Musings and Ramblings

Blog Updates?

2012-01-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

I've recently been playing around with domains and self-hosting. Everything (well almost) from this starter blog has been moved over but this will continue to stay up for now. All newer updates will be at:

http://jamz.yaneza.me/

See you there!

Hotel: Road Runner Business (SoCal)

2010-08-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

We got a good rate at the Quality Inn and it came with broadband internet. To compare what they offer in terms of business travelers I set out to measure their wired speed.

The room was spacious and had a nice quiet pool, unfortunately I'd left my swim trunks back home.

Honda CrossTour, whats that song?

2010-03-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

If you're like me watching for nice cars, you've probably already stumbled across the new Honda CrossTour ad with a subliminal message not to be "square". Its also got a very catchy song in the background sung by Miriam Makeba which to my astonishment was recorded in 1967. What can I say, but good songs last. :-)

Pata Pata (Album Version) - Mi...

Travel Tip: Card Charges and International Trips

2009-11-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

This realization hit me just recently, and this is all based from painful experience (one of which is just happening to me right now). This is in regards to weekend check-outs.

Accounting and/or finance offices are usually closed in most places. They are even closed perhaps seen earlier in Asia given that they are ahead sometimes a full working day. As such, initial holds will show up in your credit card but will only really transact first thing Monday during office hours.

So if you know you're checking out the weekend, the best is to either settle your bill in full on Friday before the close of business hours; or settle the partial you can manage and just go on cash for miscellaneous towards check-out.

This way you'll avoid the annoying wait and the preliminary one-day check-in while waiting for the previous transaction to go through. Its not a great feeling to be on tenterhooks your first night at your next hotel destination. :-)

But for now, wish me luck!

*I'd also like to thank and commend the front-desk at the Hyatt Regency Kyoto for their patience in helping me track what's going on. Great hotel, you rock!

Hotel Nikko Kansai (JP)

2009-11-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

After checking out of the Hyatt Regency Kyoto, a bus tour, train ride on the Haruka 41, and arriving back at the Kansai Airport, I walked across the bridge to Aero Plaza and stepped into the convenience of the Nikko.

I'll be adding more stories later [ here ]

There isn't any internet in the smoking rooms at the South Tower and your best bet is free wifi at the first-

(1st) floor lobby or walking into the Business Center with your own ethernet cable. I didn't even attempt wifi given that line speeds (shockingly) for a full service hotel in Osaka which has an airport compared to Kyoto which doesn't is:

To be honest this was disappointing given to comparing the Hyatt at 35 Mb/s downstream. And hey, I was willing to pay for bandwidth but never given the option.

Guitar: Return to the Passion of Music

2009-06-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Remember the very first time you picked-up a guitar? In my case it was a Yamaha nylon acoustic my mom used to have lying around in a green soft case. It wasn't used much except when I took it down and gave it a few strums.

(the rest of the story later, got something more exciting here below ...)

I was updating FaceBook today and came-upon this post of a kid holding a guitar linking to YouTube. Curiosity of course ... but lo ... behold ... and be ashamed at not trying harder. Sungha rocks and makes me proud!

No news yet if he's coming out with an album, but I'd buy it and put it next to my other favorites like Laurence and Ilsey Juber (my thanks again to David Perry for bringing me along for sushi and the show at Santa Monica which I previously blogged about).

Frappr Map

2009-06-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

Frappr

Song: Alright

2009-06-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea, Life Uncomplicated. I remember the days in Irisan just staring across the mountains as the golden sun either rose or set. There are days in California where the light is just right and it sends me to reverie.

On one of the jeeps to "town", as we often called traveling to Baguio proper, I remember seeing this "I'm an Irish Cowboy". A local would understand, but for those who didn't my Uncle Sixto and Johnny listen to country; I remember my cousin Jaja's favorite album was America. My mom listens to Randy Travis. Looking at the guitar makes me want to play covers of Cat Stevens. There's a cowboy hat in back of my car all the time. Been to the Grand Canyon more than once. 'Nuff said.

