Sunday, March 2, 2014

Why The Last of Us Will Never Die?

CALIFORNIA, United States - What does it feel like to be in a Zombie apocalypse? Rather, what will it be like when the world ends? We will never know exactly how this world ends, but thank technology, we can now see a possible glimpse of that terror with our very own eyes -- I am talking about video games.
The Last of Us' Ellie and Joel
Post-apocalyptic themes are not uncommon. They were always the most favorite themes of top selling movies, video games and TV shows. And the latest, after The Walking Dead, that captured my attention is Naughty Dog's The Last of Us. In fact, I bought a Playstation 3 just to experience this work of wonder. A perfect combination of how relationships are crucial part of survival.


The Last of Us is not your ordinary 3rd person shooter game with zombies. It's more than that. And you will never know how good this game is until you play it.


The gloomy setting of The Last of Us is disturbing. It hurts to see every piece of thing in this game. Everything has a story. From a man who killed himself by hanging because he didn't want to "turn," to a boy's diary that tells us a story of how he lost his dog; these little stories stabbed the hearts of all gamers who witnessed them.


You'll never feel so alone.
The game is more than a game. It's full of hair-raising moments that I've never felt before -- from a clicker (a man who turned) lurking around the corner, to a bandit talking about how Joel (main character) should be hunted and executed. It's crossing the thin line between cure and doom. And never did a game become so alive as this that even the characters' habits are shown randomly. 

What makes this game so unique is how you can be exaggeratedly attached to the main characters. It's living their lives that makes it so special and how you are molded by their world by seeking the truth behind the catastrophe. You will emotionally glue yourself to them as the story advances. And there is nothing like it. The feeling is so surreal that there is a tiny piece of you dying everytime the screen turns black for a second.


The Last of Us will forever live in the hearts of those who have gone through the same horror Joel and Ellie have gone through. Simply because this game will touch your soul while it brings you to a world of despair. Even so, it is a game worth experiencing as it is life changing. You can never be as disturbed or moved by a post-apocalyptic game as The Last of Us did to me and to the rest of the gaming community. 


Observe and you will see how our lives now are taken for granted and this game teaches us how living and surviving can be dying at same time. This games teaches us that the world is cruel and in order to survive we have find the right person and the right opportunity.

The game is more than fiction. It is either a glimpse of the future or the representation of humanity today - cruel, dirty and scary. It's a gateway to the darkest horror and at the same time an escape route away from reality.


Rule number 1: Shoot or be shot.
Afterall, the world should end.. It definitely will. Humans will not forever be on this planet.. There will be that time that people must face extinction. And we should thank goodness that we are not living in that ultimate terror.. Imagine, no food, no electricity, and no life.. We are so damn lucky. Too bad for the future people. The future people who we will call the last of us. The last of us who have to experience the same hell that only we felt in our darkest dreams.

TheWalkingJed™ (c) 2014. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.

Lazada Online Shopping Review

QUEZON CITY, Philippines - Ever heard of Lazada? From the way it sounds, more like a law firm. But no it's not. Lazada.com.ph is bringing online shopping to us, the Filipinos. All you have to do is to go to the website, order, and wait for it to be delivered right to your doorstep.
Lazada's logo is a shopping cart
 with (seems like) flying soap bars above it.

Lazada according to them is the Philippines’ number one online shopping site. Lazada boasts their offering of a wide array of products and provides convenient online shopping experience with its nationwide shipping, warranties, 14-day returns policy, and easy payment options. Lazada says that consumers can shop anytime and anywhere for books, electronics, phones & accessories, computers, home & living, hardware, home appliances, toys, kids & babies, travel and luggage, beauty, jewelry & watches, fashion, and sports.

I was actually excited to try online shopping although it's not the first time I've purchased something that was delivered to me. I always find it hassle-free to have anything delivered to you (except death threats -- nobody likes that)! A few years back, the only things we could have delivered to our doorsteps were imported goods from international sellers and they took ages to reach us! But thanks to this, from how I call it, Lazada-trend, we could now buy ordinary items without going to the shopping mall!

