Mammoth Blog - Video Games

Teamplayer: Once who unites others toward a shared destiny

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:30:00 -0500

One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team. Kareem Abdul-Jabbor http://twitter.com/efusjonmmi

Teamplayer: Once who unites others toward a shared destiny through information & ideas, empowering others & developing trust. D Kinlaw http://twitter.com/efusjonmmi

The greatest danger a team faces isn't that it won't become successful, but that it will, and then cease to improve. Mark Sanborn http://twitter.com/efusjonmmi

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team. John Wooden
http://twitter.com/efusjonmmi

500 Homerun Club & Efusjon Invite you to come hit a home run

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:28:00 -0500

Welcome to the 500 Home Run Club®, LLC, the exclusively authorized, internationally recognized organization founded to celebrate the awe inspiring achievements of the greatest home run hitters in baseball history. The club operates with the endorsement and support of both Major League Baseball and the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Concert planned in for launch of new Beatles video game

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:03:00 -0500

For Beatlemaniacs and video game fans, it won't be long.

"The Beatles: Rock Band," a video game that takes players on a simulated magical mystery tour through The Beatles' remarkable evolution, appears in stores Sept. 9. And to celebrate, Blockbuster in Montclair will hold an event leading up to the midnight sale.

The free event will be held from 6 p.m. to midnight Sept. 8 and will include guitar sing-a-longs from 8 to 9 p.m., trivia and games from 9 to 10 p.m. and prize giveaways. "The Beatles: Rock Band" goes on sale from midnight to 1 a.m.

From 6 to 8 p.m., Alameda-based Beatles cover band The Sun Kings will perform at the Blockbuster parking lot. Residents driving to the event will be allowed to park across the street on the upper floor of the Safeway parking lot.

"We're hoping it'll be an intergenerational celebration of The Beatles," said Dawn Stranne, who is coordinating the event for Blockbuster. "We hope people can hang out until midnight. We're going to give away some really great stuff. There are a lot of big prizes, but they do have to be present to win, like (game) bundles being given away."

From "I Saw Her Standing There" to "Get Back," the latest title in the "Rock Band" video game franchise will allow players to play and sing along with Beatles songs, playing along on toy instruments.

The look of the instruments will be based on the band's real gear -- John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 guitar, Paul
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McCartney's Hofner bass, George Harrison's Gretsch Duo Jet guitar and Ringo Starr's Ludwig kit with a black oyster finish and classic Beatles insignia branded across the bass drum.

Store manager Kathleen Peterson said her store will have about five units containing the instruments as well as the game. The remaining 30 to 35 units will contain the game without the instruments. The game will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. The "Rock Band" game costs $60, while the limited edition version, with the replica Beatles instruments, runs $250.

Those 18 and over can enter to win one of six stand-alone game guitars as well as one of 12 copies of "The Beatles: Rock Band" game, three of which will include the game's instruments, Stranne said. Those dressed in '60s or Beatles garb can enter a separate contest for a chance to win a year's worth of free rentals.

Residents are asked to bring a musical instrument that will be donated to Music in Schools Today. Those who donate will receive a coupon for a free video rental.

"It'll be interesting to see how well it does," Stranne said of the new video game. "In this economy, people are looking for ways to have entertainment value. Having it at home adds a whole lot of entertainment value, so it's worth it. The price tag might stop you at first, but it will pay off in the long run. I think the grandkids will appreciate it."

Despite breaking up nearly four decades ago, The Beatles seem to be as popular as they ever were, said Drew Harrison, who sings and plays guitar as John Lennon in The Sun Kings.

"It's great music," Harrison said. "How can you deny it? It's obvious, it's great music. It's supremely crafted."

He said the new video game is introducing Beatles music to the a new generation -- "in the latest format, the 21st century medium of choice, and that's video games."

Still, Harrison said he's far more adept at playing the music live on real guitars, than he is at the game.

"I wasn't trained on video games, I was trained on pinball games," he said with a laugh. "I'm sure my family and other folks -- nieces and nephews -- are into it."
# IF YOU GO WHAT: Concert by The Beatles cover band The Sun Kings
# WHEN: 6 p.m. to midnight Sept. 8
# WHERE: Blockbuster Video, 2110 Mountain Blvd., Oakland
# INFORMATION: 510-530-7110 source>>>

Is there still a gaming war?

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:54:00 -0500

I tried to think about all the possibilities of what would the gaming world be like without a ps3 or even an xbox 360. In simple boring, But technology has advanced so much. about 10 years ago, we saw the evolution of gaming, from 8 bit gaming to the ps1. It was the item you had to have, Then after the launch of the ps2, there was still no other match for it. Two years ago, Microsoft brought in The xbox 360 which made the aging ps2 look like a machine with no va va voom. The ps3 set the benchmark with hi-def gaming & has set the level, the new xbox is coming but will it surpass the japanese. I doubt it, There are new toys coming out for the xbox 360 but will it last? The xbox pricing is the best to suit the tough times, but lets face it, if you want it you gonna get it, no matter what the price. Sony officially stated that a slimline ps3 is coming but the price tag is unknown. The war will forever be between these two machines until one dies... For now you have to be in it to enjoy it... You choose your world, I have. source>>>

