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Hey guys it's Sam, and it's time for our first-ever episode of gaming news! I know, gaming new's been a part of Sammwak's lore for a long time. Actually, one of the first posts on Sammwak was about Left 4 Dead. But it's time to take that knowledge to a whole 'notha [level]. And that's what our segment 1st Person is for; all the news that's fit to–no, um, it's the largest source for–no, that's GameSpot's slogan. Um, while I think of a catchphrase, how about we get to our first game and find out the first piece of news in our series premiere.
There are a lot of games out there for the Xbox Live Arcade, open since the Christmas month of 2004. Through its eight years of existence, some really good and bad XBLA titles have come to be. Some good examples include the 'Splosion Man duo, Limbo, and Super Meat Boy. Some bad examples include Zombie Wranglers, Tour de France 2009, and Blazing Birds. And another bad example might include the recently released title Warp, the second "XBLA House Party" released for the XBLA, PS3, and PC. In this game, you control an inhuman character named Zero, who seemingly looks like he was a rejected de Blob sidekick. Zero is taken to a military-grade facility, where he fades in and out of consciousness and at one point awakens to find that he is being operated on, having a disc-shaped object extracted from him. Soon after, through telepathic procedures, a fellow alien contacts our hero, saying that it can sense other aliens in the facility and planning the duo's great escape. Zero then proceeds to fulfill his title as a facility escapee under your control, helping any aliens on the way, but not before reabsorbing that disc. It may seem kinda cute, but this game fulfills its M-rated properties: Warp seems like the perfect name for this game, not only manifesting our hero's eponymous attack (where he warps through walls and even through people & objects), but also of the game's oddly balanced warp between violence and cuteness.
A hybrid between stealth, action, and puzzle, Warp is one of two currently-released titles from the Canadian indie developer Trapdoor Inc., the other being Fez for the rarely-known PlayStation-esque NES hardware clone, the PolyStation. Considering Trapdoor has clearly not had much taste in the more popular gaming culture, can Warp be their first success?…Well, kind of. GameSpot's Jeremiah Johnson said that although the game had merits (enjoyable puzzles, charming balance of gore and cuteness, superb visuals, tough leaderboard challenge rooms), it also had its flaws, like clunky controls and some trial-and-error puzzles. On high, he said that it was an "entertaining top-down puzzler" that was still, however, weighed down. He gave the game a 6.5/10, which ranks as "fair" on the meter, an above-average level. Users were slightly more positive, upping the ranks to 7.2. IGN's Daemon Hatfield was a lot more positive for the game, however. He called it "brainy and amusing", and despite some hiccups around the final half of the game, he highly recommended it as a "rich, satisfying adventure." He gave it an 8.5/10, which is not only "great" on the meter, but also received an Editor's Choice award. So, yeah. IGN really likes this game. Joystiq gave it a 3/5-star score, saying that it wasn't particularly memorable, and didn't quite create an identity for itself, and pulled the inspiration from the many corners of gaming's landscape, and for that reason, Warp got degraded a bit more. Game Informer gave the game a 6.75/10 score, saying that it was "promising at first, but it becomes more tedious as it progresses". They said the simple factors of the game weren't enough to make a standout in the Arcade, and that anyone looking to go deeper should choose a different game. Overall, Warp overall may have fatal flaws that push it back, but it does have its moments. Approach the game with caution.
It's Manhattan. A viral plague called Blacklight is spreading. The infected become grotesque behemoths on uncontrollable manhunts for the uninfected. You're an amnesiac mutant, enabled with the power of shape-shifting and absorbing others (known as "consuming"), as well as tremendous power that even allows you to climb up buildings effortlessly. What kind of person are you? You are Alex Mercer, the star of Radical Ent.'s hit of summer 2009, Prototype. Despite its gameplay similarities to other games, it was a critical and commercial success, having enough sales to be inflicted into the Xbox's Hall of Platinum Hits. And, of course, after that there needed to be a second phase. And so that's where Prototype 2 comes in, the super-heroic sci-fi sequel. In this game, a man named James Heller goes out to fulfill his goal of eradicating Blacklight, but also plans to terminate a person whom he believes is responsible for the death of his family in the virus outbreak: none other than Alex himself. James practically shares the exact same powers as Alex, although shape-shifting and consumption has become more tactical. Like, if James consumes a soldier, people's reactions will show they want nothing to do with him. To prevent enemy overwhelm, Radical has included more down-to-earth AI, as well as weapon use, like fending off using a freshly-ripped tank cannon.
Prototype 2, in my eyes, looks like a good game. But is it?…Somewhat yes. IGN's Greg Miller quoted that the said game "[had] no impact", and despite the factors of the game, nothing really meant anything to Miller. He said he doubted he'd remember the game's "sterile side missions and curse word-laden dialogue", and he came to the conclusion that Prototype 2 was a case of "forgettable fun". He gave the game a 7/10, which is only "good". At GameSpot, editor Tom Mc Shea praised the game's empowering mechanics of movement, huge variety of attacks, experimenting incentives, and fun-to-find collectibles. But he also criticized the game's practical lack of challenge, and also that it contained little that hasn't been seen before in the series. He said that these "sporadic missteps" where however covered up by its "brutal delights", and wrapped up his review with a 7.5/10 score. Another "good". Joystiq handed out another 3/5-star review, saying that people would have different emotions for the game, as much as you liked its mobility and brands of mass destruction, and how much you can forgive more brain-dead moments like repetition and witless dialogue. Even Destructoid gave the game an 8/10! So, overall, this sequel looks like a good pick to add to your library, but discerning gamers beware.
"In Assassin's Creed we set up a timeline with this whole end of the world plot in December 2012… That's fast approaching, and the story we have to tell, we obviously need to do it before we arrive at that point. It would be stupid of us to be centering a game on a semi-reality and then have that conclusion happen after that date in real life…" – Alexandre Amacio, Revelations creative director
Never has Ubisoft attempted such a game that I've known of. This is one of the biggest twists in the company's history. But indeed, their award-winning saga Assassin's Creed is going back, way back, to the era the thirteen original colonies called "the good ole days". In other words, Assassin's Creed is going to the American Revolution with its newest upcoming title, Assassin's Creed III. This open-world stealthy action-adventure is said by Ubisoft to be bigger than any other installment (no chiz), and it will feature a new character (much like in Prototype 2) named Connor Kenway, whose birth name is Ratohnhaké:ton, which is pronounced (ra-tohn-ha-ke-ton). Spanning 3 decades of Connor's life from 1753-'83, the war between the Assassins and Templers has moved to the colonial Americas. Connor is a half-English half-Mohawk man drawn into the fight when his home undergoes attack by white colonists. Over the course of the game, it being an art of long-long-ago historical fiction, you'll run into famous faces of the past like Ben Franklin, presidents Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, Charles Lee, William Prescott, among even others. Work on this game began almost automatically after the primetime release of Assassin's Creed II, but the following year when Ubisoft first revealed Brotherhood, confusion occurred as to whether or not this was the real deal. Well, luckily, now they know, and now you know to mark your calendar for this game's release on October 30 in North America, Halloween 2012 for the PAL region.
This game was the cover story of this month's issue for Game Informer (keep an eye out for the exclusive second issue cover), and it has already exceeded the pre-order numbers of its two previous predecessors, surpassing Brotherhood and achieving numbers 10 times of that Revelations received in a comparable time frame. So, yeah, people really want this game. Attorney/planter/politician Patrick Henry once said in 1775 in his famous speech, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" The rest of Ubisoft says, "Why don't we just go and give them both?"
You can tell by this picture that Microsoft's M-rated Arcade title Bloodforge is a very violent game. Well, you don't say? The game has "blood" in its name, of course it's violent! Anyway, there's this guy named Crom, and he's, y'know, a little miffed. Okay, a lotta miffed. He has murdered his own family, tricked into the act of the god Arawn, and he wants revenge. It's a familiar setup, by the looks of it, because there's that one mad guy who charted a brutally satisfying course to get revenge against the gods. Hint: It wasn't Percy Jackson. And, of course, Crom's quest to gain his right is a bloodstained one, especially gorier than your average hack-and-slash. And please do like this post if I'm not the only one whom is greatly reminded of Skyrim and Ninja Gaiden 3 whilst looking at screenshots for this game. This game honestly looks like it had mixed emotions, depending on the type of player. Some people praised this game, saying that it was worth every penny–or, in this case, Microsoft Point–while others think that, um, well, there were only 3 player reviews on GameSpot for this game and they were all positive. Are they right in the editor's eyes?…
Nope. Carolyn Petit, an experienced GameSpot enthusiast in both reading and editing, said that despite some grotesque character designs, the game had tedious combat, terrible boss battles, a generally underdeveloped world, a distractedly unstable camera, and a number of tech problems of minor level. She gave the game 4 merits overall: Brutal (the good), Shallow, Bad Camera, and Derivative (the bad). Petit wrapped up her review with a 3/10 score, a "bad" on the scale. After this cold review, Bloodforge found no luck at IGN, either. Steven Hopper, a level-four editor, praised the game's visuals and graphics, but criticism got the better of him for numerous reasons: an awful camera, a shallow story, derivative gameplay, and bringing nothing unique and/or innovative to the table to yak up. Hopper said that the game was a bad competitor against series like God of War or Darksiders, and considering the Arcade's other chockful of prime experiences, it was hard to recommend Bloodforge to anyone, anywhere, anywho. He gave the game a 4/10 score, another "bad" on the meter. Joystiq handed out yet another 3/5-star score, saying that it would be more difficult to confront as a full-priced standalone, and that its action would be tiresome lasting any longer than its campaign, clocking in at a rough five hours' worth. Attempt to play this game as thoughtfully as Microsoft developed it, you'll come out disappointed. Attempt to play it whilst accepting it as a button-masher, and you'll come out guiltily pleased. So overall, Bloodforge might offer a small portion, but all-around, it looks like you should skip this opportunity.
Well, that's our news for this week! Thanks for watching, and if you'll excuse me, I've got an anger management class to attend, if you know what I mean. Th-that was a funny joke, right? Oh, if you haven't already, go check out my friend Maggie at nuthatchlover.wordpress.com. If you like looking at cute pictures and seeing what's been on the Pinterestboard lately, this is the place to be. If you have a license to Pin, you can also follow Big Mag (see what I did there? ) on Pinterest and see what she's been further Pinning. And this goes for the both of us—comment, like, rate, subscribe, reblog, follow, and stay tuned for more! (Also feel free to check me out at Google+ @ Samuel Mwak's page!)
p.s. Time for our Would You Rather o' the Week! Would you rather…eat bacon with everything you eat ever, ever, ever, ever again, or would you eat pizza with everything you eat ever, ever, ever, ever again?
p.p.s. Time for our Random Video o' the Week! This week goes to "Dubstep Puffle", a video from the official channel for Club Penguin, consisting of a dark gray pet Puffle wearing a pair of headphones, listening to dubstep, while in numerous situations, like living memes and riding inside a box in space that is farting out a rainbow. At the end of the video, you can snag a secret code to get your Puffle their own set of headphones, although I'm not sure it's gonna be dubstep they'll be listening to. Anyway, since its debut on the 5th this month, it's gotten almost 400,000 views, but with you I can bet cold hard fake cash it's gonna go longer.
It's been a long time since an online game as addictive & immersive as Glitch reared its angelic head. But now, finally, another one of those games has been shared with the public world, one just as beautiful, diverse, and fluid as Glitch, one that definitely builds upon its predecessor. The "threequel" of a wildly successful and silly online game saga, this game has taken its fancy-pant-wearing hero to newly epic proportions never seen before in his history. What's all the hub-bub about? In this gripping episode, you're going to find out.
If you remember one of my old posts back in 2010's days, you'd remember the time when I excitedly blabbed about the announcement of the upcoming World 3 (or at least, all we have of it, the real release date is TBA) in the Fancy Pants Adventures trilogy, the obvious follower of World 2. I rambled on about its debuts of distinguishable toppings to the sundae, including swimming and water-related levels, the introduction of Fancy Pants Man's sister and her cat, pencil combat, and lots more. Now, you can't believe the excitement I had when right here, right now, the sneak peek, the closest we can get to World 3, has come, and it's not just the most beautiful game in the trilogy. It's one of the most breathtaking online games I've ever played, hands down, deal is done. If you think Super Mario Galaxy 2 was the best adventurer's game you've played, wait till you see this.
Fancy Pants Man clearly proves that stunning visuals, marvelous gameplay, catchy tunes, and proficient, solid distinguishes really do add up for one of the best experiences you've seen. Enemies have a bit more smarts in the game now: the gun-wielding rat (or, as I like to call him, the "gunmouse" *ba dum CRASH*) can now aim his gun in different directions, a new miner headlight-bearing spider is smart enough to safely land on surfaces below him, blabbity blabbity bloo. I've been waiting a long time to tell you about my favorite part of this game: the swimming levels. Whether it's for a task or just a visit to the wonderland of wetness, the swimming levels are by far the most beautiful aspects of the game, mixed with its equally beauteous music. I kept repeating quotes like "It's so beautiful", "I feel like I'm gonna cry", or "(too sucked in to say much)" while I was swimming through the waters. You could also do lots of stuff like "surf" on the surface of the water, push off of undersea surfaces and fly gracefully into the water, and more. If this is how Michael Phelps practiced for the Olympics, it's no surprise he's a multi-gold-medalist. Definitely a game I'm proud to have on my Chrome homepage, and definitely one I'll come back to and enjoy all over again.
1 out of 5 – Educational value – Your brain does get tested a bit in timed challenges, and maybe getting from place to place requires a bit of logic, but the game is mainly an entertainer, not an educator.
2 3/4 out of 5 – Positive messages – Fancy Pants Man has had a past of heroism, dueling against agitated penguins and bunnies, all for a good cause that some things are worth journeying and fighting for, like peace and love, or an ice cream cone. The new introduction of multiplayer on the consoles are definitely worth saying that "Four is better than two, let alone two being better than one."
2 out of 5 – Positive role models – Fancy Pants Man is a veteran hero as well as a parkour master and a journeyer. He's definitely brave enough to fight for things worth fighting for.
5 out of 5 – Ease of play – The controls are easy to grasp: left and right to move, down to duck, and S to jump. Jump onto a wall to begin wall-climbing, and with just enough momentum, speed, and time you might end up wall-jumping from building to building (Jump & direction to do so). These controls work well and are etched into the game appropriately.
3 1/2 out of 5 – Violence – There are rats that wield pistols that will attempt to shoot at Fancy Pants Man (but the fired "bullets" look more like balls of scribble), as well as spiders that will attempt to cause harm to our hero. FP Man can retaliate by jumping onto them, making them now able to kick, which is what he can also do to snails. When FP Man loses his health, he will fall to the ground, and his angelic soul will rise.
0 out of 5 – Inappropriate Content – There is one girl in the game, FP Man's sister (excepting her cat, if she's female), but there's no steamy affection in the game.
0 out of 5 – Language – The only thing Fancy Pants Man will say is "Ow!" (after being hit by an enemy), so there's no colorful language to go around.
2 out of 5 – Product Placement – World 3 is the third of a very successful and popular online game trilogy called Fancy Pants Adventures made by Brad Borne (who also went on to make Mirror's Edge 2D), and you can find the games pretty much anywhere from Armor Games to Newgrounds.
0 out of 5 – Drinking, Drugs, and/or Smoking – This aspect is not featured in-game.
Whatever I just mentioned above.
