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Autumn leaves reflected in China Pond
This former decoy pond is situated on the Great Saxham Estate. It is used by a local fishing society.
Source: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3224183
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Although there are several safe real estate investments, there are also many pitfalls you must watch out for. Do not lose your hard earned money buying a home that is priced higher than it should be, these tips can help you make a smart choice.
It is vital that you contact a mortgage lender and get pre-qualified prior to searching for a new home. One main reason to do this is to make sure you are searching for a home that fits within your budget. Furthermore, since obtaining a mortgage can take some time, it makes sense to get the ball rolling early.
Individuals with families, either existing or planned for the future, should shop for homes with enough square footage to handle an entire family. Look into the home?s safety as well. This is particularly true if the home that you?re considering has steep stairs or a large swimming pool. Buying a house from people who raised children in it should guarantee you a safe house.
TIP! If you are planning on starting a family, your home should have plenty of space for everyone. Be mindful of safety also, especially if the house you are viewing has a pool or stairs.
Hire your own people to provide support services when you decide to purchase a residence. It could be very enticing to use the seller?s appraisers and inspectors, but choose not to do so. You may think it is silly to spend money for services that could be procured at no cost. Even so, it is always best to hire people you personally can trust. Knowing you can rely on the advice you get will give you much peace of mind, and can save you quite a bit of money over the long term.
Look for the house of your dreams. A lot of investors will suggest that you should not sell your home and buy a larger one at this moment, but others disagree. This may be the best time to buy your dream property because housing prices are expected to rise.
Exercise flexibility when making decisions. There are trade-offs that must sometimes be made between buying in a particular neighborhood, buying the ideal house, and what you can afford. Think about settling for a different house or a different area you can afford.
TIP! If you are inexperienced with real estate investing, enlist the services of a broker or real estate agent. These real estate professionals have access to additional tools and databases that you may not have.
When deciding to purchase a large and commercial piece of real estate, make sure you get a trustworthy partner. It will make it easier to qualify for the loan that you need to buy the property. Having a partner is a great way to ensure that you have the necessary down payment amount as well as the creditworthiness required by commercial lenders.
Houses that need some ?tender loving care? are priced less. This will let you save some money in the beginning, and fix up the house as you see fit. You can build equity in your home while making improvements that maximize its livability for you and your family. Do not focus on what is wrong with the house; instead, focus on what is good. The home of your dreams might be waiting for you behind an outwardly rough exterior.
TIP! Make sure to ask your Realtor to supply you with a checklist. A good Realtor will be able to give you a list that covers the different steps of a transaction, from finding a home to getting approved for your mortgage.
If you are thinking about moving, you may want to research the neighborhoods of properties you are interested in online. You will be able to find lots of information, no matter the size and population of the town. Do thorough research into any area in which you plan to purchase real estate. It is no fun to find out later that you have invested in dead-end real estate.
Investing in real estate is always a risky situation. Upsets in the real estate market have resulted in low prices for buyers. This is a perfect time for first-time home buyers to get into a home, or for current home owners to invest in a larger property. Eventually, the market will rise again over time, making your investment profitable.
Get as much information about potential rental properties as possible. If you are thinking about buying a rental property, look at the records for this pertaining to the property for a couple years back or more. The reason for this is that you have to make sure that the seller has made full and accurate disclosure regarding the property?s potential for income. The lender will want to see income verification before issuing a loan for a property.
TIP! Do some research and analysis on the area housing market. Find out how many homes in your area face foreclosure as well as how long it takes to sell an average house and the price you can expect to pay for your new house.
Purchasing a home can be very difficult and complex, and it is very easy to make a costly mistake. If you follow the tips you have just read about, you will be able to recognize good deals. The next thing you must do is capitalize.
Join me on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/maynaseric
Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/buying-real-estate-advice-that-will-keep-you-from-making-mistakes
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Deep in the South Platte River basin rests an oasis of thin air, and sharp-passing quarterbacks. It's only 2:30 in the afternoon but the mid-December shadows are already long, pronounced and stretched across the Denver cityscape. Although the darkest day, the winter solstice has just passed, until recent days it's been an unseasonably warm month, almost alarmingly so, in the Mile High City. Sixty degrees one day, 63 the next, 54 the next. Sitting in a generic hotel coffee shop, not so different from the one you might find yourself in on a lazy Sunday afternoon, is where I find myself. Swirling in my system is a fresh dose of chemotherapy designed to keep my pesky tumor in check, a plethora of prescription drugs designed to counteract the side effects of the drugs designed to save my life, and of course a passion fruit Arnold Palmer.
Whenever the end of the year approaches I like to reflect on the previous year and look forward to the year approaching. What did I like, what didn't I like? What needs to change, what needs to stay the same? And seeing as I'm temporarily (or possibly permanently -- call me, Arianna) writing on the Huffington Post about young adults with cancer, let's examine the state of young adults with cancer.
America as a whole 'seems' to have a pretty solid social consciousness and responsibility towards cancer -- as evident by October and its nauseating dedication (read: marketing) to curing breast cancer (read: selling pink things in the hope of appealing to women). Although there seems to be a lot of going on for breast cancer, things aren't as cut and clear for the rest of the cancer world in America, especially for the young adult cancer community.
A couple of the biggest problems facing the young adult world:
Lack of Health Insurance
No group is as underinsured as young adults. With 23.4 percent of young adults age 18-25 without insurance (a number that is down around 5 percent since Obamacare went into effect) that means that more than seven million 18-to-25-year-olds don't have insurance right now! Going through the post-college, pre-career transition time, many young adults find themselves left without health insurance (and possibly working as a barista). The out of the ordinary ache or pain that would usually land them in the doctor's office instead leads them to self-diagnoses on WebMD, or the always effective and popular anti-cancer treatment: denial!
"I'm sure it's nothing, if it continues to get worse I'll get it checked out" is the sentiment often muttered to concerned friends when what they really mean is "There's no way in hell I can afford a $400 doctor's appointment when it might not be that bad." So instead of catching the cancer early it goes undiagnosed for far too long. This, among other things, leads to a very unimpressive survival rate for young adults.
