Skiing blog

For this years ski trip we accompanied some families of my home church (Kidlington Baptist Church) to visit the very friendly resort of Les Gets. It's about an hour from Geneva & just down the road from where my aunt had a chalet - Morzine & Avoriaz.

It was a bit of an epic drive - we left bright & breezy at 2am on New Year's Day & arrived about 6:30pm at our stop off hotel (free interwebs was most important of course!). Next day we headed off to the resort early, to get out boots & ski's & then had our warm-up avo on the slopes.

It took a little while to get back into the swing of things & I think a lot had to be with being stuck & under-rested in the car. I think flying is defiantly the preferred method of transportation to anywhere further away than like...Devon!

The Madd Thoughts fell over a couple of times on the first day & laughed the first few off, but gut a little too hurt on the final run down of the day - helmet has been a very useful addition to her ski gear - but it was properly icy & rocky & her first experience of the mogul's was not the greatest in the history of the world.

So far then the skiing has been good, but I think I'm getting a little old…tiredness seems to be happening rather fast & so am not really skiing for a whole day. My most epic fail for me has been the chair-lift fail, I managed to take out PC & throw David B from the chair - it was tragic! The skiing has definitely improved from the iciness, there was a good 24 hours of snowing so fresh powder then a great day - lots of sun & fantastic views so out came the camera of course.

Having said all that, I think that the beauty of this type of skiing holiday - with friends, over say family only, is that he social element is as much a part of he experience, as being on the slopes. So communal meals, sharing rooms, visiting bars & shops, as well as the obvious skiing as a group idea.

The only real issue we've had has once again been financial. I thought that with some serious savings we should be ok. However, even when taking into account the ski passes & trying to over-budget for meals, etc. we still find ourselves running short on funds. The killer has been the ski hire - which runs to basically half of all of our budget.

Wednesday is a rest day, where Madd Thoughts needs to do some serious essay work done & I shall be bloggering more!

2010 - we begin

So anyways there is a very good reason for that - I have actually been out of the country for once - skiing in Les Gets in the French alps (just down the valley from Morzine & Avoriaz which I have visited before many times). But more on that when I actually remember to upload the blog I wrote when I was away lol.

So what else has been happening - well gaming wise: (cue more reviews coming methinks) Assassin's Creed 2 & Left 4 Dead 2 have been purchased & am currently enjoying each immensely. Also Serious Sam has been released on XBox Live in full HD & I might well have to get that as well - to keep Maddie happy!

Also had a couple of parties - a Christmas-Eve-Eve party celebrating my birthday, then another one a New Years-Eve-Eve which was a little bit more impromptu, but equally fun. Also got some awesome presents for Christmas (photos on my Facebook page) but on top of all that rad pile - a Blu Ray player from my old man - it is the Panasonic DMPBD60 MR DVD & it definitely is worth it - Star Trek was the first played & it did rock hard. The only think I need to do is get some good speakers with it for some super sound!

Musically much Deadmau5 & another in the look of DJ Zinc - fun & expect more soon.

.....we continue

Happy What Now?!

Happy Christmas (& birthday to me!)


From the Brianshare, Pikachu Ind & Six crew

...or just me ;o)


Six out

These are the breaks

Now my thoughts are turned to somewhere altogether different - Brighton, or to be more specific - Marine Parade! Adam Freeland's label produces some fine artists: Freeland, Evil 9, Alex Metric & Ils for starters. This will be looking at the recent (kinda) releases for the 9 & Freeland:

Evil 9: They Live. Some other works by the 9 are their debut album: "You Can be Special To", a mix for the "Y4k" series & one of my favourite Fabric albums: "Fabric 28". The overall theme for this album is horror - but more specifically Zombies (win). The tracklisting is:

Feed On You
Wait - Evil Nine & David Autokratz
All The Cash - Evil Nine & El-P
They Live
Ngempa Guzon
How Do We Stop The Normals
Dead Man Coming - Evil Nine & Toastie Taylor
Set It Off - Evil Nine & Beans
Behemoth
Born Again
Twist The Knife - Evil Nine & Emily Breeze
Luke Goss
Icicles - Evil Nine & Seraphim

The top tracks are: "Wait", "They Live", "Dead Man Coming", "Twist the Knife", & the awesome "Icicles". So if you ever find yourself (& I know I do) playing Nazi Zombies (the extra game & possibly best part of Call of Duty 5: World at War) & need a soundtrack - we have a winner here!