Xbox 360 price drop coming this weekend

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:50:00 -0500

Ads are currently circulating the web that reflect an Xbox 360 price drop for Sunday, August 30th. Engadget nabbed the Target Ad, which lists the Pro model at $249, and the 120GB Elite model at $299. A Best Buy ad surfaced on Kotaku, and one for Walmart on Joystiq. This appears to be Microsoft's answer to the Sony's PS3 Slim and the price drop announcement. We'll be keeping an eye out to see if these ads turn out to be the real deal. source>>>

Make Money With Social Networking

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:10:00 -0500

KISS It

In a world where we are bombarded from every angle with one complexity after another, sometimes the only antidote is something basic and simple. You know what we're talking about; it's the KISS philosophy:

Keep It Simple, Silly!

And when it comes to making money on the internet, now is definitely the time for simple. Sure, you could spend thousands of dollars buying lists with tens of millions of email addresses on them. You could spend thousands more on software to spam the entire list. You could spend tens of thousands building your new uber cool online store attempting to sell your uber cool new product that no one seems to want to purchase. You could spend hundreds of thousands more attempting to get your site listed number one with all of the search engines. Continue>>>>

Make Money on Facebook with the KISS QUIZ

KISS CLUB, where it actually pays to Kiss and Tell!

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:20:00 -0500

KISS CLUB, where it actually pays to Kiss and Tell!~

KiSS Identity" is an internet based viral marketing company with a twist.

Using the communication power of the internet you can create an income stream

WITHOUT attending any meetings, conference calls or trainings,

WITHOUT having scientific knowledge of unknown products,

WITHOUT buying an expensive starter pack, or business builder system,

WITHOUT committing to purchasing hundreds of dollars of product every month,

WITHOUT having to figure out how to get paid, or qualifying for pay,

WITHOUT spending hours and hours recruiting, and

WITHOUT spending hours and hours of training and encouraging others

Why I joined KiSS Identity" as soon as I found out...

1. It will be affordable...$10 for the first and every monthly order.

In our present economy, virtually everyone needs additional money. KiSS Identity" will be an affordable option to generate income because it is based on a minimum $10.00 per month purchase requirement while building a substantial brand... together.

2. No games in the compensation plan...it is simple and rewarding

There will be no requirements beyond the $10.00 per month to qualify to be paid on all the people in your organization down to the total depth of the plan limits. You will be paid $1 each month for everyone you personally sponsor. 50 cents for each additional person that is recruited by your team members within your 3x9 matrix. *Special enrollment bonus within the first 30 days is $4.00 for everyone you personally enroll. The plan is simple and deep. Barriers to entry are thereby eliminated and barriers to retention are destroyed. Want to do something fun? Do the math on a 3x9 matrix and see what your income could be! The answer....$14,500 per month!!! More details on the comp plan here: http://www.mykissid.com/kissingisfun

*Here's a tip...Own multiple spots and earn up to $14,500 with every spot you own. Yes you can actually get paid on the same people in your matrix with multiple ownership. Just make sure you recruit atleast 3 people with every spot you own.

3. Products that are fun and don't have to be defended or explained.

Over the years marketing people have to exaggerate, falsify, embellish or just make up stories to sell their products. And even if the claims are true...you have to be able to understand and explain them. KiSS Identity" will be marketing fun, everyday, consumable products with a zing or twist to enhance the emotional experience of using those products.

4. The marketing will be done with the latest technology. The goal: TO HAVE FUN!

The sales vehicle will be video links that you email to your contact list. The website will have simple, self-directed training and duplication videos. Viral Marketing on the internet will generate interest and fun. The recruiting, training and motivating of people will be done by the videos and the Website. Your success will be dependent on the level of effort you put forth sharing the available tools.

5. It pays to be involved.

The sooner you start the sooner you get rewarded. Earlier you get the higher up you are in the matrix. That means you have a better chance of participating in the growth of the company!!! You can build a business no matter when you get involved. BUT, the simple truth is, the earlier you get in the fewer existing distributors you run into. There will be fewer people that you contact that will have already joined or looked at your business opportunity.

6. The business philosophy.

We will be cooperating in the development of a KiSS Identity" Brand Name. The business model, compensation plan and marketing strategy are all centered on management and distributors working together to use modern technology to accelerate word of mouth marketing to a faster rate of growth. The things that stop people from joining, make people quit or cause people to fail have been removed.

http://www.mykissid.com/kissingisfun

Make Money on Facebook with the kiss quiz

The application works like this; after taking the quiz you will see a pop up video with your results. (Ex. Kiss Me Cool, Kiss Me Strong, Etc.) Once you click "OK" it will post the results to your wall. (This is great exposure for your business!!!)

Once this is complete you will be prompted to check out a brief video. After viewing this video it will take you to another page which is the Corporate KiSS video. This allows those that are interested to enroll, and then come back to the site and enter in their new KiSS identity.
The KiSS identity is crucial if you want to get credit for anyone that signs up after your forward on the application!!! Everyone that chooses to join, as a result of you forwarding on this quiz will be placed automatically in your organization. Pretty cool huh?

