Just got back from watching Director J.J. Abrams' version of
 "Star Trek"
at the Promenade Theater's Cinema 4, at seat F-11.... and despite my misgivings of yet another 'reset' of a film franchise, I have to say that it was arguably the BEST Star Trek film I've ever watched (and yes, I've watched them all).


The Premise:

• Star Trek is set in a possible distant future where Earth has become a united utopia; where mankind has made alien allies across the cosmos to form The Federation and create a peace-keeping space-faring force called Starfleet. The film began with the arrival of an unstoppable threat that sought to wipe all Federation planets off the face of the universe and reveals how the iconic crew of the Starfleet's flagship, the U.S.S. Enterprise, came together to save the day.
  
• Since the villain in the movie travelled back through time from the future (specifically from the last Star Trek movie's time) to before the Original Series' timeline, it allowed the writer to use the villain's actions to create an all new alternate Star Trek Universe, one that's different from the one fans grew up with yet still retains a hint of familiarity here and there.

What Came Before:

• Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS): a television series (from 1966 to 1969) that introduced the world to the Star Trek Universe and the ethnically diverse crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise: Captain Kirk, Science Officer Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, Communications Officer Lt. Uhura, Helmsman Sulu, Weapons Specialist Checkov, and Engineer Scotty;
 
• 6 films (1979,1982,1984,1986,1989,1991) telling the further adventures of the original crew;
 
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG): a spin-off series (aired from 1987 to 1994) that told the tale of a new generation of Enterprise crew members and their adventures across the cosmos set roughly 70 years after TOS;
 
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9): yet another spin-off series (aired from 1993 to 1999) which showed life on a space station in the outskirts of Federation territory beside a wormhole (a gateway) to an uncharted corner of the universe (set in the same era as TNG);
 
• 4 films (1994,1996,1998,2002) continuing the stories of the Next Generation crew;
 
• Star Trek: Voyager: yet another spin-off series (aired from 1995 to 2001) which was about a research vessel lost in the far reaches of the universe trying to make their way back home (also set in the same era as TNG and DS9);

The 4-part Prelude IDW Comic "Star Trek: Countdown":

• Nero's life as a patriotic Romulan captain of a mining vessel and his encounter with a star that went nova which destroyed a planetoid and began to grow;
 
• Ambassador Spock's unsuccessful attempt to make the Romulan ruling class realize the supernova's danger which his calculations foresaw;
 
• Nero and Spock's alliance to save the Romulan people from extinction as the supernova approached their home world;
 
• Spock's fruitless plea to the Vulcans and the Federation for help in preventing the coming cataclysm which threatened everyone;
 
• Spock's assistance from the Next Generation crew (Admiral Picard, Captain Data, and visionary engineer Geordy LaForge) to provide the means to save everyone;
 
• Romulus' destruction and Nero's fall to despair for the loss of his wife and unborn child leading to his vendetta against Spock, the Vulcans, and the Federation;
 
• Nero's encounter with a covert military facility which turned his modest mining ship into a formidable warship;
 
• Nero's rampage across galaxies; Spock's suicide mission to stop the supernova from devouring more inhabited star systems while the Enterprise-E engages Nero's warship;
 
• Spock's success in stopping the supernova with 'Red Matter' to create a  black hole which will destroy the supernova but prevented his ship's escape;
 
• Nero's thirst for vengeance on Spock brings him too close to the black hole and his massive ship is hungrily devoured by the black hole with Spock's vessel following suit;
 
• The universe is safe and Spock is mourned.

The Good:

• a well-crafted 'origin' story that provides enough action and adventure, sprinkled with humor and nods to TOS (despite the fact that characters and technology have been 'reimagined');
 
• fantastic visuals for the space battles, the Enterprise sets looked amazing (yes, I even appreciated the change using the 'industrial' look for the engineering deck since it makes sense that you don't spend money making the sections that make the ship go look pretty, it was just like what you'd see on an aircraft carrier), the costumes looked great (with enough style cues from the original series to make them familiar);
 
• although the typical focus for the Kirk and Spock characters was still there, the film allowed the other bridge crew members to have their respective 'moments' to shine, complete with nods to their TOS adventures;
 
• the bridge crew was well cast, and everyone gave spot-on performances; additional kudos to Chris Pine (Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), and Karl Urban (McCoy);
  
  
• Leonard Nimoy reprising his role as Spock, his role in the film was at least crucial to the story rather than just a gimmick to get an original cast member into the new movie;
  
 
• the brief explanation as to why Dr. McCoy's nickname was "bones";
 
• the curse of the RED SHIRT continues! (as Trekkies know, when one or more people in red shirts/uniforms who go on missions in Star Trek, they often meet their untimely demise);

The Bad:

