Christ Centered Gamer Blog

As a student, you will find that a big part of your day is spent online doing some or another form of research. But we all know that the internet is not a friendly place and we need to be vigilant and do everything in our power to stay safe. 

Here you will find some of the internet safety tips that will help you to keep your information safe. Internet safety rules are pretty logical and without too much effort, you can be sure that you won’t be the target of online fraudsters and thieves. 

Use reliable sources

Online safety students will always user reputable sources for their research. If you want to search for essay topics, it should not come from a dodgy site. 

Getting dissertation help from an expert is worth the money. You can be certain that your details will be kept safe and provided with quality writing work in thesis, college essays and term papers. 

Don’t pirate

Being a student is tough. Internet safety for teens is even tougher seeing that you often don’t have money to buy what you want. Don’t be tempted in downloading pirated software as these are often loaded with spyware and other bugs that are aimed at stealing your stuff. 

Change your passwords

We are often very lazy when it comes to our passwords. Don’t opt for one password for every site. Rather change things up and use different passwords that are not easy to figure out. You don’t want to wake up one day with a notification saying that an unknown device has logged into your account. 

Browse safely

You wouldn’t go and wander down a road that you know is dangerous, so you should also not wonder on to sites that you know are not kosher. One wring click can expose your system and your personal information could go with it. 

Use a VPN

You have no say in security when you use public internet. For this reason, you should consider using a secure VPN to hide your browsing and keep the info that you send over the network private. You don’t know who is monitoring your use. 

Conclusion

If you look at any internet safety definition, you will see that they all have one thing in common, to protect yourself and your information. There are so many pitfalls and techniques with which online criminals try and get you to disclose your information. 

If you employ these safety tips, you can browse the internet and be confident that you are safe. Never share your personal info over an unsecured network and if you are in doubt of anything, wait until you can verify the information. It is better to miss a deal than to lose your life savings.  

Author Bio:

Elizabeth Skinner is an academic writing expert working with online writing services where she trains young writers to create perfect academic assignments. Her superior-level writing skill has helped her gain a name and massive fan-following in a quick time. In her free time, she loves learning gardening, playing tennis and reading romantic novels.

Thank you Sony Pictures for sending us this 4K Blu-Ray to review!

If you haven’t seen Avengers: Endgame you’ll want to hold off on seeing this film. Spider-Man: Far From Home opens up with a touching tribute to the Avengers that gave their lives in the showdown with Thanos. The world is still reeling from the aftereffects of those who have re-appeared at the same age they were after “the blip” happened. Those who have survived Thanos' judgement have aged five years. As you can imagine, this really messes with high schoolers who are not too keen on re-taking a year of school and suddenly being surrounded by kids that used to be way younger than them.

Although Peter Parker likes being a neighborhood hero, he does enjoy his teenage life and has plans to express his feelings for MJ during their European school trip. Unfortunately, the world needs saving and the bad guys just so happen to be where the high schoolers are touring.

Though Peter Parker is young and naive, he really made an impression on Tony Stark who gave him some powerful eyewear and put in a good word with Nick Fury. Given that Nick Fury is one of those who has blipped back, he’s not as familiar with his surroundings as he needs to be. He needs intel from Peter, wants him to commit to either being a student or an Avenger, and most importantly, he wants Peter to answer his phone when calling.

With the attacks from huge elemental monsters happening in Europe, Spider-Man needs to assist. Can Peter keep his alter-ego a secret with all of his classmates nearby? Will he win over MJ? To answer those questions, you'll have to see the film for yourself.

Spider-Man: Far From Home does earn its PG-13 rating for blood, violence, language (b*tch), and sexual references. There are some “caught with your pants down” scenes that are innocent but taken in the wrong way. Blackmail and revenge are also referenced.

Overall, I enjoyed this entry and am warming up to Tom Holland’s rendition of Spider-Man. I’m still partial to the Tobey Maguire movies though.

(Amazon Affiliate Link)

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) has created the best practice tools for the candidates in the medical sector. PTCB practice test is one of such tools that is designed to familiarize the candidates with the concepts covered in Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE).

Description

PTCB practice test is intended to simplify the knowledge domains of the main PTCE exam. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board provides two different exam versions, but both of them based on the content specifications of PTCE. PTCB practice tests are unique because they have the same look, format, and approach as the real PTCE test, which has 90 multiple-choice questions (80 scored and 10 unscored).

https://www.prepaway.biz/test-prep.html

The cost of the practice exam is $29. If a candidate decides to purchase two practice exams, then he/she can take both tests for a relatively affordable price of $49. Pearson VUE is the body that is responsible for administering the exam. When the candidates are preparing to take PTCB, it is very important for them to know the exact domains that form the basis of the exam. These domains are:

• Pharmacy for Technicians
• Sterile and Non-Sterile Compounding
• Pharmacy Law and Regulations
• Medication Safety
• Medication Order Entry and Fill Process
• Pharmacy Quality Assurance
• Pharmacy Inventory Management
• Pharmacy Information Systems Usage and Application
• Pharmacy Billing and Reimbursement

Apart from Pearson VUE, there are other organizations which are also responsible for supervision of PTCB exam. However, individual states have the right to change their rules and regulations to guide pharmacy technicians within their state. Additionally, if a candidate passes PTCB test, he/she is authorized to use a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) certification. Consequently, a pharmacy technician must maintain the credential by completing 20 hours of education courses every two years.

Preparation Options: Official PTCB Calculations App

The application is available for both IOS and Android devices. It is designed to help the pharmacy technicians to solve the calculation questions. It features ninety calculation questions that are regularly asked in the actual PTCE exam. Additionally, the app focuses on the daily calculations utilized by the pharmacy technicians. This application provides the best preparation experience by selecting questions from the past PTCE tests.