Facebook will initially allow you to share this quiz with 24 of your friends after completing the quiz. I would recommend bookmarking the quiz so you can return to it each day and invite a new group of friends. For maximum exposure make sure to hit everyone on your friends list!

This is just one of many ways the KiSS corporate team is working hard to help our Driver's build their business.

http://www.mykissid.com/kissingisfun

Make Money On Facebook With the KISS Quiz

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 09:33:00 -0500

If you go here and sign up for ten bucks a month, you can use that quiz as a money maker

http://www.mykissid.com/kissingisfun

This is just one of many ways the KiSS corporate team is working hard to help our Driver's build their business.

KISS CLUB, where it actually pays to Kiss and Tell!~

KiSS Identity" is an internet based viral marketing company with a twist.

Using the communication power of the internet you can create an income stream

WITHOUT attending any meetings, conference calls or trainings,

WITHOUT having scientific knowledge of unknown products,

WITHOUT buying an expensive starter pack, or business builder system,

WITHOUT committing to purchasing hundreds of dollars of product every month,

WITHOUT having to figure out how to get paid, or qualifying for pay,

WITHOUT spending hours and hours recruiting, and

WITHOUT spending hours and hours of training and encouraging others

Why I joined KiSS Identity" as soon as I found out...

1. It will be affordable...$10 for the first and every monthly order.

2. No games in the compensation plan...it is simple and rewarding

3. Products that are fun and don't have to be defended or explained.

4. The marketing will be done with the latest technology. The goal: TO HAVE FUN!

5. It pays to be involved.

6. The business philosophy.

http://www.mykissid.com/kissingisfun

KISS ME YOU FOOL

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:33:00 -0500

KISS ME YOU FOOL

KiSS Identity" is an internet based viral marketing company with a twist.

Using the communication power of the internet you can create an income stream

WITHOUT attending any meetings, conference calls or trainings,

WITHOUT having scientific knowledge of unknown products,

WITHOUT buying an expensive starter pack, or business builder system,

WITHOUT committing to purchasing hundreds of dollars of product every month,

WITHOUT having to figure out how to get paid, or qualifying for pay,

WITHOUT spending hours and hours recruiting, and

WITHOUT spending hours and hours of training and encouraging others

http://www.mykissid.com/kissingisfun

Taylor Swift's "Picture to Burn" on New Video Game, Band Hero

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:41:00 -0500

aylor Swift's "Picture to Burn" is one of 65 songs featured on a new video game, Band Hero, a pop-focused spinoff of the Guitar Hero series. No Doubt's "Just a Girl," Lily Allen's "Take What You Take," the All-American Rejects' "Dirty Little Secret" and the Jackson 5's "ABC" are among the songs revealed in a recent preview of the game. Other artists included in the game, which will be released in the fall, include Maroon 5, Fallout Boy, the Killers and Snow Patrol. source>>>

The Beatles: Rock Band Announces 15 New Tracks

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:52:00 -0500

The debut of The Beatles: Rock Band is still well over a month away, but early glimpses of the video game suggest another wave of Fab Four hysteria can't be far off. On his current tour (and at Coachella), Paul McCartney has already revealed some charming animated footage from the game. And at a recent preview session at MTV in Santa Monica, California, Rolling Stone got an up-close look at the most exciting version of Rock Band yet.

As RS previously reported, the game comes with 45 remastered tracks, and Abbey Road will become available for download at the same time as the title's September 9th release for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. Fifteen more tracks -- and their venues -- have been announced today, including "Can't Buy Me Love" at the Ed Sullivan Theater, "Paperback Writer" at Budokan and "I've Got A Feeling" at the rooftop concert (full list below).

(Click here to watch the newest trailer for The Beatles: Rock Band, featuring eight of the 15 newly announced tunes.)

A hands-on test of the game suggests it could sometimes be a challenge to keep up with George Harrison's guitar on "Day Tripper" and "Here Comes the Sun." And your luck singing along (and actually hitting the right notes) with John Lennon and McCartney is measured within the game. As previously reported, The Beatles: Rock Band allows for three-part harmony (a vocal training session in the game will help with that) and rocking on the Beatles' signature instruments: a Höfner bass, Rickenbacker and Gretsch guitars and Ludwig drums.

Fans will also find rare bits of Fab ephemera otherwise unavailable on the albums embedded in the game. According to a spokesman for MTV Games/Harmonix, McCartney personally did some unofficial fact-checking for the game, making small adjustments in the chronology. Before now, the Beatles have been totally unavailable to fans of Rock Band (or rival Guitar Hero), but the delay has led to a Beatles version of the game that pushes the technology further, finally offering a digitized magical mystery tour that is a vivid, multi-layered experience for a new era.

