PixlBit

I used to really like scrubs and then it went on and on and on........ and on.

I know I'm going to be dragged to see this by my wife, I really didn't think much of the book, I found the story very dull, particularly Gatsby himself which I know is supposed to be the centre piece of glitz and interest but I just found him very shallow and 2 Dimensional. I like Leo though, he's been in some awesome films, made awesome by his superb acting so you never know I may glean some enjoyment out of this.

The original had lots of potential but that is what I found frustrating about it. A school report stating you have 'potential' means you're not doing well enough! I like options for killing zombies, L4D2 constantly had a gun and melee weapon and both were effective for different tasks. I appreciate that Dead Island is a different type of game but look at the 'cross bow concept' from the walking dead, being able to craft Bows and Arrows would be quite cool here, what about sling shots that have modified ammo, Dead Island needs more range in its attacks. It also seems to miss on another trick from the walking dead (the TV show rather than the game), tactics. Finding the odd flare to lure a horde away from an objective, using co-op effectively such as someone playing bait etc. Seems to be a very lazy installment.

I think the last 20 seconds of this clip sums up quite a few points you've made here Ben, it's a little black orientated but the message pretty much plays through to the bulk of society, i.e. the less well off. This kind of segregation can be seen in historical examples and even religious texts (take the tower of Babylon from the bible for example). I like the term humanitarian and believe that people who strive for equality are on the right foot but ultimately we have to face up to certain facts, one of which being that we are not all born equal ( a point you've raised your self in the past). I don't mean that we should not have equal rights, I mean that we are not all born equal. We don't all have the same strength, luck, power, intelligence. This difference is a breeding ground for hostility as I believe thats it's human nature to look upon others fortunes with some element of coveting. I ve been incredibly fortunate thus far in life and I sometimes ask myself, what I am I really doing to help those people who are less fortunate than myself? the truth is very little. Donating money is a start but it's not the real answer, getting out there and doing actual charity work would be more accomplishing in my spare time but I don not. I think thats the greatest tragedy of all, we could all do something to help someone else and on a regular basis but we choose not too. Insted, like you highlight, we spend our time at each others throats when we could all do less talking and more acting on what needs to be done.

Good read my man!

Had to be Hallelujah Goat by Volbeat.. I'd beat some serious ass.

Yeah you're right there, maturity does play a big part in it, your parents sound savvy enough to make the right kind of calls. My folks were pretty strict over this stuff too, but like you they taught me the kind of things you don't always learn in school.

I'm going to be a bit controversial now and admit to something, the second video in that link where he discusses GTA has a point. Popular culture is desensitising to violence, not to everybody but children in particular do suffer from this. What angers me the most is quite frankly naive and dumb parenting. GTA clearly holds an 18 certificate, as does call of duty and countless other games. It's an 18 for a reason, because it contains mature themes and graphic content. Even go back to Resident Evil 2 on the PS1 and it has a warning at the beginning of the game about the gore contained therein. Certain measures are taken, i.e. cartoons do not usually show real guns anymore (think 90's animated batman with the tommy guns where as now many of his incarnations show laser guns) but where video games are concerned parents are massively under-educated. Most parents would not allow their kids to watch an 18 certificate horror flick, so why let your kids grusomely kill people in a video game like God of War! I used to find the film 'The Terminator' teffifying when I was a kid, but many children that I teach state they enjoyed Hostel, a type of film I still can't watch. Too many parents are lazy and harm like this can be avoided by folowing one simple principle: Take an interest in what your children do! follow that with common sense like don't allow kids to have game systems and PC's with internet connection in their bedrooms and you have a winner. Games don't kill people,lack of support and education from the most influencial teachers you will ever have, your parents, do. Of course some people despite the best upbringing in the world will turn bad  but I'd bet a lot of money in that number being reduced if parents would do their bloody job properly.

A colleauge of mine once told me he believes that the rule to controlling scoiety is simply to make sure thet we almost have evrything we need but continually dangle the carrot of the next best thing in front of us. Just upgraded you TV to a plasma screen? great you just need that new entertainment surround sound unit to save up for to finish the job. But what about comfort when watching you favourite flicks or playing your killer game, looks like I'll need that new recliner to go with the set. Just when you think you ve got everything, something else comes out and what better way to distract people from the points you ve made then keeping them running around in material circles. personally I believe that the 'suspicious looking door sealed by a multitude of locking mechanisms' is what happens after we leave this world. People that truly want to know whats happening now should just read historically (assuming it hasn't all been re-written!) to see that humanity is the same as it always has been, full of violence and hate as much as it is love and compassion. What I find interesting in these respects is that love and compassion usually happens on much smaller scales, between a handful of people and goes un-reported. But it's still there.

Wow that certainly woke me up this morning, thanks for the good read Ben, I can always rely on you to get my mental cogs turning!

I love my X box and I am still seriously considering getting the next one when it comes out but I think companies like Microsoft use rumors to their advantage any how. What better way to gauge public reaction than the occasional 'leak'. Theres still loads of time to tune their system to the demands of the community and I'm pretty sure that Microsoft are far too experienced to make the mistakes that Nintendo seem to make when releasing their new software (I mean that Microsoft deal with a lot more ventures and products than Nintendo do such as PC software etc). Microsoft aand Sony are good at listening to the demands of their user base, and whilst I'm sure there are examples to the latter I would guess that both companies will make their new machines very competative when they do eventually see release. Thanks for posting this by the way, I feel a little lift inside!

Day Z looks pretty cool! makes me wish I was into PC gaming.