I know something about MMA, but I know next to nothing about boxing. Yet even I can laugh about the latest EA Sports prediction, via Fight Night Round 4, that says that Manny Pacquiao will beat Miguel Cotto this weekend. I laugh because saying Pacquiao will win the fight is like saying the sun will rise in the morning. (Now watch Cotto knock out Pacquiao in the first.)
This is just the latest simulation that EA Sports has run with its games. The most recent one, that the Philadelphia Phillies would beat the New York Yankees in seven games didn’t exactly pan out.
EA Sports has also predicted that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win the NBA Finals this year, and that the Pittsburgh Penguins will win the Stanley Cup.
Did EA Sports already do a UEFA Champions League prediction yet? (I imagine after the seeding we’ll see a FIFA World Cup prediction.)
And now we play the waiting game.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Steven Tyler: Aerosmith not breaking up
Relax, Aerosmith fans: Steven Tyler says he isn't leaving the band.
Tyler made a surprise appearance with guitarist Joe Perry and his band Tuesday night at a New York City venue. Tyler told the crowd: "I am not leaving Aerosmith."
Rolling Stone and Billboard magazines report the two then launched into their song "Walk This Way."
The appearance seemed to put an end to speculation about the band's future.
Perry recently tweeted that Aerosmith was "looking for a new singer to work with" and told the Las Vegas Sun that Tyler had quit, at as far as he could tell.
The 61-year-old Tyler was injured when he fell off a stage during an Aug. 5 performance in South Dakota, and the band canceled the remainder of its summer tour.
Tyler made a surprise appearance with guitarist Joe Perry and his band Tuesday night at a New York City venue. Tyler told the crowd: "I am not leaving Aerosmith."
Rolling Stone and Billboard magazines report the two then launched into their song "Walk This Way."
The appearance seemed to put an end to speculation about the band's future.
Perry recently tweeted that Aerosmith was "looking for a new singer to work with" and told the Las Vegas Sun that Tyler had quit, at as far as he could tell.
The 61-year-old Tyler was injured when he fell off a stage during an Aug. 5 performance in South Dakota, and the band canceled the remainder of its summer tour.
Ireland: Kidnapped priest freed in Philippines
— An Irish Catholic priest kidnapped in the Philippines a month ago has been freed unharmed and Irish authorities did not pay any ransom, the government announced Wednesday night.
Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said the Rev. Michael Sinnott "displayed great forbearance in enduring more than a month in captivity, in spite of his age and difficult health."
Prime Minister Brian Cowen said the government would help the 79-year-old priest enjoy "a speedy reunion with his family and friends."
Six armed men abducted the 79-year-old priest Oct. 11 from his missionary home on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, escaped by speedboat, and took him into the jungle.
Officials had feared that Sinnott could suffer a fatal heart attack because he was still recovering from heart-bypass surgery. Rumors persisted that the priest had died in captivity.
Martin declined to detail how the priest won his freedom other than to call the achievement "the successful conclusion of a major diplomatic effort by the Irish and Philippine governments." He also credited the U.S. government, other European Union nations with embassies in Manila, and the International Committee of the Red Cross with playing a role.
The Philippine government said it had received demands from Sinnott's unidentified captors for $2 million in ransom but, like the Irish, stressed that paying anything would only encourage more kidnappings in rebel-threatened Mindanao.
Martin said paying a ransom "would only have jeopardized the vital work of aid workers and missionaries around the world. It would also place other Irish citizens in danger."
At least two other Irish Catholic priests have been targeted by kidnappers in the southern Philippines. In 1987 a priest was held for 12 days by Islamic militants before being released unharmed, but four years later another priest was shot to death when he resisted his abductors.
Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said the Rev. Michael Sinnott "displayed great forbearance in enduring more than a month in captivity, in spite of his age and difficult health."
Prime Minister Brian Cowen said the government would help the 79-year-old priest enjoy "a speedy reunion with his family and friends."
Six armed men abducted the 79-year-old priest Oct. 11 from his missionary home on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, escaped by speedboat, and took him into the jungle.
