It’s really is frustrating to be ‘hanged’ in the middle of your work and finally be met by the sign “Problem Loading Page.”

So, what’s the problem with Digitel again this time?

No, I didn’t bother calling them… yet. Why? Because I hate to be patronized with the scripted words “I’m sorry for that inconvenience, sir.” and “Is there something else I can help you with, sir?”

Really now, with companies with such technologies, you would at least expect that they would inform whenever they are doing some maintenance work in their lines… but nada!

You’ll just know it when call them after being frustrated by erratic internet connection.

But fail to pay your dues, and you’ll surely hear it from them.

Yesterday, I learned first hand why they called them do-it-yourself shops.

I went to the Handyman Hardware Center at the 3rd Floor of Nepo Mall here in Angeles City. I want to move my phone so I need to extend the line, but I already have an extra line. What I need is a connection box (I don’t even know what to call them) where both sides are ‘females’ so I can use the spare line to extend the phone.

As I was looking at the shelf where they are supposed to be found, I noticed that the holes (or peg, or slots, or whatever you may call them) seems to be larger than the usual phone line connector. I believe they are for internet connections. I saw ones with smaller ‘holes’ just right for the telephone lines, but they have ‘lines’ attached to them.

I saw a personnel of the store attending to another customer (no one was attending to me) standing near me. After he answered the other customer, I excused myself and asked him a question, I was holding the ‘connection box only’ with bigger slots and the one with the right slot with line attached on the other.

“Do you have these (box only) in these si–”

“Sorry sir, we don’t have them,” he replied without even letting me finish what I have to say, and he quickly turned around and walked away from me, without even caring whether I want to ask more questions or if needed more assistance.

He was running after the other customer who already walked away, which I believe was buying big tickets items, and might I say he was better dressed. I was only in shorts and slippers.

And there were many personnel there, just standing without doing anything…

Well, now I know why they call them do-it-yourself shops. Really, you have to do it yourself, you have to find things yourself - especially when buying small items and you’re only dressed in shorts and slippers.

The article then proceeds with some suggested promotional strategies which a company might want to use in its campaign.

These include things like holding a contest, online or offline, which could help create a buzz for the new product or company. Joining trade fairs to get the word out about the new product, and through email campaigns to reach a more specific target market.

The article really has some useful information which could help companies in planning for its upcoming promotions.

Well, today is your lucky day, because I stumbled upon an article on the internet that discusses how to advertise in the magazines and newspapers.

It tells you all the details that you need to know about print advertising, such as the artwork, print quality, the elements necessary for the print add, and how to achieve the best results in your advertisement.

The article also discusses the difference between colored prints and black and white prints ads. If you are really serious learning the ropes about print advertising, make this your first stop.

The article is just one of the informative topics submitted at web-articles.info. If you check out the site, you will find other subjects that might interest you too.

For example, there’s a recent article submitted about gardening in the month of November, a timely one I must say, especially if you live in a country where snow starts to fall in this time of the year.

So, check out the article for the know-how on newspaper and magazine advertisement. Don’t forget to drop by the home page for more interesting stuff.

I’m sure many who were spared from the wrath of Onyo, and our kababayans who are outside the country would like to send help to the victims of typhoon Onyo.

Here’s a list of how we can send our help:
Through Philippine National Red Cross, you can also check your local Red Cross chapters

Government set-up drop off points:
- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) center at the Batasan complex in Quezon City, telephone nos. +632951-7119 and +63918-421-9780;
- DSWD National Capital Region (NCR) office in Quiapo, Manila, tel. nos. +632-734-8634 to 25 and +63915-291-3722; and the
- DSWD National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City, tel. nos. +632852-8081 and +632-734-8622

Donations through Paypal via TXTPower

Through your local parishes and universities

Check also MLQ3’s post on How to help for more information

Send prayers too, most important.

