Crime is Pride

Think: all men make mistakes

But a good man yeilds when he

Knows his course is wrong,

And repairs the evil: The only

Crime is pride.



The Greek playwright of Sophocles wrote these immortal words within Antigone. Before I get into whether or not this statement has actual validity or not, let's analyze this quote. I think we can all agree that men make mistakes. The quote notes that even though this is true, it only matters what is done to make up for those mistakes. The only crime is having too much pride to admit that what you've done is wrong.

 

Now, as for the validity of this statement, I believe that it carries some weight to it, but isn't entirely correct. Sophocles seems to impress upon his readers that no matter what has been done it can be fixed by what the perpetrator does to correct it. In this regards, I don't agree with what he says in this quote. Regardless of what is done to correct a wrongdoing, there are still repercussions to one's actions. For instance, take a common thief stealing a simple lighter. If they get caught, they will face the authority of the law. If they are successful, however, there have been cases where they return to the clerk and admit their crime. While their actions redeem them of their action of stealing, they still must deal with the possible punishment that the clerk chooses to bestow upon the perpetrator.

However, while the above may be true, I think the statement made by Sophocles also has a sort of validity to it in one aspect. While people should still face the consequences of their actions, there is a sense of salvation in attempting to correct any harm done to anyone or anything. To revisit the anecdote of the clerk and the thief, he showed honesty and courage by telling the clerk that he took and admitted it was wrong to do so. By doing this, he still has to face the person he stole from and, by apologizing, may have lessened his punishment by doing so, demonstrating that there is some redemption depending on how one handles the situation.

My dad always told me that it's not what you do to mess up, it's what you do to fix it. And being a man is having the courage to deal with the consequences of your actions. I'd like to offer this as a counter-quote to dear Mister Sophocles, for there is little that can be fully redeemed by undoing what has already been done.

I Wish I Had a Portal Gun

Perhaps one of the most unconventional genres of games are puzzle games. From the classics such as solitaire and Minesweeper to more recent developments like Bejeweled, people of all kinds and all ages partake in the occasional puzzle game from time to time. However, a gaming franchise has taken the notion of a puzzle game to an entirely new level. Valve Corporation, company known for games such as the Team Fortress and Half-Life franchises and their content delivery service, Steam, developed a game that revolutionized the meaning of a puzzle game with the Portal series.

In Portal, the primary objective of the game was to navigate your way through the Aperture Science Enrichment Center designed by an artificial intelligence known as GLaDOS. To do this, you must use the Aperture Handheld Portal Device, or "portal gun" to create wormholes between two flat planes. In some cases, the only way to solve a puzzle was to carry momentum through a portal, a key game feature that was developed for the game. In the second installment, they added more features such as repulsion and propulsion gels that allow the player to jump higher and accelerate much faster respectively. They combine to make a challenging game that requires some thought as opposed to the shoot first without thought games that most first person games end up being.

The Blame Game-Football and Hockey

Many people love to watch sports in this country. Whether it be the American pastime of baseball or the ridiculous notion of curling, everyone has their preference, or lack thereof, towards sports. But when it comes right down to it, there are certain things that tend to occur within teams that deal with victory and loss conditions. In many cases, there is a primary focal point around one player that always seems to take the fall. In golf, it is typically the player (or the wind if you're a dishonest golf player). In baseball, it may be the outfielder that misses the game-ending catch. But the two sports that have the most black and white, clear cut player that get blamed the most are football and hockey.

In football, the star player of any team is almost always the quarterback. They have to make the right move, keep track of the plays and make the right call as to which option is the best. Not to mention they have to throw the ball to their receiver with enough precision that they can hit their mark and not turn it into an interception for the other team. These are the players in football who, I believe, receive the largest portion of the blame even if it's not entirely their fault. I've seen games where people blamed the quarterback for a bad throw when, quite honestly, the receiver was a high enough caliber player he could've caught it no problem. But he didn't and the quarterback is blamed for the mistake that was made by his teammate. Now, don't get me wrong there are definitive times when the quarterback is at fault for a bad play, but in general they get blamed way too often for a teams success.

Goalies are another great example, being victims of the "blame game." No doubt a good hockey team needs a good goalie in order to be successful, just like football with their quarterback. However, just like football, it's not all about the one player, it's also about the team overall. While a good goalie can make or break a team, sometimes they get too much credit or, in some cases, not enough credit. For instance, the other day in a Penguins game, they lost to the eighth seeded team, the Islanders, in the playoffs four to three. Two of the goals were made, not because Fleury wasn't good enough, but because of the skill of the two players that scored. the game-winning goal was scored on a fluke, yet Marc-Andre Fleury will still be blamed for the ersatz goal.

I Hate Tanks (The Zombie Kind)

Perhaps one of my favorite games is Left 4 Dead. The game is based around four heroes fighting off the zombie hordes, or infected as they are called, in a sort of post-apocalyptic world. Bill, the unofficial leader, is an older man in his fifties or sixties and relies on his skills in the US Special Forces in Vietnam to survive. Opposite him is Francis, the rebellious biker covered in tattoos revealing him to belong to the biker gang "Hell's Legion." Behind him is Louis, a junior systems analyst in the IT department of his company. And last but not least, Zoey, the freshman in college working in filmmaking. Each of them have different relationships with one another that can help or hinder their survival in a number of ways and help them defeat the infected.

