Source: http://www.rssmicro.com/rss.web?q=Israel
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Sunday, June 30, 2013
Israel
Hollyoaks star is blasted after train jump Twitter rant
HOLLYOAKS star James Sutton was slammed by his girlfriend ? after moaning at being delayed after a man jumped in front of a train.
And Virgin Trains bosses also criticised the actor, who plays John Paul McQueen in the Channel 4 soap, for complaining about the service.
Sutton, 30, was forced to apologise for his insensitive Twitter remark after his Liverpool to London train was delayed following the incident at Rugby, Warks.
He tweeted: ?Various trains to catch. If everyone could refrain from jumping in front of them for the next few hours, that would be great.?
But girlfriend Jessica Fox, 30, who plays Nancy Hayton in Hollyoaks, tweeted him: ?That?s somebodies child!!?
And Virgin?s tweet to him said: ?Some sensitivity would be appreciated, delayed or not.?
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Two Sketchy Florida Attorneys Could Help Zimmerman Beat a Murder Rap
The first week of the trial of George Zimmerman has wrapped up in a Sanford, Florida courtroom. Zimmerman has been charged with 2nd degree murder in the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin back on February 26, 2012. There is a lesser-included charge of manslaughter. Based on what I?ve seen, heard and read so far, Zimmerman walks, signaling ?Open Season on Negroes? (OSON) in the state of Florida. As if that wasn?t already the case in any of the ?Stand your ground? or ?Castle Doctrine? states that represent a vast majority of the country.
A simple review of the night?s activities of the 26th had the teenager dawdling in the rain walking through gated community ?Retreat at Twin Lakes? after a trip to a local convenience store for Skittles and a 23 oz drink. He was headed to his dad?s fianc??s residence in the complex. Cipher Zimmerman positioned himself to head the neighborhood watch program and decided in a 911 call that Martin was a real suspicious guy, up to no good. Armed with a nasty 9 mm, he stalked the kid and killed him but not until Martin fought for his life. Martin didn?t initiate the proceedings, Zimmerman did.
A first-week?s review of the trial is available here thanks to CBS/AP. Here are a few observations. Neither of the Assistant State Attorneys (John Guy and Bernie de la Rionda) could win a moot court case at the lowest-rated law school. After Guy?s dramatically compelling opening statements that shockingly included Zimmerman?s blatantly racist 911 references (F***ing punks and A-holes) to so-called ne?er do wells sneaking through his hood with occasional bad acts, it looked like the prosecution had some trial skills.
The defense opening statement was overly long, embarrassing and clueless. Attorney Don West actually started his plea to the jury with an absurdly ill-placed and offensive ?knock knock? joke.
I felt comfortable that Guy?s effective opening statement would extend into the case in chief and a conviction of Zimmerman. Ain?t gonna happen! On either count. As it turns out, the two lead prosecutors have turned out to be weak sisters. Time and time again on redirect, they?ve missed critical follow-up questions that would have given context to the awesomely misleading questions and tactics of the two sketchy defense attorneys, West and the consummate phony, Mark O?Mara, a media-savvy (he appears on TV both locally and nationally) silver tongued devil.
Let me give you a couple of examples. In Friday?s testimony, A Twin Lakes resident, Jonathan Good, testified that it was so dark that upon first investigating sounds outside his residence he could see a human, but didn?t know whether that human was interacting with another person or an animal. Later he confidently told the jury that the man on the bottom of a subsequent scuffle that went to the ground was wearing a red jacket. Another witness produced a photo of the upper body a face-down and deceased Trayvon Martin in the circle of his flashlight and you could absolutely not even see the youngster?s pants outside the circle. Nothing on that point from prosecutions redirect.
Good also fell for O?Mara?s constant reference to the Mixed Martial Art?s term ?ground and pound.? That?s an MMA term for one fighter essentially sitting on top of another and beating him with his fists. Just like some of the more pugnacious of you did when you were in 4th grade. But instead of the standard scuffle, it was characterized as scary old ?MMA GROUND AND POUND!?
Had the prosecution done ANY homework they would have checked into connections to MMA for both combatants; Martin and Zimmerman. They didn?t. They allowed the Defense to get away with constant and meaningless MMA references. And it wasn?t until the later testimony of a Physicians Assistant, that it came out that Zimmerman was the devotee of MMA and took MMA classes three times a week in addition to working so intensely at the outset of his MMA involvement that he couldn?t sleep.