More posts where to send help:
Tonyo Cruz: Call for action: Help typhoon, flood victims in the Philippines
bury me in this dress: Where to send donations for victims of Typhoon Ondoy
Mag kwento ni Sam Juan: Mga paraan kung papanao makakatulong sa mga nasalanta ng bagyong Ondoy

What?! 15 for P340?!

Honestly, I could accumulate that amount from my monthly load without a problem, but to equate 15 free texts for such an amount… should I be thankful?

But more than the free text-load amount ratio, I am more concerned that Globe is starting to send adverts again… does that mean that loads would start disappearing again?

Calling Senator Enrile.

Don’t somebody come here telling me to send STOP to 2977 just like what the advert says, because I didn’t subscribe to any text alert services from Globe nor any other company - yes, even other company are sending text alerts too!

The Bank of the Philippine Island has been sending me text alerts too (right after the ‘resurrection’ of the Globe text alerts), and just like Globe’s, it’s asking me to send STOP to 2327 to make the text alerts stop!

Who is starting all of these again? I thought after the senate inquiry, all these nonsense will stop. Why is it starting again?!

Of course, not all companies can afford to have their own technical department. That is why companies seek out IT Services from external technical support company for their problems. They think it is not cost-effective for them to maintain a separate department, when they can have someone on-call for the purpose. Especially, when their use of computers and computers programs in their business isn’t that extensive. But in the future, I’m sure they would like to have their own IT.

If you are a technical personal, you might want to explore freelance IT Consulting services. I know of some friends who were successful in this. They started out as freelance, and now they have their own consulting companies. Just a thought.

Back on the eyeglasses he’s wearing, he said before he the Zenni website, he was spending $300 on his eyeglasses. Curious, I checked the site and found the fashionable eyeglasses he’s referring too. And among the beautiful designs, these are My favorite high fashion eyeglasses from the site.

Cool enough for you too?

Maybe it is still a no-no to some, because of our tradition and culture, but expect nursing home services to mushroom in the near future. Not that we are becoming ungrateful children, but the times call for a more practical approach.

Other countries have long been having the home for the aged institutions, to look after the elders who were entrusted to them by the families who were busy to take care of them. I am not promoting, but should my children grow up, and needs more time to work to sustain their family, I wouldn’t mind if they put me in such an institution… as long as they visit me of course.

For more than three weeks now, my internet connection has been very erratic and I have called Digitel to inquire about it. But before I called them, I got my PC checked and upgraded the memory of my computer (because I thought it was my PC’s fault before).

After fixing my computer and still getting the same problem, I called them and they informed me that there was a ‘network fault.’ What’s funny is that they asked me when my internet problem started. Imagine that, they know the problem yet they asked when it started?!

I was able to make three calls to their no-so-hotline (I’m sure you know how it is to get through them) in the three weeks that passed, with my report number ready, and always the same problem.

Whenever I explained to them how frustrated I was and that my livelihood depends on my internet connection, they would automatically reply with a monotonous “I’m sorry to hear that, sir” (never really thought that statement could sound impersonal, insensitive and insincere).

They can’t tell when the problem will be fixed and I was told to make a follow-up after 24 hours. Imagine all the 24-hours that passed, and still the erratic connection frustrating me with “Problem Loading Page” message every time I click the “Publish” button.

So I went to their office to ask personally (ask, not complain). I went to their customer service after paying my bill (you have to avoid any loopholes in your complain). Stated my case, and so was given with the same reply – a ‘network fault’ and the customer service assistant said that the technical team are ‘working on it.’

Yes, they were ‘working on it’ for almost a month now! And still no sign of daylight, and can’t tell when ‘our area’ will be scheduled to be fixed. Apparently, there many areas affected due to the previous typhoon. One area, I was told by the CSA was already finished. It was an area where the ‘rich people’ live.

I was told to check on Saturday. Okay, so what’s another week? It’s not like I’m not having frustrations in my internet connection before.

I surely wish service companies would understand the reason why they exist, and provide us customers with the quality of service that we deserve – efficient and fast.