Little to strive for means that you're just running around for nothing.
Fun: A+ (5 pts)
Entertainment: A+ (5 pts)
Style: A+ (5 pts)
Smarts: A (4.5 pts)
Play-Again Ratio: A+ (5 pts)
Gameplay: A+ (5 pts)
FINAL SCORE: 29.5 out of 30 (you've gotta be kidding me), 5 stars out of 5, 94% out of 100%
CONSENSUS: A beautiful, fluid, and atmospheric entry into the series, the World 3 sneak peek is not just the most immersive, beautiful, and solid entry into the series; it's simply one of the most breathtaking online games created.
Click here if you want to play the best online game you've ever played, EVER. Play it and weep.
Now, as the title says, we're not finished quite yet. Fancy Pants Man may have embarked on a beauteous journey, but that doesn't mean his minutes in heaven are over. Fancy Pants Man is going predictably where no online game hero has gone before; the PlayStation Network and the Xbox Live Arcade. It may not be World 3 (perhaps the origin of a devolution), but the console game will include a 2-4 player mode, pencil combat just as World 3 promised, and a fresh batch of new levels, as well as the ones from World 1 and 2. Similar to Limbo, the console version's story will be about FP Man's journey through pirates and pencils in order to save his pirate-kidnapped sister. There might also be, according to footage, a "king of the hill" mode in the game, and if you still don't believe me, check out this trailer.
Now are you excited? The game is actually out as we speak, rated E for mild cartoon violence, and the full game costs a whopping price of 800 Microsoft points, while the trial is free, but not real. Almost 20,000 people have given it a 4-star rating on Xbox.com, and 600 people have taken the time to Like on Facebook. And remember the game's catchy motto: "Run fast, run fancy."
Subscribe, rate, like, com—oh, come on, do I really have to tell you what to do every time? This blog's been alive for almost 2 years!
– Sam 😀
p.s. Giants or Patriots? The Super Bowl's only two days away!
If you remember how Sammwak used to be last year, you might remember my post in May asking you to decide what was the best Xbox Live Arcade game (if it doesn't ring a bell, click here): the creepy world of Limbo, the plant soiling of Plants vs. Zombies, the arcade aesthetics of Scott Pilgrim, the blood-red ruckus of Super Meat Boy, and the futuristic frenzies of Monday Night Combat. Almost twenty votes came in over those months, and I've decided that you've waited long enough for 8 months straight. These were the results of the nomination. And the nominees, one more time, were…
Limbo is a creepy puzzle-platformer that got released for the Marketplace last summer, and has been a huge success since. It takes place in an eerie black-and-white monochromatic atmosphere (which is how the game got recognized as a "video game of art" as well as a "trial of death") heavily resembling an olden horror flick, where you are this unnamed boy searching for his sister. But that's not the worst thing. You have to fend off against deadly obstacles like giant spiders, worms, and bear traps! And you cannot pass this game once without gruesomely dying your head off a couple times. Pretty fun, huh? It was often blamed for its abrupt ending and minimal storyline, but Limbo brushed that off with plenty of awards for Best Visual Art, Excellence In Visual Art, and categories like that. Can this scream its way over to the Top XBLA Game title?
Plants vs. Zombies got its grand start at the Arcade back in September at the crack of back-to-school. It is a creative and enjoyable tower defense-stylized action game that takes place at the biggest battlefield of all: your house. With only plants with superb abilities, you must defend your house from the waves of pure zombie ferocity coming at you in different styles, like the Conehead Zombie and even the Zombie Bobsled Team. It as well as its soundtrack got a positive reaction from critics and players, being picked by Gamezebo as one of the "Best Games of 2010." The game also received an app for the iPhone and iPad. Can this game be the one to soil the path to the grand title?
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game had a close shave releasing to the XBLA almost at the start of September 2010, but it got a boost a few days before at the end of August and picked up its pace. The game is a side-scrolling beat em' up based not only on Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series, but tying in to the release of the 2010 movie of the same name. It picks up the 8-bit feel as you play as Scott, Ramona, Kim, or Stephen Stills, along with characters Nega-Scott as an unlockable and Knives Chau as DLC. The game's storyline picks up from O'Malley's classic: defeating Ramona's seven evil exes. It also adds a touch as you can purchase items to replenish your health and boost stats, as well as the ability to revive knocked-out characters. The game received mixed to positive reviews, as critics complained of its lack of online co-op, visibility issues, and chaotic 3-player play. But can this game get the coins to win the XBLA title?
The successor, sequel, or adaptation of 2008′s flash game Meat Boy, Super Meat Boy takes it to the next level in October 2010. Actually, over 300 levels. As from the original game, the tiny, skinless, cube-shaped slab of meat we call Meat Boy must save his girlfriend, Band-Aid Girl, from the villainous and diabolical Dr. Fetus. But the quest isn't just fun and games. Meat Boy's quest is life-or-death, as he must overcome obstacles like sawblades, salt, etc. Having the required fine timing of series like Mega Man, this guy can run, jump, and stick to walls either to slide off them, jump off them, or as I liked to do, hop your way up them. The game also folds into warp zones and retro-styled bonus levels. Don't forget to unlock "Teh Internets"! As acclaimed as the game is, can Meat Boy's blood, sweat, and tears earn it the Top XBLA Game title?
Monday Night Combat is a downloadable third-person shooter from Uber Entertainment, represented as the futuristic Monday Night sport. Available for both the XBLA and Windows (supported by Steam), it pits you up as a Pro in either orange (Hotshot) or blue (Iceman). Its basis is almost like a tower-defense tradition–your job is, with your weapons, fending off against bots (Blitz Mode), opposing teammates, or even BOTH (Crossfire Mode) to destroy the opposing Moneyball (It's a ball full of money. It's so simple) while protecting your own. It's also a good idea to construct turrets/towers in your base that automatically fire by themselves, and upgrade them with loose cash. The Assault is the main Soldier of the game shooting like there's no tomorrow, while the Support likely resembles a Medic or an Engineer, healing teammates and bots, as well as hacking into built turrets. The Sniper is a good long-ranger with sneaky Flaks and surprising Traps. The Assassin has her own level, cloaking to invisible sights and attacking opposing teammates. And no one forgets the cash-bleeding mascot, Bullseye! Can all this with Mickey Cantor's silly announcing have a successful fire at the grand title?
And the winner of the title of the B-E-S-T Xbox Live Arcade Game is…
Monday Night Combat! Snagging the lead with seven votes, MNC has literally grabbed the title and held it ever since the polls opened. With 43.75% of the votes for the taking, Monday Night Combat's not-so-hard work deserves to earn the award it rightly deserves! Ain't it a beauty? You could cry just looking at it.
Oh, and the second place runner-up is…
…Limbo! Coming in second at an astonishing five votes, Limbo regardless has been noted as one of the top games of the 2010 year, so it might be a bit of a shocker for XBLA regulars that it fell behind. But as we all know, runner-ups still get awards!
Super Meat Boy covers the third-place title in red, mucky blood, and that's a lot of what you're going to shed as Meat Boy in his prime-cut adventure that will hand you your rump on a platter. This game got the bronze title at an astounding two votes, quite disappointing for a highly acclaimed game. No offense to Team Meat, the geniuses behind the game, but our fans just didn't give your work of art a second thinking.
Scott Pilgrim and Plants vs. Zombies were both tied at one vote. Ouch. Anyway, comment, rate, like, share, and stay tuned for more Sammwak-y goodness! Also, my question of the week for you…if "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" says "he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake", is Santa just a jolly old stalker? Comment below! And thanks for subscribing: I bet you'll be first place in every top 5!
– Sam
That's right. Capcom has gotten a whole new look on itself. They were a little unsure of Street Fighter IV at first. It was like a glob of wet clay with plenty of cracks. Then the fan nature called, and Super Street Fighter IV answered, filling in all the drab cracks that made it a masterpiece. I guess the Dimps-Capcom team thought that it just wasn't enough. So now they've put their innovation to the test…and the Arcade Edition was born.
The SSF4 series is still at its best in rebooting, like doing so for the pictured Yun and Yang. Think of this that sets them apart besides their couture: Yun's a skater, but Yang's more of a rollerblader. Back in April 2010, producer Yoshinori Ono announced that there would be an arcade version. Currently, Evil Ryu (Street Fighter Alpha 2) and the brand-new Oni have been announced as playable bad guys. A couple of play tests were handled in numerous arcades as well as during the SF4 finals at Tougeki Super Battle Opera. Shortly after the release, pictures showing debug 360 achievements with various AE characters were leaked, implying a console release in the future. Evil Ryu was officially announced as playable on March 25, 2011, and Oni was released two weeks later on April 8. It's planned for a June 7 release for the 360, and the PS3 as online DLC and media 4 weeks later, on June 28. The Replay Channel from SSF4 is getting bumped up a notch. Now players can distribute their replays, follow others' recent games, and view a special channel featuring proficient players. It has also been announced that a PC version is due for release in July, including a benchmark computer test, and making use of Games for Windows Live.
Check out a taste of what to expect from Arcade Edition if you don't know of it already:
"Yun and Yang's Ultras"
"Yun and Yang Trailer"
So if you want to unleash your inner warrior (and you own a PS3 or Xbox 360), invest in the Arcade Edition for just $39.99 when it hits stores July 28! And to me, that's cheaper than most titles GameStop sell.
Goodbye for now, and if you still check out our channel, we plan to update as soon as possible when we get AE! 😉
– Sam 😀
Hey guys. Now, you know there is that extremely gruesome fighting tournament, Mortal Kombat. Well, guess what? There's ANOTHER tournament that is pretty gruesome, but not so gruesome blood spatters out of every punch. I mean it's just gruesome, 5 out of 10 gruesome. This series has been alive since late summer 1987. It is a tournament to determine the greatest fighter of the world in a battle of sweat, tears, but no blood. Fans…are you the Street Fighter?
You may not be desiring to become the greatest fighter on the face of Earth, but these ambitious dreamers are. Meet Ryu (pronounced ryoo, ry-yoo, rie-yoo, etc.), the Japanese hero who is the main character of the entire series, possibly along with American rival friend Ken. Meet Vega, the Spanish ninjitsu bullfighter who refuses to be blemished. Or Chun-Li, the Chinese girl who has superhuman legs. At 23 years old, Street Fighter is still in search of the perfect fighter…and they have a new game out to prove it.
Super Street Fighter IV is the most recent installment in the series, the updated edition of 2008's Street Fighter IV. If there's one thing SSF4 has, it's new/recurring characters. Those who were lost amidst SSF2, Alpha, and SF3 return in this game, as well as two new Final Fight men from their Alpha iterations.
But there's also the lady that's actually making a DEBUT (first appearance) in this game from fan requests. Fans and fanatics, meet Juri Han, the nasty and evil new villainess working for Seth at S.I.N., Shadaloo's weapon division. She is the first South Korean character, as well as the first true villainess, of Street Fighter alone. That's a first.
The second new character is the Turkish Yagli gures wrestler, Hakan. Yagli gures basically means oil wrestling, which is wrestling while drenched in olive oil. Yeah, it's that bizarre. If you want specific looks of this guy, you can either look him up on Street Fighter Wiki, OR…
An arcade version has also been announced, with some extra tweaks, along with the appearances of Hongkongese twins Yun and Yang. Evil Ryu and Oni are also secret bosses. Also, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is soon to release for the upcoming Nintendo 3DS. And WHO CAN SAY NO TO THAT?
Super Street Fighter IV is available for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 otherwise. You can even stop by GameStop and pick up the pre-owned version for $25, or if you're a real cheeky one, you'll hitch on the new version for $30. Hey, if the critics say it's EPIC, it's EPIC!
Later, gators. In a while, crocodiles. See you soon, raccoons.
p.s. I can't let you go NOW! Take the time to listen to some EPIC tunes from the OST!
Hey guys it's Sam and FINALLY I have access to Sammwak once again! Sorry I haven't posted one post in WEEKS, it's just that my computer has broken down with a disk boot failure! :O I apologize, but I thank you for understanding! But luckily, I'll be able to don my sister's computer for the time being.
Anyways, let's get to the juicy stuff. Today's post is about Crazy Taxi, one of the most fun racing games of the late 90s. In this game, you are tasked to drive passengers to destinations as quick as possible, such as KFC or Popcorn Mania. Yes, you WILL get into some mad traffic, but the faster you get there, the more money you rack up. We just downloaded the trial of the game a couple weeks ago, and you only get about 3 minutes of playtime there. I don't wanna salvage every second no more. I want to get to the real deal. But here's a special bonus. You know Sonic & SEGA Racing? If y'all hasn't seen that review, click here!
Well one racer is named B.D. Joe, and he actually originates from Crazy Taxi! Yes, Sega was one of the publishers for the game, alongside Activision and Acclaim. And if you manage to maneuver through some cars, you receive a Crazy Through which boosts up your money. And also, you can have a little fun driving at people and watching them scream and jump for cover. Oh, and the faster you reach the destination, you receive these ranks: Speedy, Normal, and Bad. At least, those are the ones I'VE received. The better the rank, the more cash you get. But anyways, if you manage to get this game, here are some achievements you can aim for:
Over the River and Crazy Through the Woods – Earn your first Crazy Through. (15 BP)
Speed of Sound – Drive 5 passengers to their destination at a Speedy rank. Don't sweat it. (20 BP)
Normality – Drive 5 passengers to their destination at a Normal rank. (20 BP)
Undersea Underachiever – Last at least 10 seconds underwater with or without a passenger. Don't worry, you'll live! (15 BP)
A for Achiever – Aching for another achievement? Score an A class license to get this appealing achievement! (20 BP)
B for Ballin' – Is your best just not good enough? Don't sweat it. Hit a B class license, and you'll get this for all your trouble. (20 BP)
C for Crushing – You're crushing the Crazy Taxi! Destroy, drive, and destroy, and win a C class license already! (20 BP)
D for Dynamic – Okay, you're wrecking the taxi. Score yourself a D class license before your dents end up paying rent. (20 BP)
S for So Fail! – Are you a true wrecker? Wreck up the Crazy Taxi so bad, that you receive a S class license! Yeah, it's that bad. (20 BP)
This game has also spawned a couple of sequels: Crazy Taxi 2, Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller, Crazy Taxi: Catch a Ride, and Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars.
So, I guess that's all I have to say now. Bye.
L8trs, Sam
Hey guys it's Sam and I need your help. Christmas is 20 days away, and I'm working on my wishlist. After playing the trial this morning, I may start believing that Plants vs. Zombies is getting pretty cool. I even now know a strategy to get sun quicker to plant plants quicker. So basically these are a handful of Pro-Tips.
Fed up with zombies eating your brains? Here's a tip that could just save your life. Always–and I mean, ALWAYS (like, write this down, bud)–have at least 3 Sunflowers on your lawn. Sunflowers give you sun without all the stress, and quicker too. How I do it? 3 rows of 6 Sunflowers, 2 Sunflowers a row (3 times 2 = 6). But when zombies start barging in, don't be planting more Sunflowers. Plant a Peashooter–BUT (this is extremely important, you better have your writing utensil ready)–in the zombie's lane. A Peashooter is worthless when it's not aimed directly at the zombie. Oh, and don't plant it in the back. Plant it 2 moves away (space for Sunflowers, kid!) to the right on either the D-pad or joystick. So your Sunflowers can still be giving you sun for more plants, but your Peashooters can still be holding off the amount of zombies on your lawn. Pretty soon, you'll be getting new plants, such as Walnuts (the defenders for your plants) and Cherry-bombs (the plants that blow up all the zombies on the lawn as soon as they're planted).
Now, you can mess with those tips I just gave you. But I need you to do another task for me. I need you to vote whether I should put this game on my Christmas wishlist or not. Because it's a console game, and it's also an XBLA game that charges 1200 Microsoft Points. Help guys, because fans' opinion is the best opinion of them all. (For me.) Here's the poll that you must decide in. Take your time to think it through. Once you vote there's no turning back…
Here's a gift for all your trouble: http://www.popcap.com/games/free/pvz
At the crack of the week of Christmas, I'll check back and see what you have to say, and I'll decide whether it's worth putting on or not!
L8trs, Sam


