The PPT Apprentice 2 Excess (Dec. 26-Jan. 19)

[jabond102]

I read it Monday it I am working on it now should be done by Thursday or Friday. I want mine to be good

[luckystar101]

You have probably heard about Neopets premium before but don’t exactly know what to expect in it. This article aims to inform you about what you get when you sign up for the premium service.

Neopets premium is released to a limited number of people each day. You can obtain it by visiting http://www.premium.Neopets.com and if you’re lucky there may be a place open. It costs $7.99 U.S a month or $69.95 U.S a year. With both packages comes a 15 day trial so if you don’t like it within those 15 days you can cancel you’re subscription.

Neopets Premium offers a Portal page, Web mail, Neopets tollbar
A message board just for premium users and you also get to experince no ads at the top of every page . You are also given a scratch card once a week; these scratch cards are only available to premium users. As a premium user you will become an official Neopets beta tester that lets you test and send feedback on stuff that Neopets plans to release to the public.

Below you can see a screen shot of the Portal page with a few descriptions of each section of the Portal page.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/luckystar101/neopetsprem.gif" width=585 height=1050>

Neopets features of the Portal page include:
Quick links to great games, View Neopian Weather on the page ,Participate in Neo Polls on the page, View Neopets Calendar Events on the page, View Neopets Site Stats on the page ,
View your Hi-Scores for the Month, This day in history ,Word of the Day ,Quote of the Day ,Unique random events ,Quick link to Guilds ,Quick link to Plushie Tycoon ,Favourites Lists.
Real life features on the Portal page includes:
Your local weather forecast t, Movie show times, Dictionary and Thesaurus search, Driving Directions, Flash Calculator, Headline News, Featured Stock of the Day, Word of the Day
Quote of the Day .
You can also change the theme of your portal page.

When you sign up for premium you can download the Neopets toolbar. You can see a screenshot of the toolbar below.

<img src=http://premium.neopets.com/images/toolbar_screenshot.jpg>

As you can see the Neopets tool bar comes with a link to the portal page, a link to Neopets.com, a link to your Neopets web mail and a link to all you frequently visited websites(not necessarily Neopets sites). What you cant see is that when you click the down arrow where it says Neopets you have easy access to all your dalies such as auctions, shops, games room, neoboards , news, tombola and the giant omelette and that’s just a few of them. The thing that I find funny is that when I play plushie tycoon the pop up blocker blocks the pop up’s that a generated by this game.

As I mentioned when you become a premium user you become a Neopets beta tester. Things that have been able to be tested by beta testers so far includes Faerie caves 2 and a lost desert scratch card kiosk that is no longer available for testing nor has it been released to the public.

With the Neopets webmail you get your own email address e.g mailto:yourusername@neopets.com and also when you get neopets premium you get the “I love neomail” avatar if you don’t already have it.

It Is also belived but unconfirmed that you get more random events by just visiting Neopets.

I hope that this article has made it clear on what the premium service offers.

Last edited by luckystar101 on Sun Jan 16, 2005 2:27 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Riddikulus]

I might need to withdraw from the competition - my school is going through a very tough time at the moment, and it's preventing me from getting any work done..

I'll try to get the article done by tomorrow, but I'm not sure.. I'll definitely give you a heads up by tomorrow.

Thanks!

[jabond102]

I knew about premium but dont you hate how only a certain number of people a day can get it?

[Ziggy]

A question, Ammer; may we choose a different article? I was just thinking that perhaps a TNC article I wrote may be better suited for this competition.

[Ammer]

A question, Ammer; may we choose a different article? I was just thinking that perhaps a TNC article I wrote may be better suited for this competition.

Sure.

[kiay]

I knew about premium but dont you hate how only a certain number of people a day can get it?

Theres a page out there somewhere that you can always sign up on. Too bad I forgot the url.

[jabond102]

The Apprentice 3 Insider Look On Four Candidates

Written By,
Jabond102

With the PPT Apprentice 2 starting soon the Apprentice 3 is starting a new season. Last season the popular choice Kelly won. This year looks to be interesting as it will be Street Smarts vs. Book Smarts. As a fan of the show I am proud to give you an insider look on for two candidates from each side.

