REViEW | Business Strategy Android Game

There will always be at least one (1) person in your circle, if not you, who dreams of becoming a billionaire or be at the top tier of the socioeconomic classes. Well, that could probably be achieved in the near future, but while it's still an ongoing process to get there, there are some Android-powered games that allow anyone to simulate that path to financial success.

In "Business strategy," you can start working from the bottom, saving money, and then budgeting your salary to be able to get enough savings to invest in the stock market, in bitcoin or even in commodities like cotton, gold and oil. Once you've earned more than enough, you can then start your own business, but be aware that once you start your business, you'd have to quit your job.

What I like about this game is that even if it's not realistic, it enables you to see a shallow view of what it's like to reach for the top and be one of the billionaires. The goal of the game is to reach $1 billion in your account by 65 years old without dying from poor health or unhappiness. It's really as easy as that.

During the course of the game, you'd have to watch out for news that would tell you if something profitable is incoming or would warn you if you have to get out of a certain situation (perhaps sell some stocks or sell your business due to the changing landscape).

And if I were to rate this game, I would give it a solid 9 out of 10. It's lacking one point because the game is somehow predictable and ads keep on popping every now and then. It's somehow simple, but very educational.

Some tips while playing the Business strategy game:

• Always look at your health and happiness meters. If it empties out, you'll lose. Adjust it accordingly by increasing your expenses on healthcare, food, housing, and leisure. 
• Buy bitcoins. Sell at peak. Look at the market technical analysis tab.
• Check out the News tab every turn. Something bad or good happens, which you can use to your advantage.

• Commodity prices go up or down immediately one turn after news related to that commodity breaks.
• The stock market is somehow my waterloo. I rarely invest in it.

• Set up your business as soon as you reach $50 million. Use your money to improve the productivity and stability of your business. Sell once its worth is placing you near the billion-dollar mark.
• Don't borrow from the bank as its rate is high. It might force you to bankcruptcy.
• Finally, enjoy the game! It will teach you how to think broadly about money.

REVIEW | Moana (Disney Film)

Video Courtesy: Youtube channel Walt Disney Animation Studios

Moana is the story of an adventure of Moana Waialiki, the daughter of a Polynesian tribal chieftain, whom the ocean chooses to look for the demigod Maui and return a precious gem that was once the heart of a mythical Mother Island, Te Fiti, from whom Maui stole—the reason being that he wanted to give human beings the power to give life.

Plot Summary

Image Courtesy: Disney Movies UK

Despite being the successor to her father’s throne as the next chief of their own village, Moana has her own dreams. She wants to go out to the seas and follow her ancestors’ footsteps, that is, to voyage across oceans. Her father disagrees with that view though as he believes that whatever they need are already provided for by the island where they are in.

REVIEW | Skechers Go Run Ride 4 Running Shoes

I recently bought a pair of Skechers running shoes, the Skechers Go Run Ride 4, which was put on sale in a mall somewhere south. I was enthusiastic to try it on, so I did on that same day of purchase. Just to guide some fellow running/jogging friends out there, here is my review of the Skechers Go Run Ride 4 which was released by the footwear company at the end of 2014.

I know this model is a bit outdated, but Skechers shoes are actually rated high by users and experts in RunRepeat (#14, rating of 79) and are up in the rankings with the likes of Skechers GOrun Ultra 2 and Skechers GOrun 4. SoleReview, another ratings website, gives it a 78%.

Here is my review of the Skechers Go Run Ride 4 with great consideration of factors like design, comfort and price.

DESIGN 

I give it an 8/10 as its color palette is really appealing for me. It’s upper body mesh made of synthetic leather somehow disappoints, but the design makes up for it. The midsole made of EVA foam gives comfort to the feet, while its outsole which consists of circular rubber pods allows for an easy sprint. However, the shoes didn’t get the remaining two points since, for me, I feel conscious while jogging. Perhaps it’s the shape that makes it uneasy to jog or run or maybe it’s because I just recently purchased it so I am very cautious when using it.

