Friday, August 3, 2012

[7/28/12] - HF News


The edition you are currently reading is the 102nd full edition. To read any older editions of HF News, please go here.


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Update on Omniscient's Injury
As many would be aware, Omniscient recently broke a bone in his hand, which subsequently led to it being put in a cast. Omniscient announced a few days back on Twitter, that the cast will be removed in a week, and replaced with something less interfering (finger splint or open-hand cast). You can see his tweet here.

New Total Members Online Record
Earlier this week, Hack Forums' most online members online within a single moment reached a stunning record of 2,885. This is a grand milestone for the continuous development of the forums we know and love, and I have no doubt we will soon break this record again. As the forum continues to grow, so does the possibility that even more of these kinds of records will be broken.

Illuminati Userbar Change
The popular, if not secretive, invite only usergroup known as the "Illuminati" recently changed their userbar. While the general opinion of the change is diverse, many agree with it, as it's easier to read. While others disagree, as they enjoyed the original style and look. See more: http://goo.gl/O0Ocp

Coders Now Known as Logic
After the whole fiasco involving the "Coders," and its resale, the point has finally come where they have changed their name and associated topic. Thus, leaving all of the drama and problems behind, starting anew. As of now they are invite only, but recruitment may occur soon. See more: http://goo.gl/fXdsK

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User News
php, Grammar Rays, and adampelletgun reached 10,000 posts.
-BoodyE- is now a Mentor. Congratulations.
Dan. is now a moderator of the Minecraft forum and Griefing sub-forum.

Repfucks
Bans
Awards
Group Leadership Changes
  • Yellows is now a group leader of Rhythm.
  • Diabolic is now a group leader of Rhythm.

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Argoi - Do you think intelligent people are less happy?

Diji - Why do you do drugs?

Mr. Anderson - Odds are you don't care.

Apathy - Should the Colorado Shooter Recieve the Death Penalty?


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Interview - Positive

Phytrix: Welcome, Positive, to the 102nd edition of the HF News. To get the ball rolling, are there any shoutouts you'd like to make?
Positive: Thank you, and yes, to KillzyazMadness, iNviZ, Dan., Daisy, Qwazz and TheHackerslove.

Phytrix: I'm sure they will be thankful to see their name in this edition. As many members are aware, this week you were promoted and welcomed to the Mentor usergroup. The Mentors are a group of members who help out the forum, in the same kind of ways as a staff member (they can delete posts, threads, etc. in certain sections) and are essentially role models for other users. How did this come about, what were your thoughts on it, and did you ever hope/plan to become an official Mentor?
Positive: I was promoted two weeks ago actually :3
How did this come about: Well, I honestly have no idea how I got it. I did my best to help users in any way I could. I am guessing Omnsicient took notice and I was given a promotion.
My thoughts on it: I am very glad I am now part of the 'team.' Pretty cool, if I do say so myself.
Hope/plan on it?: I actually hoped for it since the usergroup was created. All the Mentors at the beginning were idols for me to look up to.

Phytrix: That's great. It's always nice to see a member who doesn't have to be badgered or bribed to help, but does it for the quality of HF; with a passion. You were the owner of Techsperts, which has since been changed to Rhythm, which is widely considered as one of the more active groups. Why did you decide to do this change in the first place, and how is the group's progress?
Positive: That is correct. The group has become a huge success, and is way more active then I thought it would be. We have almost hit 42,000+ posts in a matter of 5 weeks. It's outrageous. To answer your question on why I changed it; I changed it because I thought we needed a music group. So many people love to talk about music, learn music making, etc. and I thought I would bring that to a very active forum.

Phytrix: That's great to hear. I am personally a member of Rhythm, and the activity that it attracts, from a not so massive userbase, is truly incredible. The group typically goes through a group Lounge in a single day (1000 posts)! As a Mentor, you now have added responsibility and expectations. Is there anything you are planning to change about yourself on a personal/interactive level?
Positive: I am glad you enjoy it! And nope. I don't plan on changing at all. Just doing my normal posting, and if I see somebody that needs help, I will do my best to help them.

