Daily Digests (05)

Hacking Windows 7
For whatever justification or religion that you may have; this post might simply be considered "illegal". So we will tackle this subject as "for educational purposes only". Nothing more.

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Top 5 Alternative Energy Sources
The continued onslaught of drought is slowly taking its toll on our primary source of electricity – the hydropower plants. Now the government is back on its track in reconsidering its options for other viable sources of energy. What are these? Have a look at some of them.
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Reyes Barbecue Misfit
Think all Reyes Barbecue franchisees are the same? Think again. There is one Reyes Barbecue branch that I know of that would be a shame to recommend to anyone... unless of course, they don't know the unique flavor Reyes Barbecue has been known for.
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Choosing Between DVD-R and DVD+R
The DVD, jointly introduced by Sony and Philips way back in 1995, stands for Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc. It's an optical disc storage that has the same dimensions as compact disc (populary known as CD) but can store as much as six times more data.
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Top 5 Dengue FAQs
Dengue fever (referred to in some countries simply as dengue) is caused by the dengue virus, a mosquito-borne virus. The virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of a mosquito infected with any one of its four strains. On average, its symptoms appear within 3 to 14 days after the infective bite. Read more...


Top 3 Face Painting Tips for Starters
Now that Halloween is just around the corner, this would be the best time to start thinking on how to dress up your kids for trick or treating. The first thing that comes to mind to most parents is costumes. Sure your daughter looks ever so angelic in a winged fairy costume or that your son looks creepily adorable in a monster outfit... Read more...


Flood Aftermath... Cleaning, Repairing & Scrapping
The flood brought about by typhoon Ondoy in our city of Marikina made it clear that aside from raging currents, sheer volume can cause just as much problem.

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Surviving the Marikina Flood
About a decade ago, when our small village was first struck by flood, everyone was caught unaware. It was barely raining, not even a storm signal from the past couple of days, and yet the water rose chest-high inside our house. Everyone was wondering just where did all the water...
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Learning Numbers Through Coloring Fun
Prior to learning mathematics, it is essential for preschoolers and kindergarten students to get hold of pre-math skills. These include learning how to count numbers and knowing their proper sequence (such as 1 comes before 2, 2 before 3, and so on), learning to...
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Greek Mythology for Kids (Twelve Olympians)
The Twelve Olympians, also known in ancient Greek mythology as the Dodekatheon (12 gods), were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon residing at the top of Mount Olympus.

Throughout antiquity, there were debates... Read more...


Top 5 Easy Tips to Baby Sign Language
Did it ever occur to you what your baby is thinking when she’s staring at you or at the things surrounding her crib? How many times have you asked her what she likes to do or what she wants to eat? Were you ever confused as to what's really bothering her? Were you constantly juggling between a list of TO DOs as to what would... Read more...

Daily Digests (04)

Fun Facts in History for Kids
From fashion to physics; from the quite villages of Italy to the wildlife of Australia; from greater-than-life sculptures to the smallest particles known to man. Here are a few of the most interesting kiddie tidbits influenced by some of the greatest minds in history.
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Top 3 Ways to Handle Child Whining
My 3-year old daughter relies on her mom for her milk and bedtime stories, and on me if she wants to doodle on the internet. Typical with other preschoolers, she relies on grown-ups for almost everything - food, drink, toys, bath, etc. She has to get an adult's attention to obtain the...
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Child-Proofing Your Home Safely
As parents, our kids' safety is our number one concern. Recent statistics indicate that unsupervised playing is the number one cause of unlikely incidents in young children. And quite a number of those events occur as a result of kid's normal, healthy curiosity on the things that surround them.
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Top 3 Internet Web Browsers for Kids
Ok, so got yourself the best anti-virus and best firewall solution your free budget can afford. Can you now let your 5-year old use your computer while you pick-up and read the morning papers downstairs?

Not quite. The internet is a good online resource... Read more...


Remembering EDSA Revolution
One of the songs made popular during the EDSA Revolution (also referred to as the People Power Revolution) of 1986 when the late Corazon Aquino became the first female president of the Philippines and the first female president of any country in Asia as well.
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Buckaroo - Fun Family Stacking Game
Kick Up Some Fun with this exciting never-know-when-he's-gonna-buck stacking game! Load up the moody mule for your gold mining trip, but watch out -- he may buck at any second with no warning! Gently saddle him up and load on your gear. Will he remain calm or will he kick up a storm and send everything flying? Read more...


Top 3 Qualities of a Good Kiddie Crayon
When my baby expressed desire to start eating on her own, her clothes, her highchair, and the dining floor soon started to get messy. When she learned how to get toys from her own room, the entire house soon became a mess. When we taught her how to write with real pen and crayons...
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Top 3 Internet Web Browsers
Before the internet started consuming my precious sleeping hours at night, I was an avid BBS user. With my ASCII-based client and at a maximum throughput of 14.4Kbps using my now-Jurassic metal-cased modem, I downloaded all the low-res...
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Toys R Us vs. Toy Kingdom
Toys R Us and Toy Kingdom, two of the biggest names when it comes to toy-centered retailers in the country today. A mere mention would probably bring ear-wide smiles to most kids and plus a couple of swipes to their dad’s (or mom’s) credit card. Read more...


