THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT !!!

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Torres fires Red revival

Mon Nov 08 09:05AM

Liverpool's 2-0 win over Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday was very much a tale of two strikers.

Fernando Torres turned in a lethal first-half performance for the Reds whilst Didier Drogba looked on from the sidelines.

By the time the Ivorian, who was dropped to the bench because he was suffering from a virus, came on after the break, the damage was already done courtesy of Torres's well-taken brace.

From being knee-deep in the relegation mire not so long ago, Roy Hodgson's side are now level on points with Tottenham, West Brom, Sunderland and Bolton. That last sentence just about sums up how weird this season's results have been thus far.

The defeat has continued a worrying trend for Chelsea this season. Whereas last year they beat each of their 'big four' rivals home and away as they claimed the title, this season their two league defeats have come at Manchester City and Liverpool whilst they could only manage a goalless draw at Aston Villa and also lost to Manchester United in the Community Shield.

Yes, you can argue that they beat Arsenal at home, that Liverpool currently don't count as a 'big four' side, or that the traditional Wembley curtain-raiser barely registers as a match at all, but nonetheless the development will have given Carlo Ancelotti food for thought.

The Blues' struggles in attack without Drogba can be attributed more than a little to the efforts of Martin Kelly and Raul Meireles disrupting Florent Malouda and Ashley Cole's partnership. But the fact that the champions had such an expensive, talented duo, so key to their fortunes, nullified by a full-back making his full Premier League debut and a midfielder playing out of position shows other managers just how Chelsea can be dealt with.

But that's a discussion for another day. Specifically December 12, when they travel to Tottenham with thoughts of the following meetings with United and Arsenal on their minds.

Today, though, it's all about Torres. The Spaniard looked sharp and lively from the off at Anfield, and well he might have done. His brace means he has now scored six goals in five games against Chelsea at Anfield.

If Torres can stay fit and look as interested for the upcoming trips to the DW and Britannia Stadiums, then we can say for certain that Liverpool have turned a corner.

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Qantas CEO: Oil leaks in 3 engines of its A380s

By KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press - Tuesday, November 9

SYDNEY – Tests have uncovered oil leaks in three Rolls-Royce engines on Qantas' grounded Airbus A380s, the airline's CEO said Monday, as engineers tried to identify the cause of an engine failure on one of the carrier's superjumbo jets last week.

Australia's national carrier grounded its six double-decker A380s, the world's newest and largest airliner, after an engine burst minutes into a flight from Singapore to Sydney last week, scattering debris over Indonesia's Batam island. The plane made a safe emergency landing in Singapore.

Engineers conducted eight hours of extensive checks on each engine over the weekend.

On Monday, CEO Alan Joyce said engineers have discovered oil leaks in the turbine area of three engines on three different A380s.

"The oil leaks were beyond normal tolerances," Joyce told reporters. "So Rolls-Royce and our engineers have looked at what we have gathered as an accepted level and they have passed that threshold."

"All of these engines are new engines on a new aircraft type," he added. "The engines are not performing to the parameters that you would expect with this."

Because of that, he said, all of the airline's A380s will be grounded for at least an additional 72 hours.

"We are not going to take any risks whatsoever," Joyce said. "We want to make sure we have a 100 percent safe operation."

All three affected engines have been removed from the planes for further testing, and will be replaced with spare engines the airline has on hand, Joyce said.

"As a consequence, it's now narrowing our focus on that issue," he said.

Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines, the other airlines that fly A380s fitted with Rolls-Royce's Trent 900 engines, also briefly grounded their planes last week but resumed services after completing checks.

The Qantas engineers are working with Rolls-Royce, who manufactured and maintains the engines, as well as Airbus.

Rolls-Royce issued a statement Monday claiming progress in finding the cause of the engine failure but it did not elaborate.

Rolls-Royce Group PLC stock rose more than 2 percent to 603.5 pence ($9.74) on the London Stock Exchange after the news. Still, the company's share price remains about 8 percent lower than it was before the A380's emergency landing Thursday.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is leading an international investigation into the blowout on the A380, appealed for help from residents of Indonesia's Batam island to find a missing piece of a turbine disc.

The island was scattered with dozens of pieces of debris _ some as large as doors _ when one of the A380's four engines failed minutes into a flight to Sydney.

"The recovery of that disk could be crucial to a full understanding of the nature of the engine failure, and may have implications for the prevention of future similar occurrences," the bureau said in a statement.

It released a photograph of a jagged and bent piece of turbine disc from the Trent 900 engine and asked that anyone who might have found a similar piece should hand it to police.

It said one piece of the shattered engine that had been found on Batam was being sent to Britain for examination by Rolls-Royce engineers, under the supervision of bureau investigators. Extra experts were being sent from Australia to Singapore to examine other debris.

Rolls-Royce Group PLC is a London-based aerospace, power systems and defense company separate from the car manufacturer.

John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member and an expert on aircraft maintenance, said the photo showing the broken turbine disc indicates it was the disc that may have failed. The photo didn't show any signs of discoloration on the disc that would indicate overheating.

There are several reasons why a disc might fail, but they usually involve the metal used to make the disc or the manufacturing method, Goglia said. He cautioned that he was looking at one photo, which was not enough information to make a definitive judgment.

Qantas passengers stranded by the grounding of the A380s are expected to be flown to their destinations within 24 hours, Joyce said. The airline is adding flights from London and Los Angeles to help clear the backlog.

Joyce would not specify how much the airline has lost since the engine explosion, nor would he comment on whether Qantas plans to seek compensation from Rolls-Royce.

"We are working with Airbus and Rolls-Royce to fix this issue _ that's our top priority and compensation talks will take place after the aircraft are back in the air," he said.

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Rolls-Royce makes 'progress' on cause of A380 engine failure

AFP - Tuesday, November 9

LONDON (AFP) - – Rolls-Royce said Monday it had made progress in understanding the cause of a mid-air engine blow-out that forced a Qantas Airbus A380 superjumbo to make an emergency landing last week.

The British group issued only its second statement since Thursday's incident in Singapore involving a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine. Shares in the company have taken a battering since then.

"Rolls-Royce has made progress in understanding the cause of the engine failure on the Trent 900-powered A380 Qantas flight QF32 on 4 November 2010. It is now clear this incident is specific to the Trent 900 engine," the statement said.

"As a result, a series of checks and inspections has been agreed with Airbus, with operators of the Trent 900 powered A380 and with the airworthiness authorities," it added.

"These are being progressively completed, which is allowing a resumption of operation of aircraft in full compliance with all safety standards."

The statement came after Qantas extended the grounding of its Airbus A380 superjumbos for at least three more days on Monday after finding oil leaks in some engines.

In Sydney, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said intensive testing had discovered anomalies on the Rolls-Royce engines on three separate aircraft, pushing back the return to action of the long-haul planes by 72 hours.

"The oil leaks were beyond normal tolerances," Joyce told journalists. "All of these engines are new engines.

"At this stage, Qantas does not expect to operate the A380 fleet for at least another 72 hours."

Qantas's six double-decker A380s, the world's biggest commercial jet, serve lucrative routes from Los Angeles and London to Australia's major cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

In a separate incident, a Qantas Boeing 747 had to turn back to Singapore on Friday after another model of Rolls-Royce engine failed in mid-air.

Rolls-Royce has been almost silent in the wake of the incidents, issuing only a brief statement last week to say that it had recommended basic precautionary checks to be carried out on its Trent 900 turbofans.

Shares in the company closed up 2.71 percent, or 16 pence, at 607 pence Monday on London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, after slumping 4.7 percent to 563 pence in early trade.

Before Monday's rally, Rolls-Royce shares had plummeted by 12.5 percent since Thursday, cutting the company's market value by 1.5 billion pounds (2.4 billion dollars).

Singapore Airlines said however inspections of its 11 A380 superjumbos had found no problems with their Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, and it continues flying the planes.

In a further boost to Rolls, the group said it had won an order from Egyptair for the long-term maintenance of Trent 700 engines on 12 Airbus A330 aircraft in a deal worth 350 million dollars (251 million euros).

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Women reveal the pick-up moves that really work

Flirting may not be rocket science, but a little research can go a long way. If you want to know what flirting strategies really work on women, ask them. Or better still, let us ask them for you.

So, should you be brushing up your chat-up lines, practising your killer eye contact or memorising fistfuls of compliments? Here, according to the women we spoke to, are the flirting tricks that actually work.

Move 1: Hot and cold

What to do: First, knock her sideways with a volley of adoration. Tell her she's the most beautiful woman you've ever seen and beg for her number. Gaze at her, unsettle her, pocket that number – and vanish without trace. A couple of weeks later, accidentally-on-purpose bump into her.

Why it works: She won't know what she's got 'til it's gone. Your initial over-the-top chat-up establishes you as a sure thing, and like all sure things, you'll seem a whole lot more attractive when you've disappeared. Give her a week or so to work up a crush, and she'll be putty in your hands. Manipulative but horribly effective.

Move 2: Peachy keen

What to do: Interrupt her to say that she has beautiful skin. Sit back, because she may blush with more heat than you can bear.

Why it works: A great compliment can do all your chat-up work on its own. If she has good skin, mentioning it will make her tingle with confidence. Don't use it as an opening chat-up line (it sounds a bit stalkerish) but it works a treat when dropped into conversation because it makes her feel sexy without sounding lecherous.

Move 3: Death by eye contact

What to do: If you spot a woman you'd like to talk to, look at her until she meets your eye. Try to hold her gaze. Let her look away first – you can guarantee she'll look back again a few seconds later. You're communicating loud and clear without saying a word.

Why it works: Women are extremely sensitive to body language signals, and intense eye contact forges a powerful emotional connection. It works once you're making conversation, too, so look her in the eye when she talks. She'll like you for it, because it suggests that you respect and value what she's saying – and it's extremely seductive.

