"We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones."
What? Is this going to be a manic depressives 'must read' post, or am I so disillusioned with life that I feel compelled to draw you into my own nihilistic pessimism?
It appears that way, but in actual fact it's the opposite.
Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born. The potential people who could be here in your place but who will never be born outnumber the grains of sand on all the beaches of Earth!
The moment of conception, 9 months before your birth, is the most decisive moment in your life, and no matter what happens after that, you have to be thankful and amazed! It's a moment of dizzying singularity!
We live on a planet that is all but perfect for our kind of life. Agreed, there are deserts, slums, poverty and misery, but compared with most planets, Earth is paradise!
What use is science? You could ask the same of a new-born baby.
But what the baby has is potential! As do each and every one of us.
A part of life should be devoted to living it, not just preventing or delaying its end.
Isn't it an enlightened way of spending our brief time in the sun to work at understanding the universe and how we have come to wake upon it as opposed to never wondering why we were born?
Science enables us to understand and appreciate the most wonderful thing ever, ourselves!
There are approximately 100,000,000,000,000 cells in the human body, and the total area of these, inside each and every one of us, is enough to cover approximately 200 acres!
Amazing! And we are, each and every one of us!
So whenever you are feeling demoralised or down, remember that you are incredible! And never forget that life is for living, not enduring!
Be inquisitive, ask questions and enjoy life to the full because, no matter how you feel, it's a miracle that you are here at all!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Unweaving The Rainbow
Unweaving The Rainbow - Richard Dawkins (1998)
Some of you may have seen the link I put on here to Dawkins' revelations and personal theories on Religion and its affects on society today and the constant battle that has raged between religion and science. (If not, WHY not?)
Well, the gentleman in question seemed to strike a chord with me and I promised myself I would investigate further, hence the purchase of said book.
It has been said :
"We are the children of chaos, and the deep structure of change is decay. At root, there is only corruption, and the unstemmable tide of chaos. Gone is purpose; all that is left is direction. This is the bleakness we have to accept as we peer deeply and dispassionately into the heart of the Universe" - sic Peter Aitkens (The Second Law (1984))
Do any of us tie our personal hopes and ambitions to the ultimate fate of the universe? No, or else we would be insane! Our lives are ruled and governed by our personal perceptions, emotions and circumstances. And I for one truly believe that science, as opposed to being responsible of robbing our lives of meaning and purpose, can in fact give us a sense of wonder and hope.
Sorry if this seems a little 'highbrow' for most of you (or am I guilty AGAIN of underestimating other peoples intelligence and inquisitiveness?) but this subject matter is of interest to me and as such, I am keen to share my views and indeed, to receive the views of others, even if they are in direct contradiction of my own!
(Not the musings of a 'hairy palmed wank monkey', I think you'll agree?)
Anyway, expect many musings and thoughts as I plough through this book. I'll put my thoughts on this link, for those of you who are interested. And please, if you feel the need to comment/opinionate/deliberate, do so!
I look forward to sharing with you all......
Some of you may have seen the link I put on here to Dawkins' revelations and personal theories on Religion and its affects on society today and the constant battle that has raged between religion and science. (If not, WHY not?)
Well, the gentleman in question seemed to strike a chord with me and I promised myself I would investigate further, hence the purchase of said book.
It has been said :
"We are the children of chaos, and the deep structure of change is decay. At root, there is only corruption, and the unstemmable tide of chaos. Gone is purpose; all that is left is direction. This is the bleakness we have to accept as we peer deeply and dispassionately into the heart of the Universe" - sic Peter Aitkens (The Second Law (1984))
Do any of us tie our personal hopes and ambitions to the ultimate fate of the universe? No, or else we would be insane! Our lives are ruled and governed by our personal perceptions, emotions and circumstances. And I for one truly believe that science, as opposed to being responsible of robbing our lives of meaning and purpose, can in fact give us a sense of wonder and hope.
Sorry if this seems a little 'highbrow' for most of you (or am I guilty AGAIN of underestimating other peoples intelligence and inquisitiveness?) but this subject matter is of interest to me and as such, I am keen to share my views and indeed, to receive the views of others, even if they are in direct contradiction of my own!
(Not the musings of a 'hairy palmed wank monkey', I think you'll agree?)
Anyway, expect many musings and thoughts as I plough through this book. I'll put my thoughts on this link, for those of you who are interested. And please, if you feel the need to comment/opinionate/deliberate, do so!
I look forward to sharing with you all......
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
I Live In The Middle Of Nowhere And Here's The Proof!
Well, as I wait for Dreamweaver to upload some files, which takes ages on this poxy connection of mine, I thought I'd share with you the headlines and features from the local paper "Fenland Citizen" which has a circulation of 41,193.
(What they fail to tell you is that approximately 35,000 of that figure is free circulation!)
Anyway, want to know what the headline is?
FIREWORK ARSON ALERT
Oh no, I hear you cry! There's a major criminal spate of attacks on Firework distributors and sellers in the area?
No.
People are using fireworks to start arson attacks on major public buildings?
No.
As it states in the paper ' a lit firework was posted through the door of Chartered Surveyors offices which went through an open interior door, leaving a black trail across the floor before impaling itself in a door leading to a storage area.'
Now, ignoring the image of a firework thrusting itself on some spike, therefore 'impaling' itself, what the paper fails to tell you is that the 'company' in question is run from a 2 up, 2 down terraced!
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but that hardly warrants an 'arson alert'! Obviously, the people round here haven't experienced urban life. I mean, come on! What are the local headlines in your neighbourhood?
But the headlines are shared this week with a half page spread on Buttercups Day Nursery having a Halloween themed day for the toddlers.
And it gets worse, much worse!
The first 5 pages subsequent to the shocking lead article contain these headings:
"Police Probe Attack" - 1 man had a fight outside a nightclub and had to be treated for minor injuries.
"Children Enjoy Spooky Disco" - Local youthgroups disco.
"Medium Helps In Murder Riddle" - because the police are hopeless, and it's an 8 year old case!
"Girl Braves Pain To Come Dancing" - she had a stress fracture of her left foot.
"Car Driver Saved Our Cats Life" - I kid you not! This is headline news round here!
Argh! Someone save me from monotony and tedium!
No wonder I spend so much time on Xbox.
After all, I could be launching fireworks at spiritualists dressed as ghouls attending the local disco whilst performing CPR on local wildlife!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return to my coma until next weeks thrilling instalment of local events!
(What they fail to tell you is that approximately 35,000 of that figure is free circulation!)
Anyway, want to know what the headline is?
FIREWORK ARSON ALERT
Oh no, I hear you cry! There's a major criminal spate of attacks on Firework distributors and sellers in the area?
No.
People are using fireworks to start arson attacks on major public buildings?
No.
As it states in the paper ' a lit firework was posted through the door of Chartered Surveyors offices which went through an open interior door, leaving a black trail across the floor before impaling itself in a door leading to a storage area.'
Now, ignoring the image of a firework thrusting itself on some spike, therefore 'impaling' itself, what the paper fails to tell you is that the 'company' in question is run from a 2 up, 2 down terraced!
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but that hardly warrants an 'arson alert'! Obviously, the people round here haven't experienced urban life. I mean, come on! What are the local headlines in your neighbourhood?
But the headlines are shared this week with a half page spread on Buttercups Day Nursery having a Halloween themed day for the toddlers.
And it gets worse, much worse!
The first 5 pages subsequent to the shocking lead article contain these headings:
"Police Probe Attack" - 1 man had a fight outside a nightclub and had to be treated for minor injuries.
"Children Enjoy Spooky Disco" - Local youthgroups disco.
"Medium Helps In Murder Riddle" - because the police are hopeless, and it's an 8 year old case!
"Girl Braves Pain To Come Dancing" - she had a stress fracture of her left foot.
"Car Driver Saved Our Cats Life" - I kid you not! This is headline news round here!
Argh! Someone save me from monotony and tedium!
No wonder I spend so much time on Xbox.
After all, I could be launching fireworks at spiritualists dressed as ghouls attending the local disco whilst performing CPR on local wildlife!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return to my coma until next weeks thrilling instalment of local events!
Saturday, October 28, 2006
NEW Forum Is Now Available!
Well, after all the faffing about, I now have a forum for us all!
You can find it HERE.
Feel free to register and PLEASE bear in mind that it is a 'work in progress' and as such, will not be perfect from day one!
So it is with deep sorrow that I am no longer going to post on my BLOG.
All my musings and opinions et al will now be restricted to the new Forum, so PLEASE come along and register.
At the very least, bookmark it in your Favourites and visit often, you are all more than welcome!
Hope to see you on there!
All the best, Nem 67 (aka Steve)
You can find it HERE.
Feel free to register and PLEASE bear in mind that it is a 'work in progress' and as such, will not be perfect from day one!
So it is with deep sorrow that I am no longer going to post on my BLOG.
All my musings and opinions et al will now be restricted to the new Forum, so PLEASE come along and register.
At the very least, bookmark it in your Favourites and visit often, you are all more than welcome!
Hope to see you on there!
All the best, Nem 67 (aka Steve)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
Rainbow Six : Vegas - Demo On Marketplace
For your information, the single player demo of Rainbow Six : Vegas is now available for download on XBox LiVE Marketplace.
Only played it a little, but it is awesome! Much better than Black Arrow.
Only time will tell how this will play on Multiplayer, but up to now I am suitably impressed.
Right, I'm off to kill some terrorists!
(I'll do an in-depth review when I've played it properly!)
Only played it a little, but it is awesome! Much better than Black Arrow.
Only time will tell how this will play on Multiplayer, but up to now I am suitably impressed.
Right, I'm off to kill some terrorists!
(I'll do an in-depth review when I've played it properly!)
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Halo 3 and Halo Movie News
Some additional news about Halo 3 and a deeper explanation as to the breakdown on the production of the Halo movie for you HERE.
Thanks to xX AlucardUK Xx for the link.
Thanks to xX AlucardUK Xx for the link.
Dynasty Warriors 5 : Empires - A review.
The armies of the kingdom are at your command! Conquer the 25 regions of Ancient China and build an Empire using cunning diplomacy and uncompromising force.
Before each battle, you'll meet with your war council to decide upon military and political policies for the kingdom; then it's time for war!
Well, I've just sent this back after getting 700+ achievement points, and I would like to offer my thoughts for your consumption.
If you want to complete this game, all I can say is 'X, X, X, B, X, X, X, A, X, X, X, B' and repeat as necessary!
In case that's too subtle for you, this game is extremely repetative!
The graphics are OK, but nothing to warrant a clunk as your jaw hits the ground in awe.
The sound is abysmal! Thank goodness we have custom soundtracks eh?
Gameplay involves selecting an area you wish to invade and fighting your way through the hordes of enemies and Generals taking control of bases until at the end of each level, you either kill the leader or take control of the base.
Between invasions, you can spend gold earned on updating your weapons, individual warrior skills and creating items and tactics for use in the ensuing attack.
And that's about it. As stated earlier, this game is repetative but it's an easy 700+ points.
There are 5 difficulty levels, but this has no effect on the achievements available.
I STRONGLY suggest renting this game. DO NOT BUY IT!
As you can probably tell, I am not particularly impressed with this game and I sincerely hope that Ninety Nine Knights isn't as monotonous as this.
Next for review will be Lara Croft Tomb Raider : Legend and Just Cause. I'll review these soon.
And that's it folks. I am now going to vegetate in front of the TV and prepare to watch The Grudge (Original Japanese version) on Film 4 tonight.
Have a great evening folks, I know I will!
Before each battle, you'll meet with your war council to decide upon military and political policies for the kingdom; then it's time for war!
Well, I've just sent this back after getting 700+ achievement points, and I would like to offer my thoughts for your consumption.
If you want to complete this game, all I can say is 'X, X, X, B, X, X, X, A, X, X, X, B' and repeat as necessary!
In case that's too subtle for you, this game is extremely repetative!
The graphics are OK, but nothing to warrant a clunk as your jaw hits the ground in awe.
The sound is abysmal! Thank goodness we have custom soundtracks eh?
Gameplay involves selecting an area you wish to invade and fighting your way through the hordes of enemies and Generals taking control of bases until at the end of each level, you either kill the leader or take control of the base.
Between invasions, you can spend gold earned on updating your weapons, individual warrior skills and creating items and tactics for use in the ensuing attack.
And that's about it. As stated earlier, this game is repetative but it's an easy 700+ points.
There are 5 difficulty levels, but this has no effect on the achievements available.
I STRONGLY suggest renting this game. DO NOT BUY IT!
As you can probably tell, I am not particularly impressed with this game and I sincerely hope that Ninety Nine Knights isn't as monotonous as this.
Next for review will be Lara Croft Tomb Raider : Legend and Just Cause. I'll review these soon.
And that's it folks. I am now going to vegetate in front of the TV and prepare to watch The Grudge (Original Japanese version) on Film 4 tonight.
Have a great evening folks, I know I will!
Update For Ghost Recon : Advanced Warfighter
There's a LiVE update for Ghost Recon : Advanced Warfighter available on Xbox LiVE.
This fixes a few problems, but more importantly provides some NEW achievements for you to unlock.
This fixes a few problems, but more importantly provides some NEW achievements for you to unlock.
My XBox 360 Is Dying!
Well, I've had to report yet ANOTHER faulty machine to Micro$oft XBox Support!
My machine fails to load games 90% of the time, and I've noticed it's started to scratch my game discs.
I've had this problem before with my original Xbox 360 and it had to be returned for replacement.
Apparently, the scratching is a common problem but Micro$oft will not accept liability, even though I take exceptional care of my discs and the ONLY way they could be scratched is by the machine itself.
(Scratches the outside edge of the disk, about 5-10mm in, which is the initial read sector of the disc.)
Let's see what response I get from them this time!
I'm NOT a happy bunny, I can tell you!
My machine fails to load games 90% of the time, and I've noticed it's started to scratch my game discs.
I've had this problem before with my original Xbox 360 and it had to be returned for replacement.
Apparently, the scratching is a common problem but Micro$oft will not accept liability, even though I take exceptional care of my discs and the ONLY way they could be scratched is by the machine itself.
(Scratches the outside edge of the disk, about 5-10mm in, which is the initial read sector of the disc.)
Let's see what response I get from them this time!
I'm NOT a happy bunny, I can tell you!
More Screenshots And Video Of Rainbow Six : Vegas
Some new screenshots and video of the first mission in Rainbow Six : Vegas.
Curiously, this is in Mexico. Have the developers got something against Mexico I wonder as Ghost Recon : Advanced Warfighter is also set in a Mexico locale?
The latest video shows how 'tagging' works in game. Cool addition!
Also, it has been stated that all the single player missions are playable ON-LINE with 3 of your buddies! This will negate the use of the tagging system, requiring team members to communicate effectively and plan prior to entering a room.
Also, if you have the 360 Camera, you can photograph yourself and paste this image onto your online character in the game! Well, that's gonna screw a lot of players eh? LOL!
(I wonder if you could get a photo of GW Bush or T Blair on there ensuring you are going to be the primary target all the time?)
Anyway, enjoy!
Curiously, this is in Mexico. Have the developers got something against Mexico I wonder as Ghost Recon : Advanced Warfighter is also set in a Mexico locale?
The latest video shows how 'tagging' works in game. Cool addition!
Also, it has been stated that all the single player missions are playable ON-LINE with 3 of your buddies! This will negate the use of the tagging system, requiring team members to communicate effectively and plan prior to entering a room.
Also, if you have the 360 Camera, you can photograph yourself and paste this image onto your online character in the game! Well, that's gonna screw a lot of players eh? LOL!
(I wonder if you could get a photo of GW Bush or T Blair on there ensuring you are going to be the primary target all the time?)
Anyway, enjoy!