Phytrix: Sounds great. I see so many members become less social taking on such a prestigeous role, or one alike. As many members would be aware, you are a long-lasting survivor of Bieber Fever, and have an extreme case. Why do you like JB, and what are your general views or opinions towards the haters?
Positive: Why do I like JB? Well.... that question gets asked a lot. I simply like him because 98% of males absolutely hate him. When I ask them, they have no reason, just "I hate him." Those people don't see him for who he really is, they just see "oh, I am jealous because he gets all the females."
Also, I have always been a 'belieber' along with Astonish. We are both very fond of Bieber. I think he is sexy (not in a homo way; he gets all of the females).
Views towards haters: As you can see, I 'hate' the haters. Anyone that hates him without stating a reason or hating him for his music is a disgrace. He does no harm. If you don't like his music, don't listen to it. It's that simple. :3

Phytrix: Wise words from a die-hard fan of what many consider a modern-day minstrel. While we are on the topic of minstrels, the long-standing topic of security, and insecurity, has blown up over the last couple of weeks. There have been shootings, murders, homicides, violent crime of every sorts completed in masses over the last fortnight. I'll keep in simple. Why, in your opinion, are violent crimes so often commited nowadays, and how can these criminals perform such acts with so little remorse? Is it revenge on the world, for the mostpart, or simply mental disabilities fluctuating? What triggers mental disabilities; born that way, or formed that way?
Positive: I would have to say 'formed that way.' Why? Because TV and video games have messed with childrens brains and they build on it. Over time, some come out as psychos. (my opinion)

Phytrix: Perhaps so. It's an ongoing discussion that cannot be accurately proven with our current technology. What aspects of video games/TV do you think pushes people over the edge, and do you think that these criminal's mindsets are ever truly repaired?
Positive: Well games with realistic-violence such as Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, and a few others are the main reason. Also, shows like CSI, Batman (the shooting) and others contribute alot.

Phytrix: Yes, I'm sure that they are major triggers for violence. Why don't you enlighten us on what brought you to HF, and what kept you coming back?
Positive: Honestly, the user Yin kept me on Hackforums. He brought me here as-well.
When I joined, I went straight to his profile and saw "HijackThis" which I thought was another version of iStealer or something. I was completely wrong, but hey, it was just a thought.
Anyways, after creating an account, and talking with him, I decided to stay after I made some friends. Then I started making money and was the leader of Techsperts.. and here I am today.

Phytrix: Sounds like a great story, and a prestigeous journey. Yin was, and still is, an amazing user. Ex-staff member and founder of the HF News. Where do you see yourself in the near future, in relation to both HF and IRL, if you feel comfortable sharing.
Positive: In real life... I would rather not share at this point in time, but on Hackforums, I would have to say.... well I don't know. We will just have to see. Only time will tell.

Phytrix: True, the future will hold many surprises, I'm sure. Well, thanks for joining us today, Positive. Any final thoughts/comments before I let you get back to work?
Positive: Nope, that is it. Thanks man.

Interview - MarkMare

RDCA: Hello and welcome to the 102nd edition of the HF News, MarkMare. Are there any shout outs you would like to give before we start?
MarkMare: Thanks, I would like to give a shoutout to Grin, LightBlue and TheVortex.

RDCA: I am sure they will be happy, and sorry for the short notice, but thanks for doing this. So, you are only in one group, the HF News team. How do you feel about the New's progession, as it seems certain members aren't exactly happy about the direction the News have moved.
MarkMare: To be honest, I don't understand what the fuss is about. I believe the HF News is for everyone, not just certain types of indivdials. I personally like how the news has progressed, because it brings a lot of topics into a weekly thread. Each section in HF News has their own target audience, so if you don't want to read music news for example, don't read it. I think the HF news brings the community together, but
I do wish there was more discussion about the various topics in HF news in the thread, rather than just saying good edition or complaning.

The news team works hard each week. You may not think it, but it's not that easy. I'm currently in Year 12 at the moment, and I love Gaming and writing the gaming section in HF News. There are also a lot of obstacles in life where someone might not be able to do their part on time for whatever reason - people shouldn't flame because of this, it's not fair.

RDCA: I must agree. What are some of the struggles you have writing the news every week, if any, and what is your favorite part about the job.
MarkMare: The gaming industry is big and news about something can change instantly. Sometimes I struggle to find the correct information about a topic, but all it requires is a little extra research. I've received tips from Starstruck (Previous Gaming News Writer) and I believe his tips will make the task a lot easier.

My favourite part of the job is just letting the community know about what has been happening in the gaming industry. I used to write a weekly thread in the Xbox section and I loved how people were excited to see a weekly article that contained the weeks news. I also love how people are so supportive. I do the Gaming news for the community because I love doing it.

RDCA: So, I think it is fairly obvious that you are a gamer. What is your stance on the whole console VS. PC idea, and why? What is some of your favorite games to play as well? If you have to choose one, out of every game, what is your favorite one?
MarkMare: The question I present to people when it comes to PC VS. Console is; what do your friends play? I love playing my Xbox 360 because it gives me a chance to talk to my real life friends and having fun. I personally would never go to PC unless my friends made the move also. I have a few friends on PC, but because I've played Xbox for years and years, I can't just change over.

