With the anticipation of the game leaving millions of gamers rushing to get their hands on their version of the game that was tipped to, and did, break sale records within the first 24 hours of sales but with Modern Warfare 2, the previous title developed by the same creators, selling 4.7 million copies within the first day, Activision failed to see the 9.3 million titles being purchased on opening day and that resulted in devastation within their new ‘premium’ option that had been freshly developed for the latest instalment.

Modern Warfare 3 Elite had been taunted as a new addition that was going to intensify the gaming experience of players that bought the MW3 title but with the additional features came a new twist that upset gamers across the globe, yet another yearly fee to be added to their account.

Charging a premium for what the company claimed was going to offer a new ground breaking experience, with clans and titles being more powerful than ever before, seemed to split the gaming community but that didn’t stop millions of gamers subscribing to the Elite offering from the moment that the game hit the shelves.

The result of the interest and the element of the unknown was gamers paying out a fee for a yearly membership into the Elite aspect of the game, only for the servers that Activision had powering it to fail and be unable to handle the demand that came flooding towards it.

The MW3 Elite servers were soon blocked to any user, resulting in backlash from angry gamers that were demanding an explanation, something that they were given via social networking site Twitter, being told that “A surge of new Elite registrations” were the cause of the problems, showing that the reception of the new element of the game had been well received despite the questions of whether Activision were right in adding yet another expense onto a title that releases regular download content at a price.

When players have tried to access the Elite servers  they have been consistently shown the same message, telling them that traffic into the servers was at its ‘peak’ and that they should return to try again later.

With the Call of Duty franchise now valued at a huge £3 billion surely you would have expected Activision to have produced the game on servers that were capable of handling the huge number of gamers that they have had logging into their online section of the game over recent years, especially as they are charging for the chance to be part of the Elite section.

Activision have issued comment on the problems and have pledged that all those who have bought Elite membership will be issued with a further 30 days of membership once the problems have been rectified, possibly too little too late for any of the gamers according to the online gaming community with players claiming that they are set to turn the back on the title in order to purchase the game’s rival title, Battlefield 3.

Call of Duty

Apparently the ref Tomas Fidra had been celebrating his birthday before the game and reportedly ‘smelt like a brewery’.  He spent the first few minutes of the game stumbling around the pitch before deciding to send off three Jestrabi Lhota players for no reason.

After spending much of the early minutes of the match stumbling around the pitch and falling over, the official then decided to send off three Jestrabi Lhota players for no reason.

An official from the Jestrabi Lhota club Karel Dusek told the Lidove Noviny newspaper that the boozed-up referee ‘didn’t try to hide that he had been celebrating’. He said that undercurrent rules there is nothing that bans a drunken referee from taking charge of a fixture which is why the game continued even though one team only had eight players.

In the end the game finished 1-1, the opposition, Tynec-nad-Labem, agreed not to attack their opponents after the bizarre dismissals by the drunken ref.
‘If we had refused to continue to play, we could have been sanctioned,’ Mr Dusek added.

However after all that the regional football authority annulled the game on the basis of fair play. The drunken ref who had a 1.94 per cent alcohol level in his blood is now facing a possible 12-month suspension for his actions.

Picture courtesy of HeadCRasher

The thirty five year old star f X-rated movie Hi-Ho Hi-Ho, It’s Up Your Arse We Go was discovered in a badgers den, partially eaten, by Ministry of Agriculture experts who were checking the den ahead of a planned badger-gassing program.

The midget porn stars 107 centimetre (3’6″) body was discovered ‘partially gnawed’ in the badger burrow, however at the moment it is unclear how the adult actor died, suicide has not been ruled out by investigators.

Adult film producer Dexter Yamunkeh said “Percy was a little guy with big problems… He was doing well but was under pressure like everyone else in this god damn industry.”