• since the story focused mostly on the Enterprise crew, hardly any character development was given to the villain of the piece, Nero. It would've been nice to have his character fleshed out more on screen, however his history and motivations for revenge were told in the 4-part prequel comics entitled "Star Trek: Countdown" published by IDW from January to April of this year (I highly recommend picking up the book, likely to be collected as a trade paperback at your favorite bookstore or comic book shop);
 
• NITPICK:: during the destruction of the antagonist's ship, it seemed pointless imho for the Enterprise to fire on it as it disintegrated;
 
• NERDY NITPICK:: as the Enterprise was getting sucked into the black hole it was ridiculous that they were still being pulled into the gravity well even after they entered 'warp speed'. Since the concept of warp travel in the Star Trek Universe involved folding space and riding an interdimensional tunnel through it, this would mean that they would have left the black hole in 'normal space' once the ship jumped into 'warp space';
 
• NITPICK:: the surprise (shocking!) Enterprise crew 'relationship'... didn't seem 'logical' to me that those two characters would be an item --guess it's part of their new 'history';

The Ugly:

• NITPICK:: the Enterprise's lower decks, although I understand what they were going for with the 'industrial' look, I wish they made it look less like a present day oil refinery and more futuristic with machines like a real engine room... there were way too many endless pipes that go everywhere so to me it looked like they were in a building rather than a space craft;

Some of My Favorite Enterprise Crew Moments (Nods to the Past):

• Kirk the ladies' man frolicking with a green girl (much like he did in TOS, he often locked lips with various alien women throughout the series);
  
  Kirk ever driven by intuition locks horns with Spock who is ever driven by logic as they plan for their next course of action against Nero;
 
• Spock the ever stoic emotionless Human-Vulcan hybrid frustrated by Kirk's refusal to reveal how he to back onto the Enterprise (he and Kirk had similar exchanges in TOS, where Kirk often goads Spock into showing some emotion);
 
• Bones/McCoy a brilliant healer, who 'helps' Kirk get onboard the Enterprise (he and James Kirk have a special kinship in TOS);
 
• Sulu the swordfighter, used his skills to fight off Romulan heavies (he showed off his fencing prowess in an episode of TOS);
 
• Chekov a whiz at targetting enemy ships, used his expertise to tag moving people for teleportation (rather than ships for destruction as he often did in TOS);
 
• Scotty the engineering magician whose quick fix allowed the Enterprise to reach Warp 4! (in TOS, he often pulled off engineering feats in a pinch to save the day);

Major Changes from the Original Star Trek Universe:

• Kirk was given command of the Enterprise due to his exemplary Starfleet career after he followed in his father's footsteps with whom he had a close relationship;
 
• Spock had full control over his emotions (since his completion of Kolinar, the Vulcan rite of passage where they purge all emotion from their being) and was driven solely by logic;
 
• Scotty was the Enterprise's chief engineer thanks to Starfleet's recognition of his techincal expertise;
 
• Spock's mother died of old age;
 
• the planet Vulcan was a powerful member of the Federation and Vulcans were not an endangered species;
 
• Captain Christopher Pike, the first captain of the Enterprise, ended up as a paraplegic (after leaving the Enterprise) due to radiation poisoning while saving the lives of his crew;

The Bottom Line:
    This is worthy successor to the Star Trek film franchise that I would highly recommend to any sci-fi fan or anyone who wants a fun adventure. This was the first film (in a long while) where I actually applauded once the credits began to roll (last time I did that was during the release of the 'remastered' "Empire Strikes Back"). It's so good in fact that I'm actually planning on watching it again on the big screen.
Hahah... once its Blue-ray DVD comes out (December?), I may be tempted to get a PS3 and HDTV just to watch it again in all its high-definition glory!


PS: I didn't experience the horrible sound problems I noticed while watching "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" last week so I guess it was the film stock that caused the audio problems rather than Promenade's Cinema 4's sound system.

Just came back from watching the Hugh Jackman movie
 "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"
at the Promenade Theater's Cinema 4, at seat D-12.... and it stirred up major mixed feelings. On one level, I hated that the writers mangled Wolverine's mythos; however the F/X-laden fanboy in me appreciates the movie's flow and entertainment value (provided your brain isn't working too hard).
NOTE: Sections missing contain slight spoilers. Highlight the text with your mouse to view the content.




The Premise:

• Wolverine is about a mutant (someone born with extra-normal abilities) struggling to live with the vicious animal within him who can't remember his past and can heal from any wound almost instantaneously. The story attempts to reveal his past by showing flashes of his childhood as James Howlett, his military service in various world conflicts, his second life in the Canadian mountains as Logan, how he ended up with indestructible metal bones, and how he lost his memory.

