pap

Yeah, they never managed to get it 100% on PS3, sadly. It is not quite the chugfest it used to be though. I gave my copy to my brother and got the PC version.

Heh, I've been barred for life on not606 for defacing the Nige vs Poch image they stole I am upset.

I'm pretty much exclusively on PC now. Justifiable given the extra benefits; software massively cheap due to digital distribution. Very rare that I spend £20+ on a game, more like £4-£10. So cheaper, and tons better. The only prob is the up-front cost. It does make me laugh. Both MS and Sony gave it large about their respective machines' HD capability. Sony, famously, said that the HD era wouldn't begin until the PS3 launched, as it was the only console that would do 1080p. Load of nonsense really. Very few games of any serious graphical grunt were released for the PS3 in 1080p, and in many cases, PS3 owners got jipped on multi-format games. Skyrim is infamously unplayable after 25 or so hours on the PS3, and quite a few games are actually running in a much lower res upscaled to fit the HD screen, but weren't even 720p. For the record, I think the PS3 is a fine console; definitely the most transparent in terms of pricing. Sony fluffed it because they believed their own press, and after the wipeout they delivered with the PS2, who could blame them? They were late to market and a little bit arrogant. They assumed that the public would wait (and pay!) and that devs would join in lockstep to their new platform architecture. Neither happened, and they've been playing catch-up in the EU and US ever since. The UK is a special case. We still really love our Playstation, as do Japan. Sony is behind MS in most other territories.

Karen O is one of the best front people I've seen live. She has got a great deal of empathy with her audience, and there's no question of her vocal talent. Saw the YYYs in Belfast off the back of their Zero tour. She can hit all the notes she does on the record. My only problem with the YYYs is that while they get better in focus, the whole seems to suffer. Fever To Tell, their debut, is still their best. It's messy, noisy and unfocused - but it's fantastic. No fear. Some bloody fine songs on their later two albums, Zero is arguably their finest, and one of their latest - but the rest of the album didn't stay with me. Turn Into is another fantastic tune surrounded by relative dross on Show Your Bones. I'm glad they referenced "Fever To Tell" when they said "we haven't been this excited since...". It's the gold standard of YYYs albums. They need their guitars back.

I watched the original House of Cards for the first time last year. Really enjoyed it. The Netflix version is very good. Don't know if it's anymore than that, but as one review I read pointed out, it's definitely good enough to have you spinning onto the next episode, which is already there. TV is in its dying stages right now. Internet is the thing that's killing it. I remember statements made in the early days of streaming internet video. People said that broadcast would remain dominant because of the cost of bandwidth; that everyone subscribing to a feed was extra bandwidth to pay for, that networks would never cope, and that because broadcast went out to so many people simultaneously, the "free" nature of the broadcast would always win out for commercial reasons. Yet hundreds of millions of people stream video over the net every day. Netflix is an entire business predicated on the fact that it is possible to watch stuff online. Furthermore, we're already seeing the nascent stages of community funded content. They've recently funded a Veronica Mars movie from a Kickstarter project. Ok, contemporary setting, so the budget is only a few mil - but that's still something that would have never happened under the broadcast metaphor. The only stuff I watch as broadcast are sports events. There's literally no point in watching anything else. I'm normally well appraised of the news, and anything else I can just watch on DVR. In my case at least, that pretty much means that apart from sports events, advertisers have none of my attention. Even the missus and the kids start watching X-Factor, another "must see live" programme, 20 minutes after the broadcast time to skip the adverts.

Nearly all of TV pulls the "Masters of the Universe" trick for live action budgetary purposes to some extent or another. I refer of course, to the practice of plopping all of your protagonists in present-day Earth so you don't have to spend cash recreating Eternia or something. Even the recent Battlestar Galactica series, an effects heavy show relative to most stuff on TV, chose to depict the twelve colonies as being "just like us". Creator Ron D. Moore pulled the whole "it links you with the characters and themes" excuse, and he kinda gets a pass, but another huge reason is budget. But again, I wouldn't class it as seriously f**ked up TV. You want that? You watch Archer. Once Upon a Time subtly subverts established themes to great effect. Things are more memorable when they don't go the way you expect, which is why the plot diversions in the Walking Dead TV show from the comic book source material is welcomed, not criticised for being unfaithful to the source material. I've seen a bit of this show, and they pay as much respect to fairy tale conventions as they deviate from them. It is a nice, safe show with good visual effects aimed at a family audience. Nowt wrong with that, we need more of it - but it ain't Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas : The Next Generation

I'd love them to find some British MPs. Any colour really. All of them bang on about the national interest, etc.