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As the beautiful colors of fall reminisce on tree branches, the days are quickly growing shorter and signs of our approaching winter are before us. This is an optimal time to prepare our homes for maximum heat conservation and efficiency.
Taking a look at your home as a whole system is critical, as it allows you to see how one component is dependent on the functionality of another. For this very reason, it can guide you in observing these units individually helping you create a map of these various elements in your home, and find any malfunctioning systems.
Taking the DIY approach can be a beneficial band-aid, helping to prevent chilly air from making its way inside your home and keeping energy bills at bay. For a more comprehensive and accurate reading and solution, it is best to have a complete energy audit from a building scientist. An expert can properly diagnose your home and offer the proper solutions.
Begin by checking all fenestrations in the home, this can gauge where potential leaks may be. Checking doors and windows, while they are open, will indicate if there is self-adhesive foam tape. This is a quick and easy solution that will give doors and windows a tighter seal. At night, you can check additional air leaks by having interior lights on and outside lights off or vice versa, this is a simple step that notes any light (and air) leaks.
Many times doors are installed without a threshold, this can allow for a significant amount of cold air to creep in while wasting warm air. To add additional tightness add a threshold seal, adhered to the interior or exterior bottom part of the door, which will prevent any further air from entering or exiting.
Confirm that there are no holes or cracks around the fenestration as these gaps allow for air to circulate in the walls. This simple step can save 1,700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $274 per year.
In addition, sealing these openings and adding insulation where necessary, is a crucial step. Keep in mind when choosing your insulation, that you chose a product that is non-toxic and is appropriate to your need and climate.
When heating your home, know when are the best times and at what temperature it is best to maintain it. If you have a timer on your thermostat, know how to regulate it and maintain itat 68 degrees. There is a 3% reduction in heating costs for every degree you lower it. While you are at work, keep it at 55 degrees, no need to heat your home in the morning if you are on your way to work. Small space heaters – either built in or auxiliary – work great and generally are more energy efficient than using a whole system. Don't be afraid to bundle up and get cozy, sometimes we just need to throw on a sweater!
Consider having your furnace and fireplace flue checked – both can block air circulation and actually prevent functionality or worst, contaminate your home's indoor air quality. Dust off and clean all air filters and check that floor supply registers are not blocked by furniture or area rugs. If you are considering replacing your furnace, look into government incentives and rebates and save up to 40% on your energy bill!
If you have an open wood-burning fireplace indoors, consider having an exhaust fan or open a window to ventilate, as wood burning smoke can contaminate the indoor air quality of your home.
Keeping the drapes open during the day, captures heat from the sun, is an excellent and natural way to heat your home. Heavy drapery naturally insulates, unlike lightweight curtains that are suited for warmer temperatures. This is also trimming season, the perfect time to trim any non-deciduous trees or shrubs that may be blocking in the sun's rays.
Simply shutting doors, to unoccupied rooms, can assure that heat is maintained where you want it.
With people having the desire to contribute to fighting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the best place to start is at home! Little do people realize that when using electricity we are directing supporting coal or nuclear power – some of the largest offenders in GHG emissions.
As oil and natural gas prices continue to rise and the unsustainable practices imposed on our planet continue, it is imperative to begin integrating smart living practices into our lives!

