|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 1:49:34 GMT
This month sure has come and gone quickly. As always- here at the Herald, we are glad to welcome the new month with a brand spankin' new edition. A lot of hard work went into this, and there is one person I couldn't possibly thank enough. You know who you are. As always, our staff list is being updated again this month; we are glad to welcome Xephra and Uzukami to the staff as Staff Writers. Don't forget to drop in a note of welcome to them. Enjoy the issue. urbancinderella Editor/Founder
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 2:44:47 GMT
It seems like a while since I have written one of these articles. I’ve got to say I’ve missed the chance to drone on- and to force you to listen. With that in mind, I’d like to wish you all a good start of the new year; I hope that you are all adjusting to 2006 well. As for SSD News, we welcomed several new staff members this month. Uzukami now heads up the SOTW section each week. He’s currently gathering subjects for the upcoming weeks (so don’t forget to drop in a few ideas). In addition to Uzukami, we’ve welcomed Mitch back to the staff. He takes over in the Find a Buddy board. Look for updates on that as it’ll be re-opening soon. Meanwhile, Morgoth has been appointed as the moderator of the Interview Board. An interview with Proboards Global Moderator Kapt~ is expected shortly; make sure that you don’t miss it. For board activities, we have brought back a beloved old tradition:, The SSD Excellence Awards. These awards highlight some of SSD’s best members and staff. Inside, you will find a wide range of weird and wonderful awards; you are to vote for your favorite members. It’s guaranteed to be lots of fun if participation grows, so make sure to stop by today and vote! Something to look out for is forum policy- it’s not a completely new set of rules but, rather, a recap of the general rules. It will be used as a way to tidy up the sticky topics in each board so that there are no conflicts. The policy is not just for regular members. It’s for everyone- including administrators and staff- to abide by. Eric has been busy brainstorming for ideas to boost the PDC area, which has been somewhat quiet since its initial launch last year. If you are an experienced PHP coder, follow the link placed at the top and see if you have what it takes to join this elite group of members. On the other end of the spectrum, the Art Group has been piecing together some wonderful works for the next collection- I can promise it will be worth the wait. Though the pack is already large and full of beautiful works, we aim to enlarge the collection even more. It is sure to be a crowd-pleaser on the release date. Don’t forget to comment when it goes up to let the artists know you appreciate their work. All right, I’ll stop boring you guys and creating more work for UC (and others!) to edit- have a great month, SSD, and enjoy the rest of this issue. Oliver Matthews SolidSnake Designs Owner
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 5:57:48 GMT
This month, we are proud to present the Member of the Month award to Happy! She is a friendly character who has significantly improved over time; Happy is also a shining member who is always on hand to provide valuable comments and suggestions in Show Off. Outside of Show Off, she can be seen participating in discussions all over the forum and spreading her kindness to others. A shoo-in for many of the SSD Excellence Awards, we're glad to add to her trophy cabinet "February Member of the Month." Avatar of the MonthAll it takes is one glimpse to tell you that this avatar is worthy of the "Avatar of the Month" award. The colors go well together, the animation is smooth and clean, and it describes without words what Jonny loves to do best: photography. Congratulations, Jonny! Signature Of the MonthIt's another victory for LPF this month. His entry for February includes a texture that is beautiful and smooth, making the image eye catching overall. Keeping the colors nice and simple, he has really made this signature a great piece. Though the text appears a bit too small for the rest of the image, it is still an amazing signature! I am glad to award LPF February's “Signature of the Month award.” With the new addition of the Literature board in Show Off, we have decided to add a section to the Herald dedicated to selecting a poem each month and honoring it. To christen this article, I've chosen Xephra's poem "CLD." His song, self-described as "short and slow with a climatic ending," is a great example of the new poetry filling the Literature board. Based around a well-known feeling of unrequited love, it oversteps the bounds of teenage angst by providing a little twist on the end and sweetening the deal with an ounce of foreshadowing. A thoroughly enjoyable read, I'm proud to announce "CLD" February's “Poem of the Month.” "Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence."- H.L. Mencken"We need men who can dream of things that never were."- John F. Kennedy"When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love."- J.K. Rowling"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."- Carl Jung"My mother used to say that there are no strangers, only friends you haven't met yet. She's now in a maximum security twilight home in Australia."- Dame Edna Everage"To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act."- Anatole France"There is no remedy for love but to love more."- Henry David Thoreau"It hurts to find out that what you wanted doesn't match what you dreamed it would be."- Randy K. Milholland"If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand."- Confucius"Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."- Abraham Lincoln"The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want."- Ben Stein"Hate the sin, love the sinner."- Mahatma Gandhi"I thought kissing made babies."Achilles"What's DA?"Darkster"You're crazy."
"I prefer the term, "special."Iggy & Reedy"Well. You're all sexy but we all know she's the sexiest. -points to a tree-"t3H B"Maybe now that Oliver has changed his hair, he has also changed his rapist ways."Quacker"I'm not bald, crazy people. "
"Just balding. "Oliver & Knighty"
Wow... "
"Hands off...
"yilduz & Mitch"Aww, what a shame, at least as they say "Good things come to those who wait." It should be worth the wait."
