Is Mount Fuji Going to Erupt?

The Japanese authorities have issued guidance on how the public should respond if Mount Fuji, the iconic snow capped volcano backdrop to Tokyo, were to erupt.

Experts recommend sheltering at home and maintaining a two-week supply of essentials, according to the guidelines, and to maintain those stockpiles on a regular basis. While there is no official statements of a possible eruption, according to some sources (links at the bottom of this post) Mount Fuji has already reached the conditions for eruption lacking only a force to activate the Volcano and signs of an eruption are imminent. Should that happen, and depending on the power of the eruption, Tokyo the capital city of Japan, could be brought to a complete standstill.

According to one source, Hi-net, Japan's national seismic network, confirmed that on March 25th at 9pm six low frequency earthquakes struck 8km beneath Mount Fuji in a span of 2 minutes at the boundary between the earths crust and mantel. The same source mentions that Hi-net has since ceased publishing epicentre updates from the area and the government is preparing for something but not giving out any other information. 

Of course you always have to treat what you find on the internet with a healthy does of scepticism, there are enough doom and gloom predications to fill a truck these days for anyone who wants to go and search for them. But, as we have learnt from similar situations in Bali you can't really trust mother nature either. 

Mount Fuji hasn't erupted in over 300 years. For that reason some say it is long overdue, but on the other hand maybe it may never happen at all, no on can say with any certainty. 

Mount Fuji - Experts Warning

Mount Fuji - Eruption Countdown

Mount Fuji - Hi-net confirms earthquakes

It's Happening

Well it seems as though my previous post where I mentioned that I can't see the convicted felon giving up his power as president so readily has turned out to be prophetic. According to some news reports it appears that his minions are currently beavering away in the background trying to find ways from him to run for office for a unprecedented third term. 

And although an amendment to the Constitution to allow Trump to run again is unlikely to be approved by Congress, there is a loophole that I am sure he will try to exploit. 

All he has to do is run as vice president, and when the elected president resigns (which they would do immediately on winning), the convicted felon would by default be pushed back into the oval office. Of course, its never been tried, and there would be challenges, and no doubt chaos would ensue, but then again that's what he is all about so watch this space. 

In the meantime the erosion of democracy in the US continues apace. The Department of Education is in the process of being dismantled, the effects of that won't be felt for a while but basically it means that the very people who voted for the convicted felon will find it much harder for their children to get an eduction. His tariff war (to be forever known as the "Trump Tax") continues as countries retaliate, while his supporters stand on the sidelines clapping at the convicted felons hard stance on imports seemingly oblivious to the fact that it means their cost of living will go up as they are the ones that will ultimately be paying the tax. 

His stance on Ukraine has been abysmal, at one point he even accused them of starting the war with Russia and lets not mention the televised attack on Zelensky which was torturous to watch, his admiration for Putin is under fire at this stage. Meanwhile Russia has not been impressed with the so called peace talks not willing to budge on their requirements even as America has stepped away from the body that had been established to review war crimes as the ongoing war between Russia an Ukraine continues. 

And as for the Constitution, the supreme law of the United States of America, the convicted felon seemingly does what he wants with complete disregard for it. And if the Constitution can be so readily ignored then the American people should be really worried for what comes next. 

And don't get me started on what Musk is up to in the background, but basically its been a shambles with the firing and rehiring of key federal employees as his team of prepubescent "experts" run rampant on federal spending. Indeed his actions and comments have angered many people. His post on X referencing Hitler stating he did not murder millions of people and that his public sector workers did, not to mention his nazi salutes, totally repugnant!.  And one of his latest comment that Canada is not a real country topping the list of completely stupid things he's actually said, and its a long list!

All in all the decline of America continues apace, and while some European countries issue travel warnings for entering the USA (let that sink in), there are still so many delusion people convinced he is making America great again that they are blind to the reality. 

You have to wonder what is it going to take before America wakes up, and if by then its simply going to be too late. 

Meanwhile, in other hilarious news, it seems the UK is making overtures for America to join the British Commonwealth something which the convicted felon seems to be open to, the UK no doubt trying to curry favour and reduce the impact of potential tariffs. 

Watch out UK, in his twisted reality he may believe himself to be royalty with rights of succession to the British throne!

Irelands Eurovision 2025

So, Ireland has voted for its entry to this year’s Eurovision and the winner is Emmy with "Like a Party", opps sorry forgot the word play, its "Laika Party". I can just imagine the fun they had when some genius put that spin on the title. It's not terrible (unlike previous entries), but it certainly wasn't, at least in my opinion, the best of the night with Emmy's soft child like voice making it difficult to understand what she was singing at times. 

