A Foreigner’s Guide to: As a foreigner, I find myself unfamiliar at times with the origin or purpose of cultural holidays of the country I am currently residing in. Recently, I experienced my first proper Tết celebration here in Vietnam. It was at a company’s work party, and everything—from the food to the entertainment—had been organized by its employees. It was incredible and inspiring to see the amount of effort they clearly exerted into creating a fantastic celebration, A Foreigner’s and after witnessing their ecstatic energy and love for the holiday, I Page 1 Guide to Tet felt inspired to learn more about it. Tết Nguyên Đán, more commonly known as Tết, is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. Meaning Lunar New Year in Women’s March Vietnamese, it celebrates the arrival of spring in the Vietnamese Page 2-3 calendar, usually falling between the two months of late January or 2017 early February. This year, Tết celebrations began on the 27th, the eve of their new year. As per tradition, the first three days of the New Year are spent Upcoming Space with family—the whole family. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, greatPage 3-4 Events grandparents, and cousins of first second, and third degree all gather together usually in the countryside, which is why HCMC is usually so deserted at this time of the year. Adults will visit their old teachers for a Movie Highlights day, giving them presents and expressing their gratitude. Page 5-6 Aside from being a time of celebration, the period of Tet is meant to 2016 be dedicated to recognizing a year of hard work. As a reward, people spend their days resting and relaxing with their relatives and the family. Common practices for this festivity include wishing good luck, Stephen Curry happiness, and prosperity, and children receiving Lì xì, meaning lucky Page 6-7 Greatest Shooter? money. As with any popular celebration, there are many superstitions involved with Tết. On Lunar New Year’s eve, no matter how busy they are, Vietnamese families will spend the day carefully cleaning and Mango Memes Page 7-8 organizing their house. This is because for the first three days of the New Year, no cleaning can be done as it is believed to be equal to sweeping away their good luck. Parents warn their children to be extra careful when handling fragile Upcoming Games objects such as plates and glasses, because breaking anything during the Page 8-9 2017 celebration period symbolizes damage or loss to the family. Significant importance is held towards the first person to visit a family’s home as they believe they will affect their fortunes for the rest of the year. Are Smartwatches Tết wouldn’t be a proper celebration without its auspicious omens. Page 10 For prosperity, heavily flowering trees and shrubs are set up. The Affordable? Vietnamese prefer yellow and red blooming flowers as they are the colors of good luck. Many visit the pagoda where they ask for what they wish, a tradition called khấn nôm. While in the northern areas it is customary to bring items ranging from meat to real money as a sacrifice, praying and making wishes in rhyme or tune, the southern parts of Vietnam simply ask for what they hope in the New Year. As a foreigner, it is important to educate oneself about the country we are living in. Whenever presented with the opportunity to become more culturally diverse and aware, take it, because it is an opportunity to expand your knowledge and become more open-minded towards differing cultures and societies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Article by Alexia Beatrice Guglielmi
“Vietnamese Pagodas.” Vietnamese Pagodas - Pagodas in Hanoi - One Pillar Pagoda. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.