Fertility
Alarmingly enough, when you throw an almost lethal amount of drugs into someone with the sole purpose of destruction, it leaves your downstairs parts a bit flustered. When I was first diagnosed at 16, the last thing on my mind was my future children.
Many young adults find themselves in similar situations when they're first diagnosed. Overnight you're expected to know an entire field of medicine and the choices you make at this juncture can have lasting and permanent effects. No pressure, right? Fertility issues are often the first to slip through the cracks (right after Chinese or Mexican for dinner). Men who've had cancer are 23 percent less likely to father a child. The best way to combat these alarmningly high numbers is to raise awareness. Perhaps the fact that it's an awkward topic leads to these numbers. But don't be afraid to have that awkward conversation with your pal.
Research and Survival Rates
If you look at the money over the years that have been poured into breast cancer, colon cancer, and leukemia, it's no wonder why the survival rates have skyrocketed for many adult cancers. The average adult cancer patient has a 10-year survival rate of 45.2 percent, which is up substantially from 23.7 percent in the 1970s. It's painfully obvious when you see the dearth of research dollars spent towards young adult cancers why the survival rates have barely changed in the past 30 years. Of the 20 types of cancers that affect young adults, only eight have improved since 1985. This is a trend which unfortunately has seeped into the pediatric cancer world as well, the nation's largest cancer organization the American Cancer Society only directs 1 percent of funding to pediatric cancer research. There aren't enough people advocating and voting for the research dollars to be spent here -- and that's where the problem lies.
The current situation of the young adult cancer world may look grim, but let's take a look at the glass half full. With the continued implementation of Obamacare, we should see fewer young adults without health insurance, which may boost the survival rate. With more young adults surviving cancer, that means more will give back and raise awareness as well as money for cancer research. There are more and more charities being formed that are dedicated to advocating for young adults.
Americana have shown that they're willing to give to cancer as long as it's marketed right. There are a lot of opportunities for 2013 in the young adult cancer world. It's time for us all to get involved in them. If I've learned anything about charity events there are always free T-shirts and cute 20-somethings with good social consciousnesses.
So run that 5k, buy the overpriced wine bundle at the silent auction, and grow that mustache.
Young adult cancer's not gonna cure itself.
Happy New Year.
?
Follow Woody Roseland on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WoodyRoseland
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/woody-roseland/2012-young-adult-cancer_b_2330309.html
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Over the past two days I?ve taken a look at two different wireless keyboard solutions. ?Up first was the SHARKK Wireless Keyboard Case for the iPad Mini. ?Next I took a look at the?SHARKK Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard. ?Today we?ll finish up our look at SHARKK?s line up of Bluetooth keyboards with the?SHARKK Bluetooth Keyboard Case for iPad.
If you?d rather not carry around two things (keyboard and tablet), and your an iPad user in search of a keyboard, the?SHARKK Bluetooth Keyboard Case for iPad might be the answer. ?Combining wireless keyboard and case into one package the?SHARKK Bluetooth Keyboard Case for iPad offers some unique functionality others miss.
Click on through for my full review.
Inside the packaging you?ll find the case along with an instruction manual as well as a charging cable.
Here?s what SHARKK has to say about the?SHARKK Bluetooth Keyboard Case for iPad.
Product Features
- USB cable included for charging. Works with all versions of iPad2, iPad3, and The New iPad4. Keyboard will connect to any Bluetooth device but it can only be used as a case and stand for iPad 2, iPad 3, and The New iPad 4.
- Made by SHARKK Brands. Customized with sleep/wake hibernation mode when case is on the tablet.
- Rotates 360 degrees for multiple viewing options including vertical and horizontal.
- Keyboard, Skin and Stand are all detachable.
- Dimensions: 245 x 190 x 23 mm, weight: 475 g.
This case features a built in?rechargeable?battery. ?You?ll use the included micro USB cable to charge the battery. ?The battery takes a few hours to completely charge but you?ll get a few weeks before needing to charge it again. ?You?ll also need to complete the Bluetooth pairing process so that the keyboard and your iPad are synced. ?This only needs to be done once.
The case itself has a soft touch finish which is easy to hold.
The case opens up to reveal a clam shell design.
Installing your iPad into the case is as easy as snapping it in.
This case has a ton of features! ?For starters you can remove the case portion, where you iPad lives, and place it separate from the keyboard.
You can also slide it in or out to adjust the angle at which the iPad sits.
Second, you can remove the snap on the back case from the rest of the case for an even slimmer look and feel, for times when you don?t need the keyboard.
As for the keyboard, it feature small style plastic keys which offer good feedback when pressed. ?They keys themselves are about half the size of a full sized keyboard.
There are plenty of iPad specific keys on the keyboard as well.
The case has a ratcheting mechanism which allows you to prop up the iPad in either the portrait or landscape position. ?This is one of the only keyboard cases for the iPad, that I?ve seen, which allows you to use the iPad in the portrait position.
Check out my full video review below?
If you miss the feel of a laptop computer in your iPad the?SHARKK Bluetooth Keyboard Case might be just what you need to bring that portable computer feel to your Apple tablet. ?The case supports multiple angles, has iPad specific keys built in and offers a nice protective solution for those longing for a real keyboard to type away on. ?Oh yeah, it?s priced right too. ?At under $70 the?SHARKK Bluetooth Keyboard Case for iPad is one of the most affordable keyboard cases on the market.
You can learn more about the X by visiting this page on Amazon.
MSRP: ?$69.99
PROS: ?Soft touch finish. ?Multiple angles.
CONS: ?Bulky.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/runaroundtechcom/~3/4zHIJHZ_RWk/
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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Saturday that a negotiated solution to the conflict in Syria is still possible but the international mediator struggling to end 21 months of bloodshed warned of "hell" unless a deal is struck.
Sergei Lavrov and Lakhdar Brahimi announced no major new initiatives after talks in Moscow and their remarks underscored the obstacles the U.N.-Arab League envoy faces in bringing about a solution.
