New Orleans
Cruise 2011 - New Orleans
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Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
A Fighting Chance Against Pacquiao
Boxing recently has taken it on the chin.
The last two big pay-per-view events, Mayweather/Ortiz and Hopkins/Dawson, came to scandalous conclusions. The sport needs a lift. And it just might come Saturday when Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 knockouts) and Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs) meet for the third time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
![[SP_MAIN1]](http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/WK-AZ848_SP_MAI_DV_20111110211039.jpg)
Louisa Bertman
Manny Pacquiao has collected titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions.
The first two bouts were fistic classics, and there is every reason to believe that the final installment of this trilogy will prove the same.
Pacquiao, 32, is the Filipino superstar who has collected titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions. He and Floyd Mayweather are considered the best pound-for-pound boxers in the sport. A future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Marquez, 38, has won belts in both the featherweight and super-featherweight classes, and is currently the WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine lightweight king.
The two consummate artists of the ring last exchanged leather in March 2008 when Pacquiao nabbed a split decision. That night, Pacquiao scored a knockdown but Marquez had a slight edge in power punches, connecting with 130 shots to Pacquiao's 114. In their first bout in 2004, Marquez landed 20% more power shots than Pacquiao (122 to 100), but because Marquez was knocked down three times in the first round, the fight ended in a draw.
Knockdowns aside, many analysts contend that Marquez has won the majority of the 24 rounds these combatants have fought. Marquez, known as "Dinamita," firmly believes he won both fights and has put blood in Pacquiao's eye by making his dissent public. On a promotional tour in the Philippines, where the "Pac-Man" is not only a congressman but a veritable superhero, Marquez came clad in a T-shirt announcing, "MARQUEZ BEAT PACQUIAO TWICE."
Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said his boxer usually likes everyone he fights. "Manny can be too nice. Like in the fight with [Shane] Mosley. He didn't want to hurt him. But while he won't say much, there is a gleam in his eyes about Marquez. He really doesn't like the guy. This one is very personal to him."
Asked why the otherwise respectful Marquez irks him so much, Pacquiao openly stated: "Mainly because he was saying that he was robbed in the first two fights. This third fight will answer all of the doubts and all the questions."
![[SP_MAIN2]](http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/WK-AZ849_SP_MAI_DV_20111110211138.jpg)
Louisa Bertman
Juan Manuel Marquez has won belts in both the featherweight and super-featherweight classes, and is currently the WBA, WBC and Ring Magazine lightweight king.
As evidence of the fire in his belly, Pacquiao commenced training a month earlier than usual for this contest.
Roach said there's one thing he wants to see his fighter do differently on Saturday. "I want Manny to get it going quick this time and to get Marquez out of there before the sixth."
But his charge had better be careful. Unlike most opponents, Marquez seems to have Pacquiao's timing down, something Roach is very wary of.
A few years back, as Pacquiao was beginning his meteoric rise, Roach admitted, "There is only one guy I don't want Manny to fight and that is Marquez. He knows how to fight lefties." Marquez keeps his left foot outside his southpaw opponent's leading right foot and perhaps as a result has enjoyed great success in drilling Pacquiao with stinging counter right hands.
But things have changed. Unlike their earlier meetings, this contest will take place at the catch weight of 144 pounds. Pacquiao, who has already won a light middleweight crown (154 pound weight limit), is built on a bigger frame and is now more accustomed to the higher weight.
This is one reason Marquez no longer gives Roach the shivers. "Manny's not the same fighter he was last time. He is showing much more movement than he did back then. He is harder to hit. He used to depend on that straight left but now he has a right hook too. Marquez is a great counter-puncher. He likes it when you come after him. And that's what Manny did in the past. But we are going to make Marquez commit more in this fight." Pacquiao was in fact the more active combatant in the 2008 fight, launching 619 to Marquez's 511 blows.
As eight-time world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao trains in Hollywood for his upcoming fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, WSJ's Jason Gay spends some time with the boxing superstar to see how he balances life as a politician, musician, movie star and athlete.
