Chicago Air and Water Show is America’s largest free air and water show and is considered one of the world’s largest spectator shows. About 2.2 million gather in Chicago every year to watch the Chicago Air and Water Show.

This year, despite the economic crisis, all systems go for the Chicago Air and Water Show 2009 ! Show starts at 10 a.m and ends at 4 p.m. Both the air and water events have been combined to one continuous show. Most of the events will take place at North Avenue Beach; however most of the activities can be viewed in the city skyline and lakefront.

I wish I will be personally there to see the events take place, anyway I’ll just watch it in youtube.

If you have never been to this spectacular even, while waiting for the videos of the Chicago Air and water softener Show 2009, check out last year’s videos:

Poooooffff! I was just day dreaming. Seriously, I never lined up to vote in California. I wish I did, but I couldn’t because I was in Cebu City, Philippines when it all happened.

Despite the distance, technology has somehow made a way to let me feel the euphoria of the U.S elections. The Cebu Blogger’s society through the efforts of Political blogger Kevin Ray Chua got invited to observe the U.S elections.

I woke up early since I have to have my annual physical checkup courtesy of my insurer, Philam Life. (They want to make sure that they won’t loose money so they keep on checking my health condition regularly hehehehe?) After spending an hour or more at HP diagnostics I then went to the Waterfront hotel to have a free breakfast again courtesy of Philam life.

I then proceeded to the famous lobby of S.M North wing which looked like the lobby of Las Vegas hotels where the U.S elections watch would be taking place. They say that it will kick off at 9:00 a.m. I arrived at around 9:30 a.m. luckily, the show hasn’t started yet. The mall was supposed to be open at 10:00 a.m. but the guards let those who will be joining the election watch pass through.

There were lots of security personnel, American citizens, Filipino Americans and the “little brown Americans” who is always and will always be fascinated with how Americans do things. (“Little brown brothers” – that’s what the Americans used to call us during the American occupation, the title would not have been forgotten if only we had become an American State) Whether we like it or not, America is always and will always be the greatest example of how a democracy works.

Kevin Ray spotted me and ushered me to the registration booth where I registered, got my identification card and my other U.S elections “goodies” which includes a folder containing, pamphlets and other information on the U.S elections. I also got a fan and some car stickers bearing the logo of both the Republican and democratic parties. Plus I got two pins with the names “Barak-Biden” and “McCain-Palin” on it.

We chit chatted for a while, and then Paul Jones, the U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission gave a speech about this great day of “celebrating democracy.” In my opinion, basically the U.S elections watch is meant to inform the world on how the American democracy works. I reckon that the U.S somehow hopes to inspire other countries in pursuing the democratic way of life. Paul Jones asked us to try out the U.S elections machines, take our photographs with cutouts of candidates, chitchat about the U.S elections, watch the news, talk to American embassy personnel if we have any questions on the U.S elections and wait for the results which will came out in the early afternoon.

So we went around and toyed with the election machines that is being used in the U.S elections. There were three voting machines that were being exhibited. The first one is where a voter fills up the ballot through shading the candidates name. The ballot is then fed to a machine. The second machine is somehow similar to the first except that instead of shading they use a “connecting” the arrow type of scheme to indicate who you voted for. The ballot is then fed to the machine. The third machine is the most sophisticated as it uses touch screen technology in order for you to cast your vote. We were informed that in the U.S elections, it is the preference of each state as to which machine they wanted to use.

The food was overflowing and so were the drinks. I really didn’t have the appetite to eat since I was so full from having my buffet breakfast, so I was just munching on the nuts and M & Ms. The U.S embassy had been very resourceful in getting sponsors for the food which includes KFC burgers, Dunkin Donuts and some Oreo chips. One could then wash it off with coffee, juice, soft drinks etc.

After going around and talking to U.S embassy officials about the U.S elections. We continued to chitchat and had our pictures taken by cut out candidates. Some local dignitaries, politicians and famous media personalities also arrived to observe the U.S elections. The politicians were hoping to learn how to cheat the system in case the U.S elections equipment will be used here (hehehehe ) Kidding aside, they were there because the U.S embassy invited them to observe the U.S elections. Well, we rubbed our elbows with the rich and the famous and had our pictures taken with them.

With intervals of several minutes, the U.S embassy staff held a trivia on the U.S elections. Those who got the correct answer got some goodies such as umbrellas, t-shirts foodstuff etc. from the sponsors.

