BF3

Good old Battlefield is out again.  I remember spending rather a lot of money upgrading my rig to run BF 2 a few years ago.  Since then, I've pretty much given up PC gaming for exactly that reason.  My good mate has got the new one going on his setup and complains that 64 people on one map is too much.  WFT!!  I call that a target rich environment.  He also complains the multiplayer maps are all rush maps (basically run about killing as much as you can before you get blasted).  Again bring it on, it's the only way I know how to play.  My mate does subtlety.  I don't.

Do I by it for the Xbox or my gaming laptop?  Actually thinking I should buy it for both.  Single player on the PC with the graphics will be amazing.  Multiplayer on the Xbox, satisfying and stable.

Life presents hard choices.

Next up, Ferrari 458 or a pension?

When Heaven turns BAD

My personal heaven is the Nuburgring.  It wasn't the case for quite a few people on this day-

OOOOPS

And here is the view from some annoying French twats.  Skip to 9.50 unless you want their irritating words and noises for 10 minutes.  I could barely stand 20 seconds of it.  Probably French Hipters, the worst kind!

STFU!

Remember kids, it isn't the speed that kills.  It's the stopping rapidly.

Spoiled!

My deepening love affair with HBO continues with season 2 of The Boardwalk Empire.  Awesome.  Chalky White now my favourite character and the actor played my favourite character in The Wire (HBO, what a surprise)

You are a very good actor!

Also putting a smile on my face are new season Walking Dead and Dexter.  Neither of which are HBO but we'll forgive them because they are only a ball hair less awesome than HBO shows.  

The pish weather makes me feel less guilty about watching so much telly.

Lion's Den

If you happen to live/visit the West End of Glasgow (should West and End be in capitals?  Makes it sound more important than it is. Bit like God) then visit Hillhead Bookclub.  It is Hipster central!!  I love this place and I did a twist on hug a hoodie, in my case hug a Hipster.  Of course, I didn't hug anyone.

 In particular, I enjoyed the couple of Glaswegian drunks at the bar who were pissed (being drunks) and staring at the Hipster girls ordering drinks.  Right next to them.  The way they were looking at them was less "hug" and more "bundle into back of Sierra and end up doing a 7 year stretch at Barlinnie".

Worth a visit.

Could have been there.  Wasn't. (That can't be his wrist, surely?)

Cycling home I discovered I have more than 1 gear on my bike.  More proof that I'm definitely not a Hipster. 

You know it's not right

Not going to get all heavy and political and financial on you.....

But

You know things are fucked up when we lend more money to countries/institutions who are bankrupt from excessive debt and will NEVER pay it back.  I don't remember voting for these idiots to spend billions of our country's money on banks and other countries.  It has to stop.

You lend money to someone who can't afford to pay you back- you lose your money.  Why are banks a special case?  It is so simple and yet the politicians are either blind to it or corrupt.

An excellent episode of Max Keiser here with Rossane Barr (remember Rossane on telly?!? I never found it that amusing).  Skip to 13mins 30sec to see what she has to say (however, the stuff before is worth listening to)

I don't fancy her

Okay, I got a little political and heavy on you.

Sorry.

I'm enjoying.

Percy Pigs (Reversy)

Red wine

The West Wing

But most of all....

Portal 2!!

Why didn't I get into this game when it came out I don't know.  Perhaps too much Call of Duty or some other nonsense.  This is one of the best rated games ever.  Now I see why. 

The developing story is fun, the characters that take you through it are great and genuinely funny (not that geeky funny with in-jokes), super slick design, great graphics and some pretty hard puzzles.  It is a puzzle game at the end of the day.  Maybe that is where my resistance lay. I'm so happy I didn't resist.

These are the cutest things ever.  

As the turrets say in their cute voice.......

I'm different

Mini reviews- Books

With my beloved Kindle, I'm actually getting through a few books.  Who'd have thought it!

So, here we go.

The Infection by Craig DiLouie (A Ric's Reviews recommendation)

Loved this book!  If you love zombies and apocalyptic scenarios (and who doesn't) this will sate you.  Fast paced story, lots of action and I couldn't put this one down.  They should make a film of this one.  Perfect for kids like me with ADHD.

Next up...

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Didn't really fancy the film for some reason but thought I out to read the novel.  Took a while to get going, lots of description of 80s nonsense in this guy's life.  Half way through it really takes off and gets a bit fucked up and nasty.  Really not sure what to make of it all.  Certainly a fine commentary on how things were in 80s New York with yuppies, fashion etc.  As for the nasty stuff, I guess that's just timeless.

I was a bit traumatised by the whole thing.  Needed to calm my nerves and read something more positive.

So I chose....

Humanity: A Moral History of the Twentieth Century by Jonathen Glover

Fuck me, what a mistake this was.  This book described in details the most horrible crimes against humanity and then describe the morality (or lack of) of the whole thing, from individuals to the government in charge.  Usual suspects Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Serbian war, Rwanda etc.  Pretty hard going and it left me in a worse state than American Psycho.

