Kotla to host first int'l game after year ban

New Delhi, Feb 23: The high profile South Africa-versus-West Indies encounter on Thursday, Feb 24 will be New Delhi's Ferozshah Kotla stadium's first international match after a year-long ban.

One of India's oldest stadiums, Kotla was slapped with the ban after an India v Sri Lanka ODI in December 2009 had to be abandoned because of a dangerous pitch. Since then, International Cricket Council's (ICC) pitch consultant Andy Atkinson has been a regular visitor to Delhi to oversee the corrective work at the venue. ICC finally reinstated the ground as an international arena last December.

"I think we are all aware of what has happened in Delhi," South African captain Graeme Smith told reporters ahead of Thursday's World Cup Group B match. "From our perspective and West Indies' perspective, it is an unknown factor. But I think you can see they have made a really big effort out here. The field is looking good, you can see they have put a lot of work into the surface. You got to commend them for that. Let's hope it all works out tomorrow."

When asked about the potential efficacy of his tweakers on the wicket which is known to aid turn and bounce, Smith gloated over the fact thaty his side is well-stocked with quality spinners. "I think it's probably our best spin attack that we have ever had coming into the sub-continent. Most variety that we have ever had. We have got a lot of options, we have got three frontline spinners and also some batters who bowl spin."

While he sees an enhanced role for the spinners in the sub-continent, Smith expects fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel to hurt opponents with pace and bounce. "There is always a place for genuine pace. I don't think anybody likes to face people who bowl at 155 kph. If someone tells you they enjoy it, they are lying to you."

Smith certainly knows that he's got a lot of potent weapons in his infantry and will be hoping they all fire in Thursday's match.

Swann wants to silence Indian crowd

England off-spinner Graeme Swann likes the sound of silence, especially, the silence he will evoke from the Indian crowd at Bangalore's Channaswamy stadium, if England manage to overpower India in Sunday's World Cup tie.

"We had a very poor time of things in the one-day series here a couple of years ago", obsered the 31-year old tweaker. "So that's certainly something we want to turn around because there is nothing better than silencing an Indian crowd."

But Swann, who is coming off a stellar year where he was the highest Test wicket-taker, recognises the need for England to up their game, especially after a lacklustre show against the Dutch in Tuesday's game. Swann returned figures of 2/35, but the field was riddled with drop catches and wayward bowling.

"Come Bangalore it will be a huge game and one we will need to raise our standards for, particularly in the field because, let's face it, we were like a bunch of schoolboys (against the Netherlands).

Swann, who had been grappling with a knee injury, was pleased by the way he bowled upon returning to international cricket "I'm delighted because I've let the team down a couple of times before after a bit of a break and promised I wouldn't do it this time, so I'm glad I lived up to my word."

Swann joined up late with the squad following the birth of his son, Wilfred, and he admitted: "Within two days of the little fellow coming into the world I'm saying a teary goodbye. That's our lot as international cricketers."

Sachin bats left-handed

Indian batting genius Sachin Tendulkar got a little adventurous during a training session on Wednesday. He decided to shirk his right-handed batting status and switched to left. He faced about a dozen balls from local bowlers and his team-mates, biffing a couple of big hits as well from his disadvantged stance.

Perhaps the move was a tribute to his former rival and West Indies batting great Brian Lara. But Tendulkar, who is known to be ambidextrous (as he signs autographs with his left hand sometimes) would not have found batting left-handed all that uncomfortable.

But the real shocker was that he played his shots without any gloves on! The devout fan would cringe at the risk the Little Master put his knuckles through in batting without the proper gear.

For the second consecutive day, Virender Sehwag didn't join the team for practice while Bhajji also sat out the day. Meanwhile, pacers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra had light training session at the NCA gymnasium to strengthen their backs. Like Tuesday, Kirsten spent more time with the youngsters such as Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan.

Home advantage means more pressure for Ind:Kallis

New Delhi, Feb 23: He knows a thing or two about pressure as his career spanning over 15 years has been full of it. South African premier batsman Jacques Kallis strongly feels that India's so-called home advantage will be negated by the extreme pressure they are under to deliver in this World Cup.

"I don't any team starts as favorites at the moment. A lot of people are talking about India but we know how hard it is to play under pressure at home. That probably negates their home advantage," the 35-year-old all-rounder told reporters during their practice session at the Ferozeshah Kotla, ahead of South Africa's World Cup opener against the West Indies.

Kallis pointed out that consistency in countering pressure and winning matches will be key to a team's success in the tournament. "Ultimately it boils down to how you play in the group stage and once you reach the quarterfinals, semifinals, final anything can happen. I think all the teams are evenly matched. The team which plays the best game under pressure will come out on top," he added.

When questioned about South Africa's infamous "choker's tag" i.e., the tendency to lose matches from winning positions, Kallis went on the defensive. "A lot is being made in the media about the chokers tag. But we players don't even think about it. Every time the team loses people say the team has choked. But it is certainly not something which haunt us. We have a young team, 11 out of the 15 have never played in a World Cup. So it doesn't bother us. We are just worried about playing good cricket."

Asked about South Africa's chances of winning its match against the Windies on Thursday, Kallis expressed some apprehension at facing the perceivable "underdogs". "They are a dangerous side. They have got a few players who can change the game. We need to be on the top our game. You can't take any side lightly because one bad result against you can put pressure," Kallis said.

He also seemed excited with the fact that South Africa have packed their squad with three specialist spinners. "We know that the wickets are going to help the spinners. It's nice to have three quality spinners in our side.

Kallis who is the world's top-ranked allrounder with an aggregate of over 11,000 runs and a tally of 250 wickets, has recovered from a rib injury sustained during India's tour of the Rainbow Nation last year, and will feature as a key man for his side in tomorrow's match.

Aussies up against Kiwis on Fri, Feb 25

Australia Vs New Zealand
Starting time: 9:30 am IST
Venue: Nagpur

The stage is set for the first big clash in this World Cup as the traditional rivals from Down Under are ready to take each other on in what promises to be a ripper of a match. Both Australia and New Zealand have come up trumps against lesser sides in the tournament so far and will be looking to consolidate their standing in Group A with another win.