In addition to different characters with individual traits, there are also various types of infected called special infected. Each one has mutated differently from the common infected, thus giving them certain abilities others don't. The boomer can vomit bile onto a target, attracting infected and temporarily blinding them. It also emits this when killed, causing an eruption of it within a small radius. Hunters are the opposite, being very small and nimble, capable of pouncing on survivors and pinning them to the ground until knocked off or killed. One of the more disgusting types is the smoker, who strangles its victims with its incredibly long tongue. Then there's the tank; a virtual Hulk of a zombie minus the radiation and regenerative properties. But perhaps the most dangerous and unassuming of them all is the witch. These thin little women sit crying and moaning but once provoked can incapacitate the survivors with one swipe of its long sharp claws. However, none of these infected, including the common type, should be underestimated.

Due to the success of the first one, they made a second, this time with a few changes. They added a new cast of characters; Coach, the PE teacher at the local high school, Ellis the mechanic, an ex-prisoner named Nick and a minor associate producer for a news station by the name of Rochelle. They also added three new special infected to add to the challenge. The charger will charge forward with an over-sized forearm and use the respective hand to grab survivors and pummel them. Jockeys will jump onto your back and attempt to ride you into packs of infected or other dangerous obstacles. One of these threats could be the product of the final special infected, the spitter, who spits a potent acid that forms into a pool on the ground. The sequel also adds several new scenarios and weapons available for use.

Brooklyn - Youngblood Brass Band

I Wanna Be a VIP in Brooklyn

If you couldn't tell by my last post, I've been on a major jazz kick lately and would like to address it. The jazz band that has captivated my attention for a while now is called the Youngblood Brass Band. It consists of two trumpets, two trombones and, albeit they are actually woodwind instruments, two saxophones. Their percussion section is actually three people with the various parts of a drum set, but not arranged into an actual set (in fact the bass drum is a marching bass drum worn on the chest). And no one who listens to them could ever forget their legendary sousaphone player Nat McIntosh who is renowned for his use of polyphonics* in a sort of beatboxing almost. They all combine in a glorious amalgamation to form one of the top New Orleans-style jazz groups. However do not be fooled as they are no jazz group.

Youngblood Brass Band incorporates several other genres of music into their style, most notably hip hop. This shows in a lot of their music, but one that exemplifies this the best is in the song "Brooklyn." As with all their songs, it has layers of sounds done by the various instruments, the musical lines erratically lining up, especially in the intro. During the verse and chorus, they use call and repeat lines and repetition between instrumental parts to drive home melodies with a constant bass line running though the sousaphone, although the trombone is the featured and most prominent voice among the band in this piece. Then comes the bridge with all instruments playing everything in unison, blasting out a virtual barrier of sound before turning the volume down for the trombone and sax solos, ending with some antics from Nat and a repeat of previous elements.

And All That Jazz

Perhaps one of the greatest styles of music is also probably one of the most underrated styles out there in the music world. Jazz music typically incorporates trumpets, trombones, saxophones of all types drums, bass and sometimes piano, guitar and vocals. Everything in jazz music seems to form together using harmonies that fit sometimes and sound dissonant at others to form a sort of controlled chaos. To quote my friend Bel, "[Jazz is] a ton of melodies bouncing off each other [with] several unique features blending to make utter glory. It can convey any feeling." The last portion of this statement is especially true, as jazz truly can express every emotion from happy to sad to angry to relaxed. But when it comes to the overall sounds that accompany jazz I separate it into four groups: jazz bands, jazz singers, jazz guitarists and swing bands.

The jazz band is the average jazz band that most people probably think of when the word "jazz" comes to mind. It is the conventional jazz band with four or five trumpets, four trombones, three altos, two tenors and a bari accompanied by drums, bass, guitar and piano. This style of band tends to focus mostly on  the instrumental aspect of their music with no words. Some of the most famous bands that made this style famous are big names like Duke Ellington, Thelonius Monk, and Count Basie, among many others. They essentially turned the music world on its edge and reinvented the way music was played.

Jazz singers are one of my personal favorites in the jazz world. Unlike many of the auto-tuned "wonders" of our musical world today, singers back then actually had to have at least something that resembled talent, especially with this style. The other thing I greatly admire about this style is the choice of words and how they convey their feelings. One image that I always like to use as an example compares how lyrics used to convey feelings compared to today. "With each word your tenderness grows, tearing my fears apart." This is how the first song goes, "The Way You Look Tonight," originally performed by Fred Astaire and covered by numerous others, including the legendary eponymous voice of Frank Sinatra. This is compared to what's now considered "genius" by some (aka mostly teenage girls), "baby, baby, baby, oooooh." See the difference? One is well thought out, conveys much more meaning in a much more meaningful way and lasts throughout the ages while the other is just "kinda catchy." Some other famous jazz singers are Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and, more recently, Michael Buble.

Jazz guitarists are somewhat of a synecdoche as they typically also have a band accompanying them. They may not be as big as your typical jazz band (Brian Setzer Orchestra being a great example), but have some brass and/or saxophone and almost always with drums and bass.They are guitarists that play a multitude of jazz styles, typically blues or rock, but add it to accompaniment of other instruments. Some of the most influential of these would be B.B King, Jeff Beck and T-Bone Walker.