One thing is for certain though: You won't see Pacquiao going in reverse for long during the fight. He is an offensive juggernaut who is always taking risks in the ring. In the past, he had a bad habit of charging straight in, bringing his left shoulder forward and squaring up, thus leaving himself vulnerable to the straight right. Marquez has had luck in moving Pacquiao into the crosshairs of his power lane by jabbing or feinting a jab. He was also able to drop left hooks to his body and head. But then again, Marquez has not always been able to avoid Pacquiao's immensely concussive left.
"This time it will be different," promised Marquez's trainer Ignacio Beristáin. "In their first fight, Juan got hit with a lot of lefts. In the second, fewer. There were three knockdowns in the first fight but only one in the second. None this time."
Still, Pacquiao's left may not be coming along the same delivery route. Ray Beltran, a longtime Pacquiao sparring partner, noted, "He was always fast and could punch, but Manny used to be kind of predictable. He moved straight in and out. Not anymore. Now he is always hitting you from different angles."
If form holds and Pacquiao emerges victorious on Saturday night, the question will immediately loom: What about Floyd Mayweather, who has indicated he is open to a faceoff with Pacquiao in May 2012?
Regarding the possible dream matchup, Roach calmly punches out his convictions: "Who would you take? A guy like Mayweather who throws 15 punches a round or Manny, who throws 80?"
Manny Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Manny, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Manny, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Manny, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Pacquiao
Monday, November 28, 2011
Checking out
You’ve met this guy, or at least someone like him.
He’s the one who brags about his triumphs on the job when you bump into him at your kid’s soccer game or at a cocktail party. Ask a simple question like “How are you?” and you’ll get a detailed account of the obstacles he overcame to land a new client or deliver a tough project under budget. Once he gets warmed up, he’ll tell you about all the frequent flyer miles he’s racked up on business trips and the addition he put on his house with last year’s bonus.
George McDonald used to be that guy, but he’s not anymore. In fact he’s not that into his job these days.
“Going the extra mile no longer pays,” he says. He explains that the consumer products company he works for forced workers to take a pay cut in 2009. His bonus, which used to run upwards of $40,000, barely reached double digits last year, despite a stellar review. And on top of all that, his company expects him to shoulder an increased work load to compensate for staff layoffs.
“It’s not going to happen,” says McDonald (a pseudonym for a 41-year-old New Jersey man who asked that his real name not be used). “I’m going to set my cruise control and coast for a while.”
His sentiments aren’t atypical. At a time when workloads have grown due to cutbacks and opportunities for advancement have shrunk, worker disengagement is becoming an epidemic, say workplace consultants.
“Employees are not happy, and this is bad news for everyone,” says Catherine Hartmann, a principal in the talent and rewards practice at Mercer, a human resources consultancy.
According to a recent survey by the firm, nearly one in three American workers is seriously considering leaving their job (up sharply from 23 percent in 2005); an additional 21 percent are staying put, but discontented with their work and their employers.
And in a Gallup survey released last month, a towering 71 percent of US workers said they were not engaged in their jobs.
Experts say the root of the problem is that in a culture of belt tightening, employees have had it with things being taken away from them. They’ve lost pay, benefits, training, promotions, and faith in employers who have asked them to accept one cut after another.
Consider that this same set of workers has been forced to assume the work loads of laid-off colleagues and it’s no wonder their patience is wearing thin.
Given that an unhappy worker tends to be an unproductive one, it’s a problem that’s drawing a great deal of attention from employers. Worried about what Harvard business professor Teresa Amabile has termed a “crisis of disengagement,” a growing number are calling in consultants like Hartmann, conducting surveys and otherwise trying to figure out how to rally the troops.
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Saturday, November 26, 2011
Bush House in Bulal
The back of our house in Bulal Village
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Bush House, Bulal
Friday, November 25, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
We got 8+ inches of snow the day before Thanksgiving. Lola is staying with us for 10 days. She's having a great time!