It seems at the outset, the Aussies are clear favourites to win this encounter going by their track record against New Zealand. After all, they have beaten them 84 times and been defeated on just 34 occasions while since the last World Cup, the win:loss ratio has been 8:4.

Australia even claimed victory in the last best-of-five series they played the Kiwis in, which unfolded in March last year. But the Kiwis might be inclined to take heart from the fact that they have won the very last match played against the Aussies, victory coming comprehensively, by 51 runs on that occasion.

Another encouraging fact for the Kiwis is that their premier all-rounder Scott Styris emerged the highest run-getter in that series, with an aggregate of 199 runs and an average of 49.75 with a competitive strike rate of 87.28. In fact, he just managed to edge out Michael Hussey, who made 198 runs in total with an average just a shade under Styris' at 49.50 and an even better strike rate of 94.73.

Alas, he made the injury list just prior to the Cup and was replaced by Callum Ferguson. So New Zealand can look forward to playing a side bereft of the experience and verve of Hussey. However, another Aussie - Brad Haddin, who is very much in the World Cup squad - totalled 192 with an average of 38.40 and a strike rate of 86.87. So that's someone the Kiwis will have to be wary of.

On the bowling front, Mitchell Johnson finished in the March 2010 5-match series with a table-topping tally of 12 wickets from 5 matches at a staggering average of just 18.33.

Shane Bond who was the second most effective bowler with 9 scalps and average of 21.00, is out of the reckoning as he retired mid-2010. So he obviously won't be around to trouble the Aussies. But the next best Kiwi bowler in that series - Daniel Vettori, who finished with an average oif 24.50 - will be raring to have a go at the Kiwis' cricketing foes.

Other players that may prove key for New Zealand will be Ross Taylor (even though his form has been wavering a bit of late), Brendon McCullum, James Franklin and Jesse Ryder, all of whom bear an ominous past against Australia. Not to be forgotten is Hamish Bennett. If the rookie fast bowler continues to bowl with the speed and accuracy he used against Kenya on Sunday (against whom he took four wickets), he could cause serious problems for Australia.

Meanwhile the Aussies to watch out for include Mitchell Johnson, who is fresh from his match-winning 4/19 against Zimbabwe, Shaun Tait who backed hinm well in the same match with a couple of wickets and Shane Watson who made a fairly pacy 79 in Monday's match and also aggregated 192 in the last series against New Zealand.

As far as the World Cup warm-up games last week go, the signs are positive for Martin Guptill who made 130 and 38 against Ireland and India respectively and Jesse Ryder who pitched in with 48 and 32 in the same matches, while Daniel Vettori took 4/42 against Ireland and Southee and Oram who took two wickets a piece against India.

Meanwhile, Ponting made a decent 57 and 55, albeit in rather slow knocks, against India and South Africa, while Clarke who got a duck against the former team, notched up 73 against the latter. Brett Lee was the Aussies' most effectiove bowler, getting 3/35 against India.

So can New Zealand turn the tables on Australia on cricket's greatest stage? The answer awaits this Friday...

Google joins in the cricket frenzy with Doodle

The cricket fever is about to attain new heights and will climax into a fervour that is infectious and will devour everybody. There is sheer excitement in the air as we stand on the threshold of the Cricket World Cup that will kick start today in Bangladesh. Its not just the public that is reeling under the excitement but the world's biggest search engine, Google, has also jumped into the bandwagon to celebrate the cricket frenzy.

They have come up with a simple Google Doodle this time around. The image shows Google written on a cricket field with the second G in the word 'Google' been replaced by a batsman, who has been shown to be playing a sweeping shot. Google has kept the idea plain and simple with the latest Google Doodle and the viewers will not have to rack their brains to decipher the hidden meaning in the Google Doodle.

Take a ride on Google's doodle world

Google Doodles are extremely popular among netizens and celebrates holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists and scientists in a timely manner. These decorative changes in Google's logo are much anticipated and evokes a lot of excitement in the minds of the viewers.

Trisha, Priyamani in Fashion remake?

Madhur Bhandarkar's Bollywood super hit Fashion (2008), which won Priyanka Chopra and Kangna Ranaut their first National Awards, will be soon remade in Tamil and Telugu. A source close to a Mumbai based production company revealed that the production house has recently approached actress Nayantara to play the lead role when they decided to remake their Fashion in Tamil. But now the remake had fallen in Trisha's lap, with Priyamani likely to do Kangna's role.

Playboy Covergirl Candice Boucher in AAZAAN

 

Audiences will see me totally urbanised in 'Joker', 'Kick': Sonakshi

After making an impact as a village belle in 'Dabangg', newcomer Sonakshi Sinha is set to change her on screen image with her next two films - 'Kick', where she will romance Salman Khan again, and 'Joker' with Akshay Kumar.

Kareena's new skin show fundas

No more bikinis onscreen. No shedding weight for the screen too. Sexy? Surely. Kareena Kapoor's new found philosophy spells it outright with a difference.

iphone app download

Apple monopoly? Only on planet Bizarro!

With Apple finally pulling the cover off its subscription pricing plan for iPad content, vendors are screaming about antitrust violations. Now there are reports that Justice and the FTC as well as the European Commission are taking a look. Only on Superman’s Bizarro world in a parallel universe could this be true.
The Wall Street Journal pointed to sources in antitrust agencies as well as talking with some legal analysts.
According to the “experts,” the determination is about whether Apple dominates the market, and even what exactly comprises the market. Is it all media, spanning print and digital, or just digital. And what exactly is “digital” here? Is it the hardware platform, the format, the store and development tools?

But, [Herbert Hovenkamp, an antitrust professor at the University of Iowa College of Law] said, if Apple gets to a point where it is selling 60 percent or more of all digital subscriptions through its App Store, “then you might move into territory where an antitrust challenge would seem feasible.”
Mr. Ghosh said courts in antitrust inquiries may look favorably when a company can articulate a legitimate business justification for behavior alleged to be anticompetitive. For this reason, Apple may “come up with a business justification” for some of its restrictive subscription terms, he said. “They have invested in a platform so they need to create incentives to use the platform.”

