With 2011 coming to an end, it is time to start looking into what movies 2012 will have to offer.
Let's start with movies I would consider watching:
January: -The Devil Inside
-Beneath the Darkness
-Contraband
-The Grey
-Man on a Ledge
February: -Safe House
-Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
-Act of Valor
-The Vow
March: -John Carter
-Wrath of the Titans
-Snowtown
April: -The Cold Light of Day
-Three Stooges
May: -Battleship
-Men In Black III
June: -Prometheus
July: -The Amazing Spider Man
-Neighborhood watch
August: -Total Recall
-Bourne Legacy
September: -Argo
-Looper
October: -Taken 2
-Of Men and Mavericks
November: -Red Dawn
-Skyfall
-Gravity
December: -Lincoln
Now, the movies I definitely want to see:
- The Hunger Games (March) - based on the bestselling novel, looks to be a very exciting, interesting film. The premise and storyline look very promising and the trailer looked great. I'm going to have to check out the book but it looks like this movie could be one of the best in the early months of the year.
- The Avengers (May) - I've been looking forward to this movie since Iron Man came out and it was revealed that there would be an Avengers movie. This is a must see on my list.
- GI Joe: Retaliation (June) - I thoroughly enjoyed the recent film and will definitely be checking this one out.
- The Dark Knight Rises (July) - I thoroughly enjoyed the Dark Knight. This movie looks very promising and should be great if it is anywhere near as good as the Dark Knight was.
December:
- Les Miserables - a movie based on the popular, excellent play. The last film rendition of it was a good film. Should be excellent if they can capture the essence of the play effectively onto the screen.
- World War Z - Having read through Max Brooks' novels, I am excited to see this film coming to the big screen featuring as big a star as Brad Pitt. It should be a riveting film if they can capture the action and deep emotions (desperation, anger,etc.) portrayed in the novel. Should be much deeper and more involving than the typical zombie flick/b-movie. (POSTPONED)
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Are you ready to return to Middle Earth. Based on the excellent novel, this prequel to the Lord of The Rings series looks to be one of the best films of the year. If it is anywhere near as good as the book or as the LOTR trilogy, it will not disappoint. The quest for treasure and riches begins December 14.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Super 8
As a project of both film-making legend Steven Spielberg and rising star J.J. Abrams, Super 8 was/is one of the most anticipated films of 2012. Many people, including myself, had very high expectations for this hyped-up blockbuster. On this project, Spielberg and Abrams not only met, but surpassed all of my expectations.
In this new era of computer generated visuals and special effects, many films (especially of the adventure and sci-fi genres)deliver outstanding visuals, but fail to establish a connection with the audience (i.e. have no "heart"). Super 8 is a clear exemption from this bothersome trend in the film industry. Super 8 delivers characters the audience may easily relate and connect to as well as all the charms of a classic monster movie while still managing to deliver frightening, suspenseful moments sure to keep you sucked in.
Super 8 places you in a charming Ohio town amidst a small group of teens intent on making a home-made zombie film who experience...let's just say an extremely strange event (no spoilers here). The roles of the teens are well casted and performed perfectly in a manner sure to keep the audience attached. It deviates from the new "norm" of films and delivers an actual, well written, story rather than two hours of meaningless fighting and explosions. That said, the special effects in the film are brilliantly executed and visually stunning. Special effects are thus used as they are meant to be, as "seasoning" to the storyline rather than as a story in itself.
The script is easily one of the best of recent years. The screams and panicked lines typical to monster movies are softened by occasional bits of humour and, to some degree, romance (albeit very little). The characters are very well developed throughout the film (a trait very rare in modern films)and deliver the aforementioned lines superbly and with emotion. The performances of the young actors/actresses are particularly excellent and extremely entertaining.
As Roger Ebert put it, ""Super 8" is a wonderful film, nostalgia not for a time but for a style of filmmaking, when shell-shocked young audiences were told a story and not pounded over the head with aggressive action. Abrams treats early adolescence with tenderness and affection. He uses his camera to accumulate emotion. He has the rural town locations right."
Super 8 gives the nostalgic,charming feel of a classic monster movie while delivering an excellent story supported by equally stunning visuals that will keep even the youngest/most modern of moviegoers on the edge of their seats. Super 8 is my current favourite for movie of 2011. Amidst several blockbusters who disappointed many moviegoers and critics (ex. Green Lantern and Transformers 3, Super 8 is a clear standout for best blockbuster of the summer (so far). If you enjoyed E.T., you will especially love Super 8.
Super 8 gets:
10 Reels out of 10
Script: 10/10
Acting: 10/10
Visuals: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
Audio/Soundtrack: 9/10
In this new era of computer generated visuals and special effects, many films (especially of the adventure and sci-fi genres)deliver outstanding visuals, but fail to establish a connection with the audience (i.e. have no "heart"). Super 8 is a clear exemption from this bothersome trend in the film industry. Super 8 delivers characters the audience may easily relate and connect to as well as all the charms of a classic monster movie while still managing to deliver frightening, suspenseful moments sure to keep you sucked in.
Super 8 places you in a charming Ohio town amidst a small group of teens intent on making a home-made zombie film who experience...let's just say an extremely strange event (no spoilers here). The roles of the teens are well casted and performed perfectly in a manner sure to keep the audience attached. It deviates from the new "norm" of films and delivers an actual, well written, story rather than two hours of meaningless fighting and explosions. That said, the special effects in the film are brilliantly executed and visually stunning. Special effects are thus used as they are meant to be, as "seasoning" to the storyline rather than as a story in itself.
The script is easily one of the best of recent years. The screams and panicked lines typical to monster movies are softened by occasional bits of humour and, to some degree, romance (albeit very little). The characters are very well developed throughout the film (a trait very rare in modern films)and deliver the aforementioned lines superbly and with emotion. The performances of the young actors/actresses are particularly excellent and extremely entertaining.
As Roger Ebert put it, ""Super 8" is a wonderful film, nostalgia not for a time but for a style of filmmaking, when shell-shocked young audiences were told a story and not pounded over the head with aggressive action. Abrams treats early adolescence with tenderness and affection. He uses his camera to accumulate emotion. He has the rural town locations right."
Super 8 gives the nostalgic,charming feel of a classic monster movie while delivering an excellent story supported by equally stunning visuals that will keep even the youngest/most modern of moviegoers on the edge of their seats. Super 8 is my current favourite for movie of 2011. Amidst several blockbusters who disappointed many moviegoers and critics (ex. Green Lantern and Transformers 3, Super 8 is a clear standout for best blockbuster of the summer (so far). If you enjoyed E.T., you will especially love Super 8.
Super 8 gets:
10 Reels out of 10
Script: 10/10
Acting: 10/10
Visuals: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
Audio/Soundtrack: 9/10
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1 game review
I've been busy with some things that have prevented me from writing for a while. I figured I might as well try something i've only done once before, a video game review. I don't usually write video game reviews, but for this game in particular, I felt compelled to do so. So here it is:
Now, I've always been a fan of the Harry Potter series. I've read all the books, watched all the movies (can't wait for July 15), played some of the games, etc etc. So I was clearly excited when I received (as a gift) a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 for the X-Box 360.
Upon beginning the story mode, I was surprised (and somewhat excited/glad) to see that the gameplay was far more like a dark, shooter rather than the happy, carefree adventure of the previous games. I found this to reflect the darker tone of the final novel quite well. Unfortunately, this was one of the very few pleasing characteristics of the game.
Several different spells become available to you throughout the game (some of which need to be charged by holding the trigger. Switching spells is fairly simple and quick. However, using them is a very different story. Without using the aim feature (holding left trigger), hitting a target is somewhat difficult. In aim mode, the reticule is supposed to lock on to the target (and turn orange) when you keep it on them. However, half of the time you lose this "lock" and your spell goes of course. Defensive spells require you to use specific button combinations. For example, to use "protego" which shields you from attacks, you must hold down the left "bumper" on the controller. This apparently takes a few seconds to charge as it never comes up fast enough to block an incoming spell (like they do in the movies) so you must put it up before the enemies launch their attacks which is annoying because the spell renders you immobile and unable to attack. Some of the other spells are useful but I stuck with the beginning spell, "stupefy", simply because you can use it quickly. There are also potions that are dropped by defeated enemies that you can use to help you throughout the game. There are offensive potions that harm enemies. They are useful but are quite difficult to throw on-target. There are also helpful potions that can be picked up. These potions have variants that restore health, make you stronger, etc. However these potions MUST be consumed as soon as you walk over them. This is especially frustrating with health potions as you quickly wish you could have some with you when you are being hit by numerous enemies and are running out of health.
