The Spam Thread!

[cpd2009]

I need tea itsy bitsy hockey.

I need tea.

[RAMChYLD]

So Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Dual Destinies is finally out on iOS. Great because Nintendo is being dumb and making this game e-Shop exclusive, meaning it's not available on the 3DS platform in Malaysia. Bravo, CAPCOM!

Granted, there's the lost of stereoscopic 3D graphics (it's been watered down to plain 3D), and the controls are less-than-optimal for following those LPs, but I suppose as long as the story stays true to the 3DS version and the walkthroughs still work, good enough.

[huckleberrypie]

AFAIK this has also been the case with the Professor Layton series, as at least one of the games has seen a mobile release.

[Blackberry Bun]

Holiday is over

[cpd2009]

Today is Hazel's one year birthday.

Even though I don't user her much, she brings me great joy when I do. There are now newer and better tablets on the market, like the Galaxy Tab 4, but Hazel still serves me well when I need to use a tablet.


On Thursday, it's Audrey's 1-year birthday.

Yay.

[cpd2009]

Okay, so for our international audience, here is what is happening in America.

There is this town called Ferguson, Missouri. A horrible incident happened there a week ago. I won't explain the details here, but it's readily availabile in Google by simply searching for Ferguson, Missouri.

Anyway, this said incident has sparked off a full week of civil unrest, resulting in a brutal police response. Long story short, things are bad there now, and the news is all over the media. Some outlets cover it better than others... but the award for Sensational Sensationalism goes to Russia Today...


Seriously, RT? Why do you need to sensationalize the unrest by referencing a popular Sega video game? I know most of RT's audience won't get this reference, but still... why?

Oh right... Putin.

[Blackberry Bun]

I'm not taking sides, but are you sure they deliberately used the game's name instead of pure coincidence?

[cpd2009]

I'm not taking sides, but are you sure they deliberately used the game's name instead of pure coincidence?

Seeing as how a Google search for "Streets of Rage" only turns up results for the Sega game, I can be somewhat sure it's deliberate. And seeing as how RT's coverage is largely pro-Russian, it seems fitting they reference a popular game to sensationalize the happenings in Ferguson.

It could be a coincidence too, but I'm not too sure if it is. RT caters to an international English audience, having shows targeting the American and European audience. Either the folks at the Moscow bureau thought up of the title by themselves without knowing about the game, or one of them grew up in the 16-bit era and decided to use the game title.

Coincidence or not, it's still sensationalism in the news. Most news channels have sensational titles in one way or another, but some like CNN and RT take it way too far at times. This here isn't too bad compared to other stories. Even so, it just irked me a bit to see RT possibly reference a popular side-scrolling beat 'em up to indicate the anger in Ferguson.

[cpd2009]

One year ago today, a new cable network launched in America. That network is AlJazeera America.

I have been viewing AJ-AM since it launched, and it's a welcome change from the big three news networks. Instead of sensationalized stories, endless speculation (I'm looking at you CNN), and fluff pieces, AJ-AM presented stories in a balanced fashion, presenting both sides of the story. It's also not sensationalized either. While CNN was speculating about the MH370 flight 24x7, AJ-AM was still presenting the news as normal. MH370 was a top story, but only a top story, and once they went through the latest developments, they moved on to the crisis in Ukraine and other issues the big 3 news networks pushed under a rug.

They also show some interesting documentaries and investigative journalism shows as well, again, without the sensationalized headlines or glitzy graphics. It's straightforward and to the point. I like my news like that.

AJ-AM may be a wonderful news network, but it's struggling in the ratings. I think I know why.... they haven't sorted out their online strategy yet. AJ-AM has a website and a mobile app, but they don't live stream video or even offer news or documentaries on demand. I still prefer traditional satellite/cable TV, but I know others are cutting the cord and prefer to watch their shows/news on demand. CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News already do this, but AJ-AM is very limited, and it's been a year since launch.

Another reason is the AlJazeera name itself. Until after 9/11, AlJazeera was unknown to American audiences, and because of this, people equate the AlJazeera name with terrorism since the channel showed video messages from known terrorists. US cable news networks, as well as other networks across the world, did the exact same thing too. Since there are many conservatives in my country, they likely view AJ-AM as terrorist propaganda, when in fact it's not.

Perhaps with better promotion and the introduction of on-demand/live video, more people will be likely to see what AJ-AM is really like and they will embrace that kind of journalism over the dumbed down sensationalized rubbish coming from the big three news channels.

Only time will tell.

[cpd2009]

Aaand.. I just had to order another USB Wifi adapter for Audrey as her current one started to flake out, and I think I broke it trying to mess around with it.

At least they are inexpensive.