Finally some good news

Back in 2013 when I pre-ordered my PS4, one of the games I was most anticipating was Watch Dogs from Ubisoft, the same company that brought us Assassin's Creed.  I pre-ordered the game so that I could have it on release day of the PS4 and it was gonna be a toss up what I would play more.  Would it be Assassin's Creed or Watch Dogs that I would play first? Well, before I had to answer that question, Ubisoft answered it for me by delaying the release of Watch Dogs until the Spring of 2014.  That's OK though, I still have the pre-order whenever it comes out.  But then Monday I got a little bit of a scare.  All over the internet were reports that Ubisoft had forfeited the copyright to Watch Dogs and that the game was scrapped and may never be released.  Thankfully that was not the case.  In a statement from Ubisoft, they said:

“On February 1, 2014, Ubisoft Entertainment received an email from TEAS@uspto.gov notifying Ubisoft Entertainment that a Request for Express Abandonment had been filed in connection with Application Serial No. 85642398. The Request for Express Abandonment purports to be signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Ubisoft Entertainment, Yves Guillemot.

“Mr. Guillemot, however, did not sign the Request for Express Abandonment, nor did Ubisoft Entertainment file the Request for Express Abandonment. The Request for Express Abandonment is fraudulent and was not filed by Ubisoft Entertainment or its representative.”

So apparently it was all some kind of fraudulent scam?  I don't know.  Maybe it was some elaborate marketing ploy to create a stir and get the people fired up.  Maybe it was just a scam.  Who know? But people are talking.  All I know is that I can't wait for it to come out.  If you aren't familiar with it, check out this video.

So, see, it is gonna be awesome!!!!

In other good news, Netflix has announced that it has renewed their original series House of Cards for a third season.  It is a little unusual since the second season hasn't even started (it becomes available Feb. 14) and they have confirmed a third season.  But oh well, Netflix sort of plays by their own rules too.  If you haven't seen season one of House of Cards, you really must check it out.  Here is the trailer for season one. 

I won't post the trailer for season two so as not to ruin anything for you in case you decide to watch it. 

So, Watch Dogs and House of Cards? Life is good!!!!  Until next time, peace!!!!

52's the mike!! Omaha!! Omaha!!!

 

What day is it?  It's not hump day but Super Bowl Sunday and if you don't understand the title of this post, then you probably don't watch a lot of football.  This is more than just a game.  It's an event with the game, partying, tons of food and of course, the real reason everyone tunes in, the commercials. This year features the high-scoring Denver Broncos offense led by league MVP Peyton Manning as they take on the Seattle Seahawks and the Legion of Boom defense led by Richard Sherman.

 

Some fun facts about the Broncos:

Peyton Manning is coming off the greatest regular season ever by a QB with 5,477 yards passing and 55 TDs. He is trying to become the first QB to win Super Bowl titles with two different franchises, having gone 1-1 while quarterback of the Colts.

Led by Pro Bowl selection Demaryius Thomas, Denver has four receivers with 10+ TDs and more than 60 catches each -- Thomas, Julius Thomas, Eric Decker and Wes Welker. Nine different receivers had at least 10 catches during the regular season with eight different receivers catching TDs. Demaryius Thomas and Decker each had more than 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season, while Welker and Julius Thomas both had more than 750 yards.

Some fun facts about the Seahawks:

Russell Wilson has the most regular-season wins by a QB in his first two seasons since 1950 and is tied for most including postseason in first two seasons since 1950 with 27. He is the only player in NFL history to have a 100+ passer rating in both his rookie and second season.

Led by Richard Sherman, Seattle's defense and its "Legion of Boom" secondary finished the regular season ranked first in total and scoring defense. It ranked first in points per game allowed, yards per game allowed, passing yards per game allowed and total takeaways. It was seventh in rushing yards per game allowed.

It's sure to be a hard fought game with a lot of big hits, whether its the Seattle D blowing up a receiver or a Denver receiver running their notorious illegal pick play and lighting up a DB.  All I know is I can't wait for kickoff.  And speaking of kickoff, I'm gonna get out of here and finish cooking up some typical non-organic, unhealthy, bad for you super snacks.  Enjoy the game!!!!!

PS - Beware of the Doberhuahua!!!! (just watch the commercials and you will understand)

Come sail away with me

Like my buddy Simon, I have been playing Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ever since it came out on the PS4.  Well, I've played other things on the PS4 but I love AC4.  Those that know me know that the whole pirate culture is in my blood and that I am drawn to that type of thing.  Now, with AC4, I get to actual "live" the life of a pirate.  Sailing the seas, attacking and pillaging ships as I see fit.  Running and hiding on obscure islands.  Seeking and finding hidden treasures and of course, defying authority every chance I get.  I've actually finished the story line for AC4 a while ago and have been actually trying to complete all the side missions (I'm at 90%).  I've also be playing one of the DLC games, Freedom Cry, where I get to play as Adewale, my former quartermaster.  