But what do the numbers really tell us at this moment?
If we’re taking about e-readers, then the iPad is still trailing by some 15 percent the Amazon Kindle. Of course, the Kindle is losing share and the iPad is gaining but the share figures measured a few months ago showed the Kindle at 47 percent and the iPad at 32 percent.
If we’re talking about mobile app share, then Apple is in third place: RIM is on top with 33.5 percent share, Google Android is in second with 26 percent and Apple a close third place with 25 percent.
And even in the mobile video market, where Cupertino has dominated for years with the iPod, Apple is only somewhat over 60 percent. In a recent survey, Apple iTunes movie downloads accounted for 64.5 percent of the market, Microsoft Zune Video Store rose to 17.9 percent and Sony had a 7.2 percent share.
Maybe the problem is about apps. If you look at actual 2010 sales of apps, then Apple had an 82.7 percent share, with Android coming in with a 4.7 percent share. And perhaps it’s a reflection on early-adopters of the Android platform refusing to actually pay for their apps. That will certainly change over time.
So, what am I missing, other than a bunch of whining content creators, that there’s a real antitrust issue here? There’s no there there.

11 reasons NOT to buy an iPad 2 (including 6 that haven't changed from the iPad 1)

The rumor mills are having a field day. Our own Larry Dignan reports on reports that Apple may be introducing the iPad 2 on March 2. The tech industry groupthink known collectively as Techmeme has lost its collective mind.
Into this insanity must come some reason, and with that reason must come reasons. In this article, I present five completely new reasons not to buy an iPad 2, along with six reasons that sadly survive from my earlier article about the original iPad, 9 reasons you might NOT want to give an iPad this Christmas.
I can feel the love already, but remember: making money is a lot of work. You should keep it in your pocket and only share it with Apple if it’ll buy you something you need. Just because you’ve been hypnotized by Apple’s hype is not a good reason to lose $500-800 bucks. Trust me on this. I’ve been there.
Before I try to put the sanity back in the bottle, let me remind you that — at least as of today — the iPad 2 is just rumor. So when I tell you these things, they’re based on the best rumors available, purveyed by the very best of the rumor purveyors in the land.
Once we’ve seen the child of light, for real, we’ll know more. In the meantime, let’s get started.
Reason 1: The iPad 3 is coming
Yes, last time I said not to buy an iPad because the iPad 2 was on the horizon. Now, I’m telling you not to buy an iPad 2 because the iPad 3 is on the way. There’s a reason.
All indications are that the iPad 2 is a mere mid-season design refresh, shrinking the size a bit, adding a camera where a camera was always expected, and keeping the display the same.
Apparently, Apple couldn’t get the Retina display ready in time for a spring launch, so they’re just going ahead with a paen to the masses, and launching the iPad 2.
Mark my words: if you get an iPad 2 now, you’ll be deeply disappointed when the iPad 3 comes out.
Reason 2: Steve Jobs may not be hands-on

Update: Slight lack of sleep here. Verizon does have an iPad, so don’t expect to see AT&T-only as an issue. Updated Reason 2 to reflect a possible lack of obsessive adult supervision.
Steve Job’s fingerprints have been on virtually all Apple products released in the last decade. His obsessive attention to detail has been responsible for the exceptional fit and finish unique to Apple products, but also for some of the quirks and limitations.
With Jobs on medical leave, the same level of care and attention may not be taken for this next generation of products. Apple claims Jobs is still running the show, but if the poor guy’s sick, he just may not be able to be as hands-on as he used to be — and the question is whether that will impact the quality and overall vision of the products.
For reasons far more than just Apple products, we hope Jobs gets well, soon.
The rumor mongers ran amok over the past few weeks with the theory that the iPad 2 would have an SD slot. This, of course, violates Apple’s basic Gestapo approach to hardware design, and was unlikely to be part of the iPad 2.
Now, the rumoristas are reporting that there won’t be an SD card slot, removing any practical, non-camera advantage of the iPad 2 over the original iPad.
Reason 4: You already have an iPad
Face it. If you’re foaming at the mouth over the iPad 2, you already have an iPad. It’s just an obvious point. If you haven’t already purchased an iPad, then you have some control over your purchase urges and you’ll wait and see what the market has in store.
But if you’re reading this, getting more and more worked up, shaking your fist, and screaming, “Gewirtz!” into the drop ceiling of your mom’s basement, then you already have an iPad.
The iPad 2 is the same machine. Sure, there might be a little more RAM and it might hurt your tiny, little hands a little less to lift it, but that’s about it. Yes, we’re hearing there’s a camera, but the sad truth is that if you’re one of those rabid Apple fanbois still living in your mom’s basement, no one other than your mom wants to see your face.
Save your money.
Reason 5: Competition
Without a doubt, every electronics manufacturer has noticed the insane success of the iPad. To Apple’s credit, none of them has managed to compete on both functionality and price. As our own Jason Perlow reports, no one else has Apple’s supply chain advantage.
But the past doesn’t equal the future and there will undoubtedly be interesting competitors, especially coming from the HP/Palm partnership and from the Android world. Sure, there will be horrid, little Android tablets littering the land, but there will eventually be real contenders.
At that point, you might want to look for an open device that will allow you to use your hardware the way you want, without Mommy Apple holding your hand all the way.
Well, except for you angry Mac fans living in the basement. We know your story.
No matter how exciting it is that Apple’s introducing a new product, and no matter how much you think any Apple introduction should be enshrined as a national holiday, the fact is that this promotional event is merely that: promotional.
Much of the iPad’s original limitations are still out there. I draw your attention back to my original 9 reasons article and present to you a short list of iPad disappointments that probably will still remain disappointments:

• Reason 6: There’s still no USB port
• Reason 7: You still have to use iTunes
• Reason 8: There’s still no way to wirelessly synchronize your bookmarks
• Reason 9: Kindles are still much less expensive
• Reason 10: You can still only run software approved by Apple
• Reason 11: It still can’t be used as a standalone computer

So there you go. Eleven reasons. If you haven’t bought an iPad, the iPad 2 might be a worthwhile buy, especially if you want to spend $600 on the very best Angry Birds game console ever created.
But if you already have an iPad, save your money. Some day, your mom may insist you move out and you’ll need that money for rent (or to buy an iPad 3).

