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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 23, 2005 21:15:58 GMT
No doubt, as you are reading this you may still be a little tipsy from last nights celebrations- I hope everything went smoothly and as planned, and I welcome you all into 2006. You may of noticed that this isn't urban.cinderella or Kari writing. As they are both away for the holidays, Withheld Beauty and myself have taken charge of getting this released. I don’t think you guys understand the chaos behind the cover and the enormity of the task of releasing a magazine like this. When UC left for her holiday little over a week ago the Herald was in a mess. Over 10 articles weren’t in, the front cover wasn’t done and no articles were edited bar a few. But as we now emerge into 2006 the second largest Herald ever released is here for you all to read. (I should be a salesman shouldn’t I?) Jonny would like to apologize to any avid readers of his ‘How To Take Great Photos Every Time’ article. He couldn’t manage to write this due to time restraints. We feel that Max deserves a special mention in this short space I have here. He was originally taking a break from writing articles and only editing for this issue but he has helped immensely. Filling in for unwritten articles on short notice and doing masses of extra editing, this herald wouldn’t of been released without him. I wish everyone a happy new year and really hope you will enjoy this edition of the Herald. What better way to ring in the New Year than with a Herald that required the entire staff to come together? Side Note From WithheldWe would also like to welcome Whitney back to the Herald. She had originally resigned, but has decided to re-join the team. Great to have you back Whit. Just a quick note here on behalf of Kari and myself. We'd like to thank Matt, Withheld Beauty, and Max for their efforts in the production of this paper. They deserve a thank you because without them, it would not be here today. Happy New Years.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 23, 2005 21:21:35 GMT
First of all I’d like to welcome you all into 2006. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas break despite it seeming to get shorter each year. Now that we have allowed ourselves to play with our toys and get bored of them, I can tell you a little bit about the month of December and what lies ahead. This month we welcomed Crazy J to the coding team. His support and knowledge within the coding field impressed us and we’re sure he’ll do a marvelous job. However, as one comes in another often leaves. This month we said goodbye to Herald Editor, Jack, who has left for reasons of his own but you can still locate him around the forums. Bless that Australian. The previous month has been incredibly busy. UC and myself need something to drink, and no, not soda. Something much stronger. First of all, we released a stunning collection of artwork for our art group. In addition, there is a very special mural. Secondly, the long awaited Year Book has recently been released. Thank you all for your contributions to it over the past 6 month- a lot of organisation has gone into this. I hope you enjoy it. So what does 2006 hold for SSD? We aim to continue what we’ve been doing after the last 8 months or so: it’s working well and the community idea is really being enforced throughout. We may also throw in a few surprises here and there though... you know what we’re like. As the night draws to a close, I’m sitting here writing this, filling space with mindless babble. Oh look, doing it again. But I’d like to end this news with a little bit of advice. Everyday we have new people joining our community. You may be a new person reading this, or you might be a so-called solid member. What you must realise is that every single one of you has potential. Yes, it sounds rubbish and very clichéd. It's actually true. You can make a difference by helping others or simply taking part in a discussion. If someone says the wrong thing or doesn’t know the rules then don’t reply with some kind of sarcasm. Offer a helping hand and let them know the correct way about things. Remember the old phrase, “Solid When it Comes to Help”. Please keep that one in the back of your mind. Enjoy this edition and don’t bother making any resolutions (unless it's giving me cake.)
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 23, 2005 21:32:25 GMT
Quite hard to choose an avatar this month. Didn’t get an awful lot and the standard was all on one level. After much deliberation I decided to go with Whitney’s classic flower avatar. Simple and concise, it's definitely something that plays with your eye. Signature of the monthI decided to go for another classic in the signature realm this month. Josh’s/Exultance’s eye sig was around when I decided to return to the boards in June- it may have even been around before that. Nice, aesthetic range of colours with my favourite font, ‘Scriptina’ to finish it off. Linking back to my comments of Whitney’s avatar, Josh has obviously decided to play with everyone's eye. Member of the month award goes to none other than .whit! Whit has been around SSD for a while. She is a very friendly girl, and one of the most respected members around the boards. But never call her Whitney- she always prefers Whit. Originally part of Herald staff, she resigned for a while, but was not able to stay away forever. This month, we have welcomed Whit back onto the staff. Her writing talent speaks for itself. Read some of her poetry and you will see what I mean. A great addition to the SSD community, she has made things very interesting around here. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Whit deserves this. That is why she is January’s Member of the Month! Congrats .whit! "For what purpose humanity is there should not even concern us: why you are there, that you should ask yourself: and if you have no ready answer, then set for yourself goals, high and noble goals, and perish in pursuit of them! I know of no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and the impossible..."- Nietzsche, unpublished note from 1873"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." - Napoleon Bonaparte"Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake." - Chessmaster Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower"If a man does his best, what else is there?" - General George S. Patton"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - Albert Einstein "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." Sir Winston Churchill "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." Thomas Jefferson "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." Oscar Wilde"Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by fighting back." Paul Erdos"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." Plato"He who has a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'." Friedrich Nietzsche"Yeah, I just wanted to put the extra emphasis on the no-power though.:)"Shadow (Discussing Apple iBooks)" adds to ellen dictionary"C times 3"Of course not, you filthy Germ!"ACoolie"German people are wise and friendship."Princess Ellen"1998 called, they want their entertainment back."Del"I'm a hacker"Michael2"Hahahahahahahahhaha. I'm not lol. Or maybe I'm just slow. 0_o" "A) Its too late to reply B) He deleted his post"egbakaet and Eric"Here's 4 bits. I'm sure you know what to do with it."A._Leon"I wish osmosis would work for homework. I'd just sleep on my econ binder.