It is important to note that the practice questions that were included in the training PTCE material will no longer be featured in the actual PTCE exam. This application is only meant to help the users to build their math skills as they are going to encounter the similar situations in the real-world scenarios. PTCE app just gives you a greater understanding of the concepts related to the exam. Some of the skills acquired by using this application might be useful when answering questions in the main exam.

Opportunities

Like in any other career, there are advantages of receiving PTCE certification. Let’s have a look at the outstanding advantages that the certified pharmacy technicians can get in their career.

1. Quicker career launch

The healthcare degrees that we earn at the institutions often take a long time to bring some results. Pharmacy Technician certification takes a very short time and has only one prerequisite (a high school degree). It will only take you ten months to complete a certification program and another 24 months to complete the associate program. Within this short period, you will be able to successfully launch your career and showcase your talent.

2. Flexible job opportunities

Upon receiving the pharmacy credential, you will not be limited to the medical field. There are opportunities in sectors like retail pharmacy, hospitals, grocery stores, and nursing homes. Besides, most of the pharmacy technicians work at their convenient time depending on the rules and regulations of the organization concerned. Some can work during night or day while others may prefer working during the weekends. Therefore, pharmacy technicians truly have flexible job opportunities, unlike the other specialists which are restricted to a full-time job only.

3. Social interaction

One of the skills tested during the certification process is the ability to communicate with people eloquently and politely. As a pharmacy technician, you will interact with people from different religious, economic, and social background. You will also help the people to recover from their illness.

4. Growing number of jobs

The pharmacy technician jobs are expected to increase by 11.8% from 2016-2026. The statistics were generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The results were based on the factors such as the aging population, increased number of individuals getting their health insurance, and the rise of chronic diseases.

5. Salary and benefits

The wage of the pharmacy technicians is tending to be pretty high. Some jobs which do not require prior experience pay up to $10 per hour. After receiving an associate credential, one can earn up to $40,000 annually. Besides, the pharmacy technicians are also offered several benefits like health insurance, overtime payment, and reimbursement for becoming certified. It is clear that the salaries and benefits that are associated with the PTCE certification are great.

6. Scope of career advancements

Pharmacy technician career can be a stepping stone to become a professional pharmacist because the learning and experience you will get are very useful. It is also an opener for many opportunities in the medical field. Some of these options that will become available after getting the certification and having the experience as a pharmacy technician are:

• Nuclear pharmacy
• Medical equipment technology
• Inventory management

Conclusion

It is very easy to start with the pharmacy technician credential because the period that you will take to get certified is very short. Besides, the advantages are very compelling and hence we should start the plans of acquiring the pharmacy tech credentials. We wish you good luck with your PTCEexam!

As I noted in my review, Kingdom Hearts III is a fantastic game. But it's certainly not without its weird moments...

Let’s be honest here. It is not a safe world out there. There’s bad people and violence and identity theft… oh we’re sorry, did you think we were talking about the real world? No, our focus is on the digital one. It’s an equally dangerous place for people who aren’t savvy, and many parents and guardians ignore it. 

It’s a fact of life that your kids will be going online eventually. So you need to help keep them safe and make sure that they understand how to be responsible. Let’s look at a few strategies you can take into consideration. 

Know What Sites They Use

The first step in protecting your kids is to know where they go online. There’s a lot of perfectly safe places that they can spend their time. And then there are those sites which are the opposite of that. There’s a lot of areas that your kids should probably avoid if they are smart. If your little ones want to play online kids games on gamesgames.com, that’s absolutely fine, so long as they understand that there are some places they should not go.

Explain the Internet to Them  

If you have kids and you’re worried about them, it can be a good idea to explain the internet to them before you let them loose on it. Sometimes locking down the internet abilities of kids isn’t the way to make them feel trusted and grown-up. In these instances, what you need to do is sit down with them and explain how the internet works. They need to know that they can’t give out personal information, that there’s no instance where talking to strangers intimately is a safe thing to do, and stuff like that. If they’ll be online regardless, at least help them to be safe. 

Lock Down Sites

Even if you explain how the web works, it can still be a good idea to lock down certain websites to protect your kids. Gambling sites, websites with explicit content - these are all good to restrict access to. They have no need to visit places like these, and you don’t need to give them the chance. These are websites that they are too young to interact with, and sometimes the most sensible thing you can do is block them off. 

Overall, these are just a handful of the things you can do to keep your kids safe online. It’s not always the easiest thing on the planet to do, but it does get easier with time. If you remember that your kids are going to find their way online eventually, you can start to figure out how you can protect them. It is often just a case of restricting access but explaining why. You need to treat your kids like grown ups if you want them to behave as such. No one likes to be told the internet isn’t a safe place all the time, but it’s a conversation which just needs to be had. 

For all of the many charms that exist in our world, and regardless of everything that we’ve created, people still get bored. Boredom is an absolute nightmare because you just have nothing to do, so people usually tend to pass the time by doing things which are potentially not wise.

However, if you have access to the Internet, then you have a whole selection of different things to entertain yourself. But we thought we would do is take a look at a few of them here and now.

Okay Some Games

Let’s be honest for a minute. The most likely thing that you’re going to do when you’re bored on the Internet is playing games. And that’s okay. There is a lot of good options out there. Just make sure that you don’t go on any websites which look a bit dodgy, or are listed by Google as being not secure. If you want to play crash games online, then you should be able to do so.

Learn Something New

The Internet is a pretty incredible resource when you think about it. You have access to so many different opportunities to learn something new. You could go and find out local history about your town, you could learn some basic phrases in another language, and those are just two of thousands of options.