Right to review? I am a customer. Three things I ordered so far: a pair of Grosby sneakers, a Sony LiveView watch, and a Samsung 32MB memory card. Legit now? Let's rate Lazada!

VARIETY: 9/10

Name it, they have it! I am baffled by the "wide array of products" Lazada offers. Imagine having dildos to chocolate fountains. That's impressive!


The LiveView I ordered.

PRICES: 7/10

Seven is the fairest I could give. There are products I find to be cheap and products I find to be a bit too pricey. For example: the 32GB Samsung microSD card with an adapter is only PHP1030. That's cheap -- I believe. But an Optimum Nutrition 6lbs of Serious Mass (protein and calorie shake) is PHP2300. I bought twice as much (12lbs) for only PHP1500 from a legit seller online -- so this time, it's a no no.

PAYMENT METHOD: 9/10

Again, it would be perfect if I could pay directly from BPI or BDO online banking like in a form of billpayment. They offer cash on delivery which is fine but I am not really comfortable having money in my wallet -- paranoid of it being lost or worried about overspending (plus I am a fan of virtual money.. lol) Other payment methods are through Paypal, credit/debit cards and Megalink.

SECURITY: 10/10

Well, they are PCI DSS approved. Your credit card info is safe.


DELIVERY: 9/10

Delivery via LBC, Lex or 2GO. These couriers are trusted so there wouldn't be a problem. You will also receive a text from one their delivery guys. If oyu are not available, just prepare them an ID and an authorization letter.


TIMELINESS: 8/10

I would give it a perfect 10 but the points I deducted is for inconsistency. There are items delivered the next day and there are delivered a few days later. And mind you, the items are delivered separately, at least for my experience. No matter how they are paid or how many products there are in your cart before checking out, each will be delivered individually. I guess it's because they are coming from different sources which is understandable. The only drawback is that they could ruin your sleep for a couple of days -- if you sleep in the morning.

QUALITY: 8/10

Well, I would be specific about the quality based on the items I ordered: The Grosby sneakers were too big for me (it's my bad), though they can be returned, I decided not to. I can always sell them or give them to someone whose feet fit. There were a few stains on the white sneakers, total turn off but overall it's perfectly fine for me. The Sony Liveview watch is, of course, original -- I won't blame Lazada if I am not that happy with it because it's not Lazada's product. Finally, the Samsung memory card is awesome. Like awe--some with the capital a, so it's Awe-some.. it pretty much does it's job as a memory card.


OVERALL: 9/10


There you have it fellas. Online shopping could save you a few pesos for gasoline, or bus fare or jeepney or a few walks and the best part of it is that you have an entire day to think if you really want an item or now -- might avoid impulse buying. But just remember that even though we are transitioning to the digital era that even shopping for underwear can be done by just a few clicks, we should always consider a healthy life and one way is by walking - like what the walking Jed always does. Makes sense, doesn't it?

This is not a paid advertisement. I'd be glad if it is.. LOL

Lazada.com.ph (click to shop now!)

TheWalkingJed™ (c) 2014. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Zombies and Facts

QUEZON CITY, Philippines - Zemby Facts anyone!?










71 Gnawing Facts About . . . . (n.d.). 71 Gnawing Facts about Zombies. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://facts.randomhistory.com/zombie-facts.html

TheWalkingJed™ (c) 2014. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Samsung Galaxy S5 Thoughts

MANILA, Philippines - Samsung Galaxy S5 is here! And all I can say is "Wooow!" Samsung is really giving Apple a run for its money!

The Samsung website specifically for S5 is up.. Now, the biggest question is.. How much will it be in the Philippines? Or when exactly will it be out? Pretty sure it's reasonable - seeing how special this phone is.
Samsung S5 as advertised -- very band-aidy.