... oh wait. I'm doing that anyway."urban.cinderella"What, the amount of spam you can fit in a thread without anyone else posting record? :P"MattCongratulations to Craz with Gazing Off . I love this photo- it's got such an intense feeling in it. Dramatic yet relaxing, I can't decide what it is that just makes me gape at this shot! Could it be the snow, the gorgeous whites that I have always wanted to have over here (yeah, it never snows in Preston)? Or could it be this huge window that provides the photo with such depth? Of course, I can't forget the cat- it really does tie the knot that gives this photo its kick! One thing's for sure, though- when it all comes together, it makes a photo that is certainly deserving of these honors. Well done CrazWith the re-release of the trilogy onto DVD, I found in necessary to review my favorite film again. " 17 year old Marty McFly got home early last night. 30 years early." 17 year old Marty McFly is an aspiring musician and does not know what the future holds for him. His band are told they are to loud to play at the high school dance, re-enforcing his belief that no McFly in history has ever succeeded at anything. The only good things in his life are his girlfriend Jennifer and eccentric best friend, Doctor Emmett "Doc" Brown. Brown has secretly been making a time machine, fitted into a snazzy DeLorean, which once powered by stolen plutonium and sent to a speed of 88 miles per hour will propel the driver to any set destination in history. Which Marty learns in a bad way, after Doc gets shot by Libyan terrorists after making a make shift bomb out of pinball parts for a trade of time travel gold, plutonium. Marty, desperate to help his friend however needing to escape accidentally hits the shift which activates the time circuits and once he hits 88 miles per hour is sent 30 years into the past. Messing up his parents first meeting, and thus stuffing his chances of being born. Marty grabs the help of a younger Brown to help him get back. As well as trying to make his parents fall in love. With a mixture of rock and roll, comedy and sci-fi as well as a bit of smooching for the ladies *cough* Oliver *cough*, Marty manages to get home and save Brown's life for them to travel into the freeway of time once more. Back to his own time, Back to the Future.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 23, 2005 21:33:20 GMT
Fortunate kids – ones with grins plastered across their faces – raced through the mayhem of the crowds. In the sea of cotton candy, parents and children wade through the masses. Burberry sprawls onto the floor onto my misplaced foot. Getting up, he skulks off to his friends like a hyena returning to his pack after a fight, clutching his derrière that was still aching from the long pilgrimage to this sacred swamp. To be quite honest, I could only be in two places - a high street in Luton a week before Christmas, or in a theme park. Fortunately Christmas is six months away; unfortunately that means my feet are firmly planted in a theme park. And when I say firmly I mean my feet make a succulent sucking noise when raised off the surface made of soggy leaflets and gum. Studying a nearby billboard I realise that it is in fact advertising the very park I have just entered. I think I’ll be the judge of whether or not it will be the experience of my life. I turned around to the squeal of my name to see my daughter cuddling up to a life sized human dressed as a dinosaur. It still manages to elude me why children of this age don’t run from these big scary creatures. Either it’s the fault of the education system or they’ve been watching too much Barney the Dinosaur. I snap a few photos to my daughter’s delight until her attention span diminishes and she sees the ‘House of Haunted Horrors’. Notice the alliteration. Maybe that’s why they called it that because it’s not in the slightest even hair-tingling. My delighted daughter indirectly leads me towards it. We eventually reach the mind numbing queue with me £57.49 worse off and my daughter two ice creams, one bag of candy floss and a cuddly toy better off. After a while of my daughter playing limbo with the queue ropes and carefully weaving candy floss through her hair we finally embark the ‘Ghost train’. I inconspicuously hide the polystyrene chunk of door I ‘accidentally’ knocked off under my foot and we’re off. Moldy duvets loom out of the sterile darkness. I quickly take a look at my daughter. Fast asleep. If she’s not fooled then who can be? We emerge back into reality, my ears ringing from the loud violin shrieks to add ‘effect’ to the ride. As if she was putting it on, my daughter wakes up and leaps off the ride before we’ve even thought about stopping. Luckily we had reached the platform. I wait till we grind to a halt before stepping off. But my daughter (Rosie) was way ahead and was already outside, back into the park looking for more ‘fun’. After studying the map carefully we realised that Rosie could only go on one ride in the whole park. Being a mere 1 metre probably meant that safety bars would give her a smack on the nose. Not useful when looping the loop. The thing was, the only ride she could on was the ‘House of Haunted Horrors’, bloody brilliant. Now what? I wanted to go on the big rides to see if they were what they say they are and be able to boast to my friends that I didn’t find them scary at all. Out of the corner of my eye, in all the hustle and bustle I saw two words ‘Child Pen’. Life saver! I herded Rosie towards it, flogging her off for a sacred hour for a measly £24.99. I quickly hurry off and as I turn the corner I am confronted with a 2 hour queue to ‘Colossus’. The only ride in the world able to boast a full 10 loops. Then I realise. Rosie. I paid for an hour and here I stand at two hour queue. I quickly hurry back and shell out another £24.99 plus a £10 charge for adding time. Returning to the queue I find it has increased by another half an hour. Lets just hope the ride goes faster than usual or I will have to face the £100 fine for leaving my daughter in someone else’s care for too long. My head lolls at the second loop. My face as green as an orange painted with luminous green paint. My groans are lost under the roar of the sea of people surrounding me. The bar pressuring my stomach to release it’s contents unnervingly rocks backwards and forwards. At the top of the fourth twist I let my body go limp. Hands