Indeed, even the amateur robotic dancing fell flat for me in terms of presentation. All in all its a very Gen-z Barbie(esk) kind of number that i will be completely surprised if it makes it to the final, but even if it does I can't see it placing anywhere in the top 10. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trashing the song completely, I mean it's not terrible (especially compared to some previous entries), but other countries are putting in some powerful performances this year, and in terms of power this is definitely lacking. Also whoever is doing wardrobe definitely needs to step it up. 

I seriously thought Samantha Mumba's song "My Way" was so much better although not surprised it placed second as I have to admit the gratuitous Irish dancing was a turn off for me. It simply made no sense in the context of the song and seemed to be an attempt to add some Irish Culture to the track which, while a great song, didn't really capture the soul of Ireland in any shape or form. There was no rhythmic beats of the bodhran, no haunting melody from the Uilleann pipes, no fast thrills from the flute and so on, instruments that scream with Irish soul. Bad judgment on whoever decided that Irish dancing was the way to go. But for that one point it may very well have won. 

The last worthy mention would be Reylta with "Fire" which was a good song, but honestly, I couldn't hear the beat of the bodhran that was being played in the background at all. This really could have been a winner if they had put more Irish soul into it, and amped up the beat on the break. Reylta's has such a haunting voice, but the song didn't have enough energy for me to get behind it. If it had more of Irish beat to it I am sure it would have been an absolute winner. Unfortunately, it didn't and it landed where it did as a result. 

As for the rest, for me the whole Emo/Goth look is so passé, and both "Powerplay" by Bobbie Arlo and "Growth" by Niyl were my least favourite of the night with "Powerplay" giving me shades of Bambie and "Doomsday Blue" wannabe (why would you even want to). From the out of tune singing (in places) to the whole uninspiring Goth look and terrible lyrics they fell completely flat. I'm sure they were trying to be edgy but edgy in 2025 is not the same as edgy in 1980 people and they simply just didn't deserve to represent Ireland on that point alone. Some artists need to be reminded they are representing a country and not simply themselves. By comparison Adgy with "Run into the Night" at least deserves a shout out for trying. It wasn’t a terrible song or performance unlike the previous two I've mentioned, it just simply lacked energy when compared to the top two. 

So now we need to wait until May for the full Eurovision experience and no doubt the many viewing parties that will be planned to see how this year’s entry for Ireland stacks up against the rest. Of course, you never really know until then how things are likely to turn out but I won't be holding my breath for Ireland to take the win. And considering the history that Ireland has with the Eurovision that's just disappointing (again). 

For those of you that missed the whole thrill of listening to all six possible entries for Ireland this year you can click on the link below to go to the Eurovision World page to experience them for yourself and of course make up your own mind. 

Eurovision World, Irelands 2025 Eurovision Song Selection

2025 Year of the Snake

In 2025, the Chinese zodiac will enter the Year of the Green Wood Snake, which is the 32nd cycle of the 60-year lunar calendar. The snake is the sixth animal in the zodiac, and it has a complex and mysterious nature.



The appearance of the Snake, with its flicking forked tongue and serpentine movement, often gives people a bad impression. As a cold-blooded animal, the snake is perceived as not straightforward, dishonest, and sly. The Snake also implies potential trouble such as libel, dispute, or slander.

It is said that the snake fell from heaven, dethroning the Dragon. In China, it is called the 'little dragon' or "ground dragon" and is considered very shy. Snakes like to hide in grass or holes. However, the Yang-Fire of the Snake is associated with the sun, giving the Zodiac Snake characteristics such as being aboveboard, selfless, cordial, ambitious, righteous, and foresighted.

The Snake symbolizes wisdom, associated with intelligence, intuition, and insight. The snake's ability to shed its skin represents renewal, transformation, and continuous growth, making zodiac Snakes practical visionaries, good leaders, and great thinkers.

The Snake has the ability to swallow an animal bigger than its size, symbolizing ambition. Despite their lack of limbs, Snakes can travel fast, representing adaptability, adventure, and efficiency. In Chinese astrology, the Snake is considered a Traveling Star, which implies business trips or working out of town.

2025 is the year of the Yin-Wood Snake. Yin-Wood is associated with grass, flowers, weeds, or vines that can quickly grow and spread. Yin-Wood likes sunshine and can endure strong wind, symbolizing growth, endurance, imagination, innovation, and brainstorming.