"If the only alternative is hell or a political process, then all of us have to work continuously toward the political process," said Brahimi, adding it was still possible to reach "a solution that would work" but that the barriers were daunting.
"The chance for a political settlement remains and it is our obligation to make maximal use of that chance," Lavrov told reporters in a joint appearance after his talks with Brahimi, who met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad earlier in the week.
Lavrov, whose country has blocked Western and Arab efforts in the U.N. Security Council to put pressure on Assad, repeated that Assad's exit must not be a precondition for a political process, saying such demands were "wrong" and counterproductive.
He said the refusal of the Syrian opposition National Coalition to talk to the Syrian leadership was a "dead-end position", and criticised the coalition leader for rebuffing an invitation for talks with Russia.
(Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel; Writing by Steve Gutterman; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/still-chance-negotiated-solution-syria-conflict-russia-100050992.html
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Researchers at the Harvard Medical School investigated the effect of androgen deprivation in a preclinical mouse model of stable high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia induced by the loss of the PTEN tumor suppressor. They found that androgen deprivation treatment of these mice accelerated the progression to invasive disease.
Shidong Jia, M.D., Ph.D. And associates found that surgical or chemical castration caused the stable HG-PIN to progress to invasive castration-resistant prostate cancer. Targeting the PI3K pathway pharmacologically or genetically reversed the PTEN-loss induced HG-PIN phenotype. Blocking both the PI3K pathway and the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway blocked the growth of the castration-resistant prostate cancer.?Together, these data have revealed the potential adverse effects of anti-androgen chemoprevention in certain genetic contexts (such as PTEN loss) while showing the promise of targeted therapy in the clinical management of this complex and prevalent disease,? Jia and colleagues conclude.
This study does not have any direct significance for any man on ADT, but it does point out the very significant potential harms that we might be causing by lumping together all forms of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer, like all other cancers, is not just one disease with every man responding the same to each treatment. A treatment that works for one man might actually be ?poison? to another.
We need to spend time learning about the different types of prostate cancer and we need to learn about how these different types of cancers will respond to our potential different treatments. If we don?t, we might actually be doing more harm than good for many men.
the study was published on-line December 20 in Cancer Discovery
Joel T. Nowak, M.S.W., M.A.
Source: http://advancedprostatecancer.net/?p=3621
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JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? South Africa's president says a dog should not be man's best friend.
President Jacob Zuma made critical remarks about pet care that touch on sensitive race relations in South Africa, which was dominated by whites until apartheid was dismantled almost two decades ago, The Star newspaper reported Thursday.
The newspaper cited Zuma as saying in a speech Wednesday that the idea of having a pet is part of "white culture" and that people should focus on family welfare.
The president's office sought to clarify his remarks, saying he was encouraging "the previously oppressed African majority" to uphold its own culture. It also suggested the way in which the comments were reported, rather than the comments themselves, was divisive.
The president's remarks triggered a flurry of retorts from animal lovers on Twitter and other social media.
"Will I become 'more African' if I kick my dog, President Zuma," one person commented tartly.
Another lamented: "He keeps on dividing this country."
And another humorist wrote: "Well, that pretty much rules out that photo opportunity with Zuma, the Obamas, & their pet dog, Bo, in the White House."
The backdrop to the dog debate is the legacy of Western colonialism in Africa, as well as the bitter struggle against apartheid in South Africa that culminated in the first democratic elections in 1994. Poverty and economic imbalances remain a source of deep strain in the nation of 50 million.
During his speech to an appreciative crowd in KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma's home province, the president said people who love dogs more than people have a "lack of humanity" and that some people are trying in vain to "emulate whiteness," The Star reported.
"Even if you apply any kind of lotion and straighten your hair, you will never be white," he reportedly said.
In a statement, the South African presidency said Zuma was trying to "decolonize the African mind post-liberation" and enable people to take pride in their heritage and not feel pressure to adopt customs of minority cultures. Animals can be cared for, was the message, but not at the expense of people.
It said he gave examples of people loving animals more than other human beings ? letting a dog sit in the cab of a truck while a worker has to sit in the back in the rain, or rushing an animal to the veterinarian while ignoring sick relatives or workers.
Zuma has often said he seeks to protect South Africa's diversity and unify its disparate groups, but he has occasionally stirred controversy. In 2006, as deputy president, he said same-sex marriages, which are today protected under South African law, were "a disgrace to the nation and to God."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/south-africa-president-prefers-people-over-pets-150157216.html
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WASHINGTON (AP) ? An animal rights group will pay Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus $9.3 million to settle a lawsuit the circus filed after courts found that activists paid a former circus worker for his help in claiming the circus abused elephants.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Friday it was not admitting any wrongdoing in settling the lawsuit. The New York-based animal rights group was one of several involved in a lawsuit filed in 2000 against the circus' owner, Feld Entertainment Inc., claiming elephants were abused. Courts later found that the animal rights activists had paid a former Ringling barn helper involved in the lawsuit at least $190,000, making him "essentially a paid plaintiff" who lacked credibility.
Two courts agreed the former barn helper, Tom Rider, wasn't credible and didn't have a right to sue. As a result, they didn't address claims the circus violated the federal Endangered Species Act by allegedly chaining the elephants for long periods and allowing trainers to use sharp tools called bullhooks.
The Vienna, Va.-based Feld Entertainment Inc. sued the animal rights groups and Rider in 2007, accusing them of conspiring to harm the company's business and other illegal acts. The lawsuit claims the groups were working together with the goal of permanently banning Asian elephants from circuses.
Friday's settlement covers only the ASPCA. Twelve other defendants including The Humane Society of the United States, the Animal Welfare Institute and The Fund for Animals are still involved in the lawsuit.
The ASPCA said in a statement that "this litigation has stopped being about the elephants a long time ago" and that officials decided it was in the group's best interest to resolve the lawsuit after more than a decade.
