Were little more than a month into it and weve seen both a perfect game and one so imperfect that it ended with two position players as the pitchers of record Sunday in Boston. So, why should anyone be surprised that Texas Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton slammed four home runs Tuesday night at Oriole Park to etch his name into the record books.

Hamilton, whose story of drug addiction and redemption is the stuff of sermons and script writers, hit two home runs off Orioles starter Jake Arrieta, one off newly arrived reliever Zach Phillips and one off side-armer Darren ODay to become the 16th player in major league history to go deep four times in a game and only the second to do it against the Orioles.

The only other time it happened here was June 10, 1959, when Rocky Colavito cleared the fences four times at Memorial Stadium.

If youre looking to tie all this together, consider that Colavito also was the last American League position player to record a victory before Orioles designated hitter Chris Davis pitched two scoreless innings Sunday to out-duel Boston Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald in extra innings.

Of course, Hamilton has tied his life together after nearly throwing it away, and that wasnt lost on him as he recounted the greatest single game of his career through the prism of his troubled and inspiring personal journey.

When you think about what God has done in my life and everything I did to mess it up, he said, and to finally surrender everything and ask him for help and to pursue that relationship with Christ on a daily basis, and understanding that when I dont pursue it I end up messing up. Its got to be the forefront of my recovery and the forefront of being a good dad, a husband, a good teammate, so thats what I focus on. Knowing that I play for an audience of one — Jesus Christ.

Hamilton rolled up 18 total bases to set an AL record because he doubled in his other at-bat, which apparently was just to show he isnt really Superman. The major league record is held by Shawn Green, who had 19 total bases in his four-homer game for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002.

The special nature of Hamiltons performance was not lost on the sparse crowd of 11,263, which gave him a long ovation as he trotted around the bases and arrived at the Rangers dugout to hugs from his coaches and teammates. The evening, however, did not start out as a lovefest, but the fans warmed up to him with each big fly.

As the game was going on, I was getting worn out less and less in the outfield, he said, and I get worn out here in Baltimore. And when I came out after the fourth one, the crowd appreciation lets you know they are true baseball fans. They are not only fans of their own team, but they love the game and appreciate it when somebody does something of that caliber. Its just a special feeling running out in an opposing stadium and the crowd just appreciates how you play the game and what youve done.

What a moment for a guy who has been through so much. Hamiltons struggles with substance abuse put him on baseballs restricted list for three years (2003-2005) after he was chosen as the first overall pick by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the June 1999 draft. He played again briefly in the minor leagues for the Devil Rays in 2006 before being taken in the Rule 5 draft by the Chicago Cubs and immediately traded to the Cincinnati Reds, with whom he played one injury-marred season before being dealt to the Rangers.

His career took off in Texas, where he had 32 homers and 130 RBIs in 2008 and reeled off four straight All-Star appearances, but his career with the Rangers has not been without controversy. He has had multiple alcohol-related relapses as he continues his battle against addiction, though he has handled each incident openly and garnered tremendous public support in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Hamilton already was leading the AL with 10 home runs and 28 RBIs before Tuesday nights homerfest. He came out of the game leading the major leagues with 13 homers and 36 RBIs.

In a strange twist, not only were all four home runs two-run shots, but all four of them came with the same player — Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus — on base.

What a start to this intriguing season, which also has witnessed Philip Humbers perfect game for the Chicago White Sox and Jered Weavers no-hitter for the Los Angeles Angels. What an eventful start to the season for the Orioles, who apparently havent recovered from Sundays crazy 17-inning victory at Fenway Park.

Makes you wonder whats going to happen next.

Attendance at the Waurn Ponds aquatic and recreation centre has been greater than expected, putting pressure on the facilitys gymnasium and exercise class spaces.

The City of Greater Geelong has committed $30,000 in its 2012-13 draft Budget to begin a three-year expansion of its gym and program rooms.

Attendances have exceeded all expectations and the current dry area facilities cannot meet demand, the budget reads.

Continual growth in usage is expected to see Leisurelink bring in $6.86 million in fees and charges in 2012-13, a rise of 14 per cent.

It comes as leisure centres and outdoor aquatic centres increase fees by 3.7 per cent, pushing the cost of a 12-month membership up $31 to $868.

A brand new class to encourage men into the water has been launched by Bletchley Leisure Centre this month.

Water Polo Fit is a water based fitness class based on the principles of water polo that gives men all the high intensity of a gym or sports work out without putting added pressure on joints and muscles.

Sarah Clark, Manager of Bletchley Leisure Centre, said: “When men think of keeping fit at a leisure centre they tend to think that the gym or a spin class is the only option for a high intensity workout as many water fitness classes are geared towards women with music and dance style content.

“Water Polo Fit provides all the high intensity that men like to get from a workout in the gym but is kind to joints and muscles. It is also more social than working out on your own in the gym. Many men enjoy water polo when they are on holiday so we want to encourage that interest as a regular workout option.”

The coach-led class runs on Wednesdays from 6.30pm to 7.15pm and participants must be able to swim confidently in deep water. It costs £4.50 per class and is free to existing members.

To book or for more information visit www.hertsmereleisure.co.uk or telephone 01908 377251.