A candidate on the Book Smarts, Alex looks good to start out. He is 29 from Seattle, Washington. He was born and raised on an apple farm. He left his career as a nationally ranked skier and went to college and got his degrees in archaeology and Latin. During his college term he received an award for his articles in his school’s newspaper. Then he went to D.C. and lobbied for something to do with apples. His lobbying was successful. Then he got a degree in law and was a speaker and at the top of his class.

Another candidate on Book Smarts is Kendra, 26, from Boyton Beach, Florida. She is a real estate broker. She is ambitious and successful. Kendra got her degrees and at the end of graduation became Editor-In-Chief of an awarding winning lifestyle magazine in Southern Florida. She is one of the biggest leaders in real estate today and is known as Special Agent 63 on Florida’s #1 real estate investment talk radio show on Clear Channel radio.

Now time to talk about a member from the Street Smarts. Chris, a boy who is 22 from Lake Las Vegas, Nevada. He was born in Richfield, Utah but mostly raised in Las Vegas. After graduation he wanted to expand his father’s real estate business. He only made $25,000 in his first year but now sells properties that sell for over a million. He credits his parents and sees himself as a young Donald Trump.

Another candidate on Street Smarts is Audrey, 22. Her hometown is Salt Lake City, Utah. She grew up in Utah but in West Valley with her brother and sister. She did not go to college but is a very successful real estate agent. She is one of the youngest real estate agents every certified. She is currently working on her broker’s license and a program for high school students to expand their education after high school so they can go to college.

I hope that the information I have given you helps you learn more about the show, it is one of my favorites shows. So who will get the “Your Hired.” from Donald Trump this season? Also which ones will get the “Your Fired?” I guess we will have to watch the third season to find out and watch what Ammer does as the PPT Apprentice goes on, who will get the “Your Hired” from her? Let’s look on that board to find out then.

[firefox]

jabaond, Ammer is guy, you refered to him as she, anyways, I will have my articl;ehere tommorow

[Kugetsu]

The Best Games You’ve Never Played! (Week One) by Kugetsu

This is “The Best Games You’ve Never Played” (not to be taken literally ) where I review some of the best video games that have been overshadowed by other, more popular franchises. This article is partially inspired by a topic in the Console and Gaming Forum titled “Most Underrated Games”. Each week I will review a new game and also give a detailed description of what the game is about. I have played these games personally and any ratings are purely my opinion. If you have any suggestions for upcoming games, PM Kugetsu on the PPT Forums and I’ll try to play the game (I’ll have to play it to review it ) as soon as possible. Now onto this week’s game:

Zombies Ate My Neighbors



Console - SEGA Genesis and Super Nintendo
Company - Konami
Release Date - 1993
Genre - Action Shooter
Players - 1 or 2
Rating - Not rated (I’d say “Everyone”)

Sidenote: This review is based on the “SEGA Genesis” version of the game, but SNES is mentioned a few times

What do you get when you throw two teenagers, armed with squirt guns, in a world where the most cliche horror movies are a reality? You get the classic horror game “Zombies Ate My Neighbors”! Two teenagers, Zeke and Julie wake up one day only to see the scare of their life! Their neighbors are being terrorized by the darkest of evil and they are the only ones who can save them!

ZAMN put you in control of either Zeke or Julie as you try to vanquish the evil that is Dr. Tongue. Fight your way through zombies, killer dolls, werewolves, evil clones and more as you trek through 55 levels of fun! Originally armed with a squirt fun, you will gain an arsenal of hilarious weapons such as popsicles, fire extinguishers, and inflatable clown decoys. Trash areas such as parks, malls, crypts, and even your own backyard as you attempt to save your neighbors. The biggest “fun poker” of horror movies in the gaming world, Zombies Ate My Neighbors was easily a classic.