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Thursday, November 24, 2011
Blue River
Blue River
Wrecked old fishing boat on Fraser river in Richmond. It has been seating on the muddy bank of the river for years now. Many people have taken images here and almost all of them said … everything would be fine but the stupid radar dish on the top …. so I removed it :-)
Few moments after sunset on very quite fall evening --- cold evening.
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00:23:17 Nov 24 11
Blue RiverWrecked, Fraser river, fishing boat, Richmond, radar dish
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Ceiling detail in Copenhagen Central Train Station (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Fog
Fog
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Upsets in the past, seniors get redemption as Goldstein wins 'B' title
After being upset in the PSAL girls volleyball 'B' semifinals two straight seasons, Goldstein senior Kristen Herchenroder was determined to end her high school career in celebration instead of heartbreak.
“This program is only 6 years old and to win a championship after getting to the semifinals back-to-back years is incredible,” she said. “We couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
Down four points with only three points separating Goldstein from a loss in the city championship game, captains Herchenroder and Rashelle Ripa mounted a season-saving comeback. On Goldstein’s third match point of the deciding third set, Herchenroder delivered the title winning ace, giving Goldstein a 25-19, 20-25, 27-25 victory over Fort Hamilton in the PSAL Class B final Monday in Manhattan.
“I’m so happy for Kristen, to finally win a championship,” Goldstein coach Adrian Buchhalter said. “You can’t replace the leadership she’s brought to this team.”
Herchenroder ended her high school career on a high note. Aside from the game winning ace, her fourth on the day, she also registered a team leading 12 kills as well as two digs, three assists, and seven service points.
“It might be the best game of my career,” she said. “But I have to give credit to my girls. I tell the girls to play for the point and not the kill. We’re a comeback team and I have faith in them. I’m so excited and proud of them, it was beautiful to watch, especially seeing Rashelle come back from her injury to win a title.”
After tearing her ACL last season and missing out on helping Goldstein during its playoff run, Ripa made up for lost time by being an integral part of Goldstein’s transformation from title contender to title winner. She recorded a 13 assists, which plays right into her love for her teammates.
“This team and these girls have had my back the entire way,” she said. “When I tore my ACL last year, the team kept my spirits up. It was hard coming back from such a huge injury, but the team had my back, and the team had my back all day today, even when I had some bad sets. It’s about time this team won it all.”
“This team could have had a few championships already,” added Buchhalter. “But we knew that Ripa would be the key this particular year and she helped everyone around her get involved. It’s redemption.”
Monday’s result was not much different than the previous four head to head matches between the two division rivals. Goldstein can now claim a 4-1 record against Fort Hamilton in 2011, winning all four meetings consecutively.
“We knew midseason that it would come down to us against them,” Buchhalter said. “And we knew that a matchup between the two of us would come down to those final nervewracking points, but these kids are incredibly committed. No one has worked harder than them, they absolutely deserve this title.”
Kristen Herchenroder, Rashelle Ripa, Goldstein, Goldstein, Goldstein, Goldstein, Goldstein, Goldstein, Goldstein, Herchenroder, Herchenroder, Herchenroder, Goldstein coach Adrian Buchhalter, PSAL, girls volleyball, Buchhalter, Buchhalter, Fort Hamilton, championship, city championship
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wild Orchid in Zillertal
Wild Orchid in Zillertal
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Sunday, November 20, 2011
Michael's Birthday 2011 166-34
Michael's Birthday 2011 166-34
© Brad Trump Photography 2011 | Proofs
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CB564 Pebbles by Lake Beltzville
CB564 Pebbles by Lake Beltzville
There were some nicely colored pebbles along the shore of the lake. Poking around at Beltzville State Park. It was uncomfortably cold.
Winter vacation to The Poconos, Feb 2009.
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Saturday, November 19, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
110111_354V2
110111_354V2
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Monday, November 14, 2011
Val Bognanco novembre 2011
Val Bognanco novembre 2011
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Sunday, November 13, 2011
West Side NYC from Weehawken
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Independence of the Seas
Independence of the Seas
Una imagen mas de este gigantn. Lo siento, es tan grande que se me sali del encuadre, ja,ja.