flailing to the ground. Dribble seeking freedom falls from my mouth. Watch out below. Finally, after 6 more gut wrenching loops we eventually stop at the station. I force the bar up -wasn’t much use after all- and dash out to find a bin. There’s never a bin when you need one, nor a toilet for that matter. Eventually, after much deliberation I spilled the contents of my stomach onto the leaflet-gum surface. Spreading out, it seeks human feet as it always does in this situation, or in my case my knees. I slowly get up, delirious. I have attracted quite a crowd; more people in fact are watching me than the clown dancing over by the bin. Is he mocking me? I push that thought aside and stumble back to the child pen. It’s a new woman on the desk and she asks the name. ‘Jolly’ I say. She laughs and looks me up and down. ‘Your late’ I look at my souvenir dinosaur watch, 34 seconds late. She bends down to eye level with me. ‘It doesn’t matter about the fine sir. I take pity on tramps.’ Bemused I surveyed myself. Drenched in sick, I must of looked terminally ill. I shrugged. Better than paying £100 I thought to myself. Rosie came out, squinting at daylight. ‘Dad!’ she exclaimed ‘What happened to you!’ ‘It’s a long story, there’s time in the car’ sidestepping her question. Carefully avoiding my outstretched hand Rosie made her way out of the exit, the exit from hell.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 23, 2005 21:38:21 GMT
I don’t know about the rest of the world, but I’ve found that the state of driving in New Zealand is absolutely atrocious. Picture this: you’re on the motorway, travelling at the speed limit (around 100km/h) and some lunatic is on your tail – seriously, like right on your bumper. If you were to suddenly slow down, you’d have a bunch of dents in your bumper and a new passenger in the back seat. They’re nuts! I remember one day when I was driving down the street with my mum and a car sped up behind us and started weaving in and out of the traffic – it was one lane either side, so they went up the middle and across the parking area – at a speed of at least 70km/h. The speed limit then was 50km/h and, with the amount of traffic on the road, snail-pace was about 40-ish. Aside from almost crashing into us and giving a fair few on the road a fright, they did nothing more than act like moronic imbeciles. Mum called 111 and reported them to the police. Needless to say, that was the excitement for that day. It’s been said that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers – it is estimated that 16-year-olds are 3 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than the average of all drivers. Inexperience behind the wheel is the leading cause of teenage crashes. To get a licence these days, one only has to go on a short test consisting of driving down the street, changing gears, going through lights and parking after a period of six months of being on a learner’s permit. This is not enough. Personally I think that the period of time should be longer and that candidates should go on a defensive driving course before they even consider getting their restricted so that they know what to do if they’re in a tight spot and need to think within a few seconds. It’d probably do a lot for the inexperienced statistics. Heaven help us if there are more lunatics than responsible drivers.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 23, 2005 21:40:16 GMT
Abortion.It’s a very highly political topic heard around the world these days in the news, magazine headlines and even on street corners. Especially when election time in the United States rolls around, abortion rights is what took a major part in the decision of voters throughout the country. For abortion or against it? And why?I am completely 100% against abortion. Why? It is just a form of murder. An innocent life is taken which had no choice in whether it might live or die. Some may think that I am crazy for looking at it as a type of murder that thousands, even millions, get away with every day. But look at it this way: you are a female who becomes pregnant and all of the sudden you decide you don't want the child. You get an abortion. What did you just do? You killed a human being- deprived a creature of life. Whether it was out of the womb yet or not, it was still an innocent life, one that was unable to defend itself. Do you get punished? Do you get sentenced to death row? No. But what about rape victims, or those who aren’t in good health to have a child?Those are different scenarios. It is easy to understand why rape victims want an abortion, but this doesn’t make it right. It’s very understandable that you don’t want a reminder of the horrific event that you went through, but that’s where I think that you should carry the child to term and put the child up for adoption. Having an abortion would be like saying, “Oh it’s your fault that I got raped, I don’t want you.” If you’re not in good health and it would be putting your life on the line as well, then I guess that it is a choice that must be made. Though I still don’t agree with it. But like I said, this is only my opinion. Well if not abortion then what would you say to those woman that don't know what to do? Or how would you say to "prevent" the need of an abortion?Before even having the word "abortion" seep into your minds, you should always consult the other word or in this case choice...adoption. Think of all the women and/or couples that cannot have children, you would be providing them with their own miracle! Adoption may be a hard obstacle to overcome, but it is far better than abortion. With abortion you also take the chance of never being able to have kids again! Preventing the need of an abortion is simple. Don't have sex! If you do, use the precautions, birth control, always a safe bet, but then again abstinence is always the best way. Now I'm not saying never have sex, but until you are ready to take on full responsibility of a child, prevent by all means. Ending StatementI just honestly think that abortion should be illegal, I know that others have their own opinions and that's fine. Let them have them. But these are my opinions. Like me for them, hate me for them, but they won't change. Others?Now what about others? What is your opinion on abortion? Should it be legalized or not? PM me, Withheld Beauty, with your answers, and you might just find them in the February edition!