Officials had feared that Sinnott could suffer a fatal heart attack because he was still recovering from heart-bypass surgery. Rumors persisted that the priest had died in captivity.
Martin declined to detail how the priest won his freedom other than to call the achievement "the successful conclusion of a major diplomatic effort by the Irish and Philippine governments." He also credited the U.S. government, other European Union nations with embassies in Manila, and the International Committee of the Red Cross with playing a role.
The Philippine government said it had received demands from Sinnott's unidentified captors for $2 million in ransom but, like the Irish, stressed that paying anything would only encourage more kidnappings in rebel-threatened Mindanao.
Martin said paying a ransom "would only have jeopardized the vital work of aid workers and missionaries around the world. It would also place other Irish citizens in danger."
At least two other Irish Catholic priests have been targeted by kidnappers in the southern Philippines. In 1987 a priest was held for 12 days by Islamic militants before being released unharmed, but four years later another priest was shot to death when he resisted his abductors.
Jury convicts Ark. man in death of TV anchorwoman
A man who told police he had been hoping to steal a laptop was convicted of capital murder Wednesday in the beating of an Arkansas TV anchorwoman so brutal that her face was shattered and she never regained consciousness.
The panel was to reconvene later Wednesday to weigh whether Curtis Lavelle Vance should be executed or sentenced to life in prison without parole for the Oct. 20, 2008, attack on Anne Pressly at her Little Rock bungalow.
Vance, 29, of Marianna, was also convicted of residential burglary along with rape and theft of property.
After the verdicts were read, Pressly's mother, Patti Cannady, raised a hand and said, "Praise God. Praise God." She burst into sobs.
Once the jurors had left, Vance gestured toward the empty jury box, pointed to his eyes and ears and shook his head.
Pressly, 26, was an anchor at KATV and had a bit part in the President Bush biopic "W." Cannady, unable to reach Pressly by telephone for her daily wake-up call, had found her daughter shortly before she was due for the "Daybreak" program.
In closing arguments, deputy prosecutor John Johnson had recounted graphic testimony that left some in the courtroom in tears. At one point, he held up two photos of Pressly: Her KATV publicity shot, and one from her autopsy showing her nose pushed to one side.
"He made this person look like this," Johnson said. A medical examiner had testified that the front of Pressly's face was broken "like an egg."
In various confessions made to police, Vance said he went to Pressly's neighborhood looking to steal laptop computers. After entering her home through a Dutch door she left open for her dogs, Johnson said, Vance found the computer he sought — and Pressly.
"It was just him and her," Johnson told jurors. "Can you imagine that? Him standing over her?
"She feels that fear; that paralyzing fear we've all had nightmares about," Johnson said.
Citing one of Vance's confessions, Johnson said the man lost control after she started to fight him.
"He began to hit her over and over," Johnson said.
Police witnesses said DNA evidence linked Vance to Pressly's death and to a Marianna rape case in which he has pleaded not guilty. The defense has said police duped Vance into confessing and giving officers a DNA sample to compare with evidence in the case.
The panel was to reconvene later Wednesday to weigh whether Curtis Lavelle Vance should be executed or sentenced to life in prison without parole for the Oct. 20, 2008, attack on Anne Pressly at her Little Rock bungalow.
Vance, 29, of Marianna, was also convicted of residential burglary along with rape and theft of property.
After the verdicts were read, Pressly's mother, Patti Cannady, raised a hand and said, "Praise God. Praise God." She burst into sobs.
Once the jurors had left, Vance gestured toward the empty jury box, pointed to his eyes and ears and shook his head.
Pressly, 26, was an anchor at KATV and had a bit part in the President Bush biopic "W." Cannady, unable to reach Pressly by telephone for her daily wake-up call, had found her daughter shortly before she was due for the "Daybreak" program.
In closing arguments, deputy prosecutor John Johnson had recounted graphic testimony that left some in the courtroom in tears. At one point, he held up two photos of Pressly: Her KATV publicity shot, and one from her autopsy showing her nose pushed to one side.