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♀
♀ Women’s March 2017 ♀ ♀ ♀
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It is almost impossible to ignore the Women’s March movement that is happening around the world. This global movement gained attention from the media after hundreds of thousands of women clad in bright pink hats gathered in Washington D.C to protest against the inauguration of President Trump. Marchers started from the Capitol before hastily making their way to the White House. Although the protest in D.C was the most noticeable, the marchers were also joined by protesters from Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. The movement also gained traction around the world as women from Sydney, Berlin, London, Paris, Cape Town, Nairobi and even Antarctica marched in solidarity with the values being fought for by the women in the US. The movement started right after the election with a Facebook post asking to organize a women’s march on the 21st of January 2017. The protesters demanded for their rights to safety, families and health be protected under the Trump administration. They fear that the new president Trump will revoke these rights as seen from his stances on controversial issues during the election cycle, such as on the topic of abortions. CNN reported that there were over one million protesters all around the United States in cities such as Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, Boston, Phoenix and Washington D.C. The international marches have also gained traction, with reports of up to 5000 marchers protesting in Sydney, Australia. There were protesters in South Africa who were vocal about issues such as women’s rights. This is to oppose Trump’s misogynistic comments. The protesters believe that President Trump had marginalized women, as seen from many controversial actions which have been brought to light due to last year’s elections. Donald Trump has had feuds with Megyn Kelly, a former FOX news presenter as well as Rosie O’Donnell, both of which were started when he said a dastardly comment against the women. The resurfacing of an immensely lewd conversation between him and Billy Bush have garnered some controversy leading some people to see Trump as a misogynist and a sexist. However, the demonstrators do not only focus on issues regarding women’s rights. Many protesters also wanted to be vocal about issues regarding Brexit, the handling of nuclear weapons, abortions, discrimination of muslims, worker’s rights and LGBTQ rights. These are just some of the wide spectrum of issues that Trump has had a controversial stance on. The march acts as an opposition to the political position of the incumbent President. The protesters aim to combat Trumps immigration reforms, including a proposed ban targeting certain muslim countries such as Libya and Syria. It is also to combat the new healthcare reform which would take away Obamacare, a healthcare act which provided healthcare for 24 million people without health insurance. It also wants to raise awareness about environmental issues such as global warming, an issue which the President claims was a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. The main aim is to protect Human Rights. Many protesters feel that Donald Trump has made comments which disregarded women’s rights and LGBTQ rights. Many prominent politicians around the world support the march, including the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who stated that “Trumps views on Islam are ignorant”. He also encouraged marchers in London to “show how much we value the rights every woman should have”. Khan is a muslim and as such he does oppose Trumps anti-immigration policies, especially at those directed towards muslims in Syria. Singer and actress Janelle Monae appeared in Washington D.C, chanting the name of Sandra Bland, a woman who had died in police custody. This became one of the most iconic events during the rally. Hillary Clinton has also commended the protesters for speaking and marching for their values. tThough President Trump has not responded to the protest, it does seem he went out of his way to disregard the sheer impact of the march. President Trump and his family walked away from the protest on his inaugurations day. He also mentioned the number of people who attended his inauguration but he failed to acknowledge the number of people there who were marching against him. It is amazing to see the massive amount of people who have raised their voice to protect their values, and inspirational to Hartecollis, Anemona, and Yamiche Alcindor. “Women’s March Highlights as Huge Crowds Protest Trump.” NYTimes. New York Times, 21 Jan. 2017. Web. 14 Feb. 2017.
Spark, Laura Smith. “Protesters rally worldwide in solidarity with Washington march.” CNN. Cable News Network, 22 Jan. 2017. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
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see these people being supported by their peers around the world. However, the effectiveness of the protest in up in the air. As of February, there has been no meaningful response to the Women’s March. The Trump administration could continue to disregard these comments and continue with their plans to run the United States. Only time can tell if this march would have had any impact on Trump’s presidency. Article by Ted Dennis
Upcoming Space Events What not to miss
Upcoming Space Events What not to miss
Hello there! We are probably missing something special to accompany us all when there is nothing to do. In som situations we might just get bored from using tech. What else is there to do in cases of boredom apart from reading or playing video games? Right now, let’s take a look up into the sky. What even happened up there lately? The only thing th remember in 2016 was the super moon that happened on November 14 . What about this year? Is there anything to witness and get amazed from the wonders that happen up there?
Hello there! We are probably missing something special to accompany us all when there is nothing to do. In some The next super moon: situations we might just get bored from using tech. What else is there to do in cases of boredom apart from reading or playing video games? Right now, let’s take a look up into the sky. What even happened up there lately? The only thing I remember When will the next super moon occur? in 2016 was the super moon that happened on November 14th. What about this year? Is there anything to witness and get The next supermoon will happen on the 25th of May, 2017. Right now, there is no evidence amazed from the wonders that happen up there? to where this event can be seen, but eventually the news will provide you with the correct The next super moon: sight locations to visit for the perfect view. I recommend you to stay away from ground lighting/street lamps and preferably find higher empty grounds to get the best results of When will the next super moon occur? viewing the supermoon. Last year I used my telescope to view the supermoon on the top The next supermoon willfloor happen thebeautiful. 25th of May, 2017. no lens evidence and iton was I could evenRight see it now, movethere acrossisthe of the telescope.
