LOOK in the job pages of The Herald, or any other newspaper, and you'll no occasionally see a 'caretaker' position.
Not once have I ever considered such a position... until now.
The very position I looked at wasn't at a school, a prison or a sports centre - it was on an island. And not just any island, Hamilton Island – the largest inhabited island in Australia's Great Barrier Reef region.
Earlier on this week Tourism Queensland advertised the Island Caretaker position on a newly set up website at www.islandreefjob.com. Such was the hype surrounding the post that the website crashed just minutes after 9am on the day of launch - seemingly when everyone in England arrived at their desks and thought 'what the hell!'
Advertised as 'The best job in the world', they're not wrong. I mean what could make the task seem tedious?
Is it feeding the fish? Cleaning the pool? Basking in all-year-round warm temperatures? The surrounds of blue skies, pure sands and crystal clear water? Collecting the mail?
ARE YOU STILL READING THIS? If so, WHY?
Oh, did I mention the successful candidate will also be paid a salary package of AUD $150,000 for the six-month contract.
He or she will receive return airfares from your nearest capital city (in your home country),
accommodation and transport on Hamilton Island, travel insurance for the contract period,
computer, internet, digital video and stills cameras access, plus travel to a number of the
other Islands of the Great Barrier Reef.
The six-month contract commences 1st July, 2009.
So, if you don't hear from me from July onwards... you'll know why.
While surfing the web this week I've also managed to discover possibly the handiest website ever for those with broken cars.
www.findapart.co.uk is a wonder to behold and fills me full of warm glowing things when I think about.
That's in stark contrast to the internal fiery red rage I feel when I think about garages and mechanics.
This website is everything it says on the tin and more.
And it works like this.
Say you're looking for a part for your car, say a gearbox, and every garage you phone says "no chance".
Visit the website and fill in a very short (not exceedingly long compared to most websites) form giving the make and model of your car and the part you're looking for, followed by your name, telephone (optional) or email address (also optional).
Then click 'submit'. My details went out to everyone on the website's database and... within a day I got a text, email, and a phone call offering me a gearbox with free delivery up in Blackburn. Now that's a service.
Anyways, here's the best releases of the last week:
Title: Lord of the Rings: Conquest
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Action / Adventure
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Lord of the Rings never fails to set the gaming fraternity’s collective pulse racing when details of a new release are made available. Conquest takes an easily accessible action/adventure slant on the many battles played out in the three films to hook fans of Tolkien’s epic work once again. The reward for completing a fantastically engaging heroic campaign is unlocking the evil one, which plays out the scenario of the ring falling into Sauron’s hands – a devilishly enjoyable experience. Crisp graphics, atmospheric sound and an easy to pick up and play control system make this the best next-gen hack’n’slash that 2009 has offered up so far.
4/5
Title: Tomb Raider: Underworld
Platform: PS2
Genre: Action
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5
This was the kind of big-budget, classic franchise release that we were all desperate to be a hit on the next-gen consoles. So it’s good to report that Tomb Raider: Underworld is an equally impressive return to form for Lara Croft on PS2, as she embarks on an incredible journey around the world to uncover the secrets of a forgotten power. Lara feels totally re-invigorated, with a wealth of new acrobatic abilities and weaponry to tackle the treacherous landscapes of Thailand, the Arctic sea and Mexico, to name but three. The graphics were never going to match its next-gen counterparts, yet the environments still cleverly hide a host of devised puzzles to tackle. Combine that with an advanced combat system that puts you in complete control of the beautiful Croft and you know you have a sure-fire winner here.
Title: Mirror’s Edge
Platform: PC
Genre: Action
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 4/5
This is no ordinary first person title – let’s make that very clear from the outset. That alone should send you shooting to the shops to snap up this instant classic from EA. As Faith, a ’Runner’ in a world where communication channels are highly monitored and the movement of information is closely watched, you’re launched into a career as one of these high-octane adrenalin-pumping couriers. From the off, you’ll see first-hand how the incredible perspective and pace of movement push this game to the limits, as you find yourself on the edge of the city, on the wrong side of the law, and out to discover the truth behind your sister’s wrongful framing for murder. Superb chases and intense combat – this is an awesome, high-flying experience.
