I Am Blogie

When it comes time to choosing the right type of web hosting plan for your website(s), it’s not as simple as you may think. There are many types to choose from, such as shared hosting, virtual private servers (VPS) and dedicated servers. While it might seem like finding the best deal is the main factor, there are many other aspects that need to be considered. A shared hosting plan may work for certain types of websites, but might not cut it for others that require more resources than what a shared environment can supply.

VPS web hosting is a great midway option between shared and dedicated hosting environments. Just like the name entails, a VPS runs like a private server, but in a virtual environment. In this case, some resources, such as CPU, are shared. However, important resources like RAM and disk space are dedicated to each VPS account. Also, with a VPS you get your own operating system, email server, web server and more.

VPS hosting is a great option for many reasons, especially for the following:

1. Root/SSH Access – In other words, you get “server-level customization,” which was previously only available with dedicated hosting due to security reasons. In addition, you can utilize the command-line access and have the option of operating as the root user if you’ve got the experience to do so.
2. Scalability – For a website that’s just starting off, shared hosting is usually a sufficient choice. However, since the goal of many website owners is to grow or improve by either adding other sites or increasing traffic, there’s a big possibility of growing more than you expected to. Shared hosting, by its very nature, isn’t scalable because all of the resources are shared among all of the accounts on the server. However, VPS hosting can provide scalability that allows you to add more resources (RAM, disk space, etc.) for the room needed for growth.
3. Burstable Memory for Unpredictable Usage Spikes – If your goal is to gain more traffic to your website, then you should definitely be prepared for it. Let’s say that the popularity of your blog is on the rise. In addition, links to your website are added to larger ones like Digg or Slashdot. On a shared server, this can become a major disaster that can quickly cripple your website. But on a VPS, this wouldn’t be much of a problem with the availability of “burstable memory,” which is a pool of reserved memory that’s available when needed, such as in times of very high traffic.
4. Can Support Large, Dynamic Websites – If your website’s a source of income (e-commerce site with product-filled databases), it wouldn’t be a good idea to count on shared hosting to handle the expected heavy load. With a shared environment, you never know when someone else on the server may use up a large portion of the resources (CPU, MySQL queries, RAM), so you’re at risk of your site not functioning from time to time. On a VPS, you can rest assured of surmounting this problem since your website doesn’t rely on the same resources as others on the same machine.
5. Cost – With the great benefits of a dedicated server combined with the affordability of a shared platform, VPS web hosting is a great option to look into when in need of sizable resources on a modest budget.

[Media Release]

Manila—Birdwatchers, conservationists and eco-tourism promoters from all over Asia and elsewhere have their eyes on the Philippines, which is hosting Asia’s first-ever region-wide bird festival.

The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines said the First Asian Bird Fair will be held in Davao City from 24 to 26 September 2010, in tandem with the 6th Philippine Bird Festival, the country’s premier avian conservation and eco-tourism event. The milestone event is co-hosted by the Philippine Eagle Foundation and the Davao City local government.

The First Asian Bird Fair — themed “Nurture Nature, Save our Future” — is a common initiative of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, the Wild Bird Society of Taipei, the Malaysian Nature Society and the Nature Society (Singapore).

The Asian Bird Fair, which highlights the respective bird festivals of the participating countries, seeks to enrich eco-tourism through birdwatching and promote the natural and cultural heritage of host cities.

The Asian Bird Fair and 6th Philippine Bird Festival will be held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao on 24-25 September, in time for the autumn migration of birds from Japan, China and parts of Siberia. Entrance to the Asian Bird Fair exhibit area is free of charge, according to organizers.

Highlights of the fair include the Bird Conservation Forum and turn-over ceremony to representatives of the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, host of next year’s Asian Bird Fair in Tainan City. International and Philippine delegates will also tour the Philippine Eagle Center and Eden Garden Resorts while in Davao.

WBCP president Michael Lu said the fair will include photo exhibits, presentations and fun activities for the young “and young at heart.” Children can also look forward to a guided tour at low tide of the tidal flats fronting the Waterfront Insular Hotel, where children can have a close look at marine species like fiddler crabs and mudskippers as well as spectacular views of herons, egrets and shorebirds.

Lu expects the event to draw birdwatchers, conservationists, eco-tourism promoters, sustainable development providers, and nature lovers from around the country, Asia and Europe.

Alice Villa-Real, chair of the committee organizing the 1st Asian Bird Festival and 6th Philippine Bird Festival, said the latest initiative is a significant move to draw attention to pressing conservation issues.