Confirmed songs for The Beatles: Rock Band:

"Twist And Shout" / Cavern Club
"Do You Want To Know A Secret" / Cavern Club
"Can't Buy Me Love" / Ed Sullivan Theater
"I Wanna Be Your Man" / Ed Sullivan Theater
"Eight Days A Week" / Shea Stadium
"Paperback Writer" / Budokan
"And Your Bird Can Sing" / Budokan
"Yellow Submarine" / Abbey Road Dreamscape
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" / Abbey Road Dreamscape
"With a Little Help from My Friends" / Abbey Road Dreamscape
"Within You Without You" / Tomorrow Never Knows / Abbey Road Dreamscape
"Revolution" / Abbey Road Dreamscape
"Birthday" / Abbey Road Dreamscape
"Dig A Pony" / Rooftop Concert
"I've Got A Feeling" / Rooftop Concert
"I Saw Her Standing There"
"I Want To Hold Your Hand"
"I Feel Fine"
"Taxman"
"Day Tripper"
"Back In The USSR"
"I Am The Walrus"
"Octopus's Garden"
"Here Comes The Sun"
"Get Back" source>>>

Class-action suit filed vs. NCAA over use of players' likenesses

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:37:00 -0500

A class-action antitrust lawsuit on behalf of former college men's basketball and football players was filed at 4:30 p.m. ET Tuesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, seeking unspecified damages from the NCAA and Collegiate Licensing Company for the use of players' images and likenesses in video content, photographs and other memorabilia.

Ed O'Bannon, who starred on the UCLA basketball team that won the 1995 NCAA tournament, is the only named plaintiff thus far but lead attorney Michael Hausfeld said he expects the lawsuit will expand to include hundreds, if not thousands, of former Division I basketball and Football Bowl Subdivision players. Attorney Jon T. King confirmed the suit was filed.

"Essentially, the case seeks to correct a major imbalance between the NCAA, its institutions, former student-athletes and the commercial market," Hausfeld said.

NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson said in an e-mail the association will defer comment on the lawsuit since officials haven't had a chance to review it. "However," Christianson wrote, "the NCAA categorically denies any infringement on former or current student-athlete likeness rights."

This is the second class action lawsuit filed recently against the NCAA and Collegiate Licensing. Former Arizona State and Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller has a class action lawsuit pending against those groups as well as their video game partner, EA Sports, for unspecified damages for using player likenesses in video games. It's filed in the same San Francisco court as O'Bannon's class-action suit.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: George W. Bush | San Francisco | Al Gore | National Collegiate Athletic Association | Arizona State University | Adidas | Reebok | NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship | EA Sports | Smith College | Andrew Zimbalist | Friedrich Schiller | Ed O'Bannon

Former Rutgers quarterback Ryan Hart is suing EA Sports in a New Jersey court for using his likeness without permission.

EA Sports is named as a co-conspirator in O'Bannon's suit along with NCAA member schools and conferences. O'Bannon's suit wants the NCAA and Collegiate Licensing to provide accounting of the revenue generated by their commercial ventures. Additionally, the suit asks the court to create a constructive trust for players.

"We put in our time to become better student-athletes, and when you're done playing, you move on," O'Bannon, the 1995 national college player of the year, said in a telephone interview. "At the same time, once you leave your university, one would think your likeness belongs to you."

The suit claims the NCAA's conduct is "blatantly anticompetitive and exclusionary, as it wipes out in total the future ownership interests of former student-athletes in their own images -- rights that all other members of society enjoy -- even long after student-athletes have ceased attending a university."

Forms that athletes are required to sign when entering college, which allow the NCAA or third parties to use the athletes' name or picture to promote NCAA events, are a point of contention in the lawsuit. The suit alleges the consent forms deprive former student-athletes of earning rights and requests an injunction to force the NCAA to stop using them.

Commercial success

Commercialism is a touchy subject for the NCAA. The association, a non-profit, is dependent on commercial endeavors but critics argue that athletes are exploited and the definition of amateurism is distorted when players' images and their likenesses are marketed and sold in what has become a multi-billion dollar industry.

"College sport is a business and a free market system for everyone except the athletes," Richard Southall, director of the College Sport Research Institute at the University of North Carolina, said in an interview last week on the rights of past and present student-athletes. "I'm not criticizing it, but there's ample evidence of the commercial nature of college sport."

That commercial aspect increasingly is under scrutiny, coinciding with the rapid growth of digital technology that continually delivers new products. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think all this money would be generated based on what I did 15 years ago," O'Bannon said.

His lawsuit lists DVDs from UCLA's championship run in the '95 NCAA tournament that are on sale on the NCAA On Demand online store and promoted with references to O'Bannon's standout performances (he was named the Final Four's most outstanding player).

The suit also alleges O'Bannon's likeness is used in the EA Sports NCAA Basketball 09 Classic Teams video game. "Ask yourself a question," Hausfeld said. "How can the NCAA continue licensing the use of those images after a student-athlete (has left) a university?"

More and more, that question is being asked by former players, lawyers and scholars. "The notion that the NCAA can profit from selling likenesses in video games is silliness," said Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist. "The NCAA and video game companies are treating the rest of us like we're 2-year-olds."

To compensate former players, O'Bannon's lawsuit suggests revenue sharing modeled after group licensing deals in professional sports. An alternative, the suit says, could be the creation of funds for health insurance, additional educational or vocational training or pension plans for former student-athletes.