to where this event can be seen, but eventually the news will provide you with the correct sight locations to visit for the perfect view. I recommend you to stay away from ground lighting/ street lamps and preferably find higher empty grounds to get the best results of viewing the supermoon. Last year I used my telescope to view the supermoon on the top floor and it was Fritz, Blaine Friedlander and Angela. "'Harvest Moon' Rises Friday, and It Might Be a Supermoon - and There's an Eclipse." Chicagotribune.com beautiful. I could even see it move across the lens of the telescope. Fritz, Blaine Friedlander and Angela. “’Harvest Moon’ Rises Friday, and It Might Be a Supermoon - and There’s an Eclipse.” Chicagotribune.com. N.p.,
Shooting stars:
So far I’ve only seen one shooting star in my life. That shooting star went pretty fast that I couldn’t even make a Shooting stars: wish.star Shooting mostly occur during nighttime, pm toeven 1:00am so you may wish. have to stay up th So far I’ve only seen onesingle shooting in mystars life. That shooting star went prettybetween fast that11:00 I couldn’t make a single night in order to see them. Thispm year, you might able catch them onceupatthe midnight Shooting stars mostly occurwhole during nighttime, between 11:00 to 1:00am sobe you may have to stay wholebecause night inthere might be a sky. catch them once at midnight because there might be a ton going across the sky. order to see them. This year,going you across might the be able Name
Date of Peak
Moon
Quadrantids
Night of January 2
Sets around midnight
Lyrids
Night of April 21
Morning crescent
Eta Aquarids
Night of May 5
In view most of night
Perseids
Night of August 12
In view most of night
Orionids
Night of October 21
Evening crescent
Leonids
Night of November 16
New Moon
Geminids
Night of December 13
Morning crescent
Solar and Lunar eclipses:
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Solar Eclipse: As seen from earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, thus partially or completely covering the sun. If there is a moment outside at daytime where everything turns dark or shady, then take a pair
of Ultraviolet proof sunglasses, put them on, and look up at the sky. You might see a Solar eclipse. Lunar Eclipse: A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is cutting between the sun and the moon (The moon is behind the Earth), therefore casting a shadow on the moon’s surface. “Solar Eclipse.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017. Study.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
Solar and Lunar eclipses are so far the best things to watch, but will there be any this year? Will they be visible to us here in south-east Asia? Let’s find out! For us, there will be two lunar eclipses that are possible to be viewed from Southeast Asia. One partial and one Penumbral (A total penumbral eclipse is a lunar eclipse that occurs when the moon becomes completely immersed in the penumbral cone of the Earth without touching the umbra). Unfortunately, we might only see the slight beginning of the eclipse; the moon will later on pass the horizon of the Earth. Here is the timing of the Penumbral eclipse:
Lunar eclipses look approximately the same all over the world and happen at the same time. The times displayed are accurate to around 2-3 seconds. The moon is below the horizon in Ho Chi Minh city some of the time, so that part of the eclipse is not visible. The total duration of the eclipse is 4 hours, 19 minutes. That concludes for this article. There might be a lot more space events to witness and to be amazed from, so please make sure you check the news and websites to know more about future cool space events that might be visible to us by the naked eye. I hope you enjoyed the article. See you next time! Article by Aditya Chauhan
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Movie Highlights 2016 The year of 2016 was without a doubt a blooming year for the movie industry. Throughout the year, we were given movies that not only exceeded our expectations, but exceeded the expectations of moviemaking in general. Nevertheless, not every movie that came out in 2016 made it to someone’s top 10 list, with many movies that were expected to do well flopping horribly. Here, I will list some of the best movies of 2016, and some of the more disappointing films.
Deadpool (Science Fiction/Action) RATED R Deadpool is a movie that has been in the making for years. With constant rumours of being cancelled and script rewrites, many people started to believe that this movie would never be made. But after almost 7 years in the making, Deadpool finally appeared on the big screen for the first time (let’s ignore X-men origins), and to everyone’s relief, it was amazing. Through its witty humor and high entertainment value, Deadpool earned nearly US$800 million on a mere budget of US$58 million. What separates Deadpool from other superheros is his use of breaking the fourth wall and interaction with the audience. Deadpool does this with smart and witty pop culture references. Ryan Reynolds even pays homage to some of his past “bad movies” such as Green Lantern and the X-Men franchise. Deadpool will in no doubt go down in history as one of the funniest R rated movies, as well as being everyone’s favourite anti hero. 20th Century Fox, 2016
Ghostbusters (Fantasy/Science Fiction) RATED PG-13
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Deadpool_poster.jpg
While many people were excited about Paul Feig’s new take on the classic Ghostbuster series, this remake was more of a service to feminists (through the all female cast) and 6 year olds with a weak sense of humor. Even then, it fails to entertain a wider audience. This movie had high hopes for becoming the first movie to successfully flip the script and showcase the power and humor of women. However, instead of achieving this goal, the movie completely misses it as it is littered with fart jokes. The last nail in this monstrosity coffin was Chris Hemsworth’s character, one of the most disliked characters of this year, due to the extreme sexist portrayal of the man who purely serves as the comic relief for being a “dumb blonde” . Can we please just let this movie die? Please? Thank you. Columbia Pictures, 2016
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/32/Ghostbusters_2016_film_ poster.png
Moonlight (Drama) RATED R
Moving on to one of the more serious movies of 2016, Moonlight is the story of a young black man growing up in a difficult and dangerous neighbourhood in Miami, where he discovers his own sexuality in a culture where he is not accepted. His hard childhood may suggest that he has a predetermined path in life to go down. Not everybody gets a choice. This critically acclaimed movie has won a multitude of awards, and there is a chance that there is an Oscar coming to it in the future too. This movie can be interesting to ISHCMC students, due to the many cultural differences showcased in the movie. Definitely a recommended watch for anyone who is interested in a more serious film. A24, 2016
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/84/ Moonlight_%282016_film%29.png
The Conjuring 2 (Horror/Thriller) RATED PG-13 When it comes to horror movies, very rarely do we get a movie that is not only good, but good enough to deserve a sequel. However, when it comes to The Conjuring series, nothing seems to be stopping James Wan from directing a quality horror film. I love this movie so much, I had to see it four times to truly appreciate it. Not only do we get good jump scares and some serious tension, we also get a complete and interesting story, well-thought out characters, and most importantly an interesting plot. This is insanely important, as for the past 5 years it has felt like we were just getting the same content over and over again (does anyone really want another exorcism movie?) While it is clearly not for everyone, The Conjuring 2 is still an exceptional movie in the horror genre. Warner Bros, 2016 Now, only time will tell what quality of movies will come out in 2017. In the next issue of ISHCMC Inquirers, make sure to refer back to Luca’s Zesty Movie Reviews. Article by Luca Paul Scholze https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/Conjuring_2.jpg
Stephen Curry – Greatest Shooter of All Time? From shooting half-court shots to making insane layups, Stephen Curry is arguably the best shooter of all time. The former NBA champion and back-to-back MVP must be guarded at all times when he is on that court. He can shoot from almost anywhere and has proved to be able to do so on many occasions. On February 27, 2016, Stephen Curry tied the NBA record of twelve three-pointers made in a single game in a regular season against Oklahoma City Thunder. In addition to that, Curry hit a game winner from almost half-court with 0.6 seconds
http://www.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ste1.jpg
http://www.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ste1.jpg
left in overtime. Not only did the half-court shot give the Golden State Warriors their 53rd win of the season, but it also set some records. The only other players who made twelve three-pointers in a single regular season game were Kobe Bryant, who made 12 on the 7th of January, 2003, and Donyell Marshall, who also made 12 on the 13th of March, 2005. Although Curry won his second consecutive MVP award and led the Golden State Warriors to a 73-win season, a new NBA record, he was not able to clinch the NBA championship which was won by the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James. Curry had a rough start to the new NBA season. On the first game of the season, the Golden State Warriors were beaten by the San Antonio Spurs at the Oakland by 29 points. A couple games after, Curry lost his 157 game three-point streak where he must score at least one three-pointer in a game. This is the longest three-point streak in NBA history. He made 0 out of 10 attempted shots from beyond the arc against the Los Angeles Lakers on the 4th of November, 2016. Curry won his second consecutive MVP award and led the Golden State Warriors to a 73-win/season, a new NBA record, he was not able to clinch the NBA championship which was won by the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James. Surprisingly, Curry had a rough start to the new NBA season. On the first game of the season, the Golden State Warriors were