Freeland: COPE (& a little of COPE Remixed)

Adam Freeland's 2nd release - this time as just 'Freeland' (Adam Freeland's own band) there's a really heavy rock influence, but still showing his breaks roots. The tracks break(s) like so:

"Do You"
"Under Control"
"Strange Things"
"Bring It"
"Mancry"
"Borderline"
"Rock On"
"Silent Speaking"
"Best Fish Tacos in Ensenda"
"Only a Fool (Can Die)"
"Morning Sun"
"Wish I Was Here"

There are some choice tracks: "Do You" is a proper sledgehammer to the brain (a good thing btw), the it whizzes through the rest of the album, "Under Control" is great, "Strange Things" is ok (but the High Rankin remix is out of this world & possibly better even than "Do You") "Bring it" & "Mancry" again are good breaks, but don't have the wow of the opening track. However, then things get a little more interesting!

"Borderline" brilliant & in my top breaks for this year (along with "Do you" & "Strange things Happen" High Rankin remix") "Rock on" is (shock) very rocky, but sits well on the album. "Silent speaking" is the only other slightly weak track - too chilled really. "Best Fish Tacos", "Only a Fool can Die" & "Morning Sun" all standout tracks & get the feet-tapping/dancing-round-the-house-like-a-maniac in me going & the final track is like a perfect set closer - the beats are thick & it feel like it goes on forever (note: The Jenkinsound Remix it it's perfect partner!).

Overall - Evil 9 get a 4/5 & Freeland 5/5

P.S. Get the Marine Parade podcast - for all your British breaks needs - they put up exclusive mixes by all the label's artists - win!

Silversun Pickups - Swoon etc.

OK this has been out for aaaages (April I think) but it's still SSPU & it's still excellent & regularly played.

So I've banged on about this band before (i.e. here, here, here, here, & here), I've called them my band of 2008 but I would also call them my band of 12009 as well.

I've been lucky enough to see them twice & I can't really over emphasize how good they are live - hugely energetic & really excited to be playing - they have fun with the crowd & try to get the room dancing as well.

Anyways enough about the live win, the album itself. So it's actually only 10 tracks, but what stunning tracks they are:


"There's No Secrets This Year"
"The Royal We"
"Growing Old Is Getting Old"
"It's Nice to Know You Work Alone"
"Panic Switch"
"Draining"
"Sort Of"
"Substitution"
"Catch and Release"
"Surrounded (or Spiraling)"

On the first play I wouldn't believe the quality of the first 5 tracks - absolute stonkers & I would be hard pressed to say which I preferred most - there were elements that I liked & was reminded of other bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters & of course Smashing Pumpkins (who they are likened to, just with a happy frontman!), but it still feels very SSPU - not covering or interpreting. I think it's more a compliment to be likened to those other bands, rather than it being anything to diminish who they are.

The rest of the album sounded great...when I got past track 5 eventually that is! They songs weren't as instantly successful on my ear, but really grew on me with the last 3 sticking & getting stuck in my head on a regular basis But add to that the rather stunning "Currency of Love" & "Ne Plus Ultra" as B-Sides & you have a brilliant 5/5 album.

It is different from the first & I would argue all the better for it. You can definitely tell the band have improved, with more intricate guitar work & more integrated keyboard as well. There are still some tracks that make you want to rawk out - initial single "Panic Switch" being chief amongst them.

Overall they remain my band of 2009...let's see what they do for their (hopefully great) third album.

CoD 6 MW2...again.

An update for those of a gaming nature - the joys of CoD 6 MW2 appear so far to be boundless...

I've now completed it on Veteran & as an experiment, I signed up to XBox Live Gold for a free month (courtesy of Microsoft when they replaced my 360 due to the 3 red rings of death fail)

What it has opened my eyes to is multiplayer - it is seriously addictive though! Some people do go straight to the multiplayer & ignore the single player/co-op - a mistake in my opinion. However, the strength of this game is that Infinity Ward don't miss a trick - every aspect of the game is brilliant, including the multiplayer.

It plays like a shooter, but also offers leveling up system just like an rpg. So you start off as a complete Level 1 n00b with iron sights & everything basic. The more you play it, the more guns, sights & perks you unlock. This is where some of those near the top (Level 70) have such an advantage - they have silencers, can drop live grenades, are more impervious to explosions, etc. & you've just got a sub-machine gun & a pistol.

The challenge is very high & you will be respawning...a lot. But there is such a satisfaction in being able to get a good kill-streak & leveling up that the death-frustration is only marginal. Currently I'm at the not wholly impractical level 21, which has unlocked the 'Bling' perk - 2 attachments for guns - such a win.

There's lots of customizing opportunities & you can fine tune how your character behaves - do they need to be swift & silent - then activate those perks. Do you need to be like an unstoppable Juggernaut - then get those perks.