Some interesting news from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. They've recently undertaken a project to demystify the network of tax havens operating in the world, where they are and the people who use them. They started releasing data yesterday. http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/icij-journalists-expose-mass-web-of-global-tax-evasion-a-892505.html ICIJ's own piece is here:- http://www.icij.org/offshore The news is already starting to ripple around the world, 86 investigative journos operating in 46 countries. Some Indian MPs have already been named and shamed. This could be huge.

Phil, you say this every week about Once Upon A Time. "Hey wow! Far out! Writers must really be on some serious stuff". All they're doing is using established characters in a contemporary setting. Sci-fi and fantasy is littered with this sort of caper; most of Neil Gaiman's stuff pulls in characters from all over myth and literature. Shrek used classic fairy tale characters with modern sensibilities. To your question then, what have they been smoking? I'd suggest cigarettes. The show's concept could be written on the back of a fag box

The Walking Dead finale is in the memory banks. I enjoyed it, but some didn't. I have a feeling that's because it didn't end typically, but then little in the Walking Dead does. Good bunch of characters going into next season.

I've praised NA for his season in the Championship, and rightfully so. Came screaming out of the blocks, and it was really the early season form that kept us in the automatic spots. From a start of season perspective, you can't argue with results - promotion was achieved. From a mid-season perspective, it could be argued that the team underachieved in letting Reading overhaul us. I've had some of my best moments as a Saints fan under NA's tenure, and full respect - he got the job done. However, I'm not blind to some of the problems we had when he was setting up the team and have been impressed with MP's apparent disdain for the winning chances of big teams.

Nice one NA, classy.

I work with Americans who are very optimistic in general. It can lead to crisis because people make assumptions based on what they want to be true instead of what the situation actually is. Most Europeans aren't as wide-eyed as our transatlantic cousins, are much more risk aware and better at spotting problems early on. As you point out, optimism isn't always a great thing. My diminishing returns point is as much about repetition as anything else. Someone saying the same stuff all the time; perhaps when it's not justified, is bound to get on your teats after a bit.

I certainly wouldn't argue with NA's positivity. I do think it can be a case of diminishing returns though.

Who gave you access to my evil thoughts repository?

LucasArts, one of the best game development studios of the 1990s, is to be closed by parent company Disney. http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/22025391 Excellent studio back in their day. The X-Wing and TIE Fighter games were class, and although I've never finished Monkey Island, I thought Full Throttle was ace. Dark Forces II blew me away. Floral tributes and memories of games, please.

Can we relax the 3 infraction rule thing please? Either that or can the mods give me a couple of infractions around Chrimbo time, ta. Wouldn't want to miss this. Anyone sorted venue yet?

Yeah, I was talking more broadly. The team surprised everyone last year in terms of expectation vs achievement. If we'd have been consistently top half, I reckon NA would still have his job.

Fair enough, Dig Dig. I don't agree with you but you've listed your reasons. I still maintain NA knew the score back in the summer, chose to continue in the role regardless, had his chance and unfortunately came up short. As I've said before, if we'd started the Prem like we'd started in the Champ, this wouldn't even be a discussion.

I saw them last year in Manchester. They are a fantastic band, although I dip into them only rarely. Kinda ruined myself on them a couple of years ago. Like much of the stuff I listen to, my eldest daughter ends up appropriating it. We have a cultural exchange thing going on. It was she that introduced my to Azealia Bank's 212, which almost made my ears fall off. Great tune though

I have an entire album to recommend. R.A.P. Music by Killer Mike; I posted his track "Reagan" earlier up. Style-wise, it's all over the place. In terms of quality, it's right up there and the vast majority of songs eschew the usual conventions of the genre. More political than big-di*k-ical. This one's a belter. Has a bass line that'll cheerily haunt you for days. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEBMByKhrVA Metacritic link for album, just so you know ol' pap's not selling you a wrong'un. http://www.metacritic.com/music/rap-music/killer-mike

Surprised you like this bunch of left-wingers, Kelv Excellent tune though; might be their best.

Not really. I mentioned both sides when making my case. What specifically bothered you about his sacking so much?

Yes, because every incoming manager everywhere speaks about the bloke who was there before in reverent terms. Whenever I start a new assignment, I make it a point to talk about the bloke who was just sacked/fired/f**ked off in glowing terms.

The stuff that our regular writers bang out is better than this, Kelv. What silverware did we win under NA, exactly?