Half way through the Winter Quarter

Hey readers!

I know I've been kinda not on updating you on things, I have been busy staying focused on school and work and doing new projects.  One of the new projects I've taken up is creating a gaming channel on YouTube.  It is about me and my friends from Xbox playing games together and sharing funny moments that happen.  Great game that happens in is Grand Theft Auto V.   Link to YouTube Channel  Also This quarter starts the more challenging subjects like Microprocessors and Microcontrollers, also getting into Electronics communications.  Very interesting subject matter.  I should provide pictures and videos if I can.

Iowa's weather hasn't been pleasant to say the least.  What cranks me a bit is the people who seem to not understand that when we have a sudden 40 degree day that the next few days later will be really snowy and below zero.  I do advise that people pay attention to the weather systems that afflict this state during the winter.  A sudden warm up isn't a sign of early spring.  Just remember that its still January and that its supposed to be frigid.  Don't travel when its bad.  If you do spin your wheels.... lay off the gas pedal and let the tires do the work they were designed to do.

Thank you and I hope to provide more material soon.

Been taking a break... sorry

Hello!

Sorry if anyone has been wondering if I either gave up or just haven't posted yet.  The truth is, I've hit a block where I don't know what to write about or just share about.  School has my focus at the moment but I will post when I find something.  If anyone wants me to write about something let me know!

Thank you!

Tech is great but does not last

Hello!  Tonight I find out that my controller for xbox 360 is broken :(.....  Not like destroyed broken but one crucial piece of the functionality is busted on it. I discovered it while playing battlefield 4.  I was getting upset as to why my guy wasn't sprinting on command.  After several failed attempts at sprinting my friends on live suggested it wasn't the game but actual controller failure. The part I am talking about that makes a character on Battlefield 4 or any game with sprint is the clicking of the left stick.  I click and no sprint.  Taking consideration of my LIVE friends suggestion i switched controllers and indeed thats what the problem was.

So with all that said and done.  All things manufactured and produced in the world doesn't last forever as much as we want it to it won't.  Unless you preserve it into an unusable state but thats beside the point.  Regular care for what we own in technology whether be a cellphone, game console, PC/Laptops, TVs, they need care just like we do.  

As a gamer I know how hard that can be when we rage over stupid things and we all do it.  I've heard reports of things where controllers are thrown across rooms, thrown at TVs.  Thrown out windows simply because of natural reaction to the rage of the game.  Me I haven't done that at all.  I have more control than that.  But this isn't about me just a concern out there for most people who know that electronics can be fragile.  As great of magic they are to humanity, they can break easily.  My controllers simply get old and fail.  Only damage I do to them is using them and occasionally dropping them on the hardwood floor in my room.  I've chipped pieces of the Sticks off from dropping it.  I try but it happens.  

Heres a picture of the "broken" controller, looks ok, works fine for games that don't need you to click the left stick for anything.  The left stick does "click"  but nothing happens.  I'm thinking that the spring or the part that bounces the button of the left stick has worn out from wear and tear from usage from excess sprinting on the map.

So yes just be mindful when your electronics get old, components will fail.  Don't fault them just remember they need care like we do to.  When they fail you can either be skilled in electronics and fix it yourself or you can just throw it away and purchase a new one.  Economically you can throw it away and buy another for a more cost effective way and plus it wont void any product warranty.  With the Xbox One coming out I don't know if the 360 controllers are still up in price but I think they will drop in price in favor of making more money with the xbox one controllers.  Those my friends are a whole new generation of gaming control.  That will be in a new post coming soon.

As always thank you for reading.  If you want to know more about the xbox one or just the controller let me know in the comments section below.  Also subscribe if you haven't already done so.

Thank you!

Battlefield 4

Hey readers, I'm back.  I've been busy with school work and work and catching up on the latest video game.  Mostly the newest one released yesterday Battlefield 4.

The game play image above is from a site showing footage from the reveal at E3.

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2013/06/10/e3-2013-battlefield-4-multiplayer/

I will say that this game is incredible.  It blows battlefield 3 out of the water, and also it will out do call of duty ghosts or any call of duty for that matter.  But as with all opinions be sure to research before you buy or when making your informed decision.  This game also has the next interation of the frostbite engine the frostbite 3.  If you wanted realism you have it.  Buildings collapse on a much larger scale, the skyscraper in the pic above can come down with well placed rpg shots at the 4 pillars on the waterfront.  The objectives on game types can be mobile on trains and change position after the building falls over.  Few new game types,  one similar to call of duty's search and destroy.

Again another picture from the same E3 coverage webpage.  This pic depicts the skyscraper collapse on the shanghai map.

One major con for this game but also it does add to the realism of the game is when you tactical reload or when you reload with bullets left in the clip, you lose those residual bullets.  So you kill a guy and quick reload and you had lets say 15 bullets out of a 31 clip you lose those 15 bullets.  So you need to be mindful when you are keeping track of how much ammo you use and lose.  You can burn through ammo quick if you aren't ready or not used to this feature.

Other than that Battlefield 4 is awesome, I do recommend for anyone over the age of 18 to pick up and play.  It is 59.95 plus tax.

So I will get back to you with new games or new info about any new tech I may come across.  With that thank you for reading.  Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't.  Post a comment if you wish.

Back to normal

Well the outcome of the toolkit didn't end the way I was expecting.  But it did end the way things always do in life, nothing happens and things return to normal.  I talked with the department head and got another toolkit and he gave me stuff that I needed to have in my kit because the toolkit i received was picked a part by other students.  But it does give me a fresh start.

