Wave of bans hits Xbox Live

by Mike

November 11 3:03 P.M.

As many as 600,000 Xbox 360s were banned from the Xbox Live service this week in the latest in a series of crackdowns by Microsoft on illegally modified consoles.

The banned machines -- a "small percentage" of the millions of Xbox 360s around the world -- are alleged to have been modified in ways that violate Xbox Live's terms of service, but Microsoft won't say exactly how they can tell, nor exactly how many users were affected. Banned consoles can still play games, but can't connect to the Xbox Live service for multiplayer gaming, content downloads or software updates.

"All consumers should know that piracy is illegal, and that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs, violates the Xbox LIVE terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox Live," Microsoft said in a statement today.

The bans were apparently timed to coincide with yesterday's release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, expected to be by far the biggest gaming event of the year. One affected Call of Duty fan, a self-confessed software pirate called "Raz," told the BBC about his disappointment.

Owners of modded 360s will no longer be allowed to play online.

"It was a big day yesterday, the latest game we've been waiting months and months for. We've played the whole series and this one's come out, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2...I sign in online and next thing I see, 'Your console has been banned from Xbox'...now I don't know what to do," he told the BBC's Newsbeat.

Most law-abiding gamers will have little sympathy for Raz -- but at least one banned Xbox owner claims to have been targeted by accident, and that Microsoft won't listen to his excuses.

"My console and my fiance's console were caught up in the Mass Banning going on by Microsoft in their latest Pirate Witch Hunt. My fiance is a chef, and plays games like Viva Pinata, Arcade Games, and can't figure out how to remove the battery pack, much less tear apart her system to 'mod' anything," he told The Consumerist.

He's had little luck with Microsoft's customer service, either. "At one point a man who called himself 'Charles' told me that it was my problem and I should learn to follow the rules, then hung up on me," he said.

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TO ALL FOLKS WHO WERE BORN IN THE

1950's, 60' s, 70's and early 80's !!

First, some of us s urvived being born to mothers who did not have an OB-Gyne and drank San Miguel Beer while they carried us. While pregnant, they took cold or cough medicine, ate Linunod, balikutsa, bukhayo and didn't worry about diabetes.




Then after all that trauma, our baby cribs were made of hard wood covered with lead-based paints, ang uban kay duyan nga habol gihigtan ug pisi nga inigtabyog ug kusog ma pakong intawon ta sa bongbong.





We had no soft cushy cribs that play music, no disposable diapers (lampin lang sa General Mi lling nga naa'y faded picture nga nag-salute), and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, no kneepads, wala pa gyu'y brake ang bisikleta.





As children, we would ride in hot un-airconditioned buses with wooden seats(Bisaya Bus nga pultahan puros ang kilid, Corominas Bus nga senimana ang brake), or cars with no airconditioning & no seat belts (karon kay Minibus na nga nindot kaayo ug sounds or Ceres Bus nga bugnaw ug aircon)





Riding on the back of a carabao on a breezy summer day was considered a treat. (karon, ang mga bata wala na kaila ug Kabaw)





We drank water from the garden hose and NOT bottled mineral water sa Nature Spring or Viva, or Absolute Mineral water (usahay gani, straight from the faucet or poso or Tabay!)





We shared one soft drink bottle with four of our friends, and NO ONE actually died from this. Or contacted hepatitis.





We ate rice with star margarine, bahaw nga gibutangan ug asin ug mantika sa baboy, drank raw eggs straight from the shell, and drank sofdr inks with real sugar in it (dili diet coke or Pepsi Max), but we weren't sick or overweight kay........





WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!





We would leave home in the morning and play all day, and get back when the streetlights came on. Syatong, Bato-Lata, Bagol, Dakop-Dakop, Tago-Tago, Ngita'gKaka.





No one was able to reach us all day (wala pa'y uso ang cellphone). And yes,=2 0we were O.K.