Perhaps one of the most fun are the swing bands, specifically the nineties revival era bands. These are bands that have very energetic melodies and songs that come in both major and minor keys with few slower songs. These bands have vocalists and use them extensively, but also have some members of the band sing background. With some songs they will also omit vocals for the song, but keep the energy that goes in tandem with their other music. The major three that emerged were Squirrel Nut Zippers, Cherry Poppin' Daddies and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

World at War (Kind Of)

Perhaps my favorite and most played real time strategy game is actually a franchise of games. The Command and Conquer series follows various campaigns, starting with the struggle between the the military organization created by the UN, the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and the radical religious extremist terrorist group known as the Brotherhood of Nod. The other conflict that makes up the bulk of the series is the age old war between the Allied nations and the Soviets, specifically the US and Russia. However, one of the most recent installments in the series, Command and Conquer Generals, takes a different turn. It includes the USA as a faction, but the enemies are instead China and a middle eastern faction called the Global Liberation Army, a terrorist organization that wishes to tower over all other nations. They also give units abilities to utilize and add generals powers that can be unlocked through skill points earned, adding a brand new dimension to the game. And if that wasn't enough, the expansion pack, Generals: Zero Hour adds three specific generals to all three factions, each with their own modifications that pertain to their specialties.

The USA rely heavily on technology and innovation to overcome their enemies. Their primary means of defense are small missile batteries capable of attacking both land and air targets accompanied by fire bases which can hold up to four infantry. Primary infantry used are US Rangers and missile defenders backed by snipers known as pathfinders. Their armor consists of crusader tanks and humvees with mobile tomahawk missile carriers as artillery. All vehicles can be upgraded with a drone that either increases sight range or fights and repairs the parent vehicle. However, America's true power lies in their air force with their ability to build Raptor fighter jets and Aurora bombers, along with the Comanche attack helicopter and stealth fighters. Using its abilities, the US can also call in an A10 airstrike and paradrop. But all of this pales in comparison to their superweapon, a new technological development known as the particle cannon which focuses a high powered laser onto satellite which redirects it to the intended target.

China, like its live action counterpart, takes pride in its military might and computer prowess. Their basic infantry units are the Red Guard and are trained two at a time, alongside the tank hunter. They can also train hackers, which have the ability to either disable building or provide a free, steady stream of cash. Battlemaster tanks are the workhorse of their armor section, accompanied by dragon and gatling tanks to take care of pesky infantry. In terms of artillery, they're certainly no pushover either, raining down fire upon their enemies and launching nuclear shells out of nuke cannons. The most feared tank in their arsenal, however, is the overlord, capable being upgraded with a gatling gun, bunker or speaker tower to regain health and already loaded with twin cannons that can level most buildings in seconds. Their explosive power doesn't stop there as they can also call in artillery strikes and drop cluster mines in strategic locations. And, their most destructive explosive, a missile tipped with a nuclear warhead. They combine to make a potentially deadly foe.

The GLA may not be as advanced as their enemies, but they are not to be taken lightly. Their primary strength lies in mobility and unconventional tactics. This is made easy through tunnel networks with a mounted machine gun and demo traps that explode when an enemy gets within range. They can create a lot of mayhem with units like the terrorist, which is a suicide unit that can also enter civilian cars to increase damage potential. Another unit that can be utilized well is the hijacker with the ability to take over enemy vehicles. They can also train angry mobs that gain a bonus when upgraded and attacking buildings. Their means of attack and transportation is a small truck with a mounted machine gun called a technical. Scorpion tanks are typically accompanied by their primary anti air unit, the quad cannon, which can also be used en masse. These vehiclescan also collect salvage materials from destroyed vehicles to upgrade weapons and armor. Perhaps their greatest strength, though, lies in toxin technology that can either be pressurized and released through a hose such as the case with the toxin tractor (and yes it is exactly as it sounds) or put in a warhead and used in a missile such as the SCUD launcher. These missiles can also be launched several at a time from what is known as a SCUD storm.

Queen is King

Everyone knows the legendary band Queen and their greatest hits. Everything from the simplistic beats of psychage that come from "We Will Rock You" to the victorious theme of "We Are the Champions;" from the tune that emphasizes women with large rear ends "Fat Bottomed Girls" to the one that cries out for love in "Somebody to Love." And who could forget the iconic riff of the bass in "Another One Bites the Dust." But perhaps one of their most famous, and my personal favorite of theirs, is the most musically intensive and well written of them all.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a great song that exhibits some of Queen's best qualities. The song starts with a five-part harmony among the group members, remaining mostly a cappella with a light piano background joining in halfway through the intro. The song continues into a ballad, ending with a guitar solo that leads into a key change from B♭ to A major. The second part in the new key also switches styles from ballad to operatic and reincorporates a liberal use of harmonies. The voices that generate the harmonies somewhat battle with the lone voice of Freddie Mercury, Queen's lead singer. After this, they lead into a style closer to the style of the era, a hard rock sort of feel, going back to and ending with the original ballad feel it started out with.

