Lynn McMonigal's Blog

Music is a wonderful thing. 

A few reverberations in the air here and there, a few minute vibrations coming out from a pluck of a few strings, and a few rhythmic beats come in tandem to create a harmonious melody that can be enjoyed by one and all.

Although no one can be too sure when exactly the human race began to listen to music, scientists do know why we do — listening to music benefits us both as individuals and as a collective!

Music Connects Everyone

Particularly, researchers are of the opinion that one of the most important functions of music is to create a feeling of connectedness in communities and amongst fans.

And evolutionary scientists say that human beings may have developed this dependence on music as a communication tool as we’re descended from a tree-dwelling species who communicated with one another across canopy via specific noises.

The fact of the matter is that music today still remains a powerful way of uniting people:

National anthems connect crowds during eventsSongs evoke a sense of shared purpose during protestsMusical hymns build a sense of belonging and group identity in houses of worshipLove songs help partners bond during courtshipLullabies help parents form bonds with their infants

The post The Benefits of Listening To Music first appeared on Mega888.

Born just north of Prague (in Nelahozeves on the Vltava River) on 08 September 1841 is Antonín Dvořák — the first child of Anna and František Dvořák, a butcher.

While his name may not be familiar at first, you would have most certainly heard of his classical compositions. Indeed, Antonín Dvořák was a highly passionate Czech whose musical creations in life have transcended national (and even Earthly) boundaries around the world. 

Where Have I Heard That?

At the heart of it all, Dvořák — a contemporary of Brahms and Tchaikovsky — was a wellspring of melody, with joyful tunes and anguishing notes present in equal measure in his music. 

But you may be thinking, “where have I heard of that iconic tune before?”

Voted the most iconic UK ad of all time, Ridley Scott’s Hovis ad featured the Largo from Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony, titled “From the New World” that was arranged for a brass band. Furthermore, in 1969, Neil Armstrong also took Dvořák’s music (in the form of a tape) on the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. 

Four decades prior to this space mission, Walt Disney’s iconic 1929 animation, Mickey’s Choo Choo had the global icon dancing on railway sleepers to the tune of Dvořák’s Humoresque. And in more modern times, Jo and Laurie dancing (albeit anachronistically) to the scherzo of Dvořák’s “American” quartet in Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film Little Women is a sight to behold.

The post Who is Dvořák? first appeared on Mega888.

For as long as it has been a “genre” of music, techno has divided fans and music lovers alike. Some say it’s just random noises that the creator has strung together, while fans and aficionados of the upbeat music argue otherwise. 

But now a high-level court in Germany has confirmed it — techno, is in fact, music.

The Verdict’s In, Techno IS Music

Consequently, due to this ruling, clubs are now privy to benefit from the same reduced sales tax rate as concert halls. 

In particular, Germany’s federal fiscal court agreed that clubs in the country should not have to pay the standard 19% VAT on ticket sales when concert venues often enjoy a much lower rate of 7%.

In this most recent ruling, the court found that most patrons to techno or house clubs were there primarily for the music and the DJs — similar to what you’d be doing if you were to attend a concert, regardless of whether there were singers or musicians actually present and playing instruments.

And as musicians, the DJs do more than just play tracks as they perform their own creations to the masses using instruments that aren’t commonly used by traditional music makers, to create new sound sequences which are characterised by their own distinctive tunes.

The decision is indeed a rare piece of good news for German nightclubs, especially in the midst of the global pandemic that has forced most, if not all of them to keep their doors closed for more than six months and with no end in sight. 

The fear is that despite government aid, temporary work schemes, and crowdfunding efforts, not all venues will be able to survive the crisis. Hopefully, this ruling will help to alleviate the burden these techno houses face, even if by a little. 

The post Techno is Music, Court Declares first appeared on Mega888.

With the most festive season encroaching rather quickly, it’s time to take out your credit cards and wallets, boot up your online shopping account, and get to ordering gifts!