The chairman of Feld Entertainment, Kenneth Feld, said in a statement that the settlement was a vindication for the company and its employees.
___
Follow Jessica Gresko at http://twitter.com/jessicagresko
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/animal-rights-group-settles-lawsuit-ringling-160335520.html
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5 hrs.
The holiday shopping season is officially over?and that means the spasm of big game launches is over as well,?right? Well, no. In some ways, the rush of video?game releases?is just getting started.
For a variety of?reasons, some of the games we were most looking forward to getting our thumbsticks on in 2012?had launch dates pushed back into early 2013. Quite a few hotly?anticipated games are stacked up for a debut in?the new year?... and?some are just weeks away from arriving on shelves.
And while the spring game line-up is crowded, the rest of the ?year is looking pretty packed?as well. Quite a few?best-selling game franchises will make a big return in 2013 while some brand new titles are getting ready to tempt players with original stories and?intriguing new?gameplay.
Below you'll find 10 of the games we're most looking forward in 2013. Stop by the discussion section?to let us know which titles you're saving your?hard earned?gold coins for.
"Dead Space 3," ?Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC?-?Feb. 5
The?space-faring fright?fest that is the "Dead Space" series gets a new entry in the next few weeks. But while the?previous games dropped players?into terrifying solo mission filled with grotesque?creatures known as Necromorphs, this newest game?encourages players to?experience these monstrosities (and the fear they inspire)?with a friend.
Two-player, drop-in/drop-out co-operative play is the name of the?game as?you and buddy head to the icy planet of?Tau Volantis to discover the source of the Necromorph plague. Sure, you can go it all alone, but you'll get more out of the?survival horror?story if you partner up. Also, you'll have someone to hug when the undead leap at you from the dark.?
"Aliens:?Colonial Marines," Wii?U,?Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation?3?-?Feb. 12
Speaking of a good space-faring scare, the "Alien" franchise is about to get another installment, in the form of a?video?game.?Not only has?Gearbox Software billed?"Aliens: Colonial Marines" as the spiritual sequel to Jim Cameron's?"Aliens"?? the second "Alien"?movie ??but the game?is even considered part of the canon by 20th Century Fox.
InGame editor Todd Kenreck got an advance look at "Aliens: Colonial Marines." Check out his video?above.
As the name suggests, you get to play a U.S.?Colonial Marine on a mission to investigate the U.S.S. Sulaco spaceship, and?find out what happened to Ellen Ripley and?her crew.?As you play, you'll get to visit some of the most famous?locations from the films and wield some of their?most iconic weapons and equipment. And?we're hoping that, at some point in the game, we'll also get to utter the phrase, "Game over man, game over!"
"Rayman Legends," Wii U?-?Feb. 26
The bright, colorful, zany platforming game "Rayman Origins" was one of my very?favorite games of 2011. And "Rayman Legends"???a direct sequel to that game???looks like it will offer even more?music-filled, action-packed, wacky fun???but with a new twist.?That is, "Rayman Legends"???originally scheduled to arrive in November???will launch exclusively for Nintendo's new Wii U game machine in February instead. And since it's a Wii U exclusive, that?means it will be putting the machine's unique tablet-style GamePad?controller to use.
I gave?"Legends" a try at the Penny Arcade Expo earlier this year and loved the way?one player could use?the GamePad controller ??and?its touchscreen ??to assist up to four other players using standard?Wii Remote controllers. You can use the GamePad to do?things like grab and pull creatures out of the ground, open secret paths and knock enemies out of the way. I dare say "Rayman Legends" is a very good reason to pick up a Wii U if you haven't already.
"Tomb Raider,"?Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC?-?March 5
The forthcoming "Tomb Raider" game is another title?that found itself?delayed from 2012 to 2013. But hopefully that extra time will mean extra polish for?this reboot of one of the most famous series?in video?game history.?
The action-adventure/platforming?game is set to?re-imagine leading lady Lara Croft's early, formative years. And while it has already inspired its fair share of controversy?due to an alleged sexual assault scene, we can't wait to see the new places the?developers take this storied franchise. From what we've seen so far, Croft has been given a darker, grittier backstory (a la the?character reboot we've seen in?the new Batman/Dark Knight?films). It's a backstory that makes her more human and less of a (top-heavy)?caricature. And to that we say: It's about time.
"Bioshock Infinite," PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC?-?March 26
Earlier this year, the team at Irrational Games told?us we'd have to wait until next year?to get our hands on "BioShock Infinite" because they wanted more time to make it "even more extraordinary."?Needless to say, after all this waiting, our expectation for this game???the third in the critically acclaimed?BioShock franchise???are very high.
And, indeed, "Infinite"?will take us back in time and?high up into the sky, as we play?agent Booker DeWitt, a man sent on a mission?to the airborne city of Columbia. His mission: to find a young woman named Elizabeth (recently?modeled by Russian gamer/costumer?Anna Moleva). This first-person shooter promises to?drop players into a intrigue-and-adventure-filled?alternate vision?of America during the Age of Steam, while bestowing upon?us?some unique powers.
The waiting isn't over yet, but in the meantime you can check out the new?video above, which offers a preview of the first few minutes of "Bioshock Infinite."
"Injustice: Gods Among Us," Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U - April
There is an age-old question asked by geeks of all ages: Who would win in a fight ... ?Batman or Superman? Flash or the Green Lantern? Catwoman or Wonder Woman? The forthcoming fighting game "Injustice: Gods Among Us" will, at last, provide us with the answers we seek.
The game drops many of your favorite heroes and villains from the DC Comics universe into "a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred." And it's here that the developers at NetherRealm promise "Injustice" will give us "heroes and villains engaging in epic battles on a massive scale." A look at the trailer above shows they aren't kidding. When superheroes collide, mere mortals better run and hide.
"The Last of Us," PlayStation 3?-?May 7
Brought to us by the developers behind the critically acclaimed?Uncharted games, "The Last of Us" not only promises to?blend survival and action gaming?elements in unique ways, but to take us on a story-driven journey with deep, well-crafted characters.
