Written on 11:51 AM by DRV
Demon's Souls (PS3) - 9.0
Definitely a surprise. Though the game plays like a glorified dungeon-crawler (I'm not a big fan of dungeon crawlers), the story and the challenging and unique gameplay is what will keep you in. A triumphant pat on the back for Atlus.
Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP) - 9.0
Let's admit it. They are plenty of likable and unlikable main characters and villains in the Final Fantasy games. This game finally brings them all together to make a hell of a brawler.
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (DS) - 8.0
Every bit as good as The Curious Village with an even better story.
Madden NFL 10 (Wii) - 7.3
More of the same, with a better online mode.
Madden NFL 10 (PS3, Xbox 360) - 8.3
Lots of changes in Madden have resulted in a slower, but more realistic game of football.
Space Invaders Extreme 2 (DS) - 6.9
Pretty much the same game as the first.
Nerf N-Strike Elite (Wii) - 6.8
The cool thing is the Nerf gun that comes with the game. Other than that, it'll keep your kids busy.
Hasbro Family Game Night 2 (Wii) - 6.6
Wanna play board games but don't wanna shell out the $30 each? If you have a Wii, this might be a good stocking stuffer.
Tekken 6 (PS3, Xbox 360) - 8.2
"The Year of the Fighter" comes to a close with a strong entry into the Tekken series.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) - 8.7
Probably the most fun you'll have with any friend(s) this year on the Wii.
Posted in
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Gamer 2.0,
PS3,
PSP,
Reviews,
Wii
|
Written on 3:09 AM by DRV
Got Wii Sports Resort this evening, and I've played it so much, I already wrote my review on it.
It's up on SmashPad, but you can get it here.
I gave the game an 8.9 out of 10. It's not as high a score as Little King's Story, but it still exceeds the expectations of many. Definitely worth a buy. Plus, you get the WiiMotion Plus accessory for free.
I don't even know why I'm up. I have work in less than six hours.
- DRV
Posted in
Gamer 2.0,
Wii
|
Written on 1:38 PM by DRV
A few weeks ago, I won a PS3 auction on eBay for a whopping low price of $220.50. Unfortunately, that seller has yet to send me my PS3, so as a result, I filed a claim against him. If he doesn't respond to that claim by Tuesday, I'll get paid back in full.
Of course, should he respond, and I actually do get the PS3, that means I'll have two... and I can easily re-sell that on eBay. No problem.
So yes, I won another auction a few days ago, but instead of $220.50, it was $310. No big deal though. I mean it's a 60GB model (an out-of-production model that is backwards compatible with PS/2 games), and it came with Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Babel, and a copy of Resistance: Fall of Man. While I have no interest in those two BluRay movies, I also have no interest in that free game.
In the meantime, because of GameCrazy's superb MVP Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal, I was able to nab copies of Street Fighter IV, SoulCalibur IV, Grand Theft Auto IV, and LittleBigPlanet. Yeah, that's a lot of IV's.
I've spent most of my time updating the console's firmware, downloading things such as PlayStation Home and some other things that seem to enhance the experience. The problem is that since I'm on a basic AT&T high-speed connection, I find myself simply here on the net waiting while things download. I really wish I had a faster connection, because most of the time, especially when booting up a game I haven't played before, I have to update to the latest version and download the latest content.
Right now I'm watching my brother use Darth Vader in Soul Calibur IV. As for my actual gameplay, I've just been playing mostly Street Fighter IV and LittleBigPlanet. Both very solid games. I also hope to build up my trophy collection soon.
In the meantime, I'll take on all challengers, but since I'm on AT&T, don't hate me if our connection suddenly falls... :-\
I'll update this post with pictures of my happiness soon.
Posted in
Gamer 2.0,
PS3,
Street Fighter
|
Written on 1:13 PM by DRV
First, I'd like to apologize if my last blog sounded a little moody. But hey, that's what happens when you're used to being busy all the time.
Here are a few links to a few editorials I got done over the passed few weeks.
HANDS-ON - Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP)
Dissidia is a fighting game developed by Square Enix that features both heroes and enemies found in just about every Final Fantasy (flagship) title that's been released. The PSN demo features The Onion Knight, Terra, Cloud, and Sephiroth as playable characters.