"He made this person look like this," Johnson said. A medical examiner had testified that the front of Pressly's face was broken "like an egg."
In various confessions made to police, Vance said he went to Pressly's neighborhood looking to steal laptop computers. After entering her home through a Dutch door she left open for her dogs, Johnson said, Vance found the computer he sought — and Pressly.
"It was just him and her," Johnson told jurors. "Can you imagine that? Him standing over her?
"She feels that fear; that paralyzing fear we've all had nightmares about," Johnson said.
Citing one of Vance's confessions, Johnson said the man lost control after she started to fight him.
"He began to hit her over and over," Johnson said.
Police witnesses said DNA evidence linked Vance to Pressly's death and to a Marianna rape case in which he has pleaded not guilty. The defense has said police duped Vance into confessing and giving officers a DNA sample to compare with evidence in the case.
Shaquille O'Neal's wife files for divorce
Professional basketball great Shaquille O'Neal's wife of seven years has filed for legal separation with the intention of seeking a divorce.
The petition, citing irreconcilable differences as grounds for the split, was entered in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking spousal support for Shaunie O'Neal and custody of the couple's four children, who range in age from three to nine years-old.
Celebrity news website TMZ.com said the O'Neal family had been living in Florida. But Shaunie O'Neal recently pulled the children out of school in that state and moved with them back to Los Angeles, where courts tend to be more generous in awarding child and spousal support, TMZ reported.
Mrs O'Neal's petition this week lists the date of their latest separation as Monday and says she intends to amend her filing to seek a divorce.
The 7-foot 1-inch athlete, widely known as "Shaq," began his pro career with the Orlando Magic and later helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships, in 2000, 2001 and 2002, before he was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004.
After winning a fourth championship in Miami in 2006, Shaq was traded to the Phoenix Suns, then traded again during the latest off-season to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he now is playing alongside LeBron James.
The 15-time All-Star center and future Hall of Famer also has developed a successful media career, currently starring in an ABC television reality show called "Shaq Vs.," in which he competes against athletes in other sports.
The petition, citing irreconcilable differences as grounds for the split, was entered in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking spousal support for Shaunie O'Neal and custody of the couple's four children, who range in age from three to nine years-old.
Celebrity news website TMZ.com said the O'Neal family had been living in Florida. But Shaunie O'Neal recently pulled the children out of school in that state and moved with them back to Los Angeles, where courts tend to be more generous in awarding child and spousal support, TMZ reported.
Mrs O'Neal's petition this week lists the date of their latest separation as Monday and says she intends to amend her filing to seek a divorce.
The 7-foot 1-inch athlete, widely known as "Shaq," began his pro career with the Orlando Magic and later helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships, in 2000, 2001 and 2002, before he was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004.
After winning a fourth championship in Miami in 2006, Shaq was traded to the Phoenix Suns, then traded again during the latest off-season to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he now is playing alongside LeBron James.
The 15-time All-Star center and future Hall of Famer also has developed a successful media career, currently starring in an ABC television reality show called "Shaq Vs.," in which he competes against athletes in other sports.
Name That Party: Baltimore Mayor Accused of Using Gift Cards Designated for Poor for Herself
By Ken Shepherd
It's time once again for our favorite media parlor game, "Name That Party!"
The theft trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon (D) began yesterday, but in covering the story, the Baltimore Sun failed to note Dixon's Democratic party affiliation.
The Washington Post, syndicating the story, also failed to note Dixon's affiliation in their caption to an Associated Press photo of the mayor which reads, "Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is accused of buying personal items using gift cards donated to her office."
The unsigned story by the Sun notes that Dixon is alleged to have practically stolen from her city's poorest residents for her own personal gain:
The mayor is accused of buying personal items with at least $1,500 in retail gift cards donated to her office for use by needy families.
