, like a fire or an accident, involving a major character, is twisted with the character being shown again, alive. More often than not, without any clear explanation. They just want it at that. Ex. Codenamed: Asero (GMA),

No. 1 – “Next Week on… “ Teaser lies

“Come back tomorrow, I’ll tell you everything” This is what those Next Week teasers is trying to say to make televiewers come back for more. Showing what seems to be an interesting scene that appears to be a great impact on show, is shown on the next week teaser. Only to be frustrated because that scene actually has no impact on the program. Ex.Most afternoon soap operas in all networks.

Ratings will always be the name of the game. This is the basis of the advertisers in putting their money on the show. And the show producers know it all too well. For the viewers, they really don't care about it. What matters are the excitements they get from the show. This type of selling TV programs and products will stay for good. It has always been the same since time immemorial.

Thoughts and Acts for Peace

This posting of the notes hereunder is one of the ways I can think of to help spread the message it brings forth which is so simple, yet so noble and significant. I came across with this message while I was reading the comments to a blog posting in one of my favorite blogites. The writer uses the monicker "deejay". You already had me among TAPs believers - Dr. Mosaid.

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“Peace has to start as an individual decision. By making a choice to focus even a small segment of my day on peace, I am taking that first step towards every rational person’s fantasy—saving the world.” —Ophelia Julien

Like Ophelia, a housewife and mother, each of us longs for a world at peace. For after all, we are by nature peaceful souls.

Like Ophelia, we want to get involved in our own simple way but oftentimes don’t know how. What can we do to create peace? Peace in Mindanao? Peace in the world?

We can “TAP” for peace. TAP is short for Thoughts and Acts of Peace.

In this connection, we are pleased to invite you to join Mothers for Peace, the Mindanao Commission on Women and other organizations all over the country in the campaign to create a Million TAPs for Peace.

The objective of the campaign is to give individuals a sense of participation in dealing with an issue that most people consider quite beyond their power to influence --- peace. The campaign will involve as many people as possible in giving minutes of peace through silence, prayer, or meditation and sharing peace by doing acts of peace. It allows people to take a break from their daily routines to think peaceful thoughts and do peaceful acts, thereby achieving inner peace and contributing to peace in Mindanao and in the rest of the world. Instead of the usual campaign for money, Million TAPS for Peace asks that individuals “donate” minutes of peace.

The nationwide campaign was launched the start of Peace Month on September 1, 2008 at "Talkback with Tina Palma" on ANC. It will culminate during the Mindanao Week of Peace on December 3.

If you agree to join the campaign, please forward this invitation to as many of your friends and family as you can. You may access the Campaign Kit from our website www.milliontapsforpeace.org.

Remember: A single thought has changed the world. How much more a million thoughts? A single act has changed the world. How much more a million acts?

Let us gather a million TAPs for peace!