Is it a phone that we must have as a sort of a"permanent phone?" Well I was thinking that way when I got my S3.. I was like "it will be a top phone after 3 years." But I was completely wrong. It's amazing how technology updgrades in just a span of a year or two. Can't imagine how good a Samsung S15 will be or Apple iPhone 13S.

Should you upgrade from S3 to S5? I believe, yes. There are a bunch of things S3 is lagging behind like the LTE capability which is now becoming a must for new phones.

From S4 to S5? No. Not yet  Skip a generation and make most out of your phone. S4 still looks awesome! As for me, I don't freaking know what to do. I am sticking to my S3 till I'm paid with all the credit card debt. 

TheWalkingJed™ (c) 2014. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Top 10 Zombie Items

GEORGIA, United States - Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the Top 10 Zombie-related stuff you all Zombie fanatics wish to have..


10. Zombie Doorstopper 
Admit it. Doorstoppers are boring. They are solid, and pretty much does the same thing every single day -- as a doorstopper. But a Zombie doorstopper changes everything.. I feel the pain... 

9. Zombie Slippers
You might find the item below similar to your feet with the slippers on. Get that pedicure please! 

8. Zombie Bedroom Slippers
Yes. They are lovely. No other comment.

7. Zombie Bookshelf
Since I love books, this must be included. Isn't this awesome?! 

6. Zombie Garden Gnomes
I don't own a garden. Not into gardening.. But seeing these little critters make me want to starting planting grass (if they are even planted.)

5. Zombie Bottle Opener
Booze willl never be fun without this!! 
4. Zombie Plastic Men
Yes.. These are the perfect enemies of your army men diorama.
3. Zombie Bedsheet
Not for girls. Because you'll never know if that bloodstain is the design or yours. LOL
2. Zombie RC
I love RC's (choppers, cars and boats) but none can be compared to this bomb!
1. Zombie Penholder
This is really, really clever. I'd like to have one of these!


Now, if you are wondering where to get these, you may visit www.fancy.com and order from there. Mmkay?

If you have any other zombie stuff you wish to share, holler at the comment section below, zombie baby..


TheWalkingJed™ (c) 2014. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Choosing A Call Center to Work With in The Philippines

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines' call center industry is undoubtedly a massive money maker for the benefit of the economy -- with that, we are talking about billions of dollars. A growing industry means options, and with options, we are talking about really good options. There are probably call centers in every city in the Philippines, thank Filipinos for having English as an official language. Sadly, there are many agents who are called hoppers -- employees who resign to apply to another call center. For what reason? I don't freaking know exactly why.


Photo by contrapart
I know I am not a call center expert. I haven't even in this industry for more than two years, but I am an observer. Luckily I got out of being an agent on my 365th day (thanks promotion.) By doing that, I was able to see a lot of possibilities and trends; and even the bad and the ugly.

Call centers are not temporary jobs. They are not there for the new grads to feast on and later forget because of a "better career opportunity." It's actually a great way to grow and start a career. And many do not understand this just because call center agents are usually stereotyped as how they are being stereotyped by the public. You know what I am talking about, don't you? But trust me, it's not an easy job. It never was. It's not as easy as it is. It's a network of the corporate world plus the manpower all in - working like a jetplane's engine.

Call centers are not "a boss and employees" type of company. It consists of departments with amazing expertise of their own. You'll be amazed as how intelligent the call center people are.

So, let's get going.. what are the factors to consider to find the right call center spot? IF you want to grow with the company.

1. SALARY
Of course it's the dough. Call centers have VERY stressful environment and you should make sure you are paid your worth. The lowest basic (exclusding the allowance) pay that I heard for virgins (not coconut, but people who have no call center experience at all) is PHP 12000 (265 USD/month) That's a decent basic, isn't it? But hey, doesn't mean you have to stick to the one with the highest offer -- just make sure that you are paid properly. The tougher the job the bigger the pay, it is! As the song says "It's not about the money."