10 Things You Didn't Know Last Week
1. The Australian investment group which is buying Thames Water also owns the transmitters on which the BBC is broadcast.
2. Twice as many people turn their heads to the right to kiss as to the left, say researchers.3. Nearly one internet user in 10 has started a blog, according to Harris Research.
4. A dwarf species of hippopotamus once lived on Cyprus.
5. There are 375 people reported missing each day, on average, according to the National Missing Persons Helpline. More details
6. More than one in eight people in the United States show signs of addiction to the internet, says a study. More details
7. The warm autumn has seen North African butterflies appearing in Scotland. More details
8. One third of all the cod fished in the world is consumed in the UK. More details
9. UK customs officials intercept attempts to smuggle in 150 live birds and animals, and 6,400 animal parts, each week. More details
10. Boys’ GCSE results have improved to the level that girls had reached seven years ago. More details
2. Twice as many people turn their heads to the right to kiss as to the left, say researchers.3. Nearly one internet user in 10 has started a blog, according to Harris Research.
4. A dwarf species of hippopotamus once lived on Cyprus.
5. There are 375 people reported missing each day, on average, according to the National Missing Persons Helpline. More details
6. More than one in eight people in the United States show signs of addiction to the internet, says a study. More details
7. The warm autumn has seen North African butterflies appearing in Scotland. More details
8. One third of all the cod fished in the world is consumed in the UK. More details
9. UK customs officials intercept attempts to smuggle in 150 live birds and animals, and 6,400 animal parts, each week. More details
10. Boys’ GCSE results have improved to the level that girls had reached seven years ago. More details
Home Office plans floating jails
The Home Office is moving ahead with plans to use prison ships to ease overcrowding in prisons.
Britain's last floating prison - HMP Weare, moored at Portland Harbour in Dorset - closed last year.
The government has advertised for contractors to provide up to 800 places on ships in England and Wales.
The move comes as the first prisoners were moved into designated police cells as part of the plans to alleviate the overcrowding crisis.
A good idea I think. This has been in the 'discussion' phase for many years.
Britain's last floating prison - HMP Weare, moored at Portland Harbour in Dorset - closed last year.
The government has advertised for contractors to provide up to 800 places on ships in England and Wales.
The move comes as the first prisoners were moved into designated police cells as part of the plans to alleviate the overcrowding crisis.
A good idea I think. This has been in the 'discussion' phase for many years.
Oslo gay animal show draws crowds
Curators say a Norwegian exhibition on homosexuality among animals has been well received, despite initial indications of strong opposition.
The Oslo Natural History Museum opened the show last week and says it has been well attended, not least by families.
Organisers reported early criticism of the project, and being told by one opponent they would "burn in hell".
This is incredulous!
The Oslo Natural History Museum opened the show last week and says it has been well attended, not least by families.
Organisers reported early criticism of the project, and being told by one opponent they would "burn in hell".
This is incredulous!
Charles Darwin's works go online
The complete works of one of history's greatest scientists, Charles Darwin, are being published online.
The project run by Cambridge University has digitised some 50,000 pages of text and 40,000 images of original publications - all of it searchable.
Surfers can even access downloadable audio files to use on MP3 players.
This is interesting reading!
Allow me to provide a link to the actual internet site!
The project run by Cambridge University has digitised some 50,000 pages of text and 40,000 images of original publications - all of it searchable.
Surfers can even access downloadable audio files to use on MP3 players.
This is interesting reading!
Allow me to provide a link to the actual internet site!
America Wants To Control Outer Space!
The US has adopted a tough new policy aimed at protecting its interests in space and denying "adversaries" access there for hostile purposes.
The document - signed by President Bush - also says "freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as air power and sea power".
The document rejects any proposals to ban space weapons.
But the White House has said the policy does not call for the development or deployment of weapons in space.
Am I the only one who finds this worrying?
Maybe they want to restrict access to space so that we don't find out the 'Star Wars' program does in fact exist?
If not now, then definitely in the future!
Americans eh? Where's the Borg when you need 'em!
The document - signed by President Bush - also says "freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as air power and sea power".
The document rejects any proposals to ban space weapons.
But the White House has said the policy does not call for the development or deployment of weapons in space.
Am I the only one who finds this worrying?
Maybe they want to restrict access to space so that we don't find out the 'Star Wars' program does in fact exist?
If not now, then definitely in the future!
Americans eh? Where's the Borg when you need 'em!
Experts create invisibility cloak
A US-British team of scientists has successfully tested a cloak of invisibility in the laboratory.
It works by deflecting the microwaves around the object and restoring them on the other side, as if they had passed through empty space.
But making an object vanish before a person's eyes is still the stuff of science fiction - for now.
The researchers say that if an object can be hidden from microwaves, it can be hidden from radar - a possibility that will ensure interest from the military.
Well, this will add a whole new meaning to the word 'stealth' eh?
And because they have been able to do this with microwaves, they anticipate being able to do this with light waves in the next 5 to 10 years!
Can I place my order for a Cloak Of Invisiblity now please?
That WOULD be fun, but it could also be used for nefarious means!
It works by deflecting the microwaves around the object and restoring them on the other side, as if they had passed through empty space.
But making an object vanish before a person's eyes is still the stuff of science fiction - for now.
The researchers say that if an object can be hidden from microwaves, it can be hidden from radar - a possibility that will ensure interest from the military.
Well, this will add a whole new meaning to the word 'stealth' eh?
And because they have been able to do this with microwaves, they anticipate being able to do this with light waves in the next 5 to 10 years!
Can I place my order for a Cloak Of Invisiblity now please?
That WOULD be fun, but it could also be used for nefarious means!
Bully game dropped from UK shops
A video game depicting playground violence has been banned from some UK shops.
Hands up all those who saw this coming?
The Bully game - which carries a 15-certificate in the UK - shows a character defending himself from school bullies. Tackling the bullies and stopping them from picking on other children is a key feature of the game.
It is due to be released on 27 October and anyone wanting to get their hands on the title will not have too much difficulty as other UK stores including Game, HMV and Woolworths, will all stock it.
Hands up all those who saw this coming?
The Bully game - which carries a 15-certificate in the UK - shows a character defending himself from school bullies. Tackling the bullies and stopping them from picking on other children is a key feature of the game.
It is due to be released on 27 October and anyone wanting to get their hands on the title will not have too much difficulty as other UK stores including Game, HMV and Woolworths, will all stock it.
Studios 'pull financing for Halo'
Universal and Fox film studios have withdrawn financing from the planned movie based on popular video game Halo, reports US magazine Variety.
This is a shame, but when a budget for a movie jumps from £135 million to £200 million, you would get a little 'antsy' wouldn't you?
A real shame as I believe it would have been a major success. Let's hope they can rescue this somehow.
This is a shame, but when a budget for a movie jumps from £135 million to £200 million, you would get a little 'antsy' wouldn't you?
A real shame as I believe it would have been a major success. Let's hope they can rescue this somehow.
YouTube cuts 30,000 illegal clips
Video-sharing service YouTube has wiped nearly 30,000 files from its website after Japanese media companies said their copyright was being infringed.
Didn't take long for the corporate giant to start interfering eh?
Didn't take long for the corporate giant to start interfering eh?
The Americans Are At It Again!
The Joint Economic Committee (JEC) of the US Congress has announced it is investigating the amount of commerce taking place in virtual game worlds.
The investigation is unlikely to mean that in-game trading will start to be taxed.
I don't believe this! Want to bet that they DO eventually levy some sort of tax on these online communities?
Another example of Capitalism gone wild!
The investigation is unlikely to mean that in-game trading will start to be taxed.
I don't believe this! Want to bet that they DO eventually levy some sort of tax on these online communities?
Another example of Capitalism gone wild!
100GB Hard Drive For 360 Rumour
Some of you may have seen or heard of the rumour that Micro$oft are to release a 100GB Hard Drive for the 360.
Sorry to disappoint you, but this is NOT happening!
(This rumour started because someone edited a powerpoint slide used in a Korean Micro$oft presentation, and very badly too!)
If you want to see the cause of this furor, click HERE.
It amazes me just how gullible some people are!
Sorry to disappoint you, but this is NOT happening!
(This rumour started because someone edited a powerpoint slide used in a Korean Micro$oft presentation, and very badly too!)
If you want to see the cause of this furor, click HERE.
It amazes me just how gullible some people are!
Sony unveils net service for PS3
Sony has unveiled details of the PlayStation 3s online service and the list of 21 games available at launch.
Well, at last we have some details of the online capabilities of the new PS3.
Major points are that on-line gaming will be free, unlike XBox LiVE where you have to pay a yearly subscription to play. Not a major problem to me personally, but this could prove a selling point for any new gamers who are undecided as to which console to buy. You never know, Micro$oft may follow suit!
The launch titles are not overly impressive, many of them being re-hashed versions of games already available across multiple formats.
I do like the idea of being able to surf the web via the console and download music and games etc. But this would make it imperative that the user has a decent size hard drive and has to buy a keyboard and mouse to fully utilise this option, which is MORE cost to the end user!
Another point of interest is that the games will cost £32 RRP as opposed to £49.99 RRP for XBox 360 games. (Although most of us wouldn't pay the RRP. A more realistic cost is £39.99.)
Their online game service doesn't sound as though it is anywhere near as good as the XBox LiVE service, but it is free. (Up to now, anyway!)
Click HERE for more info......
Well, at last we have some details of the online capabilities of the new PS3.
Major points are that on-line gaming will be free, unlike XBox LiVE where you have to pay a yearly subscription to play. Not a major problem to me personally, but this could prove a selling point for any new gamers who are undecided as to which console to buy. You never know, Micro$oft may follow suit!
The launch titles are not overly impressive, many of them being re-hashed versions of games already available across multiple formats.
I do like the idea of being able to surf the web via the console and download music and games etc. But this would make it imperative that the user has a decent size hard drive and has to buy a keyboard and mouse to fully utilise this option, which is MORE cost to the end user!
Another point of interest is that the games will cost £32 RRP as opposed to £49.99 RRP for XBox 360 games. (Although most of us wouldn't pay the RRP. A more realistic cost is £39.99.)
Their online game service doesn't sound as though it is anywhere near as good as the XBox LiVE service, but it is free. (Up to now, anyway!)
Click HERE for more info......
Bits And Pieces
I've been neglecting my blog recently because I've been spending my time setting up my NEW forum, which is nearly finished, and experimenting with some new templates for my website.
This is nearly completed, its just taking longer than I thought. That's the problem when you teach yourself, you rely on internet searches, and as you are probably aware, there's a lot of crap and outdated stuff out there!
(And to all of you who keep asking, WAIT! I WILL email you when it's ready, OK?)
Anyway, I'm trawling the news now, so expect some additional posts later today.
One of our on-line gaming buddies SaintLeTiss contacted me today! We've not seen him on XBox for months! The good news is he's now got his 360 and is expecting to be back online in January!
He's the self proclaimed 'Claymore King' from Ghost Recon : Summit Strike, but he was a little 'miffed' that claymores aren't available in Ghost Recon : Advanced Warfighter.
I'd have to agree with him on that score. There's nothing better than placing a claymore on a map choke point and waiting until some unsuspecting adversary is in a prime position to remotely detonate it and blow 'em halfway across the map, safe in the knowledge that you've probably given some poor unsuspecting adversary a heart attack as well! (LOL!)
Anyway Tiss, nice to hear from you again and we are looking forward to the 'gang' reforming when the next batch of games are released! Shoot 'ya later!
This is nearly completed, its just taking longer than I thought. That's the problem when you teach yourself, you rely on internet searches, and as you are probably aware, there's a lot of crap and outdated stuff out there!
(And to all of you who keep asking, WAIT! I WILL email you when it's ready, OK?)
Anyway, I'm trawling the news now, so expect some additional posts later today.
One of our on-line gaming buddies SaintLeTiss contacted me today! We've not seen him on XBox for months! The good news is he's now got his 360 and is expecting to be back online in January!
He's the self proclaimed 'Claymore King' from Ghost Recon : Summit Strike, but he was a little 'miffed' that claymores aren't available in Ghost Recon : Advanced Warfighter.
I'd have to agree with him on that score. There's nothing better than placing a claymore on a map choke point and waiting until some unsuspecting adversary is in a prime position to remotely detonate it and blow 'em halfway across the map, safe in the knowledge that you've probably given some poor unsuspecting adversary a heart attack as well! (LOL!)
Anyway Tiss, nice to hear from you again and we are looking forward to the 'gang' reforming when the next batch of games are released! Shoot 'ya later!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Rainbow Six : Vegas - Multiplayer 'Hands On'
Click HERE for a hands on review of the much anticipated (by me anyway!) Rainbow Six : Vegas multiplayer mode.
Thanks to MetalG for the link.
I don't know about you, but my mouth is watering in anticipation for this!
Thanks to MetalG for the link.
I don't know about you, but my mouth is watering in anticipation for this!
Gears of War cancelled in Germany
Cut-down version of the ultra-violent shooter "not possible" says Microsoft.
Due to its extreme violence and body-chainsawing antics, Gears of War will not be released in Germany, Microsoft has disappointingly revealed to our German friends.
Well, here we go again people with the ridiculous censoring rules thrust upon us by our supposed peers!
Makes me laugh how a nation that is synonymous with ultra-violence and control has turned into one of the most conservative nations in the world!
My reaction? IT'S NOT REAL!
It's only a game, stick an 18 BBFC (or whatever they have) on it and sell.
Either that, or just buy it of the internet, 'cos they are the same region coding as UK. If they want it, they'll just get it off the internet
Now Australia, a country that banned Dead Rising, has allowed this game to be released, and they are reputedly the strictest when it comes to game certification.
Maybe it's because that even though Australia is becoming extremely right wing, they don't have their heads up their own arses like the Germans!
All this is will do is encourage the media to jump on the 'violence in computer games is ruining our children' bandwagon.
If games were properly certificated and PARENTS took a more active roll, we wouldn't have 10% of the problems today, and that's NOT just connected to video gaming!
As xX Alucard UK Xx says : "...if its got an 18 certificate on it, let people decide if they want to buy it or not.
What makes a bunch of random people in a dark room decide what the adult masses can and can't see?
I understand the need to put age ratings on games but if it's not suitable for kiddies, stick an 18 (or equivalent rating) on the boxes and let adults buy it.
Why should they be punished just because they don't want kids buying it?"
The worrying thing is that the UK has STRICTER censoring rules than ANY of the EU states.
Let's just hope some political 'wannabe' doesn't jump on this as a vote collecting exercise!
I find this all extremely ironic, considering Germany's history! Too full of their own self importance in my opinion! They can't help it, it's genetic! Look at WWII
But that's being prejudiced/racist/xenophobic, so it's not allowed.
(Any views/opinions stated on this Blog are solely the rantings of myself and should not be associated with any other reader/contributor to my postings, even when quoted.)
Guantanamo Bay, here I come!
Due to its extreme violence and body-chainsawing antics, Gears of War will not be released in Germany, Microsoft has disappointingly revealed to our German friends.
Well, here we go again people with the ridiculous censoring rules thrust upon us by our supposed peers!
Makes me laugh how a nation that is synonymous with ultra-violence and control has turned into one of the most conservative nations in the world!
My reaction? IT'S NOT REAL!
It's only a game, stick an 18 BBFC (or whatever they have) on it and sell.
Either that, or just buy it of the internet, 'cos they are the same region coding as UK. If they want it, they'll just get it off the internet
Now Australia, a country that banned Dead Rising, has allowed this game to be released, and they are reputedly the strictest when it comes to game certification.
Maybe it's because that even though Australia is becoming extremely right wing, they don't have their heads up their own arses like the Germans!
All this is will do is encourage the media to jump on the 'violence in computer games is ruining our children' bandwagon.
If games were properly certificated and PARENTS took a more active roll, we wouldn't have 10% of the problems today, and that's NOT just connected to video gaming!
