Thursday, July 30, 2015
Walker’s Philadelphia cheesesteak mockery
Several Philly tourists not amused with Scott Walker crashing their lunch. Overheard: “Stand in line with the rest of us.” “Who is that?” — Jenna Johnson (@wpjenna) July 28, 2015 This is silly but sometimes you just gotta stop, smell the roses, and indulge in some mockery of Scott Walker’s cheesesteak choices. It’s the standard more »
Walker’s Philadelphia cheesesteak mockery
Several Philly tourists not amused with Scott Walker crashing their lunch. Overheard: “Stand in line with the rest of us.” “Who is that?” — Jenna Johnson (@wpjenna) July 28, 2015 This is silly but sometimes you just gotta stop, smell the roses, and indulge in some mockery of Scott Walker’s cheesesteak choices. It’s the standard more »
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
WI Supreme Court “went well beyond what any court has ever held in opening the floodgates to secret money in politics”
Brendan Fischer of PRWatch was recently interviewed by Janine Jackson of Fair.org. A couple of exerpts: JJ: Well, it sounds as though the charge was that Walker actively sought to skirt finance laws and that the ruling is: Yes, he did, but it’s OK? I mean, help us to understand exactly what happened here. BF: That’s about right. more »
Monday, July 27, 2015
Republican presidential candidates cluster accounts at bank with only 1 branch in McLean, Virginia
Hmmmmm. From Bloomberg: “According to the most recent Federal Election Commission filings, Chain Bridge is the sole bank serving Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign, which reported raising $11.4 million as of June 30, and his allied super-PAC, Right to Rise, which says it’s raised $103 million so far. Donald Trump’s campaign banks at Chain Bridge, and it’s more »
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Trump nails Walker on crumbling roads, deficit, underfunded education, Common Core flip-flops
Times are strange when you’re pleased to hear from Donald Trump, eh? What’s really wild is not only do I enjoy hearing Trump slam Walker, I have to admit that Trump is essentially telling the truth about the state of affairs in Wisconsin and about Walker’s flip-flops on Common Core. Donald Trump says he wasn’t more »
Wisconsinite dissents in chalk: “WEASEL WHORE HOUSE”
The dissent: The chalker, who prefers to remain anonymous, gave me permission to upload this photo here. If you have questions about the use of the word “whore” in Wisconsin see this. You just finished reading Wisconsinite dissents in chalk: "WEASEL WHORE HOUSE"! Consider leaving a comment!Visit bluecheddar.net for more news and opinion. You can more »
Saturday, July 25, 2015
“Scott Walker is not Joe McCarthy, but his technique is similar”
This is a bit from an opinion piece by Dana Milbank in the Washington Post: “Scott Walker is not Joe McCarthy, but his technique is similar: He suggests that the nation’s ills can be cured by fighting labor unions (foremost among the “big government special interests” hurting America), even though unions represent just 11 percent more »
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
One of the shady recipients of Walker’s WEDC welfare faces criminal investigation (finally)
As blogger lufthase puts it, “If WEDC had done a simple search on Green Box chairman Ronald Van Den Heuvel before making this loan, they’d have found at least 8 six-figure judgements from 2008 to 2011 against him or the many, many companies he has registered at the same address as Green Box.” Basically, Scott more »
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Round-up of Wisco news: Walker puzzled by gayness, Walker v. G.A.B., 20 wk. abortion ban, MORE
These seem like the key WI political stories from the last 3 or 4 days. If I missed something, please do leave it in a comment. WALKER AND GAYNESS This is how conservative blog NewsMax frames it: Gay marriage opponent and Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker said in a CNN interview broadcast on Sunday he more »
Monday, July 20, 2015
“Governor Walker, why are you trying to break my family apart?” – Leslie Flores
Because a new poll shows that Donald Trump polls nationally at 24% among Republican registered voters while Walker polls 13% I have to admit that I have no idea whether Walker’s comments to this family have an impact positive or negative within the Republican Party base. This guy’s tweet sums up their bigoted wingnuttery: "Obama's more »
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Iowa is smelling the BS around Walker’s Kohls speech
Iowans are learning that Scott Walker doled out over $68 million to Kohls. It’s undermining his “brown bag government” schtick. Excellent! If they keep pulling at loose threads on his stories they’re going to turn up tales of unaccountable millions in corporate welfare he gave out through WEDC. Des Moines Register has the story: Some more »
Friday, July 17, 2015
Looks like my governor is cruisin’ through Iowa in a big gay RV
I sent this to George Takei Dear George: This is a photo of Scott Walker’s new RV. I must say, all I can see is an equal sign with those two red bars on the right. And when I see a red equal sign I am reminded of the red equal sign which you encouraged more »
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Appeal of John Doe decision to SCOTUS unlikely according to Hasen
This is from Hasen’s “Analysis of Wisconsin John Doe Ruling: Bad News for Campaign Finance Laws” U.S. Supreme Court review? The dissent notes that under the U.S. Supreme Court’s Caperton decision, the failure to recuse in this case could be a due process violation. At least theoretically, that’s an issue which could go to the more »
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Fort Sumter – Charleston, South Carolina
The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails Thunderbird RV Resort in Monroe, Washington. My scheduled departure date is July 20th. Mary is dealing with her over-flowing to-do list plate which can only be handled by herself. The construction of Mary’s rental continues along…slowly. She now is hoping to rejoin me by early September. Today’s subject…Fort […]
Pregnant Naya Rivera is Already Planning Her Post-Baby Glam Comeback!. Las Vegas Blog
Reported From Area 51.
