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Monday 30 March 2009
Monday 23 March 2009
Max Payne 3 confirmed for winter 2009
Rockstar Games today announced that Max Payne 3 is in development. The game is being made by the developers of Bully, Rockstar Vancouver, and not the creators of the first two Max Payne games, Remedy Entertainment, which is working instead on Alan Wake for Microsoft Game Studios. Max Payne 3 will again star the titular ex-cop, again finding himself caught up in the violence of the criminal underworld.
"We're starting a new chapter of Max's life with this game," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "This is Max as we've never seen him before, a few years older, more world-weary and cynical than ever. We experience the downward spiral of his life after the events of Max Payne 2 and witness his last chance for salvation."
Since leaving the NYPD and New York itself behind, Max has drifted from bad to worse. Double-crossed and a long way from home, Max is now trapped in a city full of violence and bloodshed, using his weapons and instincts in a desperate search for the truth and a way out.
Max Payne 3 will be released on PS3, PC and Xbox 360, in "winter 2009."
"We're starting a new chapter of Max's life with this game," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "This is Max as we've never seen him before, a few years older, more world-weary and cynical than ever. We experience the downward spiral of his life after the events of Max Payne 2 and witness his last chance for salvation."
Since leaving the NYPD and New York itself behind, Max has drifted from bad to worse. Double-crossed and a long way from home, Max is now trapped in a city full of violence and bloodshed, using his weapons and instincts in a desperate search for the truth and a way out.
Max Payne 3 will be released on PS3, PC and Xbox 360, in "winter 2009."
Lawless Ireland (series review)
Shot over the course of a year the show was presented by journalist brain O’Donovan, known for his reporting on the Rachel O’Reilly murder trial Brian began his career in cork working on Red FM - he also presented Undercover Ireland: the drugs trade a TV3 documentary which exposed the truth behind Irelands growing dug problem.
Lawless Ireland was shown in 5 parts which the first part of the series concentrating on the trend of binge drinking & drunken disorderly behaviour.. I cant say I found that episode too entertaining nor did I find the episode on young offenders & the like but where the series really hot the nail on the head was on international & domestic organised crime. For me anyways its always been a well known fact that ATM crime has been active in Ireland for years & it was no surprise that show claimed Romanian gangs were behind it. Many international crime gangs have been active in Ireland for years now but its not hard to forget our own home-grown gangsters & gangs. Its no secret that guns have become easy to get in Ireland & all it takes is taking to the right people so its no surprise that Irish gangs are more well equipped than the police. High powered rifles/submachine guns & hand guns such as the efficient German made Glock are being used more & more in gangland assassinations & in many cases the guns are thrown in with drug deals as sweeteners. Kidnappings / security transport robbery / use of bombs & explosives in gangland Ireland / extortion / joyriding / drug & human trafficking are all mentioned at one point of another even the rise of football hooliganism gets a mention - footage of rovers vs. bohs etc is shown. My problem with the series is that almost everything mentioned was nothing new to me so it makes me wonder who the series was aimed at - surely to people were not to up to date on the current level of crime in Ireland?. From Ross Kemps series on gangs to our own Paul Williams & his exceptional series of books & TV series “dirty money” I have pretty much seen every series on both domestic & international crime & organised crime so I suppose I should have expected the series to offer nothing that new. So after watching all 5 episodes I have to admit the level of reporting was very good but the way it was all squeezed into only 5 episodes was a little annoying.. Just as they mentioned a good or interesting topic they quickly moved onto the next. For the first few episodes all the camera phone footage was annoying & at times unbearable but that’s soon forgotten when news footage & interviews come into play. I can see why the series was made & with the current economic climate it serves as a warning as to how things are going but they really good have split the episodes up a little better & expanded on some of the issues such as the Dublin & Limerick gangland feuds - they are mentioned in the last episode but its nothing fantastic & it doesn’t exactly do justice to the fact that there is at least one gangland killing a week now. Its hard to tell if they will make a follow-up series but maybe that’s a good thing, it looks like they covered most of the issues but stitched it all together a little sloppily. I enjoyed the series & it was refreshing to see something more realistic & straight to the point by TV3 but when it comes to reporting crime in Ireland I’ll stick to reading & watching Paul Williams.