I purchased a "dog tag" from the vending machine at wal-mart in the pet section and put my name a phone on it.  I'm also going to put a lock on it too.

Getting back to normal...  What does that mean anyway?  Webster's Dictionary states normal as:  conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern.  Meaning that all the unusual circumstances and happenings just stop and the usual everyday mundane things return to their regular "normal patterns?  I suppose so.  I guess the normal for me is being at school and having catch-up work to complete by the end of the quarter.

I mean that is ok.  Lots of other students have fallen into this situation, work and family are still first and secondly homework is whats left and with many of us who have this that is the way of life.  As for me, yes I do have family, and yes I do have work.  But I am also a single person but my family is my xbox live gaming community I am part of.  Being disconnected from that is just like ignoring family at home or in life.  I do turn off the xbox and do work.

So yeah, I will succeed.  I like to talk positive to myself so that I myself can believe I can do things.  If your self-talk is all "i can't" or "im not good enough" just stop it right there.  If you don't believe in yourself then you wont do what you originally set out to do to accomplish your task.  Just say to yourself, "I will do it" "I am good"  "I can do this"  "I know this"  It will help you.  If not or if any of this has helped let me know in the comments section.  

As always thank you for reading!  Please subscribe if you want more.  Let me know what you think.

Case of the Missing Tool Kit

As you all may know from the last post that my tool kit box was stolen or misplaced by a classmate.  Well the person I thought took it wasnt the one.  I kinda rattled his cage a bit so I could be sure.  Turns out the other guy I am suspecting and is really good at putting an innocent front on at times might have taken it.  Because when I was raising hell and figuring out what was going on the kid I first thought didn't have his kit either and returned it.

I'm just getting really tired of nobody confessing up to the crime.  I am going to rattle the next guy's cage next.  (I am not disclosing names here because it isn't right to accuse falsely and to embarrass somebody over the internet)  I'd rather end things peacefully and let the other parties know I am not to be messed with anymore.

Also.... If anything else if nobody coughs up the kit, I'll just go to the dean and purchase another one.  Add it to my ever growing debt.  Isn't a thing I want to do.  $500 is still a lot of money to me and taking on the extra expense because of stupidity doesn't make any sense.  Please somebody tell me it does because it does not to me.  I'd rather not spend more than I have to.

At a point of safety please anyone else who has had this problem, I sympathize with you.  But we must exercise caution and make sure you know where your tools are at all times, not just tools, personal items, laptops, smartphones, school bag, etc.  Simple step of the tools anyone should exercise, is to put a key lock on it.  Put an adequate label on it if not your own name but something you can identify you stuff with.  As far as laptops goes.... don't let it out of your sight.  Anything else if it does get stolen, it can be replaced.  Things can be replaced.  Don't risk you life over a smartphone or tools.

What I can say is leave the childish playground games in the past.  This is the present and we must all just grow up.  I believe one of the goals of this school is that we all work together.  I believe in working together for a common goal and only compete where it needs it.

Want to say thank you for reading and subscribe if you already haven't already.

Thanks!

Have some respect people!

Hey, this is going to be one of the heated posts I am going to put up.  Because of the nature of what happened to me last week.  I had my tool box stolen while I was at school.  I mean this is a tool kit for my electronics classes that is charged in my tuition for $500.  I'm not happy.  I think its because of this classmate in my electronics class this quarter.  He simply has no respect for other people or their property. He likes to talk like hes so cool and big.  I get that.  We all do this in a way or another.

This kid is also one of those who is super tall and seems to get away with things.  Not today I'm not one of those guys who just lets people get away with crap like this.  Im sure many of you will agree with me that when somebody messes with you, you want to get back at them or teach them a lesson of not to mess with you.

Some of you are thinking I am going to resort to violence.  I am not I am going to simply be very firm even have a tone of voice that I am a little pissed off about it and see about getting my tools back.  It may be a I jusimple oops my bad and hand me back my tools.  I'm always prepared for a conflict either arguing or just a simple misunderstanding.  I just want to express that I don't like getting messed with and no further bullying shall occur.  I really don't stand for any form of bullying online or in person.  

If anyone should see somebody bullying others, either kids or even your workplace you should get ahold of someone who can talk to or handle the situation.  Because nobody should go through life with a bully.  I did and overcame them.  I'm real passionate about bullying and how to stop it.

A victim of a bully tends to not want to talk about whats going on for fear that the bully will bully him or her harder or that telling on someone is a bad thing.  When in fact if somebody of authority to stop it knows and can do something about it they will.  If they don't or wont listen to you, you need to talk to the school principal or a manager at work who can talk to the person.  Its hard to see a person endure things like this.  In the days where I was the victim I never knew who to talk to because it would seem they wouldn't listen or the bully would instantly know what I did and bully me harder.

Sometimes the bully doesn't know that he or she is doing the bullying.  But most of the time they do know and they enjoy doing it because it makes them feel good.  Sometimes people can bully out of pressure from others.  Its a vicious cycle.  The victims need to know that they have support and people to talk to and people who are willing to listen to them and to cheer them up.  Because I didn't have that support.  People always assumed I was just being a wuss.

If only those same kids now grown up could see me now.

So take it from me and just have some common sense and to use that brain a little bit harder ok?

Thank you and as always thank you for reading!  Subscribe if you already haven't!