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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 5:32:41 GMT
This month has certainly been a busy one for the Herald Staff. As the Herald is constantly evolving, the editors decided to implement a new system of how the articles were suggested and submitted within the Herald board. Articles are suggested by members of the Herald Staff within the first three days and then after that, the staff submit a list to the editors of the top five articles that they would like to do with how many articles they can write for the month. This has turned out highly successful and the staff have been absolutely outstanding in coping with the changes. Kudos to you all, everyone, I'm proud of you all! Also, we have two member-submitted articles within the Herald this month - one from Neko and one from GEO. Don't forget - we love to receive member-submitted articles! Feel free to PM one of the editors with an article that you've written and we'll be sure to submit it in the next Herald. For now, thank you everyone and enjoy reading this month's Herald!
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 5:43:31 GMT
Well, Autumn/Fall is starting to creep in for most of us, so soon we’ll be freezing and slipping over leaves. However, SSD doesn’t have that problem because it’s online - that cleverly links in to there being some news this month. Well strangely enough, there is. Shortly after September arrived we appointed a new moderator for the Photography section, Jonny, who is a young and keen photographer and has proved his worth by providing high quality critiques to other photographers. So, if you haven’t noticed already, go and say hello to him. Remaining on the subject of photography, Jonny has compiled a comprehensive guide of cameras and the pros and cons of each - I’d recommend taking a look, it’s very useful if you want to try and get into photography or are looking for a new camera. Click here. Observant members will have noticed that we have three new affiliates - they are PixelDepth, Pimp My Com and Heathrowe. Particular attention goes to Peter’s new website - aimed at you JavaScript coders - Pixel Depth. You might actually learn something. Meanwhile, two collections of art were put up in the gallery, for you to look or drool at, but we accept no responsibility for any damage to keyboards. One collection was from our Art Group, whose theme this month was based around energy. The other was a community practice based on abstraction, which I was very pleased with, a great collection of entries overall. AbstractionEnergyThis month I also played the role of one of those annoying people with clipboards, when I conducted a member survey. There were some interesting things mentioned, some not so interesting which wasn’t surprising. Nevertheless, it was a good read and I have already started to take on board some of the suggestions and comments given. You’ll see how soon. Time is going by very quickly; it won’t be long before I’m wishing you all a very miserable Christmas and a happy new year. I’ve already eaten my way through a Christmas edition tube of chocolate. So what is to look forward to in October? Nothing. Actually that would be mean: I’m aiming to increase activity levels, especially now that our affiliates are increasing a bit, we’re also aiming to get the chatroom active again and in response to your replies on the survey, the website will see some new features to make it easy for you. There is also a possible surprise or two along the way. Ho, ho, ho. Oh, look, Christmas already. Enjoy this month’s Herald, may it fill your hearts with autumnal joy or leaves.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 6:13:05 GMT
...Of The Month [/u][/size][/center] October is here and well, as usual, your friendly neighborhood Spidermax is writing this month’s Member of the Month article. However, before I go into details of who this month's member of the month is, I have been increasingly wondering about my role in the staff decisions. Over the past three months of me writing this article, the member I have chosen has become a moderator here at the boards either just before or after publication of the magazine. Anyhow, now onto the actual article. This month, I have chosen Uzukami as the member of October. This weird, yet delightful, character has plagued joined Solidsnake Designs in May 2005, and even though in terms of SSD-ness he's still young, he seems beyond his years. His posts are always exciting, humorous and intelligent - making him an ideal member for not just this community, but any. I present to you, Uzukami, Member of Month for October. Well done. RyanThis image is outstanding. It is a simple vector; it gets the job done nicely. Well done.
SigOTM: hp.mad_This render is gorgeous. It has a certain “explosion” feel going for it. It is perfectly balanced by the text; this signature just feels right. Excellent work. As I was looking through the photos in the Photography board... I saw this little gem within a group of links that had been posted by zeroboxes. No name for the photo was specified, so, for now, I shall refer to it as Untitled.This shot has an amazing concept to it- echoed right through with the text that smacks into your face. “THE END IS NEAR!”. Scary, yes, but with relation to the photo. The cloud formations and use of silhouettes in the shot is what makes it for me. On the whole, the image uses contrast and does the technicality thing well – the grain is definitely well suited – though I feel that the image could perhaps have been a tad smaller. When Firefox resized it, I thought the size was perfect. The small text in the lighted sign “Family Dollar” add to the photo as well. It makes you think not only of the natural things, but also of the things close to home. Superb work, zeroboxes. "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."Plato"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."Martin Luther King Jr."You know that look women get when they want sex? Me neither."Steve Martin" The last sound on the worthless earth will be two human beings trying to launch a homemade spaceship and already quarreling about where they are going next."William Faulkner"In awe I watched the waxing moon ride across the zenith of the heavens like an ambered chariot towards the ebon void of infinite space wherein the tethered belts of Jupiter and Mars hang forever festooned in their orbital majesty. And as I looked at all this I thought...I must put a roof on this lavatory."Les Dawson" I like talking to a brick wall, it's the only thing in the world that never contradicts me."Oscar Wilde"With my wife I don't get no respect. I made a toast on her birthday to 'the best woman a man ever had.' The waiter joined me."Rodney Dangerfield"Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them." Abraham Lincoln"A recent survey stated that the average person's greatest fear is having to give a speech in public. Somehow this ranked even higher than death which was third on the list. So, you're telling me that at a funeral, most people would rather be the guy in the coffin than have to stand up and give a eulogy?"Jerry Seinfield"Home wasn't built in a day."Jane Sherwood Ace"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."P. J. O’Rourke"Since there are three birthdays, that means we need three sets of strippers.
Mmm. Everybody wins."-Artos"... 6) A positive IQ. ( I know, still very difficult for some, but it's possible if you try.)"-Shadow"Toilet paper- Wipe your ass with some leaves for another dare and then argue with me 3 days later ... Don't do dares. "-Exultance"Possibly a mini comic strip. The strip could be based on Forum Comments of the Month.
Maybe.... >_> ... <_<
Oh, I feel as if you have it covered, eh, Artos?
Maybe.... >_> ... <_<
Guess that's a yes. Will it be in the October edition of The Herald?
Maybe.... >_> ... <_<"-Neko + Artos (in order)* "Ramen goes straight to the thighs."-Artos"'Captain Steroids, he's our hero! Going to take morality down to zero!'