Move 4: Flatter her babble

What to do: Encourage her to talk more. Never underestimate the flirtatious power of the phrase “I could talk to you for hours.”

Why it works: The nerves and adrenaline of a flirtatious situation conspire to make most women babble, and they're well aware of it. Don't knock it – it's a sign that she likes you. If you can make her feel good about her babbling, she'll enjoy your company and want to come back for more. Don't be afraid to interrupt, as long as it's on-topic – it shows that you’re engaged in what she’s saying.

Move 5: Silent conspiracy

What to do: If you're with a group of friends and you spot an attractive girl across the room, stay where you are. Use body language to start a silent conversation with her. Smile in a conspiratorial way, and send signals that'll make her laugh – roll your eyes, shrug your shoulders, make it clear that “you're much more interesting than this lot.”

Why it works: Two people, in on a joke that no-one else in the room is party to... it's flirtation at its finest. She feels more important than your friends – what more could a girl want? You're on the same wavelength before you've even said hello. Raise the stakes by disappearing for a few minutes so that she wonders where you've gone. Reappear, smile, and walk over.

Move 6: Hello again

What to do: Stride confidently up to a woman you've never seen before, and say, “We've met before.” Look her in the eye and maintain that air of confidence. She'll be too intrigued to let you wander off.

Why it works: Walk up to a woman and make a confident, non-judgemental, intriguing statement, and she'll want to know more. It's open-ended and invites her opinion – unlike, say, “um sorry um can I buy you a drink?” which invites her rejection (the more “um”s, the greater the likelihood of rejection).

Move 7: Funny ha ha

What to do: Tell her a joke. The idea is that she'll then tell you a joke. Your task is to make sure that you find her joke funnier than yours. (Look, pretend to find her joke funnier than yours.)

Why it works: To a woman, a man with a good sense of humour is a man who shares her sense of humour. You will seduce her by making her feel witty and clever and cool, not by quoting entire episodes of Alan Partridge, unless she starts it.

Move 8: Fan mail

What to do: Scribble a short note of non-sleazy appreciation (say, “wish I knew your name”) on a piece of paper, and write your phone number on the back. Fold it up very small, walk past her and drop it into her lap. Make sure to catch her eye and smile while you do it.

Why it works: Let me count the ways... it's romantic, because it involves actual paper rather than text or email. It's conspiratorial (see Move 5). It flatters her by picking her out from the crowd. It's cheeky, quirky and creative. It may make her laugh, depending on what you wrote, and it's certain to make her smile, provided you didn't write anything sleazy or unintelligible. And it hands control to her, because the next move is up to her. If she's single and you are passably good-looking, we guarantee that she will hang onto your note and, one day, pick up the phone. Every girl knows that life's too short not to dial numbers that land in your lap.

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Triads linked to Downtown East murder ???

By Faris November 9th, 2010

Two street gangs with colourful histories are being investigated in connection with the brutal stabbing and murder of a young student at Downtown East last month.

The Chinese dialect name Fong Hong San, or Phoenix Mountain in English, is believed to have been uttered during a confrontation with another gang called 369″ that led to the death of 19-year-old Darren Ng Wei Jie on the evening of October 30th.

Four teens, aged between 18 and 20 , have been arrested and charged with murder. One of Darrens assailants, Edward Tay Wei Loong, 18, is still under intensive care following his desperate attempt to escape the police.

According to The Straits Times, Fong Hong Sans members are said to be active in Pasir Ris and their favourite hangout is Downtown East.

An ex-triad leader, 56, who declined to be named, told the same paper that the original Fong Hong San had its roots in Indonesia but moved to Singapore in the 1960s when it began betting, protection and loan shark activities first in Bukit Batok and Circuit Road before re-locating to Geylang.

He said: But it was most famous in Circuit Road, where there were a lot of gangs. It won the turf. It was quite a big gang, 200 to 300 people.

Meanwhile, police have stepped up patrols at Downtown East and the surrounding neighbourhood.

Police spokesman Lau Kian Keong said on Monday that police have been conducting regular patrols in the area and have stepped up patrols following the incident.

MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Dr Ahmad Magad said he and fellow MP Teo Chee Hean, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, have also asked police to intensify patrols and to be particularly on the lookout for people behaving suspiciously, especially with the year-end school holidays and festivites around the corner.

A sales promoter who worked at Downtown East and called himself Jonathan was also quoted on ST as saying he has seen gangsters hanging out at the pool hall. Quarrels have escalated into fights, although not necessarily at Downtown East itself.

They head to the multi-storey carpark here when they have something to settle each group with about 10 to 20 people, he said. It is said that talks have also taken place at void decks of nearby housing blocks.

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Premier League - Papers: Chelsea want Busquets

Tue, 09 Nov 09:03:00 2010

In the last few seasons we have been inundated by rumours of Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid trying to poach the Premier League's top stars.

Therefore, it is quite nice to see the shoe on the other foot for once, as Chelsea are linked with one of the stars of the Barcelona team who also played a key role in Spain's victory at the World Cup.

Most Blues fans will probably be slightly disappointed to learn that it is not Xavi or Andres Iniesta, but rather Sergio Busquets although the 22-year-old is still a top quality player who played every minute of Spain's successful World Cup campaign.

According to the Daily Star, Chelsea are preparing a £20m bid for the player, although considering they already have Michael Essien, John Obi Mikel and Ramires, you could say they are not exactly lacking in defensive midfield options.

Chelsea are in the papers for another big reason too; according to the Guardian they are in talks to quit Stamford Bridge, their home for the last 105 years, in favour of a new 60,000-seater stadium just down the road at Earls Court.

The proposed new stadium would be on the site of the Earls Court exhibition centre which will be demolished after it hosts the volleyball at the London 2012 Olympics.

Going elsewhere, and reports in the Independent state that Liverpool's new owners are looking to try and commit Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres to the club.

The Spanish duo are believed to have agreements in place that they will be allowed to leave Anfield in the summer for a 'reasonable' fee if the team fails to qualify for the Champions League.

The Mail reports that Arsenal will look to pounce for Reina in a £20m deal if the keeper sees his future away from Anfield.

There is lots of hype floating around about Wednesday's Manchester derby already, and Carlos Tevez has admitted that he would have loved if Wayne Rooney had joined him at Manchester City before signing a new deal at Old Trafford. (Daily Mirror)

One man who is set to leave the Red Devils though is reserve team coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who should be named as the new manager of his former club Molde later today. (Mirror)

Blackburn, Liverpool and Tottenham are all tracking Stuttgart striker Pavel Pogrebnyak according to the Daily Mail. The Russian nearly joined Blackburn two years ago from Zenit St Petersburg before a late hitch in the deal.

Fulham made an unsuccessful bid for Aston Villa's Luke Young during the summer but are set to make a fresh bid for the right-back in January (Mail) and John Carew is also set to be axed by Villa after his public spat with Gerard Houllier.

Finally, some transfer gossip involving children. Arsenal are ready to give a trial to 16-year-old Israeli midfielder Omri Altman who has been on trial at Liverpool; despite his age, the youngster has already broken into the first team at Maccabi Tel Aviv.

While, Manchester United are close to agreeing a deal for 15-year-old Norwegian midfielder Mats Moller Daehli who plays for Stabaek.

Eurosport

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La Liga - Ronaldo wins libel payout

Mon, 08 Nov 12:35:00 2010

Cristiano Ronaldo has won substantial damages from the Daily Telegraph after settling a libel case over false claims that he was putting an injured ankle at risk by partying in a Los Angeles nightclub while a Manchester United player.

The July 2008 story entitled 'Ronaldo back in the limelight' alleged that the player had arrived in LA for an awards ceremony but "headed straight for" a Hollywood nightclub where he threw his crutches to one side in order to dance with four models before they were served with "£10,000 worth of Cristal champagne".

The Portuguese star's solicitor Allan Dunlavy successfully argued that the false accusations caused embarrassment, offence and distress to the player, and that he was right to be concerned.

"The truth is that these events did not happen and the claimant did not behave unprofessionally," Dunlavy said.

"The claimant was in Los Angeles, having gone there on holiday in the knowledge and with the advance permission of his club, his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, his surgeon and his physio, and while he did attend the nightclub in question, he did not drink any alcohol at all whilst there, nor at any time whilst in Los Angeles.

"He does not, as a rule, drink alcohol because he takes his health, fitness and recovery from injury very seriously.

"Nor did he put his crutches down to take to the dance floor despite the risk to his injured ankle.

"Instead, he sat in a private corner as arranged in advance, along with friends who had travelled to Los Angeles with him, resting his foot as advised and drinking non-alcoholic energy drinks at all times under the care and supervision of the respected Portuguese national team physio Antonio Gaspar, who had also travelled to Los Angeles at the request of the claimant and with the agreement of Manchester United."

The newspaper's solicitor Helen Morris confirmed that her client accepted the allegations were false, and had agreed to pay substantial damages as well as all legal costs, with a scheduled trial being called off while the deal was agreed.

"I am delighted with this outcome. I take enormous pride in my professionalism," said Ronaldo.

"I treat my training and recovery from injury very seriously and would never have drunk and danced in a nightclub without my crutches as the Daily Telegraph falsely claimed.

"I felt I had no choice but to begin and pursue these legal proceedings.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sir Alex Ferguson, Roy Keane and the others who were ready to appear as witnesses at the trial which had been due to start today."

Ferguson commented in a statement: "The article was entirely false. Cristiano is the consummate professional and he takes his health and fitness very seriously.

"He is one of the best players I have ever worked with. I was ready and willing to appear as a witness and I am delighted that he has resolved this issue successfully."

A statement issued on behalf of Keane said: "The article was false and misleading in every respect, notably by suggesting that I had criticised Cristiano.

"Cristiano is a great football player and is very professional. I am happy to see the record set straight."

Eurosport

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Premier League - Mancini: Balotelli needs to focus

Wed, 03 Nov 10:13:00 2010

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has told Mario Balotelli to do his talking on the pitch and focus on playing football.