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Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Yen and Floods Sap Toyota
TOKYO—Toyota Motor Corp. reported a 19% drop in profit for the July-September quarter, blaming the yen's rapid appreciation against the dollar and production cutbacks in the U.S. and Japan due to parts shortages that hit sales.
Japan's largest auto maker on Tuesday postponed a possible revision of its earnings forecast for the full-year, citing volatility in current markets and uncertainty on resumption of normal production due to flooding in Thailand. In August, Toyota had called for a profit of ¥390 billion ($5.01 billion) and sales of ¥19 trillion for the fiscal year ending next March.
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Toyota Motor suspended its full-year profit outlook on Tuesday as Thai floods pose a fresh threat to production.
"A lot of negative factors have piled up one after another," Toyota Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Satoshi Ozawa said at a news conference. The company said it will update its outlook once the full impact of the production disruptions becomes clear.
Just as Toyota's production was recovering from shortages due to Japan's earthquake and tsunami in March, its global output was crimped by component shortages from the massive flooding in Thailand, where it builds parts and some autos for export.
Honda Motor Co., Ford Motor Co., computer chip and disk-drive makers trimmed production after flooding swamped Thai factories and key suppliers. Honda, which withdrew its earnings outlook last week on the flooding impact, said on Tuesday that its North American factories will operate at between 50% and 75% of normal output for about three more weeks.
Toyota cited the surging yen as the chief culprit, noting the average dollar-yen exchange rate in its fiscal first half through September fell by ¥9 to ¥80 from ¥89 in the same six-month period last year. It said that contributed to a ¥69.3 billion loss in the red-ink stained Japanese operations, which include exports from Japan. It was profitable in North America, Europe and Asia.
"The extreme rapidity of the yen's rise has dented our recovery efforts," Mr. Ozawa said.
The company posted a net profit of ¥80.4 billion in its fiscal second quarter ended September, down from ¥98.7 billion in the same period a year earlier.
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Japanese car makers have been waging a desperate battle with the stubbornly strong yen, scrambling to cut costs and, in some cases, shift more production overseas. A stronger yen bites into income earned overseas and erodes the price competitiveness of exports.
In the July-September quarter, Toyota's sales declined 4.8% to ¥4.575 trillion from ¥4.807 trillion, and operating profit from its underlying automotive business fell 32% to ¥75.4 billion from ¥111.5 billion. That was above the company's own operating profit projection of ¥67.96 billion, but below analysts' median forecast of ¥96.69 billion.
Mr. Ozawa said Toyota won't compromise on its pledge to keep domestic production at 3 million vehicles a year. But he indicated Toyota would seek to sell more cars in Japan and limit exports annually to 1.5 million vehicles, down from the current level of 1.7 million.
Mr. Ozawa said Toyota must do more to raise local procurement of components at its factories outside Japan. His comments indicate the company may seek to limit the number of Japanese-made engines and other parts for export.
Toyota currently produces 4.5 million engines a year in Japan, which is well above its domestic vehicle production and sales.
In a further challenge to Toyota's traditional business ways, Mr. Ozawa said the recent disruptions in its global supply chain may prompt the company to rethink the principles of its renowned Toyota Production System, or TPS, including "just in time" inventory for some key parts.
![[1108toyota]](http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-QL676_1108to_D_20111108015447.jpg)
Reuters
"We may have to think outside the confines of TPS in the procurement of parts or materials from other industries," Mr. Ozawa said, adding that the company may take lessons from rival Nissan Motor Co., which has suffered less damage from the Thai flooding.
"Just observing the impact on production from the Thai floods, we may have some things to learn from Nissan," he said.
Nissan Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga said last week the company aims to resume part of its production in Thailand on Nov. 14 by using parts from other countries. Nissan estimates a production loss totaling 40,000 vehicles in Thailand and an additional 20,000 vehicles in Japan.