The deceit...is yours!"-Artos"Didn't you know? Seeing Bill Gates squirm is the rage all around the world! "-Ryan"Sssh! We must not speak of the real world, -they- are watching us right now... -returns to the shadows- "-Jonny"Help appreciated, minions. "-.whit
* Any resulting anger, bodily harm or deviation from the norm of the reader is the sole responsibility of the reader him(or her)self and not that of Ryan or the Herald Staff.Corpses. Weddings. Skeletons Galore. Still lost? You won't be for much longer - the winner of this edition's Movie of the Month is Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.
Scraps (the dog), Emily and Viktor in Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. Corpse Bride is the story of Viktor, a soon-to-be-husband who, on the eve of his wedding, accidentally marries a dead woman who has been waiting for her eternal love (how clichè). The main plot revolves around Viktor's struggle of deciding to choose between Victoria, his true love, or Emily, his Corpse Bride. While the plot may be predictable and the characters easy to pick apart, but nonetheless interesting, the story line is developed well. The characters’ voiceovers are perfect - no pauses between the animation of talking and hearing it. The actors also nail the tones necessary for different emotions - anguish, terror, excitement, etc. Most notably, Johnny Depp pulls of the shy persona of Viktor. The glory of this film is easily the animation. The animators definitely put in the time and effort to make things look realistic - from the grain of the wood, to the pattern on fabrics - and their effort paid off. The scenery is realistic, the expressions great and the style is similar to that of its "cousin," A Nightmare Before Christmas.Lastly, the sound editing in this movie is superb. From the sound of a vase shattering, to the gentle sound of a drop of water, it sounds realistic. However, at times, the sounds can be so loud and they can sound fake.
The movie was good overall, but with some serious work required in the plot section as this movie was easy to figure out early on, even the ending. However, it does redeem itself with the beautiful animation and realistic sound editing. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride earns a 3 out of 5.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 6:16:41 GMT
Okay, so when this article was discussed the original goal was to bring up Hurricane Katrina. Well, I'm changing that right now. Since the planning of this article another hurricane hit, that being Hurricane Rita. So, the goal of this article is being broadened to this: I want to bring attention to the devastation caused by these two storms and I'll touch on what you can do. September spelled an amazingly troubled month for the Gulf Coast in the United States. Not only did two Category 5 hurricanes form, but they both struck the same strip of land, only within a couple weeks of each other. Some people might not find me mentioning two Category 5s appearing within such a short time span. But, let me mention something, it's an extremely rare event, something that has only happened a few times in recorded US history. So beyond just the fact they both formed, they both took very similar paths in their striking of the coast. Hurricane Katrina, the first which hit in the beginning of the month, ripped straight through the Louisiana and Mississippi border. The damage caused directly by the storm itself was devastating. But, it was put under the shadow of something even more amazing. The flash flooding and force of the wind may not have been so great in New Orleans, but it did something everybody was hoping wouldn't happen. That being the levees, which ironically are there to stop water from entering the city, broke and ocean water flooded at an exponential rate into the greater portion of New Orleans. With the city lying about 9 feet below sea level there was no where for the water to go but inland. Houses were flooded; cars washed away, but more devastating, thousands of lives taken along with everything. So many people didn't evacuate the city when ordered to, so when this storm hit and the flooding occurred, people were trapped in their homes. By the time the flooding ceased off, entire homes were covered, some with only roofs above the water level. Some people got lucky and managed to survive in their attics (punching holes in the roof for air). But, on the other hand, many didn't. After Hurricane Katrina hit it seemed like everybody in the US started to pitch in, they all helped out however possible. Whether money was donated at the local store (such as Wal*Mart), or US-based corporations donated thousands to millions of dollars, money and aid truly did flow in at quite a speed. After some time the US government had US troops stationed in the city, attempting to prevent against looting and the general chaos that sprung out. US Army Airborne Paratroopers were even deployed, after serving in Iraq not too long ago. Now, I have decided not to mention my views on how horribly late the US Federal intervention was, so I'll stop at that. In the aftermath of Katrina, while New Orleans and the cities affected were rebuilding, another storm was being tracked. Soon to be Hurricane Rita was forming, and it was happening rapidly. The storm hit the Gulf of Mexico, and fed on the warm waters. Within an amount of time the storm grew very strong, rising through the categories. Hitting Category 5 and speeds up past 160mph, the storm was one to be feared. The projected path of this hurricane? Texas...right up the alley which contains about 13% of the nation's oil reserves and refineries. However, that changed. As the storm moved it slowly steered more and more east, and what people had feared was becoming true. The storm was facing New Orleans more every time it shifted. By the time it struck it had diverted from a direct Texas-strike to a strike on the Texas and Louisiana line. What was to become of New Orleans, as it was in the path of high speed winds and storm surges? Well, let’s just say it didn't turn out too great. More of the levees that had once been fixed broke again, and the city was flooded...again. The storm itself also wreaked havoc on the towns and cities it hit, and on the oil refineries it ploughed through. Towns and cities were flooded, not much unlike Katrina and the towns it hit as well. So, knowing the facts is all fine and dandy, but another thing you need to know is this: Help is appreciated, and no matter your age, you can pitch in. If you're American then remember that these people belong to the same nation as you. They didn't ask for the storm to hit them. If you're English, Indian, German, or of any nationality outside of the USA, then help from you too is greatly welcomed. We all like to think that because something is on the other side of the world, the country, or just plainly not near us that we can ignore it. Well, don't think that any longer. Donate at your local Wal*Mart when you're leaving (just your change will help, it all adds up). Most likely your school is running some events, so perhaps donate a dollar or two there. But, besides money, what else can you do? Well, I'll mention to services that have been helping greatly in the aftermath of these two storms. One is the American Red Cross. Donating blood, money, and support to this organization is a great way to support the people of the Gulf Coast region. Another organization is the Salvation Army. People are now without homes, and thus without clothing. So, if you have some extra clothes hanging around that don't fit any longer, donate them! They're not of use to you anymore, and some person down in an affected area will be able to use them, unlike you. Just remember, every single little bit helps. Just a single dollar will add up when you have thousands to millions all pitching in.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 6:27:13 GMT
