Sunday, 26 January 2014
Monday, 25 November 2013
Saturday, 16 November 2013
Playstation 4 Launch,Things Everyone Wants to Know....
In a few short weeks the Playstation 4 will be coming to stores around the world (Nov 15, America. Nov 29, Europe). While the anticipated day speedily approaches, there are still plenty of questions that need to be asked and little details that need to be understood. As someone that is considering buying the PS4, I decided to do a little research about the important tidbits and of course I’m sharing it with anyone who happens to visit this little corner of the internet.
The games available at launch should take center stage, since they can make or break it. Features can only go so far after all. From what I’ve seen, I’m not impressed or overly excited at what’s going to be available, so don’t be ashamed to adopt a wait-and-see approach. There’s no rush to get the console right off the bat.
Launch Titles
The games available at launch should take center stage, since they can make or break it. Features can only go so far after all. From what I’ve seen, I’m not impressed or overly excited at what’s going to be available, so don’t be ashamed to adopt a wait-and-see approach. There’s no rush to get the console right off the bat.
Killzone Shadowfall and Knack will be the only CD based playstation exclusives to be ready at launch. I’m not saying these two titles aren’t good, I’m just saying that it would be nice if they had a couple friends with them when they reach my doorstep. Luckily enough, there are a couple more options available. Nothing grand or eye-catching but choices nonetheless. Battlefield 4, CoD Ghosts, Madden and Fifa to name a few – or in short, games that are already available elsewhere but will have next generation versions.
Then there are the free to play games that require a download. Warframe and DC universe are perfect examples of such. They’re both good games and seem to add much needed flavor to the Playstation launch.
Still, despite the rather abysmal lineup, in the months following its release there are a number of high profile games that will undoubtedly join the console’s line up. The kind of games that make a gamer wide-eyed in excitement and thankful that they’re alive.
Playstation Plus
Now, the second issue that came to my mind is how the PS4 is departing from the free to use online model that has previously dominated the PS3. The fact the online gaming requires an active Playstation Plus subscription has been confirmed, but what really does that mean to us the gamers?
It seems straight forward enough. In order to be able to play online or participate in any multiplayer function, PLUS is required. Yet, there are exceptions to this rule. A wide selection of Free-to-play games like the previously mentioned War Frame and the MMORPG DC Universe Online are exempted from the requirement. What that generally means is that if I have to buy the game, I have to have a PS Plus account to enjoy it the fullest.
As things go, that isn’t so bad because the service has more tricks behind its sleeve. The Instant game selection, for instance, offers a range of titles every month for Plus members to download and play for no added cost. While that may not mean much at the launch (games Resogun and contrast will be available.), when the ball starts going it will mean everything in the world.
I say this because, I’ve seen what kind of digital content the service has made available for the Playstation 3. Top rated titles that have more awards than I can comfortably count. Examples include critically acclaimed uncharted 3 and the best comic book franchise of all time, Batman: Arkham City.
There are of course other benefits, but nothing quite as good as the game collection in my opinion. Cloud storage for saves, discounts and early access to name a few. All in all, great little bonuses that make our money go a little further.
The price isn’t half bad either, 50USD for 12 months. That’s less than 5 dollars a month, not bad at all still there are shorter commitments like a three month one for around 18 USD. Now, as someone who has occasionally used PS PLUS, I think that’s a steal especially for anyone who owns a PS3 or Vita as well.
What the PS 4 Can’t do
Remember the share button? Well at launch, we won’t be able to upload to our favorite site, YouTube. I know, bummer. Oddly enough, Facebook is fair game for hosting videos. Also, streaming sites like Twitch and Ustream will likewise be available to any gamer wanting to create their gaming stream.
It’s also been confirmed that some segments of a game will be restricted to streaming, sharing and recording. What parts are entirely up to the developer’s discretion. I’m not sure how I feel about this, as I love watching games as though they were movies, cutting out the good parts wouldn’t be as entertaining.
PS 3 gadgets aren’t going to work with the incoming system either. That means that the Dualshock 3 controller will just have to sit things out. It’s not alone either, the Blue-ray remotes that everyone was suckered into buying won’t be compatible as well. Heck even the PS3 Bluetooth headsets are being left out.
There is a bright side I suppose. The PS 4 box comes with a mic, one that can be plugged in directly to the new controller. Despite that, It’s hard not to feel that pretty soon, my old toys will be gathering dust in a quiet corner, but hey that’s the price of progress or so everyone seems to be telling me these days.
Another thing that needs to be mentioned is that there will be no external hard drive support. While it’s undoubtedly a hassle, it’s far from the end of the world. Still, with the console mimicking PC play more and more, I’m sure my HD will fill up faster than I can blink. I mean, we can buy games digitally now and apparently some titles will have mandatory installs, that’s not even mentioning the countless saves and patches that will come as time passes.