Lawless Ireland was shown in 5 parts which the first part of the series concentrating on the trend of binge drinking & drunken disorderly behaviour.. I cant say I found that episode too entertaining nor did I find the episode on young offenders & the like but where the series really hot the nail on the head was on international & domestic organised crime. For me anyways its always been a well known fact that ATM crime has been active in Ireland for years & it was no surprise that show claimed Romanian gangs were behind it. Many international crime gangs have been active in Ireland for years now but its not hard to forget our own home-grown gangsters & gangs. Its no secret that guns have become easy to get in Ireland & all it takes is taking to the right people so its no surprise that Irish gangs are more well equipped than the police. High powered rifles/submachine guns & hand guns such as the efficient German made Glock are being used more & more in gangland assassinations & in many cases the guns are thrown in with drug deals as sweeteners. Kidnappings / security transport robbery / use of bombs & explosives in gangland Ireland / extortion / joyriding / drug & human trafficking are all mentioned at one point of another even the rise of football hooliganism gets a mention - footage of rovers vs. bohs etc is shown. My problem with the series is that almost everything mentioned was nothing new to me so it makes me wonder who the series was aimed at - surely to people were not to up to date on the current level of crime in Ireland?. From Ross Kemps series on gangs to our own Paul Williams & his exceptional series of books & TV series “dirty money” I have pretty much seen every series on both domestic & international crime & organised crime so I suppose I should have expected the series to offer nothing that new. So after watching all 5 episodes I have to admit the level of reporting was very good but the way it was all squeezed into only 5 episodes was a little annoying.. Just as they mentioned a good or interesting topic they quickly moved onto the next. For the first few episodes all the camera phone footage was annoying & at times unbearable but that’s soon forgotten when news footage & interviews come into play. I can see why the series was made & with the current economic climate it serves as a warning as to how things are going but they really good have split the episodes up a little better & expanded on some of the issues such as the Dublin & Limerick gangland feuds - they are mentioned in the last episode but its nothing fantastic & it doesn’t exactly do justice to the fact that there is at least one gangland killing a week now. Its hard to tell if they will make a follow-up series but maybe that’s a good thing, it looks like they covered most of the issues but stitched it all together a little sloppily. I enjoyed the series & it was refreshing to see something more realistic & straight to the point by TV3 but when it comes to reporting crime in Ireland I’ll stick to reading & watching Paul Williams.
Sunday 22 March 2009
The Unborn (movie review)
I had been looking forward to this movie for a few months & at the time the buzz was pretty good, even the trailer looked promising but having watched it I have to say it really didn’t live up to the expectations at all. I think the main problem is that instead of taking a fresh approach to the horror genre it relied too much on “Ring” type scares with a dash of “The Exorcist” thrown in.. not that those films are bad to start with but I have seen those scares before & indeed so have many movie fans.
So the story goes like this:
Casey played by Odette yustman has a series of bad dreams which feature a dog with an upside down head (seriously) & a spooky looking ghost boy. As the story progresses we learnt that young casey is cursed & this particular curse reaches far back into her families history. It turns out that caseys mother committed suicide & her unborn brother is actually a Jewish demon (very omen like) this particular Jewish demon was born in Nazi Germany through a series of experiments & such, the demon can jump from one body to the next (like the movie Fallen) but it seems to stay most of the time in a creepy looking boy, purely for shock I bet. Apparently a gate has opened from one world to the next & in order to close it casey must undergo an exorcism (the exorcism scene has a few predictable scares) other than that the film didn’t contain enough good scares & the story was rather ..bad, at one point the demon uses the body of an old man to attack its victim & you might think the old man bent up like a spider is a fresh scare but no its been done before - in a deleted scene of the original exorcist the filmmakers had an identical scene with an identical spider walk gimmick.. Did the unborn guys see this & think no one would notice, either way it was too little too late. The acting is surprisingly good with a good performance from all the cast but the story falls apart too soon & scares just don’t live up to the hype, the chances are if you have seen the trailer then you have seen all the scary bits already. I really wanted to like this film but alas its below average & too predictable.
So the story goes like this:
Casey played by Odette yustman has a series of bad dreams which feature a dog with an upside down head (seriously) & a spooky looking ghost boy. As the story progresses we learnt that young casey is cursed & this particular curse reaches far back into her families history. It turns out that caseys mother committed suicide & her unborn brother is actually a Jewish demon (very omen like) this particular Jewish demon was born in Nazi Germany through a series of experiments & such, the demon can jump from one body to the next (like the movie Fallen) but it seems to stay most of the time in a creepy looking boy, purely for shock I bet. Apparently a gate has opened from one world to the next & in order to close it casey must undergo an exorcism (the exorcism scene has a few predictable scares) other than that the film didn’t contain enough good scares & the story was rather ..bad, at one point the demon uses the body of an old man to attack its victim & you might think the old man bent up like a spider is a fresh scare but no its been done before - in a deleted scene of the original exorcist the filmmakers had an identical scene with an identical spider walk gimmick.. Did the unborn guys see this & think no one would notice, either way it was too little too late. The acting is surprisingly good with a good performance from all the cast but the story falls apart too soon & scares just don’t live up to the hype, the chances are if you have seen the trailer then you have seen all the scary bits already. I really wanted to like this film but alas its below average & too predictable.
