If you’ve had cybersex at least once in your life, please answer the following survey.

Your response will be very valuable to the group.

This bug has now been fixed on the version of NetworkManager preinstalled in Ubuntu 9.10 release candidate. This means users won’t have to worry about the upcoming Ubuntu 9.10 release.

NetworkManager is not maintained and developed by Ubuntu.

Get your potbellied pig to mate

Several hours ago was the 2009 ACM-ICPC Asia Regionals Manila Site hosted by the Ateneo de Manila University. ACM-ICPC is a programming contests in which college students are to solve a certain number of problems in a limited number of time, in yesterday’s contest ten problems in five hours.

UP Diliman had ten teams in total, seven SOGO teams from the University of the Philippines Programming Guild and three teams from the UPD Department of Computer Science. I was a member of one of the SOGO teams, the SOGO Virgins.

Results, results and results!!

Our team only ranked 26th out of the 55 teams, which was quite disappointing. Among the 10 problems given, we only had three accepted solutions out of the five problems we attempted.

The champion was from our guild (UPPG), the Mga SOGO ni E.T.. They solved all 10 problems in 1 hour and 59 minutes. They will be competing for the World Finals this February 1 to 6, 2009 at Harbin University in China. Other teams who solved all 10 problems sorted by time were teams from Ho Chi Minh City University of Science, National University of Singapore, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and another team from UP Programming Guild, SOGOng Long Ong Moy Poso. The freshie team (2 Young 2 SOGO) from our guild beat us as they solved 5 problems in all. Woot! For more detailed results, you may check out the contest director’s blog.

Problems encountered!

Experience is the best teacher. We encountered problems on some problems.

Problem A. Given three points on a parabola, get the maximum height of the parabola. Since we don’t have a mathematician in the team, we had a hard time finding an equation with degree one for all variables. We had to force one of our teammate (out of 3) to squeeze all his knowledge on parabolas. When he found one, I immediately coded Gaussian Elimination Method for two variables and two equations. Gladly, our solution was correct thus accepted by the judges.

On the summation problem, we got correct answers for the sample inputs but it was too slow that testing it on borderline cases (worst case scenarios) won’t yield a result in a reasonable amount of time. Since no one in our team was a mathematician, we had trouble limiting our search space. Our program was so inefficient but right that we were not able to have our solution accepted.

The other problem we attempted was the A(H1N1) problem. Given a set of N people in a community with their locations and radius of contact and a person infected by A(H1N1), we had to compute the number of levels of transmission until the virus is contained. We recognized that it was a graph problem; people as nodes then connect an edge to nodes within the radius of contact of an infected person. We just have to perform a BFS (Breadth-First Search) on the graph and find the  level distance from the root to find the maximum level of transmission.

The algorithm above was correct but I made a mistake in coding BFS. I colored the node after dequeuing it from the queue instead of coloring it while putting it on the queue as seen in my code below.

Damn. I admit that it was my fault, not anyone else’s. Hmmmmf. Waaaaaa. What a shame. On the other side, it still yielded the correct answer for the sample input.

Lessons Learned

• Never spend too much time on a single problem. We spent too much time debugging the A(H1N1) problem.
• A team needs a mathematician. There were quite a number of Math problems. We were only able to solve one out of all the Math problems.

Random Stuff

Even though we did not rank well, I was still happy of the outcome. Because of this contest, I will never forget BFS anymore! Hahahaha.

I am looking forward to joining the same contest for the next years if fate will permit.

After Typhoon Ondoy hit the Philippines, this is only my second post across all my blogs. I’m now conflicted with final exams, requirements and other responsibilities.

The photo above is me, studying for my Math 54 final exams barely 3 hours from now. Good luck to me.

After all my final exams, we’ll be bracing ourselves for our last days of training for the ACM-ICPC Asia Regionals 2009 which is on the 22nd and 23rd of October. Woot!

After October 23, I’m more or less free-er than ever. I’ll be attending the Mindanao Bloggers Summit 3 (also my third MBS) on October 24, 2009 at Cagayan de Oro. I already booked a ticket to Cagayan de Oro. Sadly, I have to leave Cagayan de Oro for Davao the same day.

Wish me luck.

I’m not good in putting things to order, seriously. That’s why I’d prefer making a roundup of my thoughts.