The game takes place 20 years after a plague decimated the population, leaving civilization in ruins and the survivors?not only fighting off?infected humans but fighting with?their own fellow survivors as well. It's in this setting that we meet the grizzled survivor?Joel and the?14 year-old girl, Ellie, that he's charged with protecting. "The Last of Us" is the kind of game aimed at?grown-up players looking for thoughtfully?crafted,?grown-up gaming. Fans of "The Walking Dead" should definitely be?lining up for this one.
"Grand Theft Auto V,"?PlayStation 3, Xbox 360?-?Spring 2013
At long last, Grand Theft Auto?is hitting the road again. The?GTA games have pioneered open-world gaming, giving players the freedom to roam immense digital landscapes filled with crime,?adventure and?some very colorful characters. And Rockstar says that "GTAV" ??which takes place in and around?the fictional Southern California city of Los Santos???will be its?biggest game?yet.
"Grand Theft Auto V"?will allow players to switch between three friends/partners in crime and will?center around performing heists.?We'll get to play?Michael, a wealthy ex-gangster; Trevor, a wise-cracking crazy man with a short fuse; and?Franklin, a professional repo man. Sounds like a recipe for?trouble?... and lots of crime-filled?fun. Meanwhile,?"GTAV" developer Rockstar Games?recently revealed that the game will head underwater as well. And as the new?screenshot above indicates, that means we better get ready?for ...?sharks!
"Pikmin 3," Wii U?-?Spring/Summer 2013
Nintendo recently announced that it was delaying its?highly anticipated real-time?strategy game until the second quarter of 2013. And while waiting is a bummer, we're used to it when it comes to this delightful series.
It's been?eight long?years since "Pikmin 2" let us control swarms of the?adorable?little ant-like creatures?as they try to survive in the big BIG world. With "Pikmin 3,"?we'll be able to control these delightful Pikmin using either the GamePad or Wii Remote controller as we?set them to various tasks such as breaking down barriers, harvesting food and?taking out enemies. And?for the first time ever, we'll?get to see these creatures and their strange, wonderful?world in gorgeous HD.
"Beyond: Two Souls,"?PlayStation 3?- Late?2013
"'Beyond' will be unlike anything else you've experienced before," David Cage, the director for this forthcoming PlayStation 3?game has promised. And we have good reason to believe him. "Beyond: Two Souls" is being made by the team at?Quantic Dream, the development company that brought us the surprisingly compelling and emotionally mature cinematic game "Heavy Rain."?
"Beyond: Two Souls" is described as?a "psychological action thriller;" and it will star the excellent Academy Award-nominated actress?Ellen Page?as Jodie Holmes,?a young woman who possesses strange, supernatural powers thanks to a?psychic link to an invisible entity.?Cage says the?game will take players on a journey through?15 years of Holmes'?life as it explore themes of?death and the afterlife.?Your decisions will?determine her fate. Very intriguing indeed.
?Winda Benedetti?writes about video?games for NBC?News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things?on Twitter?here?@WindaBenedetti?and you can?follow her?on?Google+.?Meanwhile, be sure to check?out the?IN-GAME?FACEBOOK PAGE?to discuss the day's?gaming news and reviews.
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A newspaper published names and addresses of thousands of legal handgun owners, generating widespread criticism. In retaliation, a blogger mapped the names and addresses of the journalists.
Hand guns that were turned in by their owners in a trash bin at a gun buyback held by the Los Angeles Police Department. People can anonymously trade in their guns, no questions asked, for $200 grocery store gift cards for automatic weapons and $100 gift cards for shotguns, handguns and rifles.
David McNew/REUTERS
EnlargeThe flap over the newspaper that published information about handgun owners in two New York counties has ricocheted back toward the news organization.
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Thousands of critics ? including some journalism professionals ? have weighed in. And at least one blogger has retaliated by publishing the names and addresses of editors and executives at the Journal News, the publication headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., north of New York City and part of the Gannett organization.
Still, the Journal News is not backing down. Editors say they?ll publish information on handgun owners in a third county (Putnam) once county officials have responded to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that resulted in tens of thousands of names and addresses in Westchester and Rockland Counties.
The controversy began over the weekend when the Journal News ran a story on some 44,000 registered handgun owners in?the two counties, including names and addresses showing exactly where those gun owners live using Google Maps. ?The gun owner next door: What you don't know about the weapons in your neighborhood,? read the headline.
In the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre that killed 20 first-graders and six school employees, quickly followed by a raging debate over gun control and Second Amendment rights, it?s not surprising that journalists would look for fresh and provocative angles to cover the story.
David Gregory, host of NBC?s ?Meet the Press,? has taken flak for showing an ammunition magazine in his interview with National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre last Sunday. Such large-capacity magazines are banned in the District of Columbia, where the show was taped.
The online magazine Slate has partnered with the anonymous creator of?the Twitter feed @GunDeaths to craft what it calls ?an interactive, crowdsourced tally of the toll firearms have taken since Dec. 14? ? the day when 20-year-old Adam Lanza, armed with an assault-style rifle, two handguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in large-capacity magazines, forced his way into the Sandy Hook grade school in Newtown.
The Slate map details 206 gunshot deaths in the United States since Sandy Hook, including 21 teens and children.
But publishing the names and addresses of legitimate handgun owners is seen as very different from tallying gun deaths or discussing aspects of weaponry. (The Journal News report does not include ?long guns? ? shotguns and rifles, including assault-style rifles ? which do not require licenses.)
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BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) ? The president of Central African Republic on Thursday urgently called on France and other foreign powers to help his government fend off rebels who are quickly seizing territory and approaching this capital city, but French officials declined to offer any military assistance.
The developments suggest Central African Republic could be on the brink of another violent change in government, something not new in the history of this resource-rich, yet deeply impoverished country. The current president, Francois Bozize, himself came to power nearly a decade ago in the wake of a rebellion.
Speaking to crowds in Bangui, a city of some 600,000, Bozize pleaded with foreign powers to do what they could. He pointed in particular to France, Central African Republic's former colonial ruler.