The Christian Science Monitor quotes O?Mara as saying ?I have had anecdotal evidence that there were videos out there suggesting that Trayvon involved himself in MMA fighting. Here?s one such video O?Mara was apparently referring to: Martin was not one of the fighters. His brother says he wasn?t there at all.
The defense earlier insisted that even though Zimmerman went to a gym for boxing lessons (no mention of MMA by the defense), he wasn?t allowed in the ring because he was too ?soft.? Pure BS unchallenged by the prosecution. In fact, if you pay your money, you would be allowed into the ring, either fully protected with someone of your skill level or just working out with a trainer who wouldn?t hit back.
Speaking of the Physicians Assistant, the most egregious snake-oil the defense was allowed to get away with was O?Mara turning minor injuries as described by the PA into life-threatening near-death wounds; a legal necessity because the law stipulates that the ?victim? who shoots his/her attacker must be in fear for his life or great bodily injury.
After conceding that Zimmerman might have broken his nose, in spite of the fact it was perfectly straight a day later, she shrugged off two minor cuts measured at 2 centimeters and 0.5 cm. There are about 2.5 cm per inch so these were baby cuts. There were also some inconsequential minor abrasions. Zimmerman?s weight was listed at 204, 46 lbs more than Martin. O?Mara came back on cross and flashed the bloody photo taken shortly after the shooting as if that was the Zimmerman the witness had examined.
A side note, in the photo, they may look like elongated cuts, but those were merely dry blood trails. The prosecutors never pressed the issue of the bloody photo. Here are the questions that should have been asked. Do scalp wounds bleed profusely? Yep; thinner skin, higher BP. Was there any indication that Mr. Zimmerman?s life was in ANY danger? How many people with similar injuries have died since you started practicing? Did Mr. Zimmerman tell you he felt like he was going to die? Of course he didn?t and, in fact, declined every opportunity to seek further professional treatment and sought the evaluation so he could return to work. Something pretty much ignored by the prosecution.
Neither cop on the witness stand was asked if there were any complaints lodged against Martin other than Zimmerman.
The state?s ?star? witness, Rachel Jeantel, turned out to be a troubled teenage eccentric more to be pitied than censured and was totally unprotected by the prosecution as she was insulted repeatedly by Attorney West.
Yes, Trayvon pounded on Zimmerman and was most likely on top, but Zimmerman started it, picked the fight, was carrying a deadly weapon at the ready and who knows who struck the first blow? Maybe the state is saving the best for last, but I?m afraid ?softie? will beat the rap. See if Zimmerman?s day-old account holds up here.
So Zimmerman can go back to being Block Watch Captain, seeking out his next OSON victim ?er ?real suspicious guy.?
Source: http://www.politicususa.com/2013/06/29/sketchy-florida-attorneys-zimmerman-beat-murder-rap.html
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Obama paying tribute to Mandela in S Africa
JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? President Barack Obama is meeting with South Africa's leader at the start of a weekend visit that will pay tribute to the legacy of critically ill former President Nelson Mandela.
As Obama harkens back to Mandela's leadership against apartheid, he'll also be trying to engage Africa's future by addressing some of the youth who make up such a large segment of the population on the continent.
Obama is making his first visit as president to South Africa, a leading African partner in U.S. trade and the fight against AIDS. His events Saturday are scheduled to begin with a bilateral meeting and news conference with President Jacob Zuma at the Union Buildings, where Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first black president in 1994 after 27 years behind bars under racist rule.
Obama has called Mandela a "personal hero" and said the imprisoned activist's willingness to risk his life for the cause of equal rights helped inspire his own political activism. Obama said his message during the visit will draw on the lessons of Mandela's life, with a message that "Africa's rise will continue" if its people are unified instead of divided by tribe, race or religion.
"I think the main message we'll want to deliver if not directly to him but to his family is simply a profound gratitude for his leadership all these years and that the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with him and his family and his country," Obama said on his flight into the country.
Obama will be only about a 10-minute drive from the Pretoria hospital where 94-year-old Mandela lies in critical condition, but the president indicated he's not angling for a visit but instead is grateful that he, his wife and daughters had a chance to meet him previously. Obama hangs his photo of the introduction he had to Mandela in 2005 in his personal office at the White House ? their only meeting, when Obama was a senator.
