CharliePage88.com

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Review

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:18:32 EST

Figured after beating it once (and half-way through 2nd run) I'd post a bit of a review on the 2nd Bad Company game to be released. Let me start by saying I only played single player, played it on the PC and did not play the first BC game.

Next let me just sum up the game with one word: Awesome. I didn't give BF:BC a chance as I came away unimpressed after playing a demo but with such great initial impressions, I figured I'd try BC2 and glad I did. Visually it's just great, especially when pumped to the highest settings (which I could do, but barely, 40 FPS dipping to 20 and as low as 10 when a LOT was going on), but even with anti-alasing and such turned down it looks great.

Details on people's faces, just overall textures, lighting in the jungle - very impressive. And of course the most impressive is the destructive portion that helps Battlefield: Bad Company 2 separate itself from other games. Not only does it look great seeing a building tumble down in real-time (not a generated scene), but the tactics make you think. Now an RPG shooter on the roof would simply make you duck behind a building in Modern Warfare 2, here if you do that, chances are that rocket will go through 2 walls and seriously hurt you.

The engine makes you think unlike other games in the genre - cover that you would once think could protect you from anything giving you time to re-group, is just a rocket or grenade away from leaving you completely exposed.

Breaking With Scientology

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:33:06 EST

These are always news stories but I'll be mixing in other things, first with a great overview with some amazing insight into the world of Scientology. It discusses some of the former members, some very high ranking (previously) and the reprocussions of those that do decide to leave the church. A definite must read.

Son of Hamas founder spied for Israel

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:18:57 EST

The son of one of Hamas’s founding members was a spy in the service of Israel for more than a decade, helping to prevent dozens of Islamist suicide bombers from finding their targets, it emerged yesterday. - Times Online

The capture of Mullah Baradar

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:52:00 EST

For those that don't know, the arrest of Mullah Baradar by the CIA and US in a joint operation just around a week ago was initially heralded as a huge success and the most significant capture since 9/11.

However with more information out there and time passed, the opinion pieces positive look on the capture has been hampered a little. An article from the NY Times claims the biggest winner was Pakistan, earning itself a seat at the table for any negotiation to end the war in Afghanistan.

Worse is the announcement by the Pakistani senior minister that #2 Baradar will not be handed over to the US along with two other high-value militants. Instead if they are found to have not done anything, they will be deported to Afghanistan.

In addition, the NY Times reported that Pakistani security officers didn't even know who they had captured - a US offical called it a "lucky accident". Acting on a US tip, the security officials met no resistance during the raid. Lastly a push by the CIA to transfer Mullah Baradar to an American-run prison in Afghanistan was prompted by the reported refusal by the Militant to provide information on insurgents.

Unfortunately what was a big capture that was not only a big impact of the man being captured, but what appeared to be a big reversal in US-Pakistani relations, the state of closeness of the ISI and the Taliban as well as the wealth of knowledge Baradar had on Taliban operations, camps, etc.

I don't want to be a pessimist, as the capture is still a big deal as he was the senior military leader of the Taliban, but instead frustration with Pakistan. For some reason they still (or the ISI doesn't) view Taliban as a threat to them, instead only India. Now let me note they are just articles not with the best sources so let's hope they turn out wrong and the initial assesment of Pakistani change in policy towards the Taliban has finally changes for the better. (for us)

For the doubters they had arrested two shadow governors of Afghanistan and there refusal to simply turn over three high value targets to the CIA is understandable. It will be interesting to see how this story develops.

Update - February 14th

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:29:27 EST

Figured I'd post on the eve of yet another snow storm hitting Cincinnati. We already have 3-6 inches (just a guess) on the ground now and are expecting 3-5 additional inches by Monday evening and possibly up to 8 inches by Tuesday. As well it looks like there will be small snow showers on Tuesday, Wednesday and possibly another snow storm on Saturday.

And yet I'm one of the few actually enjoying this. I love the snow and the cold (hate summer, dont like late spring) so this type of weather is something I wish I could experience year-long. Unfortunately, however, it is mid-February so the snow and the cold won't last much longer at all so I'll just be enjoying it while I can.

AdaptCMS 2.0

After some finished features done a few weeks ago, progress has slowed to a halt in the past few days or so. Media has become the first big feature to essentially be finished - frontend and backend. (with video support, but more bug testing necessary)

Stats also received some big changes, although progress halted because chart support was being found to be quite difficult to integrate in. (right now I'm seriously considering not putting charts in, it is after all the information that's important)

The start of the "frontend acp bar" was done, you simply edit a template and can have anything you want in it. (so all that needs to be done is a default template with options in it)

Next up will be finishing stats, additional work on the Share feature and possibly starting on the "Social" features of Adapt 2.0

Until next time.