REVIEW - Little King's Story (Wii)
Little King's Story is like Pikmin, but more dark, unpredictable, and addictive. Because of its cartoonish nature, it will fall under the radar. Don't let that happen. This game just might be the Wii Game of the Year. 9/10
REVIEW - Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor (DS)
Atlus' critically appraised SMT series makes its debut in style with Devil Survivor. While it may have its similarities with The World Ends With You, it's not like that game was bad anyway. 9.1/10
REVIEW - The Legendary Starfy (DS)
Nintendo has a new series on their hands that's been in Japan for quite a while. Resembling Kirby but being as deep as Mario, The Legendary Starfy is a perfect game with playability on a long road trip. 8/10
REVIEW - Flower, Sun, and Rain (DS)
Developed by the same folks who brought us classics like No More Heroes on the Wii and Killer 7 on the GameCube and PlayStation 2, Flower Sun, and Rain is the port of a bland PS2 game. 4.6/10
REVIEW - Knights in the Nightmare (DS)
An extremely complex game that includes reflex-challenging controls in the form of an isometric Strategy RPG. There is no game quite like it, but at the same time--it's not for everybody. 8.7/10
REVIEW - MySims Racing (Wii, DS)
A kart-racing title that will resemble Mario Kart despite vague differences. Good for a rental. 5.1/10
REVIEW - The Sims 3 (PC, Mac)
I hardly even play PC games, but this was probably the most fun I've had so far this year. 9.4/10
So if you're bored, give those a read! Thanks.
- D
Posted in
DS,
Gamer 2.0,
Handheld Review,
MacBook,
PCN,
Previews,
PSP,
Reviews,
Wii
|
Written on 6:35 PM by DRV
I know, I've lacked a real update in quite a while. It's been a combination of both being busy and just flat out laziness. I've been taking hours at H&M all summer, simply continuing to save money. Of course, with school tuition to pay for, and then little things like video games and clothes--it's quite hard to save.
But I have now stopped spending so much on food. I bring my own lunch to work every day, and that's really helping me relieve some of my funding.
When I get home, I'm just really tired. The only things I really have energy for involve sitting down, or some sort of screen. Basically, I've been gaming hard with Final Fantasy X, and just spending the rest of my time online, doing random things--heh, OMGPOP and Twitter, to be quite frank.
There's just no energy. I know I said I'd be working out all summer, but it's turn into a weekly thing. I work so much there's just no time. Of course, that's what people always say, but nothing motivates me.
Every day I wake up when I don't have work, staying home. My main circle of friends have their own engagements. One works, two go to summer school, and the other one is someone who stays home and wants to do nothing but that. There's really nothing that excites me, and when they do want to have a night out, it's usually just to eat... either that, or it's during a time when I'm busy.
I've always prided myself on being a busybody, but now even I'm starting to question the things I do. I'm the Internship Coordinator of Akbayan Pilipino-American Organization of San Jose State University, but other than the fact that I want to give back to the organization, should I really be doing that? I'm a Part-Time Sales Associate at H&M, but do I want to stay in fashion retail? I'm an Associate Editor at Gamer 2.0, but the site has been down for a couple months due to a series of events out of my control--why should I care? I'm a journalism student at San Jose State, but do I really want to write for the rest of my life? I'm a Junior Performing Artist for the Hiyas Philippine Folk Dance Company--but after three years, I still haven't been recruited to the core group, so why do I still bother?
I'm half-way into my college career, and barring any drastic changes, I'll be graduating soon and heading out in the real world. At this point, it's hard to tell where I see myself within the next five years simply because I'm doing too much stuff.
But if I wasn't doing all this, I'd feel unfulfilled.
I don't know what's up. Maybe it's because I've either been cooped up in this damn house for so long or just because I'm overworked, but honestly -- I feel totally behind in life.
Posted in
akbayan,
Journalism,
SJSU
|
Written on 10:14 AM by DRV
It's summer time. Since then, I've only had five days off. I worked out on four. I'm considering doing it today, but the weather is a little gloomy. I'll probably still go out anyway.
So what's best to do when you're staying home? Aside from being productive and doing chores, there's video games. It's been a while since I've played a game for the sake of my own enjoyment. It was last year when I beat Final Fantasy VII in preparation for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII--which I also beat. I've also been playing Pokemon Platinum, and I'm nearing the Elite Four. Maybe I should beat this game first.
But aside from that, here's my entire gaming backlog at first glance.
If you don't know what a backlog is, it's a set of games that own but have never finished. A lot of them I've never even started.