Balotelli moved to Manchester from Internazionale over the summer but his City career has yet to really get going due to injury.

He played in the 2-1 defeat to Wolves at the weekend before limping out of training on Tuesday with a thigh strain, although he is expected to be fit for the Europa League game against Lech Poznan on Thursday night.

The 20-year-old developed a reputation for having a fiery personality during his time in Italy and has so far collected two yellow cards from just three appearances for his new club.

Mancini has therefore instructed Balotelli to keep his concentration on performing as well as possible, which he accepts could take some time.

Fellow summer recruit David Silva has only recently started showing his best form and Mancini is confident Balotelli will progress in the same way.

"It is better that he doesn't talk, just play. He needs to get a focus on the match," Mancini said in the Daily Express.

"He has been out for a long time and now just needs to play games.

"Maybe he still needs to understand English football, like David Silva when he first arrived.

"It took David two months to adapt and maybe it will take Mario the same. But people will see that he is a fantastic player."

PA Sport

Premier League - City to appeal Balotelli dismissal

Sun, 07 Nov 19:33:00 2010

Roberto Mancini confirmed Manchester City will appeal referee Lee Probert's decision to send off match-winner Mario Balotelli in their 2-0 victory over West Brom at the Hawthorns.

Balotelli eased some of the pressure on his manager and fellow Italian Mancini by netting two goals in the first half which eventually proved enough to halt City's run of three successive defeats.

But the 20-year-old's afternoon turned sour after the break as he received a yellow card for a challenge on Marek Cech and was then given his marching orders within minutes following a tangle with Youssouf Mulumbu - who was also dismissed late on for scything down Carlos Tevez.

The straight red card shown to Balotelli left Mancini enraged and demanding an explanation from Probert.

"I absolutely do not agree with the referee about this sending-off," Mancini said.

"A red card for what? He played a fantastic game, he scored two goals, but the sending off was very strange. I want to know why it was a direct red card. For me this is not correct and the referee must explain."

PA Sport

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Microsoft sues Motorola over 'excessive' royalties

AFP - 35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Microsoft, which accused Motorola a month ago of violating its smartphone patents, has filed suit against the US telecom giant again, accusing it of demanding "excessive" royalties.

Microsoft, in the suit filed in Washington state, where the US software giant has its headquarters, charged that Motorola was demanding "excessive and discriminatory" royalties related to patented technology.

A Microsoft spokesman said Motorola was in breach of an agreement to license patents related to wireless and video coding technologies under "reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions."

"Those commitments are designed to benefit all parties that rely upon these standards, and Microsoft has been harmed by Motorola's failure to honor them in recent demand letters seeking royalties from Microsoft," the spokesman said.

In the lawsuit, Microsoft said "Motorola is demanding royalty payments that are wholly disproportionate to the royalty rate that its patents should command under any reasonable calculus.

"Motorola has discriminatorily chosen Microsoft's Xbox product line and other multifunction, many-featured products and software, such as Windows 7 and Windows Phone 7 and products incorporating Microsoft software, for the purpose of extracting unreasonable royalties from Microsoft," the suit said.

Microsoft filed suit against Motorola on October 1, accusing the US handset maker of violating nine Microsoft patents in smartphones powered by Google's Android mobile operating system.

Microsoft supplies its own mobile operating system to handset makers and a new line of Windows Phone 7 smartphones went on sale in the United States this week.

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Superman, Joker original comic art goes to auction

Reuters - Wednesday, November 10

LOS ANGELES - A 1942 piece of Superman comic book cover art goes up for auction for the first time on Wednesday in a thriving collectibles market where old superheroes can change hands for more than $1 million.

The cover art for the Superman 14 issue, also known as the Superman Patriotic Shield cover, is described by auction house ComicConnect.com as "by far the single most valuable piece of original comic book artwork still in existence."

Illustrated by DC artist Fred Ray, the sketch shows Superman with an eagle on one arm in front of a stars and stripes shield and is regarded as defining the action hero's status as a 20th century American icon.

Steven Fishler, chief executive of ComicConnect.com, told Reuters the piece should conservatively fetch upward of $500,000 but that its eventual price was "pure conjecture" because it is so rare.

Earlier this year, two comic books featuring the first appearances of Superman in 1938 and Batman in 1939 set auction sales records of $1 million and $1.075 million respectively.

But the original cover art is an even rarer find.

The Superman 14 cover art in Wednesday's auction comes direct from the collection of Jerry Robinson, now 88, a member of the original Batman team and the creator of the Joker.

Robinson also is putting up for auction for the first time his 1942 cover art for "Double Guns" Detective Comics issue 69, which features Batman, Robin and a huge image of the Joker.

In the 1940s, most original comic art was destroyed by engravers hours after the printing presses finished their run.

"Thank goodness for Jerry Robinson," Fishler said. "He was one of the few pros of the era with the foresight to save these artifacts."

Both pieces of comic art will be auctioned by ComicConnect.com. Bidding opens November10 and closes on December 1.

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Microsoft launch hands-free Kinect for XBox 360

9 hours 57 mins ago

Keen gamers are already queuing for the midnight launch of Microsoft's new Xbox 360 Kinect, a retailer has said.

The motion sensor, which allows users to play games without holding a controller, has been tipped as a Christmas best-seller despite its £129.99 price tag.

UK retailer Game is releasing the first of the gadgets at midnight and said customers had been queuing since 9am outside its Oxford Street store in London.

Game spokesman Neil Ashurst said: "We're excited to be opening our Game stores across the country at midnight. Our customers and staff are equally excited to experience Kinect. This is definitely going to be on Christmas wishlists around the country."

Kinect is compatible with every Xbox 360 console and combines a camera, depth sensor and microphone that tracks full-body movement and individual voices.

Some of the high-profile Kinect-enabled games set to be released before Christmas including Dance Central, in which players mirror moves they see on screen, the child-friendly Kinectimals and Kinect Sports.

The gadget will face competition from Sony's PlayStation Move controller and Nintendo's upgraded WiiMotion Plus.

Stephen McGill, Microsoft's director of Xbox for the UK and Ireland, said: "Kinect for Xbox 360 is set to revolutionise the way people consume entertainment, not just games but movies, music and keeping in touch with friends and family."

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Singapore Airlines to change three Rolls-Royce A380 engines after finding oil stains

Reuters, 7:22, Wednesday 10 November 2010

Singapore Airlines will replace engines on three of its Airbus A380 planes after finding oil stains on them, almost a week after Australia's Qantas grounded its A380 fleet due to an engine failure.

Qantas' six A380s have been grounded since Thursday, when a Rolls-Royce engine partly disintegrated mid-flight, forcing the fully laden Airbus to make an emergency landing in the biggest incident to date for the world's largest passenger jet.

Investigations into that incident have focused on oil leaks inside the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, the same model used to power Singapore Airlines' and German Lufthansa's A380 fleet.

But Singapore Airlines stressed the problems on three of its 11 A380s were precautionary and unrelated as the oil stains were different from the oil leakage in the Qantas turbines.

Singapore's findings may deal a fresh blow to Rolls Royce, which moved on Monday to contain a crisis of confidence, saying it was making progress in understanding what caused last week's blowout on the Qantas A380 flight.

"This is a precautionary move to find out what caused the oil stains." a Singapore Airlines spokeswoman said. "Rolls Royce recommended a detailed inspection of the engines."

Rolls Royce shares already lost over 7pc since the Qantas incident, while Airbus and Qantas shares both slipped 2.5pc. Singapore Airlines shares were little affected on Tuesday with the stock down 0.4pc in early trading in the Far East.

A spokesman for Rolls Royce declined to comment.

Rolls-Royce makes 'progress' on cause of A380 engine failure

AFP - Tuesday, November 9

LONDON (AFP) - – Rolls-Royce said Monday it had made progress in understanding the cause of a mid-air engine blow-out that forced a Qantas Airbus A380 superjumbo to make an emergency landing last week.

The British group issued only its second statement since Thursday's incident in Singapore involving a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine. Shares in the company have taken a battering since then.

"Rolls-Royce has made progress in understanding the cause of the engine failure on the Trent 900-powered A380 Qantas flight QF32 on 4 November 2010. It is now clear this incident is specific to the Trent 900 engine," the statement said.

"As a result, a series of checks and inspections has been agreed with Airbus, with operators of the Trent 900 powered A380 and with the airworthiness authorities," it added.

"These are being progressively completed, which is allowing a resumption of operation of aircraft in full compliance with all safety standards."

The statement came after Qantas extended the grounding of its Airbus A380 superjumbos for at least three more days on Monday after finding oil leaks in some engines.

In Sydney, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said intensive testing had discovered anomalies on the Rolls-Royce engines on three separate aircraft, pushing back the return to action of the long-haul planes by 72 hours.

"The oil leaks were beyond normal tolerances," Joyce told journalists. "All of these engines are new engines.

"At this stage, Qantas does not expect to operate the A380 fleet for at least another 72 hours."

Qantas's six double-decker A380s, the world's biggest commercial jet, serve lucrative routes from Los Angeles and London to Australia's major cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

In a separate incident, a Qantas Boeing 747 had to turn back to Singapore on Friday after another model of Rolls-Royce engine failed in mid-air.

Rolls-Royce has been almost silent in the wake of the incidents, issuing only a brief statement last week to say that it had recommended basic precautionary checks to be carried out on its Trent 900 turbofans.

Shares in the company closed up 2.71 percent, or 16 pence, at 607 pence Monday on London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, after slumping 4.7 percent to 563 pence in early trade.

Before Monday's rally, Rolls-Royce shares had plummeted by 12.5 percent since Thursday, cutting the company's market value by 1.5 billion pounds (2.4 billion dollars).

Singapore Airlines said however inspections of its 11 A380 superjumbos had found no problems with their Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, and it continues flying the planes.