Google Chrome 10 beta - Faster JavaScript, GPU acceleration, and more!

Google has just released Chrome 10 beta (10.0.648.82 for all you perfectionists) and it brings with it a whole slew of new things to play with.
First off, there’s a significant JavaScript performance boost thanks to the updated V8 engine. According to Google, this version of the V8 engine offers a 66% performance advantage over the current stable release. That alone is pretty impressive.

This beta also adds GPU acceleration for video. For those running video in full-screen mode this can mean a decrease in CPU usage of as much as 80%. A good thing for those living off battery.
Another new feature is that the browser setting page now opens in a tab of its own rather than in a separate window. A small change but one that makes a lot of sense. There’s also a handy search box to allow you to find the specific setting you are looking for. Might not be needed by geeks, but dead handy for everyone else (Hey, Microsoft! Here’s a setting that would be really handy for IE users … fire up those photocopiers!).
Syncing now includes saved passwords, along with bookmarks, preferences, themes and extensions. Synced passwords can be encrypted with a separate passphrase.
Download Google Chrome beta 10 here.

Microsoft's Windows Phone 7: When bad things happen to good phones

Windows Phone 7 devices began shipping last October to largely positive reviews. I had a chance to check one out and saw enough to like that I seriously considered making WP7 my first smartphone — and my first Windows phone.
But in the four months since, I’ve begun to waver. And the latest back-and-forth over the first update for WP7 has made me increasingly WP7-shy.
Here’s the back story: Microsoft announced on February 21 that it planned to push out to WP7 users a first “minor” update — something that seemed to be an updater for the real first update due in early March. As soon as some users began receiving notifications that the update was available, reports of “bricked” WP7 devices began appearing around the Web.
Microsoft issued a vague statement, saying the company was investigating reports of problems caused by the first update. But company officials said nothing about plans to halt or fix the first update.
On February 23, Microsoft issued a new statement, claiming that the company had pulled the first update for Samsung WP7s. Here’s the statement from a spokesperson (which I received hours after some European outlets did, and only after I requested any updates on the situation):

“We have identified a technical issue with the Windows Phone update process that impacts a small number of phones. In response to this emerging issue, we have temporarily taken down the latest software update for Samsung phones in order to correct the issue and as soon as possible will redistribute the update.”

However, contrary to the official statement, the first update still seems to be available. According to at least two blogs, the update had not been pulled, as of Wednesday morning, and is still available for download. Makram Daou, who runs MobileTechWorld.com, just checked again for me a few minutes ago. Here’s a screen shot he took, showing the update is still available for his Samsung WP7 device:

Daou said his only guess was that Microsoft “may have stopped the OTA over-the-air) notification to the devices that weren’t notified yet, but didn’t actually pull down the update. That’s why handsets that have already been notified (like mine) are still getting prompted to update.”
I sent another query to Microsoft, asking again what was going on with Update 1. I also asked what the company was recommending to users whose phones have been bricked. I asked when Microsoft planned to reissue a new version of Update 1 (beyond “ASAP”). So far, I’ve received no word back. See bottom of this post for an update from Microsoft.
My biggest qualm about buying a WP7, as I stated last fall, was that the device — in spite of the “7″ in its branding — is a version 1 product. Four-plus months after the phones began shipping, Microsoft is getting around to releasing its first updates for them. There are two “major” updates slated for calendar 2011 for the devices — “NoDo” and “Mango.” As Windows Phone Secrets author Paul Thurrott said, if the first update is any indication, I don’t have a lot of faith in what’s going to happen with the later ones.
Meanwhile, in other WP7 news, it looks like Sprint is about to announce its first CDMA WP7 handset on February 24 (according to various tweets company officials have been sending this week).

No unions: Government by the rich, for the rich

Editor's note: Kenneth Bernstein is a National Board certified social studies teacher at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he serves as the lead union representative for the teachers. He blogs as "teacherken" at Daily Kos and has written for The New York Times, Teacher, and Huffington Post. He is a 2010 Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher.

Recent weeks have seen attacks on public employees in several states. In New Jersey, Ohio, and Wisconsin, newly elected Republican governors are seeking to remove the right to collective bargaining, except perhaps on wages, and to eliminate or shift a major portion of the costs for pensions upon the workers.
Longstanding procedures that guarantee due process for experienced teachers, commonly called tenure, are being targeted for elimination.
Let's be clear what is going on. Only three of the top 10 spenders in the most recent elections were unions. Among the others were organizations representing business interests, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and individual corporations themselves. Both corporations and unions were unleashed by the Citizens United decision.
If unions can be broken in the public sector, this will further tilt the political playing field on behalf of corporate interests and their Republican allies. This will also silence one of the few remaining vehicles that advocate on behalf of ordinary people in this country.

                                

Too few Americans know labor history and how they have benefited from the efforts of unions. We have a 40-hour work week, defined benefits, higher wages, paid vacations and sick leave, largely as the result of union activity in the 20th century. We built a middle-class society in the period after World War II, also a period when the work force was, compared with today, heavily unionized.
Public employees, especially teachers, are usually better educated than their peers doing equivalent work in the private sector, but usually have lower salaries. Benefits, including pensions and health care, are part of what they receive in lieu of higher salaries.
It is worth knowing that average salaries and incomes are higher in states that are more heavily unionized. Simultaneously, if one insists upon using test scores as a measure of academic performance, it is worth noting that states with unionized work forces perform at a higher level than right to work states, according to studies and analysis. We have known for years that there is a strong correlation between family income and performance on such measurements.
There are serious financial stresses on state and local governments. States have seen revenues drop as a result of job losses. This has led to lower revenues from sales and income taxes.