Toyota says output of some 150,000 vehicles has been affected by the flooding in Thailand, including 40,000 in Japan. Production has been cut from planned levels by about 60% in Southeast Asia, 20% in Japan and 10% in North America. But the company says there has been little or no impact on manufacturing operations in China or Europe.
Toyota has said the shortages are concentrated in three areas: electronics, plastics and forged parts. Toyota has declined to specify which Thai-made parts are unavailable, but company insiders say the items include dashboard-mounted navigation systems.
The company had hoped to ramp up production in the back half of the year to make up for losses after a historic earthquake and tsunami in March in northeastern Japan, which delayed output of 760,000 vehicles globally. But the elevated yen and flooding in Thailand have frustrated those plans. It is now unclear how much of that production Toyota will be able to reinstate by year's end.
Toyota reports earnings under U.S. accounting standards.
Write to Chester Dawson at chester.dawson@wsj.com and Yoshio Takahashi at yoshio.takahashi@dowjones.com
dollar yen exchange rate, honda motor co, dollar yen exchange, ford motor co, yen exchange rate, chief culprit, toyota motor corp, american factories, component shortages, flooding in thailand, honda motor, north america europe, global output, massive flooding, negative factors, toyota motor, largest auto, auto maker, ford motor, computer chip
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
SUNSET
SUNSET
Another night is coming.....
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Automne Corse
Automne Corse
Profitons vite, cela ne va pas durer bien longtemps !
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Monday, November 7, 2011
Look up the autumn sky
Look up the autumn sky
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Seaburn
Seaburn
Seaburn wasn't very exciting, or particularly photogenic. The landscape around the lighthouse doesn't offer much in the way of foreground interest, and the red stripes on the tower are so faded, vibrant colours weren't an option without major photoshoppery.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4
Big Stopper
www.alexnichol.me
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canon eos 5d, zeiss planar, vibrant colours, 4big, canon eos, 50mm, foreground, lighthouse, stripes, landscape, canon
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Costa Gallega
Costa Gallega
Playa Mexiloeira - O`Grove - Galicia
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Friday, November 4, 2011
I Need You
I Need You
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Thursday, November 3, 2011
News Corp. Counsel Noted Hacking 'Culture' in 2008
LONDON—Newly released documents show that an outside lawyer for News Corp. in 2008 warned of a "culture of illegal information access" at the company's News of the World newspaper, raising new questions about News Corp.'s longtime assertion that it was unaware of how widespread phone hacking was at the now-closed tabloid.
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James Murdoch
The lawyer's opinion, and other documents released Tuesday by Parliament's Culture, Sport and Media Committee, add to already mounting pressure on top News Corp. executives, including Deputy Chief Operating Officer James Murdoch, who has insisted he was in the dark about the extent of illegal reporting tactics at the time.
The committee is looking at whether News Corp. executives misled lawmakers investigating the scandal over the past few years.
The documents released Tuesday show that company lawyers—both a News Corp. insider and outside attorneys assisting with litigation over phone hacking—were aware that phone hacking at News of the World went beyond a single rogue reporter. The lingering question is whether their findings were brought to the attention of top company officials such as Mr. Murdoch, whose statements have been contradicted publicly by former underlings.
Among the documents released Tuesday is a June 2008 legal opinion provided by a lawyer hired by News Group Newspapers, the U.K. unit of News Corp. that published the tabloid, to advise it in civil litigation filed by a former soccer player alleging he had been the victim of phone hacking.
Earlier
Ex-News Corp. Official Stands By Phone-Hacking Testimony
Hacking Testimony Challenged
The lawyer, Michael Silverleaf, wrote to News of the World's in-house counsel, saying that "there is overwhelming evidence of the involvement of a number of senior NGN journalists in the illegal enquiries into [redacted]."
It is unclear which specific inquiries he was referring to, but Mr. Silverleaf made the comments within the context of saying that the company's prospects of avoiding liability for the former soccer player's claims "are slim to the extent of being non-existent."