Here are some of the best gifts to get for lovers of music.

Crosley Cruiser Deluxe Turntable

Vinyl has undoubtedly been making a comeback for a while now that we’re spending more and more nights in due to, well, a global pandemic. It’s time to haul those old vinyl albums out of storage and give them a spin for a nostalgic evening of music. 

In this case, Crosley’s suitcase-style, three-speed Cruiser Deluxe Turntable is the perfect gift for those with a few pieces of vinyl lying about. The record player/Bluetooth receiver is available in a variety of finishes that would surely make a charming addition to any room. 

Vinyl Box Set

Speaking of vinyl, now is also a good time as any to hop off the music-streaming train and get your hands on a piece of good old plastic vinyl records.

Surprise your music-loving friend with a vinyl album of their favourite music acts and watch their world light up during these oft dark times.

Keyboard

If you know someone who is more of a hands-on musician, this gift is perfect for them. 

Drum up some catchy beats, play the keyboard, program some melodic drum lines, as well as mix and master your audio — all using one device. And as far as recommendations go, the Novation 49 with MIDI controller will definitely keep you preoccupied for hours on end with all its different music-making features.

Vintage Microphone Art Display

This is the perfect decor to spruce up any music room. Preferably set to sit atop a speaker, mantle, shelf or table, Hobby Lobby’s Antique Silver & Black Table Decor would make for the perfect music-related gift for anyone. 

Moreover, it’s an inexpensive accent piece that will definitely stand-out in a room.

SleepPhones

If you happen to know anyone who falls asleep while listening to music on headphones, then this might be a great surprise gift for them. 

The SleepPhones feature extra-thin speakers hidden inside a comfy headband that’ll work great for those who like to listen to music when they sleep. Plus, the fact that this gadget is completely wireless means no tangles involved!

Bose Speakers

Of course, you couldn’t overlook the most straightforward gift for any music lover — speakers!

These Bose Companion 2 Series III Multimedia Speakers makes for a remarkably excellent gift, and you may also expect crisp sound quality that has been the trademark of Bose for a long time. 

Though not wireless, the Bose speakers work well with a phone or tablet by using the headphone jack. And they’ll also fit nicely in a tight space, being only 7.5 inches tall by 3.1 inches wide by 5.9 inches deep.

The post Perfect Gifts For Music Lovers first appeared on Mega888.

Google Music is coming to an end.

The service, now merged with YouTube Music, recalled the early days of the global conglomerate when they made cool Internet things. It managed to cling on for nearly a decade though — certainly an impressive feat for one of Google’s earliest products.

RIP Google Music

Google Music — as we’ll refer to it throughout this piece, despite it having gone through several branding changes before undergoing the finality of being merged into another, worse service — was not nearly the trailblazer in the music-streaming or music-downloading world that it thought it would be. 

What it did promise, though, was the generous feature which allowed you to upload old music files and access them anywhere as if they were e-mails or documents. And generous is certainly the operative word here as Google Music provided server space for up to 20,000 songs for free, as well as the infrastructure for accessing those songs wherever or whenever you want. 

Since then, the ever-changing Google Music has undergone transformation after transformation as Google’s media strategy and offerings fluctuated and blurred until finally, it was integrated into YouTube as the latter’s popularity as a music platform exploded. 

Now, Google Music exists as a ghost of its former self within the YouTube Music app — which itself is an evolution of a couple of other failed music endeavours from the global tech goliath.

RIP, Google Music. You were good while it lasted.

The post Goodbye Google Music, We Barely Knew Ya first appeared on Mega888.

Best Betting Strategy For Roulette

Roulette is a popular mainstay in most casinos the world over, and more can be more recently found in a lot of online casinos on the Internet. 

If you didn’t already know, the classic European-originated table betting game involves a spinning wheel and a small ball, as well as a table of betting options ranging from numbers to colours to even/odds. The dealer then spins the wheel and flicks the ball on to the wheel, and wherever the ball lands will be the result of that particular round of betting.

