Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Review: Tokyo Jungle | Video Game Blog, Video Games Reviews ...

Platform: PlayStation Network
Developer: C.A.M.P, Crispy?s
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Released: September 25, 2012

With the amount of games that are trying to push a sense of realism because of all the detail HD graphics can provide, its refreshing to see Tokyo Jungle avoid that mindset and prioritise on just trying to be a fun game. Its bizarre, ludicrous and makes little sense, and I love it for that.

Its the dystopian future of 2027, and it seems humans have mysteriously been phased out in the city of Tokyo by all manner of animals. Every type and breed is competing for survival to avoid complete extinction. That?s about all the storyline you need before jumping in for some ridiculous fun!

The main mode of Tokyo Jungle is Survival Mode. Animals you select to play as are divided into two groups: predators and grazers. Predators must hunt for their food ? you can do this by either sneaking up on prey and performing a ?clean kill? (which feel incredibly satisfying on larger animals) or, if it is alerted to your presence and tries to escape, chip away at their health bar by attacking. While hunters, the playable predators at the start must still hide from the bigger beasts. Grazers are herbivores, and must be played with stealth gameplay in mind. You don?t have to hunt because you can simply feed on plantlife, but you must constantly be on alert for animals looking to eat you.

Eating regularly is imperative, as you must maintain a hunger gauge. If the meter goes to zero, your health with start to decline. Your main objective in Survival Mode is to help your chosen animal type survive for as many years as possible. You must mark specific points on your map in order to claim a territory, which in turn means you can gain a female?s interest. You can then take her to a nest to mate. Your rank depends on what female you can interest, from desperate to prime. The greater the female, the more offspring you will create, increasing your chances of survival when you take control of the little pups.

Strangely enough, the game often feels not only like a stealth game but also a survival horror. It can be extremely tense hiding in tall grass from prowling wolves, leading your army of baby chicks without being seen. Being spotted and chased knowing you could be killed in matter of deadly swipes and bites can be terrifying, and when wandering through the darkness at night you can easily bump into a bloodthirsty creature. The further you travel, the deeper you go into the dangerous rural areas, where lions, cheetahs and velociraptors (yep, there?s dinosaurs in this too!) await.

The mini-map is a handy survival tool that will show you all animals on the map as green dots, but though you can see where an animal is, you won?t know what type of animal it is. You could be walking into a harmless pack of porcupines, or a terrifying troop of Tosas, cleverly urging you to tread carefully at all times. I had no issues with the static camera, but there are some moments that feel a little unfair due to the inability to control it. Primarily you are moving left and right through streets, but to change lane you also move up and down. When traversing south you can hardly see?what?s?in front of you, and sometimes have no choice but to walk into the sights of a predator.

Most importantly, the game is just hilarious. Watching a Pomeranian dog kill and eat a lion, a chicken double-jump ridiculous heights across rooftops and a gazelle booting a pig in the face and sending it flying are just a handful of highlights you?ll experience in Tokyo Jungle.

The silliness extends to the Story Mode, wherein chapters are unlocked by finding archives in Survival. Each animal is given a little backstory ? the Pomeranian must learn to fend for itself now it has no owner pampering it and the deer is searching for its lost mother. There?s funny moments, such as the beagle reclaiming territory from a Tosa leader donning a robe, though these are pretty much the same as the Survival mode but with specific conditions.

I?ve devoted many hours into Tokyo Jungle, and while the thrill of the hunt remains exciting for a good while, you eventually see the game becoming a little repetitive. Its great that there are 80 different animals to unlock and choose from, but they all control the same albeit with different running speeds. Still, its fun to finally play as a lion or bear after being hunted by them for so long.?The game is still ultimately addictive, but after a certain period of time it seems better in short bursts. The replay value and amount of content is very generous considering the price.

It took a long time for this game to make it out of Japan, but I?m eternally grateful that it did and late is better than never. The game is well worth a look just for the laughs, enthralling gameplay and unique premise. There?s nothing else quite like Tokyo Jungle, and the idea is not only ridiculously fantastic but executed extremely well. So go on ? take your pack of puppies, rule your new kingdom and have some stupid fun.

Score:

9.0


Article from Gamersyndrome.com

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Source: http://gamersyndrome.com/2012/video-games/review-tokyo-jungle/

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Hospitals that cooperate on infection control fare better than hospitals acting alone

ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2012) ? An individual hospital's infection control efforts have a ripple effect on the prevalence of a deadly and highly infectious bacterium in hospitals throughout its surrounding region, a multi-center research group led by the University of Pittsburgh demonstrated in a computer simulation-based study.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, infections are better prevented when hospitals cooperate and coordinate their infection control procedures. Hospitals working alone do not achieve the same level of infection control, according to the results of the study published in the October issue of the journal Health Affairs.

"Unless they are associated financially or legally, hospitals often have their own separate infection control programs and procedures," said Bruce Lee, M.D., M.B.A., director of Pitt's Public Health and Infectious Diseases Computational and Operations Research (PHICOR) group. "However, hospitals are rarely isolated islands and instead share patients extensively with other hospitals in their area, which can facilitate the spread of MRSA infections."

Lee and his colleagues obtained real-world data from all 29 hospitals in Orange County, Calif., and developed a computer simulation to assess a procedure called "contact isolation" to limit MRSA transmission. The procedure involves testing all patients for MRSA upon admission to a hospital. When a patient tests positive, hospital staff must wear gloves and gowns whenever entering that patient's room or interacting with that person.

The simulation explored scenarios in which different combinations of hospitals implemented contact isolation to varying degrees.

"The more that hospitals work together and coordinate infection control efforts, the more they all benefit," said Dr. Lee, also an associate professor of medicine, epidemiology and biomedical informatics at Pitt's School of Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health. "For example, doubling the number of hospitals that adopt contact isolation can more than double their improvement in infection control."

The simulation also found that requiring contact isolation at one hospital not only decreased MRSA at that hospital as expected, but also did so in other nearby hospitals that had not implemented the intervention.

When the simulation was run with all the hospitals in Orange County implementing contact isolation simultaneously with a 75 percent compliance rate, MRSA prevalence decreased an additional 3.85 percent over what the hospitals could have achieved on their own. Long-term acute care facilities fared even better, with a 12.13 percent additional decrease.

The simulation relies extensively on data regarding infection rates, annual admissions, average patient length-of-stay, hospital transfers, readmissions, number of intensive care units and bed capacity at the Orange County hospitals.

MRSA is widely prevalent in U.S. hospitals. In 2006, the MRSA colonization rate, or detection of the bacteria on a patient's skin or soft tissue, was 12 per 1,000 inpatients. In 2010, the rate nearly quadrupled to 41 per 1,000 inpatients despite an overall decrease in the rates of MRSA infection.

The researchers had shown previously that hospitals in Orange County, which has a population of 3 million, are highly interconnected through patient transfers and readmission of patients to different hospitals after an intervening stay at home or elsewhere.

Some hospitals have started cooperating to control hospital-acquired infections. In California, the Safety Net Initiative is building a learning collaborative among California public hospitals to reduce such infections. The Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative has successfully created a culture of change to improve overall patient safety. Similar programs in Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, South Dakota and Wisconsin also have successfully reduced hospital-acquired infections.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/Bq0T0-587IU/121009161059.htm

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Camp Jabulani | Family Holiday and Leisure

Tusk tales

By Jo Kromberg

Photography by Willie Smit

But the most overpowering of all is the feeling of peace and spiritual confluence in this private sanctuary

?Move Jabu?? The handler?s words are spoken softly but the elephant immediately responds and he discards his newfound tree snack. And on this three ton pachyderm ambles with silent footfall, through the dusk-filled bush, on towards home.

We are at Camp Jabulani sitting astride elephants, riding in the file form. Throughout the forty minutes or so of the journey I?m amazed at how the eight elephants keep chatting to each other in their own language. They understand and respond to at least 60 commands and they are bi-lingual! ?They understand both Shona and English,? says Andrew, the assistant manager and chief elephant whisperer at Camp Jabulani. Their handlers are all from Zimbabwe hence their linguistic proclivities.
It is now almost completely dark and after the elephants deposit us, we slowly follow them into their elephant sanctuary and it feels like entering Jurassic Park. We feed them and spend time just absorbing the presence of these magnificent beasts.

We arrived the day before. Thick mist tenderly touched the emerald green fields as we drove through the Highlands Meander. Ashton Kruger Safaris & Shuttles picked us up in a freezing Johannesburg but the 6-hour journey was spectacular. Coming into Hoedspruit, white clouds were draped above the blue mountains like organza.
One of their expert rangers, Calvin, comes to pick us up at the Hoedspruit airport. Camp Jabulani a family-owned and managed private luxury safari lodge located within the private Kapama Game Reserve in close proximity to the Kruger National Park, and scenic Mpumalanga region. My first impression of the camp is that of being welcomed as a long-lost friend in a stately, beautiful home in the deep bush. Everywhere are photographs of the founders of Camp Jabulani, the Roode family. Carl and Elsie are our hosts and show us to our rooms. This luxurious camp has only six suites and never more than 12 guests. Each of the six luxury suites is remote and private. Pure cotton sheets, massive stone tubs with a view of the bush, an outdoor glass-enclosed shower, a fire-place with a separate lounge area, and a private plunge pool all make you feel like royalty. Suites are also equipped with a mini-bar, safe, hairdryer and electric blankets. 24-hour temperature control and overhead ceiling fan ensures you are never too hot or cold, never mind the weather.
But the most overpowering of all is the feeling of peace and spiritual confluence in this private sanctuary. If I had a writer submitting a clich?d phrase like this to me I would probably summarily fire him but of this place no other description will suffice. We wander to dinner and Chef Andre presents us with a milfuille of veggies and the most superb ostrich steak I have ever tasted. We head to bed early in anticipation of a full next day. Hippo, elephant, buck, and new born babies of all descriptions peer at us on the game drive in the crisp, early morning on route to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre. The Roode family has a long history in the South African wildlife community, with Lente Roode as founder of this renowned Centre. It was their commitment to the cause of rescuing and providing safe haven for orphaned, injured and vulnerable animal species that saw the conceptualisation and creation of Camp Jabulani. We play with the young cheetahs and watch the rescued vultures feast on their ?lunch? of carcasses ? an eerie and smelly experience ? before we set of to see the Jabulani ellies come to drink at the waterhole with their handlers. Camp Jabulani?s herd has matured over time to become a very close-knit family group.
Calvin, whose knowledge of the bush in general is phenomenal, tells us that the namesake of the Jabulani herd, 16-year old Jabulani was abandoned and left orphaned at the tender age of 4 months and hand-reared by Lente Roode with her team. The intra-herd dynamics have changed significantly since their arrival. While wild elephants group themselves in matriarchal herds, with male bull elephants joining the herds from time to time and having little to do with the younger members ? Camp Jabulani?s herd are all involved. The males have become as attached to the youngsters as the females.
After lunch we retire to our respective kingdoms for a well-earned rest and meet at 6 to go and greet the ellies up close. We have sundowners in a clearing and first to be introduced is Jabulani. We stroke him and feed him and then it?s off for said stroll. The elephant back walk takes about 40 minutes and it?s just you, the bush and these magnificent, gentle beasts. Andrew says that the experience is especially awe-inspiring for children. Then back for dinner of warthog, bless buck and malva pudding, apparently all prepared in heaven. We take our weary bodies to bed at about 9 and I curl up under the covers in my palatial chalet, listening to my bubbling pool and the cacophony of crickets and frogs. We take a stroll to the spa in the bush the next morning where you are treated to a luxurious full-body massage right in the open under a canopy and then we peruse the massive family unit. The Zindoga Villa is Camp Jabulani?s most recent addition for the smaller group, or for the family traveller with younger children.
The Villa is a mammoth 424m2, with an additional 225m2 of wooden decking overlooking the wild African bush.
Two individual suites are connected by a joint lounge and dining area. Each unit has a massive bedroom with bathroom en-suite, expansive wooden deck and a private heated plunge pool. One of the suites also has a charming twin room, with private bathroom, for two children sharing.
The Villa is serviced by its own dedicated team ? including ranger (and private vehicle), chef and butler.
A deep gloom descends on me as we say our good byes. Jabulani is not for the counting-penny types ? it is very expensive and every cent goes back into the conservation of the elephants ? but it is worth it. Camp Jabulani enhances your spirit and soul in a way you never would have thought possible?

Camp Jabulani contact details:
Tel: +27 (0) 15 793 1265
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 922 0120
Fax: +27 (0) 15 793 1261
E-mail: campjabulani@campjabulani.com
website: http://www.campjabulani.com/

Reservations and Sales:
Tel: +27 (0) 12 460 5605
Fax: +27 (0) 12 460 7573
E-mail: reservations@campjabulani.com

We were kindly transferred to Jabulani by Ashton Kruger Safaris & Shuttles. They offer scheduled Kruger Walking Safaris in prime Big 5 territory, departing every Monday and Friday. The unfenced camp is private and secluded and can sleep up to 8 people. The combination of walks and drives in the open 4?4 safari vehicle are dependent on weather and animal movements and are conducted from camp in the early mornings, late afternoons and at night. Ashtons also offers a daily return road shuttle service between Johannesburg (06h00) and Hoedspruit (12h00). Comfortable, quality 10-14 seater vehicles are used with air-con, transport permits, R100 Million passenger liability and qualified drivers.
Main Tel: +27 (0) 21 683 0234
Shuttle: +27 (0) 21 683 0345
Int Fax: +27 (0) 21 683 0335
South Africa Fax: 086 540 8987
www.ashtonstours.com
www.ashtonsgroup.com

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Source: http://familyholidayandleisure.com/2012/10/camp-jabulani-2/

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Neeson doubles the take with $50M 'Taken 2' debut

This image released by 20th Century Fox shows Liam Neeson in a scene from "Taken 2." (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, Magali Bragard)

This image released by 20th Century Fox shows Liam Neeson in a scene from "Taken 2." (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, Magali Bragard)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Critics don't like "Taken 2," but Liam Neeson's action sequel has proved twice the hit among fans as the original movie was.

