Showing posts with label geek speak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label geek speak. Show all posts

Opportunism at a Neighborly Level  

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They say one needs to make hay while the sun is shining. I don't even play Farmville but I know what they mean by "making hay".

For the last 2 weeks or so my Internet connection's been on the fritz. It began with being intermittent, and then it turned into an ugly and utterly disgusting loss of connection. I just saw my hand and it was dirty, ew. Anyway, so for the last few days I've been "stealing" my Internet connection from one of our neighbors. I took my trusty old router there and hooked up a really - and I mean really - long ethernet cord. I know you can only go so far with ethernet but hey, for now it works. At least until the people over at my ISP decide to get their fat asses off their fancy swivel seats and send a repair truck my way.

But I am seriously considering switching ISP's. There's just the matter of concealing a not-so-inconspicuously-looking computer rental shop before any potential new ISP comes over for the initial installation. I'm thinking of DSL.

No I do not miss the tech talk, thank you.

For the mean time, I will settle for this temporary arrangement that allows me to connect to the Internet only when the goddamn neighbor feels like turning the connection on. The way they had it set up turns the Internet connection off when they turn their PC off. I think their modem's powered by USB or something, I just didn't want to mess with their wiring. But that's what I'm up against. When they want to go green and save on electricity I get kicked off the Internet like a nerdy geek at a fashion show. Oh well. I just realized there were so many acronyms in this entry.

I have loads of articles I need to catch up on. Let me go back to making hay.

Request timed out. Again. And again. Exasperating.

A Kingdom Full of Loathing  

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The Toot Oriole. A Spelunking Astronaut. The Naughty Sorceress.

These are just some of the insanely wacky characters you'll meet n the world of KoL, or The Kingdom of Loathing. It is a browser-based turn-based multi-player RPG designed and owned by Asymmetric Publications. The game was released to the public in February of 2003, and has amassed a player base composed of hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts.

The game consists of hand-drawn stick figure graphics matched with in-game literature that is characterized by surreal humor, parodies, word play, leet speak and references to pop culture. A player can choose to play as one of six different character classes, each with their own set of weapons, abilities, and weaknesses. Players run through the game fighting monsters and solving puzzles perpetually, or they can choose to ascend to a higher state of being and play the game again from the very beginning. Each ascension gives the players unique rewards with incrementally increasing values, which motivates some players to keep ascending.

I started playing this game in 2006, thanks to my good old buddy George. I stopped playing for a while, and just recently started again. My old characters have been wiped out from the data base of course, due to inactivity. In just a few years I see that the game developers have added new content to the game, making it a little more exciting.

I know it takes an acquired taste to appreciate this game, not to mention an above-average intellect and sense of humor, but that didn't stop me from playing. It's this kind of witty banter and utter lack of fancy animation that makes this game so curiously appealing to me.

And if you think that this is nothing more than just a simple browser game, think again. Check out the official fan site, and you'll see that there are hundreds of places to go and more monsters to fight than you could imagine. The game has literally created its very own universe. And then there are also those ultra-rare items that you simply got to have. I just don't like the fact that you only get 40 turns (adventures) everyday at rollover.

So if you're interested, check the game out here, and let's build a clan. The Adventurer is You!

Yeah, I know my taskbar looks sloppy.

Finding Firefly  

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After my near-psychotic addiction to The Big Bang Theory a few weeks ago I decided that I had to look for something else to quench my thirst for entertainment while I wait for Penny and Leonard to come back in September for season three. So I scoured the world wide thingamajiggy and I found Firefly. No that's not about my adorable blog buddy Firefly, who we all think about lately due to recent events in her life. Cheer up Firefly, wink wink.

I'm talking about Firefly, the show created by acclaimed writer-slash-director Joss Whedon that aired on the FOX network way back in 2002. I remember seeing an episode or two of Firefly a couple of years back and I found the show very interesting. That was where I first saw Summer Glau, before she had me hooked on her Terminator stint. She played the character called River Tam, who apparently had psychic abilities. Then I heard Firefly being talked about on The Big Bang Theory - with the main characters being geeks and all - and Summer herself appeared as a guest on the show. So I thought that was it; I'm downloading Firefly.

The story revolves around a spacecraft, a Firefly-class vessel called Serenity, and its crew. Set in a future where moons have been terraformed to become capable of supporting life and the universe is governed by the Alliance, the crew members of Serenity venture into the depths of space in order to eke out a living doing odd jobs that usually involve transport of cargo, be it legal or not. What interests me most is despite having aired only 14 episodes the show has managed to play out so many different aspects of humanity. Yes it is a science fiction series, but all the characters are human. No aliens. A show set in the future, with spaceships and lasers but no aliens. How often do you come across something like that?