We would spend hours building our wooden trolleys (katong bearing ang ligid) or Karitong Kawayan nga karaang tsinilas ang giporma nga ligid and then ride down the street , wala ma'y gidungog nga naligsan atoh! After hitting the sidewalk or falling into a canal (sewage channel) a few times, we learned to solve the problem ourselves with our bare & dirty hands .





We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 100 channels on cable, no DVD movies, no surround stereo, no IPOD's, no cell phones, no computers, no Internet, no chat rooms, and no Friendsters. ......... ....WE HAD REAL FRIENDS and we went outside to actually talk and play with them!




We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no stupid lawsuits from these accidents. The only rubbing we get is from our friends with the words..sakit bai ? pero kung kontra gani nimo ang imong kadula,,,,singgitan lang dayon ug..Mayra,Gabaan!




We played marbles (jolen) in the dirt , washed our hands just a little and ate Pan Bahug-bahug & Bagumbayan (recycled bread man diay to kay wala mahalin!) We were not afraid of getting germs in our stomachs.




We had to live with homemade guns (giporma nga kahoy, gihigtan ug garter ug lastiko) , saplong , tirador ug uban pa nga pwedeng magkasakitay. Pero lingaw gihapon kaayo ang tanan.

We made up games with sticks ( syatong ), andcans ( Bato-Lata )and although we were told they were dangerous, wala man gyud to'y actual nga nabuta bah, bukol lang nuon sa agtang naa.


We walked, rode bikes, or took tricycles to a friend's house and knocked on the door or batoon ug gagmay nga bato ang bungbong, or just yelled for them to jump out the window!




Mini basketball teams had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't pass had to learn to deal with the disappointment.Wala pa nang mga childhood depression ug damaged self esteem ek-ek ra na. Ang maglagot, pildi.




Ang mga Ginikanan naa ra sa daplin para motan-aw ra sa duwa sa mga bata, dili para manghilabot ug makig-away sa ubang parents.




That generation of ours has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers, creative thinkers and successful professionals ever! They are the CEO's, Engineers, Doctors and Military Generals of today.




The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.




We had failure, success, and responsibility. We learned from our mistakes the hard way.


=0 A







You might want to share this with others who've had the luck to grow up as real kids. We were lucky indeed.




And if you like, forward it to your kids too, so they will know how brave their parents were.




It kind of makes you wanna go out and climb a tree, doesn't it?!




PS - The big letters are because your eyes may not be able to read this if they were typed any smaller (at your age? Duh!).=0 A



"Everything works for good for those who believe." - Rom 8:28

"Hope is not just a conviction that something turns out well.
It is the certainty that everything makes sense (regardless of how
it turns out) in God." - Kyregma


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It is important that as swine flu spreads, you know the symptoms of the disease so you can recognise it in yourself and others at an early stage.

Please read this page and consider your symptoms carefully before using the National Pandemic Flu Service mentioned below.

So far, most swine flu cases have been mild, with symptoms similar to those of seasonal flu. Only a small number of people have had more serious symptoms.

If you or a member of your family has a fever or high temperature (over 38°C/100.4°F) and two or more of the following symptoms, you may have swine flu:

• unusual tiredness,
• headache,
• runny nose,
• sore throat,
• shortness of breath or cough,
• loss of appetite,
• aching muscles,
• diarrhoea or vomiting.

Checking symptoms

It makes sense to have a working thermometer at home, as an increase in temperature is one of the main symptoms. If you are unsure how to use a thermometer, go to How to take someone's temperature.

If you are still concerned you may have swine flu, stay at home and check your symptoms using the online National Pandemic Flu Service.

Call your GP directly if:

• you have a serious existing illness that weakens your immune system, such as cancer,
• you are pregnant,
• you have a sick child under one,
• your condition suddenly gets much worse, or
• your condition is still getting worse after seven days (five for a child).