Connect With People on Social Media

Something else that you can do when you’re looking for something to do blind is to connect with people on social media. You might have old friends or people you know currently, and they are bound to have a social media account that you can connect with. It might take a little while to track them down, but it’s easy enough to do. 

Build a Website

If you’ve got the time, and the inclination, then you could build a really good website. You might wonder why, and what the point is, but the truth is you can make a site about just about anything these days. Unlimited control is at your fingertips, and that’s definitely a desirable thing. We think that people who want to make a website should try making a small basic one to begin with, just to get an understanding of what needs to happen.

To summarize, these are just a few of the different things that you can do when it comes to being on the internet and being bored. It is not an easy thing to deal with by any means, but if you take your time it can be incredibly rewarding. We encourage as many people as possible to try and experiment with the different options available, so that they can find the option that works best for them. Looking for things to do on the Internet can be difficult sometimes. Because there is so much to choose from, and so many different potential ways to pass the time, a lot of people feel like they will get overwhelmed. A good trick to avoid this is to just stay on one website and explore all that it has to offer before moving on.

If you like playing alone, there are many games where it is just facing the mobs, mini-bosses, side quests, and main bosses. It is a lot of fun, and when you play a game well, or you really enjoy the gameplay, it is hard to imagine a day when you didn’t love the game. As you play more, you learn more about how to play online securely, the details that you shouldn’t share, and how to remain anonymous. And eventually, you might find yourself safely ensconced in a guild, team or just enjoying playing the same game with the same people regularly. 

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Co-ops and multiple players bring a more social aspect to any game. And it is pretty cool chilling with your friends, catching up and then, of course, destroying either each other or the opposition in a game. 

There are some games that are hailed as the best two-player board games, console, and PC games. 

So let’s take a look!

Payday 2 

You can’t, shouldn’t and won’t rob a bank in real life. But Payday 2 will let you and a friend do just that. You can pay with up to 4 people which is pretty good. You will be playing with alarms, case the joints and try to steal as much from the banks as you can before the police arrive. This game is tension-filled, and you have to stick to the plan. Unlike the movies where one person always goes rogue, you’ll be making a clean getaway… maybe. 

PC, Switch, Xbox One, PS4

Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2

This is for both local and online. Lego games are highly rated because they are a lot of fun. You can play with anyone of any age too. Most Lego games are co-op, but Marvel Super Heroes has a little bit of an edge. You can play as pretty much any character, which is a nice touch. The gameplay is well done, and the cutscenes are carefully prepared. 

PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One

Call of Duty WW2 Zombies

This is a stark contrast in comparison to the last game on the list. The CoD games are a lot of fun, and pretty intense, but with this one, you and up to four friends can play against some brain-eating enemies. Each wave gets more powerful, with more bodies running your way. But of course, you can only get hold of more powerful weapons by powering forward and opening up new areas of the map. Coordination and communication will see you clear it thoroughly. But you’re going to die, a lot. 

PS4, PC, Xbox One

Legendary

Doesn’t take too long to play the game from start to finish. It is a deck-building board game. So, in essence, you will draw 6 cards and use the power they provide to battle opponents. Be they villains, new heroes, henchmen and beyond. Legendary is a Marvel-themed game, so it makes a neat collector's item for people who are big Marvel fans, or people who enjoy a deck-building game. The mastermind and the plot are selected by the players at the start of the game, and you can set the difficulty too. The game changes and remains something you can play multiple times because the luck of the draw is a big deal here. There are expansions to this board game too. 

Monster Hunter World

An online co-op that has a rep for not being super friendly when you first start playing. However, after you have been around awhile it you’ll be taking out the bigger monsters with teams of players. It can feel like the online system is a bit disjointed and takes too long. But once you get over the fact you need to go through a few steps before you can even get online, and that you have to watch/clean the cutscenes… Well, there is a lot to get used to, but in general, it is a really great game. 

PC, Xbox One, PS4

Photo by Mateo Vrbnjak on Unsplash

Bananagrams

People have loved Scrabble for years. It works well for two players and up. Games can last for ages too. But if you want to break out of the box that Scrabble puts you in the Bananagrams is the way to go. It is more competitive because rather than be a turned-based game, you are looking to race to be the first to use all of your letters in a grid. And if you are a fan of the kitch, it comes in a banana-shaped bag, and you have to yell Bananagrams when you complete your crossword grid. 

Snipperclips

This is a two-person puzzle game. It’s super smart, and you will waste plenty of time with your buddy messing about with the main gimmick - before you even get into the meat of the game. You will both have control of a 2D toon, and you can cut pieces out of each other. Sounds gruesome but looks cute. You cut the pieces out that overlap. Due to the cutesy feel, this can be played by younger kids too. You take one Joy-Con each from the switch, and away you go. 

Switch

A Way Out

Most games at least give you the option to play alone, but A Way Out throws that rule into the sea. It is designed with two players in mind, and you can feel that when you play it. You are two criminals trying to find a way out of prison. You’ll be squeezing and shimmying up tiny wall gaps, finding exit routes by passing tools to each other, playing basketball and Connect Four. 

There is a lot to do, just you two. 

PC, Xbox One, PS4

Rivals For Catan

You probably already have this in your board game stash, or perhaps Settlers of Catan. If not, don’t worry. Where Settlers isn’t great for two players, Rivals works really well. This card game lets you start out with your own principality, with 6 different regions - which are already arranged. Two settlements are connected by a road, each settlement needs to gain extra resources and expand as they go. Each settlement and city are worth different points, and so it goes. It is a lot of fun and works really well for game nights. 

