Many people need to quickly pull a USB flash drive out of the USB port without going through the ‘Safely Remove Hardware’ procedure. There’s some risk of corrupting your files this way.

Truth is, in today’s busy workplace, we don’t always have time to do the required routine.  Often, you need to close your laptop and run off.  Besides, this eject process doesn’t always work instantly.  If you really need to do this often, you can reduce the risk of damage to your data by ensuring the ‘Quick removal’ mode is selected.

1. Click on the Start Button (this instruction is for Windows systems).
2. On the ‘Search programs and files’ box, search for ‘Device Manager’ and open it.
3. Under ‘Disk Drives’ right-click on the name of your USB storage device.
4. Click the ‘Policies’ tab.
5. Ensure that ‘Quick removal’ mode is selected.
6. Click the ‘OK’ button to close.

NOTE: I cannot guaranty the safety of your data even with this process. It is good practice to always have a backup of your files.

Here’s my old and beaten Casio ProTrek PRG-50 which after about 10 years or so of use has collected lots of dents and scratches.

I think I’ll be looking for an alternate timepiece soon.  Not that I think this sturdy watch will die on me soon, but I might need something a little more presentable for certain occasions.  By this photo alone, you will notice the dents and scratches on the lens and casing, as well as some areas where the paint job has become flaky.  Overall, a good watch I’d recommend for everyday use.  The Casio marque may not hold up in circles where fancy Swiss watches abound, but it is a charm to use, due mainly to its features and rugged good looks.  And features is what this brand really is all about.

The ProTrek series is most at home in rugged territory.  Although I haven’t read Casio mentioning it anywhere, I think this is essentially a G-Shock: tough and dependable… and then some!

This particular model is the PRG-50, which features:

• Time/Date/Day
• Altimeter
• Barometer
• Compass
• Solar Charging (with Power Saving Mode)
• Titanium Wrist Band
• Water Resistant to 100m
• Auto Illumination

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My medals: Immaculate Conception and St. Benedict. I wear these at all times as constant reminders of my devotions to the Holy Cross and to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Medal of the Immaculate Conception contains this prayer:

“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!”

The Medal of St. Benedict contains an exorcism formula, which, when translated means: “May the Holy Cross be my light! May the dragon never be my guide! Get behind me, Satan! Do not tempt me with your vanities! The cup which you offer is evil. Drink the poison yourself!”

No superstitious powers come from these medals. They are like portable prayer books. It is only our faith in God that matters, through the constant remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on the Holy Cross and in the intercession of Mary.

It’s been a while since my last post. Been tied up with work related deadlines. A bit about my work, I’m in the technology business. Particularly in a research and development company that designs electronics (integrated circuits, circuit boards, hardware, firmware, drivers and software). The main products are data storage devices for industrial and defense use. Basically, solid state drives (SSD) but toughened to meet special needs. So, there.

Where l work, there’s lots of engineering discussions which give me insights on how more common devices - such as our mobile phones and computers - are made. Interesting stuff (at least for me).

I don’t do code or design. l manage groups of projects that make up a product. But l learn a lot about the product and processes involved, and it’s an experience I’m thankful for.

l hope more of our students (Filipinos) will take up engineering. It’s a field where we can compete in if we can get our act together. I hope the government realizes this and offers leadership and support. Already, our Asian neighbors are ahead of us in developing government-sponsored R&D programs in microelectronics design. It costs a lot to put up the most basic operations and there are so many components to complete a viable ecosystem, so no single company can pull it off alone. Leadership and governance MUST play a major role. Or else we’ll be remain reliant on call centers and assembly lines while our neighbors already have their own versions of Apple, Intel, Samsung, etc. But other neighbors are already offering better and cheaper BPO and manufacturing, so we really have to move up the ladder.

But until this dream comes true, our best and brightest engineers have no place to go but to our neighboring countries and to support their technological development instead of our own.

May God bless our beloved Philippines.

Remembering Dazzle, our Golden Retriever. Her full name is “PH CH Care Bear Show-Off at Zeb”.  Sadly, she passed away late last year , September 14, 2012,and is now in dog heaven.

Daz was a loving and loyal dog, and would never hurt anyone. I wouldn’t worry about leaving her alone with kids.  We all miss her, and no dog will erase the fond memories she left behind.

Probably due to her Retriever bloodline, Daz LOVED to run after balls - from tennis balls to basketballs. :-)

To Dazzle, always our baby girl. You will be missed. Rest peacefully.

If I didn’t believe in a Divine Creator, then I’d be free to do as I will - gain pleasure yet be without remorse. My existence would have no meaning beyond birth and death. Human pain and suffering would be incidental, and death is neither freedom nor punishment, but merely the end. Why extend human existence at all? Even the death of this entire humanity would be just another episode in the history of the universe, until a new accident happens to create a new being. It’d all be just another “circle of life”. My responsibility would be to myself alone - to stay away from any suffering until I expire. Since my life is short and singular, I’d squeeze as much pleasure as possible.  I couldn’t care less if others believed in God. I’d just be wasting my time. If ever I argue for my unbelief, it’d just be for fun or maybe only to prove I’m more intelligent, and enjoy that very moment. For tomorrow is just another rotation of the earth.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for faith. Thank you for turning the simplest chemistry into complex biology that we are able live, think, feel and love beyond mere collections of atoms and energy. Grant that I may care for my soul as You will. Through Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Hello World!!!