Bien Fee Pour Toi wedding collection
Bien Fée Pour Toi launched an impressive fall-winter 2008/09 collection. In a black & antique rose tendancy, a mix between satin & lace the collection was absolutely affordable & oh so pretty. The spring-summer Bien Fee Pour Toi collection has just arrived & its looking fabulous, among them are ranges Darling & Plume d'Ange which will definitley seduce the one's who will get married this spring... Not too wise, not too eccentric, Bien Fee Pour Toi finds easily finds a happy medium between sweet and charming lingerie, discretely naughty while still elegant.
RESIDENT EVIL 5 (review) - completed on PS3 & Xbox 360
Back in December I posted a review of the demo for res5 & at the time the only bad thing I could say about it was the controls were very ropey & no that I have played & completed the full game I can finally give a fill opinion on the whole thing. Chris Redfield returns as the main character in this latest incarnation of the series, he is joined this time with partner Sheva Alomar who’s strength & intelligence is vital in completing the mission. Using the handy 2 player co-op mode in the main game play the play can get a friend to take control of Sheva & join in the action - this counts for both offline & online, for anyone who’s never tried online co-op this is a really good game to start it off on. Since I went through the whole game I’ll try and go into as much detail without spoiling too much for people who have yet to finish or indeed play the game so.. On with the review.
I’m not going to go into too much detail about the story because its hard to say a little without saying too much. The plot ties up a lot of loose ends from the start of the series up into 4 & of course 5 while still sticking closely to weskerlos illuminados & the evil las plagas infection. The new infection created stronger.. Faster more intelligent enemies that you have to face in the game. The game itself is set in Africa & centres around the character of Chris Redfield, on arrival he teams up with Sheva Alomar.. But soon enough they both start to notice that something is definitely wrong…
Resident evil 4 completely changed the way survival horror games would play for years to come & it was obvious that res5 would have a lot to live up to & for capcom the makers of the game it was definitely a huge task to live up to the expectations that were set from res4. Res5 like 4 is more of a shooting first & asking questions later kind of game, in fact the AI comes at you so fast sometimes its almost impossible to think about it, you just have to jump in head first & shoot your way through the horror that’s coming at you.
I’m not going to go into too much detail about the story because its hard to say a little without saying too much. The plot ties up a lot of loose ends from the start of the series up into 4 & of course 5 while still sticking closely to weskerlos illuminados & the evil las plagas infection. The new infection created stronger.. Faster more intelligent enemies that you have to face in the game. The game itself is set in Africa & centres around the character of Chris Redfield, on arrival he teams up with Sheva Alomar.. But soon enough they both start to notice that something is definitely wrong…
Resident evil 4 completely changed the way survival horror games would play for years to come & it was obvious that res5 would have a lot to live up to & for capcom the makers of the game it was definitely a huge task to live up to the expectations that were set from res4. Res5 like 4 is more of a shooting first & asking questions later kind of game, in fact the AI comes at you so fast sometimes its almost impossible to think about it, you just have to jump in head first & shoot your way through the horror that’s coming at you.
The feeling of a first person shooter is dominant in this game so get used to laser sighted targeting or even sniper rifle targeting because it will soon be your best friend. The controls themselves are basic enough with an added strafe option to help you walk & aim, the cover options work meaninglessly making it easy to duck out of trouble or crouch under surfaces, sadly however the controls stay a little flat but then I guess if they got more complicated then the character movements with get so complex that it would loose the survival horror element.
It seems like before res5 there was a lot of games trying to fill the spot “left 4 dead” - “dead rising on the wii” - “house of the dead overkill”, left 4 dead was maybe the strongest contender for the title & while swarms of flesh hungry zombies were aplenty it lacked one major element.. A real story & level bosses. Res5 of course has a huge story & incredible level bosses. The enemies this time around seem to be even smarter & harder to beat (I finished the game on VERY HARD mode) they move faster & more coordinated than ever & they look more terrifying than ever too! The bosses are really impressive & it wont be a walk in the park when it comes to taking them down.. But that’s a good thing! The game will last longer. There is a strong group of different & varied looking & acting enemies & while one or two may seem similar to the ones in 4 you wont be disappointed with the number of new & freshly designed creatures & zombies. In games like left 4 dead zombies will most likely just run at you & tear you apart..ok that’s horrifying enough but in res5 some of the enemies will toss axes & spears at you/carry heavy weaponry & guns/some will even be equipped with stab proof vests & Kevlar.. Think zombie soldiers & it will make sense. Like I said I don’t want to spoil the game so its hard to not go into so much detail when the game is just so damn good.
