Moving out to wordpress or not

I have been contemplating on moving out to a new blog platform this last few weeks. I already asked Jehz and a couple of bloggers if I should or should not move to a new platform. My desires of leaving blogger for a newer platform increases everyday. I find a lot of needs which my existing platform can not provide.

I'm eyeing on migrating my BatangYagit.com to wordpress. Most of my non-blogger blogs are using Wordpress. I find wordpress more robust as compared to Blogger. Back-end design is also easier using wordpress, so as front-end design and blog aesthetics.

The cons of moving to wordpress are the following:

• It needs more maintenance. I have to make sure that my blog uses the most up-to-date version of wordpress. And sometimes, upgrading is a pain in the neck specially on a major version change.
• High risk of losing traffic. Since I'll be moving out to a new platform, there is a risk of losing traffic since the URL of my posts will be changed. A large number of my previous posts are optimized for search engine traffic.
• Paid bandwidth. Since it is self hosted, I'd be spending money for my bandwidth. My blog will have limited amount of resources. There is no assurance that my blog will be up forever.
• Need for a hosting provider. I have an existing web host but I don't think it can manage to have another load of traffic. My idea is to get a new hosting account from Gossimer.com. I've been looking into their services and find them ok. They have a few selection of hosting plans I can choose from. I'm deciding if I'd go for their Starter Plan or go big time with their Business Plan.
  

Up 'til now, I haven't decided yet. I'm still on the process of thinking whether my advantages outweighs the cons that I have mentioned.

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Fly to Davao this March for FREE

Attention Manila Bloggers!

You are invited to join My Davao City's Araw ng Dabaw SEO Davao Keyword Campaign. Kuya Andrew and Ate Ria of Alleba Productions will be sponsoring one round trip plane ticket from Manila to Davao and back to Manila. The contest/campaign will run from January 16, 2008 to February 16, 2008.

If you are interested, all you have to do is write a post of not less than 200 words. Your post may your experience when you were in Davao, the places you have visited in Davao, the sights you want to see in Davao and all other Davao related stories.

For your entry to qualify in the contest, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Contest entry must not be less than 200 words
2. It must be related to Davao
3. Must contain a link to http://www.mydavaocity.com with the anchor text of "Davao"
4. The post should not contain any other links other than the contest keyword
5. The link should not contain a "nofollow" tag.
6. Only one entry for every blogger

All entries must be submitted by posting comments on this post.

Non-Manila bloggers may also join the contest and get a chance to win yet another exciting prize. For more information about the contest, please visit the MDC contest page.

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One is enough, two is gluttony

A lot of bloggers are getting money (moolahs as what Ate Ria Calls it) from blogging, but for me, i getting much food. We ate a lot today. We went to Pepper and Peppers for lunch and Hanoi for Dinner.

Whew! That's what we call gluttony. Batang Yagit is getting MORE healthy these days. I'm exerting some efforts in reducing my weight. But the food trips are irresistible. Can you think of a way where I eat a lot without ever gaining so much weight?

Few weeks ago, I went to my Tita's house which is not far from our house. The first thing she said, "You are getting fat, 'wag kang papasobra."

Ok. I'm gaining weight, getting fat, getting ugly. So what? At least I'm able to eat good food, ehem, a lot of good davao food.

We're still on our 6th leg of the Davao Bloggers Food Trip. There's still more to come, (I guess).

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I love Italian Dish

Beef Salpicao

Last Saturday, we enjoyed another free treat from a good restaurant in town. Salutti is one of the few restaurants in Davao which serves affordable Italian cuisine. This is the fourth restaurant we visited since the Davao Food Trip started.

Salutti is situated at the Habana compound in Rizal Street, Davao City. The place is not big, making it a suitable place for romantic dinners at night, yet, it’s big enough to hold business meetings.

Though the food trip's arrangement was an afternoon snack, Tricie Arcenas, the restaurateur, did not hesitate to generously serve us with both heavy and light meals. Miss Tricie served us almost everything they got from their menu.


