iflood

iFlood

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20101211/tc_yblog_technews/infinity-blade-for-iphoneipad-looks-incredible-what-there-is-of-it;_ylt=AtOzjmNwOEunB_4e1hB9z94jtBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTRqdTZzaWtlBGFzc2V0A3libG9nX3RlY2huZXdzLzIwMTAxMjExL2luZmluaXR5LWJsYWRlLWZvci1pcGhvbmVpcGFkLWxvb2tzLWluY3JlZGlibGUtd2hhdC10aGVyZS1pcy1vZi1pdARwb3MDMQRzZWMDeW5fYXJ0aWNsZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA2luZmluaXR5YmxhZA--


Hack, Slash, Cast, Raise Shield, Stab! If you are on the subway some day and see a fellow rider’s hand spasming out, there is no need to worry; they are most likely playing the newest game to launch on the iPad/iPod touch/iPhone.

The game being played, Infinity Blade, developed by the makers of god of war; this release is said to be a game that actually looks like it was made for consoles like Xbox or ps3, but was instead released on Apple/Android platforms. The game utilizes glowing circles that appear on the screen as the controls of the game. By tapping or swiping these circles you control your characters actions.

Apple over the last decade has been revolutionizing the tech industry. First, they made history in music with the iPod, then they made history again with the touch screen iPod that changed the way people watch videos on the go. The iPhone combined all these together with the iPad which is seeking to change the way we read and game.
Apple, you could say is not unlike the flood parasite found in the Halo game. With each new addition to its tech and media empire, it seeks to assimilate the entire tech that goes along with the device (even if other companies have created it first, i.e. mp3 & tablets). This is not necessarily a bad thing but it would appear that with the release of Infinity Blade on Apple devices, Apple is setting its sights on the gaming world, which would make its tech empire complete.

Though some people may be excited by the prospect of a great game on their iPod or iPad, there are a few reasons why the effort is doomed without further advances in the tech world. The first major problem with gaming on touch screen devices is the lack of buttons/controllers; systems like the Play Station Portable or Game Boy have built in controls that make playing fun and easy. The iPod device however requires the player to use their fingers to control the action with no outside buttons or keypad; this makes games like Infinity Blade or Pocket Legends difficult to play.
If your finger misses the glowing circles by a hair it can mean instant in-game death.
The 2nd and perhaps most important flaw in the Apple/Android device is the battery. Games like Infinity Blade or Pocket Legends run reasonably high graphics and thus drain a lot of battery from your device; this is fine if you are at home or have your device plugged in and charging, but it is very inconvenient if you are playing on an iPhone or iPad and your battery is drained by the middle of the day.

The idea of creating these games as apps and selling them cheap is not a bad one, but it would seem they would benefit more if the devices had greater battery life. And maybe add a plug-in controller to game with greater speed and accuracy. Overall this article is not to discourage the buying of these games or touch devices but to warn the consumer about the down side of it.

Maybe in the future these problems will be corrected, and we can all game on the subway or on the way to work without the fear of death for our battery or the demise of our character due to a miss tapped cycle.

A Most Unsure Path

Hope, change, a new beginning, these are tag lines we’ve been hearing for almost two years now. These are the word waves Barrack Obama used to ride to victory over his rival, John McCain, in the 2008 presidential election. That’s when the problems began. Many promises were made to the people of the United States; reformed healthcare, reformed finances, a quick fix to the economy, bipartisanship, transparency and many other assurances.
The people of the United States are a particular people; they hold their politicians to their words, unlike other countries. Obama portrayed himself as an enormous, almost god-like figure that would save us from calamity; he used images of Greek pillars and personalized symbols with huge crowds of adorning fans to reinforce this image.
To quote Ivan Vanko from Iron Man 2, “If you could make god bleed, people would cease to believe in him,” this is precisely the situation that came up to plaque Obama. The vengeful GOP still reeling from the catastrophic defeat in the election, resolved to rout Obama’s first major bill, healthcare reform. Though the health care bill was passed, it was a crippling victory for Obama. It showed a non-unified Democratic party (many Democrats voted no on the bill); it also illustrated how Obama broke his promises on bipartisanship, and transparency.
Obama continued not to work with the opposing party or show the working of his administration to the public. He also began stripping away power from congress by appointing over 32 “Czars” that presided over everything, from transportation to global warming. These czars take their orders directly from the president, and the public and congress have no say, or influence whatsoever over them. http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/29391/
If history shows anything, it’s that the American people enjoy taking part in their government, and when they are barred from doing so, it’s not pretty (American Revolution anyone?) The angry citizens have found a home in the defeated but still powerful GOP and other third party groups, such as, the Libertarians or in-party groups such as, the Tea Party or Neo-Cons.
With more and more independents and Democrats withdrawing their support of Obama and his personal approval ratings plummeting, the GOP and its leaders have smelled blood. What has facilitated and energized Obama’s opponent’s is the November 2nd elections fast approaching. Conservatives and independents alike feel it is a chance for much needed change, much as Obama’s supporters felt the November 4th 2008 elections, was the time to get rid of Bush.
According to recent polls, the Republicans are posed to take back the House of Representatives and gain seats in the Senate (there is a slight chance of taking back the senate) http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101024/ts_alt_afp/usvote, this would be disastrous for Obama and his agenda. The Republicans have waited for this moment and will seek revenge for the times Obama steamrolled them in passing his bills.
All in all, it will be a politically, bloody, election, and whether the Republicans win or lose the House or Senate, they can not help but gain seats in both Houses. This insures that Obama’s, very nearly, filibuster-proof majority, is gone forever and Obama will be forced to tread a most uncomfortable and unsure path.

Disneyland Book review

Brennan Cackett
Journalism 215
Blog Project
Disneyland Detective
September 28, 2010


When you walk through the gates of Disneyland have you ever questioned what was behind some of those ideas? Have you ever wondered what ideas inspired the building of these attractions? The book Disneyland Detective by Kendra Trahan is a fascinating and fun read that allows the reader to interact with the magic of Disneyland.
The author covers over twelve chapters which include, some of the myths, facts, lore and people that have come together not only to create Disneyland but the Walt Disney company.
Some of the interesting facts I encountered while reading this book was in the chapter, “Above Main Street”. Have you looked up at the windows on of Main Street that display individuals’ names in an artistic manner? Like me, you might have wondered what these meant and who the people were they represented. In this chapter the author lists in detail each of these individuals and talks about who they are and what they contributed to Disneyland. One such person on a lighted window that you might see on your next trip to Disneyland is, Ellis Disney. This was Walt and Roy Disney’s father. He was born in 1859 and died in 1941; the window with his name is always lit up and never darkened. This is a special tribute to their father.
Another interesting chapter titled, Private Eye Entertainers, is filled with fun facts about the variety of musical entertainment in Disneyland. It talks about the bands, fantasmic, the fireworks and the Disneyland parades. I’m not going to give you anymore spoilers because I don’t want to ruin the delight of this book.
Whether you are a hard core Disney fan or just enjoy hanging out at the parks this book will enhance and make your visits more fun and enjoyable, and just think how you will impress all your friends when you have the answers to some of the great riddles of Disneyland!