I think that’s about everyone needs to know about the PS4. Forewarned is forearmed, and when buying a new console every little bit of information is a godsend. What do you guys think? Is there anything else that I need to add? Or does anyone have any questions ? Please comment and let me know.
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
10 Influential People Who Never Lived
We have done numerous lists of people and things that have had a great influence on man and they are always popular, so today we are presenting another list of influential people – but this time, they are people who never existed. There were hundreds of people to choose from, so this has been a fun list to compile. We hope you agree with our choices, but if you don’t, feel free to use the comments to tell us who you would have put here instead.
What child has not been frightened into behaving thanks to the ever-present youthful fear of Santa not providing come Christmas? Almost all western children were told by their parents that Santa would leave them nothing if they misbehaved. I speak from experience when I say that it was one of the most effective methods of stopping tantrums! Funnily enough, though, the fear always dissipates on Christmas Eve as you just know that Santa will be coming – even if you did slip up a few times.
As Barbie has progressed from a pretty young woman to whom all girls could aspire, to something often verging on the likeness of a harlot, one can wonder whether it was Barbie influencing children, or children influencing Barbie. There are certainly many similarities. Barbie has depicted almost every possible female lifestyle choice and I think there can be no doubt that she has been at the start of the path many women have taken in life.
This could potentially lead to a debate about whether Hood existed or not, but I am of the opinion that he did not. Therefore, he is listed as my number eight on the list. I am sure we have all heard someone justifying theft because the victim is wealthy – and where did this justification come from? Not just the principles of redistribution of wealth that many of us live under in Western Society (read envy taxes) but the fact that to this day, we are all raised believing Robin Hood was a hero – when, in fact, he was a thief. Stealing is almost always wrong, and just because Robin Hood gave the proceeds of his crimes to poor people, it is not a valid justification. As for the previously mentioned taxes, there is every reason for us to believe that the majority of people accept these taxes because of their prior belief in the false morality of the Robin Hood story.
This is one for the boys obviously! Even in remote New Zealand where I grew up, all the boys played “Cowboys and Indians”. The cowboy was a great hero with a shining gun who represented the morality of Western ideals: manliness, defense of justice, protection of women and children. No doubt many now cringe at the lack of political correctness involved in the game and stereotype, but kids aren’t politically correct (thank God) and certainly won’t be hindered because of it. The influence of the Cowboy movie genre is indisputable an immense one. Oh – and for those who say “but cowboys are real!” – yes – but this is about the concept – not about a specific person – just as we might say Santa existed as St Nicholas, the concept is bigger than any one person.
How many men reading this list who smoke, are smoking cigarettes with filters? Venturing a guess I would say all of them. Before the Marlboro Man campaign began, “real men” didn’t smoke cigarettes with filters – they were for women. The aim of the Marlboro Man campaign was primarily to get men smoking filtered marlboro cigarettes. The influence of the campaign is abundantly clear today. The campaign is considered to be one of the best in all history. According to Wikipedia, it transformed a feminine campaign, with the slogan ‘Mild as May’, into one that was masculine, in a matter of months.
And now another for the girls! Rosie the Riveter may not be a familiar name, but her picture certainly is. Rosie the Riveter told women that they can do anything – and they did! Rosie managed to motivate an entire generation of working-age women to get out of the home and in to factories to help the war effort. This is probably one of the most influential events of the Second World War. Once the floodgates of women working were open, they would never be closed again. All women working in traditional male jobs have Rosie to thank.
In a short 24 hours, you can fly from one side of the planet to another. This (one of man’s greatest achievements) may never have happened if it had not been for the mythological characters Daedalus and Icarus. The story tells of Daedalus building mechanical wings for his son Icarus and ever since the tale was told, man has lusted after the ability to take the sky and fly. This eventually came true and the entire planet is a changed place as a consequence of it.
The moral of this children’s tale is that self-belief, optimism, and hard work result in achievement – of even the most difficult tasks. The book first appeared in a slightly different version to today, in 1906. It has been regarded by many as a metaphor for the “American Dream”. The popularity of this book may also be a contributing factor to the huge number of self-help and “positive thinking” seminars and books that we see today.
A relatively modern addition to this list, Big Brother has been a influence in so many social protests that he has to be included here. His name comes up every time a government passes a restrictive law or a law which seems to remove aspects of our eternal freedoms. Everyone recognizes his face, everyone knows what he stands for, and everyone is terrified of the potential for our own lives to be governed by our own version of the fictional character. Big Brother was, of course, created by George Orwell for his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Not only can Romeo and Juliet be blamed for much of our ideas of the “perfect relationship” – I think it can also be blamed for a high percentage of divorces. Couples going in to marriage seek the ideal of a relationship based entirely on passion and romance, and when that romance dims (as so often is the case) they feel cheated and believe the marriage has failed. When in reality, passionate romance is not required for a healthy marriage – while respect, love, and charity is. Romeo and Juliet have much to answer for!
SOURCE
#10.Santa Claus
What child has not been frightened into behaving thanks to the ever-present youthful fear of Santa not providing come Christmas? Almost all western children were told by their parents that Santa would leave them nothing if they misbehaved. I speak from experience when I say that it was one of the most effective methods of stopping tantrums! Funnily enough, though, the fear always dissipates on Christmas Eve as you just know that Santa will be coming – even if you did slip up a few times.
#9.Barbie
As Barbie has progressed from a pretty young woman to whom all girls could aspire, to something often verging on the likeness of a harlot, one can wonder whether it was Barbie influencing children, or children influencing Barbie. There are certainly many similarities. Barbie has depicted almost every possible female lifestyle choice and I think there can be no doubt that she has been at the start of the path many women have taken in life.
#8.Robin Hood
This could potentially lead to a debate about whether Hood existed or not, but I am of the opinion that he did not. Therefore, he is listed as my number eight on the list. I am sure we have all heard someone justifying theft because the victim is wealthy – and where did this justification come from? Not just the principles of redistribution of wealth that many of us live under in Western Society (read envy taxes) but the fact that to this day, we are all raised believing Robin Hood was a hero – when, in fact, he was a thief. Stealing is almost always wrong, and just because Robin Hood gave the proceeds of his crimes to poor people, it is not a valid justification. As for the previously mentioned taxes, there is every reason for us to believe that the majority of people accept these taxes because of their prior belief in the false morality of the Robin Hood story.
#7.Cowboys
This is one for the boys obviously! Even in remote New Zealand where I grew up, all the boys played “Cowboys and Indians”. The cowboy was a great hero with a shining gun who represented the morality of Western ideals: manliness, defense of justice, protection of women and children. No doubt many now cringe at the lack of political correctness involved in the game and stereotype, but kids aren’t politically correct (thank God) and certainly won’t be hindered because of it. The influence of the Cowboy movie genre is indisputable an immense one. Oh – and for those who say “but cowboys are real!” – yes – but this is about the concept – not about a specific person – just as we might say Santa existed as St Nicholas, the concept is bigger than any one person.
#6.The Marlboro Man
How many men reading this list who smoke, are smoking cigarettes with filters? Venturing a guess I would say all of them. Before the Marlboro Man campaign began, “real men” didn’t smoke cigarettes with filters – they were for women. The aim of the Marlboro Man campaign was primarily to get men smoking filtered marlboro cigarettes. The influence of the campaign is abundantly clear today. The campaign is considered to be one of the best in all history. According to Wikipedia, it transformed a feminine campaign, with the slogan ‘Mild as May’, into one that was masculine, in a matter of months.
#5.Rosie the Riveter
And now another for the girls! Rosie the Riveter may not be a familiar name, but her picture certainly is. Rosie the Riveter told women that they can do anything – and they did! Rosie managed to motivate an entire generation of working-age women to get out of the home and in to factories to help the war effort. This is probably one of the most influential events of the Second World War. Once the floodgates of women working were open, they would never be closed again. All women working in traditional male jobs have Rosie to thank.
#4.Daedalus and Icarus
In a short 24 hours, you can fly from one side of the planet to another. This (one of man’s greatest achievements) may never have happened if it had not been for the mythological characters Daedalus and Icarus. The story tells of Daedalus building mechanical wings for his son Icarus and ever since the tale was told, man has lusted after the ability to take the sky and fly. This eventually came true and the entire planet is a changed place as a consequence of it.
#3.The Little Engine That Could
The moral of this children’s tale is that self-belief, optimism, and hard work result in achievement – of even the most difficult tasks. The book first appeared in a slightly different version to today, in 1906. It has been regarded by many as a metaphor for the “American Dream”. The popularity of this book may also be a contributing factor to the huge number of self-help and “positive thinking” seminars and books that we see today.
#2.Big Brother
A relatively modern addition to this list, Big Brother has been a influence in so many social protests that he has to be included here. His name comes up every time a government passes a restrictive law or a law which seems to remove aspects of our eternal freedoms. Everyone recognizes his face, everyone knows what he stands for, and everyone is terrified of the potential for our own lives to be governed by our own version of the fictional character. Big Brother was, of course, created by George Orwell for his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
#1.Romeo and Juliet
Not only can Romeo and Juliet be blamed for much of our ideas of the “perfect relationship” – I think it can also be blamed for a high percentage of divorces. Couples going in to marriage seek the ideal of a relationship based entirely on passion and romance, and when that romance dims (as so often is the case) they feel cheated and believe the marriage has failed. When in reality, passionate romance is not required for a healthy marriage – while respect, love, and charity is. Romeo and Juliet have much to answer for!
SOURCE
Monday, 11 November 2013
5 Places Around The World You Wouldn’t Want To Live
#5.Brownsville, Brooklyn USA
New York City (and Brooklyn in particular) have some sordid corners if one looks hard enough, but Brownsville stands out among the rest. Most of the housing in the neighborhood is made up of projects run by the New York City Housing Authority—huge, low-income apartment buildings where crime is prevalent. While much of New York has been subject to gentrification and tumbling crime rates, Brownsville remains quite dangerous, and possibly the most violent place in the entire city. In this neighborhood, some UPS drivers make their deliveries in the company of an armed guard. As in many rough areas, much of the crime is related to the drug trade. Luckily, the crack-cocaine epidemic of the ’80s and the ’90s is long over, and things have grown (relatively) more peaceful in the interim, with organized gangs fractured into small fragments of their former power. It can be tough to get by on the streets of Brownsville, and many are forced into making their way with their fists. It is no coincidence at all that this neighborhood was the home of a long list of championship boxers, including Riddick Bowe, Shannon Briggs, Zab Judah, and “Iron” Mike Tyson.
#4.La Perla, San Juan Puerto Rico, USA
La Perla is a settlement on the outskirts of San Juan that was once home to a slaughterhouse. Today, it is a shantytown known for the proliferation of drugs, particularly heroin imported from suppliers in South America. About 15 square blocks, the streets of La Perla are often omitted from maps of San Juan to keep tourists from traveling there. Despite the abject poverty, La Perla is quite beautiful in many ways, with multicolored homes, breathtaking views, and its own expanse of Caribbean beach. In 2011, La Perla became the site of a massive police raid, netting 114 drug arrests based on an 18-month investigation by the DEA, the Puerto Rico Justice Department, and several other agencies.
#3.Ferghana Valley Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
The dissolution of the Soviet Union made for a great deal of tension as the world’s largest country was chopped into independent republics. More than 20 years later, these hostilities remain, some more bitter than ever before. Few places have seen more violence than the Ferghana Valley, an area split in three by the nations of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The Ferghana Valley is a center of Islamic fundamentalism and home to a patchwork of ethnicities who are known to clash viciously. The economy is deeply flawed, and the government corrupt. Hundreds of thousands of refugees wander the streets, and corpses litter the sidewalks. Perhaps the most savage event in the area occurred on May 13, 2005, when the Uzbek town of Andijan became the site of a horrifying massacre as the military opened fire on a group of protesters massed in the main square, decrying the economy and the policies of Preident Islam Karimov. The government would later claim the body count at 187, but those present allege that over 1,000 were killed, including many women and children. They claim that many of the bodies were buried in secret mass graves as a way of downplaying the true scope of the carnage.
#2.Kibera, Nairobi Kenya
Nairobi is the capital of Kenya, founded by the British as a rail depot in 1899. Today, it is one of the most important cities in Africa, but it is not free from turmoil. On the outskirts of the city sits Kibera, one of the world’s worst slums. Like many such places, Kibera is forsaken by the government. Enterprising criminals tap into Nairobi’s power grid, bringing electricity to a few select places, but for the most part the area is dark. Homes are typically mud and concrete huts with dirt floors. The water is mostly polluted, causing typhoid and cholera, and toilet facilities consist of holes dug into the ground and used by hundreds. Women leaving their homes after dark are often raped.About half of Kibera’s population is unemployed, and to alleviate their crushing boredom, they often partake in cheap drugs—glue-sniffing is a big problem—or drink changaa, a powerful local brew. AIDS spreads like wildfire in Kibera, with women selling their bodies just to make enough money to eat, and orphaned children, often born with the disease, haunt the trash-choked streets.
#1.Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong China
Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City was demolished 20 years ago, but it certainly deserves mention. A former Chinese military fort, it became densely populated with squatters in the years following World War II. Inside the walls of the fort, ramshackle high-rises were built largely devoid of creature comforts like heat or running water. In 1987, a survey by the Chinese government indicated there were approximately 30,000 residents inside the tiny 6.5-acre territory—a population density of 3,250,000 people per square mile. As a means of comparison, the city with the highest population density today is Manila, with approximately 111,002 people per square mile.Greater Hong Kong largely turned a blind eye to activities within Kowloon Walled City. For years, it was governed by the Triads, Chinese mafia members. Police would only enter in large groups. There were high rates of prostitution, gambling, drug use, murders, and opium dens. Only the faintest trace of sunlight filtered down to the muddy streets, and rats proliferated in the ruin. In the early ’90s, the government finally decided to destroy this anarchic slum. An evacuation was ordered, and in March 1993, the demolition began. Today, the area is occupied by Kowloon Walled City Park, a verdant expanse of gardens and monuments.
SOURCE
Friday, 8 November 2013
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