Alma mater dear and beloved

Just a random post. I remember back in Grade 7 when I was still in Claret School, my Dad went to school, had me go out of the class I’m in and asked me to sign some sort of application form. I saw the form’s header saying “Quezon City Science High School” and said to my Dad “with my standing here in Claret, I don’t think I’ll have a chance” although he said “Let’s just give it a try”. After half a day of testing and an interview given by Mrs. Binas, I was able to make it to Quezon City Science High School. I was thankful, in fact, that I tried going in that school. At this point, there may be some bad experiences from high school but I don’t really mind. What I care most of all is what the school had brought to me during my four years of stay there.

Let’s cut to the chase: the school simply opened my eyes to the world. Aside from teaching me that I can do better (I’ll be honest, I suck during grade school and I only get to perform well during high school), the school made me realize what life really is. It showed and let me experience how bad poverty is, especially in a place such as the mall and everything around it. The school finally let my parents give permission for me to commute, either to home or to my mom’s office. That experience of seeing the poor, the smoke from vehicles, the uncomfortable ride of the jeep, all of those things I learned to appreciate with the knowledge that I came from a family who’s parents started as farmers’ son and daughter. I learned how to keep more money as a precaution for running low on budget. I experienced not eating just to save money. I learned how to refrain from temptations of spending on fastfoods and gaming shops given by the mall beside.

I bet that if I did not take this chance, I won’t be able to realize these things. If I pushed through with my stay in a private school, I won’t get to see this things. Well, I’m not saying private schools are bad. It’s just that these days, people who have the money to waste bring their children to private schools, hoping that their money will make the school do the job, not just of teaching them academics but also take care of the other stuff that normally parents should be teaching. It’s as if people are paying for “name” rather than education. Some students make it out of private schools well formed, but sadly from my point of view, most of them don’t. But I know some people from the private school who were able to appreciate the education their money gives back and I give recognition to those parents who successfully made a wonderful job on their children.

Staying in a school such as QueSci made me realize that quality education need not to be expensive. But it still depends on the student if he/she will appreciate it. Just like in private schools, there are a lot things that can divert students’ attention. On my case, my surroundings showed me the way and I chose a path and I am very thankful I chose the right one.

The story that made me realize my state as a person

I heard this during my retreat just this year’s Holy week. I was listening during one of the meditations and this is possibly one of the stories I will not forget and will always remember. It’s nice that even in the internet, this story goes around. I hope this will serve as one of the bases for Catholics to realize how important God is and what the priests and the faithful do for the sake of the others.

There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak…’I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, ‘What you got there, son?’ ‘Just some old birds,’ came the reply.

‘What are you gonna do with them?’ I asked.

‘Take ‘em home and have fun with ‘em,’ he answered ‘I’m gonna tease ‘em and pull out their feathers to make ‘em fight. I’m gonna have a real good time’ ‘But you’ll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?’

‘Oh, I got some cats,’ said the little boy. ‘They like birds. I’ll take ‘em to them.’

The pastor was silent for a moment. ‘How much do you want for those birds, son?’

‘Huh?? !!! Why, you don’t want them birds, mister. They’re just plain old field birds. They don’t sing. They ain’t even pretty!’

‘How much?’ the pastor asked again.

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, ‘$10?’

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy’s hand. In a flash, the boy was gone.

The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.

Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story.

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. ‘Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn’t resist. Got ‘em all!’

‘What are you going to do with them?’ Jesus asked.

Satan replied, ‘Oh, I’m gonna have fun! I’m gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I’m gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I’m really gonna have fun!’

‘And what will you do when you get done with them?’ Jesus asked. ‘Oh, I’ll kill ‘em,’ Satan glared proudly. ‘How much do you want for them?’ Jesus asked

‘Oh, you don’t want those people. They ain’t no good. Why, you’ll take them and they’ll just hate you. They’ll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don’t want those people!!’

‘How much?’ He asked again.

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, ‘All your blood, tears and your life.’

Jesus said, ‘DONE!’

Then He paid the price.

Isn’t it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell.

Takara-Tomy Aero R/C Drift Package Light

Yep! It’s been a long time since I focused on R/C hobby and I’m back! I’ll start first with the 1:26 scale unit D1GP Re-Amemiya RX-7 from Takara-Tomy. It’s my first time in the R/C Drifting business which means it’s my first time to fiddle with R/C’s with 4WD systems. So let’s get crackin’!

The usual package had to be assembled. You have the chassis with the RC system bolted, wheels, driveshaft, motors, axles and the remote. So I have to put the pieces together which is fun.

 

You can see above that there are two motors. The motor above is meant to be the servo for the steering and the motor below is the one where the drive comes from. The whole 4WD system is shaft-driven. Both axles are directly driven by the motor with the front axle will have the motor’s drive channeled through a one way differential.