Note: the National Pandemic Flu Service is a new online service that will assess your symptoms and, if needed, provide an authorisation number that can be used to collect antiviral medication from a local collection point. For those who do not have internet access, the same service can be accessed by telephone on:

• Telephone: 0800 151 3100
• Minicom: 0800 151 3200

For more information on the National Pandemic Flu Service go to Flu service: Q&A.

High-risk groups

For most people, swine flu is a mild illness. Some people get better by staying in bed, drinking plenty of water and taking over-the-counter flu medication.

However, some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu, and will need to start taking antiviral medication as it is confirmed that they have it.

It is already known that you are particularly at risk if you have:

• chronic (long-term) lung disease,
• chronic heart disease,
• chronic kidney disease,
• chronic liver disease,
• chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease),
• immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment) or
• diabetes mellitus.

Also at risk are:

• patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past three years,
• pregnant women,
• people aged 65 and older, and
• young children under five.

It is vital that people in these higher-risk groups who catch swine flu get antivirals and start taking them as soon as possible.

Outlook

For most people, the illness appears to be mild. Cases have been confirmed in all age groups, but children and younger people seem much more likely to be affected. To date, fewer cases have been confirmed in older adults.

For a minority of people, the virus has caused severe illness. In many of these cases, other factors have been identified that are likely to have contributed to the severity of the illness.

Worldwide, just over 0.4% of the laboratory-confirmed cases reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) have died. This is a similar rate to ordinary flu. The true number of swine flu cases is likely to be significantly higher than that reported to WHO and therefore the figure of 0.4% is likely to be an overestimate of the death rate.

Where complications do occur, they tend to be caused by the virus affecting the lungs. Infections such as pneumonia can develop.

Sign up for swine flu email updates

More on symptoms:

What is the incubation period for swine flu?

What are the complications of swine flu?

How long are symptoms expected to last?

What if I don't recover within a week?

Scientific information on the high-risk groups (links to external site).

If you feel unwell...

If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned that you may have swine flu:

• Stay at home and check your symptoms using the National Pandemic Flu Service.
• Call your GP directly if:
  - you have a serious underlying illness,
  - you are pregnant,
  - you have a sick child under one year of age,
  - your condition suddenly gets much worse, or
  - your condition is still getting worse after seven days (five for a child).

Note: the National Pandemic Flu Service is a new online service that will assess your symptoms and, if required, provide an authorisation number that can be used to collect antiviral medication from a local collection point. For those who do not have internet access, the same service can be accessed by telephone on:

• Telephone: 0800 1 513 100
• Minicom: 0800 1 513 200

For more information, go to the Flu Service - Q&A.

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Making money with Twitter is not difficult, and while everybody wants to know how to use Twitter properly very few do. Yes, you can log on and tweet, but do you really know how to use it? Do you know how to attract the followers that you want, or how to choose the tweeters that you want to follow?

Most people are happy having as many followers as possible, but why are they following you? Why do people who don't have a clue who you are want to follow you? Unless you can answer questions such as these then you do not know how to use the site, let alone how to make friends and money from Twitter.

That's right - make money! It is possible to make money with Twitter by using it as it can be used, but you have to know how to do that. Twitter can be used to drive masses of traffic to your blog, Squidoo lens or website. There is nothing illegal about it, and Twitter will not throw you off: in fact they will welcome it. The reason for that is that the owners want it to be as popular as possible and to have as many Twitter users and followers as they possibly can get.

Part of that might be due to reported bids for Twitter from Rupert Murdoch, Apple and Facebook, and perhaps even Google: obviously the busier and more popular the site is then the higher its value. However, a lot has also got a lot to do with pride, and the more uses to which people can put the site then the less it will be known as a one trick pony, useful only for short tweets but nothing else.

If it becomes a useful means of internet marketing, and can be extended into a mainstream income earner, then Twitter will assume a new dimension and not only increase its value but also its reputation as a more solid WEB2 site and not just a bit of frippery on the periphery of real internet marketing entities. You can make money with Twitter, mainly by using it as a marketing tool to drive traffic to your blog or website. You can also use Twitter to send visitors to your MySpace, Facebook or YouTube pages and any other web presence that you have such as your Squidoo lens.