"Except if you wait for the last piece of pizza and someone in front of you takes the last one, then you are starving driving home and it distracts you. Then you drive off the road and flip your car. Then you go to the hospital and you're in a full body cast and have to eat everthing blended."Eternity & Shadow FXThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the Movie of the Month. While it is not the first book in the series by C.S. Lewis, it is the first to be adapted for the silver screen. Before you yell at me that the movie is old, I am well aware it was released in mid-December. But that's beyond the point. January produced lackluster movies (with the exception of Glory Road). Meanwhile, Narnia cleaned house at the theaters. Narnia did what often most books converted to movies can't- make an appealing movie and keep all the details within a decent run time. Even the smallest of parts were included in the movie, keeping the hardcore book-quoters content. Visually, Narnia is stunning. The scenery is beautiful, especially when Lucy first discovers the wardrobe and steps into the kingdom of Narnia. The snowy landscape creates a lush, gentle atmosphere, hiding the evils of the White Witch, Jadis, and her power which creates a never-ending winter in Narnia (while stealing away winter's one delight: Christmas). The special effects are amazing, especially when it comes to Aslan. The FX team did a great job bringing his character to life- his facial expression and movements are flawless and realistic. The acting in the movie is also to be bragged upon. Tilda Swinton does a fantastic job of portraying the White Witch, a complex character who has to appear friendly and gentle to Edmund, but can instantly switch to ferocious and demonic during one of the movie's most climactic scenes. The unknown British actors portraying the Pensives are not your ordinary child actors. The young girl playing Lucy stands out the most, with her ability to display any emotion with seeming ease while not overdoing it. The actor portraying Edmund performs well, really making him look like a bully at first, but as the movie progresses, you see his struggle to be strong like Peter while remaining as well liked as Lucy is. Sarah and Peter are perfectly played, bringing home the idea of two older siblings struggling to keep control in such an unusual situation. Lastly, the music of the film is beyond belief. A subtle, gentle tune plays as the four siblings cross into Narnia for the first time and fits the scene. However, in scenes where it matters most, like battle scenes for example, the music is a fast beat with many powerful booms and sounds sucking you into the moment. It achieves the epic quality necessary to show the power and importance of the scene without drowning out the action. Although it may be old, Narnia is an amazing movie everybody should see, even if they have not read the books. The presentation is amazing, the images beautiful and the music graceful, making it a visually tantalizing movie. You will be sucked into the movie and kept on the tip of your toes seeing what happens next, even if you already know. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe earns a 5/5.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:10:08 GMT
MacWorld 2006 (January 9th-January 13th) was absolutely amazing. Though it included a large variety of exibitioned innovations, the spotlights were permanently on the release of two new Intel driven computers: The iMac and the MacBook Pro. Both of these use the Intel Core Duo Processor (Yonah), which increases speed greatly. The iMac started shipping on the day it was revealed but the MacBook will not start shipping until February. The native environment of the Intel Core Duo chip is EFI, but it is reported that BIOS will work too. Basically, BIOS and EFI are the layers of the computer that perform operations before the actual operating system loads. BIOS is over 20 years old and was in need of an update, so EFI was created. Mac will only work with EFI and Windows Vista will natively run on EFI. Fortunately, the Core Duo is compatible with BIOS, so all of you Windows-lovers can run Windows on a Macintosh computer. This is a huge advancement in the business world because the iMac is the computer-of-choice for many designers, who are unable to use them at work because they need to use a Windows-compatible computer to run certain programs and store files that aren't compatible with the Mac operating system. Well, those days are over. I can imagine offices filled with Apple computers right now. In 1997, when Steve Jobs returned to Apple, Michael Dell was asked in an interview what he suggested Steve Jobs should do to take Apple out of its financial crisis and he responded "I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders." Eight years later, Jobs suggests Dell eats his words. Since Mac OS X is now compatible with Intel chips, including the ones in many of Dell's computers, many users could potentially buy a Dell computer and Mac OS X and load OS X onto the computer instead of buying a more expensive, higher-end Apple computer. The iMac is twice as fast as the PowerPC iMac and includes iLife 06, Front Row, and a built-in iSight camera. iLife 06 was also debuted, including updates to iPhoto (especially the UI), iMovie, and the new iWeb. iWeb is a website creator allowing for easy addition of blog articles and layout modifying. With ease you can transfer your photos from iPhoto into iWeb, add a caption and a title, and write up an article. It includes many professional templates and is not exclusive to Mac. One of the less known additions to iLife was giving GarageBand new life with the addition of creating your own Podcasts with it. I was quite amazed when I heard this and I would be interested to know who came up with this great idea. Despite all of this, MacBook Pro was the star of MacWorld. The MacBook is over 4 times faster than the PowerBook and it also includes Front Row and a built in iSight camera. Interestingly, the screen resolution is smaller than the PowerBook at 1440 by 900 pixels (PowerBook is 1680 by 1050 pixels). Since the MacBook will not be released until February, only prototype models were at the show and no battery power indications were available. But many people have claimed that is has a four-hour battery. It is definitely not enough to keep me away from a plug for more than an hour. Some changes were made to Pages and Keynote, but Apple did not add an application to battle Excel as they were expected to. Despite this, there is a table function in Pages which offers some Excel functionality- but not quite the same. The iPods were also updated, with an FM tuner and an iPod remote. Interestingly- the iBook and the Mac Mini, which were both expected to be updated, were not updated to Intel. Hopefully the two will become Intel-powered within the next few months. Also, Apple should put out 13" and 17" models of the MacBook around the release of the 15" model.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:10:45 GMT
