Zynga Facebook Games

Are you addicted to Facebook games? If yes, then you know Zynga. It's the creator of famous Facebook games, and their games is actually 4 of the top 5 games. Here's a list of the top 12 Facebook games in case you are wondering (like me lol). Are your games among the top 12?

Incidentally, Zynga is also in the news not just because of the games but because of how they are running the company. It really surprised me that such company with good game products will treat their employees this way. More of the story here.

Pizza Hut's Tuscani Pizza

The first time I saw the Pizza Hut Tuscani Pizza ad, I thought it’s just all talk, because it was an ad. Though admittedly, I was intrigued by what they’re saying that it’s unlike any thin crust pizza. I’m a pizza lover and I’m skeptical since all thin crust pizza that I’ve tried is not enough to satisfy my hunger. Due to my schedule, I have put trying it out at the bottom of my list. Until a friend told me about it again. She kept on raving that my curiosity was piqued and I scheduled to give myself a break and have a pizza day with my mom. Lunch, we went to Pizza Hut’s branch in Festival Mall in Alabang. It is located in the ground floor, just near the Alabang-Zapote entrance. Being seated by a courteous crew, we sat and I asked her the Tuscani pizza menu.  Choosing the right flavor for that first taste is not hard, I just chose the flavor with the most yummy toppings, and I ended up choosing Supremo. The crew even said it was a good choice. The wait is not that long as we were kept busy by the on-the-house garlic bread.

When the pizza is brought to our table, I can’t believe that it’s sooo full of toppings. I then took a slice, and the first bite is heaven. The pizza is deliciously juicy, the toppings are really good. I’m a picky eater and don’t usually eat bell peppers but the bell peppers in this pizza is real juicy. I can’t believe that I’m eating a thin crust pizza because the toppings are like of a thick crust pizza, minus the thickness of the crust which made the pizza more enticing to eat. And I can’t believe that with just two slices, I already felt full and satisfied. It usually takes 4 thin sliced pizza before I can feel the fullness. Surely, Tuscani Pizza is now one of my favorites, a must-try for all pizza lovers out there. For me, this deserves a spoon rating of 9/10. 

  

Trivia: Did you know where the name Pizza Hut originated? According to Wiki, it has been named "Pizza Hut" since the sign the owners purchased only had enough space for nine characters and spaces.

25 Worst Passwords of 2011

I know it's still a few days till 2011 ends but I found this article and I'm glad that my password is not one of the worst passwords lol. The top 5 worst passwords, which are really worst, are:

1. password
2. 123456
3. 12345678
4. qwerty
5. abc123

Is your password one of the 25 worst passwords? I hope not.

Bye bye Google Plus

It's been awhile since I used Google Buzz. I didn't really used it much, just tried it on occasion since I'm a Google products user. After all, they're free and innovative lol. Just learned though that Google Buzz is going away. Seems Google is trimming its products and focusing on more usable ones, which is good. Are you a Google Buzz user? If yes, then you should read this.

Medical Malpractice

Yesterday, my mom and I went to the nearby Alabang Medical Clinic to have her see a cardiologist. The diastolic reading of her blood pressure sometimes reaches 60-40 and my natural doctor friend suggest that she see a cardiologist just to be sure. When it was her time for the checkup, the doctor just asked her what she's feeling. She said that there are times that she feels the shortness of breath. The doctor then immediately prescribed Nebicar to her. I asked the doctor what's the purpose of the medicine. He said that it's for my mom's heart because she's experiencing chest pain, and even asked me if she is experiencing chest pain. I told him why ask me and I said he ask her. Then he said she said so. I was already in doubt at this stage, and became more unbelieving when he said that there are med reps outside who gives free samples, we just need to show them the prescription. He also recommended that my mom have an ECG and made another request for it. I asked him about the diastolic reading and he said that it's because of my mom's age. The ECG turned out ok. I asked my natural doctor friend about Nebicar, what are its medications. She told me that it's used to treat hypertension and acute cardiac insufficiency. Cardiac insufficiency? And acute already? Wow, that doctor must be a genius since he just asked one question and knows that my mom have that severe illness? It's really sad how the medicine world had become very commercialized. Their oath to protect lives has gone out the windows.

I had done a research on Nebicar and learned that it have a lot of recorded side effects, one of which is heart failure. Wow! A heart medicine that can cause a heart failure.

