Monthly Archives: January 2021

Sony and Controller Gear release a PlayStation Launch Collection Bundle, which features socks, a hat, a water bottle, and tech decals, for $49.99.

The PlayStation 5is still out of stock in most locations, but PlayStation fans can still celebrate Sony's latest console in style with the new PlayStation Launch Collection Bundle. The collection features some awesome PlayStation-themed merchandise, so you can rep your favorite gaming system wherever life takes you.

Sony released the futuristic, sleek white PS5 console back in November and it did not last on shelves for very long. The launch, which came in the same week as Microsoft's new Xbox Series X|S, broke records as Sony shipped out 3.4 million PS5 units in its first month. The console has been nearly impossible to nab ever since. Just as soon as online and physical retailers get their hands on a restock, the devices sell out. Part of this is due to scalpers and bots, but there's also just a huge demand for the product. Sony has recognized the PS5 shortages, but alas, the issue could very well continue through the first few months of 2021.

Related:How Long PS5 & Xbox Series X Shortages Will Last

It's no console, but the PlayStation Launch Collection Bundlemay soften the blow of missing out on the PS5. As MP1st reported, Sony's limited edition collection, which was created in partnership with the brand Controller Gear, includes a wool "dad" cap, an insulated water bottle, socks, and tech decals. The hat and water bottle feature a black and white speckled design. Meanwhile, the hat also features the colorful PlayStation button design embossed on the front. The same design in silver runs down the water bottle, as well as the PlayStation logo.

The knit crew socks feature a more colorful speckled design with matching stripes around the top and a small PlayStation logo. Finally, there is a pack of small tech decals with various PlayStation designs. The full PlayStation Launch Collection Bundle from Controller Gear is available on Amazon for $49.99. If you act fast, you can also save $20 by purchasing the collection for $29.99 from Best Buy.

This accessory collection probably won't beenough to fill the void meant only for a PS5, but it is a pretty neat bundle of goodies. The price isn't too bad, either, especially if one nabs it on sale. It's the perfect gift for any dedicated PlayStation fan (which includes fans buying it for themselves as a treat). Fans who buy the PlayStation Launch Collection Bundle can rock all their new gear while they impatiently refresh your screen for another PlayStation 5 restock.

Next:PlayStation Trends On Twitter After Xbox Live Gold's Price Increase

Source: MP1st

PS5 Restocks: How To Buy A PS5 Online The Fast Way

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PS5 Launch Collection Features Official Hat, Water Bottle, & Socks - Screen Rant

Three Dil committees are competing to establish the right to examine the controversial 292,000 salary for the new secretary general at the Department of Health.

Senior civil servant Robert Watt will receive an increase of over 80,000 if his temporary appointment to the role is confirmed.

The Public Accounts Committee, the Finance and Public Expenditure Committee and the Budgetary Oversight Committee all want to shine a light on how the increase was agreed by ministers.

Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath, of Fianna Fil, has been summoned to attend the Finance and Public Expenditure Committee. The committee, which has an oversight role over Mr McGrath and his department, has also sought all communications between Minister McGrath and the Taoiseach and all relevant departments on this issue.

Fianna Fil TD John McGuinness, who is the committee chairman, said: I am sure Mr McGrath will welcome the opportunity to clarify the sequence of events which led to this impressive pay increase.

He added: It offers the minister a real opportunity to clarify and explain, in a transparent way, this sequence of events in a public forum. It is a welcome exercise in transparent government.

A tug-of-war is developing between the three committees over who will lead the overall investigation, which will only be resolved after February 2.

Senior sources within the Public Expenditure Committee are not happy with the interest of the PAC in the issue.

One top figure warned: We are the appropriate supervisory committee for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The PAC are fishing outside of their remit. They are experiencing the committee equivalent of Rockall.

Outside of grilling the Public Expenditure Minister, the senior figure added that they would be questioning all relevant figures including Mr Watt, the Taoiseach, Tnaiste and Finance Minister. We want to know how this arose and how it was suggested, and we want a paper trail, the insider added.

Another source noted: Something curious is going on in the mandarin power game. Robert Watt and Martin Fraser [Secretary General of the Taoiseachs Office] were the big beasts here.

Now, they noted, one of the big beasts, Robert, looks as though he is being sent into a semi-detached but very lucrative exile.

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Tug-of-war developing between three Dail committees over Watt investigation - Extra.ie

The Eagles, Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt were three of the most important musical acts of the 1970s, and they join musical forces for a spectacular live performance in classic archival footage that has turned up online.

In the clip below, the iconic '70s superstars all take the stage together for a stellar rendition of the Eagles' debut single, "Take It Easy," that features Browne and Ronstadt both on acoustic guitars and backing vocals. As one YouTube viewer comments, "You know you've hit the big time when your back up singers are Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt."