subset: commoncrawl


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Commission spending: EU elite lead lives of Renaissance Princes of the Church
The last time a pan-European power lived like this was when the Renaissance popes controlled the Continent. Yet now it is all happening again, at a time of what is supposed to be democracy: the unelected elite of the European Union are using your tax money to live in the gilded style of 16th century Cardinal-Archbishops.
According to a new report by the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism -- see the news pages today for details -- there have been cocktail-fuelled international soirées at £66,000 a time. Guests of the eurocrats have been tucking tax-payer funded solid silver trinkets and elegant fountain pens from Tiffany into their pockets on the way home. And sometimes it has been a long way home: this new investigation has turned up the shocking fact of a European Commission five-star junket for officials and their families to Papua New Guinea.
Yes, and their families. The eurocrats took their families along: you paid for them and their wives and children to have a holiday on beaches lapped by the Coral Sea. Even the families of the Medici popes never had such luxury. (By the way, some of those children would have been on break from one of the exclusive European Schools, where their tuition of up to £13,000 a year is paid by – yes, by you, the taxpayer.)
But is any of this shocking anymore? Not to those of us who have been up close and watching the Brussels gravy train for years. It is what we have come to expect from the unelected, unaccountable euro-elite. These people do not consider themselves to be public servants. They consider themselves to be an anointed priesthood of the Church of the European Project. By their thinking, anything that furthers the power or the prestige of this new Church must be a good thing.
This leads to the relentless examples of arrogance, led from the top by José Manuel Barroso, the president of the commission. This arrogant Portuguese former Maoist politician and eight of his assistants ran up a bill of £24,600 at the Peninsula Hotel in New York in the space of just four nights. And you can bet they didn't get there from Brussels flying tourist class.
Consider this. Right now the EU and their partners in the IMF are screwing the eurozone periphery countries down into penury with their demands for austerity -- all to save the eurocrats' sacred currency, the euro.
Yet meanwhile the European Commissioners alone have run up over £6.6m on private jet travel in the last four years. And now these same eurocrats are demanding that the commission's budget be increased by almost five percent next year, despite governments across the Continent cutting back spending.
You can understand why the eurocrats want the extra money: those five-star hotels in the South Pacific aren't getting any cheaper.
The only question that remains is this. How much longer are we and the other taxpayers of the EU member states going to let this extravagance go on?
Of course, complain about it and you will be smeared as 'anti-European,' rather in the way the reformers who complained about the extravagance of the Renaissance Papacy were condemned as heretics.
Fine, call me a heretic. I still say, 'Roll on Reformation.' If not revolution.