Here we go!
PlayStation 2
- Final Fantasy X
- Final Fantasy XII
- Jak 3
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2
GameCube
- Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
- Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
- Star Fox Adventures
- Star Fox Assault
Wii
- MadWorld
- Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
- Okami
- Punch-Out!!
- No More Heroes
- Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
DS
- Chrono Trigger
- Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
- Pokemon Pearl
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
- Fire Emblem: Dragon Sword
Posted in
DS,
GameCube,
Gamer 2.0,
PS2,
PSP,
Wii
|
Written on 11:26 AM by DRV
Summer 2009 looks to be a bit more chill after I get through some of the hardships in my life.
For those of you who didn't know, I was in a car accident on the 27th of April. I really don't want to talk about it here, but if you're wondering how that turned out, I'm always available to talk.
The damages are going to cost me well over $3800, especially if State Farm really believes it's my fault--and hey, it's NOT.
Anyway, grades came out today. The one I really dreaded was for my ADV 91 class, and I ended up getting a B+. Once again, the worst grade I got this semester is a C, and I actually got a handful of them. I took 8 classes this semester, while working 20 hours a week, being a part of Cab, PCN Core, and doing almost every aspect PCN had to offer (except AK).
Speaking of Akbayan, I was just elected Internship Coordinator. It took a lot of thought to ultimately decide on this position. Most of the organization thought I'd be a shoo-in for PCN Coordinator, but I see next year as a transitional year where most of us will have to adjust to change. Barring a huge setback or change of thought, I'll run for PCN Coordinator in 2010 when I have more of an idea of how it'll be. There's too much uncertainty going to next year's show, and I still have a lot of manuscripts to decipher before obtaining a role as Artistic Director next season. (I'm not teaching dance the way it's supposed to be taught; not stealing choreography from Bayanihan DVD's and YouTube PCN Vids).
As stated in my vlog, I'm working on full-time hours with H&M because I really need the money. On days when I'm not working, I've set up a rigorous workout plan as well. I want to get involved with Austin's REVAMP program, but in all honesty--I can't commit to attending every session because of work, and spending an extra $100 won't help my cause. My best option would be to just do it on my own.
In the meantime, my enrollment appointment isn't until June 19th. I really don't know what to pick yet. I'm still on the fence with both journalism and advertising, and all of a sudden, marketing looks like a viable major as well. But if I switched to marketing, that would delay graduation a year, and I'm actually ahead if I stay in the College of Journalism and Mass Communiations.
I do know, however, that I'll be doing the MCOM 100W class. That's all though. The JMC website took off my guide, so I'm really lost at this point.
Enjoy your summer!
Posted in
SJSU
|
Written on 1:03 PM by DRV
Below are audio projects that I've done for the 63 and 64 class. They're uploaded on Ning, so if you're not a member of my social networking Ning site, you should join it before clicking any of the links.
Dr. V (Danreb Victorio) and J-Cap (Justin Lacap) talk about working. [MP3 file.]
Mad Cows Project with Bryant, Brenda, Veronica, and Justin. Cow News! [MP3 file.]
Enjoy!
- DRV
Posted in
school,
Social Networking
|
Written on 12:44 PM by DRV
Posted in
school
|
Written on 2:09 PM by DRV
This is a video I made using Apple's iMovie. This is for the Video Project we in my media class. The thoughts in this video are not necessarily those made by San Jose State University or the Akbayan Pilipino-American Organization.
Posted in
school
|
Written on 2:09 AM by DRV
I just talking to a friend from high school, and he told me this...
"The art of spoken word is somewhat played out now."
While this guy has a hip hop ground and is in to a lot of things I really don't care that much for, I have to agree.
You won't like what I have to say, but here it is. Spoken word is overrated. You know what's more overrated? Filipino-American-based spoken word.
Yeah, I get it. It's about the history. Know your history, know yourself. No history, no self. Been there. Heard it. Done it. But even still--with Fil-Am Spoken Word. It's always the same. It's always about the elder struggle. It's always about the argument of the lack of an identity. It's always about shouting about who you are, with some swearing on the side.
Sorry, the gimmick is over. You can go ahead and talk about your life and struggle to get to where you are, but honestly--there are other people who've gone through a lot worse. These people made better uses of their time writing books.
