Author Archives: Allan Campbell

Justice League Film To Bring Different Caped Crusader Says Ben Affleck

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Source: TNT America Latina via Facebook

While many people quite liked the dark, out-for-blood Batman that squared off against Superman in the Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice film, Batman actor Ben Affleck has said the superhero won’t quite be the same in the new Justice League film. This comes a month after Affleck had to deny media rumors regarding his departure from the series. The Chasing Amy star told the press that not only would he be staying on as Bats, but he would be changing his demeanor to fit with the mood of the upcoming Justice League film.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said “BvS departed a little bit from the traditional Batman. He started out with all this rage directed at Superman…” However, it seems Batman is turning over a new leaf with the Justice League as he struggles to assemble a team of heroes and make them a cohesive unit. Affleck then goes on to say fans should expect to see a Batman more familiar for people who read the comics – one that’s a bit more heroic and less focused on revenge.

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But as any fan of the comics knows, that could suggest quite a lot. Are we talking about the Batman that spouts off righteous one-liners before he finishes a fight, or is this the softer spoken Bats that disappears having the last word? Often times, Batman can act many different ways. He is, after all, so cherished because he’s complex in ways that many superheroes are not *cough* Superman *cough*, so what’s the formula Affleck is looking to use? It’s clear that Batman was emotional and a bit more rough with his foes when compared to Christoper Nolan’s take on the hero, but dialling back the drama a bit seems to be a route Affleck is looking to explore.

If we look at some of the Justice League source material, Batman is around for the formation of the group but starts out as an “on-call” member. Elsewhere, such as in the Justice League slot machine, Superman is portrayed as the central figure in the video game art. Oddschecker even has sign-up bonuses available for multiple sites housing the game so it’s a title viewed and played by many. Despite not being seen as the head honcho, Bruce puts his life on the line all the time. While some might argue that Superman is the face of the Justice League, Batman often commands the group in the heat of the moment or when a clever plan must be devised. However, it looks like Batman is going to need to do it all with Superman, at the very least, incapacitated at the end of Batman vs. Superman. In the more recent New 52 comics that relaunched the DC universe, Batman seems to be more or less the leader of the group. In this, we might expect to see some of Affleck’s claims come to fruition as the senior superhero has to pull together a team of younger recruits such as Cyborg and the Flash.

Affleck goes on to say this very position of power mixed with the task of team leader is where much of the film’s excitement will come from. “He’s put in this position of having to reach out, find other people, convincing them to do something. The actor goes on to say the movie will be more about multilateralism and the focus of the movie is on the formation of the team and whether or not they have what it takes to work together.

Source: Taran Adarsh via Facebook

A promo picture and website for the Justice League film put that thought on full display as it shows members of the group standing front to back with Batman in the center. Words read “Unite The League,” and the picture fails to show the Son of Krypton, Superman. So, perhaps in the Kryptonian’s absence, Batman will step up and lead with a cool head. It would certainly seem so if we’re to take Affleck at his word but it’s all conjecture until the movie finally comes out November 17, 2017.

What do you think Affleck is bringing to the table and what would you like to see? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

Yes, You’re A Parent. But You’re Also a Person – And a Friend!

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Hanging out with your friends once kids are part of the equation can seem almost impossible. When you’ve got busy lives, it can be real tough to actually do something for yourself, let alone in a group with other people in your situation. However, your friends know the “real you”, the person defined by something other than the sole fact they have reproduced. It’s important to reclaim that person from time to time, which is why it’s imperative that you let your hair down every now and again.

Hit The Bars

If you can find a trusted babysitter, hold on to them for dear life! People you trust to take care of your kids are hard to come by – especially when you can’t ask a friend, because they’ll be coming out, too! Of course, the temptation to get out can be overwhelming, but we mustn’t sacrifice safety – just make sure you’re careful when searching for a sitter, and also make sure you communicate to them everything they need to know.

Bar hopping is the ultimate in “no kids allowed” activities, and although you probably shouldn’t carry on like you’re still in your college days, there’s no harm in dressing up and truly letting go just once in a little while.

Play Some Grown Up Games

As much as we love our kids, the thousandth game of Operation or Kerplunk can give us nightmares for weeks! Games as adults don’t have to be quite so tedious, and thankfully, many of the best are altogether unsuitable for children, anyway! Cards Against Humanity is a huge hit at parties, offering adults the opportunity to be a little bit naughty and play cards (literally) that they normally wouldn’t dream of.