The graphics themselves are top-notch & will really make you feel like you are in these environments. The lightning is some of the best I have seen in any game so far with much care given to surfaces & weather elements, particle effects are flawless & smoke & fire seem immaculate, every little element of the atmosphere meshes so well together that at times you will forget you are playing a game & think you are actually watching a movie. As for the FMVS/cinematics they are some of the best the series has ever churned out, the human & indeed zombie characters all have great facial/eye/body movement. Having played res5 on both the ps3 & the xbox 360 I noticed a small inconsistency.. The frame rate on the ps3 was a little bit lower than that of the 360, while its not a huge difference if like me you have both systems then I’d suggest getting it for the 360 simply for the frame rate issue - on BOTH systems the content & features/game play is equal.
It seems like before res5 there was a lot of games trying to fill the spot “left 4 dead” - “dead rising on the wii” - “house of the dead overkill”, left 4 dead was maybe the strongest contender for the title & while swarms of flesh hungry zombies were aplenty it lacked one major element.. A real story & level bosses. Res5 of course has a huge story & incredible level bosses. The enemies this time around seem to be even smarter & harder to beat (I finished the game on VERY HARD mode) they move faster & more coordinated than ever & they look more terrifying than ever too! The bosses are really impressive & it wont be a walk in the park when it comes to taking them down.. But that’s a good thing! The game will last longer. There is a strong group of different & varied looking & acting enemies & while one or two may seem similar to the ones in 4 you wont be disappointed with the number of new & freshly designed creatures & zombies. In games like left 4 dead zombies will most likely just run at you & tear you apart..ok that’s horrifying enough but in res5 some of the enemies will toss axes & spears at you/carry heavy weaponry & guns/some will even be equipped with stab proof vests & Kevlar.. Think zombie soldiers & it will make sense. Like I said I don’t want to spoil the game so its hard to not go into so much detail when the game is just so damn good.
The graphics themselves are top-notch & will really make you feel like you are in these environments. The lightning is some of the best I have seen in any game so far with much care given to surfaces & weather elements, particle effects are flawless & smoke & fire seem immaculate, every little element of the atmosphere meshes so well together that at times you will forget you are playing a game & think you are actually watching a movie. As for the FMVS/cinematics they are some of the best the series has ever churned out, the human & indeed zombie characters all have great facial/eye/body movement. Having played res5 on both the ps3 & the xbox 360 I noticed a small inconsistency.. The frame rate on the ps3 was a little bit lower than that of the 360, while its not a huge difference if like me you have both systems then I’d suggest getting it for the 360 simply for the frame rate issue - on BOTH systems the content & features/game play is equal.
Having sheva in the game (player 2) is a good & bad thing. Ok so her AI capabilities are pretty sharp & she is good at taking out enemies & even saving you with a quick boost of health.. But at times you might feel like you want to go through the game alone. She does however double inventory space making it easier to carry more items & weapons.. But you have to remember that she too will need ammo & weapons so their has to be a balance, you also need her to perform complex actions that will help you reach areas & parts of the game. As for items & weapons there is a good selection. Missing this time around is the arms dealer that showed up so regularly in 4..I liked that guy! Instead this time you reach a screen where you can just purchase the items & weapons of your choosing. Like in 4 you earn money by collecting up gold/treasure/jewels etc & then selling them for cash..with the cash you buy the weapons..simple really, so what weapons are there. Handguns/sniper rifles (the dragunov SVD being my favourite) assault rifles (the AK makes an appearance) submachine guns (mp5 included) explosives/other types of ammunition & of course most of the weapons can be upgraded & modified to enhance their power. During the game its always a good idea to keep an eye out for items that can be sold at the end of the level because they will eventually disappear if they are not collected so smash open crates & boxes because the rewards are worth it & you will need to upgrade your weapons & items to make it through to the next level.
Like res4 this too has a lot of lifespan & you will definitely be coming back to the game for its many features & unlockables such as costumes/figurines/goodies & of course the all important Mercenaries game - this time around Mercs has 10 unlockable characters. If you never played 4 then you will be new to the Mercs experience, in Mercs the player or players (its 2 player this time!) is plunged into a level surrounded with zombies & they have to take out as many of them before the timer runs out, its fast paced & you can collect time to keep the game going but you have to really work hard to get further & string up combo’s.
So having played though the game I can say it’s a great experience & it will definitely satisfy both fans of the resident evil series & even people who have never played a res game before. It can be tough at times but it being a survival horror game you have to expect it & resident evil has never been an easy game nor do then fans want a simple walkthrough. Its true that not a whole not has changed from number 4 but that’s not a bad thing, 4 was pretty much perfect & at the time the only thing to improve on was the graphics.. With 5 the graphics have leaped forward & the game play is solid. The unlockables & extra features give the game a strong lifespan while the atmosphere & playability will have you coming back again & again for more - if you buy any game this year make it Resident Evil 5.
Like res4 this too has a lot of lifespan & you will definitely be coming back to the game for its many features & unlockables such as costumes/figurines/goodies & of course the all important Mercenaries game - this time around Mercs has 10 unlockable characters. If you never played 4 then you will be new to the Mercs experience, in Mercs the player or players (its 2 player this time!) is plunged into a level surrounded with zombies & they have to take out as many of them before the timer runs out, its fast paced & you can collect time to keep the game going but you have to really work hard to get further & string up combo’s.
