New Video Game Based on Real-life Events in Iraq

Atomic Games is coming out with a new video game called "Six Days in Fallujah" which is based on the war in Iraq. The president of the company, Peter Tamte, is very excited about their new action game. They even tapped dozens of soldiers who were involved in the 2004 battle for Iraqi city to get a real-life view. They want their new release to be more than just a game, they want it to be like a documentary. There are many games out right now that are based on real-life events such as "Call of Duty" and "Medal of Honor", but they are based on the past. This will be the first video game that is based on the war in Iraq. "Six Days" will use actual events that took place as their backdrop. The game follows several units through their day to day lives for the six days in Fallujah. It is set to release next year. This sounds interesting to me. I don't play video games but I might play this one just to see what it is all about.

What's the Deal With "Sexting"?

Apparently this new way of texting has become dangerous for kids. "Sexting" is when kids send sexual messages, pictures and videos to other people with their phones. Usually it is girls sexting boys , but it goes both ways. If caught with these pictures or videos they could get charged with child pornography and even face jail time. A 13- year old boy from Ohio is facing felony charges after he taped some kids involved in a sex act and then showed his friends at a skating party. Another boy from Florida will remain a registered sex offender until he is 43 because he mass emailed naked pictures of his ex-girlfriend after they broke up to get back at her. These seem like drastic measures for two teenage boys!

I could not believe some of the stories I read about this subject. I think some of these kids are getting too harsh a punishment, they are just kids and they do not know what they are getting themselves into. Hopefully an example is being made out of the ones that have gotten caught and there will be less of this activity going on.

Youtube and Sony Unite

I know I talk a lot about online videos, but I found yet another story that sounded interesting to me. YouTube is in talks with Sony to acquire licensing rights to some of there full-length movies. This would mean that YouTube would be able to have full-length videos from Sony on their site. There are no details about the agreement and both parties are declining to comment. If this deal does go through it will be a great thing for both YouTube and Sony, so hopefully it will work out.

Recently YouTube got licenced to use short-form content from Disney, which includes ESPN and ABC. With this new collaboration YouTube is able to play show clips, previews and more. YouTube is becoming a place were you can watch a lot more than just videos random people put up, and I think they are going to become a lot more in the future.

The Real World Renewed for More Seasons

MTV just signed a deal for another four seasons of "The Real World". I am so excited about this news because that is one of my favorite shows. They are also going to have another four rounds of "The Real World/Road Rules Challenge". This will bring "The Real World" to its 26th season and the challenge to its 21st. "The Real World: Brooklyn" just ended and I wasn't too crazy about this season. I didn't like the people much, actually not at all, because all they did was get into stupid fights with each other. They have already started shooting the next season which is in Cancun! I think that should be a fun season and hopefully the producers cast people that somewhat get along. The new Challenge is starting soon also I think and that looks like it is going to be crazy from the get go. MTV can never cancel "The Real World" because it is one of their trademark shows and it is always getting new viewers and evolving with the times.

The most popular newspaper in Mass, The Boston Globe, is being threatened to be shut down. This news has stunned readers and left them wondering how this could happen when they are the number 1 paper around? It is all about money and the recession is taking its toll on The Globe too. The New York Times Co. is threatening to close the paper unless they agree to a $20 million concession. This money will come from pay cuts and loss of company contributions to employee pentions.

Everyone is really upset by this and many say they will really miss the Globe. Some people are not affected by it at all and claim they can get their news elsewhere like online. I don't read the newspaper but I imagine if it was a daily ritual of mine, like it is for a lot of people I would be devastated by the news that they were shutting down.

The Simpsons get Eternalized in a Stamp

I recently read something I thought was very interesting, "The Simpsons" is getting a stamp to celebrate 20 years on TV. They will be launched this year and it is a huge accomplishment for Fox and everyone involved with The Simpsons show. The stamps, that were designed by the shows producer Matt Groening, will feature all the characters; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. The Postal Service receives about 50,000 stamp suggestions a year and only 20 are chosen, so it is a real honor for them. I was not the biggest fan of the Simpsons, I used to watch it when I was very young but as I got older I wasn't into it anymore. Although I am not a fan I think it is great that they are getting a stamp because after 20 years as an American favorite they deserve it.

China Blocks Youtube

China has blocked the website Youtube without giving a reason why. Google, which owns Youtube, said they noticed a decrease in traffic from China on Monday. Apparently when they go to the site an error message appears saying "Network timeout. The server at Youtube.com is taking too long to respond." Spokespeople for Google are saying that they do not know what is going on but they are trying to fix the problem. I cannot believe that the government in China can block a website without google knowing about it, and this isn't the first time they have done this. China also blocked Youtube in 2008 when riots broke out in Tibet. Some people are speculating that the block has to do with videos that are being posted by Tibetan exile groups. Apparently these videos show Tibetans being kicked and beaten by police officers and that explains why the government is trying prevent these images from reaching the public. Whatever the reason is, it sounds like there is a lot of bad things happening in China right now.

The Internet is Taking Over

The internet is becoming a big threat to businesses. Video games, movies, TV and radio all can be found on the web and usually cheaper or even free. Sirius XM radio is facing a serious problem because of websites like Pandora and foneshow. People are starting to see that they can get the same benefits for free instead of paying for the service. The same is happening to video games. The internet provides games for cheaper than the big companies so it is making it harder for companies like Sony to make money. Game consoles are also losing attention and the exects feel that consoles are "dying".

I watch a lot of movies on the internet so that I can save money. You would be surprised how many you can actually find online and some that are still in theaters. I saw "Hes Just Not That Into You" online a week after it came out in theaters. As long as you don't mind some new ones being taped from in the theater you can watch pretty much anything. I know that is not helping the movie industry make money, but we have to save money any way we can right!