II Peter 1:1-11

Introduction

The first chapter of II Peter divides itself into two parts: Verses 1-11 contain the exhortation of Peter to those to whom he writes; Verses 12-21 contain certain resolutions put forth by the Apostle and the foundation upon which they are based. For our time together we will examine only the first part—the exhortation of Peter to glean the important facts contained therein.

This great passage is pregnant with divine truth. As Timothy asserts, “All Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable for doctrine, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”[1] These verses are an exhortation to duty, connected to a description of the people to whom the passage is written, and a statement as to the motives behind it by which it is enforced. So, in order to understand the purpose of this passage we will take them up individually and seek to gain the author’s purpose for this epistle. In order to do that we want to ask the following questions: To whom is the epistle written? What are they called to do? How are they required to do it? And why are they required to do it?

To the first question of “who” we find the answer very readily in the early part of the text. They are the ones who have “obtained like precious faith” with the apostles; possessors of “grace and peace,” but who need to have these “increased and multiplied;” people who have been “called” by God; people who have been “elected” or chosen by God. These are the intended recipients of the original letter and by extension those intended to gain the most from this letter in our own day as well.

As to the “what” our passage answers by asserting that these people are to “make their calling and election sure;” they are to make it evident to themselves and others that they have been called and chosen. By life and lip their lives are to give proof as to their salvation. Instead of examining the fruits of others, self inspection, always looking for the signs of grace and election in their own lives and conduct should be their over arching goal.

Our passage also illuminates the “how” as well. They are commanded to “add to their faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.”  These are the marks by which others may know a person is truly a child of God. Through the outward manifestation of the above traits one is able to show forth the love of Christ.

The final question addresses the “why” these things should be true. The truth is that abundant provision had been made for them so that they can perform these commanded duties in the prescribed way. God has “given to them all things that pertain to life and godliness;” He has given them “certain great and precious promises; by which they may become partakers of a divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world.” He warns of the very bad consequences that will result from failure. They will be barren, idle, and “unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;” they will become “blind, incapable of seeing afar off,” and forget they have been “purged from their old sins;” they will be apt to fall, and though saved, will be saved with difficulty. But finally he elucidates the manifold blessings of those who do perform these duties. They will be active and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will be clear sighted and be able to see afar off; they will “never fall,” and an “entrance will be ministered unto them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

So, in conclusion, what signs of the grace of God do you see in your own life that you are indeed among the elect of God? How can someone as big as God come into your life without some change? Have we allowed ourselves to become so busy inspecting the fruits of others to determine how good a Christian they are that we are not able to inspect our own fruit? What of your efforts to add to your spiritual lives? If you have no spiritual hunger for the things of God, for advancing the frontiers of grace in your own heart, then you either have never known the grace and salvation of Christ, or you have forgotten that Christ died for you and while you may be saved, you will be saved by difficulty. When traveling days are done you will go into the presence of God without one trophy to lay at his feet. Can you make a list right now of the tokens of grace in your life which speak of a real relationship—not religion, not church membership, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School—but a hunger for relationship with the Christ of Calvary? And if those tokens are there, are you working to build on them by increasing the fruits of salvation so that others will apprehend the aroma of Christ when you are around them? The citizens of Antioch first called the believers “Christians”[2] because they said—“Every time I am in your presence, my mind goes back to Christ.” Every word that came from their lips, every thought and deed, every step, the places they went, the way they treated their neighbors and fellow Christians, their lack of gossip and backbiting, all pointed to the fruits that they were the elect of God. May that be said of us as well.

(To be continued….)

[2] Acts 11:26.

Merry Go Round The Ka'bah

So what’s all the hype about ant sized people clad in white robes walking around a black stone? I’d be surprised at seeing people throwing pebbles at rocks and walking in a two piece clothe if I were an outside observer to this annual phenomenon in Islam. I see no pleasure in watching barbers working extra time to get the right shine to the bald head of the pilgrims who go about doing Hajj. However, I do find pleasure in sharing a documentary filed by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Saudi Arabia on the ultimate pilgrimage. This is the first of four parts which would serve to guide the inquisitive mind on the basic steps involving the Hajj.