One thing about Queen that they do really well in their music that prominently stands out, in this song especially, is how well they showcase the talents of all their members. Roger Taylor (drummer) and John Deacon (bass) are both featured throughout, mostly in the rock section of the piece. Brian May (guitar) shines through in one of the greatest solos in rock history at the end of the ballad portion as well as the hard rock section and transition back to ballad. And Freddie Mercury shows off not only his piano skills, but his amazing five octave vocal range. The other part of this that adds to the overall musicality of the song are the dynamics. Vocals get soft when they need to be soft and increase in volume when it needs an increase in volume. It gives the song that much more power and emotion that sets it apart from most other songs.

The Wall

1. Another brick in the wall is what some people say

2. About people's lives and much to my dismay,

3. I'm now stuck at the Wall, being bricked off for years

4. Saying I'm comfortably numb but I still wish you were here

5. But still after everything I can't seem to find

6. They way to my problem and leave it behind

7. Until I encountered the obstacle I needed

8. To carry out my actions, outcomes unheeded.

9. Smash goes the Wall so I may let myself shine,

10. Smash goes the Wall that I might claim what is mine

11. And as I step through the hole atop bricks and debris

12. I stand a shining new man, the man I wanted to be.


Lines 1-12: Analogy. Meant to convey the message of overcoming an obstacle.

Line 1: Metaphor. Another brick in the wall is used to describe life events that occur that build upon a "wall" used to separate yourself from others.

Line 3: Symbolism. The Wall represents a physical representation of an abstract barrier that one must overcome.

Line 4: Oxymoron. Comfortably numb contrasts the two words.

Lines 1, 3 and 4: Allusion. "Another Brick in the Wall," "Comfortably Numb" and "Wish You Were Here" are all songs by the band Pink Floyd and The Wall is one of their albums. The first builds upon the Wall that represents the problem at hand. The other two songs are used to contrast, showing that while he says he's fine with the problem he wishes it was gone.

Lines 9 and 10: Onomatopoeia and Anaphora. These were used to emphasize the overcoming of the obstacle through a loud "noise" and the repeated act that caused it.

Lines 11 and 12: Imagery. I wanted to give the final image of standing triumphantly over the now conquered obstacle.

Go to Prom With Me!

It's that time again where people are buying dresses, renting tuxes and making reservations for dinner. What could possibly bring about these events? One word says it all: prom. It seems that it's every girl's dream to go to prom and parade around in a fancy dress on the arm of some guy who asked her. But in order for that to happen, one of you has to ask the other to this momentous occasion. If you recall my post a while back, Acception of Rejection, I stated that I didn't really enjoy school dances and, having gone to a prom last year I wasn't terribly impressed. However, one aspect I do love about prom especially is seeing how people ask. Asking someone to prom can nerve wracking and exciting at the same time, but it's usually an enjoyable thing for both people involved. If you tend to be someone who is nervous about asking, here are some tips that might help you nail a date with that special someone.

1. Ask in a clever/cute way
There are numerous ways to ask a girl to prom. While asking them in the halls is all well and good, it can easily be improved upon by going the extra mile. Make it something that plays to your strengths and appeals to their interests. For instance, if she likes music and you are musically inclined then write her a song or modify a song to ask her and perform it for her. This works well as it can be performed as publicly or privately as you wish. Not to mention she'll probably be impressed that you took the time to create come up with something as creative as that.

2. Plan it out
No matter how you decide to ask them, make sure you have just a basic plan of how it will go. Rehearse it in your head or even in front of a mirror. Whatever helps you, do it. It also wouldn't hurt to have a backup plan in case initial planning goes awry.

3. Be confident
This is perhaps one of the most important points of asking your date. Even if you are deathly scared of asking them, act as if you are the most confident person in the world. Wear something that boosts your confidence level. Pick a day of the week that makes you feel happy. However, there's a difference between confident and cocky, so try not to be the latter.

4. Don't be afraid of rejection
I know you may feel like I've beaten you over the head with this one, but it really does apply to many scenarios. The best way I'd describe it is this: convince yourself that they will say yes, but be prepared for them to say no. It will give you an extra boost to your confidence and ready yourself for any rejections.

Assassino! Revisited

If you remember back in October when I wrote about the game Assassin's Creed, I feel I didn't do the game justice as to how great it actually is. This time around, I'd like to discuss the gameplay and game elements that make it such a fun game to play with a short introduction to the actual plot of the story.

As I mentioned in the original post, the entire game is based around the life of a young adult by the name of Desmond Miles, a man that was born into the Brotherhood of Assassins and, thereby, an ancient war. You see, the Brotherhood had a grudge with another order known as the Templar, as they only wanted power and greed rather than what they claimed was a mission from God. In order to learn the proper skills and uncover the secrets required to defeat the Templar, he must relive the memories of his ancestors through a machine known as the Animus. His journey puts him through several trying situations including a kidnapping, escape, and even the death of certain people. The plot twists and turns in every installment of the series, but those are for you to find out.

The primary style of gameplay for the Assassin's Creed series is what is known as an open world or "sandbox" game where you are given set objectives with, for the most part, no set way to carry it out. This combines with the genres of action, adventure and stealth to create a game full of secretive missions to complete the objectives of side quests before continuing on with primary quests if one wishes to do so, or completing them later after they've completed the storyline. To carry out these missions, you must gather new weapons, armor and items to better prepare yourself for the coming dangers.