As xX Alucard UK Xx says : "...if its got an 18 certificate on it, let people decide if they want to buy it or not.
What makes a bunch of random people in a dark room decide what the adult masses can and can't see?
I understand the need to put age ratings on games but if it's not suitable for kiddies, stick an 18 (or equivalent rating) on the boxes and let adults buy it.
Why should they be punished just because they don't want kids buying it?"
The worrying thing is that the UK has STRICTER censoring rules than ANY of the EU states.
Let's just hope some political 'wannabe' doesn't jump on this as a vote collecting exercise!
I find this all extremely ironic, considering Germany's history! Too full of their own self importance in my opinion! They can't help it, it's genetic! Look at WWII
But that's being prejudiced/racist/xenophobic, so it's not allowed.
(Any views/opinions stated on this Blog are solely the rantings of myself and should not be associated with any other reader/contributor to my postings, even when quoted.)
Guantanamo Bay, here I come!
Saw 3 : Death Tunnel - but not!
I have visited the Saw 3 Website, and it was with great anticipation that I sat down and watched this film.
However, this film was NOT Saw 3, but a title called Death Tunnel.
(Be warned! This is advertised on some sites as being titled Saw 3 : Death Tunnel - it isn't!)
Plot Outline For an initiation stunt, five college women are locked in a Kentucky hospital built in 1910 where 63,000 people died from a disease known as the "white plague". Deep under the hospital is the "Death Tunnel" which once were used to secretly remove the dead from the grounds.
Plot Synopsis Movie is based on the True Stories and Hauntings of Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky. This horrific Five story structure is listed as one of the Top Ten Scariest Places on Earth, due to the 63,000+ deaths within this monument of Terror.
They were then carried through the massive Five hundred foot underground Tunnel to their final resting place. The story involves Five girls on a college initiation, dared to spend the night separately on the Five floors of this sanatorium, with the Five ghosts that exist within it's abandoned corridors. Will they make it through the night? For the only way out is through...the Death Tunnel.
Sounds promising eh?
AVOID THIS FILM AT ALL COST!
The acting is awful, the special effects amateurish and the story is only mildly interesting, as it is based on true events.
This film makes Hostel look like a Spielberg production!
It borrows heavily from The Ring in style and sound, and that's the only credit I can give this film.
And it sounded SO promising!
However, this film was NOT Saw 3, but a title called Death Tunnel.
(Be warned! This is advertised on some sites as being titled Saw 3 : Death Tunnel - it isn't!)
Plot Outline For an initiation stunt, five college women are locked in a Kentucky hospital built in 1910 where 63,000 people died from a disease known as the "white plague". Deep under the hospital is the "Death Tunnel" which once were used to secretly remove the dead from the grounds.
Plot Synopsis Movie is based on the True Stories and Hauntings of Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky. This horrific Five story structure is listed as one of the Top Ten Scariest Places on Earth, due to the 63,000+ deaths within this monument of Terror.
They were then carried through the massive Five hundred foot underground Tunnel to their final resting place. The story involves Five girls on a college initiation, dared to spend the night separately on the Five floors of this sanatorium, with the Five ghosts that exist within it's abandoned corridors. Will they make it through the night? For the only way out is through...the Death Tunnel.
Sounds promising eh?
AVOID THIS FILM AT ALL COST!
The acting is awful, the special effects amateurish and the story is only mildly interesting, as it is based on true events.
This film makes Hostel look like a Spielberg production!
It borrows heavily from The Ring in style and sound, and that's the only credit I can give this film.
And it sounded SO promising!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
You MUST Watch This!
Click HERE to see the impressive new advert for the Sony BRAVIA range of TV's.
I defy you not to be impressed!
Cheers to 'Blodge' for the heads up!
I defy you not to be impressed!
Cheers to 'Blodge' for the heads up!
PS3 Advertisement
Click HERE to see the abysmal advertisement for the Sony PS3.
Micro$oft must be laughing out loud after seeing this!
Micro$oft must be laughing out loud after seeing this!
Monday, October 16, 2006
Who says men don't remember Anniversaries?
Who says men don't remember Anniversaries?
A woman awakes during the night to find that her husband was not in their bed.
She puts on her robe and goes downstairs to look for him. She finds him sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front him.
He appears deep in thought, just staring at the wall.She watches as he wipes a tear from his eye and takes a sip of coffee.
"What's the matter, dear?" she whispers as she steps into the room.
"Why are you down here at this time of night?"
The husband looks up, "Do you remember 20 years ago when we were dating, and you were only 17?" he asks solemnly.
The wife is touched thinking her husband is so caring and sensitive.
"Yes, I do," she replies.
The husband pauses. The words are not coming easily.
"Do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of my car?"
"Yes, I remember," says the wife, lowering herself into a chair beside him.
The husband continues...
"Do you remember when he shoved a shotgun in my face and said, "Either you marry my daughter, or I will send you to jail for 20 years"?".
"I remember that too", she replies softly.
He wipes another tear from his cheek and says... "I would have gotten out today!"
Thanks to xX AlucardUK Xx for the funny!
A woman awakes during the night to find that her husband was not in their bed.
She puts on her robe and goes downstairs to look for him. She finds him sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front him.
He appears deep in thought, just staring at the wall.She watches as he wipes a tear from his eye and takes a sip of coffee.
"What's the matter, dear?" she whispers as she steps into the room.
"Why are you down here at this time of night?"
The husband looks up, "Do you remember 20 years ago when we were dating, and you were only 17?" he asks solemnly.
The wife is touched thinking her husband is so caring and sensitive.
"Yes, I do," she replies.
The husband pauses. The words are not coming easily.
"Do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of my car?"
"Yes, I remember," says the wife, lowering herself into a chair beside him.
The husband continues...
"Do you remember when he shoved a shotgun in my face and said, "Either you marry my daughter, or I will send you to jail for 20 years"?".
"I remember that too", she replies softly.
He wipes another tear from his cheek and says... "I would have gotten out today!"
Thanks to xX AlucardUK Xx for the funny!
PlayStation 3 Hands-on
Well, here's a 'hands on' review of the new Sony PS3 for all you TRAITORS out there!
Click here for the article.
Thanks to MetalG again!
Click here for the article.
Thanks to MetalG again!
XBox LiVE Shutdown On 17th For 24 Hours
XBox LiVE and XBox.com will be down for 24 hours on the 17th!
Oh no! What we gonna do?
Anyway, for more details and an explanation as to why, click here.
Again, thanks to MetalG for the heads up!
Oh no! What we gonna do?
Anyway, for more details and an explanation as to why, click here.
Again, thanks to MetalG for the heads up!
XBox 360 Classic Range Announced
It appears that some of the older 360 titles are going to be designated 'Classics' this month, so we can expect a reduced price, which is all good!
The titles initially are Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo : Elements Of Power, Condemned, King Kong and Need For Speed : Most Wanted.
Click here for more details.
Thanks to MetalG for the info......
The titles initially are Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo : Elements Of Power, Condemned, King Kong and Need For Speed : Most Wanted.
Click here for more details.
Thanks to MetalG for the info......
Changes Are Afoot!
Right, I'm off to bed now, it's way past my bedtime, and I need all the beauty sleep I can get!
But 'afore I go, just keep an eye on the Fenland IT Website over the coming week! There's gonna be some MAJOR changes and a special 'something' for those 'in the know'!
(Nudge, nudge, wink, wink! Say no more....)
Goodnight, and may today be twice as good as yesterday, but only half as good as tomorrow!
But 'afore I go, just keep an eye on the Fenland IT Website over the coming week! There's gonna be some MAJOR changes and a special 'something' for those 'in the know'!
(Nudge, nudge, wink, wink! Say no more....)
Goodnight, and may today be twice as good as yesterday, but only half as good as tomorrow!
Evil Dead - The Musical
Absolutely fantastic!
Just what we need to bring a smile onto the face of even the most cynical of you out there, and that could ONLY be done by letting you know that Evil Dead - The Musical has hit the masses for consumption!
Unfortunately, this is only being shown in the U.S. but they should definitely tour! I'd be first in the queue!
Thanks to 'Blodge' for the find and 'TacticalKnightmare' to positively encourage such fine 'snippets' from the digital ether!
Be warned! This is an ADULT forum and is primarily aimed at guys who enjoy Airsoft, but I think you will be pleasantly suprised at the finds and musings that appear! Yes, I DO contribute!
If you are easily offended, please note the following:
As a pointer to those who are not 'in the know' of internet/IT 'speak', SFW = Safe For Work, which means it's OK to open up on your screen without inadvertently causing a coronary seizure to some poor unsuspecting colleague/student/spouse/child/dog, who just innocently happens to casually glance at your monitor as they pass when you are perusing the forum.
NSFW = NOT Safe For Work. So, if after perusing said forum, you turn to find glares of distress/anger/disappointment/paramedics/vetinarys (delete as appropriate) all aimed in your direction, don't say I didn't warn you!
If you find yourself suddenly wanting to take a shower after reading some of the posts, I can recommend a good therapist for you.
Readers discretion is advised, but it's a great forum!
Just what we need to bring a smile onto the face of even the most cynical of you out there, and that could ONLY be done by letting you know that Evil Dead - The Musical has hit the masses for consumption!
Unfortunately, this is only being shown in the U.S. but they should definitely tour! I'd be first in the queue!
Thanks to 'Blodge' for the find and 'TacticalKnightmare' to positively encourage such fine 'snippets' from the digital ether!
Be warned! This is an ADULT forum and is primarily aimed at guys who enjoy Airsoft, but I think you will be pleasantly suprised at the finds and musings that appear! Yes, I DO contribute!
If you are easily offended, please note the following:
As a pointer to those who are not 'in the know' of internet/IT 'speak', SFW = Safe For Work, which means it's OK to open up on your screen without inadvertently causing a coronary seizure to some poor unsuspecting colleague/student/spouse/child/dog, who just innocently happens to casually glance at your monitor as they pass when you are perusing the forum.
NSFW = NOT Safe For Work. So, if after perusing said forum, you turn to find glares of distress/anger/disappointment/paramedics/vetinarys (delete as appropriate) all aimed in your direction, don't say I didn't warn you!
If you find yourself suddenly wanting to take a shower after reading some of the posts, I can recommend a good therapist for you.
Readers discretion is advised, but it's a great forum!
The Grudge 2
The Grudge 2 is due out soon!
Looking forward to this one, 'cos the first one slightly unnerved me. (That's a manly way of saying it made me scream like a biatch!)
Anyway, the link takes you to the official Sony Pictures website where you can watch a preview or explore the site.
And if you HAVEN'T seen 'The Grudge', I'd highly recommend it, but not for the faint of heart!
(I've watched both 'The Ring' films, but this beats it hands down! Also, if you do like this sort of film, watch 'Creep'.....that's a nasty film!)
Anyway, hope you watch them and enjoy them as much as me.
I think those of you who have seen these films will agree, they are slightly disturbing and definitely have a Japanese filming influence, and indeed the first Grudge is set in Japan, if I remember correctly?
(My mind gets a little fuzzy when I try to recall something that scared the crap out of me!)
Looking forward to this one, 'cos the first one slightly unnerved me. (That's a manly way of saying it made me scream like a biatch!)
Anyway, the link takes you to the official Sony Pictures website where you can watch a preview or explore the site.
And if you HAVEN'T seen 'The Grudge', I'd highly recommend it, but not for the faint of heart!
(I've watched both 'The Ring' films, but this beats it hands down! Also, if you do like this sort of film, watch 'Creep'.....that's a nasty film!)
Anyway, hope you watch them and enjoy them as much as me.
I think those of you who have seen these films will agree, they are slightly disturbing and definitely have a Japanese filming influence, and indeed the first Grudge is set in Japan, if I remember correctly?
(My mind gets a little fuzzy when I try to recall something that scared the crap out of me!)
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Channel 5 US and bits & pieces.....
Just to let you know, Channel 5 U.S. starts on Monday 15th October at 8:00pm.
How do I get Five US?
Freeview: Channel 35
Digital Satellite: Channel 207
Digital Cable: Channel 185
Homechoice: Channel 30
Note: If you use Freeview, you may need to re-scan for Five US on your digital box, digital TV recorder or digital TV. Some models scan automatically, but others will require you to do this manually. For further details, please visit the Freeview website. Channel listings for digital satellite and cable viewers will update automatically.
Now, as some of you may be aware, I am fairly anti-American at the moment, but one point of interest is that at 9:00pm on Channel 5 US, they are showing 'Nightmares And Dreamscapes' which is an 8 part dramatisation of the Stephen King book of the same title.
Now, I remember thinking it was a lame attempt to better Clive Barker's 'Books Of Blood', but it wasn't too bad.
If you HAVEN'T even heard of Clive Barkers 'Books Of Blood' then shame on you!
There are 6 volumes and each contains numerous short stories from a unique writer, responsible for the Hellraiser and Nightbreed films. They are a fantastic read from a writer described as a 'fabulist'.
His writings are a mixture of gothic horror, fantasy and eroticism of an adult and graphic nature.
And if you are a fan of this sort of fantasy-horror, I'd also highly recommend 'Weaveworld' by Clive Barker. A fantastic novel and well worth investing the time to read.
And while we are on the subject of literary thrills, I'd also suggest reading the 'Necroscope' series of books by Brian Lumley or James Herbert's 'Once' - both fantastic reads!
Well that's enough trying to encourage reading to the masses, enjoy the program and hopefully a book or two?
How do I get Five US?
Freeview: Channel 35
Digital Satellite: Channel 207
Digital Cable: Channel 185
Homechoice: Channel 30
Note: If you use Freeview, you may need to re-scan for Five US on your digital box, digital TV recorder or digital TV. Some models scan automatically, but others will require you to do this manually. For further details, please visit the Freeview website. Channel listings for digital satellite and cable viewers will update automatically.
Now, as some of you may be aware, I am fairly anti-American at the moment, but one point of interest is that at 9:00pm on Channel 5 US, they are showing 'Nightmares And Dreamscapes' which is an 8 part dramatisation of the Stephen King book of the same title.
Now, I remember thinking it was a lame attempt to better Clive Barker's 'Books Of Blood', but it wasn't too bad.
If you HAVEN'T even heard of Clive Barkers 'Books Of Blood' then shame on you!
There are 6 volumes and each contains numerous short stories from a unique writer, responsible for the Hellraiser and Nightbreed films. They are a fantastic read from a writer described as a 'fabulist'.
His writings are a mixture of gothic horror, fantasy and eroticism of an adult and graphic nature.
And if you are a fan of this sort of fantasy-horror, I'd also highly recommend 'Weaveworld' by Clive Barker. A fantastic novel and well worth investing the time to read.
And while we are on the subject of literary thrills, I'd also suggest reading the 'Necroscope' series of books by Brian Lumley or James Herbert's 'Once' - both fantastic reads!
Well that's enough trying to encourage reading to the masses, enjoy the program and hopefully a book or two?
Friday, October 13, 2006
Do You Want Hi-Def Gaming on the 360 for £20?
Recently I was speaking to MetalG about Hi-Def and how I'm unable to benefit from this because finances won't allow me to purchase a Hi-Def TV.
He suggested that I go to Play.com and order the VGA Cable for the XBox 360 at £9.99 (inc Delivery) and connect my Xbox to my PC monitor as it has VGA capabilities.
I bought it, but as it is a male connector, as is my monitor, I also had to buy a Female to Female VGA converter. Again, this was £9.95.
So, as it stands now, I have my 360 connected to my PC monitor instead of my TV and wired up optically to my amp.
I can honestly say Hi-Def is fantastic! The definition is amazing and it's a real advantage in games like GRAW and MOTOGP.
Thanks 'G' for the info, I am now in gaming heaven!