Abortion, the death penalty, intelligent design, the war in Iraq— these are only some of the highly controversial topics that nobody honestly cares about. But the king of them all has to be affirmative action. However, unlike the first four, I am fully against this one. How can anybody support such hypocrisy? Sometime in the past couple of years, NBC did a special broadcast about affirmative action and a hot court case revolving around it. In this broadcast there were some supporters who said that affirmative action had helped a lot of blacks get in and be successful. That’s a great achievement and deserves a prize. It’s a shame they couldn’t do it without the aid of something this country can go just fine without. For example, Jennifer was an outstanding student. Unfortunately she wasn’t accepted into college. At the time of her applying, 100% of blacks who had the same record as her were let in. But only 30% of whites were let in. And that’s absolutely nothing more than reverse discrimination. Affirmative action is something this country can go without. There are plenty of people who made it to the top without it. We never had it until 1965. During World War II, we had the 101st Airborne Division. That’s a whole section of the military, which was all black, that played a huge role in the war. How about Martin Luther King Jr? He never had affirmative action to help him out, and he became probably the most famous black person to date. He even has his own holiday! But of course, we cannot forget about Jimi Hendrix, a guitar legend whose race was black. He never had affirmative action to help him with music and learning guitar. He came from a slum and rose to the top of society. With everything in the world there is a reflection; there’s an inversed copy. I can see where someone who is for affirmative action comes from. I mean, it did help some blacks become successful. Great story- write a book about it. There’s absolutely no reason why somebody can’t do something without the aid of something like affirmative action. I don’t get aid with my speech impairment. I suck it up and deal with it. No reason why everyone else can’t. (Ed. note- to hell with political correctness.)
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:11:01 GMT
(Don't come chasing after me with knives and torches. These are just my honest opinions. You don't have to like them, or in any way, agree with them. But keep in mind that they won't change no matter what factors you throw at me.) American idiot. President George W. Bush. One-and-the-same. I will say that I highly dislike Bush. In my eyes, the man is completely idiotic. He doesn't think things through or consider the consequences of his actions. September 11th is a prime example. When re-election time came round, I begged almost every registered voter I knew to vote for John Kerry. I didn’t do this because I like him. I did this because I honestly feel that keeping Bush in office is another reason why us Americans should stamp "IDIOT" across our foreheads. Now I know that we can't believe all the videos released by the Terrorists, but one stated that the attacks on September 11th were because of Bush being put in office. Yet, we made the same mistake twice. No one for sure knows if that is the real reason, but assuming it is…Bush still being here- and still in office- is a huge mistake. I'm not a Democrat, or a Republican (Ed. note- Libertarian?), I always look at both campaigns fairly. If one year I like a Republican, then the next year I like a Democrat, so be it. I know some has said that keeping Bush in office was a great choice so he could clean up his mess, but it is on the contrary- he has made things worse. Bush stated that at one point that out troops in Iraq would be home by the end of his term in 2004, then changed his mind and announced that they will stay stationed there for at least another 4 years. It's utterly despicable. Bush got the troops' families hopes up, and then withdrew what he originally stated. I don't care if he's President or not, that's just not right. America has lost over two thousand of its troops. Think about it this way- those troops are either husbands or wives, fathers or mothers, siblings, or a child of someone. Now they are forced to live without their families. Do you have any idea how hard that is? Don't get me wrong though, I don't blame Bush fully for everything that has occurred. I know that Congress, and some others played a role in it. Trust me, I don't like them either. Maybe there is a chance I made you see things from my point of view; maybe there are some saying that they think I'm utterly stupid, or that they want to even reply to this article. I don't care what it is, write it, and PM it to me!
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:14:09 GMT
**These are all based on UK release dates, some might be marginally earlier or later. Film Release Dates 3rd FebWalk The Line The Ice Harvest Prime Zathura: A Space Adventure North Country10th FebruaryBig Momma's House 2 Final Destination 3 Chicken Little The Little Polar Bear 217th FebruaryAeon Flux Casanova Goodnight, And Good Luck24th FebruaryThe World's Fastest Indian Proof Lucky Number Slevin The Matador The Fog
DVD Releases 6th FebruaryPride & Prejudice Tim Burton's Corpse Bride Oliver Twist13th FebruaryNanny McPhee Starsky & Hutch Season 4 Godzilla (1954)20th FebruaryWallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit27th FebruaryStuart Little 3: Call Of The Wild The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl
Album Releases 6th FebruaryBelle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit (Limited edition with bonus DVD) Beth Orton - Comfort of StrangersDeep Dish & VA - TBAElectronic - Best ofGinuwine - Back II Da Basics (EU)Herbie Hancock - The Essential Herbie HancockJanes Addiction - Up From The Catacombs: Best OfMoby - Hotel Live (with bonus DVD) My Chemical Romance - Life On Murder Scene (with bonus DVD) Mylo - Destroy Rock & Roll (US)Pharrell Williams - In My MindSantana - Santana III: Legacy EditionSparks - Hello Young LoversThe Corrs - Home (US)Tim McGraw - Greatest Hits, Vol. 2Tina Dico (Zero7) - In the RedWilliam Orbit - Hello WaveformsOST - Aeon FluxOST - Dead Man Walking Soundtrack: Legacy EditionVA - Brit Awards Album 2006 [Dualdisc]13th FebruaryDavid Bowie - Serious Moonlight Live EPDJ Sammy - The RisePaul Weller - Best ofTears For Fears - Songs From the Big Chair (Deluxe Edition)Toto - Falling in Between20th FebruaryBlock Party - Helicopter27th FebruaryBurt Bacharach - The Definitive CollectionCameo - The Definitive CollectionElvis Costello - My Flame Turns BlueLiza Minnelli - The Definitive CollectionShakira - Oral Fixation 2 [Dualdisc] (UK)OST - Songs That Warm The Heart
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:15:33 GMT
"But who are we going to rob? houses - or cattle - or -"
"Stuff! stealing cattle and such things ain't robbery, it's burglary," says Tom Sawyer. "We ain't burglars. That ain't no sort of style. We are highwaymen. We stop stages and carriages on the road, with masks on, and kill the people and take their watches and money."