In this game, Harry has the ability to use cover by pressing x near a wall or rock or any similar feature. The frustrating thing about this is it is difficult to tell what structures/items can be used as cover and if you move too far left or right you leave cover and you become an easy target when you use aim mode to target the enemies (fight back).
This is one of the few games I have played with no display on the screen. There is no health bar or any other similar feature on the screen. It is thus almost like watching a movie. The problem with this is the only way to determine your remaining health is by looking at the colours of your surroundings (they go grey as you lose health). It is EXTREMELY frustrating to not have an accurate picture of how much life you have left in the middle of a firefight.
The story mode can be fairly easily broken down into two types of missions: 1st person stealth missions and 3rd person "shooters".
The 1st person stealth missions can be described in 4 words: NOT FUN AT ALL. Every stealth mission (except the part in the Ministry before the polyjuice potion wears off) involves you sneaking around in an invisibility cloak. These are some of the most frustrating game missions I have ever played here's why:
If you bump into someone, you become visible.
If the triangle (deathly hallows symbol) becomes empty (it decreases as you move), you become visible.
If you press the run button, you become visible.
If you stop moving, you randomly keep moving causing the timer to continue decreasing.
If you accidentally press the right trigger, you become visible.
If you hide out of view after being spotted, then put the cloak back on, the enemies can still see you when you walk back out into the open.
If someone sees you, you are "discovered" and must return to checkpoint.
Also, you are forced to shuffle slowly along while in the cloak so the missions can be quite lengthy and boring.
The third person "shooter" missions are also quite annoying. Firstly, there's the problems I mentioned before about cover. Also, enemies are constantly appearing out of black smoke all around you, becoming quite annoying when you run into a death eater who spawned in two feet in front of you. Then there's the camera... The camera in the third person view "shooter" missions made me feel nauseous. Now,I have never had issues with nausea during games or movies (I had no problem with Avatar in 3D or Cloverfield), but the pitching and constant up and down motion of the camera, especially when in cover, made me feel sick to my stomach. Combat is also very glitchy. For example, on occasion I will hit a death eater 10+ times with even the most high powered spells, yet they will continue attacking. These missions are also EXTREMELY redundant (they change very little throughout the game).
Overall, the graphics are moderately good. The character designs are O.K. and the environment looks good.
In terms of audio, most missions I played consisted almost entirely of:
Harry: Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!
Death Eaters: Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!
Harry: Stupefy! Stupefy!
etc.
Other in game dialogue (i.e. in cutscenes) is well voice acted. However, the conversations are poorly matched the the movements of the mouths of the characters (poorly synchronized).
These are only a taste of the vast array of problems present in the game. Steer well clear of this poor recreation of a great novel, especially if you are a fan of the series who does not want to be extremely disappointed.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1 gets an overall rating of:
3 wands out of 10.
Area Specific Rankings:
Gameplay: 1.5/10
Audio: 3.5/10
Visual: 7.5/10
Fun/Enjoyability: 1.5/10
Now, I've always been a fan of the Harry Potter series. I've read all the books, watched all the movies (can't wait for July 15), played some of the games, etc etc. So I was clearly excited when I received (as a gift) a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 for the X-Box 360.
Upon beginning the story mode, I was surprised (and somewhat excited/glad) to see that the gameplay was far more like a dark, shooter rather than the happy, carefree adventure of the previous games. I found this to reflect the darker tone of the final novel quite well. Unfortunately, this was one of the very few pleasing characteristics of the game.
Several different spells become available to you throughout the game (some of which need to be charged by holding the trigger. Switching spells is fairly simple and quick. However, using them is a very different story. Without using the aim feature (holding left trigger), hitting a target is somewhat difficult. In aim mode, the reticule is supposed to lock on to the target (and turn orange) when you keep it on them. However, half of the time you lose this "lock" and your spell goes of course. Defensive spells require you to use specific button combinations. For example, to use "protego" which shields you from attacks, you must hold down the left "bumper" on the controller. This apparently takes a few seconds to charge as it never comes up fast enough to block an incoming spell (like they do in the movies) so you must put it up before the enemies launch their attacks which is annoying because the spell renders you immobile and unable to attack. Some of the other spells are useful but I stuck with the beginning spell, "stupefy", simply because you can use it quickly. There are also potions that are dropped by defeated enemies that you can use to help you throughout the game. There are offensive potions that harm enemies. They are useful but are quite difficult to throw on-target. There are also helpful potions that can be picked up. These potions have variants that restore health, make you stronger, etc. However these potions MUST be consumed as soon as you walk over them. This is especially frustrating with health potions as you quickly wish you could have some with you when you are being hit by numerous enemies and are running out of health.
In this game, Harry has the ability to use cover by pressing x near a wall or rock or any similar feature. The frustrating thing about this is it is difficult to tell what structures/items can be used as cover and if you move too far left or right you leave cover and you become an easy target when you use aim mode to target the enemies (fight back).
This is one of the few games I have played with no display on the screen. There is no health bar or any other similar feature on the screen. It is thus almost like watching a movie. The problem with this is the only way to determine your remaining health is by looking at the colours of your surroundings (they go grey as you lose health). It is EXTREMELY frustrating to not have an accurate picture of how much life you have left in the middle of a firefight.
The story mode can be fairly easily broken down into two types of missions: 1st person stealth missions and 3rd person "shooters".
The 1st person stealth missions can be described in 4 words: NOT FUN AT ALL. Every stealth mission (except the part in the Ministry before the polyjuice potion wears off) involves you sneaking around in an invisibility cloak. These are some of the most frustrating game missions I have ever played here's why:
If you bump into someone, you become visible.
If the triangle (deathly hallows symbol) becomes empty (it decreases as you move), you become visible.
If you press the run button, you become visible.
If you stop moving, you randomly keep moving causing the timer to continue decreasing.
If you accidentally press the right trigger, you become visible.
If you hide out of view after being spotted, then put the cloak back on, the enemies can still see you when you walk back out into the open.
If someone sees you, you are "discovered" and must return to checkpoint.
Also, you are forced to shuffle slowly along while in the cloak so the missions can be quite lengthy and boring.
The third person "shooter" missions are also quite annoying. Firstly, there's the problems I mentioned before about cover. Also, enemies are constantly appearing out of black smoke all around you, becoming quite annoying when you run into a death eater who spawned in two feet in front of you. Then there's the camera... The camera in the third person view "shooter" missions made me feel nauseous. Now,I have never had issues with nausea during games or movies (I had no problem with Avatar in 3D or Cloverfield), but the pitching and constant up and down motion of the camera, especially when in cover, made me feel sick to my stomach. Combat is also very glitchy. For example, on occasion I will hit a death eater 10+ times with even the most high powered spells, yet they will continue attacking. These missions are also EXTREMELY redundant (they change very little throughout the game).
Overall, the graphics are moderately good. The character designs are O.K. and the environment looks good.
In terms of audio, most missions I played consisted almost entirely of:
Harry: Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!
Death Eaters: Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!
Harry: Stupefy! Stupefy!
etc.
Other in game dialogue (i.e. in cutscenes) is well voice acted. However, the conversations are poorly matched the the movements of the mouths of the characters (poorly synchronized).
These are only a taste of the vast array of problems present in the game. Steer well clear of this poor recreation of a great novel, especially if you are a fan of the series who does not want to be extremely disappointed.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1 gets an overall rating of:
3 wands out of 10.
Area Specific Rankings:
Gameplay: 1.5/10
Audio: 3.5/10
Visual: 7.5/10
Fun/Enjoyability: 1.5/10
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Election 2011 Results Part 3 - Analysis
In this election,we saw the Orange Crush take hold, the Liberals seeing red, and the Conservatives finally getting their majority. But how did these massive changes happen?
1) Green Party winning a seat
Many were surprised to see Green Party leader Elizabeth May defeat the Conservative incumbent (and cabinet minister)in her riding,securing the first ever seat for the Green Party. Perhaps more people across the country are beginning to seek an alternative to "more of the same" through the Green Party. Or, seeing that the Green Party actually received fewer votes than in the last election, maybe her constituents simply felt she (personally) was the best option on the ballot. Regardless, a fresh voice may be just what the House of Commons needs moving forward.