It's bad enough to be charged with theft, but theft that afflicts the poor and disadvantaged is even worse, particularly for a member of a political party that prides itself as the champion of the working poor. Fortunately for Dixon, the Baltimore Sun -- whose motto is "Light for All" -- is perfectly fine with keeping readers unaware of her political affiliation in the dark.
It's time once again for our favorite media parlor game, "Name That Party!"
The theft trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon (D) began yesterday, but in covering the story, the Baltimore Sun failed to note Dixon's Democratic party affiliation.
The Washington Post, syndicating the story, also failed to note Dixon's affiliation in their caption to an Associated Press photo of the mayor which reads, "Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is accused of buying personal items using gift cards donated to her office."
The unsigned story by the Sun notes that Dixon is alleged to have practically stolen from her city's poorest residents for her own personal gain:
The mayor is accused of buying personal items with at least $1,500 in retail gift cards donated to her office for use by needy families.
It's bad enough to be charged with theft, but theft that afflicts the poor and disadvantaged is even worse, particularly for a member of a political party that prides itself as the champion of the working poor. Fortunately for Dixon, the Baltimore Sun -- whose motto is "Light for All" -- is perfectly fine with keeping readers unaware of her political affiliation in the dark.
It's time once again for our favorite media parlor game, "Name That Party!"
The theft trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon (D) began yesterday, but in covering the story, the Baltimore Sun failed to note Dixon's Democratic party affiliation.
The Washington Post, syndicating the story, also failed to note Dixon's affiliation in their caption to an Associated Press photo of the mayor which reads, "Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is accused of buying personal items using gift cards donated to her office."
The unsigned story by the Sun notes that Dixon is alleged to have practically stolen from her city's poorest residents for her own personal gain:
The mayor is accused of buying personal items with at least $1,500 in retail gift cards donated to her office for use by needy families.
It's bad enough to be charged with theft, but theft that afflicts the poor and disadvantaged is even worse, particularly for a member of a political party that prides itself as the champion of the working poor. Fortunately for Dixon, the Baltimore Sun -- whose motto is "Light for All" -- is perfectly fine with keeping readers unaware of her political affiliation in the dark.
It's time once again for our favorite media parlor game, "Name That Party!"
The theft trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon (D) began yesterday, but in covering the story, the Baltimore Sun failed to note Dixon's Democratic party affiliation.
The Washington Post, syndicating the story, also failed to note Dixon's affiliation in their caption to an Associated Press photo of the mayor which reads, "Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is accused of buying personal items using gift cards donated to her office."
The unsigned story by the Sun notes that Dixon is alleged to have practically stolen from her city's poorest residents for her own personal gain:
The mayor is accused of buying personal items with at least $1,500 in retail gift cards donated to her office for use by needy families.
It's bad enough to be charged with theft, but theft that afflicts the poor and disadvantaged is even worse, particularly for a member of a political party that prides itself as the champion of the working poor. Fortunately for Dixon, the Baltimore Sun -- whose motto is "Light for All" -- is perfectly fine with keeping readers unaware of her political affiliation in the dark.
Jury Acquits Bear Stearns Fund Managers of Securities Fraud
By DIANA GOLOBAY
Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin, hedge fund managers at investment bank Bear Stearns, were acquitted of charges relating to alleged securities fraud.
in June 2008, Cioffi and Tannin were arrested and processed at Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters in Manhattan.
As HousingWire previously reported, the two Bear Stearns funds managed by both men — the High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Fund and High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced Leverage Fund — were the first two major hedge funds to implode at the onset of the mortgage crisis still being worked through.
The Enhanced Leverage Fund, for example, borrowed as much as $10 for every $1 held in cash or collateral, according to Street Fighters, an investigative look into the fall of Bear Stearns, authored by Kate Kelly and reviewed by HousingWire in the August magazine issue.
Kelly indicates that, when lending firms, including JP Morgan Chase (JPM: 44.32 +0.34%), made margin calls on the funds, the liquidity troubles were revealed and the managers went into default. Cioffi and Tannin then pursued a fire sale of at least $8bn of bonds. But it was not enough to keep the funds solvent.