Ah, the Conservative government. They never cease to amuse me. First, they said that Iraq had WMDs. Then, it was that the war was now being fought to protect oil from foreign terrorists. Now, they have started a new war--- a war on porn. Yes. Porn. You see, the right-wing government thinks that the Patriot Act has not taken enough rights from you. No--- now they want to control your lust. It appears that the Conservatives have nothing better to do. No, not even two catastrophic hurricanes or Ira-nam can get them to stop. The porn must fall! Basically, the Conservatives’ FBI Anti-Porn Task Force (Voltron?) is supposed to hunt down and eliminate any porn without artistic value. Can I get a “WTF?” While the government has said that it will attack only the worst of porn (think pedophilia and animal porn), it is hard to imagine them stopping there. If the ball keeps on rolling, I would expect the Feds to destroy all forms of porn--- hardcore or not. If this even appears to be slightly successful, I would also expect religious groups, PTAs, and the such to voice their opinions. (I would so love to hear what the Catholics and Mormons have to say.) I was also under the impression that how a person controls his or her lust fell under personal rights. Y’know- the ones that are protected in our revered writs? Oh, well. Since our government is Red, they might as well act it. First Amendment be damned! I find it funny that those on the Hill --- those who fornicate with their interns and other women (who are not their significant others) on a regular basis --- would move to strike down porn. Eh. There was a some headline missing its moron, I suppose. But, will they get far? Will they succeed? Hmm. I’m thinking not; there are too many hairy, lonely men whose existence depends on black bars and tinny moaning. And that’s just the politicos on the Hill. Why would the government want to kill porn? They'd be destroying an untold amount of jobs! Thousands of men and women would be out of work! And, really, would you want Ron Jeremy preparing your meal at McDonalds? (Eew.) Besides, the overseas market would then find itself with an impossibly large audience. I don't see Germany, Russia, or Japan banning their goods. Them crazy foreigners. Also, I’ve seen portable (read: secret) porn servers the size of a small book. It’s better small; it fits anywhere! Can’t stop what you can’t find. I’m guessing that the media would have a field day with this and ultimately bring about the downfall of this war. There are actually some talking heads that aren't controlled by Bush and company; they'd fork their tongues and spit at this. It's nice to think that some in the media aren't totally brainwashed! Good ‘ol media--- you’re sure to do something right once in a while. To close, I’d like to point out the old saying about porn and the internets; the one that goes something like: “If they were to remove porn from the internets, there would be just one website left saying: ‘Bring back the porn!’”Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go do more hands-on research for rebuttal.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 6:28:54 GMT
You are on trial for committing murder and, although you are innocent, you are convicted. You are given the death penalty and your life is taken, just like that. It is the end of everything - your family life, your friends, your goals, your future. How can anyone support this? Capital punishment is inhumane and kills both the guilty and innocent. The death penalty promotes murder, contrary to its purpose, and should be outlawed. The death penalty is immoral and barbaric. It is punishing murderers with murder, and encourages violence. Capital punishment, whether by lethal injection or electrocution, is brutal; it is deliberate manslaughter and first-degree murder. Do you spank a child as punishment for hitting someone? We are taught that two wrongs don’t make a right - more killing is not the solution. Capital punishment contradicts American morals and values. The Declaration of Independence states that every person is endowed with the inalienable right to life. It is the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens’ lives, but by utilizing the death penalty it takes them away. Also, the Bill of Rights prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Is murder not cruel? We are hypocrites to fight murder with murder. Capital punishment sends the message that in America, murder is acceptable and even the government will carry it out. The death penalty does not solve anything and only creates more anguish. Not only must the families of those convicted deal with the criminal charges and trial, they must also cope with the death of a loved one. This is especially difficult for those who are innocent. Studies have shown that capital punishment does not serve as a deterrent for murder, as it was intended. It only puts us in a worse position than when we started. Many American morals are derived from the Christian faith. The Bible has numerous verses that discourage the use of the death penalty. God has set an example by which we are to live. God will forgive anything, as long as you ask for forgiveness, and entreats you to "forgive those who trespass against us." It also states that we should not seek revenge, which is exactly what we do when we execute someone. No one should kill in the first place, but killing as a means of punishment is just as bad. One of the worst consequences of capital punishment is the inevitable times when the innocent are killed. Recently, 13 people on death row in Illinois were proven innocent just prior to their execution dates. The great pain they must have endured is incomprehensible. Imagine being murdered by your government for no reason, for doing nothing. It would be worse than the original crime with which they were charged. There is no undo button when you take someone’s life. Capital punishment has no positive outcomes. Why do we murder to try to prevent murder? We all need to take action to annul the death penalty. There is never justification for taking another’s life.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 6:31:10 GMT
The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Kristen was huddled up in the corner, her eyes were shifting nervously every once in a while. Corey was whispering with Lizzie about the text message. Mary was asleep with her head on the table. Ryan, Andrew, John, and Brandon, were all sitting in a circle eyeing each other. The lights hadn’t gone out for a good hour or so, which was very peculiar. Andrew suddenly moved, “Why the hell are we just sitting here? We need to do something.” Rolling his eyes, John stood up, “Well I for one, am sick of just sitting here. I am leaving; the killer wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to kill me in front of all those people out there.” He headed straight for the door, but Ryan bolted for it, as Kristen gasped in shock. “You’re not going anywhere, you may not get killed, but the rest of us will,” sputtered Ryan. Blocking the door, Ryan crossed his arms in front of his chest. John stopped short, standing right in front of Ryan, “Move.” “No, you’re not risking all of our lives just so you can leave, especially when we know that the killer is one of us.” Ryan was resolute. When reality finally hit John, he backed away from Ryan. “Maybe that’s the reason you tried to stop me from leaving!” John’s eyes widened and paranoia filled them. Walking backwards, he tripped and fell into a rolling chair that was behind him. Ryan sighed, uncrossed his arms, and looked at John as if he had lost his mind. “Are you seriously accusing me of this?” he snorted in laughter. “You know, if it was me, you would have been gone a long time ago.” The sound of a car backfiring made everyone in the room jump. Then the lights went out. Mary’s head popped up as Kristen screamed. Shifting her eyes around carefully, Kristen threw her hands over her mouth to muffle her scream. Abruptly, it stopped. The Killer, being very annoyed by the argument that was taking place right before the lights went out, took it out on Kristen, because she was being a loud mouth and screaming – initially destroying the atmosphere that he’d so artfully set up. After bashing her in the side of the temple with a steel weight in his palm, he dragged an unconscious Kristen to the corner of the room. Swiftly and quietly, he withdrew a piece of fishing wire from his pocket, wrapped it around her neck, and slowly but painfully started gagging her. After about a minute of pulling as hard as humanly possible, the wire finally cut into her skin. Almost instantly she started bleeding - she was losing blood, very quickly. Making sure that there wasn’t any “evidence” on him, he threw a dead Kristen to the floor, and then hit send on his cell phone, sending yet another text message. The Killer promptly re-established the position he was in before the lights went out. When they did come back on, everyone started moving at once. Brandon did a head count. There were eight in the room before the lights went out and now there were seven. Scanning the room, Brandon started to worry. “Wait a minute...where’s