What’s the influence of Fire in 2025 on our lives? According to the balance theory of Yin and Yang, people born in the winter and whose astrology birth chart lacks Fire should benefit from the Fire of 2025. This suggests a peaceful, fortunate, and blessed life in 2025. Since Fire is the Mother Element of Earth, people whose astrology birth chart lacks Earth will also lead a life of ease, free from troubles and worries.

• If you were born on a Fire Day, you will be full of energy and enjoy your social life in 2025.
• If you were born on a Wood Day, you will feel carefree, enjoying every moment when interacting with people.
• If you were born on an Earth Day, you will feel blissful and respected, with praise and support from others.
• If you were born on a Water Day, you will have financial opportunities, with potential for significant growth and prosperity.
• If you were born on a Metal Day, you will face potential career opportunities that, while challenging, offer substantial advancement.

So here's wishing you all Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Hail The Chief

2025 and who would have believed that ye old orange head, grab them by the pussy, convicted felon would be elected as President of America for a second term. Yes the constitutional wreaking ball is back and by all the news reports already started his whirlwind tour of Biden bashing. 

Diversity, equity and inclusion are out the window (and no doubt many companies will follow this lead or risk becoming targets for his ire). In addition, only male and female sexes will be recognised under the new administration in a nod to his far right christian voters. The funding for the World Health Organisation has been stopped (because they didn't come down hard enough on China). 

America has pulled out of the Paris Climate agreement, clean energy no longer required and fracking and solid fuels are the order of the day with his "drill baby drill" commitment, America's reliance on oil from China no doubt a thorn in his side. Indeed when it comes to climate change he has in the past referred to it as "mythical", "nonexistent", or "an expensive hoax", clearly establishing himself as not a fan despite any evidence to the contrary. And all of this is just the beginning, in fact its in the first week. 

Over the next 4 years the world will watch. And as America pats itself on the back for becoming "great again" it will no doubt become less and less relevant on the world stage as it slides backwards and other countries start to maintain a healthy but cordial distance. I am already predicting a year of global upheaval in 2027/28, when the potential for armed conflict will be at its highest, I mean why elect a new president in a time of war. 

Of course I hope I am wrong but I cannot see him giving up his power as president so readily after this, his last official term. And even then it wouldn't surprise me if work is not already under way to make changes there too, his praise for his Russian equivalent all too public.

So, lets wait and see, but I have to say that I lack any optimism at this point. God bless America, because God knows it needs it. 

Although on the plus side, playing any of his speeches at half speed is an endless source of amusement. 

Celebrating Easter

Ostara is a Pagan solar holiday honouring the spring's warmth, light from the sun, and the awakening of the earth.  It symbolises fertility, rebirth, and renewal. This time of year marked the beginning of the agricultural cycle, and farmers would start planting seeds.The word Ostara comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess name, Eostre. 

Eostre represented spring and new beginnings and linguistically, Eostre is the etymological origin for “Easter”. As Christianity spread through Northern Europe and with people still maintaining these older traditions, the Church, in an attempt to replace these pagan traditions and festivals with their own, started to encompass them within the Christian calendar.

Many of the symbols of Easter have roots in these traditions, and the use of rabbits and hares is one such example. In medieval times in Europe, the March hare was seen as a fertility symbol, and a sign of spring. This species of rabbit is nocturnal most of the year, but in March, it is mating season for the animal. During mating season, March hares are seen all day long. Additionally, females of this species can get pregnant with a second litter while pregnant with their first litter. This explains why they were used as symbols for fertility.

And of course, there is the pagan custom surrounding eggs. Full of promise and new life, the egg represents the fertility of the Earth and all creation. The Yolk symbolises the sun god, and the white the goddess Eostre, in perfect balance with the potential of growth. Images of hares and even painted eggs would be displayed to honour the Goddess of fertility. 

So if you are wondering why the bunny rabbit and painted eggs are still part of the celebration of Easter today now you know why. It's got sbsolutely nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with the Pagan traditions that are still very much alive today.

Celebrating Halloween

Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, a pagan tradition that originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sou-when). In the eighth century Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honour all saints as the christian religion continued to try to eradicate the Pagan religion. But as with Yule (or Christmas as the christians refer to it) Samhain was too deeply ingrained in the populace and has survived to this day.