The footage appears to derive from the same television appearance the Eagles made onDon Kirshner's Rock Concert, where they also backed Ronstadton her hit "Silver Threads and Golden Needles."

Both Ronstadt and Browne had extensive ties to the Eagles; he and singer-guitarist Glenn Frey co-wrote "Take It Easy" when they were neighbors in the years before either one had scored any success, and the original lineup of the Eagles first met when Ronstadt hired themas a group of country-rock "all-stars" for herSilk PurseTour in 1971.

Theymade their live debutwith herduring a performance at Disneyland on July 12, 1971, which wound up being the only concert they ever played with her. The chemistry between them was so apparent that they broke away to form the Eagles after that, leaving Ronstadt to hire an entirely new slate of musicians.

Ronstadt went on to record her own solo rendition of "Desperado," and Eagles drummer and singer Don Henley also provided harmony vocals on her recording of Roy Orbison's "Blue Bayou" in 1977. Browne also recorded his own version of "Take It Easy" for his sophomore album,For Everyman, in 1973. His rendition of the song did not chart when he released it as a single.

See Inside Glenn Frey's Sprawling California Mansion:

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Watch the Eagles Jam With Jackson Browne + Linda Ronstadt - Taste of Country

Beverley Persaud, who reportedly paid to have her husband killed, and the man who carried out the heinous act for $1.7 million, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the crime.

Persaud, 53 and her accomplice, Oswald Junior Yaw called Meow, 28, appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court for the commencement of trial but opted to plead guilty to the capital offence of murder.

On Monday, the duo was arraigned in court and had denied thaton September 10, 2015, at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, theymurdered Nathan Persaud.

Justice Singh deferred sentencing to February 16, 2021, pending a probation report for the duo. Yaw was represented by Rachael Bakker, while Persaud was represented by Ravindra Mohabir; the State is represented by Teriq Mohammed and Tiffani Lyken.

On September 10, 2015, Nathan Persauds bloodied body was discovered lying face down in his house at Lot 66, Herstelling New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, with stab wounds about his body and his head bashed in.

Police recovered a hammer, two knives and a piece of rock, all of which had bloodstains. Yaw was later arrested at a city location and reportedly confessed to beating the block maker to death with a hammer.

He allegedly stated that he was promised $1.7M by Nathans wife to kill him. He had reportedly collected $30,000 and a further $35,000 in advance. After Persaud was killed, Yaw was reportedly paid $10,000 and promised $100,000 in weekly payments.

It is alleged that a property dispute between the husband and wife was the motive for the murder.

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Woman who paid to have husband killed, accomplice plead guilty - News Room Guyana

Competitive Pokemonbattlinghas seen many drastic changes over the years. The metagame has varied from generation to generation, and that's thanks in no small part to the available moves.

RELATED:Pokmon: 5 Fire-Type Moves That Are Overrated (& 5 That Are Severely Underrated)

Each move has a purpose, whether it's to deal general damage, deal type-specific damage, boost stats, set up hazards, or others. No moves are created equal, and some are just more valuable than others.Some moves have proved to not only be important and necessary when building teams, but have also shaped themetagame as we know it. Whether it was a move's introduction, removal, buff, or nerf, these moves changed competitive Pokemon oneway or another due to their popularity and viability.Note: This list was made from a Singles perspective,and not all the moves listed have the same viability in Doubles or VGC.

This Dark-type move was introduced in Generation 3, but it was barely worth using a move slot. That changed when it was given several buffs in Generation 6, increasing its base power tenfold from 20 to 65, andadding50% to that when it did itsjobof knocking off a held item.

This move isn't necessarily a game changer in battle, but the usefulness of knocking off defensive items like Assault Vests or offense boosters like Life Orbs has made the move a competitive regular, especially due to howmany Pokemon can learn it.

Some teams have Pokemon designated but specifically lead and set up hazards or status effects, therefore lacking in any attacking power and moves. They can cripple teams when not taken care of, but one single Taunt can ruin entire strategies.

Taunt disables the target from using status moves. This renders the Pokemon on the field useless, forcing a switch and taking away the other side's momentum. Much like its fellow Generation 3 Dark-type move Knock Off, Taunt received a buff in Generation 4, where its effect lasted three to five turns instead of just two.

Healing moves in general have been key in competitive for as long as fans can remember. Having that option toregain HPmeant certain Pokemon couldn't be beaten with brute force.

While Chansey, Toxapex, and Hippowdon have made use of moves like Soft-Boiled, Recover, and Slack Off respectively, Roost is widespread across almost every Flying-type, cute and scary alike, and even a few non-Flying types like Scizor. Given enough bulk,most Flying-types have become serviceable walls with their ability to Roost when they're stuck in a corner,with the bearable caveat of losing the Flying-type for that turn.