U.S. Marines, Afghan Taliban battle in Marjah

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:32:19 EST

U.S. Marines at the tip of a NATO assault battled with Taliban militants on Saturday in the town of Marjah, the last big militant bastion in Afghanistan's violent Helmand Province. - Reuters

Zune HD Review

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:41:04 EST

With another 6-day work schedule, it's kind of difficult, but I'm trying to fit in more time for the web stuff. (sounds like anyone of my blogs in the past 2 years, huh?) Lately I've had more time with AdaptCMS 2.0 and have been making good progress, but still have a ways to go.

Zune HD

To go with something more fun, I realized a few minutes ago that I never posted my impressions of my zune HD and if there are people considering getting it - it's well worth the money.

To get the bad stuff out of the way - the Internet is mediocre (better than initial release but not fast, no flash, etc.), the amount of apps is very small, a screen protector is a must IMO and that's pretty much it.

Those are even minor or excusable negatives, but the positives far outweigh those. First off it's just a great looking device. The 16 GB one I got is black, thin and a great looking design.

Continue...

The First War of the Decade: Late Night TV

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:02:26 EST

What started as a seemingly silly sounding news article at TMZ claiming that the "Jay Leno Show" had been cancelled, has turned in to be one of the ugliest, most public blowups in recent television history. Since watching TV I certainly have never seen hosts on networks attack a network or host (Leno) as much as with this fiasco.

It all started with that TMZ article, then more sources and finally the public revealing that the Leno show was no more and then the ugliness and one of the most surprising decisions in recent TV history occurred - NBC came up with Leno at 11:35-12:05 and Conan as the Tonight Show on from 12:05-1:05. While it may seem decent as it keeps both popular hosts on and avoids any breach of contracts (just a simple re-negotiation with Jay), that's the only positive.

It cuts Jay's TV time in half and he stays as the Jay Leno Show, Conan gets screwed with the Tonight Show being pushed back for the first time in it's 60 year history and is once again behind Leno despite having the most prized Late Night Show. Needless to say Conan wasn't happy and publicly said "NO". As it is right now, all indications (and some sources) say that Leno has been offered and agreed to come back to the Tonight Show with Conan, as soon as next week, gone.

Even though it's just a squabble with Last Night talk show hosts, it's quite amazing because of the TV impact it has. It is also one of the biggest PR hits I've seen a network take, every late night host (including NBC's own) attack it nightly - Ferguson called the network "lying rat bastards".

Anyways nothing is finalized yet but the long term effects for Conan and NBC seem enormous. The short-term effect on NBC is hugely bad, likely also bad on Leno for PR reasons as well, NBC has Leno at the helm for a few years - very unlikely more than 5 years with the heir as Fallon? No, instead an outsider would be hired and would struggle for decent ratings for a while. Oh, the irony.

Update - January 2nd

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:02:42 EST

First just want to say congrats to Ohio State! Even though UC was blown out, I was happy to finally see OSU win a bowl game.

Last blog I was talking about Christmas and what to buy with my money and after some research I've gone with the Zune HD. Along with 2-day shipping and a gel skin it was $213 at amazon thanks to a sale, the Zune HD is normally $219 just by itself - so not bad.

Can't wait to get it, should be Tuesday as long as UPS is right - in the meantime I'll look up any apps or whatever I should get. I'll post a review once I get it.

In AdaptCMS news more and more progress has been made. (albeit slow) Most of the core admin is done, next I'll be getting some of the basics in the frontend done along with working on some of the share features. From there I'll start skinning the admin cp into templates along with the more advanced features.

Christmas

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:07:14 EST

Didn't get to post on Christmas so I figured the day after would be good enough. I had a good one too - didn't do much, just spent time with family and watched a lot of TV. Gift wise I mainly got cash - $200 from family members and then from my mom got earbuds, microfleece and a nice new pillow. (the memory foam type)

Anyways I'm not really sure what to do with the cash - might look around online a bit, but going to save it for the moment. Was thinking of a blu-ray, but decided against it.

As for web news - still lots of work to do on AdaptCMS, but it is up at the AdaptCMS 2 Developer Website. Before the ACP is setup as templates, I'd like to get all the modules done - stats is up next. After than, work will be slowly start on the frontend and some of the "Share" features.

That's all for now.