Top 5 Thermometers for Baby
It is no longer recommended, not just for parents, but for the general public as well, to use glass mercury thermometers. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns the possible risk of exposure to mercury which is considered an environmental toxin.
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Top 3 Mentally Calculating Child Wonders
Ever since the introduction of electronic calculators about 35 years ago, they have become an indispensible tool even in the most simplest of calculation. Meet the few geniuses whose calculating accuracy cannot be matched by any handheld calculator today.
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Daily Digests (03)

One Small Act Can Make a World of Difference
Recently, Hewlett-Packard (HP) urged PC users around the world to help save energy. Did you know that the simple act of turning off your computer can help reduce energy waste, curb carbon emissions and even save money?

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Top 5 Baby Grooming Needs
Admit it or not, most parents unconsciously treat their babies as their real-life Barbie dolls - bathing and dressing them as if they’re competing for the baby universe pageant. While this is good, overdoing it however, is not.

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Transformers Star to Play Hulk?
Umm... Sam Witwicky? Nope. Agent Simmons of Sector Seven? Not quite. Optimus Prime? Megatron? Bumble...

Hold on a sec, here's another clue. The supposedly next hulk movie is not going to be played by any actor (or voice actors) of the recent megahit... Read more...


Top 5 Things to Consider Before Buying for Baby
Do not buy a complete set of clothing and accessories for your newborn as is usually recommended by most stores. Use their list merely as a guide, not a must have. If ever there are any unfamiliar items in list, ask then think it over.

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Are You Ready To Be a Dad (or Mom)?
Before I became a dad, I was never a fan of any baby. Nor do I like watching Barney and Dora videos. I hate it when I felt their drool on the couch, much more on the TV’s remote. I get irritated when they cry.

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Just How Much Can You Tolerate a Crying Baby?
Having been in the womb for nine months, a baby is dependent on her mother for everything – food, oxygen, shelter, and protection. Everything is being served to the baby on the spot without even saying...
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Is it OK for Baby to Drool on Your Stuffs?
One unique behavior my wife and I noticed about our baby is that she didn’t develop that habit of putting objects in her mouth. Not even from toys we deliberately lay on bed for her to play with. Instead, she would hold them in front of her, wiggled them, tried to open, rotated, but never...
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Willing to Clean Baby's Poop?
Eew! No matter who or how many times people say “it’s your baby’s anyway” I still find poops icky. Yes I’m the daddy but wiping poops is not in my agenda. No @#$%& way! Let mommy do it (ehehehe).

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Can You Carry Your Baby Until She Sleeps?
If, unlike me, you’re blessed with a baby who can comfort herself to sleep, then you can probably just lay her on the crib and give her a one-time gentle swing.

But if you are not, then be prepared to do some...
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Willing to Get Up at Night?
From feeding, pooping to cleaning, your baby demands a lot of attention. There is basically nothing she can do to comfort herself. This translates to less time in doing your usual habits to more of babysitting and waiting for her to go to sleep.
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Parents Should Quit Smoking
It’s a no-brainer that smoking is bad for your health. Go ahead and ask any legitimate medical doctor about it. When I say legitimate I mean one that is licensed and legal, not just any quacks.

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Daily Digests (01)

Best Job in the World
Just when you thought life couldn’t get better for the majority of the British boxing aficionados who fell short of their expectations from Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. In case you haven't heard, their Hitman got HIT MANy times and was knocked flat out cold by Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.
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London Bridge is Falling Down
The fight between Pacquiao vs Hatton had been highly publicized event. Though the actual fight may have been shorter than the parade and the introduction spectacle, the results have never been short of exploding.

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Swine Flu Pandemic
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs.

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Baby Loves Dadsi, Momsi, and Pacifier
My wife and I used to envy parents who were blessed with babies who easily find comfort in a well-ventilated and soft-padded crib while suckling a warm bottle of milk. With less pain in the back, parents can then rest easy on morning weekends, have breakfast together, and take pleasure in watching their baby sleep.
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First Time Pregnancy
Getting married is one of the most stressful and luxurious event in my life. So right after marriage my wife and I agreed not to have any babies, at least not within the first year. Or so that was our plan.

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Kid Yells Back at Mom
It’s fairly easy to say not to show your angry emotions in front of kids. It scares them. Too much of it and it makes them cry. Children frequently exposed to heated confrontations will make them think it’s a normal behavior.