Mr. Silverleaf's opinion goes on to state that "there is a powerful case that there is (or was) a culture of illegal information access used at NGN in order to produce stories for publication." He adds that the airing of such information in a public trial would be "extremely damaging to NGN's public reputation."
A person close to News Corp said Mr. Murdoch didn't see the Silverleaf opinion in 2008.
Mr. Silverleaf couldn't be reached for comment.
Senior executives at News Corp. long maintained that phone hacking was limited to one reporter, Clive Goodman, and a private detective, Glenn Mulcaire, on the paper's payroll; both were sentenced in 2007 after pleading guilty to illegal voice-mail interceptions.
News Corp. also owns The Wall Street Journal.
This past July Mr. Murdoch told the parliamentary panel that evidence of more widespread wrongdoing only surfaced largely at the end of 2010 during civil litigation brought by celebrities and others claiming to be phone-hacking victims. Mr. Murdoch, son of News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch, will face further questions from lawmakers with a scheduled reappearance before the panel Nov. 10.
"James Murdoch has been clear and consistent in his testimony," a News Corp. spokeswoman said. She added that Mr. Murdoch will address questions the lawmakers have when he appears before the committee next week, but declined to comment on specific details included in the documents.
James Murdoch approved a roughly £700,000 settlement ($1.1 million) in 2009, including legal fees, with the former soccer player, Gordon Taylor.
The parliamentary panel also released other documents that provided greater detail around the briefing Mr. Murdoch may have received in 2008 about Mr. Taylor's case. Previously, News of the World's former editor, Colin Myler, and its former top lawyer, Tom Crone had testified that they had informed Mr. Murdoch of critical evidence in the case in the form of an email that suggested the hacking activity at the News of the World was more widespread. But Mr. Murdoch has told the parliamentary panel that he wasn't told at the time about the email.
Among the documents released Tuesday was a two-page briefing note prepared by Mr. Crone for Mr. Myler ahead of a meeting between the editor and Mr. Murdoch in May 2008.
The briefing note refers to the critical evidence several times, saying there "was an email from a News of the World reporter to Mulcaire enclosing a large number of transcripts of voice mails from Mr. Taylor's phone." That email, which the company has said was sent in 2005 by a junior reporter, appears to show that at least one other reporter beyond Mr. Goodman was aware of phone hacking. The email isn't included in the briefing notes.
The briefing note describes the email as "fatal to our case" and says "the damning email is genuine and proves we actively made use of a large number of extremely private voicemails from Taylor's telephone in June/July 2005."
Also released Tuesday were notes made several days later by another outside lawyer hired by the company to advise on the Taylor case— Farrer & Co. LLP partner Julian Pike—following a call with Mr. Myler. Mr. Pike's notes detail that Mr. Myler had spoken to Mr. Murdoch but are unclear about what Mr. Myler may have said, if anything, about the email.
Mr. Pike's notes end by saying "James wld say get rid of them—cut out cancer," which appears to be a reference to what Mr. Myler thinks Mr. Murdoch would say about employees found to have hacked phones. It's not clear that was a comment Mr. Myler made, or something Mr. Murdoch said.
Mr. Murdoch has told the panel that he received a briefing on the case in June 2008 by Mr. Myler and Mr. Crone but that he didn't recall any prior briefing. Of the June meeting, he said he recalled being told that the litigation related to the interception of Mr. Taylor's voice mails by Mr. Mulcaire on behalf of News of the World. Mr. Murdoch said he didn't ask for evidence and that neither Messrs. Myler and Crone told him that wrongdoing extended beyond Mr. Goodman or Mr. Mulcaire.
Write to Cassell Bryan-Low at cassell.bryan-low@wsj.com
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Wednesday, November 2, 2011
EA Invades Zynga's Turf
As online videogame pioneer Zynga Inc. prepares to go public, one of the gaming industry's veterans is starting to creep onto its virtual turf.
Electronic Arts Inc. has cracked Zynga's hold on the top games played on social-networking website Facebook Inc. with "The Sims Social." Since the game's August debut, it has become Facebook's second-most-played game, according to industry tracker AppData, with 38.3 million monthly active users. Zynga's "CityVille" is No. 1, with 54.5 million such users.
