Official Blizzard World of Warcraft is Free now!

Popular online role-playing game World of Warcraft (WoW) is to be offered free up to level 20.
Previously fans of the game, which has 11.4 million subscribers, had to pay a monthly fee of £8.99.
Under the new system, players will be able to build an unlimited number of characters...

So, now, after years, Blizzard has opened up and offered the hugely popular online MMORPG World of Warcraft for free. They chucked the 10 day trial period and went with the play for free model with NO TIME PERIOD! Hope this builds up the online player base of the game.
They've even stripped down the price of the MMORPG online game and offered World of Warcraft in a package where The Burning Crusade is free! Talk about a bummer. I had to pay for mine.



Of course, for full disclosure, I'm part of the affilliate program here. But heck, this one gives a discount. And it's free delivery within 48 hours anywhere! Including the Philippines!

The Ugh of Being Psychic

Yep. I have embraced the fact that I am psychic. True or not, I will own it.

But it gets frustrating sometimes.

I re-opened my old site Coffeespark a month ago. It was a self help site for people needing advice. But after I guested on an internet podcast as "Jobert the Psychic Dude", the site has become more of a psychic question site.

Nothing bad about that. It's still a pseudo help site but it's me dishing out my psychic blather.

Now, it's again changed to a stump-the-psychic site. Questions on name, color of the house, etc. etc. has begun springing up.

If I want to spend the whole night just making a fool of myself, I'd just probably go to a bar and drink myself silly. Or just go trolling on some other site. It's just sooo frustrating.

But I do think that I still help out others despite this. I just fear, knowing myself, that this will just escalate and I'll end up closing Coffeespark again.

‘Bukas-Kotse Gang’ victimizes former ambassador and Navy man

MANILA, Philippines – A former ambassador and a member of the Philippine Navy fell victim to the “Basag-Kotse Gang” in Pasay City Friday, police said Monday.
Citing reports from the Pasay City police, Southern Police District spokeswoman Chief Inspector Jenny Tecson said that unidentified suspects smashed one of the windows of owned by former ambassador Milo Barry Gusi’s Mistubishi Montero (PJI-648) before ransacking the vehicle for valuables...

With Maricaban just a stone's throw away from the Resorts World area, it's not surprising to have crimes like this happening around there. Maricaban is a known haven for criminals, drug pushers, and addicts.
I heard that a lot have been complaining already about the crimes there but no one's reporting it since it will affect the business in the Resorts World/Maxims area.

Armed Forces of the Philippines not laughing on WWII cemetery pictures

A soon-to-be-wed couple has drawn the ire of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for conducting a “wacky” prenuptials photo shoot at the Libingan ng mga Bayani that spread on social networking sites and online forums this week.
AFP spokesperson Commodore Miguel Rodriguez said the couple, identified only as Ruskin and Priscilla, trivialized the resting place of the country’s heroes by striking wacky poses, stepping on and prancing around the white crosses marking the graves of unknown soldiers who died in World War II....

Hmm... these are World War II soldiers? Most probably died during the war. I wouldn't want to piss off those kind of ghosts..

Coffeespark is back!

Yep! My old site, coffeespark is back. Go check it out.

P-Noy's call: Follow Rizal's straight path

CALAMBA, Laguna, Philippines – President Aquino urged Filipinos to emulate the heroism of José Rizal whose supreme sacrifice paved the way for the freedom the country enjoys today.

In his speech keynoting the celebration of the national hero’s 150th birthday here yesterday, the President praised Rizal for choosing to do the right thing instead of looking the other way.

hehehe
He said "straight"....

Incoming Rant

Last week, things were doing alright for me and this little side project I had.

Until about last Wednesday.

All the hard work I put in was dashed to pieces. Because one person became too cocky with his role. I made the mistake of trusting him. Thinking he did all the pertinent back checks and everything.

With all his horn blowing and self appreciation, it all came down to nothing.

Sad part is, he didn't even apologize. Not even acknowledge that it was his mistake.

That's what really gets me.

I had to account to other people who until now, can't understand why the project failed. How can I explain that this was all screwed up because one person, one person just didn't take it seriously enough to do a good job.

It's not even a hard, his role in the project. He just had to confirm something that was said in a meeting. He was too busy stomping his boots like the jolly green giant that he didn't really care if what he told us was verified or not.

And because of that one crucial fact, we were building up the project incorrectly. There's a slim chance it's still salvageable. But the way things are playing out, we're neck deep in crap.