"Must we always kill the people?"
"Oh, certainly. It's best. Some authorities think different, but mostly it's considered best to kill them. Except some that you bring to the cave here and keep them till they're ransomed."
"Ransomed? What's that?"
"I don't know. But that's what they do. I've seen it in books; and so of course that's what we've got to do."
"But how can we do it if we don't know what it is?"
"Why, blame it all, we've got to do it. Don't I tell you it's in the books? Do you want to go to doing different from what's in the books, and get things all muddled up?"
"Oh, that's all very fine to say, Tom Sawyer, but how in the nation are these fellows going to be ransomed if we don't know how to do it to them? - that's the thing I want to get at. Now, what do you reckon it is?"
"Well, I don't know. But per'aps if we keep them till they're ransomed, it means we keep them till they're dead."
"Now, that's something like. That'll answer. Why couldn't you said that before? We'll keep them till they're ransomed to death - and a bothersome lot they'll be, too, eating up everything and always trying to get loose."--- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain"A classic of its time," the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been said to be an important piece of American historical literature. This is the tale of a young boy who, accompanied by a runaway slave, finds himself involved in a series of adventures unlike the pretend ones he would play back at home with his friends. Huckleberry Finn, the protagonist of the story, is like any other boy -- adventurous and a common thrill-seeker. But this isn't just any average adventure story of a little boy. It takes place sometime around the 1800's. It's a time where African Americans were enslaved and southern society was filled with the idea that slavery was justified by the Bible. Huck Finn grew up in this society and was taught that slavery was fine. But as the story progresses, you find yourself attached to Huck and how much his mentality prospers over the mentality of southern society -- you find how much he matures on the idea of slavery. It isn't just an adventure book, but a book weaved together with the American ideas of the time. The story itself is very controversial -- was it a racist book, or was it not a racist book? Many people have been offended, back then and still today. That's something a reader has to judge for themselves. If you aren't familiar with America and its old ideas of slavery, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn brings American southern society, its ideals, and its beliefs to life. It is a good piece of historical literature- something worth reading. If you're not in it to see past the adventure parts -- then by all means, enjoy the adventure. I sure did.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:15:56 GMT
Pure Trance.4 Yes, another Trance CD review -- deal with it. Unlike the last issue that focused on Ultra Trance 4, this one is a whole new brand. The title speaks no lies when it says "Pure" Trance. You'll find some very nice songs on this, ranging from fast paced songs, to nice and subtle kinds; some without words, some with. It's a wonderful collection of songs from various DJ's that I'm sure you won't grow tired of the CD any time soon. The CD itself is a very "peaceful" CD with "peaceful" songs. They're good to listen to when you want to relax. They're not too wordy, or not wordy at all. If you're familiar with DJ artists like Paul van Dyk, or 4 Strings, DJ Tiesto then I'm sure you'll like these artists (artists ranging from Ron Van Den Beuken to M.O.P.E.). This is a great CD -- can't stress enough how nice it is. It's a personal favorite, and as the CD Review, I am obligated to let you know that it's enjoyable. You're missing out if you haven't heard at least some of these songs. .track list. 1. The Voice - Kaze 2. Peace - Wavetraxx 3. Massive Beats - Dark Base 4. Acceleration - Nathan Profit 5. Timeless - Ron Van Den Beuken 6. Tomorrow - Cosmic Gate 7. Without You - ICQ 8. Energy - Zenith DJ 9. In This World - Moby 10. Progression in Time - Oliva 11. Journey to Paradise - Voi 12. 6 AM - PSR Dream Team 13. Phuture 2000 - Carl Cox 14. Alive & Kickin - Riot 303 Vs Observer 15. Someday - Soda Club 16. Only If I - Kate Ryan 17. Unfinished Symphony - Woody Van Eyden 18. It's Dawning On Me - M.O.P.E. .recommendations.Timeless Tomorrow Without You Someday Only If I
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:16:43 GMT
Keane first came to my attention whilst I stumbled carelessly through the iTunes music store (yes, I actually buy my music) like some demented child looking for sweets. At first, I was confused as I read the band review. A rock band with no guitar? I decided that this band may not be the sweet candy I was looking for. I also decided that I would listen to the previews that iTunes oh-so-kindly has; boy, was I glad I did. The music has soaring melodies; calm, catchy riffs; and rich vocals with the power of a choir. They had pulled it off. It was rock, but it was without any guitars. I hurriedly downloaded their debut album, Hopes and Fears. You may be wondering why they decided against a guitar. When they formed in 1997, there were in fact four members of the band, one being a guitarist. He left after a period of time. This left Tom Chaplin (vocals), Tim Rice-Oxley (piano), and Richard Hughes (drums). It took Keane quite a while to hone a good, solid sound and in 2002 started doing gigs again. During one of these gigs, Simon Williams’ attention was caught by the band’s original sound and asked if they wanted to put out a single on his record label. They chose their harmonious “Everybody’s Changing” which was recorded for zero pence. Keane certainly has an original sound which is quite evident throughout all their songs on Hopes and Fears. It’s one of those albums which you can just put on and listen to all the way through without skipping a