As long as you weren't using it against a Ghost-type, you could excuse Rapid Spin's 20 base power when it came with removing hazards on your side of the battlefield. Fortunately, that isn't even a problem anymore, with Generation 8 buffing it to 50 base power along with giving the user a Speed boost.

RELATED:Pokmon Sword & Shield: 10 Underrated Moves You Should Teach Your Pokmon

With how popular certain hazards have become and how damaging they could be to certain Pokemon, having that option to completely eliminate them could swing momentum far into one direction. Another such option for clearing hazards was Defog, gaining a buff in Generation 6 where it would clear out hazards on the user's side as well as the target's.

Earthquake is arguably the attacking move that competitive battling revolves around.

RELATED:Pokmon: The 10 Most Powerful Moves Ever, Ranked

It's a straightforwardly massive attackthat deals 100 base power physical damage, and a must-have on most wallbreakers' movesets. It's widespread across a lot of Pokemon too, great both for STAB or coverage for, say, a Steel-type user. What makes this interesting is its Ground typing, making it completely walled by Flying-types. As a result, Flying-types are just as important to have on teams as Earthquake users, giving that ability to switch into an Earthquake and take no damage.

This move, as its name suggests, places a Substitute in front of the user that absorbs a certain amount of damage, at the expense of 25% of its HP.

One properly executed Substitute can give the user leverage to essentially do whatever it needs for a few turns. Multiple strategies have been built around Substitute, pairing it with moves such as Dragon Dance for boosting stats, Leech Seed for constant healing, or Protect to keep the Substitute on the field and stall. There are very few ways to stop Pokemon with Substitutes set up, and the versatility of the strategies around it give it endless potential.

Thisis one of the most unique moves in the game, and the specific unique properties it has make it a competitive staple.Scald is a Water-type move that deals 80 base power special damage. That alone makes it a pretty good and reliable attack. What makes it exceptional is its 30% chance to burn its target.

Burning the opponent's physical sweepers can render them useless and completely cripple the other team, as burns reduce the power of Pokemon's physical moves. Even if Scald users don't burn their opponent, repetitive use of the move should deal enough damage to wear your opponent out.

This move was so important to the competitive scene that its current, sudden absence has been just as game-changing as its presence. When it was around, competitive battlers had to stay on their toes. Pokemon that had one solitary4x weakness such as Scizor or Swampert couldn't stay comfortable on the field when the Hidden Power of that one weakness was almost always a possibility, considering how widespread it is.

Now, having been removed in Generation 8, that option is no longer there, forcing battlers to come up with more creative ways to beat Pokemonthat are wallsby way of great typing.

Pivoting moves (a.k.a. moves that switch out Pokemon on the field) were around before this move, but U-Turn was truly the first of its kind, dealing damage while allowing the user to switch into a Pokemon of the player's choosing.

Switching the right Pokemon onto the battlefield can provide leverage that sways a match's momentum. Moves such as Roar that switch out the opponent's Pokemon relied somewhat on luck, and while Teleport let the user choose who to switch in, it had negative priority.U-Turn, on the other hand, was widespread and reliable regardless of the Speed matchup, while also dealing decent Bug-type damage. Honorable mentions go to Volt Switch and the recently introduced Flip Turn, the Electric-and Water-type equivalents of U-Turn, respectively.

Hazards were a cool niche then, but they're a mainstay now. Spikes and Toxic Spikes deserve mentions, but no Pokemon move in general has changed the game as radically as Stealth Rock has. Compared to other hazards, Stealth Rock has the interesting effect of damaging Pokemon upon entry depending on its type matchup with Rock. This heavily nerfed many offensive threats,such as honorary mascot Charizard, whose Fire-Flying typing fared very poorly againstthe Rock-type hazard.

Almost every adjustment tothe metagame since then has revolved around Stealth Rock, all the way until today's Generation 8 with the aforementioned Rapid Spin buff and addition of the Heavy-Duty Boots held item that shielded the holder of hazard effects.

NEXT:Pokemon: 5 Amazing Moves Pikachu Can Learn (& 5 It Never Should)

Next The 10 Best Pokemon Not In Sword & Shield (After Crown Tundra)

Kyle Laurel is a college student from the Philippines. He spent around three years as a freelance writer before becoming a list writer for The Gamer. He grew up around Pokmon and writes about that the most. You can battle him on Pokmon Showdown (juantum physics, Gen 8 OU), but he'll wipe you with his Garchomp.

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Pokemon: 10 Key Moves That Shaped Competitive Battling - TheGamer