Anybody can do it, not only the experienced internet marketers, and if you have an idea that you can sell, or even a physical product that you want to promote, then there are ways to do that extremely effectively using the application - but first you have to understand how to use Twitter for more than just tweeting.

What you need is good professional instruction, not only on how to make friends and communicate, but also how to make money with Twitter. Not many are doing so right now, but if you feel that this is a growing medium, of which there is absolutely no doubt, then you must make sure that you don't miss the boat. You can use Twitter without spamming, and without annoying any of the other tweeters that use it.

In fact many might want to join you, since they will learn a lot more about this fabulous communications technique than they do right now. Once you understand how Twitter can be used to the maximum of its potential then you can pass that information on free if you want.

First, however, you have to understand the basics of Twitter. You might believe that you know all there is to know, but don't be silly! Nobody knows that, not even me, and I know a heck of a lot. Nevertheless there is still a lot to be learned, and you should start learning right now before you get left behind.

By learning how to use Twitter properly, you will broaden your outlook and enjoy tweeting much more, and if you know how to make money with Twitter when you need it, then these sudden expenses that come along will no longer pose problems. By combining the benefits of WEB2 sites such as Squidoo, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter you can create a marketing entity so powerful that you find it difficult not to make money.

To learn how to use Twitter properly, and also how to make friends and money with Twitter, visit Pete's page at Twitter Traffic where you find out how to learn everything you need on video, and also how to make a start at making some pocket money for yourself

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TWITTER BIO: WHY YOUR TWITTER BIOGRAPHY MATTERS

Many people are on Twitter – that is a fact. But if you want to attract certain types of people, your biography comes into play. What you put in your bio is very important. Here are some of the reasons why.

•Some people check out your bio first. So the bio becomes a reason of why they follow you or not. This is especially true if they are looking for a particular type of person. If your bio is not filled out or doesn’t contain any descriptive information, you may be not getting potential followers. You have got 160 characters in your bio; use them all wisely!

•People who have a bio attract more followers. Many potential followers have a reason why they are looking at your bio….they are interested in what you do or how you may be of assistance to them. These potential follows do really want to get to know you!

•Although not really a part of your bio, make sure you put your picture on your Twitter page. I have personally talked to people who are not even interested in following others due to the fact that a picture isn’t posted. So make sure you get a picture on your Twitter page!

•Also, make sure you post your website link if you have one. This helps give you a little more credibility, and attracts more followers. If you are a business person, this website link is crucial – especially if you are trying to promote something.

•Twitter is a very powerful tool with a large audience. So to enhance the effect you will have in getting new followers and keeping those followers, make sure that your bio is a part of your Twitter page that you have completed. That bio may just make all the difference in the world when you are looking for targeted followers!

To sum it up, make sure your Twitter site has your bio on it. Be real with your bio. Tell your likes, dislikes, and interests. However, make sure that you don’t present yourself as “overqualified” in a particular area or field. People just want to see the real you – and the real you is what will attract more followers! Happy tweeting!!!!

Learn how to attract leads and get sales like the pros do: http://www.the7figurenetworker.com/jesse200908

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Have you heard the lastest buzz on using your Facebook, Youtube,and Twitter channel in conjunction with your blog to get FREE traffic? Do you know how to set all that up correctly? Whether you have your Twitter, Youtube, or Facebook channel created yet, you probably have no idea how to piece them all together like a jigsaw puzzle to produce the most exposure to your product or service.

Not to mention, if your anyone who is serious about going fulltime online you must also have a personal blog. But making all these parts work cohesively with massive leverage is a whole different task all together.

Unfortunately just posting content to your blog and expecting it to be found in the searches is just part of the equation.