Samhain (also known as the festival of fire) marks the transition between the year's lighter and darker halves, the end of summer and the beginning of winter and for the ancient celts Samhain represented the end of one year and the beginning of the next. It was a time for remembering the dead and planning for the year ahead, and also for making winter preparations; crops were harvested, and animals were rounded up from the fields either to be sacrificed or lodged for the winter and used for breeding.

Samhain was considered an auspicious time for the druids to practice divination, since the connection to the spirit world was stronger than usual. The lifting of the veil between the Otherworld and the physical world meant that Samhain was also considered to be a perilous time for the ancient Celts.  Spirits, both kind and malevolent, could act on the human world, the reason why Halloween has the "scary" element behind it today.

After the harvest work was complete, celebrants joined with Druid priests to light a community bonfire using a wheel that would cause friction and spark flames. The wheel was considered a representation of the sun and used along with prayers. Cattle were sacrificed, and participants took a flame from the communal bonfire back to their home to relight the hearth.

Because the pagans believed that the barrier between worlds was breach-able during Samhain, they prepared offerings that were left outside villages and fields and would dress as animals and monsters so that the spirits were not tempted to kidnap them. And carved turnips (which would later become pumpkins) where left outside homes to ward off evil spirits.

Children would also put on costumes and go door-to-door singing songs to the dead with small cakes  given as payment, and tricks might be played on people that were usual attributed to the spirits (which would later evolve into the trick or treat of today).

Indeed, many of the traditions of Samhain have become part of what people now refer to as Halloween and just as with Yuletide, it remains as a legacy of our Pagan ancestors despite the attempts of the Christian religion  to reframe Samhain as a Christian celebration. 

Today many devout christians still follow all of these traditions, keeping the spirit of paganism alive, unaware of the rich history it has or the true meanings behind the symbols themselves.

Singapore Repeals 377A

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in his National Day Rally speech on Sunday 21st of August that section 377A of the constitution, a law that criminalises sexual intimacy between two males, will shortly be repealed.

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According to another article in Today published on August 22, Minister for Culture, Community and youth, and Second Minister for Law Mr. Edwin Tong is reported as stating that "with recent Constitutional challenges to Section 377A, there is a “significant risk” that the law could be held unconstitutional and struck down by the courts, on the basis that it is a breach of the Equal Protection provision." 

Mr. Edwin Tong goes on to mention that "If Section 377A is struck down, Singapore’s marriage laws could also be challenged on the same grounds, leading to the recognition of same-sex marriages, and this in turn will also have an impact on other laws and policies that are built on our existing definition of marriage – such as laws on adoption, public housing, school curriculum, advertising and so on."

So it's clear that the plan to repeal of section 377A is to remove the risk of any further constitutional challenge to section 377A. And just as equally, the decision by the government to make a series of constitutional amendments to protect the current definition of marriage in the Women’s Charter and in the Interpretation Act is to project that definition of marriage from any constitutional challenge once section 377A is repealed. 

In the same article Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam is quoted as saying "So, if a party, a group of people, want to allow same-sex marriage, they will have to put that in their manifesto, fight elections, win the elections, get a majority, and then change the definition of marriage." 

Meanwhile in an article in the Straits Times published on the 22 August, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is quoted as stating that " the Government is fully committed to upholding its family-centred policies and marriage as defined between one man and one woman". He is further reported as stating that “the PAP Government will not change the current definition of marriage" inferring that any such change "will not happen under the watch of the current Prime Minister, and it will not happen under my watch "

So, what does all this mean. Well for the project managers out there this is an abject lesson in risk management and mitigation, if not a masterclass. For the LGBTQI+ community the repeal of Section 377A means that homosexuality will no longer be considered a criminal act, but that's all.  There is still some way to go before it will be considered socially acceptable, or dare I use the words, a social norm. 

Meanwhile the government has drawn a line in the sand facing off to the LGBTQI+ community and much like Gandalf in the movie Lord of the Rings can be imagined to utter those famous words "You Cannot Pass", well unless they say you can which if we take the reported statements made by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam will be in the far distant future, if at all. 

So while we can applaud the Government’s decision to repeal section 377A, understand that this is a well-planned strategy and nothing more. If anything, it is time for the LGBTQI+ community, their families, relatives, friends, and allies to come together like never before. To work within their respective communities at changing perceptions, breaking down barriers and stereotypes so that ultimately when the time comes for the next general election that more people use their vote in favour of building a democratic society based on justice and equality regardless of religion just as every Singaporean has pledged to do. 

First World Hotel Genting?