He suggested that I go to Play.com and order the VGA Cable for the XBox 360 at £9.99 (inc Delivery) and connect my Xbox to my PC monitor as it has VGA capabilities.
I bought it, but as it is a male connector, as is my monitor, I also had to buy a Female to Female VGA converter. Again, this was £9.95.
So, as it stands now, I have my 360 connected to my PC monitor instead of my TV and wired up optically to my amp.
I can honestly say Hi-Def is fantastic! The definition is amazing and it's a real advantage in games like GRAW and MOTOGP.
Thanks 'G' for the info, I am now in gaming heaven!
XBox LiVE Marketplace
xX AlucardUK Xx has pointed me at this nice little Marketplace widget!
Allows you to see what's available on Marketplace without having to go through the XBox Dashboard, which as you all know, can be EXTREMELY tiresome!
Enjoy...............
Allows you to see what's available on Marketplace without having to go through the XBox Dashboard, which as you all know, can be EXTREMELY tiresome!
Enjoy...............
Rainbow Six : Vegas - Update!
Click on the link to view a video highlighting the customisation options in Rainbow Six : Vegas.
Not only can you pick your gender, but if you have the XBox Video Camera, you can photograph your face and paste it onto your in-game character!
There are 5 million unique customisable options, and things like heavy armour will affect your movement rate in game.
Single player unlocks customisable options for your character, but will not give you an advantage online.
Looks fantastic, but so did Rainbow Six : Lockdown, and we all know how THAT turned out!
Here's hoping it delivers where it needs to and isn't just another visually slick game that suffers terribly online.
Thanks to xX AlucardUK Xx for the heads up!
Not only can you pick your gender, but if you have the XBox Video Camera, you can photograph your face and paste it onto your in-game character!
There are 5 million unique customisable options, and things like heavy armour will affect your movement rate in game.
Single player unlocks customisable options for your character, but will not give you an advantage online.
Looks fantastic, but so did Rainbow Six : Lockdown, and we all know how THAT turned out!
Here's hoping it delivers where it needs to and isn't just another visually slick game that suffers terribly online.
Thanks to xX AlucardUK Xx for the heads up!
Phantasy Star Online Available For Download
Well, Phantasy Star Online Beta is now available for download on Marketplace. It's 940MB in size, but be aware, it's only playable until the 18th of October.
The full version will be subscription based, so you'll pay a monthly fee if you want to play.
Also, the servers are full already, so when you will actually get to try the game is debatable!
Enjoy.....
The full version will be subscription based, so you'll pay a monthly fee if you want to play.
Also, the servers are full already, so when you will actually get to try the game is debatable!
Enjoy.....
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Bits And Pieces
Right, here we go with the customary glance at the headlines. However, before I start, some of you may be aware that you can get your XBox to blog at http://www.360voice.com/. So on that premise, can I draw your attention to something a little different, but perfect for all you Gamerpoint Whores!
It's http://www.my360stats.com/. Here, you can add your gamertag and using a nice graphical system and info linked to your Gamertag, shows how you stand against fellow gamers using the amoint of points accrued. Also gives info on average percentage of points earned per game etc. It's free, so it'll do no harm to have a look eh?
First of all I want to draw your attention to this article concerning plans to 'tag' passengers electronically so their movements can be tracked.
The prototype technology is to be tested at an airport in Hungary, and could, if successful, become a reality "in two years".
Correct me if I'm wrong, but 'testing' as a little further on than a plan! And it could be practice within 2 years eh?
He said: "The basic idea is that airports could be fitted with a network of combined panoramic cameras and RFID (radio frequency ID) tag readers, which would monitor the movements of people around the various terminal buildings."
The plan, he said, would be for each passenger to be issued with a tag at check-in.
He said: "In our system, the location can be detected to an accuracy of 1m, and video and tag data could be merged to give a powerful surveillance capability."
So this means video cameras could be synchronised with the RFID to facilitate video tracking. Nothing too worrying, some may think. After all, if you have nothing to hide, why would being 'tagged' be a problem?
"Security is a major issue in today's society and can take many forms."
I agree, but at the expense of personal privacy? So this, added to the 36 pieces of information they have as well, means that they can know everything about you financially, personally and privately.
I've made the comment about George Orwell being out by 30 years! 2014 anyone?
Well, now I've thoroughly depressed you, I'll try to find something 'lighter'.....
A climate change bill which could see regular targets put in place to cut UK carbon dioxide emissions is being considered by the government.
About bloody time! Let's just hope it's not a case of too little, too late.......
Microsoft is launching a campaign to help parents make interactive entertainment safer for their children.
The move reflects the growing concern surrounding the effects of inappropriate videogame content on children.
Well done Micro$oft, very socially conscious of you! Shame some parents can't do it themselves eh?
That's about it, everything else is depressing! Going to play Dynasty Warriors for a bit. It's OK, but very confusing intitially. I'll do a review, that's assuming I can be bothered to finish it. It's a little repetative! Roll on Rainbow Six : Vegas!!!
It's http://www.my360stats.com/. Here, you can add your gamertag and using a nice graphical system and info linked to your Gamertag, shows how you stand against fellow gamers using the amoint of points accrued. Also gives info on average percentage of points earned per game etc. It's free, so it'll do no harm to have a look eh?
First of all I want to draw your attention to this article concerning plans to 'tag' passengers electronically so their movements can be tracked.
The prototype technology is to be tested at an airport in Hungary, and could, if successful, become a reality "in two years".
Correct me if I'm wrong, but 'testing' as a little further on than a plan! And it could be practice within 2 years eh?
He said: "The basic idea is that airports could be fitted with a network of combined panoramic cameras and RFID (radio frequency ID) tag readers, which would monitor the movements of people around the various terminal buildings."
The plan, he said, would be for each passenger to be issued with a tag at check-in.
He said: "In our system, the location can be detected to an accuracy of 1m, and video and tag data could be merged to give a powerful surveillance capability."
So this means video cameras could be synchronised with the RFID to facilitate video tracking. Nothing too worrying, some may think. After all, if you have nothing to hide, why would being 'tagged' be a problem?
"Security is a major issue in today's society and can take many forms."
I agree, but at the expense of personal privacy? So this, added to the 36 pieces of information they have as well, means that they can know everything about you financially, personally and privately.
I've made the comment about George Orwell being out by 30 years! 2014 anyone?
Well, now I've thoroughly depressed you, I'll try to find something 'lighter'.....
A climate change bill which could see regular targets put in place to cut UK carbon dioxide emissions is being considered by the government.
About bloody time! Let's just hope it's not a case of too little, too late.......
Microsoft is launching a campaign to help parents make interactive entertainment safer for their children.
The move reflects the growing concern surrounding the effects of inappropriate videogame content on children.
Well done Micro$oft, very socially conscious of you! Shame some parents can't do it themselves eh?
That's about it, everything else is depressing! Going to play Dynasty Warriors for a bit. It's OK, but very confusing intitially. I'll do a review, that's assuming I can be bothered to finish it. It's a little repetative! Roll on Rainbow Six : Vegas!!!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Pan's Labyrinth
This is a film that is due out in December in the U.S.
If you enjoyed the books Clive Barker's "Weaveworld" or James Herbert's "Once", then this looks like a film you will enjoy.
Special effects look awesome and it has a very Tim Burton feel to the filmaking, sound and storyline.
If you enjoyed the books Clive Barker's "Weaveworld" or James Herbert's "Once", then this looks like a film you will enjoy.
Special effects look awesome and it has a very Tim Burton feel to the filmaking, sound and storyline.
Last Post For Today
Well people, I'm off to my mate Keith's place to do some washing, put the world to rights and listen to music.
Before I go, I've got Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires on its way to my grubby little 'hairy' palms. I'll let you know what it's like, but it got seriously medium reviews. Hope it's not too crap!
Also, I'm running out of space on my laptop because of the music on there! I only use it as a glorified MP3 player connected to my amp! LOL!
So, I've bought myself a USB2 Disk Drive Caddy. This will allow me to connect a 60GB hard drive to my laptop via USB connection. This will enable me to get ALL my music onto one disk, freeing up my laptop space.
Although it's not as fast as a dedicated drive, it will be ok for storing music on and the transfer rates aren't too bad. Only cost me £10.99 including P&P off Ebay! (They go for £20 round here!)
Anyway, I'm offski......until next time......
Before I go, I've got Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires on its way to my grubby little 'hairy' palms. I'll let you know what it's like, but it got seriously medium reviews. Hope it's not too crap!
Also, I'm running out of space on my laptop because of the music on there! I only use it as a glorified MP3 player connected to my amp! LOL!
So, I've bought myself a USB2 Disk Drive Caddy. This will allow me to connect a 60GB hard drive to my laptop via USB connection. This will enable me to get ALL my music onto one disk, freeing up my laptop space.
Although it's not as fast as a dedicated drive, it will be ok for storing music on and the transfer rates aren't too bad. Only cost me £10.99 including P&P off Ebay! (They go for £20 round here!)
Anyway, I'm offski......until next time......
Alzheimer's drugs appeal refused
Alzheimer's disease groups have condemned a decision by the NHS drugs watchdog to reject their appeal for greater access to certain drugs.
Campaigners had argued patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's should also have access to the £2.50-per-day drugs.
About 750,000 people in the UK are estimated to have dementia, but only 78,000 patients take donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine, with two thirds of those taking donepezil.
Action on Alzheimer's, an alliance of more than 30 professional and patient organisations, reacted angrily to the ruling.
"The decision will force patients to wait until their condition deteriorates into a state of fear and confusion before receiving drugs that work," it said.
Help the Aged said one in five people over 80 were affected by dementia and the number of people living with the disease was set to double in a decade.
Jonathan Ellis, senior policy manager at the charity, said: "It cannot be right to allow the health of thousands of older people to deteriorate on the altar of cost."
A Department of Health spokesman said it would be "entirely inappropriate" to overrule NICE's decision.
Surely I am not the only person who thinks that cost should not be a limitation for Health Care?
This is terrible news, and highlights that again, costs are decisive on how or what medical aid is available.
If you have the money, you're OK, but if not................
Campaigners had argued patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's should also have access to the £2.50-per-day drugs.
About 750,000 people in the UK are estimated to have dementia, but only 78,000 patients take donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine, with two thirds of those taking donepezil.
Action on Alzheimer's, an alliance of more than 30 professional and patient organisations, reacted angrily to the ruling.
"The decision will force patients to wait until their condition deteriorates into a state of fear and confusion before receiving drugs that work," it said.
Help the Aged said one in five people over 80 were affected by dementia and the number of people living with the disease was set to double in a decade.
Jonathan Ellis, senior policy manager at the charity, said: "It cannot be right to allow the health of thousands of older people to deteriorate on the altar of cost."
A Department of Health spokesman said it would be "entirely inappropriate" to overrule NICE's decision.
Surely I am not the only person who thinks that cost should not be a limitation for Health Care?
This is terrible news, and highlights that again, costs are decisive on how or what medical aid is available.
If you have the money, you're OK, but if not................
Warning over 'broken up' internet
The internet could one day be broken up into separate networks around the world, a leading light in the development of the net has warned.
The conference was organised by Nominet, the UK body in charge of domain names ending .uk, ahead of the first-ever Internet Governance Forum, a global gathering of stakeholders in Athens later this month.
"If I look at the internet in five years from now there are going to be very, very, very more internet users in Asia than Europe or America."
"There will be more Chinese web pages than English pages."
I have a feeling that this will be unavoidable. You'll have seperate internet setup, dependant on your continent.
Also, China has already threatened to set up their own 'internet' as they are worried about allowing their citizens global access to information. Worrying!
Their main excuse was that the internet is governed by a board of US led specialists, and as such is 'tainted' by Western philosophy, society and ideals.
The conference was organised by Nominet, the UK body in charge of domain names ending .uk, ahead of the first-ever Internet Governance Forum, a global gathering of stakeholders in Athens later this month.
"If I look at the internet in five years from now there are going to be very, very, very more internet users in Asia than Europe or America."
"There will be more Chinese web pages than English pages."
I have a feeling that this will be unavoidable. You'll have seperate internet setup, dependant on your continent.
Also, China has already threatened to set up their own 'internet' as they are worried about allowing their citizens global access to information. Worrying!
Their main excuse was that the internet is governed by a board of US led specialists, and as such is 'tainted' by Western philosophy, society and ideals.
Carphone Warehouse buying AOL UK
Carphone Warehouse has won the auction to buy the UK's third-largest internet provider, AOL UK.
BBC business editor Robert Peston said Carphone Warehouse, owner of the TalkTalk broadband and phone offering, was paying £370m for the operation.
AOL UK has 2.1 million customers across the country - 600,000 on dial-up and 1.5 million with broadband connections.
Let's hope they get the problems sorted that are synonymous with AOL or else it'll turn into a white elephant!
BBC business editor Robert Peston said Carphone Warehouse, owner of the TalkTalk broadband and phone offering, was paying £370m for the operation.
AOL UK has 2.1 million customers across the country - 600,000 on dial-up and 1.5 million with broadband connections.
Let's hope they get the problems sorted that are synonymous with AOL or else it'll turn into a white elephant!
655,000 Iraqis have died since 2003
An estimated 655,000 Iraqis have died since 2003 who might still be alive but for the US-led invasion, according to a survey by a US university.
The estimated death toll is equal to about 2.5% of Iraq's population, and averages out at more than 500 additional deaths a day since the start of the invasion.
Of the 629 deaths they recorded among these families, 13% took place in the 14 months before the invasion and 87% in the 40 months afterwards.
Such a trend repeated nationwide would indicate a rise in annual death rates from 5.5 per 1,000 to 13.3 per 1,000.
A little different to the figures released by the media eh? Scandalous! I don't sanction this type of operation, yet my government sees fit to join in. Surely something like this should have been decided by referendum? But then again, we're a capitalist society, not a democratic one!
The estimated death toll is equal to about 2.5% of Iraq's population, and averages out at more than 500 additional deaths a day since the start of the invasion.
Of the 629 deaths they recorded among these families, 13% took place in the 14 months before the invasion and 87% in the 40 months afterwards.
Such a trend repeated nationwide would indicate a rise in annual death rates from 5.5 per 1,000 to 13.3 per 1,000.
A little different to the figures released by the media eh? Scandalous! I don't sanction this type of operation, yet my government sees fit to join in. Surely something like this should have been decided by referendum? But then again, we're a capitalist society, not a democratic one!
XBox LiVE Marketplace Info
Well, there are demo's available for Tiger Woods Tour 07 and Fifa 07 on marketplace now.
Also, the 80's classic "Dig Dug" is also available. I'm all for retro gaming, but on the XBox? Mmmm....
Also MetalG gave me a heads up about a 2 day 'window' to download and play the Beta of "Phantasy Star On-Line" but it appears it has been 'pulled' at the last minute.
More info on this here.
And that's it for now.....
Also, the 80's classic "Dig Dug" is also available. I'm all for retro gaming, but on the XBox? Mmmm....
Also MetalG gave me a heads up about a 2 day 'window' to download and play the Beta of "Phantasy Star On-Line" but it appears it has been 'pulled' at the last minute.
More info on this here.
And that's it for now.....
More Problems With Sony And Their PS3
On the XBox forums, there's an interesting quote from Ubisoft.....
'' .....a chat with the Ubisoft development team shed a little light on he matter."All I'm able to say is that we're looking to ship on PS3 as well but we're not having specific content.....we're developing with 360 as our main development platform and porting to PS3 means that there's less memory available for us to use, but we're trying to minimise any drop in quality"..Such comments sugget that the gap in performance between Playstation3 and Xbox 360 is nowhere near as powerful as some would like us to believe and that the console may even be less able than Microsoft's..."
So, it would appear that the PS3 isn't as awesome as we were led to believe eh?