Oh well, I do hope that his overcompensated ego and overvalued performance gets him far. And I mean far.

Far away from me, that is.

Long Time

It's been a long time since I last posted. My PC is still fried. And now, my internet at home is cut. Things can't get any worse, right?

Talk about escalation.

Helter Skelter in September

A year ago, the flash flood shorted out my computer.

Same time this year, lightning struck and fried my PC.

I'm beginning to dread Septembers.

The Egg Salad Experiment

Ever get struck with selective hunger? It's the kind of hunger that can only be sated by eating something specific.

It's not like craving. Craving is just that. Craving.

Selective hunger is hunger. Hunger on a different level. No matter what I eat, I'm still hungry. And unless I eat that specific thing, that hunger will grow. Don't fight it, you'd be bloated hungry which will drive you absolutely crazy.

Well, the other day, I got hit with SHS (Selective Hunger Syndrome). And the culprit? Egg Salad Sandwich.

To save up some time and mix this post up a bit, let me present you the outcome in a recipe type format. (Actually, I'm just lazy to type out real sentences)

The Egg Salad Experiment

1. Open fridge
2. Get eggs.
3. Put eggs in pan with water and start to boil.
4. Discover that there's no mayonnaise
5. Try to stop boiling eggs only to find out it's too late since the water is way past warm.
6. Resume boiling eggs.
7. Find out that there's no relish, mustard, chives, and just about anything to put in an egg salad sandwich.
8. Search fridge to find a bottle of whole pickles one month shy of expiry.
9. Grab one pickle and start chopping.
10. Chop up 1/4 of an onion.
11. Peel hardboiled eggs. Put em in a bowl and mash em.
12. Add in the pickle/onion combo.
13. Get excited about the idea of putting the pickle juice into the egg mixture
14. Kick yourself for pouring out the pickle juice while trying to get that one pickle out awhile ago.
15. Grab the butter and add em to the egg salad.
16. Resist the idea of putting some cooking oil into the mixture to moisten it a bit.
17. Stare reluctantly into the egg mixture. Stop thinking of cooking oil, barbecue sauce, catsup, or even peanut butter as a substitute for mayo.
18. Toast some bread
19. Prepare the sandwich.
20 Offer em to the kids. Watch kids eat the sandwich and ask em if it tastes ok.
21. Watch them change their faces. And place the sandwiches back to the plate.
22. Finish up the left over sandwiches.
23. Go back to the mixture and put salt and pepper into it to taste.
24. Add a bit more salt and pepper.
25. Refrigerate and hope that someone would find it and eat it all up.

Still obsessing on Starcraft 2

So.. I still don't have Starcraft 2. Now that the reviews are out. It's funny that I can't find a site to find out how much Starcraft 2 is here in the Philippines.

Well, I found it now. Free Delivery too...

Digital Download is available from Blizzard but where's the fun from opening a real Starcraft 2 box?

Now, if only I have the cash to get it. hehe

The Case of the Missing Starcraft 2 Review

It's been almost a week since Starcraft 2 has gone out but has anyone wondered why there are no Starcraft 2 reviews yet on IGN or even on Gamespot?

I know.. I know.. JPIN.

Just Play It, Noob.

Hehe.. but since I don't have Starcraft 2, the only experience I'll get at this point are thru the reviews. Reader reviews don't count since they all say the same thing:

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty rocks. It is awesome.

Oh well, Starcraft 2 covers 3 separate games and this is just the first installment. The other two are Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void. Just thinking of the other two Starcraft 2 installments makes me more hungry to feel the epic. Did I just say "2" twice? whoa.

I'll be on the lookout for those missing Starcraft 2 reviews. Everyone seems to be thoroughly enjoying it that they don't care what other people think about the game, I guess.

Oh wait.. did that come out right?

ADDITIONAL:

Anyway, the reviews are coming out now. Living in the Philippines, I find it real easy just to purchase the game online from here (click the link). hehe

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Also check out my latest science blog: Quantum Day. It covers research material for technological breakthroughs such as stem cells, aerogels, and more!
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Ramblings

"Causality is the relationship between an event (the cause) and a second event (the effect), where the second event is a consequence of the first..."
- Wikipedia

I've never really conciously thought about this term until the Matrix movies. I first thought it was a new hippie thing to insert in a conversation to sound, you know, intellectualish.

That was until I really got into cosmology, theoretical physics and stuff. You know.. Einsteinian.. heheh.

Physicists and philosophers state that the second event (the effect) will never happen before the first (the cause). Sounds really logical and is common sense but that statement is important when applying it to time and space and Einstein's theory of  relativity.