Kristen?” Corey jerked to attention hearing that. “Oh, please tell me she’s in the bathroom,” murmured Corey. Lizzie stood up, and started moving around, then she suddenly stopped. “Oh my god. I’m sorry, Corey; she’s not in the bathroom.” Corey ran up behind her, but turned her head at the sight. A loud shrilling sound pierced the room. It was coming from the pocket of Andrew’s pants. Mary turned her attention there next. “Andrew, your phone’s beeping. Check it.” Andrew dug in his pocket, and produced a miniature cell phone. Looking up into the expectant faces, he flipped it open. “It’s another text message from the killer. It says, ‘Another one down, how many more do I have to get rid of for the person to notice who I am and why this is happening? TK’.” Every head in the room started to turn and look at one another. Brandon took one of the curtains off the windows and threw it over Kristen’s body, as Carrie’s and Sean’s were already covered. No one liked going into the bathroom because that was where Cassie lay. After covering her, Brandon stood back up and grabbed a pen and a pad of paper. “I’m gonna sit down and write out all these clues. There’s something that has to add up.” He parked himself in the corner of the little sofa in the jury room. Shaking her head slightly, Lizzie started pacing. “I have known her since high school,” Corey whispered to Mary, “She was one of my best friends!” Mary took her in her arms and comforted her. Ryan was leaning up against the wall. Andrew was still a little shocked about the message, Brandon was trying to connect the dots and John was just being paranoid. It wasn’t helping the situation at all. Brandon looked around the room curiously; he stopped at something, and then went back to his pad of paper. A shattering of glass and breaking sound filled the room. Everyone jumped and turned their heads - a rock had broken through the window. Now the window was no more but a bunch of pieces of shattered glass. Without waiting a moment longer, John came forward. Scared out of his wits, he cleared his throat. “Everyone sit down. Now. Please.” Suspicious eyes followed him as they did as they were asked. “Now I know that none of us wants to be here, and that no one likes this ‘killer’, especially when we all find out who he or she is. I myself am gonna murder them for putting us through all of this. It sucks, and it’s taking time away from our families. And it’s taking parents away from their parents.” Corey sadly stared off towards Kristen’s body. “You know what John? Just sit down and shut the hell up. Quit telling us things that we already know. Be a little more helpful, and help Brandon put the pieces to the puzzle together so we can leave and have our lives back,” pleaded Lizzie. Yet again, the damned lights went out. With his time getting limited, the Killer moved super speedy this time. Grabbing the letter opener that was sitting on one of the little stands on the side; he walked over to John, grabbed him and twisted his neck to force him to look into his eyes. John let out a gasp, and managed to choke out a “You!” before the killer stabbed him in the side of the head, right at the temple. He was dead instantly. John just sat in the chair that he had sat down in right before the lights had gone out. Quickly the killer got back into place. The lights flickered back to life. Brandon was the first to notice. “Oh my, that’s just wrong.” He shook his head sadly. Mary ran to the other side of the room to the garbage can, she stuck her head in it, and began to throw up. Corey just cried even more, she was getting terrified. Lizzie, slumped onto the couch, and pulled herself into a ball. What more was to happen to these people? They had somehow been tricked here, and were being killed off one by one. For something that happened to the maniac doing this. Ryan just turned and looked away - he was speechless. Brandon scanned the area around the jury room. There was something that he was looking for, but couldn’t seem to find. There was no note or text message from the killer! He had failed to deliver like he or she said. Keeping his eyes peeled, he smothered himself in his notes. Andrew eyed Brandon while he was doing this but completely ignored it at the same time. Ryan moved, and sat down at the other end of the couch that Lizzie was all huddled up on. Mary was wiping her mouth with her sleeve. Her vomiting and them having nothing to eat or drink helped none. Brandon instantly rose as Ryan sat. He moved quickly but carefully towards where Ryan had been standing. Once reaching his destination he bent down, removed something off the ground, inspected it, and then turned around. “Ryan, what the hell is this?” He turned a switchblade over and over in his hand. There was a bloodstain on the plastic handle. Ryan rose to his feet. His face turned stone hard and cold. “Put the goddamn knife down. Or you shall be next.” He sneered. Corey rose. Andrew also rose, but Mary was behind Ryan, and Ryan completely forgot. Lizzie stayed put. “Wait a minute, Ryan...uh what’s your last name?” Corey’s eyes flashed mad red, and hurt at the same time. “Ryan Owen,” stated Ryan. Corey’s eyes fluttered, and then she collapsed to the floor. Lizzie, Brandon, and Andrew all made a leap for her, Lizzie just barely catching her in time. She struggled under her weight and Andrew and Brandon had to help steady her. Still unnoticed, Mary snuck up behind Ryan armed with a razor blade that she kept in her purse, aimed and ready to dig it into the back of his neck. But swiftly shocking Mary, Ryan spun around, stabbing her with the knife that he still had in the stomach. “I bet that will teach you to sneak up on people, won’t it?” Smiling evilly, he took out the blade and licked the tip. Brandon and Andrew cringed. They should have told Mary to back off. Ryan headed towards the door. “I’m out, have a nice life” - he peered towards Mary - “Well if you even continue living that is.” He chuckled and slammed the door behind him. Brandon took action. He yanked open the door, and ran after Ryan. Two security guards passed him, but stopped to see what all the noise was about. “STOP HIM, HE’S KILLED SIX PEOPLE AND POSSIBLY KILLED ANOTHER!” One of the security guards at the door, which was where Ryan was almost escaping from, grabbed him by the arm, and twisted it. Being very sneaky, and fast, he turned sharply, and grabbed the gun that was sitting in his holster, and aimed right at Brandon. Stopping dead in his tracks, Brandon raised his hands. “Whoa, I didn’t do anything but tell the truth.” Ryan cocked the gun, and half sneered, half smiled. “Well, the truth hurts sometimes, right? So does this.” Right before pulling the trigger, another security guard from out of no where aimed and fired at Ryan, hitting him square in the stomach, causing him to double over, and drop the gun. Security guards and officials of the building surrounded Ryan. Lizzie and Andrew came out, carrying Mary’s limp body, while Corey stumbled behind them approximately ten minutes later. Someone had already called the police and ambulance. When the EMT’s saw Mary, they put her on a stretcher, and took her vital signs immediately. They let them know that she would be okay and that they had to take her in for emergency surgery. Ryan died three minutes after the ambulance carrying Mary left. All bodies were taken to the morgue. Brandon, Andrew, Corey, and Lizzie all were questioned by the police, and finally released to go home. The remaining four swapped phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. They all had gone through a life-threatening experience, and only they could relate to it. Before leaving, Brandon curiously turned to Corey. “When you asked Ryan about his last name, why did it shock you so much?” Corey exchanged a quick glance with Andrew. “Because that was Kristen’s ex-boyfriend. One that she cheated on, and ruined their life plans to get married,” replied Andrew. Confused, Brandon asked, “How do you know all of this?” “Because I’m her younger brother, and this is her best friend since high school. We didn’t realize that it was Ryan, he didn’t look the same. Trust me, he use to be a good friend of mine. But not anymore. He got what he always wanted, Kristen dead, now I have to suffer without my older sister.” He shook his head sadly. Andrew and Corey walked to their cars together. Lizzie had already left, so it left Brandon. He looked up at the building from outside one last time. Swearing that he would never return to this place, he turned, and walked to his car, and left.