"I don't need a photo op," Obama said. "The last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned about Nelson Mandela's condition."
Obama also is paying tribute to the fight against apartheid by visiting Soweto township Saturday afternoon for a town hall with students at the University of Johannesburg. At least 176 young people were killed there 27 years ago this month during a youth protest against the apartheid regime's ban against teaching local Bantu languages. The Soweto Uprising catalyzed international support against apartheid, and June is now recognized as Youth Month in South Africa.
The university plans to bestow an honorary law degree on the U.S. president, while protesters are planning demonstrations against U.S. policy on issues including the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the war in Afghanistan and global warming. Hundreds marched to the U.S. Embassy on Friday, carrying signs that read: "No, You Can't Obama," a message inspired by Obama's "yes, we can" campaign slogan.
Obama, the son of an African man, has been trying to inspire the continent's youth to become civically active and part of a new democratically minded generation. Obama hosted young leaders from more than 40 African countries at the White House in 2010 and challenged them to bring change to their countries by standing up for freedom, openness and peaceful disagreement.
Obama wraps up his South Africa stay Sunday, when he plans to give a sweeping speech on U.S.-Africa policy at the University of Cape Town and take his family to Robben Island to tour the prison where Mandela spent 18 years.
___
Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapickler
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-paying-tribute-mandela-africa-072017840.html
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Tim Skubick: See how the dust-up between Gov. Snyder and GOP senators became a family fued
Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm had her Andy Dillon. Gov. Rick Snyder has his Randy Richardville.
The relationship between a governor and his or her legislative lieutenant would appear to be a piece of cake. Cut from the same apparent political cloth, governors seeks to advance their agenda with the able-bodied assistance of their legislative leader.
They call it carrying the governor?s water.
How?d that work out with Ms. Granholm and House Democratic Speaker Andy Dillon? For the most part, it was O.K., but then there were times when he drove her nuts. It was not a match made in heaven.
Which brings us to the Snyder-Richardville duo. Batman and Robin it ain't right now.
Randy Richardville is the Senate GOP leader and he?s been carrying the water for his governor quite nicely, but there have been some spills.
The most recent produced some harsh feelings as the governor took to his bully pulpit to call out Mr. Richardville and his Republican caucus, accusing them of ?lack of leadership.?
The rare admonishment from this usually positive governor was over the GOP Senate's failure to vote on the governor?s top priority, providing health-care coverage for 320,000 folks who don?t have it. (By the way, the governor claims he is not fighting with anyone.)
Instead of doing his bidding, GOP senators left town. The governor called it a ?vacation,? which only added more salt to the open wounds.
Things came to a head when Lt. Gov. Brian Calley met with the Senate GOP caucus as it became apparent some senators were going to stiff the gov.
Mr. Calley explained the front office was preparing to send out a ?simple request? to act on the bill. There was no hint of confrontation, nor any indication the mild-mannered governor would morph into Snidely Whiplash.
But morph he did, leaving one GOP insider to suggest the governor was used to ?always getting his way? and his behavior revealed a heavy dose of ?arrogance.?
There is one thing to know about this governor. When he wants something, he wants it, which is what he told individual GOP senators he summoned to his office for a little face time. One source reports he even ?threatened? some, which is not his normal M.O.
As the day wore on, Mr. Richardville sauntered into the inner sanctum. Reportedly he explained that his caucus, which elected him leader, was going to study this. And that is a key point that sometimes governors forget: The leader works for the caucus first and the boss second.
Mr. Snyder, now in no mood to send a ?simple request,? announced - according to someone who heard about the conversation - that ?things have changed? and he was going to call out the Republicans in a news conference his office was scurrying to tee-up.
When he got to the tee, he used his biggest driver to take aim at the GOP leader and his colleagues.
He just bopped them on the head and never hollered ?Fore!?
In recent days, the governor thanked Mr. Richardville for creation of a work group to iron this out ?over the summer.? But that is not fast enough for the impatient Mr. Snyder, which is why he continued his road show cajoling the public to call the GOP senators and urge them to vote.
Still, the relationship appears to be improving after a contentious one-on-one exchange between these two. After the half hour session, Mr. Richardville reports the governor called back an hour later saying, "I understand some of what your are saying." The governor agreed to drop references to "vacations" and there apparently won't be any robo calls or billboards aimed at GOP senators back home.