Another interesting point is that I never realized there was such a term as "space westerns". Pardon my ignorance. It's like watching those old western movies with sheriffs and tumbleweed, with a dash of Star Trek. Firefly talks about human courage and friendship over adversity and diversity. The show even traipsed over the topic of lesbianism, although for the life of me I can't see why they even had to. I'm not complaining though. Oh no.

Too bad the series only lasted one season. I personally thought it wasn't that bad. In fact, search the net and you'd be surprised to see that a larger part of the show's popularity emerged after its cancellation. A full feature film based on the defunct Firefly series called Serenity was released by Universal Pictures in 2005.

Now that's one hot Summer.

Harry Potter and the Half-Good Film  

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Before I begin, I would like to apologize to those who actually liked the movie - all 4 or 5 of them - because they may not like what I have to say about the sixth installment of the Harry Potter movie series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Having read Book 6 I personally thought the movie, for lack of a better term, sucked on so many different levels. I supposed being "based on JK Rowling's novel" must've meant "loosely based" to the film makers. If they had deviated any further from the book they would've probably made a movie that was completely outside the realm of HP fiction. This is by far the most disappointing book-based movie I've ever seen. I hate it when they make bad movies out of good books. Good thing I've only read a few, although they've already managed to bungle Dan Brown's novels and now this? Well at least JR Tolkien's books made better movies.

I know they couldn't fit the entire story into the sixth HP movie, but as the movie progressed I couldn't help saying "shortcut" every few scenes. I was so sure Dumbledore's funeral would've made it into the movie. How about the scene where Harry, under Dumbledore's non-verbal spell, stood frozen under his invisibility cloak while Snape killed the Hogwarts Headmaster with the Avada Kedavra? I mean, has the director even read the book? I'm sorry, but I honestly felt they could've done so much better. They weren't even trying.

Casting was also terrible. Lavander Brown was pulled out of High School Musical, Narcissa was nothing like Bellatrix, and Slughorn looked nothing like a Slytherin and was underweight. Fenrir Greyback could've been bigger and more disgusting. I sure hope they have more scenes for Ginny in the next film. Not that I'm anticipating, but I really hope they make up for this joke of a movie in their next production.

Really now Professor, you're Slughorn?

I just loved the actors who played Rufus Scrimgeour and Madam Pomfrey. Oh right, they weren't in the movie. Well Madam Pomfrey was there but she had no lines and was hardly even noticeable.


And what's with that kiss? I was looking forward to that scene where Harry got out of detention with Snape, after missing their Quidditch match against Ravenclaw, to find the Gryffindor common room packed with celebration because they had won the House Cup? That's where Harry and Ginny were supposed to kiss. Maybe the film makers thought it was more romantic to imagine making out in the Room of Requirement.

Now I didn't hate the entire movie. There was this scene where a weakened Dumbledore got rid of all those Inferi from the lake with a magnificent display of firepower. That was a really good scene. It was probably the only part of the movie that I actually liked. Oh and there was also this scene where Hermione hit Harry in the head with a rolled-up newspaper. Really now, slapstick?

Hermione Granger really blossomed in this film though. Emma Watson was absolutely stunning.

I sure hope they don't make a mockery of the Battle of Hogwarts in the next movie. They've already left out so much in this one, I won't be surprised if people will actually be glad the movie series is over after The Deathly Hallows film.

It only goes to show that when they make movies out of books, especially if you've read that book, don't expect too much. Maybe you and everybody else has read the book, but that doesn't mean the director has read it too.

Note: It looks like they are planning to do better with Book 7 after all. I just found out that the last movie will actually be a two-part finale. Good.

The Deathly Hallows / The Seventh Horcrux  

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When rumors about a leaked copy of the final installment of the Harry Potter series - The Deathly Hallows - circulated almost three years ago, shortly before the book's official release, I started searching the internet for a copy. Being the insufferable copyright-infringement-law violator that I was, I found myself in possession of an "advanced" copy of The Deathly Hallows, in e-book form.

Shortly after Book 7's official release it was revealed that the "advanced" copy was a fake. Despite being a fraud, the fake copy made for very interesting reading. I thought back then that whoever wrote it must have been a huge Harry Potter fan.