EID MUBARAK Folks!!

Trying to fall in love again, in an effort that’s as much an attempt to rediscover the magic that captured my imagination ten years ago as it is about unfinished business and righting the wrongs which have gone all-too-silently ignored over the years. It’s sad that I began playing in tournaments near 1500 (this was 2000!) but never improved as much as I could, or should, have. Especially if one assumes that this phenomenon known as ‘rating inflation’ exists. But I think I’ve said this before.

*****

Once upon a time, there was a formal dinner with schoolmates. Then, my parents were halfway across the world and I didn’t happen to have the requisite long-sleeved shirt at my aunt’s house where I was staying. Thankfully, a friend had a spare and I went into dinner looking presentable enough. I don’t remember details of the actual dinner, only what happened after it: a friend-to-be and I, both still dressed in dinner garb, decided to pay a visit to a room offering services which were grossly overpriced – but no matter. It came up to nearly $5 for 5 minutes; a slow connection coupled with a JohnDeere tractor aboard Superstar Virgo, and a manifest destiny was born.

Today, the 27th of  November seemed to ring some bell initially. But I didn’t bother to consciously try to think of why, until just awhile ago. So just a quick rundown:

Three years ago on this day, I was almost certainly enjoying myself and maybe watching Kramnik-Deep Fritz or something close to it.

Two years ago on this day, it was the second day of the GEP job and it was incredibly fun.

One year ago on this day, bathos. Whoever said that It’s A Beautiful Lie was right.

*****

Today I also happened to have not one, but two incidents outside, the kind that leave you with a bad taste in your mouth afterward. In the space of an hour.

While approaching my grandparents’ place in the west, I was accosted by a most dodgy middle-aged man and I smelled trouble immediately. He said something like “Hello, can I have $2? – to eat” He was holding a cigarette in his hand. I said no.

Then there was the rude cripple on the MRT. Indian man boards the train, rudely pushes his way in – ‘Deaf?’ – if this wasn’t Singapore, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if that’s exactly why you’re crippled.

George Bernard Shaw once wrote that plot was the creation, manoeuvering and destruction of relationships between characters. Plot is derived from character and it’s sole purpose is to drive the story so the character can attempt to achieve their goal. Every scene in your script must either reveal something about the character and advance the story. Flat scenes become boring and lose your audeince. Here are some plot devices that can pique your plot:

• DANGER – I cannot stress this one enough. It can be moral danger such as deciding to cheat on your spouse, or physical danger such as being trapped in a burning house. Raise the stakes and make your character earn their goal and pay for their mistakes. Give them insecurities, flaws, problems and issues we can all relate to. Make them fall into a ditch that they must crawl out of. A common plot device in action films is to either have multiple things go wrong at once or sequentially. The victim tries to escape, but they can’t find the keys to the car so they break in. Then there’s a flat battery so the can’t hot wire it to start. Then there’s no cell phone coverage… What’s needed may not arrive in time or not arrive at all. Oftentimes, dramatists use a Deus Ex Machina (literally God from the machine) whereby some life saving event occurs just in the nick of time before all is lost. Make sure this isn’t a lucky co-incidence or your audience will never forgive you.

• TIME BOMB - Give your characters a ticking time clock where something seriously bad will happen if they don’t achieve a goal. Maybe there isn’t enough time to defuse the bomb? Perhaps the main character doesn’t know how to defuse the bomb. Maybe the main character isn’t even aware of the bomb. Does the audience know? Giving either the audience or the main character such a superior position adds intrigue and interest. Alternatively, the main character can simply run out of options to achieve their goal rather than out of time.