This isn't the first time that this happened to us. A few months back, my mom was admitted in the same hospital (unfortunately, this is the only one accessible to us) because of stomach problems and I wasn't feeling good myself. Because of the stress of us being sick at the same time, my mom's blood pressure went to 140/80 and she was immediately given a hypertension maintenance drug which she needs to take even when she was discharged from the hospital. Wow. I don't know why these doctors are in a hurry to prescribe medicines but not take time to check if their patients really need them. Can you blame me if I believe less and less on modern, commercialized doctors and favor the alternative, natural medicine?

Zero-Cost Prescription for a Healthy, Long Life

These insights from Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan is also like the "Law of Attraction" that I believe in. He said to claim the present, declaring "I am healthy, I am full of wellness, I am prosperous." and not use the future tense.


Below are some more of his tips:

• Physical activity or exercise 20-30 minutes daily. An hour's walk is equal to 10,000 steps a day, even if not continuous. Tan said, "Taking the tricycle has destroyed the body of the Filipino."
• Maintain friendships.  Follow the adage of to love and be loved. Keep ties with kindred spirits throughout life. Even donating to charity releases happy hormones called endorphins.
• Forgive and ask forgiveness.  He said social medicine evidence shows that this works although it may be the hardest act. If the hurting person lets 10 weeks or even six months pass, then meets the offender casually without evading him/her, forgiveness has taken place.
• Laughter and sex reduce aging. Watch funny films or videos. Take forced leaves and vacation. A happy life, Tan said, is one where "every pregnancy is planned, every baby is wanted and a person is free of sexually transmitted diseases."
• Have time for stillness, meditation and prayer.
• Eat lots of plant-based food (vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, lentils) apart from complex carbohydrates and deep-sea fish. Avoid white sugar, white bread, processed meat (tocino and longganisa). Go on a monthly fast by eating fruits and vegetable for three days, something other living creatures do naturally.
• Drink warm or room-temperature liquids, mineral water, dark chocolate (tablea), green tea. He advised against distilled water which is "dead water" as it has no minerals and doesn't rehydrate the body.
• Free oneself from addictions to smoking, alcohol, gambling, drugs and sex. Also toxic are secondhand smoke, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and heavy metals.

How to View Webcam in Windows 7

I had been using Windows XP for as long as I can remember. Then I needed to upgrade to Windows 7 for work. Of course with change comes the puzzlement on how to use it lol. I am used to viewing myself on the computer webcam in exchange of a mirror here in my room lol. In Windows XP, it's just as easy as going to the Windows Explorer since the webcam is allotted a drive. But in Windows 7, to my dismay, I can't find how to do it. Good thing I found this and it really works!

A Different Kind of Working Experience

Working from home has opened new doors, and new experiences for me. I was able to try and do jobs that I'm curious to do but don't have the chance because of my position in the office, or just can't because it's out of my line of career and my work experience. Before venturing out, I can see that I can do a lot of things that I was limited to do when I was still in the office. And I'm right. Though admittedly, working from home is not that stable a career. That's why one needs to be prepared for months earning only minimal or no income if one wants to venture into this field. Luckily, I had prepared for that. I gave myself at least 3 months to try this out.

My first 3 months paid well. I had a stable work-from-home job as a Project Manager, which is in my line of work. I was earning the same salary I was when I was still working in an office, but have the flexibility of time, as long as I can deliver what is asked of me. I was also able to practice again my applicant sourcing skills, which I missed and loved doing in one of my previous jobs. I thought this is a long-term job but things happen. My boss encountered some financial problems and have to let me go.

After that, I was lucky to be hired as a part time personal assistant. During the trial phase, I thought my boss is cold, he was too formal on his communications with me. That doesn't mean that it's hard to communicate with him, in fact he answers inquiries fast. So I just did what I need to do to finish the job. There were two of us whom he has shortlisted and luckily, he chose me. After that, things changed. He became more at ease to talk to. Maybe that's just part of his test. I've been working for him for a month now, part time, and even though I'm earning a little less than the minimum wage since it's a part time job, it's a learning experience for me which I know I can't try out and do when I'm working in an office. And it's more than enough to pay the utility bills lol.

I then met an employer who showed me the other side of applicant sourcing. I thought that all applicants are prepared. Prepared meaning they send their resume on jobs their applying for at the very least. I learned that I'm wrong. There were many applicants who would just send you an email asking if they can apply for the job without sending their resume. Some send their resume without any subject and cover letter. Still, there were others who used cover letter templates, which they send to every company that they're applying for. How did I know that this is the case? Well, either they forgot to change the position that they are applying for, or they just attached both the cover letter and the resume to their email lol. It was a funny, though sometimes irritating experience. Even though, I still think that recruitment is one of the enjoyable jobs.

Technology vs Super Heroes

If there were super heroes living in this era, it will be very hard for them to keep their secret identity lol