In a further boost to Rolls, the group said it had won an order from Egyptair for the long-term maintenance of Trent 700 engines on 12 Airbus A330 aircraft in a deal worth 350 million dollars (251 million euros).

[kueytoc]

WAH LAU !...Simi Tai-Chi ???

:shocked: Gang armed with parangs go on slashing spree in Bukit Panjang :readingdarkorange:

By Ewen Boey November 10th, 2010

Less than two weeks after the Downtown East murder of 19-year-old Darren Ng, another seven youths were slashed by parang-wielding men at Bukit Panjang on Monday night.

The victims, aged between 14 to 20, were assaulted in two separate incidents.

First, a 20-year-old assistant technician was slashed in the back and legs at around 10pm at Block 418 Fajar Road.

Later on, a group of 20 youths were surrounded and attacked near a street soccer court at Block 505 Jelapang Road about 500 metres from the first incident.

The Straits Times reported that the attackers, believed to be a group of eight men, first asked their victims if they were from the gang Pak Hai Tong. When the victims denied the association, they were brutally hacked.

The gang also shouted Sah Lak Kau (Hokkien for 369″), the name of the gang linked to the Downtown East murder, before fleeing the scene.

The brutal attack left 20-year-old Jayasiva Shangar Guru hospitalised while the other six victims received outpatient treatment for their injuries.

Mr Jayasiva, who was walking home and was only 600m from his block, said from his hospital bed, They asked me in Malay whether I was from the Pak Hai Tong gang… I said no.

His response apparently did not matter as the men proceeded to verbally abuse him before pinning him to the ground and slashing him with their 16-inch long parangs.

They pulled up my left leg and three guys started slashing me… I tried to struggle but was too shocked and helpless, I couldnt open my mouth to shout for help, he said.

The attack left Mr Jayasivas main artery and five tendons in his left limb damaged, and he is not expected to walk for the next six months. The assailants also stabbed him in the back before fleeing after a friend of his, who was jogging past, screamed for help.

Less than five minutes after that, the same group confronted a young group of about 20 youths at a street soccer court at Jelapang Road.

The group, which included a young boy who was only eight, had just finished playing soccer and were resting when they were suddenly set upon.

One of the group, who called himself Aaron told The New Paper, None of us recognised them but they attacked us while we were sitting at the fitness corner during a break.

The Sec 5 student added,This group of six boys ran towards us with knives that were wrapped in aluminium foil in their hands. We thought they were fooling around, but then they said Pak Hai Tong ah? and began hitting us before we could react.

Another of the victims, Lucas Tan, 17, a Republic Polytechnic student, was slashed on his neck and needed seven stitches.

He said, About seven of them were holding parangs and they whacked us. We tried to run but everything happened very fast.

The victims have denied their involvement in any gangs.

Residents in the neighbourhood say the place is a common hangout for rowdy youth in their late teens who sleep overnight in the nearby playground.

At times, they would hurl Hokkien vulgarities at each other in the wee hours of the morning, said Ms Stella Koh, who has lived in Block 418 for six years.

The police are conducting investigations in to the attack.

Ng Boon Gay, director of the Criminal Investigation Department, said in a statement that such violent acts will not be tolerated by the police.

We are determine to hunt down the perpetrators and see to it that they are dealt with to the fullest extent of the law, regardless of their age, he added.

[kueytoc]

Aiyoh !...so SILLY man.

Man fined S$30,000 for not declaring S$7 million

By Ion Danker – November 10th, 2010

A South Korean man has been fined S$30,000 after failing to declare he had S$7 million in his two briefcases at Changi Airport in August.

Kim Wooyeong, 28, was stopped and arrested at the Budget Terminal on August 24 for trying to take the undeclared amount of cash out of Singapore. It is the believed to be the biggest amount to date to be carried over the border.

His uncle, Park Dong Choel, 43, an agent for casino patrons in Macau, had won the money from Marina Bay Sands’ (MBS) casino and had asked his nephew Kim to help bring the winnings back to the Chinese territory.

A district court heard that anyone moving cash amounting to more than S$30,000 in or out of Singapore needs to declare the amount.

The court heard that security officers at the terminal became suspicious after the X-ray screening machine showed Kim’s two briefcases were packed with paper.

They then conducted a physical search before uncovering a total of S$7.027 million in the briefcases.

According to court documents, Kim had asked MBS executive Terry Kim Taesoo, 28, how he could take the money out of Singapore.

Taesoo told Kim that he needed a certificate from the casino cashier to prove the money was winnings so he could leave the country with it. However, as it took awhile to prepare the certificate, MBS senior executive Shin Jung Whoan, 31, arranged for Kim to receive a transaction slip.

But Kim was under the impression that this was all he needed to bring the money out and did not get the certificate.

He could have been jailed up to three years, fined a maximum of S$50,000 or both.

[kueytoc]

British PM rejects China request on poppy

November 10, 2010 - 7:04PM

© 2010 AFP

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday wore a poppy in his lapel to honour British war dead, despite China's request he remove it because officials said it reminded them of the Opium Wars.

Cameron and members of his delegation have all worn poppies during their two-day visit to China ahead of Armistice Day on Thursday, the 92nd anniversary of the end of World War I.

Poppies, however, have a different meaning for Chinese officials who asked the delegation to remove the paper flowers because they were reminders of the two 19th century Opium Wars that China lost to Britain, a British official said.

"The Chinese informed us it would be inappropriate to wear poppies because of the Opium Wars," an official from the prime minister's office said on condition of anonymity.

"We informed them that they mean a great deal to us and we would be wearing them all the same," the official said.

Poppies became a symbol for the war dead because they grew on the battlefields of Western Europe. They now are sold each November in Britain and several other countries to raise money for veterans' charities.

Chinese schoolchildren are taught as part of their patriotic education that the Opium Wars were a symbol of national humiliation.

This year is the 150th anniversary of the second Opium War, which Britain fought to force China to open up to trade, including the narcotic made from the poppy.

The first Opium War, which ended in 1842, ended with China ceding Hong Kong to Queen Victoria. Britain returned the territory to China in 1997.

[kueytoc]

10 signs it's time to quit

CareerBuilder.co.uk

How many times a day do you say to yourself, "I like what I do, but not where I work?" Or the opposite, "I like where I work, but not what I do?"

The current economy has kept many employees stationed for the past couple of years, not because they love what they do -- but because they are too scared to pursue other opportunities. But many employees feel disengaged from their jobs and don't know what to do. So should you continue to stay in a job where you are unhappy? Or start looking for somewhere where you'll be happier?

People quit their jobs for many reasons. Maybe you don't like your co-workers or your boss drives you crazy. Maybe there's nowhere for you to move up in the company. Maybe you're overworked and underpaid. Maybe you're all of the above.

While the choice to move on to greener pastures is up to you, here are 10 signs that should tell you if it's time to start thinking about moving on:

1. Your co-workers drive you crazy.

Co-workers can be a curse or a blessing in the workplace. When you work with people you love, it's one thing. But how are you supposed to get any work done when your colleagues are irritating you, offending you, distracting you, coming in late, leaving early, talking loudly on the phone, procrastinating or coming to your desk to gossip? If you find that you want to tear your hair out at the end of each day because of your colleagues, it might be time to look for more tolerable people.

2. You hate going to work.

When Sunday night rolls around, are you dreading going into the office the next morning? As soon as you arrive on Monday morning, are you already thinking about Friday at 5 p.m.? Aall of us have had to go to a job that we hate at least once, and if you haven't -- you're the exception, not the rule (not to mention extremely lucky). When you're spending 40+ hours at work, the last thing you want is to hate every second you're there. If you do, it might be time to start thinking about your next career move.

3. You're bored.

Most people like to feel challenged at work. If your work has started to seem too easy or repetitive, it's a sign that you need more responsibility or extra a change in roles. But, don't confuse boredom with slacking off. There's a vast difference between watching YouTube videos all day long with work piling up next to you and watching YouTube videos all day long because you've completed all there is to do.

4. The company -- or your job -- is in trouble.

It's no secret that many companies are still struggling as a result of the economy. There continue to be layoffs and budget cuts. While we don't suggest quitting your job in a panic without having some sort of plan as to what your next step is, we do think you should pay attention to what's going on at your company. If you're concerned about the state of your job or the company, approach your manager with any concerns before taking other actions.

5. You don't feel at home.

Sometimes we forget how important it is to feel comfortable at work -- that is, until we don't. If competition seems far from friendly, your colleagues steal your ideas, your ethics or values conflict with the company, or even if your casual style clashes with the buttoned-up policies of management, you might try to find a company where you feel more at home.

6. You can't stand your boss.

Just because someone is a manager or boss doesn't give him free reign to be stupid. Whether you realize it or not, your relationship with your boss has a huge impact on your overall professional happiness and success. After all, even the best job can be terrible if your boss is lousy. If you don't see eye-to-eye or your manager is untrustworthy or unwilling to help you succeed, it might be time to look for a new job -- with a new supervisor.

7. Your career is at a standstill.

Maybe you've been doing the same job for several years and you're ready for more responsibility. Maybe you've lost your passion for what you used to love. Maybe you work at a company where there's no other role for you than the one you're currently in. Start by talking to your boss about taking on more work, or trying different tasks. Express to him or her that you want to continue to develop your skills and reach your goals. If no alternatives are available, it might be time to start looking around.

8. You're not valued.

Recognition is important -- you need to feel as though you're making a contribution and like other people will give you credit for your successes. Is your company doing anything to reward your efforts? Do you get bonuses, perks or positive feedback? If your boss has never heard of positive reinforcement, it might be time to find a company that will value your talent.

9. Your work environment sucks.

State of the economy aside, every job and every company experiences highs and lows. It doesn't take a psychiatrist to know that working in place with negative energy or low morale is draining on even the happiest soul. If you find that you're always feeling stressed out, depressed or having a negative attitude, it might be time to explore more positive options.