• CONFESSION – After deep humiliation make your character confess to a secret, shortcoming, wound or a deep seeded fear or shame. Maybe they realise the error of their ways and take responsibility for their actions. Consider your audience. Being born out of wedlock is generally not considered a shameful act in the Western world. Forcing a pregnant unwed couple to marry may be acceptable is some cultures, but not in others. Play with morality in your plot. The beauty of it is that it’s never clearly right or wrong like a maths problem. Is it wrong to kill someone? What if they killed your family? What if it is in self defense?

• BETRAYAL – The hero’s buddy changes sides or is revealed as a traitor. What if the main character doesn’t realise this, or does so when it’s too late? What if the traitor leads them into a trap?

• DILEMMA – The hero is forced to make a choice between two equally bad alternatives. Consider the family with premature Siamese twins who must decide which one survives and which one doesn’t. What if the main character consciously decides not to act because they are faced with issues of duty for the higher good? Or even love?

• OBSTACLES – External influences such as bad weather or natural disasters forcing them to stop. Car or other vital piece of machinery breaks down and a replacement part is not immediately forthcoming. What if their progress is stalled due to injury, illness or other physical condition such as pregnancy or diabetes? What if someone in their team is killed or kidnapped? Running out of bullets, money, food, air all add to the excitement of danger.

• DISCOVERY – The element of surprise and shock always jolts your audience. Examples of this include a cover been blown of an undercover cop, the presence of an intruder being noticed, an escalating lie has been revealed. A discovery must pivot your story into a new direction, not simply act as a minor irritant. Remember the scene in “Mad Men” where Betty discovers Don’s true identity by opening a locked drawer? She didn’t sigh and carry on, she left him. Discoveries can also be wild goose chases. Following the wrong lead, the wrong map or the wrong advice.

• LOVE – Due to it’s universality, love will always add to a plot. What if a past lover returns? Consider Jodie Foster in “Sommersby”, when she tells her returned “husband” that he’s not the man she married because she didn’t love him like she loves the impostor. Add a love triangle; one bride versus two grooms. Add gender swaps, such as “Tootsie” who had enamored a man who thinks she’s a woman. Also consider the third wheel. The buddy who suddenly becomes the bride’s love interest when he reveals his true self. Love is also used to tame a savage, misanthropic heart.

• TRAITS – Give your character some endearing traits so the audience can partially overlook their negative ones. Give them courage, give them love. give them scruples so they are fighting for a good cause where the collateral damages justifies the cause, make them perform a good deed, make them desirable such as handsome, physical and funny. Make them spiritual, generous and wise. Ensure it all emerges from a place of truth and authenticity. Audiences retract from phonies. Give them fears, traumas which block their growth, masks which prevent other characters from seeing their real self.

• LIKES – Make your characters like children, animals and art. Give them great taste in cars, partners, houses, music, fashion, food and overall lifestyle. Audiences tend to admire what they aspire to be or what they perceive to be desirable.

So go forth and beef up those plotlines.

No its not a mistake, I did mean to write ‘or’ in the title. 2 weeks into my new role in ministry I have already come across the challenge that I’m sure faces everyone, but especially those in this line of work. That is to say the sometimes opposing pulls of call and duty.

If you know the call of God on your life then you are in one of two boats, either holding onto the promise of what is to come and in the meantime serving as God leads, or working out that calling in a world full of people who can influence the outworking of your call.

I am now in the latter of those two positions, rejoicing in the knowledge that I am exactly where God wants me to be, doing exactly what God wants me to be doing. It is great to know there are many people around me who are looking to support, encourage and release me into God’s call on my life, but even they (and maybe you, the reader!) have their own take on what that call means and will result in for me, the church, God’s kingdom and the community. Managing expectations, upholding vision and knuckling down to serve are all aspects that I will have to come to terms with if I don’t want to end up either alienating those I’m trying to serve or losing sight of my call in the midst of following other peoples agendas.

