Posts

Posted on

Victim of a Random Car Check

Well looks like the police are doing something about the carjacking problem that has been plaguing Quezon City the past few months. Or at least trying to appear like they’re doing something about it. Police officials had been on the news admitting belatedly the problem and talking about doing something about it. More recently, they chased three alleged carjackers riding a red Nissan Sentra, cornered it, raked the car with gunfire in a supposed gunfight, and finally made sure everyone was dead. It was all in the news because a TV crew was able to record the incident. Then there was tonight.

A few moments ago, my sister and I were on the way home from Fort Bonifacio visiting relatives. As I sped [at a bit over the speed limit] along that drag racing strip between EDSA and White Plains Road, I spotted a police FX, so I immediately slowed down. Besides, I was about to make the turn towards White Plains road. As I made the turn, the cops inside the police FX started spotlighting me. I thought it was just a cursory check (Are they singling out Nissan Sentras?) so I went on and started to accelerate. But they kept spotlighting me from behind and then drew up alongside and flagged me down.

I stopped, they stopped in front of me, and two cops alighted. One was carrying an M16 (Do I look too much of a threat?). One went up to the window, the other one slightly behind him. To be fair they were polite. Said it’s a cursory check. Was about to let me go when as an afterthought, he asked for my license. I gave it to him. He then asked for my firearms license. I didn’t realize I was still carrying my license from long time ago at Malabon range so I said I didn’t have one. But he insisted. Apparently he glimpsed it from inside my wallet (Note to self: leave it at home next time).

Anyway, I realized what happened and I again opened my wallet and gave the license to him. He commented to his colleague “Glock pa to, oh.”, and then they did a more thorough check. From what I know they’re just supposed to look but not touch. But I thought I’d take the path of least resistance and cooperate so I just let them look under the seats and in the glove compartment (but they didn’t ask for the trunk to be opened). While poking around, they were asking if I have a gun with me. And I kept telling them that I don’t, I have no PTC, etc. And while this was happening my concern was what if they palmed a sachet of shabu and planted it under the seat as they were searching. Damn, was I nervous.

Suddenly, the cop looking under my seat said “Ano to?!?” My heart skipped a beat and I thought “He planted something!!!”. I was really relieved when it turned out to be my umbrella. Whew! After a few seconds, they stopped, returned my licenses, apologized for the inconvenience (to which I good naturedly said “No problem. You’re just doing your jobs.” :P), and let my sister and I go on our merry way home.

Wonder what would have happened if I had unwittingly ignored their spotlighting me and sped on as I usually do on that road. Would they have chased me? What if I they were in an unmarked vehicle and in plainclothes? Should I stop? What if I had packed my piece? What if they had planted drugs? All those things are passing through my head after the incident. Darn! What a night!

Posted on

Cruven

I first heard about Cruven from the NissanBayan forums. There’s a long running thread there about a shop called Zee Carplus and its sister company, Cruven, which are reputed to be very good with suspension and underchassis maintenance and repair.

I finally went there a few weeks ago because my front brakes were screeching, sign of brake pads that need to be replaced. In addition, there was a springy sound coming the front suspension. Once I got there, my first impression was that the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. And as a bonus, I was the first customer that day. All the mechanics were swarming around and working on the car! The following were done:
1. Replaced front rotor discs and brake pads, cleaned and lubricated front brake calipers
2. Replaced shock mount bushing – this was the source of the springy sound
3. Renovated fronts shocks – they refilled my old gas shocks and added valves for easy gas pressure adjustment. This is one of their unique services.

The end result was a firm, smooth, and relatively quiet ride. But a few days after the shock renovation, I started hearing popping noises from the front suspension and I went back to get it checked. The following were done:
1. Check popping sound from front suspension, tightened nuts and bolts, put rubber inserts on the two front stabilizer clamp bushings.
2. Checked rear drum brakes and brake shoes
3. Rebonded valve cover and distributor – engine oil was leaking out.
4. Replaced my serpentine belt – the old serpentine belt was routed erroneously by the previous shop and was squealing.