How The Game Works
As mentioned, you choose one of two characters, either male or female. You start out with ten “victims” you must collect. The victims range from babies, cheerleaders, and even a dog! They are spread throughout the level and will die if attacked by a “baddie”. If a victim dies, the next level will have that many fewer victims to collect. Once all of the victims have died, it’s lights out for you. Don’t fret though because once you score enough points you can get a “bonus” victim that will add one to your total victim list. You also get a password every 5 levels that will greatly help should trouble be encountered. To see screen shots of this game, visit this link: http://www.geocities.com/plinko50000/zamnpix.html

Review Scores

Graphics - 7.5/10

This is probably the game’s lowest point, which really isn’t all that low. The graphics aren’t horrible, but they don’t grasp the potential that the SEGA Genesis holds. The graphics also get a decent mark as the sounds, music, and atmosphere distract the player from such a flaw. There’s not much more to say about this other than they are decent and in my opinion, very good for a game of it’s type.

Sound - 9.5/10

To put it bluntly, I love the music that this game contains. It easily puts one into the spooky atmosphere of the game. The music is also very catchy, and fun. It’s also very well incorporated into the levels that they are assigned to (the malls have different music than parks and so on). The sound effects are also very well used. Howls are heard when a werewolf is on the prowl, or when a “victim” turns into one. Each weapons has a decent sound as well, the only reason this game doesn’t get a 10 in sound is because the sound of the Weed Whacker can get very annoying to some after an extended use.

Control - 9.0/10 (on 6 button controllers and SNES)
6.0/10 (on standard 3 button)

The controls are very smooth and simple to use, but ONLY if you are using the 6 button controller (the one with X,Y, and Z on it) for the Genesis, or you are playing the SNES version. Focusing on the SEGA, with the 6 button controller, you must press one of the X/Y/Z buttons to scroll through the items in your inventory. One is used to scroll through weapons, another is used for items such as medical packs, keys, and potions. The A/B/C buttons are used to use an item or shoot your weapon. (The button functions may be backwards). Unfortunately, the 3 button controller doesn’t have enough buttons to assign each action a button. On these controllers, both A+B and B+C must be pressed to cycle through items. This can be very aggravating to some players.

Fun Factor - 10/10

How could a game be on here if it wasn’t fun? It has a great mix of horror and comedy which makes for a spooky and funny game in one. Weapons are new and innovating and enemies are plentiful and tricky to rid. A fun challenge to anyone who dives into this game. A friend can also join in a single game to fight evil with you. This game has extremely high replay value and will have you going back for it again and again. If you are ever shopping for “old-school” games and you have no idea what to get, this is a great buy (if you can find it) and definitely worth the money!

In Conclusion

ZAMN is a fun, fast paced, action shooter that hasn't gotten the attention that it deserves. I urge all gamers out there to try this game at least once if they ever get the chance. To put it simply, this game is to die for! (Sorry about the pun )

This concludes Week One of “The Best Games You’ve Never Played!”


All statements are expressed by the opinion of the author and may differ from that of others.

[JellyFish72]

The Aviator – A review by JellyFish72

"The Aviator is the perfect melding of talent and material." – CNN

"What a sad man. What brief glory. What an enthralling film, 166 minutes, and it races past." – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

If you are planning on going to see this film, let me warn you: it is not the perfect melding of talent and material, and it does not, by any means, race past. This movie was the longest three hours of my life.

I went to see this movie, having heard nothing about it except my family saying that it was excellent, so if anything, I believed it would be good. After all, it had to be better than seeing the previous choice, The Polar Express, which terrifies me. I went into the theatre, happy because Leo was in it, and, after being so bored that I broke theatre rules and text messaged people, walked out three hours later, never having been so glad a movie was over.

This movie starts out interesting, and me having high hopes for the movie, but as it goes on, it becomes less about Howard Hughes, and more about his insanity. By the end, I thought I had been in there for probably five or six hours, but it was only three.