Im the kind of gamer who gets sucked into the ideas of what a game could be. Too often, though, Ive found myself disappointed in what actually gets put into the disk drive. Im partially to blame, of course. Ive allowed marketing language, carefully crafted screenshots and fancy cinematic trailers to cloud my vision. Im trying to be better about that; to cut through the fanciful promises and get a feel for what the final product will really look like.

Ive been a good boy. Ive let others cover Diablo III not because I was disinterested, but because I knew that if I allowed myself to learn one thing, I would want to know all the things. Hello, my name is Mike and Im a hype addict, but Im in recovery.

I finally cracked this weekend, bathing in the flood of information that will bubble inside me for the next week. Ive picked my starting class, immersed myself in Flint Dilles wonderful Book of Cain and made sure that my Battle.net Authenticator is linked to my phone. Im confident that after watching the user-generated videos on YouTube, and reading the in-depth material issued by Blizzard that what Im seeing is close to reality. Thats also because its Blizzard. They tend to hold information until they are sure its an accurate representation of what players will experience. Their development dictates the release schedule, and not the other way around. Theyve earned their credibility.

If only more developers and publishers followed that path.

Life has been a bit easier in this regard since I became a journalist. Im fortunate, because Ive had a lot of opportunities to sample games in advance of their release, and it helps temper enthusiasm with reality. Most gamers arent that lucky, though, having to rely on the promises of developers and publishers to determine what a game really will be when it ships. Lately, it seems, the practice of over promising has led to good games receiving significant fan backlash. Quite frankly, its about time.

This isnt a new phenomenon by any stretch of the imagination. Peter Molyneux has been a perpetrator of the overpromise/underdeliver approach since Fable was announced for the Xbox. I remember hearing about trees that will grow naturally from seeds over time, quests that would be time-limited because of other Heroes in the world, a sidekick feature and an aging process that would feel organic. The hype for the game festered and mutated until its release. To say that Fable was a bad game would be an egregious lie. It was quite enjoyable and innovated in some ways, but the lingering thoughts in so many gamers minds about missing features tarnished the experience. That kind of thing, especially after becoming a pattern with Fable II and Fable III, leads to resentment. It doesnt help people on either side of the purchase decision.

More recently, EA and BioWare have come under fire from fans over promises made about the Mass Effect series epic conclusion. The uproar became so intense that a movement was formed, FTC complaints filed and cupcakes mailed. OK maybe that last one doesnt seem like punishment. Still, what was, by most accounts, considered a good (if not great) game was ruined for so many because of what it was promised to be. Had EA and BioWare tempered expectations with realistic promotion of the game (even if you consider most of what developers said to be puffery), things may have turned out differently. Would people have been disappointed? Very likely. Would they have felt that they were lied to? Probably not. I have to wonder how many angry Mass Effect fans were responsible for EA walking away with the not-so-coveted Consumerist Worst Company in America Award.

This is the difference between excitement and hype. The former is generated through careful distribution of factual information about a game. The details are doled out when they are almost assured of being represented in the final product. Most importantly, excitement benefits everyone. Developers and publishers cultivate an eager player base that is ready to drop their money at the register at day one for this product and the next one.

Hype, though, is the dark side. Often, this results from premature (whether accidental or planned) sharing of information from the design phase of a title. Sure, some of the described features might make it into the finished product in some form, but theres no guarantee. If the Mass Effect 3 debacle taught us anything, its that gamers are ready, willing and able to hold developers and publishers accountable for their promises. No matter what ends up happening with the expanded ending BioWare has planned for Shepards story, there are gamers that will never trust them again. The reminder of choices A, B and C will stick with them forever.

I dont like the hype machine, but I get it. Its a crowded market, and games cost a tidy sum to make, especially AAA titles. During the holiday season, publishers and developers need to go out of their way to make their games stand out from the pack. Does that make it acceptable, though? Just ask the members of Retake Mass Effect and youll have your answer.

As independent games grow as a segment of the market, as more and more choices emerge and as titles become more expensive, cultivating a loyal following will be more important than ever. Publishers and developers need to respect the gaming community. Were getting older. Were getting smarter. Were getting louder.

The companies that view each title as another step in a life-long relationship with consumers are the ones that will survive in perpetuity. Those looking for a quick buck, though, might find themselves with not a tear shed when the doors close permanently.

Michael Futter is the Managing Editor of @RipTen. You can follow him on Twitter @mmmfutter.

It has long been widely held that there are no dangerous dogs – just irresponsible owners.

Now new legislation will force owners to take responsibility for their animals, in a bid to prevent attacks.

Millions will have to pay to have their pets microchipped. Newborn puppies will be fitted with devices automatically, giving details of who they belong to.

Furthermore, a loophole in the law will be closed so that dog owners can be prosecuted should their pet attack anyone at their home.

Requirement of owner responsibility for domestic pets is long overdue. It’s still a puzzle as to why the old dog licence was abolished and never replaced.

It may not have cost much but it did at least focus the mind on the onus a dog owner held for its care and behaviour towards others.

More than 23,000 postal workers have been attacked by dogs over the past four years, thousands causing injuries.

Almost 400 postmen and women took time off sick in the past year after being attacked by dogs on their delivery rounds.

Utility workers, district nurses, home helps, health visitors, care workers and even meals on wheels volunteers, have been unprotected by law because of a weakness in legislation.

Microchips will be welcomed by many animal charities which have campaigned for years for changes to the law to tackle dangerous dogs.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk