| Software Update: Microsoft Offers Free Apology Token for Xbox Live ...
While Microsoft's Xbox Live online system is generally reliable, Xbox 360 gamers found throughout the holidays less than satisfactory service. Gamers widely reported problems using Xbox Live, which Microsoft said was caused by the influx of new subscribers. "As a result of this massive increase in usage we know that some of you experienced intermittent Xbox LIVE issues over the holiday break," said Marc Whitten, general manager for Xbox Live, earlier this month. "While the service was not completely off-line at any given time, we are disappointed in our performance." Microsoft promised all Xbox Live users, both new and old, compensation for the downtime in the form of a full Xbox Live Arcade game that will be available for download free of charge. Today, Microsoft's Gamerscore Blog revealed that the free game available to all Silver and Gold Xbox Live members will be Undertow.
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Last month The Cape Codder featured an extensive story about Sarah Peake's splash into the Massachusetts House of Representative. The reporter, Stephen Desroches, lives in Provincetown, is liberal, supports same-sex marriage and is gay, just like Peake (shown on right with Ted Kennedy's "go-fer"). So I wasn't surprised to see 5 pages of ink lionizing Peake that included a pic of the Representative smooching her lesbian lover. The Cape Codder's agenda, as it seemed at the time, was to normalize gay marriage by showing Sarah Peake giving her woman a kiss before heading off to her first day of "work." I was disgusted by the fact that the gays at the Cape Codder were using the newspaper to boost their buddy Sarah Peake's image and trying to shove homosexuality down people's throats. (Ok, for those of you who are ready to jump on me and vilify me as a right wing-extremist homophobe, please withhold your impulsive judgment until you hear me out for once).
Layton pushing for federal election
MONTEBELLO, QUE. NDP Leader Jack Layton is advocating a federal election to replace Stephen Harper as prime minister, saying a change in political direction is urgently needed. The eagerness of New Democrats for a trip to the polls is in sharp contrast to comments emerging from Liberal MPs this week, who are suggesting economic concerns could justify putting election plans on hold. Mr. Layton told reporters he doesn't understand the "constantly shifting" positions of the Liberal Party. "We won't sit in our seats when we are called to vote," Mr. Layton said. "We want a change in political direction on the major issues of the country. If Mr. Harper is prepared, in the context of a minority government, to change his direction on fundamental questions, we can continue.
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Microsoft's Larry Hryb detailed in his blog that Call of Duty 4 was the third most played game on Xbox Live, behind only Halo 3 and Gears of War. Even with the success of the console versions of Call of Duty 4, the developers of the game continue to put effort into extending the life of its work for the PC audience. Coming soon are mod tools for hobbyists to create new game modes, as well as a map editor to make new environments. Sadly, one issue that plagues PC gaming far more than consoles is the issue of piracy. Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward wrote in his fourzerotwo blog under the heading "They Wonder Why People Don't Make PC Games Any More" a particularly disturbing note commenting on the "astounding" number of people who have pirated Call of Duty 4 and play online. "On another PC related note, we pulled some disturbing numbers this past week about the amount of PC players currently playing Multiplayer (which was fantastic)," wrote Bowling.
A real-life bank run in a popular virtual world
In the real world, banks are reeling from the subprime-mortgage mess. In the online game Second Life, a shutdown of the make-believe banking system is causing real-life havoc for thousands of people.On Tuesday, the San Francisco company that runs the popular fantasy game pulled the plug on about a dozen pretend financial institutions that were funded with actual money from some of the 12 million registered users of Second Life. Linden Lab said the move was triggered by complaints that some of the virtual banks had reneged on promises to pay high returns on customer deposits.Second Life is an elaborate online world where players create new identities for themselves — images called avatars. These avatars can own land, run businesses and build homes. And there's a link to the real economy: To buy things, players use credit cards or eBay Inc.'s alternative payment service PayPal to convert actual U.S.
Exeter/Hampton/Rockingham area news in brief
Hampton Beach n KNITTING FOR PEACE, a group that knits projects and donates them to diverse charities will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25 at Coffee Break Cafe on the corner of "P" St., Hampton Beach. Bring your yarn and needles. Patterns and instructions will be provided. 929-3850.
SATURDAY, JAN. 26Exeter n SEA VIEW TECHNOLOGIES will be sponsoring Exeter Area High School 2008 Project Prom/Graduation Electronics Recycling Drive on Saturday, Jan. 26 in downtown Exeter. Businesses and members of the community are encouraged to bring their electronics downtown and for a fee, dispose of them in an environmentally responsible manner. Items that will be collected are computer towers, laptops, monitors, mice, printers, DVDs, VCRs and TVs. 436-3733, e-mail: sgregoire@seaviewtech.com.
Restaurants: Passport to flavor
Wong is getting ready to roll out additional menu items. And maybe dessert. In her newly adopted neighborhood, Wong has developed an underground reputation for making, by request only, a mean pecan pie and an equally noteworthy carrot cake. Perhaps, if enough customers pester her, she'll make them permanent fixtures. "Why not?" Wong said with a laugh. "I love to bake, so you never know." Pagoda "Smell that garlic," sighed my friend, a big smile stretching across his face. He was flashing chopsticks across a hefty pile of sizzlingly hot jumbo shrimp, lightly battered and flexing a strong garlicky punch. But he could have been talking about the dish in front of me, another plate of plus-size shrimp, each bite emboldened by dry chili peppers and crunchy bits of fried garlic. How we landed on those two winning dishes, I'm not sure, as the 12-page menu at Pagoda has so many items -- 249 and counting -- that diners could take the better part of a year to eat their way across its broad culinary swipes through Korea, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan.
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