In return Mr. Richardville sees a possible Senate vote in August, which the governor wants, and now Mr. R. reports, "We think were on a positive path to success," which is not what he was thinking last week.
Warm up the Batmobile.
Watch "Off the Record with Tim Skubick" online anytime at video.wkar.org
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/michigan-news/~3/UelH56O3XeM/tim_skubick_see_how_the_dust-u.html
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Saturday, June 29, 2013
Reminder: June 30 is the last day to get Google Play Music All Access for $7.99 a month
Save two dollars a month by signing up before Monday
Attention music fans! Google Play Music All Access will move from $7.99 per month to $9.99 per month starting July 1. If you want to save $2 a month on the life of the service you'll need to act before Monday rolls around. Signing up is easy -- just point your browser here (or click on the link with your phone) and follow the instructions for a free 30 day trial to see if the service works for you. Next month, your Google Wallet account will be billed for $7.99 for the next 30 days. Things continue until you cancel the service through the Google Play store or the Google Play Music app.
We've had a good long look at the service, which you will want to read if you're not familiar with how it works. In a nutshell, your 8 bucks gives you unlimited access to every song in Google Play, and you can stream them, pin them to your Android device, or play them through the web player as often as you like. When you find something you like, you can add it to your music library if you like for easy access the next time you want to hear it. In addition, you have access personalized radio stations with unlimited skips, and can see smart recommendations based on your listening history.
$2 every month adds up over time, so be sure to act if you think you'll be interested. Use the 30 day trial wisely, and if the service works out for you you'll be saving a nice chunk of change in the long run.
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/DkR9r8TSZOk/story01.htm
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UK's BSkyB Wins Case Against Microsoft Over Use Of ?SkyDrive? Name In Europe; May Have To Drop Name Or Pay Fines
Microsoft went big on pushing cloud services this week at its Build conference, but today it was dealt a blow for how it might get to market them in Europe. BSkyB, the pay-TV broadcaster part-owned by News Corp., won a judgement in the England and Wales High Court against the U.S. software giant, for infringing the "Sky" trademark.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/TkcYZuyxFAY/
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Director sees 'Hunger Games' star as Snowden
Movies 
2 hours ago
EPA, The Guadian
At least one Hollywood filmmaker thinks actor Liam Hemsworth, left, would be the right man to play Edward Snowden in a movie.
Fugitive National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, charged with violating espionage laws, is in the transit zone of the Moscow Airport, presumably trying to find a way to get to the Ecuadorian Embassy to seek asylum. How his story will end no one knows, but one Hollywood director is already envisioning what it would look like on the big screen.
Phillip Noyce, a director best known for spy and thriller films like "Salt" and "Patriot Games," told NBC News that he is personally fascinated by the espionage thriller that is playing out in front of the world. As he reads every article available about the case, Noyce says he can easily picture it as a suspenseful film with some comedic elements. He's already identified a possible leading man, but what excites him the most is that the verdict on the story's central question may remain unrendered for decades.
"This is a movie that's playing out before our eyes, even though we can't see anything," Noyce said. "We can't see the hero or the villain -- the central character. Like my last big movie, 'Salt,' it's a story where you're not quite certain if you're dealing with a heroine or a villain. And we may not be certain until the end of the movie or even beyond that. That's a beautiful duality to deal with when you're making a story or watching a movie. You can speculate he's motivated by complete unselfish motives through belief in protecting worldwide public interests. Or you can speculate he was himself a victim of knowing that notoriety might bring him immortality."
Who would play the 29-year-old who revealed the existence of the Prism Program, which gives the NSA direct access to the systems of Google, Facebook, Apple and other Internet giants? Noyce thinks that's an easy one: Liam Hemsworth, the 23-year-old actor who starred in "The Hunger Games" and "The Expendables 2."
"He's perfectly positioned as a rising star," Noyce said. "I think he'll probably be one of the great ones. His older brother, Chris, could also play him but Liam looks more like an everyman. I think he'd be perfect."
Noyce's movie, which he described as just "chatter in my head" for now, would open with the The Guardian's disclosure of Snowden as the leak and an exciting chase.
"We'd have this wonderful Harold Lloyd comedy sequence which is the best part of the movie - -the chase," he said. "In this case, it's a chase that's both funny and serious. It involves some of the highest officials in the world, and their different points of view while Mr. Snowden is holed up presumably at the Moscow Airport. That's a great sequence as world leaders argue over this 29-year-old and the merits or otherwise of his actions. "
The story, he added, also would need to feature WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and deal with the gaps in American intelligence-gathering illuminated by Snowden -- which brings up another key question the film would address: how safe are our secrets?