COOL | 9 best study tips for everyone

I recently saw this video by Youtube channel AsapScience which gives you tips on how to study, scientifically proven by researches. If you are experiencing difficulty in studying, these tips might be of help to you. The video entitled 9 Best Scientific Study Tips details how you can best learn and enjoy studying.

Video Courtesy: Youtube channel AsapScience

In case you want to know the summary of the video, here are the 9 study tips that can help you effectively study and ace your exam.

1. Study sessions are most effective in small short chunks. Spread out the whole accumulated period of your study sessions into shorter 20-to-30-minute sessions.

Reason: Brain can better encode information into the synapses in short, repeated sessions vs. one mega study session.

2. Forget the cramming practice and all-nighters. It leads to getting low grades and may negatively affect your memory and reasoning for up to four (4) whole days.

3. Plan out a specific period dedicated only to studying, may it be a certain afternoon hour per day or per week. 

Reason: It primes the brain by setting a routine which your brain will get used doing.

4. Rereading your notes or highlighting them is ineffective. It doesn’t improve your comprehension of the topics, nor does it tie concepts together. Instead, use flashcards. They’re proven excellent reinforcement tools. Check out Brainscape.com for its excellent flashcard platform.

5. Have a specific goal for each study session. Would you like to focus on practicing how to solve the math problem in one session? Or would you like to focus on understanding the basics first? If you can’t explain it simply, then you don’t understand it well enough.

6. Every time you study, put in your mind that you’re expected to teach it to somebody else. It’s more effective versus simply thinking it's all part of a test. When you’re expected to teach, your brain organizes the knowledge that you get into a more logical, coherent structure.

7. Practice makes perfect! Always keep practicing! Practicing increases your confidence, thereby leading to a better performance.

8. Find your own study spot and equip it with all the study tools that you need. Just like setting specific study periods, this primes your brain for studying. Leave the playlist, especially when it’s filled with lots of popular songs. The rhythmic music produced distracts you. 

9. Keep your phone out of reach and out of sight! Whatever happens to your phone significantly lowers your concentration.

VIDEO | Asians try Filipino food. Check out their reactions!

A lot of Youtubers from various countries have been posting clips of themselves trying out food not local to them. A sweet couple of Asians (one Filipino, one Indonesian), together with their Mexican friend, taste Filipino junk food. 

Arnold Telagaarta, his girlfriend Heart, and their Mexican friend Lupe tried Nagaraya, Boy Bawang, Regent ube cake, polvoron, Pamana chicharon, Ricoa Flat Tops, salted tamarind candy (sampalok), and Piattos.

Check out their reactions below! Watch it.

Video Courtesy: Youtube user Arnold Telagaarta

REVIEW | [FOOD] I tried San Marino Tuna Flakes in Oil and it's...

First of all, I'd like to say that this is my first time, in almost two decades, having to try canned tuna, as I lived a meat-filled foodie life. I tried eating freshly cooked tuna once before and I really didn't like it. Actually, I am not a fan of fish. There are only a number of fish that I love eating, that including skinless (I can't overemphasize this right now) bangus or milkfish, cream dory (filleted), golden threadfin bream (deep fried), tilapia, and maya-maya (snapper). 

I am not a fan of fish because most of them don't great for me and I really dislike the odor of fish in general. But, perhaps I'd try more of these for a change.

Secondly, because it's APEC week and I didn't want to spend a lot dining outside (and I really want to save), I decided to challenge myself by eating canned tuna. 

I bought five cans --- one (1) San Marino Tuna Flakes in Oil (original), two (2) San Marino Tuna Flakes (Hot & Spicy), and two (2) Mega Tuna Flakes in Oil --- all of which I will each eat every dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.