                

Local governments are heavily dependent upon real property taxes based on the market value of properties, a value that has collapsed in the wake of the multiple crises of bankruptcies, foreclosures, and people walking away from properties whose value has dropped below what they owe on their mortgages.
But how have public employees contributed to this crisis? Why are not those who are profiting from economic times, in many cases with bailouts from federal funds, not paying appropriate taxes to sustain governments at all levels? And given how much the lack of regulatory oversight contributed to our current financial mess, why is it that those who created the mess are not being held accountable -- and instead, middle-class Americans who work to serve their fellow citizens are being targeted as scapegoats.
Some Republican governors and legislators are claiming they are doing what they were elected to do. I would remind them, and their compatriots in the U.S. House of Representatives, that the greatest concern of the American people is jobs -- they want jobs for themselves, for their families and friends, and in the future for their children.
Most Americans want those who are flourishing financially to contribute their fair share in taxes. Republican Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin took a state that had a surplus and pushed it into a deficit. Now he wants to put the entire burden of that on the backs of public employees.
Let's be clear. The attacks are concerted. Wisconsin, historically an important place of unionized workers, is an important battleground. If the public unions can be broken there, using an artificially created deficit as an excuse to attack them, no union -- of workers public or private -- will be safe from attack.
Without unions, workers will lose many of the protections against abusive employers. Wages for all will be depressed, even as corporate profits soar. The American dream will be destroyed for millions. And we will have a government of the corporations, by the already powerful, for the wealthy. I think Lincoln and most of our other great presidents would be ashamed to see what is happening.

The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Kenneth Bernstein.

Hostage fear a key factor in Obama's muted Libya response

February 23, 2011 7:36 p.m. EST

Obama: Libya's violence must stop

Washington (TSN) -- While President Obama has taken heat for a relatively muted response in the early days of the crisis in Libya, U.S. officials privately believe it was the best strategy because if Obama had bashed Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, it could have put the thousands of Americans in Libya in harm's way.
U.S. officials said there was a fear inside the administration that some of those Americans could have been taken hostage by Gadhafi, who once again made his distaste for America clear in rambling public remarks earlier this week and would relish the chance to escalate the crisis and drag U.S. citizens into the crossfire.
It's no accident that aides say Obama planned his first on-camera comments, just as a chartered ferry was expected to evacuate more than 500 Americans from Tripoli to nearby Malta.
Asked by CNN if Obama was being more cautious in his public comments because of the Americans in harm's way, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney acknowledged it was an "important factor" in the calculations.
"The president is obviously concerned about the safety of American citizens -- no question," Carney said at his daily briefing with reporters. "And that is an important factor in any country. And the circumstances of American citizens are different in each country. The protections they have, say, at the embassy, might be different in one country than the protections they have in another. All of those factors are important in how we approach these situations, and how the president looks at them."
Carney added the president is also "extremely concerned and alarmed by the horrific violence and bloodshed that's happened in Libya" in recent days.

Obama has been blistered by some critics for being too soft on Gadhafi, with columnist Jackson Diehl writing in the Washington Post that Libya "ought to be the easy case in the Middle East's turmoil" for the White House to deal with because of the Gadhafi government's killing of at least hundreds of its own people.
"Yet the administration so far has declined to directly condemn Gadhafi, call for his ouster, or threaten sanctions," Diehl wrote. "Instead, it has repeated the same bland language about restraint and 'universal rights' that it has used to respond to the uprisings in Egypt, Bahrain, and other countries with pro-U.S. regimes."
When pressed by reporters on Wednesday, Carney did leave the door open for the White House to push sanctions and other punishment, including a no-fly zone, against Libya.
"A lot of options are under review -- sanctions, other options," said Carney.
Aaron David Miller of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars said in a telephone interview that he puts some stock in the White House's private concern that escalating the public pressure on Gadhafi could backfire and lead to Americans being harmed.
"He is unpredictable," said Miller, a former Mideast peace negotiator for several U.S. administrations. "If you personalize this, you could wind up riling up Gadhafi even more."
Miller added that public statements from Obama could also put more Libyans in harm's way, if it leads to an expansion of the protests that then sparks an ever larger government crackdown. "You then assume responsibility for hundreds of thousands of people you can't possibly protect," he said.
While Miller stressed that he is not criticizing Obama because he understands the crisis in Libya is a complicated situation, he remarked that the difference between the White House's response to Gadhafi and former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is pretty stark.
"It's stunning that in the case of Mubarak -- an ally -- we forcefully and publicly called for a transition 'now' and interceded," said Miller. "And with Libya -- an adversary -- we've been so cautious and careful."
Miller said he thinks a huge factor in the White House's calculation is that if the United States calls for Gadhafi's ouster, for consistency's sake American officials would also have to put pressure on U.S. allies in places like Bahrain, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to allow democracy to flourish as well.
"Are we worried about Americans on the ground (in Libya), or is it the fear of talking tough and not being able to deliver?" asked Miller, who said the United States is "still living with the devil's bargain" that various administrations in both parties have made with partners in the Mideast.
"We tell them, 'Protect us in our war and peacemaking policies, and we'll cut you a break on governance and human rights,'" said Miller. "We're still in the middle of this. That's why we're in a box."

Miller also believes Obama spoke out a little too much on Egypt and is now facing the question of whether he's not speaking enough in this case.