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:19:35 GMT
NightBy Elie Wiesel This autobiographical novel tells the story of Elizer, whom at the age of 13 was taken from his small Transylvanian village Sighet, and forced into Nazi concentration camps because of his heritage of being a Jew. The Holocaust is a very horrifying event in the world's history, and this book gives you a clear picture of just those events that took place back in the early 1940's. The book starts off as telling you about Elizer's life back in the village, before the Holocaust even started. Goes through different scenes of just crucially horrifying details about what the concentration camps were like. Human beings, were being burned in a crematory, like being cremated, but without the choice. They arrive at Birkenau, the reception center for Auschwitz, one of the many concentration camps. This is the time in Elie's life where he last see's him mother, and two sisters. They were then separated, and never reunited. His mother, father, and sisters were killed during the Holocaust. Throughout the book, you will hear names such as, Auschwitz, Buna, and Buchenweld. All of these are the horrific Nazi concentration camps that Elie and his father had to attend. In the book, there is a boy nicknamed, "Sad Eyed Angel" he was hung, resulting of his hanging, Elie lost all his faith in God. He had a hard time believing that anyone that says they love someone, could do such a horrendous thing to that very person. On April 11, 1945, American tanks arrive at Buchenweld. As Elie recuperates in a hospital, he looks into a mirror and sees a corpse gaze back at him. He realizes then, that he will never be the same person that he was back in Sighet. He also realizes, that this horrendous event should never be allowed to take place in the world again. I will say that if you're looking for a good novel to curl up with, or looking for excitement, this isn't the right reading material for you. But it is a great book as far as detail, and a way to paint the picture inside your head of the way that a race, was being punished just because God put them on this earth. This book mostly is to try to prevent similar prejudice mistakes from happening. This book gets a rating of 4 stars.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:20:13 GMT
CD: Ultra.Trance:4Alright, my darling people of SSD. This isn't a CD review on rock, or pop, or R&B or country music. Instead, this review will be on a trance CD if you couldn't tell by the "CD:Ultra.Trace:4" part. How many of you like trance music? I don't know about you, but trance is one of my favourite types of music. The Ultra. Trance collection has various songs, and various CD's. Each collection comes with two CD's of music that you will be guaranteed to like (that is if you're into trance). You make not like some songs on any of the CD's, but considering the amount of songs you will be exposed you, you're bound to like five... ten... or maybe all of them. Have you ever heard of artists like Paul van Dyk? Or what about O-zone and 4 Strings? If so, you'll find some of their songs on these CD's. Remember the famous Mai Ai Hee song? Well, you'll find the techno version of it on the first CD of the Ultra.Trance:4 collection. A lot of these songs would be fun to dance to, or to just sit down and listen to when you have nothing better to do. If you've never tried listening to trance music before, then I suggest you go out and by one of the Ultra Trance collections. It won't be a waste of your money (even if it cost over 20 US dollars. But that's only because it has two CDs!). So if you're interested in listening to something new for a change, I suggest getting trance 4, or any of the Ultra.Trance collections. Not all of the songs have lyrics, but you'll find most of the vocal songs on CD #2 (at least of the CD that I'm doing the review on). It's not a waste of your money if you're into this kind of stuff. Tracklisting:1.01 Paul Van Dyk Connected (Motomix 05) 1.02 Angel City Touch Me (Rank 1 Remix) 1.03 Plummet Cherish The Day (Antillas Remix) 1.04 O-Zone (3) Dragostea Din Tei (Almighty Remix) 1.05 Hard In Tango This Is My DJ 1.06 Jordan James Livin' On A Prayer 1.07 Motorcycle As The Rush Comes (Armin Van Buuren Universal Religion Remix) 1.08 4 Strings Turn It Around (Extended Mix) 1.09 Above & Beyond No One On Earth (Gabriel & Dresden Remix) 1.10 Andain Beautiful Things (Gabriel & Dresden Unplugged Radio Edit) 1.11 Ferry Corsten It's Time (Extended Mix) 1.12 Double Nation It's Gonna Get You (Extended Vocal Mix) 2.01 Deepsky Talk Like A Stranger (Original) 2.02 DJ Tiësto Obsession 2.03 Age Of Love The Age Of Love (Marco V Remix) 2.04 Armin Van Buuren Blue Fear 2004 (Solid Globe Remix) 2.05 Randy Katana One Solid Wave 2.06 Jas Van Houten Loco Love 2.07 Kane (2) Rain Down On Me (Tiësto Remix Edit) 2.08 Whiteroom The Whiteroom 2.09 Interstate (6) I Found U 2.10 Group Therapy (2) My Own Worst Enemy 2.11 John Con vs. Nikola Gala Swing 2 Harmony 2.12 D:Fuse Living The Dream (Extended Mix) Recommended Songs:Deepsky - Talk Like A Stranger Kane - Rain Down On Me Interstate - I Found U
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:20:46 GMT
I signed up to do the Music Artist Review on very short notice, so I had to be quick when looking through my music library. Trying to find an artist I knew I could write a fair report on proved to be a more difficult task than I thought it would be. But, I landed on one. The Killers. This group has become a very well known name in the Pop Rock genre. With their hit album, "Hot Fuss", they've certainly caused a lot of commotion on the charts. Their music is, by all means, very Pop Rock. But there's also a little technology behind it, giving the music a different feel. They're not just straight out drums, guitars, bass, and vocals. One must agree though that the biggest charm behind The Killers are the girls. They get much more attention from the female population when compared to the amount of guys that listen to them. That isn't necessarily a bad thing though, but it can lead to some disgustingly girl-pop-rock songs eventually. We'll just hope they don't hit that extreme. With hits such as "Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me", and "All These Things That I've Done", The Killers have hit the charts well lately. It also won't take much to find them playing on the radio... they almost always are. That tends to be a bad thing though; we all saw what happened to American Idiot by Green Day. Do we need any more repetition? I think not. So, on the whole, if you're into the softer, more pop rock then I would definitely point you into the direction of The Killers. Who knows, maybe you'll end up buying their album, "Hot Fuss", like oh so many others.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:21:16 GMT