I think SONY are gonna go the way of Sega if they are not careful. Brand loyalty will only go so far! Gamers want the best!
xX AlucardUK Xx says "Not good at all eh. Supercomputer my ar*e!!!! Let's be honest, it SHOULD be better than the 360 version as the hardware is a year newer. But the fact that stuff gets cut out and the 360 version is the benchmark does not look very good for them!!!"
I'd have to agree.
The longer the delay of the PS3, the more that Sony are going to suffer from the rumour mill and disgruntled fans, and they ALWAYS vote with their pockets.
Sony, you need a sh*t hot spin doctor, NOW!
'' .....a chat with the Ubisoft development team shed a little light on he matter."All I'm able to say is that we're looking to ship on PS3 as well but we're not having specific content.....we're developing with 360 as our main development platform and porting to PS3 means that there's less memory available for us to use, but we're trying to minimise any drop in quality"..Such comments sugget that the gap in performance between Playstation3 and Xbox 360 is nowhere near as powerful as some would like us to believe and that the console may even be less able than Microsoft's..."
So, it would appear that the PS3 isn't as awesome as we were led to believe eh?
I think SONY are gonna go the way of Sega if they are not careful. Brand loyalty will only go so far! Gamers want the best!
xX AlucardUK Xx says "Not good at all eh. Supercomputer my ar*e!!!! Let's be honest, it SHOULD be better than the 360 version as the hardware is a year newer. But the fact that stuff gets cut out and the 360 version is the benchmark does not look very good for them!!!"
I'd have to agree.
The longer the delay of the PS3, the more that Sony are going to suffer from the rumour mill and disgruntled fans, and they ALWAYS vote with their pockets.
Sony, you need a sh*t hot spin doctor, NOW!
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Points Of View
Mmm, interesting.....a bat found in the UK has rabies. With the dramatic changes in climate we are undergoing, instances like this will be only too common as species indiginous to warmer climates move north and south.
Archaeologists have discovered a 100,000 year old fossil of an unknown giant camel species in Syria. There's more and more discoveries all the time, and it wouldn't suprise me if we find thousands more new species eventually. Earth has always had a proliferation of life, and there's no reason to believe it wasn't like that millions or billions of years ago. IF you are a believer in Evolution, that is.
UK forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans will receive cash bonuses to pay off their tax bill, Defence Secretary Des Browne has announced.
I have no problem with that, but one thing in the story struck me as ludicrous!
"British troops wounded while fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq will receive an extra allowance of £10 a day while they are in overseas hospitals."
So after being wounded in combat and with the certain knowledge that you are going to suffer from some sort of traumatic stress disorder, we give them an extra £70 a week? That's gratitude for you! Ridiculous!
Oh yeah, while I remember! Channel 5 are launching a new channel - Channel 5 US (Rather imaginative eh?). Now, I'm not a great fan of most American TV shows, but on Monday at 9:00pm, they are showing the TV adaptation of Stephen Kings book 'Nightmares And Dreamscapes'. It's an 8 part series and the clips look pretty good, so it's not a low budget rendition!
And yet another story of 'hacked data' from UK users of credit card details etc. I can't believe that people don't have security on their PC. There's no excuse for it, because some of the best stuff is available free, although some technical knowledge is required to configure routers etc.
A council is spending £90,000 a year on educating two girls in a primary school that is earmarked for closure.
Oh yeah, on Xbox LiVE Marketplace, there is a demo of Tiger Woods PGA Tour '07 and Fifa Football 07. Both are over 1GB in size, so be patient!
Finished Lord Of The Rings today! Only got 340 points, but it's gone back. It's OK, but RTS games should stay on the PC. Unless of course Microsoft listen to people and release a keyboard and mouse for it! Dunno what I'm getting next, but I'll let ya' know.
Until next time......
Archaeologists have discovered a 100,000 year old fossil of an unknown giant camel species in Syria. There's more and more discoveries all the time, and it wouldn't suprise me if we find thousands more new species eventually. Earth has always had a proliferation of life, and there's no reason to believe it wasn't like that millions or billions of years ago. IF you are a believer in Evolution, that is.
UK forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans will receive cash bonuses to pay off their tax bill, Defence Secretary Des Browne has announced.
I have no problem with that, but one thing in the story struck me as ludicrous!
"British troops wounded while fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq will receive an extra allowance of £10 a day while they are in overseas hospitals."
So after being wounded in combat and with the certain knowledge that you are going to suffer from some sort of traumatic stress disorder, we give them an extra £70 a week? That's gratitude for you! Ridiculous!
Oh yeah, while I remember! Channel 5 are launching a new channel - Channel 5 US (Rather imaginative eh?). Now, I'm not a great fan of most American TV shows, but on Monday at 9:00pm, they are showing the TV adaptation of Stephen Kings book 'Nightmares And Dreamscapes'. It's an 8 part series and the clips look pretty good, so it's not a low budget rendition!
And yet another story of 'hacked data' from UK users of credit card details etc. I can't believe that people don't have security on their PC. There's no excuse for it, because some of the best stuff is available free, although some technical knowledge is required to configure routers etc.
A council is spending £90,000 a year on educating two girls in a primary school that is earmarked for closure.
Oh yeah, on Xbox LiVE Marketplace, there is a demo of Tiger Woods PGA Tour '07 and Fifa Football 07. Both are over 1GB in size, so be patient!
Finished Lord Of The Rings today! Only got 340 points, but it's gone back. It's OK, but RTS games should stay on the PC. Unless of course Microsoft listen to people and release a keyboard and mouse for it! Dunno what I'm getting next, but I'll let ya' know.
Until next time......
Man flogs world's number one Gamer Tag
$6000 bucks will buy you 80,000 points and the possibly the world's coolest Xbox rep... apparently.
Some people will do anything to improve their Xbox Live Gamer score, and if yours is looking particularly paltry and feeble - and you have around $6000 bucks to spare - you can enhance your rep at a stroke by purchasing the Hard Disk with Gamer Tag Rance6 and the number one slot in the world, via online auction site eBay.
Why oh why? At that is going to happen is that any credibility the gamerscore a player has will disappear!
You can have the points, but can you play the game? As soon as they went online, the ridicule and bad feedback would probably ensue.
Some people will do anything to improve their Xbox Live Gamer score, and if yours is looking particularly paltry and feeble - and you have around $6000 bucks to spare - you can enhance your rep at a stroke by purchasing the Hard Disk with Gamer Tag Rance6 and the number one slot in the world, via online auction site eBay.
Why oh why? At that is going to happen is that any credibility the gamerscore a player has will disappear!
You can have the points, but can you play the game? As soon as they went online, the ridicule and bad feedback would probably ensue.
Monday, October 09, 2006
"A zit-crusted, Olay-avoiding, hairy-palmed wank-monkey living with his mother".
And the name calling continues.
As someone says in the article, it's a fine line between 'opinion' and 'prejudice'.
And I'd just like to say I don't live with my mother and prefer Nivea products to Olay?
The media needs gamers to report on gamers, not some blinkered, ignorant fool who's only opinions are formed from his media interpretation of a market he clearly knows nothing about!
Keep writing the birthday card verses, 'cos you stink at real journalism - wanker!
As someone says in the article, it's a fine line between 'opinion' and 'prejudice'.
And I'd just like to say I don't live with my mother and prefer Nivea products to Olay?
The media needs gamers to report on gamers, not some blinkered, ignorant fool who's only opinions are formed from his media interpretation of a market he clearly knows nothing about!
Keep writing the birthday card verses, 'cos you stink at real journalism - wanker!
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Afghans 'could switch allegiance'
Nato's commander in Afghanistan has said the country's citizens may start supporting the Taleban unless their lives improve in the next six months.
And there lies the problem. If you are going to attempt to overthrow a countries infrastructure, both political and financial, make sure you deliver on the premise that you do this in the name of progress. Unless there's underlying issues that are not privvy to Joe Public?
Why don't we actually buy the opium for use medicinally? Then, the snowball effect would be to reduce the cost of morphine and morphine based products reducing the cost to the health service? I wonder how many millions it is costing for our involvement in the miltary action? I bet it would be cheaper to set up trade links, as opposed to conflict?
Being as the regular 'Joe' relies on spoon fed coverage on the news or in the newspapers, I think they rely on it, because if people realised exactly what was going on in the name of 'progress', I think a radical change in government would have to ensue.
But in a complacent, "f**k you, I'm alright Jack" society, what can you expect?
And there lies the problem. If you are going to attempt to overthrow a countries infrastructure, both political and financial, make sure you deliver on the premise that you do this in the name of progress. Unless there's underlying issues that are not privvy to Joe Public?
Why don't we actually buy the opium for use medicinally? Then, the snowball effect would be to reduce the cost of morphine and morphine based products reducing the cost to the health service? I wonder how many millions it is costing for our involvement in the miltary action? I bet it would be cheaper to set up trade links, as opposed to conflict?
Being as the regular 'Joe' relies on spoon fed coverage on the news or in the newspapers, I think they rely on it, because if people realised exactly what was going on in the name of 'progress', I think a radical change in government would have to ensue.
But in a complacent, "f**k you, I'm alright Jack" society, what can you expect?
18 Doughty Street
18 Doughty Street
Found a YouTube video of what the station is about and how it plans to report etc.
The Blog is here.
Their Official Press Statement is here.
And if you want to get personally involved, applications to become an e-reporter are here.
This is a fantastic opportunity to be heard, and the more support it receives, the better. You have an opportunity to have a voice and to be heard.
We need to get more involved with politics and this is a technologically savvie thing to do, and the timing is right!
I'll certainly be getting involved, as long as it doesn't turn into a Waynes World of politics!
Fantastic idea in principal, I hope you agree?
Found a YouTube video of what the station is about and how it plans to report etc.
The Blog is here.
Their Official Press Statement is here.
And if you want to get personally involved, applications to become an e-reporter are here.
This is a fantastic opportunity to be heard, and the more support it receives, the better. You have an opportunity to have a voice and to be heard.
We need to get more involved with politics and this is a technologically savvie thing to do, and the timing is right!
I'll certainly be getting involved, as long as it doesn't turn into a Waynes World of politics!
Fantastic idea in principal, I hope you agree?
A Few Rants And Raves
I see the prisons are full? This is a serious issue. The number of people in prison has reached a record 79,843, and in theory there are just 125 more spaces available.
The Lord Chief Justice has urged more use of community sentences, but is this the answer? It's not as powerful a deterrent as a custodial sentence, but there are those who say a custodial sentence is not always required. I disagree.
The public must be educated to distinguish between the "brutal, dangerous offender and the inadequate who offends to get money for drugs". I've never heard of the term 'inadequate' offender, have you?
Did you know the Hard Drive is 50 years old this year? With all the developments in memory technology you could be forgiven for thinking that the lowly hard drive is dead.
We have seen yet more growth in the technologies around it. The one terabyte drive is more or less here, we have perpendicular recording and they are getting smaller all the time.
Without Daniel Bernoulli we would not have a name for the effect that we rely on to make the hard disk work.
The Bernoulli Effect is what happens when a wing moves through the air - it floats. Just like an aeroplane's wing, the read head of a hard disk floats across the top of the disk.
"As the disk spins this lifts the head up off the media," explained Ian Keene of hard drive manufacturers WD.
He added: "Many people think the head is actually touching the media, but the distance between the head and the media is in the distance of 100 angstroms; to give you some idea of what an angstrom is, a human hair is about one million angstroms."
So, we have a spaceship above Mars, taking photographs of land based vehicles. Nasa's new orbiter at Mars has taken a spectacular picture of the Opportunity rover sitting on a crater's rim.
Amazing, but is this to prove we are there? Unlike the Moon landings, these encounters are pretty low key, but vitally important if we are to survive as a species.
But if we can photograph something on Mars, that is 1.5 meters across, why have we no photographs of the numerous landing modules, vehicles and equipment on the moon?
I see they're reducing the amount of coursework for GCSE's due to the cheating possibilities of using the internet, amongst other things.
It's nothing like when I was at school. But if I had reduced coursework and the internet at my disposal... I think we should be producing Einstein's at ever school.
But the internet can only give information, it can't give answers!
And ANOTHER advancement in medical science means we can now encourage bones to grow through tweaking of proteins and chemicals in the body. We're turning into an Frankenstein society!
And on a final note, a new Poiltical Debate channel is appearing on the Net! Unlike newspapers, radio and TV broadcasters in Britain are bound by strict rules on balance and impartiality.
But next week, a political channel threatens to turn these sacred codes on their head.
Enter, very much stage right, 18 Doughty Street - a new kid on the broadcasting block.
Instead of appearing on the television screen, this new political discussion channel, which launches next week, will be delivered through the internet.
They are recruiting people to produce their own 3 minute reports for inclusion. YouTube for Politics eh? Fantastic Idea!
As soon as I find anything, I'll post it under 18 Doughty Street. (Could have picked a better name for it though!)
Well, quiet on the news front, which is always a good thing. I'm off to do some gaming, for a change! Not been on for ages!
The Lord Chief Justice has urged more use of community sentences, but is this the answer? It's not as powerful a deterrent as a custodial sentence, but there are those who say a custodial sentence is not always required. I disagree.
The public must be educated to distinguish between the "brutal, dangerous offender and the inadequate who offends to get money for drugs". I've never heard of the term 'inadequate' offender, have you?
Did you know the Hard Drive is 50 years old this year? With all the developments in memory technology you could be forgiven for thinking that the lowly hard drive is dead.
We have seen yet more growth in the technologies around it. The one terabyte drive is more or less here, we have perpendicular recording and they are getting smaller all the time.
Without Daniel Bernoulli we would not have a name for the effect that we rely on to make the hard disk work.
The Bernoulli Effect is what happens when a wing moves through the air - it floats. Just like an aeroplane's wing, the read head of a hard disk floats across the top of the disk.
"As the disk spins this lifts the head up off the media," explained Ian Keene of hard drive manufacturers WD.
He added: "Many people think the head is actually touching the media, but the distance between the head and the media is in the distance of 100 angstroms; to give you some idea of what an angstrom is, a human hair is about one million angstroms."
So, we have a spaceship above Mars, taking photographs of land based vehicles. Nasa's new orbiter at Mars has taken a spectacular picture of the Opportunity rover sitting on a crater's rim.
Amazing, but is this to prove we are there? Unlike the Moon landings, these encounters are pretty low key, but vitally important if we are to survive as a species.
But if we can photograph something on Mars, that is 1.5 meters across, why have we no photographs of the numerous landing modules, vehicles and equipment on the moon?
I see they're reducing the amount of coursework for GCSE's due to the cheating possibilities of using the internet, amongst other things.
It's nothing like when I was at school. But if I had reduced coursework and the internet at my disposal... I think we should be producing Einstein's at ever school.
But the internet can only give information, it can't give answers!
And ANOTHER advancement in medical science means we can now encourage bones to grow through tweaking of proteins and chemicals in the body. We're turning into an Frankenstein society!
And on a final note, a new Poiltical Debate channel is appearing on the Net! Unlike newspapers, radio and TV broadcasters in Britain are bound by strict rules on balance and impartiality.
But next week, a political channel threatens to turn these sacred codes on their head.
Enter, very much stage right, 18 Doughty Street - a new kid on the broadcasting block.
Instead of appearing on the television screen, this new political discussion channel, which launches next week, will be delivered through the internet.
They are recruiting people to produce their own 3 minute reports for inclusion. YouTube for Politics eh? Fantastic Idea!
As soon as I find anything, I'll post it under 18 Doughty Street. (Could have picked a better name for it though!)
Well, quiet on the news front, which is always a good thing. I'm off to do some gaming, for a change! Not been on for ages!
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Passenger data deal for US and EU
The US and the European Union have struck a new deal for sharing airline passenger data, after lengthy talks.
Well, they've done the deal, whatever your opinion is! Politicians eh?
