Letter Calling for Ernest L. Cu's Resignation as Globe CEO

Since Globe customer service can't or refuses to give Mr. Cu's contact information, I will publish this letter in the hopes that this message reaches him.

Mr. Ernest L. Cu,

Globe's customer service, as a whole, is poor. My family has been with with Bayantel for more than 10 years and we have not encountered the type of service your agents have exhibited today. I called up the Globe customer service hotline at 4121212 at around 4 pm and first encountered an agent named Bea Morales. I asked to speak to her supervisor regarding a recurring issue, but after waiting to speak to her supervisor, the call was dropped.

I called up again, this time, speaking to a John De Leon. I asked for his supervisor, Mark Reyes. I asked for Mr. Reyes' supervisor, Lucas Pantanilla, but after waiting for a long time, my call ended back in the Globe telephone queue where you are asked to input numbers to get to the right department.

During the third call, I spoke with a Menchi Delmore. Her supervisor was Mirasol Llamera. While Menchi's handling of the call was excellent, I am still disappointed at the way Globe has handled my concern. If I asked to speak to a Bayantel supervisor in the past, my request was accommodated.

Sometimes, someone more seasoned is needed to understand why a recurring issue remains unresolved.

Please improve your services. Otherwise, please resign from your post as CEO and give the job to someone else who can do better instead of allowing Globe's reputation to remain in the gutter.

Imagine You and Me Movie Review

Warning: Possible spoilers

I rarely watch local movies nowadays. I grew up watching local films so I think I have an idea of how most comedies, dramas, and action movies made in my country will turn out. So I was pleasantly surprised for the most part of the movie Imagine You and Me and was almost about to give it a perfect ten until about the end.

Accidents have been overused in love stories. In Meet Joe Black, Brad Pitt gets hit by a car. In The Lake House, Keanu Reeves also gets hit by a car. There's another movie that I can't quite recall at the moment, where the female character rides a bicycle and gets hit by a car. All of them died. So, whenever someone gets hit by a car, you expect a tragic ending. But instead, Maine Mendoza's character gets hit by a car and survives. Why place the event in the movie? It was unnecessary. The idea of Alden Richards' character torn between Maine and Jasmine Curtis-Smith is already tragic enough. The movie could actually have ended, in my opinion, when Maine sees Alden chasing after her as she heads for the airport. I know that Pinoys are used to happy endings, but this movie could have been a classic love film which ranks with all-time bests if it were ended properly.

The choice of location was perfect. You'ld even think it was made like Hana Kimi or some other Japanese love comedy. Most of the shots were beautiful, showcasing the different parts of Italy. I think that most times, Filipino films are negatively affected by the local environment they are shot in. But Italy was like a dream... the houses look perfect, the countryside was pristine, and even interiors were well thought of.

I am thankful that they did not flood this film with ads like the first Alden-Maine movie. (Tide makers - you know what I'm talking about.) There was one scene with a McDonalds happy meal, but it was subtle compared to what Tide did. And I know, that is one way for the producers to make money, but just add the endorser in the credits. Shouldn't the main source of money by the ticket sales?

Maine's acting was great. She stayed in character. Don't know if she was playing her real-life self, but she was more believable here than as a rich man's daughter. It was also nice to see Alden not falling over Maine like a love sick puppy in Kalyeserye. And Jasmine Curtis-Smith should be nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The two friends of Maine were also a good balance and sources of comic relief.

This movie, in my opinion, can compete with those love stories produced in other countries. The twist about Jasmine Curtis-Smith was very original for me. I hope more movies that are less predictable come out. If not for the ending, I would have given this film a perfect 10. But even with that disappointment, I would still give this movie a 9. I hope more local movies will be given as much time and attention so that the quality of local cinema can be elevated.



 

 

ISP Sacrifices Phone Connection for Internet Connectivity

If you are a long-time Internet user whose landline is bundled with your internet plan, you might have experienced this situation already. You call your ISP and tell them that you have no Internet connection. You are of course using your landline to call them up. They send a tech over to try and resolve the situation. Your internet connection is restored but your phone's dial-tone goes dead. One problem is solved but another is created.

ISPs that offer a bundled landline and Internet service usually have two divisions. One specializes only in telephone repair while the other specializes in Internet related-problems. I, for one, think that this is a scenario that needs to be changed. They should only have one division that makes sure all types of problems faced by the customer is fixed.

Your landline needs two wires to work properly. Your internet connection only needs one. So, to the repairman who belongs to the Internet division, as long as he restores your internet connection, his job is already done. It does not matter if you lose your landline's connection. As far as he is concerned, it is now a problem that the telephone division needs to address.

But both divisions belong to the same company. So, you are actually creating more problems for your company. And in the process, the image of your company is being tarnished.

Fix all problems at once. Do not create more problems just to solve existing ones. Most often, if you go to the root of the original problem, you can avoid creating additional problems during the process of coming up with a solution.

Just To See Her Guitar Chords

Here's my attempt at guitar chords for Smokey Robinson's song, "Just To See Her". Hope you like it!