"Although Assange was the original whistleblower and people feel he did commit a betrayal, he changed American policy and how people felt about the war and the legality of the war," Noyce said. "And as far as Mr. Snowden is concerned, he was a contractor who did not inherit the ethos of a permanent public servant, like a CIA or NSA employee. But he seems to have had access to the names of operatives around the world and could have betrayed that confidence. The issue is not whether he did or didn't but that he could have. That brings up the security of our operatives, the people that willingly give their lives fighting the intelligence wars. Why did a 29-year-old contractor know so much? He knew who they are and had the ability to reveal that to the nation's enemies."
As an observer of the quickly unfolding story and its would-be storyteller, Noyce said he hasn't made up his mind about how he feels about his protagonist, Snowden.
"I would need access to him to understand his psychology a lot better," Noyce said. "In his own mind, he's obviously a hero. But what is truly motivating him? Does he want to be a 15-minute celebrity? Is it fame or fortune? Or does he truly want to sacrifice himself Christ-like for the rest of mankind? We don't know how this will end and the end might not come for another 50 years. We haven't even finished Act 1 yet."
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Firefox gets a new logo, rolls out desktop and Android Beta updates
Firefox is an ever evolving beast, and that includes both its friendly orange fox logo, and its Beta channel browser. Today Mozilla unveiled the fourth Firefox logo, a (slightly) less textured and glossy icon for its favored web browser. Meanwhile, the latest update for for Firefox Beta brings access to the company's Social API and, consequently, Share buttons to the platform -- so Facebook fanatics can have one-click sharing of images, articles, videos and links from the Firefox toolbar. The new Beta is also getting a Mixed Content Blocker that prevents HTTP (read: nonsecure) content from loading on HTTPS websites. Plus, there's a new Network Monitor feature to let devs see how quickly individual page components load and optimizations for OS X 10.7 that enable its scrollbar style and and the scroll bounce behavior Apple fans love.
Oh, and for you mobile fans, the Android Beta was updated today, too. Now, it's got an auto-hide Awesome Bar, a URL autocomplete function and an updated RSS feed reader that allows you to add feeds to with a long press on the aforementioned Awesome Bar. Pretty awesome, gents, now let's get these Beta features into a full release, and it'll be really awesome.
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: Mozilla Future Releases blog (1), (2), Mozilla about:pixels blog
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/JkyOOHbr6qY/
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Friday, June 28, 2013
Bird may have brought down F-16 in Arizona
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) ? The Air Force says an F-16 fighter jet that went down near Luke Air Force Base in suburban Phoenix most likely hit a bird.
Two pilots who were practicing landings and takeoffs at the base Wednesday evening ejected safely and the fighter crashed in a farm field near the base.
Base spokeswoman Lt. Candice Dillitte said Thursday that there's nothing to indicate a fleet-wide problem with the jets. The Air Force operates more than 1,000 of the single-engine fighters.
The base 15 miles west of Phoenix in Glendale, Ariz., trains pilots and has more than 130 F-16s.
Witnesses say the plane's engine was popping after it took off from the base and they watched as the pilots ejected.
Bird strikes can severely damage jet engines.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bird-may-brought-down-f-16-arizona-192912803.html
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Video and Computer Games: A Growing Cultural Force | The ...
Articles
Published on June 26th, 2013 | by Arron Cook
I am young enough to have been born around the time that video game consoles for the home began to become popular. We had a Sega Megadrive at home, and I played Sonic the Hedgehog with my Dad ? those were fun times.
Over the last 20 years, the kind of content and quality of video games has changed dramatically. Modern game releases are filled with complex story lines, engaging characters and ? like all artistic human expressions ? meanings and meta-narratives.
In 2012, a game was released called Fable 3, a quintessentially English game that falls into the Action/Adventure Role-Playing Game category. The basic premise of the series of games is a typical hero story: a young character (the gamer can choose male or female) experiences some sort of loss in their early life, and must then discover the power within themselves to overcome impossible odds and save the world. Not to put it too dramatically.