“We can make a significant difference to protect the rich bird life and habitats of our islands, whilst promoting responsible enjoyment of nature and encouraging related sustainable businesses in the local communities,” Villa-Real pointed out.

International groups participating in the Asian Bird Festival are Chinese Wild Bird Federation, Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, Malaysian Nature Society, Nature Society of Singapore, Wild Bird Society of Taipei, the Shanghai Wild Bird Society, Fujian Birdwatching Society, Kaoshiung Wild Bird Society, Wild Bird Society of Tainan, Hong Kong Birdwatching Society, Eco-education and Resources Center, Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, Borneo Bird Club, Hornbill Research Foundation, the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association, Bird Conservation Nepal and the Oriental Bird Club confirmed participation in the event.

Local organizations joining are Conservation International, Fauna and Flora International, Katala Foundation, WWF-Philippines, Birding Adventure Philippines, Kaakbay, Malagos Garden Resort, Monfort Bat Cave & Conservation Foundation, Philippine Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, Philippine Wild Bird Photographers, My Zoo Foundation, City of Alaminos (Pangasinan), City of Balanga (Bataan) and the Municipality of Candaba (Pampanga).

Event sponsors include the Philippine Eagle Foundation, the City Government of Davao, Team Energy Foundation, Primer Group, Aboitiz Power, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Tanduay Distillers, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Fauna & Flora International, Philippine Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, C. K. Lu Enterprises, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, Grand Men Seng Hotel and NCCC Mall.

A very welcome addition to Davao’s world of specialty food shops is Californiaberry™, a dessert place in Gaisano Mall that specializes in healthy (but über yummy) frozen-yogurt desserts. It’s not the first in the city, but it’s so far the best frozen yogurt that I’ve had here!

Frozen yogurt is much better than ice cream because, without a doubt, it’s healthier. It has virtually no fat content and is low in calories — so it’s a guilt-free dessert. And yet, Californiaberry’s frozen yogurt offerings are an enjoyable, delectable delight! The first time I visited their outlet, I finished off two medium-sized servings!

My personal favorite is their original frozen yogurt base with toppings of granola and almonds. It’s my new healthy snack that I try to have as often as I can (Californiaberry, being in a part of the city I don’t frequent, has effectively changed my daily routes!). Their best sellers are the CB Special, which has fresh kiwi, mango and frozen strawberries. It’s the perfect blend of yogurt’s slightly tangy taste, complemented by the sour-sweetness of mango, the exotic texture of kiwi, and the fruity sweetness of strawberry. Get a large one if you want this because the other sizes just won’t satisfy.

For the sweet-toothed, you might want to try one of Californiaberry’s premium offerings: original cheesecake topping from The Cheesecake Factory. That’s right, sinfully sweet cheesecake chunks from the Cheesecake Factory. The natural sour quality of frozen yogurt provides an excellent frame for the deeply rich flavor of the cheesecake topping.

There are 40 different toppings that Californiaberry offers: a selection of fruits (most of them fresh), nuts, cookies (from Mrs. Fields®, no less!), and cereals. Discover them to find out which ones your favorites turn out to be! If you can’t decide on which toppings to mix & match, don’t worry, the friendly staff can help you with Californiaberry’s signature creations — their suggested toppings combos.

Prices range from ₱60 (small, original flavor, no toppings) to ₱150 (large, seasonal flavor, 3 toppings). Regular toppings are priced at ₱20 each.

The CB outlet is at the 2nd floor of Gaisano Mall of Davao (beside Nike). They’re open 10:00am to 8:00pm on weekdays, and up to 9:00pm on weekends.

Californiaberry is a franchise from Manila — the first outlet outside of the capital — that opened last 14 May 2010 and is being operated by Manileños. It was very heartening to hear when I interviewed one of them, who said that they felt Davao was a good city in which to invest. They also revealed that they’re already thinking of establishing more branches in other parts of the city. Let’s hope that happens soon!

Last April I announced that I would be putting up a business directory here. But I actually ended up doing a whole new website for it: Dabawenyo.biz. It’s the Davao Region’s first integrated business directory & classified ads site. And it’s completely free for Dabawenyos to use!

Dabawenyo.biz is for Davao companies and individuals engaged in business. It’s divided into two main sections: the business directory, and the classified ads section. In the first, companies are invited to post a business listing that can contain their logo, address & contact information, description, even their website address. It’s one great way for businesses to get themselves more searchable on the Web.

The classified ads section is for anyone in the Davao Region to post for-sale items, vehicles or equipment for rent, real estate for lease, and services for hire.