The first batch of dishes that was served were Spinach Dip with Crostini, Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dip, and Kani Salad with Japanese Dressing. Among these dishes, I like the Kani Salad with Japanese Dressing the most. The veggies used were fresh and crisp. The Japanese Dressing used was new to my palate yet my tongue seems to love the distinct taste.


The second batch of dishes served was the paninis. Panini is a sandwhich made from an Italian bread called ciabatta. The paninis served were Asian Beef and a side salad with Balsamic Dressing, and the Vegetarian panini and a side salad with Raspberry Dressing. The combination of the sweet and spicy flavor creates an interestingly delicious taste. Our vegetarian friend, Kim, enjoyed her vegetarian Panini a lot.


Of course, Italian restos won’t be complete without the pasta. The third batch of our meal was pasta. We were served Creamy Alfredo with Shitake Mushrooms and Roasted Garlic and Tomato, Garlic and Basil.


Another set of dishes served were Chicken in Mushroom Cream Sauce, Beef Salpicao, and Gambas. The Beef Salpicao was delectably good. The flavor of the ingredients other spices were locked in every slice of juicy and tender meat. The Chicken in Mushroom Cream sauce and the Gambas were as good as the Beef Salpicao.

All in all, my experience in Salutti was great. I love the food, the ambience and their service was definitely great (based on my experience of course). I highly recommend Salutti to those people who have a taste for Italian food.

* * *

For those Filipinos in Italy and Europe, Yes Pinoy offers a new way to send money to the philippines online.

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Beware of Nursing Friendster Profiles

Beware of friendster profiles owned by nursing students. They might contain things you don't want to see.

I was browsing friendster yesterday when I was faced with a lurid sight. I was eating my lunch while waiting for my browser to load the page. I was shocked to see a gory picture of a blood-covered wounded hand. It's a very unpleasant thing to see especially when you are enjoying your lunch.

Why do some people love to post these kind of savage photos in a place where people expect to see nice things?

My suggestion, the next time you open your friend's friendster profile, beware of the horrendous things to see.

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Tips Before You Buy Online

Last December, I bought a few items from e-Bay, a touch screen replacement for a Sony Ericsson P910 Phone and a screen protector for my iPod Video. The items I bought were from a merchant in Hong Kong. Luckily, the transaction was not fraudulent and the items were sent to my house while I was in Manila.

The item was shipped through an ordinary HK Courier service. The merchant did not have a tracking number to track the parcel.

After I got my PayPal and done this online shopping thing, I though it would be a good idea to give tips before you shop online.


Tip 1: Consider buying as an option, not as a mere end.

Think first before you buy then ask your self, "Do I really need to buy this item?". Consider your reasons. If it's indeed a need, then go and get yourself that item. Buy if it's for the sake of "I-want-that-item-because-its-sooo-cute", then save yourself from spending electronic bucks.


Tip 2: Look for a trusted e-commerce site.

So far, I only tried eBay because I know it's high reputation and reliability when it comes to online shopping. You can also try other shops like Amazon, Dixons and PC World. Find or ask reviews from other users who have done online shopping from your desired shop.

Tip 3: Check the merchant's reputation.

For sites like eBay, consumers are given the option to rate the reputation and reliability of the merchant where they bought the item. This ensures the consumers a guarantee of the merchant's reliability.


Tip 4: Know the transaction and payment method..

Learn if the payment and transaction method being used is secured. A lot of phishing sites are out in the internet which tricks users when doing online transactions. So far, I only get to use PayPal and my Visa Electron card and I have not yet encountered any attempts of phishing or other illegal transactions.


Tip 5: Check and compare prices.

It's not enough to know where you can buy your item. You should also learn which seller offers the best price for a certain product. I encountered this website in the internet which is very helpful in locating the best buys in the internet. Save Bucks has this price compare feature wherein you can get the different prices from the different online shops when you do a single product search. It's pretty helpful when you are in need to compare prices of your desired product. I used this as a reference in buying products online since I get to know the product's price in the market.


Tip 6: Patience.

Be patient. Usually, the delivery of your parcel takes a few weeks before it arrives. The items I bought took three weeks before I received it. Just follow the tips I have suggested above and be assured that your product will arrive. If not, you can always verify it from your merchant or seller.