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Seeking an adventure in 2016? There's nothing more exciting for a travel geek than planning your trips for the year ahead, the only problem is, where to go?!
Here's my suggestions for where to visit over the next year.
This might sound like an odd addition, but Sierra Leone is now Ebola-free and drastically needing tourists to return! With incredible sandy beaches, tropical islands and even rainforests this country is incredibly diverse, but that fact appears to have eluded most tourists.
So how can you visit? Well with direct flights from the UK currently suspended you'll have to go via Paris, Casablanca or Brussels. Can you imagine a holiday here without any other tourists, for me it'd be geek heaven!
Officially a part of Europe, Azerbaijan isn't usually the first destination one thinks of when planning a holiday. However, over the next decade this all looks set to change as Baku attempts to transform itself into the Dubai of Europe.
With a rich historical, cultural and natural heritage, Azerbaijan has it all. Although Baku has a small old city, it's most famous for the Flame Towers that now light up the sky at night. As the country is most commonly known as "The Land of Fire" it's no surprise that there's a burning mountain called Yanar Dag that's continually on fire thanks to natural gas, make sure you visit.
I have a fond admiration for Iceland, they were one of the countries hardest hit by the world recession but they successfully jailed their bankers and in the process got the country back on track whilst striving to increase their tourist numbers. Quite an achievement!
New direct flights with British Airways are set to launch which should encourage cheaper fares due to increased competition, therefore now is the time to book a trip to Iceland. Floating around in the Blue Lagoon is one of my favourite travel memories, it's a truly magical place.
As my favourite country, find out why I love it so much by reading what adventures I got up to during my visit.
As Central America's tourism giant, Costa Rica has been the safe-haven in a typically conflict-prone area. Boasting tropical rainforests, pristine beaches and incredible wildlife this place is an eco-lovers paradise!
Thankfully the UK will now have much easier access to Costa Rica with new direct flights starting in May 2016 from London.
Another one that might sound like a strange "must-see" destination, but for me Ukraine is very misunderstood. It's one of my favourite places that I've been to in Europe. Firstly, it's affordable and there's a surprising amount to see/do.
Is Ukraine safe to visit? I visited during the peak of the revolution in 2014, things have now thankfully calmed down in the main tourist areas so this shouldn't be an issue. Click here to read my travel itinerary and must-see things for a trip to Ukraine.
If predictions are correct, Iran will become a huge player in the tourist world over the next five years. With a lot of misconceptions about what to expect, my advice would be to simply just visit and find out!
Iran is home to one of the world's oldest civilisations, there's so much history to explore and some grand mosques to boot. You might be surprised to discover that the country boasts some fabulous beaches and even world-class hiking and skiing facilities. The visa palaver might put you off, but the rewards will more than make up for it.
I'm just going to say it…LEMURS!! I really, really, really want to visit Madagascar, it's a country that has fascinated me for years. Due to its isolation, the country boasts unique flora and fauna not found anywhere else in the world.
Although there's no direct flights from the UK you can easily transit via Paris, Nairobi or Istanbul. Due to colonial history, the main language spoken is French, so make sure you brush up on your skills as this will be warmly appreciated. As many of the rainforests are being torn down to make way for farmland its a fight for the native species to surprise, I'd highly recommend visiting sooner rather than later.
India has suffered some incredibly negative press over the last couple of years resulting in a lack of tourists visiting the country. This is rather sad but things are slowly starting to change and thankfully India has now made it much easier to visit by reducing the cost of a visa and giving you the ability to apply online.
As the second most populated country in the world, India is huge and bursting at the seams but you can always find parts that are secluded and off the tourist trail. Some of the most unique places to see include the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam state and Sikkim.
Have you ever considered an adventure holiday to Uruguay? Could you even point it out on a map? Well, this tiny country is sandwiched between South American heavyweights Brazil and Argentina, often tourists will simply travel straight through the country and not actually visit.
If you're from the UK you'll know the name Fray Bentos from tinned pies, but did you know there's a city named in its honour where you can visit a museum? It's not one of the major tourist attractions, but this country sure boasts some of the prettiest scenery in South America and is well worth a visit.
Whatever you do, don't mention Borat! Kazakhstan is attempting to remove this image from tourists minds as the country begins to open up and encourage people to visit this giant Central Asian nation. The first phase of "encouragement" was to offer a visa free policy, tested over the past year and ending in May 2016, it appears to have been a huge success.
Just what is there to see? Well, Almaty might surprise you. With huge boulevards and magnificent statues this country certainly boasts and shows off its wealth. Venture outside the typical tourist-drag and you'll encounter a nomadic lifestyle that has barely changed.
Further Information
You can visit my Facebook page and please don't forget to 'Like' Travel Geek UK.


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Higher Yields
Our Feed Specialists at Crediton Milling are focused on helping to improve farm efficiency by helping Dairy Farmers continue the drive for higher yields. Long term profitability will be achieved by focussing on all aspects of the efficiency of a farm business, from feed & forage advice and use to financial. Focussing on the efficiencies of all aspects of a dairy business can help maximise production from farm inputs, and help protect farm profits and long-term viability.
Dairy Feeds
Crediton Milling in Devon are producers and suppliers of cattle and dairy feed and offer carefully researched ruminant, cattle, dairy and poultry feed advice. We supply a range of Dairy feeds and manufacture bespoke rations tailored to individual systems advised by our ruminant feed specialists. These feeds come in various forms; 3mm, 6mm and 14mm Pellets, Blends and Meals. Our specialists provide advice bespoke rations in various protein forms after a meeting and farm appraisal.
While Dairy Farmers continue the drive for higher yields our Feed Specialists are focused on helping to improve farm efficiency.


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Smegarden Camping is located by the E6 in the community Oppdal, 128 km south of Trondheim in Norway. The camping site is surrounded by mountains by a forest and a river called Vinstra, a side-river to the salmon fishing river, Driva. Smegarden is 25 km north of Dovrefjell nationalpark.
In CABINS ONLINE BOOKING you may check our capasity, watch the picture gallery and make a booking.
The camping site can offer :
We can help you to book muskoxsafari, moose-safari, rafting and other activities in Oppdal.
The distance to Oppdal city followed along with shoppingcenters, alpine slopes and a gondol track , shootingfields and golfsites is only 5 - 10 minutes away by car.
|A visit to Dovrefjell or Trollheimen National Parks in any season will give you great adventures. In Oppdal you must be prepared for weather changes, especially in the winter season.
|The cities Trondheim, Kristiansund, Molde and Røros are only 2 hours away by car through beautiful nature and landscapes.


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CLAREMORE, Okla. - One of two Rogers County brothers convicted after a deadly hit-and-run crash asked the judge to let him skip jail time and join the Marines instead.
The judge denied the request, sentencing Gage and Dakota Shriver to 25 yeas in prison.
Related Headlines
In September, a jury convicted Gage and Dakota Shriver for the crash in June 2015 that killed Noelle New and critically injured Maranda Talley. Dakota was convicted of second-degree murder and Gage was convicted of first-degree manslaughter.
FOX23 learned from pre-sentence investigation reports that Gage Shriver asked the judge to allow him to join the military in lieu of serving time in jail.
FOX23's JJ Burton is updating the sentencing hearing live from the courtroom:
MORE: Read the victim impact statements
Trending Stories
- Al Franken will resign amid allegations of sexual misconduct
- Mayfield runs away with AP Player of the Year
- Corey Feldman's 1993 tapes about sexual abuse have been found
- 3 dead, including attacker, in New Mexico high school shooting, authorities say
- See more trending stories on the FOX23 Facebook page
Trending Video
5 Reasons to Get a Flu Shot
© 2019 Cox Media Group.


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Singapore's Dyna-Mac Holdings Ltd. has secured a contract with a preliminary sum close to $71.2 million (SGD 89 million) for the construction of 10 units of FPSO topsides modules and one unit of flare tower from BW Offshore.
Dyna-Mac's contract includes preparation of shop drawings and the fabrication of 10 units of topsides modules for an FPSO (floating production, storage and offloading) vessel that will operate at Premier Oil's Catcher oil fields in the UK sector of the North Sea.
The topsides FPSO modules are scheduled to be delivered progressively to the owner within the first quarter 2016. The Catcher FPSO will be capable of processing up to 60,000 barrels of crude per day and a storage capacity of 650,000 barrels with first oil targeted for mid-2017.
BW Offshore,
Dyna-Mac Holdings Ltd.
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Astor Place VintageeBook
From the critics
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this is such a great read.the way the book goes from the past to the present is well done i sat on the couch for 1 hour to finish it. i could not put it down.i fall in love with olive and angelina and was just as curious as to what happen in their life after olive last entry.i am still thinking about it.
A patron review from the Adult Summer Game: "Ever wonder what life in New York was like circa 1905? Try contrasting it with life in the same city now. Using a journal found in the muff of 98 year old Jane Kelly's belongings, Astor Place Vintage contrasts life then and now."
What a fantastic read. I couldn't put this book down. Very well written with a good insight into NY in the early 1900.
Interesting read full of NYC history moving back and forth between the early 1900's and the present, and focusing on several independent woman trying to find a place in the world.
Great book with double story line. Two single girls living in New York; early 1900's and present day. The photos in the book and historical references were enough to pique my curiosity and find other books about early NYC.
This book kind of started out slow and there were a lot of characters introduced all at once. They were kind of hard to keep track of at first. However, when I got into this book I couldn't put it down and finished it in 3 days. I fell in love with the characters and have been thinking about them ever since finishing the book. Great book!
I came across this book on Amazon and couldn't wait for a library copy. I thoroughly enjoyed how the piece is written because it bounces between Amanda in 2007 and Olive in the early 1900s. An added bonus for my eyes are the old black and white photos of New York. I must mention the ending seems rather abrupt so I'm curious to know if a part two will be written.
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Aazaad Hacked! The pillar of Indian Cinema Bombay Talkies, Bombay Talkies' latest movie Rashtraputra based on the life and times of immortal martyr Chandrashekhar Azad and it's writer-director-actor Aazaad's official websites www.thebombaytalkiess
tudios.com,www.Aazaad.in,www.r ashtraputra.com, and www.thebombaytalkieslimite d.com were hacked by the International Hackers Gang. The result was that hackers succeed to get some very important information related to Bombay Talkies, Rashtraputra and film maker Aazaad.
After all, what could be the reason for hacking a film company and a filmmaker's website? For some time, Bombay Talkies, Rashtraputra and Aazaad are in the center of discussions. Bombay Talkies is re-active after six decades. In the sequel to the creation of meaningful, thought provoking films following the great tradition and legacy for the sake of healthy entertainment their latest film, Rashtraputra-The Commander of Surgical Strikes' is being produced in twenty-six Indian and foreign languages. This film is the Annihilation of Sanatan culture and values along with highlighting the untouched and unknown aspects of the life of Chandrashekhar Azad, the revolutionary legend.
Filmmaker Aazaad has been a student of military school, so in the fearless and courageous style he is attacking the enemies of the country and culture through his film. Perhaps for the purpose to suppress the eternal values of Aazaad, some anti social, anti national groups or individuals have hacked the above mentioned websites. They have created a conspiracy to malign the sanatan culture, they have merged and posted unwanted, demeaning, far from truth, disrespectful, and barbaric posts to degrade the reputation of Aazaad and the legendary film company Bombay talkies.Some anti national organizations and individuals are frightened and horror struck by today's nationalistic atmosphere that's why they are doing ill activities at their best to stop the Rashtraputra team from sanatan nationalism. Legal action has already started and comprehensive investigation is going on. It's high time to nab and grab them to the court of law.
Only after completion of the investigation the whole situation will be clear. Aazaad says that a tradition is coming from the mythical era that whenever someone makes austerity, monstrous powers begin to interfere, but the demons never win. Aazaad also said that he has left the sanatan horse of Ashwamedha and it's impossible for any national or international hacker's gang to stop or prevent it from spreading the sanatan values.