Really needed something relaxing.

Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos

Ahhhh, this one was better.  It is a tale of numbers through history.  No traumatic experiences here.  Well written, although a little dry in places.  Well, it is about numbers I suppose.  Overall, a good read and was a relief from the previous two.

Perked up with happiness I moved onto my favourite genre sci-fi.  Two books here...

Renegades and Exiles by Dan Worth

These are the the first two in a trilogy.  Third one not out yet and I can hardly wait.  Nothing too clever here, big ships fighting, scary alien baddies, grand scale and just a good yarn.  Some good characters to hold the thing together and you have a winner.

See, we had a happy ending.

Gamefest!

Gamefest at the NEC.  Yay!  I had a little visit (it was little as I had to rush off unexpectedly) and it was great.

Top tip for the girls, it really is a target rich environment for you.  Very little competition.  There were some girls doing the Dance Central thing on a stage (yes, I was one of the middle aged guys taking pics) and some Nuts tarts making teens have awkward hard ons but other than that there were millions of blokes!  Quite a lot of pony tails it must be said so I guess you have to take them out the equation.

Dance my pretties.  

Anyway, some really good stands.  I didn't have time to get into the really big game stands due to huge queues (MW3, BF3, Rage etc) but there were plenty of others that didn't need queuing.  Forza 4 looked awesome and great fun with a wireless steering wheel thingy (crimbo pressie idea...), Batman Arkham City looked incredible, there was a linked up F1 game that looked very promising but I get a bit frustrated by those types of simulations.  Race for 2 hours and one lapse of concentration and the whole thing is over.  It reflects life I guess but the reason I'm playing the bastard is to take a break from real life for a little while.

My Xmas present

That's me with the axe.

I wish this was my living room

Saints Row 3 had a cool stand, like a night club with a bouncer on the door but i peeked in and all they had was bottles of water in the bar.  Fail.  Although I loved the outragious Saints Row 2, so I can't beat on them too hard.  No doubt number 3 will be just a sick and enjoyable.

One of my favourite stands was the Retro Gamer.  Had all the old consoles and even a Vextrex!  You got to be old like me to know that one.  Golden age of gaming right there.  Was a really popular stand too which gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.  Today it takes millions and huge teams to make these games.  Back in the day it was done in a bedroom or small office with a few pals.  Ah, I love nostalgia.

I'm awesome because I remember this stuff

It's coming up for winter so I'm treating myself to some new games (the Xbox hasn't been turned on in 6 months).  Dues Ex and Dead Island will be the purchases (unfortunately no sign of them at the show).  More on them once teeth have been sunk in.  Also on the cards is a gaming laptop.  I know I said I'd never go back to gaming on the PC but I spend a lot of time away, bored out my tits so I might as well perk things up a little.  Elder Scrolls Skyrim is pushing me into that PC lark (again, big queue to see that bad boy.  The gameplay trailers look amazing).

Proof

My resting heart rate is 50bpm I discovered today.  Proof, if it were needed, that I am Not a Hipster.  Their resting heart rate is at least 120bpm as reported in the Lancet last year.

Always excited about something (usually their latest ridiculous hairstyle or stupid facial hair) and amongst others of their kind, they can reach rates of >190bpm while standing still!  Hipster amongst normal people heart rate is slightly less as their evident boredom at being with a lesser species kicks in.

If more proof were needed, I am enjoying a Shiraz/Percy Pig combination which, with prolonged exposure, I'm quite confident could stop my heart altogether.

A Hipster would
1) Never drink a wine of a grape you have heard of.
2) Never eat Percy Pigs.  (Well, they might binge on it at home while weeping and then throw it all up with self loathing.  That doesn't count as eating Percy Pigs in my book).

Can I kick you in the face?

Someone with a low heart rate can always be trusted and is a top person for sure.

Unless it's Hannibal Lecter biting the face of a nurse.

Rock n Rolla

As you all know, my Rock and Roll lifestyle is something to gaze at in awe.  This week I find myself in Birmingham, next to the NEC.  As if a divine hand commanded it, the most amazing show on earth has arrived.

THE FESTIVAL OF QUILTS

Seriously, FML.  The place is full of old dears pushing and shoving to get to the front of the breakfast buffet, they'll be at the bar tonight with their half lager shandies and I'll have to watch my language.  

They should be out rioting, perhaps at a lower pace than the young 'uns.  Or maybe this is their protest?  Collapse the stock and bond market by pumping their grey pounds into the quilt and handicraft markets.  It's all becoming clear.... Sell Vodafone! Buy doilies, crochet pictures of Timmy Mallet and creepy porcelain dolls!

I shall be asking the "President of the Quilters" probing questions on where he is taking this country and what he has in store for us in his "brave new world order".  I think you'll agree, £7.50 is a small price to pay to see a living deity.  I'm hoping to catch his/her/its eye with my youthful looks and non-cloudy cornea. 

Or I can stay in my room and make friends with a cheeky wee Shiraz.

Rock and Roll!