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Belly's Grill - The best grill in town

Davao Food Trip - The Third Leg

The Davao Bloggers are always busy...with food.

Last week, we were treated with free lunch at Belly's Grill in Quirino Avenue. It's a small restaurant equipped with a lot of good food. Yes, GOOD FOOD. I went here with Ate Ria, Miss Miata, Kuya Andrew, Kuya Bboy, Gwing and Tiara. This is the third leg of the Davao Food Trip (2nd - Taj Minar, 1st - Zakoya) which was organized by Kuya Blogie. Unfortunately, Kuya Blogie was not around to taste the delicious foods we had.


The Food. It was my first time to try the ostrich steak (whatever you call an ostrich meat). The taste and the meat's quality is similar to beef, less the distinct taste beef has. I'm not sure how to describe it but I was expecting more of a 'birdish' type of meat but it was good. We were able to try their tuna belly, fried hito, kinilaw, and sisig. All were equally good.


The Owner(s). The restaurant is owned by Miss Celine Sy and her husband (who was very shy to meet us). The place is decorated with photography works of his brother Lito Sy. According to Miss Celine, she first heard about blogging when a friend called her from Japan. This friend came across Kuya Blogie's review about Belly's grill when she searched the internet. She also said that she gets excited when somebody posts good comments about their restaurant.

After having the lunch, I twit about this restaurant. I said, "Belly's Grill is the best. It's 4 times more delicious than Ger*y's Grill at half the price. Davao Food Trip is a lot more better than the Trinoma Food Tour".

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My First Video Blog - YGT Episode 3

Wow, I'm not sure if there's a need to post it here. I published my first video blog. It's an interview for You Got Tech blog, a techy blog for the none techy people. Thanks to Cris (Cris Works) for editing the video.



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I'm going on another trip, again

I'm getting excited for my next trip to Manila. My flight is scheduled to leave Davao on Saturday afternoon. Am I going for another vacation? No. I'm going to Manila to fix some things.

• Yearbook follow up - this is the official purpose of my trip. I need to follow-up the status of our yearbook in the printing press. We only have two months left for printing and binding and we still lack some materials. I'm going there to supervise the progress of our yearbook.
  
  
• Find lab equipment and materials - This is for my school project. We have not finished it yet because we lack some chips needed in our circuit design. I know a good place in Mandaluyong where I can get the parts needed.
  
  
• Meet my pal, Jehz - Yes...i'm going to meet him. I'm bringing along with me some fans of his friend Jemme
  
  
• Have my iPod earphone fixed - I'm going to Power Mac in Greenbelt and see if the apple people could possible fix my broken iPod headset since it's still covered under the warranty period.

Whew.. I'm going to have a busy weekend. By the way, we're going to Belly's Grill for our lunch. This is still part of the Davao Food Trip organized by Kuya Blogie. I heard that another resto wants to sponsor our next stop. Yummy!

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On blogging and making money

This is an e-mail I sent to the Mindanao Bloggers mailing list. This is for those people who monetize their blogs. Please read.

Good day guys,

A couple of days ago, I made an entry (Jobless dilemma) with an in-line ad link. The entry was not a review of the advertiser, neither his site nor his products and services. (at some point, the entry's topic is related to the advertiser's ad).

But to my dismay, last night, when i checked the comments on that post.... I received a comment from someone. The person said "Maniniwala na sana ako kaso may sponsored links sa ibaba. Kaduda-duda na tuloy ang post nato.". WhaattT?? Ok......zipped

Let this be a reminder to us all, (especially those who monetize our blogs), making money out of our blogs is not bad. In fact, it's a good thing. But compromising our content for the sake of earning defeats the purpose of blogging. And placing an ad does not invalidate the message you are convey to your readers.

I would like to quote what Kuya Blogie said (a comment to that post): "having in-post ads doesn't invalidate the post's message. monetizing blogs is now an accepted activity"


Kind regards,
The Yagit Kid - http://www.batangyagit.com

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Ateneo installs Account Information Kiosk

Wow, Ateneo's getting high tech. I just learned this from my colleague this morning. The Ateneo Finance Office installed a touch screen Account Information Kiosk at the Bellarmine Building of the Jacinto Campus.

