Richard

Tennis tech could be a game changer

The tennis season is upon us, with the French Open already under way and Wimbledon right around the corner. Viewers can expect to see some of the useful decision aiding technology that has been around for years, but behind the scenes there is other new technology emerging that could be about to change the game.

Over the years, tennis has evolved massively in terms of the way it is played. Newer designs of balls, rackets, and courts, along with a higher level of fitness among players have made the game we know now a lot faster paced than the games of the past. For example, Rafael Nadal’s average serve speed in 2014 was 185 kilometres per hour, whereas players in the 80s like John McEnroe served around 20 kilometres per hour slower. McEnroe has stated, though, that using the rackets of today he can hit at much higher speeds than he used to in his playing days.

Technology has also improved decision making in tennis. Hawk-Eye is an accurate slow motion video that pin points exactly where the ball landed, so there can no longer be any disputes over whether the ball was in or out. It could be argued, however, that tennis was more entertaining before this, as it sparked huge rows such as the famous occasion on which McEnroe called the umpire a jerk (see video below) during his outburst.

Along with technology to improve the viewing experience on the court, there is now technology in production that should enhance the players’ performance even further. A lot of sports have already embraced new technology to try to improve fitness levels and strategy, but tennis looks as though it’s about to take things a step further. The PlaySight smart tennis court uses a combination of cameras that cover every inch of the court surface. These cameras are used to track all the player’s movements and racket strokes. This information is linked to computers that are situated next to the court, so players and coaches can look back and analyse the footage instantly. This footage can also be sent to smartphones, so the player can examine it later, or send it to other experts to analyse and gather opinions. The technology has been backed by some of the biggest names in tennis including Novak Djokovic and Pete Sampras.

With Andy Murray being the only British male to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936, tennis in the UK needs to embrace improvements in tech like this to try to raise the standard of its players. Murray, who is 3/1 to win in the Wimbledon betting odds as of late May, will have a tough time following up his 2013 title against an in-form Djokovic this year, but he will give it a good shot, as he is also playing well. If British tennis academies start using new software to train their players, there could be a crop of young talent set to take Murray’s place in the coming years.

How to access your psychic abilities

Today, getting a psychic reading is more popular than ever, especially as you now can have them done online, over the phone or via an email. It’s getting to be something that is as normal as having a counselling session or going for a massage, whereas it used to be more of niche activity.

Some people are very aware of their psychic sense from a young age, but they may not be sure of how to control and use it to its full potential. Others may like the idea of being more intuitive or being able to communicate with a loved one who has passed away, but believe that psychic skills are only for the gifted few.

This, however, is not true; anyone can develop and deepen their psychic abilities. It may take some people more time and practice than others, but with a little perseverance, anyone can tap into their psychic side. If you want to develop your psychic skills, try the following ideas:

Learn to meditate

“Meditation” (CC BY 2.0) by Moyan_Brenn

In order to create some space for our psychic abilities, it’s necessary to be able to switch off from our everyday thoughts and concerns. This leaves room for our intuitive subconscious to expand and this is an essential feature of psychic development. We need a clear pathway for spiritual messages or our intuition to come through to us.

Regular meditation can help create this clear path and can create a window of opportunity for your spiritual guides to ‘speak’ to you. By having a consistent time slot for meditating, you’ll be able to focus on your psychic side then, rather than having it distract you when you have other things to focus on – such as work or getting the kids to school. There are lots of different meditation techniques, some people will need a quiet and darkened room, while others will be able to meditate in an armchair while they listen to some calming music.