The mortgage-related funds’ trouble in June 2007 were the first in a series of difficulties that helped push Bear Stearns to the brink of insolvency, leading to its arranged bailout negotiated by JP Morgan and the Federal Reserve in May 2008.
But a jury this week affirmed Cioffi’s and Tannin’s innocence of alleged securities fraud that was said to contribute to the funds’ difficulties and — ultimately — Bear Stearns’ downfall.
A statement from US attorney Benton Campbell iterated the Department of Justice’s disappointment in the outcome of the long case.
“Honesty and integrity are the principles upon which our financial markets function,” Benton said. “Enforcing and protecting those principles will continue to be one of the principal efforts of this Office.”
Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin, hedge fund managers at investment bank Bear Stearns, were acquitted of charges relating to alleged securities fraud.
in June 2008, Cioffi and Tannin were arrested and processed at Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters in Manhattan.
As HousingWire previously reported, the two Bear Stearns funds managed by both men — the High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Fund and High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced Leverage Fund — were the first two major hedge funds to implode at the onset of the mortgage crisis still being worked through.
The Enhanced Leverage Fund, for example, borrowed as much as $10 for every $1 held in cash or collateral, according to Street Fighters, an investigative look into the fall of Bear Stearns, authored by Kate Kelly and reviewed by HousingWire in the August magazine issue.
Kelly indicates that, when lending firms, including JP Morgan Chase (JPM: 44.32 +0.34%), made margin calls on the funds, the liquidity troubles were revealed and the managers went into default. Cioffi and Tannin then pursued a fire sale of at least $8bn of bonds. But it was not enough to keep the funds solvent.
The mortgage-related funds’ trouble in June 2007 were the first in a series of difficulties that helped push Bear Stearns to the brink of insolvency, leading to its arranged bailout negotiated by JP Morgan and the Federal Reserve in May 2008.
But a jury this week affirmed Cioffi’s and Tannin’s innocence of alleged securities fraud that was said to contribute to the funds’ difficulties and — ultimately — Bear Stearns’ downfall.
A statement from US attorney Benton Campbell iterated the Department of Justice’s disappointment in the outcome of the long case.
“Honesty and integrity are the principles upon which our financial markets function,” Benton said. “Enforcing and protecting those principles will continue to be one of the principal efforts of this Office.”
The Mormon church makes nice with gays
By Lexington
GOOD news from AP in Utah:
The Mormon church for the first time has announced its support of gay rights legislation, an endorsement that helped gain unanimous approval for Salt Lake City laws banning discrimination against gays in housing and employment.
The church still thinks that marriage is for heterosexuals only and that gays should remain celibate. But this marks a shift in emphasis since the brouhaha over its support last year for California's Proposition 8, the ballot measure that barred gay marriage (but not civil unions).
The Mormon church has a long history of shifting in ways that seem to take account of what the outside world thinks.
In 1890, it renounced polygamy, a switch that undoubtedly helped Utah win statehood.
And in 1978, God apparently revealed that it was now OK to allow blacks into the Mormon priesthood.
I once asked a mild-mannered Mormon elder why that ban ever existed. He replied: "We don't know."
GOOD news from AP in Utah:
The Mormon church for the first time has announced its support of gay rights legislation, an endorsement that helped gain unanimous approval for Salt Lake City laws banning discrimination against gays in housing and employment.
The church still thinks that marriage is for heterosexuals only and that gays should remain celibate. But this marks a shift in emphasis since the brouhaha over its support last year for California's Proposition 8, the ballot measure that barred gay marriage (but not civil unions).
The Mormon church has a long history of shifting in ways that seem to take account of what the outside world thinks.
In 1890, it renounced polygamy, a switch that undoubtedly helped Utah win statehood.
And in 1978, God apparently revealed that it was now OK to allow blacks into the Mormon priesthood.
I once asked a mild-mannered Mormon elder why that ban ever existed. He replied: "We don't know."