Title: Jeep Thrills
Platform: Wii
Genre: Driving
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 2/5
Some games should never have made it out of the developer’s studio and Jeep Thrills on PS2 was one of them. What’s all the more shocking is that it has been sit fit to transform to Wii and nearly all of the flaws that held this game back first time round, arise again. Slow, repetitive and poorly presented, this can hardly be classed as a racer, such is the pedestrian pace of proceedings. The tracks are tedious, the turbo boosts barely make a difference to closing the distance on the leaders and the less said about the sound, the better. Suffice to say that if you’re looking to kick off your 2009 with a whimper, Jeep Thrills is where to start. Everyone else should avoid it at all costs...
Title: Lost in Blue 3
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
Lost on a desert island, with all the exotic trappings such an experience entails, the third installment of the Lost in Blue series has you guiding one of two stranded characters, each with their own personal history, through the mysterious isle, surviving the elements to stay alive. You’ll need to work cooperatively with other characters to gather food, explore the island and hunt dangerous wildlife, and by completing one character’s storyline you will unlock the storylines of two additional characters, allowing you to explore the island in different ways, experience new storylines, and uncover different endings. That’s a decent reward for fans of the series, but the whole feel and gameplay of this is remarkably similar to the first two, so you may find your patience tested. A decent adventure nonetheless.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.FIFA 09
2.Call of Duty: World At War
3.Need For Speed: Undercover
4.Wii Fit
5.Wii Play
6.Guitar Hero: World Tour
7.Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games
8.Quantum Of Solace
9.LEGO Indiana Jones: Original Adventures
10.Mario Kart Wii
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
Thursday 15 January 2009
Thursday 8 January 2009
January sales
So there you have it... did you blink and miss it?
I nearly did. Christmas... talked about and trumped up for six months beforehand, and then cast away like yesterday's news come January 1.
However if you are like me and enjoy a bargain the best bit about the post Christmas blues is the excitement of buying a new bit of kit.
And this year's January sales seem to be the best in living memory.
Credit crunch? WHAT credit crunch?! It seems that every electrical retailer in the land is thrusting its wares on us at a fraction of the price.
A few days ago I - like every other being on the planet - took a step into PC World to look at buying a lap top.
It was like hell on earth. But, on reflection, it seemed to restore some sense of mankind in me.
Due to the sheer number of customers - and the seemingly few members of staff - the customers began talking to one another giving each other guidance on picking up a lap top.
It was surreal really, but nice. You had a collation of knowledge. Teachers, students, OAPs etc etc all coming together to help each other out.
Within 15 minutes or so I walked out of the store more knowledgable than ever - AND without a lap top.
Best bet I thought... shop online.
So yes, given the numbers in PC World I've determined there are literally hundreds of people in Plymouth who are after a lap top.
My advice... try visiting the likes of PC World online, or indeed buy direct from Dell, HP or Apple.
Buying a lap top has got to be one of the most confusing things ever.
It's almost like these people make up specifications just to throw us off the sent.
And I'm not going to lie to you. I still haven't got one. It's like pin the tail on the donkey... I reckon eventually I'll open up a brochure or webpage, close my eyes and point.
So here's what I've learnt which may well help you:
The higher the number of Megahertz (MHZ) the faster the processor should be.
The bigger the hard drive capacity the more you can store (i.e. pictures, video, music etc).
Processor Type: This is a toughie and I can't quite work it out. However feel rest assured a 'Duo' processor is better than a 'Dual' processor and it should run faster allowing you to operate more programmes at once.
A wireless connection allows you to connect to an existing wireless network such as in a office or a wireless hot spot. It is essential if you want to use your lap top - and indeed the web - around the house (you will need a router).