In the first installment, you must progress through the storyline to gain better equipment, which is free of charge and willingly given to you. While it was fairly efficient, as you didn't really need them until they were given or added the challenge of going without them, it didn't give much diversity or choice as to what could be used. This was fixed in the later games as items were bought rather than earned, different items still needing to be unlocked at the shops by going through the storyline. However, especially with the weapon system, it allowed players to decide what they wanted to use for their weapon and omit things that they might not use.

Another aspect they started adding on to was the various ways that his ancestors could carry out an assassination. In the first one, it was mostly the use of a hidden blade, sword, throwing knives or your bare hands. As the games got more complicated, they added a wider variety of weapons that encompassed swords, axes and daggers as well. But they didn't just stop there. Later games added new methods of assassination through poison, crossbows, a hidden gun, bombs with various uses and most recently flintlocks and tomahawks. They continue to improve upon the combat systems in other ways too, incorporating various defensive mini games such as defending Assassin dens and naval combat.

Be My Escape, Sadie Hawkins

When listening to music, I often times tend to find something I'll listen to over and over again because I like it so much. This happens especially when I rediscover old bands that I haven't listened to in a while. My recent music craze has been over the christian rock band Relient K. This band is one of my favorites because they convey quality, sometimes complicated messages through fairly simple and easy to understand lyrics without being cheesy. The other aspect of their music that I like is that it combines these life messages with just random songs about coping with ADD, females asking males to the Sadie Hawkins, or Women Pay All dances as they are more commonly called in modern times, or even just telling someone they love them. Combined with vocal harmonies, guitars, bass and drums, they combine to make a musical cornucopia of fantastic music.

For example, if you look at a song like "Be My Escape," it can most easily be interpreted as someone who thought that the only way out was suicide, but found God and, although wasn't sure where their life was headed, relied on their faith to create an escape through God. However, if you look at a song such as "Sadie Hawkins Dance," it's just about a dance and all that goes along with it from the planning to the asking, using random humor in the mix to add a sort of comical effect.

Perhaps one of my favorite songs of theirs is off their fifth album, Five Score and Seven Years Ago, entitled "Must've Done Something Right." Right off the bat, the song opens with single piano chords, a fast moving bass line and the lead singer's vocals, adding clean guitars into the mix after the first few lines. The entire song, as with many Relient K songs, has a bit of a double meaning. At the surface of the song, it seems like a typical love song, professing that this girl is out of his league, makes him a better person and wants to express his love in a way that's not so cliche. But the meaning doesn't stop there. It can also be used to describe a close relationship with God. If you really think about it, he really is so far out of our league it's not even funny and we probably don't deserve his love and affection. While I'm not very religious myself and tend to interpret this song more in the former rather than the latter, I still understand the hidden meaning in the song about God. I think this double meaning that is found in this and other songs is important as it gives a wider variety of people to relate the song to their own lives, something I look for in music all the time. They do a great job of it and I hope they continue to keep up the good work as their career progresses.

StarCraft 15th Anniversary Celebration: The Races

The world of StarCraft can most easily be broken down into three aspects: the races. There's the innovative and endurable terrans, the technology and knowledge-driven protoss and the ever-changing, overwhelming zerg. Each has its strengths and weaknesses both in lore and in-game and utilize them to their fullest extent.

The terrans started off as a crashed expeditionary force that developed into three branches: the Confederacy, the Kel-Morian Combine and the Umojan Protectorate. Since then, it they have sprawled out across the Koprulu sector, the Confederacy having been replaced be the newly developed Terran Dominion, headed by Emperor Arcturus Mengsk I. While they don't possess the natural ability to adapt to their environment like the zerg, they have been able to survive through internal and external conflicts by incorporating new technology into their weapons and production. Their military covers a wide base of everything crucial to victory. The bulk of their military is made up of marines, resocialized criminals wielding a power suit and a gauss rifle, supported by marauders with arm-mounted grenade launchers as well as siege tanks behind them and medivacs above them. Their "air cavalry" as its called is made up of viking fighters that can transform into robotic mechs and banshees that are able to cloak themselves and turn invisible. But these don't even compare to the flagship of the terran fleet, the battlecruiser. Along with other supporting units, they have every role covered from full on assault to hit-and-run tactics.

The protoss are incredibly advanced in almost every single way. They communicate through a telepathic link that they all share, they are lightyears ahead of most, if not all, civilizations technologically and were thought to be the most powerful species in the galaxy. However, the recent emergence of the zerg has proved that even the most skilled warrior can fall to numbers. In order to preserve their society, the protoss have reluctantly broke thousand-year-old tradition to survive. They've developed new technologies to further increase the potency of their already superior army. The primary warrior of the protoss is the zealot, using years of physical training and two blades of psionic energy as its weapons. It is supported by stalkers, a recent development modeled after the dragoon from the dark templar. Immortals are the replacement for the dragoons, adding stronger offensive and defensive capabilities to it. However, the real strength of the protoss lies in its array of aircraft. Phoenixes are small, fast anti-air ships that work with void rays, large ships that require to be charged to achieve their full power. Carriers are the most legendary, known for fighting with eight computer-controlled fighters that can be manufactured within the hull of the ship. When the protoss unleash the full power of their military, not many can stand against them.