About 200 French soldiers are already in the country, providing technical support and helping to train the local army, according to the French defense ministry.
"France has the means to stop (the rebels) but unfortunately they have done nothing for us until now," Bozize said.
French President Francois Hollande said Thursday that France wants to protect its interests in Central African Republic and not Bozize's government. The comments came a day after dozens of protesters, angry about a lack of help against rebel forces, threw rocks at the French Embassy in Bangui and stole a French flag.
Paris is encouraging peace talks between the government and the rebels, with the French Foreign Ministry noting in a statement that negotiations are due to "begin shortly in Libreville (Gabon)." But it was not immediately clear what, if any, dates have been set for those talks.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, meanwhile, spoke via phone with Bozize, asking the president to take responsibility for the safety of French nationals and diplomatic missions in Central African Republic.
U.S. officials said Thursday the State Department would close its embassy in the country and ordered its diplomatic team to leave. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were unauthorized to discuss the evacuation publicly.
Bozize's government earlier reached out to longtime ally Chad, which pledged to send 2,000 troops to bolster Central African Republic's own forces. But it was unclear if the Chadian troops had all arrived, and even then, it is far from certain if the combined government forces could withstand rebel attacks.
At least four different rebel groups are involved, though their overall numbers could not immediately be confirmed.
Central African Republic, a landlocked nation of some 4.4 million people, is roughly the size of France. It has suffered decades of army revolts, coups and rebellions since gaining independence in 1960 and remains one of the poorest countries in the world.
The rebels behind the most recent instability signed a 2007 peace accord allowing them to join the regular army, but insurgent leaders say the deal wasn't fully implemented.
Already, the rebel forces have seized at least 10 towns across the sparsely populated north of the country, and residents in the capital now fear the insurgents could attack at any time, despite assurances by rebel leaders that they are willing to engage in dialogue instead of attacking Bangui.
The rebels have claimed that their actions are justified in light of the "thirst for justice, for peace, for security and for economic development of the people of Central African Republic."
Despite Central African Republic's wealth of gold, diamonds, timber and uranium, the government remains perpetually cash-strapped. Filip Hilgert, a researcher with Belgium-based International Peace Information Service, said rebel groups are unhappy because they feel the government doesn't invest in their areas.
"The main thing they say is that the north of the country, and especially in their case the northeast, has always been neglected by the central government in all ways," he said.
But the rebels also are demanding that the government make payments to ex-combatants, suggesting that their motives may also be for personal financial gain.
Bozize, a former military commander, came to power in a 2003 rebel war that ousted his predecessor, Ange-Felix Patasse. In his address Thursday, Bozize said he remained open to dialogue with the rebels, but he also accused them and their allies of financial greed.
Those allies, he implied, are outside Central African Republic.
"For me, there are individuals who are being manipulated by an outside hand, dreaming of exploiting the rich Central African Republic soil," he said. "They want only to stop us from benefiting from our oil, our diamonds, our uranium and our gold."
___
Larson reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writer Sarah DiLorenzo in Paris contributed to this report.
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Google has been offering Gmail users the ability to call standard phone lines for awhile, and it looks like the service will be continuing through 2013. Americans and Canadians can keep making calls for free, while international users will still have access to reasonable rates.
It's not a huge surprise that the service is continuing, since Google has extended Gmail calling since launching in the summer of 2010. Right now it's still only for desktop, but it sure would be nice to see the feature folded into Android's Google Talk or Voice (for those that have it) at some point.
How often do you guys use Gmail's phone calling service? How much do you figure services like this peeve carriers? Can Google reasonably expect to compete with Skype (and by association Windows Phone) on the VoIP front?
Source: Gmail
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. ? A young Clearlake man shot in the face during a Sunday confrontation remains hospitalized and in intensive care due to his injuries, with family saying his condition has worsened.
Steven Farnan, 20, was shot in the face following a physical fight that occurred at around 1 p.m. Sunday in the Clear Lake Riviera, as Lake County News has reported.
He fought with a subject at a residence in the 10000 block of Fairway Drive near Sierra Drive before another male shot him, according to witnesses.
Reports from the scene indicated the suspects fled the area in a blue hatchback.
As of early Tuesday, no arrests in the case had been made, according to jail booking records.
Farnan, now at an out-of-county hospital for treatment, suffered a shattered jaw from the gunshot, with the bullet going down his neck and hitting an artery. Early on, doctors had struggled to stop the bleeding before finally stabilizing him, his family reported.
However, early Tuesday his aunt, Kimberly Cochran of Montana, told Lake County News that Farnan had taken a turn for the worse.
She said he was in intensive care and that doctors could not do surgery to remove the bullet from his neck.
Cochran added that doctors are not sure if Farnan will survive his injury.
Farnan?s family asked anyone who has information about the suspect in his shooting to call the Lake County Sheriff?s Office.
The sheriff?s office can be reached through Central Dispatch at 707-263-2690 on the holiday or at 707-262-4200 during main business hours.
Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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Scotty 2 Hotty was one of the most popular performers during WWE?s Attitude Era. As one-half of the hip hop duo Too Cool, the breakdancing master had them hanging on his every move as he hopped around the ring, getting ready to attack his unsuspecting foes with The Worm. (CLASSIC PHOTOS | CURRENT PHOTOS?| VIDEO PLAYLIST)
Today, though, Scott Garland will have to cut back on his electric boogaloo as he prepares to begin training for his new career as a firefighter.
It will be a major career change for the man who dreamed of becoming a WWE Superstar since? watching his first wrestling show during his childhood in Westbrook, Maine.
?From then on, I was pretty much hooked,? he said. ?It was all I ever wanted to do.?
As a teenager, Garland and his friends would hang around the civic center in Portland when WWE came to town, getting to the arena even before the crew that set up the ring for the evening?s events.
?We got to know [the ring crew]. We?d go watch and help them set up the ring,? Garland said. ?They would say, ?OK guys, I?m going to take off for 15 minutes and go get something to eat. I didn?t say you could get in the ring, but I?ll see you in a little while.? ?