Michael Loccisano/Getty ImagesNaya Rivera“s stilettos won”t be gathering dust behind her closet after she becomes a mother. Rivera & hubby Ryan Dorsey are still awaiting their 1st child collectively to arrive still the gorgeous actress is already gearing up for her red carpet return! The- pregnant actress took a while out of her busy baby-prepping schedule to reply some of her fans” burning questions on Twitter … Read the rest
Notice of Upcoming Meeting!
You are invited to attend the next: WASHOE COUNTY CHILD CARE ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGWHEN: July 30, 2015TIME: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.PLACE: Washoe County Commissioners ChambersWashoe County Complex, Building A1001 East 9th StreetReno, Nevada
Your Home’s July Honey Do List
This around the house to do list will have your home ready for summer fun this July.
The post Your Home’s July Honey Do List appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.
Top 3 Interviewing Essentials For Hiring Teams
Whether you recruit chemical engineers, HR generalists, or salespeople, the right candidate possesses three qualities: competence, cultural fit, and the potential for growth. This holds true in all corners of the business industry, from an internet-based marketplace like Varsity Tutors, to a healthcare conglomerate with 100 offices worldwide. If you are looking to improve your hiring practices, consider the following interviewing essentials for competency, growth potential, and culture fit:
1. Competency
Assessing an applicant’s competency involves determining whether or not he or she has the fundamental skills to do the job well. You can evaluate competency in a number of ways, including analyzing past experiences for tasks that align with potential duties, or asking his or her references about the candidate’s specific skills and abilities. You can also simulate a job task that the applicant then completes as part of the interview process, or you can contract him or her for a trial period to see how he or she performs and interacts with your existing team members. Evaluating how the candidate performs on one or more job-related tasks can reveal strengths or deficiencies beyond what can be determined in an interview. Research studies have even shown that this use of sample tasks is one of the best predictors of a candidate’s success.
2. Growth potential
This question – “Does the candidate demonstrate the potential for professional growth, and can he or she help your company grow as well?” – can be invaluable for recruiters across industries to ask themselves. Team members who are willing and able to grow with your business, and who can contribute to your personal sphere of knowledge, can enable your company to pursue various short- and long-term objectives. To assess an applicant’s growth potential, consider examining his or her educational background and work experience, paying particular attention to accomplishments and career milestones. Has the candidate been promoted before? Has the candidate managed different projects? Has he or she helped a business or department grow and become more sophisticated in the past? The candidate’s external projects (if applicable) can also assist you in answering these questions. For example, does the candidate hold leadership roles outside of work, such as serving on a volunteer board, captaining a sports team, or other.
3. Culture fit
An applicant can best contribute to your company’s growth if he or she is a great cultural fit. As this industry survey demonstrates, the third-most common reason that team members voluntarily leave their companies is a lack of fit with the job. You can avoid this turnover by defining your company culture before you begin to recruit new staff members. When you do begin to recruit, weigh the candidate’s preferences and past work experience. For instance, if your business is very fast-paced, does the applicant thrive in unpredictable environments?
Successful recruiting practices are ultimately the result of consciously seeking those characteristics that benefit your business model and your growth potential. Developing a hiring system that ties your recruitment questions and processes to job-relevant criteria can help you ensure that you hire the best people for your company.
This article was written by Chuck Cohn from Forbes and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. SmartRecruiters is the hiring success platform to find and hire great people.
Must dos this weekend in Las Vegas: July 17 – 19, 2015
It’s business as usual in Vegas this weekend: lots of shenanigans followed by a pinch of mischief and a whole heap of going to bed after the sun comes up. With musicians from just about every genre to comedy shows and sports giants, you’ll probably have trouble deciding what you want to do. We recommend a highly scientific approach to decision making: rock – paper – scissors.
We’ve got arguably the most interesting concert venues on the planet. Fremont Street Experience photo courtesy of FSE
Catch a concert
Music lovers, we’re making your dreams come true. There are way too many concerts this weekend to include them all, but here’s a list of some pretty wide-ranging highlights so you don’t have to get lost in the digital quicksand of the internet. If you’re not into a bunch of different genres then you’re in luck, it shouldn’t be too hard to find your favorite.
With the highest-selling hip hop album in 2014, J. Cole is turning up the heat at The Axis in Planet Hollywood on Saturday night. But he’s not coming alone. Jeremih, YG, Dreamville and Big Sean are all gracing the stage too.
Rock out with multi-platinum recording artists Alice in Chains at The Pearl inside the Palms or with Bare Naked Ladies at the Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Both bands play Saturday night.
It’s hard to beat a concert on the beach. And this one should be a doozy. Mandalay Beach at Mandalay Bay is hosting the “Under the Sun Tour” with Sugar Ray, Better Than Ezra, Uncle Kracker, and Eve 6 on Saturday night.
For those of you that believe that real music was made before the ’90s, Chicago is touring with Earth, Wind & Fire and will be in The Axis at Planet Hollywood on Friday night.
If you can’t blow your vacation budget on all the musical genius happening this weekend, the Fremont Street Experience is coming through in the clutch, with a free concert Saturday night. Canadian rockers Theory of a Deadman are lighting up the canopy with all their Top 10 hits.