2) Bloc Minus the Party
The greatest shock of the election came with the loss of all but 4 Bloc seats which resulted in the resignation of (their leader) Gilles Duceppe and the loss of their official party status. The reason for this immense loss is fairly obvious, the "Orange Crush". The NDP's massive gains in support from Quebecers led the party to take over most of the seats in the province, mainly at the cost of the incumbent Bloc (now former) MPs. The implications of this historic loss are numerous as this defeat may be the final nail in the coffin of Quebec Separatism. Yes, after over 20 years of threats, mailbox bombings, protests and a poorly thought-out speech comparing the Canadian Government to nazis while on a visit to Expo 67 in Montreal (see "vive le quebec libre" article on Wikipedia), the concept of a "free Quebec" may be dead. One can only hope...
Aside from the death of separatism in Quebec, the loss of official party status will prevent them from having any significant input in the House as they will have limited opportunities to pose questions in the House and their MP`s are no longer eligible to be selected for committees put together not vote on, debate, and edit bills.
3) Liberals seeing orange
Many people were, you guessed it, shocked by the Liberals' plunge to a historic low of 34 seats in the House. This loss can be traced back to the same factor that crushed the Bloc, the NDP surge which (along with the Conservative efforts)led to the loss of 19 Liberal seats in Ontario. This massive loss has massive implications for politics in Canada. For the first time, the Liberals will be neither the government or the official opposition. 4+ years of a Conservative majority government with the leftist NDP as the opposition could result in some massive changes. Many also wonder whether or not the Liberals will recover in the next election. The future of the Liberal Party will now depend on how fast they can get a new leader, fire back at the Conservatives who will no doubt begin attack ads again as soon as a new leader has been chosen, and work towards regaining the trust and support of the people of Canada. This will be a large task for party members and supporters as the Liberal leadership is in disarray due to the defeat of many high profile members such as Ken Dryden and Gerrard Kennedy.
4) The NDP win big but still lose
Canadians watched as the NDP stormed forward to a party record of 102 seats in the House. This historic surge came mainly due to their massive gains in the province of Quebec, where they ended the decades old reign of the Bloc. Jack Layton's immense efforts in Quebec succeeded in winning over the majority of its citizens of which many were apparently tired of Bloc rule in the province. For the first time in party history, the NDP will form the official opposition in the House of Commons. However, despite the massive historical significance of this, the party will actually have less power than they did before the election was called. The reason? Two words, 1)Conservative 2)Majority. The NDP will do its best to assault government policies and try to prevent the Conservatives from shifting government policies further to the political right. However, in the end, (and as long as all members vote as expected) the Conservatives will have the final say on all bills and issues. Still, their massive gains may permanently change the face of politics in Canada.
5) The Harper (Majority) Government
After 3 elections, Stephen Harper finally got the majority government he has long fantasized about. How did this happen in the face of the NDP`s Massive gains? The answer is simple, the leftist vote split. In multiple formerly Liberal ridings, the NDP candidates had very little chance of winning but received just enough of the leftist vote to allow the rightist vote to win the riding for the Conservatives. This was true in multiple ridings including 8 in the Maritime provinces. Another cause was the negative image cast on Michael Ignatieff by the Conservative attack ads which began months before the election (which Harper supposedly did not want) that went unanswered by the Liberal Party. This victory will have massive effects on Canadians. Harper has promised results and he will most likely delivered now that the opposition parties can not vote down his bills. Although I tend to find minority governments better because the government remains accountable, it should be interesting to see the results Harper can get for Canadians. The only thing that concerns me is the possibility of the power going to his head. Harper was already found in contempt of parliament (first time this has ever happened to a government) twice and accused of scoffing democracy when he had a minority government. Hopefully he will be more cautious with this new Majority government. If he can do this, the majority government MAY bring some positives.
1) Green Party winning a seat
Many were surprised to see Green Party leader Elizabeth May defeat the Conservative incumbent (and cabinet minister)in her riding,securing the first ever seat for the Green Party. Perhaps more people across the country are beginning to seek an alternative to "more of the same" through the Green Party. Or, seeing that the Green Party actually received fewer votes than in the last election, maybe her constituents simply felt she (personally) was the best option on the ballot. Regardless, a fresh voice may be just what the House of Commons needs moving forward.
2) Bloc Minus the Party
The greatest shock of the election came with the loss of all but 4 Bloc seats which resulted in the resignation of (their leader) Gilles Duceppe and the loss of their official party status. The reason for this immense loss is fairly obvious, the "Orange Crush". The NDP's massive gains in support from Quebecers led the party to take over most of the seats in the province, mainly at the cost of the incumbent Bloc (now former) MPs. The implications of this historic loss are numerous as this defeat may be the final nail in the coffin of Quebec Separatism. Yes, after over 20 years of threats, mailbox bombings, protests and a poorly thought-out speech comparing the Canadian Government to nazis while on a visit to Expo 67 in Montreal (see "vive le quebec libre" article on Wikipedia), the concept of a "free Quebec" may be dead. One can only hope...
Aside from the death of separatism in Quebec, the loss of official party status will prevent them from having any significant input in the House as they will have limited opportunities to pose questions in the House and their MP`s are no longer eligible to be selected for committees put together not vote on, debate, and edit bills.
3) Liberals seeing orange
Many people were, you guessed it, shocked by the Liberals' plunge to a historic low of 34 seats in the House. This loss can be traced back to the same factor that crushed the Bloc, the NDP surge which (along with the Conservative efforts)led to the loss of 19 Liberal seats in Ontario. This massive loss has massive implications for politics in Canada. For the first time, the Liberals will be neither the government or the official opposition. 4+ years of a Conservative majority government with the leftist NDP as the opposition could result in some massive changes. Many also wonder whether or not the Liberals will recover in the next election. The future of the Liberal Party will now depend on how fast they can get a new leader, fire back at the Conservatives who will no doubt begin attack ads again as soon as a new leader has been chosen, and work towards regaining the trust and support of the people of Canada. This will be a large task for party members and supporters as the Liberal leadership is in disarray due to the defeat of many high profile members such as Ken Dryden and Gerrard Kennedy.
4) The NDP win big but still lose
Canadians watched as the NDP stormed forward to a party record of 102 seats in the House. This historic surge came mainly due to their massive gains in the province of Quebec, where they ended the decades old reign of the Bloc. Jack Layton's immense efforts in Quebec succeeded in winning over the majority of its citizens of which many were apparently tired of Bloc rule in the province. For the first time in party history, the NDP will form the official opposition in the House of Commons. However, despite the massive historical significance of this, the party will actually have less power than they did before the election was called. The reason? Two words, 1)Conservative 2)Majority. The NDP will do its best to assault government policies and try to prevent the Conservatives from shifting government policies further to the political right. However, in the end, (and as long as all members vote as expected) the Conservatives will have the final say on all bills and issues. Still, their massive gains may permanently change the face of politics in Canada.
5) The Harper (Majority) Government
After 3 elections, Stephen Harper finally got the majority government he has long fantasized about. How did this happen in the face of the NDP`s Massive gains? The answer is simple, the leftist vote split. In multiple formerly Liberal ridings, the NDP candidates had very little chance of winning but received just enough of the leftist vote to allow the rightist vote to win the riding for the Conservatives. This was true in multiple ridings including 8 in the Maritime provinces. Another cause was the negative image cast on Michael Ignatieff by the Conservative attack ads which began months before the election (which Harper supposedly did not want) that went unanswered by the Liberal Party. This victory will have massive effects on Canadians. Harper has promised results and he will most likely delivered now that the opposition parties can not vote down his bills. Although I tend to find minority governments better because the government remains accountable, it should be interesting to see the results Harper can get for Canadians. The only thing that concerns me is the possibility of the power going to his head. Harper was already found in contempt of parliament (first time this has ever happened to a government) twice and accused of scoffing democracy when he had a minority government. Hopefully he will be more cautious with this new Majority government. If he can do this, the majority government MAY bring some positives.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Youtube Friday #2 video
NOTE: PLEASE READ THE POSTING BELOW BEFORE WATCHING THIS VIDEO.