I've been a big fan of Hootie & the Blowfish and identify with with Darius' easy song style and baritone. Is that a banjo in the background? That just reminds me of Sky World Condominium and the blue grass band that played at Shakey's Pizza. Hero burgers, Orange Julius, skiletti's, garlic bread, family meals. *sigh*

All you tenor's out there, well, you rock as well!

Artist: Darius Rucker

Alright, Alright
Yeah it's alright, alright

Don't need no five star reservations
I've got spaghetti and a cheap bottle of wine
Don't need no concert in the city
I've got a stereo and the best of Patsy Cline
Ain't got no caviar no Dom Perignon
But as far as I can see, I've got everything I want

Cause I've got a roof over my head,
the woman I love laying in my bed
And it's alright, alright
I've got shoes under my feet
Forever in her eyes staring back at me
And it's alright, alright
And I've got all I need
And it's alright by me

Maybe later on we'll walk down to the river
Lay on a blanket and stare up at the moon
It may not be no French Riviera
But it's all the same to me as long as I've got you

It may be a simple life, but that's okay
If you ask me baby, I think I've got it made

Cause I've got a roof over my head,
the woman I love laying in my bed
And it's alright, alright
I've got shoes under my feet
Forever in her eyes staring back at me
And it's alright, alright
And I've got all I need
And it's alright by me

It's alright by me, yeah yeah
When I lay down at night I thank the Lord above
For giving me everything I ever could dream of

Cause I've got a roof over my head,
the woman I love laying in my bed
And it's alright, alright, alright, alright
I've got shoes under my feet
Forever in her eyes staring back at me
And it's alright, alright, alright
And I've got all I need, yeah
I've got all I need
And it's alright by me
Oh yeah, it's alright by me

Twilight Series: Midnight Sun

2009-04-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

Did my usual routine this morning, add in a few phone meetings. Now registered for RSA. But what's missing with my second cup of coffee and smokes is my fix.

All of a sudden I'm forced to reach out and read long delayed issues of InformationWeekly and peek at a few articles on Discovery.

The new storage server isn't going to be here until early next week, thats got me antsy since all eight-(8) of the WDA 2TB drives are sitting here staring at me and begging to be plugged in.

And probably worse annoying is that my Dell XPS Gen4 server went down last night after an unscheduled upgrade routine, and silly me letting all the tax documents press onto the DOWN key on the keyboard -- now the machine is truly down for now. Damn.

On another note, looks like Steph actually has a new project up with yet unkown (at least to me) release date. The working title is Midnight Sun. Ah... another fix, soon.

Twilight Series: Breaking Dawn

2009-04-17T01:29:00.000-07:00

Done.

Game Gems: Brothers in Arms - Hell's Highway (PS3)

2009-04-04T00:39:00.000-07:00

Done.

Game Gems: Call of Duty 5 - World at War (PS3)

2009-03-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

Done.

Game Gems: Rainbow Six 2 - Vegas (PS3)

2009-01-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

Done.

After Christmas, some New Year Gifts, too!

2009-01-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

That is what usually happens when you wait around for a package, it doesn't show up until you relax and take few drag from your fag .... suddenly boom!

Hi Mr. UPS Guy, thanks for finally getting here.

50's Diner

2008-09-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

Yeah, sorry that place up on Abanao had to go. But well, it was good while it lasted.

My all time favorite was the pineapple rice, miss it! A few milkshakes with the family and good times.

The dart games and pool with old friends (hey Tonee, Djerick, Dan, Marie, Eros, etc.).

If there's a place a bit similar (but lacking the roller coasting hottie's in pink) but with all the great oldies music of the era, thats Johnny Rocket's.

PSP Games: Lost Planet - Extreme Condition

2008-09-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

"Wayne, promise you'll come back to me", says the hopeful and confused snow pirate damsel who's also got her heart beating for Dr. Yuri.