Everybody deserves a little side-splitting action
Laugh until you cry
Here’s to hoping the only stitches you’ll get this weekend are from the bellyaches from laughing at the many comedians headlining in multiple venues. Blue Collar Comedy fans take note: Ron White will undoubtedly be swirling a scotch and lighting cigars at The Mirage’s Terry Fator Theatre Friday and Saturday night. There are three full nights to see how many people will be offended by the “Undisputed Bad Boy of Comedy,” Andrew Dice Clay. We’re pretty sure he’ll be cracking his usual expletive-laced jokes at Vinyl inside the Hard Rock Hotel Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. MADtv comedienne Anjelah Johnson reprises her Bon Qui Qui and the Vietnamese nail salon employee roles Sunday night at the House of Blues inside Mandalay Bay.
Swoops and swishes at the NBA Summer League. Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas Sun
Watch some hoops
The NBA Summer League plays its final round of basketball at the COX Pavilion and Thomas & Mack Center this weekend. So that means this is your last chance to see those sick crossovers and fade-away jumpers from the NBA’s best and brightest ballers in Vegas. The finals take place Monday night and then we’ll go back to being a town that just bets on all the games but never gets to have our own (boo – hiss).
Beats and booze at Encore Beach Club
Fist pump at a pool club
It’s always a good idea to dress to impress, but in this case that means your hottest teeny weeny bikinis and trunks. DJ Laidback Luke is making a quick stop by Encore Beach Club on Sunday afternoon to spin for pool partiers. After he leaves us all breathless, he’ll hop across the pond and party – we mean tour – through Europe. Rough life huh? He doesn’t make it to Vegas nearly as much as we’d hope so you definitely don’t want to miss his sets.
Bet this beats your neighborhood drive-in movies.
Watch movies from the water
Don’t limit the fun to the weekend. The Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is hosting their poolside cinema series on Monday night. This week, they’re showing a double-feature of the Lego Movie and Transformers starting at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. This is a great time to beat the heat and enjoy a little bit of laid back fun on the Strip. Tickets are just $5.
Fort Moultrie – Charleston, South Carolina
The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails Thunderbird RV Resort in Monroe, Washington. My scheduled departure date is July 20th. Mary is dealing with her over-flowing to-do list plate which can only be handled by herself. The construction of Mary’s rental continues along…slowly. She now is hoping to rejoin me by early September. Today’s subject…Fort […]
MLB The Show Predicts the 2015 Homerun Derby and All-Star Game
Later tonight, baseball’s biggest stars will begin their two-day take over of The Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Ohio to celebrate the 86th Annual MLB All Star Game. Tonight at 5:00 PM Pacific on ESPN, some of the MLB’s biggest sluggers will gather to put on a show that only baseball can in the 2015 Homerun Derby. With a field consisting of Joc Pederson, Kris Bryant, Prince Fielder, Todd Frazier, Albert Pujols, Manny Machado, Anthony Rizzo, and Josh Donaldson there are sure to be plenty of fireworks — no pyrotechnics needed.
Although we don’t want to spoil our video prediction below, we can say that the final matchup of the Hometown hero Todd Frazier and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols didn’t disappoint!
Just under 24 hours later, (giving the outfield seats just enough time to recover from the beating they’ll take during the HRD), the 86th Annual MLB All Star Game kicks off at 4:00 PM Pacific on Fox. Baseball’s best from the National and American Leagues will meet to fight for home field advantage in this year’s World Series.
If our calculations are correct, the 2015 All Star Game will be one of the most remembered Mid-Summer Classics in recent history. I won’t give our prediction away below, but a blown 4 run lead leads to some extra-inning heroics.
Don’t forget to follow MLB The Show on Facebook, and Twitter to see how we’re spending our ASG!
How close will our predictions be? What are yours? Let us know in the comments!
Monday, July 13, 2015
I Got A Really Big One!
The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails Thunderbird RV Resort in Monroe, Washington. My scheduled departure date is July 20th. Mary is dealing with her over-flowing to-do list plate which can only be handled by herself. The construction of Mary’s rental continues along…slowly. She now is hoping to rejoin me by early September. Today’s subject…I […]
PlayStation Underground: Super Time Force Ultra
Welcome back to PlayStation Underground, our online show about video games! Today I’m pleased to host the time-traveling designer Kenneth Yeung from Capy Games. And in the spirit of time travel, we’re sharing this Super Time Force Ultra episode that we recorded ages ago. Thematic consistency!
On today’s episode, Ken showcases the crazy action, robots, dinosaurs, and — of course — time travel that make up the pixelated backbone of Super Time Force Ultra on PS4. As an added bonus, Ken breaks down each of the PlayStation-exclusive characters, including our friend and President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida. Yes, Shu is a character. Rejoice!
Let me know what you think in the comments, and remember that we’ll be back soon with more Underground in the weeks to come. Enjoy the show!
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Seaview To Monroe, Washington
Yesterday I drove the motorhome the 208 miles from Seaview to Monroe, Washington. The motorhome is now parked at Thousand Trails Thunderbird RV Resort along the bank of the Skykomish River. I’ve been here a number of times over the past years and always enjoy it here. My scheduled departure date is July 20th. Mary […]
Thursday, July 9, 2015
The Fall Descends Onto PS4 July 14th with New Dev Commentary
Hello PlayStation community — this is John Warner, lead developer at Over The Moon Games. Two years ago I started creating a game based around a core idea — what if you played as an artificial intelligence on-board a futuristic combat suit, but the human inside the suit was injured and unable to move? What would you do?
In The Fall, the answer is simple: take control of the suit and drag the lifeless, unconscious human inside of it towards medical help. Two years later, The Fall is complete. I’m glad to announce that it’s every bit as weird as I had hoped it would be, and I’m happier still to announce that The Fall will *ahem* descend onto PS4 in just a few short weeks, on July 14th.