The leveling up of weapons & perks happens through challenges - like get a certain amount of kills or headshots, or scoped kills or shooting from the hip.

You will learn to love the sound of leveling up your character - just like that magical sound of unlocking achievements - win!

The maps are all in very different locations from within the game & near the game & are all well costumed to accommodate the different game types. Particular favorites are High Rise, Afghan, Terminal, Invasion, Skidrow & the very tiny Rust (what? I like small maps - more intense!) There's 16 maps in total, but I'm sure more will be added with forthcoming DLC.

The different match types are fairly varied & offer different challenges, depending on what you prefer. Are you a Lone Wolf - just wanting to find & kill anything that moves - Free-for-All. Like to work as a team for different objectives, Deathmatch, HQ, Demolition, etc. is for you!

You also represent different factions, such as the Navy SEALS, the SAS, etc. But also militia the Russians & shadow company, etc. to balance it off. It's always a good v bad forces theory, but still good to be either. Seeing as my nationality dictates it - the SAS is my favorite!

Once you get into the game, get to know the levels a little you will notice a patter of where the opponents are hiding out/trying to capture & it's then a raging war to capture the spots back!

Also the Spec Ops is ticking along nicely - I've got most of the 69 stars (59 at last count) & have even done one of the Echo levels on Veteran - epic!

Finally X-Play even rates this game best shooter & multiplayer in their annual Game of The year Show. So if you like shooters - you need to own this game - then it can own you!

PPS check out the CoD6 Wiki

Decembero

So it's officially winter as far as I'm concerned - first frost, out comes the ski jacket, on go the gloves - it's cooooold outside! So here's a random thoughts update for this past few days/weeks:

Have been struggling recently with what to do for Christmas & generally feeling a little too alone. I think a lack of social interaction outside of work - instead playing too many games has a certain contribution. I've put it down to trying to save up for skiing & the deposit.

It did get to a stage where I got so frustrated with having zero monies, that I transferred a little bit & got me a digital camera & enough to cover my extended weekend with Maddie.

With the whole job/accommodation issue - so far am still effectively nowhere - saving like a crazy person still & hoping that a decision about my full-time employment is reached sooner rather than later. However my potential housemate s still in the not-quite-employed enough situation as well.

On the Christmas front, I've now established that I'm working on Christmas Eve, then will head over to Woking, for Christmas with the Kings (Maddie's family).

Demotivators

Me me me....me2

So for some reason I've been thinking a lot about memes - or to be specific Internet Memes:

The term Internet meme is a phrase used to describe a catchphrase or concept that spreads quickly from person to person via the Internet, much like an esoteric inside joke. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although this concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.

So this could include such classics as Lolcats or Demotivator posters. These are the simplest memes & most often the most popular for the more geeky/techy amongst us. However, what's better than a picture - a moving picture or "video" if you will! The Youtube generation which has risen up over the past 3-4 years or so means that memes can now be videos rather than just pictures (the so-called viral video).
I think that the humour involved within this field is often brilliant, because it evokes the great comedian in finding humour in everyday situations & seeing the funny side in serious issues.

What it does bring to light it the viral idea -which, although it has negative connotations, creates a "have you seen/heard about" culture, when internet phenomena spread through word of mouth, or through forums.

Of course especial mention should go to the daring 4chanwhere they took the simple idea of forums & added the meme to it.

So where someone posts a fairly amusing picture for example, other people will construct & edit around it. So a classic would be using images from the 300 & editing it to sync in with another meme e.g. King Leonidis in the film should "This is SPAAATTTAA" when added to another cultural pic brings classic results:

About themselves, 4chan say:

4chan is a simple image-based bulletin board where anyone can post comments and share images. 4chan's collaborative-community format is copied from one of the most popular forums in Japan, Futaba Channel. Different boards are dedicated to different topics, from Japanese anime, manga, and culture to videogames, music, and photography. Feel free to click on a board that interests you, and jump right in—anyone can contribute!