It turns out I was right. I stumbled upon this website yesterday that showcased literally an entire collection of Harry Potter fan fiction. It's amazing to see what dedicated fans can come up with when they've got loads of time on their hands. The "fake" copy of The Deathly Hallows was a thirty-four chapter project entitled "The Seventh Horcrux". It can be read here.

Here are some interesting snippets from The Seventh Horcrux.

Umbridge turned her wide, panicked eyes toward the Dark Lord, gaping like a fish. Despite his hatred of her and everything she’d done, Harry couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit sorry for her. He could see the Aurors grasping their wands, still seeking orders to surge and attack. Umbridge’s loyal followers – those who were now in charge – suddenly appeared uncertain of what to do.

Voldemort’s face twisted into a hideous smile – a smile bereft of joy or happiness. It was a truly frightening sight, causing Harry to shudder.

“Fenrir,” Voldemort said, caressing his wand with his fingers. “I believe your kind have some issues with the current Minister. Perhaps you’d like to discuss them with her…directly.”

Greyback smiled wolfishly, running his long, yellowed fingernails through his whiskers. “Why, yes…that would be quite…delectable.”

Umbridge screeched and backed away as Greyback began stalking her. She held her hands in front of her body as if it would somehow shield her. Greyback’s pack of angry werewolves began to advance, joining Fenrir on the hunt. Umbridge’s panicked face disappeared as she was surrounded by the pack, and Harry saw a smattering of blood hit the wall.

Umbridge’s screams acted as the signal for violence to erupt. Several Ministry officials attempted to stop the werewolves’ attack, but the Death Eaters struck them down without mercy.

Vindication! Dolores Umbridge meets a gruesome end. I also find it interesting how they made Harry's muggle cousin Dudley Dursley into a wizard in this version.

“Greetings fellow w-w-wizards,” Dudley, said, his voice wavering. “I was raised with one of you – but I was taught to fear you.” Dudley paused, most likely because he was stuck on a word, but he appeared to enjoy the reaction and stretched the moment out longer. “I was told that you were all abnormal – freaks – and made to believe that everything magical was meant to harm me. I was wrong. My family was misled.”

Dudley’s frustration with the parchment and what was written finally overcame him, and he crumpled it. Dolores’s face registered alarm when Dudley tossed it to the ground.

Harry shook his head, clearly seeing why Dolores would have gone after Dudley once she realized the magical register had been obscured. Her reasons for using him were twofold. First, she could strip Harry’s strong public appeal by supplying a new “hero,” and this time, she’d found one she could control. Manipulating Harry’s blood connection to Dudley was a win-win for her.

“Look. I’m magic just like you. From what she tells me,” Dudley said, jerking his thumb in Umbridge’s direction, “I’ve got a lot of power. My folks were afraid of magic until they realized how special it made me. We’ve been threatened so many times, we thought—”

“Yes, and we all owe you an apology for that, Mr. Dursley,” Umbridge said, swiftly moving Dudley behind her. “Your family never should have been made to fear your gift.”

Harry could see Aunt Petunia dab her eyes, staring adoringly at her little popkin, who took up half the stage with his wide girth. Even Uncle Vernon had managed to maintain a stiff upper lip around all the magical folk. He proudly stuck his chest out and clapped Dudley on the back.

I tell you, it's a very interesting read, especially if you're into all that snogging between Harry and Ginny. Kudos to Melindaleo and company for coming up with this. Oh, and you gotta love the ending too.

Late last evening on a quiet street in Surrey, a gruesome discovery was made. Vernon and Petunia Dursley were found dead in their home. Both victims were found seated at their kitchen table, but a source close to the investigation tells us no cause of death is readily apparent. Both victims had been in relatively good health, although Mr. Dursley suffered from high blood pressure and a dangerous cholesterol level. Still, this wouldn't explain how both victims died at the same time with no obvious sign of foul play.

The doors to their house on Privet Drive remained locked, and there was no sign of forced entry. The Dursleys are survived by one son, Dudley, who was unavailable for comment, although one neighbor claimed to have seen him in the area on the day of his parents' mysterious deaths. The source tells this reporter that the strangest thing about the case is the expression of terror on both victims' faces. The source claimed it was as if they'd been frightened to death…

Now imagine Dudley Dursley trying out Avada Kedavra on his parents. That's a disturbing thought.

March! Attack! Run Away! Nod Your Head To The Beat.  

