I REMEMBER a time back in 2001, when nobody knew me, and cared even less, I was in front of a computer around playing with solitaire. You know the kind that usually comes free with your Microsoft Windows packet?

Well any way, playing around with Solitaire can actually affect your blood pressure as I found out after about 30 games. First of all, I studied to be a programmer, and one of the lessons teachers hammer into your brain is the concept of the random generator.

"The Manny Pacquiao Blog". Click here for stories and updates on the Filipino boxing champ.

“What is that?” you may ask. Well it’s simply a routine which randomizes a set of things. In this case 52 cards containing four suits, each suit with the numbers 1 to 10 as well as a Jack, A Queen and a King.

Randomizing means “shuffling the entire deck” inside the memory of the computer.

As it were after a bout 30 games I was cursing the program. Because the randomizer was a very poor quality. For example: in the real world you will hardly get the same number of three suits come up in the succession either on the row stack or in the hidden stack. It just doesn’t happen in the real world.

So the randomizer of Solitaire was of poor quality, owing to the fact that it does come free with every Microsoft Windows Packet, still…
I told myself, this shouldn’t be the case and wanted to write Microsoft head honcho Bill Gates and just tell him how his programmers screwed around with Solitaire and what he should do to get things right. It was a very emotional letter that never got sent. The reason? A friend of mine, who got to read the complaint, remarked: “You know the answer to your letter of course? ‘Get a life!’”

****

Which goes to show that a simple complaint can also backfire.

This is a bigger and more contemporary example of a complaint going sour or the complainant.

Recently, the television headlines were all about how thousands were disenfranchised because the Commission on Elections stopped processing new voters for the upcoming 2010 national and local polls.

It was also emotion filled with those interviewed cursing the Comelec for not allowing processing them even though they possessed all the qualifications of a voter. They were one in asking the Comelec to extend the registration period and allow them to register. Heck, they were demanding it.

Well, they all had enough time to register themselves and then to suddenly complain that they were disenfranchised is the lowest form of low blow there is in the world.

Enough time, yup, since the end of the last polls, Comelec was accepting new registrants or first time voters. Three years people, what were you guys doing in all that time? Picking you nose? Or most likely, waiting until the final minute to start the process of registration.

You know what a lot of people call Filipinos waiting for the deadline before acting? They call it “Being a true Filipino!” And no this isn’t something to be proud about.

Because a true Filipino would have worked on the registration thingy as soon as they turned 18! And not wait for the last moment before hoping against hope there aren’t other ‘Filipinos’ rushing like you.

*****

On November 21 and 22, the Sacred Heart Community Center will be holding a two day Life in the Spirit Seminar for those 14 years old and above or those who want a deeper understanding of their Christian life. The seminar will be held at the community center just beside the Military Cut-off barangay hall along Military Cut-off. Thos interested may call 442-4153 for more information.

Everyone is invited and everything is free!