Alas, a good thing that our character ends up having amnesia and starts fresh on a planet that finally gets some green after the son of his father's killer does some good.

This game's controls felt a bit like that of GoW, or at least the part where you have to continuously press on "O" and get the waypoints working.

Even at Easy mode its challenging and I have to agree on that setting decision. The boss stages are a fair amount of fun.

Online gameplay isn't as exciting as UT but not as frustrating as Halo and you at least spawn at base with some form of shielding without having to get sniped right away. Looks to be a very popular game in Japan as most game servers and players were hailing from there at midnight with just a handful of players like myself from North America or the UK.

How mats is dat doogie in da wendow

2008-09-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

The one with a wagging tongue and shooting the breeze ...?

On our way back from dinner and we caught side of this little guy. Very behaved, very nice. Kewl.

Multinational Branding

2008-09-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

What better way to spend the day than to spend time among stalls of shoes?

Why, what else but amuse yourself by some bran names that would get you laughs if you wore them in Baguio.

Just like this one, very tell-take wouldn't you think? I wouldn't be caught dead wearing them though. :-)

AT&T Uverse - downtime until 4:43PM PST

2008-09-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

Service just got restored at 4:43 PM PST after being down just after lunch. By service I mean being able to watch on any of my thee-(3) digital receivers.

Thats the first time for me. I should have checked ClarkConnect if the internet service was down as well. However, since I did configure a bandwidth aggregator didn't feel any pinch thanks to the alternative Comcast line.

Working well it is.

A Hometown Resident's Take on Elections

2008-09-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Quite an interesting and revealing inside look on McCain's choice. Lots of comments and feedback at the end notes from both sides of the line. An interesting defense is to shift scrutiny on Obama's relations to national security -- but I'm still looking for direct negative feedback from his hometown detractors to compare apples to apples. If I find it or hear of it from my landlord, will post it here as well to be fair.

PSP Games: BlackSite - Area 51

2008-09-01T23:13:00.000-07:00

Just as the title suggests, this game's ending should fall into a blackhole in space. It took me about a week or so before I went back to finish it but was really disappointed that it was just the final few shots and nothing :-(

The game starts well enough with you being stationed in Iraq as part of a mission. As usual the government doesn't tell you what it really is about. You find an alien base deep within some structures. Your war ends, but some time passes and your team get's called back into active duty. You path crosses with the tight bunned Doctor, and you get double crossed by Summers.

There'll be lots of weird looking aliens and one where the idea of the boss looks like something stolen right out of War of the Worlds.
I take issue in your nemesis being too corny compared to R:FoM

Some furious firefights with pro-E.T. henchmen that look really pale compared to the sleek suits in Haze. Have I told you about the un-cool weapons that are new but less effective that shotguns?

And much more, so much more that I won't even mention.

Good story plot. I think varous levels and getting up the mountains to the base was good. Sniper mode rocks when felling them darn pesky pro-alien morons.

Need something more original here guys.

PSP Games: God of War, Chains of Olympus

2008-08-26T14:12:00.000-07:00

New title for this treat should be "Kratos, the Unforgiven".

It would suck to be you man, used by the gods of Olympus for their own ends and then left to your own devices. Of course, that is the stub ending for Gow2 coming soon.

Cratos vs Kratos. Strength, Force, a Power. And also broken ... "crate toss" :-)

This is probably the most immersing and graphically stunning game that I've played on the PSP so far. Its one of those games that justify the thought and price that this "is" a Portable Playstation after all!

I think its also one of those games that make inventive use of the joystick. Also, without reading the manual it took a tip from Chachi that furiously pounding on the left-right paddles would actually get me past those pesky wall crawlers. Thanks Chach!

So far I've finished the game on default setting and am up completing the extra challenges ... sometime when I get bored and go back to finishing the last 3 tests of dexterity and timing.