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beaten by the San Antonio Spurs at Oakland by 29 points. A couple of games after, Curry lost his 157-game three-point streak where he must have scored at least one three-pointer in a game. This is the longest three-point streak in NBA history. He made 0 out of 10 attempted shots from beyond the arc against the Los Angeles Lakers on the 4th of November, 2016. To make up for his bad form against the Lakers, Stephen Curry made thirteen three-pointers on his next game against the New Orleans Pelicans. After less than a year of tying the record of twelve three-pointers made in a single game, he set a new NBA record of thirteen three-pointers made. Despite all the competition within the team with the new signing of the former MVP, Kevin Durant, Curry is still able to set records. The Golden State Warriors beat Anthony Davis’ side, the New Orleans Pelicans 116 to 106. Curry holds the record for the most three-point shots made in a single NBA season. In the 2015/16 season, he made 402 three-pointers. In addition, he also holds the record for the 2nd and 4th most three-pointers made in a single season. Stephen Curry simply “dominates” the leaderboard for three-point shooting. Article by Ida Putu Wiweka Dharmasiddhi
MEMES Perhaps the most unlikely candidate for intellectual analysis, memes are ripe with potential points of interest with regard to a vast array of educational fields. Through memes, one might explore the cultural nuances of the early 21st century or, alternatively, philosophize over the use of language in this pop culture phenomenon. All of this education, of course, will be carried out in the most entertaining way possible, incorporating a humorous topic very grounded in the lives of modern youth. This section attempts to dissect, analyse, and hence understand...
MEMES The Memes of 2016 Retrospect might not always be the most pleasant perspective to assume, but it is a perspective that must be taken up as a prerequisite for improvement. It is hence vital that we look back at 2016’s memes, happily reminiscing on their dankness with upbeat nostalgia or, in certain cases, shaking our heads in disapproval of their staleness. However, internet articles expressing disappointment in the events that transpired over the course of 2016 are becoming cliche and - in memer language - ‘normie af.’ As such, this article hopes to offer a positive outlook onto 2016, allowing us to remember it at its best, knowingly overlooking the rest.
Robbie Rotten The winner of “Meme of the year” as decided by the dank memes subreddit, Robbie Rotten has proven that he is indeed number one. This meme is part of an ongoing trend - that of the incorporation of lovable childhood cartoon characters - that perhaps most noticeably started with Spongebob and his appearance in many ‘dank meme vine compilations’. However, this is disputable given that memes prior to this occurrence already occasionally featured cartoon characters such as Marge Simpson frozen in her classic krump dance. Mr. Rotten has perhaps achieved his state of memehood in part from the fact that many members of the meming community might recognise him from their childhood, instilling a reminiscent mood within these members. Some may even remember specific episodes or scenes from these cartoons, in turn further enhancing the meme’s overall effect. It should be noted that this meming community seems to be constituted mainly of individuals in their teens or 20s, and that this effect would not have been achieved were this not to have been the case. One can hence hypothesise that future memes may feature the children’s cartoons of today. In addition to this, the catchy tune that Robbie Rotten is renowned for singing might have impacted this meme’s iconicness and popularity in the meme-sphere. This has consequently allowed it to be easily inserted into many different contexts - just as any good meme should be - on top of this allowing it to, in certain circumstances, be playing on eternal repeat in the heads of https://media0ch-a.akamaihd.net/19/98/179a030ccdf7d3a953abf0b384e18810.jpg
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the members of the meming community.
Dat Boi
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/126/808/828.jpg
The internet is home to many oddities (from old men protesting “don’t do it” to a crossover between Shrek and Mike Wazowski) but maybe the king of randomness - the one meme to rule them all - is none other than Dat Boi. Part of his charm comes from the fact that he is simplistic in his aimless existence. Oftentimes one can find memes impaired by being overblown and overdone, in turn resulting in sometimes confusing deliveries. However, the nonsensical charm of an animated frog on a unicycle is straightforward and simultaneously
charismatic in its. A novice player in the game of memes might inquire: “why?” But this amateur would clearly not be utilising dat boi to his full potential. Where some memes might function to be laughed at for their stupidity and others for their genuine wit; where some memes might gain their comedic appeal from their spontaneity and others from their prolonged awkwardness; the beauty of this meme originates from the fact that there is no “why.” The world of memes is a diverse one indeed. With all of the explaining and solving that we have to perform in our studies, dat boi seems almost like a sanctuary from it all. Perhaps this is part of the reason he has been such a driving force in modern meme-making. Upon sighting dat boi, one needs not think critically or understand thoroughly - one needs only reply with “o sh*t waddup.”