The finished product is there above. I haven’t tried running it since I don’t have batteries yet. But you’ll notice the drift specifications on the car. Aside from the 4WD system, the tires are plastic-hard, giving it less grip. The 27MHz has three channels so that you can race with two more of your friends. The whole package requires five LR03 or AAA batteries to run, three for the car, two for the transmitter.

Cost? the standard ones (still) come at Php 1800 while the D1 series at Php 2200. Other packages such as the Initial D Series and the Nissan GT-R come at a higher price but less than 3K.

iOS Platform Gaming VS. Android Platform Gaming

I am not really interested in gaming whatsoever but some things just simply amaze me at times. Before I was amazed by what iPod Touch 4th generation can do with its updated specifications such as the 1GHz A4 Processor with a powerful GPU and the Retina Display. The games were running seamlessly and comes in great detail. Take for instance the game title “Real Racing 2″. I got that game after playing its predecessor, Real Racing, though the Golf GTi (Free) Edition. I was amazed by the level of detail that they can put on such games especially that I am a fan of the Gran Turismo series and I love cars that look realistic. Other games that became famous in the older iPod generations run like clock work and produced better view of the game.

Then here comes the new kids on the block. The Android platform is an open source operating system, pretty much like the Linux to Windows. It took time before devices running on Android platform received the “Core” upgrades and now, most of the Android-running devices are packed with on-par graphics that the iPod Touch 4th Generation was packed with. But how are these gadgets with hidden talents really come into reality? Well, as a person who doesn’t like to fiddle with manufacturers’ settings, I’m here to tell you my story about these games and how are they like to live with.

I got the iPod Touch first before I got an Android Device. Although I’ve been fiddling with Android devices since, I wasn’t holding something pretty much on the same level as the iPod touch. Oh, let me just remind you that the iPod Touch is just like an iPhone with the phone and some minor features removed. So the whole chipset behind this device just have two major tasks: Multimedia playback and Application ops. From experience, this 4th generation is really a gigantic leap from the older ones simply because of what it can do. Just check this image for example, which is a screenshot from Real Racing 2:

That game runs just slightly below 60 fps and running the same game on an older gen iPod touch would make it a bit laggy and it gives you great reflection and object detail in the package. So with this specs, there should be no problem with your portable gaming but for me, there are some problems. First of all, if you’re one of those people who are afraid of the word “JailBreak” (like me), you’ll be forever crying over these games unless you have a credit card, willing to spend or you have someone to buy it for you. If you want to jailbreak your iPod then I guess there should be no problem with that but I am not the sort of person who want to fiddle with stuff that is already in a good operating condition. So cost of the application is a problem unless you fiddle with your iPod’s OS. The danger with fiddling with OS’s of devices is pretty apparent during the times when people try to put custom firmwares on PSP’s : Brick. Which means this business is risky so you’ll end up buying your apps or get nothing.

But there’s no fiddling with the Android platform. Before, they had to perform the same action as jailbreaking because of the introduction (probably) of the Android Market but some developers are quite clever. Now, the developers leave your favorite full version apps for free but with ads. Now, for me who’s not very meticulous about such stuff, games with ads are fine. Although in the market, you can still buy the full version without the ads, just like the ones from iTunes store. Moreover, new versions of Android OS now lets you install applications that are outside the Market. Which means, you can go wherever you want, download the application file, download an application installer app(whut?!) and then install your much awaited app in no time. Also, the graphical performance is pretty much the same as the iPod touch’s. The speed is also quick and seamless. Sometimes it lags but you’ll realize that it’s because of one important feature that iPod touch doesn’t have to worry about which is the phone feature. I downloaded the Asphalt 6 and I got the HD as the compatible one for Desire S, which is the one also suitable for iPod touch 4th gen. Yipee.

Sounds clever?

Problem is, if you try to look at the price of the iPod touch compared, let’s say to the Android device I’m using which is a Desire S, iPod touch is cheaper as a multimedia tool. What’s more, iTunes offer the application download in package which makes it compatible to most of its devices. Android Market does the compatibility check as well but if you download outside the market, you’d still have to check compatibility issues with regards to your device. I’ll give you an example, it took me weeks to get the proper version of Asphalt 6 HD on the Desire S. Since it’s a new device, not much all of these applications are compatible with it. You’ll have to deal with specifications such as what phone you’re using, what chipset/processor/GPU it is using, it is horrible if your patience is short for that! Also, since Android platform is not as famous as iOS platform, and that Android is considered to be “easier to access”, most developers put their money on the iOS platform. Only a few games from the iOS platform were ported to Android devices.

Seems like the iPod Touch gaming wins? A simple jailbreak would do a lot but were talking here about not fiddling with your phone’s OS. So from that standpoint, for me, the Android wins. All I did was just find the right version and you can even consult the Android Market for it. Aside from that, you can even do some experiments of installing different versions and see which one works and it won’t damage your phone.