With God’s grace and favour I look forward to the welcome we all long for: “Well done, good and faithful servant”

Be careful of what you wish for, or don’t wish for. So I’ll finally be going out tomorrow, but not exactly (or not at all) in the way I might have wanted to.

*****

How could I have been so blind? What’s the age of accountability for these decisions, anyway?

It’s time to stand up and sign on! Or are you afraid to put your name to this document. Afraid that it might cost you too much. Afraid that you might be called on to live up to it. Afraid your name will be disclosed to the radical anti-life, anti-family, anti-American, and anti-God crowd that controls the culture and government. If YOU won’t take a stand then how do you expect your loved ones and your posterity to live and experience freedom and take a stand for Christ?

Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues – Washington Times.

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Fight The Good Fight

– Sergie717

Pré-reservation : 120 000 (à mi-octobre)

Lancement : 900 000

• 75/80% : consoles next-gen
• 10% : PC
• le reste : DS, Wii

Day one – Editions collector

• Simple (boitier métal, artbook, COD classic) : 90€ / 25 000 pièces
• Prestige (Lunettes vision nocturne) : 150€ / 15 000 pièces

Plan média : 7 millions € brut

• Packs collector PS3 et Xbox 36, théâtralisation des points de ventes avec des boxs, plus de 2 000 accessoires pour décorer les rayons, bâches d’entrées de magasin, zones évènementielles, portiques de sécurité.
• 35% : trade marketing / commerciale

Source : Multimédia à la Une, Novembre 2009, interview Frédérique de Fondaumière, trade marketing controller & sales planning analysis manager Activision Blizzard France

Last week we had the handbook reading on ‘Material Relief Prohibited’. To summarize the reading talks about why the Legion does not give material relief in the form of money, clothes, food to those whom they visit. There are many reasons but I’m not going to talk about it. Today I am going to talk about our identity as legionaries.

The following passage from the handbook reading gave me food for thought.

Individual legionaries may plead the duty of giving charity according to one’s means, and may urge that they do not desire to give relief as legionaries, but in their private capacities. Analysis of this contention will indicate what complications must inevitably arise. Take the case – and it is the usual one – of someone who did not indulge in such personal relief-giving prior to joining the Legion. In his rounds, he comes across persons whom he deems to be in need in some way or another. He refrains from giving anything on the day of the official Legion visit, but goes some other day “as a private individual” and gives. Surely he is breaking the Legion rule as to the giving of material relief, and surely the double visitation only covers a quibble? He visited in the first instance as a legionary. The cases came to his knowledge as a legionary. The recipients know him as a legionary; and certainly they do not enter into the quibble. To them, the transaction is simply one of Legion relief-giving, and the Legion agrees that they judge rightly.

From this reading we can infer that a Legionary cannot divorce his personal capacity from his capacity as a legionary. Once we are identified by the world as Legionaries, that label will be stuck to us forever. All eyes are watching on us. Eyes are watching on good Catholics, more so for Legionaries. The chapter ‘To be in a sense always on duty’ is very good reading for all of us.

Duty means discipline. Being always on duty means unrelaxed discipline. Therefore, one’s speech, and dress, and manner, and conduct, however simple they may be, must never be such as to disedify. Persons will look for fault in those whom they observe to be active in the cause of religion. Failings, which in others would hardly attract notice, will in a legionary be considered disgraceful, and will largely spoil his efforts to do good to others. Nor is this unreasonable. Is it not just to require a goodly standard from those who are urging others on to higher things?

- Chapter 33, Basic Duties of Legionaries, To be in a sense always on duty.

Indeed, there are no off days for us. We are always at work. We must always be ready to perform our duty, regardless of the cost. All of us must inculcate the sense of duty in ourselves. In modern times, ‘duty’ is often scorned as a terrible burden that must be gotten rid of as soon as possible. As Christians we do not run away from duty, but embrace it. By doing so, we make the world a better place. The sense of duty is integral to the identity of the Legion.