If you’re looking for a more serious game that also trains the brain, poker is a classic option. Trying to keep a straight face is something people have been trying to perfect for years, and you know what they say – practice makes perfect! Nobody can argue with the fact that keeping a straight face – just like bluffing successfully – is a useful skill to have in our personal and professional lives too, so you can feel confident that you’re actually improving yourself while having fun. Of course, finding the time to actually go to a casino can be quite the challenge, so remember that there’s an option to play poker online. For those that are afraid that they’ll miss the social aspect of playing a round or two in person, poker operator 888poker offers “face to face” webcam poker, which uses your camera and allows you to see the faces of your opponents while you play online.

Get Away

Once the little ones are that little bit older, you may be able to escape for more than just one evening (imagine that)! Of course, you probably won’t want to go too far away, but if there’s a city nearby, you could always splurge for a hotel. Nice food, a few drinks, and some good, clean fun. What’s not to love?

Of course, sometimes you do need to compromise. A trip with the kids to a resort where there is childcare available is a middle ground. The kids have their fun in the day, and the adults have theirs at night. There are plenty of family adventures right here in the USA, that could easily double as a whole group getaway.

Remember, before parenthood, there was personhood. That part of you doesn’t just disappear because you have children. Live for them – but also live for you.

 

 

What to consider when travelling to Vegas

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Las Vegas is well-known for luxury casinos, dive bars and glitzy entertainment – but if you’ve never been to Vegas before, you’ll be in for a few surprises.

To help make the best of your trip, especially if you’re looking for things to do in Las Vegas with kids, here are just a few things you should know before travelling to Las Vegas for the first time…

It’s hot – really hot

Since Vegas sits smack bang in the middle of the Nevada desert, you might expect it to be warm. But as soon as you get off the plane, you’ll notice just how hot it is – 38 degrees centigrade (100 degrees Fahrenheit) is the average temperature in August.

While the casinos, bars, restaurants and hotels all have air-conditioning, be prepared to break out in a sweat if you plan to walk more than 100 metres (109 yards). The most comfortable way to move around Las Vegas Strip is through the casino complex and not around it.

ATM charges are high

The standard fee for using most cash machines in Las Vegas is $5.99 , but this can rise to $9.99 in some adult establishments. This may not mean much to the big spenders, but to us mere mortals, it can have a real impact on our cash flow.

When you come to Vegas, you’d be wise to bring plenty of cash (especially if travelling from outside the United States) to avoid these astronomical charges.

Everyone smokes – everywhere

Smoking has been banned here in the UK for years, so most of us are pretty used to being able to gamble without having to breathe in second-hand smoke. But Vegas remains one of the few places in the US that allows smoking in commercial venues. The casinos try and cover up the smell with what they like to call ‘signature scents’, so the smell isn’t too bad.

But if you’re offended by cigarette smoke, you may wish to stay in a hotel without a gaming license – such as the MGM Grand, or the Trump International.

Playing offshore gambling websites is illegal

Despite having a booming gambling industry, the state of Nevada is still touchy about online gaming. In fact, poker is the only licensed online game available in the state. And if you think you can get around this by logging on to Play Cosmo – think again. Playing on foreign gambling sites is illegal in the Silver State.

Cab drivers try to take advantage of Vegas virgins

Every Las Vegas cab ride starts with two key questions:

1. Where to?

2. So have you ever been to Vegas before?

You should always tell your cabbie that yes, you have been to Vegas before.

Why?

Because taxi drivers in the city try to increase the fare by taking longer routes to your destination – a common trick known as ‘long hauling’. Back in 2016, the LA Times declared that Vegas cab firms make a total of $47 million a year by overcharging visitors.

Complimentary room upgrades are available

Hotels in Las Vegas are often willing to move you to a better room if there is one available. Just speak to a member of staff at the front desk and ask if they offer any free upgrades – these are often available with no questions asked. But be sure to give a generous tip in return for their willingness to accommodate you.

 

 

Mobile Gaming: An Incredible Smartphone Success Story

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When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, it’s fair to say it transformed the mobile phone industry. Within a couple of years, a smartphone went from being a device for business people and tech enthusiasts to something everybody wanted.