So having played though the game I can say it’s a great experience & it will definitely satisfy both fans of the resident evil series & even people who have never played a res game before. It can be tough at times but it being a survival horror game you have to expect it & resident evil has never been an easy game nor do then fans want a simple walkthrough. Its true that not a whole not has changed from number 4 but that’s not a bad thing, 4 was pretty much perfect & at the time the only thing to improve on was the graphics.. With 5 the graphics have leaped forward & the game play is solid. The unlockables & extra features give the game a strong lifespan while the atmosphere & playability will have you coming back again & again for more - if you buy any game this year make it Resident Evil 5.
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Chanel Rouge Allure Laque
Its always tricky to find the right gloss that wont just fade away after an hour or even less but now it looks like Chanel have the answer. Arriving in stores on the 16th of march Chanel’s latest “Rouge Allure Laque” is a godsend to those who want more life from their gloss. So how much is it? Well a modest enough €30, for your buck you will get a super glossy shine that will have you vamping it up in no time. “Rouge Allure Laque combines the application technique of a gloss with the makeup finish of a lipstick. Lips are smoothed, revealing the perfect dose of lacquered shine. A perfect finish that defies time with its excellent hold of up to eight hours.” - it does actually last for the advertised amount of time & even longer so if you are looking for a new gloss that is comfy to wear & easy to apply then look now further its in stores now.
Happy St Patricks Day!
Facts about the Irish
34 million Americans have Irish ancestry, according to the 2003 US Census. That’s almost nine times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people.
Some American towns have “Irish” names. You could visit: Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia; Shamrock Lakes, Indiana; Shamrock, Oklahoma; Shamrock, Texas; Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio.
Some American towns have “Irish” names. You could visit: Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia; Shamrock Lakes, Indiana; Shamrock, Oklahoma; Shamrock, Texas; Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio.
The harp is the symbol of Ireland. The color green is also commonly associated with Ireland, also known as “the Emerald Isle.”
The Irish flag is green, white and orange. The green symbolizes the people of the south, and orange, the people of the north. White represents the peace that brings them together as a nation.
The name “lephrechaun” has several origins. It could be from the Irish Gaelic word “leipreachan,” which means “a kind of aqueous sprite.” Or, it could be from “leath bhrogan,” which means “shoemaker.”
Saturday 7 March 2009
Flickr anyone?
I finally got around to updating my flickr account to pro so naturally its bursting with new pics which I put into separate sets & collections. I will definitely be updating it regularly with photography & self portraits not to mention shots of me by other photographers & such. If anyone wants to have a look or even add me as a contact on the site then feel free to have a look by visiting the following link, or even drop by & show me your own flickr work, or just leave a comment to let me know what you think.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacylisa/sets
Friday 6 March 2009
Artist eye palette by Smashbox
Priced at almost fifty euros - forty five to be exact comes smash box’s latest palette which is of course part of their new season. So what do you get for your money, well 10 shades of soft shimmer with absolutely no matte, the colours included range from silvers to gold to browns even blues & soft purples - so you can go from day wear to night wear with genuine ease. The brush of course is not great so its best to use your own brush, oh & the packaging is not the best its too its card & as we all know this tends to fall apart very easily especially if it gets anyway wet, the mirror however is a nice little extra but you wont want to be trying to tape the box together when it starts to fall apart so its best to just keep it on your dresser. Other than the packaging it’s a great little buy.
Net campaign urges action over move to block websites
AN ONLINE campaign to protest against moves to block access to certain websites by Irish internet service providers (ISPs) gets under way tomorrow.
Blackout Ireland is encouraging Irish internet users to contact their service providers, TDs and Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan to voice their opposition to the planned restrictions which are being spearheaded by the Irish Recorded Music Association (Irma). Internet users are also being asked to black out their profile pictures on social networking sites such as Twitter, Bebo, Facebook and MySpace for a week to show support for the campaign. Irma, which represents EMI, Sony, Warners and Universal, has begun contacting ISPs asking them to sign up to an agreement similar to the one made with Eircom as part of an out of court settlement in a recent copyright infringement case. Under the agreement, record companies will give Eircom the IP addresses of those they say are illegally uploading or downloading copyrighted works. Eircom has agreed to warn users to cease copyright infringement, and will ultimately disconnect subscribers who ignore the warnings under a “three strikes and you’re out” policy.
Eircom also agreed not to oppose moves by the industry group to block access to websites such as The Pirate Bay, which is the subject of court action in Sweden. The Swedish website provides links to music, films and other content that can be downloaded by third parties.