track which you don’t like. Their songs are never the same, either. You get some bands where every song sounds like the last and seems to have no inspiration. Keane is the exact opposite. It also seems that Keane are heading to be the next big thing since Coldplay. You may now groan and just think that you hate power-crazed bands like that and start producing rubbish and get away with it. The thing is, Keane is asking for this “top” spot. They’re just playing their music and releasing it on albums. At the moment, they only have their debut out. Surely, if a debut album is turning this many heads, then you can only expect good from them in the future. I also believe that Keane won’t have second album syndrome (the oft-named “sophomore slump”), which every artist seems to get. Keane isn’t pining for attention; they just want to entertain and sell albums, the media is no object in their quest. Their second album will out-do their debut resulting in a phenomenal band which will surely take the spotlight on the music scene.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:17:58 GMT
This month I'll be reviewing Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, an exclusive for the Nintendo Gamecube. Now, before you attempt to tar and feather me for choosing to review a Gamecube game, hear me out. Many Strategy RPG franchises try to make a new series just as successful as, say, the Final Fantasy franchise. However, here Nintendo and developer Intelligent Systems have struck gold. While the Fire Emblem series may be relatively new here in America with only three games to date, the series has found everlasting success in Japan, with nine games released. At first glance, Path of Radiance looks like any other RPG game. Move your character, attack, kill, level up. Lather, rinse, repeat. However, Path of Radiance is different. With a surprisingly interesting and well-written story line, it's hard not to get sucked into the game. Plus, with some of the best graphics seen on a Gamecube, it's got some major points going for it. The battlefield graphics may seem average, but the actual battles between two characters and the cinematic cut-scenes are beautiful. The music is beautiful and the sound effects are amazing, even down to the subtle crunch of snow under a unit's feet on the battlefield. Lastly, the gameplay elements are above average for RPG games, which never hurts. The game revolves around a small mercenary group called the Greil Mercenaries. Lead by Commander Greil, a strong warrior with a mysterious past and his son Ike, a young man seeking recognition and experience, they take on relatively small jobs in their home country of Crimea on the continent of Tellius. However, when their neighboring country Daein attacks the Crimean capital without warning, killing all the royals of the capital, total war breaks out. When Ike is out on a mission, his team comes across the apparent princess of Crimea, Elincia, who fled when her city was attacked. Taking her shelter, the mercenaries are attacked by platoons of the Daein Army, forcing them to flee after the battle. While taking flight, Greil is murdered by the mysterious and powerful Black Knight, one of the Four Riders of Daein, a sharp reminder of Greil's past. Ike is immediately tossed into command of the mercenary group and impending war, with no experience as a commander. The story also features an ancient prejudice to "demi-humans," or laguz, who can transform into beasts. The prejudice resurfaces, resurrecting an ancient struggle for laguz and beorc (humans) to live in peace and cooperate if they have any hope of stopping Daein and ending the war. Players learn about Griel's past, Ike's connection to the laguz, the true intentions of the King of Daein, Ashnard, ancient corruption and unrest between all the nations of Tellius and a mysterious assassin with a connection to Sir Gawain. Along with a betrayal from inside his own company, an ancient medallion said to hold prisoner an evil god with the ability to cause mass chaos and destruction and Ike's past, the story keeps you coming back for more and guessing at every corner. All in all, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is an awesome game. It does what most Strategy RPG's can't: it delivers a great presentation, addicting gameplay elements and a story with many sub-plots and twists to keep you interested. Definitely worth your money, this game will easily keep you busy for 50+ hours, just on your first run through doing the basics, making it a game every gaming fan should check out. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance earns a 5/5.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:26:42 GMT
January has proved to be another, slow, lackluster month for gaming fans. While the transition between generations is the biggest cause, a lack of strong selling games can be blamed. Last year at this time, games such as Resident Evil 4 were flying off store shelves. Not to be forgotten, Halo 2 and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas were raking in the sales. This year however, there is nothing. Due to the recent lack of strong-selling games over the last few months, many companies have reported game sales much below earlier estimates. One company is making an active attempt at trying to boost their sales. Electronic Arts (EA Games) has brought down all prices on their current generation games by ten, and even up to twenty dollars. So, unfortunately, you're still going to have to pay $60 for Madden NFL 2006 for your Xbox 360. As expected, developers have started the trash talking about the next generation consoles. One developer, for example, has already discounted the Nintendo Revolution as dead last in the next-gen console wars with the PS3 and Xbox 360 tied for success and has proclaimed it will be Nintendo's last system. Well, Mr. Scott Miller, CEO (3D Realms) should really learn to not judge things before he says them, as he has not even seen a working developer's kit of the Revolution. Plus, Mr. Miller's company has been working on the sequel to Duke Nukem for the last decade and even admits he cannot judge the Revolution controller yet. On the Playstation 3 front, news have been scarce. The only major update to report is that DevStation 2006 will focus solely on the Playstation 3 and much information will be revealed then. So, it seems we still have quite a while to wait for info on both the PS3 and Revolution front. We eagerly anticipate E3.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:27:01 GMT
