I have to say that this is a very well done short-film. It is free for viewing and costs less than USD5,000 to produce. Very good quality indeed This takes place in between Gandalf finding more information about Bilbo’s ring and his coming back to the Shire. The actors resemble (to some degree) the original ones, but seriously, for the amount it took to make the film, this is considered amazing!

Thumbs up! Some violence to be noted (the same as the film trilogy).

The Marquis of Death is an alternate reality version of Clyde Wyncham from the far-distant future. He is the one and only Mutant to have existed in his reality (as is recounted in the mini-series “1985″, I think…) and has spent countless centuries terrorizing and tearing apart The Multiverse.

The whole issue is about the ‘torture’ that the Marquis puts the Fantastic Four through. I have admit that I was expecting more, but then, this is Mark Millar’s story… not mine.

The physical battle was really short… and too gracious on the part of the Marquis. We will see the conclusion next month

John Hendryx posted a concise post regarding the real definition of “Israel” as used in the Scriptures. Referring to Ephesians 2:11-21, he writes:

Notice in this passage that Paul speaks to Gentiles as having been previously separate and alienated from Israel and the covenants, but in Christ, Gentiles have become citizens of Israel. Being “brought near” was their modern day parlance for Jewish proselytes. Because verse 12 and verse 19 are separated by some text (which speaks of benefits in Christ) many do not pay attention to their close connection. Let’s have a look then: Verse 12 “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel” is joined to (vr. 19) “you are no longer strangers and aliens”. No longer aliens to what? No longer aliens to the commonwealth of Israel. That means that Gentiles who are in Christ are now “citizens” (v. 19) of Israel built as a house with Christ as the chief cornerstone. In other words, Jesus Christ is the True Israel of God (its fulfillment and foundation) as are all who are joined in union to Him. To say it another way, both OT and NT saints who are in union with Christ are citizens of Israel according to this passage.

Full article is here: http://www.reformationtheology.com/2009/06/an_observation_about_israel_in.php

I could not get a copy of it and was intrigued by the whole concept of ‘ending’ an epic storyline that comprises all the stories produced (most of it) for Crossgen Comics.

I am still waiting for the Cupcake update to be released. I am really tempted to ‘root’ my HTC Dream phone. If you ever give up on waiting for the update, here are the steps you should take (this is taken from the comments from: http://www.codeandroid.org/2009/05/10/faq-for-singtel-dream-users-regarding-firmware-update/ by user “act1988_3_9″.

Steps to Install other ROM versions on your HTC Dream (Singtel)

1. Download QMAT http://revskills.de/pages/download.html
It’s a demo version so will only can open for 10 minutes.

2. Format your memory card to fat32. Please keep in mind some card does not work.

3. Search in your android market for ‘Terminal Emulator’

4. type ‘ cat /sys/class/mmc_host/mmc1/mmc1:*/cid ‘ without the quote sign.

5. Note that code down on a notepad or something. Make sure everything is noted correctly.

6) Go to QMAT site http://revskills.de/pages/download.html, download QMAT 4.36
7) Extract the file, double click on qmat.exe
8 ) Click on Cyptoanalysis Tools > Crypto Toolbox
9) Look way below, there is a text box (beside “Reverse String” button. Key in the cid number you’ve got earlier
Click on the “Reverse String” button, the result is reversed…
Example: 532600bd227d9c0347329407514d5402
10) Copy the reversed cid
11) Go to QMAT again http://revskills.de/pages/goldcard.html to generate your goldcard (this is free for G1 phone, Thanks to Viper!)

12) Enter your email. For the CID, enter the reversed cid you’ve got earlier. However you need to replace the first 2 characters to 00.

Example: From “532600bd227d9c0347329407514d5402” to “002600bd227d9c0347329407514d5402”

13) click Continue and you will receive the goldcard.img via your email.
14) Go to your email, download the goldcard.img and save it to a directory first.
15) Now, download HxD Hex Editor for this site
http://download.cnet.com/HxD-Hex-Editor/3000-2352-10891068.html?part=dl-HxDHexEdi&subj=uo&tag=button

16) Install and launch HxD Hex Editor program
17) Go to Extra tab > Open Disk. Under Physical disk, select Removable Disk (Must be your SD card), uncheck “Open as Readonly), click OK.