In a recent interview Percy Foster revealed his pleasure about his growing career as Ramsay’s double, he also stated: “Porn lookalikes get more money than normal actors. Dwarf lookalikes are as rare as hen’s teeth and so can command top dollar. I’ve already ordered a new BMW and a diamond-encrusted Soda Stream.”

Hageman had said he served half of a five year term for ABH after he attacked another man however it has been revealed by a court spokesman that he was in fact jailed in 2006 for actual bodily harm on ex-girlfriend Amy Edwards.

ITV are currently under pressure to strip Nathan of his million pound prize and have been locked in talks to decide what to do after he won with the spin of a roulette wheel on Saturday’s Red Or Black game show. According to sources the attack he was jailed for was described as a vicious beating.

MP Hazel Blears said of the situation: “It seems wrong that someone like him should even be allowed on game shows like this, and it is all the more sickening that he has won a million pounds. Domestic violence is one of the most horrible crimes, committed against vulnerable women and sometimes men. In light of his conviction, he should be stripped of his winnings and the money given to a charity supporting its victims.”

So far over 354,000 people have visited the palace since the gown designed by the Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen has been on view. Experts guess that final ticket sales will total around £8million.  The extra visitors this year has meant that visitor numbers are up 20 per cent and some of the proceeds from the display will be going to William and Kate’s wedding charity fund which is currently around £1million.

A lot of the profits will go to help maintain and restore the Royal Collection which includes the palaces, residences and extensive art collections. Thanks to the Royal Wedding there has been a general increase in the Royal family and this has seen ticket sales across its venues and sales of commemorative souvenirs increase meaning income has risen from £7.3million to £41.7million in the year to April.

A spokesperson for the Royal Collection said: ‘This year has been our highest to date. The wedding dress has proved very popular.’

Picture courtesy of americanistadechiapas

The home built from wood and stone and which had visitors staying their including Kate Winslet and her children was quickly engulfed by flames forcing the guests to flee, many of whom were still in their pyjamas. According to Sir Richard about 20 people, including Kate Winslet, were staying in the eight-bedroom Great House on Necker, his private isle in the British Virgin Islands.

The guests were alerted and rescued from the fire by Sam Branson, Richards’s son, who had heard explosions coming from the house and raised the alarm he said the house was ‘completely destroyed’ by the fire. Sir Richards also said that Miss Winslet acted like a true Hollywood heroine as she swept his 90-year-old mother Eve who was staying in the house into her arms and helped carry her to safety.

Sir Richard, 61, was staying in another villa around 100 yards away with his wife Joan and son Sam said: “Around 20 people were in the house and they all managed to get out and they are all fine. We had a really bad tropical storm with winds up to 90mph. A big lightning storm came around 4am and hit the house. It took hold incredibly quickly, with flames 100ft high. It ripped through the house very quickly. Sam heard explosions in the main house and raised the alarm. He and my nephew Jack rushed to the house and helped get everyone out. Kate Winslet, her boyfriend and her family were there and Holly and some of her friends were also staying. My mother was there and they managed to get her out and she is fine. The main house is completely destroyed and the fire is not yet completely out. My office was based in the house and I have lost thousands of photographs and my notebooks, which is very sad. But all family and friends are well – which in the end is all that really matters.”

Sir Richard told ITV News about how Kate Winslet’s help during the fire, he said: “It was she who carried my mother out of the house. She said it was like being on a film set where you’re waiting for the words “cut” but they just don’t come. So it was quite surreal for her to be in a real-life situation. She carried my Mum out of the house. My Mum is 90 and can walk but it was more just to speed the process up than anything else but anyway, she was great. She swept her up into her arms and got them out of the house as fast as possible.”

Sir Richard Branson bought the island back in 1979 for £180.000 and he and his family and friends use the island, as well as renting it out for £34.000 a night too.

Picture courtesy of CircumerroStock

On Wednesday a passenger on that flight contacted a French radio station and claimed the star stood up minutes before take-off and declared in a loud voice: “Je veux pisser, Je veux pisser.”