Maybe it's just the fact that I've never really been a fan of it. Granted, I've heard some great flow, especially from one of my friends who I've known a couple of years. But other than that--it's overrated.
If I were forced to listen to Spoken Word, it's better off being a girl reciting it, because the gentle, sweet sound of a woman's voice adds more of a personal and cutting narrative to each story. But that's where it gets you to think.
Why does a lot of the Spoken Word today have to be so negative? Why is it always a bitchfest about traditional-themed parents? I want to hear a Filipino recite spoken word talking about great life is. I want spoken word to be about poetry again.
People can go on and on about the daily struggle that is their life--but that's not poetry.
Posted in
Fil-Am
|
Written on 2:03 PM by DRV
I'm sitting in my MCOM 63 New Media class learning some basic Photoshop. I already know enough of the basics to hold my own, so I edited an image.
Here's the before and after shots.
BEFORE AFTER
I simply changed the background by cropping the guy out of it, and then I smudged the nose and chin to make him have a bigger nose and somewhat of a bearded effect. Nothing too fancy.
Posted in
photoshop,
school
|
Written on 2:52 PM by DRV
Today after church and lunch with my family, I had a little time to just go on a YouTube rampage, looking at random videos to satisfy my need for entertainment, and I ran across a music video about adobo.
Overall the video was extremely hilarious, but there were some themes--mainly sexual--that would be pretty offensive. Usually when I go about looking at Filipino-themed vids, I usually have my mom take a look as well.
This is one thing I really wouldn't want to show her, but I'll show it to you guys because you'd probably get a kick out of it.
---
Now, just to keep consistency with the blog's title. What do you guys think about adobo? While it is probably the most famous dish in Philippine cuisine, I think it's awfully overrated. I mean, everybody knows about it, and now we're seeing music videos produced because of this meat dish with plenty of soy sauce and vinegar.
Maybe my family doesn't make it as well as others, or maybe it's because I have adobo almost every week. But I just don't find adobo worth all the attention. What about caldereta? Igado?
Well, that's all I have to say.
Posted in
Fil-Am,
YouTube
|
Written on 12:26 AM by DRV
Like every other college student, I spend a lot of time on Facebook. I don't particularly know why we go about this phenomenon, but it's really a good treatment for boredom. It's different from Friendster and MySpace in the sense that in Facebook it's easier to come across acquaintances (I don't say friends, because you can't all the people you "know" your "friends.") Also, since it doesn't allow much HTML, custom backgrounds and themes are out of the question--which make Facebook a cleaner, and more responsive website than a lot of the other trash there is online.
One of Facebook's formerly original features was the "Status Update," which has since then been ripped off by MySpace, with the only original feature they have being people's moods. It doesn't really end there, though. The popularity of the Status Update has allowed a new website to come onto the scene that was developed last summer--Twitter.
Twitter is simple. All you do on that site is update your status by answering the age-old question, "What are you doing?" Now, Twitter has been installed into pretty much everyone's phones and mobile devices, with people Twittering left and right. In Twitter, instead of friends, you have followers, and you also have the option of following other people.
How does this relate to the new Facebook? Well, Facebook has taken a page out of MySpace's book by trying to eliminate the competition by joining in with the fun. For an example, sign up for your own Twitter feed and compare the homepages of both sites. They look pretty darn similar.
The change with Facebook isn't as drastic as the change that was made in late 2008, but now, instead of doing a re-design, they just changed the streamlined experience. A traditional homepage with Live Feed would tell us who wrote on other people's walls. While we still have that option, it's been changed to Person 1 > Person 2 "wall message here." This all just adds more awkwardness to the pages.
The most noteworthy change is in the profiles. Previously, in order to update your status, you had to clear it and then type it in. Now, it's a lot harder to differentiate your status and a wall post, so when you change your status--it makes it look like you wrote on your own wall.
So this is what we've come to. The new Facebook isn't lame... it just makes us look more lame than we are.
Thanks for making me realize I'm lame, Facebook. I'm going go Twitter now.
Posted in
Facebook,
MySpace,
Social Networking,
Twitter
|
Written on 12:09 AM by DRV
I've added another member to my electronic family today.
Over the passed 12 months, I've picked up the Wii, another PlayStation 2, a second DS Lite due to the first being broken, a crappy prepaid cell phone, and an iPod touch. Add a MacBook to that list.