If you like games that allow you to explore, we think you’ll enjoy The Fall. We took that solid sense of exploration that some games do so well, and layered gameplay on top, so it’s only by understanding the world around you that you’ll solve The Fall’s many unusual puzzles. It’s not all searching and story though; our AI protagonist is built for action, so get ready for some fun gunplay as A.R.I.D (our hero) shoots her way through an army of corrupt, faulty robots.
But wait — I come bearing news! We wanted to add something special to mark our release on the PS4. So far, The Fall has been received well by critics. It is, of course, an incredible honour to make something that connects with anyone on any level, so we thought that we should celebrate by adding a developer commentary, to open up our process a little bit, and share with fans our thoughts about the game: how we made it and why we made the choices that we did.
When The Fall launches this July 14th, it’ll include this new developer commentary for your listening enjoyment. At Over The Moon, we have a lot of fun discussing ideas and sharing them with players, so our hope was to load The Fall with as many thought-provoking elements as possible. We want to know if you think we met our goal, and if The Fall provoked any thoughts from you.
So what were our goals then? For the most part, The Fall was an experiment with story-gameplay integration. As ARID is given challenges that are outside of her operating parameters, players must also think outside the box, by breaking rules and finding loopholes. For example, ARID must protect her pilot, but what happens if she needs to briefly put him in danger to ultimately progress?
The Fall encourages players to find loopholes in ARID’s rules, and as she develops as a character, players follow her every step of the way. At least, that’s the goal. Ultimately, you’re the one to decide if we met our mark, and you can let me know this July 14th, when The Fall *ahem* lands (I know, I’m terrible) on PS4.
Giuliana Rancic Leaving E! News source. Las Vegas Blog
Reported From Area 51.
“Fashion Police” will return to E! this Aug. with Melissa Rivers, Selection has learned exclusively. Giuliana Rancic & Brad Goreski are moreover set to return with Rivers, who will continue her exec producer duties on the show as she takes the seat of her late mother, Joan Rivers. The- brand new format will even contain two rotating chairs, featuring two different celeb guests with the trio … Read the rest
This DJ Kills the Crowd”s Vibe When He Gets Them Hyped for the Beat Drop, but Does This Instead…. Las Vegas Blog
Reported From Area 51.
From twitter site It’s not shocking in that “Carol” was locked away in Hollywood’s development closet for 15 years. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s scandalous 1952 novel “The Price of Salt,” Todd Haynes’ newest movie is a double whammy by industry standards: a drama headlined by two… From twitter site Holy yes! Little Mix has just debuted a brand new single label, ‘Black Magic,’ and it’ll have … Read the rest
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Texas Station 20th Anniversary
It’s been a great year here for us at Station Casinos, and to make it even better this month is the celebration of Texas Station joining the family twenty years ago! Texas Station is one of the most unique properties Read More ...
The post Texas Station 20th Anniversary appeared first on Station Casinos Blog.
North Head Lighthouse Near Ilwaco, Washington
The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails Long Beach RV Resort in Seaview, Washington. My scheduled departure date is July 10th. Mary is dealing with her over-flowing to-do list plate which can only be handled by herself. The construction of Mary’s rental continues along…slowly. She now is hoping to rejoin me by early September. Last […]
How To Keep Fido Cool at Home During the Dog Days of Summer
Keep your pup from overheating with these cool ideas
The post How To Keep Fido Cool at Home During the Dog Days of Summer appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.
How to Hang a Gallery Wall
Every homeowner should know how to hang a gallery wall. It's a great opportunity to express your personality and creatively display your favorite artwork and family photos. Here are some helpful tips to get your gallery wall just right.
The post How to Hang a Gallery Wall appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.
U.S. Jobs Report: 223,000 New Jobs Added In June And Unemployment Down To 5.3%
Heading into the holiday weekend Americans got news that fewer of them are working. The headline numbers in the jobs report out from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Thursday morning were solid but the underlying data was less worthy of celebration.
Employers added 223,000 jobs in June. While economists were forecasting an addition of around 230,000 jobs the figure does continue the medium-term trend of above 200,000 average monthly growth.
The revisions, however, reflect a weaker rebound from winter weather related weakness than previously thought. The payroll count for April was revised lower to plus 187,000 from the latest reading of 221,000. This is the second downward revision to the April reading which initially came in at 223,000. May’s figure was also revised down to plus 254,000 from plus 280,000 jobs. Net total employment gains in April and May were therefore 60,000 lower than BLS previously reported.
The unemployment rate, which is drawn from a different survey, came in at 5.3%. Down from 5.5% in May this is the lowest rate since April 2008 but reflects a shrinking labor force. In other words, the rate is down for what economist consider the wrong reason.
“Looking below the surface, this was not a great jobs report,” wrote Joseph Lake, global economist for The Economist Intelligence Unit, in a note on the results. In a phone call Dan North, chief economist at trade credit insurance provider Euler Hermes North America, echoed this sentiment calling the report “a step backwards.”
His biggest concern? The labor force participation rate hit its lowest level since 1977 after declining a “fairly dramatic” 0.3% to 62.6%. This rate had remained in a narrow 62.7% to 62.9% range since April 2014. “The labor force shrunk,” said North, with both the number of employed and the number of unemployed going down.
Currently 8.6 million Americans are unemployed. In June there were 653,000 discouraged workers — i.e. people not currently looking for work because they don’t believe jobs are available for them and therefore are not considered unemployed. That’s 90,000 more than last month.
A long standing concern has also been the large number of people who are working part-time not by choice but because they had no better option. The U-6 rate, which measures under-employment, came in at 10.5% in June versus 10.8% in May and down from 11% a year earlier. The employment-population ratio was 59.3% down from 59.4%.