Vaccaro's role

O'Bannon said he does not expect to receive large sums of money if he wins the case. After playing two years in the NBA and later overseas, he settled in Nevada and makes a comfortable living by working in sales and marketing for a car dealership.

"This isn't really about the money," he said. "This is about going after what's right. It's almost like, 'How dare they put us out there and not compensate us?'"

He said he had been bothered by the NCAA's recent business ventures that included his image and likeness but had not considered suing until he was approached by former shoe company executive Sonny Vaccaro and Vaccaro's wife and business partner, Pam.

"It's so cool the Vaccaros are behind this and really want to help us out," O'Bannon said. "They are pathfinders."

Vaccaro was once a controversial figure for commercializing youth basketball by outfitting scores of players in athletic apparel while searching for the next superstar to endorse the company for which he worked, whether it was Nike, Adidas or Reebok.

He now considers himself an advocate for players' rights and has been railing against the NCAA's strict parameters on amateurism that he says strips players of rightful earning power. In part through speeches he made on the university lecture circuit, Vaccaro said he got the attention of Hausfeld's high-powered Washington, D.C.-based firm. In legal circles, Hausfeld is a well-known antitrust lawyer on a global scale.

Attorney William Isaacson is co-counsel in the case and is from the prominent firm Boies, Schiller and Flexner, which represented former Vice President Al Gore against George W. Bush in 2000 when the Presidential election was too close to call and ultimately decided by the Supreme Court in favor of Bush.

Vaccaro is serving as an unpaid consultant in this case.

"Questions will finally be answered," Vaccaro said. "I need these people -- the NCAA -- to explain how they can rule over (athletes) and nobody questions them."

Depicting the act of swearing an oath in court, Vaccaro said: "They're going to have to put their left hand down and right hand up. They're going to have to answer to thousands of kids." source>>>

NCAA '10 sacks earlier incarnations

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:34:00 -0500

College football doesn't begin its regular season until the beginning of September, but diehard fans of the sport know that it officially begins every July with the release of the NCAA football video game from EA Sports.

The game is so anticipated year after year that Gamestop on Greenville Boulevard held a special midnight opening just so avid gamers could get their hands on NCAA Football '10 as early as possible.

Festivities kicked off at 10 p.m. on July 13 for the event, which included $1 pizza slices from Phat Philly's, college football trivia contests, a chance to play the highly sought after game a little early and even autographs from a dozen or so members of the East Carolina football team.

But is such hoopla over NCAA Football '10 really worth it?

Since the move to next-generation consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360 around four years ago, the title failed each passing season to add anything significant in terms of presentation and game play, until last year that is.

In the '09 version of the game, an online dynasty was finally added to the NCAA formula that enabled gamers and up to 11 friends to play up to 60 seasons while recruiting head-to-head and shooting for the ultimate prize of the BCS National Championship.

While online dynasty returns for another round in this year's game, the real story is not one, but two new game modes that push '10 into the conversation of perhaps being the best football game ever made.

Road to Glory takes the place of the now-defunct Road to the Heisman mode, but all the key ingredients that made the former great are still there. In the mode, the user creates a player and takes him from his playoff run as a high school senior all the way up until the conclusion of a successful four-year college campaign.

The biggest revamp of this mode is the addition of ESPN sideline reporter, Erin Andrews, and cameo call-in spots from Kirk Herbstreit. Both Andrews and Herbstreit comment on major milestones and accomplishments through the use of highlights, photographs and statistics.

While Road to the Heisman more or less made one use their imagination when playing throughout a college campaign, Road to Glory leaves less to the mind and more to the presentation aspect -- definitely a major upgrade.

Also new in this year's version of the game is the "Season Showdown" mode, which in a nutshell is a mode that allows a user to take his or her favorite team during the real-life 2009 college football season and play against that week's opponent, either against the CPU or an online user, and earn points to take their team to the top.

A key complaint in the next-gen versions of the game has always been that FCS teams (formerly I-AA) don't appear in the game.

Thanks to the new EA Sports Teambuilder, users can take to the Web to design their favorite team whether it is an FCS, historical or even a high school squad.

Teambuilder is very in depth and not only allows you to create the team, but the logos, colors and even the stadium that goes along with each.

As far as game play goes, '10 doesn't really tinker too much with what was already a good product. Strategic play calling has been added to the mix while game planning allows users to dictate the pace of play by lobbying for an aggressive, balanced or conservative style.

Overall, EA Sports has taken one of its most prestigious game franchises and almost completely overhauled it for the first time in years, from a presentation aspect right down to the onscreen graphics.

It would have been easy for EA to mess around with the game play, a la the '05 version of the game, but this time around, the company doesn't mess with what didn't need fixing.

EA addressed the issues that needed fixing or upgrading and in the end, it's simply, in my opinion, the best football simulation ever released.

That is until Madden '10 drops in August. source>>>

Jeff Gordon Graces Cover of EA SPORTS NASCAR 09

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:54:00 -0500

Strap in racing fans. Your loyalties may be tested as Jeff Gordon will be the cover on EA's latest, NASCAR 09. You may love him of hate him, but he can drive.

Gordon's prestigious reputation aligns with the new NASCAR 09 career mode, "Sprint for the Cup." Gordon will bring the game to you as a guide and a mentor to help you build your reputation to become the next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. With a completely rebuilt handling model, the game will be more accessible to newcomers while continuing to offer options that will challenge even the most experienced virtual driver. NASCAR 09 is an authentic NASCAR experience that will appeal to every type of NASCAR enthusiast.

The game sure looks pretty. I've personally never gotten into NASCAR. Something about watching guys make left turns for a few hours just doesn't peak my interest.

Here's the full press release:

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., -- March 12, 2008 -- Start your engines! Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced Jeff Gordon, legendary NASCAR® driver of car #24, will be featured as the cover athlete for EA SPORTS" NASCAR 09. NASCAR 09 is scheduled to ship in North America on June 10 and will offer an authentic, exhilarating stock car driving experience for racing fans of all ages.

One of NASCAR's most celebrated and successful drivers for more than a decade, Gordon is ranked 6th all time in Cup Series wins with 81 and is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion. Gordon is a member and partial owner of Hendrick Motorsports.

"It's exciting being on the cover of NASCAR 09," says Gordon. "The game is as real as it gets and it's been great being involved with it on this level. I look forward to helping gamers in NASCAR 09."

Wii Sports Resort offers convincing swordplay, basketball

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:11:00 -0500

One of the more interesting ideas creator Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned during his E3 roundtable was Woohoo Island. It's the name he's given to the setting of Wii Sports Resort. Those who have eagle eyes will notice that the fictional place is the same area you run in Wii Fit. Both games have the same lighthouse and windmills. I suppose this is Miyamoto's Yoknapatawpha County. It's the idea of a setting recurring throughout games and being as important as a character.

I had a chance to spend some time in Miyamoto's fictional island playing a few games in the upcoming Wii Sports Resort, the follow-up to Wii Sports. The sequel sports new games like basketball, swordplay and table tennis, but the big change is the Wii Motion Plus, a new peripheral that adds more fidelity to the Wii's motion-sensing technology. It tracks one-to-one movement so that players can actually aim a bow and arrow or move a virtual skydiver and see the results perfectly translated on screen.

Wii Sports Resort

I played two games: swordplay and basketball. Both worked well and are great party games. With swordplay, Wii Sports Resort pits you and a friend or computer in a fight with wooden swords. Swing the Wii Remote horizontally and you'll make horizontal swing of the sword. Slash down and the movement is mimicked on screen. Surprisingly, the game even detects lunges.

I played against the folks with Nintendo, and I did fairly well winning two of the three rounds by knocking my opponent off a platform. It's almost like the sword fighting you did as a kid. I got into the habit of waggling around madly, and it seemed to work well. But I expect constantly lunging won't get you far against a fencing expert.

The other minigame I played was the 3-point shooting contest. Set up like the one in the NBA All-Star game, players pick up a ball with the a button and they'll have to make a shooting motion with the Wii remote. Other than picking up the ball, there's no other button pressing. There's no awkward gesture. It's just a set shot and a follow through with the Wii Remote in your hand.

It works amazingly well, and once you get in rhythm, you feel like Craig Hodges or Larry Bird. As you work your way around the different racks, you can take your time with the money ball.

But be sure not to linger too long because the event is timed and you have to make as many shots as possible within the limit.

Wii Sports Resort is scheduled to be released July 26. source>>>

Will NHL 10 be the most emotional sports game ever?

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:18:00 -0500

Speaking during an E3 demo of EA Sports' NHL 10, producer David Littman told us of the one thing sports games were lacking the most -- emotion.

"Hockey is one of the sports that has the most emotion," he said.

He points to emotional staples of hockey events, like screaming fans banging glass or the player-on-player fights that often break out on the ice. The game will feature both. But to that last point, NHL 10 will feature fighting for the first time in years, with an interesting twist -- it's entirely in first-person.

More after the jump.
In the demo we saw, Littman used both analog sticks to throw punches, and to tug and yank on another player's jersey. According to the NHL 10 producer, fighting is an integral part of the sport, allowing players to let off steam, to pump up the teams involved, and to act as a bit of palate cleanser for the fans. Given that, the fighting mechanic will award the winner's team with a buff that can re-energize the team, making it more than merely gratuitous violence for violence's sake.

Advances in the game's A.I., and the new precision passing -- which lets players use the left analog stick to have more control of the speed and direction of the puck -- should have fans of last year's game psyched for NHL 10's release later this year. After all, it was one of the most critically acclaimed sports games of 2008, and Littman is looking to put the franchise in the same league as yearly must-haves like Madden NFL.

"We're looking to create a dynasty," he says. source>>>

Nintendo debuts Wii Motion Plus and Wii Vitality Sensor

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:29:00 -0500

Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo America took the stage during the E3 Nintendo Keynote to talk about the Wii MotionPlus, an attachment which delivers precise and distinct motion control.

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The Wii will ship later this year including the new "Motion Plus" which is promised to make for a more realistic and responsive game play. When gamers utilize the tool in a game of golf or a sword fight ,the sword or golf club will move in the exact manner in which you've moved it off screen bringing for a more realistic depiction of play. Of course, only games coded for the new device will also support it.