Police were called when the plane made its way back to the departure gate and they then escorted the Oscar-nominated Depardieu off the plane. According to CityJet staff the plane was ‘fit for purpose’ when it went back to the runway for take-off at Charles de Gaulle Airport. The airline confirmed that he plane had been delayed and it took off later than scheduled for Dublin without Depardieu, as well as an associate who had been travelling with the actor.

In a statement the airline, a subsidiary of Air France, said: “Flight AF5010, which was due to depart at 1845 from Paris to Dublin, was delayed due to an incident on board involving a passenger who refused to remain in his seat as the aircraft was taxiing on the runway. The captain returned the aircraft to stand where the passenger was offloaded.”

The 62 year old actor was due to fly to Ireland for filming on Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia, the fourth instalment of the Asterix and Obelix series which sees the adventures of two Gauls who resist Roman occupation with help from a magic potion.

The actor who has now arrived in Ireland to start filming which will continue for the next four weeks, his agent who is also in Ireland said he did not wish to comment publicly on the incident. The actor who is also a vineyard owner, has stated that he has not had any alcohol for the past two years and stated that all he wanted to do was use the bathroom, his agent claims the actor asked for permission from cabin crew three times but was refused.

Picture courtesy of Vincent Roche

However as darkness falls the crowd that gathers outside her home, changes, full of booze and probably drugs, mimicking the more destructive side of Amy’s personality. It’s been reported that many people are found stumbling round Camden Square swigging from bottles and singing loudly Amy’s most famous hits.

Unfortunately a lot of the late night drunken visitors are under the impression that Amy would be proud and would appreciate people out of their heads at her shrine, however with all the problem she has had battling her demons I doubt she would.

Its little wonder that the authorities keep an eye on the shrine at, however you do wonder how long this will carry on for before the makeshift shrine is removed and the area goes back to normality?

27-year old Whinehouse, was found at her North London home by her housemate last Saturday afternoon (23rd July 2011.)

The singer was believed to be in an emotional state and had been described as ‘devastated’ after splitting up with her on-off boyfriend, film director Reg Traviss. Reg has walked out on the drunken star after a blazing fight after he caught Amy on the phone to her jailed ex-husband, Blake. The star is then thought to gone on a 36-hour whisky, heroin and ecstasy session.

Whinehouse had recently returned from rehabilitation and was said to been clean of drugs for 18 months. It is thought that through stress as well as the powerful demon of addiction that the singer ended up returning to drugs. Just days before the star was found dead, she had been ‘booed’ off of the stage for being “out of tune” at a comeback tour.

Police are now considering the idea that Amy Whinehouse died from an overdose, deliberately. Friends have suggested a number of times that Amy Whinehouse “knew” she was going to become part of the “27 club” (a name given to a group of celebrities which have all died at 27 after struggling to cope with fame.) Amongst this group are music legends Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones.

Her body has not yet been released as police are currently performing a post-mortem. Her family will be given the results of the post-mortem examination today, meaning that the soul singer can finally be buried.

Although there are many rumours of Amy dying from a drug over dose, nothing yet has been fully confirmed by the police and no drugs were found inside of her £2.5 million house.

Amy’s mother explains how her daughter’s death still hasn’t “hit her” as it was only the day before Amy died she had seen her mother and told her “I love you, mum.” .’They are the words I will always treasure,’ she said. I’m glad I saw her when I did.’

Sources say the star died alone in bed, there have also been claims Miss Winehouse may have been dead for up to six hours before she was found based on a source telling the press: ‘Rigor mortis had set in, indicating she is likely to have been dead for anything up to six hours.’

A variety of fans and friends have left flowers, messages and photographs outside of her apartment. Twitter has received numerous tweets and the topic ‘Amy Whinehouse’ and ‘RIP’ have been trending on the social networking website over the last couple of days.

Russell Brand was one of Amy’s close friends some of his speech is included below:

When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction you await the phone call. There will be a phone call. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they’ve had enough, that they’re ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it’s too late, she’s gone.