Unfortunately, the popping sound didn’t completely go away so I had to go back again after a few weeks. This time, the following were done:
1. Completely replaced the two front stabilizer clamp bushings, replaced front stabilizer link bushings, injected the front stabilizer links via their proprietary polymer injection technology. Polymer injection is another of their unique services.
2. Completely replaced the valve cover gasket – there was still some engine oil leakage.
3. Renovated rear shocks

That finally solved the popping sound. Now the ride is not only smooth and firm but also suspension-noise free!

In conclusion, I must say I’m very happy with the shop. If you’re on a budget and don’t wanna suffer highway robbery from some shops, this is the place to go to. Although I haven’t been to Zee Carplus, from what I’ve heard and read, Cruven is as good if not better. After all, they have the same technology and the staff of Cruven mostly came from Zee Carplus.

Posted on

Infernal Affair 2 and 3

This is essentially just a follow-up to my review of Infernal Affairs as I don’t intend on going through it again here. The two other movies in the series follow the same formula as the first: a police drama with a lot of twists and turns and great acting. I don’t know if all three movies were planned beforehand, but it sure looked like it. Though each can actually stand and are great on their own, the experience would be even better if you watch all of them and in sequence. It would also be less confusing that way.

Infernal Affairs 2, is a prequel to the first movie. It follows the stories of the lead characters Yan (Tony Leung) and Ming (Andy Lau) as they rose up the ranks of Sam’s organization and the police, respectively. This is while they grapple with identity issues that plague moles. As a backdrop to this is a complex and sometimes bloody struggle between and within the police and a powerful crime organization.

Infernal Affairs 3, is a sequel to the first movie. The original cast returns and picks up where the first movie left off. It follows the story of Ming as he tracks down all of Sam’s moles while grappling with his worsening identity crisis all the way to the climactic ending. As the events unfold, there are constant flashbacks to put the current event into perspective. Needless to say, this can sometimes be disconcerting and this is the most confusing of the three. Here’s where you will appreciate watching the first movie.

Rating: 4/5

Posted on

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

I was finally able to watch Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. After failed attempts to watch it during the CineManga preview and the actual CineManga festival, I finally succeeded over the looong weekend. The movie is about robots going berserk and killing people. Batou, the main character, has to find out who is behind all these killings. This seems to be a rather common theme in robot movies. The movie actually reminded me of Blade Runner and I, Robot (which I would guess is based more on Blade Runner than on Asimov’s work). But why does it always go like that? Why not about people killing robots? Is it because robots are non-living? But what if robots also think and feel? Or if humans can be replicated into robots? Wouldn’t that blur the fine line? These questions are pose to you during the movie as it delves into the uncanny valley and other robotics issues. It’s a bit heavy. More so than Ghost in the Shell and it would help if you have seen the first movie and have an idea of robotics, cyberpunk, and other common anime themes. In the end, there really were no answers. But I suppose those are questions we don’t need to answer at least until several more decades. Thankfully.

Rating: 4/5

Posted on

Feng-shui

No, this is not about that lame horror movie starring the misguided daughter of an ex-president :P I was just watching a feature on feng-shui on the National Geographic. I find it amazing how feng-shui is so popular. In Hong Kong they build buildings based on it. In fact, there’s a building with a hole on it to allow the dragons of the mountain behind the building to drink at the bay in front of the building. So, thoughtful of them :D And at the HSBC, they have a good luck escalator and a bad luck escalator . The good luck escalator is for employees while the bad luck escalator is for clients. The result is that the bank gets higher revenues. Very comforting thought if you’re a client, huh? :P

In another case of feng-shui strangeness, my finance professor related to use how a financial institution in Hong Kong contracted the services of feng-shui masters to predict the stock market for a certain year. The actual outcome turned out eerily like the predicted outcome. So alike that they contracted the services of the feng-shui masters to do the same for the following year. Although my professor didn’t say what the result for the following year was, he said that they expected that the actual outcome would also follow the predicted outcome. Make you wonder, though, if all those feng-shui believing traders traded, consciously or unconsciously, based on the prediction. A case of a self-fulfilling prophecy. But then, doesn’t superstition work that way?