GamesCobra forums are live!

I just launched the forums of my new gaming website at GamesCobra.com/Forums 

We are looking to add the revolution of social media to the review of video games, so you do not have to read some lengthy corporate review. All of our reviews will be provided in a slick and easy fashion to be read and added to.

Come to the forums and start discussing what you like the most about video games.

Viva Las Vegas!

I just got back from my first trip to Las Vegas with Sarah, and it was awesome. We were there with our friends Doug and Heidi for their stag and stagette weekend. We stayed in the Flamingo hotel, just across the Strip from Caesars Palace. First thing, its the desert so it is hot, like sitting in your car with the heat all the way up, but not sticky hot, so I quite enjoyed some hot weather finally.

We visited the Coca-Cola store, and did a tray off flavours from the world, a range of Coca-Cola drinks from all over the globe. Some were awesome, some were nasty, and drinking 16 small cups of pop was tough. We also visited the M&M store, and the smell of chocolate almost took me away.

Sarah and I decided not to spend the $400 to rent a Dodge Viper SRT10.

The second night, the guys all went out together and the girls did their own thing. Us guys headed to Casino Royale, which as far from the James Bond equivalent as you can imagine. Fortunately this meant it was cheap and pretty friendly, which was good as I have no idea what I was doing in there. Doug was a big fan of the Blackjack table so we all joined him at our own table. I even managed to make $30!

Sarah and I went to see the Cirque du'Soleil show The Beatles LOVE. I am not a huge Beatles fan by any stretch, but the show they put on was incredible. We really look forward to being able to go back and see some more of their productions.

CM Punk makes wrestling relevant again

Unless you have been sleeping under a rock. you will have heard some mention of CM Punk's wild promo a few weeks ago, where he railed on the WWE, its business practices, its Chairman and his family, and the WWE fans. CM Punk delivered the best promo seen in many many years.

Here is that video


So, he goes to Chicago, his hometown, to battle for the WWE title, with his looming contract expiration and threat of leaving with the WWE title a serious pull for the Money in the Bank PPV. Vince attempted to screw him a la Montreal Screwjob 97, but the upstanding Cena won't sacrifice his good morals for Vince.

Here is that video


And now to maintain the madness, Vince McMahon was relieved of his duties on RAW the following night by his son in law HHH. Now, HHH was at Comic-Con in San Diego today answering questions, when in a an absolute genius move by WWE Creative, CM Punk shows up and shoots on HHH!



Wrestling has never been so relevant, or exciting!

Limitless

A movie that was produced by Bradley Cooper, so guess what? Its about Bradley Cooper. I really felt like none of the other characters were given a chance to fully develop. The story was essentially about Bradley Cooper's discovery of a drug that allows him to use the full mental capacity of his mind to fulfill his abilities to the maximum. It seems like that all he can manage to do with it is make some money.

The movie involves a sub plot of how the drug affects his mind, his relationships and potentially his health and well-being. There are some very trippy camera effects involving a travelling zoom that will mess with your mind.

Bradley Cooper is a favourite actor of mine right now, so a movie all about him is not such a bad thing. However, I felt short changed by the end. At least towards the end there is some attempt at redemption. Definitely worth a watch.

The Hosting Hippo

I have a new games website, and with the help of some great friends I will be launching that very soon! As part of that I obtained some hosting, and decided to set myself up some reseller accounts. This means I can offer hosting to those who need it.

It's also a work in progress, but you can check out its progress at the Hosting Hippo blog. We also have a Twitter account, and I would leave to hear feedback on what you think should be offered.

My initial thoughts were to offer blogging hosting for as low as $2 a month. Any ideas will be appreciated!

A new venture for me

I have decided to head into a new venture. Everyone who knows me knows I love video games, or just games in general. This is probably the main motivation in me deciding to start my own gaming website. I have been searching through Flippa.com to find the right site for me, and I came across it.

GamesCobra

I am very excited about this new direction for me. I hope to be able to create a great site that all gamers will look to use.

If you or anyone you know would like to contribute to the site, let me know. We have a Facebook Fan Page and a Twitter account, and we would love to hear your suggestions on how to make it the best gaming website on the internet.

Front line letters

An excerpt from a police officer's blog, in response to the pleas by rioters for clemency

Dear 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup Rioters,

Please stop saying you’re sorry. Stop posting YouTube videos begging for forgiveness. Stop writing letters asking that society cut you some slack and leave you alone.

While you were drunk and flipping cars, I was driving with all of my emergency equipment on to get into Vancouver. While you were throwing anything you could get your hands on at the police, I was pressure testing my APR and standing in the middle of the tear gas. While you and thousands of others disgraced Vancouver and its surrounding population, I stood shoulder to shoulder with a couple hundred men and women, whom I trust my life with, ready to address your indiscretions.

You came up to me like you owned the streets in your drunken stupor, thrust your middle fingers in my face and shouted obscenities; I didn’t snap you in half.

Actions speak louder than words.

You started “harmless” fires. You torched other men and women’s cars whom you’d never met and never did you wrong. You assaulted firemen as they arrived to try and deal with your “mistakes”. You took limited, valuable emergency resources away from good people who needed them. You endangered more lives by tying up emergency services than you ever considered.

You started fights. You stabbed people you’d never met because they somehow made you angry. You gave men and women trying to protect property life altering concussions. You brought paramedics into the tear gas and exhausted them trying to save people they’d never met.

You showed up to hospital emergency rooms crying because you’d been exposed to tear gas. You got obnoxious and demanded to be treated like you were somehow dying. You knew it was a riot, you chose not to leave, you chose to stick around and breathe the tear gas in. You took nurses and doctors away from people who needed their care to live. People they’d never met but work tirelessly to save. You demanded to be treated as if you were better than the rest of society.

You’d tell me that the emergency services personnel I speak of are paid to do this job and chose to be there. You’re right. We give a damn about people we’ve never met and property that isn’t ours, that’s why we do what we do. You disgust us.

What brought a tear to my eye, after the gas had cleared, was standing in the middle of an intersection at about 3 a.m. the only people I’d seen for the last 30 minutes were other police officers, until a shop keeper brought us a case of water. Then I saw a random person with a broom clearing the sidewalk. I had a duty to respond, the citizens of Vancouver immediately afterward could have just left it up to those paid to deal with it. They didn’t just stand by, they came out in force and cleaned up after your indiscretions. Everyone I saw that early morning thanked me, I was only doing my job. I have the utmost respect for all of the people from Vancouver and the surrounding areas that came downtown and volunteered to clean up after you.

You owe Vancouver and the surrounding population more than mere words. Don’t you dare ask for our forgiveness without taking responsibility. You can’t fix life altering injuries with an “I’m Sorry”. You can’t repay someone’s car loan with a YouTube video. You ask that people leave you and your family alone but you offer no way to replace priceless losses.

You’ll sleep soundly in your bed tonight because men and women like me will always be there to deal with your poor choices. You have no idea how fortunate you are, even after we arrest and charge you. Even though you disgust me, if you call for me in the middle of the night I’ll respond. I’ll protect your life and property because it’s right and it’s what I do.

The evening of June 15, 2011 fellow emergency services personnel, my brothers and sisters, left our families at home and while grossly out numbered stood to fight. The morning of June 16, 2011 the true heroes emerged to volunteer their time and restored my faith in humanity.

Actions speak louder than words. What are you going to do about that?

— a police officer from the suburbs, who was called in to serve and protect on that night; a proud Vancouverite.

Let's remember the true face of our city.