At about 12 p.m. we were surprised to learn that the results already came in. CNN reported that they had projected that Obama had won the election. Minutes later they confirmed that indeed, Obama won the elections. The little brown brothers were exuberant! We clapped our hands, as if Obama’s winning would somehow immediately alleviate the dire situation that this country is in. At way past twelve, McCain gave his concession speech from Arizona. He played the game very sportsmanly and congratulated the president elect Barack Obama. (See youtube video below for McCain’s concession speech)

The people’s attention were diverted back to Chicago Illinois were thousands were gathered at Grant Park to await Obama’s speech. Minutes later the charismatic Obama appeared and gave one of his fiery, soul stirring speech on how “Change has come to America”. The people in Chicago chanted “Yes we can!” and responded with a loud applause after Obama’s speech. Us brown brothers at SM together with the Americans clapped our hands. A die hard American which is obviously a McCain-Palin fan made a thumbs down sign. (Watch the Obama victory speech in the youtube video below)

Cameras were rolling and media personnel were scrambling to get the opinion of those who were there in S.M on what they thought about an Obama victory. After the euphoria has died down the people slowly started to part ways and go home. The Cebu Blogger’s society raided the buffet table wherein we filled our stomachs to our heart’s content after which we parted ways.

We may have not participated in the actual U.S elections but the experiencing the excitement of the U.S elections in our own little way proved worthwhile. Special thanks to the U.S embassy for making all of these possible. See you in the next U.S elections!

The event was attended by more than a hundred people. About 80 % or more of the attendees are bloggers. Some of those who attended were non-bloggers but were working in information technology related jobs. Others who attended are what I call as “blogging sympathizers.” These are people who are very interested in blogging but have not yet committed their time or resource to it. I have brought with me six “blogging sympathizers.” I’ve been spreading the “blogging” gospel everywhere I go.

The biggest group that attended is of course our very own Cebu Blogger’s Society (CBS). I’ve always been jealous of how organize the Mindanao Bloggers. They have a very strong group. They organized the Word Press Camp in Manila and even have their very own Mindanao Blogging Summit. Metro Manila does not even have a unified blogger’s organization

Finally we have our own blogging organization, the Cebu Blogger’s Society ! Cebu Blogger’s Society was started on February 14, 2008. The purpose of the group is “to organize the Cebu-based bloggers and to create an atmosphere of camaraderie with bloggers blogging about technology, politics, hobbies, food, travel and almost everything under the sun”

Although still very young as an organization, its potential as a group is very promising. The group is increasing in number. To date, Cebu Blogger’s Society has about 77 registered members. We have our very own logo and our very own official T-Shirt! The group has several small meetings in a month just to get together and talk about certain agendas. I have attended one such meeting. As of now the unofficial meeting place is Figaro Coffee shop at The Walk in Cebu City’s I.T Park.

The October 23 event at Waterfront was a blessing for the Cebu Blogger’s Society because after the event, a lot of Cebu Bloggers who has not heard about the Cebu Blogger’s Society has expressed interest to join the group. What is more interesting is that there have been lots of inquiries about the t-shirt. Kevin Ray Chua, a founding CBS member says that he hopes that the interest in the group goes beyond the T-shirt

The event kicked off with the most important part, EAT ALL YOU CAN DINNER! (I should have brought my ephedra diet pills with me hehehehe) Dinner was catered by The Port. After we had our stomachs full, Janet Toral started discussing about the Digitial Filipino Club. Afterwards she talked about the top 100 blogs of the Philippines as measured by Ratified.org. Kevin Rey Chua was then given time to talk about the Cebu Blogger’s Society. Then PAGCOR presented a video about their plans for future expansion.

The night ended with a band rocking the night away. Some bloggers and attendees tried the card games and slot machines available in the sidelines. I have never been a gambler, nor would I want to be one, so I just walked around met new bloggers, chatted with my guest and some friends and tried to enjoy the music. Seated in my table was my wife, Zenith who recently became a blogger, Ching, my wife’s friend whom I have recruited into blogging, Ching’s Norwegian friend, Thor and the Lex Pareto team, Atty. Alrey Ouano of the Public Attorney’s office, Atty. Louella Matsumoto who just arrived from a 2 years stay in Honduras, Soon to be lawyers, Maria Salud Barillo and Nolito Dayanan.

At about 10:30 p.m. most of the attendees had gone home and we were the only ones who stayed and waited until the band finished their last song. Afterwards the Lex Pareto Team and I decided to spend the next 45 minutes at Figaro coffee shop at The Walk to chit chat. Then we decided to call it a night and parted ways.

If you would like to know more on how to become a member of the Cebu Blogger’s Society visit our group website at http://www.cebubloggers.com/

See you in our next blogging event !

I failed to get pictures, so I have to borrow from a fellow CBS member. Pictures are courtesty of Beejing of www.ibeejing.com.

Samsung Fun Club is an avenue wherein Samsung mobile phone users could learn more about their mobile phones in a very interactive and dynamic way.