Obama administration won't oppose same-sex marriage

WH explains Defense of Marriage decision

Washington  -- President Barack Obama has ordered the Justice Department to stop defending the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage for federal purposes as only between a man and woman, according to a statement Wednesday from Attorney General Eric Holder.
"The president has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny," Holder said.
The key provision in the law "fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional."
"Given that conclusion, the president has instructed the (Justice Department) not to defend the statute" in two pending cases in New York, Holder said. "I fully concur with the president's determination."
Obama has previously expressed his personal opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act but had never stated an opinion relating to its constitutionality.
The administration had a March 11 deadline to respond to two lawsuits against the measure in New York. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- which includes New York -- is the only federal circuit to have never decided the basic legal question of whether a law discriminates against gay men and lesbians.
Republicans immediately ripped the White House's decision, calling it a distraction at a time when they said the focus needs to be on the economy.
"While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending,the president will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation," said Michael Steel, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Representative Lamar Smith, R-Texas, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, called the move a "transparent attempt to shirk the (Justice) Department's duty to defend the laws passed by Congress."
"This is the real politicization of the Justice Department -- when the personal views of the president override the government's duty to defend the law of the land," Smith said.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said the administration had to make a decision before the court-imposed deadline. He stressed, however, that the law will continue to be enforced.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, praised the administration's decision, calling it a key step forward in the push for equal rights for gays and lesbians.
It "is a victory for civil rights, fairness and equality," Pelosi said. "I commend (Obama) for taking this bold step forward to ensure the federal government is no longer in the business of defending an indefensible statute."
Joe Solmonese, president of the progressive Human Rights Campaign, also praised the administration's course of action, calling it "a monumental decision for the thousands of same-sex couples and their families who want nothing more than the same rights and dignity afforded to other married couples."
"We applaud (Obama) for fulfilling his oath to defend critical constitutional principles," Solmonese said.
The Defense of Marriage Act was passed in 1996 by the GOP-controlled Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages and says states cannot be forced to recognize such marriages from other states.
In July, a federal judge in Massachusetts became the first to rule the law unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro said that "irrational prejudice plainly never constitutes a legitimate government interest."
The administration's decision comes on the heels of other major developments in the struggle over gay and lesbian rights. In December, Obama signed legislation that will repeal the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy and bring an end to the ban on openly gay men and women serving in the armed forces.
Courts in California are considering a legal challenge to Proposition 8, an initiative narrowly approved by that state's voters in 2008. It defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Same-sex marriage is legal in five states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa and New Hampshire -- and in the District of Columbia. Civil unions are permitted in New Jersey.

Suspects in U.S. agent's shooting arrested

Special Agent Jamie Zapata was shot and killed February 22 while traveling between Mexico City and Monterrey.

(CNN) -- Mexican officials announced Wednesday that they have arrested the presumed leader of a group of killers involved in this month's shooting death -- apparently carried out by mistake -- of a U.S. immigration agent in Mexico.
Col. Ricardo Trevilla, a spokesman for the Secretary of National Defense, told reporters that Julian Zapata Espinosa, alias "El Piolin," was the leader of the group, which he described as a cell of the The Zetas drug cartel.
Mexican authorities paraded Zapata and five other men before the news media. Also arrested were three women, including Zapata's wife, and a minor, he said.
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent Jaime Zapata was killed and fellow agent Victor Avila was wounded in the February 15 ambush on a highway in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi.
Trevilla, who credited military intelligence for the arrests, said the killers were "confused by the aspects of the vehicle" in which the ICE agents were seated. "They thought it was owned by a rival group."
Two other men, whom he identified as Jesus Ivan Quesada Pena and Ruben Diario Venegas, of Honduras, also participated in the killing, Trevilla said. Also arrested were Armando Alvarez Saldana, Mario Dominguez Realeo or Domingo Diaz Rosas and Martin Barcenas Tapia, he added.
The women were identified as Diana Margarita Guerrero Morales, Roxana Mierya Rios Velazquez and Magli Chain Castillo Lopez, who was identified as Zapata's wife. The minor was not identified.
Authorities seized five vehicles, 41 magazines, means of communication and "diverse documentation," he said.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Justice Department expressed gratitude to Mexican authorities for their efforts.
"From the moment this tragedy occurred, our Mexican counterparts have worked closely with both the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, and the law enforcement cooperation seen in this investigation thus far demonstrates how working together toward common goals serves the interests of both countries and of our citizens," said Laura Sweeney in a statement.
"We will continue to uphold our united commitment to breaking the grip of these violent transnational criminal organizations. Here at home, we will continue to increase pressure against cartel-related activities while we also cooperate with and support our colleagues in Mexico."
On Tuesday, at Zapata's funeral, U.S. officials vowed justice for his killers.
According to U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who said he was briefed by immigration authorities, the pair had been traveling to Mexico City when two vehicles bracketed them and ran them off the road.
Though the two agents identified themselves as diplomats, the men opened fire.

It was the first time in 25 years that a U.S. law enforcement agent was killed while on duty in Mexico.

South Korea trying to get almost 1,400 workers out of Libya

People arrive at Sofia airport, among them South Koreans, after being evacuated from Tripoli on February

(CNN) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak held a special meeting Thursday morning to discuss an urgent plan to evacuate South Korean construction workers in Libya. There are 1,398 South Koreans in the country working on almost 300 building sites.
The presidential office tells CNN it's sending an Egypt Air plane to Tripoli on Thursday. The first flight will evacuate 260 workers and their families. Officials are looking into chartering more planes to speed up the process. Plans were also discussed to move personnel out of the country by land and sea routes.
Lee told ministers to "use all possible measures for Koreans and Korean construction workers' security." An emergency response team is already on the ground helping workers of 24 construction firms operating in Libya.
A spate of attacks and violent break-ins have been reported at some construction sites in Libya amid growing anti-government protests and violence. An attack Monday left 17 workers injured. Two workers from Bangladesh suffered serious wounds after being stabbed, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry.
The Middle East is a substantial and important market for South Korean construction companies. Firms have been working in the region for around three decades. Projects in the Middle East are worth $257 billion, according to the International Contractors Association of Korea.
The association says ongoing projects in Libya are worth $36.4 billion. Companies are asking the South Korean government not only to ensure the safety of their workers but also to give support if the violence is prolonged and work is stalled indefinitely.
Exports from South Korea to Libya are also expected to be hit hard. Almost 600 companies rely on business in Libya, exporting goods such as ships, cars and heavy industries, a lucrative market worth $1.4 billion last year.
A poll taken by the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency estimates exports will take an $18.7 million hit this year.
The South Korean government has advised its citizens to cancel all nonurgent travel to Libya.

Lee also asked his government to "closely monitor the oil price and the impact to the economy." Lee stressed the importance of domestic energy conservation.

Digital tools to preserve your friendships

Editor's note: Brenna Ehrlich and Andrea Bartz are the sarcastic brains behind humor blog and book Stuff Hipsters Hate. When they're not trolling Brooklyn for new material, Ehrlich works as an associate editor at Mashable.com and Bartz is news editor at Psychology Today.