That wink-wink from the crew was all the encouragement Scotty and his friends needed to hop in the ring and fool around. In the middle of an arena that would soon be packed with the WWE Universe, they got to act out some of their biggest fantasies.
?Literally, a WWE ring was the first I ever stepped foot in, which is pretty cool,? Garland said.
The fun didn?t last too long, as security would eventually end up removing the teens from the building. However, it was those trips to Portland that set him on the road to becoming a Superstar. A local promoter came by one day to watch how a wrestling ring was set up, and see if he could do the same with a boxing ring he bought. He saw Scotty and his friends in the ring and approached them about competing on his shows.
A few months later, Scotty was in the squared circle for his first match, on Thanksgiving night 1989, in front of a sparse crowd.
?He ran against Survivor Series,? Scotty joked. ?It wasn?t a smart move on his part, but it gave us a start.?
From there, he began meeting other wrestlers, who got him spots on shows in New England. One of those connections helped him achieve his dream.
?I met a guy named Phil Apollo, who was working as an extra for WWE at the time,? he said. ?One day, he called me and said they were looking for more guys.?
Only a junior in high school, Scotty began appearing on WWE television in 1991 as Scott Taylor. Though he never came out on the winning end of things against Superstars like Yokozuna, The Berzerker and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (WATCH), the experience was unbelieveable.
?It was awesome,? he exclaimed. ?I?d go do TV tapings with Hulk Hogan, Sid Justice and The Undertaker. Then, two days later, I?m sitting back in science class.?
He eventually became one of WWE?s go-to journeymen, joining the ranks of grapplers like The Brooklyn Brawler and Barry Horowitz. WWE officials soon realized that Scotty was a reliable hand, and would ask him to fill in on Live Event tours when Superstars were hurt or couldn?t make a show.
After six years of working at WWE TV tapings, Garland seemed to be on the verge of catching a break in the business, though it wasn?t where he expected it to be.
?Either Tazz or Tommy Dreamer called and said they wanted to give me a tryout in ECW,? he said.
He went to the tryout, wrestling Tazz twice that weekend, and was invited to join the extreme outfit, but checked in with WWE a few days later.
?WWE offered me a job and let me know that they were trying to put together a Light Heavyweight division,? he said.
View CommentsSource: http://www.wwe.com/classics/wherearetheynow/where-are-they-now-scotty-2-hotty
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Five couples meet in a Lamaze class, but the catch? One couple is gay and have a surrogate, one couple is 50, one couple are teenagers, one couple are having twins, and one couple are interracial. How can it end for everyone?
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Game Masters:
This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?True Love and a Baby?. Anything posted here will also show up there.Topic Tags:
Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.You may edit this first post as you see fit.
This looks really interesting... But have you considered asking everyone who reserves a role to take one female and one male? Because, I think you're going to really struggle to fill all the male roles.
Please may I reserve the female from couple 2 and the male from couple 3?
Last edited by LittleMissGeorgia on Wed Dec 26, 2012 8:41 pm, edited 1 time in total. "You played a good hand M'am." - Lawrence Dominic"I played a very bad hand very well. There is a distinction." - Adelle DeWitt
Dollhouse, S01E06
Can I please reserve Guy 1 in the gay couple? I'll have the bio up ASAP. Do I have to take a female role too? I'm a girl but I feel I play men better.
"Look, even bad years are pretty good years, I think."-Robert Downey Jr.
Can I reserve Guy 2 in the gay couple, and Girl in the having-twin couple?
"She offered herself to the big, bad wolf and didn't scream when he took the first bite."
Can you light the fire that will burn me?
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Hm, if I need to take a female, I'll just take the one no one wants ;)
And Scarlet if you want to take the last available male role, I will allow you to have two male roles :)
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It's all so jolly
Image owned by Pakkun96 (originally published on deviantART)
Well, it's Christmas Eve, and as the famous song said we're "simmmmply haaaaving a wonderful Christmas time" here at Nintendo Life. With Santa currently loading up his sleigh with those rather weighty Wii U consoles for the good gamers of the World, a few members of the team decided to have a chat about festive memories and the current state of play for Wii U and 3DS.
Joining features editor Tom Whitehead are reviews editor Mike Mason, events correspondent Katy Ellis, news contributor Orla Madden, and our wonderfully bearded US reviewers Ron DelVillano and Morgan Sleeper. Grab a festively spiced hot drink and enjoy!
Tom: First up, please introduce yourselves to our lovely readers.
Katy: Hi there everyone! I'm Katy, Events Correspondent at Nintendo Life, but you'll probably know me best as the one who writes all the news articles about obscure Japanese games from time to time.
Ron: I'm Ron DelVillano, US based game reviewer and guy with a pretty big beard.
Morgan: Hey everybody! I'm Morgan, I write reviews here in the US and, like Ron, sport an impressive beard.
Tom: I'm features editor Tom and I also have a proper beard, making Katy the odd one out so far...
Mike: I'm Mike Mason, Reviews Editor and a complete and utter failure on the beard front.
Orla: Hi all! My name's Orla, the wee Irish lass who brings some of your daily dose of news. If Katy grows a beard first, then I will too!
Tom: First up, what's the first festive gaming memory that pops into your head?
Ron: My first festive gaming memory is always playing the newest N64 games with my cousin on Christmas morning. He had the console before me, so he always got the good games first!
Katy: A recent but excellent festive gaming memory of mine was opening my Wii for Christmas and spending all day playing Wii sports with my family - the first time they had ever really wanted to play video games with me. It was great being able to share my excitement for the new console with my family, but at the same time I wanted it to be Boxing Day so I could get underway playing Twilight Princess!
Morgan: My first gaming-related holiday memory was unwrapping my beautiful silver Game Boy Pocket on Christmas morning - my first system! It came with Super Mario Land, and after jumping up and down for a while, my cousin and I sat on the stairs all day, passing back and forth and playing as far as we could. Just hearing the level 1-1 music from that game takes me back to the holidays every time!