The game itself was a landmark in modern video gaming for a number of reasons. The first is that it is a combination of genres and a compilation of experiences. The game has everything from the nitty-gritty of gruelling battle and warfare, to the owning and running of a home, a marriage, a family and friends. The game creates an interactive alternate reality based around moral decision making and the growth of the character that the player controls. The character changes in many ways based on the decisions made, aligning himself or herself as ?good? or ?bad?.
The moral decision aspect of this game is quite interesting. The game can progress in literally hundreds of different ways with numerous endings and consequences, based solely upon the player?s choices. The tag line of the Fable Series (of which I enjoyed both the first and second installments also) has always been, ?For every decision, a consequence?. It is this aspect of the game that I find most stimulating as someone who generally tries to objectively understand and interpret the culture around me.
The game contains a dualistic approach to morality, where actions can be defined as ?good? or ?evil? based upon the consequences they create. This system of moral decision making has always been a hallmark of the series, and makes for engaging playing. But whereas previous Fable games have been almost overly-simplistic in the approach to morality that they have contained, the most recent installment is far more complex it?s outlook and thought. I watched this interview with Peter Molyneux, the chief bod and brain behind the Fable series and found his reflections quite interesting.
As you listen to him describing his vision for the game, it?s clear that he brings to the table a postmodern view of life, where morality is relative and certainly subject to our impulses and desires, rather than imposed upon us from Above. The result is that the kind of decisions the player is faced with in Fable 3 are tougher, far less dualistic questions of moral choice. Early on in the game, the player is forced to decide between the death of a love interest and close friend, or the leaders of a demonstration against a tyrannical ruler (the chief antagonist for most of the game). Neither party appears to deserve death in the context of the choice ? all that the player has left to fall back upon is preference. The concept is intriguing, isn?t it? That in this virtual and alternate reality, people are being faced with moral decisions and moral consequences.
And notice that I say people ? not children. Originally, video and computer games took their place in society as a pass-time for children that kept them out of trouble. But the reality now is that they have become in my opinion, adult in their themes and content, as well as a significant cultural influence, akin to other forms of media such as newspapers, magazines and television. I think Fable 3 is a persuasive piece of proof that evidences this, in that it?s voice acting for the story line and characters includes an absolutely all-star cast of famous British actors, authors and television personalities, including Jonathan Ross (Presenter), Stephen Fry (Actor, Author and Host), Zoe Wanamaker (Actress), John Cleese (Actor), Simon Pegg (Actor) and others. To have names this big involved in a project of this size (there are over 47 hours of recorded vocals in Fable 3) surely reveals that this product is not intended for just children. If you needed further persuasion, the mature content that the game contains seals the deal.
Christians need to exercise discernment about these issues. We are very foolish if we blanketly pretend that there is no danger and nothing wrong in some aspects of the gaming industry. Some of the content of the games that children are bought by their parents is simply despicable ? content that no Christian of any age could righteously view and enjoy. There are plenty of video games that glorify sinful actions, desires and choices by making them appear to be more enjoyable than choices of a good and wholesome nature. Children need to be protected from the ungodly values portrayed as desirable in many video games today ? parental oversight is absolutely essential to the safe use of these products.
But we go astray also when we swing to the opposite extreme and brand video and computer games as the height of all evil and expressions of the Devil himself. There are plenty of games that can be enjoyed to the glory of God, as we sanctify them by the Word and Prayer ? that is, we use them in accordance with the principles of God?s Word and give thanks to God for them with sincerity (1 Tim. 4:5).
So how then are we to think about these things in a redeemed way?
Unarguably, it?s certainly possible to sin using video games. They can consume too much of time, drain to much of our resources, and generally become an overall waste of life. It is in this way that most young men in our society play them.
Another sin that often uses video games as a means of expression is pride. Plenty of games out there today emphasis the personal greatness and glory of the player, and competition of all varieties can be an opportunity for pride ? the same applies to sport and board games! Christians are not to be boastful or arrogant in any thing they do ? and yet plenty of people play video games in an attitude of selfish, vain-glorying, where all that matters is personal greatness.
Sometimes people plough their energies into video games because it gives them a sense of significance that they cannot find anywhere else. For the Christian, we find our identity in Christ and Him Crucified, and nowhere else. If we will not let Jesus be Lord of how we use our Xbox consoles and PC?s, what hope have we of making any difference to this our generation? When people who seek their identity in video games turn to them for significance, it?s often the reaction of their pride to the reality of their personal failure. Because they don?t feel like they can be somebody in the real world, they have to try and be somebody in a pretend world ? a world where being significant is much easier than in this one.