The more USB connections the lap top has the more equipment you can connect to your computer, for example... a modem, printer, scanner or digital camera.
AND Windows Vista's premium home package runs faster than the basic version (apparently).
There, that should help you out.
I'm still looking. Oh, worth mentioning also that Apple Macs might look pretty but be prepared... if you've used a PC all your life, the programmes will be COMPLETELY different to what you are used to. And they're a few more quid too.
Anyway, as we all shake ourselves back into action after the Christmas and New Year festivities, there are a few releases you may have overlooked towards the end of last year that deserve your attention.
What about Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, an offroad racing tour de force on PS3, or Disaster: Day of Crisis, packed with blockbusting action on Wii.
Left 4 Dead is an excellent shooter on Xbox 360 and Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip puts the Wii's balance board to great use, while 100 Classic Book Collection gives DS owners enough reading material to last until next Christmas.
Title: Motorstorm: Pacific Rift
Platform: PS3
Genre: Racing
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5
A luscious island paradise might seem suitable for a relaxing holiday, but it also makes an ideal venue for offroad racing, and the follow-up to the hugely successful MotorStorm trades the desert for golden beaches and verdant jungles that are as dangerous as they are beautiful.
It’s that beauty that really stands out in Pacific Rift, even if the game set-up is pretty familiar to the first outing.
But it all works like a well-oiled machine, whether you’re risking it all on a dangerous short cut or slugging it out with your rivals on the well-worn routes around a whopping 16 new courses.
Split-screen multiplayer is a welcome addition to the bundle, and this should be one PS3-exclusive that gamers ensure has a parking spot reserved in their collection.
Title: Disaster: Day of Crisis
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
Survival is the primary objective in Disaster, as you’re forced to endure nature’s most devastating catastrophes in a devastatingly short period of time.
As an unprecedented wave of natural disasters pummels the United States, a rogue Special Forces unit has also taken advantage of the chaos and seized a nuclear weapon, leaving you as Ray, a former member of an elite rescue task force, to sort it all out.
And it’s a pretty rip-roaring ride. Starting with a volcanic eruption and crossing 23 stages you’ll take in all manner of incredible disasters in shooter levels, driving, and good old-fashioned third-person adventuring.
Like any big-budget blockbuster film, it’s not perfect (although the soundtrack is fantastic) but that won’t leave you any less satisfied from a few hours on this rollercoaster of a game.
Title: Left 4 Dead
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: First Person Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Just knowing that Left 4 Dead comes from the same developers as the incredible Half-Life titles will set the bar of anticipation to a pretty lofty level.
As a zombie-infested co-operative shooter, this game manages to meet all expectations, remaining superbly polished in terms of presentation and control, as well as the concept itself, which drops you into a play area not only crawling with zombies but also four hulking great boss bad guys – Tank, Witch, Smokers and Boomer.
If you’re playing solo, the computer can take care of your three companions well enough, but when you go online for human multiplayer help this game really comes into its own, providing a unique multiplayer experience that needs you to take teamwork to the next level. If you want to survive, that is.
Title: Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip
Platform: Wii
Genre: Racing
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 4/5
Wii Fit opened up a whole new range of possibilities on Wii, aside from just keeping yourself trim.
From a gaming perspective, interactivity stepped up a notch, and has now turned snowboarding from a sedentary simulation into a full-blown physical challenge.
The good news is that the balance board responds beautifully to your every move and once you master the basic controls you’ll be slaloming across the piste in no time.
You will need to use the Wii remote too to carry out different tricks, but this doesn’t detract from what is a good looking, intuitive title that brings a new dimension to the Shaun White series.
Title: 100 Classic Book Collection
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Reading
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5
Fancy transforming your Nintendo DS into a fully portable library? Well, for just under £20 you can have access to 100 classic novels from some of the world’s best known and best loved authors – all on one diddy cartridge.
Whether you fancy a spot of drama, mystery, fantasy, romance, tragedy or comedy, it’s all here.