I see this investment as something I'll really cherish. It's just that the timing was quite questionable. The biggest problem with my first laptop, the Dell Inspiron 1501, was that it was oftentimes unresponsive. Why? Because it only had 512 MB of RAM. When I found out that was an issue, I bought two 1 GB RAM cards to update it to 2 GB. Huge difference, and the Dell is a better laptop because of it.
But whatever, the battery is still lame. It's my fault since I kept the thing plugged in, but still. 3 minutes? Hardly worth anybody's time.
This MacBook already comes equipped with 2 GB of RAM, a hard drive that's double the size of my old Dell, and it just gives me more options quite due to the fact that it's a Mac. Why does it give me more options? Because now, I have two laptops of opposing operating systems. I wouldn't be surprised if I bought a Unix system soon--just kidding.
I'll leave you guys with a few pics of this happiness. But if you're my friend on Facebook, you've probably already seen them.
There it is, first being open.
Talk about green packaging.
Here's one more look at the POS1501.
Posted in
Apple,
DS,
iPod,
MacBook,
PSP
|
Written on 12:40 AM by DRV
In case you guys don't already know, Gamer 2.0 is in charge of a blog site called SmashPad. The staff at Gamer 2.0 is full of young guys who definitely know their way around the industry, and they write down-to-earth pieces when it comes to covering video games. SmashPad gives the staff a chance to provide more opinion and commentary for their readers, and it also provides for more social interaction for their readers.
Last week I had two blogs published, one is about the lack of a Wii Classic Controller Pro in the United States, and the other is about the upcoming release of the Nintendo DSi.
Definitely give them a read when you get a chance!
- DRV
Written on 5:51 PM by DRV
Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been very busy with both school and the things I've been doing with Akbayan. It's been a pretty crumby week so far with my car's battery dying, and Dancing with the Seniors not being as great as I had originally planned and hoped.
Anyway, here are a couple reviews I've had published at Gamer 2.0.
The first is a review of Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride. It's a remake of an SNES classic that wasn't released in the United States--so unless you're a hardcore Dragon Quest fan, odds are this will be a new experience. It's actually really good game that arguably might be the best RPG on the Nintendo DS. (It's definitely up there with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy IV).
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride Review
The second is a review of Blue Dragon Plus. Blue Dragon was an RPG that was released on the Xbox 360 a couple years ago but had lackluster reviews because of its apparent dedication to old-school gaming--which necessarily isn't a bad thing. Actually, I think Blue Dragon was a solid Xbox 360 game. Other than that, Blue Dragon Plus is a very different experience because it's a RTS in the same vain as Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. While Blue Dragon Plus is pretty solid, it's really not worth buying at full price, especially with games like Big Bang Mini, Dragon Quest V, and Fire Emblem already out this year.
Blue Dragon Plus Review
My next review will be on Legacy of Ys: Books I & II, also a remake for the Nintendo DS.
Posted in
DS,
Gamer 2.0,
Handheld Review
|
Written on 1:30 AM by DRV
Another extremely addictive Fire Emblem game has been released, but this time, it's a remake of the original game--something we didn't get here in North America. Much to the pleasure of others, the game stars Prince Marth (of Super Smash Bros. fame) as he attempts to save his sister and his kingdom.
You can read my review here.
Posted in
DS,
Gamer 2.0,
Handheld Review
|
Written on 11:23 PM by DRV
Standing
Free-Verse by Danreb Reyes Victorio
Standing.
Envisioning myself in a world where my brothers are not,
While they lie on the ground motionless where leaders are commanding...
Commanding them to keep fighting as bullets hit them from behind.
Falling and falling down in Bataan and Manila Bay
With no fun during every hour of the day
With absolutely no sense or say
And definitely nowhere to stay.
Standing.
But at what cost?
They were in enough of a bind.
A bind so tight that they stood along with their brothers white,
Looking for no exit.
For once, they were one,
Fighting the good fight,
Knowing one day...
Maybe one day they would be looked at under the same light...
As our founding fathers who made our nation so true.
But I awaken.
Standing.
Finding out that we are in a world, a new
World that took away everything they owned.
They wouldn't even throw them a mother ****in bone.
Even our fears over the years,
The bloodshed and tears
Were planned on being forgotten.
But that wouldn't happen. Not on the watch of the young.
The same people, screaming from the top of a bad lung,
"THE PEOPLE, UNITED
WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED!"
Sixty years, we waited for change.