Now, students can inquire their account balance and payment history from the information kiosk. To go to your account, you must enter the last five numbers of your ID Barcode. The system will also ask for your PIN. The default PIN is the complete set of numbers (excluding the last Alpha character) found in your barcode.

After you have entered the required information, you will be given the options to change your PIN or View your account.

Wow, I guess there will no longer be queues for balance inquiries at Window 7. Thanks Ateneo!


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Naomi is sick

Huhuhuhu...I'm so doomed. Last night, after my attempt to turn my Naomi (my Acer Aspire 3680) on, the power button got broken. Huhuhu. Matagal na siyang may problema sa kanyang power button. Usually, kailangang mag-exert ng force para mapindot ang power button niya. Unfortunately, di na niya kinaya ang pang-aabuso ko sa power button niya. Huhuhuhuh..

Ngayon, hindi ko na siya ma-on. Dinala ko siya kanina sa Acer Service center pero wala silang available na spare power button kasi wala raw silang customer na nasisiraan ng power button. Huhuhuhhu. Now I have to go to Acer's service center to check if they have a spare power button.

Para ma-on yung laptop ko, kailangan ko pang gumait ng screw drivers. Huhuhuhuh... Effort. Nakakainis.


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Charity for homeless

Last December, my friends and I celebrated our Christmas party in one of the charity homes in Davao City. The place is called Missions of Charity, an orphanage founded by the late Mother Theresa. There were a lot of kids there and what we did for them was give them gifts and we also fed them. We also spent some time playing with them and getting to know them a bit. When we left, I was filled with both happiness and sadness. These children made me happy, because in spite of their predicament, they still had hope and joy enough to celebrate. But the thing is I felt sad because I knew that the happiness we gave them for that day will only be temporary.

I felt very thankful to my grandparents after this event. Even if I don't live a privileged life, I am more than lucky to have a house to live in, a school to go to, and a family to be with. That's why I promised myself that to show my appreciation to my grandparents by taking care of them in the future.

But what if no one will take care of me when I get old? Where would I go? The idea finding a care home for elders came to me. I searched the web and found this great site which offers "homely" caring services for the old and aged. Who knows, I might end up in their institution someday.

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The jobless dilemma

I'm in my last semester in college and would be moving on to the "real" world. The time sure passed by so fast, I feel that I have spent a much shorter time in school compared to the when I was complaining on how dragging the passing of time was when I was in first year.

I have mixed emotions about this new chapter in my life. I feel excited, yet anxious, also scared but at the same time already nostalgic. Whatever I feel though, it will still come. The only thing I can do now is to face whatever is coming.

So, what's next for me? Obviously, it's the most inevitable thing after death: Work. Although I am already moonlighting a few online jobs while still in school, and I do a lot of freelance work, I still need to find an actual job that pays bigger, is stable, and more regular than just freelance. It is a good thing for me that this new era comes with more jobs, and more places to look for it. There's the old newspaper, the net, I could ask the school, ask relatives, and if all else fails, I could simply look up and search around light posts for any plastered ads for work. I just wish that I will find the job that I would love doing.

Also, please check Singapore Franchise Opportunity for some job and business opportunities in Singapore.

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Taj Minar

I was (again) lucky to avail the free lunch from Taj Minar last December 29, 2007. It was the second leg of the Davao Food Trip organized by Kuya Blogie of Ang Dabawenyo.

Taj Minar, a new fine dining Indian Restaurant, is located at Damosa Gateway. The food monsters present were Ate Ria, Kuya Blogie, Kuya Migs, Kuya Tianx, Kuya Doms, Miss Ria, Miss Maita, Kim and Tiara.

Mr. Zafar Khan, the owner of Taj Minar, seems happy with our presence.

For starters, Mr. Khan served us with Papadam, a taco-shell-like piece of crust with lots of spices. The taste was good but the grease is unforgivable. Mr. Khan said that the grease used is healthy since it's from pure vegetable oil.