Pro-Abortion Senator who Could Live with Stupak is Attacked by Net-roots & Caves
The difference between the U.S. House and U.S. Senate debate on the Stupak amendment is stark.
The pro-abortion Members of Congress in the House, and pro-abortion groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood, rolled over and did not threaten to derail the bill because Speaker Pelosi asked them to. So they played dead.
Senator McCaskill (D-MO), who is pro-abortion, publicly said she could live with the Stupak amendment. (This link also shows the deep net-roots anger against NARAL and Emily’s List for playing dead and letting Stupak pass at the request of the Speaker.)
Senator McCaskill is not the Speaker of the House, and she was not so lucky — she did not get a free pass.
She was instantly pounded by pro-abortion forces. Senator McCaskill has now changed her tune — she will not support Stupak in the Senate — all in the same day.
Pro-Abortion Forces on the Defensive
The precedent set by the Stupak amendment in the House has put the pro-abortion forces on the defensive. They lost a major battle and are now reacting very aggressively.
They cannot allow a Stupak type amendment to pass the Senate. It will make their position in Conference extremely weak, untenably weak. It will lock-in the pro-life victory in the House.
If the Senate also passes an amendment, close to or like the Stupak amendment, then the bill coming out of Conference would force the pro-abortion groups to oppose the Conference report, and they would have to join with the Republicans to kill ObamaCare.
The pro-abortion Members of Congress in the House, and pro-abortion groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood, rolled over and did not threaten to derail the bill because Speaker Pelosi asked them to. So they played dead.
Senator McCaskill (D-MO), who is pro-abortion, publicly said she could live with the Stupak amendment. (This link also shows the deep net-roots anger against NARAL and Emily’s List for playing dead and letting Stupak pass at the request of the Speaker.)
Senator McCaskill is not the Speaker of the House, and she was not so lucky — she did not get a free pass.
She was instantly pounded by pro-abortion forces. Senator McCaskill has now changed her tune — she will not support Stupak in the Senate — all in the same day.
Pro-Abortion Forces on the Defensive
The precedent set by the Stupak amendment in the House has put the pro-abortion forces on the defensive. They lost a major battle and are now reacting very aggressively.
They cannot allow a Stupak type amendment to pass the Senate. It will make their position in Conference extremely weak, untenably weak. It will lock-in the pro-life victory in the House.
If the Senate also passes an amendment, close to or like the Stupak amendment, then the bill coming out of Conference would force the pro-abortion groups to oppose the Conference report, and they would have to join with the Republicans to kill ObamaCare.
Jury: Ill. man gets death penalty in 1983 slaying
An Illinois jury has decided that a convicted killer should be put to death for the 1983 kidnapping, rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl.
The mother of Jeanine Nicarico (nihk-AIR'-ih-koh) gasped and put her hand over her mouth Wednesday as the bailiff read the verdict at Brian Dugan's sentencing hearing.
Jurors deliberated for 10 hours over two days before reaching their decision.
Dugan showed no apparent emotion as the verdict was read.
The 53-year-old pleaded guilty in July, hoping a jury would sentence him to life in prison.
He's been serving life sentences since 1985 for two unrelated murders.
The mother of Jeanine Nicarico (nihk-AIR'-ih-koh) gasped and put her hand over her mouth Wednesday as the bailiff read the verdict at Brian Dugan's sentencing hearing.
Jurors deliberated for 10 hours over two days before reaching their decision.
Dugan showed no apparent emotion as the verdict was read.
The 53-year-old pleaded guilty in July, hoping a jury would sentence him to life in prison.
He's been serving life sentences since 1985 for two unrelated murders.
Talk Talk ready to tackle gaming traffic
Following the release of long awaited game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 broadband provider Talk Talk has stated that it is more than prepared to cope with the increased level of online traffic that may be generated by the game.
This week marked the release of a long awaited game, which a huge number of gamers in the UK have been eager to get their hands on. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been released for the PC, the X-Box 360, and the PS3. With the huge numbers of gamers that will be rushing to play this game there has been concern over online traffic levels but one broadband provider has said that it is more than prepared to cope with the increase in traffic that stems from the game.