“…Addiction is a serious disease; it will end with jail, mental institutions or death…Now Amy Winehouse is dead, like many others whose unnecessary deaths have been retrospectively romanticised, at 27 years old. Whether this tragedy was preventable or not is now irrelevant. It is not preventable today. We have lost a beautiful and talented woman to this disease. Not all addicts have Amy’s incredible talent. Or Kurt’s or Jimi’s or Janis’s, some people just get the affliction.”

He concludes: “…Not all of us know someone with the incredible talent that Amy had but we all know drunks and junkies and they all need help and the help is out there. All they have to do is pick up the phone and make the call. Or not. Either way, there will be a phone call.”

The famous hacking group LulzSec, which has previously targeted companies including Sony, claimed it carried out the hacking, this was announced via messages on Twitter. The group’s name comes from the word ‘lulz’, which is online slang for laughter at someone else’s expense. Their logo is a cartoon man in a top hat and monocle, holding a glass of wine.

Readers that were trying to access thesun.co.uk were redirected to another website, new-times.co.uk, which displayed a story given the headline: “Media mogul’s body discovered”. It suggested that Mr Murdoch had been found after he had committed suicide by “ingesting a large quantity of palladium”.

After that hoax site stopped working, The Sun address was then re-directing to LulzSec’s Twitter account.

The only comment that was made was by a News International spokeswoman who simply confirmed that the company was “aware” of what was happening.
The group’s name comes from the word lulz, which is online slang for laughter at someone else’s expense. Their logo is a cartoon man in a top hat and monocle, holding a glass of wine.

Anthony Gregory Fowler, a 61 year old, told an RSPCA inspector that his greyhound, Jake, would ‘run his head off’ when given the Viagra. Fowler, from Stockton-On-Tees, would also give Jake and other dogs cannabis to slow them so they would be beaten in races, Hartlepool Magistrates’ Court was told.

Folwer wanted to slow the dogs down so that when the odds lengthened, because the dogs were losing, Fowler would place bets on the same greyhound then give it Viagra or a testosterone-based drug to help it run faster and win. Fowler was affecting the odds at, the court was informed yesterday.

John Ellwood, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said police interviewed Fowler in September last year after they had received numerous reports that he had been involved with the selling of cannabis. Fowler denied that he was selling cannabis however, informed the police that he was drugging his dogs! The police then informed the RSPCA.

During the interview he admitted in interview that he fed his greyhounds cannabis when he wanted them to lose races. He did so by boiling the cannabis. He explained how, when he wanted the dog to win the race, he injected it with nandrolone, a testosterone derivative.

Fowler was then interviewed by an RSPCA inspector at a later date, but by this time Jake, the victimised dog, was dead. Fowler explained that the dog had injured its shoulder during one of the races and a vet said fixing the shoulder would be expensive.

Vets explained cannabis could cause convulsions and hallucinations in dogs, whereas Viagra could cause inflammation of the blood vessels.

Fowler had initially denied charges, but has recently changed his plea to guilty for to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog and two counts of administering drugs to a dog knowing it to be poisonous or injurious. Fowler will be sentenced next Tuesday, after a probation report has been prepared.

Along with this case of Viagra, there have been 8 cases of dogs being found with traces of cocaine in their bodies already this year. Will this mistreating of animals ever come to an end?

Picture courtesy of saris0000

The new website has been sold to a much smaller online ad company. It has also been announced that Justin Timberlake (one of the new investors of the $35 million) will be taking a major role in the new ideas for the site. Timberlake (who has recently starred in the hit film ‘The Social Network’) has been rumoured to be leading the business strategy in the new investment and that the famous singer is hoping to keep the development of the new website tied to music.

What can we expect from Myspace? The new ideas for the Myspace website are being kept on the low, but whatever changes are made, the old-school website surely won’t be able to overcome Facebook (and its 400 million users!) and come out, back on top!