HBO’s Game of Thrones extended to a fourth season!
Many fans of George RR. Martin’s popular works would be pleased to hear that the TV series adaptation of his epic stories will continue for a fourth season, The Telegraph’s James Lachno reports:
A post on the official Game of Thrones Twitter account confirmed the news last night:
“#GameofThrones is renewed for a fourth season. RT & share this update with your friends across the realm.”
It also shared a link to a poster for the fourth season, which featured a picture of Emilia Clarke (who plays character Daenerys Targaryen) and the words “Game of Thrones renewed for season 4 with fire & blood”. Reports suggest that the next series could air in early 2014.
The news comes after the third season premiered over the Easter weekend to strong ratings and glowing reviews.
More than 700,000 people tuned in to Sky Atlantic to see Monday evening’s UK premiere – up from 522,000 who watched the start of the second series – while 4.4 million saw the US premiere, which aired the night before.
Data compiled by technology website TorrentFreak also suggested that the program has been illegally shared and downloaded over a million times since its US premiere.
HBO’s head of programming Michael Lombardo called the piracy “a compliment of sorts”.
“The demand is there,” he said. “And it certainly didn’t negatively impact the DVD sales. Piracy is something that comes along with having a wildly successful show on a subscription network.”
The television series is based on the fantasy novels of American writer George RR Martin. It follows the battle between a number of warring medieval-style families for control of the fictional kingdom of Westeros.
As an avid fan of this series myself, I am not surprised to hear the news, but excited and pleased by it none-the-less!
I encourage any fan of Tolkien’s: Middle Earth or the realistic sci-fi Genre to give Game of Thrones a preview, It has rarely disappointed its viewers and has always left them wanting more.
Red Bull soapbox racing hits Oman!
In the latest string of Red Bull’s worldwide event sponsorship program, the energy drink producers announced that a new event will be taking place under the scorching heat of Oman’s sun, within the Boushar Dunes.
Red Bull is organizing a Soapbox race, for those of you unfamiliar with soapboxes, they are miniature hull made out of hard paper, wood or even plastic, modeled into any desired shape. By fitting this soapbox with a set of wheels, you will have created your own gravity powered locomotive vehicle.
This is a family event which is designed to showcase creativity and ingenuity, and also to attempt to set a record time of completing the circuit, so that you may receive the mystery gift held in store by Red Bull.
The following is from the official Red Bull site, with the link below for those of you who wish to register and take part in this event.
“Hey Oman, say hello to Red Bull Soapbox Race. For the very first time, the national race for amateur drivers will set up shop in Muscat. Mark your calendars for April 18, 2013 for some good high-speed, human-powered racing.
The Red Bull Soapbox Race is a national race for amateur drivers, which is fuelled by creativity and competitive fun, not to mention, a little bit of Red Bull. This unique non-motorized racing event challenges both, experienced racers and amateurs to design and build outrageous, human-powered soapbox dream machines and compete against the clock in a downhill race.
THE FAST AND THE FEARLESS
Ever imagined yourself speeding toward the checkered flag as a crowd of thousands cheer you on?
Then the Red Bull Soapbox Race is calling out to you!
Teams can enter their engineering marvels and crazy concepts with a formal application hosted on at www.redbull.mea/soapboxrace.
Teams will need more than just courage to claim victory on these city streets as they will be judged on three criteria: speed, creativity and showmanship.
So, make it fast and make it fun!
GET YOUR IMAGINARY MOTOR RUNNING
Each soapbox must be powered by gravity and imagination, which means no stored power or external energy sources allowed. And size does matter!
Drivers must be at least 16 years old, but engineers and grease monkeys of all ages are welcome to be part of the five-person team.
It’s a surprise! Nah, we’re just kidding. Keep an eye out, we’ll be revealing the prizes soon.”
Link: http://www.redbullmea.com/cs/Satellite/en_MEA/Red-Bull-Soapbox-Race-Oman/001243279354223
See you out there! Maybe.
Star Wars renewed for another three episodes!