AND I THINK I can save the Android device from the cost issue. The reason why iPod touch is cheaper is because of iPhone. Get an iPhone and you’ll spend whopping chaching more than the price of the iPod. The Android devices have reasonable price because of their phone capabilities as well as open-ness to different application business.

So, where would I stay? I guess I’d go for the Android device. Sneaky me, of course, for getting the cracked apps from the internet rather than buying from the market but, if you think about it, why would they offer the app installer in the market for free? why would there be an option to allow you to install application downloaded outside the market? Apple can charge you lotsa money from iPod and iPhone in the same way that Aston Martin can charge 140,000 pounds off the Rapide: because they can. They have an appeal already, they made a good start. I’m always saying this that Apple devices are starting to become fashion items rather than gadgets to marvel at. Android devices charge you expensive prices at high-end units because of the hardware and software developments, such as the HTC Sense. You can see the development from the Android devices because they give you all of the information, just like when you buy a computer. You can see their progress and because Android platform is being used widely by a lot of companies, the competition for developing better products is pacing so fast that it can actually catch up with the iOS.

Come on, iOS is oooooooooooooooooold.

————————-

Devices used:

iPod Touch 4th Generation (iOS4)

HTC Desire S (Android 2.3 Gingerbread)

HTC Desire S image courtesy of Engadget.

Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD for Android

I know I’m kinda late to review such game but when it was released in iTunes store, it took time to get a good, working version for the 4th Generation iPod touch. Now that I got my hands on a decent Android unit and the Android Market offers the HD version for this game, I took the chance. The device I’m using is HTC Desire S and the game works perfectly.

I’ve played almost all versions of the Asphalt game series, including the titles ported on the N-GAGE platform. Though from Asphalt 4 to 5, I lost the interest in playing them. It started to become more difficult to understand (for me) on where the game is heading to. At the very start of the series, it was purely cars. Those were the times when a decent racing game was needed for the awaiting Nokia Series 40 phone owners and indeed it was a hit. The second and third installment came in and new stuff such as the inclusion of superbikes went into the game. By Asphalt 4, I lost the interest in such games because the series seemed to be stucked in a stalemate, that adding new cars really did not make the game appear as if it is new. By Asphalt 5, the impression still seemed to be the same as 4 but it still did not fair to the excitement that the first three brought. The 5′s physics was difficult to handle and the game was kind of difficult if you are the sort of person who’s just trying to look for fun out of arcade racing games. Now, though, the 6 seemed to bring the same level of excitement as the first three in the series.

First that caught my attention to this game is the graphics. The first installment was a great hit because Gameloft was able to pull out that amount of graphical detail from the hardware of Nokia Series 40 devices. N-Gage was able to provide better graphics for the first two games but when the third game was released, it was only for high end devices with N-gage ports, which meant it was not that accessible and only a few phones can run them. Same for Asphalt 4 which made it less popular and also the graphics became more and more out-dated. When 5 came out, it was also available in iOS platform. However, the iOS platform can offer better racing games with better graphics so it did not much click as well. When the 6 came out, the cars had better detail and better handling physics.

You can now maintain drifts easier (and with proper car control logic), which is pretty much the same as Need for Speed Hot Pursuit! It is now back to its arcade racing roots, in terms of racing excitement, with all the additional features of the previous titles. Then you add the nice selection of latest machines which is very nice.

Overall, I liked the game so much. It may not be on par with the games on iOS but on Android platform, it is a must-get arcade racer. After all, it is marked “HD” which runs with the same amount of graphics awesomeness that you can get from Asphalt 6 running on Retina-displayed iPod and iPhone.

Cubeecraft is my new hobby. :D

I was looking for some good stuff from Cut the Rope:Experiments when I stumbled upon this image file which shows a cut-out of what seems to be a box figure. So I looked after the website where it came and, with my remaining special paper 220gsm and to get rid of the old color ink cartridge of our printer, I printed some items to fiddle with.:D

Since Om Nom got my attention, I built his box first. This hobby only requires scissors and a hobby knife. Or if you’re good enough, you’ll just need the hobby knife and a cutting mat. At first it was a bit tiring with all the precise cutting but eventually, you’ll get used to it.

 

 

After some tiring cutting and snapping on the walls of the box:

…with Om Nom waits for someone to open his box. :D:D

 

Then I tried the next paper I printed which is a Nintendo Entertainment System Controller.

It really did not take that long to get it out from its runners. Then, after building it,

It does look like the real thing. Some items are within scale, some are not. In the website, www.cubeecraft.com, not only you will see boxes and gaming consoles and devices but also famous characters from cartoons, anime and movies. I personally want to get the Stormtrooper.

 

Then I printed more and built them while waiting for some stuff:

The original gameboy looks nice. And then that flower-piranha-whatever-you-call-it really looks nice, even in cubic figure. I really had fun. I think I’ll do this when the printer’s ink levels are starting to get low. I’ll do the job of using them up to the last droplet of ink through these figures.