Deviating from the Comics:

• The Weapon X Project which gave Wolverine his unbreakable adamantium bones & claws was conducted by the Canadian Government, not funded by the US Military as shown in the film;
 
• Agent Zero/David Nord (Christopher 'Maverick' Nord's alias) was not Asian but Caucasian of East German descent with the ability to absorb kinetic energy and shoot it as force blasts from his hands while he was with Weapon X Project (where subjects/operatives were repeatedly brainwashed causing long-term memory loss);
 
• Silverfox did not have 'tactile hypnosis' but only had a healing factor that greatly slowed her aging; she did work for Weapon X and lived happily with Wolvie in the Canadian mountains until Sabretooth 'took care of' her to make him into a better killing machine;
 
• Wolverine travelled to Japan and around the world to train in martial arts, this happened before he was kidnapped & experimented on by Weapon X; a fact not used in the film;
 
• the Hudsons, the old couple who took Wolverine in after escaping Weapon X, were the names of the comic book characters who were Wolverine's teammates in the Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight;
  
  
• unlike the film, the antagonist William Styker was never involved with Wolverine's creation even though he was credited as the man who invented the Adamantium bonding process; he was however a mutant hater who hunted, imprisoned, and experimented on his captive mutants. I guess they included him to add continuity to the X-Men films (X2 and Last Stand).
  

The Good:

• great action sequences woven seamlessly across the film; you won't feel close to 2-hrs go by;
  
 
• cool F/X for the young X-Men's powers (Gambit, Emma Frost, Dust, Quicksilver, etc.) though nothing groundbreaking;
 
• Gambit, his characterization & fighting style looked like it leapt right off the comic book pages;

The Bad:

• major comic book origin discrepancies (specially Wolvie's brother & how he lost his memory; understanding a film's time constraints, what the writers did was just plain lame imho);
 
• Deadpool's uber-powers (although he did get his healing ability from Wolverine, he was originally just an expert human rather than a mutant and had no other powers, relying on guns and swords prior to experimentation; I guess they needed to justify why Scott Summers/Cyclops was abducted);
 
• the finale:: I would've appreciated a straight no-holds barred brawl between Deadpool & Wolverine or better yet, Sabretooth & Wolverine to bring some 'closure' to their relationship, rather than the visually cool but ridiculous sequence they created;
 
• NITPICK:: where was all the blood!!! Hahah... was hoping to see Wolvie really tear soldiers limb from limb, come on, sticking Sabretooth with his claws and no bloodstains? wow! Teflon-coated indestructible claws!; fine, fine... film had to be PG-13.
 
• NITPICK:: was expecting Remy/Gambit to have a stronger Cajun accent much as he's written in the comics and portrayed in the animated series;
 
• there were two post-credits scenes available for the film and I saw the lame Wolvie one instead of the Deadpool version I read about online; I wonder if this version was released here? (supposedly inserted in some prints of the movie).
  

The Ugly:

• the ridiculously 'plastic' looking digitally de-aged Patrick Stewart who reprises his role as a younger Professor X;
 
• horrible sound system at Promenade's Cinema 4 (sound kept sputtering off during loud action sequences);

The Bottom Line:

• Although I had a lot of gripes with the film, a part of me still enjoyed the experience (the non-Wolverine fanatic in me) so I'd still highly recommend it as a fun escapist F/X-laden action film.

Well, it's been a while since I've updated my Tophmobile's fuel usage/efficiency numbers... so without further ado, the saga continues.

I'm still happy with the performance even though my mileage dropped a little bit. Part of it is due to sludgy motor oil which I ended up changing. Unfortunately I didn't do any research on thick motor oil vs thin motor oil so I went the safe route (less chance of leaking) and went with thick, understanding that my engine's performance will be affected.

Incidentally, I went on a trip overseas and took a little me time in November so I wasn't driving around as much as before, hence the 39-days from my last fill-up.

Anyway as you can see, the numbers are still generally good... specially since the price of LPG dropped to below Php20/liter. I still need to get my exhaust system fixed, it sounds like there's a small hole in the pipes under the car which could contribute to lower mileage. Of course, the winner here is still the fact that I'm doing my bit to keep the environment from deteriorating too fast.

The Tophmobile Report:Autogas vs Petroleum
Date	Days : Km	Pump Price (Php)	(Km/L)	Cost (P/Km)	Note
2008 1216	39 : 325.35	18.00 (31.30L)	10.39	1.73	.
2008 1107	14 : 259.10	26.30 (25.40L)	10.20	2.58	Nov 3rd, went to get an oil change, used RoyalPurple 20W30 (3 quarts) & replaced my air filter.
2008 1024	14 : 337.80	29.90 (31.85L)	10.61	2.82	.
2008 1010	14 : 304.90	29.90 (28.47L)	10.71	2.79	.
2008 0926	14 : 335.65	29.90 (29.24L)	11.48	2.60	.
2008 0912	14 : 347.35	30.50 (29.48L)	11.78	2.59	Still same as before with normal A/C use; still lead-footed with one or two traffic jams; traffic is apparently not good for LPG in a carburated car.
2008 0829	15 : 314.10	31.00 (26.07L)	12.05	2.85	Same as before but with normal A/C use; still lead-footed with one or two traffic jams.
2008 0814	14 : 308.70	31.43 (28.04L)	11.01	2.85	Same as last time but with normal A/C use; still lead-footed but with a few really bad traffic jams.
2008 0731	14 : 286.90	32.43 (23.83L)	12.04	2.69	Same as last time but with less A/C use (thanks to the relatively cooler weather); this is despite my 110km/h blasts and a couple of occasions when I 'drag raced' with fellow motorists.
2008 0714	14 : 319.80	32.43 (29.86L)	10.71	3.03	Started on gasoline to let the engine warm up. Also started revving LPG, switching to gasoline, revving a bit more, before turning off the engine (helps with 1-click starting). *No moving powered by gasoline. Only start-up.
2008 0703	09 : 195.75	31.90 (20.19L)	9.70	3.29	Started on LPG (lots of sputtering & some LPG smell). Hardly any gasoline use.
2008 0704	30 : 219.10	59.57 (22.00L)	9.96	5.98	The gasoline efficiency isn't that bad for my old car. This is the benchmark (probably my last fill-up).

As always, photos are available in my Tophmobile Gallery. No updates yet but I'm hoping to add a few pics eventually.

Just another update on my Tophmobile's numbers... the saga continues.

I'm still happy with the performance though I did notice something earlier as I entered a local mall's parking multilevel structure. I noticed that when my car was going slowly uphill (with an approximate slope of around 45 degrees), the engine began to sputter. I was able to reach the first parking level but it was touch and go there for a little while (last time it happened early into my conversion, the engine completely cut out). I'll have to get in touch with GreenFuel to see if there's something I can do about this.

Besides the numbers are still generally good... and although petrol prices are going down, LPG prices are following steadily, besides I just heard that world oil prices just went up again so I don't see the petrol-LPG gap closing any time soon. It still feels good that I'm doing my bit to save the environment.

The Tophmobile Report:Autogas vs Petroleum
Date	Days : Km	Pump Price (Php)	(Km/L)	Cost (P/Km)	Note
2008 0912	14 : 347.35	30.50 (29.48L)	11.78	2.59	Still same as before with normal A/C use; still lead-footed with one or two traffic jams; traffic is apparently not good for LPG in a carburated car.
2008 0829	15 : 314.10	31.00 (26.07L)	12.05	2.85	Same as before but with normal A/C use; still lead-footed with one or two traffic jams.
2008 0814	14 : 308.70	31.43 (28.04L)	11.01	2.85	Same as last time but with normal A/C use; still lead-footed but with a few really bad traffic jams.
2008 0731	14 : 286.90	32.43 (23.83L)	12.04	2.69	Same as last time but with less A/C use (thanks to the relatively cooler weather); this is despite my 110km/h blasts and a couple of occasions when I 'drag raced' with fellow motorists.
2008 0714	14 : 319.80	32.43 (29.86L)	10.71	3.03	Started on gasoline to let the engine warm up. Also started revving LPG, switching to gasoline, revving a bit more, before turning off the engine (helps with 1-click starting). *No moving powered by gasoline. Only start-up.
2008 0703	09 : 195.75	31.90 (20.19L)	9.70	3.29	Started on LPG (lots of sputtering & some LPG smell). Hardly any gasoline use.
2008 0704	30 : 219.10	59.57 (22.00L)	9.96	5.98	The gasoline efficiency isn't that bad for my old car. This is the benchmark (probably my last fill-up).

As always, photos are available in my Tophmobile Gallery. No updates yet but I'm hoping to add a few pics eventually.

Just a quick update on my Tophmobile's numbers... still happy (thanks to the improvement). LPG prices are remaining steady and although petrol prices are stabilizing, I'm still saving a lot of cash as well as helping out the environment.

The Tophmobile Report:Autogas vs Petroleum
Date	Days : Km	Pump Price (Php)	(Km/L)	Cost (P/Km)	Note
2008 0829	15 : 314.10	31.00 (26.07L)	12.05	2.85	Same as before but with normal A/C use; still lead-footed with one or two traffic jams.
2008 0814	14 : 308.70	31.43 (28.04L)	11.01	2.85	Same as last time but with normal A/C use; still lead-footed but with a few really bad traffic jams.
2008 0731	14 : 286.90	32.43 (23.83L)	12.04	2.69	Same as last time but with less A/C use (thanks to the relatively cooler weather); this is despite my 110km/h blasts and a couple of occasions when I 'drag raced' with fellow motorists.
2008 0714	14 : 319.80	32.43 (29.86L)	10.71	3.03	Started on gasoline to let the engine warm up. Also started revving LPG, switching to gasoline, revving a bit more, before turning off the engine (helps with 1-click starting). *No moving powered by gasoline. Only start-up.
2008 0703	09 : 195.75	31.90 (20.19L)	9.70	3.29	Started on LPG (lots of sputtering & some LPG smell). Hardly any gasoline use.
2008 0704	30 : 219.10	59.57 (22.00L)	9.96	5.98	The gasoline efficiency isn't that bad for my old car. This is the benchmark (probably my last fill-up).

As always, photos are available in my Tophmobile Gallery. No updates yet but I'm hoping to add a few pics within the next few weeks.

Just a quick update on my Tophmobile's numbers... still happy despite the slight drop. I'm hoping that LPG prices stay stable (or go down), at least there's some good news for Diesel users since they announced that prices are coming down (upto P5 come September)....

The Tophmobile Report:Autogas vs Petroleum
Date	Days : Km	Pump Price (Php)	(Km/L)	Cost (P/Km)	Note
2008 0814	14 : 308.70	31.43 (28.04L)	11.01	2.85	Same as last time but with normal A/C use; still lead-footed but with a few really bad traffic jams.
2008 0731	14 : 286.90	32.43 (23.83L)	12.04	2.69	Same as last time but with less A/C use (thanks to the relatively cooler weather); this is despite my 110km/h blasts and a couple of occasions when I 'drag raced' with fellow motorists.
2008 0714	14 : 319.80	32.43 (29.86L)	10.71	3.03	Started on gasoline to let the engine warm up. Also started revving LPG, switching to gasoline, revving a bit more, before turning off the engine (helps with 1-click starting). *No moving powered by gasoline. Only start-up.
2008 0703	09 : 195.75	31.90 (20.19L)	9.70	3.29	Started on LPG (lots of sputtering & some LPG smell). Hardly any gasoline use.
2008 0704	30 : 219.10	59.57 (22.00L)	9.96	5.98	The gasoline efficiency isn't that bad for my old car. This is the benchmark (probably my last fill-up).

Just a quick update on my Tophmobile's numbers.... needless to say, I'm very happy. :D

The Tophmobile Report:Autogas vs Petroleum
Date	Days : Km	Pump Price (Php)	(Km/L)	Cost (P/Km)	Note
2008 0731	14 : 286.90	32.43 (23.83L)	12.04	2.69	Same as last time but with less A/C use (thanks to the relatively cooler weather); this is despite my 110km/h blasts and a couple of occasions when I 'drag raced' with fellow motorists.
2008 0714	14 : 319.80	32.43 (29.86L)	10.71	3.03	Started on gasoline to let the engine warm up. Also started revving LPG, switching to gasoline, revving a bit more, before turning off the engine (helps with 1-click starting). *No moving powered by gasoline. Only start-up.
2008 0703	09 : 195.75	31.90 (20.19L)	9.70	3.29	Started on LPG (lots of sputtering & some LPG smell). Hardly any gasoline use.
2008 0704	30 : 219.10	59.57 (22.00L)	9.96	5.98	The gasoline efficiency isn't that bad for my old car. This is the benchmark (probably my last fill-up).

Check out part one here:Tophmobile Results and my photos here: The Tophmobile Goes Green.

Well, it's been a month, and the numbers are in. I've kept fairly detailed driving records for the past month since the Tophmobile went LPG and have done some basic calculations that I'd like to share with everyone.

The Good:

• my operating cost went down (see the numbers);
• I feel good about helping reduce my impact on the environment;
• the engine sounds quieter while burning LPG;
  

The Bad:

• loss of power, being a lead-foot I really noticed the power drop but when I keep my head (no jackrabbit starts), then no problems. I've been able to get it up to 100km/h and up bridges and hills without any issues;
• my air conditioning system feels weaker (may be the A/C unit though but I'll keep an eye on this);
  
• annoying problem with my idling (though this could be due to something wrong with my engine rather than due to LPG);
• a bit of a learning curve as far as how to get the best of the new system, bottom line: starting with gasoline to warm engine first = good, starting with LPG cold = bad.
  

The Numbers:

Started on gasoline to let the engine warm up. Also started revving LPG, switching to gasoline, revving a bit more, before turning off the engine (helps with 1-click starting).

The Tophmobile Report:Autogas vs Petroleum
Date	Days : Km	Pump Price (Php)	(Km/L)	Cost (P/Km)	Note
2008 0714	14 : 319.80	32.43 (29.86L)	10.71	3.03	Started on gasoline to let the engine warm up. Also started revving LPG, switching to gasoline, revving a bit more, before turning off the engine (helps with 1-click starting). *No moving powered by gasoline. Only start-up.
2008 0703	09 : 195.75	31.90 (20.19L)	9.70	3.29	Started on LPG (lots of sputtering & some LPG smell). Hardly any gasoline use.
2008 0704	30 : 219.10	59.57 (22.00L)	9.96	5.98	The gasoline efficiency isn't that bad for my old car. This is the benchmark (probably my last fill-up).

The Verdict:

The numbers don't lie. I'm happy with my investment despite the learning curve. Needless to say, I'll still keep my records current just to see if the numbers hold up. Thanks for reading my rants and raves... until later.... this is only the beginning!

Tana-nana-nana'nana--- Toph-man!!!!

Addendum: I forgot to mention that I reduced my usage of A/C while on LPG. It's a small difference since I typically turn off my compressor when I'm goosing the engine (yes, I'm a lead-foot and like to drive really fast) then I turn it back on while coasting until the next time traffic loosens up enough for me to gun my engine again.

In case you're wondering... no... I haven't taken a dose of gamma radiation and released my inner angry beast. I'm referring to being friendlier to the environment.

Earlier this week, I took a plunge into unfamiliar territory and did my bit for the environment by converting my automobile to run on a cleaner-burning fuel typically known as Autogas (Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG formulated for Automobiles).

Brief Background on LPG and Autogas:

During the refinement process of crude oil (that is pumped out of oil wells around the world) which is used to create gasoline or diesel fuels a gas is released. This gas contains hydrocarbons that burn readily and almost completely (unlike petroleum that deposits harmful residue into our atmosphere).

Scientists found that these gases could be captured and used for things like ovens and stoves thanks to their 'clean' properties. The problem was finding a safe way of transporting the gas. By placing the gas under pressure, it turned into a liquid (which is much easier to transport), so they created durable steel 'bottles'  to hold this liquefied gas under pressure.

At one point, folks decided to try using LPG in automobiles and found that it was comparable to commercial gasoline in performance (actually more efficient but produces roughly 5-10% less power for every liter) without the need to replace the engine. All it took was the addition of a few components to hold the gas and send it into the engine. Add to the fact that LPG (typically called propane or butane) is generally 40-50%cheaper than an equal amount of gasoline.

Folks in countries like Australia & Great Britain paid attention and Autogas (LPG for automobiles) was brought into full gear with a slew of filling stations scattered around the country.

Taking the GREEN Plunge:

Doing something proactive (aside from conserving water & electricity) to save the planet has always been a passion of mine but the technology (like wind generators, electric vehicles, etc) isn't as accessible locally. So when I started working a regular job again this month, I decided to do something about lowering my impact on the environment by making my car greener for my roughly 30km round-trip daily commute (sorry, public transport isn't really convenient or making the most of my time).

A good friend of mine has been raving about the merits of Autogas for the past year or so but since I was primarily working from home, I never gave it a second thought... that is, until recently. With his help, I was able to find a place to get my car converted near my place and where filling stations were in the metro.

On Monday morning, I left my 1989 Toyota Corolla at GreenFuel Systems and by Tuesday morning, I was able to pick it up and drive it to work.

Lean and GREEN:

From the outside, the car looks exactly the same as it did before I had it converted. Inside the passenger cabin, you'll see an electronic box with lights and a switch to indicate how much LPG I have in my tank as well as a way to switch to back to gasoline (in case I run out of the clean stuff). In the trunk, you'll see the black 60-liter LPG tank which holds my 2nd fuel source. Beside my gas cap, you'll see a little round plastic cap that sits over the LPG injection port. I'll definitely post photos when I get a chance so that you'll know what I'm talking about.

So I've been driving the car for a few days now and other than some startup issues (thanks to my antiquated carburator-driven engine), the car has been driving pretty well. I did notice a slight dip in power when I really slam on the accelerator which is just as well since that's not really a good way to drive. The car still easily hits 80km/h with power to spare which is often the best I could do in the mildly congested roads I drive through.

Another thing about LPG is that as a liquid, it's extremely cold which is the reason why a lot of people are using it as a coolant for either the air conditioning system or as a way to remove heat from the vehicle's radiator. Unfortunately, the local installers don't have this feature (to run the LPG pipes from the tank through the radiator; LPG needs to be heated & vaporized before it is injected into the engine; running it through the radiator heats it up & cools the engine down) but the technology is still maturing so hopefully it'll be something I can upgrade to in the future.

At any rate, it's still too early to tell how well this conversion will go. Thanks to the skyrocketing prices of petroleum, I'm expecting a huge savings when I start calculating my milage & operating costs.

Needless to say, I'll post a few updates once I get more figures in. A bunch of my friends and family members are actually using me as a guinea pig to see if it's safe. Hahahh... only time will tell. Feel free to post questions... I did a lot of research before I went through with the conversion so I'm pretty versed in the technology.

Just came back from watching the first Marvel comic series to silver screen film of the year:
 "Iron Man"
at the Promenade Theater's Cinema 4, smack dab in the middle at seat F-12.... and if you thought that couldn't do their another of their superheroes big-screen justice, well think again!


The Premise:

• Based on the comic adventures of a womanizing narcissistic war profiteer (that just happens to be a brilliant inventor) who ends up as a prisoner of war and has an epiphany. He turns his life around and uses his brilliant mind to build a suit of armor to protect the people placed in harms way by his weapons of mass destruction.
  
  

The Comics vs The Film:

• Characterization was spot-on both before and after his life-changing experience however, in the original comic book origin placed his captivity in Vietnam (this was later updated to the Gulf War in the 90s) whereas the film made him a captive of Afghan warlords.
• In print, he was imprisoned with an Asian scientist named Yin Sen who saved his life by removing shrapnel from his heart & constructing an electromagnet to keep an unreachable metal fragment from piercing his heart. Yin Sen also helped him secretly build his armor and escape. In the movie, the scientist was a Caucasian linguist named Yinsen. In both cases, his companion served as a catalyst that changed Tony's life goals.
• In print, Obadiah Stane was Tony Stark's business rival and drove the playboy to an alcoholic relapse allowing him to take over Stark Enterprises. He steals Tony's armor schematics and builds the Iron Monger armor. In the film, Stane was a long-time family confidant, serving as Stark Enterprises' second in command. He also builds and dons the armor but he gets the schematics a different way.
  
  
• In print,  James Rhodes was a combat chopper pilot who was shot down in Vietnam where he encounters the armored Tony Stark who just escaped from the Viet-Cong camp. Together they break into an enemy base and Rhodes flies them out in a commandeered chopper. In the film, Rhodes is Stark's military liaison and trusted friend who finds the battered Stark and takes him to safety in a rescue chopper.
  
  

The Good:

• fantastic special and visual effects thanks to the digital wizards at ILM, George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic (who also did the effects for "Star Wars", "Jurassic Park", "Harry Potter", "Minority Report", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Transformers: The Movie", as well as countless scifi classics) and special effects guru Stan Winston (who gave us the creatures from "Aliens", "Terminator", "Predator", "Jurassic Park", "Edward Scissorhands", and other scifi classics);
• a look into the future with an amazing 'virtual workbench' where Tony Stark redesigned his Iron Man armor (where he was able to manipulate a 3D rendering with his hands, moving parts around, seeing how parts fit together, etc.);
• a great look at how Tony Stark acted before he became a selfless superhero (thanks to Robert Downey, Jr's spot-on performance), I admit I was one of the people who didn't think the chosen actor could pull off the iconic comicbook character. Downey's performance made me believe that he was Tony Stark;
• the appearance of Iron Man creator Stan Lee in a very cool non-menial role on the red carpet, hahahah, I just love seeing his cameos and this was the first time where he was depicted as 'the man';
  
  
• the relationship between Tony and his dedicated personal assistant Pepper Potts (played flawlessly by Gwyneth Paltrow) was true to the comics as well as the depiction of the villainous Obediah Stane (played by Jeff Bridges);
• the funny moments that were provided by Tony Stark's digital aide Jarvis and his mechanical workshop assistants;
  
  
• a neat sequence showing us how he developed his armor from prototyping to testing, reminds me of the similar sequences in "Batman Begins" (where Bruce Wayne acquires his gadgets);
  
  
• a cool comic book nod when Jim Rhodes (played by the talented Terrence Howard) eyes the silver Mark II prototype Iron Man armor. In the comics, he takes over for Tony Stark during Stane's hostile takeover and Tony's alcoholic stupors days. When Tony got his act together and returned to his armor, he created a new heavily armed black & silver armor for Rhodes who took the moniker War Machine.
  
  

The Bad:

• I wish that they had expanded Happy Hogan's character (played by actor/Iron Man director Jon Favreau) who was a former boxer who saves Tony's life and gets a job as his driver and aide. He was one of the first people who shared Iron Man's secret identity;
  
  
• there was a bit of predictability regarding several plot elements in the film (like his old power source, who was behind his abduction, and how the warlords got access to his cutting-edge weapons);
• the powerplant in his chest was a little too powerful for a first attempt imho, in his early comic adventures, he had to make periodic stops to a power outlet to recharge the powerpack on his chest. This was a great way to limit his power... come on, he flew at supersonic speed from America to Afghanistan and he had power to spare for a little a$$-kicking and the evasive aerobatics on his trip home. Okay, I'm nitpicking.

The Bottom Line:
Definitely a must see for every action film lover and those in the mood for a good escapist film with a light-hearted positive theme and enough laughs to keep you healthy. Hmmm, this sounds familiar... hahah... whether you're a fan of comic books or superhero films or not, there's definitely something here for you. Yes, it's a little fantastical at times but just put your brain in park and enjoy the ride... you won't regret it!

April 22nd is Earth Day and reminds us that our world needs our help to save it from our civilized conveniences. So I figured I'd pitch in by providing a quick rundown of some technologies that may help us extend the life of our planet and reduce the impact we have on the environment.

To learn more about going 'Green', check out National Geographic's Earth Day marathon all day today. They will be featuring shows ranging from how our environment has changed, what we should be worried about, and how we can hold back our world's unnatural destruction.

Of course, going Green isn't always a good thing for everyone. Thanks to the Green movement there is a surge of alternative fuels derived from renewable resources like agricultural crops (specifically corn and wheat). Ethanol is one of these alternatives to petroleum fuels (which is what we get from the pumps). It is a clean-burning fuel that leaves no dangerous chemicals into the atomosphere and when used as an additive to fossil-fuel/petroleum-based fuel, it allows most vehicles to run more efficiently without the need for expensive engine modifications. In the US, most of the fuel available at the gas stations contain a percentage of Ethanol to help wean us off fossil fuels.

Unfortunately, there is a dark side to this equation as there is currently a food shortage (as reported by CNN and other news networks) in different parts of the world because so much of these crops have been diverted to the Ethanol production plants. Farmers have sold their crops to these alternative fuel makers instead of the market because they get more value per harvested acre. Now, people are questioning the move to use agriculture as a source of fuel.

Nevertheless, Ethanol and clean fuel scientists are still trying to find a non-food crop that will produce large quanities of fuel and will regrow quickly to reduce the impact on the food crops. Besides, there are other clean fuels like Biodiesel which is derived from vegetable oil and can be used in existing diesel engines with little or no modifications (the older the engine, the less likely it would need modifications). There are even community-based Biodiesel systems available in different parts of the world that collect used cooking oil from fast food and restaurants then convert it to Biodiesel for sale to residents at a nominal price. There are even systems built for the home where you can make your own provided that you can find a source of used cooking oil.

Beyond the 'clean fuels', there are alternative power sources like Electric, Hydrogen Fuel Cell, and even Air (I'm really excited about this one, learn more about air-driven vehicles) as well as the Hybrids (Petroleum+Electric, Solar+Electric). However, these options require a complete revamp of the internal combustion engine and are therefore much more expensive than replacing the actual fuel.

In the end, it's great to see these leaps in technology to help our planet last longer for our ancestors to enjoy. Hopefully, we'll see these alternatives in Asia and developing countries. For more information, head over to Wikipedia's Earth Day page.

Just came back from watching the Jackie Chan + Jet Li movie
 "The Forbidden Kingdom"
at the Promenade Theater's Cinema 5, smack dab in the middle at seat F-10.... and boy was it worth getting out of the house for!


The Premise:

• The story is loosely based on the classic Chinese epic "Journey to the West";
  
• a modern day teenager gets thrust into a mystical realm where he journeys westward accompanied by heroes he meets along the way to defeat an evil warlord.

The Good:

• great martial arts action sequences thanks to master choreographer Yuen Woo-ping (who also did "Kill Bill", "The Matrix" trilogy, as well as countless HK classics like "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow", "Drunken Master", & the first two "Once Upon a Time in China" films);
• great captured fight scenes by the director, cinematographer, and editor who used flowing wide shots to show you all of the action (rather than typical American camera work that used a ton of close-up shots and quick cuts);
• lots of funny moments sprinkled all over the movie's hour & fifty-three minute span (it actually didn't feel long at all, in fact, I wanted more!), I guarantee at least one good laugh-out-loud moment ;
• lots of nods to classic martial arts films like "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow", "Drunken Master", & "The Bride with White Hair" just to name a few obvious ones;
  
• seeing Jackie Chan and Jet Li together on the big screen for the first time was well worth the wait, their 'first encounter' alone was a sequence I'll wish to see over and over again, and they played well against each other in the relatively few non-action scenes they shared.

The Bad:

• The story wasn't something to write home about and typical derivative fantasy fare which was often (at least for myself) quite predictable;
  
• both Jackie Chan and Jet Li really need to get themselves good English language coaches if they plan on making more American films, thing is, I only understood half of what they said (so be sure to clean your ears thoroughly and listen carefully when they're talking or you're sure to miss something).

The Beautiful:

• Step aside, Zhang Ziyi, relative newcomer and 21-year-old mainland Chinese actress Liu Yifei (who portrayed one of the vengeance-driven travellers) has stolen my heart. Just look at her face and you'll see what I mean.
  

The Bottom Line:
Definitely a must see for every action film lover and those in the mood for a good escapist film with a light-hearted positive theme and enough laughs to keep you healthy.