Dabawenyo.biz is not a forum. It’s a straightforward directory and listing service for businesses, and it’s very user-friendly. And free! All you need to do is to create a user account and you’re good to go. Click here to create your account now!

Since it’s a very new site, there’s going to be room for improvement. I welcome suggestions to help improve the site, so please feel free to contact me.

Apart from the free online service provided by Dabawenyo.biz, there are advertising opportunities as well. For businesses that would like to have their products and/or services promoted more widely, I accept ad placements on my network of sites. If you’re interested, do drop me a line soon.

Last week I was in Kuala Lumpur and I had several chance encounters with strangers that reopened my eyes to a truism: Acts of kindness go a long way. (I just realized, I’d never had so many of these encounters in my travels before… Hmmm… Maybe I’m becoming more comfortable being in foreign places now.) [...]

The most underrepresented sector of society is, undoubtedly, the youth. Even though the youth are hailed by many as the future of our country, very few actually take the time to listen to them. On the other hand, one reason for this might be the perceived apathy among the country’s high school and university students. Whichever it may be, all is not lost because there are youth groups around the country who do participate gainfully in society. One of them is Voice of Mindanao (VoM), a youth organization based in Zamboanga City that “not only supports peace advocacy, but encourages the youth to express themselves towards the direction of a peaceful Mindanao.”

VoM is hosting a Mindanao-wide activity aimed at the young men and women of Southern Philippines: a ‘contest’ where the prizes are fulfillment and renewed hope that the national leadership will listen more intently to the voices from the deep South. “Dear P-Noy” is a letter-writing contest open to all youngsters (for the purposes of this activity, 11 to 18 years old) who are living in Mindanao. The letter-writer must express to President Aquino what his/her thoughts or ideas are in terms of making their future a brighter prospect under his presidency.

Please read about the “Dear P-Noy” contest mechanics on the VoM blog.

Take note: the winning letter will be read by the President himself on the 20th of August 2010, during the celebration of Ninoy Aquino’s death anniversary.

I’d like to urge you, dear reader, to encourage your children, nephews / nieces, younger cousins, or any youngster under your care to participate in this worthy undertaking. The whole effort will not only give voice to Mindanao’s calls for peace, development and understanding, it will also teach a valuable lesson to young Mindanaoans. Being part of VoM’s laudable project will teach them about being an active member of society, and about the value of free expression and what it can bring about for their future.

I was invited to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to be a resource speaker at the Asian Bloggers & Social Media Conference, which was held from 28 to 29 July 2010. The flight itinerary that the event organizers arranged had me traveling on my birthday! But that was OK — I gladly sacrificed my birthday celebration for the chance to see Kuala Lumpur for the first time.

I had already met three Malaysians on my trips to Hong Kong, at BlogFest.Asia and at the Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum. Two of them, Sean and Siew Eng, went out of their way to show me around the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. The first thing on my mind was Malaysian cuisine, so Sean brought me to Jalan Alor. That place is well-known for street fare, and is populated by Chinese food outlets mostly. It’s a lively place, with plenty of foreigners and locals mixed in to form a cacophony of languages and cultures.

During my stay, Muslims around the world were celebrating Eid ul-Fitr (the Islamic celebration that marks the end of Ramadan). Sean was explaining to me that Malaysia enjoys good relations with Middle Eastern countries, that’s why there were so many Arabs in KL when I was there. Women in burqa or abaya were everywhere to be seen — that was my first time to see so many Arabs in one place, which made for a novel experience for me.

Speaking of Islam, Siew Eng brought me to Muzium Kesenian Islam (Islamic Arts Museum). The museum has a huge collection of artifacts dating to early Islamic periods. Of particular interest to me was the assembly of Arabic calligraphy. Many of the calligraphic artifacts — pottery, scrolls, Qur’an tomes — were from the period when China had a heavy influence on the art. It was a feast for the eyes! There was also a piece of ancient history that came from Mindanao: a betel-nut box cast from bronze and inlaid with silver, dating back from the middle of the 19th century.

Malaysian cuisine did not disappoint. From native Malay dishes to Chinese food, my palate has never been so satisfied! When I wrote about Taste of Malaysia, a restaurant in Davao City, I was already looking forward to the gastronomic experience in KL. The food offerings around Bukit Bintang (a.k.a. “Star Hill”) alone were enough to please any foodie, but there was more! Even the humble offerings of Wan Tan Mee Jln Sg Besi (which is something like Colasa’s in Davao) blew my mind. At that place I had wild boar curry, and a soup of vegetables stuffed with fish paste, washed down with calamansi juice that had kiamoy (plum preserves) in it. I considered the gastronomic treats my belated birthday celebration!

