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Caution ! الحذر
! 注意 ! Attention ! Achtung !
चेतावनी ! Attenzione
! 주의 ! Внимание
! Cuidado ! Be careful using online language translation tools, and be sure to read the disclaimer so you understand all of the issues that can come up. You can read the disclaimer using the link below. After reading it, just click the translate link to translate The NewsKing Blog into your preferred language. - Read the disclaimer - Translate |
| This
page is a blog, but the headings have possibilities. Below is a list
of the current headings featured. Since I sometimes update earlier
entries, the list includes the date of the most recent post. The most
recent heading is always first, both in the blog and the list below.
- Is God A Fairytale? - Oct. 31, 2015 - YouTube Red - Oct. 30, 2015 - Adventures In Gaming - Aug. 12, 2015 - Net Neutrality Victory! - Apr. 30, 2015 - OBS: Windows Gaming Vids FREE! - Apr. 6, 2015 - ESA Lands On Comet - Feb. 9, 2015 - Who Is Al Styles? - Feb. 6, 2015 - Happy New Year! - Jan. 1, 2015 |
| The
Archives are links to The NewsKing Blog from previous years. Blogs
started in 2007. They are sometimes updated, and often the current
NewsKing Blog links to posts in The Archives, so check them out! - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011: Front Page | Page Two - 2010: Front Page | Page Two - 2009: Front Page | Page Two - 2008: Front Page | Page Two - 2007 |
Hot Topics is a list of links to media and information on other websites.
When you see the 
and 
symbols next to an entry in the Hot Topics list, clicking on the symbols
will link you to Twitter and Facebook features related to the topics
posted in the list. Sometimes, the 
symbol is also used to display my comments about the topic.This feature is currently being tested. No topics are posted. |
When you were young (or a young adult), did you ask your parents if God was a fairytale? More importantly, did you ever ask yourself? Did you ever wonder? Even as an adult, the question might have crossed your mind...
Well, I asked a lot of people that question. Considering this website, that isn't surprising. Let's look at the answers I got from my dad, my mom, my priest, some teachers, and some friends...
My Dad: My dad believes in God, but when I asked him, he said he'd wondered if all of the religious stories humans have from their history were the result of alien visitors from another planet. Turns out that in the 1970's, a TV movie aired on NBC called In Search Of Ancient Astronauts. It's been remade in various forms, and versions of it can still be seen on documentary channels like Discovery Channel and History Channel. He watched the original, and it got him thinking. I remember one of the things he told me was that if you look at religious pictures with halos and auras, they look like space helmets. It actually makes more sense than gods in the sky who can perform miracles...
My Mom: You've heard my mom's answer before. She believes in God, but doesn't like going to church. And she's been to a lot of churches, and a few synagogues and mosques. She sees the whole thing as more about fashion and gossip than anything else. She basically told me that's why we don't go to church that much (I think when I asked her, she worried she hadn't taken me to church enough). Then she asked me if I'd put my clothes in the dryer for school the next day...
Recently, my parents attended a mosque for a Muslim religious ceremony - during a Muslim holiday - after being invited by some Muslim friends. They got stuck in the tunnel and arrived late. They were supposed to have dinner when they got there, but by the time they arrived, dinner was over. They were hungry, so they left early... Pretty sure the two of them were looking forward to that curry chicken! It's funny how the whole experience revolved around dinner. Not that serious about all of that religious stuff, those two...
My Priest: My priest told me questions like that were questions philosophers talked about, and that if I was interested in that sort of thing, I should consider majoring in Philosophy when I went to college. He also asked me about my grades in school. He said priests don't usually answer questions like that, and that I'd be happier if I didn't worry about it. He was a family friend, too. A customer of my dad's. He had a son who majored in Computer Science and owned a restaurant. And ultimately, he made it through a divorce. I have to say as priests go, this guy was a good one! A real person!
My Teacher(s): The first teacher I asked was my homeroom teacher in 4th grade (9 years old). She told me to ask my science teacher. 4th grade science was the first year we learned about things like atoms, molecules, and evolution. She answered, "Yes, God is a fairytale." She was a 70-ish year old black lady teaching science to 4th graders, and she broke every stereotype. You usually don't see too many old black ladies who are atheists! I'll never forget how she introduced evolution... "I teach evolution, I don't answer questions about religious views, and if your parents have a problem, they can come see me!" We, uhh, don't have too many problems teaching evolution in this school system...