Mike: The best time that I recall is when I got a SEGA Mega Drive as a child. I wanted one desperately for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but when the gifts were all said and done there was no console sitting under my tree. I was fine with it ? I had other things to play with! ? but then my parents pulled off the trick of a lifetime by producing a final treat from behind the sofa. I proceeded to act like the legendary Nintendo 64 kid and went into a Sonic-fuelled haze for a while.
Orla: My first festive gaming memory goes as far back as opening my brand new SNES in 1995 on Christmas Day. Super Mario World came packaged with the console, so I played with my dad for the whole day.
Tom: My memory isn't particularly vivid, as many of my early systems arrived on birthdays, but I do remember getting Sonic 3 on Mega Drive for Christmas, and that was a special game.
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So, has gaming been a big part of your Christmas routine from an early age?
Mike: Gaming doesn't actually play much of a role during Christmas for me, unless you count guessing what time dad'll fall asleep as a game. However, I do tend to get games as presents!
Katy: I guess gaming has always played a large role as there has always been that one big title or console that I've been dying to get my hands on for Christmas, but it wasn't until the Wii that gaming really became a family Christmas affair.
Orla: For me it has been. It's the only time of the year where I get enough time to play games all day, and the past couple of years have seen big names being released. I spent all of Christmas last year with Skyward Sword, and the previous year with Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Morgan: Definitely - I very happily unwrapped a game or two most Christmases, and the post-Christmas lunch food-coma has always been the best time to sit down with family and test them out. But more recently, my sister and I have started a tradition of playing Christmas NiGHTS each year on the big day, and that's been my favourite gaming ritual yet!
Ron: Like I said, I've always spent a lot of time gaming with my cousins, so we've always connected over that, especially on the holidays.
Morgan: Same here Ron, I spent many happy holidays locked in gaming marathons with my cousin. Finishing Bangai-O one year is something I'll never forget!
Tom: What about in the past five years, are there stand-out gifts or memories in recent times?
Morgan: For me, getting The Beatles: Rock Band was a huge holiday highlight. My whole family rocked through the game in one sitting!
Katy: Ahh yes, Rock Band was a biggie a few years back with my family.
Orla: Guitar Hero 5 for me! My sister actually joined in on the action with me (she got me the present), and she's not a big gamer like I am.
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Ron: To be honest, as I've gotten older I tend to just buy games whenever I want them, which is usually on launch day, so I've kind of deprived myself of that fresh Christmas surprise experience as far as gaming goes.
Mike: Nothing that's stood out hugely, though last year I did get Super Mario 3D Land which was just lovely.
Tom: I'm in the same boat as Ron, but I normally have one game that I request from the family for Xmas. It's a great time of year to catch up on multiplayer games (Mario Kart Wii is an old favourite), so this year I'm hoping for some Nintendo Land fun.
Ron: I'm much more of a solo gamer. I love playing with others, but my immediate family isn't too into it.
Katy: I think I'm the same as Ron - Wii Sports is about as far as my family will go. But in honesty, I prefer playing alone - especially when it?s a deep time-consuming adventure game.
Tom: Do any of you think Wii U is struggling to get the family around the TV like Wii Sports?
Orla: I'm trying to persuade my family to try out the Wii U with me over Christmas, I haven't been lucky enough to try multiplayer in Nintendo Land!
Ron: I don't think my family really knows what Wii U is, as much as I've tried to explain and show it to them! They might be more interested when Wii Fit U finally comes out, but until then I'll be flying solo.
Morgan: Not around here - Wii Tennis was always a fun thing to pop in to show off the system, but we never really got into it in a big way; Nintendo Land is already a huge hit though. Everyone wants to play Mario Chase when they get home!
Mike: I've not had the chance to try it with family yet, but it's gone down very well with my friends so far. I think, if anything, I might find it easier to get the family involved this year without the leaping about of Wii Sports.
Katy: I've only just got back home for Christmas, but since I've been back my 26 year old sister and I have been playing quite a bit of Nintendo Land - she seems to be really enjoying it, especially the Pikmin and Animal Crossing mini-games, which is a huge improvement seeing as the only game she has ever been interested in before was Just Dance!
Tom: I'm yet to test Nintendo Land on the family to a great degree, so will be curious to see how they react.
In terms of festive gaming, which system currently takes up most of your time. You can be honest, doesn't have to be Nintendo!
We sure like our handhelds
Ron: Netflix! But seriously, I love my 3DS so damn much. I bring it everywhere, and I play it daily. I'll definitely be taking it with me on Christmas day when I travel from one family's house to the other.
Morgan: I'm on the road right now, so it's been the 3DS all the way. In fact, like Ron that's what I'd be playing even if I was at home! I finally saw the end credits in Style Savvy, have recently rediscovered the Denpa Men, and the latest Layton is perfect for fireside yuletide gaming. But when I get home on Christmas day, I'll have to put it down for the Saturn, of course!
Tom: I'll be jumping between 3DS and Wii U, but there will be Steam sales, so the PC may take a hammering.
Ron: Ugh. I'll be watching the Steam sales too. I really want to grab The Walking Dead.
Katy: At the moment I'm all about my PS3, so many great games out this year and even more to come! I've got a copy of Far Cry 3 on the way too now, so I presume that will take up most of my time this year. Although I agree with Morgan and Ron, my 3DS also gets a lot of use all year round!
Orla: For me right now it's all about the Wii U and PS3. I'm focusing on completing NSMBU on the Wii U, and Assassin's Creed 3 on the PS3. I have such a PS3 backlog right now that Christmas is the perfect time of the year to spend some quality gaming time.
Mike: No particular system. I use it as a time to clear out backlog, so it can be Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3, 3DS... newcomers Wii U and PS Vita will no doubt play a role this year! And I got a better PC this year too, so Steam as well.
On the next page we talk about the state of play of both 3DS and Wii U, as well as some other less serious topics?
Source: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/12/round_table_lets_talk_about_festive_gaming
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