Borderlands: The Handsome Collection

This is a game for casual gamers. You can drop in and drop out, and just spend some time shooting some grunts and trading goods. If you are really into the game, you can head for some mega bosses and start coordinating to clear more content. There are mega-rare loot drops, and who doesn’t love some epics? 

PS Vita, Xbox 260, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, PC

Don’t Starve Together

Never has a more heartwarming title been created. Sharing the imminence of death is comforting in many ways. You’re both going to die, but at least you can do it together, right? This game is about resource gathering and creating bases for you both. You can split up the tasks between you and your co-op buddy and get everything done nice and quickly. Ideally, you just want to survive. The cartoon style day of the dead animation keeps the game light enough, and the tasks are enjoyable. 

Ps4, PC, Xbox One

Gaming has always been a great way to spend time. And the more social the game, the more immersive it can be. Fortnite, WoW, WoW Classic, HoTS, and LoL are all a testament to the power of playing in groups. So if you aren’t always keen on branching out and sharing the load, it might be time to grab one of the games above and get started.

The internet is full of weird and wonderful things. If you stay on it for too long, then you’ll surely find that out. It’s so easy to fall down the rabbit hole and end up in places on the internet you never would have thought existed! Below, we’ll take a look at some of the weird and wonderful things you can do online - just in case you need inspiration. 

Send Glitter To Somebody You Hate

If there’s somebody who really isn't in your best books right now, you can let them know by sending them a glitter bomb. While glitter might be pretty in the right context, The Original Glitter Bomb can be sent anonymously. They’ll have no idea that they are about to make the biggest mistake of their life before opening. They’ll clean it up for weeks on end! 

Get Somebody To Wait In Line For You

If you’re too busy to wait in line, hire somebody on TaskRabbit to do it for you. Whether you want the new iPhone or you need someone to pick up a parcel, somebody will do it. 

Buy A Not Smart At All Smartphone 

The No Phone is simply a piece of plastic designed to look like a smartphone. The screen, buttons, and charging ports do not work. It’s a great way to wean yourself off your smartphone, and actually, phone addicts are taking it seriously. 

Become an Ordained Minister 

Every dreamed of marrying a couple close to you, or just want to have something fun to say to strangers at parties? Take advantage of the internet and become an ordained minister. 

Learn Pretty Much Anything You Can Think Of 

Whether you want to learn all about astrology or you simply want to be able to work for one of the leading safety course companies, you can learn pretty much anything online. Some courses may be free, others might cost a small fee, some may be more expensive. This all depends on the site you learn with and the type of course, as well as the qualification at the end. However, whatever you choose, you can learn an abundance of skills using the internet! 

Buy A Haunted Rubber Duck

Why not purchase a haunted rubber duck to possess the children in your life? Apparently, that’s what these charming, smiley fellows do. There are no instructions though, so bear that in mind if this is your first time purchasing one of these bad boys. 

Make Donald Trump Say Anything You Want

Donald Trump already comes out with some pretty insane things, but have you ever wished he would say things even more insane? Perhaps in the manner of a chipmunk, or a DJ? Well now you can. Use the https://www.getdjtrump.com/ link and you’ll love the results. Hours of fun! 

Are there anymore weird and wonderful things you can do online that you’d like to add? Leave a comment, and let us know if you’ve tried anything listed here! 

Thank you Bokksu for sending us a Classic box to review!

Bokksu is an authentic Japanese subscription plan that partners with centuries old snack makers to deliver sweet and savory treats to your doorstep. Looking at their website’s previous box themes, they seem to have started in 2016. Each monthly box has a theme that inspires the treats within.

Currently, there are two subscription plans available: Tasting and Classic. The Tasting plan has 10-14 snacks/tea pairings while the Classic plan provides 20-25 items. Each box comes with a 24-page Culture Guide Magazine that explains the origin, ingredients, and description of each of the goodies inside. Unless you can read fluent Japanese, I highly recommend looking through the magazine to figure out what everything is.

The booklet explains the box’s theme, and which region of Japan the snacks came from. You’ll also learn a few Japanese words and a recipe! Each food item is broken down by several categories: Manufacturer, Common Allergens, Region, Sweet/Savory flavor, and if it’s Vegetarian. Preparation instructions are also included as some of the teas are a little unique. The Kuromame tea consisted of black soybeans. The Full Moon Tea came with a paper cup mounting drip system that’s more intricate than your typical tea bag. Both teas were good and I tried them with and without sugar/honey to sweeten them to my liking.

I love Mochi ice cream so I looked forward to trying the Mitarashi Mochi. This treat didn’t survive the shipment process very well and was quite smooshed, but it still tasted good. The Usagi (rabbit) Chocolate Balls tasted good and seemed like good quality chocolate. The Rich Baked Chocolat lived up to its name and was quite flavorful. I also enjoyed the Chocolate Azuki Beans: Black Sesame Kinako and wished they came in a bigger package. They were all gone before I knew it!

If you’re not into chocolate, have no fear as there’s more than just chocolate sweets. The Hakata Mitsuki: Delicious Cheese Financier treat has a nice cheese and coconut taste that is quite delicious. Though peanuts are not listed as an allergen on the Funwari Meijin MochiPuffs: Kuromitsu Kinako, they reminded me of peanut butter. The Black Sesame Taiko: Kumamon Design is a sweet blend of seeds and tree nuts that blend together nicely in a thin wafer cookie. The Okashinai Cheese Manju is a cheese and bean-filled cake that is absolutely scrumptious!