One other thing that made my Kuala Lumpur trip a memorable one was the people. I’ve already mentioned the two Malaysian friends who took the time to accommodate me. There were also the conference participants who made the effort to express their appreciation of my WordPress presentation. (I even got tentative offers to come back for more!)

Then there were the strangers I met — and there were quite a few. The most engaging acquaintance that I made was a half-Filipino Malaysian, with whom I had the pleasure of spending my last few hours in the city. He was on his way to his hometown in Sabah. I had an early flight, so I’d already checked out and was brought to the train/bus station by Siew Eng at midnight. I was anticipating several hours of loneliness ahead of me… but, thanks to a simple act of kindness, was able to meet Ramli, whose mother is Tausug, and who turns out to share a hobby of mine. It’s always a delight for me to meet people who have the same love of languages as I do. Ramli and I spent the next few hours talking about Bahasa Melayu, Tagalog, Dabawenyo and Tausug (the last two of which are very similar linguistically).

At the airport (the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal), I also had a brief encounter with a Malaysian who spoke passable Tagalog. As soon as he found out I was Filipino, he used all the usual Filipino greetings on me. I found Malaysians to be like that during my stay: accommodating and polite. Which makes me look forward to my next visit to this truly Asian country.

What didn’t I like about KL? The traffic? Nope — Manila’s is much worse. The prices? Hmmm… There are lots of inexpensive places for meals and shopping, right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

There’s one thing, actually. Malaysia’s government, ruled by the Barisan Nasional political party since independence, does not seem to look upon freedom of expression very favorably. Coming from an advocacy that upholds just that, I felt a persistent low-intensity buzz while I was there. Not that I feared being jailed anytime during my stay, but it’s a kind of feeling you don’t have in countries where you know there’s complete freedom of expression. I was warned that there are regulations in place against “illegal assembly” (but who defines what is legal and what is illegal?) and against improper behavior (such as two unmarried people being together at night in public parks). Being warned of such things does not sit well with many people, I would imagine.

Just when I arrived back in the Philippines, one of my Malaysian friends told me about the arrests that were made among those who participated in a candlelight vigil last Sunday. The vigil was a peaceful protest to let the Malaysian government know that they were calling for the abolition of the Internal Security Act (ISA). For more information on this and other issues brewing in Malaysia, please visit Malaysiakini.com.

I hope that the Malaysian government will listen more intently to these calls for more freedom and openness. Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and other places in Malaysia are truly beautiful and worth visiting — Malaysian tourism promotions abroad are among the best in the world — so, in my opinion, it would be a great boon to the country if the Malaysian people did enjoy the freedoms for which they have been clamoring.

On the whole, though, the trip to Malaysia was one of the best journeys I’ve had so far: gastronomically, socially and professionally.

Probably the most gratifying compliment I got after my WordPress talk at the Asian Bloggers & Social Media Conference in Kuala Lumpur last 29 July 2010 was when a gentleman from an English-language training company left me his name card with this message scrawled in: “Great presentation! You sold me on WordPress!”

In fact, the response from the Malaysian participants was very encouraging. It was my first time in Kuala Lumpur, and I had no idea what to expect because the event organizers weren’t able to provide me with a profile of the conference participants. However, I did know that the Malaysian WP community had had a WordCamp already (held on 22 May 2010), and that, to date, WordPress.com is one of the top ten most-visited sites in Malaysia.

I was given only an hour to do my WordPress presentation, so I focused on the fundamentals of Web content publishing. Of course, I also touched on the form and function aspects of WordPress site development. Judging by the amount of feedback I got afterwards, I believe I was able to convince the audience of the power of WordPress when it comes to delivering content online. Although, I did hear this one complaint consistently: that the presentation was too short!

That’s why I’m hoping the couple of offers I got to return to KL will materialize. I’d really love to be able to go back and conduct a more in-depth seminar on content deployment & management via WordPress.

Here’s the link to the presentation I did at KL: Web Publishing with WordPress. I designed this presentation to last 3 hours actually — I’m hoping to do that in KL soon! And below are a few of the photos taken during the conference.

I had a very good time in KL, and it was a fulfilling experience because of the enthusiasm and hunger for knowledge among my fellow WordPress lovers out there. Hopefully I’ll be back again and soon! I’d like to thank the people at My Events International (organizers of the 1st Asian Bloggers & Social Media Conference), and my Malaysian friends who made my stay unforgettable.