I love playing First Person Shooter Games. I love all Halo games, as Halo is my favourite gaming series of all time. Halo 3 was amazing, however Halo Reach was a total let down, even though I am playing it at the moment. xD Halo 4 is going to be awesome, so I recommend any Xbox player must get it once it comes out on November 6th. I am also playing Magic 2013 at the moment - I don't normally play card games, but I thought I would give this one a shot. As for my favourite game, it's going to be Halo 3. I loved playing that game with my friends and also competitvly in Australia.

RDCA: I feel the same way generally. Though besides gaming, you must do other things for fun? So what would you consider one of your online hobbies, and one of your offline hobbies.
MarkMare: Other than gaming, whcih takes most of my time, I like to go to the gym daily. I'm currently in Year 12 at the moment so there isn't much time to do what I want. I am trying to use a lot of my time to pass Year 12. But, I normally just play Xbox with friends all the time and go to the movies weekly with my friends.

I also love watching a lot of TV such as Hardcore Pawn, Pawn Stars, and The Walking Dead. At the end of the day, you could call me an online warriror. I spend a lot of the time on the internet, but also try to be social weekly. iOS gaming is also one of my favourites, because I can play games anywhere I am, as long as my iPhone is charged.

RDCA: A true hardcore gamer. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Do you have any plans for college, or additional education, and what is your dream job?
MarkMare: After Year 12 I will be applying for the Australian Defence Force to be an Electronics Technician or something similar. I love electronics and it would be awesome to do something for your country. Earlier in the Year I won a scolarship which got me $3000 for pretty much doing nothing. So, In 10 years I see myself in the ADF working hard and having fun.

RDCA: Sounds like a noble profession. What is something you would like to accomplish while on HF? Also, if you should change one thing about Hackforums, what would it be?
MarkMare: I'd like to become a Mentor one day to help deal with any low quality posts or threads that spam the forum each and every day. If I was to change one thing on HackForums, it would need to be the Help Documents. I believe they need to be more detailed so newer members can understand them better. Newer members are asking a lot of simple questions that are in the help documents, but they probably passed it or didn't understand.

RDCA: That is something to aspire to, but this brings us to a close of this interivew. Do you have any final questions, comments, or concerns?
MarkMare: I'd like to thank you for interviewing me and I hope the HF community will continue to enjoy HF News every single week coming. I also hope everyone has a nice week. Thank you RDCA.

RDCA: Thanks!


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Olympics
This week was the start of the 2012 London Olympics. The opening ceremony of the games was on Friday July 28 that over 47 million people watched on NBC. Here are a few interesting stories from todays Olympics action.
Michael Phelps barely qualifying for the 400 meter individual medley by 0.07 seconds and then losing in the finals of the 400 meter to Ryan Locke. Another story from todays Olympics action is that Alexandre Vinokourov from Kazakhstan upset  of the British cycling team in the road race championship.

Mississippi church
This week there was outrage over the fact that a paster at a church in Mississippi said that they could not get married there because they were black. The couple Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson had been planning there wedding at that church for months and the day before they were scheduled to get married the paster at the church told them they could not get married some members of the church objected so much to letting a black couple get married for the first time in church they threatened to have the paster fired from the church.

New Solar System
This week researchers at MIT have discovered a new solar system. The researchers say that this newly detected solar system looks a lot like our solar system. The middle of this solar system also has a large star like our solar system does this star is named Kepler-30. There are three planets that are currently orbiting this large star. The new solar system is the only other solar system currently known to exist that also has an aligned orbit between their sun and the 3 planets.

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Google
Google has released its new Internet service known as "Google Fiber". Google has been working on this project for about a year and a half. "Google Fiber starts at a speed 100 times faster than most Americans have today," said Milo Medin, the Vice-President of access services. Google Fiber has aimed to give an Internet connection with speed of about 1,000 MB per second. This is indeed a fiber-optic cable-type connection. At this speed, web browsing, downloading, uploading and live streaming would be very smooth. They also offer a TV connection with the most expensive plan, using Google's tablet, "Nexus 7", as an included remote control.

Kodak
A new report says that the world's leading companies like Microsoft and Apple could join forces to bid on some patents from Kodak. The Wall Street Journal says that these companies along with Nathan Muhrvold's ventures are going to work together to quickly seize up some or all of Kodak's patent portfolio.