I think I've already told you about my 7th grade science teacher. She stood before her classes the first school day of every year and said she was an atheist. She was one of the best teachers I ever had. If you wanted to stay after school with her and work on your science project (beyond the time the late/activity buses ran), she'd drive you home... Actually, she didn't drive. Her husband came and picked her and the rest of us up... I won third in the school science fair that year, made it to the citywide fair, and got to attend the state science fair (Virginia Junior Academy of Science) in Richmond. She simply invited me...
My Friends: Probably the most interesting answers I got from friends were from two of my best friends - one from middle school, and one from high school. In middle school, I asked my best friend and he told me to be quiet, that "the man upstairs" would hear me and not like it. In high school, I asked the same question of another best friend, and found out he was an atheist. His brother was standing next to him and said, "I think religion is bullshit! There! Did I get hit by fuckin' lightning? No, I fuckin' didn't!"
The point to this post is that you should at least dare to wonder and to ask people if they think - or have ever thought - that God is a fairytale. Once you start wondering and asking, the answers people give will surprise you. And it's not something they usually talk about, or have the opportunity to talk about. You get to see a side of people you probably didn't think was there. For the most part - and this doesn't go for everyone, of course - it's pretty laid back. So chill! And enjoy your Halloween!
I hate how paranoid some churches have gotten about Halloween... They've redefined the holiday and discourage trick-or-treating, instead inviting kids to church... That's not really getting out there and talking to people, is it? 'Cause that's what Halloween's really about. Going around with your kids and talking to your friends and neighbors... You never know if you'll meet an alien out there!
Artwork (may include photos, images, audio, and/or video):
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89...
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6...
- http://fashionforrealwomen.com/blogimages/443-church...
- http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6bdurQBfuvo/TBlDWx7IBYI...
- http://images.amcnetworks.com/ifc.com/wp-content...
YouTube Red is a premium service - currently being rolled out - that allows users of the website to pay a monthly fee to block ads, watch original shows, download videos, access a music library, etc. It's generating a lot of attention on the Internet.
Despite the number of premium services being offered, some are saying YouTube Red is just YouTube without ads. That view of the premium service neglects some of the possibilities, but if we look it at that way, we find that many people have asked, "Why pay a monthly fee when you can just use free adblock software?" Others have simply asked, "Why is YouTube doing this?" and begun speculating about the online video giant.
So, what's going on at YouTube? Are they making money? Yes and no. There are changes and trends in the industry, but YouTube is hard to wrap your head around. As one article I read put it, "There's nothing else like YouTube, and nothing to compare it to."
YouTube is, of course, owned by Google. According to a number of sources, YouTube didn't make money in 2015, but they made money in 2013. It has also been estimated that YouTube accounts for only 6% of Google's revenue. Various analysts have projected that YouTube's profits will increase, and they have been disappointed.
figures among Americans ages 13-18 are all Youtube celebrities.
Okay, here we go! The first thing you have to get through is the fear that YouTube will go away. What if it turns out like MySpace? Well, that's unlikely, but it could happen. You have to look at it another way...
While YouTube's profits and losses are concerning, they're still handling a lot of money. And as has already been pointed out, there's nothing else like YouTube. It's not unusual for big companies to post losses one year and profits the next. General Motors is a great example of that. They're so big, taxpayers loaned them money to get them out of their latest mess! YouTube is no GM, but they're no Google, either. Except they are Google! Only 6%, though...
Google certainly qualifies as a giant company, and they make a lot of money! So, maybe we should take another step back. What if YouTube Red is a marketing experiment? Google can certainly pony up the cash to ask consumers big questions about its products. Don't limit yourself to only looking at the experiment as a user. There's an ad industry involved.
Is adblock even a thing? It works by blocking ad servers. So, serve the ads from YouTube's server. They could do that. The fact that they're not doing that - or something similar to that - makes it look like an experiment. What would the big ad companies think? Would they move on something like that? Can they? How nimble are those companies? Google is an ad revenue company, and they're a big one. They might be trying to ask a question they can't ask in a meeting room...