One way it?s helped me to think about it is this: when I?m gaming, am I being asked to, or doing anything with the character I?m playing that I wouldn?t do in real life? If I were actually in the situation, what would I do? If I can?t do that, then maybe this game isn?t the kind of game I should play, lest I indulge in themes, ideas or actions that are not pure and lovely. Obviously you can take this too far ? but I?ve found it to be a useful litmus test for my heart.
I don?t think the Church can ignore video games for too much longer. We need to start thinking about and asking ourselves if and how we can use video games to God?s glory ? and maybe even for the extension of the Kingdom. We need Christians in this field, producing content, influencing the direction of the industry and standing for what it right, and pure and true and lovely.
And if we want to understand the rising generation of young people, the video games that they play have a tremendous influence upon how they think and feel about life, personal identity, right and wrong, and what really matters. If we want to understand these people, we can?t remain ignorant of what the biggest and best games out there are really all about.
May God help us to do all things to His Glory, and to understand those around us that we might be clearer channels of His Gospel and Grace.
Do you play video games? Do you agree with Arron?s take? How should Christians engage with video games and the gaming industry? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
About the Author
Arron Cook is 23, married to Georgina and has a one-year-old son called Luke! He was converted in 2006 and is from the North of England, UK. Arron likes reading and writing, basketball, blogging and playing hide and seek with Luke. Arron is an occasional preacher in his local area and works in business development.
Source: http://therebelution.com/blog/2013/06/video-and-computer-games-a-growing-cultural-force/
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Watch Microsoft Unveil Windows 8.1 Preview Live Here
Microsoft is kicking off its Build developer conference today at 9am. The company has already announced that it will unveil Windows 8.1 in a Preview version today, but beyond that, though, we actually don't know all that much about Microsoft's plans for today's event, including who will keynote it. It's a fair guess that Julie-Larson Green, who is now in charge of Microsoft's Windows Division, will be there, but in the past, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has also regularly made appearances at Build (he does have a thing for developers, after all).Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/KpIjD-_1bSM/
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How men and women cooperate
June 26, 2013 ? While men tend to match their partners' emotions during mutual cooperation, woman may have the opposite response, according to new research.
Cooperation is essential in any successful romantic relationship, but how men and women experience cooperation emotionally may be quite different, according to new research conducted at the University of Arizona.
Ashley Randall, a post-doctoral research associate in the John & Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences in the UA's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has been interested for some time in how romantic partners' emotions become coordinated with one another. For example, if someone comes home from work in a bad mood we know their partner's mood might plummet as well, but what are the long-term implications of this on their relationship?
Randall wondered how the act of cooperating, a beneficial relationship process, might impact emotional coordination between partners.
"Cooperation -- having the ability to work things out with your partner, while achieving mutually beneficial outcomes -- is so important in relationships, and I wondered what kind of emotional connectivity comes from cooperating with your partner?" said Randall, who is also a research associate in the UA's department of psychiatry.
What she found in her recent study -- published in SAGE's Journal of Social and Personal Relationships -- were surprising gender differences.
She and her colleagues found that during high mutual levels of cooperation with a romantic partner, men typically experience an "inphase" response to their significant other's emotions. That is, if the woman in the relationship is feeling more positive, the man will feel more positive. If she feels less positive, he will feel less positive.
On the contrary, it seems women experience more of an "antiphase" pattern during high mutual cooperation. If her partner is feeling more positive, she will tend to feel less positive, and vice versa.
Take, for example, the following familiar scenario: A woman emerges from a department store fitting room and asks her husband what he thinks of a potential new shirt. He likes it, he says, hoping his time at the mall is nearing an end. So does the woman head straight to the cash register and make the purchase? Probably not. Chances are, her husband's enthusiasm won't be enough; she'll want to try on a few more shirts first.
Social psychology literature on cooperation tells us that women generally tend to cooperate more, while men often try to avoid conflict. Thus, men might be subconsciously syncing their emotions with their partners' during cooperation in an effort to avoid conflict or reach a speedy resolution, Randall says.
If that's the case, it's possible, although Randall's study didn't test for it, that women may pick up on the fact that their partner's agreeability is not entirely authentic. If she suspects he's not really as positive as he seems, or that he has an ulterior motive, she may become less positive herself in an attempt to get at his real feelings and reach a more mutually satisfying resolution, Randall suggests.