2. ENVIRONMENT
Like what I was saying, the call center environment is a force to be reckoned with! All credit goes to it's stressful nature. You have to have a tough heart and thick skin in order to last. This is Sparta! Kidding aside, I believe one of the biggest factors why people stay in the centers is the environment. We are talking about the facilities, the mood, the stress-level and all those things, you know. The first time you stepped in, you'd know what I am talking about. There is always that feeling coming from your comfort-internal-organ saying "This place is home!"

3. PEOPLE
Check the people. Are they nice? Are they living in negativity? Are they all happy? This is important because what the people around you feel gives you a hint of what the company's state is. The negative they are, chances are the company is, too. Make sure you stay away from politics and make sure it's not a problem of the company. Politics in companies is something we all must accept that is kinda irremovable. It is there whether we like it or we liked it or we likeded it. So just make super sure you are working in a callcenter with the best people and bossess with or without politics.

4. GROWTH
Heard about the 10-year old employee Johnny who's still an agent? And in that 10 years all the bossess were outsourced? It's not a good news! Although it's nice that Johnny is loyal, isn't it weird that after 10-freaking years he is still an agent?! And all the promotions were given to outsiders? No way, Jose! Make sure that people are growing because if they are not, there's a big chance that you will not too! If it's career growth you are looking for, make sure it's implemented by the company or else you'll be a fossil employee -- too good to be discovered underneath the soil of the forgotten.

5. LOCATION
I believe this is one of the no-brainer factors we have to discuss here. I actually live 10-15 minutes away (yes, time is now a way to measure distance) from my office and I STILL complain when the traffic is heavy or the driver has to fill up the gas tank. Nobody wants to be late (unless you are talking about your death.) Anyway, make entirely sure that you are working in a call center that is transportation-able (made that up!) Don't waste 2 hours of your time on a bus or driving because if you do that, you are wasting your precious time. Trust me, sleep is one thing you'll wish can be downloaded on iTunes. It's so important to your call center life and in order to have that, you need your time! And mind you, being late won't make anyone happy.


So, that's basically it. This is just my opinion. :) I believe having positive ratings to all of these will make your call center career successful. Now you are asking where can you find a company which has all the factors mentioned? That I am not really sure. It depends on what type of person you are and by the end of the day, it's your happiness that matters. We are all different and one could be good for one and not for the other. What are you waiting for? Don't be a hopper and start adding growth to your career.

Call Me Jed™ (cc) 2014. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

10 UP Freshie Tips

QUEZON CITY, Philippines - It's a happy, jolly and merry Christmas for many 4th year students because UPCAT was just released, 2 months earlier than the usual which is around February.

 
Si Oble sa Quezon Hall
And so, today is the best time to let these new Iskolars ng Bayan to know the BEST (?) tips fresh from Twitter (or not so fresh at all - most of them were from @OverheardAtUP) on how to survive life in UP from the UPians (oooppps...) Iskos and Iskas themselves.
Tip #1
Calling yourself a UPian is forbidden.

Tip #2
Pag may nakita kayong taong naka Zorro outfit na pagala-gala, DI BALIW YAN! IDOL YAN! :D

Tip #3
Don't be pasikat with your iPad and don't make salita like this, okay?

Tip #4
If u feel stupid, okay lang yan. That's normal!

Tip #5
Feed the cats.

Tip #6
Huwag mong ipagmamalaki ang mga achievements mo nung high school.

Tip #7
Wag matakot, hindi requirement ang pagtakbo sa Oblation Run

Tip #8
Wag ma-conscious kung 'di ka naligo. Malaki ang posibilidad na 'yung katabi mo rin.

Tip #9
Laging isama ang Sting/Cobra sa listahan ng ig-grocery mo. Pwede ring kape

Tip #10
Di ibig sabihin na matalino ka, alam mo na lahat. Stay humble and put your feet flat on the floor.


Congratulations to all UPCAT passer! Mabuhay ang mga Iskolar ng Bayan!


Call Me Jed™ (cc) 2013. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.