I think users - including content providers - can relax. YouTube Red just adds a paid service to YouTube. Whatever they end up doing with it, some amount of money will come in from it. Let the giant companies in charge of it all worry about the rest. It's their job! (Well, unless they start fucking up... Then worry...) Enjoy YouTube Red and remember that it's about more than just ad-free viewing...
Related:
- http://pewdie.tumblr.com/post/132147138150/thoughts...
- http://www.wsj.com/articles/viewers-dont-add-up-to...
- http://www.thevideoink.com/news/youtube-profitable...
- https://ewpopwatch.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/youtube...
Artwork (may include photos, images, audio, and/or video):
- https://ewpopwatch.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/youtube...
- http://www.phonedog.com/2015/10/23/how-youtube-red...
- http://www.whereverwriter.com/how-to-get-a-tour...
This vid is in the 2013 Blog. I attempted to trace the evolution of certain genres of games back to one early PC game. The game was in the genre of Skyrim and Fable, which we usually call Adventure Games, but can include games in other genres, like GTA and COD, for certain reasons. Anyway, the game is called King's Quest, and back in the day it was different than Space Invaders on Atari or PacMan at the arcade. And I make the case that - at the very least - it defined the Adventure Game genre. Two weeks ago, the franchise was restarted...
Related:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Quest_%282015_video_game%29
On Feb. 26, 2015, the FCC approved strong open Internet rules under Title II of the Communications Act. This is the biggest victory for the public interest in the U.S. agency’s history. And it wouldn’t have happened if not for the millions of people who pushed the FCC to act.
Many of those same people urged the U.S. government to block the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, which would have enabled Comcast to control the future of the Internet. The FCC and the Justice Department listened - and on April 24, 2015, Comcast abandoned its bid.
The cable and phone companies will continue trying to undermine the open Internet, but our message is clear: Mess with the Internet, and you’ll lose.
The fight now moves to Congress, where Internet service providers like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon are among the biggest campaign donors. These guys are used to getting their way in Washington and they won't take this defeat lying down.
The next few months in Congress will be intense. We'll see legislation designed to undermine the FCC's new rules, attempts to defund the agency, and endless hearings intended to prop up ISPs looking for new ways to rip off consumers.
- CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION
Related:
- Reddit blog with Obama note
- Obama_note_image.jpg
- Engadget Article
- Save The Internet Article
Artwork (may include photos, images, audio, and/or video):
- http://www.savetheinternet.com/sites/default/files/activists_1.jpg
Have you ever tried to use desktop recording software (free or purchased) to make a Windows gaming vid, and then played it back only to find out you recorded an empty desktop? OBS solves the problem, and it's free. You have to configure it for the game you want to record, though. I'll show you how to download, install, configure, and use OBS to make a Windows gaming video. You can record HQ sound from the sound card, or use the mic to add your voice. But there's no easy way to add your face without video editing software, so we won't be covering that in detail. Anyway, check it out!
STEP 1: DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL OBS
- Click HERE to go to the OBS home page. Select the version for your OS. (This is a Windows gaming post, and at the time of publication, you click the Windows button on the left.)
- Use the file manager in your OS to click-install OBS. In Windows, use Windows Explorer or File Explorer (depending on your version of Windows). You can also use your browser to click-install from the download manager, or you may be offered a chance to click-install by your browser (depending on your browser).
- The installer should automatically install an icon on the Desktop, as well as a link in the Start Menu. If no icon is present, open Windows Explorer or File Explorer and browse to Program Files\OBS and right-click the file called "OBS.exe" and choose "Copy." Return to your Desktop and right click an empty spot. Select "Paste Shortcut." In Windows 8.1, you can then right click the shortcut and copy it to the Start Menu.
STEP 2: CONFIGURE OBS
- Click the OBS icon to start the program.
- Start the game you want to record. Get through any and all logins and startup screens, and make sure the game is running. Hold down the ALT key, then while holding down the ALT key, tap the TAB key. You can tap TAB repeatedly and scroll to OBS. Now let go of the ALT key.