It took that long for the higher-ups to pay them back in a range
That didn't even equal minimum wage.
Sixty years, we waited for change.
The lolos kept dying, we waited so long.
We waited so long, time became more important than money.
Yes, money was scarce. No bank held a sack,
But we elected a new leader, whose skin was black.
Sixty years we waited for change.
And as our President said, it's finally here.
Standing.
Right before us lies a new stimulus bill.
Being ready to go through Capital Hill.
The time has finally come
To pay our loved ones one by one.
To find that our goal has finally been reached.
The confidence is back with no sense of breach.
All we want now is recognition.
But this is my premonition.
Standing.
The visions that appear on one and another.
One eye sees closure.
The other eye sees an opening.
One eye closed.
The other open.
Open to recognition.
Open to recognizing the ones who fought and died.
The ones who did not rot and did not hide.
The ones who stayed silent as their kids did the talking.
The same talking that the government didn't even find shocking.
Standing.
Here on the stage were my colleague spoke something he wrote
About his grandfather of whom he never spoke
With the people of our small community who finally cared to wonder...
And that ISANG BAKSAK unleashing our curious thunder.
---
While my piece was nothing great, the recent news about the World War II Philippine Veterans finally receiving their benefits (provided Obama signs the bill) that were taken away from them during Truman's term hit a soft spot for me. It's been a while since I've wrote any form of poetry. The last meaningful poem I wrote was for the girl I've always loved but let go and before that the last poem I wrote was in dedication to the accomplishments of the great Cesar Chavez--yes, even though it was Phillip vera Cruz who first approached him about a union.
It took sixty years for it to happen. It took the falling of our economy for it to happen. It took a black President for it to happen.
But at least it did happen.
All we need now is to recognized what they did. So please, to all of you reading this who have no idea who who you are. Embrace your surroundings. Remain proud of where you came from. Accept where you are.
When I first learned about how this whole ordeal happened, I was indifferent. But when it was finally time to talk to an actual, real-life veteran, it truly opened my eyes to see how patient and humble these elderly men were. There I was, in an impatient mood, wondering what cultural dance I'd learn next... while there was a pleasant old man in front of me wearing his Veteran's cap and the purple hearts he had tucked in front of his pocket. To think that the benefits he had were taken away. To think that he wasn't even going to be recognized for his accomplishments as a guerilla fighter under the U.S. flag. If I were in his shoes, I would be disgusted... but he wasn't.
Even if you're not Filipino, we've been given a chance to change the world. Look at the sense of community around you. Even with how strong it is, we have to make it stronger. That all begins with you. The people. The meat of the community. Stay in tune with what makes you you. Because if you know your history, you know yourself.
The worst part is forgetting.
Posted in
akbayan,
Community,
Fil-Am,
SJSU,
Veterans
|
Written on 2:02 PM by DRV
I wrote a couple handheld reviews, and they have just now been published at Gamer 2.0. Check them out when you get a chance.
PSP Review - Star Ocean: Second Departure (8.2)
DS Review - Big Bang Mini (9.3)
Both games were released in late January and have received favorable scores from me. I've never given a 9.3 in a couple years, so Big Bang Mini is definitely worth some big bang for your $20. Buy it as soon as you can afford it.
Posted in
DS,
Gamer 2.0,
Handheld Review,
PSP
|
Written on 2:13 PM by DRV
Hey guys, when you have the time, you should come by some of the Community events I'm helping Akbayan organize and plan out. February is a month with two small-time, yet awesome events, so come check them out!
First, we've got the Know Your Rights Workshop led by Marlo Custodio. Marlo is a buddy of mine who graduated locally from Evergreen Valley High School in 2007. He's currently attending De Anza College and is a very active member in other non-profit Fil-Am organizations such as the Filipino Youth Coalition and FOCUS. Marlo is also one of the heads of the Justice for Custodios group, which is dedicated to fighting the issue of mindless police brutality due to an issue that occurred to him and his family in 2007.
It'll take place immediately after the General Meeting, so I suggest Akbayan members going to that meeting stay for the workshop. He's a very passionate speaker, so I'm sure everyone attending will be enlightened.
Next week, Akbayan is also hosting its annual Poker Tournament, where the profits made go directly to a good cause! Bring your money and poker face, because this is going to be quite an event.
There will be light refreshments served, but it is advised that you bring your own snacks to share.