I think the thing that I really find interesting is that, just as I was needing something new with AC4, Starz! came out with their new series, Black Sails.  And of course, it is about pirates so you know I am hooked.  

I also found it interesting how the two cross over.  Jack Rackham is in both and so is Anne Bonny.  In AC4, Anne ends up taking over as my quartermaster aboard the Jackdaw when Adewale leaves to join the assassins.  In Black Sails, she is chumming around with Jack Rackham in the first episode (I haven't watched the second episode yet but it's on the DVR).  Above you can see the AC4 incarnation of Anne while to the right is the Black Sails interpretation.  She's a little more edgy and straight-forward in Black Sails.  She also has a tendency to say whatever is on her mind. As proven when we see her in the tavern and she's listening to Jack Rackham drone on and on.  She looks up at him and simply states, "I wanna f#ck!" Well, all right then.  Definitely not your AC4 Anne Bonny.

I think everyone knows the story of AC4 but maybe not Black Sails. So allow me to enlighten you.  The show is based on Captain Flint and his merry band of misfit pirates (including a recently added "cook" by the name of John Silver).  They sail out of New Providence and the Caribbean is their playground. According to the open credits of the pilot episode, "In 1715, West Indies, the pirates of New Providence Island threaten maritime trade in the region. The laws of every civilized nation declare them hostis humani generis; enemies of all mankind. In response, the pirates adhere to a doctrine of their own...war against the world." The show stars Toby Stephens as Captain Flint, Luke Arnold as John Silver, Tom Hopper as Billy Bones, Toby Schmitz as Jack Rackham  and Mark Ryan as Gates.

Left to right: Billy Bones and Captain Flint

 But what would a Starz! original be without some sexy women around?  Hannah New plays Eleanor Guthrie, Jessica Parker Kennedy plays scheming prostitute Max and Clare Paget as the previously mentioned Anne Bonny.

Max (on the left) had a special way of consoling Eleanor Guthrie and her fine booty

It will be interesting to see how Starz! does with this series and I will try to keep you updated.  Looking on the net, it looks like this season is only eight episodes but Season 2 is supposed to be 10 episodes.  Speaking of Black Sails, I think I will go watch the second episode now.  Until next time, I leave you with these words from AC4 and Mary Read (James Kidd), "Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. This is the world's only certainty."

Are friends electric?

Now the light fades out
And I wonder what I'm doing
In a room like this
There's a knock on the door
And just for a second I thought
I remembered you

Hello and welcome to my new blog, Are Friends Electric? This is my own little cyber-world where we can all take a peek behind the curtain.  As I said, this is my new blog because I decided to abandon my old blog when it abandoned me.  Well, that's not entirely true. My blog didn't abandon me but the inspiration did.  I started the old blog to honor a musician that I had followed since 1981 but then he abandoned his fans and became more tyrannical than Joffrey Baratheon sitting on the Iron Throne.  Oh uh....sorry.  I have a tendency to talk using movie and TV references.  Oh, and songs.  I use a lot of song references, too.  Even the name of this blog is actually the title of a Gary Numan song.  I even included some lyrics at the beginning of this post.  Oh, wait, I went off on a some wild tangent there and completely got sidetracked. Sorry about that.  Uh, let's see, where were we?  Hmm....welcome......yadda yadda yadda.....curtain....yeah check.....old blog...mmm hmm.......abandoned....yeah OK, that's where we were.  So like I was saying, when this half man abandoned his fan base, I decided to abandon the blog and start a new one.  So here we are.  

“You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go. It is the basic condition of life, to be required to violate your own identity. At some time, every creature which lives must do so. It is the ultimate shadow, the defeat of creation; this is the curse at work, the curse that feeds on all life. Everywhere in the universe.” ― Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 

I plan on using this as a forum to share my likes and dislikes.  A place where I can ramble about things that interest me and occasionally rant about things that drive me mad.  I'm not sure where this all will go and I don't really want to know where it will lead because I believe that in the journey is where the fun lies.  Maybe it will be like the quote from Blue Man Group that I love so much (and it also appears at the bottom of the blog).

Taking the audience on a Jungian journey into the collective unconscious by using the shadow as a metaphor for the primal self that gets repressed by the modern persona and also by using an underground setting and labyrinth office design to represent both the depths of the psyche and the dungeon-like isolation of our increasingly mechanistic society which prevents people from finding satisfying work or meaningful connections with others. - Blue Man Group, Rock Concert Movement #237

Then again, who really knows? So if you choose to join me on my adventure, you are more than welcome.  If not, thanks for stopping by and may fortune always smile on you and may you always be at peace.  Now, let's take a peek behind that curtain.