Daylight Savings Time Exposed

I really hate it when Daylight Savings Time ends -- now it will get dark around here at 5:30 PM. I wish they would just leave it on year round. Any reason for us to still do this? Is there any "savings" in an economic view?
-Steven McCauley on byrnerobotics.com forums

This kind of confusion surrounds the issue of Daylight Savings Time. Those who don't like it seem to just simply not get it, while those fighting for it aren't getting the message to those fighting against it. Check out some of these stories which dig up the dirt on DST and Put the arguments for and against it into perspective.

First Daniel Mangan helps clear up the history of DST. Check out its past, present and future here.

Next Travis Bassett gives us a look at the current controversy surrounding DST including both economic and public health perspectives.

Then head over Arjun's Arrow to find the international perspective on DST.

Megan Valcour examines the recent iPhone alarm debacle.

Finally James Bucklin talks with Joyce Vander Molen about her seasonal affective disorder or SAD.

For those of you experiencing DST blues, here's a tip from ABC 7 on adjusting to the time change...or refusing to.

REVIEW: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

I'm on to bigger and much better things now (Fallout: New Vegas) but before it's too late i wanted to give credit where credit is due. Before starting Vegas, and after completing a most disappointing Force Unleashed 2, I was lucky enough to get my hands on an unexpected little gem called Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

I remember the first time I played a Spidey game and thought, "man, this is pretty cool." That was the video game adaptation for the first Spidey movie. So imagine my surprise however many years later when I realized that game was pitiful compared to the new Shattered Dimensions. Now I know what a Spidey video game can really be.

This game departs from the traditional Spider-Man open-world style, which, looking back, really only had the effect of slowing down gameplay. In SM:SD, we find ourselves in extremely linear levels with very obvious goals. But fear not, true believers, this design is a very nice improvement, and it is supplemented with the "Web of Destiny" which adds a nice dimension of pseudo-quests to each level. There are a series of tasks one can complete for points which you can then spend on combat and character upgrades, like increased health and new combos. The more tasks you complete on the web, the more are unlocked. Some of these are completed by simply doing the things you need to do to beat the level, while others require you to use certain moves in combat, complete tasks within a certain time limit, or hit a certain number of enemies with the same attack. While these don't add any new physical dimension to the levels, they make a nice addition for those of us who want a little more out of our game play. There are also a huge amount of collectible spider emblems in the game which restore health and give you more points.

Back to level design. It's a mixed bag. Some of the levels are ingenious and very fun to play, like the lauded Sandman level, or the horrifying Carnage level, while others seem like a very irritating trek through hordes of D-bags to get to the boss. In the end, the levels all come down to how well the boss fight is designed. Again this is a mixed bag. They range from Some of the most excellent battles I've ever played, again like the battle with Sandman, in which he turns into a massive sand vortex and you must defeat him from the inside, to hugely disappointing, like the Deadpool fight, which I found to be less than impressive. The fights and levels entertainment value depends on how each different Spidey (there are 4 of them) uses their special abilities. In Noir we see a lot of stealth, which I actually enjoyed, though many have complained about. In Ultimate we get to use the Black Suits rage mode which is very cool and lets you effortlessly slice through swaths of enemies. In 2099 we have the acceleration mode which slows down time to let you dodge missiles and objects during the supremely well done free fall sequences. In amazing we just see Spidey doing what Spidey can, and it works out well.\

Check out this gameplay footage from the Sandman Level:

As far as the nitty gritty goes, the graphics aren't amazing, but they do a good job making each universe feel unique. The sound is a major downside. While traditional thwacks and pows might get some nerds hearts beating, they get very repetitive, as does the in game dialogue between Spidey and his nemeses. And Stan Lee, I love you, but your bit is getting very tiring. As the rightchief narrator for the games cut-scenes, Stan's voice work is just not that compelling, though some of the other voice talent including Neil Patrick Harris, is pretty good.