Well, they've done the deal, whatever your opinion is! Politicians eh?
Google 'in talks' to buy YouTube!
Google is reported to be in talks to buy popular video-sharing website YouTube for $1.6bn (£856m).
And yet again we see individuality and creativity falling into control of one of the internet 'biggies', all for money. Advertising is a valuable sales revenue stream!
It's true you know? Life boils down to one question : "What's In It For Me?"
Everything is becoming commercial. We are now judged on what we have, not who we are. We all compete to climb an invisible ladder of success, but it doesn't matter how high you climb, you will always have people above you. Accept it, the sooner you do, the happier you will be!
But that's complacency and just how we are expected to think. Bullshit! The problem I have is that people who have either a large political, financial or business 'voice' don't utilise that power for the benefit of society instead of self.
Instead we sit and moan about the government and we know they are f**king us over, but we never actually 'do' anything about it do we?
Our action in Iraq and Afghanistan is because we, as a democratic nation, voted in favour of the action, because we put our faith in politicians who we trust to vote for 'the right thing' on our behalf.
But how often they fail, and in fact promote decisions and laws that we do not, as a whole, want.
There comes a time when we HAVE to say enough is enough, and if we can't do anything by the political route, what is left open to us? A mate of mine has the benefit of being able to play the guitar and mix music, and he's pretty damn good!
If you like Iron Maiden or Chemical Brothers, or can at least appreciate good production values and better than average guitar playing, head on over to The Useless Eaters music page on Soundclick.
But listen to, or at least read the lyrics to each of his tunes. The guy could publish the lyrics as modern day poetry, and it's a damn sight better than the modernist crap we get today.
Anyway, that's my rant over with.
And yet again we see individuality and creativity falling into control of one of the internet 'biggies', all for money. Advertising is a valuable sales revenue stream!
It's true you know? Life boils down to one question : "What's In It For Me?"
Everything is becoming commercial. We are now judged on what we have, not who we are. We all compete to climb an invisible ladder of success, but it doesn't matter how high you climb, you will always have people above you. Accept it, the sooner you do, the happier you will be!
But that's complacency and just how we are expected to think. Bullshit! The problem I have is that people who have either a large political, financial or business 'voice' don't utilise that power for the benefit of society instead of self.
Instead we sit and moan about the government and we know they are f**king us over, but we never actually 'do' anything about it do we?
Our action in Iraq and Afghanistan is because we, as a democratic nation, voted in favour of the action, because we put our faith in politicians who we trust to vote for 'the right thing' on our behalf.
But how often they fail, and in fact promote decisions and laws that we do not, as a whole, want.
There comes a time when we HAVE to say enough is enough, and if we can't do anything by the political route, what is left open to us? A mate of mine has the benefit of being able to play the guitar and mix music, and he's pretty damn good!
If you like Iron Maiden or Chemical Brothers, or can at least appreciate good production values and better than average guitar playing, head on over to The Useless Eaters music page on Soundclick.
But listen to, or at least read the lyrics to each of his tunes. The guy could publish the lyrics as modern day poetry, and it's a damn sight better than the modernist crap we get today.
Anyway, that's my rant over with.
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter has picked up a prestigious Bafta
So, it got a BAFTA eh? Deservedly so, in my opinion, but it may look a little dated, if the stuff at X06 is anything to go by, by this time next year!
Here's hoping it's software that really pushes the machine and encourages more players to come on LiVE!
Here's hoping it's software that really pushes the machine and encourages more players to come on LiVE!
Friday, October 06, 2006
Bug In Lord Of The Rings : Battle For Middle Earth II
Oh dear! What a suprise! I've found a bug in LOTR:BMII and it's ruined the game, or at least the challenge!
In each game, you have a limit of Command Points you can use. However, if you get to the maximum, you can always build loads of defensive towers everywhere because it looks like the AI controlled enemy seem to attack these with blinkered vision, if they are around, allowing you to wipe out whole regiments with a single axe thrower or archery unit.
They should have given towers a Command Point value for each tower, say 10 or 20 pts!
Mmmm, spoils the game somewhat!
In each game, you have a limit of Command Points you can use. However, if you get to the maximum, you can always build loads of defensive towers everywhere because it looks like the AI controlled enemy seem to attack these with blinkered vision, if they are around, allowing you to wipe out whole regiments with a single axe thrower or archery unit.
They should have given towers a Command Point value for each tower, say 10 or 20 pts!
Mmmm, spoils the game somewhat!
Gaming Snippets
Well, Friday is upon us once more, and with it the usual influx of snippets from the Gaming World. First of all, I'd like to say a big "Thank You" to xX AlucardUK Xx and MetalG for the heads up concerning our favourite subjects. Cheers guys, saves me trawling for hours on end!
Anyway, first of is an article that suggests gamers are "slightly older hairy-palmed wank monkeys".
I am authorised to track and eliminate Serial Killers on behalf of the FBI, I am proficient in the use of a variety of weapons from Pistols to RPGs and I am able to defeat Sauron single handed. Do you know who you're messing with?
In light of the recent negative publicity surrounding Sony, they have reported that they are to change their brand identity. C'mon! All you need to do is provide a decent, reliable hardware device that is stable, has on-line play as a priority and has stable software. Save yourself millions and concentrate on this and us 'hairy-palmed wank monkeys' will part with our millions to ensure security for you and your loved ones. It's not MUCH to ask is it?
Well, it looks as though PS2 owners will soon be able to enjoy the beauty that is Hi-Def gaming, according to this article.
Put 23rd October 2006 in your diary NOW! This is when we finally get a demo of Rainbow Six : Vegas to get our grubby little mitts on, according to this article! Can't wait personally!
And if you want a review of Totemball on the XBox 360, the game that utilises the camera, which is now available, check this out!
Well that's it for now, happy reading!
Anyway, first of is an article that suggests gamers are "slightly older hairy-palmed wank monkeys".
I am authorised to track and eliminate Serial Killers on behalf of the FBI, I am proficient in the use of a variety of weapons from Pistols to RPGs and I am able to defeat Sauron single handed. Do you know who you're messing with?
In light of the recent negative publicity surrounding Sony, they have reported that they are to change their brand identity. C'mon! All you need to do is provide a decent, reliable hardware device that is stable, has on-line play as a priority and has stable software. Save yourself millions and concentrate on this and us 'hairy-palmed wank monkeys' will part with our millions to ensure security for you and your loved ones. It's not MUCH to ask is it?
Well, it looks as though PS2 owners will soon be able to enjoy the beauty that is Hi-Def gaming, according to this article.
Put 23rd October 2006 in your diary NOW! This is when we finally get a demo of Rainbow Six : Vegas to get our grubby little mitts on, according to this article! Can't wait personally!
And if you want a review of Totemball on the XBox 360, the game that utilises the camera, which is now available, check this out!
Well that's it for now, happy reading!
Hostel: Part II Plot Details
The details of the plot for writer-director Eli Roth's sequel Hostel: Part II have now been disclosed, courtesy of Lionsgate.
OH NO! They're making a sequel. It can't be any worse than the original!
OH NO! They're making a sequel. It can't be any worse than the original!
Nyko Announces InterCooler for PS3
Cooler announced for PS3, already?
Anyway, this may be of interest to you.....
The success of the Intercooler 360 has been built, in large part, on the 360's reputation for hardware failure. While the specific cause remains unknown (over-heating is an obvious suspect), Microsoft has finally acknowledged some fault and is currently repairing broken XBox 360's manufactured before January 1, 2006 for free (and refunding those who've already paid the ~$140 repair fee).
Anyway, this may be of interest to you.....
The success of the Intercooler 360 has been built, in large part, on the 360's reputation for hardware failure. While the specific cause remains unknown (over-heating is an obvious suspect), Microsoft has finally acknowledged some fault and is currently repairing broken XBox 360's manufactured before January 1, 2006 for free (and refunding those who've already paid the ~$140 repair fee).
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Allergy vaccine shows hay fever promise
A six-week vaccine regimen appears able to reduce hay fever symptoms by 60% for at least two years, according to a preliminary study.
Researchers say the vaccine approach avoids the side effects of the steroids often used to treat allergies. And it gives a faster result than pollen injections, which condition the immune system over a course of several years, they add.
The vaccine, which uses snippets of DNA to train the immune system, has shown great promise in the new trial. “It is the first time the approach has been applied to this disease,” says Toshiaki Kawakami at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in California, US.
Researchers say the vaccine approach avoids the side effects of the steroids often used to treat allergies. And it gives a faster result than pollen injections, which condition the immune system over a course of several years, they add.
The vaccine, which uses snippets of DNA to train the immune system, has shown great promise in the new trial. “It is the first time the approach has been applied to this disease,” says Toshiaki Kawakami at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in California, US.
EU and US push for air data deal
European and American negotiators are making a new effort to resolve a dispute over the transfer of data about transatlantic airline passengers.
The US demands up to 34 pieces of information about each traveller, but a deal authorising European airlines to hand it over lapsed on 30 September.
Update for ya!
The US demands up to 34 pieces of information about each traveller, but a deal authorising European airlines to hand it over lapsed on 30 September.
Update for ya!
US anger at Sudan Darfur threat
The United States has called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after Sudan warned countries not to send peacekeepers to Darfur.
Sudan sent a letter to all African and Arab countries at the UN, saying that contributing to the proposed UN force would be seen as "a hostile act".
Uh-oh! Another conflict in the making perhaps?
More than 2m people have fled their homes and an estimated 200,000 people have died.
The Security Council has approved plans to send a well-equipped 20,000-strong force with a tough mandate to end the conflict in Darfur but says it will only do so if Sudan agrees.
The US says Sudan's military is helping with a genocide against Darfur's black African residents.
But Sudan denies backing the Arab Janjaweed militias, accused of riding into villages on horses and camels, killing, raping and looting.
So, what should we do? Intervene and stop genocide, or sit back and 'wait' to see what happens. Complacency is rife in our society, and I'm as guilty as anyone!
Sudan sent a letter to all African and Arab countries at the UN, saying that contributing to the proposed UN force would be seen as "a hostile act".
Uh-oh! Another conflict in the making perhaps?
More than 2m people have fled their homes and an estimated 200,000 people have died.
The Security Council has approved plans to send a well-equipped 20,000-strong force with a tough mandate to end the conflict in Darfur but says it will only do so if Sudan agrees.
The US says Sudan's military is helping with a genocide against Darfur's black African residents.
But Sudan denies backing the Arab Janjaweed militias, accused of riding into villages on horses and camels, killing, raping and looting.
So, what should we do? Intervene and stop genocide, or sit back and 'wait' to see what happens. Complacency is rife in our society, and I'm as guilty as anyone!
Iraqis test dead militant's DNA
Iraqi officials are doing DNA tests on a militant killed during a US military raid to determine if he is al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir.
DNA again! It's like real life CSI this.
Question: Do they still do the heel pinprick 'test' at birth? Either way, it would be easy to take a DNA sample at birth, process and hold on a database for future 'reference' wouldn't it?
Not that I'm saying this is actually happening.........
DNA again! It's like real life CSI this.
Question: Do they still do the heel pinprick 'test' at birth? Either way, it would be easy to take a DNA sample at birth, process and hold on a database for future 'reference' wouldn't it?
Not that I'm saying this is actually happening.........
Nato takes over Afghan security
Nato has taken charge of Afghanistan's eastern provinces, which have been under the control of US forces since the Taleban were ousted five years ago.
Officials say the move will make the force more efficient, as it seeks to secure Afghanistan for reconstruction.
And what, pray tell, is 'reconstruction'?
Afghanistan represents the biggest ground deployment in Nato's history.
A lot more serious than you may have been led to believe, if you only watch TV as a source of your information.
Nato's supreme commander, Gen James Jones, has said that Nato's exit strategy will depend not on a military victory, but on the successful economic and political reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Ah, so THAT'S what 'reconstruction' means! But who's decision is it? The 'democratic' vote of the government and economic structure that will benefit the DOZENS of countries involved in this 'reconstruction' I'll bet!
This is known as an 'aggressive takeover' in Business......
Officials say the move will make the force more efficient, as it seeks to secure Afghanistan for reconstruction.
And what, pray tell, is 'reconstruction'?
Afghanistan represents the biggest ground deployment in Nato's history.
A lot more serious than you may have been led to believe, if you only watch TV as a source of your information.
Nato's supreme commander, Gen James Jones, has said that Nato's exit strategy will depend not on a military victory, but on the successful economic and political reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Ah, so THAT'S what 'reconstruction' means! But who's decision is it? The 'democratic' vote of the government and economic structure that will benefit the DOZENS of countries involved in this 'reconstruction' I'll bet!
This is known as an 'aggressive takeover' in Business......
Aztec ruins unearthed in Mexico
Archaeologists working in Mexico City have discovered an Aztec monolith, the most important ruins of the ancient civilisation to be found in decades.
The monolith and an altar, dating from the 15th Century, were unearthed in the very heart of the busy capital city.
The city's mayor described the discovery as the biggest in almost three decades.
I don't know about you, but of all the ancient civilisations, the Aztec's seem to pique my interest more than the others, apart from the Egyptians of course!
The monolith and an altar, dating from the 15th Century, were unearthed in the very heart of the busy capital city.
The city's mayor described the discovery as the biggest in almost three decades.
I don't know about you, but of all the ancient civilisations, the Aztec's seem to pique my interest more than the others, apart from the Egyptians of course!
Lesotho diamond put up for sale
The "Lesotho Promise", the largest diamond found this century, has gone on sale in the Belgian city of Antwerp.
The 603-carat gem is the 15th largest ever discovered. "It's about a third bigger than a golf ball," a spokeswoman for the owners said.
But the largest diamond ever recorded is the Cullinan, found in 1905 in South Africa, which weighted in at 3,106 carats.
The 503-carat Star of Africa was cut from it and now forms part of the British crown jewels displayed in the Tower of London.
The 603-carat gem is the 15th largest ever discovered. "It's about a third bigger than a golf ball," a spokeswoman for the owners said.
But the largest diamond ever recorded is the Cullinan, found in 1905 in South Africa, which weighted in at 3,106 carats.
The 503-carat Star of Africa was cut from it and now forms part of the British crown jewels displayed in the Tower of London.
Child plea made to games industry
A government minister has made a plea to the games industry to get involved in the debate surrounding children and playing videogames.
Experts recently warned that young people were spending too many hours in front of consoles and missing out on healthy childhoods.
Creative industries minister Shaun Woodward said the industry had to deal with its image problem.
He added that videogames also had a vital role to play in the UK economy.
He said: "This is an important debate because you have access to around 23 million people in this country who are gamers; many of those are young people.
"How do we reach into homes where games have become a substitute for parenting? You [the games industry] might say that this is not your responsibility, but if you say that I think that is the response of a nascent industry."
So, it would appear that video games are replacing parenting?
I agree in principal, but you can't put the problems with parenting on the shoulders of us gamers! The majority of us are well balanced individuals, at least I hope so!
Experts recently warned that young people were spending too many hours in front of consoles and missing out on healthy childhoods.
Creative industries minister Shaun Woodward said the industry had to deal with its image problem.
He added that videogames also had a vital role to play in the UK economy.
He said: "This is an important debate because you have access to around 23 million people in this country who are gamers; many of those are young people.
"How do we reach into homes where games have become a substitute for parenting? You [the games industry] might say that this is not your responsibility, but if you say that I think that is the response of a nascent industry."
So, it would appear that video games are replacing parenting?
I agree in principal, but you can't put the problems with parenting on the shoulders of us gamers! The majority of us are well balanced individuals, at least I hope so!
'Monster' fossil find in Arctic
Norwegian scientists have discovered a "treasure trove" of fossils belonging to giant sea reptiles that roamed the seas at the time of the dinosaurs.