• This will be the shortest sem ever. Last June, the start of classes was moved by a week due to A(H1N1) craze. Last week, typhoon Ondoy also forced schools in areas under State of Calamity to suspend classes for a week. Add the numerous miscellaneous holidays such as the funerals of former President Cory Aquino and INC leader Manalo.
• It’s less than a month before 2009 ACM-ICPC Asia Regionals. It’s my first time to join the competition so I barely have an idea on how it will progress. I can only rely with my experience on our mock competitions.
• Long time no swimming. I missed our weekly Sunday swimming. It’s over a month since I last went to Amoranto Sports Center.
• Tried helping in relief operations. Last Sunday after mighty Ondoy poured a month-worth of rain in Metro Manila, I heard horrible news scoops in DZMM’s audio stream such as floods reaching the second floor, people stranded on their roof without food and water overnight, etc.I felt an unusual urge to help so I convinced my sister to go with me at Sagip Kapamilya. Throughout my four days there (mostly night to early morning), I’ve tried carrying sacks of rice and other relief goods. I’ve also experienced distributing relief goods to affected areas.
• We have plenty of generous people. I was overwhelmed by the volume of donations being dropped-off at drop-off stations. I never thought people actually donate in foundations. Some clothes they donated were even brand-new.I’ve also met this couple from King Air Trading who volunteered to deliver relief goods using their truck. Their truck, the one we’re riding was supposed to go to an evacuation center in Mandaluyong but people already left the center when we arrived. The couple took the initiative to go to NDCC in Camp Aguinaldo to ask for an alternative destination. It was almost 1am when we left NDCC for our trip to Marikina.
• The Internet played a crucial role in dealing with Ondoy’s aftermath. People used social networks to spread emergency numbers and other important information. Online spreadsheets were also used to compile a list of people that needs to be rescued. Digital maps were used to map drop off stations for relief goods, missing people and other relevant information.
• I’m addicted to weather satellite images. Yesterday, I started compiling satellite imagery from PAGASA.
• I have a new haircut. The other day, I was so bored that I stopped by to have a haircut. After getting a haircut, I was still bored that I decided to spend the rest of the night surfing the Internet in a coffee shop.

I admit that I’m not good in writing. I write in super simple English. Feel free to correct my grammar if you spot a grammatically wrong sentence.

Tropical Storm Ondoy (typhoon) (internationally known as Ketsana) has hit Metro Manila today, September 26, 2009. The typhoon brought almost a month-worth of rainfall in Metro Manila for a duration of six hours – the highest recorded rainfall in the area in 42 years. It brought streets of Metro Manila underwater – mostly in waist-deep flood but it was reported to have reached up to five meters in some areas.

VOLUNTEERS: Sagip Kapamilya Foundation warehouse is bloated! Sagip Kapamilya needs volunteers to pack and send relief goods. You may go to 13 Examiner St, West Triangle, Quezon City or Scout Bayoran St (near Scout Bayoran St corner Tomas Morato Avenue beside Alex III restaurant), Quezon City. You may also volunteer for Kapuso Foundation. Just go to GMA7 near GMA-Kamuning MRT Station. Just ask the guard where the Kapuso Foundation is.

Emergency Hotlines

• Disaster Emergency Hotlines: 911-1873, 912-5296, 912-2665
• Bureau of Fire Protection (NCR): 7295166, 4106254, 4138859, 4071230
• Makati City Rescue: 186, 8958243
• Marikina City Rescue: 6462436
• Brgy San Antonio, Pasig Rescue: 6310099
• Quezon City Rescue: 161
• Disaster Management Office: 5270000 loc 134
• Philippine National Red Cross: 09209527268, 5270000, 143, 9111876
• National Disaster Coordinating Council: 912-5668. 9111406, 9122665, 9115061,
  9111873, 9111906, 9120984, 9122665, 9123046, 9125296, 9125668
• Citizens Disaster Response Center: 9299820, 9299822
• PAGASA: 433-8526
• ABS-CBN Bagyong Ondoy Hotline: 4163641
• Manny Villar Hotline: 09172414864, 09276751981, 09174226800
• Dick Gordon Hotline: 09178997898, 0938444BOYS – please text FULL ADDRESS
• Meralco: 09175592824, 09209292824

Services

• Petron and San Miguel Helicopter Request: 09178140655
• Rubberboat requests: 838-3203, 838-3354
• Dumptruck requests: 09174226800, 09276751981
• Nissan and Honda Free Towing requests: 09228504452, 0922445-2242, 09228997959

Donations

Donations for the victimes of Tropical Storm Ondoy are very welcome. You can donate thru the channels listed below. You may comment on the comments are if you know other channels.

Relief Goods

• Philippine Airlines Foundation: Reputable, nonprofit, charitable organizations may send their relief goods to provincial PAL stations.
• Citizens Disaster Response Center: Relief goods can be dropped off at 72-A Times St., West Triangle, Quezon City
• Sagip Kapamilya Foundation: Relief goods can be dropped of at 13 Examiner St., West Triangle, Quezon City or Scout Bayoran cor Tomas Morato, Quezon City
• Tulong Kabataan: Relief goods can be dropped off at Kabataan Partylist Headquarters, 118-B Scout Rallos, Kamuning, Quezon City
• Bayanihan Filipino Community Center (for people in NY): send your donations at Bayanihan Filipino Community Center, 40-21 69th St, Woodside NY 11377
• GMA Kapuso Foundation: 982-7777 loc. 9904
• UP Diliman Sagip Isko: Relief goods can be dropped of at the Church of the Risen Lord, UP Diliman Campus, QC

Financial Support

• Philippine National Red Cross: Text RED<space>AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)
• TXTPower (for people abroad): You can donate thru PayPal.
• TXTPower thru Smart Money: send funds to 5577-5144-1866-7103
• TXTPower thru GCash: send GCash to 0917-9751092
• GMA Kapuso Foundation: 982-7777 loc. 9904

Advisories

• Classes in colleges and Universities are suspended until Friday, October 2, 2009 in places under the state of calamity.
• Classes in all levels in Marikina are suspended until Friday, October 2, 2009.
• Classes in elementary and highschool in Metro Manila and Rizal are suspended until tomorrow, September 30, 2009.
• MRT and LRT, 24 hours operation today September 26, 2009..
• Meralco will also shut down power in certain parts of Metro Manila, as per advisory below.
  