When I was shopping for canned tuna, I chose San Marino Tuna Flakes in Oil over Century Tuna Flakes in Oil because in paper, San Marino packed more protein content per gram, and in essence, was more cost-efficient to purchase it over the latter.

Today, my first eyeball night with canned tuna has come to a start. I cooked San Marino Tuna Flakes with my favorite protein source, egg. I wasn't sure if the tuna flakes were ready-to-eat already and I really did not want to take risks eating it from the can itself, so I cooked it over an electric induction cooker.

One thing I didn't like about the packaging was that it was hard to open the can up. The connector you use to pull the cover out detached easily. I had to pry it open using a can opener. Or maybe it was just bad luck.

When I opened the can and viewed it up close, I felt disappointment. It was not packed with a lot of tuna! It was, in fact, swimming in milliliters of vegetable oil. I felt cheated because I thought the 180 grams stated in the can was referring to almost 180 grams (or at least 150 grams) of tuna flakes, but it was literally drowning in vegetable oil. :( Now, I don't know with Century Tuna and I am yet to try Mega Tuna, but I wish I have researched first online and eventually realized there's a certain brand of canned tuna named Permex that has much tuna in it, it outweighs the other brands totally.

Because I didn't want to eat just pure tuna flakes and I knew that there's vegetable oil in it, I decided to cook it. Note that I removed most of the vegetable oil as I felt it was unhealthy for me to include a large volume of it in my dish. 

I pressed on the Braise button and dumped in the San Marino flakes. It was cooking hot. At the back of my mind I wanted more protein, hence, I beat two medium-sized eggs, sprinkled it with iodized salt, added Aji Ginisa (This is really funny! haha! I didn't know what I was doing at all.), and poured the egg mixture into the pan with tuna flakes after shifting from Braise to Fry button.

Using a pair of fork and spoon, I then continuously cooked the canned tuna with the egg hoping it would end up like an omelette. And it ended up frustrating hahaha. I'm no cook, but I can definitely produce omelette, but this was something hahaha. It turned out to be like a corned beef mixture probably for the reason that there were more chunks than flakes in it. I just went on and mixed the ingredients together to make sure everything was cooked (according to my instincts hehe).

I then transferred the dish into my plate and added two (2) slices of Tiffany bread with a Cheez Whiz and trooped towards my mini-dining area.

Now, the taste test. Because I have almost no experience with tuna, San Marino Tuna Flakes has then become my standard. On a rate of 1 to 10, I'm giving it an 8 because to be honest, I liked it. I really did. The flakes were soft and not hard to swallow. The dish was yummy together with the egg (which was supposed to have ended up  as an omelette, but I think I failed haha) and with bread as my substitute for rice. Just don't add Cheez Whiz! HAHA. It was too salty for me. I thought it would match with the basic San Marino Tuna Flakes with Egg dish (not an omelette by the way haha), but I really did not enjoy having Cheez Whiz as a dip haha.

I then completely, yet gradually, devoured the meal, but right before I was about to consume all of it, I have already eaten all two (2) Tiffany bread slices and still had two spoonfuls of San Marino Tuna Flakes with Egg remaining. So I had to eat it as it is, and I almost threw up. HAHA. This is probably because my hunger was already satiated or because my mind wasn't able to fully adapt to the idea that I was almost able to consume 1 can of tuna flakes. I would prefer the former though.

To end this post, I'd like to say that San Marino Tuna Flakes in Oil is quite yummy when cooked with egg to form a "fail" omelette, but you have to pair it with sliced bread so that the "umay" factor fades away. You can also try it fresh from the can! Just let me know how it tastes like.

P.S. Will let you know soon how it fares against the canned Mega Tuna Flakes brand. Hope you enjoyed this San Marino Tuna Flakes review and story of my "fail" cooking adventures. Also, I apologize I didn't get to place photos --- actually, I wasn't able to take shots of the whole dish-making haha --- because I was already excited (more of starving) to consume all of it. Next time, I'll capture the dish and add them in my future posts. :)