If anybody has any additional questions about the events, you can contact me or Angelica Cortez.
- Danreb
An Akbayan Chair of Community and Political Affairs
Posted in
akbayan,
Community,
Fil-Am,
FYC,
school,
SJSU
|
Written on 1:17 PM by DRV
Sorry for the lack of updates. But as anyone can tell, I've been more active with the blog as of late. If you didn't notice, this is a brand new layout. While I didn't make it, I just found it kind of cool. It's also easier to navigate than it was before. Yeah, there's ads now, but hey--it's not like we're not all trying to make a little extra money on the side.
I haven't been doing much as of late because I have a pretty bad cough. I've been OD'ing on Robitussin, DayQuil, and NyQuil, but nothing seems to be working. Hopefully I can get passed this cough soon though.
I've just been catching up on old-school gaming... if you can call it that. I've been playing Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES and the original God of War on the PlayStation 2, because I've never gotten around to them. I've also been pretty addicted to Big Bang Mini on the DS (which I should have a review up on Gamer 2.0 within the week).
Starting today, I'll be working four straight 4-hour closing shifts at H&M. Seems like a drag, but money is money.
Anyway, to the real reason this blog was posted. Check this video out; it's the trailer for the new Street Fighter movie. It's starring Kristin Kreuk (from Smallville fame) as Chun-Li. I know she's been in a FEW action scenes in Smallville (I stopped watching), but it's a little alarming to see her taking the role of Chun-Li.
Whatever, I might watch it anyway. Why? Duh. Who doesn't love Kristin Kreuk? I personally hope they have as much fan service as possible. 8-)
Posted in
Chun-Li,
DS,
Kristin Kreuk,
Movies,
PS2,
Street Fighter
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Written on 3:41 PM by DRV
Over the passed week, I've gotten really involved with Bleacher Report.
For those of you who don't know what Bleacher Report is, it's a website for sports fans to write articles and columns for just about any sport imaginable. It's managed by actual sports writers, and it allows you to be interactive with others who have similar sports-related interests.
It's good if you want to get a jump-start on a columnist career or something.
Here are a couple that have been recently published.
Packers Off-Season Shuffle
An Article about what the Packers have done and should be doing to prepare for their new 3-4 defense.
Favre Needs to Atone For His Sins
A Brett Favre piece.
Posted in
Capers,
Favre,
NFL,
Packers
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Written on 10:21 AM by DRV
The 2008-2009 NFL season hasn't even ended yet. We're just days away from Super Bowl XLIV, the big match between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals, but with all the recent hires happening in Green Bay, there is reason to be somewhat excited for this off-season.
Over this passed month, we've seen Green Bay Head Coach Mike McCarthy fire his entire defensive staff (with the exception of Winston Moss, Assistant Head Coach / Linebackers) in an attempt to bring the Packers a new defensive identity. Replacing Bob Sanders, who now will be coaching the Bills' line over at Buffalo, is Dom Capers--a supposed mastermind of the 3-4 defense who is largely responsible for Pittsburgh's current, aggressive 3-4 style.
While most of the signings of the defensive staff haven't been put to the public eye yet, we now know of most of the hires made.
Defensive Coordinator - Dom Capers
Defensive Line - Mike Trgovac
Linebackers (Outside) - Kevin Greene
Linebackers (Inside) - Winston Moss
Secondary (Corners) - UNFILLED
Secondary (Safeties) - Darren Perry
While it's not necessarily an all-star group, this is arguably the most experienced group to coach a phase in Packers history. Aside from the track record Capers has in quickly turning around a porous defense, the Packers now have Mike Trgovac (Carolina's former defensive coordinator) teaching a Packers defensive line that has a lot of potential talent, a favorite in Winston Moss coming back, and Darren Perry--a former DB's coach in Oakland and Pittsburgh who is supposedly largely responsible for developing two impact players in Nnamdi Asomugha and Troy Polamalu.
Kevin Greene is another interesting hire because he was an NFL star before he retired nine years ago, known for his ferocious hits on the field and the way his aggressive nature pumped up his teammates. Kevin Greene will be coaching a group of players that includes A.J. Hawk, Nick Barnett, Desmond Bishop, Brandon Chillar, Brady Poppinga, and even Aaron Kampman--the great defensive end who is projected to move to OLB as a pass rushing specialist.