The 150 million-year-old fossils were uncovered on the Arctic island chain of Svalbard - about halfway between the Norwegian mainland and the North Pole.
One skeleton has been nicknamed The Monster because of its enormous size.
These animals were the top predators living in what was then a relatively cool, deep sea.
The marine reptiles found in the Norwegian archipelago are very similar to ones known from southern England. Dr Hurum said the animals could have been living in the same ocean and he now plans to compare the Arctic finds with those from Britain.
The 150 million-year-old fossils were uncovered on the Arctic island chain of Svalbard - about halfway between the Norwegian mainland and the North Pole.
One skeleton has been nicknamed The Monster because of its enormous size.
These animals were the top predators living in what was then a relatively cool, deep sea.
The marine reptiles found in the Norwegian archipelago are very similar to ones known from southern England. Dr Hurum said the animals could have been living in the same ocean and he now plans to compare the Arctic finds with those from Britain.
Withhold drugs to save money
Doctors in Northamptonshire have been told to withhold drugs from patients to save their health trust £40 million.
The drugs include nicotine replacement therapy, two anti-obesity medicines, a remedy for head lice and some gluten-free foods.
A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire Primary Care trust said it was a difficult decision but was better than closing wards or laying off staff.
The British Medical Association said it was unacceptable.
So drugs that would help combat two of the biggest health threats in this country, Smoking and Obesity, doctors are told to withold?
Mmmm, that seems like false economy to me, apart from the ethical problems. Also, isn't this a form of prejudice?
Human Rights Violation Alert!
The drugs include nicotine replacement therapy, two anti-obesity medicines, a remedy for head lice and some gluten-free foods.
A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire Primary Care trust said it was a difficult decision but was better than closing wards or laying off staff.
The British Medical Association said it was unacceptable.
So drugs that would help combat two of the biggest health threats in this country, Smoking and Obesity, doctors are told to withold?
Mmmm, that seems like false economy to me, apart from the ethical problems. Also, isn't this a form of prejudice?
Human Rights Violation Alert!
Drug combats vision loss disorder
A drug for treating the disease which is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK could also help people regain some vision, research suggests.
A study involving 716 people in the New England Journal of Medicine found it slowed vision loss in 90% of patients, and improved vision for about a third.
Another drug, Macugen, and photodynamic therapy can halt the advance of AMD.
And there is preliminary evidence that Avastin, a drug used to treat cancer, may also potentially restore vision in a way similar to Lucentis, but at a cheaper cost.
Yet more medical advances! They seem to be occuring on a daily basis!
A study involving 716 people in the New England Journal of Medicine found it slowed vision loss in 90% of patients, and improved vision for about a third.
Another drug, Macugen, and photodynamic therapy can halt the advance of AMD.
And there is preliminary evidence that Avastin, a drug used to treat cancer, may also potentially restore vision in a way similar to Lucentis, but at a cheaper cost.
Yet more medical advances! They seem to be occuring on a daily basis!
What happened to the drought?
It filled acres of column inches in the newspapers and on the net, and hours of air time on the television and radio - Britain's worst drought for almost 100 years.
The official statistics were frightening: the South East has less water per person than the desert states of Syria and Sudan, while the rest of the country has less than the whole of Europe, apart from Belgium and Cyprus.
So what happened to the drought?
We're still in it, according to the experts, and have been for nearly two years in southern England.
Since November 2004, rainfall below the long term average for 1961 to 1990 has been recorded in 18 out of 22 months.
Nearly 13 million people were banned from using a hosepipe, but they could still wash their cars or water their gardens using a bucket or a watering can.
Did the hosepipe bans work? Yes, they resulted in a 15% reduction in water usage in the areas where they were imposed, according to Water UK. There was even a 10% reduction in areas without restrictions.
So, at least the message got through and had positive effects. But we are still in a drought situation, so complacency is an issue. The fact we are still in a drought should be public knowledge so that we can still keep the measures up.
The official statistics were frightening: the South East has less water per person than the desert states of Syria and Sudan, while the rest of the country has less than the whole of Europe, apart from Belgium and Cyprus.
So what happened to the drought?
We're still in it, according to the experts, and have been for nearly two years in southern England.
Since November 2004, rainfall below the long term average for 1961 to 1990 has been recorded in 18 out of 22 months.
Nearly 13 million people were banned from using a hosepipe, but they could still wash their cars or water their gardens using a bucket or a watering can.
Did the hosepipe bans work? Yes, they resulted in a 15% reduction in water usage in the areas where they were imposed, according to Water UK. There was even a 10% reduction in areas without restrictions.
So, at least the message got through and had positive effects. But we are still in a drought situation, so complacency is an issue. The fact we are still in a drought should be public knowledge so that we can still keep the measures up.
Would You Like A Custom Pad For Your Game Sir?
So it appears that two new pads are being tested for the XBox 360.
One designed for Pro Evo Soccer and another for FPS.
Novel idea, but wouldn't it be easier to make the button configurations customisable within a game, instead of charging another £20 minimum for a pad?
Cheers to Alucard for the heads up.
Also, I was talking to MetalG, and we agreed that there should be a mouse and keyboard released so that RTS games can shine, because a pad isn't ideal. This would also help with FPS games as well.
One designed for Pro Evo Soccer and another for FPS.
Novel idea, but wouldn't it be easier to make the button configurations customisable within a game, instead of charging another £20 minimum for a pad?
Cheers to Alucard for the heads up.
Also, I was talking to MetalG, and we agreed that there should be a mouse and keyboard released so that RTS games can shine, because a pad isn't ideal. This would also help with FPS games as well.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Many councils 'bug' rubbish bins
More than 30 councils are fitting microchips to wheelie bins ahead of possible "pay as you throw" schemes.
With an estimated nine years of landfill space left, councils up and down the UK are faced with tough decisions about what to do with the UK's waste.
Simply burying rubbish in the ground is no longer an option.
Local authorities face tough fines from the government on what they bury and by 2010 they will have to meet 40% of recycling targets to avoid EU sanctions.
With an estimated nine years of landfill space left, councils up and down the UK are faced with tough decisions about what to do with the UK's waste.
Simply burying rubbish in the ground is no longer an option.
Local authorities face tough fines from the government on what they bury and by 2010 they will have to meet 40% of recycling targets to avoid EU sanctions.
'Bulge' yields new planet class
Astronomers have discovered a new class of planets that take less than a day to whiz round their parent stars.
Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope revealed the existence of the planets, which orbit closer to their stars than any previously known.
Dr Kailash Sahu and colleagues report finding the planets in a faint, crowded star field in a region of the Milky Way known as the galactic bulge.
Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope revealed the existence of the planets, which orbit closer to their stars than any previously known.
Dr Kailash Sahu and colleagues report finding the planets in a faint, crowded star field in a region of the Milky Way known as the galactic bulge.
$10m prize for super genetic test
The US-based X-Prize Foundation is offering what it says is the largest medical prize in history - $10m - for the first private team that can decode 100 human genomes in 10 days.
Organisers say rapid genetic sequencing is science's next great frontier, and will usher in a new era of personalised medicine, allowing doctors to determine patients' susceptibility to illness and the genetic links to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.
Interesting article, but again raises the important question, are we playing God and should we, if the means are available? We have the means to produce so many things, but for commercial, ethical or human rights issues, we don't.
Genetically modified food and people. Anyone out there looking forward to a pre-designed society?
Individuality and randomness are slowly being removed from our lives! Take the blue pill!
Organisers say rapid genetic sequencing is science's next great frontier, and will usher in a new era of personalised medicine, allowing doctors to determine patients' susceptibility to illness and the genetic links to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.
Interesting article, but again raises the important question, are we playing God and should we, if the means are available? We have the means to produce so many things, but for commercial, ethical or human rights issues, we don't.
Genetically modified food and people. Anyone out there looking forward to a pre-designed society?
Individuality and randomness are slowly being removed from our lives! Take the blue pill!
Films On TV Tonight
Mmm, good choices tonight!
There's Sleepy Hollow at 9:00pm on Film 4.
Rules Of Attraction on Channel 4 at 11:10pm.
Apt Pupil on Film 4+1 at 2:00am.
Choices, choices.....they are all good films, recommend any of 'em.
There's Sleepy Hollow at 9:00pm on Film 4.
Rules Of Attraction on Channel 4 at 11:10pm.
Apt Pupil on Film 4+1 at 2:00am.
Choices, choices.....they are all good films, recommend any of 'em.
Lord Of The Rings : Battle For Middle Earth II
Now I'm not going into any great depth with this review, as there are plenty of reviews out there for you.
What I will do is note anything that I think gamers should be aware of, that sometimes get 'omitted' from reviews because they aren't favourable.
First of all, this is a polished presentation. The cut scenes and story delivery fit in well with the theme and the whole Tolkien essence.
However, if you have not got this linked to a hi-def screen, you may find the graphics a little wanting, and there is terrible slowdown when a large battle is playing out on screen.
The controls are intuitive and fit in well with using the 360 controller. It will take a few games to get wholly used to it, but it isn't as complicated as it could have been.
Another suggestion is save often! There is an autosave feature with this game, and if you complete a mission without completing all the objectives, you do not get the option to re-try. So on this nugget, save often.
Its been suggested once at the start of the level, and once when roughly half the objectives have been completed. I'd concur! In fact, this should be standard procedure for all gamers, as it will reduce the frustration factor of certain games to an insignificant hiccup in the gaming proceedings.
Can I just mention that although I am primarily interested in online gaming, I do understand that sometimes you want a pleasurable single player experience, and this is often overlooked when reviewing games. I'll attempt to alleviate that problem in the future.
There are 3 game modes. Single Player, Multiplayer (on LiVE) and Skirmish.
The achievements are unlocked by completing all game modes, so unless you are connected to LiVE, you are not going to get the full 1,000 gamerpoints.
As I am only renting this title, I am going to play Single Player (Both Good and Evil) then send it back for a new gaming experience.
Overall, it's your typical RTS (Real Time Strategy) with resource management thrown in. If you have played and enjoyed Rise Of Nations, Age Of Empires or even Civilisation 4, you will probably enjoy this.
Not overly difficult, with a nice steady learning curve. Plus it's set in the Tolkien world, what more could you ask for in a game!
I've always thought that RTS games should be confined to the PC as it lends itself more to this type of game, and after playing this, I still feel the same.
Although it's not a bad game, it's neither a groundbreaking title either. Rent, don't buy!
What I will do is note anything that I think gamers should be aware of, that sometimes get 'omitted' from reviews because they aren't favourable.
First of all, this is a polished presentation. The cut scenes and story delivery fit in well with the theme and the whole Tolkien essence.
However, if you have not got this linked to a hi-def screen, you may find the graphics a little wanting, and there is terrible slowdown when a large battle is playing out on screen.
The controls are intuitive and fit in well with using the 360 controller. It will take a few games to get wholly used to it, but it isn't as complicated as it could have been.
Another suggestion is save often! There is an autosave feature with this game, and if you complete a mission without completing all the objectives, you do not get the option to re-try. So on this nugget, save often.
Its been suggested once at the start of the level, and once when roughly half the objectives have been completed. I'd concur! In fact, this should be standard procedure for all gamers, as it will reduce the frustration factor of certain games to an insignificant hiccup in the gaming proceedings.
Can I just mention that although I am primarily interested in online gaming, I do understand that sometimes you want a pleasurable single player experience, and this is often overlooked when reviewing games. I'll attempt to alleviate that problem in the future.
There are 3 game modes. Single Player, Multiplayer (on LiVE) and Skirmish.
The achievements are unlocked by completing all game modes, so unless you are connected to LiVE, you are not going to get the full 1,000 gamerpoints.
As I am only renting this title, I am going to play Single Player (Both Good and Evil) then send it back for a new gaming experience.
Overall, it's your typical RTS (Real Time Strategy) with resource management thrown in. If you have played and enjoyed Rise Of Nations, Age Of Empires or even Civilisation 4, you will probably enjoy this.
Not overly difficult, with a nice steady learning curve. Plus it's set in the Tolkien world, what more could you ask for in a game!
I've always thought that RTS games should be confined to the PC as it lends itself more to this type of game, and after playing this, I still feel the same.
Although it's not a bad game, it's neither a groundbreaking title either. Rent, don't buy!
Need For Speed : Carbon Demo
Well, finally downloaded it, so here's my first impressions!
Nice intro movie, with the cursory 'don't drive like this in real life' messsage, right at the beginning! Nice one, legalities over with, let's drive!
Looks as though it uses territories, similar to Saints Row, and the 'Carbon' reference is Carbon Canyon, where 'disputes' are settled! Stereotypical I know, but fits in nicely with the game.
Don't forget it's a game, not a driving simulator as is Forza, and that's disputable.....
Pressing the start button after the lengthy intro takes you immediately to the Car Selection Screen.
Good, no messing about with sub-menu's yet. In here you have 3 classes of cars.
Muscle, Exotic and Tuner.
There's only 3 cars initially. Muscle car is a Camaro SS. Exotic car is a Gallardo and the Tuner car is a Evo IX MR Edition.
There's Class info on each class and after selecting your Class, Car and Transmission (Manual or Auto), we're taken to the Autosculpt (TM) option. This is the modifying bit of the game.
The areas you can customise are Wheels, Front Bumper, Rear Bumper, Skirt, Hood, Exhaust Tips and finally Chop Top. All of which, apart from Chop Top, have a maximum of 9 'zones'.
Each has 'zone' attributes that can be amended. So if you want your spoiler to be higher, find the right 'zone' and increase using the slider.
Be warned, the 'zones' are numbered only, so it's trial and error until you memorise which numbered 'zone' does what. That's a little sloppy!
When you've messed about for a bit, pressing the start button gets you into the action.
Immediately a pop-up tells you that you have to win certain events to unlock a Duel race.
Familiar stuff so far, nothing jaw droppingly, pants wettingly amazing yet. Sorry, but this is a hi-def machine and 'next gen'.
Presentation is everything, particularly if you want the gamer to be immersed, and after all, isn't that why we play games? Sometimes, at least!
Two tracks available initially. Circuit Race or Drift Race in 'Scorpions' controlled 'turf'. Basic selection screen, very minimal and cartoon-like, if you get my meaning.
Each available race shows you in which area it is, length of race, number of laps and the Best Time recorded. So not only have you the game to beat, but there's a time record to be had! Increases replayablity, which is a good thing.
Music is a bland urban house'y sort of tune. Thankfully we have custom soundtracks to alleviate that problem.
Anyone else as sad as me and has soundtracks depending on which game you play, or is it just me?
Anyway, started up the race...here we go.....
Is that it? 1st on my first attempt? I know there should be a gradual learning curve, but don't lull us into a false sense of security. Make it a challenge from mission 1! We're not amateurs!
The handling is no Forza, or even Project Gotham Racing. Nice intro section before the race, nice touch.
Graphically, nothing you'd shout from the rooftops about, and on a standard TV, there's no hi-def to enjoy. So I'd say it's fairly standard graphically, at least what you'd expect on the 360.
You get stats, such as Top Speed, Average Speed, Time behind and number of traffic collisions.
You'll see pile ups in front of you that also have to be avoided with your vehicle, that frankly feels a little bit like driving/piloting a hovercraft! But that's par for the course in the Need For Speed Series.
It's certainly not even as accurate as Gotham, so if it's realism you're after, this isn't going to rock your boat. My advice, if this is the case, is that you wait for Forza 2 before shelling out on this.
A successful race means you 'Own' that track and receive a nice shiny silver star to prove it! Aw, nice! Hope that's not aimed at the kiddies and girlies out there!
Now, the 'Drift' race isn't a race. You have 2 laps to acquire more drift points than your competitors. This involves sending your car into as many powerslides as possible, and you gain 'drift points' the longer and fast you do your drifts. Boring! But, you need to do it in the game.