If you would like to submit a story to the Herald, please feel free to PM Withheld Beauty, or one of the editors. Thanks. I hope you enjoyed it!
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 6:35:39 GMT
Well, this month's holiday I'm sure is quite obvious... Halloween!! A Little Historical Look At October 31stThe Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1st. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31st, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter. Intriguing, isnt it? Now, I'm sure you all know what Halloween means these days... candy! Lots of it if you're lucky. Halloween is a day for little kiddies (and big kids, like me, I still trick or treat) to dress up in their cute little costumes, knock on doors, and eat candy until their teeth rot out, or until mommy throws it away. Make sure to be friendly to the youngens, and be safe, Happy Halloween!
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 6:43:26 GMT
IntroductionA new addition to this month’s Herald is a series of brain teasing puzzles to get the cobwebs in your mind dusted after the long summer. Answers will be posted in next month’s issue along with a set of new riddles for your mind to twist around, so you will know whether you are up to scratch or not. Good luck, you’re going to need it. CodesSolve this code to make a sentence about Oliver. Not all letters are used to make the sentence; two of them are dummy letters. IOL RVE VLO TES LOP WAY HIT NMO EKI ISK Works of art quiz:1) Who painted the ceiling of the Sistine chapel in Rome? a- Reubens b- Leonardo da Vinci c- Michelangelo2) The Mona Lisa is also know as…? a- La Gioconda b- La Giocasta c- La Giocosa3) Which one of these painters had a surrealistic style of painting? a- Edgar Degas b- Salvador Dalí c- Paul Cézanne4) Who painted The Scream? a- Edvard Munch b- Claude Monet c- Henri MatisseRiddles(1) Forwards I’m heavy, backwards I’m not. What am I?(2)What has eight legs, three heads, two arms and two wings? What am I?(3) I am male, add a letter and I am female. Add another letter and I am male again. Add three more letters and I am female again. What am I?(4) What English word, which is 5 letters long, stays the same pronunciation when 4 of its letters are removed? (5) What two things belong to you but are used mostly by others? SudokuGood luck, everyone.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 6:48:32 GMT
Larky day, what do you say we kick this off, folks? Firstly, I'd like to issue the disclaimer: Combo's Humor Article - Official Disclaimer:- This article is not ment to offend any Canadians, as Combo himself is Atlantic Canadian - If you are Canadian and this slang does not seem familiar, shut yer yipper, and listen to the Atlantic Canadian yack. - Do not criticize the overuse of "eh", for it will appear quite frequently, eh? - "About" is not pronounced "Aboot", its more "A Boat" - Canada is NOT spelt "C-eh-N-eh-D-eh" Diary Extract From the Journals of Nick Kohler, From South-Eastern New Brunswick Tis a chilly September mornin, as usual, frosts been nippin at my toes for hours now, and yet I still haven't fired up the stove. Mom's been tellin me to getter done for a while now, but I'm not in the mood to giver stink yet. Me an' the boys were down to the peer this afternoon, the very best o' times down there, just aboot everything you kin imagine kin be done down at the good ol' peer. Downtown was the swizzer onions last saturday though, yup, me an' the crew decided to header down to the cafe and get us some pancakes with maple syroup, and a naniemo bar to wash'er all down. Adam's old women said she'd cut us up some back bacon for lunch if we wanted to giver a fry, the very best I tell yeh, eh? Dad's been over on the rock for a week, so the workload's been gettin pretty hefty, nothin a good ol' two-four cant heal. After he gets back from there he's taken mom to kay bec, should be a nice lil weekend without the elders watchin me every second. The other day Adam says to me, he says "Think Tronno are gunna loose the game to the Habs tonight?" and I says to Adam, I says "With Oat A Doat man, they're the chief of every organ eye zay shun in the whole league. So Adam looks at me and says, he says " Well I dunno, dad and I were watchin the game the other night, when the leafs lost, dad threw the tv, darn near cooked the thing" So I looked at Adam and y'no what I says? I says " Lets finish this little rant over at Timmy-ho's, I could go for a double double".