(CNN) -- Aren't friends the greatest? They pick you up when you're down, bring sunshine into your life and execute a litany of other cliches that are central to one's general sense of well-being.
Sometimes, however, a friendship can take a turn for the gloomy, as a cloud fashioned of creeping annoyances (She gnashes her teeth! He always smells of tuna! She house-sat for a week, and when I returned, all my goldfish were dead!) obscures the sunshine in our hearts.
Enter technology to save the overcast day.
While the effect of social media on our interpersonal relationships is hotly contested among those ever-chattering pundits, a recent survey by The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project and Elon University's Imagining the Internet Center gave the web a big old thumbs-up. Eighty-five percent of respondents said their social lives had been improved by it, so we're going to sally forth under that banner for now.
Yes, ultimately, many friendships do decay. But there are a ton of apps and services out there that can mitigate those aforementioned annoyances enough that you can at least save the night. Your goldfish, however, are still likely doomed.
If your friend is a cheapskate
You're having a lovely brunch with a cadre of friends one slightly hung over Sunday morning -- stuffing your maw with eggs and collard greens and trying to remember all the mistakes you made last night -- when the check arrives. Your friends begin the old pass-around, and when the check gets to you, you count the bounty.
One of your friends -- incidentally the one who ordered steak and eggs and at least five mimosas -- appears to have only tipped 50 cents. Rage boils in your stomach, marinated in hollandaise sauce, but you hold your tongue, slapping down enough dollars to cover your cheap "a" to the double "s" friend.
Everyone has a pal like the one we just described, which is why everyone should probably sign up for Venmo, an iPhone/Android/Blackberry app that lets you make friend-to-friend payments via your phone (the app links your credit card to your cell).
That way, when the bill comes, you can simply throw down your credit card, and then use the app to bill your friends for what they owe. Your pals will be happy that you're such a take-charge guy/gal (and relieved that they don't have to do math) and you can save your resentment for the next time said friend forces you to go see her in that off-off-off Broadway version of "Twelfth Night" re-imagined in LOLcat speech.
If your friend is a mass-texter
Text messages are awesome, a pleasing, digital epistle that tells you someone is thinking about you -- unless, of course, said text message is sent to 20 other friends, in which case, it's a blatant attempt to have plans with someone, anyone.
(We even have a friend who dated a guy who would send the same solicitous message to multiple girls at once -- an obnoxious numbers game by which he ensured that he got laid by someone, anyone.)
We're all guilty of sending texts to scads of friends at once in an effort to secure weekend plans (an exercise that leads to confusion and frustration), making GroupMe an essential addition to your app library.
GroupMe is an Android/iPhone app that allows you to create what is essentially a chat room on your phone. Even people without smartphones can get in on the action, which is awesome for your friend Larry the Luddite and his Samsung Juke.
So get a discussion going -- instead of crop-dusting everyone with a blanket invitation to something lame.
If you're in a rut
"Let's go to that bar."
"Which bar?"
"The one down on 11th."
"We go there all the time. I've dated all the bartenders."
"OK. How about that place on Grove?"
"We went there last weekend."
"That dive on Main?"
"I hate the music."
"We could just get drunk here and stare at the wall?"
"[Sigh] OK, let's go to 11th. I think they hired a new chick, anyway."
Ever had a conversation like the one above? Of course you have, because we're all creatures of habit. Sometimes, however, all it takes is an addition to a friend group to unlock a world of brand new activities, watering holes and borrowed clothing.
That's where GrubWithUs comes in. The startup is a Meetup-esque service that allows you to eat family-style meals with a new group of people.

Yes, there is the possibility that everyone you meet at the dinner will be horrifying and/or socially awkward, but at least then you'll have an amusing anecdote that you can share with your friend. Nothing brings us closer together than laughing at the misfortunes of others, am I right?

Sports fans could soon tune in to YouTube

 
(Mashable) -- UPDATE We've just heard from the NHL, who tell us: "The NHL is not in discussions with YouTube to stream live games. The NHL has not had conversations with the Google spokespeople mentioned in the Bloomberg report."
YouTube may be a hot bed for lip dub videos and life-casting teens, but soon sports fans could find a good reason to flock to the site: YouTube is reportedly in talks with the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League to broadcast games live.
Last year, YouTube announced that it would begin live-streaming Indian Premier League cricket matches, a venture that was apparently very successful. According to Business Week, the games brought in 55 million visits from more than 250 countries.
Gautam Anand, Google's director of content partnerships for Asia Pacific, recently said that YouTube plans to show more live sports, but declined to elaborate on the particulars of talks with the NBA and NHL.
Google is apparently also talking with other pro sports leagues, as well as soccer leagues in Europe.
"It's fair to say that there will be a lot more appealing sports content you'll see on YouTube," Anand said. "We have ongoing conversations with pretty much everyone."
By offering such content, YouTube and Google can boost their ad revenue, seeing as how viewers would be spending more time on the site.
Lately, we've been seeing YouTube seemingly getting more serious about being an entertainment hub, rather than a forum for cat videos. Just the other week, it was rumored that YouTube CEO Salar Kamangar will be building out the site's recently instated talent program (last July, the video-sharing site announced its YouTube Partner Grants Program to ramp up quality content) by offering big-name stars their own YouTube channels.
In addition, parent company Google recently acquired Widevine, an on-demand video service known for its multiplatform DRM and adaptive streaming technologies, and the web has been buzzing for months about the possibility of it acquiring web video production company, New Next Networks.

What do you think of the prospect of watching live games on YouTube? Would you tune in?

Mario Celebrates 25 Years, But Is It Worth It?

It’s Super Mario’s 25th Anniversary and Nintendo is celebrating it with the release of Super Mario All-Stars: Limited Edition for the Wii.I was able to get a copy of this game and I was very impressed with the packaging. You get a game disc that includes four classic Mario games, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3, all classics.

