(If the video streams too slowly, here’s the Youtube link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S3GAPIYuvM

The Prime 9 Historic MLB moments of the 22nd Century

(If the video streams too slowly, here’s the Youtube link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JpHp4uWsTc

The beauty of this amazing deal was in the way it was handled by the Angels. Arte Moreno and new GM Jerry Dipoto, along with other Angels executive staff, seemed to create this deal in the shadows without any hint to the media. Unlike the Miami Marlins, who have been vocal about their interest in the All-Star first baseman, the Angels surprised the sporting world with their unprecedented announcement. You can count on Orange County fans fully supporting the arrival of the King, as they hope to see their team bring home a world series trophy during Pujols’ reign.

Since I live less than 10 minutes from Angels Stadium, I’m prepared to hear a lot more fireworks going off during home games when Albert and team crank out home runs. The Angels should consider increasing their fireworks budget if they haven’t already.

It’s going to be an exciting time for Angels Baseball!

1. Log into your Gmail account and look for the cog on the right side of your inbox. Now, the confusion users are having is the presence of two cogs on the right side of the screen. Select the lower cog, as seen below:

2. Once you’ve selected the correct cog, a list of options will appear. Select the “Revert to the old look temporarily” option:

That’s it! Google will ask you why you’re switching back, but you don’t need to fill in the form. Hope this helps.

Lastly, if you want to switch back again to the new look, then simply click on the “Switch to the new look” tab on the lower-right corner of your gmail page (make sure you’re logged in). If you don’t see the tab, then close any chats or tasks tabs you might have open.

Enjoy!

Presentation
Being a fan of the show is not a requirement when playing this game; it’s an action/adventure title with 10+ hours of gameplay and is loaded with an intuitive combat system, challenging platorming sequences, and well-thought out puzzle-solving scenarios. As Ben, you travel across the galaxy and alternate dimensions to prevent the evil Vilgax from taking over planet Earth. Vilgax Attacks is the first game in the series to offer 10 alien forms to play with at one time. Each alien is designed with unique abilities that help in overcoming enemies and obstacles in the environment. The story itself fits with the TV series for several reasons; light-hearted humor, appearance by all the main characters, and it was written by one of the show’s writers. The original cast from the animated series have lent their voices throughout the game, so from a branding standpoint the game is rock solid. The game looks the best on the Xbox 360, and if you’re playing it on the other platforms (excluding the DS), it’s the exact same game. The game’s developer, Papaya Studio, did a fantastic job of getting the game to perform nicely on several platforms with varying technical specs.

Gameplay
Vilgax Attacks is evenly divided between puzzle solving, platforming, and combat. Every level also ends with a boss battle, which get better with each passing level. Fighting enemies is very easy to manage as the combo system is designed around 3 buttons: doesn’t matter how old you are, you’ll be able to fight and perform great-looking attacks. New combos can be earned as Ben gains experience throughout gameplay. Puzzle-solving is made up of multi-layered solutions, similar to the God of War series. Some puzzles are solved with a simple pull of a switch, where others involve numerous steps and creative thinking through the use of several alien forms. Platforming is fun, and never over-challenging or unfair. Characters like Spidermonkey, Big Chill, and Jetray are great to traverse difficult platforming setups. With plenty of great puzzles, enemy encounters, and platform jumping spread throughout the game, fans of God of War and Prince of Persia will like what they see in Vilgax Attacks.

Conclusion
This is a no-brainer if you like the Ben 10 series; just go out and get the game. If you’re not familiar with Ben, Gwen, Kevin, and Grandpa Max, then allow Ben 10: Alien Force Vilgax Attacks to introduce you to Cartoon Network’s number TV show, and enjoy a solid gaming experience in the process.

Final Score: 8.8/10

It’s a good thing when a contestant happens to be from a part of the country where AI viewers are low in numbers. As a result, their hometown support just doesn’t match up to another singer from a large metropolitan area. The rule also protects against the short term memory loss of the American Idol viewer. Some contestants have rock solid performances all throughout the season, but because of one missed note lose their place in the contest. The save rule allows the judges to save the contestant from being punished for that one missed note. The public also tends to forget that American Idol is a singing competition. There are times where one contestant is clearly not the best singer, but remains in the running due to their quirky personality or appearance (Sanjaya). Meanwhile, better singers are given the boot because they didn’t wear a silly Mohawk, or because they didn’t make a fan with down’s syndrome cry on national television. In these cases, the judges’ veto power is relevant and acceptable.

But why institute a veto rule when half the show’s success is based on the American voter? AI is popular not only because it finds diamonds in the rough, but because every home viewer can shape the evolution of each season. Also, it would be strange to see the judges save a contestant when the night before that same contestant was given poor feedback for their performance. The veto rule seems to be very contradictory to many of the show’s foundational procedures.

The rule has already been used in the French version of Idol, and apparently it works. It’s going to be a love-hate event when it happens in the land of the free.

I had the privilege of working and meeting with Mask back when I was making the UFC games for the Sega Dreamcast. At that time, Tapout was a new clothing line and Mask was busting his rump to make the company a success.

What I remember most was his energy and enthusiasm, and especially his posse; a bunch of wacky dudes who could easily stand out in a crowd.

He hooked me up with some slick Tapout gear back then. My prayers are with him, his family, and with Tapout. He is certainly one of those guys you just don’t expect to leave so soon.