Evil Kermit Within the world of memes, there exists a holy trinity of sorts - a holy trinity of meme frogs. The aforementioned epitome of randomness Dat Boi is of course a part of this coterie, and the innocent meme turned symbol of hate Pepe the Frog is another. The final constituent of this pantheon, another memorable icon from our childhoods, is Kermit the Frog, especially when observed in his ‘Evil Kermit’ state. Evil Kermit has earned his spot at the top essentially because in all iterations of the meme, he is relatable. Are you a student struggling against the omnipresent force of procrastination? There is an Evil Kermit meme for you. Are you a twenty year old facing adversity with regards to cash flow? See Evil Kermit meme number 362. As long as there is a dedicated meme-maker in a precarious situation, there is an Evil Kermit meme to relate to. With these Evil Kermit memes, nobody ever really feels alone - it provides people with a sense of belonging, even through the ethereal medium that is the internet. This effect is further enhanced by the fact that Evil Kermit memes prey on the crimes we are all guilty of and, more to the point, are aware that we are guilty of. This allows observers to connect with each other on a more personal level, knowing that each is being honest with the next. https://media0ch-a.akamaihd.net/10/27/9b05f0cd729092d43233ce31b1e74398.jpg
Thank you 2016, for providing us with so many
DANKMEMES
Article by Ethan Isaac
Upcoming Games of 2017 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard ‘Biohazard’ is the 11th installment in the video game horror franchise ‘Resident Evil’ by Capcom. This version of the game will be released for Microsoft, Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with the PlayStation 4 Version being compatible with
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the new PlayStation VR (virtual reality) headset . Being the newest installment in the series, Capcom knew that they had to do something special after the relative failure of ‘Resident Evil 6’, not being able to stand up to its predecessor of ‘Resident Evil 5’, scoring a mere 4.5/10 compared to 9/10. So the upcoming addition to the series will be the very first one to be played in the firstperson view compared to the classic third-person view. The game is based approximately 4 years after ’Resident Evil 6’(which would be 15 years after the zombie epidemic stated), the main character is called Ethan Winters, unlike previous protagonists within the series which had military backgrounds or were still serving within the army at the time of the game, Ethan is a civilian, thus, he offers less in terms of combat skills. Ethan is on a quest to find his wife, Mia, which leads him to a derelict plantation mansion, home of the Baker family. From which, the same mansion, Ethan needs to escape and runs into an unfortunate series of events which lead to various missions and storyline making decisions which cal alter the course of the game and the ending story. YouTube.com. Resident Evil 7 - Biohazard (Lantern) Gameplay Trailer. 2016.
Ubisoft - For Honor Unlike the game above, ‘For Honor’ is an online multiplayer slash and hack hand-to-hand combat game. The game is developed by Ubisoft Montreal and will be available for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It is set in third-person and essentially consists of three different factions. . The Samurai, Vikings and Knights, the setting of the game has a main medieval feel to it mixed with fantasy. The game offers both a campaign mode and an online multiplayer mode. The campaign mode is focused on the bloodthirsty warlord, Apollyon, that believes that the people of the Knights, Vikings, and Samurai have grown weak and thus wants to create an age of all-out war through manipulation of each faction. The perspectives of characters within each faction are shown as events within the game unravel, battles are waged, and agendas are created as Apollyon works to ensure continuous sparks of conflict between the Legion, Warborn, and Chosen (Knights, Vikings and Sauri). YouTube.com. Ubisoft - For Honor - Screenshot 03. 2016.