On the savory side, there were lots of interesting flavors offered by this month’s box. The Barbeque Flavor Scones reminded me of Chex Mix, it was quite tasty. The black pepper was too overpowering for me to enjoy the Usuyaki Shokunin Chibisuke: Consume Black Pepper Flavor chips. The Gudetama Golden Pack: Tamago Kake Gohan Flavor reminded me of a big cheese puff. The Ofu: Fukairi Shichimi peanut and smoked crackers (salty Kix balls) was good. The Black Sesame Genmai: Honey Soy Sauce Flavor have the honey drowned out by the soy sauce to have a salty flavor to them. Lastly, the Nure-Agesen: Katsuo and Ume Flavor rice crackers reminded me of sushi Nori (seaweed).

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the selection of food offered. Given that I have a sweet tooth, it’s no surprise that I enjoyed the sugary items more than the savory ones. The teas were interesting as well. If you really fall in love with an item, you can order it individually on Bokksu’s marketplace. Shipping is included in both of the plans. If the price is little too steep, you can find 10-15% off coupon codes with a little search engine digging.

If you enjoy video games, then you know how important it is to get the perfect computer accessories. If you want to be fully immersed in the experience of gaming, you have to remove yourself from the external environment.

There are many different ways to do this. Comfort has to be your top priority if you want to experience your videogame lifestyle fully. You need to make sure you purchase the ideal mouse that fits your hand shape and the type of gaming that you do. 

You absolutely need a high-resolution monitor so that you can stand the right distance away from your screen and see all the details that you need. And that there is no denying that the ultimate gaming chair will make a huge difference in your overall experience.

The Ideal Mouse

When you begin to research the best ergonomic mouse for your gaming activities, you’ll be amazed at the variations that you find. You can have different sizes, types, and shapes. You can get a mouse that has a cable or is Bluetooth connected or has a laser. 

You can find one that is vertical, or horizontal, or lays flat like a magic pad. It may take some experimentation to find out which one works the best for the type of game that you want to play, but once you do figure it out, you’ll be amazed at how much difference it makes in your gaming experience.

A High-Resolution Monitor

For gamers, the visual experience is a massive part of what allows them to immerse themselves into the storytelling aspect of the journey. To dive fully into this concept, you need to buy a high-resolution monitor. The production quality of video games these days is phenomenal. To appreciate all the details that go into the programming, you need a high-resolution monitor to make it shine. 

The Ultimate Gaming Chair

If you’re like most people, then you play your video games while you are sitting down. In fact, you may spend more time sitting down then doing anything else. Because of this, how important do you think it is to buy the perfect gaming chair? 

If there is one expensive purchase that you should make, it should be your chair. There are even options for chairs that have speakers built-in or motors that vibrate different parts of the chair, depending on what kind of video game you’re playing.

People entertain themselves in different ways. Videogame culture is a fascinating group to be a part of. But to totally immerse yourself in any videogame, you have to be as comfortable as possible for long periods. Knowing this, expect to invest in all of the necessary accessories.

Thank you Universal Pictures for sending us this Blu-ray to review!

The Secret Life of Pets 2 takes you back into the lives of your favorite animals while you’re not at home with them. Many of the same funny and lovable characters are back with most of the same voice acting talent. Patton Oswalt now provides the vocals for Max who is well adjusted with his fellow canine roommate, Duke. At the park, Max gets rather annoyed with the rambunctious children there and enjoys his peaceful life. As fate would have it, his owner soon falls in love, gets married, and has a son named Liam. Though Max still does not like children, he is over the moon and overprotective of Liam. Keeping a toddler safe in this world is a lot of work and stresses out Max. Due to his nervous scratching, he soon gets fitted for a cone of shame and is not too happy about it. Things look up when his family is planning a vacation to a farm.

Meanwhile, Snowball the bunny is taking his superhero costume seriously and gets enlisted in a rescue job by a cute dog named Daisy. It’s up to Snowball and Daisy to save a young white tiger named Hu from a cruel Russian circus owner named Sergei. Hu is guarded by several black wolves and a feisty little monkey.

Gidget is on a quest of her own: to become like a cat in order to rescue Max's favorite toy. While under the influence of catnip, Chloe agrees to assist her. As you can expect, hilarity ensues on all three of these adventures. As funny as this film is, there are some moral issues worth mentioning.

Sergei is quite mean and threatens to harm the animals and is shown wielding a gun, cattle prod, and whipping Hu. There is some gross humor involving cat and dog poop and some mild language (p*ssed). My older kids enjoyed this film, but this may be too much for younger children. If you enjoyed the first movie and don’t mind the language and animal cruelty, The Secret Life of Pets 2 is worth checking out!

(Amazon Affiliate Link)

Gamification is a major trend in education. Educators realize that if they don’t do something to engage the students on a higher level, they lose their influence and authority as teachers. They have to keep things fun for the learners!

Many teachers and parents are still afraid of games, though. They believe that the students get distracted and addicted. What most of them don’t realize is that with the introduction of educative games, the students can process and retain information more effectively. They develop important skills that boost their capacity to learn. 

Even if they get consumed by the gaming process, what’s the worst thing that could happen? They might get interested in taking game development courses online and turning their passion into a career. That’s not bad at all.

For now, let’s talk about the top Indie games of educational value.

5 Best Indie Games PC: Teacher Approved

1. Stardew Valley

Privileged life is great! We have access to all the food we like, whenever we want it. We don’t need to grow our own food on farms; we get it ready to eat. But there’s a downside to that privilege: people stop appreciating the effort that goes into the production of everything we eat. A game can help them understand.

The player of Stardew Valley inherited an old farm from their grandfather. Now, they have to learn everything from scratch. They will have all kinds of responsibilities that change according to days, seasons, and years. They cannot accomplish everything in a day, so they will learn to set priorities. 