The zerg bring a new meaning to the word "adaptable." All strains of the zerg were originally creatures indigenous to planets that it landed on, having been infected by a sort of virus. The subsequent mutation assimilated the creature into the Swarm and created a new strain of zerg. What they lack in power they make up for in sheer numbers. The most numerous and perhaps most infamous is the zergling, a tiny, dog-sized zerg that can be created two at a time and can mutate into a baneling, a large, mobile sac of acid. Hydralisks are the primary ranged forces, shooting spines from their mouths at high velocities. Their other primary assault force is the roach, a heavily armored creature that has amazing regenerative properties. Their air power mainly consists of mutalisks, flying worm-like creatures that expel projectiles from its abdomen. But what truly strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies is the dreaded ultralisk, a hulking beast that lumbers into battle with four massive scythe-like blades projecting from its mouth. They are a force to be reckoned with and not to be taken lightly, especially under the control of such an intelligent being.

StarCraft 15th Anniversary Celebration: The Story Part 3

As Kerrigan's first act, she returned to Shakuras and kidnapped the matriarch Raszagal. In order to destroy the cerebrates that controlled the broods, she needed Zeratul and the dark templar as only the energy they possess is capable of doing so. Zeratul complied with Kerrigan in an attempt to save their matriarch. The Overmind and its cerebrates were destroyed at the hands of the dark templar, giving complete control of the Swarm to Kerrigan. But things took a turn for the worst when she brought the matriarch to the planet's surface. When asked if she wished to return, Raszagal wished to serve Kerrigan. Realizing that her mind had been poisoned, Zeratul had no other choice but to reclaim the matriarch and, with great reluctance, kill her. She thanked Zeratul with her dying breath, who then left the planet vowing to avenge her death.

Before disappearing, Zeratul went to investigate protoss life readings on an uncharted moon in the area. But what he discovered was much more disturbing. Inside stasis chambers were what appeared to be a genetic amalgamation of zerg and protoss; a project led by Samir Duran. Most ominous of all was Duran's response as to what was going on. Duran said that he served a "far greater power" than Kerrigan or anyone else. That the hybrid were nearing the end of development across thousands of worlds and they signaled the last stage in the end of a cycle that would shake the universe. He destroyed the facility, but Duran had disappeared.

Meanwhile, Kerrigan was under heavy assault from a vengeful Mengsk and an angry UED. However, despite all their might, Kerrigan proved superior in numbers alone, as well as power. Mengsk, knowing he could not win, retreated, as did the dark templar and Aiur protoss. The UED were not so lucky, however. Seeing as they were outmatched, they made their journey back to Earth, fleeing as well. Kerrigan decided to humor them, sending the Swarm after them once a reasonable amount of time had passed. Not one ship made it back to Earth to report what had happened.

Kerrigan went to ground on Char, having recalled her Swarm to the planet. The past four years had been ominously silent without the zerg terrorizing everything in sight. Some speculators say she had been clinging to her humanity, but many are ever the skeptic. The Aiur protoss returned to their refugee home of Shakuras, using the xel'naga and dark templar technology, as well as their own, to improve their weaponry for the ensuing war with the zerg. Zeratul withdrew for a long while until he befriended a terran archaeologist. Since then, he has uncovered a number of revelations related to the xel'naga, creators of the protoss and zerg, that are very foreboding. Arcturus Mengsk focused on rebuilding his Dominion with a revenge target painted on the back of Kerrigan's head. The UED was almost completely wiped out with only a few survivors remaining. As for Jim Raynor, the former marshal started a resistance movement against the tyrannical Dominion known as Raynor's Raiders. However, it has been a fleeting movement due to Mengsk's control over the media and his rampant propaganda to turn him into an enemy to the public. Because of this, in tandem with previous events, he has been drinking heavily and losing faith. Many people who know him well would say this; "There's one part of that won't rest until Kerrigan is dead and another part of him that refuses to let her go."

StarCraft 15th Anniversary Celebration: The Story Part 2

Before I continue with the StarCraft epic, I should note that when I wrote the first part it actually was the fifteenth anniversary of the release of the original StarCraft. Now on with the story!

In the aftermath of the battle, the Aiur protoss to the dark templar homeworld of Shakuras where Zeratul offered them shelter. The peace did not last long, however, as Kerrigan appeared and demanded to speak with the matriarch, Raszagal. She sought the help of the protoss refugees to destroy a new Overmind being formed by remaining cerebrates. After she was able to convince them that she was no longer a killer and that she would revert if the Overmind was formed, Raszagal agreed to her proposal. Many of the protoss, Zeratul included, had high suspicions of Kerrigan and her ambitions, particularly after discovering her true motives. Ultimately, as part of her plan to take over the Swarm herself, she used the protoss to eliminate a potential threat to her rule before departing the planet entirely. The protoss then had no choice but to activate an ancient xel'naga temple to annihilate the invading zerg and leaving much of the planet's surface barren.