I'm not really going to go into that but to put it simply, to understand the universe, the order of causality is important. You just can't go back in time and kill your grandfather so you won't be born.

Woosh! That went over someone's head, I'm sure.

I've probably lost half my readers at this point which optimistically leaves me with just one reader left.

Causality and why I'm interested in it at this time. People say that things happen for a reason. It's that "reason" that bugs me. Sometimes reason doesn't make sense. A penquin, who mates for life, may lose his partner and be lonely forever. What's the reasoning behind that? We can go all technical and explain why the partner died and so on and so forth but in the end, the penquin is lonely.

Causality.

Louie C.K., the comedian, said that relationships are crap. You get into a relationship and three things may happen:

1. You may lose interest and leave her.
2. She may lose interest and leave you.
3. You may have the best relationship and live together happily until one dies leaving the other.

In any event, someone leaves the other. So why bother?

If we know the end effect, why bother with the cause? Why do it? Or is it that end effect that makes the cause more romantic?

Now I'm confused.

Two weeks ago, I received the best news ever. It's the kind of news that can change my life dramatically. For the better, that is. The opportunity is hard to believe but it was right there staring at my face.

Last week, I received another news. Something may happen that will severely affect my life. For the worse.

Does extremely good news cause extremely bad news to happen? I mean, they are not related in any way but the timing of it is just down right universally dastardly. And since they are not directly linked, causality should not be even in the picture.

But here it is, happening. To me, even.

And the way I observe it, good news does not cancel out bad news. Bad news hover until it happens. Good news isn't good since bad news is hovering around. Einstein better explain this to me or I'm gonna freak out. Oh wait, that's coincidence, the twin brother of causality. They look so much alike that they get mixed up. Although, I think the chaos theory has it's claws on this. I may be wrong though.

Anyway, back to causality, back to reality...

Why do things happen? Can't we just say "hey! I'm alright now with all this things happening, don't change it...". But it doesn't. Doesn't it?

Three things I've learned:

1. It never stays the same. 
2. It's easier for things to get worse.
3. The more stable you are, the higher the chance things'll f*ck up and throw you in the sh*t locker.

Well, now that i've painted a bleak picture, what's my point? Where's that rainbow after the rain?

This is what I believe and what gets me going; causality is just that. An effect. Cause is just that. An event. What makes us human is that between cause and effect, is that brief second to laugh and in a way be happy. A lonely penquin may or may not have the capacity to reminisce about the good times he had with his partner. The joy he had while wading in pools together. Or that brief time they shared a fish together. 

But we do.

I may be in the deepest crap this part of my life but I still can laugh about it and believe that things can get better.

We have no choice. 

And in causality, choice isn't even in the equation. The cause will effect. We may not comprehend it, but we surely cannot deny it. It's just there.

We have to live through it.

So next time, something bad happens, just grit your teeth, tighten your belt, and weather that storm. It will surely pass. And in the next turnaround, remember this; You can't undo an effect. But you can surely brighten up a cause.


ADDITIONAL:

Just as I finished publishing this post, I received a bit of good news that may negate the bad. I just love how life happens.

Hope The Saddle Is Still Comfortable

"Write something about me.."

Well, that's what she said.

It's been awhile since I wrote something. And I am just getting back into the groove. So when The Tiger asked me to write something about her, it came as a challenge.

And I'm not into challenges this past few years. Maybe it's time to change.

So pardon me for being rusty. I have to rev up this old rocking horse to a speed-crazy mustang. And it will take more than one post to wake the muse in me.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the write-up.

See a short while ago (during my radio guesting days), there was this wee little girl I met on the internet. And blah blah blah (I hate longish intros), we became good friends.

Of course as with good friends, there were high peaks and low peaks, good times and bad times, fallouts and get-back-togethers. It's like a long drawnout eternal coin flip where heads and tails just mash together.

Tired of that old love-hate, friend-nonfriend thing, I settled on the next best solution. The mocker-mockee friendship. That way, we are both at odds all the time that it doesn't matter since we, whatever the coin lands on, will still be friends.

She'd always insists that she is the perpetual mocker.

I'd let her think that way to avoid any complications.

Anyway, as friends, we get to share our problems, experience, and thoughts without the least bit of prejudice. She'd always try and slip in a mock or two, but overall it was and is a healthy friendship.

She has helped me out in a big way and I try to reciprocate with the most I can do. Little by other standards but I believe she sees the effort and the intent I put into it. Well, I really do believe that.

