“Although, the Francisco family recently left Mars Hill Church, as Christians we love them and are profoundly concerned for Nicholas’ safety and the well being of the family.”

Mars Hill members have been involved in organized searches of the Seattle area and have provided support to Christine and the Francisco’s two children. Mars Hill elders and deacons have been notified and all information on Nicholas’ disappearance has been posted on our members’ site. Most importantly, we have been in prayer for Nicholas’ safety, the comfort of his family, the police’s due diligence and a swift resolution to this troubling situation.

Pastor Adam Sinnett, the West Seattle Campus Pastor, has spoken with the Francisco family and friends, who have gathered for prayer and search strategy. Pastor Sinnett reiterated,

“For most of us it’s difficult to imagine how Christine is feeling, alone with two children with another on the way. Please keep them in your prayers during this difficult time. There is much we can do for our brother and sister in Christ by rallying together in prayer for a quick and positive resolution.”

We’re asking the members of Mars Hill Church to continue to pray for the Francisco family. For those of you who are able to help with practical needs, please direct inquiries through Pastor Adam to not overwhelm the family. Additionally, there will be an account set up at Washington Mutual in Christine Francisco’s name for monetary donations. The family asks that you donate to the fund for search efforts and reward monies in lieu of sending meals. As well, if you or members of your family are in need of pastoral assistance or guidance in response to these events, you may contact your campus pastor or Pastor Adam Sinnett at adam@marshillchurch.org or 206.706.6641.

Earlier Pastor Mark Driscoll commented,

“My family and I have been in fervent prayer that (Nicholas) would return home safely and that God would comfort and strengthen (Christine) in this difficult season. I am grateful for the many people at Mars Hill who are praying and encourage them to continue to pray that he would return home safely soon. A husband and daddy are missing, so prayer and loving support are greatly appreciated.”

We are committed to serving this family in its time of dire need. Please continue to watch the members’ site for further information and please do pray for Nicholas’ safe return.

Update: All media inquiries may be forwarded to communications@marshillchurch.org or 206.816.3816.

SEATTLE — Seattle police believe a missing father was a victim of a random crime or took off after he didn’t make it home to bake Valentine’s Day cookies with his 4-year-old daughter.

“We really don’t know what happened to him,” Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department told FOX News.

Nicholas Francisco, 28, was reported missing by his family after he didn’t come home after work on Feb. 13. Christine Francisco, his wife, said he called her from work saying he was “signing off on something” and would be home after running an errand. When he wasn’t home by bedtime, Christine got scared.

Fox news

Paramount Home Entertainment quietly came onboard via a statement issued Wednesday to The Hollywood Reporter: “We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer,” the statement read. “As we look to (begin) releasing our titles on Blu-ray, we will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly.”

Reuters

PSone Games

* Jet Moto 3 ($5.99)

Demos

* PixelJunk Monsters demo (free)

Add-Ons

* PAIN Character Add-On: Hung Lo (free)
* PAIN Single-Player Fun With Explosives Add-On (free)
* Rock Band Song Add-Ons
o Sex Type Thing by Stone Temple Pilots ($1.99)
o El Scorcho by Weezer ($1.99)
o Why Do You Love Me by Garbage ($1.99)

Game Videos

* MLB 08 The Show Replay Vault Tutorial (free)
* MLB 08 The Show Pitcher Batter Analysis Tutorial (free)
* MLB 08 The Show Stolen Base Video (free)
* Conflict: Denied Ops Dev. Diary 4 (free)
* Bionic Commando: Rearmed Trailer (free)

Onaxis

After years of waiting that were lengthened by numerous delays, Super Smash Bros. Brawl has finally hit the shelves of Japan. While most gamers will have to wait until March (or later, for those outside of North America) to get their hands on this title, an estimated 500,000 copies have fallen into the hands of players in Japan, including myself. After putting quite a bit of time into this game, I would have to say that it was most definitely worth the wait, and that those still waiting have something to get excited about.

From the very beginning, Brawl is indeed quite different from the previous entry in the series on the Gamecube, Melee. “More items, more characters, and more features” could be used to sum everything up. And while many fans of the last entry wanted something along these lines, the results are not what most expected. The game has caused quite a stir among many competitive players, but most will find almost every change welcome, especially making the game more balanced for players who aren’t as serious.