PSP Games: Medal of Honor, Heroes

2008-08-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

One of those typical World War II games. Finished it, but that is all I can really say about it.

Sad.

Ok, ok. A few words then.

Unsatisfying.

"Bitin..."

And its a good thing it just came free when I got my older PSP unit.

So you're in the war as some super solider, lets say lucky, and get shifted around to fix problems. Along the way you're supposed to discover or find intelligence to be used to win the war ... but that is all really used to get your medals. Intelligence has nothing to do with the story, just points? Tsk.

Game play felt a bit like Pac Man + Into the Eagle's Nest. The movie clips were the graphic saving grace ... sorta.

Game Gems: Haze (PS3)

2008-06-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

Finished.

I must say that the seizure warning is apt for this game, in fact the wife got a bit woozy after watching me kick some butt on "easy mode".

Yes, I know thats just so n00by of me to use weaner level but that's not the point of it all anyway when I go through a game. Some are in it for the realism or to test their whatever, I am in it for the story. After all you're supposed to play an immersing game with a complete plot that should be worth a movie (or even several so say hello Resident Evil franchise?).

That being said you start out as a Mantel soldier and brain washed (or should we say drug-washed) with Nectar (you have to love the allusion to bee's here, but nature has some fun color combo's, eh).

Nectar appears to be made out of a plant somewhere they speak Spanish. Its effects in the game include razor sharp targeting and a boost of speed. Now thats an interesting drug right there, more so that in-game calls of being a junkie are apt.

Game play has you start to go after the Rebels and eventually change sides for under the command of "Skin Coat", the Mantel nick name for a guy named Marino. The nick name is of course a lie fed to Mantel soldiers to increase emotional response against a supposedly viscous and inhumane cannibal. Disinformation in the ranks, Sun Tzu, ho hum ....

I think the telling piece here is when your buddy reveals the truth behind Mantel soldier disappearances and dies in the process. Classic. But this is where you get a question of morality between what is right and wrong. Basically, listen to your conscience to tell you what should be. The line references to "chemicals in your brain" said by both sides should be a dead give-away along the story line and lets you know that inevitably you should really be on neither but yourself. To some thats called indecision, to some that could be called integrity. I go for the latter having had too many landmark decisions happen in the course of work myself. At that point of surviving its time to sing "Vindicated" (surprisingly song #1 in the Spider Man soundtrack, how apt in the lines "with great power comes great responsibility").

There isn't much more depth in the story after disabling the "administrator" atop the highest peak in an observatory, then finally making the land carrier run aground and shooting up that drug crazed seargeant who' still ashamed to let mommy know he was a bad boy. Duh. The whole plot ends with Marino telling you he's going to manufacture a derivative of Nectar and make it available for anyone who wants it of his own free will. Thats the spoiler here folks, but that end does make it interesting as fodder for moral reflection -- at least to me.

I digress by saying the earlier TV show on law and crime in New York also puts alot of moral issues on the table. How far would anyone go to protect thousands of people and would you take the blame for it? What defiance of law and order is bad enough for you to be crucified after following your internal moral compass? Is a moral compass to do good built-in or is it taught? Thoughts to ponder. :-)

Overall, a good game to play on campaign. The online as far as I've tested works well, call me Head Shot Jones :-p

Weekend Drive with T-K-S

2008-05-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

We decided to break-in Toph's new Ford GT as well as bring Kara and their son Sebastian around San Francisco for their first time. Having just recently moved from New Jersey it seemed like a good thing to do on this fine sunny weekend.

First stop was Pier 39 where we had late lunch of clam chowder. We then walked over to the SSN Pampano submarine and the USS O'Brien to take a few pictures.

It was getting cold around 4pm so we drover toward the viewing area across the Golden Gate Bridge.

That being done we found ourselves at the HomeDepot on Hamilton (right next to Fry's Electronics) and did some hardware window shopping. Here's Mig mopping around.

Overall, a good day.