And although much of the game involves luck and prediction, there are actually several things that you may do to increase your chances of winning when it comes to playing roulette. 

So how do you win in roulette? Furthermore, what is the best roulette strategy to ensure your success in the tables? This piece aims to shed light on the various facets of the seemingly simple yet intricate game of roulette. 

How To Win In Roulette

Without further ado, here are some of the best ways to come out on top when it comes to playing the gentlemanly game of roulette.

The Martingale Roulette Betting Strategy

This is by far one of the most popular and well-known roulette strategies out there. 

The Martingale betting strategy plays off the fact that you will eventually win when playing in a casino, regardless if it’s an online casino or a physical one. 

This betting system is easily expressed in the form of this phrase, “I have to win sooner or later, right?” — a dangerous statement to those who do not have self-restraint, but a legit strategy in any other case. 

The Martingale betting strategy is simple enough: Each time you lose a bet, double it the next round. This should eventually lead to a payout that is significant enough for you to at least break even. 

Here’s an example: If a player bets $10 and loses, he/she now bets $20 and if it turns out to be a winning bet, the player has recouped their original $10 loss. But do not make the mistake of thinking that your next big win is just around the corner as you may easily go on a long string of losses as well. 

In the above scenario, if the $20 bet loses, the player will double that to $40. If that bet loses again, they’ll go up to $80 and so on and so forth. In short, the exponential growth of your bets might be unmanageable quite quickly if you do not win a game within a few spins.

But if you do insist on adopting this roulette strategy, the best thing for you to do is to find a table which allows a low minimum bet. In addition, make sure the table’s maximum bet is large enough for the amount you want to start with to be equitable in the long term.

The Grand Martingale Roulette Betting Strategy

Working on the same principle as the standard Martingale betting strategy, the grand version operates on a bigger scale — as in, a bigger bet if you happen to lose each round.

In the Grand Martingale betting strategy, each time you lose a hand, double the next bet plus an extra amount equal to your original stake. Taking the abovementioned bet as an example, if you happen to lose a $10 bet, then using the Grand Martingale strategy you should bet $30 on the next spin. 

This roulette betting strategy is perfect for those who have a cushy bankroll to spend. It can be quite profitable in relatively quick fashion, meaning you may walk away with a huge windfall with just a few wins. On the other hand, if you get stuck in the unfortunate scenario of losing, you must be able to weather the storm until you start winning again if you hope to come out with a profit.

The James Bond Roulette Betting Strategy

This is another betting strategy best suited for beginners. The James Bond betting strategy follows a combination of bets which gives you the best odds of winning in roulette. It should also be noted that this strategy works best when used over a short period of (betting) time.

For each round, you will need to play by multiples of $200. Utilising this betting strategy, a player will only bet on three options. First, place a bet for $140 on a number in between 19 to 36. The second bet will be $50 on a number from 13 to 18. Lastly, the final bet is $10 on a single zero.

This strategy works for most in that it essentially guarantees a win almost ⅔ of the time. And you’ll only lose if the ball drops on a number between 1 and 12 — which accounts for a ⅓ losing chance.

The Fibonacci Roulette Strategy

For players who are not inclined to doubling their bets often, the Fibonacci roulette betting strategy is an excellent alternative. This strategy offers a significantly lower risk of losing massively as compared to the other options — perfect for the conservative player. 

The strategy is based on the famous Fibonacci numbers which entail a sequence of numbers that is the sum of the two numbers before it. For instance, the Fibonacci number sequence will look like this:

1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – 233 – 377 – 610 – 987

It is important to note that you should focus on betting only on even numbers only when you adopt this betting system. These bets will have a 50% chance of winning each round.

Start with the smallest bet possible. If you lose the first bet, increase the count by one. If you continue to lose again, increase the stake by two, and so on. However, once you win a hand, you move down two places in the sequence and go from there. And if you do manage to break even, restart the sequence.

