I'm collecting different books, ebooks and software that help improve the way we think. I like reading de Bono (Lateral Thinking) and Buzan (Mind Mapping). I sometimes use some of their principles in teaching and every day life.

Here's the list, so far. Please send me a comment to add things from your personal collection:

In 2007, our company was asked to develop an instructional CD-ROM to help the Anti-Money Laundering Council train the staff of pawnshop and money changers.

We developed the CD-ROM using Flash, HTML and video, but we also threw in this low-budget comicbook.

My deferred scholarship will now push through. Lots of people have asked me for details (things like, how many units, what's it like, etc) and I sometimes didn't know all the answers. So instead, I'm posting here some links so, if you're really really interested, you may visit these links. Ready? Here goes:

I still get surprised that, to this day, some government officials think they also have the power to kick people around. A mayor from Lanao -- let's call him Mayor Bully -- beat up a 56-year old man and his 14-year old son in front of the Secretary of Agrarian Reform (Mayor Bully's friend), who did nothing to stop the violence.

Here is an excerpt from the blog entry of Bambee dela Paz, daughter of the man that Mayor Bully beat up:

I've been plagued with clogged ears for several months now. It usually attacks during cold season.

I saw this exercise on the web that involves a neti pot (you can substitute a large syringe for this) and saline solution. There's a video demonstrating how to do the exercise, so that was really helpful. I've tried it and it has helped clear my head a bit.

Manny Pacquiao chalked another historic victory today by beating Golden Boy Oscar dela Hoya. That news is old by now.

What's unique in our experience is the way we watched it. My wife Data could not wait for the local telecast, which was much-delayed and peppered with too many ads. So she found a webcast of the show, courtesy of UStream. (How was this possible? Some Pinoys who had HBO pay-per-view put a webcam in front of the TV -- we could hear their chatter as the game progressed.)

I've been helping an all-Filipino team to create a consumer tech product. Sorry, can't give out details for now. But here is what we can reveal for now.

It's something that will demonstrate that we Filipinos can produce a tech product locally. The R&D is being done garage-style -- lower costs, virtual collaboration, team mates contributing labor beyond their day jobs because they believe in this project.

Help us generate awareness on the project. If you're interested to blog about it or write a story about it for any type of media, feel free to repost the messages below. You may also contact me through rubencanlas(at)gmail(dot)com.

Very carefully take off your watch and lay it on a table. Leave the room in the dark for 21 days. Recite the Ora Pro Nobis five times.