Now on a separate disc you get a soundtrack, which has various themes and sound effects from many different Mario Games. Full soundtrack list follows:

1. Aboveground BGM (Mario 1)

2. Aboveground BGM (Mario 2)

3. Athletic BGM (Mario 3)

4. Aboveground BGM (Super Mario World)

5. Slider (Super Mario 64)

6. Delfino Plaza (Super Mario Sunshine)

7. Aboveground BGM (New Super Mario Bros.)

8. Super Mario Galaxy

9. Title (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)

10. Super Mario Galaxy 2

11. Coin (sound effect)

12. Jump (sound effect)

13. Super Mario transform (sound effect)

14. 1UP (sound effect)15. Enter a Pipe (sound effect)

16. Hurry (sound effect)

17. Lose a Life (sound effect)

18. Game Over (sound effect)

19. Course Clear (sound effect)

20. Castle Clear (sound effect)

The last thing the package has is a 32-page Super Mario History book. In this book you get interviews and concept art. It is a very impressive package, but it does fall short in some areas.
Let’s start with the four NES games. I love being able to have Super Mario All-Stars on the Wii, but it doesn’t offer anything new. The game itself is a shameless port and that’s all. I mean they actually have instructions in the game on how to play on your Super Nintendo controller.
The games themselves are fun, of course, but playing on my HD TV I noticed some delay. I had to mess around with my TV’s settings to try and reduce the effect of the delay but I couldn't get rid of it 100 percent. Also, the games doesn't support widescreen, which is a huge disappointment.
Besides those problems the games are still very fun to play. Nintendo has also made it possible to use a host of controllers. You can use your Wii Remote, Wii Remote Plus, Wii Classic Controller, Classic Controlller Pro or the Nintendo GameCube controller. I found the best way to play these games is using the Wii Remote.

Moving onto the soundtrack, which is a cool idea and has some cool tracks, isn’t as great as it could be. Half the soundtrack is made up of sound effects that last only seconds, which, in my opinion, is a waste.
For $29.99 or more, since it’s becoming harder to find, I would say it’s worth it for the die-hard Mario fans that need everything Mario. If you own a Super Nintendo and have a copy of Super Mario All-Stars, well you’re all set. This is the same stuff we saw back in 1993.

Now, this is a hard thing to rate, because I can’t just rate the game itself. I need to also rate everything the package includes.

For the soundtrack I decided to give it 6 out of 10. It’s basically a little more than half a soundtrack. The music they do include is classic, but they should of filled the whole CD with music from the games.

Next is the history book. It’s definitely colorful and has some interesting things included in it; I chose to give it 7 out of 10.

The final thing is the game itself. If I was just rating the games individually I would give them all 10’s. They’re all classics and can be played over and over again. Yet, the game is just a port that is not presented in widescreen and offers nothing new. With that said there is no denying that these game are fun to play and they still look very sharp, graphic wise, so I decided to give it 8 out 10.

The overall score is a 7.

Arcade Classic Returns

If you had the chance to visit an arcade back in the ‘90’s, there is no doubt that you came across X-Men arcade.

This arcade game came out in 1992 and became a favorite of many. Recently this game was ported onto Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. Yet, after all these years is it still as fun as it once was?

I downloaded the game for the Xbox 360, which cost me about $10, which seems to be a fair price.

The game let’s you play as Wolverine, Cyclops, Colossus, Storm, Nightcrawler or Dazzler. The goal is to battle through eight levels filled with Magneto’s minions in the hope of saving the world. That’s how deep it gets.

The dialog in the game was the first thing that hit me as being really bad. I don’t really know if I can complain about this to much, because I laughed quite a bit.

The gameplay is really just button mashing. You just continuously beat up enemies until you get to the end of the level. It’s really boring if you’re playing by yourself, but if you have a group of friends over or you jump into an online game it becomes less of a chore.

You can complete the game in under a half hour and if you’re playing on the Xbox you can get most of the achievements in one sitting.

Yet, you are treated to two versions of the game. You get the U.S. version and the Japanese version. They’re basically the same. The Japanese version has some differences, like energy pills and also it feels a lot faster than the U.S. version.

The graphics are very dated, but they’re not terrible. I just wished they made slight improvements, then again look what happened to Turtles in Time. I feel if you mess with a games look to much you loose some of what made it special, some if its magic so to speak.

Another weak point for the game is that it’s just a port. Yes, there is a new menu system, which is good, but everything else is limited. There is nothing so new to the game that you’ll be blown away; you’re basically getting the same exact arcade game from back in the day.

If you’re looking for a side scrolling, beat them up style game that you can play with friends then this is a good option. It’s not perfect, it can be very repetitive, but it still has a charm to it.

Fight Night Demo Set For Release

EA Sports will be releasing the demo to one of its most anticipated games of the year, Fight Night Champion, on February 1.
There is a lot of pressure on EA to make this next installment something fun and memorable. Their last effort, Fight Night Round 4, was not a huge hit and they’re looking to change that with this next installment.
EA Sports has basically given the whole game a facelift. This will be the first M rated sports game EA Sports has released, because it will bring you into a much darker world of boxing.
The career mode for this game will start you off in prison. This has been a topic of debate between fans. Many believe that the game is or will go too far. I’m not worried about that. I’m actually very interested to see how the game handles this.
Yet, due to the dark nature of the game, it will receive a Mature rating (Mature rated games have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.)
This will be EA Sports first M rated sport game they release. So, you can expect to see a lot more of boxing’s brutal side.
Now, once February 1 rolls around, you’ll be able to try the game for yourself. The demo, which will be released on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, will have online play for a limited time.
There will also be four boxers and you’ll be able to fight for three rounds. What I’ve read is that the four boxers will be Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao.
The full game will be released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 1.
The big question is will this game be a huge hit? It’s definitely going to make money, no doubt about that, but I think that there are some people out there that just lost interested in boxing. That is mainly due to MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).
Executive Sports Editor, Brad Carroll, said it best, “There is just no more characters left in boxing.” Is this lack of characters driving fans to MMA? I’ll let you be the judge.
Getting back to the game, there is no doubt that the MMA and UFC games are huge competitors for Fight Night. These types of games are attracting the same audiences. The Fight Night series hasn’t had a real competitor in years and that’s why I think they’re upping the ante this year. I believe they are hoping to grab people’s attention with starting career mode in a prison, and with fans arguing whether this is going too far, I think they’ve done that.
If you want to brush up on your boxing skills before Fight Night Champion, you can pick up Fight Night Round 4 for very cheap. The game might not have blown away EA Sports in sales, but it’s still a great game and one I really enjoy.
On another note, if you haven’t already, check out the premiere episode of Sports Page Online; I’m the feature guest. I talk about the origins of the column and give my thoughts on online play.
Video is below.