Join Gulliver on his travels, go Around the World In Eighty Days, sleuth with Sherlock Holmes or disappear 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.
The story synopsis mode details the story and themes of each title, without giving away any of the twists and turns of the plot if you’re unsure what to get stuck into, while navigation from page to page is a piece of cake, with adjustable text sizes too.
An interesting new chapter from Nintendo begins...
In the charts this week, FIFA 09 jumped back to top spot, reclaiming it from Call of Duty: World of War. Guitar Hero: World Tour climbed three places from seven to four, while Far Cry 2 re-entered the top 10, leaping four places from 11 to seven.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.FIFA 09
2.Call Of Duty: World At War
3.Need For Speed: Undercover
4.Guitar Hero: World Tour
5.Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games
6.Wii Play
7.Far Cry 2
8.Mario Kart Wii
9.Quantum of Solace
10.Sonic Unleashed
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
I nearly did. Christmas... talked about and trumped up for six months beforehand, and then cast away like yesterday's news come January 1.
However if you are like me and enjoy a bargain the best bit about the post Christmas blues is the excitement of buying a new bit of kit.
And this year's January sales seem to be the best in living memory.
Credit crunch? WHAT credit crunch?! It seems that every electrical retailer in the land is thrusting its wares on us at a fraction of the price.
A few days ago I - like every other being on the planet - took a step into PC World to look at buying a lap top.
It was like hell on earth. But, on reflection, it seemed to restore some sense of mankind in me.
Due to the sheer number of customers - and the seemingly few members of staff - the customers began talking to one another giving each other guidance on picking up a lap top.
It was surreal really, but nice. You had a collation of knowledge. Teachers, students, OAPs etc etc all coming together to help each other out.
Within 15 minutes or so I walked out of the store more knowledgable than ever - AND without a lap top.
Best bet I thought... shop online.
So yes, given the numbers in PC World I've determined there are literally hundreds of people in Plymouth who are after a lap top.
My advice... try visiting the likes of PC World online, or indeed buy direct from Dell, HP or Apple.
Buying a lap top has got to be one of the most confusing things ever.
It's almost like these people make up specifications just to throw us off the sent.
And I'm not going to lie to you. I still haven't got one. It's like pin the tail on the donkey... I reckon eventually I'll open up a brochure or webpage, close my eyes and point.
So here's what I've learnt which may well help you:
The higher the number of Megahertz (MHZ) the faster the processor should be.
The bigger the hard drive capacity the more you can store (i.e. pictures, video, music etc).
Processor Type: This is a toughie and I can't quite work it out. However feel rest assured a 'Duo' processor is better than a 'Dual' processor and it should run faster allowing you to operate more programmes at once.
A wireless connection allows you to connect to an existing wireless network such as in a office or a wireless hot spot. It is essential if you want to use your lap top - and indeed the web - around the house (you will need a router).
The more USB connections the lap top has the more equipment you can connect to your computer, for example... a modem, printer, scanner or digital camera.
AND Windows Vista's premium home package runs faster than the basic version (apparently).
There, that should help you out.
I'm still looking. Oh, worth mentioning also that Apple Macs might look pretty but be prepared... if you've used a PC all your life, the programmes will be COMPLETELY different to what you are used to. And they're a few more quid too.
Anyway, as we all shake ourselves back into action after the Christmas and New Year festivities, there are a few releases you may have overlooked towards the end of last year that deserve your attention.
What about Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, an offroad racing tour de force on PS3, or Disaster: Day of Crisis, packed with blockbusting action on Wii.
Left 4 Dead is an excellent shooter on Xbox 360 and Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip puts the Wii's balance board to great use, while 100 Classic Book Collection gives DS owners enough reading material to last until next Christmas.
Title: Motorstorm: Pacific Rift
Platform: PS3
Genre: Racing
Price: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5
A luscious island paradise might seem suitable for a relaxing holiday, but it also makes an ideal venue for offroad racing, and the follow-up to the hugely successful MotorStorm trades the desert for golden beaches and verdant jungles that are as dangerous as they are beautiful.