Irma is trying to get other ISPs to agree to similar measures. Irma’s move has caused controversy among Ireland’s online community, with claims that it is “a serious breach of civil liberties” and amounts to censorship.
Blackout Ireland says it is a group of Irish internet users “concerned by the prospect of Ireland having a censored internet”. “We do not think private companies should be allowed dictate what websites the Irish people are allowed to visit,” its website says. The campaign is also gaining publicity through Twitter. No sites have yet been blocked. It is claimed that record companies in Ireland are losing up to €14 million a year as a result of music piracy. The campaign is inspired by a similar one in New Zealand, where users protested that a proposed copyright law would see those accused of copyright infringement disconnected from their service provider. As part of the protest, some websites shut down for half a day, replacing their sites with a “blackout” screen explaining the protest.
The law, which was due to come into force on February 28th, has now been delayed for a month as a compromise is sought. Eircom is the only ISP in Europe so far to agree to the “three strikes” rule demanded by the record labels. An Irma spokesman was not available for comment. For more information, see www.blackoutireland.com
Blackout Ireland is encouraging Irish internet users to contact their service providers, TDs and Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan to voice their opposition to the planned restrictions which are being spearheaded by the Irish Recorded Music Association (Irma). Internet users are also being asked to black out their profile pictures on social networking sites such as Twitter, Bebo, Facebook and MySpace for a week to show support for the campaign. Irma, which represents EMI, Sony, Warners and Universal, has begun contacting ISPs asking them to sign up to an agreement similar to the one made with Eircom as part of an out of court settlement in a recent copyright infringement case. Under the agreement, record companies will give Eircom the IP addresses of those they say are illegally uploading or downloading copyrighted works. Eircom has agreed to warn users to cease copyright infringement, and will ultimately disconnect subscribers who ignore the warnings under a “three strikes and you’re out” policy.
Eircom also agreed not to oppose moves by the industry group to block access to websites such as The Pirate Bay, which is the subject of court action in Sweden. The Swedish website provides links to music, films and other content that can be downloaded by third parties.
Irma is trying to get other ISPs to agree to similar measures. Irma’s move has caused controversy among Ireland’s online community, with claims that it is “a serious breach of civil liberties” and amounts to censorship.
Blackout Ireland says it is a group of Irish internet users “concerned by the prospect of Ireland having a censored internet”. “We do not think private companies should be allowed dictate what websites the Irish people are allowed to visit,” its website says. The campaign is also gaining publicity through Twitter. No sites have yet been blocked. It is claimed that record companies in Ireland are losing up to €14 million a year as a result of music piracy. The campaign is inspired by a similar one in New Zealand, where users protested that a proposed copyright law would see those accused of copyright infringement disconnected from their service provider. As part of the protest, some websites shut down for half a day, replacing their sites with a “blackout” screen explaining the protest.
The law, which was due to come into force on February 28th, has now been delayed for a month as a compromise is sought. Eircom is the only ISP in Europe so far to agree to the “three strikes” rule demanded by the record labels. An Irma spokesman was not available for comment. For more information, see www.blackoutireland.com
Monday 2 March 2009
GTA 4: Lost & Damned breaks records
Microsoft declares first 360-exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV add-on has generated more revenue in 24 hours than any other DLC. Given that Grand Theft Auto IV has sold more than 5.2 million copies in the US alone, there was little question that its first expansion would be a hit. Sure enough, today Microsoft declared that Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned has “eclipsed first-day revenue for all previous downloadable content on Xbox Live.” Microsoft also mentioned that the game was the “highest reviewed downloadable content ever from Rockstar Games,” although many sites declined to grade it as a full game. But while Microsoft was big on bravado in terms of The Lost and Damned’s number-one ranking, it was short–very short–on details.
The 360-maker did not provide figures for how many units of the $20 expansion have been downloaded, nor did it say if the expansion was the top download domestically, internationally, or both. As of January 31, the 360 edition of GTAIV had sold more than 3.3 million units in the US according to the NPD, offering a massive installed base for the download. However, since it only tracks sales at retail, NPD will not be measuring sales of The Lost and Damned. However successful the expansion, it will need to sell quite well to recoup the amount Microsoft paid for its exclusivity. In a conference call last June, Take-Two Interactive executives said that the software giant had paid $50 million for two 360-only expansions for the open-world crime game. The second 360-exclusive expansion is due later in the year.
Tax fix brings Hollywood back to Ireland
It’s a sequel the Irish film industry has been awaiting for years: the return of Hollywood. After a hiatus of almost six years, American movie cameras are set to roll on Irish soil again thanks to improvements to the film tax-relief system, known as section 481, introduced last December.
