Tuesday, July 28, 2009

[quote me] experience does not equal expertise.

there's a reason why they are two different words. because they are two different things. i've met people with so many years of experience and experience alone. are they experts? no. likewise i've met experts with no experience. so what is more important? for short-term progress, experience is probably better. but for longevity, you need both.

experience does not equal expertise.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

[did you know?] [thoughts] how tall is a tall building?

http://www.ctbuh.org/HighRiseInfo/TallestDatabase/Criteria/tabid/446/Default.aspx

another "did you know": the CTBUH has issued its recommendations for the seismic (earthquake-resistant) design of high-rise buildings. it suggests that design codes currently being used by structural engineers are inadequate for most tall buildings over 50 meters high. instead, they say that a performance-based design is more appropriate. unfortunately, only a very few structural engineers know how to do performance-based design. while it is based on first principles, it is not actually taught in school. heck, not many structural engineers really know how to design structures properly because not everything is learned in school. even outside of school, there are still so many things to learn, and in fact many experienced structural engineers do not know some basic structural engineering principles. usually, these structural engineers who do not have sufficient know-how are the people who undercharge. so, who designed your building? how much did you pay? by the manual of professional practice for civil engineers (applicable to structural engineers), they should charge a minimum 1.5% of the project cost if they are not the lead professional. if they are the lead professional, they should charge a minimum of 6%. some "structural engineers" charge just 0.5% or less. of course business owners love them!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

[thoughts] Rajah Lapu-Lapu

In Mactan, Cebu, there is a marker there with the inscription:
"Here on 27 April 1521, Lapulapu and his men repulsed the Spanish invaders, killing their leader Ferdinand Magellan.  Thus Lapulapu became the first Filipino to have repelled European aggression."
Ngayon, ako ay magbabahagi lamang ng isang kuwento.  May nakilala ako na isang Cebuano, sabi niya hindi tama ang kasulatan na ito - hindi pa "Filipino" si Lapu-Lapu noon kasi hindi pa nga "Filipinas" ang tawag sa mga kapuluan natin at wala pang bansa na "Filipinas" nung nangyari ito.  Siya ay "native Filipino" pero hindi siya kailan man ay opisyal na naging Filipino.  Anya, hindi daw ba ang pinaglalaban nga sana ni Lapu-Lapu noon laban sa puwersa ng Portuges na si Magellan at ang mga Kastila ay ang huwag tayo masakop ng mga banyaga at tuluyang mabansagan ng pangalang banyaga.  Nanalo ang katutubong si Lapu-Lapu sa digmaan na ito ngunit hindi daw ba na ang mga tunay na panalo ay ang silang sumakop sa atin ng mahigit tatlong daang taon at ang nagbansag ng pangalan at nagtatag ng kolonya na ngayo'y bansa na "Filipinas," pati na din daw ang mas tanyag sa buong mundo ngayon na si Magellan.  Marahil ang mas angkop na kasulatan dito ay
"Here in Mactan on 27 April 1521, Rajah Lapulapu and his 1500 men repulsed the then down to 50-man Spanish crew of Ferdinand Magellan who were trying to convert Lapulapu and his men to Christianity but were defeated instead, and their leader Magellan killed, after sailing across the Atlantic thru South America and then thru the Pacific, and who had just earlier converted Rajah Humabon of Cebu. Thus Lapulapu and his army became the first native Filipino to have repelled this Western attempt at evangelization."
Subalit totoo ngunit mahaba ang paliwanag na ito, marahil ay pinaikli na lamang ito sa nakikitang nakasulat sa pananda na ito.

[did you know?] Mejicanos y Filipinos

Because of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon which facilitated trade between Manila, Mexico, and Spain, some of the "Spaniards" who are here are actually Mexican or Spanish-Mexican.

Mexicans who arrived here via the Galleon trade left behind use of Mexican vernacular which are now found in Filipino languages such as tiange (stalls), bangketa (sidewalk), chonggo (monkey), palenque (market), among others. Banqueta for example is what Mexicans would use but it is not the first word that Spaniards would use for sidewalk. The Spanish would use "mercado" for market, but we would use "palengke" instead - sounds more like what the Mexicans use.

Until the Americans took over the Philippines in 1898, "Filipino" was the term used for white Spaniards of pure Spanish descent born here in the Filipinas (Philippines), as opposed to "Peninsulares" who are those born in Spain.  Spaniards of pure Spanish descent born in Spanish America are called "Americano."  The term used for persons of pure Malay descent (i.e. the locals/natives in the country) are called "Indio."  The term used for persons of Aeta descent are "Negrito" while those of mixed descent are called "Mestizo."  Those of Chinese-Malay-Spanish descent are called "Tornatras."

These terms are actually part of the labelling and associated tax bracketing in the caste system that the Spanish installed during its regime; i.e. Indios and Aetas paid the base tax, pure Chinese (called "Sangley") paid four times the base tax, Chinese (Chino) Mestizos paid twice the base tax, and all those with Spanish blood (Filipinos, Americanos, Peninsulares, and Spanish Mestizos) paid no taxes.

So, are you an Indio?  I am.  And proudly so.  To think there is something wrong with being an "Indio," I say you're not Christian, are you?