Despite all the typical stereotypes, give us canucks and our lingo a fair chance, I'm sure you'll like us and find us the very best o' pals.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:04:13 GMT
After reading the review about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in the August Edition of the Herald, I decided to give my own take on the book. I strongly disagreed with the other review, so if you were persuaded into not reading the book, think again. The HBP comes off as a "set up" book to the seventh book. The first chapter informs you of what has been happening over the summer with Lord Voldemort. J.K. Rowling decided to do this in conversation between the Minister of Magic and the Prime Minister. While this wasn't necessarily needed, it was still creative and persuaded you to read more. In the next chapter, the plot for the book is set with a conversation between the Death Eaters. Once Harry is at school, I believe the book slows down, but is, in every way, realistic to how teenagers act: more interested in each other, than they are with school. As always, a new Defence of the Dark Arts teacher is revealed and this one provides quite a twist! I was very disappointed however, that they only showed only one DADA class. Perhaps the most interesting part is learning about Lord Voldemort's past. Even though the part goes by slowly, Rowling does a very nice job filling in a few holes about Voldemort's power and how he has lived so long. Towards the end of the book is where the action comes. With an adventure and then a very surprising death, the sixth book wraps up. Overall, if you're a true Harry Potter fanatic, you'll appreciate this book. It captures teenage emotion, has a very interesting plot twist, and sets up the entire seventh book. I have decided to not put spoilers into this review, as you have already read them in the last one. Hands down, HBP is another classic by J.K. Rowling. ”On a night the wind loosened a shingle and flipped it to the ground. The next wind pried into the hole where the shingle had been, lifted off three, and the next, a dozen. The midday sun burned through the hole and threw a glaring spot on the floor. The wild cats crept in from the fields at night, but they did not mew at the doorstep any more. They moved like shadows of a cloud across the moon, into the rooms to hunt the mice. And on windy nights, the doors banged, and the ragged curtains fluttered in the broken windows.”The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath introduces his readers to a time when hundreds and countless Americans were suffering and being forced from their homes. It’s a time where not just one, but more than just a handful of families were migrating from state to state in an attempt to find job, pay, and a home to call their own. The Grapes of Wrath focuses on one certain American family, the Joads, as to illustrate what these people were going through. It’s a moving novel that everyone should read. You must have been told at least once by someone or another that The Grapes of Wrath was a good book. Well, it really is a good book. It teaches just how much stronger a person can be when they have their family with them, and that if instead of just focusing on yourself, you would be better off with the aid of others. Steinbeck brings these characters to life. This certain family represented what hundreds of people were going through in a time of crisis in America. The Joads symbolize the American family migrating across the United States and entering a new, more foreign place – California, the state where fruits grow everywhere you look; the state where you can find a job, and a new home… …But not everything’s perfect. And even if California sounded perfect to the Joads, and to the migrating people, nothing’s ever what it seems. That’s another lesson learnt, and another lesson taught. The Grapes of Wrath is worth the time to sit down and plop open when you have nothing better to do. I’d suggest going to a near bookstore (possibly a library), and checking it out.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:07:08 GMT
This month is a big month for the Entertainment industry, not only has the Pride and Prejudice film been released, Star Wars - Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith has been released onto DVD. Retailing at a price of $19.99, this film is supposedly the final film in the Star Wars saga. The tale is the final prelude to the original Star Wars films and was a magnificent film, and, topped with extras, this DVD seems to be following the same path. This DVD release will not be a flop: that I can guarantee. Also this month schedules the release of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy; this film had phenomenal success at the box office and can be guaranteed to have the same fate at the DVD counter. Both movies are rated 12a in the UK and thus are rated PG-13. Irish band, The Corrs' have released a new album, titled 'Home'. The band is currently trying to boost their somewhat failing pop career. The Corrs' are a good band, however at time lack motivation. Hopefully this album will bring back their old magic, and I strongly suggest you buy this album. 'And the Glass Handed Kites', a new release from Mew. The follow-up Album to Frengers and the Glass Handed Kites is quite simply the album of the year. At the same time a concept album, it is an album full of amazing individual songs, and not one of the fourteen tracks is a let down, even some of the shorter instrumental tracks. With an 80's disco vibe mixed with some of the hardest prog-rock throughout, this Danish four-piece have made an album that requires listen after listen after listen. The singles, Apocalypso, Special and the forthcomeing Zookeeper's Boy are all amazing, yet every single song is a work of art in itself whether it be the raucous opener Circuitry of the Wolf or the soul-breaking Louise Louisa. Still not quite getting the listening figures or publicity they deserve, the live experience only cements what should be one of the biggest albums and bands of the year.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:09:13 GMT
When I was in the music store a few months ago, I was looking over the recommendations at the CD aisle. Under albums there are always recommendations “if you like this CD then you may like these ones...” – I was looking at the recommendations under The Killers Hot Fuss album and, from there, I discovered The Bravery. Having released their self-titled debut album in March 05, The Bravery made an impact with singles An Honest Mistake and Unconditional. The first thing that drew me to this album was the artwork on its cover, the bright colours made it stand out from other albums and I decided to give it a shot. Songs on the album: My favourite single on the track would have to be Unconditional. The first eleven seconds of synthesiser and bass lead into the song before the drums finally kick in. It’s just one of those songs that you can kick back to and appreciate. I recommend checking them out.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:16:51 GMT
Radiohead were one of the few alternative bands of the 90’s - their music was something different even though it took them a while to create a signature sound. Their 1993 debut, Pablo Honey, suggested the talent of the band, with the song "Creep" becoming an unexpected international hit. Radiohead were pigeonholed as a one-hit wonder, but the group's second album, The Bends, was released in the band's native Britain in early 1995 with it receiving fantastic reviews and sales. Radiohead next released OK Computer, a prog rock that became one of the most acclaimed albums of the '90s. Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar), Ed O'Brien (guitar, vocals), Jonny Greenwood (guitar), Colin Greenwood (bass), and Phil Selway (drums) formed Radiohead as students at Oxford University in 1988. Initially called “On a Friday”, they began a musical career in the early '90s, releasing the Drill EP in 1992. Shortly afterward they released the single "Creep”. This was a hit, and their next two singles, "Anyone Can Play Guitar" and "Pop Is Dead” gave Radiohead a following, even though the music press ignored the group. When they announced a European tour, "Creep" became a sudden smash hit in America, earning heavy airplay on radio. Radiohead toured the U.S. extensively, supporting for Tears for Fears. Radiohead released “The Bends” in spring 1995 and received enthusiastic reviews. Even though they struggled to be heard during the U.K's summer of Britpop and as MTV ignored the record. The band continued to tour as the opening act on R.E.M.'s Monster tour. The Bends began to catch on by the end of the year and early in 1996 the record re-entered the British Top Ten and climbed to gold status in the U.S. After their great success, they entered the studio again that autumn to record their third album, OK Computer, which was released in the summer of 1997. Immediately everyone loved the album's blend of prog rock, post-punk angst and song writing. However the album never achieved a gold status. Kid A was released in October 2000 after a long wait and astonished many by debuting at number one on the U.S. album charts. In June of 2001, Radiohead quickly released an album under the name Amnesiac that consisted of material that was recorded during the Kid A sessions. The band made it very clear that it was not to be considered an outtakes album; they insisted that the two albums were to be considered totally separate. Amnesiac debuted at number one in the U.K. and number two on the U.S. chart, while outselling Kid A in week one by 25,000 copies.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:18:44 GMT