One wonders if, at the time, Apple ever realised how much smartphones were also going to disrupt the world of gaming. It quickly became clear that the processing power such phones placed in peoples’ pockets was often going to end up being used for gaming sessions – both among casual players and more hardcore gamers.

IMAGE: Pixabay

This trend continues; Research from SurveyMonkey Intelligence shows that 62% of smartphone owners download a game to a new device within the first week of ownership. More people download games than any other type of app in this timeframe. This article takes a delve into the stats and trends to look at exactly what people are playing on their mobile devices.

Puzzle Games

For many, the first kind of game that springs to mind in relation to mobile gaming is one from the puzzle genre. Candy Crush Saga is arguably the best known – and it’s certainly an enormous success.

King Digital Entertainment, the company behind Candy Crush, was acquired by Activision in late 2015. The price the gaming giant paid was just under $6 billion! Who’d have predicted that a fairly rudimentary game involving lining up sweets would become such a money spinner? However, it’s hard to argue with a committed base of nearly 500 million monthly players.

Action Games

Despite the popularity of puzzle games, they’re (somewhat surprisingly) far less popular than games in the “Arcade” and “Action” categories – at least when it comes to downloads. Fast action game Subway Surfers enjoyed particular popularity in this genre in 2016.

Casinos and Slots

Thanks to widespread Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity, it’s now just as easy to enjoy casino gaming on a mobile device as it is on a laptop. People can enjoy online casino experience in the palm of their hand, complete with table games, all the slots and global players recognise, including such classics as Starburst and Rainbow Riches. A big trend in this sector includes official themed games, with slots versions of popular film and television franchises such as Jurassic Park and Game of Thrones offer fans a chance to play for real money or play money.

Augmented Reality

The biggest mobile game of 2016 brought Augmented Reality (AR) to the masses. Its name was Pokemon Go, and it turned out to be the best selling game of the year. As Nintendo’s first real foray into gaming on mobile devices, it was an enormous success and a global sensation – at least while the craze lasted!

IMAGE: Pixabay

Role Playing and Strategy

RPGs and strategy games are also hugely popular on mobile devices, and give the hardcore gamers something to properly get their teeth into. Notable titles include Clash of Clans and Clash Royale. Although role playing and strategy games are far from the most popular in terms of monthly downloads, they top the table when it comes to the revenue companies make from them. These are games that people stick with – and that seems to include buying plenty of in-game extras!

With every year that passes, mobile devices become more popular and ubiquitous. Whether or not Steve Jobs had gaming in mind when he launched the iPhone, smartphones are now a permanent part of that world.

 

 

 

 

All Play – No Work

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We all lead busy lives, whether we go out to work or stay at home, there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get what we want done, and very often this leads to the ‘all work, and no plya’ scenario which is damaging to our well-being.

Luckily there is a way to turn that ‘all work’ scenario on its head by using your mobile phone.

We have forged an intimate relationship with our phones ever since technology advanced, and Wi-Fi became more reliable and wide-spread. We eat with them, sleep with them, and on average we check them 50+ times a day, and this number rises significantly if you happen to be between the age 18 – 24.

Our love affair with our smartphones is frowned upon by some, but for many users this love affair is for a good reason. Our smartphones tell us the time of day, tell us what the weather is going to be like, they even tell us how many steps we have taken.

We can find dates, and sex, using our phones, and they can keep us connected with friends and family, play us our favourite tunes, and take us to sites like Swanky Bingo Slots where we can spend some time in an entertaining and exciting environment playing on our favourite games.

In fact, the gambling industry was one of the first industries to see the potential of the mobile phone, and because of this sites like Swanky Bingo have games optimised for mobile devices, players can even pay for their games using their phone bill, opting to have the cost added to their monthly contract or deducted from the ‘pay as you go’ balance.

Slots have actually moved over to our smaller screens perfectly, and have proven to be one of the most popular games played by mobile users. This really isn’t that surprising as players can take advantage of some excellent bonuses and promotional offers, going on to win some amazing cash prizes, and this July saw one lucky punter win an incredible 3.6 million on his favourite slot.

Being mobile means that you can pick up your game when and where you choose whether that is in the bath on your lunch break, and now ‘all play’ rather than ‘all work’ is more than ‘just possible.’