As a random example of Tobuscus`Literal Trailers, I selected the first one i watched.
Enjoy...
As a random example of Tobuscus`Literal Trailers, I selected the first one i watched.
Enjoy...
youtube Friday 2 - May 6
I was unable to get on to post yesterday so i decided to come on today as I have missed too many Fridays already.
The youtube Fridays featured video series of the week is, Drum Roll Please, Tobuscus`literal trailers. In these comedic videos,
The youtube Fridays featured video series of the week is, Drum Roll Please, Tobuscus`literal trailers. In these comedic videos,
Tobuscussings, to the tune of the game or movie`s music, exactly what is going on in the trailer. This may sound awkward but makes for quite laughable entertainment. These trailers are quite difficult to describe so just look at the example posted above.
Election 2011 Results Part 2 - The Winners
You`ve seen the losers (and the Greens), now let`s look at who came out ahead on Monday night.
4) Canadians drink Orange Crush
Many were stunned to see the NDP surge to a record high of 102 seats as they picked up an additional 66 seats making them the biggest winners in terms of seat gains. The massive gains came largely in Quebec where the NDP received over 42% of the vote which translated to 58 seats. Many of their seats came at the expense of the devastated Bloc who lost their iron grip on the province (Quebec). Jack Layton, who handily defeated all other candidates in his riding, should make a decent leader of the official opposition as he does a very good job of pointing out flaws in party policies and of forcing the other parties to take action to correct these flaws.
5) Harper Gets His majority
On account of the NDP surge and the always solid Liberals, the Conservatives again failed to reach their goal of a majority After 5 years and three elections, the Conservatives managed to grab that elusive majority despite the ORANGE CRUSH that swept across Quebec. Their solid gain of 24 seats, of which a fair amount came in Ontario, propelled them to a total of 167 seats, 12 more than they needed for a majority. His position secure, Stephen Harper should be Prime Minister for at least the next four years until the mandatory election (must be an election every 5 years but most governments chose to have 1 after four to prevent any surprises).
In Part 3 I will analyze the results to see how these changes happened and what they mean for Canadians.
4) Canadians drink Orange Crush
Many were stunned to see the NDP surge to a record high of 102 seats as they picked up an additional 66 seats making them the biggest winners in terms of seat gains. The massive gains came largely in Quebec where the NDP received over 42% of the vote which translated to 58 seats. Many of their seats came at the expense of the devastated Bloc who lost their iron grip on the province (Quebec). Jack Layton, who handily defeated all other candidates in his riding, should make a decent leader of the official opposition as he does a very good job of pointing out flaws in party policies and of forcing the other parties to take action to correct these flaws.
5) Harper Gets His majority
In Part 3 I will analyze the results to see how these changes happened and what they mean for Canadians.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Election 2011 Results Part 1 - The Losers and The Greens
The federal election witnessed by Canadians on Monday (May 2) had more surprises and twists than a soap opera.
Let's start from the bottom of the pile.
1) The Green Party wins a seat
Green party leader Elizabeth May defeated the Conservative Minister of State(sport), Gary Lunn (who has held the riding for the last 14 years), securing the first ever Green Party seat in the House of Commons as the representative of Saanich-Gulf Islands, British Columbia. She will not have much of a say (especially with the Conservative Majority) but will provide a refreshing voice in the House of Commons. She is also guaranteed a seat at the Leader's debate in the next election which she had been denied this election.
2) THE DEATH OF THE BLOC
To the shock of many, the Bloc Quebecois came out as the biggest losers in the election. Succumbing to the ``Orange Crush``, the Bloc plummeted 43 seats (ALL to the NDP) all the way down from 47 to just 4 seats in the House, resulting in the loss of their official party status. This leads to the question of whether or not separatism can survive in Quebebc. Highlighting the historic defeat was the crushing defeat of leader Gilles Duceppe in his riding of Laurier-Sainte-Marie (which he has represented for over 20 years) where he lost by almost 5400 votes (23% less than NDP winner Helene Laverdiere (or 11% of the overall vote)). Needless to say he resigned his position of party leader shortly after the election.
3) The Liberals seeing red
The Liberals also lost a stunning 43 seats, falling all the way down to a historic low of 34 seats in the House. For the first time in the history of Canada, the Liberal Party will not be the party in power or the leader of the opposition, having succumbed to both the NDP (who added an astonishing 68 seats to their ranks) and Stephen Harper`s Conservatives who finally got their majority. Among the surprising defeats (19 of which came in Ontario) came popular candidates Gerrard Kennedy and Ken Dryden who had long represented their respective ridings and had been considered for party Leadership. Adding to the defeat was Michael Ignatieff`s loss in the Liberal stronghold of Etobicoke Lakeshore by over 2000 seats.
Let's start from the bottom of the pile.
1) The Green Party wins a seat
Green party leader Elizabeth May defeated the Conservative Minister of State(sport), Gary Lunn (who has held the riding for the last 14 years), securing the first ever Green Party seat in the House of Commons as the representative of Saanich-Gulf Islands, British Columbia. She will not have much of a say (especially with the Conservative Majority) but will provide a refreshing voice in the House of Commons. She is also guaranteed a seat at the Leader's debate in the next election which she had been denied this election.
2) THE DEATH OF THE BLOC
To the shock of many, the Bloc Quebecois came out as the biggest losers in the election. Succumbing to the ``Orange Crush``, the Bloc plummeted 43 seats (ALL to the NDP) all the way down from 47 to just 4 seats in the House, resulting in the loss of their official party status. This leads to the question of whether or not separatism can survive in Quebebc. Highlighting the historic defeat was the crushing defeat of leader Gilles Duceppe in his riding of Laurier-Sainte-Marie (which he has represented for over 20 years) where he lost by almost 5400 votes (23% less than NDP winner Helene Laverdiere (or 11% of the overall vote)). Needless to say he resigned his position of party leader shortly after the election.
3) The Liberals seeing red
The Liberals also lost a stunning 43 seats, falling all the way down to a historic low of 34 seats in the House. For the first time in the history of Canada, the Liberal Party will not be the party in power or the leader of the opposition, having succumbed to both the NDP (who added an astonishing 68 seats to their ranks) and Stephen Harper`s Conservatives who finally got their majority. Among the surprising defeats (19 of which came in Ontario) came popular candidates Gerrard Kennedy and Ken Dryden who had long represented their respective ridings and had been considered for party Leadership. Adding to the defeat was Michael Ignatieff`s loss in the Liberal stronghold of Etobicoke Lakeshore by over 2000 seats.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Libya is out of the news
Well it appears that no major news channel cares about the situation in Libya any more. God forbid anything should take away even seconds of the coverage of the Royal Wedding. After all the "Wedding of the Century" is far more important than Canadian, British, and French (and all other countries involved whom I do not have room to add) soldiers who are taking part in military action in a full scale revolution in an oil rich country in/near one of the most unstable areas in the world (Middle East). Now if I want updates on the situation I have to go to the timeline of the 2011 Libyan Civil War page on Wikipedia. It's not like there's nothing significant going on in Libya at the moment either. Like, I think some people may be interested in the fact that over 1000 European Union ground soldiers are being prepared in case their plans for a ground operation are approved (which very well may be). Maybe people might also want to know that Ghaddafi's snipers are deliberately targeting young children in the streets in the besieged city of Misurata which has been cut off from supplies and has had raw sewage dumped into its drinking water system. The point is that major news outlets should not stop covering a major international event just because it is "old news". People need and want to get accurate information on important events around the world, especially on events that involve their country (ex. me in Canada).
Since the major news outlets are not going to do it, here's a basic update on events in the Libyan Revolution/Civil War:
Rebel forces are currently holding off government troops in their only western city of Misurata (under siege). Everything west of Brega is under firm rebel control including Ajdabiya and the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. Everything west of Brega other than Misurata is under government control including the capital, Tripoli. UN and allies continue to strike government forces across the country.
See you next time on Hayden@Earth.
Since the major news outlets are not going to do it, here's a basic update on events in the Libyan Revolution/Civil War:
Rebel forces are currently holding off government troops in their only western city of Misurata (under siege). Everything west of Brega is under firm rebel control including Ajdabiya and the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. Everything west of Brega other than Misurata is under government control including the capital, Tripoli. UN and allies continue to strike government forces across the country.