While the two alien species were doing battle, there was a unification of sorts back on planet Earth. As it would turn out, they had been watching the events taking place and formed a new government known as the United Earth Directorate. The UED had been monitoring their progress and decided, with the always present alien threat, that intervention by their hands. Through this surveillance, they also concluded that they could control the zerg and set out to control the newly forming Overmind on Char. They set out to establish a staging point on Braxis where they were met by fighters of the Confederate Resistance led by Samir Duran. They teamed up to destroy the Dominion, starting by breaking their foothold in the capital city of Braxis. They recovered several weapons diagnostics and readouts that allowed them to lead a successful assault on the Dylarian Shipyards where much of the Dominion's battlecruisers were docked. The UED then used their new additions to crush the capital city of the Dominion, Augustgrad, on Korhal IV and forced a parley. Not too long after Mengsk's fleet was surrounded, Jim Raynor and a small protoss fleet arrived and rescued him from the UED. Jim made it clear it was only because a "mutual acquaintance" wanted him alive. Raynor made off with the emperor, but the UED was not discouraged. The assault on Char was successful and, using powerful neurostims, captured control of the Swarm.

This in addition to the psi disruptor, a device that prevented Kerrigan fromtaking control of other rogue broods, gave the UED a major advantage over the Queen of Blades. However, Kerrigan had foreseen this and contacted Jim Raynor, enlisting his and the protoss' help to rescue Mengsk and his dwindling fleet. Kerrigan then struck a bargain with the emperor; if he lent his psi emitters to her, she could amass an army to destroy the psi disruptor and gain enough power to reinstate Mengsk and eliminate the UED threat on Korhal. The plan went off without a hitch as the UED were driven off the planet the Dominion was reestablished in Augustgrad.

Kerrigan assembled her massed forces and, with the advisory of revealed spy Samir Duran, attacked Terran settlements across the sector. When Mengsk denounced her, she merely justified it as revenge for the pain he had caused her back on Tarsonis. After much fighting, Raynor fled swearing that some way, somehow, he would kill Kerrigan to pay for her crimes.

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StarCraft 15th Anniversary Celebration: The Story Part 1

Perhaps one of the biggest names in the history of real time strategy games is the StarCraft series. Having been made made by Blizzard Entertainment, the same technological wizards and creators that brought you Warcraft, Diablo and World of Warcraft, it was one of the first games to incorporate their extensive BattleNet network into a game, allowing easier access to online play against human controlled opponents. While the graphics were very limited at the time (1998), they have upgraded dramatically since the release of StarCraft 2, utilizing more of a 3-D plane and models to the gameplay. This is the story of StarCraft.

It all started when long ago (which is actually some four hundred years into the future) four ships housing inhabitants of Earth crash landed in a remote region of space known as the Koprulu Sector. The three planets that were colonize were Tarsonis, Moria and Umoja. They quickly set up a government system known as the Terran Confederacy, but it was very oppressive with its power. A group rose up against it, later known as the Sons of Korhal, led by a former supporter by the name of Arcturus Mengsk. However, they'd soon learn that the Confederacy wasn't the only thing wrong with the area.

The Confederate colony on Chau Sara was suddenly incinerated by a fleet of warships that belonged to an advanced species called the protoss. While this was happening, a marshal named Jim Raynor on the nearby world Mar Sara was reporting strange alien creatures on the surface, eventually being called the zerg. The Sons of Korhal helped evacuate the citizens and liberate Raynor before the protoss did the same to the sister planet. As an official induction into the group, Jim Raynor and turned Confederate GHOST, Sarah Kerrigan, led an assault on the Confederate base on Antiga Prime. They planted psi emitters to lure the zerg to the base and destroy it before the protoss incinerated the planet as well, the rebel group zooming off before the fireworks began. This all turned sour, however, when Mengsk duplicated the act on the Confederate capital on Tarsonis. He left Kerrigan to take care of the overwhelming zerg presence and the protoss forces arriving, leaving her to die when she called for an evac. Mengsk had gained the support of many and had turned the Sons of Korhal rebellion group into the new Terran Dominion, declaring himself emperor and running on a campaign of combating the alien forces present. Jim on the other hand wanted no part and decided to run away, stealing Mengsk's flagship the Hyperion in the process and still grieving over the loss of Sarah. Little did he know, the zerg had other plans for Miss Kerrigan.





Kerrigan was actually reconstituted with the zerg virus that had corrupted so many other species into the alien species, transforming her into a being of psionic power that could be used as a puppet of the Overmind, the entity that controlled all parts of the Swarm. He did this through other beings called cerebrates, one of which was killed by a protoss dark templar known as Zeratul, causing its brood to run rampant and turn feral. The Overmind had no choice but to eradicate it entirely. But it was not a complete loss for the Overmind. It revealed the location of the protoss homeworld of Aiur, where they overtook the valiant efforts of protoss resistance and established their new base of operations.

Feeling desperate for help, Tassadar, executor of the protoss, teamed up with Jim Raynor to defeat the hulking mass of alien flesh. They rallied their troops and assaulted the Overmind, but their defensed proved too strong to defeat. In a last ditch effort, Tassadar gathered the energies of all Aiur and forbidden energies of dark templar into the hull of his ship, the Gantrithor, and crashed it into the Overmind ending the reign of both rulers. However, there was little time for celebration, as Aiur was still in ruins and having sensed the Overmind's death, it was now time for a new ruler to take command of the Swarm: the Queen of Blades.

To be continued....

Put Down the F@#$%&g Phone!