10. You're exhausted.

Everyone says they're stressed. But some people are really stressed. Too many projects and not enough help equal a heavy workload and job burnout. We don't advise quitting when the going gets tough once in a while -- let's be honest, everyone has to take one for the team at some point. But, if there's no end or reprieve in sight, do yourself (and your sanity) a favour and see what else is out there.

[kueytoc]

Kinect for Xbox 360

Tue Nov 09 11:16AM by Paul Davies

Four Christmases after Wii wove its merry magic, Xbox 360 literally takes the next step with a gadget that transforms your entire body into the controller. Kinect has arrived and here's what to expect.

What is it ?

Essentially Kinect is a high-tech motion-sensing camera and microphone set up, competing with Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 Move for its share of gesture-based gaming excitement. Because Kinect scans your entire body the games require you to reach out with both hands and step around or kick with both legs. Also, Kinect includes voice recognition so that you can instruct the Xbox 360 console to play DVDs or music and movies downloaded from Xbox LIVE.

Counting the pennies

If you already own an Xbox 360 a standalone Kinect costs £129.99, and comes with the excellent ‘Kinect Adventures' game. If you're considering buying an Xbox 360 just for Kinect, there is a 4GB model at £249.99 or a 250GB model at £299.99, both also include Kinect Adventures.

Although the price appears to be quite high it is worth bearing in mind that no additional controllers are necessary, which also means there is no need to buy charge-kits or rechargeable batteries for them. But let's put away the calculators for the time being, clear some space, and see how we get on with getting Kinect connected and seeing what it can do.

Getting it home and setting up

Compared to the little motion-sensing bar with Nintendo Wii, Kinect is a large and conspicuous gadget. However it is very light, and almost as easy to get set up. Ours sits just below the TV screen on its built-in stand. You can buy an attachment to securely place it on top of the telly if you prefer. If you have one of the newer Xbox 360 'Slim' consoles, there's only one connection to be made at the back of the console. If you have one of the older ones you'll also need to plug in a power adator (supplied). After this, calibrating Kinect requires a short routine upon powering it all up, testing for lighting conditions and the amount of space you have in front of the telly. This is all very easy, and Kinect turns out to be much more forgiving than PlayStation Move for distance and illumination. However, as you might expect, more room is better for two-player games. Reckon on at least six feet or two metres.

Browsing and video chat with Kinect

The combination of voice-activation and controller-free browsing of menu screens works better than we expected. You do feel daft saying ‘Xbox [instruction]' if you're entertaining guests with a video, but being able to play, stop, rewind etc using voice commands becomes second nature and beats reaching for the remote. ‘Xbox Pause' is just so convenient!

Another benefit of owning this versatile camera is video chat at the wave of a hand, especially if you have friends on Messenger. It was no trouble at all signing into our Messenger account to call home and have a quick chinwag while recovering from another hour-long ‘Dance Central' session. Equally collecting calls is easy, speaking (not shouting) ‘Xbox, Kinect, Video Kinect' and you're there.

We could get used to this.

Fun Factor: 4 out of 5

Must-have Kinect gaming experiences

Kinect Adventures (Microsoft, bundled with Kinect)

You get a full-body workout in this boldly presented compendium of fast moving mini games. These include five main activities, namely Rally Ball, Reflex Ridge, River Rush, Space Pops, and 20000 Leaks. One or two players can take part, but the game is strict about the space required in front of the telly.

Rally Ball has you stretching your limbs to smack basketballs at rows of blocks, judging the trajectory is tricky but fair. The balloon-popping antics in Space Pops can be frustrating, although flapping your arms in Zero G is fun. Our favourites are the mine-cart racing of Reflex Ridge and leaping around on a rubber boat in River Rush. With two people responsible for changing direction it's hilarious.

Fun Factor: 5 out of 5

Dance Central (MTV Games, £39.99)

The reason we were most looking forward to Kinect surpasses many expectations but oddly falls short on one account. It's such a fun and sexy-looking jukebox of top tunes to really get you moving, yet only one person is allowed to take centre stage, even during a Dance Battle.

But as dance instructor and party starter you won't find a sassier partner. You mirror the poses of your chosen dancer, in a venue you most prefer, to choreography of increasing difficulty. ‘Hey Mami' by Fannypack is a breeze compared to ‘Just Dance' by Lady Gaga. Honestly I'm no dancer, but ‘Dance Central' got me moving, thanks to its Break-it-Down feature and most of all sheer exhilaration.

Fun Factor: 5 out of 5

Kinect Sports (Microsoft, £39.99)

Remember to keep your knees up in this modest selection of sporting events; the best Kinect launch title for competitive friends. There are six events, all significantly different, and each one compelling you to improve performance meaning that ‘Kinect Sports' has legs, if you'll excuse the pun.

Football was the surprise of the bunch, cleverly demanding that you block passes before aiming a succession of your own and then taking your shot on goal. You can even jump for a header. Within the Track & Field there's running, jumping, discus and javelin to enjoy. Boxing works quite well, but you'll complain about the timing. Table Tennis lacks the precision of its PS3 Move counterpart. Even so, this is brilliant fun.

Fun Factor: 4 out of 5

Also worth considering

Kinectimals (Microsoft, £39.99)

This really ought to have been called ‘Kinecticats' because felines are the only cuddly critters available. Still, we enjoyed befriending the cubs of tigers and panthers - they act smart and look adorable. You can reach out and stroke the kiddie cats, walk around them to pat their sides. Mainly though the idea is to unlock and perform simple activities with your new best friend.

‘Kinectimals' is gentle compared to ‘Kinect Adventures' and ‘Kinect Sports'. You encourage animals to play dead by flopping onto the floor or working as a team to demolish blocks by kicking a ball between each other. Each new area on the lush island brings new toys to play with. It's charming, but only of real interest to very young children.

Fun Factor: 3 out of 5

Your Shape: Fitness Evolved (Ubisoft, £39.99)

If you're going to spend time throwing yourself around the living room, we suppose it is sensible to have a ‘game' that makes the whole business of it more constructive. At least with ‘Your Shape: Fitness Evolved' on Kinect you're reassured that the virtual instructor can see your mistakes.

Having said that, there are still some poses that the camera seems not to detect so well, and this could lead to injury. Cardio workouts that include boxing and playful block-smashing or balancing mini-games are successful. Yoga-inspired ‘Zen' routines, however, tend to gloss over the all-important issue of alignment. Despite these concerns, ‘Your Shape: Fitness Evolved' is the closest thing we've seen to a personal trainer on a games console.

Fun Factor: 4 out of 5

And if you're really keen...

Fighters Un-caged (Ubisoft, £39.99)

If this were the very first Kinect game you laid eyes on you'd be impressed, enough to buy the gadget perhaps. Its impact is lessened by the boxing opportunities within ‘Kinect Sports' and more authentically with kick-boxing in ‘Your Shape: Fitness Evolved'. So you're left with just the street fighting theme to get you motivated. You know what, it works!

‘Fighters Un-caged' is silly, and probably won't last you much beyond a week of pummelling ugly punks in a variety of urban locations. But when you're on your feet trading jabs and hooks, push kicks and spinning roundhouses, you would happily trade ‘Fighters Un-caged' for ‘Fight Night' to provide an evening's raucous entertainment. You might even lose some of that beer belly.

Fun Factor: 3 out of 5

Kinect Joyride (Microsoft, £39.99)

As a launch title ‘Kinect Joyride' gets away with being rather flimsy because its premise is so simple: a racing game for two people on the same console, performing silly stunts in a vibrant world. It's also the only title that lets you compete across Xbox LIVE, rallying against seven people online.

Were ‘Kinect Joyride' a simple Xbox LIVE Arcade title we doubt it would grab as much attention; the invisible steering wheel appeal of Kinect really makes a difference. To see a couple of guys leaping around, leaning into turns, and thrusting their arms forward to trigger speed boosts, looks terrific fun. That said, we think 1200 Microsoft Points is a fairer reflection of the core experience.

Fun Factor: 3 out of 5

Verdict

Pre-orders for Kinect have long since sold out, but supplies are being rushed to retail by Microsoft this very week. We think the furore is deserved, as it proved to be with Nintendo Wii: Kinect is a true game changer and not just for the traditional software - we've grown used to saying ‘Xbox Pause' to boil the kettle while watching our movies too. With Kinect the Xbox 360 really has achieved a new status as a big value family entertainer, keeping your games hardcore, and your loved ones happy.

Got to have it: 5 out of 5

More Kinect games available from 10 November:

Crossboard 7 (Konami)

Dance Evolution (Konami)

Dance Paradise (Mindscape)

EA Sports Active 2 (EA)

Game Party: In Motion (Warner Bros)

Get Fit With Mel B (Black Bean)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (EA)

Motion Sports (Ubisoft)

Sonic Free Rider (Sega)

The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout (THQ)

Zumba Fitness (Majesco)

:whistling: Microsoft launch hands-free Kinect for XBox 360 :sleep:

9 hours 57 mins ago

Keen gamers are already queuing for the midnight launch of Microsoft's new Xbox 360 Kinect, a retailer has said.

The motion sensor, which allows users to play games without holding a controller, has been tipped as a Christmas best-seller despite its £129.99 price tag.

UK retailer Game is releasing the first of the gadgets at midnight and said customers had been queuing since 9am outside its Oxford Street store in London.

Game spokesman Neil Ashurst said: "We're excited to be opening our Game stores across the country at midnight. Our customers and staff are equally excited to experience Kinect. This is definitely going to be on Christmas wishlists around the country."

Kinect is compatible with every Xbox 360 console and combines a camera, depth sensor and microphone that tracks full-body movement and individual voices.

Some of the high-profile Kinect-enabled games set to be released before Christmas including Dance Central, in which players mirror moves they see on screen, the child-friendly Kinectimals and Kinect Sports.

The gadget will face competition from Sony's PlayStation Move controller and Nintendo's upgraded WiiMotion Plus.