Many times we are challenged to performed our duties, but we rather be else doing something more interesting. Our founder Frank Duff recognized this in his tract, ‘Can we be Saints?’

We are to do what it is our duty to do — and at the right time. Duty is not something which is to be thrown off with our working clothes, as so many people imagine. It is as strictly our duty to keep an appointment or a secret as it is to do our work. A duty goes before even “Devotions.” It is your duty to wash the dishes, do not run off to Benediction instead.

We must not be afraid to make sacrifices, whether it is an hour of entertainment, a date with our lover, or a few dollars from our wallet. But let us be realistic. Sacrifice cannot be forced upon us. Devotion cannot be forced upon us. As the love of God is made avail to us freely, so we also choose freely whether to make sacrifices or not. We should ask for the grace of the Holy Spirit to make us ready for such a commitment.  Since we have freely chosen to be Legionaries, let us freely choose to be bonded to our duty.

J.C. Ryle on John 13:17  If you  know these things, blessed are you if you do them…

We are taught, for another thing, in these verses, the uselessness of religious knowledge if not accompanied by practice. We read, “If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.” It sounds as if our Lord would warn His disciples that they would never be really happy in His service if they were content with a barren head-knowledge of duty, and did not live according to their knowledge.

The lesson is one which deserves the continual remembrance of all professing Christians. Nothing is more common than to hear people saying of doctrine or duty–”We know it, we know it;” while they sit still in unbelief or disobedience. They actually seem to flatter themselves that there is something creditable and redeeming in knowledge, even when it bears no fruit in heart, character, or life. Yet the truth is precisely the other way. To know what we ought to be, believe, and do, and yet to be unaffected by our knowledge, only adds to our guilt in the sight of God. To know that Christians should be humble and loving, while we continue proud and selfish, will only sink us deeper in the pit, unless we awake and repent. Practice, in short, is the very life of religion. “To him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17.)

Guess what you MFW fu*ers, I got my pictures. YOU WERE LUCKY I HAD TO GO TO MY COUSINS HOUSE TO BABYSIT FOR 2 DAYS! MFW ARE COMPLETE NOOBS, RPF OWNED THEM. THE ACP SOLDIER RUMOR IS ALL NOT TRUE, WE RECRUITED YOU DUMB*UCKS. I couldn’t post RPF’s proof of the battle because I had to leave immediatly.. Well now you can SEE MY PROOF OF RPF WINNING. RPF OWNS ICICLE UNTIL MFW WANTS TO RE-INVADE IT!

MFW HAD ALLIE S DRESSED UP IN THEIR UNIFORM NO T US, PROOF:

MFW ADMITTED DEFEAT:

THE EPIC BATTLE, RPF vs. MFW:

Fight The Good Fight

– Sergie717

I’m looking for all breaking news today. I know with the Iran military exercise – calling all forces in practice today, to protect the nuclear program, forces must be on the move in the undertow……Holy cow! 5 days of “war games”, they desensitize the reality calling them that. Let’s call it, Supreme Leader preparing for protecting nuclear program to annihilate at least Israel….and then any infidels will do. Iran war games to defend nuclear sites

I am very concerned for the American Hikers held hostage right now: FOURTH AMERICAN HIKER: ‘NO WARNING SIGNS’—CNN AMERICAN MORNING

All for one and one for all at '16 Azar' - DEC 7TH 2009

We're All Green!

Mehdi Saharkhiz News Blog

Experts Say Iran Uses the Death Penalty as a Way to Intimidate Opponents

Diverse interests unite in Rio to protest Ahmadinejad visit

Fourouhar’s house today before the beginning of the ceremony!!!

Rafsanjani Sets Conditions for Friday Sermons

I can’t read this, but the pictures are very interesting.

محمود امروز یک کارگر شریف شهرداری بود و با دو فرزند خود زندگی آرامی را سپری می کرد

Information should not be forgotten:

Parvaneh Forouhar

Wikipedia on Parvaneh Eskandari Forouhar

“They are masters at psychological torture….they know what to do.”