I had a recent trip to Genting, described as an integrated resort development comprising hotels, casinos, shopping malls and a theme park in Pahang, to gather with some friends and escape the heat of the city for the cooler climate of this destination perched on the peak of Gunung Ulu Kali at 1,800 meters high. 

My friends booked the First World Hotel so although the website wasn't inspiring I thought what the hell it's just for one night. The room looked decent, and it was a fairly well sized room. But that's about as many positive things as I can say about this destination. The hotel prides itself on its Guinness book of records entry as the Hotel in the world with the most rooms (7,351 of them), and you will see signs all around the foyer proclaiming this fact. That said, it really needs to change that to the hotel in the world with the most basic rooms which would be far more accurate.

In the foyer as well they have these wonderful trees/lighting effect to give you the jungle experience full of the sound of tweeting birds. At first its novel but slowly becomes irritating to the extreme. Some gentle piped music would have been better since after a few hours I (along with the people I was travelling with) was ready to rip those continually annoying tweeting bird speakers from the wall.

The check in process was painful. Although almost fully automated, the machines themselves looked antiquated and proved to pretty much useless. I had to try 5 different machines before I could get one to read my passport and with a lack of people standing by to help you were pretty much on your own throughout the process. The response times on pressing a menu option was pathetically slow too so half the time you were left waiting and wondering if you had indeed pressed the right button before the machine did it's thing. There's also limited options for room selection, you can select a room with a view or your limited floor offering (all for more money of course). I selected a mountain view, which was a complete waste of time in the end as the view was obstructed by cloud the whole time (something that happens a lot I was told).  And of course if after trying 5 different machines you give up and decide to join the queue for a more personal service, then out of the 30 front desks available only 2 were staffed when we checked in. So, you can imagine that's not a queue you really want to join to begin with.

Of course once you get your key spat out of the machine together with your floor/room allocation, you head to the lifts (which can be walk away given how big the hotel is). The first thing you discover is that there's no real security, key cards are not required for the lift meaning anyone can go to pretty much any floor they want, paying guests and members of the public alike, a little scary on the whole.

Alighting on the floor for my room I almost tripped over the bubbles in the carpet making my way to it. The first thing I looked for when entering the room was the aircon control to get the room to a temperature I like, only to discover there was no aircon. Nope, none. Just a ceiling fan which if you turned on high meant you were not going to sleep given how noisy it was. And the beds, well they were as hard as rock, it was like trying to get comfortable on a slap of concrete. So needless to say I didn't sleep at ALL and was grateful I had only booked one night in the place. There's also no restaurant, so don't expect breakfast either by the way, although that said there are a lot of food options available. 

All in all I would NEVER visit this hotel again. Apart from the above there was no wifi at least in the room I was in (of the 3 rooms we had only one had wife available) and in this day and age that alone is a show stopper all by itself.

So while the room is basic (really basic) and clean, it's really got NOTHING else going for it at all and my advice is, while the price might look attractive, you pay for what you get, and in this case what you get isn't worth paying for.

First world hotel ..... but a third wold experience, don't say you weren't warned.

Sunset Dinner Cruise

So as we enter yet another lock down (of sorts) thanks to the rising cases here in Singapore I have to consider myself fortunate. I was supposed to go on a cruise to nowhere in July which got postponed to August which got post-phoned again so I cancelled the whole thing. I can only handle so much disappointment it seems.



Friends asked me to join them for a cruise in October which I seriously thought about but in the end also declined because I didn't want to get excited about it only to have it dashed on the rocky shores of covid lockdowns (been there, done that twice already), which as it happens would have been the case, it seemed as though cruises and I were never meant to be.

That all changed last night when I was giving a surprise birthday sunset dinner cruise onboard the Royal Albatross.

The food was amazing, totally surpassing my expectations, the staff were warm, friendly and attentive. Each dish was cooked to perfection and beautifully presented and the whole meal beginning to end was well paced. It really was a unique dinning experience with exceptionally good food. The ship itself is well maintained, with a beautiful air conditioned lounge below deck just adding to the experience. And you get to see the amazing city skyline from a distance (which is a view I have always loved) and as the sunset it cast a beautiful orange glow across the water that just adding to the magic of the moment.

I left feeling full and content, and lighter in mind and spirit.  It was the first time I have set foot off my island home in almost 2 years, and even if it was only for a few hours it certainly helped to recharge my internal batteries as we enter another lockdown (of sorts) here in Singapore.

A really memorable and enjoyable experience that I highly recommend.