Stephen McGill, Microsoft's director of Xbox for the UK and Ireland, said: "Kinect for Xbox 360 is set to revolutionise the way people consume entertainment, not just games but movies, music and keeping in touch with friends and family."

Microsoft launch hands-free Kinect for XBox 360

9 hours 57 mins ago

Keen gamers are already queuing for the midnight launch of Microsoft's new Xbox 360 Kinect, a retailer has said.

The motion sensor, which allows users to play games without holding a controller, has been tipped as a Christmas best-seller despite its £129.99 price tag.

UK retailer Game is releasing the first of the gadgets at midnight and said customers had been queuing since 9am outside its Oxford Street store in London.

Game spokesman Neil Ashurst said: "We're excited to be opening our Game stores across the country at midnight. Our customers and staff are equally excited to experience Kinect. This is definitely going to be on Christmas wishlists around the country."

Kinect is compatible with every Xbox 360 console and combines a camera, depth sensor and microphone that tracks full-body movement and individual voices.

Some of the high-profile Kinect-enabled games set to be released before Christmas including Dance Central, in which players mirror moves they see on screen, the child-friendly Kinectimals and Kinect Sports.

The gadget will face competition from Sony's PlayStation Move controller and Nintendo's upgraded WiiMotion Plus.

Stephen McGill, Microsoft's director of Xbox for the UK and Ireland, said: "Kinect for Xbox 360 is set to revolutionise the way people consume entertainment, not just games but movies, music and keeping in touch with friends and family."

[kueytoc]

New 'Call of Duty' blasts last year's sales record

New 'Call of Duty' video game hits $360 million in 24 hours, blowing up entertainment record

Barbara Ortutay, AP Technology Writer, On Friday 12 November 2010, 8:25 SGT

NEW YORK (AP) - "Call of Duty: Black Ops" blasted entertainment records this week by raking in $360 million in its first 24 hours on sale, a dramatic and lucrative indication that video games have cemented their place as mainstream entertainment on a par with movies, books and music.

For the hordes of devoted fans who waited at midnight Monday to get their hands on the military shooter, this is hardly a surprise. For them, popping the new "Call of Duty" into a game console is the equivalent of turning on the TV to watch the Super Bowl or sitting back with a tub of popcorn to watch the latest blockbuster movie.

But while movies happen at you, video games allow the user to affect the story's outcome. That hands-on experience and interactions with other players fit the emerging social-media era where consumers demand a voice in whatever they do.

Across two years, with a budget well in the tens of millions of dollars, the developers of "Black Ops" created a world that immerses players in Cold War-era battles with settings ranging from 1960s Cuba to Vietnam and the Soviet Union.

Its intricate graphics and details -- down to the gruesome sound a knife makes when pulled from an enemy's neck -- are amplified in players' homes through big-screen TV sets and powerful speakers.

In one mission, which takes place with John F. Kennedy in the White House before the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, players must shoot their way through Havana to assassinate a young Fidel Castro.

Cuba state-run media has leveled harsh criticism at the game, calling it "doubly perverse" by glorifying assassination and stimulating "sociopathic attitudes in North American children and adolescents."

"What the United States couldn't accomplish in more than 50 years, they are now trying to do virtually," said an article on Cubadebate, a state-run news website.

Though game developers see their creations as art, not everyone agrees. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments over a California law that seeks to ban the sale of ultra-violent video games to minors. Parents' groups and politicians say games should be regulated like firearms and tobacco rather than like books and movies, which are protected by the First Amendment. A ruling is expected next year.

Many liken these games to movies -- and it's an apt comparison. Along with the hyper-realistic cinematic scenery and surprise plot twists, there are well-known actors -- including Gary Oldman, Ed Harris and Sam Worthington -- lending their voices to the game's main characters. Also, the motion-capture technology used to track actors' bodies is the same that was used in "Avatar."

Activision Blizzard Inc. sold 5.6 million units the day "Call of Duty" went on sale, according to the company. Its predecessor, "Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2," sold 4.7 million copies in 24 hours to reap $310 million on its first day of sale last year. Within a week, it made $550 million.

"Not too many years back it would have been unfathomable that the biggest entertainment launch would be a video game two years in a row," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing.

No longer. Today, such games as "Call of Duty," "Grand Theft Auto" and "Halo" all fit into the blockbuster category, and with each sequel they only get bigger. Production budgets for these games rival those of big-screen movies, as does the marketing push behind them.

"You are delivering not just a gaming experience but a cinematic experience as well," Hirshberg said. "The characters are emerging as the protagonists of the story."

The video game audience has expanded considerably in the last five years, reaching women, young children and even senior centers. But the people who flock to "Call of Duty" and other shooters are still primarily young men, just not as young as some would think. The average U.S. game player is 34 years old, according to the Entertainment Software Association.

A big part of the appeal of "Call of Duty" is its multiplayer feature, meaning gamers can fight against someone across the country or on the other side of the world.

"Everyone thinks that games are these solitary things," said Patrick Markey, a Villanova University professor who studies video games. "But now, hooked up to the Internet, it's friends and strangers we are playing with."

"Black Ops" went on sale Tuesday in North America and the U.K. It costs $60 and works on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gaming consoles, and PCs. With that cost, games have an easier time setting dollar sales records than much less expensive movies or music.

The latest "Call of Duty" game broke records set by its predecessor a year ago. The $360 million in North American and U.K. sales on the first day is higher than any other form of entertainment -- even beating box office sales of top movies in those markets over the entire opening weekend.

The game is rated M for mature -- meaning it's not meant for kids under 17. It's bloody, to be sure, but new media professor Charles Palmer says that's not the main appeal.

"It's the challenge," said Palmer, who teaches at the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. "It's one of those areas that thrills and excites people."

Sports games, such as "Madden," from Electronic Arts, are also popular, as are music simulators such as "Guitar Hero." But shooters in the style of "Call of Duty" continue to be the most popular.

"There is a DNA-level curiosity about and attraction to battle," Hirshberg said. "That has been a staple of the entertainment industry -- movies, television, books and fiction -- forever. And the same is true for video games. 'Call of Duty" has delivered perhaps the gold standard experience of battle."

[kueytoc]

Premier League - Wilkins leaves after SNUB

Thu, 11 Nov 15:20:00 2010

Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins has left the club with immediate effect after the club declined to renew his contract.

"On behalf of everyone at the club I would like to thank Ray for everything he has done for Chelsea Football Club. We all wish him well for the future," Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said.

No reason was given for the sudden departure of Carlo Ancelotti's trusted right-hand man, a former Chelsea midfielder and England international.

The 54-year-old, who began his career at Chelsea and made 179 appearances before joining Manchester United in 1979, has been a steadying influence behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge in recent seasons.

He was appointed assistant coach at Chelsea under Luiz Felipe Scolari and briefly took charge of the first team when the Brazilian was sacked in 2009.

Wilkins worked as assistant to Dutchman Guus Hiddink during his short reign and continued in that role when Italian Ancelotti became manager - helping lead Chelsea to last season's Premier League title.

Wilkins, whose career also took in spells with Milan and Rangers, is a fluent Italian speaker and is credited with maintaining strong links between the players and the coaching staff at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's said that Wilkins had not been offered a new contract and that he would leave immediately.

Reuters

[kueytoc]

Chelsea won't miss Wilkins

Thu Nov 11 05:33PM

Ray Wilkins's removal as Chelsea's assistant manager is an odd one, alright.

Last night, he sat next to Carlo Ancelotti during the 1-0 win against Fulham, and today he watched a reserve team match at the Blues' Cobham training ground.

At half-time, he was reportedly called away and given his marching orders.

Hardly the most dignified exit for a man who brought a welcome touch of grace and humility to Chelsea.

Everyone in football agrees that Wilkins is a thoroughly nice man. Yet, whatever the circumstances of his sacking, his absence will not be keenly felt.

Not because there is anything wrong with Wilkins, you understand. But because the position of assistant manager simply isn't that important - especially for clubs with competent managers.

We like to imagine that number twos are actually the brains of the operation, the power behind the throne.

Brian Clough's assistant Peter Taylor is a case in point - the film version of The Damned United is basically a love story between the two, culminating in Clough's admission that he is nothing without Taylor.

But that is cinema. In any case, Taylor was a special case whose chief skill was actually as a scout, identifying players for Clough to bring in.

His importance was also increased by Clough's cavalier attitude to tactics and training.

The same slapdash trait does not exist in Carlo Ancelotti or any other of today's leading bosses.

Assistant managers might sit in the same dug-out as the gaffer, and do the odd post-match interview, but do not be fooled into thinking they are important.

Steve Clarke was hailed as Mourinho's training-ground general, yet remarkably the Special One has coped without the Scot at Internazionale and Real Madrid.

Clarke's so-called magic was not enough to keep Gianfranco Zola in a job at West Ham, and both men are now unemployed.

When Alex Ferguson's long-time assistant Brian Kidd left Manchester United in 1998, many predicted dire consequences.

A year later, United had won the treble and Kidd had got Blackburn relegated.

Steve McClaren, Jimmy Ryan, Carlos Queiroz (twice) and Walter Smith (briefly) all came and went without any appreciable effect on United's results. Mike Phelan now sits next to Fergie and talks to the BBC for him.

And what of Pat Rice, Arsene Wenger's trusty lieutenant? How much credit does he deserve for the Gunners' success?

I suspect Wenger had kept him on simply because he's good at putting out cones on the London Colney training pitch and he knows where the biscuits are kept.

As for Liverpool, Paco Ayestaran's departure in 2007 has been pinpointed by many as the beginning of the end for Rafa Benitez's reign.

But that didn't stop Benitez's Paco-less Reds finishing second in the Premier League two years later, losing just twice in 38 games.

What of Chelsea without Wilkins?

Ancelotti wrote in his recent autobiography: "Ray is a real blue-blood, Chelsea flows in his veins. Without him, we couldn't have won a thing."