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Niesen is reporting that during September 2011, there were 164.4 million unique U.S. video viewers who streamed nearly 18 billion videos.
That comes to almost 5 hours of time spent on average watching.
According to Nielsen report, YouTube was the top online video site with 126.466 million unique visitors. Vevo was second top site with 39,484 unique visitors.
Facebook at number four recorded 31.226 million unique visitors.
In top online video sites, YouTube streamed 10.2 billion videos across the the mulitple devices and locations. Hulu at number two position streamed 618,704 million videos.
Viewers who spent the most time on the online video sites — Netfilix was the top site, viewers in the U.S. spent an avearage of 10 hours watching video contents o Netflix across multiple devices.
YouTubers spent 2.52 hours on watching video online, reports Nielsen.


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With the introduction of mobile with games, My world changed a lot. I used to play the snake (the most popular mobile) game continuously to beat my own score.
I also played tetris, carrom, chess
So, anyone here who plays games on mobile? If yes what games you play ?


text: For AEVA members or those just attending or wishing to join. 2016 National AEVA AGM / EV Expo - Adelaide | AEVA Im planning my route there which will most likely be via Bendigo Show grounds Bordertown or Keith and then Adelaide. My AEVA contact in Adelaide Eric claims that the Chademo charger at Mitsu Admin Building is not available for Teslas. Have any Adel owners tried it?


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Happy Holidays! In the spirit of the giving season, we thought we would share some last-minute gift ideas for you or that special entrepreneur in your life.
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Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Sandberg's empowering book can be the perfect stocking stuffer for both women and men!
Shop Holiday: Gift Ideas For Young Professionals
From desk decor to a sweet Starbucks calendar, you're bound to find something just right for your busy office worker.
And don't forget all the customizable gifts, like cuff links, money clips, wallets, and purses! Places like Etsy and Shoppe By ScoutMob specialize in those types of gifts. Whatever you decide to get for your professional friend (or yourself), we hope you enjoy this holiday season. Cheers!


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Jordan Wine Estate is one of twelve premier South African wineries chosen to be part of Google Street View. Google Street View will enable visitors to take an intimate look at the winelands. Google Street View went live from 8 June 2010.
"We are delighted to be part of this exciting venture to bring the beauty and diversity of our country closer to the people," said Gary Jordan. "Google Street View allows you to feel part of Jordan Wine Estate – view our vineyards, the cellar, our amazing views and the Jordan Restaurant without leaving your home. It is a must see for wine lovers globally!" Continue reading Jordan proud to be part of the launch of Google StreetView in South Africa


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Paperback - C Format
September 2010
528 pages
First volume in a fabulous fantasy advenure with a Victorian-era feel - featuring mages, dragons and two girls who'll decide the fate of their world.
As they approach adulthood, Cat Barahal and her cousin Bee think they understand the society they live in and their place within it. At a select academy they study new airship technologies and the dawning Industrial Revolution, but magical forces still rule. And the cousins are about to discover the full ruthlessness of this rule.Drawn into a labyrinth of politics involving blood and old feuds, Cat is betrayed by her family and forced to marry a powerful Cold Mage. As she is carried away to live a new life, fresh dangers threaten her every move and secrets form a language she cannot read. At least, not yet.But both cousins carry their own hidden gifts and these will shape great changes to come. For in the depths of this treacherous world, the Wild Hunt stirs in darkness and dragons are waking from their sleep.
Kate Elliott lives in Hawaii, USA. In addition to the Crossroads series and the Crown of Stars series, she is co-author of THE GOLDEN KEY.
Previous Books:
Traitors' Gate, Shadow Gate, Spirit Gate, Crown of Stars, In the Ruins, The Gathering Storm
Book Review by Scott Wilson
Cold Magic the first book by Kate Elliott's that I've had the pleasure of reading. I have only read a few steam punk novels to date so was quite surprised and entertained by this story. Now that I've read this first book I can see myself following the Crown of Stars.
Cold Magic is a steampunk tale with a science-vs.-magic twist, which is a novel concept and worked well to build a unique tale. Catherine Hassi Barahal is the main character. She is a young university student more inclined towards science when she is thrust ceremoniously into the clutches of the cold mages. Cat is of Carthaginian descent - here 2000 years ago Carthage was ruled by queens (called dido's for the famous mythical founder) and Hannibal defeated the Romans at Zama for once, so the two powers fought themselves to a standstill and while the Roman Empire eventually extended over most Europe, North Africa and Spain remained Carthaginian influenced and after the Empire breakup some 1000 years ago, there has been a patchwork of mini-states all over Europe, which now stops at the Baltic ice-sea.
The setting is an ice-age like alt-Earth around the 1800's but with a quite different history, magic houses, but also budding science that the "cold mages" dislike and want suppressed. Recommended for fans of fantasy, steampunk and the YA addict looking to dip a toe in more traditional fantasy waters without sacrificing strong female characters and traditional hints of romance.
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The Fringe is open to submissions of poetry, flash fiction and short stories of any genre. Stories accepted will be published online in our Ezine and also in the monthly pdf magazine.
We are also open to submissions from artists for inclusion in the magazine.
Submissions should be in RTF format or in the body of the email. Send email submissions only to email@example.com
Currently we only offer payment for one story selected as the feature story in the monthly pdf magazine only. The successful author will be contacted to organise payment via paypal for a $5AUD payment. Authors of other accepted stories published on the webzine and in the pdf copy will receive a copy of the pdf version of the mag the story appears in.
We are open to unpublished and previously published stories up to 40,000 words in length.
About The Fringe Magazine
Here at The Fringe Magazine we publish Short Stories, Flash Fiction, Poetry in all genres and reviews of books, roleplay games, music and movies.
Our variety seems to be hiting the mark with over 100,000 views of our Online Magazine with a good spread across all articles.
Our variety seems to be hiting the mark with over 100,000 views of our Online Magazine with a good spread across all articles.?xml:namespace>From surveys we've conducted, our readers are like most people and enjoy reading all kinds of books, both fiction and non-fiction.
With over 350 readers visiting our site each day, we listen to the voice of the masses and try and procure books in all genres to review. To date, we have reviewed over 600 books, including; non-fiction reference, music, art, photography, gardening, cooking, Self Help, architecture, design, biographies and roleplay games.
We also review fiction in all genres; Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance, Horror, Crime, Thriller, Comedy, Western. We also publish Author Interviews, Paintings, Sketches, Art Work, Art Work by Susie Wilson, and non-fiction articles. The only thing you won't find at The Fringe Magazine is a bad review, if we don't like something, we won't put up a review at all.
You will also find music and dvd reviews and the occasional interview with musicians and actors.
- ► 2011 (753)
- Book Review: The Fallen 2 by Thomas E Sniegoski
- Book Review: Fanged and Fabulous by Michelle Rowan...
- Book Review: Horns by Joe Hill
- Book Review: Storyteller: The Life of Roald Dahl B...
- Book Review: Tattoos & Tequila To Hell and Back Wi...
- Book Review: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
- Book Review: Shakespeare Undead by Lori Handeland
- Book Review:Dawn of the Bunny Suicides by Andy Ril...
- Book Review: Guinness World Records 2011
- Book Review:Things That Suck by Jason Kaplan
- Book Review; Kisses From Hell By Kristin Cast, Ric...
- Book Review: Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz...
- Book Review:The Thief-Taker's Apprentice by Stephe...
- Book Review: The Ragged Man Book Four of The Twili...
- Review:Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith-Ready
- Book Review: The Black Lung Captain: Tales of the ...
- Book Review: Apartment 16 by Adam Neville
- Book Review; Is That Thing Diesel? By Paul Carter
- Book Review: The Way of Kings The Stormlight Archi...
- Book Review:Gallipoli A Short History by Michael M...
- Book Review:Shade By Jeri Smith-Ready
- Book Review: Down Among The Dead Men by Robert Gre...
- Book Review: Taylor Lautner by Sarah Parvis
- Book Review: City of Evil The Truth about Adelaide...
- Book Review: Tackling Depression at Work A practic...
- Book Review: Shadow's Son by Jon Sprunk
- Book Review: Elves: Once Walked With Gods by James...
- Review: Cold Magic Spiritwalker: book 1 by Kate El...
- Review: The Cabinet of Curiosities by Paul Dowswel...
- Review: Ninth Grade Slays: The Chronicles of Vladi...
- Review: Eighth Grade Bites: The Chronicles of Vlad...
- Review: The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by ...
- Review: Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan
- My Little Boy by Gwendolyn Joyce Mintz
- Miss Ass by Joseph Carfagno
- Almost Equal by Edward Rodosek
- Birdsong by Sheldon Lee Compton
- Angela Slatter Interview
- Book Review: Sourdough and Other Stories By Angela...
- Book Review:Tomorrow, When The War Began By John M...
- Book Review:Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil By D...
- Book Review: The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
- Summer Camp by Elizabeth Kate Switaj
- ▼ October (43)
- ► 2009 (214)


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As far as I'm concerned, Halloween is the best holiday there is. Every year I look forward to decorating the house, picking out candy, and when I have the time, coming up with a fun costume. Here are some of the ways I'm getting into the spirit of Halloween this year:
1| The first thing I did at the start of October was add some Halloween flair to the entryway table. I smile every time I walk in the front door and see it.