Black History Month is celebrated every February in the United States and every October in the United Kingdom. The celebration was created to remember and honor the hardships, struggles, and successes of African-Americans. Unfortunately, this month-long celebration is often overlooked, or dismissed, due to a lack of understanding, education and care. Black History Month traces its origins all the way back to the 1920's. Originally dubbed "Negro History Week," the holiday was celebrated during the second week of February and lasted for one week, respectively. The holiday was created by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an African-American historian, who strived to bring national attention to the achievements of African-Americans improving their country. Woodson reportedly chose February as the month for the celebration because it was the month in which three important people were born: Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and Langston Hughes, all of whom greatly changed the way of life and perception of all African-Americans. However, some speculators say Dr. Woodson chose February as it is the shortest and, most often, the coldest month of the year. Interestingly enough, the holiday's own creator hoped the celebration would be abolished. His reason? He only wanted it to exist until African-American history was fully integrated with American history. Dr. Woodson is not alone, though. African-American celebrities, such as the outspoken Morgan Freeman, have publicly spoken out against the holiday. On a December 2005 episode of 60 Minutes, Morgan Freeman said, "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history," citing that prejudices and racism will still exist if people will still identify themselves solely based on their race.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:27:38 GMT
All SSD members were invited to submit a quote concerning who their dream valentine would be. The results are in, and they are as follows: It would be Katie. She goes to my school and has refused to talk to me thus far. Every time I go near her, she blushes and walks away.Josh...UC <3
=DXephraI want my Valentine to be Mari Yaguchi because she's kawaii. :3DelMy dream valentine is UC, because she is superhotandprettyandallofthatgoodstuffandIlovesherverymuches.
Actually, she's my dream valentine because she has a nice butt.ShadowYou would be my dream valentine, UCRyan{gimli}I'd pick Chris Evans (from Fantastic 4) or Dermot O'Leary (Big Brother's Little Brother - only UK people will know him!!) as my perfect valentine... but I'd have to come up with some way of changing their sexual preference.TheDiaryRoomIf I could have anyone for my Valentine, I'd choose UC. She's absolutely fantastic and great. If I couldn't have her, I'd pick Brian, since he's incredibly seksay and my best friend ever... Maybe I can have both for a very fun filled Valentine's Night...InvaderJelloIf I could have anyone for a valentine, it would probably be Angelina Jolie.
First of all, she is not just another rich and snooty actress . Her child was adopted and therefore she has enough kindness to care for others besides herself. She has donated loads of money to many different charities, and she starred in one of my favorite movies of all time, "Hackers."gadgetguy606BrittCrazy_JTo no suprise, it'd be Whitney for me. Simply because I've loved her for 11 months strong and 12 days after Valentine's day is 1 year for us. Last year neither one of us was around for Valentine's. It'd be nice if this year that could change.A.LeonKate Beckinsale. After watching Underworld: Evolution, she's become my new favorite actress. LuciferWhy, you of course. Roses? Chocolate? Day spa certificate? All three?ArtosOliver- because as my valentine, he would be forced to give me that damned cookie that taunts me from his MSN window.urbancinderella
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:27:55 GMT
Groundhog DayFebruary 2: The day where Mr. Groundhog comes out of his hole. If his shadow is seen, then there should be six more weeks of winter. On the contrary, if it isn’t seen, then spring is soon to come. This holiday was actually based off an old Scottish couplet: “If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.” This day goes back to European roots. The earliest settlers of Pennsylvania were Germans who happened to find a surplus of groundhogs welcoming them to good ol' Pennsylvania. Resembling the European hedgehog, they determined that the groundhog was the most intelligent and sensible animal, and then decided that if the sun were out on February 2nd, such a wise animal would see his shadow, know that there would be six more weeks of winter, and hurry back into his underground home. Singles Awareness DayFebruary 15: Celebrated the day after Valentine’s Day, this day is for those who are without a significant other. Valentine’s Day is mainly meant for those couples who already have each other. Why not have a day where two people can get together, give each other gifts, and, as one website puts it, “celebrate and enjoy the fact that you are unattached.” However, I prefer to think of it as a chance where two people can get together, get to know each other a little better, and perhaps develop their relationship from there. According to the same site as mentioned above, Dustin Barnes from Mississippi State University was the creator of the