See you next time on Hayden@Earth.
C# programming Basics part 3 - Adding Forms and the Visibility Property
Sometimes, one form is not sufficient to contain all the things you would like to happen in the program.In this case,you must add another form or forms to the project. To add a form, first right click on the name of the project in the properties window and select add then select new item from the list this displays. Select windows form, name the form, and add it to the project. Next you must allow the form to be displayed through a button press on the first form. Add a button to both forms. Name the button on the first form (I named it bttncontinue) and adjust its text property to something like CONTINUE. Name the button on the second form (I named it bttnclose) and adjust its text property to something like CLOSE or BACK TO MAIN. Now You are ready to program. First, right click on bttncontinue to bring up the code screen. Then, simply enter this code (I chose to name the first form mainform and the second form subform):
subform myNewForm = new subform();
myNewForm.ShowDialog();
That's all it takes to add a new form in C#.
One very useful tool in C# programming is the ability to make things appear and disappear at the will of the user. If you want something, like a button for example, to be invisible at the beginning of the program, simply go under the section of code "Initialize Component" (after its last closing Bracket but before the first "private void section")and enter this code (assuming the item is named invisibilitycloak:
invisibilitycloak.Visible = false;
To make it reappear at the press of a button, double click on the button and enter the following code (same name):
invisibilitycloak.Visible = true;
That's all I have on this subject.
See you next time on Hayden@Earth
subform myNewForm = new subform();
myNewForm.ShowDialog();
That's all it takes to add a new form in C#.
One very useful tool in C# programming is the ability to make things appear and disappear at the will of the user. If you want something, like a button for example, to be invisible at the beginning of the program, simply go under the section of code "Initialize Component" (after its last closing Bracket but before the first "private void section")and enter this code (assuming the item is named invisibilitycloak:
invisibilitycloak.Visible = false;
To make it reappear at the press of a button, double click on the button and enter the following code (same name):
invisibilitycloak.Visible = true;
That's all I have on this subject.
See you next time on Hayden@Earth
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
C# programming Basics part 2 - Buttons and Textboxes
First, let's make a button display text in a textbox.
1) select the textbox tool on the toolbar and make one on the form.
2) name the textbox txtboxdisplay, or anything else you can remember easily
3) select the button tool on the toolbar and add one to the form.
4) name the button bttndisplay or anything else you can easily remember.
now we can start programming
5) double click on the button, bringing you to the code screen
your programming for the task will go under "private void bttndisplay..." (typing line should start there automatically)
6) First you must tell the computer what you want to happen. In this case, because you want the textbox to display TEXT, you would write
textboxdisplay.text
^----(whatever you named the textbox)
7)Next enter the text you want to be displayed.
= "NICELY DONE!!!"
8) Add a semicolon!!! This must be done to every line of code
The final product is
txtboxdisplay.text = "Nicely Done!!!";
You can also make a message box (like those annoying error messages you get) appear by adding this line of code underneath the first line.
MessageBox.Show ("NICE JOB!!!");
Next time we will look at a very interesting and useful tool in C# programming. No Spoilers...
See you next time on Hayden@Earth
1) select the textbox tool on the toolbar and make one on the form.
2) name the textbox txtboxdisplay, or anything else you can remember easily
3) select the button tool on the toolbar and add one to the form.
4) name the button bttndisplay or anything else you can easily remember.
now we can start programming
5) double click on the button, bringing you to the code screen
your programming for the task will go under "private void bttndisplay..." (typing line should start there automatically)
6) First you must tell the computer what you want to happen. In this case, because you want the textbox to display TEXT, you would write
textboxdisplay.text
^----(whatever you named the textbox)
7)Next enter the text you want to be displayed.
= "NICELY DONE!!!"
8) Add a semicolon!!! This must be done to every line of code
The final product is
txtboxdisplay.text = "Nicely Done!!!";
You can also make a message box (like those annoying error messages you get) appear by adding this line of code underneath the first line.
MessageBox.Show ("NICE JOB!!!");
Next time we will look at a very interesting and useful tool in C# programming. No Spoilers...
See you next time on Hayden@Earth
C# programming Basics part 1 - Introduction
Microsoft visual C# Express 2008 is a professional used program used to create computer programs in the C# programming language. C# is quickly becoming one of the most used computer languages. Microsoft Visual C# 2008 is available for free download at microsoft's website (follow link at bottom of post).
After you install the program (may occur on second or third use) you will be prompted to register the program. Simply follow the instructions they give you and you should have no problems.
Once it is installed and registered, you are ready to begin programming. This program will allow you to make form applications and other programs that may be shared with others via the internet.
To get started (assuming you are making a windows form application, the most common and easy to use option) click the new project button in the top left corner of the screen. Select Windows Form App in the options and give a name to the project. A form should be created and displayed on the screen (close the start page to make it visible). Your toolbar is located on the left of the screen. The toolbar allows you to place buttons, textboxes, and essentially anything else displayed on the form. Click the properties button on the top right corner of the screen to display the properties panel. This lets you set the attributes of the item you have selected. These attributes include everything from the text displayed on the object to the size of the object.
The most important thing to remember is that EVERYTHING must have a name used while programming (set by the name control in the properties panel, NOT THE TEXT CONTROL!). You know know the basic essentials used in C# programming. In part 2 we will actually start programming some items.
See you later on Hayden@Earth
http://www.microsoft.com/express/Downloads/#2008-Visual-CS
After you install the program (may occur on second or third use) you will be prompted to register the program. Simply follow the instructions they give you and you should have no problems.
Once it is installed and registered, you are ready to begin programming. This program will allow you to make form applications and other programs that may be shared with others via the internet.
To get started (assuming you are making a windows form application, the most common and easy to use option) click the new project button in the top left corner of the screen. Select Windows Form App in the options and give a name to the project. A form should be created and displayed on the screen (close the start page to make it visible). Your toolbar is located on the left of the screen. The toolbar allows you to place buttons, textboxes, and essentially anything else displayed on the form. Click the properties button on the top right corner of the screen to display the properties panel. This lets you set the attributes of the item you have selected. These attributes include everything from the text displayed on the object to the size of the object.
The most important thing to remember is that EVERYTHING must have a name used while programming (set by the name control in the properties panel, NOT THE TEXT CONTROL!). You know know the basic essentials used in C# programming. In part 2 we will actually start programming some items.
See you later on Hayden@Earth
http://www.microsoft.com/express/Downloads/#2008-Visual-CS
10 day movie review challenge UPDATE 2
Due to an unforeseeably hectic schedule, the movie review challenge will be postponed until July 2011.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Halo: Reach Video Game Review
I have been a fan of the Halo series since the very beginning, Halo: Combat Evolved. So what better game to be the subject of my first video game review than the final game in the series (unless/until 343 studios gets its way), Halo: Reach.
After the disappointment of Halo: ODST, I was reluctant to dish out 60 dollars to buy Reach. After finally bringing myself to buy it (about 2 months after the release), I quickly realized that the game was worth every penny.
Firstly, the storyline/campaign of this game is, by far, the deepest and most intense of any game I have ever played. Ever. The story of Noble Team, bolstered by outstanding visual effects and missions as well as solid voice acting, sucks you in and keeps you interested until the end.
Multiplayer, as usual for games of the series, is solid and rich with many different game types. This large selection of game types ensures many hours of fun with friends.
The wide variety of new weapons and equipment, most notably armour abilities (power-ups) add a lot to the experience. The game includes everything from machine guns to rocket launchers and their alien equivalents.
Halo: Reach gets 9 Spartans out of 10.
After the disappointment of Halo: ODST, I was reluctant to dish out 60 dollars to buy Reach. After finally bringing myself to buy it (about 2 months after the release), I quickly realized that the game was worth every penny.
Firstly, the storyline/campaign of this game is, by far, the deepest and most intense of any game I have ever played. Ever. The story of Noble Team, bolstered by outstanding visual effects and missions as well as solid voice acting, sucks you in and keeps you interested until the end.
Multiplayer, as usual for games of the series, is solid and rich with many different game types. This large selection of game types ensures many hours of fun with friends.
The wide variety of new weapons and equipment, most notably armour abilities (power-ups) add a lot to the experience. The game includes everything from machine guns to rocket launchers and their alien equivalents.