If you have a choice about seeing this or another movie, such as National Treasure (one of the best movies ever, by the way, up there with Pirates of the Caribbean), see a different movie. I agree with the following quote:

"Considering the almost interminable length of The Aviator and the accomplishments of its subject, the superficiality of this film is appalling." – Tony Medley, http://www.tonymedley.com

If you do not agree with what I’ve said about this movie, please don’t be offended. These are my personal opinions and I don’t expect them to be shared by everyone. Please don’t PM me telling me that I’ve offended you, as that is not the point of the article.

*****

Wow that took forever!

[Yoshi]

Great job so far, you guys. :D I'm amazed.

A suggestion for you all who haven't written yet- since we have quite a few articles already belonging to various sections, try writing for some other sections. Also, writing for Art is a challenge, so if you pull it off right, your article will probably have a higher chance of appealing to us. ;)

[jabond102]

Great job so far, you guys. I'm amazed

Thanks!

[xjox]

Ok this is my entry. Not as good as I planned but my other ideas didnt pan out this time, hence the reason Im only posting 1 day before deadline!!

Getting rid of the excess Christmas baggage

Ok come on how many of you ‘over indulged’ this Christmas? Be honest now! Christmas tis the season to be jolly and stuff our faces with turkey dinners, chocolates and cakes with cute little Christmas trees on them. Are your jeans fitting a little tight round your middle? Is your backside threatening to take over the world? Well fear not I have prepared this helpful top ten guide to get rid of your excess baggage and whip you back into shape!

1. First off we need to get rid of any yummy Christmas delicacies you have lying around the house. Give the chocolates to a friend or neighbour, bin those cakes and free your home of any temptingly sinful foods.

2. Bag up all those horrible presents your great aunt Agnes got you for Christmas and walk down to your local charity shop and donate them to a great cause. Help others and burn off a few calories at the same time.

3. Get any gift vouchers for Christmas? Then walk to the shops and buy an exercise video, pick something fun that you will actually use. Now days you can get tons of different types from ‘disco dancing your way to fitness’ to ‘kick boxing the flab away‘.

4. Do some cleaning. An hours worth of cleaning your room burns approximately 140 calories!

5. Don’t diet, you are more likely to fail if you attempt to stick to a strict diet, instead just make it easier to choose healthier options. Put healthy food at the front of the cupboards and stick the fattening stuff right at the back. Chop up some fruit and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, when you need to snack you have a bowl of fruit salad already prepared. Do the same with vegetables and dip them in a low fat dip when you are peckish. Stick to 3 well balanced meals a day and only snack on fruit and vegetables and those extra inches will soon fall off!

6. Involve your friends and family. It helps to have support when you are trying to lose weight at any time of the year but when shops are still full of Christmas goodies and especially when they are all on sale it is essential. Enlist a group of friends and share tips, do the exercise videos together and push each other along. Set yourselves reasonable targets and celebrate together when one of you achieves their target.

7. Take up a new sport. Take a look at what your local leisure centre has to offer, they have a wide variety of activities to suit everyone. If keep fit classes aren’t your thing then what about swimming or tennis? If you ring beforehand there are usually qualified instructors who can give you advice on what activity will be best for you.

8. Walk the dog. If you don’t have a dog then see if a neighbour would allow you to walk theirs, or take a young family member to the park. If all else fails then contact your local animal shelter, sometimes they need volunteers to walk rescued dogs.

9. Experiment in the kitchen. Either buy a healthy cook book or borrow one from the library, there is more to healthy eating than just salad so try out a few new recipes, who knows maybe you could invent one yourself! (Be careful in the kitchen, where needed make sure you have a responsible adult to help you!)

10. Last but by no means least, treat yourself. Instead of buying chocolate bars put the money into a pot and save up for something just for you. Buy yourself a new outfit for when you have achieved your target weight or buy that new cd that you have wanted for ages. Give yourself small rewards for being healthy for a week and have a larger reward for when you have reached your final target.


Use any opportunity to get in a little exercise, use the stairs instead of the lift. Get off the bus a stop early or if in a car, park at the far end of the car park.

Most importantly have fun and you are guaranteed to succeed!