For starters, you do not want to be sending your web 2.0 friends directly to your company replicated sales pages. You will turn off anyone remotely interested in you if you do it this way. Just imagine going to a party at someones house and immediately pitching everyone on how they should join your pre-paid business? You would be the geek of the party.

Don't forget that these sites are social media hangouts, so be just that, social. It's essential to build a friendly relationship first before pitching your product or service.

The most important thing to remember in regards to positioning all these sites together is to make your personal blog the "nucleus". In other words, every one of your social sites needs to be pointing people to your blog, not a product sales page.

To define "nucleus" in this context, let me be clear. Your personal blog is supposed to tell the world a lot about you and what your specialties are. This can entail a personal history of your life all the way to your specific business and products. People join people so make your site professionaly personable, informative and full of value.

Don't ever turn your blog into a mass advertisement website. So for example, when someone has become your friend on Facebook and they click on your blog link to learn more about you, it's important that they are not getting hit over the head with a business pitch. The viewer should be able to learn about you personally and professionally, this is the stance to have. So let the visitor review your site & click on yout business tab so that way they made up their own mind and you weren't convincing them.

So here is the summary of what we have just read about.

*Use Facebook, Twitter, Youtube to search out your target market & start some kind of relationship by breaking the ice. *Once you have established some kind of re pore with your new social media friends point them to your professional blog and let them take action to work with you on their own. *I would seriously consider putting and opt in form right on your blog to give visitors an option to subscribe to your email list. *Your exploding website rankings, traffic, leads & profits will be a direct result of following this formula.

Successful marketing!

Bert McClure is a 3 year veteran online business owner & trainer. Would you like to learn more on having your own perfectly positioned Personal Blog? Witness the recorded video showing you step by step How To Position Your Personal Blog In Your Marketing Web. This is how you get tons of traffic.


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2012 the movie which many are waiting for is scheduled to be released in 9 days now. This much awaited movie about the Mayan prophecy of 2012 End of the World is one which is going to please the millions of fans of Action, Sci-fi and Fantasy? movies.

While you wait for it, here is a small preview of the 2012 movie along with the official 2012 trailer released last year. You must have heard about the Mayan prophecy? The one which claim the End of the World is for 21 December 2012. If you have not heard about it yet, then time to read IC more often friend. (Joking). To read more about the Mayan 2012 prophecy, click here.

The 2012 movie is based on this prophecy and is of course going to be a movie to attract more than the estimated number of viewers. For now let’s have a look at the story of the movie 2012!

2012! It is here. The movie is featured over a small unknown family, the Curtis. The main character is Jackson Curtis and his family. Ok I will not go into the boring part of the Curtis family as you will see these in the movie.

The movie adapts the story from part of the Bible where Noe saved part of the world’s population using an ark! (Boo!). So December 2012 is here and the US secret services start receiving reports about mass suicides in the Mayan jungles. Sooner than expected, Los Angeles experiences a massive earthquake and is completely destroyed! Volcanoes start to erupt everywhere and more massive earthquakes occurs, destroying large cities and countries! The statue of Christ the Redeemer is even annihilated! Thinking about the Vatican with God’s grace? Well they simply seized to exist too as Ramstein often said it. Flood, volcanoes, tsunamis and all of the people still alive realize that it is indeed the end of the world. The end of humanity but also of life!

However, the IHC (Institute for Human Continuity) had prepared for this day since long and built large arks to be able to save part of humanity during this calamity. It is now a question of who will be fast enough to jump on board the arks and prevent the complete extinction of humanity and life on earth.

Ok wake up now and back to the blog. The movie is being released on the 13 of November in the USA. So if you are not there then you will most probably be seeing it withing 3 to 7 days in your local cine theaters. Those who like it free and the other way will of course get it via the not so legal ways but finally this movie is one which is going to inform more people about the Mayan prophecies of 2012.

How far the prophecies are true? This is a very debatable question which collects distinc opinions. Watch out for 2012 the movie and do share your thought about this movie here.

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