day. If you’re wondering…yes, Dustin was single at the time. International World Thinking DayFebruary 22: This day is specifically for Girl Scouts, Girl Guides, and all other girl groups there may be out there. Setting aside time for your “sister” Scouts and giving your time, thanks, and appreciation to them was the original objective of this day, but over the years has expanded to helping Scouts learn about health issues that can affect girls and young women. Random Thinking Day fact: “According to the World Thinking Day organization's website, ‘World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at the fourth Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy (now called Edith Macy Conference Center).’” ( Fact from holidayinsights.com) National Pancake WeekFebruary 21-27: In earlier days, during the week of Lent, the consumption of fat and eggs was not allowed during this week. Families made pancakes to start off Lent and to use up all of the “forbidden ingredients.” It was from this day that Pancake Day was born. Pancake Day had instant popularity, and because of this grew to take up a week so that families could share homely times in the kitchen while whipping up a stack of warm, fluffy flapjacks. Random pancake fact: “Pancake Week is the perfect time to flip over Aunt Jemima Pancake's line of calcium and iron-enriched pancake mixes. These pancake mixes provide approximately 10 percent of the daily recommended value of calcium and iron per serving, when mixed according to package directions. A serving consists of two, four-inch pancakes.” ( Fact from auntjemima.com) Leap YearNot really a specific February holiday…it isn’t even really a holiday, but it is interesting nonetheless. A leap year consists of 366 days with 29 days in February, and it occurs every four years. In order for the calendar to be in alignment with Earth’s motion around the sun, we must have a leap year. It takes 365.2422 days for Earth to revolve around the sun. If we used a calendar with 365 days, an error of 0.2422 days would occur, which is almost 6 hours per year. 6 hours may not seem like much, but what if that were accumulated over time? After 100 years, calendars would be ahead by more than 24 days. By adding a leap year every four years, the calendar can follow the seasons much more closely. No calendar is perfect, going wrong by seconds, minutes, hours, or days every year. New leap year rules have been introduced, and they complicate calculations of the calendar even more.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:28:25 GMT
Got a February birthday? Check below to see what famous person shares your same birthday! February 1stLee Thompson Young Big Boi Lisa Marie Presley Langston Hughes Clark Gable February 2ndShakira Graham Nash James Joyce Tom Smothers February 3rdNorman Rockwell Gertrude Stein Joey Bishop Dave Davies February 4thNatalie Imbruglia Oscar De La Hoya Alice Cooper Rosa Parks Charles Lindbergh February 5thHenry "Hank" Aaron Bobby Brown Roger Staubach February 6thAxl Rose Bob Marley Natalie Cole Zsa Zsa Gabor Babe Ruth Ronald Reagan February 7thAshton Kutcher Chris Rock Garth Brooks Sinclair Lewis Laura Ingalls Wilder Charles Dickens February 8thJosh Keaton Seth Green Gary Coleman Robert Klein James Dean William Tecumseh Sherman February 9thDavid Gallagher Mia Farrow Alice Walker Carole King Carmen Miranda February 10thCliff Burton George Stephanopoulos George Norman Mark Spitz February 11thKelly Rowland Brandy Mike Shinoda Jennifer Aniston Sheryl Crow Burt Reynolds Thomas Alva Edison Sidney Sheldon February 12thNaseem Hamed Christina Ricci Arsenio Hall Judy Blume Charles Darwin Abraham Lincoln Dom DiMaggio February 13thRobbie Williams Jerry Springer George Segal L.L. Bean Grant Wood Bess Truman February 14thDrew Bledsoe Florence Henderson Hugh Downs Mel Allen Jack Benny February 15thRenee O'Conner Chris Farley Jane Seymour Galileo Galilei Susan B. Anthony Melissa Manchester February 16thSteffani Brass Ice-T Sonny Bono Hugh Beaumont February 17thParis Hilton Joseph Gordon-Levitt Billie Joe Armstrong Michael Jordan Hal Holbrook Bryan White urbancinderella February 18thRihanna Dr. Dre Vanna White John Travolta John Hughes Yoko Ono George Kennedy February 19thHaylie Duff Seal Jeff Daniels Lee Marvin Nicolas Copernicus February 20thAnsel Adams Kurt Cobain Cindy Crawford Charles Barkley Gloria Vanderbilt February 21stCharlotte Church Jennifer Love Hewitt Kelsey Grammar Alan Rickman Barbara Jordan February 22ndDrew Barrymore Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin Edward M. Kennedy George Washington Frederic Chopin February 23rdDakota Fanning Tommy McCarthy Peter Fonda W.E.B. DuBois George Frederic Hondel February 24thBilly Zane Steven Jobs Alain Prost Abe Vigoda Kristen Davis February 25thZeppo Marx Justin Jeffre Sean Astin George Harrison Jim Backus Lee Evans Sir William Ashley February 26thMichael Bolton Johnny Cash Buffalo Bill Cody Levi Strauss Victor Hugo February 27thJosh Groban Chelsea Clinton Rozonda "Chili" Thomas Ralph Nader Elizabeth Taylor John Steinbeck Henry Wadsword Longfellow February 28thCharles Durning Linus Pauling Eric Lindros Gilbert Gottfried Mario Adretti February 29thWilliam Wellman Jeff "Ja Rule" Atkins Jack Lousma Jimmy Dorsey
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:29:17 GMT
Name: (LPF) Adam, duhr. Hobbies: Hockey, Music, Art. Favorite Website(s): SolidSnake Designs, deviantART, and ATM, Astral Genesis. (G101's gone under.) Favorite School Subject(s): ...music. Haha, figures. What brought you to SolidSnake Designs?I needed to post somewhere OTHER than PBS, because at the time, PBS was boring me. Who is your favorite designer? And Why?Probably Nexxia, because at one point, he'd influenced me. I love his abstract work and his renders, too. How long have you been a designer? And how did you get started?I've been a designer for about a year and a half now. All the requests people got me started, especially Michelle. I looked up to her art so much back then. I actually started out with PSP7. Never got very far with it, but yeah, that's how it all started. What programs do you use now?I use PSCS2, only for the brushes. If I had a choice, I'd go back to PS7, but I'm too lazy to. Haha. Have you ever thought about going professional?Nah, too much pressure, though I'm told I perform better under pressure. I don't do anything except sigs and avatars anyways. Got three examples of your work you'd like to share?www.deviantart.com/view/17442228/www.deviantart.com/view/19682288/www.deviantart.com/view/23775153/