Understand your energy and the energies around you

All of us give off and take in different forms of energy. Through the electro-magnetic fields that surround us, we can become the equivalent of a radio transmitter and receive and pass on psychic information. In order to develop a psychic ability, you need to understand how our energies and the energies around us work, how we can use these energies to understand the world around us. In order to improve your psychic abilities, you need to open, close and ground, and protect your energies. Grounding is a key element – and will be very useful when you feel like you can’t focus or concentrate. Try this technique to become more grounded:

“centered” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by Lucy Maude Ellis

Stand with feet hip width distance and arms loosely at your sides. Allow your knees to bend and sink your weight down into your feet. Rock gently to find a balanced position. Bring the focus of awareness to the balls of your feet and imagine your whole weight being there. From this point, visualise roots extending and going deep into the ground. Stay like this for a few minutes, breathing deeply and letting your body relax.

Experiment with remote viewing

Remote viewing is a form of clairvoyance. It’s the skill of being able to view something with the mind’s eye and it has been likened to an out of body experience. If someone can remote view, they can picture and describe a place that is separate from them. Psychics often use remote viewing when reading for a client. For example, if someone asks if they will move house, a psychic could describe the location, look and feel of the house that their client will move to via remote viewing.

Remote viewing is something we can all do, if we tap into our psychic abilities. You can practise and develop your remote viewing skills by pairing up with a friend.

One of you (the ‘sender’) thinks of a place and writes it down. To begin developing your skills, choosing a local place will help. The sender then focuses on what the place would look, smell and feel like. At the same time, in another room, the other person (the ‘viewer’) should sit quietly in another room and try to empty their mind. Then the sender should pass information telepathically to the viewer, but only in a non-verbal way. The viewer should write down or draw the images they receive and when ready, close off their mind and relax. The viewer can then share with the sender what they saw and see if they have identified the correct location.

Remote viewing is not something you’ll be able to do immediately, but just practising the skill can be quite a lot of fun, and you’ll gradually become more accustomed to interpreting the psychic messages you’re receiving.

Of course, remote viewing is just one type of psychic skill, but it’s a great one to make a start with if you want to develop the psychic within you.

A new generation for casino movies?

With the news of the remake of The Gambler set to hit our screens this Christmas, the genre of casino movies is a trend that’s not going to go out of fashion any time soon. But what exactly is it that makes these movies so popular? Whether it’s the glamour of the Hollywood sirens or the excitement of the casino heist, there is a reason that the movie industry continues to churn out blockbusters of this genre.

Perhaps one of the most definitive movies of this genre was Ocean’s Eleven, the 1960 classic which was so popular that it became a hit remake once again in 2001. The film had every kind of ingredient for a hit: the glamorous Hollywood siren in Julia Roberts, the heart throb in George Clooney (and Brad Pitt) and the thrill-a-minute mission that any other clan would fail: to simultaneously rob three Las Vegas casinos.

Of course, the 2001 hit very much brought the heist up-to-date, using modern day bomb devices to blow up casinos, along with faster guns, better guns and bigger prizes. With Ocean’s Eleven spawning two more equally successful sequels, the proof is in the pudding when it comes to modern casino movies making huge amounts of money.

But with technology ever advancing, could we be in for a new generation for casino movies? Away from the big screen, the casino industry has evolved considerably over the years – whereas 10 years ago people would make the trip to a land-based casino, today, people would much rather play online. This has in part been thanks to the advances of technology making online casinos far more desirable – affiliate sites like Fortune Palace are showing customers how to play with live dealers, another advance in technology that has proven how far things have come.

With these technological advances, it begs the question as to whether movies could be moving in the same direction. Whereas at the turn of the century, directors were having their cast members stealing cash from land-based casinos, could we soon see scripts which have online casinos being robbed?

Indeed, it makes for a very engaging subject and has been touched upon before, with 2011’s Moneyball telling the true story of a man who tried to assemble a baseball team based on algorithms. The film was a Hollywood hit, scoring a 7.6 rating on IMDB and starring casino veteran Brad Pitt.

Computer hacking is nothing new in the movie stakes either – with films like The Matrix or 2013’s Her showing the true potential of computers, a new genre of online casino heists could be in the pipeline. With so much potential for today’s technology, there’s no telling what we could be seeing in the next 10 years.