For those intereseted you can make a booking HERE

Museum of Ice Cream

The Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) is the latest immersive experience to hit the shore of Singapore and if people's Instagram accounts are anything to go by is certainly worth a visit, or is it?

I mean who doesn't love ice cream, the plethora of flavours, the many many ways to eat it, not to mention that it just about goes with every desert there possibly is. So the thought of "all you eat" at the MOIC was indeed very tempting. 

Myself and couple of friends visited on Saturday 11th of September and a fun time was had by all, although I need to be up-front and honest that had nothing to do with the ice cream on offer. You basically move from room to room, each room tells you a little bit more history or fun facts about everyone's favourite dessert. Each room has a specific theme and walls and ceiling are done in shades of pink. There are plenty of photo opportunities throughout and we absolutely made use of those.

The staff made the whole experience even more fun. They were bubbly, energetic, enthusiastic and fun to interact with. Clearly they wanted everyone to have a great experience (and side note, whoever was in charge of the bouncy castle on the above date .... Marry me!).

Despite the above, which was great, the whole experience was let down by the ice cream itself. 

Station one has two flavours of Häagan Dazs, and I wish I had stayed at that station and filled up but the anticipation of even more to come after such a great start was too strong. Two flavours here, good old chocolate, and our favourite Pina Colada (with alcohol) which was delicious!.

Station two was a soft serve station serving watery soft-serve that tasted more of ice and less of cream. It was a gluten free vanilla (insipid) and a apple pie, which was unusual, tasted like apple pie for sure, but the texture was just so completely wrong in both cases that it was totally unenjoyable. 

Station three was glutenous black rice brick. It's a very local flavour and although some friends thought it wasn't bad, none of us went for seconds. 

Station four was Yam, and the only reason I knew that was because of the colour as it totally lacked any flavour at all. 

And that was it, a total of 6 flavours, 4 of which I could happily never have again. So if you are going for the ice cream you are going to be very very disappointed. If however you are going for the experience, the Instagram moments and the staff (who really make the experience) then you will absolutely enjoy yourself. 

But, take my advice visit an ice cream desert bar afterwards (there are quite a few to select from in Singapore) to enjoy some really delicious ice cream because the MOIC is, unfortunately, sadly lacking in this department. 

Mobile Gaming is Busted!

I am sure that many people will remember the advent of the smartphone with the iPhones launch in 2007, and with it shortly afterwards it came the introduction of mobile gaming. Cute simple games that you could play on your mobile phone, many of them free, some costing a few dollars to purchase.



14 years later and how much things have changed. Mobile gaming has become a HUGE industry with reported revenues of $81 billion in 2020 (LINK) alone. And of course as smartphones evolved and became more powerful, so too have the games. And as games become more complex, rich in graphics and sound and gameplay, the cost of mobile games have spiraled out of control.

Even worse, many games have simply become advert black holes, with game play totally and utterly destroyed by so many of them. And while it's true there are games that allow you to pay to remove adverts, many rely on in-app purchases for you to progress beyond a certain point, or rely on the addictive nature of their games to get you to spend more and more. Indeed in-app purchases range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars at a time. And #google and #apple are doing nothing about it. There are no limitation on adverts, there are no limitations on in-app purchases. When the cost of a single in-app purchase costs more than a full game for playstation or xbox, people should be asking questions.

Of course people can argue you don't have to buy the in-app purchases, it's a choice and no-one is forcing you. And yes, that's true to a point but doesn't address the fundamental issue of how the pricing for those in-app purchases are costed and "who" controls the cost of such purchases to ensure they are reasonable and even justified? The answer of course is no-one, not even #google or #apple especially since they have skin in the game themselves. And did I mention the "addictive" nature of mobile gaming? Indeed many games rely on this human condition to fuel purchases.

So where is it going to end? Are people going to end up taking out a second mortgage in 14 years because they are playing a mobile game? When are we going to get an industry watchdog around mobile gaming so that controls can be put in place to protect people from themselves? Indeed the question should be asked if in-app purchases have destroyed the mobile gaming industry (LINK)

When are we going to get back to buying a game outright on a mobile platform? Probably never is the answer because as long as the likes of #google and #apple don't care then no-one else is going to care either.

Of course the simply answer is to delete them all from your phone. And that works for some. But as successive younger generations grow up in a more technology capable society, advances in technology and peer pressure will continue to fuel the add-filled, in-app purchase quagmire of an industry that mobile gaming has become while #google and #apple simply sit back and do ..... nothing.