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:29:32 GMT
KariKari has a great range of art work. Flawless literature, colorful and bright digital work, and stunning photography are all different elements of this artist’s gallery. Kari has an excellent sense of concept within her work too- every piece has great feeling an emotion that really draws the viewer into the images! Deviantart = forever-simplicity.deviantart.com/ AlanOkay, so maybe he isn’t a member here anymore…but he was a big part of SSD (and still is in a way) so I am putting him in here anyway! Alan is a stunning photographer and digital artist…in fact, if it wasn’t for him, SSD would look totally different! He seems to have settled more on photography nowadays and he has a great collection of shots. He uses everyday objects and create a fantastic conceptual subject from them (and that’s a real skill). Along with this he also has a great eye of placement, and pulls every photo off successfully! Deviantart = alialo.deviantart.com/ Josh….iccaThis….guy…woman…whatever…..has a really great gallery that is packed with some pieces that I just wish were real! He is one of the best Terragen-ers around, and he creates some stunning stuff. Great use of lighting and texture really give each peace a stunning aura! I cannot forget to say the Josh also has a very good talent on the other areas of digital work and can really kick out some great stuff in P.S. Deviantart = jaj43123.deviantart.com/ MitchAnyone here like Urban? Cause Mitch is definitely the man with the Urban pants! Mitch uses superb composition and excellent texturing to make his pieces have great urban feel with his own little personal niche. Of course, I cannot neglect the fact that Mitch also has a fantastic eye for photography and has produced some stunners in his time! Deviantart = cyberex.deviantart.com/ F.TI’d put your sunglasses on for these ones guys and gals, cause this gallery is bright...and I mean bright. This girl has great use of colour within her pieces and they always work, if you look at these on a sad day I am sure that they’ll add a bit more sunshine to it! The blending of colour and texture is all beautifully done and is a great feature in her works. I often feel that people do not notice F.T enough on the forum…I hope this helps! Deviantart = firetemptress.deviantart.com/
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:30:08 GMT
By far one of the better resources SolidSnake Designs has to offer can be found in the .psd section. This fully editable image is beautifully designed, with a great colour scheme and superb use of shapes and patterns, And get this: it has yet to be downloaded even once! The premade banner, donated to the database by our very own Chase (aka Xeron), has been sadly neglected despite its sleek, high-tech design. The colours, though unconventional, go so well together (and if you don't like them, they can always be changed, just as the shape and layout can be too). Though it can be seen that it was originally designed by Chase for one of his own projects, he like so many other SSD members has generously allowed this banner to be used by anyone who sees potential in it. And trust me, it has mounds of potential. On its own as a signature or as the basis for a web template or ProBoard skin, Chase's psd banner 1 deserves a look.
|
|
|
Post by urbancinderella on Feb 1, 2006 6:30:31 GMT
For this edition of Graphic Hints, I am going to blend an image of a sunset and a starry sky to give the image more interest. Here are the two images that I will be using: First off, you will notice that one image is considerably smaller than the other. Due to the fact that images pixelate when stretched, we will have to go by the size of the smaller image. I will copy and paste the sunset image into Photoshop. Now, we aren’t just going to blend one image over the other. The plan is to graduate a blend from the sunset into a starry sky. This means we are going to have to expand the canvas upwards. For these particular images, I am going to increase the height of the canvas to 1300 pixels. You will now have a big white expanse above your sunset image; this does depend on your background color. Color pick the top most color you can on the sunset image and fill a layer behind it with that color. You will notice some imperfections of darker or lighter colors where the sunset image finishes. Get out the lasso tool and in the bar up the top raise the feather to around 20px. Circle around these imperfections and hit delete; make sure you are on the sunset image layer! Now it’s time to paste in the space picture. If you want, you can decrease it’s size using the transform tool (ctrl+t) to increase picture quality and to fit it better onto the canvas, just make sure it covers most of the sunset image. Now, grab that lasso tool and raise the feather to around 50-70 px. Draw a reasonable sized oval around the now hidden sunset image. If it tells you that no selection can be made either draw the oval bigger or lower the feather. Hit delete when you have a substantial selection, make sure your on the space image. The sunset image will now have miraculously appeared. Keep altering the feather and deleting bit’s of the space image as appropriate. Don’t go over the top though. When your happy, stand back and marvel at your creation. If you feel the stars are too strong then just lower the opacity.
|
|