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I've rekindled a new interest lately. I picked up a copy of Patapon 2 (meaning I ripped it off somrbody's PSP via Adhoc), and started playing with my PSP again. It's been months since I finished the first Patapon, and I found the second installment completely entertaining. No I'm not here to write a review of the game, that's Lio's job (hek-hek). I just thought I'd write about how fascinated I am with it. It certainly took my mind off of things and made me sigh about Davao less frequently, but on the other hand I had only managed to read 7 chapters of The Deathly Hallows ever since I started nodding my head to beat of the Pon Pata song again. Oh well. Essie-Hime and Lio Loco better get their beats going 'coz I've got loads of practice with this thing. PON PON PATA PON!

Yes, the Patapons can fly now. They can jump too.

Prison Break  

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Thanks to uTorrent, I finally get to see the rest of Prison Break’s second season. Though for the life of me I still can’t figure out how to speed up the download process but it gets the job done anyway. And oh my best friend got home and we’re getting married in 10 - 15 years.

Music Madness  

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What can I say!? Here’s a review. (edit - yeah, right.) I’m going gaga over my toy (shown here)! Now that I’ve found a way to download stuff at work, I’ve had the chance to get the music that I want and save it in my player! Good stuff, great buy. Good music! Old school rocks!

Cavite Trip!  

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Well here I am again in Cavite visiting some old friends here. I was glad to be out of my usual environment for once. Too bad Emman wasn’t here. I got the chance to check out Ria’s new PC. Its actually surprisingly fast for a system with wireless internet. Although download times are a bit slow (and except for the fact that its not protected from spyware), her PC’s doing just fine. Until of course the spyware problem starts corrupting her files that is. Aight.. til next time!

Anybody Got a Solution to This?  

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I got this nasty virus problem, or at least I think I do. You see I get this pesky "Colgatee" folder whenever I connect my phone to my PC. I can’t delete the friggin’ bugger and the only way I can get rid of it is to back up all my files and reformat my memory card. That’s kinda annoying, you see. If anybody has had this problem before just leave a message. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

New Page  

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Well here I am starting anew at Siemens. So far its been enjoyable, although I am still undergoing training so I can’t really tell if life here is easier than what I had with Sony.

Training has been fun and educational, even though the tools (Siebel 7.5) are not very user-friendly. Everybody here’s comparing it with DellServe because most of the people here came from Dell.

There’s only a small number of people who came from Sony here, although I would think that that small number made a big impact on Sony with regards to manpower. I think they call it “high attrition ratio“. Considering the small population of agents at Sony, let’s just say they have to hire more people now.

Another enjoyable fact about Siemens, in comparison to Sony is the compensation. Obviously a lot of people have heard about the salary, that’s why there are always a lot of applicants here everyday. The pay is a respectable number in this industry, (I guess) for a tech support agent. Especially because the support we can provide is very limited (?), in the sense that we only troubleshoot one product line - Toshiba notebooks. That means no desktops, no digital cameras, no DVD players or VCR’s. Although the number of submodels is comparable with the number of models we used to supportat Sony, including all LOB’s. But having said that, I’m actually looking forward to having a fruitful and enjoyable experience here. I hope we all do.

My New Toy!  

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This is my new toy, the Olympus MR-F10. Its a compact music player capable of supporting MP3, OGG, WMA, and MPEG 1, 2, 2.5, and audio layer 3 formats. Its sleek design allows it to be very light and wearable. And speaking of wearable, one cool thing I like about it is that the headphones also function as the necklace. So goodbye to dangling earphones when I’m not listening to music. The only downside is you can only charge its batteries thru USB. Meaning you need a computer to charge it. But that’s fine, I can always charge it at work, anyway the battery lasts a good 10 hrs before it runs out. You see I don’t have a computer at home. If any of you guys like it just leave a message, and I’ll tell you where I bought it and how much I had to dish out. I’m goin’ sound-trippin’!

Relay Calls  

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For those of you who work in a call center you guys must have heard of relay calls. Those calls wherein you dont actually speak with the customer but instead you speak with an operator who relays to you the customers’ information. The customer in turn types in their questions to the operator via chat or text service. These types of calls usually take a LONG time to finish. So long that I often wonder how the relay operators can stay patient in doing it. I think of the operator and i realize I’m glad I don’t have her job. Enormous patience I tell ‘ya. Imagine having to end each sentence that you or she says with "Go ahead" to confirm that you’re done with the message. I’m actually on a relay call now and its taking so long for the customer to reply that I can update my blogs while speaking with the operator. The operator types in my instructions and relays it to the customer and she reads to me the customer’s reply. And here I thought I had the shittiest job! Ü

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Stories from the Simian Crease by Binchee is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Philippines License.
Based on a work at binchee.blogspot.com