Most hardcore Star Wars fans would know by now that George Lucas, the man who’s creativity and ingenuity inspired this series of episodes and stories of epic proportions, has sold his aging and epic Star Wars empire for the immense price tag of 4.08 billion dollars to Disney studios, who now own Lucas Arts and all associated intellectual and commercial rights for its productions.
The initial response to this action was outrage and confusion, as many fans took this as a betrayal to the series and its audience on the part of George Lucas, who has received minimal news coverage since.
Only lately however, has it been revealed what Disney Studios intends to do with the Star Wars saga.
The following is an excerpt from an article written by The Guardian’s Ben Child:
‘ The latest trilogy of Star Wars films will arrive in 2015, 2017 and 2019, Disney chairman Alan Horn has revealed.
Speaking at the annual CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas, Horn confirmed the latest triptych of movies in the long-running space saga would kick off in 2015 with Star Wars: Episode VII. Disney previously announced that the film is being directed by JJ Abrams from a script by the Oscar-winning writer of Toy Story 3 and Little Miss Sunshine, Michael Arndt.
Horn also confirmed Disney is working on a number of spin-off “movies derived from that [Star Wars] universe”, though he did not state when these were due to arrive on the big screen. Many fans have interpreted Horn’s speech at the annual conference for cinema chain owners as a sign that Disney is planning to release a new Star Wars film every year between 2015 and 2019, with the spin-off movies slipping into the gaps left in the schedule for the new trilogy. Horn confirmed only that The Empire Strikes Back’s Lawrence Kasdan and Sherlock Holmes’s Simon Kinberg are working on scripts for the standalone films, rather than for Episodes VIII and IX.
Disney announced the new Star Wars films in October after buying all rights to the series through its acquisition of LucasFilm for $4.05bn, with Lucas agreeing to step aside after more than 35 years in charge. The stars of the original trilogy, Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher(Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo), have all confirmed talks or willingness to return to the series. Ford said last month: ”I think it’s almost true. I’m looking forward to it … it’s not in the bag yet, but I think it’s happening.” ‘
Personally, I have been pleasantly surprised by this news, as i hope that Disney Studios can return Star Wars to it’s former glory, and exhilarated by the initial cast choices, as i do not believe anyone can play the part of Han Solo or Princess Leia better than Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher. I am also excited to see how the experienced director and writer JJ Abrams, whose works include immensely successful movies and TV shows such as Lost and and Mission Impossible 2, can transform and shape this saga into one of his brilliant creations.
See you at the premiere!
Current Events, Entertainment, Omani Events
New Events Coming to Town! (Including Bieber)
Well it looks like Oman is ready to kick off 2013 with style. The latest news being that Justin Bieber is coming to Oman in May. After all the annoying kids on twitter trying to trend things like “Oman Loves Bieber” or “Oman Wants Winnie-The-Pooh” it looks like he’s finally coming to Oman! Putting aside all the Bieber hate, I think it’s a positive move to start attracting mainstream ‘artists’ to Oman and it looks like Bieber is just the start (it better not encourage equally talented ‘artists’ like One Direction).
The radio waves are already buzzing in preparation for the arrival of the singer. Mixed reviews are all over the net but nobody can deny that the buzz will be great marketing for Oman on a world scale and it’s about time! This is only the beginning and I can’t wait to see more performers coming here. For me personally, Chris Tucker is the most important arrival in Muscat! Rush Hour 1,2,3 were class!
There’s going to be a lot going on in the coming months. For some people, the fact that exams coincide with some of these concerts gives them an excellent excuse to hide their secret admiration for people like Bieber and forces them to focus on studies as if they wouldn’t have gone if there weren’t any exams!
Enjoy whatever you decide to do!
Entertainment, Global General News
The Evolution of Online Music
I love music. Everybody loves music. Many of us are always looking for new amazing music to help us relax, party, be happy, be angry, or just to hear in the background. Music is part of everybody as everyone can relate to something being played, sang or said.