Bob & Steve 6

Top 10(ish) most impacting Rock bands

OK according to yours truly here are my top 10 band - with first listened to track, best album (imho) & seminal track to sum up the band:

Foo Fighters: Down in the Park: Colour & the Shape: Everlong/My Hero
Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Chile (slight Return): Are you Experienced: All Along the Watchtower/Crosstown Traffic
Muse: Origin of Symmetry/Black Holes & Revelations: Plug in Baby/Knights of Cydonia
Pixies: Wave of Mutilation: UK Surf: Surfer Rosa/Come on Pilgrim: Where is my Mind/Monkey Gone to Heaven
Placebo: Nancy Boy: Meds: Bruise-Pristine/Drag
Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit: Nevermind: Aneurysm/You Know You're Right
Queens of the Stone Age: No One Knows: Songs for the Deaf/Queens of the Stone Age: Little Sister/No One Knows
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Aeroplane: Californication: Around the World/Dani California
Silversun Pickups: Lazy Eye: Carnavas/Swoon: Well Thought Out Twinkles/Panic Switch
Smashing Pumpkins: Tonight, Tonight: Zeitgeist/Rotten Apples: Zero/Bring the Light
Sonic Youth: Sugar Cane: Daydream Nation/Dirty: Purr/ Teen Age Riot
System of a Down: Chop Suey: Toxicity: Toxicity/Aerials

These are what I would call my most influential...but only in terms of rock & doesn't include say:

Dire Straits, Metallica, Arcade Fire, Radiohead,
The Who, Black Sabbath, Snow Patrol, Kings of Leon,
Blur, Beck, R.E.M., Rage Against the Machine, the Hives & Autolux

ALL of whom I deeply respect & feel they rock most heartily! I think it also shows my age a little too much, but hey what can you do - also notice that I rate SSPU highly!

Six Rock out!

Bob & Steve 5

Bob & Steve 4

Bob & Steve 3

Them Crooked Vultures: Them Crooked Vultures

Right enough of my geekery...for now - on to some music.

This is the 'debut' (& I use the term very loosely for these guys - it's an epic super-group consisting of Mr John-Paul Jones, Mr Josh Homme & Mr David Grohl, from; Led Zeppelin, Queens of the Stone Age & Foo Fighters respectively.


It certainly excited me when I first heard about them a couple months back & even the short minute long Youtube vids they previewed helped.

Their sound is heavy enough to sound like old-fashioned QotSA (the Songs for the Deaf era - which also coincidentally featured Grohl on drums!) but is definitely catchy as well.



They released their album a full week before it was due for general release, on their Youtube channel & there are already 3 stand-out tracks for me - the tracks grow & there are hints of the associated bands (especially the Foo's) & I really would put them at the top (well equal top really) of my must-see-live list! (the other is of course my band of 2008 & 2009 - Silversun Pickups).

I would definitely have a listen to their Youtube version before buying, as I don't necessarily think it will have the universal appeal of say Foo Fighters, but definitely worth a blast. My top tracks are:

Track 1: No One Loves Me & Neither Do I
Track 2: Mind Eraser, No Chaser
Track 5: Elephants
Track 6: Scumbag Blues

Grohl on drums = win

Xplay/G4 - who?

So why use the style of X Play?! Here's what I've perused from Wiki about it:

The video game reviews on X-Play use a five-point rating scale, based on such factors as graphics, sound, gameplay, and playability (i.e. replay value). On X-Play's original TechTV homepage, the ratings system was broken down in the following way:

* 1 - Hated it. Do not buy this game. Not even worth the bargain bin. Run from it. Escape!! Escape!!
* 2 - Alright. These games are fun, with some good points, but nothing special. There's definitely a few specific things holding this game back. Wait until the price comes down or pick it up as [a] renter to check out some of the things it does right.
* 3 - Good. Fun to play, pretty solid titles, with a few minor flaws. Most games will probably fall into this category. They're the games that if you like the genre, or liked other similar titles, you might consider giving it a good look. Otherwise, you might not be into it.
* 4 - Very good. Games that are at the top of all our lists, but are missing that strange intangible aura of perfection, and unfortunately that's keeping them from getting in the realm of the almighty five.
* 5 - Near perfect/perfect. If you're a true player, these games will undoubtedly be in your collection, or at the very least you'll have played them until the cartridges and CDs melted. If a game gets a 5, and you like the genre, you should buy.

The hosts (Adam & Morgan) also explained why they use a 5-point ratings system, rather than a 10- or even 100-point scale:

Morgan: Our system is better because it recognizes that scores are broad generalizations.
Adam: For example, a popular web site gave Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire a score of 3.0 out of 10. They gave Torino 2006 a 3.9. What is the difference?
Morgan: Both games suck, all the score is gonna be able to communicate to you is that the game is bad. If you want more nuance on the suckage, you have to actually go and read the review. See, in a 10-point scale, everything under 5 just means 'this game ain't worth buying', so there's no real difference.
Adam: And there's no real nuance to a score difference of two- or three-tenths of a point. Our scores at least give sweeping generalizations for you to use as a guide.

It's the rating system I'm used to & have been using them as a guide since I started listening to podcasts! Hence why 1-5*s rather than anything else.

Six out.

PS I don't always agree with X Play...Football games for example - or soccer as they call it - they're never happy with any 'soccer' games.