Antonette has been going thru a lot and I've seen her hit the lowest point. And it does pain me to see her like that. And after a long coping period, she's bounced back into the tiger cub that she is.

I'm happy that I was there during her recovery period. Happy that I was there to support her, understand her, and oh yeah, fulfill my role as mockee.

So to Antonette, the small girl with a big heart, thanks for everything Tiger.

If there's anything I can do, just holler, holler. Or is it roar, roar?

Oil Change

Suddenly woke up and can't sleep again. Having two jobs does takes it's (its?) toll.

For one, brain doesn't really work as well.

Anyway, helped my daughter, Lulu, with the Periodic Table yesterday. As a consequence, I can tell you the first 20 elements in order. Hope she does too.

These are just random thoughts. Just chucking em out. So many in my head.

Been having this feeling for more than a year that I'll be winning the lottey jackpot. Not sure if it's wishful thinking (on the desperate end) or a portent of things to come.

After 2 months, I finally got a haircut yesterday. Been looking like Animal from the Muppet Show sans the beard. Hmm.. maybe that's why all these random thoughts.. brain is being aerated more.

In the bank, when it was my turn after a twenty minute wait, the computer goes offline for thirty minutes. It was just a P2000 (approx USD50) check. Talk about my life in a nuthsell.

Watched Penn and Teller's Bullsh*t (about fast food) and Morgan Freeman's Through The Wormhole (about the creation of the universe). I'm feeling hungry and existential at the same time.

Started to read Stephen Hawking's lectures online. I seem to channel his electronic voice whenever I talk to someone now.

Friend told me she's not feeling well for a week. But she mentioned she's been taking medication for 3 months now. There seems to be a time disparity here.

Can't seem to think of anything to tweet. Should this activity be even in my to do list? Let's not even talk about facebook.

Four more days til I hit 42. According to Douglas Adams, that's the answer to life's question. Now, like countless others, I have a year to look for the question.

I'm not really making sense. Just chucking these thoughts out. Did I mention that already.

Got a bunch of topics I want to write about. Just couldn't get the right voice, tempo, and direction for it. I'll just let it simmer til I get it all right in my head.

Hmm.. maybe I'll try and get an hour's worth of sleep right now before I get ready for work. Oh wait, I don't even have an hour, dangit.

Scrambled Eggs

chaos
• noun 1 complete disorder and confusion. 2 the formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.

— DERIVATIVES chaotic adjective chaotically adverb.

— ORIGIN Greek khaos ‘vast chasm, void’.

Compact Oxford English Dictionary of Current English

I love chaos.

Wait, let me rephrase that to be more specific.

I believe in the order that results from chaos.

I believe that there are two ways to handle things (by "things", I mean life, situations, problems, systems, etc. etc); simple way and the complex. Neither is better than the other. It's just when to know what to use.

But what's that got to do with chaos?

Well, our choices, whether simple or complicated, can result in chaos. Not all the time but there is a possibility it would. The beauty of it, in my own weird way of thinking, lies in the fact that no matter how chaotic "things" become, it will soon sort out in the end.

Imagine breaking an egg to cook an omelette. Simple for us but really chaotic for the egg if you think about it. The egg gets broken. The shells are thrown out. Its' insides are treated to massive beating, foreign objects are introduced to it, and then it's subjected to intense heat. Afterwards, what comes out is a beautiful delicious dish that is almost immediately ingested, digested and then expunged. But what happens after that?

Theoretically (and actually), it gets absorbed back to the earth as fertilizer and makes the grass grow. And then the grass gets eaten... and so on and so forth. But at the end of this cycle, the egg is now a cow.

Well, theoretically (but not actually).

That in a nutshell (or is it eggshell?), is how I think I can explain chaos.

Anyway...

I love chaos.

You just don't know what's going to happen next.

It just happens.

I love how it just blooms into my life at the most inopportune or unexpected time. Subjecting me to massive beatings, intense heat; to be digested by it then thrown out like a piece of crap. But I know in the end, some kind of order will come out of it. Rolling fields of green grass comes to mind. Sans cows, of course.

We don't know when a choice will FUBAR us to hell and back or not. All we can do is to understand that chaos happens. Ride it out til the end, knowing things will get back to calmer shores and maybe even greener pastures.

And that comes to the actual point of this blog.

My booklist.

Yep, all these things about chaos, choice, eggs, and cows, is just about books I'm reading at the moment and books I want to read (any generous souls out there?).

