This article is about the various issues and experiences that the Swedish video game developer Patrick Bach and the Swedish video game developing company DICE has gone through while developing the upcoming first-person shooter, Battle Field 4.  One of the main issues that Bach and DICE face is devoting more time in making the video game more realistic in terms of the combat systems and locations depicted in the games rather than focusing on creating a compelling story. Bach argues that a simpler video game that focuses more on the gaming aspect of the video-game rather than the storytelling aspect will help in the battle against the rising mobile games industry that features popular vide game titles that are very popular and successful, yet are developed with much less money compared to a videogame such as Battle Field 4. Two examples are the mobile games industry features  titles such as Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, two titles that are not exactly complicated or story-driven, yet have been two of the most  commercially successful and popular video games to date. Thus, Bach focuses on making Battle Field 4 game-oriented as possible in an  attempt to help keep the traditional gaming industry in the competition against the mobile video games industry.

This article was about how the man that was arrested for harassing New York tourists while dressed up in an Elmo suit, was sentenced to jail for trying to extort 2 million dollars from the Girl Scouts. The man, Dan Sandler, refused to apologize to the girl scouts because he thinks that they are a “corrupt organization.” Sandler pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted grand larceny and third degree stalking. He tried to blackmail the Girl Scouts by threatening to spread a false story that the Girl Scouts regularly arranged sexual encounters for men and its campers if he did not get the money. It is obvious that this guy is mentally disturbed. He should go to a mental hospital to try and get help so he doesn’t hurt anyone.

Title: Social Networking in the 1600s

In today’s society, social networking is all internet and business based.  The use of Facebook and Twitter costs the US economy $650 billion per year. Along with that, students who continue social networking notice they have a shorter attention span and worse grades.  Back in the 1600s, none of that would have been a problem. The 1600s Englishmen were able to study without any distractions. Their social networking areas were coffee shops. Coffee shops weren’t just for coffee, they were places where people could gather to converse or read. Coffee shops also represented the business world. Merchants gathered within them, raising companies and new business models. Basically, coffee shops were the first sightings of a social network, but with today’s technology, social networking is more convenient.

This article shows an very interesting new development in technology and weaponry. This introduction of a gun printed through a 3-D printer is unheard of, especially me until I read this article. Basically, a 3-D printer has been developed and is sold for about $1,360 and can print anything into a 3-D plastic mold. So those people who decide to use new technology for the worst, of course, decide to print plastic molds of a gun. The surprising thing being that the gun can actually fire a bullet. The interesting thing about these plastic molded guns is that they cannot be picked up through a security scanner in an airport. These airport scanner can only detect metal, and being that most guns are usually made of metal, the idea of a plastic one hadn’t really been seen. So, in conclusion, I feel that this new technology, although cool and maybe helpful, there’s always a certain amount of individuals who take it to the extreme.

First off, I found this article a little bit hilarious because of the whining tone throughout. The article speaks about individuals who feel alone or lonely because they never receive an reply when they send an email. I understand the loneliness felt but you can’t really expect a response for everything that you give. It’s just not a universal concept quite as yet. But if I were to send someone an email or a IM, I would like to receive some sort of a reply.  But if a person receives hundred of emails daily, it’s nearly impossible to respond to everyone.

Authorities Worry 3-D Printers May Undermine Europe’s Gun Laws by GEORGI KANTCHEV

Okay I don’t even know where to start with this one. First, I’ll begin with the 3-D printers. I didn’t even know they existed really. Call it ignorance or just not believing. I have seen something like on CSI: NY when they try detecting the shape of a murder weapon or something related to that but never would I have imagined that the public could have such technology so easily. Second, now that some loon posted a recipe for disaster online, people have directions on how to print guns out in the three dimensional form. This means that anyone can make a lethal gun with just a 3-D printer. This is not just France and the United States but rather all over the world technology. My third and final point ends off in as a positive one. Although, like illegal downloading of music online, making this gun printer illegal won’t stop much of this action, someone who posted on RepRap forum, which is one of the biggest 3-D-printing online communities, said that it isn’t all that effective. He compares it to “building a car out of cheese, it won’t work”. That seems to calm things down, only if someone more reliable were to agree. Good luck Europe, good luck Earth.

“Is anyone there?” by Henry Alford
This article touches upon something we all go through,feeling like we’re being ignored. Alford does a spectacular job collecting examples people who have gone through unreplied emails. Because of this, we bare the increasing doubt if the email sent through. This goes on when people send text messages too but we never want to sound desperate asking the receiver if he actually did receive the text. “What if he does not want to talk to me?” or “Am I bothering her?” goes through our minds. This all seems to look as if everyone replied to all their emails and messages, the problem of feeling neglected in the viral world would come to an end. If we assume this to be correct, those who don’t respond are blame but who can blame them if they receive 2oo+ emails daily. There is not enough time in the world to reply to each one. I guess we just have to suck it up and stop whining. 🙂

“Trying to Keep Religion Out of the Charter School Classroom” by Edgar Walters

Imagine being in a Hebrew class in Middle School in NYC if its offered. Now imagine being in a Hebrew class in Middle School in San Antonio, Texas. Sounds like the same thing, right? Well not exactly, there is a state mandate that if kids are being taught class in a certain language, then they should also be taught the religion/culture, according to a NYTimes article on The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Campus of the San Antonio Jewish Community. But here’s the catch, these charter schools which are “publicly funded and privately owned” are forced to abide by these laws, but other public schools are encouraged to “keep religion out of the classroom” just like in NYC. This is exactly as if you attended one of these new charter schools which are popping up around the city and you take a class in Chinese and are forced to learn their religion, or Italian and learn their religion, or in Hindi and learn their religion. For me, this sounds absurd because schools are originally instituted to teach you material such as math, science, language, and history, while families are there to teach you culture and religion based on their upbringings.

“Energy-Saving Secret of Jellyfish”

Jellyfish, by living on the East Coast, we can all relate to the warm summer days spent on the beach or swimming in the ocean with hundreds of jelly fish around. They often are problematic such as the recent incident when a nuclear reactor cooler in Sweden was clogged up with thousands of jellyfish posed a great threat, and are also seen as an “ecological invader” as the New York Times article suggested. Just like with anything else thats a nuisance, scientists in South Korea created  a robot which “liquifies” these propelling blobs. The new experiment at hand is determining the exact dynamics of how these jellyfish propel themselves along with the energy expenditure. Well one may wonder why would this would be of great importance, but, the US Navy is very interested in this mainly because jellyfish use very little energy for their propulsion, therefore, water-crafts with incorporated technology can be of great essence to modern day warfare and monitoring of the seas. This concept of jellyfish is similar to the movement of octopus which uses not as much energy as a whale for example and can cover great distance.

While many girls in the United States have the right to receive an education, girls in third world countries such as Afghanistan are threaten and murdered if they chose to go to school. In the article ” Girls Who Risk Their Lives for Education” by Gordon Brown from the New York Times, girls put their lives on the line by attending school. Bombings and shootings occur often in all girls schools, however these girls are standing up for their rights and unafraid of the Taliban’s threats. As Kaint Riaz, one of the girls shot on a school bus last October says the Taliban, “can’t stop us from going to school. I want to study. I am not afraid”(Brown 1). This issue has caught attentions of many other countries. Recently the United Nations has discussed legislations and reforms to help these girl get an education. It’s still surprising to learn that many countries in Asia and Africa haven’t granted certain women’s rights.