Release Date: November 9, 2004 Although it's been over a year since the third trilogy of the Jak and Daxter series was released, a review on any of the Jak series is necessary, I think. I mean, honestly. How many of us were expecting the innocent game of Jak and Daxter to transcend into the darker and more "adult" theme game of Jak II? And then how many of us were expecting a third one to be released, adding to the trilogy? But not only that, later on come out with Jak X: Combat Racing? Is it going a bit too far? But who knows? I guess only the player can determine it by playing the games themselves. The fourth game is more of a racing game, so, for this game review, we'll be focusing on the third game, as it continues directly after Jak and Daxter get thrown out of Haven City and into the desert wastelands. It's the same graphics that you've seen in Jak I and II. It's the same voices, the same sounds - but in much different surroundings. Unlike the first two, Jak III has more manoeuvring around since the desert is a big place after all - but be careful of those Metal Heads! But when Jak and Daxter are thrown out of Haven City, they're found by the "forgotten ones," and once they're accepted, they go on missions (just like in Jak II). There's plenty of missions that you wouldn't grow bored, such as some driving missions (but not on hovercrafts. This time you'll be driving around on weighty dune buggies. How fun is that?). And don't worry, you'll still find some characters from the second Jak in the third series. Whether you think Naughty Dog's graphics for Jak is great, or whether you feel they could have done better, the graphics suit Jak III. They're detailed on their surroundings, and on the characters. And even if you still don't like the graphics, they shouldn't deter you from actually enjoying the game. And if you enjoyed the first two games, you'll probably enjoy the third game as well. It's an action packed game, although an action packed game that involves a lot of jumping. But keep yourself busy with the missions and I doubt you'll go bored any time soon.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:29:42 GMT
Short answer: yes. Now, the long answer. King Kong (based upon the 1932 novel and subsequent 1933 film) is a strange mix of fantasy and realism: the fantasy is a giant ape…the realism, how that giant ape would respond in New York City. The lead male is Carl Denham - played by a surprisingly adept Jack Black - a nature documentary filmmaker, whose career is on the rocks. When he discovers that the producers funding his latest film are going to withdraw funding and sell his material, he quickly finds himself a new leading lady in the form of Ann Darrow (fantastic screamer, Naomi Watts) and heads off to “an island, thought of only to exist in myth.” For you see, Denham has come across a map, showing a small island, which, from what he can deduce, is called Skull Island. Some may think such a name is a cliché, but that isn’t a fair judgement: this movie is a remake of the 1933 version, and that version set the archetype. Anyway, on the run from the law, Denham, Anne, the screenwriter, Jack Driscall, and the rest of the film crew set off for Skull Island and, as if the ominous name is not a big enough clue, the place is a danger zone. In the next few hours they are kidnapped by ritualistic natives, offered to a giant ape, become involved in a dinosaur stampede, are attacked by hunter-dinosaurs and giant insects, and much more in between. But then Carl Denham decides upon a devious moneymaking plan…and so is born the ultimate attraction: Kong, the 8th Wonder of the World. But what of the film? The biggest complaint I have heard is the length: the film is well over three hours long, and some scenes may have been drawn out considerably. The Apatosaurus stampede for example, (showing my palaeontology knowledge there ) is considerably longer than it needed to be, and I think Naomi Watts’ screams accounted for at least one hour of the total time, but for me, the time flew by. It’s quick and active, there aren’t long boring dialogue scenes; everything is interesting and aesthetically unbelievable. This brings me on to the next good point: the animation. The hairs on Kong’s arms, the huge, ruined walls, the strange, exotic dinosaurs and animals, all make this film a joy to watch. At two hundred million dollars, I think the budget paid off. It is visually stunning, the team at WETA deserve a huge round of applause. ILM have competition The true star of the show, however, is not Kong, it’s not Naomi Watts, and, despite his excellent portrayal, it is not Jack Black. The true star is Peter Jackson. I believe it was here at SSD that a member said, when commenting on King Kong, that it is a rare thing for a film to be associated with a director. Usually, it is the lead film star that takes the credit for a film, only a few directors, Lucas and Spielberg for example, get true recognition. Jackson has joined that list. His work with The Lord of the Rings turned him into a cinematic legend. It was easily the most ambitious and deep series of films ever made, and the credit went, fully deserved, to Jackson. With Kong, Jackson confirms that status. His drive and enthusiasm for cinema is clear in every single shot of this movie. He is a quaint New Zealander, unaffected by the trappings of Hollywood, who truly is in the entertainment business for the spirit of entertainment, not the profits. The man is, in short, a genius. Move over Spielberg, Peter Jackson deserves your crown. Every shot is full, every word carefully scripted, every detail refined. Peter Jackson has not beaten himself; I believe that, simply because of its depth, The Lord of the Rings will never be topped, but in terms of directing, he hasn’t slipped: Kong is easily the best film of the year. I could go on singing his praises all day til Christmas (which, as I write this, has not yet happened, but when this is published, will have already passed…what a strange thought ). The true judge is you. Yes, it’s a long film, but each scene is packed with something interesting and exciting. From the comical beginning, to the dazzling action in the middle, and the tragic, heart-breaking end, King Kong is utterly wonderful. You simply must see this movie.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:31:40 GMT