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Lions coach Jim Schwartz and the NFL's replay system go together about as well as oil and water.
Last Thanksgiving, Schwartz threw a challenge flag when he shouldn't have and wound up getting a penalty while wiping out the possibility of a challenge due to a rule that has since been changed. In Sunday's loss to the Bengals, Schwartz says he was told by officials he couldn't challenge a play that he was actually allowed to challenge.
It came in the second quarter when Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap blocked a David Akers field goal and Bengals safety Reggie Nelson recovered. Nelson returned the ball 16 yards and then appeared to lateral it forward to Dunlap, who then appeared to bat it in the direction of cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick returned the ball nine more yards to the Lions' 40-yard line before being tackled. Schwartz wanted to challenge, but said after the game that the officials told him there was nothing to challenge.
"They had forwarded the ball," Schwartz said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "I thought it was a forward lateral, but the officials told me that didn't matter on a blocked kick so decided not to challenge it. They said that there's no such thing as a forward fumble on a blocked kick. That's what I was told."
Former NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira, who now works for FOX Sports, said on Twitter during the game that the play was reviewable and that it looked like an illegal forward pass to him. The NFL made no judgment on the lateral, but said in a statement that the play was reviewable under Rule 15, Section 9, Article 4(d) which applies to any player not down by contact regardless of whether or not there was a blocked kick during the play.
There's not much Schwartz can do at this point beyond complain to the league office and silently pine for a day when everyone involved in the game actually knows the rules about the review process.


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Well the day had finally arrived and we were both excited, we have been planning this trip for months and with some last minute major alterations to our original plan, we cancelled our flights, hire car and accommodation and decided to drive our van and do a 10 day road trip instead.
The Pump House Reserve Gundagi
Leaving in the early evening we headed to Gundagai approx 3.5 hours drive. The coordinates had been put into the navman to a free camp area called the Pump House Reserve on the out skirts of Gundagai. A beautiful large flat grassy area on the banks of a tree lined river no amenities and no camping unless your self contained caravan or campervan and its pet friendly. We arrived about 9:30pm and settled in and had an early night.
Gundagai Goal
Continuing along the Hume highway our next stopped was Holbrook, were there is a Maritime Museum and Submarine. Andy was having a great time here climbing all over the submarine called the Otway, we had a look around at the other displays then headed over to Corowa, where there is a chocolate and whisky factory, as we had been to Junee's chocolate factory, we both agreed it did not compare to Junee, but we were glad we stopped in for a look.
Corowa Whisky and Chocolate Factory
Granthams Bent
The day was getting on and we headed over to Glenrowan, famous hangout for Ned Kelly and his gang, Australia's favorite bushranger. The small town consists of a few streets with history and memorabilia everywhere, while still maintaining the old historic look of the town.We stopped at the main center and museum took a few pictures with the over sized Ned Kelly Statue, then drove over to the cemetery at Greta where Ned was buried.
The sun was starting to set and we had to a find camp for the night, our original plan was to make it to Ballarat but that was hours away so we did a search on Wikicamps and found a beautiful spot by the river in Seymour not far off the Hume highway called Northwood Road Reserve there is long drop toilets and plenty of space you can have fires and is pet friendly.
Awake early next morning we got organized and headed to Ballarat, the town still lined with historic building and historical sights, a stunningly beautiful place. We stopped at the information center to get a map of the Eureka trail walk. The weather had turned bad with icy winds, so we rugged up and decided to just do a short walk through the tunnels and past the viaduct bridge to the oval. It was freezing, so we had lunch and started driving again to Port Fairy.
Mt Elephant
The Great Ocean Road
Arriving late afternoon we had a look around Port Fairy, a cute fishing village where we could only imagine it would be very popular in peak seasons.
Killiarny Beach Camping Reserve
We headed to our $20 un-powered camp spot for the night at Killiarny Beach Camping Reserve, which has 50 un-powered and 20 powered sites set around a sporting field and just behind the sand dune making the beach a short walk, it was a perfect spot. Toilets, hot showers and free laundry and BBQ facility's and pet friendly. We found a spot out of the wind and set up for the night with a few beers to relax and reflect on our day.
The morning came and we were up early to get our first sunrise shots, little cloudy at first but a great way to start the day. We were both excited.
Tower Hill
Our first detour along the way was Tower Hill, an inactive volcano, we drove into the reserve which is a volcano crater and the wildlife here was everywhere, emus, wallabies and also an abundant of bird life in the wetlands of the crater. The road takes you through the reserve than on top of the volcano, along the crater rim. What an beautiful amazing place and totally unexpected, but well worth a look. From here we drove into Warrnambool were we stopped for a quick stock supply and headed in the direction of Port Campbell.
Our first stops were the Bay of Island and Bay of Martyrs. Wow this was the beginning of some spectacular views and the limestone cliff faces are indescribable, large rock stacks in the ocean scattering the coastline, truly an awesome experience and just the start of an amazing few days. Driving along the coastline it is well signed with information on what you are viewing and documented history of the areas.
Next along the road we came across The Grotto, This is a unique vertical sinkhole formation, it could be viewed as a cave or blow hole, a huge hole in the rock formation. The boardwalk down is easy enough with stairs and stops on way down for several viewing platforms. At the base of the stairs offers the best position to view this unique place, at the base are rock pools surrounding the hole formation and a beautiful view of the ocean. There were not to many people around so we took our time to get some great pictures.
We stopped at a look out further along the road were we could see the cute little coastal village of Port Campbell below us, so we headed down to have a picnic lunch by the wharf and enjoy the sun.
A little further down the road we pulled into Loch Ard Gorge car park. Oh My God the place was packed, there must of been at least 20 coaches and a full car park. We parked in the main car park and joined the stream of people flocking to Razorback lookout, following the board walk circuit around to view a variety of cliffs, the Island Archway, and Loch Ard Gorge lookout. At this point we were getting frustrated at the mass of people so we decided to leave. As we left the car park we noticed another road further down it also was full. It was now getting close to 4pm and we still had the 12 apostles to see, as we approached this area, it also was packed. Our camp spot was 10 km past this so we decided to call it a day! and decided to get up early to watch the sun rise and beat the crowds the following day.
Princeton Reserve Camping Area
We headed to Princeton were we found a place called Princeton Reserve Camping Area, another unused sports field with both powered and unpowered sites and lots of room.$20 per night for unpowered, Hot water showers, undercover kitchen area and is pet friendly, fires must be in raised fire pits. As we drove in to this area we were both speechless of the amount of Kangaroos all feeding in the center of the field, I'd be guessing 50 at least maybe more. A nice place for a quick stop over.
Gibson Steps
Walking back to the van (At Gibson Steps) we walked down the steep stairs to the beach below. Lucky the tide had gone down as there wasn't much beach. I could say this place was one of my favorite places we visited this trip, standing at the base of the cliff faces, we felt so small, we walked the beach taking pics of the apostles from a different angle on the beach. Heading back up the steep stairs,we had a quick feed and drove back to Loch Ard Gorge to look around before the crowed arrived.
We headed to the other carpark further down on our right. From here there are a few walks, all pretty easy, we headed off first to Broken Head past Thunder Cave, and over to another path which led us to a lake and ocean cliffs. Walking back we headed over to Mutton-bird lookout and the cemetery. It was a great morning taking our time and exploring all the coastlines. By the time we were finishing up, the crowds started arriving. This area and the bottom section of the Great Ocean Road is amazing, the coastal edge is hard to describe but defiantly well worth a visit, every viewing platform or lookout has its own unique appeal and you get excited to see what is around the next corner.
They Have Some Strange Wildlife In Victoria
Yes Koalas!!! Andy was excited.. the smile on his face said it all, he was out of the car before I put it in park. As we continued along the road it was a slow journey as we were koala spotting, we did manage to see a couple more along the way. Finally arriving at the Light house carpark, we were a little surprised at the set up here, and the over populated gift shop/tourist trap and a disappointing entry fee. We decided not to go in as the price was way to high for our short visit, if we were making a day of it, it may of been worth the money, but we have seen many lighthouses along the coast of Australia and a $50 entrance fee for both of us wasn't an option. At the end of the car park was a walk which links the Great Ocean Road walk, we headed along this for a short distance until we reached a lookout were we got a glimpse of the light house and the surrounding area.
Our drive back out I couldn't help but take a detour down a small dirt road, driving along we found a small car park where you can park for the walk in camping areas. There a a few camping grounds here but you need to walk a few kilometers to the camp sites. (you can find this information on the Victoria's National Parks Website). We walked a short distance down a track and got a small glimpse and the amazing southern coastline.
Kennett River Holiday Park
Apollo Bay was the next major town, we stopped to get supplies and a quick look around, and decided to go to Kennett River Holiday Park for the evening. The caravan park their is a well known area for koalas. I went to inquire about the price and availability for camp spots $31 for an unpowered site. Chatting to the lady at reception she had a great knowledge of the area and suggestions for our trip. I asked about the koalas in the park and she advised there were at least 8 that live in the park, and then pointed outside to the tree next to where I had parked and said there is one above your car, I was a little excited to go out and tell Andy. We went and picked a camp spot and wandered around the park looking for koalas, and we were not disappointed we saw about 10. As night set in we set up a fire to warm our bones and enjoyed the evening with a beer or two. Kennetts River caravan park is a beautiful park, friendly care takers, clean amenities, camp kitchen, playground, with all the little added extras supplied like washing powder, detergents, washing up equipment, basic cooking equipment, fridge, oven and coin operated laundry and a few wild koalas and its not pet friendly (safety for the koalas).
The following morning we took our time and explored the park. Just outside is a general store/cafe and an abundance of Crimson Rosella's, King Parrot's and assortment of ducks. As we were about to leave I glanced up the road and thought I saw a dog crossing the road, but had to look again and noticed it was a koala, we walked as fast as we could to catch up to it without scaring it away. We spent a good half hour watching it demolish a small eucalyptus tree in someones front yard, getting quite close to get some great pictures. Kennett River Caravan Park is a great place and will defiantly stop past here again when we return.
Carisbrook Waterfall
Our Stone Tower
We back tracked from here and headed to Carisbrook Waterfall. A short easy walk up a steep hill, on the other side of the highway, on the ocean shore we noticed a collection of rock towers had been created, we went to check it out and made a couple of our own to add to the collection. fun way to spend an hour.
Lorne was another cute coastal town, the weather had turned nasty again the rain and wind had finally set in (as predicted form the weather forecast). A yummy lunch at a little Asian Noodle Bar and deciding where to camp for the night.
Split Point Lighthouse
Have you ever, ever felt like this ? Strange things when your happen when your going around the twist!
Bells Beach
The following morning was grey but no rain, so we hurried and got organized and walked the foreshore of Geelong. The main attraction for us was all the pole people, the variety of different types which also explained the history of the area. It was a great morning and the rain held off until after our late breakfast, where the skies opened up and we got drenched walking back to our room for checkout time. By this stage we were half way through our trip and debating what to do as there were severe weather warnings for the coast and that was were we we heading.
Phillip Island
Andy drew the short straw and had to do the drive through Melbourne, all was going well with the trip until we missed a turn off, lucky we find it funny when we get lost, its all part of the fun, as Andy drove around in circles dodging trams and trying to find the way out of the city. Finally finding the right exit, we were on our way to Phillip Island. As were drove out of Melbourne the sun decided to sneak out of the clouds and as we crossed the bridge onto the island we were amazed at the beauty of this place, lush green field seemed like they were glowing. We made our way to the Penguin on Parade and inquired about the price of the tickets for that evening show, then went to find a campsite. Phillip island was a little pricier but we found a nice Caravan Park called Cowes Caravan Park and got a powered site. The Park seemed to have a lot of permanent vans on-site and a few vacant blocks, some right on the beach (thank god we didn't stay there) we chose one of the powered sites just behind the tree lined sand dunes (later we would be glad about our choice, with the Island getting hit with 100km winds later in the night). The amenities, camp kitchen and laundry were very clean and the ground kept tidy and is pet friendly in the off season, its probably better to check with management.
We quickly organized dinner had a showers and layered up and went to watch the nightly Penguin Parade. We had front row seats as we sat and waited for them to come to shore for the evening, while enjoying the beautiful sunset. They were so cute as they all huddled together waddling up the beach to there nest in the sand hills. As the numbers dwindled we headed back up along the board walk, it was here where we spent a couple of hours watching them interact with each other, very entertaining we could of watched all night but the complex was packing up for the night.
We headed back to the van park and cranked the heater up to warm the van, chatting about our awesome adventures until we went to sleep.
The Nobbies
The next morning it was raining again and very very windy, we drove around the island exploring as much as we could. We headed to The Nobbies,which is the furthest point of the island. Andy looked hesitant to get out of the van, I had to convinced him it will be fun, and it was. The wind was so strong it nearly blew us over a few times and very difficult to hold your photo to take photos but the scenery and watching the wild ocean made up for the uncomfort of the cold weather. Instead of driving back along the main road I took a detour along a dirt track, which took us along the edge of the cliffs, the van was a little shaky with the wind gusting against us, but an amazing view as we stopped at a couple of lookouts along the way.
The best one was Pyramid Rock were we struggled to walk to the furthest point along the board walk, the winds were over 100km probably a little dangerous but it was great fun and amazingly beautiful scenery, we only wish it wasn't so windy so could of explored more.
We followed the coast back and stopped at the chocolate factory on way out for a hot chocolate and cake, deciding not to continue on our original plan to Wilson Promontory due to the bad weather, so we decided to head north to avoid the weather.
Heading Home
We decided on the Yarra Valley, and redirected the Navman. The drive up was beautiful winding country roads with small towns and vineyards scattered along the way. We headed to Murrindindi Scenic Reserve were we had a selection of about 5 camp grounds to choose from, some are walk-in for tents and some for campervans, caravans and camper trailers, and only $7 a car a night. Finding the perfect spot Andy got the fire started, while i cooked up some dinner then relaxed in front of the fire with a couple of beers chatting and staring at the stunning star show.
There was plenty of wildlife here Andy had a great time with some friendly wallaby's and kookaburras, and a morning choir of black cockatoos, even a couple of sneaky foxes kept appearing out of the bushes. We had camped close to the suspension bridge, so up early we walked over and took some great pics and looked to see what else was around. They were many walking tracks and one of Victorians biggest waterfall Wilhelima with a view from the road near the top camp ground. The walking tracks were wet and muddy so we decided to be lazy and drive instead of walking the river walk.
From the top car park you can walk down to view the Murrindindi Cascades, we only walked about a kilometer to reach the cascades the track was very steep and slippery from all the rain and mud. We managed to get some great pictures and explored the small area that was easier to get to, and watched in amazement on how easy the lyrebird crossed the river.
The Thong Tree in Echuca
During our time of traveling together we have often spoke of Echuca and the mighty Murray River with its historic paddle steamers, so we decided to go take a look. We took our time and drove west to the historic town of Echuca/ Moama split by the Murray River with Echuca on the Victorian side and Moama on the New South Wales side.The place was very busy as there was a Rotary club annual meet up in town with over 2000 caravans in town, we drove around looking for a decent van park for the night (poor Andy had driven us across the boarder 5 times in 10 minutes), giving up we settled for a dodgy park on the banks of the Murray River on the New South Wales side. The caravan park is called Moama River Side Tourist Park was right next to the main highway and railway line, but looking at the positive of this place, we enjoyed a hot shower, did our laundry, The park was tidy and had clean amenaties but they were getting a bit old, and the feeling of being packed in like sardines.
We decided the following morning to board the early departure on the P.S. Canberra along the Murray River. The trip was very entertaining with the captain explaining the history and development of the town and Murray River, lots of interesting information about the other paddle steamers along the river. We had the front of the streamer to ourselves (we could of sat inside by the warm engine, but NO Andy had to sit outside) as there were only 4 others on board. When arriving back at the Port were so glad we took the early trip as the Port had become quiet hectic with passengers waiting to board our vessel. The paddle steamers run throughout the day and have overnight and weekend journeys available too. Our trip was great, quiet and relaxing floating up river and enjoying the scenery and landscape along the Murray River.
Afterwards we walked around the historic town and had a late breakfast while deciding which way to head home. decision made lets go via the Snowy Mountains.
We headed East over to Corryong and the rain had caught up with us again, but taking it easy and enjoying the drive. Its amazing how the scenery changes as you drive along one minute we have long straight roads with flat dry land, then we have lush green paddocks, winding up steep gum tree filled mountains, maybe its one of the reasons we spend most of our travels on the road.
Colac Colac Caravan ParkWe drove past Colac Colac on the way into Corryong and the caravan park caught my eye and after looking at other van parks we headed back to Colac Colac Caravan Park. I was in paradise with a autumn leaves filling the trees and the ground blanketed in a sea of colourful autumn leaves, stunningly beautiful. This place was really good, the amenities were nice and clean, laundry, BBQ areas, camp kitchen, the grounds had lots of shaded areas and grassy areas with fire pits provided and a lovely mountain stream running through the bottom of the property. It just had a really nice feel about the place.
The next morning we took our time and looked around the area, adding this place to our list of "must return". From here we had the whole day to explore and take note of whats around as Snowy Mountains Area. (as it will be another trip we will explore in the warmer weather).
Driving through the Kosciuszko National Park we were both amazed at the stunning scenery, our first stop was a hydroelectric power station then on to Dead Horse Gap where the wind was gusting pretty wildly and the temperature was a low slightly numbing 8 degrees. Back in the van and we headed to Jindabyne, we spent a little bit of time here and I'm glad to say the temperature was a warmer 15 degrees. We both loved the Snowys area, and will be back to explore and enjoy its magical splender.
Back on the road again and on the way to Braidwood and a short 3 hour drive we arrived around 8;30pm. Andy got the fire going while I got the van ready and we settled in with a well earned beer or two.
Next morning we were cold!!! very cold!!!. Andy checked his weather app at 7am and it was 2 degrees. Our feet were numb until Andy got a fire going again to warm our bones. We were amazed that we had traveled along the lower Victorian coast, Yarra Valley and the Snowy Mountains and Braidwood was the coldest yet.
We made a beautiful pot of beef stew and dumpling for lunch, then we packed up and headed for Sussex Inlet for the night to spend time with family, before heading home and back to reality.Which left us wondering where to next ?