18) Go to Extra again, Open Disk Image, open up goldcard.img which you’ve saved to a directory earlier.
Now, you should have two tabs, one is your removable disk, the other is goldcard.img. Press OK when prompted for “Sector Size” 512 (Hard disks/Floppy disks), click OK.

19) Click on goldcard.img tab. Go to Edit tab > Select All, edit tab again > copy.
20) Click on the “removable disk” tab. Select offset 00000000 till offset 00000170, click on Edit tab and then Paste Write.
21) Click on File > Save. You may exit this program

Now, do a test to see if your SD card is “compatible”

Disconnect the USB cable connected to your SD card, then plug it back again. Go to My Computer, you will see your SD card (E.g. “Removable Disk ( F:)” ), double click and see if you can access it. If it prompted you to format, then forget about this SD card, don’t think it will work. After trying for days, I ended up buying a Kingston 2GB card.

If you are able to access your SD card after written the goldcard.img to your removable disk proceed point 21.

22) Download RC7 from http://koushikdutta.blurryfox.com/G1/DREAMIMG-RC7.zip
I used RC7, you may use other version if you want to, just google around.
23) Extract DREAIMG.nbh to the root of your SD card.
24) Exiting moment is now… Power off your phone, power on again by holding the camera and the power button at the same time.
25) If all went smoothly, it will prompt you to press the Power button again to update
26) Once all is done, remove the battery manually to power off the phone. Place the battery back and power on again, you are on RC7 now

27) Same as usual, you will need to sign in to your google account. However do take note that after RC 7 image, all APN configuration is not relevant to the ISP in Singapore.
Click on the Menu key on your phone and configure the APN manually (google around, you should able to find you ISP APN configuration) Remember to set your APN to default.

Sign in to google again. Only once you are signed in, then proceed to (Point 26) because you need to download App like telnet from the Market.

28) Proceed to gain root access by following the instruction “Rooting your RC29 or lower phone” and “What To Do Now That You Have Root” on this link (posted in this forum by Chua as well) http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480

well… now that your phone is rooted.. just upgrade it to some firmware.. JF is quite good… Here is the link for Latest JF…: http://jf.andblogs.net/2009/05/24/jfv151-images-are-out/

If you do not know how to change the firmware from original to the JF or other modded one.. just follow the direction from previous link on how to root RC29 or lower phone..http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480

Note: Please update the radio update from uk or us htc website before you update to JF version

By the way for those who want to see paid app in the android market you will need the ‘market enabler’ app.. (search in google ‘android market enabler’.. This will work only in rooted G1.

I have to say that the method to do this ’surgery’ is quite complicated, when compared with Windows Mobile.

Screenshot of the Site Redesign

Finally, after SO MANY tries and re-tries… the church website (RBCM.net) has been finally been redesigned and completed (except for minor things like photos). Check it out. The MP3s for 2005-2007 has yet to be completed, but they are still available.

Phew… I have to admit that I envy some of the skills that some top wordpress designers have in what they do. They make it seem so easy… Ah well… I cannot complain much on this. Thank God for sustaining me for the past few days. Have been very very crazy and slow in re-categorising the MP3s. The volume is crazy!

Hope you like it too.

www.rbcm.net

ARhrrrr is an augmented reality shooter for mobile camera-phones, created at Georgia Tech Augmented Environments Lab and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD-Atlanta). The phone provides a window into a 3d town overrun with zombies. Point the camera at our special game map to mix virtual and real world content. Civilians are trapped in the town, and must escape before the zombies eat them! From your vantage point in a helicopter overhead, you must shoot the zombies to clear the path for the civilians to get out. Watch out though as the zombies will fight back, throwing bloody organs to bring down your copter. Move the phone quickly to dodge them. You can also use Skittles as tangible inputs to the game, placing one on the board and shooting it to trigger an explosion.

Wow… this is really nice. And you know what? The first Tegra chip we will be seeing, will be on the new Zune HD! Very nice indeed!

The best part of the news that just broke yesterday is this:

The art will be drawn by Bryan Hitch and Butch Guice (two of my favourite comic artist!). The story… come on, you honestly did not think that they would just let Steve Rogers lay dead would you? This is a business run by Marvel Comics… of course they would bring him back. No one has the courage to kill off a mainstream character and give the mantle over to Bucky (Captain America’s sidekick).

Anyway, check this art by Joe Q. Now if only they would speed up Mary Jane’s return to Spidey’s world.