Journalist Recalls Torture

Senate passes Iran human rights resolution

Iran to conduct military exercise aimed at protecting nuke sites

November 20, 2009

World powers meet over Iran nuclear plan

November 19, 2009

U.N. investigators visit Iranian nuke site

November 16, 2009

IAEA report raises concerns about Iranian nuclear facilities

‌چطور مي‌شود برنج كشاورزاني كه با آب‌باران و يا آب پشت سد‌سفيدرود آبياري مي‌شود به برنج مسموم معروف شوند، اما به برنج وارداتي و خارجي مهر سلامت مي‌زنند؟

Sports

Tweets Report on YouTube

fyuuuhhhh….akhirnya tema untuk si buku tebal ntu dpat 2 ‘body guard’ hahaha…yang berarti aku harus bikin permohonan supaya Impian Buku Tebal bisa segera terselesaikan…yups..sekarang seh aku dah tahap pembuatan permohonan tersebut dan semoga cepet sampai pada tahap menguji sejauh mana permohonanq tersebut valid hehehe..

Tapi ngemeng-ngemeng ntu permohonan baru rencana hari selasa or rabu dweh baru aku confirm dan semoga gak banyak diprotes dah ntu permohonan buku tebal…(harap-harap cemas) bdw anyway busway..ada beberapa scence yang ngebuat aku terheran2 sendiri tapi hal2 tersebut membuat aku semoga jalanku kedepannya diberi terus cahaya hehehe…cuz 2 ‘bodyguard’ yang ditugaskan menemaniku selama pembuatan ‘buku tebal’ ntu tempat aku harus menemuinya di saat mereka bertugas..bersebelahan coba…so aku gak mesti cari2 mereka di dua tempat yang berbeda (hmmm klo ungkit dua tempat yang berbeda jadi ingat ’salah satu penghuni hatiq’ iks yang satunya tentu saja 4jj).

back to d’case..nah biasanya kan keseringan yang terjadi dan aku lihat tugh mesti nyari ‘bodyguard’2 ntu satu dikutub utara satunya lagi di kutub selatan hahaha,tapi aku enggak dan itu membuatku sangat bersyukur berkali2 lipat. ‘Body guard’ yang kedua malah lucu aku minta persetujuan jadi bodyguardku malah nyantai gk perlu sebegitunya tanda tangani di ajuan permohonan jadi ‘bodyguard’q katanya besok2 ja gampang, dan aku disuruh buat proposal aja cepat baru ntar sekalian dia tanda tangan hohoho….memang ‘mereka2′ ini bodyguard yang baek dan mengerti…dan sekarang aku berharap semoga sajaaaaa…hakim buat buku tebal ini juga baik dah…dan itu akan membuatku tidak akan berhenti bersyukur..amin…(i hope so)..semangaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat……..

HOAAAAHMMMMM MenGantUK……dah dulu dweh….fell so sleepy…hoaaaahmmm…..zzzzzzzzzz@#@%#$….ZZZZ

