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Metallica: Silver goes the Black Album

Metallica Black Album CD

Metallica released its biggest selling album on August 12, 1991; that’s twenty-five years ago to the date. Metallica’s self-titled album, spawned five singles:

  1. “Enter Sandman”
  2. “The Unforgiven”
  3. “Nothing Else Matters”
  4. “Wherever I May Roam”
  5. “Sad But True”

“The Black Album” as it is commonly referred to, went on to sell more than 16 million copies as of August, 2015 in the United States alone. Per Wikipedia article, It has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. In February, 2016 “The Black Album” was selling about 5,000 units per week; better than many newly released records that month.

“The Black Album” was the record that helped Metallica break into the mainstream music scene.

On May 7, 2012 Metallica performed “The Black Album” in its entirety from the last song to the first in Prague, Czech Republic.

I still play songs from the record to this day as it is one of my all time favorite along with the first four Metallica records.

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Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty

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I tried out Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci Signature Guitar Majesty some few months ago at a local guitar store and I really liked it. I have been a fan of Dream Theater and John Petrucci since my radio days in the 1990’s.

My first choice was the Polar Noir model (black). I always like guitars in neutral colors such as black. Then I saw the Iced Crimson model (red); I like it too. Why not add bold colors to my seemingly all-black gears.

Fast forwards a few months, I finally saw the Arctic Dream model (as pictured above) in person. The color-shifting paint-job is amazing. Under certain lighting and viewing angle it is radiating the color green, purple and sometimes black.

For a brief moment, I thought that I should get a 7-string model; as it would have been the first in my arsenal. I then decided to get the 6-string model.

Just a few days ago, an Arctic Dream Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty was delivered to my office. It will take me sone times to get familiar with this San Luis Obispo, USA-made instrument.

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Installing watchOS 3.0 Beta 2

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It has been a few hours since the installation was initiated. Hopefully by tomorrow, since it is almost midnight, watchOS 3.0 Beta 2 would be succesfully installed.

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About the Apple Patent that can disable cameras

Patetntly-Apple-Camera-Disabler

Must be a slow Tech news day for and old story making the round again.

Stereogum:

Apple Patents Technology To Disable iPhone Cameras At Concerts

Jason Snell chimed in and said:

I hope this is one patent Apple puts in the drawer and never, ever implements.

Then Gruber said:

This must be patent anything you can get a patent for patent.

Déjà vu! I remembered reading abou this some years ago.

Patently Apple on June 02, 2011:

This example could easily apply to movie theatres trying to stop customers from filming a movie for illegal distribution or any kind of music concert to protect an artist’s image from being photographed or videoed illegally

Even back then a lot of us agreed that this is just like what Gruber just said.

To quote Bad Religion:

Strewn about the battlefield of life are the remainders of history.
When convenient, we exalt them and pay them such respect,
As if we’re all in an equivalent trajectory.

Apparently a lot of people can easily forget.

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Tencent acquires Supercell, makers of Clash of Clans.

Clash of Clans

Reuters:

China’s biggest gaming group Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) is to buy a majority stake in ‘Clash of Clans’ mobile game maker Supercell from SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T) in a deal valued at roughly $8.6 billion.

That’s impressive.

According to Supercell’s blog:

The total equity value of $10.2 billion dollars also recognizes the value of the phenomenal company that our people have built.

Whether it is $8.6 billion or $10.2 billion, Supercell has become one of the major developers of mobile gaming. As of  June 21, 2016, Supercell has 2 games on U.S. iTunes App Store Top Grossing Apps, Clash of Clans and Clash Royale at number 4 and 6, respectively.

What’s really interesting from Supercell’s blog:

Tencent’s people seem to love games as much as we do. In fact, in one of my meetings with Martin (their President), he had just dropped out from Clash Royale global top-100 players

The President of Tencent likes Supercell games so much, he acquires the company.

Currently Supercell has four games:

  • Clash of Clans
  • Hay Day
  • Boom Beach
  • Clash Royale
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