Why Albania is So Great, Part One

I've decided to write a serial about one of my favorite countries in the whole wide world.

So this is Part One:
Albania Sheltered Jews in the Holocaust

Albania, a Muslim nation, was perhaps the most prolific people in all of Europe when it came to saving the Jewish people from Hitler's genocide. Keep in mind, they weren't a neutral country able to let people in on their own. Albania was occupied by Italy. Italy--one of Hitler's allies. Still, the Albanian people put themselves in mortal danger to save innocent Jews.

By the end of World War Two there were more Jews in Albania than beforehand, perhaps the only occupied country to have this honor. For example:

“Why did my father save a stranger at the risk of his life and the entire village?” asked Enver Alia Sheqer, son of Righteous Among the Nations Ali Sheqer Pashkaj, who is featured in the exhibition. “My father was a devout Muslim. He believed that to save one life is to enter paradise.”

At the end of the war there were 2,000 Jews in Albania. There were only 200 in the nation at the beginning. While other nations (France) willingly gave up the Jews, Albania saved them. Albania is also pro-Israel, as well (perhaps the only Muslim nation except Kosovo or Kurdistan).

So God Bless Albania and Kosovo, the greatest nations in Europe.

Halladay tosses Perfect Game!

Roy Halladay, ace of the Philadelphia Phillies' pitching squad; just tossed the 20th Perfect Game in Major League Baseball history! Not only did Halladay retire 27 consecutive Marlin hitters, but the Phillies' won the game one-to-nothing. It doesn't get any better than that!

It's hard to believe Halladay could do anything more in his career; considering his 150 wins, 54 complete games, 1,500 strike outs, six MLB All-Star game appearances, a Cy Young Award, and his league wide respected dedication to and love for the game. And I almost forgot: His Perfect Game on May 29, 2010.

Congratulations to Roy Halladay! Greatest Major League Baseball Pitcher in the 21st century to date, and that's saying something, considering most of his professional baseball career has been during the "steroid era".

Also; Halladay's Perfect Game is the second Perfect Game to be pitched within this month (Dallas Braden of the Athletics tossed his Perfecto on May 9); never before have two Major League Pitchers tossed a Perfect Game within the same month before in history.

Bookmark our site!

Consider advertising on our site!

Final Fantasy VII Review

Now, how do I approach a review of one of the most widely popular games of all time? Oh, I got it, I'll put a picture in to ease into the article.
Whoops. I guess a fiery image of Sephiroth seemingly engulfed in flames is hardly a way to ease into things, but it's too late now. Yes, people, Final Fantasy VII is indeed one of the greatest games that have ever been made, and no, I'm obviously not the only one who thinks so.

The story, the music, the cast, and the memories make for a great game, one that catapulted RPGs into a major player in video games. But before I go into semantics, let's get this review done.
As you may have heard, the story of Final Fantasy VII is superb, even if it is at times hard to follow. The main character, of course, is Cloud, a so-called 'ex-SOLDIER'; the main villain is, guess who, Sephiroth, who was previously Cloud's superior. What ensues within is a struggle between the characters you love, the antagonist you hate, and the evil corporation Shinra.

In the beginning, Cloud is an unwilling participant of the terrorist group AVALANCHE. Headed by Barret, Cloud joins the squad to fulfill a promise to his childhood friend, Tifa. In a short amount of time, after some exciting explosions and what-not, you come to learn that the long-thought-dead super-soldier Sephiroth is still kicking and killing people left and right. What do you have to do, lowly Cloud? That's right, stop a one-man murder machine who intends to destroy everything and everyone in his path in order to get what he wants. Easy enough, right?

What follows is one of the greatest stories (with twists!) in video game history.
The characters in Final Fantasy VII are some of the deepest and fleshed out in video game history. This is the kind of stuff I like, getting to know your characters, feeling attached to them, coming to understand them. And having two of them as not necessary to beat the game? Holy crap.

Musically, this game stands with the very best to this day. Who can forget the chills when you heard One Winged Angel for the first time? No one, that's who. Shock and fear, love and energy; all are mastered in this Final Fantasy.

This game has an amazing load of side quests as well and the best leveling-up system I've ever come in contact with. Your emotions can run high and your mouth can grow dry with the way you feel about what's happening in the game.
As with everything that has ever been in existence, there are some incredibly small faults. The characters... yup, they're really blocky, but what do you expect from an early PS1 game? The pacing could be better, you shouldn't be raising chocobos when a (spoiler) is headed at you, blah blah blah.

So again, what can I say? Yes, it lives up to the hype, and no, it is not over-rated. What can I say, it's one of the greatest games ever made.

The Final Verdict: A 9.75/10, Almost Perfect

(And what the hell, just make a damn remake already!)


Bookmark our site!

Consider advertising on our site!