Talk Talk broadband has stated that it has prepared itself for the surge in online traffic that the new game will create, adding that the huge numbers of people that will be playing the game will not put additional strain on the provider’s network. Whilst many people will be getting online to play this game the broadband provider has been expecting this surge and has prepared itself for the onslaught.
Officials from Talk Talk are said to have brushed aside concerns that there may be disruption as players across the globe get online to challenge their friends and enjoy the excitement of their new game. An official from the broadband giant said: “TalkTalk runs the biggest next-generation network in the UK and it is optimised to make sure it can cope with high levels of traffic for games such as Call of Duty.”
The broadband provider also added a reminder that those that wish to can add Turbo Boost to their broadband service for just four pounds a month, and this could help to combat some of these problems.
This week marked the release of a long awaited game, which a huge number of gamers in the UK have been eager to get their hands on. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been released for the PC, the X-Box 360, and the PS3. With the huge numbers of gamers that will be rushing to play this game there has been concern over online traffic levels but one broadband provider has said that it is more than prepared to cope with the increase in traffic that stems from the game.
Talk Talk broadband has stated that it has prepared itself for the surge in online traffic that the new game will create, adding that the huge numbers of people that will be playing the game will not put additional strain on the provider’s network. Whilst many people will be getting online to play this game the broadband provider has been expecting this surge and has prepared itself for the onslaught.
Officials from Talk Talk are said to have brushed aside concerns that there may be disruption as players across the globe get online to challenge their friends and enjoy the excitement of their new game. An official from the broadband giant said: “TalkTalk runs the biggest next-generation network in the UK and it is optimised to make sure it can cope with high levels of traffic for games such as Call of Duty.”
The broadband provider also added a reminder that those that wish to can add Turbo Boost to their broadband service for just four pounds a month, and this could help to combat some of these problems.
D.C. sniper Muhammad executed for 2002 attacks
John Allen Muhammad, the mastermind behind the sniper attacks that left 10 dead, was executed Tuesday as relatives of the victims watched, reliving the killing spree that terrorized the Washington, D.C., area for three weeks in October 2002.
The 48-year-old Muhammad looked calm and stoic, but was twitching and blinking, tapping his left foot as the injections began, defiant to the end, refusing to utter any final words. Victims' families sat behind glass while watching, separated from the rest of the 27 witnesses, who were quiet, looking straight forward, intent on what was happening.
"He died very peacefully, much more than most of his victims," said Prince William County prosecutor Paul Ebert, who witnessed Muhammad die by injection at 9:11 p.m. at Greensville Correctional Center, south of Richmond.
Muhammad was executed for killing Dean Harold Meyers, who was shot in the head at a Manassas gas station during the spree across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Nelson Rivera, whose wife, Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera, was gunned down as she vacuumed her van at a Maryland gas station, said that when he watched Muhammad's chest moving for the last time, he was glad.
"I feel better. I think I can breathe better," he said. "I'm glad he's gone because he's not going to hurt anyone else."
Muhammad never testified or explained why he directed the shootings, and his secrets died with him.
Meyers' brother, Bob Meyers, said watching the execution was sobering and "surreal."
The Full Story
The 48-year-old Muhammad looked calm and stoic, but was twitching and blinking, tapping his left foot as the injections began, defiant to the end, refusing to utter any final words. Victims' families sat behind glass while watching, separated from the rest of the 27 witnesses, who were quiet, looking straight forward, intent on what was happening.
"He died very peacefully, much more than most of his victims," said Prince William County prosecutor Paul Ebert, who witnessed Muhammad die by injection at 9:11 p.m. at Greensville Correctional Center, south of Richmond.
Muhammad was executed for killing Dean Harold Meyers, who was shot in the head at a Manassas gas station during the spree across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Nelson Rivera, whose wife, Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera, was gunned down as she vacuumed her van at a Maryland gas station, said that when he watched Muhammad's chest moving for the last time, he was glad.