Lastly there is plenty of replay value here. With the web of destiny alone, there is a reason to go back and try and beat the game again, not to mention three different difficulty levels, and ranking systems on the levels so you can strive for the coveted gold medal. There are plenty of trophies/achievements to go around for those of you who like that sort of thing.

SM:SD was a short fun experience which should make Spidey fans happy while they wait for the Spidey reboot and inevitable game that comes with it. If you want to play a game you can beat in a week and have some fun with, check it out. Don't expect a great story, but do expect some fun gameplay.

Here's the trailer:

JOURNALISM 392W - Project 2: The Rally to Restore Sanity

200,000 people.

That’s one of the higher end estimates, according to Boston.com, for turnout at last weekend’s “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear” hosted by Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, the hosts of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report respectively.

One rally attendee, Natasha McKenzie of Boston, MA, had this to say to the Boston Globe:

I think that things in this political climate have gotten very extreme. I feel it’s important for people to come together and stand up against that kind of sentiment…It’s an amazing blend of both [entertainment and politics]. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert leveraged their popularity to bring people out in a political way, and that’s brilliant.

200,000 people.

Do you know what it means when 200,000 people care enough about an issue to get out of their homes at the same time from around the world and all go support something? Not to mention 200,000 Americans, who, in general, are so used to having access to so many things within the comfort of their own homes that it seems unnecessary to go out.

It means that whatever is going on is important.

It means that people are fed up enough with the state of American government that they feel each and every one of their presences at this event will make a difference. And if that many people think this is an important issue, why are the only people who are listening two comedians?

McKenzie seems to think that it’s a good thing that Stewart and Colbert managed to pull this together, but she and many others are missing what’s written in between the lines here. Stewart and Colbert were the ones who did this, because no political figure could, or cared enough to. Nobody in politics is in touch enough with the American people to realize that the insanity and confusion needs to end. That it’s driving people crazy.

What does it say about America when the only people who can get people to turn out for an event, or who care enough to try, are two stand up comedians, who are going to see their ratings skyrocket for this stunt? It says the American people afford more respect to their entertainers than to their politicians, and it says that our politicians are not aware of what America is feeling.

Imagine what might have happened if, rather than Colbert or Stewart, two politicians had gotten behind this rally. Imagine if Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid had realized how America felt, and reached across party lines to rally behind sanity and what is best for the American people.

Stewart’s and Colbert’s rally has already begun to affect some small amount of change among journalists. According to Politico.com, Keith Olbermann of MSNBC has removed the “Worst Person in the World” segment of his show, after it was criticized at the Rally. Imagine what kinds of changes might be affected if two politicians rallied together and started naming names, and criticizing bad policies.

Cheer for the Rally to Restore Sanity if you want, but don’t forget to weep for what it truly represents at the same time.

JOURNALISM 392W - Race Preview

This year almost every political race has some intriguing element. Whether it's vicious biting attack ads and wildly untrue accusations or the potential to drastically change the political landscape, these mid-term elections have become a truly tumultuous affair.

While the eye of the nation seems to be focused on some of the more deciding or outrageous examples, I think we are having a very interesting race right here in Massachusetts.

Nobody has forgotten the impressive upset victory of Senator Scott Brown, who replaced the late senator Edward Kennedy, and the question on my mind, and I would imagine the minds of many others, is will this happen again? Unfortunately I can't get out to vote today. I'm registered in NY and have already cast my absentee ballot, but I am following this race very closely.

Massachusetts is not usually one of the states that people focus on because it tends to be staunchly blue. However Scott Brown's win signals a potential shift in voting patterns, and shows us that discontented Republicans and Independents may once again flock to the polls in order to topple the norm.

The Boston globe today said that Democrats are going as far as to adopt a risky campaign strategy in order to increase turnout. They are campaigning in typically republican areas in order to bring out more voters, which they think, in the end will work in their favor. This move has the possibility to bring out both more Republican voters, and also voters who favor a local democrat, but not the party standard bearer, governor Deval Patrick. A risky play like this says that democrats are feeling pressed to take action outside their comfort zone of Urban areas, and may make for some very interesting campaign results. I'll be keeping my eye on it.