When watching Packers games over the last few years, it seems that no player has stood out and shown that he can be a truly feared player. The Packers defense has always been full of potential, but maybe "Mean" Kevin Greene can finally let the Packers play with some passion. I know fans last year went crazy in the NFC Divisional Playoffs when Atari Bigby continuously laid down the meat almost every single down. If the Packers were suddenly a truly aggressive defense, fans would have something to really enjoy after the departure of Favre.
But with all these recent hires on the defensive side of the ball, is that a sign of things to come in free agency? There's been rumors going out that part of the reason why we shifted to the 3-4 and brought in Mike Trgovac was to help lure Julius Peppers over to the Pack. While that may be interesting, I'm one of the few that would be indifferent to that notion. Julius Peppers is a great player, but the guy is built for the 4-3 through and through, and he's really pushing it if he thinks he can move into it freely.
Besides, defensive linemen in the 3-4 are paid nowhere near the amount they'd make while in the 4-3, so that is definitely something to take note of.
Here are some Free Agents that Ted Thompson should be looking at to help with the 3-4 transition:
Dunta Robinson, CB -- Houston Texans
Bart Scott, LB -- Baltimore Ravens
Terrell Suggs, DE/LB -- Baltimore Ravens
Chris Canty, DE -- Dallas Cowboys
Albert Haynesworth, DT -- Tennessee Titans
While only two of them (Haynesowrth, Suggs) are bonafide NFL superstars, the rest are high-effort players that Ted Thompson likes. Robinson could be an interesting look because Dom Capers liked him a lot while coaching in Houston.
The player I think will really end up being a Packer is Chris Canty, because he played some good football in Dallas, and with Kampman probably moving to linebacker, we need another high motor player at the defensive line to complement a healthy Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett.
But before we even talk about such signings, let's at least enjoy the Super Bowl.
Posted in
Capers,
NFL,
Packers
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Written on 9:41 AM by DRV
Classes include...
(3) JOUR 61 -- Print for Online, Magazines
(3) ADV 91 -- Introduction to Advertising
(3) GEOL 3 -- Planet Earth
(3) MCOM 63 -- New Media
(1) MCOM 64Y - Sec. 6 -- Web Design / Photoshop
(1) MCOM 64Y - Sec. 7 -- Adobe Flash Workshop
(1) MCOM 64Y - Sec. 8 -- Digital Audio/Video Workshop
(3) MCOM 70 -- Visual Communications
(1) KIN 34A -- Beginning Social Dance
That's uhh... 19 units. 1 more than my usual load. I blame PE, really.
Originally, I only wanted to take 16 units, but those MCOM 64Y units made me think otherwise. The original intention was to have my Mondays and Wednesdays as clear as possible, because I'm trying to get more hours at H&M. This looks like it'll be a really demanding semester, and the only way to help get through it is money. It's the average life of a college student. You go through a pretty tough day, so what do you do? Buy stuff. We're in a recession, but the only way to get out of the recession is to get out and spend.
Aside from those classes, this is also my second semester as Community Affairs Chair with Angelica. We got a lot of events to sort and plan out... among these include:
- Poker Night
- Know Your Rights with Marlo Custodio
- Dancing with the Seniors 2.0
- Community Conference
- SOMA SF Tour
- Bataan Day Memorial
- [TOP SECRET ULTRA COOL COMMUNITY EVENT]
Half are plain and half are awesome. I'm gonna do what I can to make the plain ones totally stick out, so make sure you go to some (or all) of these wonderful events. Remember, everybody is part of the community, and only the ones who know their role are the ones truly pulling their weight.
Oh yes, and Akbayan will be hosting their 21st Annual Pilipino Cultural Night this year, and I am a part of PCN Core. I'll be handling Media with Anne, which is totally cool because Anne totally knows what she's doing.
And I have a solo in the Maria Clara suite. Super special awesome.
But why is this my first "real" semester? Well, aside from the fact that I'm doing a lot of stuff, this is the first time where the classes might actually affect me. I'm not one known for studying. I just pass because I rely on listening to the professor and the fact that my common sense is pretty much kickass. But lately, I've been reading. I don't even do that, so right now, I'm surprised.
I'll be using this semester to decide between Magazine Journalism and Advertising, but lately I've been thinking of moving to the marketing side of business as well.
*sigh* I should've gone undeclared.
Posted in
Advertising,
akbayan,
Journalism,
school
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