Remember getting Kudos points in Gotham for powersliding? Same thing, just less control! And watch the barriers, because if you hit them mid-slide, it's over buster!
Not too keen on this bit, but that's only because I don't powerslide normally in games.
Wahey! I am the new Powerslide King! 2nd attempt and I beat the required score. 59,956 points is enough to win, so continuing allows you to view your stats. Biggest Drift scorewise, Longest Drift, Average Score per drift and Average length of drift.
Imagine driving a Formula 1 car on ice, and that's how this feels. Good physics though!
Now I have done both races and finished 1st in both, this unlocks the Canyon Duel level. Ooh, I'm all excited!
Press 'A' to select and away we go!
A note for the uninitiated. Duel is not a flat out race, it's in two stages.
Stage 1 : Chase your opponent. The closer you are whilst following, the more points you get.
Stage 2 : Apponent chases you! The closer they are, the more points you lose.
You can win or lose by being 10 seconds in front, or behind, depending on which phase you are doing.
Instant loss if you run out of points to lose,go over the cliff or the chase car falls too far behind.
This should be fun, a novel scoring system. Means you have to maintain your skills in both phases. Nice touch!
After you've completed stage one, where you are following, a cut scene moves you to stage 2. Now you are in the lead and have to make sure you keep him off your tail, better than you did in the first stage.
Just before the start, the game shows how many points you got and gives you a breather before stage 2.
Right we're off again......
Phew, had 9,000 pts left. 1st attempt, no problem. You will need to be able to powerslide in this game, and if you are able to cope with the floaty steering, you'll be fine.
Usual stats screen is available after the duel. Right, what's next....
The screen zooms out and show you the area you have unlocked, and that's it!
So the demo is over. What an anticlimax.
Well it's OK, but it's no Forza or even Gotham, so if you want a racer that has some degree of realism, this is not for you.
However, if you are a fan of the series, there's nothing new here, but enough to keep you happy.
Nice intro movie, with the cursory 'don't drive like this in real life' messsage, right at the beginning! Nice one, legalities over with, let's drive!
Looks as though it uses territories, similar to Saints Row, and the 'Carbon' reference is Carbon Canyon, where 'disputes' are settled! Stereotypical I know, but fits in nicely with the game.
Don't forget it's a game, not a driving simulator as is Forza, and that's disputable.....
Pressing the start button after the lengthy intro takes you immediately to the Car Selection Screen.
Good, no messing about with sub-menu's yet. In here you have 3 classes of cars.
Muscle, Exotic and Tuner.
There's only 3 cars initially. Muscle car is a Camaro SS. Exotic car is a Gallardo and the Tuner car is a Evo IX MR Edition.
There's Class info on each class and after selecting your Class, Car and Transmission (Manual or Auto), we're taken to the Autosculpt (TM) option. This is the modifying bit of the game.
The areas you can customise are Wheels, Front Bumper, Rear Bumper, Skirt, Hood, Exhaust Tips and finally Chop Top. All of which, apart from Chop Top, have a maximum of 9 'zones'.
Each has 'zone' attributes that can be amended. So if you want your spoiler to be higher, find the right 'zone' and increase using the slider.
Be warned, the 'zones' are numbered only, so it's trial and error until you memorise which numbered 'zone' does what. That's a little sloppy!
When you've messed about for a bit, pressing the start button gets you into the action.
Immediately a pop-up tells you that you have to win certain events to unlock a Duel race.
Familiar stuff so far, nothing jaw droppingly, pants wettingly amazing yet. Sorry, but this is a hi-def machine and 'next gen'.
Presentation is everything, particularly if you want the gamer to be immersed, and after all, isn't that why we play games? Sometimes, at least!
Two tracks available initially. Circuit Race or Drift Race in 'Scorpions' controlled 'turf'. Basic selection screen, very minimal and cartoon-like, if you get my meaning.
Each available race shows you in which area it is, length of race, number of laps and the Best Time recorded. So not only have you the game to beat, but there's a time record to be had! Increases replayablity, which is a good thing.
Music is a bland urban house'y sort of tune. Thankfully we have custom soundtracks to alleviate that problem.
Anyone else as sad as me and has soundtracks depending on which game you play, or is it just me?
Anyway, started up the race...here we go.....
Is that it? 1st on my first attempt? I know there should be a gradual learning curve, but don't lull us into a false sense of security. Make it a challenge from mission 1! We're not amateurs!
The handling is no Forza, or even Project Gotham Racing. Nice intro section before the race, nice touch.
Graphically, nothing you'd shout from the rooftops about, and on a standard TV, there's no hi-def to enjoy. So I'd say it's fairly standard graphically, at least what you'd expect on the 360.
You get stats, such as Top Speed, Average Speed, Time behind and number of traffic collisions.
You'll see pile ups in front of you that also have to be avoided with your vehicle, that frankly feels a little bit like driving/piloting a hovercraft! But that's par for the course in the Need For Speed Series.
It's certainly not even as accurate as Gotham, so if it's realism you're after, this isn't going to rock your boat. My advice, if this is the case, is that you wait for Forza 2 before shelling out on this.
A successful race means you 'Own' that track and receive a nice shiny silver star to prove it! Aw, nice! Hope that's not aimed at the kiddies and girlies out there!
Now, the 'Drift' race isn't a race. You have 2 laps to acquire more drift points than your competitors. This involves sending your car into as many powerslides as possible, and you gain 'drift points' the longer and fast you do your drifts. Boring! But, you need to do it in the game.
Remember getting Kudos points in Gotham for powersliding? Same thing, just less control! And watch the barriers, because if you hit them mid-slide, it's over buster!
Not too keen on this bit, but that's only because I don't powerslide normally in games.
Wahey! I am the new Powerslide King! 2nd attempt and I beat the required score. 59,956 points is enough to win, so continuing allows you to view your stats. Biggest Drift scorewise, Longest Drift, Average Score per drift and Average length of drift.
Imagine driving a Formula 1 car on ice, and that's how this feels. Good physics though!
Now I have done both races and finished 1st in both, this unlocks the Canyon Duel level. Ooh, I'm all excited!
Press 'A' to select and away we go!
A note for the uninitiated. Duel is not a flat out race, it's in two stages.
Stage 1 : Chase your opponent. The closer you are whilst following, the more points you get.
Stage 2 : Apponent chases you! The closer they are, the more points you lose.
You can win or lose by being 10 seconds in front, or behind, depending on which phase you are doing.
Instant loss if you run out of points to lose,go over the cliff or the chase car falls too far behind.
This should be fun, a novel scoring system. Means you have to maintain your skills in both phases. Nice touch!
After you've completed stage one, where you are following, a cut scene moves you to stage 2. Now you are in the lead and have to make sure you keep him off your tail, better than you did in the first stage.
Just before the start, the game shows how many points you got and gives you a breather before stage 2.
Right we're off again......
Phew, had 9,000 pts left. 1st attempt, no problem. You will need to be able to powerslide in this game, and if you are able to cope with the floaty steering, you'll be fine.
Usual stats screen is available after the duel. Right, what's next....
The screen zooms out and show you the area you have unlocked, and that's it!
So the demo is over. What an anticlimax.
Well it's OK, but it's no Forza or even Gotham, so if you want a racer that has some degree of realism, this is not for you.
However, if you are a fan of the series, there's nothing new here, but enough to keep you happy.
TV Licence Fee Increase On The Cards
The cost of a television licence fee is likely to go up in line with inflation, government sources have revealed.
The BBC has asked the government for a rise of 2.3% above inflation for the next seven years, meaning the licence could rise to £180 by 2013.
Now they say it's to help pay for the new on-demand TV they are planning.
I understand that this new technology has to be paid for, but there are considerations that need to be taken into account before applying a blanket price increase!
If you are not utilising the services, like interactive or using on-demand TV, why should you have to pay for it?
We should at least provide free TV licenses to pensioners to provide this level of customer service.
But hang on, the number of pensioners in the UK is rising rapidly as we live longer.
That's just too much money to lose eh?
The BBC has asked the government for a rise of 2.3% above inflation for the next seven years, meaning the licence could rise to £180 by 2013.
Now they say it's to help pay for the new on-demand TV they are planning.
I understand that this new technology has to be paid for, but there are considerations that need to be taken into account before applying a blanket price increase!
If you are not utilising the services, like interactive or using on-demand TV, why should you have to pay for it?
We should at least provide free TV licenses to pensioners to provide this level of customer service.
But hang on, the number of pensioners in the UK is rising rapidly as we live longer.
That's just too much money to lose eh?
More News About Halo Spin Off RTS
Just more hype surrounding the RTS based in the Halo universe.
Interesting bit here though.
But even if the Halo RTS fails, the movie bombs at the box office and Peter Jackson's new form of interactive entertainment turns out to be suspiciously like the old Dragon's Lair game of the 1980s, the core fans will forgive all, if Halo 3 turns out to be a success.
For the hard-core fans, the new spin-offs are little more than a distraction as they wait to hear more details about Halo 3.
And Halo fans are a patient bunch - few details escape from Bungie before launch.
"Community has always been super important to Bungie - it's sort of at our roots," said Mr Jarrard.
There's a lot of expectation for the new Halo 3 isn't there? Hope it delivers, for their sake!
And OK Bungie, everyones on the 'community' bandwagon, and yet so few actually deliver on this promise!
Interesting bit here though.
But even if the Halo RTS fails, the movie bombs at the box office and Peter Jackson's new form of interactive entertainment turns out to be suspiciously like the old Dragon's Lair game of the 1980s, the core fans will forgive all, if Halo 3 turns out to be a success.
For the hard-core fans, the new spin-offs are little more than a distraction as they wait to hear more details about Halo 3.
And Halo fans are a patient bunch - few details escape from Bungie before launch.
"Community has always been super important to Bungie - it's sort of at our roots," said Mr Jarrard.
There's a lot of expectation for the new Halo 3 isn't there? Hope it delivers, for their sake!
And OK Bungie, everyones on the 'community' bandwagon, and yet so few actually deliver on this promise!
Teenagers 'smoke to ease labour'
This is scandalous!
Apparently, teenagers are aware that smoking while pregnant can stunt the babies growth.
Therefore, they smoke intentionally while pregnant so the child will be smaller and ultimately have an easier birth.
Who is educating these kids? Is this a case of 'part-education' where some of the facts are given, but not all the facts that would ensure that the person can make an informed decision or viewpoint?
But this is just a social extension of the genetically designed babies furor that is occuring throughout the world. The working classes just can't afford the DNA treatments, so they use natural resources.
But either way, it's obvious they either don't have an understanding of the healthrisks, to both mother and child, in their minds or they just don't care.
Another point in favour of my idea that you should be psychometrically tested prior to being allowed to bear children.
Horrendous human rights issues though, but I never said I wouldn't be a despot!
Apparently, teenagers are aware that smoking while pregnant can stunt the babies growth.
Therefore, they smoke intentionally while pregnant so the child will be smaller and ultimately have an easier birth.
Who is educating these kids? Is this a case of 'part-education' where some of the facts are given, but not all the facts that would ensure that the person can make an informed decision or viewpoint?
But this is just a social extension of the genetically designed babies furor that is occuring throughout the world. The working classes just can't afford the DNA treatments, so they use natural resources.
But either way, it's obvious they either don't have an understanding of the healthrisks, to both mother and child, in their minds or they just don't care.
Another point in favour of my idea that you should be psychometrically tested prior to being allowed to bear children.
Horrendous human rights issues though, but I never said I wouldn't be a despot!
Sun shines on UK-Spain relations
After all the pressures and anxieties revolving around the timing of his departure as Labour leader, what better than a trip to Spain?
Interesting article, but some thoughts for you.
Millions of Britons still take holidays in Spain each year, but European economic reforms and a spate of takeovers by Spanish companies have contributed to the convergence of the two economies on many other levels.
These include Spanish bank Santander absorbing Abbey National, or telecoms giant Telefonica buying up the UK's mobile phone group O2, to name a couple.
This highlights what I've said previously about our borders and sense of identity are being eroded. More names that we associate as being British are in fact foreign owned, and this number is increasing.
I do understand, to a degree, that we need to remove as many barriers between cultures, colour and race, but at the expense of your countries identity, and therefore your own self?
It's normal to be proud to say you are 'British', or indeed Irish, Scottish, Welsh and yes, even French I would imagine.
Will we sit comfortably with the ultimate aim that you will be European?
Identity is being dissolved into continental names, major conglomerates of countries who individually have no power, but as a collective whole, can work together for the benefit of its member states.
A noble idea, but there exist too many conflicts and prejudice and corruption within these areas being absorbed into the whole, that they are intoducing battles to be fought internally.
As well as standing up to the constant onslaught from the American and Asian contingents, this is a problem that the EU will have to remove before anybody will place their faith in it.
But rather than economics, another issue quickly moved to centre-stage.
Before Tony Blair touched down, the Spanish media were focusing on the possible contributions the British government could be making to the peace process in the Basque region.
Mr Zapatero said there was a lot of relevant information in the peace process in Northern Ireland that is useful to his own government's bid to end the conflict in the Basque region.
Laughable! They are going to use the British Governments handling of the Northern Ireland Peace Process as a yardstick to ensure peace between the Basque movement and the Spanish Government? Oh dear, there's ANOTHER disaster just waiting to happen! If any Spanish people are reading this, get in touch with your government now and scream no!
Spain, meanwhile, is facing its illegal immigration problem in the Canary Islands, where about 25,000 Africans have arrived by boat this year. It wants British backing in a push for more assistance from the European Union.
See, it's happening everywhere! Both legally and illegaly. But if you're going to the Canary Islands for your holidays, please feel free to share your experiences with the rest of us who are no longer considering them as a holiday destination.
Interesting article, but some thoughts for you.
Millions of Britons still take holidays in Spain each year, but European economic reforms and a spate of takeovers by Spanish companies have contributed to the convergence of the two economies on many other levels.
These include Spanish bank Santander absorbing Abbey National, or telecoms giant Telefonica buying up the UK's mobile phone group O2, to name a couple.
This highlights what I've said previously about our borders and sense of identity are being eroded. More names that we associate as being British are in fact foreign owned, and this number is increasing.
I do understand, to a degree, that we need to remove as many barriers between cultures, colour and race, but at the expense of your countries identity, and therefore your own self?
It's normal to be proud to say you are 'British', or indeed Irish, Scottish, Welsh and yes, even French I would imagine.
Will we sit comfortably with the ultimate aim that you will be European?
Identity is being dissolved into continental names, major conglomerates of countries who individually have no power, but as a collective whole, can work together for the benefit of its member states.
A noble idea, but there exist too many conflicts and prejudice and corruption within these areas being absorbed into the whole, that they are intoducing battles to be fought internally.
As well as standing up to the constant onslaught from the American and Asian contingents, this is a problem that the EU will have to remove before anybody will place their faith in it.
But rather than economics, another issue quickly moved to centre-stage.
Before Tony Blair touched down, the Spanish media were focusing on the possible contributions the British government could be making to the peace process in the Basque region.
Mr Zapatero said there was a lot of relevant information in the peace process in Northern Ireland that is useful to his own government's bid to end the conflict in the Basque region.
Laughable! They are going to use the British Governments handling of the Northern Ireland Peace Process as a yardstick to ensure peace between the Basque movement and the Spanish Government? Oh dear, there's ANOTHER disaster just waiting to happen! If any Spanish people are reading this, get in touch with your government now and scream no!
Spain, meanwhile, is facing its illegal immigration problem in the Canary Islands, where about 25,000 Africans have arrived by boat this year. It wants British backing in a push for more assistance from the European Union.
See, it's happening everywhere! Both legally and illegaly. But if you're going to the Canary Islands for your holidays, please feel free to share your experiences with the rest of us who are no longer considering them as a holiday destination.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