Ireland’s film incentive, introduced in the mid-1990s by Michael D Higgins, was copied and bettered by other countries. Britain has had a more attractive tax break for several years. The amount of money spent on the Irish film industry slumped by about a third in 2007 — from €280m in 2006 to €198m, according to a report published by the Irish Business and Employers Confederation’s Audiovisual Federation last year. However, the fall in incoming production was more marked: at €19.3m, it was down 77% on 2006. The only international film made in Ireland was European. In December Martin Cullen, the arts minister, announced improvements to section 481 to bring it back in line with other countries. The cap for individual investors will increase to €50,000 a year, up from the current limit of €31,750, and there will be a 100% relief on that investment when previously it was set at 80%. Ardmore Studios, which once hosted blockbuster movies such as Reign of Fire, has been surviving on television work since 2003, when King Arthur was made there.
Next month shooting will begin on Leap Year, a romantic comedy starring the Oscar-nominated Amy Adams and boasting Simon Beaufoy, who won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay for Slumdog Millionaire, as script writer. Adams, best-known for her role in Enchanted, the box-office hit about a fairytale princess who finds herself in New York, will play an American who travels to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on February 29. According to the film, not only is it Irish tradition for women to propose on “leap day” but their men have to say “yes”. When weather forces Adams’s uptight character to veer off course, she finds herself forced to rely on a surly local innkeeper to help her find her beau. The two trek across the countryside to try to get to Dublin to pop the question before time runs out. The pub owner will be played by Matthew Goode, an actor hailed as one of Britain’s rising stars.
Producers from Spyglass Entertainment arrived in Ireland a week ago and are currently scouting for remote and picturesque locations for the shoot. Jake Weiner, a creative producer on the film, said shooting is due to begin at the start of April for two months. He said: “We are looking for the most beautiful remote places in Ireland to shoot the movie. It’s going to be a great project and we’re thrilled to be here.” Irish cast and crew will be employed on the movie, which will be directed by Anand Tucker, who directed Shopgirl. “The idea is she winds up in the furthest place from Dublin and it’s about her journey and how she changes as a character,” said Weiner. “We are trying to figure out where is the most remote place to be coming from.” Adams was nominated for a best supporting actress at last week’s Oscars for her role in Doubt, losing out to Penelope Cruz. It was her second supporting-actress nomination, having received the nod for 2005’s Junebug.
Ireland’s film incentive, introduced in the mid-1990s by Michael D Higgins, was copied and bettered by other countries. Britain has had a more attractive tax break for several years. The amount of money spent on the Irish film industry slumped by about a third in 2007 — from €280m in 2006 to €198m, according to a report published by the Irish Business and Employers Confederation’s Audiovisual Federation last year. However, the fall in incoming production was more marked: at €19.3m, it was down 77% on 2006. The only international film made in Ireland was European. In December Martin Cullen, the arts minister, announced improvements to section 481 to bring it back in line with other countries. The cap for individual investors will increase to €50,000 a year, up from the current limit of €31,750, and there will be a 100% relief on that investment when previously it was set at 80%. Ardmore Studios, which once hosted blockbuster movies such as Reign of Fire, has been surviving on television work since 2003, when King Arthur was made there.
McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld
Having read many books on organized crime in the past I just had to give mcmafia a shot as it focuses on the growth of crime on a worldwide scale not only that but because its written by respected bbc correspondent misha glenny. The areas covered by the author vary from far east Russia to Bulgaria/Israel/UAE/UK/Balkans & many other countries & states. He effortlessly combines reports with interviews ranging from mid level racketeers & traffickers to the major key players operating right now. A lot of it was nothing I did not already know but saying that I have read many books on organized crime especially ones centred on & focusing mainly on Russian & eastern crime. For anyone not so familiar with these organizations & their modus operandi then this book will take you on a journey through the shadowy world of multinational crime. The fall of the soviet union opened the floodgates for criminal gangs into Europe & its neighbouring countries, for law enforcement they were dealing with a new wave of crime which was more unpredictable than they expected, not only was it unpredictable it was extremely brutal.
Misha talks about how sour business deals have led to countless assassinations not just in troubled states but in cities like London & Prague, not only that he goes into an area that is rarely discussed by many writers - human trafficking. Weapons trafficked through the Balkans, stolen cars trafficked through eastern Europe, world class Kazakh caviar smuggled into Europe, the multi million dollar narcotics industry & even the more recent bank scams known as 419s originating frequently from Nigeria. He goes into immense detail to giving not only the evolution of the global underworld but a highly in-depth & structured history of the gangs & their origins. Some of the stories & reports may seem a bit over blown but I can assure you as crazy as it sounds its all based on truths, thought not always glaringly obvious organized crime has been & always will be an integral part of every country & state in both the civilised & uncivilized world. As long as governments allow corruption & law enforcement chooses to turn a blind eye then crime will flourish at an extraordinary rate, in some cases many crime families & groups are richer than the countries they target. This was definitely the case when it came to the infamous drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, his control over the Columbian drug cartels netted him vast amounts of cash making him the most untouchable man in the history of Columbia. McMafia is just what the name suggests a story of the globalization of crime itself & like the big multinational corporations that setup once borders fell apart so too have the criminals setup shop in the west, often using cunning & smarts but always ready to pick up a gun & start shooting when cunning is not enough.