Harry Potter has taken over the world. Simply put. No other series this decade has had so much success. Best Selling books. Films grossing millions upon millions of dollars. Toy and action figures everywhere you look. But, did you ever stop and think, why? Maybe it's because of the "child appeal." Or maybe it's the teenage girls drooling over the lucky guy playing the star role. We may never know the one reason, which is mainly because it is not just one reason. It's a multitude of reasons. Did you by chance see the anxious, hyper fans waiting outside their local bookstore on July 15, 2005? That was pure, solid devotion. Some celebrities today don't even have that kind of fan base. But, if one reason were to carry the title of the "true reason why," it would have to be the magical spirit the books have. People off all ages enjoy reading the books. But you already know that, I know. But, once again, why? A large amount is due to the fact that Harry does things we all have dreamed of and in some cases, still dream of doing. Flying, casting magic, going on epic adventures. But, there's more than that. It's the little minor details that make us enjoy it. The small hints at insults of the teachers. The Weasley Twins' pranks. Peeves' antics. All those little things that toss in humour and remind you of your school days. It portrays as what only the Goblet of Fire director, Mike Newell, could say best. "Kids are anarchists." Simply put, Harry Potter amazes us in every way. The characters are lovable; there is action, suspense, comedy and fright, and when it comes down to it, it creates an experience unlike any other. It is amazing what your mind can visualize while reading the books - better than any CG team for a movie could create. Let's see a movie create such fame and joy that J.K Rowling has achieved, simply by starting her story on bar napkins. Kudos to you, Mrs. Rowling. While there may only be one more book left in the series, according to Mrs. Rowling, we can be sure that Mr. Potter's appeal will carry on for future generations to enjoy. In this writer's humble opinion, we can expect Harry Potter to rank with some of the great literary classics of today, days past and the future.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:32:33 GMT
I, as an avid PSP(PlayStation Portable) user, have decided to choose a recent product that has sparked a bit of controversy in the PSP world. It is a TV adaptor which you clip over the screen of the PSP and then plug it into your nearest(or biggest TV). It then shows whatever is being shown on the screen of the console and transmits it onto the TV screen. It essentially takes the second P out of PSP, but it has a market prospect. If your on the move and don’t want to play on the piddly screen of the PSP(as big as it is in the portable world) then just plug it into your nearest TV, if you have access to one that is. It does have a bonus. It requires no installation or work from the PSP’s point of view. The adaptor is taken straight out of the box, clipped on and plugged into the TV. The video quality isn’t top-notch, not as good quality as if you were to directly link the TV into the PSP. All in all, this product isn’t one to buy. It has a hefty price tag(around £85 pounds which is going up towards $150 dollars for you Americans) and it takes the fun and concept out of the PSP, it’s also not the trendiest of looking things either.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:33:37 GMT
When walking down the halls on the way to a class, it's fairly common to catch a clip of other conversations. One might be talking about a person who has recently been in the limelight, while someone nearby tells a classmate to break a leg in their upcoming presentation. Though this might at first cause a listener to look around for glowing produce or rush to get the nurse, a simple understanding of common idioms should be sufficient to get through the day. Idioms are sayings that are passed down through a language. They are generally part of a regional speech or dialect. In order to help along the everyday teenager on his or her hallway plight, a look into common idioms and their origins has been provided below: 1. “Blackmail” Meaning: a method used to obtain something through threats Origin: During the border wars between Scotland and England, the peasants were forced to pay mail (an Anglo-Norse term for rent or tribute) to freebooters who would in turn declare the area free from plunder. The mail was declared “black mail” because it was usually paid with the basic goods: meat, grain, and other goods instead of silver, or “white mail.” 2. “In the limelight” Meaning: to be receiving attention Origin: Limes were burned in lighthouses to create a strong light for ships to see at night, thus giving it particular attention. Theatres also used limes for a spotlight effect. 3. “Break a leg” Meaning: “Good luck” Origin: Some say it is attributed to a superstition that wishing good was bad luck and so actors said this as a sort of reverse-psychology. Another source claimed it to be a pun on “to get in the cast.” 4. “Knock on wood” Meaning: superstitious act to ward off bad luck (usually said after boasting on recent good luck) Origin: There is an ancient belief that the Devil lived in wood, and so knocking on it deafened the devil to keep him from spoiling the good luck the speaker had just mentioned. (also known as knocking on Oliver's head) 5. “Close but no cigar” Meaning: “Nice try” Origin: In 19th century America, carnivals housed many games to test a person’s strength. The winner received a cigar. If the person did not win, this adage was proclaimed by the carnival worker in order to encourage him to try again. 6. “Till the cows come home” Meaning: for a long time Origin: During the 16th century, this idiom appeared. It seems to have referred to how long the cows take to return from the fields to the barn at the end of the day. 7. “Turn over a new leaf” Meaning: to make a fresh start Origin: In the 1500’s, a book’s pages were referred to as “leaves.” To turn over a new leaf was to turn to a fresh, blank page in the workbook. This soon took on the meaning of opening a blank page of life.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:34:55 GMT
Nicholas II was Tsar of Russia; there had been no Communist Russia. Adolf Hitler was 16, and had neither fought in World War I, nor caused World War II. And, best of all, Britain ruled the waves. This was the world in 1905. Queen Victoria, the first British Empress, had died four years ago, but Britain was still very Victorian in its class-based system, and was a long way off from what it is today. The United States was, by this point, the world’s largest industrial power, but any growing geopolitical influence was stemmed by the sole superpower, Britain. The Philippines were, at this point, was controlled by the United States. Communism had not yet erupted in Russia, which was still dominated by the imperial Tsars, and very undemocratic. Russia was also at war with Japan, an awkward situation which it eventually went on to lose. Imagine a time with no computers, no televisions, and very few cars. This is the world a century ago, but this technologically primitive world was also, some could argue, a better one; there was no large scale terrorism, the threat of nuclear war was not hanging over nations’ heads, and much more in between. Personally, I feel the developments we have made, as an international culture and society, are for the better: of course technology and science have been abused, but that almost seems to be in man’s nature. Still, it’d be interesting to live back in those strange times, to experience history first hand. Anyway, I best go, I’ve got some chimney sweeping to do. Fun.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:35:21 GMT
For this month's MTN I chose Xephra! So lets begin.