2. Universe Sandbox

This game is a realistic space simulator. It’s built on the principles of gravity, material interactions, collision, and climate. The players explore the space while understanding how these principles work.

Did you know that most students hated physics? The reason for this is simple: the lectures are stacked with formulas and information they need to memorize. They don’t understand most of what they read in the textbook or they hear in class. Only a small percentage of students in a classroom can visualize and understand how these principles work in reality. The remaining students rely on high-quality assignment assistance to get passing grades. It’s hard for them to study because they don’t see the practical side. This game helps them to overcome that issue. 

3. Kerbal Space Program

This game allows you to build and manage your own space program. You can create spacecraft and operate them.

It’s a fun game that helps students to understand the complexity of space research. They learn to appreciate all the information about the Universe that they hear during the lectures. They understand what it took for scientists to get that information. And they want to learn it, so they could play this game more successfully.

4. Crayon Physics Deluxe

Physics puzzles that look like childish crayon drawings? They work for most students! With this game, they see what it would be like if their drawings would become real objects. They can draw anything, and they will see it come to life on the game board. With ropes, wheels, levers, and other objects, the sketches will have to play with the rules of collision and gravity. It’s a great way for students to understand how the concepts of physics work in the world that surrounds them.

5. Lingotopia

The graphics are a bit weird, but that doesn’t make the game less enjoyable to play. For young language learners, it’s perfect. This is how the story goes: a little girl is shipwrecked on a weird island. She has to explore it and find a way to communicate with the inhabitants if she wants to go back home. They speak a foreign language, so she has to learn it.

The languages you can learn through this game are Spanish, Russian, German, Japanese, French, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and English. The community contributes to the database, too. So far, Dutch, Icelandic, and Tlingit have been completely translated. You can get partial translations in many other languages, and you can make your own contributions.

Everybody Loves a Nice Game

The best Indie games 2019 are not a threat to a student’s intellectual growth. On the contrary - they help them develop particular skills that enhance the learning process. The games we listed above are educational in their nature. They are built with the intention for the player to learn something new. But even the “time-wasting” games, as teachers like to call action games, help students to develop skills of coordination and time management.

We should stop seeing games as something that prevents proper functioning. When we play the right games at the right dose, we’ll only benefit from them.   

BIO:

Robert Everett is a gamer, blogger, and word traveller. He’s also an avid online learner. Robert used to be a lazy person who spent most of his days in front of the TV, but he learned how to be productive. Now he’s accomplishing a lot in a single day.

Thank you Quarto Group for sending us this book!

This is a book that teaches Fortnite players how to become a pro at the game. It teaches players the art of speed building, how to build a good base, the best strategies, and much more.

This book tells the readers about emotes. It shows what they look like, and when to use them. It also talks about a lot of epic things that happened in the history of Fortnite: Battle Royale. It will explain you many ways that you can bend the rules. It tells you that you can play the game however you want to play the game, so that you can have fun as well as everyone else who is playing with you.

The only problem with this book is that it is outdated. Fortnite is one of those games that changes or has something added or removed every few weeks, so that makes this book incorrect in some of the things that it says in it. When this book was made, it was season 7. As of this review, season 10 just came out. It is a little more up to date than the first book (the 100% Unofficial Fortnite Essential Guide), which was made in season 5. Other than that, the book is great.

I think that any Fortnite players that want to become a pro (probably all of them) should read this book. If they just want to become a master builder, then this book would help them. If they just want to know how to properly raid an enemy base, they are covered. This book covers stuff from battle tactics to just organizing your inventory. This book is very useful, but I still think that you should read the first book before reading this one, that the first one covers the basics, while this one contains more advanced things.

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People who are super organised are often teased for being a bit anally retentive, but if you’re one of those people whose home is always uncluttered, who’s never late and who is always ready for anything, you could be the one getting the last laugh. Why? Because being organised is seriously good for your life and career prospects.

Just look at this list of things that organised people are better at than the average person, and you’ll see how you could be improved by having this particular trait:

Ability to focus

When you’re organised, you don’t have to worry about the mess that’s piling up on your desk or the fact you’ve forgotten to write the notes for that speech you’d also forgotten you had to give, which means you can give the task at hand your complete and utter focus.

Improved productivity

For similar reasons, if you have your life organised, you’re more likely to be more productive, Whether you work, you’ll be able to get more done when you have a plan of execution and no distractions to stop you from following it. In fact, according to some research, organised people can be as much as 50% more productive than the disorganised in our midst.

Better time management

Organised people run their diary like the world’s strictest prison. They always know where they need to be and when and they are masters at prioritising tasks. That’s why so many companies look for organised people when they are recruiting.

Less stressed

Much like when you’re computer freaks out and you need a Mac task manager to handle all those applications open at once. When you have a million and one things to do, and you only know what half of them are - it’s easy to get really stressed really fast.

When you’re perfectly organised, it’s not so tough, and you will have a much easier time of managing your life, and your wellbeing than anyone else, which means fewer sick days and more career advancements for you. Seriously, there are no downsides to being organised!

Work-life balance is easier to achieve

It’s easy to throw your work life balance out of whack when you’re always on the back foot, but when you have the ball, and you always know what you’re doing, you can achieve what you need to at work and not have to worry about taking your projects home with you. If you want a career that you love and which doesn’t intrude on your life more than is absolutely necessary, then being well organised is a must. Like, seriously important.

People will be impressed

From CEOs of multinational corporations to HR managers, everyone is impressed with candidates/employees who have a cool calm demeanour and always seem to know what they’re doing. When you’re well organised, this is exactly how you will come across, which means that more and more opportunities will present themselves to you.