"Just To See Her"

Stanza Pattern
C#m F#m Bm E (D) (Repeat)
Just to see her,
C#m F#m Bm E (D)
just to touch her
C#m F#m Bm E (Esus - E)
Just to hold her in my arms again one more time

Repeat Stanza Pattern
If I could feel her warm embrace
see her smiling face
Can't find anyone to take her place I've got to see her again

(Transition chord to chorus) G

Chorus Pattern:
C Am Dm G (F)
I would do anything,
Em Am Dm G (F)
I would go anywhere
Em Am Dm G
There's nothing I wouldn't do just to see her again

(Transition chord back to stanza) E

Use Stanza Pattern:
I can't hide it,
I can't fight it
It's so hard to live without the love she gave to me

Use Stanza Pattern:
Doesn't she know it,
I tried hard not to show it
Can't I make her realize that she really needs me again

Use Chorus Pattern:
I would do anything,
I would go anywhere
There's nothing I wouldn't do just to see her again

Use Chorus Pattern:
She brightened up my everyday
made me feel so good in every way
If I could have her back to stay, I've got to see her again

Foolish Heart Guitar Chords

This song by Steve Perry was also popularized by Side A and Nina. Here's my attempt at its chords. Hope you like it!

"Foolish Heart"

Stanza Pattern:
E        F#7        E9    F#7
I need a love that grows
       E         F#7       E9    F#7
I don't want it unless I know

Refrain Pattern:
          B6       B11
With each passing hour
  G#m7       C#
Someone somehow
  G#m7    C#      F#7sus F7
Will be there, ready to share

Stanza Pattern:
E        F#7        E9    F#7
I need a love that's strong
       E         F#7       E9    F#7
I'm so tired of being alone

Refrain Pattern:
          B6       B11
But will my lonely heart
  G#m7       C#
play the part
  G#m7    C#       F#7sus    F7
Of the fool again Before I begin

Chorus Pattern:
E              F#7         B
Foolish heart, hear me calling
E              F#7         B
Stop before you start falling
E              F#7         B
Foolish heart, heed my warning
G#m7              C#
You've been wrong before
F#7sus            F#7
Don't be wrong any more

Stanza Pattern:
I'm feeling that feeling again
I'm playing a game I can't win

Refrain Pattern:
Love's knocking on the door
Of my heart once more
Think I'll let her in
Before I begin

Chorus Pattern:
Foolish heart, hear me calling
Stop before you start falling
Foolish heart, heed my warning
You've been wrong before
Don't be wrong any more

Use Stanza Pattern for Instrumental:

Chorus Pattern:
Foolish heart, hear me calling
Stop before you start falling
Foolish heart, heed my warning
You've been wrong before
Don't be wrong any more

Use Stanza Pattern to Fade Out:
Foolish heart...

Selective Browsing and Games Stuck at the Loading Screen

Yesterday, I tried to access the NBA website in order to check on updates with regards to the 2016 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. But for some reason, the site would not load. I quickly checked on Google, and it loaded immediately. Tried Facebook, and it was fine, too. So I thought that it was just a problem with the NBA website.

But then, I tried to go to CNN, and it, too, would not load. I tried YouTube, an videos were playing fine, but when I tried another different site, it would not load. I then knew I was dealing with a Selective Browsing issue. And I knew it wasn't my hosts file causing the problem because I usually edit this only to prevent unwanted pop-ups from advertisement sites.

This issue was happening on both my PC and my mobile phone. On the phone, Viber would not work and some of the games like Clash of Clans and Boom Beach were stuck at the loading screen. FFRK was alright, but another game was not.

So instead of reformatting my PC and resetting my phone back to factory settings, I decided to call up my Internet Service Provider. I already experienced this issue before, and they were able to resolve it by a procedure called port resetting. That was done after an onsite was able to rule out any possible problems with their hardware (modem, filter) and the phone line. All the tech did was call up their support division which conducted the procedure. I asked him what was being done, and his explanation was that my ISP was issuing me another port. ^_^ I guess you can think of it as a water pipe from the service provider that has gone bad (slightly clogged, where you can still get some water, but not all of it), and all they are doing is issuing me another water pipe so that water (information) can flow fully.

I am curious on how the Selective Browsing issue actually happens. In the above analogy, I'd like to know what causes the clogging. There are some explanations that involve an analogy of the browser cache and how this needs to be cleared, and how an ISP needs to do the same thing, but it's still to vague for me. I've tried to search the Internet for more articles on this issue, but have not found one with a satisfactory explanation on the causes and resolutions of Selective Browsing. If you're reading this, and you can explain how it happens, or point me to a resource that has a good explanation, please feel free to post in the comments section below. Thank you.

The Lady Wants To Know Guitar Chords

Here's my attempt at the guitar chords for an oldie from Michael Franks. Hope you enjoy it!

Intro Pattern:
DM7 AM7
DM7 AM7
CM7 G7
AM7

Stanza  Pattern:
DM7                 AM7
Daddy plays the ashtray.
DM7              AM7
Baby starts to cry.
CM7                     G7
The Lady wants to know
(G)             AM7
The reason why


Repeat Stanza Pattern:
Daddy's just like Coltrane.
Baby's just like Miles.
The Lady's just like heaven
When she smiles.

Refrain Pattern:
(AM7)                         Am7                            
And the Lady wants to know
                                   D7 (or D9)
She wants to know the reason
Am7                             D7 (or D9)
Got to know the reason why.
                              Gm7                    
This man has got to go
C9
This man is always leavin'
Gm7                        C9
How he hates to say goodbye.
                                Fm7
But what she doesn't know
            Bb9
Is there really is no reason
Fm7                              Bb9
There really is no reason why.


Instrumental: Repeat Intro Pattern

Repeat Stanza Pattern:
Daddy he hates airplanes.
Baby loves to fly.
And the Lady wants to know
The reason why.
Daddy's just like Coltrane.
Baby's just like Miles.
The Lady's just like heaven
When she smiles.


Repeat Refrain Pattern: