A Mushy Evening

Already late in the evening,as I am working for my current project, I decided to check on youtube some songs to inspire me. Suddenly my wife approached me..

And it hit me to searched some mushy love songs. Then I stumbled upon this playlist titled Cruisin which I knew then is worth listening to.


I used to listen to this kind of songs even before college. When all you have for entertainment is TV, radio and playing outside. After a day of studying then, you will need time to think about your achievement and your future plans. As a boy, listening to these songs will most of the time trigger you to think of your future partner. How you will held her hand, how you will plan for your future as a couple..Realizing you have not done yet most of those daydreaming..

I believe this kind of songs must last. Because hearing them once again will make you realize what you have done successfully to achieve your dreams since learning to appreaciate them. Because these songs have once been part of your goal setting. In short, it reminds you to stick to your original plan when you were still a kid. In short, it reminds you to become who you once were..

Solar Farm In Valenzuela

Earlier, the official facebook page of Valenzuela city just announced that a new solar farm is being built in Brgy Isla Valenzuela City. It will be operational this December. I noticed that the video showing the location of the solar farm is adjacent to a river. I believe this is the Polo River if im not mistaken.



Being aware of frequent floodings in Valenzuela, I checked with DOST Nababaha.com on its flood vulnerability and heres the result.

There you go. According to this, the location is really vulnerable to flooding. Now we might think so how are they going to protect the structure from flooding?

I just wish that the solar farm owner have performed a proper due dilligence study prior to the construction of the farm. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I also believe that this map from Project NOAH must be too conservative to state that the exact location will be flooded. I supposed that the farm owner must have installed retaining wall beside the farm to protect the solar panels from the overflowing of Polo river once it rains heavy.

This is the same case with my previous blog on choosing location of new house. Although NOAH can give us details if certain area will be flooded. it is not a surefire way to say that it will really be flooded because NOAH does not capture changes in the landscape of area from time to time. It may not capture the possible flood mitigation infrastructures the local authorities may have installed.

A Tribute to My Reviewer

During College days, we always refer to books that will help us survived each semester. One of the most reliable books then was Besavilla's reviewer. I used to admire this author because I was thinking he must be super intelligent to come up with books with all the theories in it which normal student can read in 3 or more college textbooks. Then I realized he is really not the the one who made up all the questions in the book. He just compiled all the questions from the past board examination and from other textbooks.

Now 8 years after graduation and passing the board exam, I still refer to this book for my professional practice. With the advent of internet and explosions of information readily available to engineers, I still believe that having a book like this, a hardcopy, is still a must. I remember writing about why I preferred old books over new books. New books will bombard you with lots of code provisions and new formulas from the code. On the contrary, this old book will focus on the concepts, why this and that, without straying you away from what is really important. Ironically, this one is just a reviewer. And not a pure textbook about concrete concepts.

Furthermore, many young engineers tend to rely too much on softwares output without double checking the result in the theory. And this kind of reviewer textbook will help you out definitely. With my blog about Finite element in STAAD, I would not be too confident writing about that without the help of this hardcopied textbooks. Thanks so much my friend.

Since this is a tribute to this book during my innocent years, I will insert a vid of musics then that moves us..

A Blog To Follow ...and my Own summary of his

I just finished reading some of the blogs made by Jim Paredes. Almos all of them resonates to me. He observed things the way I observed them also. Although Im an engineer, and he is a creative person, I plan to take advantage of me being an engineer and relate those observations to my profession. They say its one of the easiest way to remember things. Associate everything to your character, your passion or what drives you.

Definitely, I will follow his blog hereafter.

Before writing this, I plan to have this blog titled as The Internet of Things or How Matrix Applies to our Lives or How We as People is Inside the Matrix. But I decided to change this as shown above after finishing reading JP's blog. He talked about the synchronicity of things, the way the universe conspired to help you achieve your dream. And it hooked me. I observed the same thing.

But checking back the way Internet really works especially marketing, and linking this to my past subject in my Masters degree course Matrix analysis, i observed we are really going towards inside the Matrix.

Look, dont get me wrong here. For the information of some, Matrix is mathematics. It is an array of numbers. Since its a collection of numbers in an array, we can combine two or more Matrices to come up with new Matrix. Now, imagine that we as individuals having each information on us become a numbers(symbol by the way) and then be included in the same Matrix. When we accept that realization, we can then accept that we can become part of a bigger Matrix. And operation of that Matrix is possible which displays to us like  a conspiracy of the Universe. Sounds cool right?

But thats the way even internet works, we will notice that what when we browse in the net, the browser seems to display all things related to our likings. Why? Because internet has cookies that is installed in our computer which is hidden from us and its looking up to all the history of our browsing thus we are simply giving the browser our persona in effect. Which it can then interpret as symbols in its Matrix. Now when you decide to look for things that you want. You will amazed to know that its easier to seek for what you are looking for.

Wow! A conspiracy of the universe but actually only a Matrix operation taking place...

Nevertheless, outside the internet world, I am still a firm believer of his observation also. That universe will help us as long as we be conscious to its helping hand.

APEC 2015 Traffic Impact

Yesterday November 17, a day prior to the main APEC 2015 event, the government decided to block several main roads leading to Makati or EDSA. As I sat in the bus going to a site inspection in Laguna, I can hear the bus drivers calling their fellow drivers to halt their operation going to Manila since the blockage will cause major traffic and inconvenience on their part. I knew then that I have a problem travelling back to Manila after my site inspection and meeting.

Luckily, the site manager is on its way to Rizal after the meeting. I decided to hitch a ride to avoid the traffic since their way is on the opposite side of the Laguna de Bay. That is, we will drive towards Sta Cruz Laguna then to Pagsanjan, Lumban, Pakil all the way to Jala Jala Rizal and Tikling near Ortigas Manila. It was my first time to travel on that route and failed to see the exciting sceneries beside the Laguna Lake. As an engineer, I wanted to see the changes in the landscape of each town, how Laguna lake looks like from different places surrounding it because I had this awareness that several towns adjacent to this lake are in one way or another dependent here. I can just imagine that all rainfalls coming from the mountains on our route will ultimately drain in Laguna Lake. A hydropwer project that supplies electricity in Kalayaan Laguna is also seen in our journey.

Subjects Covered in Master of Science in Civil Engineering Examination

On reviewing for the examination, one must be aware of the hierarchy of the subjects. I am beginning to further realized why the exam is scheduled in 3 days.
1. Day 1- Mathematics consisting of the following subjects:
         a. Advance Mathematics
         b. Numerical Methods
         c. Matrix Analysis of Structures

2. Day 2- Major Core Subjects
         a. Finite Element Analysis
         b. Structural Dynamics
         c. Continuum Mechanics

3. Day 3- Elective Subjects
         a. Advance Reinforced Concrete Design
         b.Prestressed Concrete Design
         c. Geotechnical Subjects - (in my case) Ground Improvement

It is really a must to review first Mathematics subject because you will not be able to understand the Day 2 subjects. On the other hand, Day 3 subjects can be reviewed separately. Most of the time, since every structural engineers are designing structures in their career, Day 3 subjects can be the least prioritized.

Why I Choose Old Books over New Books

I love reading. And since Im an engineer, I need to do self study on a lot of subjects. I realized that reading Old Classic books by known authors is still advisable FIRST than reading New Books recommended by professors. Dont get me wrong on this.

For example, most concrete design books today include Code Provisions that is normally beyond the grasp of an undergraduate student. On the other hand, older books tend to focus on the theory more than the code provisions. Thus, the absorption of Code Provisions is easier to accept because of the underlying concepts explained in older books.

Consider this new book by Fanella..

 The above book is written under new code provision..I would recommend to students reading this book by park and paulay also to further understand the theory behind the code provisions..

For sure you will thank me for this :)

Choosing Location of New House

Every Filipino family will need to invest in a house that they can call their own. Since Manila is already congested and price of house and lot is too costly, many developers are building outside Metro Manila. Places like Laguna, Cavite, Valenzuela, Sta Maria Bulacan and Pampanga are the nearest development there will be adjacent to Manila. Although the developer is expected to follow certain engineering guidelines, some locations of development may still be scrutinized further.

With the help of Project NOAH, I recommend that you check first if the location of the property is prone to flooding. For example, I am eyeing on a property in Valenzuela. 

 By looking at the beauty of the house model, you will be too excited to invest immediately. However, I suggest to look for the location at google map.

Now, google by default will not show you if this location is flood prone. You will now have to refer to Project NOAH and verify if this is prone to flooding or rather has chance of high flooding for a 100 year return period. That amount is, in a laymans term, equivalent to Ondoy.

Fortunately, the location where flooding is occurring is on the creeks or rivers near the property. Also, the developer should embank sufficient amount of backfill of soil to assure the property will not be flooded. This should be some of the information that property buyer must inquire to developer.

Earthquake in Laguna

Earlier today November 1 as we celebrate All Saint's day, there was a Magnitude 2.9 earthquake in Pagsanjan Laguna. After that, epicenter in Quezon and Mindoro followed.

If we will create a line connecting those epicenters, it will be traversing almost perpendicular to the Valley Fault System. I wonder if that means another fault line or simply each adjacent plates inside Philippines are tectonically moving. Anyway, as far as I know, I havent heard of earthquakes occurring in Laguna. THough I know based on research that there is really fault line near Laguna or approximately the Banahaw Mountains. Could this be the cause of this movement?

Last week, there was also a shaking at Mindoro while Lando was busy dumping rains on Northern part of Luzon. Lando stayed in the Philippine area of responsibility for almost a week, and such scenario have always make me conclude that strong magnetic field may have caused this kind of phenomenon to happen.

I will further do research on this..