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Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwato also came forward to deliver "another entirely different way of thinking about games" as he demonstrated the new Wii Vitality Sensor in which players insert their finger and get an accurate read of their pulse. The peripheral, designed for Wii Fit transmits information to the game in which you are playing. As the device takes hold and becomes widely utilized it could more than likely be used in unique an interesting ways for more realistic and intense game play. Imagine a single person shooter adapting when your adrenaline starts pumping. source>>>

Madden NFL 10 Adds Online Co-Op

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:07:00 -0500

The latest iteration of EA's unending Madden NFL football games adds online co-operative gameplay, a first for the long-running series.

Assuming the netcode is solid this should allow gamers to take the virtual field alongside a friend instead of against them. While the series has long allowed players to play cooperatively, until now it has forced them to be in the same room.

It's unclear if this online co-op will be available in all versions or if it is restricted to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.

This should be a huge boon for series fans, but EA has promised more surprises to come over the next week. We assume they mean during E3, but the company does have the cash reserves to hire carrier pigeons to deliver announcements to all of us.

Madden NFL 10 hits essentially every gaming platform in existence on August 14. source>>>

Derek Broes, Facebook, Efusjon, and the Matrix create a once in a lifetime opportunity

Fri, 29 May 2009 16:45:00 -0500

In alternative health, açaí is all the rage. While relatively new to the American consciousness, açaí has been around for centuries and has helped many people with its healthful qualities. In order to benefit completely from açaí, however, one must truly understand what it is and what it does.
(See the 59 benefits below)

Get Healthy and Get PAID!

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How do I get paid? In the efusjon energy club, you have two distinct ways to change your financial future: Do yourself a favor, take 10 minutes and WATCH THIS, we can promise you have never seen a payout plan like this ANYWHERE!

1. When you join the efusjon energy club as a Member, you earn 4.25% of total sales volume in commissions for each order of efusjon's energy drinks when

* Customers order efusjon energy drink products from your replicated website

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* Once you have enrolled 3 people as an efusjon energy club Associate, you will be promoted to an Executive. As an Executive you will receive 4.25% of total sales volume for each active, personally enrolled Associate and your personally enrolled Associate's down lines every month. As your organization grows, so does your income. (See Compensation Plan)
* Add to that the efusjon energy club "Community Overlap" (where you are able to receive 1% of the total sales volume for each Associate enrolled by others that overlap into your community matrix) and you have the potential to increase your income dramatically.

3. efusjon energy club Associates are eligible for other incentives - in addition to their lucrative commissions! That sounds amazing - but I bet it's expensive to join. Actually, joining the efusjon energy club is a very affordable way to start a business - and for less than the price of a nice dinner out, you can begin changing your life today.

For just $30, you can become an efusjon energy club Member. As a Member, you are encouraged to retail efusjon energy drinks for a healthy profit. By joining, you get:

* Free replicated Website and personal ID number.
* Direct Deposit for your commission payments or a printed check sent through standard U.S. mail.
* Electronic access to a wealth of company information and materials. Electronic copies also contribute to a cleaner environment

Once you become a Member, all you need to do to become an Associate is to place an order for at least $120 - and you'll be able to take full advantage of the efusjon energy club difference.

What do I get for my $120?
Associates pay just $30* per 12-pack of 8.4 ounce cans of efusjon's acai berry energy drink. So an order for $120* gets you four 12-packs!

And remember, when you purchase efusjon's energy drinks at our wholesale prices, you then can retail product for a very nice profit!

*Plus tax and shipping. Tax may vary from state to state. Shipping charges are $9.00 per 12-pack.

What are the 59 Health Benefits that Made Acai Berry So Famous?

Description

The all natural antioxidant/energy drink you have been looking for is finally here. It offers remarkable taste, packs tremendous energy, and delivers health and vitility! Whether your 18 or 80, Efusjon's "RAW," is a delicious energy drink that gives your body exactly what it needs to thrive throughout the day! The rich, smooth flavor of Efujon's "RAW," is a taste you can enjoy anytime - completely guilt free.

So start your day with the delicious, nutritious energy your body and taste buds will crave! Cheers!

Nutrition Facts

The Acai berry is super rich in antioxidants and has proven itself time and time again. The ingredients that make it so healthy include dietary fiber, lipids, amino acids, antioxidants, Omega 3,6,9, phytonutients, anthocyanins, protein, plus minerals like potasium, calcium, iron and phosphorus.

Polluted air, junk foods, even strenuous exercise produces free-radicals in our bodies. Heart disease, diabetes, and cancer as well as damage to our immune system are all caused in part by free radicals.

The Acai's antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" to neutralize free-radicals, slowing and preventing the oxidative stress they cause to our cells.

Dr. Perricone's 10 Superfoods

No. 1: Açaí

Nature's Energy Fruit

It may seem odd to start this list of superfoods with one you've likely never even heard of. But studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Açaí (ah-sigh-ee) is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree.

Learn the truth about Oprah and claims about açaí.

Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, açaí tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Hidden within its royal purple pigment is the magic that makes it nature's perfect energy fruit. Açaí is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Although açaí may not be available in your local supermarket, you can find it in several health food and gourmet stores (often in juice form). A new product featuring the unsweetened pulp is now also available, and I

highly recommend that you choose this form of açaí.

What is Acai?

There is a lot of buzz about acai in the market place, but a lot of people don't know much about the fruit itself. Since Acai Roots " was started and is currently operated by Brazilians who grew up with acai with strong Roots in Brasil, they decided to share some of our knowledge about this wonderful fruit.

The Fruit - Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-eeh) is a Tupi (Brazilian indigena language) word that means "fruit that cries". This dark purple little fruit looks very similar to a jaboticaba (another very popular Brazilian fruit), grape or blueberry (very common in the US), with the difference that the majority of the fruit is seed (~ 95%), and only the skin around the seed is utilized to make acai juice or pulp.

Acai Benefits - Acai on the top of the chain when it comes to antioxidant concentration - the berry scores 67% more antioxidants than pomegranate, and over 500% more antioxidants than blueberry, as demonstrated on the chart below:

What are the 59 Health Benefits that Made Acai Berry So Famous?

1. Prolongs Your Life

2. Increases Your Energy

3. Increases Your Overall Strength

4. Helps you Look and Feel Younger

5. Helps You Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure

6. Prevents Cancer

7. Helps You Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels

8. Promotes Normal Blood Sugar

9. Enhances Sexual Function

10. Helps You Lose Weight

11. Relieves Headaches and Dizziness

12. Improves Quality of Sleep

13. Improves Your Vision

14. Strengthens Your Heart

15. Inhibits Lipid Peroxidation

16. Improves Disease Resistance

17. Strengthens Your Immune System

18. Helps Your Body Fight Cancer

19. Protects Your Precious DNA

20. Inhibits Tumor Growth

21. Reduces the Toxic Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation

22. Helps to Build Strong Blood

23. Helps with Chronic Dry Cough

24. Fights Inflammation and Arthritis

25. Improves Lymphocyte Count

26. Improves Menopausal Symptoms

27. Prevents Morning Sickness

28. Improves Fertility

29. Strengthens Your Muscles and Bones

30. Supports Normal Kidney Function

31. Improves Your Memory

32. Supports Healthy Liver Function

33. Alleviates Anxiety and Stress

34. Improves Your Mood

35. Improves Your Digestion

36. Helps You Maintain Healthy Gums

37. Fights Fibromyalgia

38. Prevents Allergies

39. Protects Children's Health

40. Promotes Overall Wellness

41. Increases workout recovery

42. Increases injury recovery

43. Helps to Reduce Physical Injuries

44. Relieves Arthritis Pain

45. Helps to Clear Skin of Warts

46. Reduces the Occurrence of Seizures

47. Helps Improve & Even Cure Leukemia

48. Fights General Depression

49. Supports Weight Loss through Fat Loss

50. Helps Slow Down the Aging Process

51. Provides all Vital Vitamins

52. Contains Several Important Minerals

53. Is an extremely Powerful Free Radical Fighter

54. Acai has very High Levels of Fibers

55. Cleanses and Detoxifies the Body of Infectious Toxins

56. Helps to Prevent Heart Problems

57. Improves Mental Clarity/Focus

58. Improves Circulation

59. Cures Osteoporosis

Join today!

Red Bull drink lifts stroke risk: Australian study

Tue, 26 May 2009 12:11:00 -0500

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, even in young people, Australian medical researchers said on Friday.

The caffeine-loaded beverage, popular with university students and adrenaline sport fans to give them "wings", caused the blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

"One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal. They were abnormal like we would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease," Scott Willoughby, lead researcher from the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told the Australian newspaper.

Red Bull Australia spokeswoman Linda Rychter said the report would be assessed by the company's head office in Austria.

"The study does not show effects which would go beyond that of drinking a cup of coffee. Therefore, the reported results were to be expected and lie within the normal physiological range," Rychter told Reuters.

Willoughby and his team tested the cardiovascular systems of 30 young adults one hour before and one hour after consuming one 250ml can of sugar-free Red Bull.

The results showed "normal people develop symptoms normally associated with cardiovascular disease" after consuming the drink, created in the 1980s by Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz based on a similar Thai energy drink.

Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health risks listed on its cans, but the company last year sold 3.5 billion cans in 143 countries. One can contains 80 mg of caffeine, around the same as a normal cup of brewed coffee.

The Austria-based company, whose marketing says "Red Bull gives you wings", sponsors Formula 1 race cars and extreme sport events around the world, but warns consumers not to drink more than two cans a day.

Rychter said Red Bull could only have such global sales because health authorities across the world had concluded the drink was safe to consume.

But Willoughby said Red Bull could be deadly when combined with stress or high blood pressure, impairing proper blood vessel function and possibly lifting the risk of blood clotting.

"If you have any predisposition to cardiovascular disease, I'd think twice about drinking it," he said.

Source>>>

Try a healthy Energy Drink alternative, 100% natural!

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