As an example, a string of roulette rounds could possibly look like this:

Round no.Stake ($)WinLoseNet Result ($)11✓-121✓-232✓-443✓-755✓-1268✓-20713✓-785✓-292✓0101✓-1

In this particular example, after 10 spins the player has only lost $1 even after hitting a staggering seven-round losing streak. In part due to the negative progression format, the winning $13 has wiped out most of the losses in a single round. 

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The post Best Betting Strategy For Roulette first appeared on Mega888.

The Great Blue Slot On Mega888

Taking players and gamers alike deep down to the depths of the great, open ocean, Great Blue is an online video slot game available on the Mega888 app. The underwater/nautical-themed slot features a modern 5-reel, 25-payline grid format with an RTP of over 96% — making it a rewarding playing experience overall.

As far as gameplay goes, you may expect the usual online slot experience, with the addition of an entire host of sea critters decorating its reels. To win in this exclusive Mega888 game, you will need to match five symbols on the reels — that’s if you’re aiming for the highest pay-outs. These symbols should also consecutively line up from the left to right, along with other paylines which may be available on this Mega888 slot game.

This title also has decently good graphics, as well as a range of well-paying symbols and even a nifty bonus round for extra winnings! And speaking of symbols, watch out for the stacked wilds and the scatter symbol as they may award you with an electrifying bonus game. During this bonus game, you can win up to 33 free spins in addition to a 15x multiplier.

So if you’re interested, get your snorkel and trigger finger ready, it’s time to dive into Mega888 and Great Blue!

The Great Wide Open Ocean On Mega888

As expected of its theme, the slot takes an iconic scenery of the deep blue ocean to use as its backdrop — with bubbles floating upwards towards the surface for added effect. 

But aside from its pretty graphics, this Mega888 game isn’t particularly a complex slot to play. As mentioned above, the official Mega888 game comes with several features that’ll spice up your gameplay including wild and scatter symbols — the latter of which has the potential of boosting your winnings tremendously via free spins.

Each round may be played using credits that range from 25 to 125.

More On The Mega888 Great Blue’s Various Symbols

Obviously, the reels here takes inspiration from the ocean. Thus, you’ll find various sea creatures like sea turtles, sharks, fishes, seahorse, whales, and even oysters. Other non-sea faring symbols also include the classic playing card icons from 10 to A.

Of the lot, the whale and oyster symbols are what you should be striving for. 

A Whale Of A Good Time On Mega888

In Great Blue, the wild symbol is represented by the killer whale or orca. And like the joker suite in any card game, you may use it to substitute any symbols other than scatters to help you form a winning payline. Plus, you could also stack multiple wilds on the reels for easier wins!

The best part about the wilds in this Mega888 offering is that they offer double pay when you land at least one. It’s also one of the ways to earn the game’s 10,000 credit jackpot, though you’ll have to bag ten icons on the adjacent lines to claim it. 

Look Out For The Oysters In This Game On Mega888

As for the scatter symbol, the Mega888 game uses oyster shells which is somewhat of a regular occurrence throughout the reels. 

If you happen to land on three or more, you’ll activate a bonus game wherein you are awarded eight free spins with a 2x multiplier. You’ll then have to pick two of the five oyster shells which could reward you with further free spins and/or multipliers — up to 33 free spins and a multiplier of 15x. 

Best of all, even more free spins may be triggered during this phase. Theoretically, there’s no limit to the number of re-spins you could potentially win.

The post Great Blue first appeared on Mega888.

Mingle Among Elite Golfers In Mega888’s Golden Tour Slot

Ready to be the next golfing maestro a la Tiger Woods? Participate in a world-class golf tournament without having to get out of the comfort of your abode with the Mega888 slot title, Golden Tour.

Developed by Playtech and available on the ever-popular Mega888 platform, Golden Tour is a video slot which is placed in the premise of a golf tournament setting. This indeed makes for some rather original gameplay, without taking into account that there are plenty of winning possibilities in the game regardless of your degree of familiarity with the sport.