"I feel better. I think I can breathe better," he said. "I'm glad he's gone because he's not going to hurt anyone else."
Muhammad never testified or explained why he directed the shootings, and his secrets died with him.
Meyers' brother, Bob Meyers, said watching the execution was sobering and "surreal."
The Full Story
Netanyahu in Paris with peace efforts in peril
Growing frustration with Jewish settlements and anxiety about the Palestinian Authority's future set the stage for talks Wednesday between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Iran is the reason Netanyahu wanted to visit France, and he's likely to urge Sarkozy to press harder on Tehran to freeze nuclear activities.
Sarkozy, however, is likely to press the Israeli leader to relax his stance on Jewish settlements, which have thrown a wrench into the Mideast peace process and prompted fears of renewed extremist violence.
The Palestinians say peace talks can't resume until Israel meets its commitment to freezing, and not just limiting, settlement activity on lands the Palestinians want as part of a future Palestinian state.
Netanyahu has so far resisted, and made no further commitments during an awkward visit to the United States earlier this week. The Obama administration also has called for a freeze, but U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton argued during a visit to the Mideast last week that Israeli restraint could be seen as a first step toward a negotiated halt to settlement activity.
Paris is less flexible, and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on French radio Tuesday that a settlement freeze was "absolutely indispensable" to peace talks. He said the "political dispute" over the settlements between Sarkozy and Netanyahu would be central to their talks Wednesday and warned that Israelis seemed to have lost their aspirations for peace.
France is feeling out Mideast leaders this week to see if there is any way of resuscitating peace efforts. Syrian President Bashar Assad comes Thursday and Sarkozy called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday to urge him to stay in power.
Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, says he will not run for another term in an election scheduled for January, citing the deadlock. Moderates fear his departure could boost militants who claim violence is the only option.
Netanyahu's visit to France comes as Palestinians living in the West Bank are marking five years since the death of their legendary leader, Yasser Arafat, who died in a Paris region military hospital.
Israeli officials have said Iran is a focus of Netanyahu's trip.
Israel views Iran as a major strategic threat, and France has pushed Tehran to halt nuclear activities that Iranians say are aimed at producing nuclear energy but that the West fears is aimed at making nuclear bombs.
Iran is the reason Netanyahu wanted to visit France, and he's likely to urge Sarkozy to press harder on Tehran to freeze nuclear activities.
Sarkozy, however, is likely to press the Israeli leader to relax his stance on Jewish settlements, which have thrown a wrench into the Mideast peace process and prompted fears of renewed extremist violence.
The Palestinians say peace talks can't resume until Israel meets its commitment to freezing, and not just limiting, settlement activity on lands the Palestinians want as part of a future Palestinian state.
Netanyahu has so far resisted, and made no further commitments during an awkward visit to the United States earlier this week. The Obama administration also has called for a freeze, but U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton argued during a visit to the Mideast last week that Israeli restraint could be seen as a first step toward a negotiated halt to settlement activity.
Paris is less flexible, and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on French radio Tuesday that a settlement freeze was "absolutely indispensable" to peace talks. He said the "political dispute" over the settlements between Sarkozy and Netanyahu would be central to their talks Wednesday and warned that Israelis seemed to have lost their aspirations for peace.
France is feeling out Mideast leaders this week to see if there is any way of resuscitating peace efforts. Syrian President Bashar Assad comes Thursday and Sarkozy called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday to urge him to stay in power.
Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, says he will not run for another term in an election scheduled for January, citing the deadlock. Moderates fear his departure could boost militants who claim violence is the only option.
Netanyahu's visit to France comes as Palestinians living in the West Bank are marking five years since the death of their legendary leader, Yasser Arafat, who died in a Paris region military hospital.
Israeli officials have said Iran is a focus of Netanyahu's trip.
Israel views Iran as a major strategic threat, and France has pushed Tehran to halt nuclear activities that Iranians say are aimed at producing nuclear energy but that the West fears is aimed at making nuclear bombs.
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