"If you think about a couple that is trying to cooperate with one another, the man might go along and say, 'oh sure, honey, this is great, are we almost done?' whereas the women might say, 'I'm so glad that you're happy, but I just want to talk about this one other thing because I think we're really getting at a resolution,'" Randall said.
In the end, Randall's results suggest that women may tend to serve as the emotional regulators during cooperation.
Randall based her findings on an analysis of 44 heterosexual couples who were videotaped having a conversation about their shared lifestyle related to diet and health. The couples were asked to watch the video back and, using a rating dial, provide momentary feedback about how they were feeling emotionally. Researchers analyzed the videos as well as the participants' responses to them.
Co-authored by the UA's Jesi Post, Rebecca Reed and Emily Butler, the study has implications for better understanding how romantic partners' emotions are connected.
"Cooperation is something that's invaluable and instrumental in a successful relationship but men and women experience it differently," Randall said. "This research provides another avenue to understanding how partners' emotions can become linked, but future research is needed on how these emotional patterns may ultimately contribute to the longevity, or demise, of the romantic relationship."
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/IwR4WyNS8lE/130626113654.htm
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Sony adds Indie Games category to PSN, brings Hotline Miami to the Vita (video)
As much as we'd like to talk about Sony's increasing hospitality toward independent developers, we're a little too anxious. You see, the company has just added an indie games channel to its handheld console, with Hotline Miami as the flagship title. Users will also be able to grab 53 other titles, like Thomas Was Alone, Sound Shapes and Limbo, but we're too busy with Hotline Miami to pay attention right now. Sony is also promising that we'll see Spelunky, Terraria and Hohokum in the next few months, which'll keep you entertained when you've finished, you know, Hotline Miami. If you'd like to catch a trailer showcasing all the new games, head on past the break.
Via: Official PlayStation Blog
Source: PlayStation Indie
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/SXwWw2iXZag/
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Use Settlement Money To Buy Real Estate?|Bankrate.com
I do not want the money to sit in some account earning virtually nothing in in interest. The idea is that we should be wise in putting the money to work.
Dear Dr. Don,
My husband and I are in our early 30s, and we have a young child. We both work full time with a combined annual income of about $120,000. We own our own home and have a sizable mortgage with monthly payments we can afford. I received a $250,000 settlement from an accident. My husband wants to buy investment property with the cash. I have some concerns about buying real estate without carrying a mortgage at our age. Please advise us on what forms of investments we might consider.
Thank you,
-- Denise Denouement
Dear Denise,
I think most people have more than enough money invested in real estate with the investment in their personal residence. There is money to be made in investment properties, but the problem is that one can be too highly concentrated in one asset class. That's especially true if one is to double down by buying properties in the same community.
Do you have a competitive edge in property management, or are you just like the rest of us? Are you able to handle the inevitable repairs that crop up? I used to own a flat when I was younger and remember hating to fix the tenant's unit. Sure, you can hire a property manager and a maintenance team, but that subtracts from your potential profit. My own real estate exposure, outside of my residence, is in publicly traded real estate investment trusts, or REITS, but I'm not recommending that to you here.
Think about what you want this money to help you accomplish. You should also consider your attitude toward risk. Look how at the rest of your net worth is invested when deciding how to commit your settlement funds.
If you do decide to buy investment property, I'd suggest working with your accountant to make decisions about depreciation and financing. Another question is whether you will be a passive or active investor in the properties. Basically, you would be a passive investor if you're not working regularly in the property management business. This classification limits your ability to deduct losses in your real estate investment portfolio. On the financing question, it likely does make more sense to buy an investment property using a mortgage rather than paying cash.
Source: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/investing/settlement-money-buy-real-estate.aspx
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Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Tomorrow is last day for Supreme Court to issue rulings on DOMA, Prop 8 (Americablog)
Huawei CEO: Apple is ?slipping,? Galaxy S4 is a ?so-so? phone
Sure, squirrels can scurry and climb trees with the best of 'em. But when it comes to brawling, one doesn't normally think of the furry rodents as being the most intimidating of foes. Consider the above clip as the first step in changing the squirrel's reputation. Here's what happened, according to CBS 5. A Gold [...]
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/huawei-ceo-apple-slipping-galaxy-s4-phone-141543836.html
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