- In the bottom area of the main OBS screen, right-click an empty spot in the "Sources" pane, select "Add," and then select "Game Capture." You will see the .exe file for the game you're running (or you'll simply see the name of the game). Select the .exe file (or game) from the dropdown menu, and click "OK."
- Click the game on the Windows taskbar, or use ALT+TAB again to return to the running game. Exit the game normally.
- At the bottom area of the main OBS screen, click the "Settings" button, and choose "Audio" from the left pane of the dialogue that opens. You need to decide whether you want to record from your soundcard, or from your computer's microphone, or both. This part is hard to understand. If you choose "soundcard," (called "Desktop Audio Device") you'll get HQ game sound, but your voice won't be present. If you choose "microphone," the sound for the game will be whatever the microphone picks up from your computer's speakers, and you can talk into the mic. If you choose "both," you need to turn off the computer's speakers (or hit mute in your volume control if they are built in speakers). If you want to hear the game as you play it, you'll need headphones. Assuming you set it up properly, the "both" option will give you HQ gaming sound from the soundcard with your voice present through the microphone.
- If you get poor quality from your microphone, OBS has a filter available. Simply click the "Plugins" button from the bottom area of the main OBS screen, highlight "Microphone Noise Gate," and click OK. If you do not see "Microphone Noise Gate," click HERE to download it. Once downloaded, open your file manager (Windows Explorer or File Explorer) and browse to the folder you downloaded it to. Double-click the .zip file to extract it. Enter the newly extracted folder, right-click the .dll file for your system (64 or 32 bit) and select "Copy." Browse to Program Files/OBS/plugins and right-click an empty spot and select "Paste." Restart OBS. Click the "Settings" button from the bottom area of the OBS main screen, and select "Microphone Noise Gate" from the left pane of the dialogue that opens (if it wasn't there before, it should be there now). Tick the checkbox that says, "Enable Microphone Noise Gate" (you may have to do that even if you didn't need to download it). You can also adjust the settings for the Microphone Noise Gate from the dialogue that opened. If you're unable to improve the sound quality of your microphone using Microphone Noise Gate, you can simply run a webcam app and edit the soundtracks together using video editing software. Windows typically filters the microphone for you if you use the built-in webcam app. If you're handy at editing, this will also allow you to add your face.
STEP 3: USE OBS
- Start OBS, hit "Start Recording" in the bottom area of the main OBS screen, and start your game. If you don't want logins and startup screens to appear in the finished vid, you can edit it out with video editing software.
- If you don't have video editing software, simply start OBS, don't hit "Start Recording," and get your game up and running. Use ALT+TAB to get back to OBS, hit "Start Recording," then ALT+TAB back to the running game (returning to the running game from OBS will be recorded, so get good at ALT+TAB!)
- By default, the video will be saved as an "FLV" file in your Windows "Videos" folder under your username. It will be encoded as x264, so as far as I know, it can easily be uploaded to sites like YouTube. To change the default folder in which the video is saved, click the "Settings" button in the bottom area of the main OBS screen, and choose "Broadcast Settings." At the top of the dialogue that opens, select "File Output Only" from the "Mode" dropdown menu. You can then click the "Browse" button for "File Path" to change the default folder in which videos are saved.
THAT'S IT!
- That's it! Your computer probably came with video editing software if it has a built-in webcam. If not, free editing software is available from Microsoft. Enjoy!
Related:
- http://obsproject.com
Artwork (may include photos, images, audio, and/or video):
- http://assassinscreed.ubi.com/en-us/games/assassins-creed-3.aspx
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32QYY0x1SoQ
On November 12, 2014, the European Space Agency (ESA) soft-landed its Philae robotic probe on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as part of it's Rosetta mission. It was the first time in history that such an extraordinary feat has been achieved.
The mission is made up of two craft: the Rosetta orbiter and the Philae lander. The Philae lander gave the ESA a slight scare because the anchors that were supposed to fasten it to the comet didn't deploy. It could have meant that Philae would be unable to conduct all of its planned experiments. But after the ESA conducted all of the experiments it deemed could be conducted without the anchors, they went ahead and gave the experiments that required the anchors a try. And it worked! Even without the anchors, the mission was a complete success!