Put simply; the more organised you are, the better you’re able to handle the challenges of life and the more useful you are to the average organisation. So, get organised if you want to get ahead.

Thank you Kelley & Hall Publishers for sending us this book to review!

Bluefall is a graphic novel written by Andrew Trainor and illustrated by Dillon Snook. With inspirations from a few different stories, one of the major ones being Ready Player One, this sci-fi novel takes place in the year 2045. The man who created a virtual world by the name of Circus has been murdered, right along with his son. The job to find the murderer falls into the hands of Julian Ambrose. But something else is going on behind the scenes.

This graphic novel spans about seventy pages and is a quick read. This being the first volume, there seems to be quite a bit of world-building taking place. Some of this world-building explains the stock system of the virtual world, as well as other things, like pending updates and such. This makes the story very engaging, and it is very well written. The art is good, too, but being an artist, I can tell when art looks sloppy or rushed, and some of the art looks quite rushed. (The copy I received may or may not be a prototype draft in order to show the reviewers what the story is like.)

However, this isn’t a novel for kids. In fact, it’s anything but. There are countless swear words, ranging all the way from **mn to the F-bomb. There are a few sex scenes, and full frontal nudity is shown for both male and female characters. Even though the scenes aren’t extremely detailed in their execution, their presence immediately bumps this novel into the mature section.

Bluefall ends on a cliffhanger with a To Be Continued. It’s clearly designed to be a multiple volume series, and its short length reflects that fact. It is unclear how many volumes will be written, but while being very well written and executed, this series is one for the adults.

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There is an ongoing battle on which operating system is best and the foremost rivals are Windows and Linux. Everyone has his own favorite system and their arguments in online chat forums to present their system as the superior one, proves that both OSs have their strengths and weaknesses.

A major strength of Linux is integrating systems that can improve students’ lives and has taken various initiatives to continue penetrating on this strength. How has Linux proved better at helping students improve themselves?

Here are seven reasons how Linux for students is better than other OSs.

Financially savvy

When compared with its competitors like Mac and Windows, Linux comes out on top with affordability because the software is open source. Because of that, you can then choose to buy a machine with any operating system pre-installed, which can be very cost-effective.

Instead of paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars, you can pay a drastically lower price for an empty machine. Those costs can be reinvested to your education and buying resources you need to complete your studies.

Used by various academies

Some specific schools use the Linux Schools Project and others prefer using Ubuntu Linux because of that you probably seen more computers that are powered by Linux in schools. A good understanding of these will enable you to adapt easily in and out of class. The results will be enhanced understanding of those subjects that use Linux computers.

You won’t have a hard time trying to figure out how the system works; rather, you will be able to use that time progressing in your curriculum. Your grades will then subsequently improve and you will be able to have more time on your hands for extracurricular activities.

Some academies also have some strictly Linux projects for students and you will need to have an in-depth understanding of Linux.

It possible to master it

Because of the peculiarity of using a command-line system, it may be hard to master this operating system. However, it isn’t impossible to master and for some, it may be much easier to remember the commands. Technologies like computers also make our life easier because we can even find dissertation writing help trusted by students online. The writing services also help you with thesis, college essays, coursework, term papers and other forms of writing.

You may need only a few weeks or even days to be skilled at it. The best way to find out is to start using it. It is much like any other operating system; you have to put in some effort towards learning how to use it.

Makes you more intelligent

By using Linux, you will improve your problem-solving skills and you will earn a shot at flashing your skills to your friends. You will also have a deeper understanding of how operating systems work and add to your credentials.

Linux skills are sought after by many companies, so you will have open job opportunities when you are done with college. The results of familiarizing yourself with Linux and working on mastering it are highly rewarding and show that Linux for schools is a great choice

Free support

Another way to reduce costs by using Linux is that they free support and additional resources if you happen to stuck or face a problem. Additionally, there are lots of online videos, tutorials, and manuals about this OS that freely avail it to the public.

Also, books that give in-depth information and know-how are easily accessible and come at a low price. So, don’t fear that if you switch to Linux, you will be left stranded with no support.

You can customize it

Linux is customizable from the second you start using it. Because you may opt to buy an empty laptop, you have the opportunity to choose the Linux you will use and then install it.

Once you have installed it, you can customize it however you want and need to so it can better suit you. You have complete control of how your machine will look like and how it will function. In that way, you set up your computer to work in a way that will work best for you as a student.

It is secure

Probably after purchasing a computer with any other operating system, the first thing you consider is the antivirus and other antimalware. This is logical considering the threats Windows or Mac’s face, but when you choose to use a Linux machine, you don’t have to worry about that.

The reason behind this is that you don’t require an antivirus because the interface is built to shield you from threats. Its nature is highly secure and it will also save some costs for you because you won’t need to purchase an antivirus other protective software.

Conclusion

Using Linux for educational purposes is beneficial, this is especially true since the day and age we live in has shown that technology is changing education. Most of them are cost-efficient and help you save costs as a student because you don’t have to buy expensive hardware, any antivirus or support resources.

Linux is open source and is also used by some schools that prefer it over other operating systems. Also, Linux will open up career opportunities for you as some companies are looking for people with Linux capability specifically.

Author Bio:

Bobbi Sanchez is a technology expert providing expert guidance to students to master the art of programming and achieve higher grades in college and university. His guidance has helped many average students reach high levels in the tech world. In his free time, he likes writing novels, playing music instruments and practicing yoga.

Thank you HBO for providing us with a screener to review!