My mom and I were talking earlier this morning about random stuff and ended up talking about failed marriages, and the overwhelming numbers of it in this modern age.  If it’s about love, if they think the emotion is dying, they can surely make a conscious effort to keep loving their spouse until death – that is, if they really want to.  Because love is not just an emotion, it is also a decision and a conscious effort.  I know I don’t have the right to talk about it, being not married and all, but just thinking about how couples in the past managed to make their marriage work, I really can’t think of any excuse why married couples of today can’t.  In this day and age, why does it seem like it’s a growing trend to just decide to walk away when things get tough?  My mom laughingly said married couples in the past really stick with each other no matter how they make each other’s life miserable.  It’s true.  I witnessed my grandparents (my mother’s parents) sitting and facing each other as they quarrel.  I remember the day when I was looking at my grandmother while she was making her “litany” of rants and how my grandfather just laughed at her and told her to quit talking.  They used to quarrel a lot, but when my grandmother died, I saw my grandfather cried.  It’s a very touching moment, but I was too young to realize that.  It’s just now when I look back and remember that picture of my grandfather crying over my grandmother’s death that I realized that my grandmother and my grandfather had this love, if not friendship, for and with each other through the years of being married to each other.  So, it really makes me wonder if the so-called “irreconcilable differences” really is a valid reason to end a marriage, or just an excuse?  But as I said, what right do I have to question this growing trend of married couples going their separate ways anyway when I don’t even have any idea what a married life is like?  Maybe I’m too idealistic when it comes to the topic of marriage, but that’s because I’ve seen couples who managed to make it work despite and in spite of their differences.  I also would like to mention the marriage of my favorite historical woman Marie Antoinette to King Louis XVI.  They were never really attracted to each other at first.  Their marriage was arranged for political reasons only.  But as years go by, they managed to develop a genuine love for each other and managed to make their marriage work.  They stick with each other through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, and until death parted them.  They have shown the world a very beautiful story of love, commitment, and loyalty.  Marie Antoinette knew she is putting her life in grave danger when she decided to stay at her husband’s side during the Revolution but she decided to stay with him nonetheless.  Why did she stay even though she knew that by deciding so means certain death?  Marie Antoinette’s bravery, the nobility of her character, her overflowing love for her family, for her adopted country, for its people, and her overwhelming sense of duty are remarkable at best!  She did everything she could to make her marriage with Louis XVI work that she deserved to be noted for that.  She’s a very good example to women, and to mankind as a whole for that matter.  What I’m really trying to say here is, if the individuals who are in a committed relationship will focus on how to make their relationship work instead of focusing only on themselves and their own interests, they can successfully make their relationship work.  If there’s a will, there’s a way, right?  So, why indeed don’t married couples try harder to make their marriage work anymore the way married couples in the past used to? That’s something worth pondering about, isn’t it?

Since Fiasco ruined our first invasion, we will make them suffer.. Now we will fight and not leave the battle. Pack your bags boys.

RE-INVASION OF ICICLE

When: Saturday, November 21, 2009

Where: Icicle, Snow Forts

Chat: xat.com/TehRPF

Times:

4:40 pm PST

5:40 pm MST

6:40 pm CST

7:40 pm EST

COMMENT IF YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT!

Fight The Good Fight,

- Sergie717

EDIT:

Cuando la gente menciona photoshop es por que cree que tiene 7 años estudiando diseño grafico, pero no realmente cualquiera con un poco de tiempo y dedicacion puede lograr resultados impresionantes en pocos pasos, yo realmente creo que cada uno encuentra su estilo para demostrar que usar el Photoshop les dejo este videotutorial….

Bien ya observaron que no era tan dificil si quieren encontrar el photoshop en español en su ultima version y EXTENDED pueden pasarse por http://kajo.foroes.net bien para que no queden en las nubes les mostrare alguno de mis creaciones:










Si quieres hacer algun pedido pasate por http://kajo.foroes.net especificamente aqui…. http://kajo.foroes.net/talleres-f17/taller-de-gantz-t66.htm

So, the long awaited much boycotted and trivialised Modern Warfare 2 is out; and I have myself a copy for PC.

So where the hell do I start?

Gameplay: 7/10

Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s the same look and feel of CoD4 and I’m not at all surprised by this. Whether this is a good thing or not is different.
The game plays out nicely and the controls are exactly the same as CoD4 so there’s no real learning curve. The gameplay itself though is a lot more fast-paced with seemingly a lot more hostiles taking shots at you from a  lot more angles – rooftops, windows, walls – pretty much from anywhere you can think of; and places you don’t think of either.
So, the difference between CoD6 and CoD4 is basically a faster game in terms of gameplay. Seems like there’s more guns too but it doesn’t honestly make a lot of difference.