Halo: Reach gets 9 Spartans out of 10.
Mozilla Firefox 4.0
This one is for all the Mozilla Firefox users out there. As you may know from Firefox upgrade prompts, Firefox 4 has been released (*background cheers*). But what has been improved in this new update? If you have asked this question, this article is for you.
The main improvement brought by this upgrade is the speed. When, while conducting the upgrade, the information on the update was displayed (Firefox 4 first run page is similar to that of previous updates) I was doubtful as I read that the speed would be improved. I mean, I had installed multiple Firefox upgrades in the past and there was never much impact on the speed. However, this time there is a significantly noticeable improvement on the speed of the browser. Pages seem to load quite faster than in previous versions of Firefox.
Other than the speed, not much has changed in terms of performance. However, the upgrade does offer a refreshing new page that is simpler to navigate and looks arguably better. The upgrade makes the page feel much more futuristic in style. If you like to personalize your page you will also be glad to know that you can still use personas and other customizing features. Firefox 4 can be downloaded for free (as usual) from Mozilla's website.
Good surfing.
That's all I have for now, see you later on Hayden@Earth.
The main improvement brought by this upgrade is the speed. When, while conducting the upgrade, the information on the update was displayed (Firefox 4 first run page is similar to that of previous updates) I was doubtful as I read that the speed would be improved. I mean, I had installed multiple Firefox upgrades in the past and there was never much impact on the speed. However, this time there is a significantly noticeable improvement on the speed of the browser. Pages seem to load quite faster than in previous versions of Firefox.
Other than the speed, not much has changed in terms of performance. However, the upgrade does offer a refreshing new page that is simpler to navigate and looks arguably better. The upgrade makes the page feel much more futuristic in style. If you like to personalize your page you will also be glad to know that you can still use personas and other customizing features. Firefox 4 can be downloaded for free (as usual) from Mozilla's website.
Good surfing.
That's all I have for now, see you later on Hayden@Earth.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
10 day movie review challenge
For the next ten days starting Monday, I will watch a movie off the list of Movie Network OnDemand movies each day and post a review. This will start tomorrow with a review of the film, Shutter Island.
Also, Don't forget to turn the lights off tonight at 8:30 for Earth Hour.
See you later on Hayden@Earth.
Also, Don't forget to turn the lights off tonight at 8:30 for Earth Hour.
See you later on Hayden@Earth.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Youtube Friday #1 - March 25, 2011
Thanksgiving is now considered a time to pig out on good food in the company of good friends and family. But no other feast compares with what I saw on one video on Youtube. They called it the "Turbacon epic". Epic is a word that is thrown around a lot today. In this case, however, epic is a massive understatement. Welcome to the insane, over-the-top world of Epic Meal Time where, "We make your dreams come true, and then we eat them". Since then, I have watched their weekly videos every Tuesday without fail. Until you see their videos, you do not know ANYTHING about food. They make creations out of meat that you would never believe are possible until you see with your own eyes. Also, the people in the show are hilarious, especially the lead, Harley Morenstein. Check out their channel on youtube and prepare to be amazed. Highlights (other videos) include a massive "Meatball Deathstar", a Christmas special that puts a meaty twist on tradition, and many other insane meat creations with absolutely no veg****les (or fruit) included.
See you later on Hayden@Earth.
Yes the word vegetables (seen above as veg****les) is censored in their videos.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Youtube Fridays
This Posting is just to let you know that from now on, every Friday I will give mention to a noteworthy video or series of videos from Youtube. This will start tomorrow, March 25, 2011.
Robin Hood Review
I was disappointed when I never made it to see Robin Hood in theaters. The trailers had got me very excited about the movie but I never got a chance to actually go see it. Therefor when I saw Robin Hood playing on The Movie Network On Demand I leaped on the opportunity. I'm now glad I didn't waste my 11 dollars to see this piece of garbage at the theater.
OK, maybe it wasn't THAT bad. I probably would have enjoyed it more in theater. I doubt I'm the only one that was led to believe (by the trailer) that the movie was 2 hours of exciting action and battles. What was delivered was 5 minutes of action, followed by almost two hours of chatting and discussions that seemed draaaaaaaawn out and completely irrelevant to the plot of the film. The battle outside the french castle and the final battle are both well done with good effects and cinematography. The costumes were well made and realistic-looking and visual effects were done well . This would have easily been a 4+ star movie if it wasn't for the drawn out, boring main body of the film.
For all the well-recognized actors they got, the acting was mediocre at best. Even the usually exciting actor Russel Crowe seemed stony and robotic in his lead role as Robin Hood. Maybe its just because of a poorly written script or maybe Russel Crowe was just bored because he didn't realize that he would spend 2 hours in plain chatting and "parties" that seemed more like funerals when he took the role of Robin Hood, the badass of Sherwood Forest.
Robin (your cash) Hood gets 2/5.
OK, maybe it wasn't THAT bad. I probably would have enjoyed it more in theater. I doubt I'm the only one that was led to believe (by the trailer) that the movie was 2 hours of exciting action and battles. What was delivered was 5 minutes of action, followed by almost two hours of chatting and discussions that seemed draaaaaaaawn out and completely irrelevant to the plot of the film. The battle outside the french castle and the final battle are both well done with good effects and cinematography. The costumes were well made and realistic-looking and visual effects were done well . This would have easily been a 4+ star movie if it wasn't for the drawn out, boring main body of the film.
For all the well-recognized actors they got, the acting was mediocre at best. Even the usually exciting actor Russel Crowe seemed stony and robotic in his lead role as Robin Hood. Maybe its just because of a poorly written script or maybe Russel Crowe was just bored because he didn't realize that he would spend 2 hours in plain chatting and "parties" that seemed more like funerals when he took the role of Robin Hood, the badass of Sherwood Forest.
Robin (your cash) Hood gets 2/5.
Battle: Los Angeles Review
Overview
When you think of alien invasion movies your mind immediately jumps to the generic plot of: aliens land, aliens kill people, people find a weakness, people fight back, people win. The new film, Battle: Los Angeles does not stray too far from this plot but does bring some refreshing uniqueness to the table. It is in fact one of the most realistic looking (if you can say that about an alien invasion movie) and exciting science fiction movie I have ever seen.
Visuals and Audio
Firstly, the design of the aliens themselves was truly unique. They look exceptionally strange and otherworldly. They are unlike anything I have ever seen before in any other science fiction movie. On the human side, a wide variety of weapons, vehicles, and other equipment are displayed throughout the movie. The sounds of gunfire and explosions are very realistic and really help set the hectic, chaotic them of the film. Visual effects are also very well done as the explosions and gunfire look very realistic and other effects (namely fog and smoke) are used well.
Many scenes in the movie (mainly the first 45 minutes - 1 hour) are full of suspense due to the speed and positioning of the aliens as well as the thick fog. The battle scenes (a good 85-90% of the film) are hectic and chaotic. The film is shot in a fashion similar to Black Hawk Down which also features the chaotic battle scenes. If you enjoy action movies, you will most likely enjoy this movie.
The acting was fairly solid throughout the movie. The standout actor was Aaron Eckhart (who you may remember as Harvey Dent from the Dark Knight) who delivers an excellent performance as Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz. These characters spoken lines were limited to the frantic shouts of "Get Down" and "Take cover" typical of war movies. However there are several inspirational, well written speeches delivered by the aforementioned Aaron Eckhart. However, some of the dialogue and acting throughout the film is just awkward.
There are a few minor problems with the film. Firstly, the talking scenes and speeches feel dragged out after all the action. Also, the limited perspective of the soldiers (you only know what they see) creates suspense well but it would have been nice to see a bit more of the unique alien ships and soldiers (you do not get to see much of either).
In closing, Battle: Los Angeles is a fairly standard alien invasion movie that does not much new to the table, but does deliver on action and suspense.
Battle: Los Angeles gets 7.5/10
When you think of alien invasion movies your mind immediately jumps to the generic plot of: aliens land, aliens kill people, people find a weakness, people fight back, people win. The new film, Battle: Los Angeles does not stray too far from this plot but does bring some refreshing uniqueness to the table. It is in fact one of the most realistic looking (if you can say that about an alien invasion movie) and exciting science fiction movie I have ever seen.