Win Karl Pilkington’s “Moaning of Life” Goodies

There are two types of people in the world: people who say they like Karl Pilkington, and liars. Everyone loves Karl, and everyone enjoys his shows and books.

The good folks over at Canongate Books are running what can only fairly be described as a public service by giving away books and DVDs of “The Moaning of Life”, and entry to the competition couldn’t be easier:

If the approaching end of Karl Pilkington’s TV series Moaning of Life is set to send you into a spiral of withdrawal, worry not as the book to accompany the show is out now http://ow.ly/qmGuB. To coincide with the launch of the DVD of the complete series of Moaning of Life a new competition has launched where three lucky winners will each receive a SIGNED copy of the book, a SIGNED illustration from the book (Happiness image attached) and a copy of the DVD. Five runner-ups will each receive a copy of the book. Does life get any better, Karl Pilkington fans?!

To enter, fans should simply look at this photo [below] and then e-mail marketing@canongate.co.uk with Karl Pilkington in the subject line, telling us what you think Karl Pilkington is saying in the picture.

The funniest entries win. The competition closes on Monday 2 December and the lucky winners will be chosen at random by Canongate. Don’t forget to follow @welovemoaning for all the latest updates on Karl Pilkington’s Moaning of Life book.

What's Karl Pilkington Saying? — What’s Karl Pilkington Saying?

That’s all there is to it – good luck!

The Coming Finale of “Breaking Bad”

The ways in which people watch television shows and films have changed in recent years, with increasing focus on “binge” consumption of content on Internet streaming services. Really, it makes a great deal of sense, given the quality of home entertainment systems these days. Take a look at bestbuy.com and you’ll find a range of television and audio options that will take your breath away. This, coupled with the fact that you can find nearly limitless film and TV content at pictureboxfilms.com and similar streaming sites, and the appeal is obvious: why watch live television or go to the cinema when you can watch as many episodes or films as you want, in HD quality, at home?
For the most part, it seems as if there’s no going back from this shift in how we consume entertainment. However, every now and then a special film or TV series will still come along that simply demands to be watched in the “old school” way. Along those lines, AMC’s Breaking Bad has become the ultimate example of a modern show that people simply can’t wait for. Referred to by an increasing number of fans and critics as arguably the greatest show of all time, Breaking Bad is now in the midst of its final eight-episode run, and the drama is so high that you simply have to tune in week after week, rather than wait to binge watch online at a later date. But, if the suspense is killing you, here are some theories as to what we might see in the final episodes.

Heisenberg Wins
It’s important that this theory states that Heisenberg wins rather than Walt. It’s certainly possible that the indomitable Heisenberg takes over completely, killing everyone in his way, forsaking his family, taking his considerable cash, and setting out alone. He would, in a sense, have destroyed Walt in a classic “dark side” win.

Jesse Rights Wrongs
Jesse’s guilt is bubbling over this season, and one popular theory is that he rights wrongs to the extent that he can. This would involve killing or turning in Walt, abandoning Saul, and likely finding some noble purpose for the millions of dollars the meth empire has earned.

Hank Wins
In this scenario, Walt and Jesse don’t have choices – Hank and the law would win out, and the bad guys end up in jail.

Everybody Dies
This is looking increasingly possible. Tensions are just too high for many of our main characters to remain alive – a final episode or two showdown could see just about everyone we care about end up in body bags.

Walt Wins
The flipside of the first theory, Walt could still overcome his dark side. He could turn himself in (likely, if this happens, out of a desire to help Jesse or save his soul), give up his money, and either die from his cancer as a better man, or serve out his days in prison, preventing more bloodshed.

Considering those options, it seems like one of them will have to be at least partially what happens. But if you’ve been watching the final half season so far, you know that the folks behind Breaking Bad are still fully capable of surprising us, and the truth is the final season so far has spent more time building suspense than resolving plot lines. Ultimately, all we know is this: we’re in for one hell of a finale.