Last week a friend of mine (Thanks Ahmed!) recommended I download an app called 8tracks (available here for Androids: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.e8tracks&hl=en and here for Apple products: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/8tracks-radio/id346194763?mt=8)
With the slogan “8tracks is internet radio created by people, not algorithms.” I thought it might be a boring app that doesn’t benefit me or my music taste in any way. However, I was pleasantly surprised; finding indie and similar music can be difficult sometimes as it isn’t as mainstream as say, pop music. With 8tracks however, I was able to find so many amazing playlists and discovered countless new songs. Personally, my favourite playlists include “Relax + Sleep” or “Chill + Indie”. That’s the beauty of the app; you search what you want to hear and what you want, you usually get.
It’s an excellent app and everyone whose used it has spoken positively about it so I recommend you check it out if you’re interested in discovering amazing new music. Finally, don’t worry if you don’t have a device or data plan to support the app! There’s a website where you can play the exact same stuff on your laptop! Give it a try now here: http://8tracks.com/
I hope you enjoy this service as much as I did and have a great day! 
Driving test
Possibly one of the most exciting time for any young adult is when they get their drivers license. I wanted to write this post because I turned seventeen last April and the first thing I did was go and learners permit and if this post is read any time after 2013 please note that the new age to get your driver’s license will be eighteen. I’ll start this off with explaining the step to getting your permit, to get your permit you need to go a station that provides them, the two I know of are firstly the one opposite Seeb airport and the other is behind City Center Qurum by the express way, once there you need to present some sort of identification either your passport or ID card as well as a photocopy of the same identification material you will be using in addition to this you will need passport sized photographs of yourself. After that you will need to do an eye test, once that is all done a payment of 5 Rials will need to be made ensure you have a credit card as cash will not be accepted.
Once you have your permit it is time to look for a driving instructor. The two options you will have is either to find an independent driving teacher or sign up at a driving school. The first thing you will be trained for is reverse parking after a few session and you are confident of you parking skills you will move on to a hill start once these two aspects are completed you will go to a testing area but before you do the tests you will be tested on your knowledge of road signs, in your permit there are all the road signs and you are expected to memorize all of them.
Once you have passed that test you will go and do your reverse parking test once you pass that straight after you will do your hill start test. When that’s done you will practice driving on the roads and when you feel you can drive without any mistakes you ask your instructor to sign you up for a test and if you are indeed ready you will pass. Each test will cost 5 Rials however the driving instructor will charge you for the use of the car during a test and this will cost you about 20 Rials as it varies from instructor to instructor.
New Year!
So, it’s almost New Year’s! You know, the time of the year where you feel completely useless having achieved absolutely none of your past New Year resolutions? Well at least that’s how I usually feel. I believe I made a few New Year resolutions last year. I certainly don’t remember the number but they should arrive by email via www.futureme.org on New Year’s Eve I believe.
So how is your New Year’s looking? Mine looks amazing… Just kidding, I do IB.
2013… Will take a while to get accustomed to the feel of writing that “3” at the end each time. Maybe I’ll get used to it around September like I did with the “2012” this year hmmm… But 2013 looks like a promising year for us IB students. Kicking off amazingly with all the college applications (for most places) that have to be completed between January and March, then the delightful mocks which pretty much determine our future really in February, next stop: deadlines check. Checking all the deadlines for IB have been completed between March and April, redraft after redraft, night after night. Oh but it doesn’t stop there! What’s next you may ask? Of course! IB examinations. From towards the end of April until the end of May, life in IB is going to be nothing but absolutely stunning.
But with the sarcasm aside, 2013 really does look like a promising year for a lot of us especially us seniors; with university kicking off in September for most of us, the entire concept of an entirely new independent life for the majority will either be a marvelous or home-sick, heartbreaking experience.
So 2013, please be lovely to us…
So what about you? What are your New Year resolutions? What are you looking forward to the most? And do you think 2013 will be better or worse than 2012? Leave your comments down below!