Hourly wages, also left behind as the labor market has broadly improved in the last two years, were unchanged from last month at $24.95. The 12-month wage growth rate therefore moved lower to 2% after an 8 cent gain in May bumped annual growth to 2.3%. Michael Arone, a chief investment strategist for State Street Global Advisors, sees the stagnation as temporary pause. Announcements from large employers like Wal-Mart Stores, McDonald’s and Target as well as minimum wage legislation from 12 states are leading him to think wages have bottomed and will show improvement in the third and fourth quarters.
For Tara Sinclair, chief economist at job site Indeed, the issues of a shrinking labor force and stagnant wages are impossible to seperate. Employers have indicated they are “keen to hire.” The eagerness is showing up in government data and the growing number of job openings on Indeed.com. Where is it not appearing? Wages. They simply aren’t high enough to entice workers, she says.
“The silver lining in this report,” says Sinclair, “is that if we are still able to create jobs at this magnitude without raising wages, there is still room to grow. Wage growth should be around the corner.”
Immediately following the release stock futures moved further into positive territory. The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite each opened in the green though the latter tuned negative in early trading. The yield on the ten year Treasury opened up a 2.46% before turning negative.
The initial bump was likely due to the hope that a largely lackluster report would convince the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates lower for longer. The single report, nevertheless, does not appear to have changed many opinions. Arone still expects the Fed to act in September. North still see December as more likely.
Wednesday, payroll giant ADP said that private employers added 237,000 jobs last month with nearly half the gains coming from small businesses. Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics (which works with ADP on the report), said at the time, “The U.S. job machine remains in high gear. The current robust pace of job growth is double that needed to absorb the growth in the working age population. The only blemish in the job market is the loss of jobs in the energy sector. Most encouraging is the healthy rate of job growth among the nation’s smallest companies.”
BLS — a division of the Department of Labor — will report July jobs numbers on Friday, August 7 at 8:30 a.m.
This article was written by Samantha Sharf from Forbes and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. SmartRecruiters is the hiring success platform to find and hire great people.
PlayStation Now July Update: Bonus Game, New Look
It’s a new month and a new look for PlayStation Now! We’ve completely redesigned the PS Now subscription app on PS4 to create a richer, more visual experience that makes it even easier for you to browse the catalog of 125+ games available.
In the new app, you’ll see curated categories of games organized by theme, as well as more detailed game pages with descriptions, images, and videos.
And in order to celebrate this milestone, we are also adding an extra sixth bonus game to our usual five new game monthly lineup: Resistance 3.
To launch the newly revamped PS Now subscription application on PS4, simply click on the PS Now icon in the content launcher on the home menu of your PS4. As always, new members can register for a free 7 day trial via your compatible PlayStation console, on your enabled Sony Blu-ray player, Sony TV, or Samsung Smart TV, or right here on the web. Here are the new games for the month of July:
Infamous Festival of Blood
Vampires swarm New Marais, and revered superhero Cole MacGrath has been bitten. To save his soul and city, he has just one night to find and kill the head vampire. Featuring hours of new gameplay, themed environment settings and new characters/enemies, Festival of Blood explores the darker side of the Infamous universe.
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
What do you get when an evil mastermind’s plan to destroy his three biggest enemies goes horribly wrong? You get a massive — and wacky — space-bound adventure featuring an unlikely partnership of heroes and villain. Play alone or in co-op multiplayer as Ratchet, Clank, Qwark or Dr. Nefarious, each with their own unique skills and an arsenal of weaponry.
Resistance 3
America is lost. 4 years after the end of Resistance 2, dishonorably discharged Sentinel Joseph Capelli is in hiding from the Chimeran Menace with other survivors, including his new wife and young son. But when Dr. Fyodor Malikov arrives with the opportunity to deliver a blow to the occupying Chimeran force, Capelli must leave his family and journey the harrowing road from Oklahoma to New York City. Along the way, he’ll encounter the remnants of humanity left in the aftermath of the brutal Chimeran invasion.
Sound Shapes
Equal parts instrument and game, Sound Shapes gives everyone the ability to make music. Play through a unique campaign that fuses music and artwork into a classic 2D platformer, featuring artwork by Pixeljam, Capy, Superbrothers and more, with music by I Am Robot and Proud, Jim Guthrie and Deadmau5. Then, create your own unique musical levels with all of the campaign content.
Wheel of Fortune
Spin the wheel and solve the puzzle with America’s Favorite Game Show! Wheel of Fortune captures the spirit of the popular TV show. Create your own character and experience Wheel of Fortune as never before. Solve puzzles to earn PS3 Trophies and become the game’s big winner!
Super Mega Baseball
Hammer Longballo and a friendly cast of semi-athletic baseball stars invite you out to the ballpark for a blazing fast, ultra-responsive game of hardball. Super Mega Baseball is easy to learn, but you’ll want to master jumping, diving, wall-catches, power swings/throws and cut-off plays to prevail in season mode versus the CPU, or to dominate your friends in local multiplayer.
That’s it for July! We hope you love playing this month’s lineup, and for the PS4 owners out there, tell us what you think of the new subscription experience — we hope you are as excited to try it out as we are to finally share it with you.
To check out the full list of games and supported devices for PS Now, visit http://www.playstationnow.com/. We’ll be back next month with more games and more announcements!
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
If at first you don’t succeed…
At the FTC, one of our goals is to stop scammers and end their schemes. Sometimes, that requires persistence. Take the case announced today by the FTC and the Florida Attorney General against Lifewatch, Inc., a company that sells medical alert systems, mostly to older people.
