An article at GamePro asking is Live Arcade worth it? One year after its launch, the service has been transformed by lots of retro classics, some brand new games, and the addition of the (now working) movie and television download service. What parts are good, what parts are bad, and ultimately, is it worth it?    

           From the article: "Many of XBLA's original games draw their inspirations from classic video games, and the poster child for XBLA originals is Bizarre Creations' Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved. Released with the launch of Xbox 360, Geometry Wars showed a skeptical world just how cool original yet classically styled downloadable games could be. It plays like a crazed combination of all-time classics Asteroids and Robotron: 2084, with your lone, triangular spaceship pitted against literally endless hordes of nasty geometric shapes. The level of onscreen carnage is legendary; never has a game had more spectacular or over-the-top particle effects, showing that even simple games can be flashy."

(slashdot)

Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delight.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/86931/family_guy_shipoopi/

HeHe.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt: Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of American was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our secretary of state a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese government also launched as attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Wake Island.

And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. . .

""While there wasn't any question that November was going to be a huge month for gaming (what with those two consoles coming out and all), it's still impressive to see the numbers. In short, Nintendo's DS was the big winner with over 600,000 units sold, though the Wii and Xbox 360 also each broke half a million. The PS3 probably came in at around 200K all told for the month. Convert those numbers into dollars and you're looking at one very fat and happy industry."

From the Next Generation article: "In its monthly report analyst Arcadia Investment says console sales in November topped 3.2 million units. Arcadia says hardware sales increased by at least 50% year on year, with software up about 20%. Retail dollars increased by about 25-30% to about $1.6 billion, compared to $1.3 billion in November 2005. ""

May be I am in the wrong industry

Spirted Away or "The Spiriting Away of Sen and Chihiro" or "Sen and the Spiriting Away of Chihiro" was released in America in 2001. I just watched it again and I am on a Miyazaki fix right now.

The IMDB ranks it among the top 50 movies, won the Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards, and the 6th best animation film.

It is often commented that the film constitutes an allegory on the progression from childhood to maturity, and the risk of losing one's nature in the process. The theme of a character being lost inside a (fictional/different) world if he/she forgets his/her real name is reminiscent of Michael Ende's Neverending Story, where two books with two distinct worlds intertwine. The protagonist of Ende's book, Bastian, slowly enters the world of the book he reads and is threatened to be forever lost inside it if he forgets his real name. Similarly, Chihiro and Haku could forever stay in Yubaba's possession if they forget their real names and consequently their real identities.

The main character's development in the setting could also be seen as a sullen, spoiled and very modern Japanese ten-year-old being forced to grow up when faced with more traditional Japanese culture and manners. Miyazaki himself has said that there is an element of nostalgia for an older Japan in the film.

A separate understanding holds that the film is based on the prevention of greed: those swallowed by No Face were attempting to receive the gold he made. Similarly, compare Yubaba's rich accommodations and interest in gold to Zeniba's rustic home and grandmotherly demeanor. Also, Chihiro's parents' grotesque transformation after consuming too much food not meant for them is another representation of human greed.

One of the strongest themes in the movie is that of environmental awareness. The most obvious examples of this are the river spirit's dramatic and beautiful transformation once he has been freed from the material dumped in him by humans, and Haku's discovery that the reason he cannot go home is that he is the blocked-up River Kohaku.

Miyazaki also refrains from creating any characters with complete ideologies of good or evil, exhibiting all characters with some negative and positive traits in different situations.

Just recently I re-watched Howl's Moving Castle by Miyazaki. I enjoyed it very much, just like the rest of his movies. I have all of his movies. Several years ago a friend introduced Miyazaki to me and enjoyed him since.

The music, stories, and animation are well done. Each story is about a different subject. Howl's is about the outside vs. what is in the inside. Princess Mononoke is about love and life.

What do you think? Have you seen any of Miyazaki's movies?

Does this feel like you.

Yes reality can be fickal.

Work