A New Beginning
High school is without a doubt one of the most memorable times in anyone’s life, however all good things must eventually come to an end. So far the final year of High school has been extremely fun as I try my best to make as memorable moments as I can that will hopefully accompany me throughout my life. As I continue through this journey I remind myself about what little time I have left and it makes me want to simply enjoy what few months I have left with my closest of friends, and I have come to learn that my senior class is not just filled with friends and classmates but it has become a second family.
Even though I try to have fun with all my friends I also realize that this year is the most crucial year in my entire school life, as a lot of people say “this year will determine the rest of your life” and as cliché as it sounds people do have a point. This year is plays such a huge role in determining someone’s future, so I try to find a proper balance of studying exercise and try to squeeze some time for fun with my friends to release myself of the stress cause be the work load. This is definitely going to be my hardest school year but I am sure it will also be the most rewarding. And with that I would like to wish everyone the very best with their senior years and all future challenges and goals.
Review of The Hobbit
As you all might know by now, The Hobbit; the first fantasy movie of a trilogy-set of prequels to the famous and critically acclaimed Lord of The Rings trilogy, has been released in cinemas worldwide. The story speaks of how the young Bilbo Baggins became intertwined in this epic adventure of mass proportions, and also of how he came across and acquired the only remaining Ring.
The Hobbit has been released to great reception by a seemingly ever-loyal audience; It broke the US box office previous December release record of $77.2M that was held by Will Smith’s unforgettable Sci-fi movie I Am Legend, The Hobbit has recorded an amazing $84.77M on its first North American December release.
The movie is sprawled with a collection of amazing scenery that viewers will witness while accompanying the company of dwarves on their quest to reclaim their lost homeland, from the familiar and peaceful Shire; where the hobbits reside, to the breathtaking and beautiful Rivendell, and the misty peaks and dangerous cliffs of the mountainous terrains being crossed.
The narrative of the story itself is appealing and interesting, one can only watch in amazement at the ingenuity and creativity that has been put in to create the scenery, races, languages and lore of such a massive fictional world. The inner battles that each character faces, along with their pasts, only enhance the mysteries that they might come to face.
Many who might have read the book however, agree that the movie has covered a great amount of ground, this is no surprise as the length of the movie (2hrs 34mins long) suggests that it is long and drawn out. With three more to come, one can only wonder if the standards will remain the same and whether the director, Peter Jackson, will still be able to take us on yet another amazing adventure through Middle Earth.
Ali Al-Habsi!
It’s time for an update on Oman’s favourite football star
Profile
- Squad No: 26
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Age: 30
- Club: Wigan Athletic
Recently in the news
- Arsene Wenger (Arsenal Manager) has been looking for an experienced keeper to compete with current goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny. Ali Al-Habsi has been one of the names mentioned to move to Arsenal in the January transfer window.
Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/signing-a-new-keeper—reina-1491625
- Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool Manager) has also been looking to bring Al-Habsi to Anfield at a fee rumoured to be 8 million pounds. The move may mean that Reina will simply have more competition in training or he may have to moved aside for the new keeper!
Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-plan-raid-for-7m-wigan-1415933
At Wigan
The Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has insisted that Al-Habsi is one of the top keepers to play in the Premierleague at the moment. Martinez is a big supporter of Al-Habsi after making him 1st goalkeeper ahead of Kris Kirkland who has left the club after being out of favour.
Ali Al-Habsi is a very loyal member of the Wigan team. This was made clear when he rejected bids from other clubs last summer. It is also unclear whether he will choose to stay at Wigan this January or finally move to a bigger club. He is one of the fans’ favourite player, mostly for helping Wigan survive the relegation battle last year.
Statistics and Facts (2012/2013)
- Wigan are currently at the bottom of the table 18th out of the total of 20 teams in the Premierleague
- Only 11% of games have been clean sheets
- Ali Al-Habsi has made 66 saves in 18 games
The league position trend is shown below
Looking forward
- Wigan would benefit greatly by bringing in new defenders in the January window to provide better cover to Al-Habsi
- New tactics may have to be used to ensure that Wigan keep more clean sheets and are able to climb back up the table
Note: Not long until the January transfer window!
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