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Practical Buying Through eBay
Have you ever wanted to buy a digital camera but just can’t afford it yet (at least not for the next couple of years)? Have you been skipping meals for days (not counting the last few months) that you’re barely indistinguishable from an Egyptian mummy just to save up on your dream 8GB...
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Simple Way to Make a Child Obey
For a 3 year old or any other child for that matter, everything has to be fun. That’s why during meal time they run; they get bored sitting on one place. Or when watching Barney DVD, they dance. And even during nap time, they jump incessantly making it impossible for you to sleep.
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Needed Push to Safety
I finished college enduring the daily 4- to 5- hour commute for more than half a decade. And that was including Saturday and even the Sunday ROTC. The only time-out that I had was during holidays and severe flooding. Yep, it doesn’t matter whether there’s a storm signal #3, or it’s been raining hard for days straight...
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Choosing Ignorance For Love
What makes the world go round? They say that God created the world for his most loved creation a place to thrive. And God is love. Love, therefore, makes the world go round.

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Help Street Children
When I read about poverty-stricken people’s lives in tabloids, I usually feel sorry for them. And then I go over to the next article, and the next, until I find nothing more interesting. I lay the paper aside and that’s just about it.

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Top 3 Types of Illusions

Once in a while we come across some random illusion that may or may not make our day. Illusions draw interest and are often a source of fascination.

They temporarily relieve boredom though too much can be mind-numbing as well.

Illusions occur within all of our five physical senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Of the five, visual illusions are the most common, well-known, and well researched.

An illusion is a distortion of the sensory perception, revealing how the brain normally interprets sensory stimulation. At least scientifically, that is how it is defined. But why dwell on the scientific side when you can just let yourself be awed (or bored) for a moment.

Visual Illusion
There are many types of visual illusions including those that are naturally occurring (mirage and rainbow). Showing samples for each will definitely take more than one posting. Instead, I will cite three that I personally find amusing.

Created by well-renowned Belgium-based chalk artist Julian Beever. His works are created using a projection called anamorphosis. Viewed from the correct angle, his pavement drawings spring to life. Or in this case, sinks to the ground.

See more of Julian Beever's work here.


These static wheels, even though stationary, appear to be slowly rotating. This image is not even an animated GIF.

If you focus on one wheel, that wheel stops while the rest apparently keeps on rotating. If you focus on another, the previous wheel begins to rotate.

This illusion has something to do with eye movement.

Magic Eye refers to stereogram images created using a patented process. Magic Eye images may be easier to see if viewed on paper rather than a computer screen. If possible, print this image and follow these instructions.

See more Magic Eye samples here.



Auditory Illusion
My brother introduced me to this one. At first I never paid attention. How can an audio file be that interesting unless it is a full-length version of the "Hello Garci" tape?

Well, this is not a scandal recording. Rather, an ingenious recording created by a group experimenting on how our ear perceives sound.

Listen to this amazing Virtual Haircut illusion by clicking on the vintage radio image on the right. I must warn you though; you NEED an earphone to appreciate this.

Touch Illusion
There exist very few examples of illusions under this category probably due to the fact that touch sensation is slower than that of vision and hearing.

For demonstration purposes, one can try this:

Immerse one hand in cold water, the other in hot water for about a minute or so. Then immediately place both hands in lukewarm water. The "cold" hand will feel that the lukewarm water is hot while the "hot" hand will feel that it is cold.

Learning Numbers Through Coloring Fun

Prior to learning mathematics, it is essential for preschoolers and kindergarten students to get hold of pre-math skills. These include learning how to count numbers and knowing their proper sequence (such as 1 comes before 2, 2 before 3, and so on), learning to count everyday objects, and identify the concepts of less and more. In short, math is so much more than counting and adding for young children.

The concept of mathematics, if you take time to look for them, can be found in almost all of your child’s daily routine. For example, when you kid plays with building blocks, she learns to group and classify them according to her preference. Or when she plays store, she begins to use the idea of “how much” or “how many”.

There are practically many skill areas that your child can learn and practice math, even in simple coloring activity. Yes, kids love to doodle - give them a box of crayons and watch them transform your walls into graffiti art). Of course we don’t want that, but at least we know that coloring is sure to draw their attention.

The following are links to 10 individual coloring pages in PDF format, each representing the numbers from 1 to 10 along with matching number of objects.


You can print one for each day or print all of them at once (to save on electricity) but only have your child learn each number by letting her color one page at a time. Your focus is not on the colors so let your kid choose on her own – let her have some fun by experimenting.

The important thing is that you emphasize the number as she is coloring - its appearance and pronunciation. Then as she starts to color more pages (preferably in sequence), slowly introduce the idea of quantity - the difference in the number of objects present in each page.

It is not expected that your child will get everything during the first few tries. She may exhibit some "resistance" once in a while so don't push it. As long as she's having fun you can take things gradually.

With frequency, practice, and of course... your patience, you could be unlocking the next math aficionado within your child.