Biryani Rice and Vegetable Curry

Mr. Khan served chicken curry, spiced vegatables ang long-grain rice for the main course. I love them all. The vegetable was good. The flavor of the spices were new to me and I love them. I finished two servings of the Chicken Korma (the chicken curry) because Ate Ria was not able to finish hers.

For the dessert, he served us with Carrot Halwa and Chai.

As a conculsion, it is my first time to taste Indian food and I love it. Considering that the restaurant is of fine dining type, the prices are not expensive. The place is also good.

For more information about Taj Minar, you may visit them at Damosa Gateway, Mamay Road, Lanang, Davao City or call them at 303-4320.

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Magpapacontest si Davao's Food Huntress

Magpapacontest nga si DFH sa kanyang blog. Ito ay para sa unang anniversary niya sa blogosphere. Mamimigay siya ng 1,500 worth ng gift certificate galing sa Polo Bistro sa Marco Polo Davao.

Ano ang contest?

Simple lang, hulaan kung ano ang ingredients ng ginawa niyang paella noong nakaraang bagong taon. May 20 ingredients ang paella niya, huhulaan lang at ipopost as comment ang mga hula sa kanyang blog. Ang unang taong makakatama ang makakakuha ng 1500 Gift Certificate.

Para sa karagdagang kaalaman tungkol sa contest, pumunta lamang sa Davao's Food Huntress blog.


Magkakaroon na naman kami ng food trip. Pangatlong leg na ito ng Davao Food Trip. Next week, Friday sa Belly Grill. It's a lunch date then! WohooO!


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Si Batang Yagit sa taong nagdaan

Naging maganda ang taong 2007 para kay Batang Yagit. Ito ang taon kung kelan namulat siya sa mundo ng blogosphere. At para sa pagpasok ng panibagong taon, ito ang ilan sa mga highlights sa buhay ng batang walang magawa sa buhay.

• First time ko na pumunta ng General Santos City
• I had Smart Broken installed at home
• I worked in Coca-cola
• I went to Camiguin
• Revealed, bought and read Bob Ong's 6th Book
• Pissed with someone else (Chewable issues).
• Rebirth of Batang Yagit (includes redesigning the blog, more posts, more blog hopping)
• Worked in Cerveo Computer Systems
• Launched Davao Hot Spots and bought DavaoHotSpots.com
  
• First time to vote during Elections
  
• Worked with the SMS Gateway Project
• Went to Manila three times this year
• Went to Baguio twice this year
  
• Joined the link train
• Successfully created a new nickname for Ate Aileen ***
  
• Had a meeting with Miss Google Earth Philippines, The Usual Suspects, and some SEO Specialists
• Got linked with a lot of bloggers in the philippine blogosphere.
• Earned few thousands (pesos) from blogging
• Earned a few dollars from AdSense
• Bought BatangYagit.com
• Upgraded my hosting account for DCNHS
• Part of the Ratified.org's Top 100 Blogs in the Philippines
• Bought several domains
• Attended the Mindanao Bloggers Summit
• Been part of The Usual Suspects
• Went to Brunei and Malaysia
• Received a Boy Bastos Award
• Chosen as a finalist for Karlo's Pinoy Blog of the Month
• Launched PRC Board Exam Results (providing Nursing Board Exam Results)
• Received thousands of comments and subscriptions from my other blogs.
  
• Made 208 posts for 2007
• Crashed a server couple of times
• Finally, PR4....from PR0 to PR4. Wohooooo!
  

Sa ngayon, eto pa lang na-aalala ko. Hmmm... To sum up everything, naging maganda ang 2007 para sa blogging career ko. Naging maganda ang response ng blogging community sa mga kalokohang pinaggagawa ko sa aking blog. From web developer (Nitrosaint) to content writer (Blogger Batang Yagit), ganun ang naging transitions ko.

I'm hopping that the coming year would bring more blessings for my internet career. We still have lots of time to enjoy, more blogs to discover and more posts to make. Ciao 2007!

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