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate DestructionI approached TIHUD with some trepidation. After all, the previous Hulk game was absolutely atrocious. I was anticipating this game to follow suit. I was very surprised. TIHUD is a superb game. It is nothing short of mass chaos. You control Big Green himself and… do whatever you want. Save people. Progress in the story. Go all Grand Theft Auto and just blow some stuff up. That, in itself, is what makes the game so appealing. You choose how you play. It is free-roaming, open-based gameplay. The main draw to this game is the “ultimate destruction” that you can unleash. Seriously--- there is nothing that you cannot destroy. Entire cities will fall to your hands. Building not falling quickly enough? Create gauntlets out of cars and heave at it again. Or, why not take down that helicopter and use it as a missile launcher? Again, you play as you see fit. The graphics in this game are stellar. The presentation is simply amazing. Every last thing in the game is detailed; you can zoom in and see individual expressions changing in real time. The special effects are top notch; they do not lag the game when things get intense. The sound is excellent. The score is epic and cinematic in scale; the sound effects are not generic or rehashes. The sound that is created in your chaos is mind-blowing; it all sounds…realistic. If you’re a fan of the comics, you might dig the story. If not…press the skip button and pass on. It’s basically the same tired story--- Bruce Banner (the Hulk) is trying to find a cure for his “Hulkism.” The government gets involved, stuff blows up, etc. Just skip it and rain down chaos. Really, this game will appeal to every sort of gamer. I cannot recommend it enough; pick it up for your console of choice. The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction receives a 5 out of 5.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:20:04 GMT
When buying the Nintendo DS I felt as though I should have been wearing rubber gloves to protect me from all the criticism it had received. I was athe airport about to depart for Spain when I saw it in the window, striking a pose, hinting 'buy me, buy me'. Trying my hardest to walk away I suddenly saw a poster for Need For Speed Underground 2 in the window. I walked into the shop to find that the game was for Nintendo DS and it was part of a package. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the demonstration game model of the DS that you could test. After waiting five minutes for an annoying little fat kid to get his sticky fingers off the criticised portable gaming system, it was my turn... A look at the object we are speaking of... My first thoughts were, ‘nice and small plus comfy on the hands’. I switched it on to find a clean menu; I then selected the game I wanted to play. The Need For Speed Underground 2 title came up, this was when I started to get excited. I thought to myself, 'I'd better hurry or I'll miss the plane.' At first I thought the graphics weren't to the standard I had expected, but as my Volkswagen Golf gathered speed with the help of Nitrous Oxide (Nos) the graphics became blurry, which made the game looks smoother - sort of like the blurry movement effect that GTA have on their games. This made me want to buy it there and then... the Nintendo DS and the NFSU 2 game. Thinking heavily with the game system in my hands I grabbed NFSU 2 off the shelf and made my way to the till. I asked politely, "Do you have any Nintendo DS's left?" To my amazement they had. As he bagged the system and game for me I thought, ‘what the hell am I doing, the PSP is out in two months or so why have I bought this heap of crap?’ After boarding the plane and getting my newly bought DS and game out I noticed why it was much loved by many and yet hated by some. As I used Pictochat for the first time, doodling away, I got a message from a creep saying, "Your DS has been hacked," in writing that looked like a five-year-old’s. I thought, ‘this is cool’, and replied, "I can see you." That probably startled the little kid, who quickly left the chat room and let me carry on with my game. As I modified my Volkswagen Golf on NFSU 2 it made the game worthwhile and made the graphics look better. Halfway through a course my DS's flashing green light turns red and then automatically the system shuts down. I think to myself...that pesky hacker kid (in words more offensive than that). But after reading the Instruction Booklet (like all good gamers should) I discovered that it had turned off due to the fact the batteries had run out. This caused a lump in my throat...' am I going to have to buy batteries this often?' Reading on in the booklet I learned that the Nintendo DS came with an adapter to charge an inbuilt battery. I thought this was the best idea for this type of handheld gaming system. Landing in Spain with my DS in my back pocket I made my way to the hotel on an air conditioned bus. Immediately after unpacking my clothes at the hotel I made my way to the town centre in Benidorm and searched for the nearest electrical shop to buy a universal adapter so that I could plug a UK plug into a Spanish socket. After charging the DS I made my way to the beach. Lying there in the sun playing the DS, I thought to myself, who would have thought 40 years ago that they'd be able to play video games on portable systems and sunbathe on a hot beach at the same time. Next generation consoles and handheld systems have changed dramatically over the past ten years and will continue to do so. The DS is definitely one to have, until the PSP comes out that is. Sound quality is amazing on it, graphics are good and the idea of having dual-screens on it is what makes it unique let alone being able to control aspects of games by touching the bottom screen. I'm glad that I bought the DS and I'm sure upcoming games for it will impress gamers of all types. It's worth investing in a DS but if your mind is set for a PSP, then I advise that you stick with it. Let the DS be another step for gamers in this big world of gaming consoles. Overall I give the Nintendo DS...3 out of 5. (This article was written 2 months ago...Since then Neko has sold his DS along with four good games, he's now waiting to buy a PSP with the money he got for his DS).
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:21:57 GMT
The PSP; pure, stylish, perfect. Or is it? In this article, I will be exploring the PSP’s capabilities and its faults. Let’s get started. Right, to start off with, if you are wondering what exactly the PSP is, then I will quickly explain. The PSP is the Sony Playstation Portable, a handheld gaming device; or so they say. In short, as well as being a gaming machine at heart, it can play music, videos and even surf the world wide web. Arguably it is the best in its class, rising above all other handhelds, well, when I say all, I say the poor excuse that goes by the name of the DS. But I won’t go there now; this is an article about the PSP. Splayed out in the middle of the machine is a beautifully silky smooth 4.3 inch screen proudly displaying 16.77 million colours, and if that doesn’t seem impressive at first glance then try this: 16,770,000 colours. It really hits home when you realise your top of the range mobile phone only has around 200,000 colours. But it gets better, the Nintendo DS has a minimal 260,000 colours, but as I said before let’s not talk about the DS here; it deserves no such place in this article. Underneath the screen, awaiting your fingers are an array of controls: Home: No matter what you are doing, this will take you straight back to the main PSP menu. -Vol+: Turns up/down the volume whatever you are doing. Brightness: Alters the brightness of the screen, you can use this to save battery. Mute/Unmute: Holding this down will mute the sound. Select: Used in game for whatever purpose is needed. Start: Pauses the game. Also placed either side of the machine are two switches. One is the power/hold switch and the other is the WLAN switch. The power/hold switch really just turns the screen off to save power; you can move the switch into the hold position to disable the buttons from being pressed. This can be used both when the console is on and off. The PSP has a remarkable feature which allows you to pause the game and turn off the console, then you take out the console again flick the switch and there is