Curious and wanting to join in on the fun? Strap yourselves in and get ready to win big!

A Mega888 World-Class Golf Tournament

When it comes to renowned slot games, this Mega888 offering doesn’t exactly fit the mould. Instead, the slot comes off as rather low-key, especially when it comes to its graphics and in-game environment. Don’t expect some mind-blowing animations here, as the game is as simple and straightforward as it gets. 

As such, the exclusive Mega888 slot title does look a lot like a typical screen from a golf game — with gently rolling hills and a few idle players focusing on the game in the background. And while the graphics are quite basic, they’ll certainly do the trick if you’re only looking for a simple golf-themed game.

But that’s where the plainness of the game ends, as the myriad of prizes will entice golfing fans and non-fans alike to play.

Aim For The Hole-In-One Here In This Mega888 Slot Game

At the heart of it all, this Mega888 slot is a simple game which applies the most basic rules that many different slot games share. Subsequently, it won’t be too hard to get the hang of things after you first touch the screen.

Mega888’s Golden Tour is a 5-reel, 5-payline slot, for which your goal is to ensure that the winning symbols land accurately on these paylines to trigger a bigger cash payout. 

And speaking of huge payouts, betting more on the reels will obviously lead to a larger cash prize down the line — the bet max button is a feature that comes to mind when you get the urge to go all-in on your next spin. And if you’re planning to aim for the largest prize, don’t hesitate to activate the Dollar Ball progressive jackpot to get a chance to land on this ever-increasing prize pool at any given moment during your game.

Get Your Golfing Gear Ready To Conquer This Slot On Mega888

Unsurprisingly, Golden Tour is centred around everything golf-related, with plenty of symbols and icons to choose from to create a multitude of winning combinations across the reels.

Here, the most common icons are gold shoes, cup, flags, clubs, and the golf cart. To win, you’ll have to line up at least 2 identical symbols which will award you with 5 to 250 coins, depending on the symbol.  

For something more rewarding, shoot for the red and blue gold balls. They’re more elusive and rare but also much more valuable compared to the common symbols. If you’re fortunate enough to land on them, you’ll be rewarded with 500 to 1,000 coins. 

On top of all of this, there are also more ways to win big here. Look no further than the unique symbols found in the game — of which there are two: the wild and scatter symbols.

Golden Ball: Acting as a wild card in this game, this symbol can be used to replace any other golf ball symbols. Best of all, you may even use the wild to create a lineup of winning combinations worth up to 2,000 coins!Gopher: Scoring 3 of this scatter symbol will trigger a bonus game wherein you may put your golfing skills to the test. Aim carefully and hit the golf ball, your bonus cash reward depends on it.Duck: Similarly, getting 3 of this scatter symbol will also trigger the aforementioned bonus game.Fish: The last of the game’s scatter symbol, the icon offers similar rewards and bonus game rounds as the other 2 scatter symbols. 

Furthermore, in this Mega888 game, you will also gain a win multiplier depending on the number of scatters found. Download Mega888 and experience it yourself.

The post Golden Tour first appeared on Mega888.

Mega888 Online Slot — Dolphin Reef

Fancy diving into the depths of the ocean to hunt sunken treasures? Now you can! Say hello to Dolphin Reef — a 5-reel online slot found on the popular Mega888 platform.

While swimming amongst the vivid, colourful reef, you’ll get to observe a myriad of dolphins (obviously), turtles, clownfish, sea horse, starfish and more! As well, you’ll be paid handsomely for spotting and landing on their tile, depending on your luck of course.

Other than that, there’s also a sunken treasure feature where you may obtain specific bonuses which includes a Wild Bonus, a Scatter Bonus, Free Games, and a Re-Spin Feature. 

But don’t worry about not being connected to the Internet in the vast expanse of the ocean, as this game — like every other offering on Mega888 — offers amazing mobile connectivity which allows you to hunt for underwater treasure using your smartphones, tablets, and even PCs! 