Well we do an article every month called "Meet The Newbie" and I was wondering, if you would like to be this months victim.
It's painless I swear!Hah I guess so I'm honored? =P Yeah, you get to be featured in the Herald.
But now, all I got to do is ask some questions.
Name? Shelby Age? 15 Sex? Male, Yes? xd LOL, I will admit, you're not the first to do that!I'm sure. Ha. Ok, How did you "stumble" upon SSD?Well.. A long long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away...Oh wait...Umm in 2003(I think) SSD was using Version 2, and they were like THE big dog on PB. I had just joined Hatake forum, and Naruto the admin told me about SSD. So I came here, and just watched for a while, then in version 3 I was actually quite Active. Until a lot of things started happening and when version 4 came out I was banned. And now I've been given another chance. Hehe, well have you made any friends around the boards yet since you've been back?Well... I don't know. Not many people from now, but some old friends have remained. I guess I'm starting to be a little more accpeted... Well after this interview I'm sure you'll get loads more. Looking forward to it. =) Was there a specific reason you joined SSD? Such as you're a coder, designer, or did you just come for the wonderful community? *cough*>_> Hah. Well, I'm a programmer...But I do a little designing even though I'm horrible at it. But I guess there's one thing you learn when you're banned from SSD: It's addictive. So being banned taught you a "lesson" you could say?...I could. But I was less-mature when I did what I did. Ok, time to get personal, feel free to slap me if it's too personal alright?Umm...Sure...XD Do you have any siblings? If so how many?Yes. I have 2 Sisters, and 3 Brothers. What type of music do you "cherish"?Hmm...Cherish...Well I've said 'Well' too much. -__- XD Alright My favorite type of music is Rock music. In any form. Metal, Punk, Classic, everything. Are you living the single life, or do you have a significant other? Beware, the girls or even guys (mostly Ollie) may flirt with you. Oh dear. I'm tempted to lie. Well, I was recently in a relationship with someone I cared about very much, but like a lot of things in my life I managed to screw it up. Well we all make mistakes. Sadly to say, life isn't all fun and games.
Last but not least, do you have any juicy secrets for SSD?Umm...not really...uhh...I'm a virgin... ...lol I don't know really, I can't think of anything meaningful. that is a secret. Be careful, some may use that in terms of blackmail. Lol.
Well this concludes the interview, any last words to the people?Thanks for interviewing me. And thanks to SSD for allowing me to return. Sorry I wasn't a comedian. My humor is often tasteless and cruel. Oh I think it was humorous to some extent. Thanks for letting me interview you.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:36:09 GMT
First off, I would like to say thank you to all those that supplied me with your new year resolutions. Some were serious, some just on the darn stupid side. Some will happen, some won’t. Here is a list of all the resolutions I received, one member wishes to remain anonymous. Binary-nwitz.-Get a moderator job. -Get a Literature board on SSD. -Get top 100 for my GCE O Levels Josh-Stay in shape (fat chance) -Not kill myself -Take over SSD and get to sit in monkey-boys big comfy chair -Excel in Terragen -Go out with this girl I've been after for 6 months now. -Make Varsity Soccer -Get a 4.0 Grade Point Average -Get a job Max-To get a job. -To cut down on the amount of McDonalds I eat. C times 3-To eat less than 4 meals a day -Stop being so lazy. -Make a terragen piece better than Matt's. Xephra-Make SimpleBlogs SE one of the best free blog services. Shadow-To live my life free of drama. Ovi-Date 24 girls, 2 a month Alphonse-To actually try in school this year and not fail any classes -To try and not be as lazy and home ridden this year Anonymous -Laying off the soda, sweet food, supper/dinner, snacks, etc Goal 1: go without the food for 1 day Goal 2: go without for 2 days Goal 3: go without for 3 days Goal 4: go without for 4 days -Get in more studying and reading -Go walking/jogging more often Assassinator-To advance my artistic skills -To learn 3d modelling to a professional skill(yeah right) -To get a 3d game fully underway. -To spend less time on the computer.(That sort of contradicts all the above) -Get back into swimming Withheld Beauty-Stay active on the boards that I have a postition on. -Stay helping out with the Herald, it's much fun for me. -Get my offline life straightened out.