Instead of asking people to merely visit the Samsung Fun Club website, Samsung is taking the web to the people “live.” This thought is encapsulated in the tag line “When the world visits the web, anything is possible. When the web visits the world, IMAGINATION LIVES.

Hazel Javier, describes what Samsung Fun Club day in Cebu is like:

“Visitors will be guided to every “live page” by our avatars from Magic 89.9, your courtside announcer Ms. Andie 9 with the Boys Nite Out. They can stop drooling over the images of the different Samsung mobile phones in the website because here they get the chance to feel and experience Samsung’s latest releases … Now who says life to the fullest is just a piece of our imagination?

The one who wants it the most gets the most, they say. So just hold on to your passport and you get a stamp every time you visit a page from the live website! And if the visitor completes all six stamps (Are these made of rubber stamps ? just asking)— tada!!! They will get a reward! From cool mugs, jackets and even a digital picture frame!

…Up for grabs as well is a Samsung F400 which will be raffled off later in the evening.

And to wrap it all up with a bang, one of the most prolific hitmakers in the local music scene today, Parokya ni Edgar, will rock the night away. “

It’s free to join Samsung Fun club. You don’t need to own a Samsung phone to become member. You just need to register at http://ph.samsungmobile.com.

So what’s in the website? Members get to enjoy Fun Pack & Premium content for their Samsung mobile phones. (Games, ringtones, wallpapers, screensavers) You can also get phone information and technical specifications. Samsung Fun club also spices up the website with exciting contest and rewards. To create an interactive environment, Samsung Fun Club also let’s users input their suggestions and how best they can be served.

The way I see it, Samsung wants to create a community of Mobile phone users that will serve as its strong consumer base, the same way that Apple created a “cultic like” community and following with it’s iphone and ipod.

This is a great idea and I think Samsung should vigorously pursue this idea and further find ways to improve Samsung Fun club.

I am not giving my suggestions because I think that Samsung did a poor job with Samsung Fun Club. On the contrary, I laud Samsung’s efforts in creating a strong community consumer base. However I believe in the saying that “There is always a better way. There is no better way than KNOWING WHAT THE MARKET WANTS AND GIVING IT TO THEM.

My friend has a Samsung Dual sim phone. He said Samsung is the first “branded” phone that offered this feature. I appreciate this move by Samsung. For me this is an example of listening more to what the market wants.

Samsung should continue with innovations such as this. These are innovations that are highly sensitive to what the market needs. Instead of creating the most sophisticated, ultra slick mobile phone, the process should be reversed. What should be asked first is what does the market want.

Here are my two cents on what the market wants and these are

a.) GREAT FEATURES AND GREAT PRICE – Generic Chinese made phones that have very poor quality are entering the Philippine markets and are surprisingly being bought by a lot of people. The phones are packed with features such as dual SIM, a Television, FM and AM radio with prices that are half that of branded cell phones. These Generic phones do not even spend a dime for marketing, yet they have snatched a certain percentage of market share. Sellers of these kinds of phones diligently visit offices and offer their wares with great discounts. They usually contact one person in an office and ask him to “recruit” other buyers and if he can recruit 5 or 10 he gets one free phone.

Now I am not saying that Samsung phones do not have great features. Of course they have some of the best features that can be found a mobile phone. The price is also great. But again, there is always a better way of doing things.

Perhaps Samsung might want to follow this lead and snatch the market away from these Generic Chinese made phone.

b.) FREE INTERNET ACCESS – 3G and mobile internet has not succeeded in the Philippines because prices are too high. Samsung should work out a deal with mobile phone companies and advertisers that will give free internet access to Samsung Fun Club members. I’m sure this is feasible as this is what Amazon is doing to its Amazon Kindle. This deal would make being a member of Samsung Fun Club so cool and would no doubt propel Samsung to become the number one mobile phone in the country.

c.) HARNESS THE POWER OF WEB 2.0 – Samsung Fun Club has done a great job with their website but again there’s always a better way. They can utilize Web 2.0 technologies and incorporate it in their website in order to make it more interactive. Samsung Fun Club Africa has a blog, I wonder why the Philippines does not have one.

Blogging has become so popular. Samsung can also increase its online presence by offering free domain and hosting services to qualified bloggers. (With Samsung claims a certain amount of ad space on their blogs.) Samsung can also create software in mobile phones that will allow bloggers to write and publish photos easily in their mobile phones.

Because Samsung phones have great camera features, they can create a photo blogging site, wherein photo bloggers can have their own free domain and hosting. The software in the Phones must allow photo bloggers to easily upload the photos they took on their phones to their photo blogging site using their phones.

The possibilities of harnessing web 2.0 are endless and when Samsung will utilize these to further promote Samsung Fun Club, IMAGINATION TRULY LIVES !