The online multiplayer is based on five different game modes: - Dominion: In this 4v4 battle you must break the opposing team’s morale and then eliminate them. You do so by scoring points through killing enemies, capturing specific areas, and controlling them over time. Once a team reaches 1000 points, the opposite teams breaks and can no longer spawn unless they kill opponents or recapture areas. A team wins by killing the last hero of a breaking team. - Brawl: This is a 2v2, best-of-five rounds battle to the death. Each hero spawns at a different point of the map. A team wins a battle when they’ve eliminated the last hero of the opposing team. There are no respawns. - Duel: Battle it out against a single opponent in a best of five-round fight in an arena! Use your mastery of your hero’s moves to slay your opponent. You must do so without feats or radar to pinpoint your opponent’s position. - Skirmish: Combat skills are key in Skirmish as you score points for your team by killing enemy Heroes. Each match ends with a climatic with a breaking phase when one team needs to wipe out all of the players on the other team to win the game! - Elimination is a best of five rounds 4v4 mode. There is no respawn and the player who is the last to survive on the battlefield wins the round for their team. It’s a mode full of tension where every fight matters Article by Vittorio Guglielmi
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Are Smartwatches Affordable?
Feat.Gear S3 Frontier
“It is invaluable to those that need to constantly check their notifications.” - Mr. Rae Deeley
How smartwatches were introduced
In 2007, when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone, he defined the iPhone as “the integration of phone, iPod, and internet device”. As time passed, mobile phone industries put more functions to their smartphones, such as the App Store, Stylus, and sensors. Now, smartphones play an irreplaceable role in our daily lives. However, some mobile phone manufactures have started to lead another trend. They introduced smartwatches, which can be paired with smartphones. These device not only provide simple clock functions, but also other functions that are found in smartphones, such as phone call, messages, and applications. Between them, Apple (55.0%) and Samsung (11.4%) , with the highest shares in the smartphone market, are dominating the smartwatch market. But, is it affordable to pay more than $299 for these devices? Here is the review of the Gear S3 Frontier, one of the latest smartwatches, to answer this question.
Perfect when paired with phones
With many advances from the previous generations of Gear smartwatches, its functions are more sophisticated than ever. With speakers and microphones which were added onto Gear S3, it has the ability to call other people without taking out the phone from the pocket. The speaker is loud enough to call people and play music. It can check notifications from the phone. This is the most useful function, because it is possible to check notifications and reply to messages or facebook messenger without using a phone. There is an internal keyboard which can type words for messages, but due to the small screen size, it is better to use handwriting to write words. The wheel on the bezel helps users to use it. The fitness tracking function, S Health, is one of the most solid functions of the Gear S3. The number of steps are measured by an internal sensor. The heart rate sensor exists and works better than the same sensor in the Galaxy S/Note series devices. It measures heart rate periodically and notifies when the rate is higher than average. Finally, it can install applications and watchfaces without using Galaxy Apps in the phone. Many watchfaces contain functions, such as number of steps walked or number of floors climbed. So, if it is paired with phones, it enhances the functions in the phone and can be very convenient.
Gear S3, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. Personal photograph by author. 2017.
Not enough to be standalone
However, it doesn’t work well without phones. The Gear S3 doesn’t support cellular networks, so it cannot work as a separate phone. But, even without this issue, there are still lots of obstacles in using the Gear S3 as a standalone device. The critical problem is the screen size. Compared to its predecessor, the Gear S, the screen is smaller. The Gear S provided 2 inches of screen, so it was large enough to use the internet. However, the Gear S3 is 1.3 inch, and display is not rectangular, so the internal keyboard doesn’t work really well. The alternative of internal keyboard is handwriting. But since it is based on word suggestion, it can take a long time to type a sentence. Also, the content needs to be improved. Unlike Apple Watches, there are not enough applications to enhance the productivity of the Gear S3, due to fewer 3rd-party developers, even though the watchfaces and pre-installed apps are excellent. The other critical problem is battery life. Due to the technological improvements, the battery in the Gear S3 is more enhanced than the predecessors. However, it still lasts for only 2~3 days. If the battery life is improved, it will be a much more promising product for consumers.
Conclusion: Is it affordable?
Returning to the question: Are smartwatches affordable? The answer of this question is, “Yes, but some components can definitely be improved in future.” The functions of smartwatches have become much more enhanced than their predecessors. But, they cannot do many things without corresponding smartphones. If they are able to be “standalone”, then it would be more affordable to pay $300 for these devices. Article by Myeong Hun (David) Song <3
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Deborah Ellis Author Visit Tet Assembly