A few things are missing too like the ability to lean left and right to check corners but thats no skin off my back as my play style is similar to John Rambo’s (whether it works for me is a different story).

Story 8/10

Just like Modern Warfare the story line of Modern Warfare 2 is amazing. It’s written by the writer of NCIS for those of you who are interested. Anyway, it’s great, I love it! It’s compelling as all hell and the setting is prime for a story of betrayal espionage and all out warfare. Which brings me to my first gripe. WTF?! I feel slightly robbed here because the story is rather short. By rather I mean really short, about as long as Mirror’s Edge was and you can knock that game over pretty darn quick. Still, the story that it does give you despite all the loose ends (i.e. WTF is happening with the US and the Marines there?) is still good. I enjoyed it, but it left me wanting more, hinting at a trilogy – like every other goddamn game out there. Why can’t developers just make a feature game that’s just amazing once and keep a golden title that they should never spoil with sequels? BECAUSE THEY ARE MONEY HUNGRY IS WHY! Christ; it’s not that hard to establish some morals while coding.

Visuals 7/10

Haha, I like this. There is relatively no difference to CoD4 except for higher resolution textures and a little more depth on character models. Other than that, it looks and feels a lot like CoD4 which is rather disappointing.

So yes, it does look a lot prettier and singleplayer level design is fantastic. The aesthetic of the US after the Russian invasion is great; in fact it’s my favourite thing of this game. Though sometimes its a little difficult to spot an enemy in some levels like the ones in Brazil or whever it is, but it’s rarely an issue as the game uses tracer bullets for effect.

Multiplayer 5/10

Ahh. Here we go.

Here’s the whole problem with this otherwise fantastic looking (albeit CoD4 just prettier) game. It sucks. Plainly and simply it just sucks arse. The decent part is I guess the semi CO-OP mode where you complete a bunch of timed missions of varying difficulty with a partner. It’s fun, but also relies on one of you having a decent upload speed. Ick. IWNet isn’t region specific so it’ll look for the best pings but when it can’t find good ones it goes the ’something is better than nothing’ approach. This can end up with you playing a game being hosted in the US which seems to happen to me more often than not. IWNet is a sad excuse for the lack of dedicated servers to fuel the monetisation of the Call of Duty franchise and frankly as a PC gamer this leaves me really pissed off. The poor pings mean you can’t hit a damn thing as everyone else is running around you and you’re in a lapsed time warp where you can’t work out what hell is going on BECAUSE YOU’RE DEAD! The poor pings even for others not only results in you not being able to score a kill on them because they jump lag all over the place and its like trying to play Duck Hunt on steroids. Also, total player size is down. FAR down. Sigh, Infinity Ward really dropped the ball on this one. I expected more and was saddened by this game.

Final Words

Okay, my final say is this:
Very pretty game, gameplay is the same as CoD4 and story is just as compelling, save it being short.

Here’s what I think:
This game disgusts me. Everyone who bought it should go get a refund because this is just absolutely pathetic. Activistion and Infinity Ward have tried to milk this cashcow TOO HARD. The PC version is just a port from the console version which points at the fact they can’t be arsed wasting time on the dedicated PC gamer who plays games on PC because they want the greater experience. IWNet is the shortcut for them so they don’t have to make utilities for Dedicated servers or Mods. It’s the small things you notice, like the fact it looks almost identical and plays identically to CoD4 that irks me and points me that they took some serious shortcuts. They’ve gone for as much money with as little effort as possible. It shouldn’t be about making games for money, it should be about making games for people, to bring joy and entertainment and an immersive experience to all those who dare try it. As an aspiring developer this makes me sad that it’s no longer for the love of the industry or love of the work, it’s about the love of the money.

This is my 2 cents and personally, I think these 2 cents are wasted along with the $100 I paid for it. Shame on you guys.

7+8+7+5/4=

6.75/10