It took 10 years for Rosetta to get to the comet, and years of planning before that. And the mission still isn't over. Years of data and experiments are still to come. Rosetta is still orbiting Philae, and will do a close flyby as it prepares to change orbit on February 14.
Scientists are pouring over the data from the mission... What are comets made of? What do they look like? Are there signs of life? What was detected in the experiments?
One of the experiments that jumped out in the headlines involved what the comet sounded like. Of course, the sound had to be enhanced - you couldn't hear it with the human ear without enhancement. But the sound was played for the public, sparking theories about aliens. It turns out the sounds were caused by oscillations in the comet's magnetic field. You can hear the sounds below:
Data collected by the orbiter will allow scientists to watch the short- and long-term changes that take place on the comet, helping to answer some of the biggest and most important questions regarding the history of our Solar System. How did it form and evolve? How do comets work? What role did comets play in the evolution of the planets, of water on the Earth, and perhaps even of life on our home world?
These are big questions, and one of the reasons Rosetta has dropped out of the headlines is that they will take awhile to answer. It takes a long time to sort through all of the data, and there's more data coming in. Next, Rosetta will follow the comet as it gets closer to the Sun. This will provide important information, because as it approaches the Sun, the comet goes through a number of interesting changes. It's sure to be exciting, so stay tuned!
Related:
- Rosetta_PressKit_CometLanding_November2014_v4.pdf
- http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta
- http://sci.esa.int/rosetta/54995-rosetta-continues...
- http://sci.esa.int/rosetta/54962-pioneering-philae...
- http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta...
- http://sci.esa.int/rosetta/47366-fact-sheet
- http://rosetta.esa.int
- http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/11/11/the-singing-comet
- http://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/2014/11/esa-confirms...
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2834993...
- http://sci.esa.int/rosetta
Artwork (may include photos, images, audio, and/or video):
- http://rosetta.esa.int
- http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta...
- http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/11/11/the-singing-comet
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H08tGjXNHO4
Al Styles is hip hop music artist from Hampton Roads, Virginia. His current album is called My Pain In VA. Below is a compilation video featuring Track 4 from the album. The videos included in the compilation feature music artists who collaborate.
You can connect with Al Styles, as well as listen to music and watch music videos, using the links below. Enjoy!
Related:
- http://www.youtube.com/user/1KingGoo
- http://www.reverbnation.com/gbusinessmusicgroup
- http://www.soundcloud.com/gbusinessmusicgroup
- http://www.tagged.com/g1gesuscoca
Artwork (may include photos, images, audio, and/or video):
- Al Styles, My Pain In VA, "Track 4"
- http://www.youtube.com/user/1KingGoo
Every new year, I like to start The NewsKing Blog off by wishing everyone a happy new year! While I'm not always on time (with so many time zones, it's impossible for me to wish everyone a happy new year right at midnight...) I usually come pretty close to January 1st. It's a great holiday, and I love celebrating on new year's eve. So, let's make this year a great one!
Happy New Year!
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feedback will be interpreted with these statements in mind... - This is not professional writing. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s). It does not reflect the views associated with "Newsking sites" or associated entities. - I sometimes put my foot in my mouth in a big way, which is why this blog can't be associated with my professional writing. My social responsibility for "blogging" has so far been undefined by society, but I do not intend for this to affect my public life. - Prior entries may be edited. - I may or may not use "drugs," alcohol, and certain foods in the production of this "blog." - I did not "just solve a problem" or "just cause a problem." For anyone. - This blog occasionally contains humor. - This blog may contain numerous links to outside content. A small portion of this content may contain information some readers may find offensive. I want to apologize to anyone who is offended. - Links or references to outside content do not imply an endorsement. - References to outside content are not always Internet-based (i.e. artwork, books, magazines, radio, television, film, and other media). No endorsement of any outside content is implied. - Every effort is made to ensure this site complies with about 25 editing "rules," including spellling, grammar, punctuation, accuracy, HTML, etc. Your "experience" is important. - Please enjoy yourself! |
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Archives are links to The NewsKing Blog from previous years. Blogs
started in 2007. They are sometimes updated, and often the current
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