Back once again it is our every-other-week dip into the news cycle that is News Watch. The long and lovely Thanksgiving weekend is just about over and we all must get back to our dreary work-a-day lives. Ugh. We always have News Watch to keep it festive.

This week in the Hot 5 from the Debris Field, a kid pees in an ice machine, a woman is saved by tears, demons haunt Africa, Japan's asteroid probe, and a Tom Biscardi update. Future News Now looks at that tenuous relationship between cops and protestors. Khyron's That's Entertainment reviews one of 2005 hottest video games, F.E.A.R. I take a look at some of the off-season moves of the Red Sox in My Fandom : Year 2.5. Noory Story Showdown scores and an editorial on Black Friday.

So let's do it.

Future News Now

Police Showed Solidarity With Protesters as They Were Arrested(prisonplanet.com)

Uh oh, I smell civil war. Not really. At first I was happy to see this, but then after I read the dude's recounting of the police "support", it sounded like he probably misinterpreted their mocking. Just my opinion, mind you.

If I am wrong, however, this does have the makings of a civil war type situation. I can see schisms in law enforcement if new stricter government laws start coming down the pike, as we all know they will.

"Many gave us a peace symbol as they left," stated Adams.

"I think times are changing I see it all throughout law enforcement. When we were in DC some of the officers who were fingerprinting people for the arrests on 26th as they lowered each finger they said, 'keep doing it.' So I see breaks within the structure because it's clear that what we're seeing is very unconstitutional and it's not what anybody in America believes in.

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Posted @ Khyron.net, 10.27.5

When it comes to video games, there are two things that really make you feel like a badass: first person perspective and slow motion. So what would happen if you combined these with a paranormal plotline and a bunch of high-powered weapons for good measure? Easily one of the most engaging and downright fun experiences on the PC.

In F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon), you play as a member of an elite reconnaissance team. After powerful psychic Paxton Fettle escapes his confines, he activates an army of 'Replica' clones. They are utterly loyal, fighting and following orders until their leader is destroyed. That's where you come in. Your mission is simple, find and eliminate Paxton, rendering his clones docile. Only things can never go according to plans...

In a market flooded with first person shooters, F.E.A.R. tries to break the mold by utilizing the ever popular 'bullet-time' effect. I'm really surprised the idea to combine FPS with bullet-time wasn't jumped on sooner, as they work quite well together (but I'm sure that now after F.E.A.R. we're going to see a lot more of it).

The story is pretty cliche, "borrowing" concepts and enemies from a plethora of sources. Try to imagine what would happen if Silent Hill fused with Metal Gear Solid, with just a hint of Half-Life. What it creates is an amalgamation of genres that gives it a real sense of uniqueness, while building off the success of others. It's also pretty mature, too. Characters drop just as many F-Bombs as the explosive kind, and a well-placed shotgun blast will either A) remove a limb from your target; or B) Turn the unlucky fellow into a red mist. Not quite sure why (or how) a shotgun would have the later effect, but in the heat of the moment, I don't much care, either.

The single player side is about average length when compared to other FPS titles, but I think what helps F.E.A.R. stand out is its re-playability. With the slow motion effects, I found myself repeating several encounters just to try out a new tactic. Do I want to rush in there all Neo like and take them out with submachine guns and dual handguns? Or should I set a trap with proximity mines and wait for them to come to me? Although the paths through the levels are straight forward and linear, the choices you have available in engaging the enemy keep the game feeling like you're in control.

There are also the standard difficulty levels to keep you challenged on your additional times through. But quite frankly, I was fine with the 'easy' setting. Monolith must have assumed the Mature target audience is also adept at shooting things, because this game is hard. Not frustratingly difficult, but in most cases, the enemy will be able to dispatch you in a matter of seconds. Added to this is an incredibly smart AI. Teams of soldiers (they most always choose to gang up on you), will fortify positions, drive you out with grenades, or try to flank your position depending on the situation and environment. If you think you can just stand and shoot, you've got another thing coming. You need to stay dynamic, weaving through obstacles, utilizing cover, and conserving your slow-mo for the right opportunity. And let me tell you, it makes for some damn fine firefights.

Easily on par with the genre heavyweights and an with an open ended finale that just screams sequel, you can bet you'll be hearing a lot more about F.E.A.R. in the coming years. Fantastic graphics, a mature plot, and an undeniably cool slow-motion and physics engine make this game a winner. Console gamers have to wait a few more weeks for their next generation of software, but for those with a decent enough graphics card, the future is F.E.A.R.

I give F.E.A.R. my coveted 5/5 rating. Simply put, if you're looking for thrills and chills this Halloween, you'll be hard pressed to find any better than those in F.E.A.R.

Rating: 5/5

Contact Khyron here : mjbrun@gmail.com

Well, first of all I completely blew it by thinking that Theo Epstein would remain with the Red Sox, during our last installment of My Fandom. My bad. For those of you out of the loop, Theo Epstein was the General Manager of the Sox for the last 3 years, bringing them to the playoffs for 3 straight years and winning the World Series in the middle of that run. Anyway, he was beloved in Boston, for the most part, so to see him go was a PR nightmare for the Sox.

Luckily, they managed to stave off most of the criticism with a big trade this week for Josh Beckett, a big name top line pitcher that will bolster the Sox pitching rotation tremendously. Many are comparing it to the Schilling signing of two years ago, so this is pretty big. The Sox also picked up a solid 3rd baseman named Mike Lowell, who should produce some good stuff at Fenway. They managed to do all this without giving up too much, except highly touted minor league prospect Hanley Ramirez. And while I was disappointed to see Hanley get traded, it is more important to have strong proven pitching instead of an unproven minor leaguer who has great potential.

Meanwhile, wacky Manny Ramirez is still insisting on being traded and everyone pretty much assumes he will be gone by the start of the season. No one is too happy about it, but now they seem resigned to accept it. Many are hoping to get some good players in exchange for Manny and a lot are just hoping that the Sox don't get the bum end of a crappy trade just to appease Manny. I think it is insane to get rid of Manny, but it seems like Manny is forcing the issue and demanding to leave Boston.

Elsewhere, we are still waiting to see if Johnny Damon will return to the Red Sox. I hear they are negotiating and there aren't too many teams trying to get Damon, but it only takes on team to scoop him up before the Sox can sign him. Since they just got a new third baseman in Mike Lowell, former binnall favorite Bill Mueller will almost certainly end up on another team next season, which is unfortunate. On the other hand, I am hoping that erstwhile first baseman and loudmouth Kevin Millar does not come back next season. I've heard enough from him.

There's not much else to say as the big signings don't seem to happen until December and there is little in the way of controversies either. That said, it's only like 3 months until Spring Training starts and time does fly.