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EA, known for console games like the "Madden" football series, scored its Facebook hit in part by siphoning players like Francis Java away from Zynga titles. Mr. Java, a 20-year-old Californian in college in the Philippines, said he quit playing Zynga's "Mafia Wars" and "YoVille" to play "The Sims Social," a suburban-life simulator.
"You can decorate your place, and they give you new items every week," Mr. Java said. "It gives you something to look forward to."
Zynga still is the leading Facebook game developer. It accounts for seven of Facebook's top 10 games, according to AppData, and its game portfolio has more than 200 million monthly active users, triple runner-up EA's 67 million.
That dominance has given the four-year-old San Francisco company as much as a $20 billion valuation for its initial public offering, which people familiar with the matter have said could come later this month.
But EA has emerged as Zynga's first substantial rival in what is known as social gaming. The deep-pocketed Redwood City, Calif., company also has a head start in a field where Zynga is pinning its future: gaming on mobile gadgets, such as smartphones and tablets.
Barry Cottle, who heads EA's social-gaming efforts, said the company's strategy is to use the expertise at Playfish, a social-gaming start-up it acquired in 2009, to turn successful EA brands such as "The Sims" into Facebook games.
"Our formula for success...is to take a leader in the space that really knows those games and marry that with our franchises," he said. "Zynga and others are continuing to build quality games and are improving the bar. We like competition, and competition keeps us driven to do better."
Zynga declined to comment for this article.
The competition comes as Zynga has upended the traditional game industry with its business model of selling digital goods in videogames. By selling virtual horses and houses in hits, such as "FarmVille" and "CityVille," it raked in more than $270 million in the second quarter. Its success has spurred traditional videogame makers, such as EA, which has seen its revenues stagnate in the past few years, to dive into social gaming.
"The Sims" series is one of EA's biggest successes, having sold more than 125 million copies for PCs and gaming consoles. The company previously tried to turn the series into a fee-based online, multiplayer game, but it was a flop. Now EA is taking a page from Zynga's playbook, by letting people play the game free on Facebook and selling players virtual merchandise.
"When you look at EA, what you see is that it's possible to take market share away from Zynga," said John Lee, a marketing vice president for Raptr Inc., a social network for videogame players that tracks the playing time of its members.
"The Sims Social" has flourished partly by luring Zynga players, Mr. Lee said. In an October study of its 10 million members, Raptr found that 50% of the game's players also played Zynga games. Mr. Lee added that he isn't sure how many of those players play "The Sims Social," instead of Zynga games, and how many play the game in addition to Zynga titles.
EA also met success by marketing "The Sims Social" to fans of its PC and console games, such as "The Sims 3," and its other Facebook games, such as "Bejeweled Blitz," analysts said.
Any lull in releasing new social games can be costly. In regulatory documents, Zynga said it saw a 4% decline in bookings in the second quarter, which it attributed to fewer daily average users and the fact that it didn't launch any new games in the first half of 2011.
EA's Mr. Cottle said his company's goal is to win not just in the market for Facebook games, but across all digital platforms, including mobile devices. EA already has more than 100 apps for Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPad.
Zynga has the popular "Words with Friends" app, but is still working on making other games available on smartphones and tablets. In total, Zynga has 10 games for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices, with two other games "coming soon."
"EA should have zero trouble because they're already dominant in mobile," said Michael Pachter, a Wedbush Securities analyst.
Still, EA, with only one hit so far, is playing catch-up in social gaming, he said.
In addition, "The Sims Social" player base has dropped in the past month. The game was No. 3 among active daily users, as of Tuesday, behind "CityVille" and "Farmville," but it ranked second among monthly active users.
EA, Mr. Pachter said, is "nipping at their [Zynga's] heels, and EA's about ankle high."
Write to Stu Woo at Stu.Woo@wsj.com and Shayndi Raice at shayndi.raice@wsj.com
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011
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