One thing I've never understood even as a teen in the digital age of society is the constant obsession with social media. Yes it can be useful to keep in touch with family members and continue old friendships from not-so-long ago times in middle school. But by the same token, it can also have seriously detrimental effects on society and, a point easily arguable, already has. It's completely taken over the lives of the youth of America as a group with their noses buried in the latest and greatest smartphone perusing their Twitter account or sending random and pointless things through Snapchat. Because of this, there are numerous reasons why we need to put down the phone and get into the real world.

Firstly, cell phones, smart phones in particular, are a huge distraction everywhere we go. In school it distracts heavy users of it to ignore important lessons required to do assignments. But it doesn't just apply to scholarly institutions, but also public places. Has anyone ever had problems watching a movie at the theater because some inconsiderate person thinks their conversation is more important than other moviegoers? Being a kid with ADD, I find a brightly lit screen in a dark movie theater a huge distraction. Heck, my friend started texting someone in the middle of a movie once while they were sitting right next to me! But it's not just phones, it's also what they may be looking at on their phones. Social media sites can also be a huge distraction. Many of my classmates have admitted to having Twitter up and constantly checking updates during class and while doing homework.

Another thing that a lot of people don't think about is how social media and modern communication technology has killed social interaction. One example is how people have learned incorrectly that it's okay to stop and text someone in the middle of a conversation with another person. It's rude and disrespectful, essentially telling them that their text is more important than what you have to say. The digital age has been teaching youngsters that behaviors that should be viewed as socially unacceptable are actually acceptable. Another example is how most people text all the time so when they actually hang out with people they have nothing to talk about.

In the digital age, romance seems to be fading into a lost cause as well. One article from The New York Times discussed how a girl missed out on an opportunity with a guy because she was too engrossed complaining about how she couldn't find a nice guy to date over text message. There was another article we had to read for our AP Lang class that explained how this woman (the writer) had a sort of relationship with a guy, practically a polar opposite to her with no reason that they should have been friends. But she explained how they would always write to each other through letters and how they would completely open up to each other in these letters. Nowadays, we just hop on our phones and text away, leaving the anticipation, the flaws and the romantic aspects behind, presenting what is essentially a superior version of ourselves. Having had a similar experience myself, I can say without a doubt that waiting for a letter is far superior romantically than any text could ever convey.

So the next time you feel like texting in a movie theater or complaining about your love life, don't just sit there and text about it, do something. Sit back and enjoy the movie, your friend will be there afterwards. Listen to what other people have to say; you might just learn something interesting. Instead of getting your coffee and heading back home, sit down at the cafe and chat up some girl/guy you think looks hot. But most importantly, put down the f@#$%&g phone.

Hats Make the World Go 'Round

Perhaps one of the most successful first person shooters is the famed Call of Duty. However, if you're one of the "few" that prefer other such games, then you should try Team Fortress 2. The game is a fairly simple concept similar to many first person shooter games; choose the way to play, customize your character, shoot the opposition. However, there are obvious differences in the way the two games are played.

First of all, the class system is vastly different. Most games in the genre have preset classes that become more customizable as different weapons and items are unlocked or bought using in-game credits. Team Fortress 2 on the other hand has nine set classes that each have a specified weapon type that it can use. These classes are divided up into three groups. Offensive classes are mainly used for mobility and, well, offense. The subcategory is made up of the Scout, the Soldier and the Pyro. Defensive classes are best used to defend or block the movement of opposing forces and are made up of the Demoman, the Heavy and the Engineer. Supporting roles are there assist their fellow teammates through other means, unable to hold the line steadily themselves. Their makeup consists of the Medic, the Sniper and the Spy.

The second difference is the weapon system. As I mentioned in the above paragraph, most first person shooters use a leveling system to unlock weapons which are then available for purchase with credits. Also, while there are preset classes, they can usually be altered to fit any purpose the player desires. The weapons that are unlocked also tend to get stronger along the way. This is completely contradictory to the system incorporated into Team Fortress 2. The number of items received is based on a "time played" basis, receiving an item every thirty to seventy minutes with an average drop rate of one drop every fifty minutes. Also, most items are tied to a certain class, as each class serves its own individual purpose within the group. There's also no distinct tier of weapons system, as each is supposed to have its advantages and disadvantages for balance reasons.

The third main difference is the style of play. While games such as Call of Duty and Halo have other modes, the most played always seem to be kill the other guys or free for all. Team Fortress 2 doesn't have this. Instead, they have more goal-oriented modes. The most basic of these is King of the Hill. The goal of this is to capture and hold a main control point in the center of the map that is locked for one minute. After that, the first team that holds it for three minutes (non-consecutive minutes count) wins. The second mode is called Capture the Flag. Each team has a briefcase that they must protect and bring their opponent's briefcase back to their base. The third method of play consists of two different styles. In Standard Control Point, both teams start with two points and must claim all points, including the center point that locks at the beginning. In Attack/Defend, one team starts with all control points while the other attempts to reclaim them. The fourth game mode is also divided into two parts. Payload maps require one team to "push" a cart carrying a bomb along a track to the enemies' base while they try to stop you. Payload Race is a similar concept, but both teams are attempting to push a cart towards the opposing base.

The final and perhaps most important difference that separates this game from others is the requirement of teamwork. In order to win, you have to have the ability to know which class is needed when and be prepared to switch to that class even if it's not your best class. It offers an additional challenge that isn't found in many other first person shooter games.