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Matt Crossick/PA ARCHIVE IMAGES The future of the Top Gear TV show has been cast even further in doubt, after presenters Richard Hammond and James May did not renew their contracts, which expired at midnight yesterday. continue reading

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From the outside the Hindu temple of Karni Mata in the small town of Deshnoke in the Indian province of Rajasthan looks much like any other. Ornate and beautiful and with a steady stream of worshippers arriving it holds a surprise for the unsuspecting visitor.

The temple is inhabited by rats: thousands of them.

Inhabited, too, is the correct word for this is no accidental infestation. The Hindu adherents encourage their presence as we might other mammalian visitors to our gardens with sustenance both liquid and solid. They are there in memory of a remarkable woman – Karni Mata.

Back in the fourteenth century (almost a blink of the eye in terms of Indian history) there emerged from the charan caste a woman named Karni Mata. Highly revered, the women of the caste are venerated as mother goddesses by the other main communities of this province. This particular sage, however, was worshipped as an incarnation of a goddess, Durga.

Durga is a form of the supremely radiant goddess, Devi and translates as one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress’. She exists in a condition known as svātantrya which is one of total independence from the universe. Durga is considered by Hindus to be the personification of feminine creativity, encompassing fearlessness, patience, compassion and even humor. Little wonder, then, that wherever Karni Mata journeyed, temples sprang up.

Humility, too: you will never find an original image of Karni Mata in any of the numerous temples dedicated to her. However, there is a record of her foot-print in each temple, hidden from the view of non believers. The temple at Deshnoke is by far the most famous (it is known locally as The Eighth Wonder – her followers on occasion lack her unassuming nature). The reason is by now obvious – it is because of the rats.

The rats eat from huge metal bowls filled with milk, sweets, and grains donated by devotees. It is considered auspicious to see a white rat near the image of Karni Mata which were placed in the temple when it was rebuilt a hundred years ago.

Pilgrims arrive throughout the year to pay tribute to Karni Mata and the sacred rats. During the Navratri festival of dance and celebration, which is held four times a year, the numbers significantly swell as thousands of religious travellers arrive on foot. Yet, why rats? Why are these animals so significant to the adherents of Karni Mata.

Legend has it that a favorite boy, the son of one of Karni Mata’s storytellers and someone who she regarded as a stepson, died. As Durga, Karni Mata implored the god of death, Yama, to bring him back to life. When this request was turned down, Kami Mata brought the cherished boy back as a rat – but not only him, all the storytellers too. The rats became holy and have been treated as such ever since.

To avoid accidentally stepping on a rat is not a sign of squeamishness. If one is accidentally killed it must be reinstated with one made from solid gold. You really do not want to tread on these rats if you value the contents of your bank account.

However, it is considered immense good luck if one of the rats chooses to scurry over you bare feet.


Notice the nets above the heads of the worshippers? This is to protect the rats from an adversary that has no respect for their previous incarnation. Pigeons, given the chance, will happily swoop down and kill baby rats.

UPDATE: Although we’re really excited about the possibilities of PlayStation Flow, it’s not actually in development. However, it was inspired by Sony Computer Entertainment’s innovative experiences including Project Morpheus. A virtual reality headset, Project Morpheus offers a new, immersive dimension of gaming and launches in the first half of 2016.

For more information on Project Morpheus check out the latest prototype on the PlayStation Blog, sign up for email updates to get the latest details or enter our competition for a chance to see it live at E3.

ORIGINAL POST: At PlayStation we’ve always been dedicated to bringing gamers immersive experiences. From innovative features like Remote Play and Share Play to the endless possibilities of the upcoming Project Morpheus, PS4 is continually creating new ways to play.

Here at the PlayStation Wearable Entertainment Technology (P-WET) group we are ready to add to that list of innovations, as we announce the latest breakthrough in fully-immersive gaming – PlayStation Flow.

 
PlayStation Flow combines PS4 gaming with real-life swimming. When you get to an underwater section of a game like The Last of Us Remastered you can hit pause, head to your nearest pool, dive in and resume playing through PlayStation Flow. With underwater environments in games becoming more and more realistic, we think that PlayStation Flow provides a natural enhancement to player experience.

The system consists of four PlayStation Flow Sensors, constructed using the latest composite fabrics. They attach comfortably to your biceps and thighs and track your swimming, sending real-time updates of body movements back to your PS4 via Remote Play.

 
The PlayStation Flow Goggles stream game data from your PS4 via Bluetooth and display gameplay once activated poolside. Our PlayStation Waterproof Earphones deliver stunning sound even underwater to complete the immersion.

We know that players want to get back to the action as soon as possible, so we’re also proud to introduce the PlayStation Flow Body Dryer – the perfect accompaniment to PlayStation Flow. It uses ionizing technology to dry you within seconds.

 
For a deeper understanding of how it all works check out the video, and stay tuned for more information from the PlayStation Wearable Entertainment Technology group.

With Project Morpheus and more on the way it’s a very exciting time for PlayStation innovation. Watch this space for more immersive experiences as we continue to push the boundaries of play.

The post Introducing PlayStation Flow (Update) appeared first on PlayStation.Blog.Europe.

Stan Lee, the creator of superhero icons including Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk and X-Men, is forming an alliance with Sky 1 for a new TV series.

Lucky Man follows a down-on-his luck policeman named DI Harry Clayton, played by James Nesbitt, who obtains superpowers (in a Stan Lee creation? Never!) from a bracelet.

The six-part series is based on one of Lee's original ideas. Landing a name like Stan Lee will give Sky some decent firepower in the fight against rivals like Netflix and Amazon, who are commissioning original shows faster than you can say Dr Otto Gunther Octavius.

But Sky's arsenal is certainly growing; other original dramas for 2015 include The Five, The Last Panthers, Birthday, Critical and medical drama Line of Duty. And how could we forget Fungus the Bogeyman?

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Photo credit: YouTube/maxman.tv YouTube/maxman.tv Never judge a book by its cover - or so the saying goes. It's a lesson instructors at a Malaysian driving school won't be forgetting in a hurry, after being made the subject of a practical joke on their first day at work. continue reading

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A new Wikileaks-published leak from the secretive Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) treaty reveals a January 2015 draft "Investment Chapter" of the agreement, where the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms are set out. They allow companies to repeal nations' environmental, health and labor laws. Read the rest

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