It’s that beauty that really stands out in Pacific Rift, even if the game set-up is pretty familiar to the first outing.
But it all works like a well-oiled machine, whether you’re risking it all on a dangerous short cut or slugging it out with your rivals on the well-worn routes around a whopping 16 new courses.
Split-screen multiplayer is a welcome addition to the bundle, and this should be one PS3-exclusive that gamers ensure has a parking spot reserved in their collection.
Title: Disaster: Day of Crisis
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
Survival is the primary objective in Disaster, as you’re forced to endure nature’s most devastating catastrophes in a devastatingly short period of time.
As an unprecedented wave of natural disasters pummels the United States, a rogue Special Forces unit has also taken advantage of the chaos and seized a nuclear weapon, leaving you as Ray, a former member of an elite rescue task force, to sort it all out.
And it’s a pretty rip-roaring ride. Starting with a volcanic eruption and crossing 23 stages you’ll take in all manner of incredible disasters in shooter levels, driving, and good old-fashioned third-person adventuring.
Like any big-budget blockbuster film, it’s not perfect (although the soundtrack is fantastic) but that won’t leave you any less satisfied from a few hours on this rollercoaster of a game.
Title: Left 4 Dead
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: First Person Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Just knowing that Left 4 Dead comes from the same developers as the incredible Half-Life titles will set the bar of anticipation to a pretty lofty level.
As a zombie-infested co-operative shooter, this game manages to meet all expectations, remaining superbly polished in terms of presentation and control, as well as the concept itself, which drops you into a play area not only crawling with zombies but also four hulking great boss bad guys – Tank, Witch, Smokers and Boomer.
If you’re playing solo, the computer can take care of your three companions well enough, but when you go online for human multiplayer help this game really comes into its own, providing a unique multiplayer experience that needs you to take teamwork to the next level. If you want to survive, that is.
Title: Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip
Platform: Wii
Genre: Racing
Price: £34.99
Hit count: 4/5
Wii Fit opened up a whole new range of possibilities on Wii, aside from just keeping yourself trim.
From a gaming perspective, interactivity stepped up a notch, and has now turned snowboarding from a sedentary simulation into a full-blown physical challenge.
The good news is that the balance board responds beautifully to your every move and once you master the basic controls you’ll be slaloming across the piste in no time.
You will need to use the Wii remote too to carry out different tricks, but this doesn’t detract from what is a good looking, intuitive title that brings a new dimension to the Shaun White series.
Title: 100 Classic Book Collection
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Reading
Price: £19.99
Hit count: 4/5
Fancy transforming your Nintendo DS into a fully portable library? Well, for just under £20 you can have access to 100 classic novels from some of the world’s best known and best loved authors – all on one diddy cartridge.
Whether you fancy a spot of drama, mystery, fantasy, romance, tragedy or comedy, it’s all here.
Join Gulliver on his travels, go Around the World In Eighty Days, sleuth with Sherlock Holmes or disappear 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.
The story synopsis mode details the story and themes of each title, without giving away any of the twists and turns of the plot if you’re unsure what to get stuck into, while navigation from page to page is a piece of cake, with adjustable text sizes too.
An interesting new chapter from Nintendo begins...
In the charts this week, FIFA 09 jumped back to top spot, reclaiming it from Call of Duty: World of War. Guitar Hero: World Tour climbed three places from seven to four, while Far Cry 2 re-entered the top 10, leaping four places from 11 to seven.
GAMES CHART ALL FORMATS FULL PRICE
1.FIFA 09
2.Call Of Duty: World At War
3.Need For Speed: Undercover
4.Guitar Hero: World Tour
5.Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games
6.Wii Play
7.Far Cry 2
8.Mario Kart Wii
9.Quantum of Solace
10.Sonic Unleashed
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (c) ELSPA (UK) Ltd
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)