Top 3: PS3 games I’m playing currently & coming releases I’m excited about

Playing:

1. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune – with Uncharted 3 coming out I decided to go back to the beginning again. Love these games. Quite possibly my favourite releases for the PS3 ever.

2. GT5 - this is always fun to kick out alone or with my housemate. We spend a lot of time coming up with ever more ridiculous race rules.

3. Resistance: Fall of Man – with the new Resistance game on its way, I figured I’d go back and play FOM. I find it rather slow and far too easy. It’s also a really short game, which is always a disappointment. The second game was much better and I have high hopes for the third.

Eagerly awaiting:

1. Uncharted – Drake’s Deception – literally cannot wait to get my hands on this beauty. One and two were a delight to play. I may have to book a day or two off work when it’s released and spend some quality time playing.

2. Dead Island – I’m a zombie nut, so it’s an easy sell.

3. Rage – Comes from a good pedigree (Doom, Quake). I’m always a fan of a good FPS, so I have high hopes for this one.

Top 3: Sci-fi TV shows

Firefly – cancelled after one season, a travesty
Star Trek Voyager – a female captain showing the boys how it’s done
BSG (reimagined) -perfection

other worthy mentions:

Doctor Who – what a comeback

SG-1 – lasted for 10 series’ and one of the best film to tv adaptations

Removing benefits and homes from rioters, really?

Now, I’m no expert (so probably about as qualified as most of our politicians) but removing benefits and council tenancies from rioters seems like a rather counter-productive idea to me. It also assumes that the rioters were all unemployed, council tenants. The string of court cases over the last week proves that is a false assumption, with the rioter demographic being fairly broad. People from all walks of life were involved, so why are we punishing only those from a lower socio-economic background? Surely this just compounds the problem at the root of all this chaos?

As for my initial point, removing benefits and homes from those involved seems like a disaster waiting to happen. From my viewpoint, it seems like those in charge are saying ‘lets cut police numbers at a time of economic trouble and then turf a bunch of opportunist criminals out of their ear, so they then end up hardened career criminals in order to fund their existence’. This just doesn’t seem like joined up thinking to me.

My beloved Arsenal and me

A disappointing but not unexpected start to the season. Still lacking a decent defence or even a single quality defensive player, Nasri and Fabregas departing and hot headed behaviour making an appearance already, the future looks less than rosy. A 0-0 draw with Newcastle is no way to launch a title chase and more indicative of a season spent working on damage control.

The next few weeks are going to be incredibly important if Wenger wishes to keep hold of his reputation as Arsenal’s greatest manager. The fans are turning fast and so it is time for some definitive action. Money must be spent, decisions made and stubbornness laid aside, otherwise we can wave the top four goodbye.

Oh Arsenal, how you torture me at times.

 

 

Social media gets the blame again

I’m sure you can’t help but have noticed the recent London riots. They have been virtually 99% of news content for the last week.

As we all watched on in horror and disbelief, voicing our vastly different opinions like the bunch of armchair commentators we are, social media was dragged through the mud again as the cause of such wicked behaviour. According to many a news outlet, the likes of Twitter were the reason for such mass destruction; because it’s not like mass riots didn’t occur before the time of micro blogging.

Now, whilst I’m sure it was utilised to rally thieving scum to join their friends in putting some poor, local shop owner out of business, can one really place the blame in social media’s direction? Surely, had Twitter, Facebook and their like not existed, mobile phones would have played the same role? Before the mobile phone, the lowly landline or phone box? All the way back to the beacon or smoke signal. Communication among the mob exists, no matter the method used and on a local level, social media has no greater power for evil than a good old shout or knocking on your mates’ doors.

If anything, the use of social media during the several days of rioting proved its value. Twitter was used as a noticeboard, warning others of areas to avoid, people who could help and the now much publicised clean up campaign. A sense of community was created within a large modern city; a fairly impressive feat I feel, not to mention creating a similar community spirit out in the cold, isolated depths of cyberspace.

Top 3: albums getting most ear time this week

1. The Resignation by RX Bandits
2. Chasing Hamburg by Polar Bear Club
3. Two Conversations by The Appleseed Cast

RX Bandits

Recently announced, was the sad news that the RX Bandits are calling it a day after their US tour. I’m sure that all the members will continue forging artistic paths for themselves, in music or in other outlets. However, the creative force that is the Bandits, will cease to be.

The RX Bandits have been part of my life for many years now, providing a soundtrack to many important, landmark, happy and not so happy times. They have been a constant; even during times when I have found it difficult to listen to a lot of music, due to negative associations or memories, during times of pain and heartbreak, the Bandits have been there to see me through. It is for this reason that the song ‘Decrescendo’ will always mean the world to me.

Their sound has evolved over the years, as is to be expected and surely hoped for of any band with longevity and particularly as the Bandits (including front-man and driving force, Matt Embree) were fairly young when they started out. As they have matured, so has their sound, their lyrics and themes and I can honestly say, that despite the vast differences in sound from their early work to their most recent, I love every single one of their albums. Musically, lyrically and for the memories and emotions they evoke. Each album is of its time and yet timeless and as much a part of my life, as the places I have been, the people I have met and the knowledge I have gained.

I could go in to great detail about each album here, about their style, musical ability, technicality etc. I am known to wax lyrical about this band rather too frequently for some peoples’ liking, but this is not meant to be a review or a sales pitch for that matter. If you don’t know of this band, it would be great if this encouraged you to go and check them out. If you do know of their work, I’m sure, to some degree, you know what I’m talking about.

I wish all the members of the band well in their future endeavours and I am so thankful to them for what they have created and given to the world. Their music will always go with me, wherever life may take me.