Small disclaimer: Be safe, never walk alone late at night. If you are young then make sure there is an adult with you and seek parental advice before undertaking anything new. If needed consult your doctor before undergoing any new health regime. Use common sense when using any guide to lose weight or keep fit. Always eat sensibly, don’t try and crash diet, it is seriously bad for your body and it never works in the long term.

[Matt]

A Review with a Bland Title by Matthew Frost

London's West End is as spectacular as the Broadway in New York. The theatres are large, and often there are very intricate designs on the all, and some are over 500 years old! The shows that you can see are very varied. You can see plays, and many of them are spectacular. You can see musicals as well, and these I prefer. Not only can you see a play, but you get to listen to music as well, which is always of the highest standard. In my opinion, the best show that you can go to see is Blood Brothers, Willy Russell's famous musical following the life of two brothers, parted at birth. There's humour, happy songs, but a deep tale of woe and misery underlying the whole play.

The play begins with a misty scene on a street in Liverpool, with four people standing on the stage. Two of these are dead, and beside them stand a man, who takes his role of the narrator, and a woman, Mrs. Johnstone, the mother of these two brothers. After a heart touching start to a song, the Narrator fills us in, that these two people are brothers, twins no less, and that they were born on the same day. This scene ends, and we learn more about the origins, as we hear the recurring song of this musical, Marilyn Monroe. For those of you who don't know, she was a actor who often was seen as the height of glamour and beauty, but her tale, like the one that is shown on the stage, is wrapped in misery as she suddenly dies. Nobody has ever found out the true reason, but many suspect it to be suicide, as in the body, a drug overdose was found. The song compares Mrs. Johnstone's early life similar to this, as a husband marries her for her beauty; however, her beauty sinks as she becomes pregnant with child after child. We continue the story as we see Mrs. Johnstone giving away her child. This is when we hear the show-stopper of the musical, as the we here the other major theme of the play, superstition, and we hear the Narrator singing "The Devil's got your Number" It's a chilling song, and expertly composed, and it is always sung well. It's just great to hear. The play then follows the life of Micky, the child that Mrs. Johnstone kept. We see him meet with Eddy, the child that Mrs. Johnstone gave away, as they play together. When Eddy's new mum finds out who Eddy's playing with, they move house. Though this seems like a good idea, we hear that the Johnstone family are moving away as well, and when the curtain falls to welcome the interval, we know that something bad's going to happen in Act 2.

Now, I don't want to spoil the storyline for you, but the second act is a lot more depressing than the first. It starts of happy but, as the narrator tells you, life can only continue this way "if we mustn't live in life as well as dreams". When the two friends are 18, Eddy leaves, and Micky marries a girl called Linda, who Eddy loves as well. Linda gets pregnant, and Micky loses his job. Micky is arrested for murder, and Eddy comes back, and everything seems to be going okay, until one day when everything comes falling down. If you want to know what happens, go to see it, and I guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy it, if you like that kind of thing. The end is so moving, that even I let out a tear, and when the cast do their curtain call, it is the only time that I have seen a standing ovation when everyone is involved. It's just that good.

So, what makes it so spectacular. I know many people think that the theatre is just an expensive cinema, but it isn't. Going to London is a whole experience. When many of you go to the cinema, I'm sure that you just maybe pop to a restaurant in your local town when you go, if that. Theatre is a day out, as you go to London, you shop, you get pushed and pulled, get lost, and countless other entertaining things. Going to see Blood Brothers on the big screen just wouldn't be as good. The theatre is brilliant, however, because it's live. People make mistakes, and this adds comedy, but the voices are just so much better, with clarity. It's hard to describe, but the theatre is vastly superior to any films. Of course, it isn't only because of the theatre that you should go to see it, it's the play as well which is funny at points, but it also has a very good storyline. The music is perfect, and the voices are so soft and delicate on the sadder songs that they can make anyone cry, but they can sing with emotion and passion on the more fast paced songs.

Brilliant actors and a brilliant play make up a brilliant day out, totally recommended by me.

855 words. PMing now.

if I have time before the deadline, I'll try to write an art piece.