Visuals and Audio
Firstly, the design of the aliens themselves was truly unique. They look exceptionally strange and otherworldly. They are unlike anything I have ever seen before in any other science fiction movie. On the human side, a wide variety of weapons, vehicles, and other equipment are displayed throughout the movie. The sounds of gunfire and explosions are very realistic and really help set the hectic, chaotic them of the film. Visual effects are also very well done as the explosions and gunfire look very realistic and other effects (namely fog and smoke) are used well.
Many scenes in the movie (mainly the first 45 minutes - 1 hour) are full of suspense due to the speed and positioning of the aliens as well as the thick fog. The battle scenes (a good 85-90% of the film) are hectic and chaotic. The film is shot in a fashion similar to Black Hawk Down which also features the chaotic battle scenes. If you enjoy action movies, you will most likely enjoy this movie.
The acting was fairly solid throughout the movie. The standout actor was Aaron Eckhart (who you may remember as Harvey Dent from the Dark Knight) who delivers an excellent performance as Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz. These characters spoken lines were limited to the frantic shouts of "Get Down" and "Take cover" typical of war movies. However there are several inspirational, well written speeches delivered by the aforementioned Aaron Eckhart. However, some of the dialogue and acting throughout the film is just awkward.
There are a few minor problems with the film. Firstly, the talking scenes and speeches feel dragged out after all the action. Also, the limited perspective of the soldiers (you only know what they see) creates suspense well but it would have been nice to see a bit more of the unique alien ships and soldiers (you do not get to see much of either).
In closing, Battle: Los Angeles is a fairly standard alien invasion movie that does not much new to the table, but does deliver on action and suspense.
Battle: Los Angeles gets 7.5/10
Thursday, March 3, 2011
how to wirelessly share a printer in a network
If you have one printer in your home but multiple computers, printing can be complicated. Having to carry a laptop to a printer and manually connect it to the printer`s USB or sending the document to the desktop connected to the printer can be a major inconvenience. Therefore there are obvious benefits to sharing a printer throughout all the computers on the network. To allow all computers on the network immediate and wireless access to the printer, follow these simple steps on the computer physically attached to the printer.
1) Go to the printers and faxes (or just printers or hardware and printers depending on your operating system).
2) Right click on the printer you want to share, bringing up several options.
3) Click on Sharing.
4) In the sharing menu, click on share my printer and give the printer an easily recognizable share name.
5) On all the computers you want to share, add the shared printer. (control panel-printers-add a printer). The printer you set to share should be found by your computer. Select it and press continue. Everything else is handled by Windows sharing and (or) is self explanatory.
1) Go to the printers and faxes (or just printers or hardware and printers depending on your operating system).
2) Right click on the printer you want to share, bringing up several options.
3) Click on Sharing.
4) In the sharing menu, click on share my printer and give the printer an easily recognizable share name.
5) On all the computers you want to share, add the shared printer. (control panel-printers-add a printer). The printer you set to share should be found by your computer. Select it and press continue. Everything else is handled by Windows sharing and (or) is self explanatory.
How to make an object spin in Flash CS4
One useful tool in Flash is the ability to make objects spin. It is a simple way to add some excitement to your animation. Just follow these simple steps.
1) Draw the image you want to spin. This can be anything from a car to a plain rectangle.
2) Using the free transform tool select the object.
3) Go to Modify then convert to symbol. Give the object a name and make sure you are converting it to a movie clip, not a button or graphic.
4) Double click on the object. This should bring you into the edit screen (aka underground). If you are in the underground, just under the timeline you should see scene 1 (or whatever else you have named it) with the name of the object to its right.
5) Select a frame on the underground timeline (not the first) and convert it to a keyframe.
6) Create a classic tween between the automatic keyframe on frame 1 and the newly created key frame.
7) On the timeline, click anywhere on the tween between the two keyframes. This should give you an option (or properties) panel.
8) On this panel, change rotation from automatic to either CW (clockwise) or CCW (counter-clockwise). You can also select the amount of times you want it to turn with the time specified by the keyframes.
To make sure it worked, press ctrl+enter to preview the animation. Your object should be spinning in the manner specified. If you want, you can add a button that will control the motion of the object, but that`s an explanation for another article.
1) Draw the image you want to spin. This can be anything from a car to a plain rectangle.
2) Using the free transform tool select the object.
3) Go to Modify then convert to symbol. Give the object a name and make sure you are converting it to a movie clip, not a button or graphic.
4) Double click on the object. This should bring you into the edit screen (aka underground). If you are in the underground, just under the timeline you should see scene 1 (or whatever else you have named it) with the name of the object to its right.
5) Select a frame on the underground timeline (not the first) and convert it to a keyframe.
6) Create a classic tween between the automatic keyframe on frame 1 and the newly created key frame.
7) On the timeline, click anywhere on the tween between the two keyframes. This should give you an option (or properties) panel.
8) On this panel, change rotation from automatic to either CW (clockwise) or CCW (counter-clockwise). You can also select the amount of times you want it to turn with the time specified by the keyframes.
To make sure it worked, press ctrl+enter to preview the animation. Your object should be spinning in the manner specified. If you want, you can add a button that will control the motion of the object, but that`s an explanation for another article.
New ways to access the internet
There are several new methods of getting connected to the internet. The first recently developed source is fiber optic cables. These new cables are an upgrade to the traditional underground wires used to supply internet connections. This relatively new technology has several benefits. Fiber optic wires are much thinner than traditional cables. Each strand of fiber optic wiring is as thin as a human hair compared to traditional wires which can be several inches thick. Also, each fiber optic wire can carry much more information than even the fattest of traditional cables. Fiber optic cables allow for fast data transfer over a large area.
The second method (source) is through satellites. Satellites are one of the most costly options for connecting to the internet, but have plenty of advantages. They can provide a signal to anywhere on the planet because, unlike cables, they are not limited by geographic features. They also boast lightning fast transfer of data between computers no matter how far apart the computers are.
The final method is known as tethering. This method takes advantage of the new internet capabilities of the newest generation of smart phones. The smart phone is used as a form of hub to form a network using it as a source for internet connection. Data is transferred quickly and, like satellite, without interference by great distances or geographic features.
The second method (source) is through satellites. Satellites are one of the most costly options for connecting to the internet, but have plenty of advantages. They can provide a signal to anywhere on the planet because, unlike cables, they are not limited by geographic features. They also boast lightning fast transfer of data between computers no matter how far apart the computers are.
The final method is known as tethering. This method takes advantage of the new internet capabilities of the newest generation of smart phones. The smart phone is used as a form of hub to form a network using it as a source for internet connection. Data is transferred quickly and, like satellite, without interference by great distances or geographic features.
Network topologies and their benefits
There are several ways to set up connections in a network. Each of these setups, known as topologies, have several advantages and disadvantages.
The first topology is the bus topology. In this setup, all the computers are connected to one main communications line called the bus. One advantage of this topology is the relative ease of actually setting up. This is the easiest of the three main topologies to set up as all you need to do is hook up a computer to the line if you want another one on the network (easy to expand). Also, it is the cheapest topology to set up because only one cable is necessary. The main disadvantage of this topology is that if there is a problem with a connection/the cable, all computers on the network are effected. Also, moving data between computers takes a longer time than the other topologies and the length of the cable limits the size of the network.
The second topology is the ring topology. In this setup, the computers are connected to each other in a ring from one computer to the next. The advantages of this topology include faster data transfer than that on the bus topology and the fact that they are very orderly networks. Disadvantages include the fact that the necessary adapter card is very expensive and that if one computer malfunctions, the rest may experience difficulties.
The third (and final for this post) topology is the star topology. In this network, each computer is connected to a central switch or hub rather than to each other. The main advantage of this is that if one computers experiences difficulties, none of the other computers on the network are effected. Also, data transfer is fast and removing parts is fairly simple. The disadvantages include the network's dependence on the proper functioning of the central hub/computer and the high cost of the necessary wiring.
The first topology is the bus topology. In this setup, all the computers are connected to one main communications line called the bus. One advantage of this topology is the relative ease of actually setting up. This is the easiest of the three main topologies to set up as all you need to do is hook up a computer to the line if you want another one on the network (easy to expand). Also, it is the cheapest topology to set up because only one cable is necessary. The main disadvantage of this topology is that if there is a problem with a connection/the cable, all computers on the network are effected. Also, moving data between computers takes a longer time than the other topologies and the length of the cable limits the size of the network.
The second topology is the ring topology. In this setup, the computers are connected to each other in a ring from one computer to the next. The advantages of this topology include faster data transfer than that on the bus topology and the fact that they are very orderly networks. Disadvantages include the fact that the necessary adapter card is very expensive and that if one computer malfunctions, the rest may experience difficulties.
The third (and final for this post) topology is the star topology. In this network, each computer is connected to a central switch or hub rather than to each other. The main advantage of this is that if one computers experiences difficulties, none of the other computers on the network are effected. Also, data transfer is fast and removing parts is fairly simple. The disadvantages include the network's dependence on the proper functioning of the central hub/computer and the high cost of the necessary wiring.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Adobe Flash CS4
All across the internet there are millions of examples of Adobe Flash creations. From those neat animations you see on sites like Youtube to the many online game sites that are very popular with kids, Flash creations are everywhere. But where do these animations come from and can you make them yourself?
Adobe flash is a commercially available program you can use to design anything from games to cartoons. The program itself is actually quite easy to use once purchased. Like many programs it has a help guide to get you started and help you with complicated tasks. The timeline where the events of the animation are placed/take place is easy to manipulate and is actually quite similar to that of Windows Movie Maker. Their are many effects available like ready-to-add shapes, sound effects, and other cool features that are quite easy to use and can produce amazing results. There is also money to be made with Flash. If you produce a good animation or game you may post it to a website. Whenever someone visits your page, you earn money. How is this you might ask? The answer is advertising. Companies pay the websites to post their ads on their games/movies like the one you just added. In exchange for giving them materiel which they can post more ads on (more money), they will give you a small share of the income (determined by the number of people who play your game/movie). This does however come at a cost. Adobe flash can only be acquired in unison with all the other programs that come in Creative Suite (newest version is CS5). This bundle of programs costs (get ready for it) 800+ dollars. So, are you willing to shell out 800 dollars in the promise of making just as much or even more?
That's all I have for now, see you later on Hayden @ Earth.
Adobe flash is a commercially available program you can use to design anything from games to cartoons. The program itself is actually quite easy to use once purchased. Like many programs it has a help guide to get you started and help you with complicated tasks. The timeline where the events of the animation are placed/take place is easy to manipulate and is actually quite similar to that of Windows Movie Maker. Their are many effects available like ready-to-add shapes, sound effects, and other cool features that are quite easy to use and can produce amazing results. There is also money to be made with Flash. If you produce a good animation or game you may post it to a website. Whenever someone visits your page, you earn money. How is this you might ask? The answer is advertising. Companies pay the websites to post their ads on their games/movies like the one you just added. In exchange for giving them materiel which they can post more ads on (more money), they will give you a small share of the income (determined by the number of people who play your game/movie). This does however come at a cost. Adobe flash can only be acquired in unison with all the other programs that come in Creative Suite (newest version is CS5). This bundle of programs costs (get ready for it) 800+ dollars. So, are you willing to shell out 800 dollars in the promise of making just as much or even more?
That's all I have for now, see you later on Hayden @ Earth.
Setting up a home wirless network.
If you have multiple computers in your home, you must set up a network for them all to have internet access. This used to mean stringing metres and metres of wire throughout your house and forcing you to drill holes through your walls for said wires. Now, you can quickly and easily set up a wireless network. As the name implies, this method does not require any wires or holes in your walls. But how do you set one up?
First you will need a WIRELESS ROUTER. This is essentially the brains of the network. This is what allows the network to function properly. Then you will have to add a wireless adapter to any computer on your network that does not have 1 built in. After this all you have to do is go to the networks section in the control panel (can also be accessed by a symbol in the bottom right corner of your screen) and attach the computers to the router. It is also advised that you take steps to secure your network against unauthorized network. For more information on this subject than I could possibly provide, visit- http://computer.howstuffworks.com
First you will need a WIRELESS ROUTER. This is essentially the brains of the network. This is what allows the network to function properly. Then you will have to add a wireless adapter to any computer on your network that does not have 1 built in. After this all you have to do is go to the networks section in the control panel (can also be accessed by a symbol in the bottom right corner of your screen) and attach the computers to the router. It is also advised that you take steps to secure your network against unauthorized network. For more information on this subject than I could possibly provide, visit- http://computer.howstuffworks.com
How to install memory to a desktop computer.
If your computer is running sluggish the solution may be to add more memory. The more memory you take up with files, downloads, software (etc.), the slower your computer runs. Adding more RAM (random access memory) can thus make your computer run much faster. But how do you actually install the memory? It's actually easier than you think. First you must buy the actual memory module. The more processing you need your computer to do, the more RAM you will need. If you are someone who just uses your computer for simple tasks like word processing, you will not need to much (384-512 MB should work). On the other side, if you use it for things like gaming that require much more processing work, you will need a large amount of RAM (1+ GB [1GB=1000MB]).
After you buy the module, its time to install it.
1) For your safety, shut down the computer and UNPLUG IT FROM ANY/ALL OUTLETS.
2) Handle everything carefully as there is still a risk of shock if you are not careful. Consult Howstuffworks.com for more safety instructions.
3) Find the removable panel which leads to the computer's internal components. This will either be located on the side or on the top of the desktop.
4) Remove the screws on this panel to allow access (using the proper fitting screwdriver).
5) Find the motherboard. This is a green chip with several slots.
6) Simply click the memory module into on of the slots on the motherboard.
7) Enjoy your faster computer.
After you buy the module, its time to install it.
1) For your safety, shut down the computer and UNPLUG IT FROM ANY/ALL OUTLETS.
2) Handle everything carefully as there is still a risk of shock if you are not careful. Consult Howstuffworks.com for more safety instructions.
3) Find the removable panel which leads to the computer's internal components. This will either be located on the side or on the top of the desktop.
4) Remove the screws on this panel to allow access (using the proper fitting screwdriver).
5) Find the motherboard. This is a green chip with several slots.
6) Simply click the memory module into on of the slots on the motherboard.
7) Enjoy your faster computer.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Purchasing Computers: Understanding the Details
It's an all too familiar experience when shopping for computers; all you want is a computer that runs decently fast and can store a fair amount of information. Sounds simple enough, right? However, you suddenly find yourself bombarded with unfamiliar terms and information like dual core processors, video cards, memory, etc. But what does all this mean? This post will cover the basics.
Let's start off with memory. Memory is simply the areas of the computer where data is stored. The most common type of memory you will see in advertisements is RAM (random access memory). The more memory the computer has, the more data it can store. Now lets move onto processors. Processor is another word for microprocessor or C.P.U. By looking at the details of this crucial component, you can tell how fast the computer will run. Processors can carry out a specific number of instructions per second. This speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) and is known as the clock speed. The bandwidth of a processor is the number of bits (information) processed in one instruction. For both of these characteristics, the higher the value, the more powerful the C.P.U. "For example, a 32-bit microprocessor that runs at 50MHz is more powerful than a 16-bit microprocessor that runs at 25MHz." (example from Webopedia). You may also hear the term dual-core processor or even quad-core processor. This means that two or more (dual=2, quad=4, etc.) processors have been joined together to increase the processing power of the computer. Finally, you may wonder what a video card is. Most computer functions use are controlled by the C.P.U. Video cards assist the running of the computer by taking over the processing related to the computer's graphics (visual display). This allows programs to run much faster than if all the processing was left to the C.P.U.
That's all I have to offer for now. Visit Thursday for interesting information on Networking.
Welcome to my Blog
As you may have guessed by the title, this is the first blog posting I have made so it may come off as a little awkward. This post will seve as an introduction to this tiny piece of the world wide web that you have stumbled onto.
On this blog, I will discuss a wide range of topics. I will share my opinion on a variety of worldwide issues and important events. I will also touch on lighter things like movie and book reviews. From now until June, I will write two blogs a week on the topic of computing to fulfill the requirement for my computers course. After this, the blog will be completely dedicated to the previous topics.
Welcome to earth as I see it.
On this blog, I will discuss a wide range of topics. I will share my opinion on a variety of worldwide issues and important events. I will also touch on lighter things like movie and book reviews. From now until June, I will write two blogs a week on the topic of computing to fulfill the requirement for my computers course. After this, the blog will be completely dedicated to the previous topics.
Welcome to earth as I see it.
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