Fitz says Walker was involved in attempted ax of open records law
I’ll keep this brief. Here’s the headline: Scott Fitzgerald: Scott Walker’s office was involved with open records changes The most important thing to take away is that Fitz and the boys will make another effort to cut you and the world off from legislative records: “I think it’s something that there are many different entities more »
Skullgirls 2nd Encore Launches July 7th
Nearly a month after pre-orders launched, Skullgirls 2nd Encore is almost here! The game will officially be released tomorrow, July 7th, and unlock for pre-orderers tonight!
For those who haven’t been keeping up, 2nd Encore is the ultimate edition of Skullgirls, containing:
- All DLC characters included
- Fully voiced story modes
- New Challenges
- New Trials
- New Survival Mode
- Cross-play with the PS3 and PS Vita versions
- Full Platinum Trophy set
On top of that, if you needed another incentive, Skullgirls 2nd Encore is cross buy — purchasing the PS4 version will get you the PS Vita release, and vice versa. The PS Vita version will be out a little later this summer.
All of that for $24.99.
If you haven’t preordered yet, it’s not too late!
PlayStation Plus members will get a 20% discount on their pre-order, as well as a swanky PS4 theme!
The theme features a beautiful new piece of art, icons featuring Skullgirls characters, and a soothing instrumental arrangement of Michiru Yamane’s In a Moment’s Time. We think it’s one of the best PS4 themes out there, and we’re confident you’ll agree.
You can check out the theme here.
While we won’t be able to bring 2nd Encore’s new features to the PS3 version, we haven’t forgotten our PS3 fans.
Robo-Fortune and New Features On PS3
The final DLC character funded by our Indiegogo campaign, Robo-Fortune, will be released on PS3 alongside Skullgirls 2nd Encore.
Robo-Fortune was originally going to be a remix character based on Ms. Fortune, but we were able to upgrade her into something much more: a complete draw-over with a new design, and all new normal, special and super attacks.
As with previous DLC characters, Robo-Fortune will be free to download for the first three months of release, and “her” price will increase to $4.99 after that.
The patch that enables Robo-Fortune will go live tonight, and will also add the following new features:
- Art Gallery: A massive gallery featuring concept, production and guest art!
- CPU Quickmatch: Pick your AI opponents and fight them for a quick Skullgirls fix!
- New Alternate Voice Packs: For Peacock, Parasoul, Painwheel, Big Band, and Double!
- New Alternate Announcer Voice Packs: Female Announcer and “Dazed” Announcer!
- New Taunts: Every character old and new has taunts now!
- New Tutorials: Covering gameplay systems that have been updated since the original release!
Naturally, all of these will be included in Skullgirls 2nd Encore for PS4 and PS Vita, as well!
9 DIY Welcome Mats to Add Instant Charm to Your Porch
Like a smiling face, a charming porch makes a great first impression.
The post 9 DIY Welcome Mats to Add Instant Charm to Your Porch appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.
Musical Shooter Myriad Coming to PS4, PS Vita
Hey, I’m Erlend Grefsrud, and I’m making Myriad on PS4 and PS Vita. It’s my first solo game, published by my company Bifrost Entertainment, and I’m responsible for everything except the music, courtesy of his reverberant majesty Mathias Rudsengen.
Myriad is a beatmatched crystallization of arcade aesthetics. It’s a game that grows more and more beautiful the better you play, where you make and break worlds, control time, and bend space — all for one thing: performance.
Myriad is purely about performance. It’s stark naked, with no story, no obvious meaning at all, just actions and consequences, crisp shapes and you. Everything springs out of your performance.
The game is pretty simple: defeat enemies to build the level you play in. But beware: defeating enemies only multiplies their numbers. Your goal is to blow up the level you built in a glorious chain reaction to clear it of enemies, upgrade your weapons — and do it again. Bigger and better.
As you progress, you make and break bigger and bigger worlds along with ever greater swarms of enemies. All the while, the soundtrack builds around your performance, punctuating events and swelling towards the next explosive crescendo.
You compete to deliver the highest-scoring performance. The current best is showcased right on the title screen where everyone can see it, thanks to Myriad’s replay system.
Every performance is recorded and can be rewinded, meaning Myriad lets you control time. You don’t restart when you die — you just rewind. No game over screen, no breaking the flow, just undo your mistake and keep performing.
Your highest-scoring performances are saved too, so you can share them and enjoy your friends’ best performances — and even participate in them. Any time you watch a replay, you can just resume playing. Myriad puts you in control and lets you carry on the performance.
Myriad is about giving you as much control as possible. You can control space as well as time: every circle can be picked up and moved, whether it’s an enemy or part of the level.
This is Myriad’s purpose: to open possibilities, yield control, get out of the way and let you play — I want your performance to be Myriad’s meaning.
I made it as beautiful as I could. Now it’s your turn to make it more so.
How to beat the Vegas summer heat
“Sure, Vegas is hot but it’s a dry heat.” Don’t you just love when people say that? Like 105 degrees is somehow not HOT. Just because we don’t have much humidity in the desert, doesn’t mean we don’t need to find ingenious ways to keep cool. We had our own version of the ice bucket challenge before it went all super humanitarian on Facebook, we called it “surviving the summer heat as a broke-ass college student.”
Not a trickle of sweat to be found.
Dive-in at the movies
Don’t we all have fond memories of the backseat, I mean – drive-in movies of our youth? Get ready for a little bit of nostalgia under the stars, except now it’s completely acceptable to be caught wearing next-to-nothing. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has transformed their marquee at the Boulevard Pool into a giant movie screen for the Dive-In Movie series this summer. The hotel will show double features every Monday night while you splash around or lounge poolside.
Grab a brrrrew at Minus 5. Photo courtesy of Minus 5 in Mandalay Bay
Belly up at a frozen bar
Slipping into a fur coat is probably the last thing you want to do when it’s so hot your thighs stick together. But you’re going to need one at Minus 5 in Mandalay Bay and the Monte Carlo. With temperatures dropping down to the bar’s namesake, it can be downright frosty. Absolutely everything is made from ice, from the walls to the bar, the glasses and even your chair. It doesn’t matter how smokin’ hot you are, your tight little tush wont stand a chance against a frozen barstool.
The vodka vault at Red Square in Mandalay Bay is a balmy five to minus five degrees year round with private lockers to secure your stash. With the mercury rising well over 100 degrees, you’ll be begging to get stuffed into one these lockers. Buy yourself a bottle of fine Russian vodka that is served at a chilly five degrees Celsius (it’s Russian, what did you expect?) from the partially frozen bar. Some bottles are infused with fruit right at the bar.
Catch a concert in a wave at the Beach Concert Series. Photo courtesy of Alonzo Wright
See a concert with your toes in the sand
At the Mandalay Bay Beach Concert Series, you can stand waist-deep in a wave pool while you rock out to your favorite recording artists. The stage is elevated above the wave pool so there’s no such thing as bad seats. When you’re ready to dry off, head back to the sandy beach and spread out a blanket. Take it from us; don’t even think about wearing heels to these concerts. When you’re not in the water, you have to trek through sand to get back to the bar or use the “facilities.” There’s nothing cute about wobbling your way through a sea of drunken concert goers, so wear flip-flops you can shove into your back pockets and use your free hands to double-fist a couple of cold ones.
Untz Untz Untz Untz at Wet Republic. Photo courtesy of Aaron Garcia
Take a dip
This town has just as many pools as stiletto teetering 20-somethings in LBDs. You know why we had to invent day clubs? Because hotel room parties haven’t been cool since before you were 21 and it’s too damn hot do anything else outside during the day. So naturally, we improvised. These pool clubs are a haven for teeny weeny bikini squads and people who don’t mind getting hot and sticky with a couple hundred grinding partiers. It’s kinda like Tinder in person. So grab a drink and a hottie with a body, and dance your face off in waist-deep water.
If day clubs are a little too wild for your taste, there are plenty of low key options like your hotel pool where you can relax and keep cool. Even if you aren’t in the water, the mister systems and cabana options will make you feel better than you would at home. Plus, it’s not likely you have a super cute cocktail waitress delivering you frosty beverages in your backyard. If you have kids or just want to feel like a kid again, Wet ‘n’ Wild is a 33.5 acre water-themed amusement park with 25 slides, lazy river, wave pool and aquatic zones for the little dudes.
We missed the colossal wipe-out just after this photo was taken. Photo courtesy of Planet Hollywood
Catch a wave
As if we weren’t already in the habit of flipping Mother Nature the bird, the Planet Hollywood decided we should all be able to surf smack-dab in the middle of the desert. And we’re pretty glad they did. The FlowRider in the Pleasure Pool is a wave-in-a-box contraption that lets riders hang 10 or face-plant on the padding, all depending on your level of coordination. If you’re not brave enough to try it yourself, grab a cold drink at the FlowBar and watch your friends (or complete strangers) wipe out.
Go ahead and chug, you deserve it.
Welcome the brain freeze
Thanks to the holy sun gods, there are so many places to buy frozen drinks on the Strip that you practically trip over them. The oh-so-convenient frozen beverage bars are like the adult version of the ice cream man except the people behind the bar are way less creepy. Try Fat Tuesday, Big Chill, Numb Bar and Margarita Bar while you’re out-and-about.
OK, so a frozen daiquiri might not be anything new, but alcoholic ice cream? Count us in. The Neapolitan at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has brought together two of our favorite pastimes: eating ice cream and drinking booze. Their mixologists blend together adult popsicles, floats, spiked sorbets and shakes. If you start to broil while in the downtown area, stop by the Chill Spot in Container Park. They’ve got all natural frozen treats and adult Poptails. #YesPlease
Real Estate Headlines with Decorating Apps, Surprising FSBO News and a Very Special Smart Home
Other headlines include The Psychology of Home Decor, Real Estate Crowdfunding and a Quick Way to Pay Off Your Mortgage.
The post Real Estate Headlines with Decorating Apps, Surprising FSBO News and a Very Special Smart Home appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.
Monday, July 6, 2015
I have to ask: Are the Old Boys down at M.J.Sentinel shitting their pants right now?
Plenty of facebook commenters and at least two bloggers have proposed that the JFC’s attack on WI open records law is actually a set-up to eventually make Walker look the hero. As in, they think that the “dirty dozen” on the Joint Finance Committee conspired to nuke open records law with the budget add-on called more »
Can”t Buy Me Love show star Amanda Peterson Dies. Las Vegas Blog
Reported From Area 51.
From twitter site Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage Actress Amanda Peterson, best known for her role within the 1987 romantic comedy Can”t Buy Me Love with Patrick Dempsey, has died at the age of 43. Peterson”s dad told TMZ the… From twitter site Amanda Peterson, best known for her role within the romantic comedy “Can’t Buy Me Love” opposite Patrick Dempsey in 1987, died Sun. in Greeley, Colo. … Read the rest
'The Bachelorette' Reviewed: Kaitlyn's Secret & Shawn's Jealous Rage. Las Vegas Blog
Reported From Area 51.
The tryst, combined with Kaitlyn’s ill-timed late-night proclamation to Shawn in that he’s “the one,” prompted Chris Harrison to decide in that Kaitlyn isn’t accountable enough to satisfy 4 families. So she has two more robust calls to make in whittling her field down from five before she gets to have sex three more times & send another guy packing. Then it is hometown times two.Since … Read the rest
Jennifer Lopez, 45, displays shapely figure in sexy summer time dress as she takes pleasure in retail therapy… amid reports she sparked Ben Affleck's…
Me plunder is at Treasure Island Mate
The Above Altered Image Is Willfully Made Available for “Fair Use” Derivative Art .
By original editorialized for public "Fair Use" Reporter Published: 22:45 EST, 6 Jul. 2015 | Updated: 22:45 EST, 6 Jul. 2015 It has-been claimed in that her closeness to her ex-fiance Ben Affleck had something to do with his current split from his spouse, Jennifer Garner.But Jennifer Lopez shrugged … Read the rest
Ash Pollard pole dances during Dancing With The Stars training. Las Vegas Blog
Me plunder is at Treasure Island Mate
The Above Altered Image Is Willfully Made Available for “Fair Use” Derivative Art .
By Amy Roberts For original editorialized for public "Fair Use" Australia Published: 22:46 EST, 6 Jul. 2015 | Updated: 22:46 EST, 6 Jul. 2015 She’s spent hours within the dance studio perfecting her routine for her debut on Dancing With The- Stars still it’s not all work & no … Read the rest
Public Wi-Fi Networks
Whether in a hotel or airport across the world, or in the coffee shop just down the street, chances are you’ve used free Wi-Fi hotspots. While convenient, they’re often unsecure. So how can you reduce your risk? Encryption — having your information scrambled into code — is key to staying secure online.
Your attention please, Independence Day-celebrating Wisconsinites. Still LOTS of alarming BS in that last minute add-on to the WI budget.
Wisconsin’s Governor has released yet another Orwellian decree. It asserts that despite the fact that a radical stripping of open records law was tucked into Thursday’s “motion 999″ that the changes were “never intended to inhibit transparent gov’t in any way“. That’s special. Let’s assume I can pretend that Scott Walker and associated Republican legislators more »
The Drop: New PlayStation Games for 7/7/2015
Rocket-powered cars playing soccer? Yes please! Prepare for fast-paced competition, insane trick shots, and robust car customization. Rocket League is coming to PS4 this week, and it’s free for PS Plus members!
In Rocket League, players drive onto huge arenas for a fast-paced, richly strategic game of soccer. The catch: everyone is driving a car that that can jump, flip, and spin through the air in a dazzling display of rocket-powered wizardry. Rocket League features up to four-player splitscreen, eight-player online, a thorough customization system, and even a special appearance by Sweet Tooth, exclusive to the PS4 version. And if that didn’t sound good enough, it’s free for PS Plus members!
Speaking of free PS Plus games, let’s shine a light on Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved, which hits PS Vita this week. The iconic shooter series blasts onto Vita with hundreds of challenges, multiplayer support, and sizzling gameplay. Good luck getting that high score!
For a full list of games coming to PlayStation this week, read on. And enjoy the Drop!
New PlayStation Games This Week
Arcade Archives Exerion
PS4 — Digital
Exerion is a shooting game that was released by JALECO in 1983.Players must grapple with the inertial force of their fighter within a pseudo-3D space all while properly using dual and single beam weapons to destroy incoming enemies.
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved
PS Vita — Digital
Experience the full evolution of the award-winning Geometry Wars franchise and battle through waves of enemies on 3D grids in this frenetic arcade shooter! More than 100 total levels including 40 all-new challenges!
Nekoburo — Cats Block
PS Vita — Digital
In the Universe of NekoBuro, on a distant planet, there is a story of a fantastic electric wave life featuring the Square Cats, a whimsical group of aliens. They use electric waves to travel through the universe.
Pneuma: Breath of Life
PS4 — Digital
Pneuma: Breath of Life is a first-person puzzler that puts gamers’ minds to the test in a visually stunning world using the combined power of PS4 and Epic’s Unreal Engine 4. Pneuma pushes players to think outside the box and explore beyond what they know as reality through the eyes of a god.
Rocket League
PS4 — Digital
Soccer meets racing once again in our long-awaited, physics-based multiplayer-focused sequel to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars! Choose a variety of high-flying vehicles equipped with huge rocket boosters and soar into the air to score amazing aerial goals, perform incredible saves, and even demolish enemy players at unbelievable speeds!
Skullgirls 2nd Encore
PS4 — Digital
Skullgirls 2nd Encore is a beautiful, fast-paced 2D fighting game that puts players in control of fierce warriors in an extraordinary Dark Deco world. Each of the 14 wildly original characters features unique gameplay mechanics and plenty of personality. Skullgirls 2nd Encore is the perfect fighting game for casual and competitive fighting game fans alike.
Toro
PS4 — Digital
Toro is the first bullfighting simulator game, that will challenge your skills, reflex and fast reactions interacting with 1,100 lbs bulls. You will be able to face the bravest bulls in the most famous bullrings worldwide, and become a number one bullfighter.
Coming to PlayStation Music
Ghostface Killah – Adrian Younge Presents: 12 Reasons to Die II
Years & Years – Communion
Owl City – Mobile Orchestra
Coming to PlayStation Video
It Follows
Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Water Diviner
The information above is subject to change without notice.
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