the pause screen still there sitting quite happily where you left it. The WLAN switch turns on wifi, the reason you can turn it off is to save battery. Now wifi is another useful tool the PSP has. If you have a wireless router it takes literally seconds for you to rig yourself up to the net, just turn on the WLAN switch and scan for a connection. This can be used to surf the net on the built in browser or, if the game allows it test your wits against other fellow players. This makes online gaming more flexible then ever, it’s free for a start and you don’t need to pay anything extra to make it compatible with wifi, just scan and go. The PSP runs on UMD disks - smaller than gamecube disks - and these little critters are easily able to get out of sight. But they slide nicely into the console and have a minimal chance of being damaged with the plastic over-casing. There has been some talk about the analogue stick and as it has been said before it is almost exactly like using the little mouse nub you get in the middle of laptop keyboards, it just slides around easier and its surface area is bigger. The only buttons I am not too sure about are the shoulder buttons. For one, there are only two, not the full four supported on the PS2 controller and two, they are rather peculiar and resisting when you push them down. Now I have been talking rather nicely about the PSP up until now but now I will talk about my gripes. The yellow AC insertion point sticks out like an old granny in a boxing ring. It just glares at you from its black surrounding casing screaming ‘feed me!’. I’m sure Sony have their reasons but I am struggling to find a reason for a bright yellow splodge on a sleek black design. The screen also gets very easily smeared: if I was to leave my PSP sitting on my desk, uncovered or not, I would come back to it and find smear marks all over it. Don’t ask me how but it happens, luckily Sony spotted this and supply us with a handy cleaning cloth. Now I have to admit I have been rather abusing my PSP recently. Why I hear you ask? Because of its flexibility. It can play videos, but the limited range of UMD films are far too expensive. How do I get my own videos, music and photos onto the machine? I have to buy a cable which I can find no information about anywhere so I can download straight onto my PSP. Also typing on the web is a pain with its phone type keypad. We need more accessories, like mini keyboards and uplink cables. Sony have told us they are coming but it has been quite a while since the PSP was released in Japan and they are yet to receive anything yet. After buying the PSP my pockets cower from any games now. The PSP wiped me clean, and even though I have Ridge Racer comfortably sitting in my PSP that has decided to turn against me and suddenly all my opponents are Michael Schumacher. I need more to do on my PSP, not just try to browse the web, watch the Spiderman 2 trailer on the demo disc and play Ridge racer. In essence I want applications. Why didn’t I buy a computer you ask? Because I want to play games but be able to, if possible watch videos, listen to music, write stories, on the move. That’s the crucial point about the PSP, you can take it anywhere you like and it slips conveniently into you pocket. So in conclusion the PSP is what they said it would be but, with all the added extras, they have left us hungry for more. We want a fully functional multimedia device in the palm of our hands. It will come, but will it come fast enough? I hope you have seen now that the PSP is in a class of its own, it can’t even be compared to the Nintendo DS, oh, but sorry, like I already said this isn’t an article about the Nintendo DS.
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:24:15 GMT
This past month we got a glimpse of Nintendo's controller for their next generation home console, codenamed the Revolution. Naturally, the first things people did when they saw it were look at it, like it or dislike it. Although it has become quite a source of skepticism and "Nintendo has lost my business" comments, it really has done what they've wanted - get the name and idea out there. Yes, selling their product is important, but the revolutionary controller (sad pun, yes... I know) is spreading by word of mouth like a juicy rumor. The remote, dubbed "sex toy" shape by some, features less buttons than the other next gen controllers. The simplicity comes from Nintendo's desire to "appeal to gamers of all ages”. Featuring the two main buttons A, B, and the D-Pad [plus the home, a and b buttons (yes Nintendo has two A buttons)], the controller is light, sleek and definitely easy to get a grip of. With features such as 3D Motion Sensitivity and Movement Sensors, the controller will definitely have an impact on how developers will make games for the Revolution. This feature may attract developers looking for a more realistic control in a FPS game, or it could send them fleeing. However, Nintendo realized they needed more buttons and, with the peripheral connection port, you can connect a Directional Stick exactly like that of the Gamecube and hold it in your left hand with the "remote" in your right. Now that the mystery of the Revolution controller is unveiled, we'll have to wait and see how big of a splash this Revolution makes at landfall next year. The Revolution's Controller in different anglesThe Control Stick connection Some good news for Sony fans - a new downgrader has been found that will downgrade your PSP Version 2 software to Version 1.50. Why do that? The main reason is that to play illegal ROMs on the PSP, the software needed has to be Version 1.50. Right now, the only people with legal access to that software are on the other side of the world, in Japan. However, be warned about this - stores will not take back PSP's that they detect have been illegally tampered with if something happens. Also, the safety of this process is unknown, so it is strongly advised you don't go through with the downgrade. If you choose to, however, keep in mind your $250 investment is on the line. If you are still interested in the system downgrade, Click here for more information on the process. Thanks to IGN.com for the pictures!
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:26:50 GMT
Have you ever wondered why you can not make text bold or italic in Photoshop unless you are using a particular font that comes with that option or style? Well, there definitely is a way, but you will find that it is a little hidden. After typing your desired text onto your document, click the button on your type tool options to show your character palette. With the text layer selected, click the small arrow in the upper right hand corner of the palette menu. You should now see the "faux bold" and "faux italics" option. Voila! You have now simulated bold/italic text!
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Post by Kari on Oct 1, 2005 7:28:10 GMT
So, this month's subject is a little more simplistic, but still important: Pick a subject and stick to it. Have you ever been surfing through the web, and then suddenly come across a web site which seems to "specialize" in what appears to be everything? Ever notice how those web sites tend to actually support very poor quality content on "everything" as well? I cannot stress enough how important it is that when you are developing a web site that you choose one subject and you don't jump from it. If you're writing a web page about frogs don't include C++ programming tutorials or pictures of your dog sleeping (unless it somehow has correlation to frogs). People viewing your site will get utterly confused, pissed off, and then will end up leaving. When you're developing a page you want the content to be as rich as possible. This simply isn't possible when you have 50 subjects going on. If your site is about C++ Programming then just stick to C++ programming and pour your entire heart out into writing the best quality content. That's what people want, quality content, information that'll actually be useful to them. But, if you have to go and write another article for 49 other subjects, you'll become shorter with the content, you'll slip up, and most importantly, you'll leave people wondering, "Huh?", "What the?", and "Okie dokie, never returning, suckas.". Also, besides the fact that your content will be skewed and worse, think about how unprofessional it looks. Imagine viewing a website called "C++ Programmer's Haven", and down the menu bar you have "Home, C++ Articles, C++ Tutorials, C++ Links, Visual Basic Tutorials"...does that not just jump out at you as unprofessional and lost? Maybe professionalism doesn't matter to you, but in an indirect sense it does to your viewers. Chances are they're not thinking, "Oh, how horribly unprofessional." But, they likely are thinking, "Eh...VB on a C++ site? What the f...." You get the picture. So, this has been a short article, but I hope to have achieved one thing: You won't go off writing web pages with 50 subjects. Danke and good night.
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