Going into the launch of this game, I decided to re-acclimate myself with the Smash universe, and play through Melee to get ready. Having not played on a truly competitive level, but still being aware of the more advanced tactics that are used in higher level play, I was curious to see whether or not these would be retained in Brawl. And indeed, many will find that these have not been carried over. This is probably due to the fact that most of those things were merely exploits or glitches in the game, and not truly meant to be there. I’m personally glad this was the case, as it makes the game a great deal more accessible to casual players, especially new players that have never experienced the series before.

ThunderBoltGames

The beauty of Endless Ocean is that players can do as much or as little as they like. The relaxed and calm atmosphere of the game gives divers the freedom to explore special locations such as shipwrecks and underwater ruins, discover and interact with sea-life, complete fish logs or simply relax in the soothing environment. The game opens with players onboard a diving boat, with a crew member who provides advice and tips on finding the best locations for fish and helps players advance the storyline. Players must assume the role of the diver, opting to go into the water to explore sea-life at their own pace utilising tools such as a camera or fish bait. In the cabin on the boat, divers can access the fish log to check out the fish that have been spotted, as well as carry out missions like photographing marine life. These missions unlock content, such as new items to use underwater, or different diving gear that can be used to customize the diver. Navigating their way through the depths using the Wii remote, players guide their character using the pointer’s cursor, visible as a bright blue dot. When players wish to interact with fish or plants they can highlight them with the pointer and press the A Button. By doing so, players discover new species and build up their fish log. What’s more you can also befriend companions like a dolphin which will become your partner and with whom you can train and swim with.

Nintendo

This the l337 Eye Chart. It has some really basic acronyms people use online, but in the form of an eye chart! It says at the bottom if you can read it then you have l337 eyes. And I could, so my eyez must b teh l337! Unfortunately having l337 eyes doesn’t come with wall hack capabilities, which is a shame because I think the couple that live next door are totally doing it.

Geekologie

While Dina Lohan thinks Lindsay’s nude photos are the second coming of Christ, Michael Lohan has yet to see the topless shots of Lindsay as Marilyn Monroe, according to Us Magazine:

“I’m not going to look at the photos — that’s my daughter!” he told Usmagazine.com in a telephone interview this morning.
“Lindsay is an adult, and she knows the direction she wants to take her career,” he said. “It’s her decision.”

Michael Lohan hung up the phone then looked down at the coffee table. There, almost tauntingly, sat Lindsay’s issue of New York magazine. And then it spoke: “Michael, dude, seriously.” Michael Lohan shrugged his shoulders and said “Shit, I can’t argue with that… Eww. Why are they sagging like that? Gross!” Michael Lohan walked away and went looking for the Sears catalog.

TheSuperFicial

As the series’ fifth console game in 10 years (spanning three generations of PlayStations), Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds doesn’t look to drastically re-imagine the formula; for better or worse, what we’ve seen so far clings fiercely to the straightforward mechanics that made the original a splash so many years ago, while embracing the incorporation of online play, and making sure to look just good enough to keep you happy.If you’ve never touched a Hot Shots, you wouldn’t know that the control scheme stands in stark contrast to Tiger Woods titles. In the Tiger series, your swings are purely analog, relying on the control stick and a fair bit of thumb magic to pull off good shots consistently; in Hot Shots, you’re simply asked to hit the X button three times — once to start the horizontal meter’s cursor shooting towards the power setting, once more to stop it as close to the end as possible for full power (or stop short if you need less), and a final time to set accuracy on the other end of the meter. It’s clean, comprehendible, and visually recognizable. Once you factor in the various types of spins you can put on any shot and start paying attention to the wind and lie of the course, you quickly realize just how deep this cutesy game is, and why the series is so beloved by fans.

1up.com

DOVER, N.H. — A businessman was convicted Wednesday of faking his disappearance after a car crash two years ago to draw attention to his long-shot congressional campaign.

A jury in Dover convicted Gary Dodds of falsifying evidence, causing a false public alarm and leaving the scene of the April 2006 crash. He showed no emotion as the verdicts were returned on the first day of deliberations after a 15-day trial.

Dodds, 43, claims he injured his head in a crash on the Spaulding Turnpike and nearly drowned in a river before being rescued 27 hours later from the snowy woods. Prosecutors say he spent part of that time soaking his feet in cold water to make it appear he spent the night outdoors, all to boost his faltering campaign.

Fox News