I have about 500+ contacts on my Facebook not because of anything, except that having been lecturing for 4 years, you really come into contact with a lot of people. I am more than happy to connect with people that I have met before, or I have met but forgotten (there have been many such persons).

Having said that, I have a strict policy relating to the type of behaviour that I am comfortable with, especially when it is to do with on-line conversation/interaction. For one, do not stretch the friendship by taking advantage of it. Just because I know you and have contact with you for some time (years even), do not take it upon yourself to be ‘rude’ and ‘display your attitude’.

People who generally come online to have a row or fight, proves that they are not true ‘friends’. True friends take the other person’s consideration, even in having opposing thoughts or convictions. Of course this differs depending on different issues, e.g. spiritual issues versus commercial ones However, the point has to be made that you do not come onboard with a rested determination to put down another person without taking into consideration what is being said. It is like a person who just comes into your house and shouts “Your house looks bad!” repeatedly, even after you have explained yourself.

Such person, I believe, needs to be removed from the ‘friend’ list. At least on my books.

It is unfortunate that some people have such high value on their opinions to the extent where they just come down to the level of ‘name-calling’. If you are not ready to listen to the other side of the fence, “DON’T COMMENT or SAY ANYTHING on MY FACEBOOK!”

Fantastic Four #567 is part two of “Doom’s Master”, a 4 part series done by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. Excellent duo, telling another excellent tale. Apparently, Victor Von Doom’s masters have come to ‘visit’ him and ends up conveying their displeasure in Doom’s failures. The result is as follows:

The last page of the issue shows the Marquis of Death donning Doom’s face armour, declaring himself as the ‘New Doctor Doom’. Chilling!

Probably a better read once the trade comes out

The titled article is from Sword & Trowel 2009, No. 1. I have to admit that the piece is thought-provoking and blunt on the direction which Calvinism is heading in mainstream reformed evangelical circles. At the end, I cannot help but observe that one of the main issues that Dr. Masters have against this ‘new Calvinism’ is their public congregational worship. That seems to be the chief contention from what I can summise from the article. I think I am more concern with the 2nd point listed; ’soft separation from worldliness’.

The new Calvinists constantly extol the Puritans, but they do not want to worship or live as they did. One of the vaunted new conferences is called Resolved, after Jonathan Edwards’ famous youthful Resolutions (seventy searching undertakings). But the culture of this conference would unquestionably have met with the outright condemnation of that great theologian.

Resolved is the brainchild of a member of Dr John MacArthur’s pastoral staff, gathering thousands of young people annually, and featuring the usual mix of Calvinism and extreme charismatic-style worship. Young people are encouraged to feel the very same sensational nervous impact of loud rhythmic music on the body that they would experience in a large, worldly pop concert, complete with replicated lighting and atmosphere. At the same time they reflect on predestination and election. Worldly culture provides the bodily, emotional feelings, into which Christian thoughts are infused and floated. Biblical sentiments are harnessed to carnal entertainment. (Pictures of this conference on their website betray the totally worldly, showbusiness atmosphere created by the organisers.)

In times of disobedience the Jews of old syncretised by going to the Temple or the synagogue on the sabbath, and to idol temples on weekdays, but the new Calvinism has found a way of uniting spiritually incompatible things at the same time, in the same meeting.

The full article can be read here: http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/?page=articles&id=13

I can understand the danger that is expressed in the article and the implications if this ‘compromise’ is unchecked. However, I think it begs the question of what then are the essentials of Reformed teaching and practice in world that is changing culturally? There is a need to properly (and accurately) dissect out the Puritan way of life from the Puritan age in which they lived in. I find my thoughts straying back to Edmund S. Morgan’s excellent dissertation entitled: “The Puritan Family”, which debunks many myths concerning the lifestyle of the Puritans.

This is not a matter to be taken lightly, as the charges which Dr. Masters make upon the New Calvinist is very serious (if true on every point). We cannot just ignore the warning, thinking that it is only coming from a small (but prominent) Reformed Baptist church in the UK, nor can we just hope to wish it away (not when Mark Driscoll and his type of amalgamation with culture is getting more followings among Reformed churches).

May God give us the sensibility to understand and come to a real understand of God’s Will in these matters. I for one would admitedly need it.

According to a previous game developer in his blog post at http://godpatterns.com/post/status-update:

The original plan was – move to new job, then buy a computer to develop on (as I didn’t want to send my old one to Singapore), then resume posting.

This was a reasonably good plan, but unfortunately Ksatria’s financial backing started to falter then eventually died and the company went under. It’s a shame because the game was looking very good. At the moment I’m still in Singapore. I’ve had a few queries about possible positions here and back in the UK. In the immediate future I’ll be returning to the UK.

In his resume, he states simply:

Ksatria Gameworks
Jurong, Singapore
August 2008 – February 2009 [Company closed due to financial reasons]

I personally would think that this is a good source of information. The person lost his job due to the problems faced by Ksatria, which is not surprising since Singapore has been badly affected by the financial recession for the last 1 year.

It is a real shame… but it is not surprising. Too many Intellectual Properties (IP) like Lone Wolf has been promised a Triple A development funding but when the economy landscape shifts (as it always does), you find that their previous estimates were a bit too ‘positive’ and smaller problems are multiplied… before you know it, disaster happens within; stifled cash flow, rumour-mongering, cutbacks, etc.

I hope that the game license will be passed on to another (as in sold) game studio to pick up. It is sad to see my most favourite gamebook series coming up dud in the computer games translation.

I think I have had enough with Marvel Comics (the company producing Spider-man and Iron Man) in their playing around with the comic book industry. Paying RM14 for a 22-paged comic book is really RIDICULOUS! No way I would spend that amount on one lousy comic that does not bring much lasting entertainment. I remembered when it was already considered expensive to spend RM6.80 for a single issue of WILDC.A.T.S…. Sigh. And the truth of the matter is this: they are doing it because they just want higher returns. Read an excerpt from a presentation conducted by John Turitzin, Marvel’s general counsel and EVP of the executive office, which he presented at the Cowen & Company 37th Annual Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in New York recently:

During the presentation, Turitzin gave an overview of Marvel — a “cash machine,” he called it — and the various ways it makes money, from publishing and licensing to the more recently added Marvel Studios division. Like I said on Friday, one of the more interesting portions came when a comic fan in the audience asked about recent cost increases on some of Marvel’s more popular titles from $2.99 to $3.99.

“We’re always testing our pricing on our comic books to see to the extent to which it is inelastic, and we can increase our profit in that business,” Turitzin said. He added that different books have different price points, noting the most popular titles saw a price increase, while the lower-selling monthlies, as well as the comics aimed at kids, did not.

“We’re just looking to maximize our profits for that business while not alienating our own fan base by making them feel that they’re gouged, which I hope you don’t feel,” he told the fan.

When asked if Marvel would consider lowering the cover price if revenue started to drop, Turitzin said, “Our goal is to maximize our revenue, and if we’re not maximizing revenue then our pricing is wrong, and we have to take a look at that … so you can hope we see that attrition, and our prices come down.”

The full eyewitness account can be read from http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2009/05/more-on-marvels-price-increases/. There you have it.

If I buy a comic book, it will be in graphic novel format or tradepaperback. At least I get more value for money than what I get from a lousy 22 paged comic book. How stupid do these people think we are anyway?

Doink!

The actual meaning of the word ‘Prodigal’ is ‘lavish’ or ‘extravagant’. Most of the time it is in connection to the attitude of the person who is spending what is in his (or her) possession. It does not mean ‘lost’.

That is something that I only found out when I checked the actual meaning from the dictionary. The problem stems from the fact that it comes from one of the most popular (if not the most popular) parable (story) which Jesus Christ told. It is recorded for us in Luke 15:11-32. In that parable, the younger son is said to have spent his possessions in ‘prodigal living’ (based on the NKJV translation). The younger son was also tagged with the label ‘lost’ by his father, for he left the confines of the father’s house in order to lose himself from his father’s control.

The two terms were confused because many in the church would refer to that parable as either, “The Prodigal Son” or “The Lost Son”. Totally different words.

Now I know

This is a very good trailer. Don’t you think that the main baddie looks like Darth Vader, sans the metalic casing? Very exciting sword fights and all. But, I am quite sceptical over the game play. Not until I see the in-game trailer

This trailer was released in E3 2009.

The game is going to be an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) and features something interesting (for the moment):

… every non-playable character in BioWare’s upcoming PC MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic talks. Every single digital denizen BioWare has created to populate the game’s universe will have something to say. Useful dialogue or not, this is an impressive feat — an industry first, as we were told during Electronic Arts’ E3 press conference this afternoon.

Quote from http://www.destructoid.com/e3-09-every-npc-talks-in-star-wars-the-old-republic-134391.phtml