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The 1908-1909 baseball season began with the hopes of a conference championship. The Polars started the season with a non-conference game, defeating Elk River 6-5.
In the first conference game, the Polars defeated East is a high scoring affair, 16-13.
The Polars then played the Tigers of South. The 6-5 loss was heart breaking, but the Polars were determined to not let one setback hurt what could be a great season.
The Polars then went on a four game winning streak, destroying West 22-4, edging past Central 4-3, beating East 13-6 and defeating West 6-1.
The final game was a rematch with South. For 16 innings, neither team scored a run. The Polars had a chance in the bottom of the 16th to win the game. With one out and runners on second and third. Edward Coopeman hit a sinking liner to left field that everyone thought would fall for a hit. Miraculously, the left fielder caught the ball for the second out. The runner on third tagged and scored what everyone thought was the winning run. However, the umpire ruled that the runner on third base left before the catch and called him out.
The Tigers then scored two runs in the top of the 17th inning, ending the Polars season in second place.
(Information was found in the 1910 Polaris yearbook)
1500 James Ave. North Minneapolis, MN 55411
Telephone: 612.668.1700 | Fax: 612.668.1770


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Cost: £650 + vat
Contact us now for more information


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Tonight I made a two hour, forty minute drive (thanks to Los Angeles rush hour traffic) to Burbank to help out with a promotional shoot for the Youtube series "The Comlink," hosted by David Collins, with James Arnold Taylor. Here's how it turned out.
We had several characters join us, from Vader and stormtroopers, to an Imperial officer and a Jedi, and R2 joined up with Gordon Tarpley as C-3PO, whom Michael McMaster helped.
Since I'm lazy, I'll just present a hodge-podge of behind-the-scenes pics with minimal commentary.
Haha, R2 is too short, so we put him on boxes. Needless to say I locked his feet down by flipping the switch that powers-off the speed controller.
It was a long night, but a fun one. Who knows, maybe R2 will be back again one day.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
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