"Taken 2" led the box office with $50 million domestically over opening weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. That's double the haul for Neeson's "Taken," which took in $24.7 million in its U.S. debut in early 2009.

"Taken" went on to become a $145 million smash for Neeson, the Academy Award-nominated star of "Schindler's List" who has become an unlikely action hero in his 50s.

In "Taken 2," Neeson returns as a retired CIA agent using his expert espionage and killing skills to take on a gang of thugs out for revenge against him and his family.

"He gives hope to aging men," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. "He's done the reverse of most actors, where you do the action stuff when you're younger then do the more introspective work when you're older. He's sort of turned it around. When he's 80, he'll probably be kicking even more butt."

"Taken 2," which began rolling out overseas a weekend earlier, added $55 million more in about 50 international markets to raise its worldwide total to $117 million.

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie at the U.S. box office, Adam Sandler's animated hit "Hotel Transylvania," dropped to second-place with $26.3 million. The Sony release raised its domestic total to $76 million, and it has taken in $29.3 million overseas for a worldwide haul of $105.3 million.

Expanding into nationwide release after a limited debut a week earlier, Universal's music tale "Pitch Perfect" moved up to third-place with $14.7 million. The movie stars Anna Kendrick as a college freshman spicing things up for her a cappella singing squad.

Sony's sci-fi thriller "Looper," starring Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, fell from second-place to fourth with $12.2 million, lifting its domestic haul to $40.3 million.

Tim Burton's animated monster tale "Frankenweenie" had a slow start, taking in $11.5 million to round out the top-five. The Disney release is an update of Burton's 1984 live-action short film, about a boy who brings his dead dog back to life.

Released by 20th Century Fox, "Taken 2" gave a big boost to Hollywood revenues, which have lagged most weekends since late summer. Domestic business totaled $138 million, up 45.5 percent from the same weekend last year, when "Real Steel" led with $27.3 million.

While the first movie got respectable reviews, "Taken 2" was panned by critics as a replay of the original. Audiences rarely care what critics say, though.

"Most people go to the movies for a certain dose of escapism," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox. "It doesn't have to be high art. It doesn't have to be serious and contemplative. They go to the movies to be entertained, and my gosh, that's what this movie does."

"Frankenweenie" had a modest debut compared to Burton's last animated feature, "Corpse Bride," which took in $19.1 million in its first weekend of wide release in 2005. Both films were made through stop-motion animation, using puppets moved incrementally and photographed a frame at a time.

"Corpse Bride" had the advantage of Burton's superstar pal Johnny Depp leading the voice cast. And "Frankenweenie" was a tough sell both for its stop-motion style, which is far less popular than the computer-generated look of today's animation blockbusters, and for its black-and-white presentation, done in homage to classic monster movies.

"Frankenweenie" also faced stiff competition from Sandler's animated monster mash-up "Hotel Transylvania."

But with a budget of $39 million, "Frankenweenie" cost far less to produce than computer-animated films, whose price-tags can run to $150 million or more.

Disney is counting on good reviews and positive audience reaction to keep "Frankenweenie" afloat through Halloween and beyond.

"The movie itself is going to be its best selling tool," said Dave Hollis, Disney's head of distribution. "You have people coming out of the theaters, they've had a great experience, and they're telling their friends."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Taken 2," $50 million ($55 million international).

2. "Hotel Transylvania," $26.3 million ($13.1 million international).

3. "Pitch Perfect," $14.7 million ($480,000 international).

4. "Looper," $12.2 million ($7.5 million international).

5. "Frankenweenie," $11.5 million.

6. "End of Watch," $4 million.

7. "Trouble with the Curve," $3.9 million.

8. "House at the End of the Street," $3.7 million.

9. "The Master," $1.8 million.

10. "Finding Nemo," $1.6 million ($600,000 international).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "Taken 2," $55 million.

2. "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted," $23.3 million.

3. "Hotel Transylvania," $13.1 million.

4. "Resident Evil: Retribution," $12.3 million.

5. "Ted," $12 million.

6. "Looper," $7.5 million.

7. "Masquerade," $6.7 million.

8 (tie). "Dukhless," $5.7 million.

8 (tie). Ice Age: Continental Drift," $5.7 million.

10. "The Bourne Legacy," $3.4 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-10-07-Box%20Office/id-735711c8cb3c4336b0856d615c43e316

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Monday, October 8, 2012

scrappinmichele: New Post: Sony Cyber-shot TX20 is a Family?s Take Everywhere At Anytime Camera http://t.co/YfyZbt9V