I was just thinking of just simply putting down the list but then again, chaos happens.

Soo.. here's the list;

Currently Reading
1. Why Does E=mc2? by Jeff Forshaw and Brian Cox (really really interesting that i'm recommending it to my kids)
2. Project Risk Management Guidelines by Cooper, Grey, Raymond, and Walker (work, work)

Want to read and get
1.God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World -and Why Their Differences Matter by Stephen Prothero (sooo intrigued i want to get this)
2. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking (seems like a really good read)
2. The Lost City of Z by David Grann (years, man.. and still haven't got it)

Planning to reread
1. State of Fear by Michael Crichton (hehe.. my favorite talk over coffee subject)
2. 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (I just want to get the timeline straight!)

I have it but still thinking about it
1. Amsterdam by Ian McEwan (have to get psyched to start this)
2. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt (depressing?)

Reading one or two of these books, you'd understand why I thought about chaos. Most if not all, I believe are good solid reads and will leave you thinking about life, love, eggs, and cows.


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Also check out my latest science blog: Quantum Day. It covers research material for technological breakthroughs such as stem cells, aerogels, and more!
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Call and Answer

Barenaked Ladies and Alanis Morissette performing Call and Answer. BNL is one of my all time fave bands. This song particularly stands out.



Call And Answer

I think it's getting to the point
Where I can be myself again
I think it's getting to the point
Where we have almost made amends
I think it's the getting to the point
That is the hardest part.

And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
Ill point you home

You think I only think about you
When were both in the same room
You think Im only here to witness
The remains of love exhumed
You think were here to play
A game of who loves more than whom

And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
Ill point you home

You think it's only fair to do what's
Best for you and you alone
You think it's only fair to do the same
To me when you're not home
I think it's time to make this something that is
More than only fair

So if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
Ill point you home.

But Im warning you, don't ever do
Those crazy, messed up things that you do
If you ever do
I promise you I'll be the first to crucity you
Now it's time to prove that youve come back
Here to rebuild.

Failure to Reconnect

What a day.

I can see where this new year is headed.

Nowhere but up.

For some reason, I have no enemies nor do I have people who have grudges or anger towards me. Not one.

Well, except for one.

You can't win em all. So, I decided to patch things up and reboot that part of my life. I know it's all my fault and all my doing. But the weirdest thing is that I all I get back is hate, anger, and sarcasm. Well, not exactly hate and anger. Each word I say is digested with cynicism and expunged with sarcasm. Did I say sarcasm twice? ugh.

It's a long way to Tipperary.

Seriously, I want to have a clean slate. Whatever I have done, I want to correct. It's a fresh start for me (for the thousandth time, I guess). But this is real now. I'm not getting any younger.

Anyway, this whole month, old friends have decided to call, text, email, facebook me. It's like the universe is sending out signals to everyone to contact me. It's the weirdest thing. I feel like it's my farewell tour or something. Next week, I have 2 coffee get togethers, the gang is scheduled to meet up, a reunion with some grade school friends next month and I have a dinner with other friends to attend. The list is getting long. Time is getting short.

Specially now that I have 2 jobs and just managing to eek out just enough to get by daily.

It feels good though. Looking back and seeing how many friends I have. I may not be wealthy but I am blessed with all the friends I have. So why am I bothered with that one on the corner who has strayed?

I don't know, maybe it's because I still see that person as a friend. Regardless of the circumstance. And I was told, this person seems to have spread ugly news about me. Forgive and forget, I did. Well, not exactly did I forgive since I didn't bring that part up or mention that I know. But let's just say, it wasn't an issue for me. (To those who know me, you better pick up your jaw, it's on the floor). It really isn't an issue anymore.

I'll take the high road with that one.

Sticks and stones.

Anyway, I'm happy with myself now. Maybe that's why I feel better writing again. I'm more honest with myself again. And hopefully more humble and sincere. nyuk nyuk.

No more arrogant and resillient.

I like to be understanding and striving.

Not as catchy but it's the truth.

Psychic Readings?

*** UPDATE 28 Sept 2011 ******* You can go over to Coffeespark. That's where I give out free psychic advice to people who seek them. For free psychic readings, just leave a comment and email address and i'll get back to you. Don't forget to put in your birthday.
Psychic dude out.

ADDITIONAL:

24 June 2011: Been really busy these days and don't really have time to go answer. You can go check out coffeespark.com site. It's more for specific problems. Maybe you can also help out other people there by telling them what you think of their situation.

Happy New Year!

Hope all goes well with everyone this year.