Bob & Steve 2

Review: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2!

...or to give it it's proper name...CoD 6! It's finally out - an eagerly awaited sequel - the original game is still at its RRP even after the 2 years its been out! That's quite extraordinary for a 4th outing in a series, so the hopes are high for this latest title.

I got it the day it came out (for a change!) & managed to get a few minutes spare that lunchtime to get past the opening credits & training mode - it's really fast & great fun is had using the modern weaponry - all machine-pistols, sub-machine guns & the occasional shotgun.

One (almost-instant) negative of note - the included manual is perhaps the worst I have ever seen! Everything is in standard font, there's not a huge amount of substance at all & even the 1 screenshot has no background to it. It certainly look incomplete & a little unprofessional - especially for such a high quality game - very bizarre. It was almost as if they didn't feel the need to tell people how to play the 6th edition of their game!

Anyways, the game-play! There are many moments of awe-inspiring/jaw-dropping` game-play - on board a stolen skidoo going at full tilt over an epic jump, taking an entire airbase with just one other member in your squad, the Rio scenes are impossibly good, & the some of the later levels seem rather epic.

The challenge offered by the single-player is good - it's not just a simple walk, shoot occasional & progress - even on the regular difficulty setting there are some parts of the game that really do take all your concentration & effort just to get through. For example holding a building, whilst downloading files, all the while your enemies come from all sides at the same time with scoped weapons & sub-machine guns is an epic & challenging bit of play, reminiscent of the legendary Nazi Zombies!

The Weapons, the sub-machine guns all feel pretty similar, but with different sights & scopes add a little variety. There are lots of different pistols, but the most fun have been the shotguns. Normally their lack of accuracy over distance is quite limiting, not so much now - in Rio & especially during Whiskey Hotel the quick-shot & lethal Striker is very much the harbinger of doom!

I did complete it on Regular in just 2 evenings (about 8 hours) which seemed a little fast, but I then wanted to play it again & grind through on Veteran, just to run through it all again with an epic challenge!

Also there are the side missions - Spec Ops to be precise - 23 levels of increasingly difficult replays of the original storyline, as well as some familiar reworkings of the first Modern Warfare. Expect lots of silliness when playing with your friends - it's a little bit Bob & Steve (see below)



But the levels are really tough - even for the experienced CoD gamer - it represents a proper challenge, but I think it's great fun & does reward you for playing well.

The more starts you earn (1 for regular, 2 for hardened & 3 for veteran) then unlock more levels, each represents a big step up from the previous levels - so far have unlocked Delta & need just 1 more star to open up the hardest levels - Echo. The Delta levels are already the toughest I've seen, so the Echo will need every ounce of prowess methinks.

In terms of the levels - the ghillie-suit vs ghille-suit & snow-sniper levels have been favourites - but the bridge levels are great fun as well.


The overall rating is a well-deserved 5 out of 5

Thoughtus generalus

You might have noticed but I am writing a lot more blogs, probably more than ever before & I'm trying to understand my own reason!

So here are my thoughts:

As a way to reflect, blogging is a great tool - the classic theory of getting ones brain on paper, to process my thoughts.

Another thought is just the sharing of my brain - my thoughts, opinions, geekery etc. as above. So when I here an awesome band/mix then sharing it to the masses seems obvious. Also as a gamer (Pikachuind in Xbox of course, as below) then telling people what I think & sharing the knowledge sees to be obvious.

The way I treat my blog is very similar to my relationship with my best mate (Vet Boy by the way). What I mean by that is that I don't really care what people think about my blog - you might think interesting, or not - but that's not really the point! It's like with Vet Boy - I tell him repeatedly he's my best mate, & he will be my Best Man, I don't care what he thinks of me & would not expect him to view me as his best mate in return!

I'm not really sure that even makes any sense to anyone but us, but that's the weirdness of our friendship!

With this blog, I'm thinking, processing & posting - I don't need people to care less about my thoughts - they're just out there.

Right that's enough randomness from me - time for some tea!

Pro Evo: Current Team: 4:4:2

Keepers:
Buffon, Cech, Almunia

Defence:
Maicon, Carlos Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves, Clichy, Vermaelen, Mexes, William Gallas

Midfield:
Rosicky, Iniesta, Ramsey, Sissoko, Vieira, Cesc Fabregas, Simon (Brainshare) Hodgkins,

Attack:
Lionel Messi, James (Hobbit) Sinden, Fernando Torres, Andrei Arshavin, Theo Walcott, Wayne Rooney, David Villa, Kaka, Van Persie, Thierry Henry

Not bad, but it is only our first season!