Swimming With The Dolphins On Mega888

Everyone knows swimming with dolphins is a one-of-a-kind experience — and this slot offering by Mega888 whisks you away (or rather, underwater) to the bottom of the sea where you may bear witness to a long list of wonderful sea critters. 

But don’t forget about the hidden treasures while you’re down there.

Sunken Treasures In This Mega888 Gaming Title

Of all the symbols available for you to win in Dolphin Reef, the floating letters and numbers would be the most common. These winning paylines will reward you between 5 to 250 times your initial bet for landing on 3-5 matching symbols.

But this game is well-known for its underwater theme and its the sea creatures here that will pay out more. For 500 times your stake, scoring five seahorses or starfish would be your goal. Whereas five turtles will award an astounding 1,000 times your bet.

Though, the most rewarding icon here is the clownfish. If you’re really, really, really fortunate, netting five of them will reward you with 5,000 times your stake. But talking is certainly easy. After all, didn’t Pixar make a whole movie out of finding a particular clownfish?

Now you may be wondering, “For a slot title called Dolphin Reef, there’s no mention of any dolphins so far.” Hold your (sea)horses, we’ll get to them now.

In this nautical-themed slot on Mega888, the dolphins are considered the Wild symbols. These seemingly mythical (in the game) sea mammals only appear on reels 2 and 4. If you happen to score one of them, they may be used as a substitute for all other symbols except for the Scattered Treasure Chest symbols. And if you DO score dolphins on reels 2 and 4 at the same time, the event will trigger the Re-Spin feature where, as its name implies, the reels will be spun again up to five times.

Indeed, with a range of excellent underwater creatures, plenty of lines and bet options, coupled with a multitude of payouts and bonuses, this Mega888 online slot game should be riding the wave of success for the foreseeable future.

The post Dolphin Reef first appeared on Mega888.

Ah yes, the mention of Ipoh brings up fond memories of salt-baked chicken, beansprout chicken rice, and white coffee — the popular Malaysian destination was definitely already a hit among the most dedicated food lovers.

It is then unsurprising that the once-sleepy, former mining town was listed by Lonely Planet as one of the top 10 best destinations to visit in Asia in 2016. From then, Ipoh had undergone a massive transformation into its most modern incarnation yet as hipster cafés and boutique hotels reigned supreme.

In Ipoh, History Becomes Insta-Worthy

Today, most visitors are drawn to Ipoh for the curious sights and the colourful facade, apart from the decadent spread of local food of course. And among the many mystifying sights to see, the strangely named Concubine Lane is one that should not be missed. The popular street is steeped in history, and at the same time, shrouded in mystery — providing ample incentive for shutterbugs and Instagrammers to pay the highly photographic locale a visit.

First, a short history lesson. After a fire razed the old town of Ipoh in 1892, a mining tycoon named Yao Tet Shin assisted in the reconstruction efforts by contributing lanes of shops in the process. As a gift to his three wives, the tycoon gave each one a lane, along with the rights to collect rent from them.  The three streets where the wives presided in then came to be known (and is still referred to) by the wife/concubine moniker.

Concubine Lane ( 二奶巷 ): By far the most popular and crowded of the lot, Concubine Lane AKA Lorong Panglima is still referred to by its initial name, the aforementioned street was gifted to Yao’s second wife i.e. the first concubine.Wife Lane ( 大奶巷 ): Now referred to as Lorong Hale, Wife lane was dedicated to Yao’s first wife. While logic dictates that the lane belonging to the first wife should be the longest and most lively, that is not the case here. On the contrary, Wife Lane is a quiet, short, and nearly-empty street.

Second Concubine Lane (三奶巷): Featuring an art installation of lovely, colourful umbrellas above-head, Second Concubine Lane or Market Lane is the last street gifted to Yao’s third wife i.e. the second concubine.

The post The Most Famous Lane(s) In Malaysia first appeared on Mega888.