October 2005 - Slvrdlphn.com

Battlestar Galactica 2003

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 19, 2005 | Video reviews

I’ve been marathoning Battlestar Galactica (2003) Season 1 since yesterday and I must admit I have found it quite enjoyable … and quite addictive. It isn’t even the actors that draw me but the stories themselves. I did recognize some actors from other shows/movies. Capt. Lee “Apollo” Adama (Jamie Bamber) was in Band of Brothers, Number 6 (Tricia Helfer) was Farrah Fawcett-Majors in The Charlie’s Angels Story, Lt. Karl Agathon (Tahmoh Penikett) was in Dollhouse, and Gaius Baltar (James Callis) was in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

This version is not quite a continuation of the 1978 version. It is really more of a remake. If you’ve ever watched the original version, I think you will enjoy this one, too. The difference, though, in my opinion, is that this version should have a PG-13 rating. There are a lot of sexy/sexual scenes interspersed within the show. Quite a bit of nudity. Adults, particularly adult males, will have a blast watching this show — intrigue, action sequences, and nudity — all the elements needed to attract the male audience.

Lt. Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) is one tough chick — but she is also pretty, strong, efficient, and an ace pilot.
Lt. Sharon “Boomer” Valerii (Grace Park) has a child-like beauty …. possibly because of her being Asian (Korean, I think). I speculate that she may be related to Linda Park (Ensign Hoshi Sato of Star Trek: Enterprise).
Capt. Apollo and Lt. Karl “Helo” Agathon (Tahmoh Penikett) is eye candy for the ladies.

Lucy Lawless as D’Anna Biers

A big surprise for me is the appearance of my warrior woman, Lucy Lawless, yes! This probably made me happiest. I miss Xena, Warrior Princess, so I am glad to see Lucy working again after the series ended after 6 seasons.

It doesn’t seem like Battlestar Galactica will be shown on local TV anytime soon, so for now I will have to be content with downloads. I wish more people could get to watch this, though, if only so I have more people to talk to about it.

Gravitational Anomaly

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 18, 2005 | Ponderings

Everytime I go to and from my kalimasada class in makati, I ride the train (MRT) and I’ve noticed that there is this spot that always seems to slow me down — literally!

I walk fast. Anyone who knows me and has walked with me knows that I walk fast. I walk like I am in a hurry to get somewhere, which I normally am. Not because I am late, but because I don’t like wasting time.

Right before heading up the escalator at GMA station, about 2 to 3 steps before, I always seem to slow down. You know what it feels like when you step on bubblegum? Well, that sensation but imagine your entire body getting stuck. For some reason every time I hit that spot, what would take me less than a second to pass would take me 3 seconds. It’s so weird. I thought it was just a fluke but it happens to me each and every time I pass THAT SPOT. If I walk to the left or right of it, I miss the flux.

The anomaly is such a small area … about a square foot, is all. But it is strong. But … do I sense it because it is strong? Or is it because my sensitivity has been heightened by kalimasada? Its hard to say. All I know is — I always go slow-mo over that one spot.

There is another anomaly at the steps on the northbound side of the station. For some reason, when you climb the steps that go from the 2nd level to the 3rd, it always feels like gravity is pulling you down
harder. The height of the steps is standard but on those steps … it is so difficult to lift your foot up to the next step. Again, I thought it was just me, until my mom commented on the same thing, so at least I know now that I am not imagining things. Since then, my mom and I would always take the elevator up.

Have you had a similar experience? Any gravitational anomalies in your area?

Meridian Telekoms

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 18, 2005 | Product and Service Review

Sept. 2 – I finally get my account with Meridian (wireless broadband) activated. By 10 pm connection died.

Sept. 3 – logged in at 6:30 am connection was fine. It rained, connection disappeared. Intermittent all throughout the day. 10 pm connection died. Same story for succeeding days. Every day I call the Smart wifi hotline and nothing tangible is done.

Sept. 24 – Smart wifi sends a field team to fix the problem. Problem solved and internet access is incredible

Oct. 3 – Smart wifi disconnected my service for non-payment. This is just a few days from the email sent to me by Smart WIFI billing department giving me a 1-month extension as reparation for intermittent to nil internet connection

Oct. 7 – field team comes over to fix the problem. After almost an hour of fiddling, they got it fixed, but 15 minutes after they left, the connection died again.

Oct. 12 – after daily calls to the hotline they finally send the team back to replace the antenna. After the hardware was replaced they tried to fix the connection to no avail. They left my problem unresolved. They recommended that I be migrated to canopy, and that is what I stated in my request.

Oct. 18 – again, with the daily calls. They FINALLY send the team back. This time they migrated me to canopy. So far it seems to be working, but I will have to wait and see. I’m not confident yet so I am watching the bandwidth.

From the time I signed up to now, it has been hit and miss with my internet connection. On most days it was only good enough to chat with, and not even continuously at that. Sigh. I’m hoping that I will finally get the service I paid for.

But I am hopeful because, so far, everyone else I have recommended the service to has had no problems with the service. Just me.