It’s all very well and good saying we are going to do these things just for the hell of it, but will we actually do them? What people may realise is that you have to work for what you want. I’ve tried new year resolutions before and by the time the daffodils are popping up I’ve completely forgotten what I set out to do in the first place. I have to admit though, they weren’t the easiest or most serious resolutions: Cut down on chocolate when I hardly ate any chocolate at all; watch less TV, even though that was 4 years ago I have managed to do that and have cut it down to about 3 times a week if that, there’s just nothing on; do more exercise, well I started swimming last year but due to my collar bone breaking I’m currently out of action. I’ve put that down as a resolution but I’m not sure I will stick to it. Resolutions aren’t stuck in stone, there is nothing forcing you to do them apart from your conscience. So, unless it’s something you really want to do then you probably won’t do it, so stick at it guys. Providing that this magazine is around in a few months time and I’m still writing for it I will be interviewing the above people to see how far they’ve come and whether they’ve stuck to their new year resolutions.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:36:54 GMT
Since its conception in May 2005, SolidSnake Designs' monthly magazine has held a special award for its members to show how much they are loved. We like to call this award, Member of the Month. The first member to receive this award was Mitch then under is old nickname of Cyberex, Mitch later became the moderator of the Show Off board along side SolidSnake Designs' prized idiot and owner, Oliver only for Mitch to leave this post, however only to return to the staffer ranks for a short amount of time as Yearbook Editor. June's Member of the Month was non other than now ex-Chillout moderator, Joe who later left us at SSD due to his belief that he could no longer fulfill his duties, you might see Joe around as he occasionally pops in now and then for a chat. The third person to take the title was non other than now JavaScript moderator and coder, California. Days after the article was published California became a moderator of the JavaScript boards, something which he greatly deserved. The next month, Super Moderator, Eternity became Member of the Month. Eternity is seen as royalty at this here forum. She has been around since the dawn of time and thus is loved by many, if not all. In September, Photography Moderator, Jonny became Member of the Month. Within months this northern lad changed from a boy who eats 6-8 chocolate bars a day into a moderator of the biggest design forum on ProBoards. Just two months ago, Neko became Member of the Month, known to his mother as Neil, Neko is a well known member of the community and this is why he became Member of the Month along with his great graphic skills which he has used to help other members develop their own styles. Last month, now coding moderator Crazy_J took the coveted title which he deserved. His hard work on the coding boards paid off when he became a moderator of them, he was also selected to code the Yearbook, a great project of his which has given him even more recognition as one of SolidSnake Designs' greatest coders. I hope that has given you a little insight into what has happened the previous winners of the Member of the Month title.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:37:27 GMT
This year has been a big one for us at Solidsnake Designs. Many new things have been introduced aswell as reintroduced such as this magazine that I am writing for, as well as the change of ownership. But most of all the community is back. I have been asked to compile a list of the top ten events in 2005 SSD history and the winners are... 10) Patches Spears. Only a few weeks after arriving, I, Mister Patches was thrown into the limelight after recording a video of myself miming topless to the Britney Spears' hit, Hit me baby one more time... Aren't I the weird one. 9) The SSD Fortnightly Magazine is reborn in the form of monthly released magazine, The Herald, with a crack team of writers, editors and a humanzee. 8) UCs picture is finally revealed! Some of us finally found out what SSDs first lady actually looked like. Only for Mrs. Claus to take it down within a matter of hours. 7) UC and Squallie fall in love, I think that about sums it up. 6) Maggiepoo dies! The mascot of Oliver the humanzee dies in a freak accident or so we think! 5) Peter leaves due to personal reasons. 4) Alan leaves, then came back, left, came back and hasn't been heard from since. 3) Lans Tartare comes back for a week or two, promising he's back for good. 2) A._Leon and Eternity are made Super Moderators bring back the love that Solidsnake Designs needs. 1) Ash resigns and UC takes his place. Ooops did I say UC? I meant Oliver. And that's the brief lowdown of last year, lets make his year even more exciting.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Dec 24, 2005 9:38:05 GMT
Across the world, New Years Day is celebrated as the coming of a new beginning, a fresh start and a series of challenges. In Anglo countries, we celebrate with parties and such fun on January 1st, but how does the rest of the world celebrate? Out with the Old, In with the NewIn Latin America, a frequent celebration is to create, and stuff a dummy with momentos of the previous year. This could be old newspapers, old clothes, and so on. At midnight, the dummy is set alight, burning away the old year so as to start a fresh, new one. Festival of LightIn India, Hindus celebrate a New Year no less than four times, one for each season. Diwali is probably the best known of these, and celebrates the coming of Autumn. Hindus believe that the goddess of luck will come to those houses which are lit brightly, and so children create clay lamps, known as 'dipas', to get her attention. Chinese New YearNew Years is celebrated at a different date, as China uses a Lunar Calendar. Festivities last five days. On New Years Day, people exchange presents, and a 'money tree' is made, decorated with gold coins and flowers. From the third til the fifth day, the 'Lion Dance' takes place, in which men dress up in lion costumes and take part in the parades. A number of other parades take place during this five day period, such as the well known Dragon Dance, in which a paper dragon head is attached to a long fabric body, maneuvered through the streets by a number of men. DenmarkIn Denmark, it is a good sign to find your door heaped with a pile of broken dishes at New Years. Old dishes are saved year around to throw them at the homes where their friends live on New Years Eve. Many broken dishes were a symbol that you have many friends. Rosh HashanahJews celebrate two New Years festivals, one for the Jewish New Year, and one for their country in which they live. The Jewish New Year is known as Rosh Hashanah, and takes place in September, lasting two days. At the synagogue, a rams horn is blown to remind people to think about the previous year and pray for their sins to be forgiven. Good Luck CharmsIn Spain when the clock strikes midnight the people eat 12 grapes, one for every stroke of the clock to represent each month in the year. Each grape is said to bring good luck in the new year. Armenian women cook a special bread for their family. The bread is kneaded with luck and good wishes pressed into the dough before it is cooked. The Swiss believe good luck comes from letting a drop of cream land on the floor New Years Day, while in France people eat a stack of pancakes for luck and good health. In Belgium, farmers wish their animals a Happy New Year for blessings. Listen Carefully...Romanians had a tradition of listening to hear if the farm animals talked on New Years Day. If the animals talked it was considered bad luck so they are relieved when they do not hear any talking animals! Happy New Year
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