Microsoft
Microsoft has announced publicly that its Surface tablet is aimed to compete with iPad and all other Android tablets that are being flooded into the market. Not only are they aimed to compete against iPad and other Android tabs, but also against their own other windows 8 tablets. During the past week, Microsoft has admitted that, "[their] Surface devices will compete with products made by our OEM partners, which may affect their commitment to […Microsoft's] platform." in an annual report.

Facebook
Assaults on Facebook's stock have pulled off a few billion dollars from the Facebook's rich founders. Once the trading was closed this last Wednesday, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, had lost almost $3 billion as an average per paper. His total stake is still worth $11.8 billion. Since Facebook's botched IPO on May 18, Facebook has been really struggling with its stock. Ever since they went public at $38 dollars a share and also briefly reaching $45 on their opening day, it's been an odd ride down.

Twitter
According to TGDaily.com, Twitter went offline for about two hours on Thursday, this past week. It was said that the downtime was because the site was overloaded from Olympics-related traffic. Twitter said that the outage wasn't related to increase in usage, but that didn't stop some reporters including the Associated Press' from wondering about the overload of Twitter.

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Nothing
There is no music news for this week, so just watch this video:


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This is basically my own little corner to type up my thoughts and some standpoints on different topics.
---
I've always thought the idea that it is easier to ask forgiveness rather than request permission was an interesting one. While, in many cases, it may be true, it's still just an odd idea. You know that what you're going to do wouldn't be accepted by the governing hands, so you do it, and ask that your actions be forgiven. It just inspires people to do wrong, and justify it. I'm not saying I've never followed this, but I'm saying that it's something that shouldn't be used often. If we continually ask forgiveness, we may not receive it again.     


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"What do you think is the world's biggest problem? Why?"

"The world has many problems but since this is Hackforums and this is
Hack Forums News this is what I think is one of the biggest Hack Forums
problems. Logic seemed to have copied Serenity and it's a downfall to the
group which seems kind of sad. Saw a screenshot of Logics threads and
70% of them were about debating now the last time I recalled Serenity was
based on debating and I’m sure a couple of them debates were also posted
in both groups."

-Dan.

"Well the worlds biggest problem is terrorism because terrorism
takes lives of people , it causes mass destructions , it makes people go racist
like after the incident of 9/11 many non americans / South Asians are suffering
just because of terrorism . Osama bin Laden is dead but Al Qaeda and different
Terrorist Groups are still there. Hence if there would be no terrorism than there
would be no fear and no murders robberies etc. In some countries there is 0%
crime rate such as UAE, UAE has control over there crime rate because they have
passed a LAW that if someone commits a crime his hands will be cut. And UAE
doesnt have any fights or issues with terrorist groups."

-ǤԾÐ -

"The worlds biggest problem, in my opinion, is money. Some people have too
little and some people have loads. People that have no money are people that
are downtrodden in society and never really get a say in what is going on, and
yet the people with the money can easily get their opinions put forward. Money
makes the world go round, it's obvious! People can get out of trouble with money,
for example, in a lot of countries, people would pay for their crimes to 'disappear'.
Money gets you pretty much everything in this world, and some people treasure it,
while others just see it as another 'given' thing."

-Jack_Rocker

"The worlds biggest problem? That's a tough one. There are so many
things wrong with the world, terrorism, the energy crisis, child labor... The list could
go on and on. I think that the biggest problem is not something physical, but a problem
with the people themselves. If people today weren't so obsessed with money and
power, then so much more could be accomplished. If people today were to live by the
same morals and values that they did back in the days where pilgrims first came to America
then the world would be excelling at a much higher pace."

-Zihv

"Personally, I think that religion is the worlds worst problem. I find it okay for others
to have their beliefs but the topic can bring out the worst in people. Countless wars have
been fought over religion, countless people have been killed because of their religion,
countless people TODAY are discrimated just because of what they chose to believe. If the
world could just get over it and accept people beliefs, the world would be a better place."

-Actually Is Dolan

"I think that the world's biggest problem is that there are not enough good
people in this world. After reading Mr.Anderson's "I Am Disgusted At Humanity" thread, It finally
hit me, He's right. Even in small towns where everyone and I mean EVERYONE knows each other,
people don't care to help. After witnessing this generation of humans, and hearing stories of my
grandparents generation, I just wish it was like it was back then, complete strangers helping each
other. Now-A-Days only certain people have what it takes to actually help someone in serious need.
If any of you have heard of the story in New York about the MTA worker saving the girl that jumped
out the window, I wish there were more people like that in this generation, people that will risk their
lives just to save another."

-ThatCatchyName

The topic for next week is "How do you feel about the Olympics?"

To send in your entries for the next edition, PM Sir.



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Please Give Feedback on the Sound Quality, GFX, and Length.




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HF News Team

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