Kind words, but the fact the Italian was happy to lose Wilkins suggests he might have been exaggerating a touch.

Butch was a familiar and friendly face around the club, and perhaps an important figure in helping Ancelotti to bring the squad on side.

But the manager's English is now up to scratch, and the players trust him, making Wilkins expendable.

His removal is unexpected and ruthless, but don't expect the effects to be felt on the pitch.

[kueytoc]

Premier League - Barton banned after accepting charge

Thu, 11 Nov 19:19:00 2010

Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton will be banned for three Premier League matches after accepting a charge of violent conduct following an incident during Wednesday's 2-1 home loss to Blackburn Rovers.

The 28-year-old was charged by the Football Association on Thursday for punching Rovers' Norway midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen in the chest, which was not seen by the referee.

"I fully accept that I was in the wrong on this occasion and accept the charge that the FA have brought against me," Barton said in a club statement before apologising to all involved.

"This season I have really been enjoying my football and although I have been on the receiving end of a few robust challenges I have, up until now, remained calm in the face of provocation and just carried on with the game.

"But I hold my hands up, I reacted badly to the situation on Wednesday night and I deeply regret it."

Barton was given until Friday to reply to the charge and under the FA's fast-track regulations his admission means he will now be handed a standard three-match ban.

The incident is the latest in a long list of disciplinary problems faced by the former Manchester City player, who joined Newcastle in June 2007. He was jailed in 2008 for assault.

He will now miss the Premier league matches against Fulham, Bolton Wanderers and Chelsea.

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton said: "He has worked so hard on his game this season, but he knows that he can't react the way he did on Wednesday."

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOEY BARTON

April 2004 - Storms out of Eastlands before kick-off after being axed from the Manchester City side to face Southampton.

July 2004 - Sparks a mass brawl in a pre-season 'friendly' against Doncaster.

December 2004 - A Christmas bash for Manchester City players sees him stub a lit cigar into the eye of young team-mate Jamie Tandy. He is fined six weeks' wages by City.

May 2005 - Breaks the leg of a 35-year-old pedestrian while driving his car at 2am in Liverpool city centre.

June 2005 - Involved in a spat with a 15-year-old Everton fan at City's team hotel in Bangkok. Again he is fined by City.

October 2006 - The bad blood with Everton fans continues in 2006 when he drops his shorts in the direction of home fans at Goodison Park. He is fined and warned by the FA for his conduct.

December 2006 - Blasts England players releasing autobiographies after an unsuccessful World Cup campaign. "England did nothing in the World Cup, so why are they bringing books out? 'We got beat in the quarter-finals, I played like s***, here's my book'. Who wants to read that? I don't," he says.

February 2007 - Makes his England debut against Spain, replacing Frank Lampard, one of the players he was thought to have aimed his earlier criticism at.

March 2007 - Arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage in an incident involving a taxi driver. He is alleged to have ripped out the cabbie's radio because he would not wait at a McDonald's drive-through while Barton got food. He is later found not guilty of vandalising the taxi. His cousin, Joshua Wilson, 19, admitted doing the damage.

May 2007 - Involved in a training ground incident with Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo, who presses charges. Barton admits assault and in July 2008 is given a four-month suspended jail sentence. In November 2008 he is also given a six-match ban, with a further six suspended, after admitting an FA violent conduct charge relating to the incident.

June 2007 - Sold by City to Newcastle Utd for £5.8 million. Aims parting shot at City boss Stuart Pearce, blaming his departure on a "relationship breakdown" between the pair.

November 2007 - The press reacts furiously to a studs-up challenge on Sunderland's Dickson Etuhu during the Tyne-Wear derby. "Ban him" screams the News of the World headline. He escapes FA sanction.

December 2007 - Sits out Newcastle's Boxing Day game through injury, but goes drinking in Liverpool city centre afterwards. In the early hours of December 27 he gets into a row in a McDonald's and violence again breaks out. Drunk, Barton straddles his victim, punching him repeatedly in the face. He is refused bail and is forced to spend the New Year behind bars.

May 2008 - Admits assault and affray and is jailed for six months, of which he serves 74 days at Strangeways prison in Manchester,

November 2008 - Escapes FA action after an on-pitch incident involving Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor. Media reports claim Barton made a racial slur but Agbonlahor decides not to pursue disciplinary action.

May 2009 - Sent off on first game back from a long-term injury against Liverpool for a wild tackle on Xabi Alonso. Suspended by club following claims of a dressing-room row with manager Alan Shearer.

November 2010 - Backs controversial team-mate Andy Carroll for an England call, saying: "The frustrating thing for me is we pick the good guys, the guys who won't cause any problems. Hopefully England will stop worrying about what the sponsors are going to say and that 'goody two-shoes' is the right image for Team England. They need to start picking players to win football matches ... He can't be any worse than what's gone before."

November 2010 - Charged with violent conduct by the FA for apparently punching Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen.

Reuters

[kueytoc]

ACS (I) teacher returns to school

By Alicia Wong – November 12th, 2010

The teacher, who accused former principal of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Ong Teck Chin of behaving inappropriately towards him , will be returning to the school to teach biology, according to The Straits Times (ST) on Friday.

The school’s acting principal Fanny Tan met the heads of department this week to tell them Mr Mark Richie Tan would be back in a teaching position, reported the paper.

He is expected to be back in school this week, but will not be teaching as it is the examination period.

The controversy broke last month when Mr Tan, who is in his early 30s, filed a complaint with the school’s Board of Governors that Dr Ong had behaved inappropriately toward him.

He told the media he had e-mail, text messages and recordings to prove his claims. He later denied saying so in previous reports.

While previous reports pegged Mr Tan as a former teacher, having resigned from ACS (I), Mr Tan said he was still with the school.

The board has put together a 15-page report after investigating his claims, and is expected to release a statement soon.

On Thursday, ST reported the document put Dr Ong in a negative light and reinforced Mr Tan’s original allegations.

A student, who declined to be named as teachers and students have been told not to speak to the media, told ST, they were looking forward to having Mr Tan back in school since he is a good biology teacher.

“’Hopefully, whatever is over is over and he can just concentrate on being a good biology teacher like before,” said another student.

Mr Tan was with ACS (I) for over three years, and had taught at Anglo-Chinese Junior College before that.

It is believed Mr Tan and Dr Ong started working closely in the second half of 2009, and he functioned as a personal aide to Dr Ong.

Dr Ong, declining comment on the report when contacted earlier this week, had previously cited health reasons for his resignation.

The Board of Governors is now searching for a new principal.

[kueytoc]

We Never Lose Alone...Liverpool choke at Stoke

AFP - Sunday, November 14

STOKE, United Kingdom (AFP) - – Ricardo Fuller and Kenwyne Jones scored to earn Stoke a deserved 2-0 win over Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

Tony Pulis's team controlled the entire match and only stout Liverpool defending prevented the Potters from going ahead earlier before Fuller opened the scoring just after half time.

The Reds rarely looked like pulling level and a late effort from Jones ensured they slipped to a fifth English Premier League defeat of the season.

To make matters worse for Liverpool, they lost Lucas to a red card for a second caution in the closing stages.

Stoke attacked from the very start and looked dangerous from a couple of early trademark long throws from Rory Delap.

The first effort saw Maxi Rodriguez bundle Jamaica striker Fuller to the ground before Martin Skrtel had to drag Robert Huth out of the way to head clear.

Fuller drove over the bar from 25 yards as the hosts, who ended a five-match losing run with a 3-2 victory over Birmingham on Tuesday, piled forward at every opportunity.

From another long throw, Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina complained he was being held before the Spaniard pulled off a fine save from Dean Whitehead's drive.

From the Matthew Etherington corner that followed, Jones glanced a header wide from six yards after his marker Sotirios Kyrgiakos had slipped.

Whitehead then narrowly missed the target with a thumping drive after Kyrgiakos had only half-cleared a Ryan Shawcross free kick.

The visitors finally had an effort of their own when England midfielder Steven Gerrard's corner found Kyrgiakos but the Greece defender's header deflected away off Andy Wilkinson.

But soon they were having to defend again when Huth flicked on a Delap throw and former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant came close to turning the ball in at the far post.

Gerrard was finally causing Stoke some problems and a long-range strike was scrambled wide by Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

From the Gerrard corner that followed, Raul Meireles had one shot blocked and then forced a save from Begovic with a stinging shot from distance.

After Lucas gave away possession in midfield, Fuller fed Jones and the striker's drilled cross was turned away by Jamie Carragher ahead of Etherington.

Liverpool were struggling to maintain possession in the Stoke half and when they did, they could not thread the ball through to Fernando Torres and Gerrard missed with another hopeful long-range effort.

After the restart, Carragher produced a desperate clearance to a Shawcross free kick and a header from Jones from the resulting Pennant corner skidded across the Liverpool area.

Liverpool continued to struggle to assert themselves in attack and a free kick from Gerrard bounced harmlessly wide to sum up their frustration.

But in the 56th minute, finally a Delap throw set up Stoke's breakthrough.

Liverpool failed to clear and Huth laid off to Etherington, who crossed, and after Fuller had one effort blocked by Paul Konchesky, he prodded in from six yards to give the hosts a deserved lead.

Liverpool threatened to pull level when Gerrard fed Dirk Kuyt and the Dutchman's cross picked out Rodriguez, whose low drive was held by Begovic.

Then a Gerrard free kick was headed down by Kyrgiakos and Skrtel's stab at goal was deflected wide.

Substitute Ryan Babel hit a hopeful shot well wide as Liverpool's desperation increased but Lucas was sent off for a second yellow card late on after Jones sealed victory in the 90th minute.

[kueytoc]

Mancini under fire as City held by Birmingham

AFP - Sunday, November 14

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) - – Manchester City reached four hours and 45 minutes without a home league goal in a dour 0-0 draw against Birmingham on Saturday which is certain to fuel further speculation about the future of manager Roberto Mancini.

