We’ve reached the final race of the 2013 Formula One World Championship and it’s the end of an era. Not only are the old 2.4-litre naturally aspirated V8s on their way out after eight years but so is @AussieGrit Mark Webber after twelve seasons at the top-level of motorsport. Given that it’s Webber’s final Formula One Grand Prix, I thought that it was only fitting that I bumped him up from #2 in the Power Rankings to #1.
Month: November 2013
Hype Train: Xbox One
Another week, another console launch and another trip aboard the hype train to look at the final of the three next-gen home consoles. This time, it’s Microsoft’s effort at a new console with the Xbox One.
Unlike Sony whose PlayStation 4 is trying to be a thoroughbred gaming machine, the Xbox One is aiming to be an all-in-one box for the living room thanks to TV integration, apps, Smart Glass, Kinect, a Blu-Ray player and the occasional ability to play a game.
Wednesday Link-Off: The Scandal that Never Ends
You know, I thought that we might finally be done covering the Rob Ford crack scandal but the story just never seems to end or get old. It’s just too interesting to avoid. That and I don’t think that the media are covering any other story.
Anyway, it’s time for the links. Let’s start with blog favourite Genevieve Morton.
So that Rob Ford crack tape is from February. So was he in a drunken stupor then? (Toronto Star)
Is Rob Ford beyond help and does he just need to get out of office? (National Post)
And the Ford Brothers’ new TV show was cancelled after one episode. Sun News Network says it’s because it cost too much but I don’t think anyone is sold on that. (Globe & Mail)
Fails of the Week
Every so often, we take a look at the most epic fails from the week that was in the Fails of the Week. This week, we have five pictures, GIFs and videos that we think are the most epic fails of the week.
Formula One United States GP: German/Austrian Two-Step
Coming into this weekend’s race, there were only two races on the current Formula One calendar where victory eluded Sebastian Vettel. One is Hungary and he won’t get a chance to rectify that for another eight months. The other is the United States Grand Prix which he only had two attempts at winning.
Well, actually, you can change that to the United States Grand Prix was one of the few races he hadn’t won after absolutely dominating the second running of an F1 Grand Prix in Austin.
Sunday Link-Off: Plenty to Eat at Home
The week is over. The PlayStation 4 is out and I haven’t been left behind because I don’t own it. Similarly, I won’t be left behind because I’m not getting an Xbox One. Newsflash: Neither will you for the next six months while we wait for a sufficient game library to roll out.
Apart from the console launch, this week brought us even more Rob Ford news. And here you were thinking that the fun was over. So let’s not delay any longer and get to the links. Here’s Hannah Davis.
Just when you thought that it was over in Toronto, the Rob Ford story got a lot more interesting over the last few days thanks to some new allegations from court documents. (Toronto Sun)
In addressing those allegations, Mayor Ford said some things that we wish he hadn’t. (Deadspin)
If you’re looking for the encyclopedia of Rob Ford buffoonery, check out this website. (MayorFord.info)
BIFF2013: Short Term 12
“Look into my eyes so you know what it’s like to live a life not knowing what a normal life’s like.” Those harrowing words came from the rap lyrics that Marcus (played by Keith Stanfield) delivers in one of the most powerful scenes in the film. Sure it was laced with coarse language, but the raw emotion from the song about parental abuse and his estrangement from his family was like a big punch to the gut. The film is uplifting yet heartbreaking and it knows how to grip so tightly in our hearts and never let go. Short Term 12 delivers an emotional powerhouse through superb direction, touching script and brilliant performances from the actors involved, in particularly Brie Larson. Continue reading
BIFF2013: The Spectacular Now
Ida Scott Taylor once wrote “Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come. Live in the present and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering”. All this sounds quite beautiful, but let’s be honest here, the whole ‘live in the present’ philosophy is not exactly a good one. Often we have to think about tomorrow because we expect to still be here. The Spectacular Now is a wonderful film that explores the ‘live in the now’ mentality while taking a look into high school romance and the anxiety of escaping our shells in the teenage years. Led by the wonderful performances of Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, The Spectacular Now is a charming yet powerful coming-of-age story about the fear of looking into the future and simply staying in the safety net of the present. Continue reading
7 Best Games of the 7th Generation: Uncharted 2: Among Theives
As the current console generation went on, games increasingly tried to be like interactive movies. The goal seemed to be to recreate the Hollywood experience but with you playing the starring role using a controller. While one could argue that Heavy Rain may have gotten the closest, no game captured the fun of the summer blockbuster while releasing a solid game quite like Naughty Dog.
Since today marks both the launch of the PlayStation 4 and our 7 For 7 series, I thought that it was only appropriate to kick off with the epic PlayStation 3 exclusive Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
F1 Power Rankings: United States Grand Prix
There are just two races left in the season but Sebastian Vettel is still on a mission. He’s never won a race in America. The US Grand Prix and the Hungarian Grand Prix are the only two races currently on the calendar that he hasn’t won. Can he win the second-to-last race of the season and cement himself as the Penultimate Warrior? Find out in this week’s F1 Power Rankings.
The Lowdown 