Other than taxes, death is the other certainty with life. With the increasing number of cremations, traditional funerals are on the decline and many funeral homes are predicted to close down if they don’t embrace technology and new ways to mourn the loss of loved ones. One funeral home was shown offering “drive-thru viewings”. Attending funerals has always been a little awkward, but that’s still bizarre to me.

Alternate Endings: Six New Ways To Die In America features six individuals/families who have recently lost or are in the process of departing into eternity. There’s a family who lost their young son to terminal cancer and per his wishes, had a celebration of life with five bouncy houses, fireworks, Batman, and face painting because funerals don’t have to be sad and boring. Another family threw a “living wake” for their terminally ill father. He appreciated being able to tell people in person how much he loved and appreciated them in his life.

For an ocean-loving father, his daughter mixed his ashes into some concrete used in making a memorial reef. Besides offering housing to aquatic life, man-made memorial reefs replenish the dying coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. A space-loving grandfather had his ashes blasted into space and his family enjoyed watching the rocket launch for that.

Green burials are also an option. In a green burial, the body is placed in a shallow grave without a coffin to give nutrients back to the Earth. The lady shown that chose this option was buried along with a tree she wished to nourish. California is one of the minority states that allow people with terminal illnesses to die with dignity (suicide). One gentleman wanted to die on his terms and set a time and date to drink a medical cocktail that would place him into a coma after a few minutes of consumption and meet his maker within thirty minutes. Although this man did not seem to be religious, he did request a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace to be played at his funeral.

There are lots of ways to honor and remember the passing of loved ones. This documentary was definitely somber, but informative. I just wish it showed the price ranges of some of these options. Not that I’m planning on having my remains scattered into the ocean or outer space, I’m a little curious how much those options cost.

Thank you Marvel Studios for sending us this Blu-Ray to review!

Note: Spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War follow!

After spending a lovely day with family on Mother’s Day in 2018, I thought I would end it with seeing Avengers: Infinity War with my husband. I didn’t expect such a downer of a movie! Not all of the Avengers are down for the count and they want to undo the devastation that Thanos caused to our beloved planet. With the help of the over-powered Captain Marvel, they have a slim chance of setting things right in Avengers: Endgame.

Avengers: Endgame begins with Hawkeye spending time with his family before they literally blow away in the wind. Earth is reeling from the chaos that Thanos caused. The remaining Avengers are not taking it well and are bickering more than getting along. Even five years after the event, people are still mourning and the world is a dump. After Ant-Man's return, they find a new, high risk approach they can take - if they survive.

As good as this film is, it’s not without some moral issues. Like any comic book themed movie violence is a given. There’s a fair amount of language and blaspheming. Even Captain America says S.O.B. Other words used include *ss, sh*t, p*ss, and d*ckhead. Last but not least is a scene where a homosexual man is talking about his dinner date with another man. Please exercise caution if showing this film to a child.

On the standard Blu-Ray disc, you’ll find 7.1 DTS-HD Master English audio, descriptive English, French, and Spanish along with subtitles. Commentary and an intro from the directors is also available. Also, like other recent Marvel releases, you have to purchase the 4K UHD Blu-Ray in order to get the Dolby Atmos mix, which is the highest quality mix available. The bonus disc contains featurettes (Remembering Stan Lee (my favorite), Settings the Tone: Casting Robert Downey Jr., A Man Out of Time: Creating Captain America, Black Widow: Whatever it Takes, The Russo Brothers: Journey to Endgame, The Women of the MCU, Bro Thor), deleted scenes (with minimal CGI). and a gag reel. For $25 or less, you can add one of the highest-grossing movies of all time to your collection.

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You have likely played some type of game today on one of your many various digital devices.  From games like Angry Birds to Call of Duty, video gaming is a mainstream part of today’s culture.  

However, playing video games for extended amounts of time can cause physical damage to your body.  Your eye health, in particular, should be your main concern.  

Take a few moments to read through some of the most common ways in which excess gaming can affect your eyesight, and go forth with new knowledge. 

Problems focusing

Focusing on words you see on a piece of paper is much different than what your eyes go through when you play video games for hours.  Your eyes are used to focusing in on one depth and angle to read and write, but gaming requires much more from your vision.  

Gamer eyes are required to refocus on a dime, and long hours of play can really wear your eye muscles down.  You may experience problems focusing even after you turn the game off. It helps to limit your exposure. 

Issues with dry eyes 

Gamers tend to get tuned in to their chosen activity, and blinking becomes a bit of a distraction.  Hardcore gamers can go for quite some time without blinking their eyes.  

Though it may have seemed like a gift when you were young, allowing your eyes to dry out on a regular basis will likely cause vision problems in the future.  Remember to take the time to blink when you play games, and keep your most effective weapon on point.  

Eye irritation 

Eye irritation is a common effect of excess gaming.  Not blinking, constantly shifting your focus, and staring at the contrast of the screen for too long can really leave your eyes in a world of irritation.  

If you have kids who love gaming, it’s helpful to set a timer for breaks in screen time.  Every 20 minutes, make your kid take a break. Step away from the game, and go find something else to do for at least five minutes.  Taking a break will give your eyes time to rest, reducing your risk of inflammation and irritation.  

Computer Vision Syndrome

Using any digital device excessively can cause you to suffer a physical price.  You may experience pain in your neck and shoulders, headaches, and unusual fatigue after playing video games for a long period of time. 

Computer vision syndrome is not compartmentalized solely to the excess use of computers.  You may also experience these symptoms from gaming.  

There are some positive things

There are some positive aspects of gaming.  When done in moderation, gamers can really improve their eye’s abilities.  Gamers can see things quicker and more fine tuned than the average watcher.