  ANCALERT: Meralco will shut down power in parts of Metro Manila to protect residents from possible electrification as floods submerge homes.

• UP Diliman Advisory Chancellor Cao sent a memo to all deans stating that stranded faculty, staff and students in their respective colleges can stay for the night.
• Marinduque, Camarines Norte , Bataan and Metro Manila were already placed on state of calamity. Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Viscaya, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Bataan and Metro Manila.

More updates soon.

Photos and videos

• Bagyong Ondoy @ Katipunan Avenue (1, 2) – YouTube
• Flood photos in Katipunan Avenue, Rosa Alvero St and Park 9 Alley – Picasa
• Bagyong Ondoy @ Park 9 Alley (1, 2) – YouTube
• Bagyong Ondoy @ Rosa Alvero (1, 2) – YouTube
• Flood in Las Pinas

If you want to share your photos, just comment below and I’ll put your photos.

This Saturday, September 19, 2009, will be Smart Bro’s B Free Day! The event will be held at the Mega Tent, Meralco Avenue, Ortigas.

Smart Bro will be giving away 10,000 limited edition UAAP & NCAA plug-its (USB 3G modem) at a first come first serve basis. They’re also raffling off free laptops. Free food will also be served. There will also be free rides, free booths and a lot of other freebies. The best thing about this is that admission is free!!

The event is exclusive to college students of the following UAAP and NCAA participating schools:

• Adamson University
• Angeles University Foundation
• Arellano University
• Ateneo de Manila University
• Colegio de San Juan de Letran
• College of Saint Benilde
• De La Salle University
• Emilio Aguinaldo College
• Far Eastern University
• Jose Rizal University
• Mapua Institute of Technology
• National University
• San Beda College
• San Sebastian College – Recoletos
• University of Perpetual Help – Dalta System
• University of Santos Tomas
• University of the East
• University of the Philippines

Don’t forget to wear your school’s color. Validated school ID for the current term is also required. To register for the event, sign up for an access pass.

For more information, visit the B Free Day website.

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Come and join the Philippine Team of Software Freedom Day  this Saturday, September 19, 2009! This year’s SFD will be hosted by the University of Santo Tomas’ Computer Science Society & Society of Information Technology Enthusiasts.

Registration is free! You may support the event by buying SFD merchandise. Please visit the Software Freedom Day ‘09 page for more information.

I just received a text message from SMART Bonus. The text says:

Wla na po kayong load. Punta na sa pnkamalapit n SmartLoad retailer upang patuloy ang text at tawagan! Pwde p mgkaroon ng FREE 5 txts pg nag-load ka bago mg Sep 17. Ipgsawalang bhla ang msg na to kung nkpg-load n kayo.

SMART is giving me five free texts if I load before September 17? LOL.

It’s been a while since I last topped up my SMART account. I usually use it is a backup whenever the handset linked to my Globe account goes dead.

18 (eighteen) is the natural number following 17 and preceding 19. It equals ten and eight, twice nine, nine times two or three times six. -Wikipedia, 18

Age of Majority

18 is the age of majority in the Philippines. All my adult rights will be granted and I will have to assume responsibility over my actions and decisions. I will be permitted to (as listed in Wikipedia):

• Bind to contracts. Does this mean all the other contracts I’ve signed myself (not represented by someone of legal age) won’t be honored by the court? Woot! I’ve also heard that legal age in the Philippines is 21, but I’m not sure about it.
• Buy stocks. I can be rich by buying stocks. I’ve started playing the stock market (Neopets’ stock market) at age of 12.
• Buying or consuming alcoholic beverage. I am now legally permitted to buy alcoholic beverages above 60 proof. Just a trivia: did you know that Presidential Decree 1619 only prohibits minors to buy alcoholic beverages above 60 proof? Fortunately or unfortunately, most local beers are below 60 proof.
• Drive motor vehicles on public roads. Sadly, I don’t have a car. Donations are welcome.

Things I want to do before turning 18

There are several things I want to do before the police can legally arrest me and put me on jail. Here’s an overview:

• Reach (18*3) kilograms. My weight is currently pegged at 49 to 50 kilograms. Yesterday, someone told me to gain some weight. I’ve been eating much lately but I still don’t gain weight.
• Reduce transportation costs. The cost of going (from/to) school (to/from) home is 22 pesos. I’m thinking of walking to school daily (drat, I have to wake up earlier).
• Eat more.
• Swim at least once a week. For the past four Saturday or Sunday excluding yesterday, I’ve been swimming at a community Olympic-sized pool.
• [your suggestion here]

Waaaa, I’m turning 18. This can’t be.

Free PLUG: I’ve seen this ad in Plurk.