City supporters are certainly growing increasingly disenchanted with Mancini and booed furiously at his decision to replace the popular Carlos Tevez late in the game, an indication of a growing groundswell in the wake of recent results.

The Italian had been widely criticised for what was perceived as a safety-first approach to the goalless, midweek Manchester derby and opted for a rare start for his exciting England winger Adam Johnson against a Birmingham team yet to win away from St Andrew's this season.

Yet, as City stuttered to the interval and a 0-0 half-time scoreline, they had reached four hours of league football at Eastlands without a goal, a depressing sequence dating back to Johnson's winning goal against Newcastle at the start of last month.

City supporters vented their frustration at the half-time whistle, pockets of them booing off their team and manager, although some of that ire was probably also aimed at referee Mike Jones.

Tevez had actually turned the ball into the Birmingham goal after 39 minutes but clearly used his hand in steering David Silva's intelligent header past Ben Foster. To add insult to injury, the Argentinian was cautioned for the deliberate handball.

The early exchanges saw the game bogged down in midfield and it was not until the 17th minute that Tevez came up with the game's first shot, a low skidding effort, which he drilled wide left of the Birmingham net.

Eight minutes later James Milner intelligently found Aleksandar Kolarov and the full-back tested Ben Foster with a low shot which skidded over the wet surface but presented the former Manchester United keeper with few problems as he smothered comfortably.

Birmingham responded with a shot of their own, an ambitious and wayward Keith Fahey shot that passed harmlessly wide, before manager Alex McLeish finally had something to shout about, leaping from his bench to join his players' appeals for a penalty after Liam Ridgewell went down under an apparent trip from Adam Johnson, although replays suggested referee Jones had made the correct call.

City took just 14 seconds of the second half to come closest yet to ending their futile scoring streak, Milner winning a tussle in the area with Foster and shooting goalwards only for defender Stephen Carr to appear and make a magnificently-timed goal-line clearance.

Johnson was becoming more influential and showed great footwork as he surged into the area just after the hour but his promising strike hit team mate Milner and deflected wide.

As they came under increasing pressure, Birmingham's Barry Ferguson misjudged a back pass which fell straight to Tevez and allowed him to sprint into their area before shooting inches wide of the diving Foster.

The pressure was lifted, momentarily, by a Fahey snap-shot which Joe Hart was required to save with a swift dive low to his right.

Sebastian Larsson, with a low shot, and Scott Dann, from a set-piece header, also saw glimpses of the City goal without truly testing Hart while the home side's final flurry came from Nigel de Jong's 84th minute chip which Foster leaped to catch and an even later Gareth Barry shot which the goalkeeper kept out at full stretch.

[kueytoc]

Feeling HUNGRY ???

How to make perfect scrambled eggs

Scrambled eggs are the king of the breakfast table. What's your method for attaining eggy perfection?

The Guardian - Thursday, 11 November 2010 07:03 GMT

How would you like your eggs? What a question. The eternal struggle between what I want a creamy pile of golden deliciousness and what I suspect I'll get a pallid, quivering mess ­ sucks me in every single time I treat myself to breakfast out. Wimpishly, I generally end up ordering fried instead or, if I'm feeling particularly brave, poached, because nothing brings on a hangover quicker than bad scrambled eggs. Equally, not much beats the lazy, luxurious pleasure of well-cooked ones and, unless you breakfast regularly in smart hotels, they're something best left to slow weekend mornings at home.

Classic eggs

Delia, the queen of eggs, having taught the nation once and for all how to boil them, seems a good place to start. In her Complete Cookery Course, she admits to being a "disciple of Escoffier" on the subject of scrambling, which sounds an uncharacteristically Francophile admission from our homely domestic goddess, but I'm willing to give the good monsieur's method a try on her recommendation.

I heat a "walnut of butter" in a "small solid saucepan over a gentle heat" and whisk two large eggs together with a pinch of salt and pepper. Once the butter is foaming ("whatever you do, don't let it brown" cautions Delia) I pour in the eggs and "stir like mad" with a wooden spoon. When the eggs are almost, but not completely set I take the pan off the heat and add another knob of butter, "which will melt into it as it finishes cooking in the heat of the pan". The results are pleasing: a deep yellow colour, with a rich, buttery flavour, although I like my eggs slightly creamier in texture. Textbook eggs, but not quite velvety enough for my tastes.

Gordon

If anyone knows about poshing up scrambled eggs, it's a Michelin-starred chef, so I turn to Gordon Ramsay for advice. His method is quite different from Delia's I break the eggs into a cold pan over a very low heat, and add the butter, stirring the eggs frequently until they begin to set; a good six or seven minutes. In goes another knob of butter, there's more stirring (Gordon likens the process to making a risotto), and then, just before they're completely set, I take the pan off the heat and stir in a teaspoon of crème fraîche and season. The whole process has taken over 10 minutes, but the eggs are wonderfully rich and creamy; in fact, they're a little too smooth. Egg sauce doesn't have quite the right texture, however wonderful the flavour.

Bill

The best scrambled eggs in the world are popularly supposed to be served by sunny-faced Australian chef Bill Granger, dubbed by no lesser authority than the New York Times, "the egg master of Sydney". They are, apparently, "divinely creamy" but also "as light as the breath of an angel". This, I have to try.

I heat the "merest sliver" of butter in a non-stick pan over a high heat, and whisk together two eggs, a pinch of salt, and 6 tbsp single cream. After about a minute, I pour in the eggs, and leave them for 20 seconds, my hands twitching on the wooden spoon, then stir them very slowly, gently pushing the sides in to the centre of the pan: Bill tells me to think of them as "folded rather than scrambled eggs".

They're allowed to cook unmolested for another 10 seconds, before I then dive in again with the spoon, and so on, until they're just set, with big, soft curds. Thanks to all that cream, the eggs are pale, and I regret to admit I'm disappointed by them; they're heinously rich, without tasting of much but cream, and I find their famous lightness of texture more akin to an egg mousse than anything I'd trust myself with when I was feeling a bit delicate. Maybe things just taste better in the sunshine.

Slow food

I forget where, but I once read that the scrambled eggs should be cooked so slowly and gently that, for optimum results, a candle would be the ideal heat source. I haven't got the strength of will or arm to stir a pan over a tealight for an hour, but the idea intrigues me, and I decide to try scrambling my eggs in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (as apparently favoured by "the French" according to one online sage). This takes bloody ages don't bother putting the toast on for at least quarter of an hour and the results resemble something you might step over outside Wetherspoons after a heavy Friday night. The taste is good, but no better than Gordon Ramsay's, and soured slightly for me by the extra washing up.

Poached

San Francisco chef Daniel Patterson popped up in the New York Times a few years ago excitedly proclaiming he'd discovered a new way of scrambling eggs, after his environmental-lawyer fiancée banished Teflon-coated pans from the kitchen, and he got sick of scraping egg from the new cast-iron set. He decided to whisk them together, and then poach them as one would a whole egg: "I expected that they would act much as the intact eggs did and bind quickly, but I did not expect them to set into the lightest, most delicate scrambled eggs imaginable," he exclaims breathlessly in the article.

I'm suspicious ­ how can eggs cooked without fat of any kind redeem themselves into a decent breakfast? but I give it a try nevertheless, sieving my eggs, as recommended by Daniel's friend Harold McGee, in order to get rid of the wateriest bit of the whites, given they're not fresh from the farm, beating them together, and then pouring them into a whirlpool in a pan of simmering water. I then cover the pan, count to 20, take a deep breath, and drain them into a sieve. The stuff is distressing to the eye; a weird, scrunched up mass of egg which, even when patted dry with kitchen paper and seasoned with copious amounts of melted butter and sea salt, is barely recognisable as the same foodstuff as I've been cooking all week. One for health fiends only.

Fine tuning

I find a video of Gordon scrambling eggs online, in which he claims that whisking them beforehand is bad (something I'm happy to take on trust, given stirring them together in the pan saves on washing up), and adding salt before cooking "breaks down the eggs, turning them into something very watery". As I don't find retrospective seasoning entirely satisfactory (the salt doesn't seem to blend as well somehow, and I end up adding far more to compensate), I test this, and can detect no difference between the eggs salted during cooking, and those salted afterwards, except the first ones taste slightly better. Perhaps I'm imagining it, but I decide to ignore Mr Ramsay on this one.

I also experiment with different fats: just butter, a la Delia, isn't creamy enough, but both milk and cream leave the eggs slightly loose and watery. Reluctantly, I concede that Gordon's fancy crème fraîche gives the best results; thick, rich, and ever-so-slightly tangy. In a rare concession to health, I deem the second lot of butter unnecessary. I'm still not happy with the final texture of Ramsay's recipe though, so, taking a leaf from Bill Granger's book, I turn up the heat and, after mixing the eggs together in the pan, leave them for a few seconds, then begin to stir, then leave them, and so on. This gives larger curds, which work perfectly with the creamy richness of the eggs.

Great scrambled eggs require a generous hand with the fat, and single-minded devotion to stirring and watching leave them alone for a second, and they'll overcook. Get someone else to make the toast.

Perfect scrambled eggs

Serves 1

2 large free-range eggs

Knob of butter

Pinch of salt

1 tsp crème fraîche

1. Break the eggs into a small, heavy-based frying pan or saucepan and add the butter and salt. Place over a medium-high heat, and stir the eggs together with a wooden spoon.

2. Once well-combined, leave the eggs for 10 seconds, and then stir again. If they're setting too quickly, take them off the heat to stir and then replace. Repeat until they begin to set, and then stir continuously until they're nearly as cooked as you like them; always take them off the heat before they're done.

3. Whip the pan off the heat, stir in the crème fraîche, and serve immediately.

Are scrambled eggs the king of the breakfast table, and if so, is this the best way to cook them? When bacon and black pudding just doesn't appeal, Huevos a la Mexicana, with tomatoes, chillies and coriander is my favourite variation ­ what's yours?

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