The world has become a virtual launderette where gangs & corrupt oligarchs effortlessly wash their illicit funds through not only offshore banking but through legitimate establishments & businesses, because the criminals are always one step ahead of the law this creates an almost impossible scenario that affects countless countries & states. Starting at lower level car theft & contraband cigarette smuggling organizations like the Serbian mafia can net hundreds of thousands of dollars, one report states that the Balkans are the number one location for stolen luxury cars such as Mercedes & BMWs, the cars most of which are stolen in European cities fetch a high price in the car markets of the Balkans, though not a national emergency car theft is one of the number one forms of financing the gangs that have ties to major terrorist organizations the world over. McMafia hops from country to country just as the organizations themselves crossed borders bringing their own unique brand of corruption & brutality - perhaps the strongest point this book makes is that no country is safe from the ever growing tentacles of that spread out worldwide & strike deep into society itself, an uncomfortable read at some points glenny holds nothing back when he discuses documented accounts of the victims of global crime, one such moment when he is talking about the existence of sex trafficking & the women who’s lives who have been directly affected by it. Its clear a change in international law is needed, how exactly this can be done is not an easy question especially when almost every country has a different policy when it comes to dealing with crime, some states refuse to acknowledge the existence even if it threatens their chances of joining into the EU. My closing point is this - as long as there is money to be made off of illicit activities then there will always be organized crime, though it may not be as established or far reaching as Russian mafia gangs or even Japanese yakuza it will still have a chance of climbing the ladder of the global criminal elite & for the governments & law enforcement agencies that are charged with the task of dealing with the McMafia its far too little to late.
Misha talks about how sour business deals have led to countless assassinations not just in troubled states but in cities like London & Prague, not only that he goes into an area that is rarely discussed by many writers - human trafficking. Weapons trafficked through the Balkans, stolen cars trafficked through eastern Europe, world class Kazakh caviar smuggled into Europe, the multi million dollar narcotics industry & even the more recent bank scams known as 419s originating frequently from Nigeria. He goes into immense detail to giving not only the evolution of the global underworld but a highly in-depth & structured history of the gangs & their origins. Some of the stories & reports may seem a bit over blown but I can assure you as crazy as it sounds its all based on truths, thought not always glaringly obvious organized crime has been & always will be an integral part of every country & state in both the civilised & uncivilized world. As long as governments allow corruption & law enforcement chooses to turn a blind eye then crime will flourish at an extraordinary rate, in some cases many crime families & groups are richer than the countries they target. This was definitely the case when it came to the infamous drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, his control over the Columbian drug cartels netted him vast amounts of cash making him the most untouchable man in the history of Columbia. McMafia is just what the name suggests a story of the globalization of crime itself & like the big multinational corporations that setup once borders fell apart so too have the criminals setup shop in the west, often using cunning & smarts but always ready to pick up a gun & start shooting when cunning is not enough.
The world has become a virtual launderette where gangs & corrupt oligarchs effortlessly wash their illicit funds through not only offshore banking but through legitimate establishments & businesses, because the criminals are always one step ahead of the law this creates an almost impossible scenario that affects countless countries & states. Starting at lower level car theft & contraband cigarette smuggling organizations like the Serbian mafia can net hundreds of thousands of dollars, one report states that the Balkans are the number one location for stolen luxury cars such as Mercedes & BMWs, the cars most of which are stolen in European cities fetch a high price in the car markets of the Balkans, though not a national emergency car theft is one of the number one forms of financing the gangs that have ties to major terrorist organizations the world over. McMafia hops from country to country just as the organizations themselves crossed borders bringing their own unique brand of corruption & brutality - perhaps the strongest point this book makes is that no country is safe from the ever growing tentacles of that spread out worldwide & strike deep into society itself, an uncomfortable read at some points glenny holds nothing back when he discuses documented accounts of the victims of global crime, one such moment when he is talking about the existence of sex trafficking & the women who’s lives who have been directly affected by it. Its clear a change in international law is needed, how exactly this can be done is not an easy question especially when almost every country has a different policy when it comes to dealing with crime, some states refuse to acknowledge the existence even if it threatens their chances of joining into the EU. My closing point is this - as long as there is money to be made off of illicit activities then there will always be organized crime, though it may not be as established or far reaching as Russian mafia gangs or even Japanese yakuza it will still have a chance of climbing the ladder of the global criminal elite & for the governments & law enforcement agencies that are charged with the task of dealing with the McMafia its far too little to late.
Sunday 1 March 2009
Logical Infiltration & Sabotage Android
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