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The missus loves it........Desperate Housewives that is.

The sprawling consortium of technology and media companies assembled to promote the HD DVD format of next-generation, high-definition discs could be close to collapse after a spate of defections to the rival Blu-ray Disc consortium.

As many as 20 companies that are members of the HD DVD Promotion Group could be preparing to remove their names from the alliance's 130-strong membership list, The Times has learnt.

The defections could, one Tokyo-based analyst said, represent the final nails in the coffin of Toshiba's HD DVD standard after a bitterly fought "format war".

A war that Hollywood must wage
International outlook is a world of difference
Eiichi Katayama, of Nomura Securities, said that the battle between the formats, which display films and video games more sharply in an era of ever-larger television screens, was now "entering its final phase".

The threatened exodus from the HD DVD format comes after the decision by Warner Bros last week to back the rival Blu-ray Disc format, whose main technology backers include Sony, Apple and Dell. Apparently encouraged by the strong momentum behind Blu-ray, Paramount emerged yesterday as the latest Hollywood studio poised to switch allegiances.

Pony Canyon, a Japanese music, animation and film studio and part of the Fuji Television media empire, said that although it was a member of the HD DVD Promotion Group, the decisions taken by American studios meant that it would "choose Blu-ray in the end". Several other Japanese companies, including content producers and electronics component makers, said that their support of HD DVD was "under review".

Backers of HD DVD point to the relative ease of producing the discs and the lower cost of building machines capable of reading them. Unlike previous format wars, particularly the Betamax v VHS skirmish in the 1980s, the Blu-ray v HD DVD war effectively has been decided in board-rooms, rather than in electronics showrooms. The decisions of the big studios have come well before those of customers, who generally have held back from picking one format for fear of backing a loser. Paramount has turned out to be a pivotal figure. Its decision in August to give exclusive backing to HD DVD was seen as a potentially devastating blow to the prospects of Blu-ray and to the strategy of Sir Howard Stringer, Sony's president. Sir Howard argued, however, that the PlayStation3 games console, which includes a Blu-ray disc player, would put the format in people's living rooms more quickly than HD DVD players would be adopted by consumers.

Paramount, like other members of the HD DVD group such as Fujitsu, Lenovo and Kenwood, has hedged its bets. It offered exclusivity on the basis that it could reverse the decision should Warner Bros switch to Blu-ray.

Facing a future with only Universal Pictures as its big Hollywood supporter, analysts at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas said that Toshiba and HD DVD could quickly be isolated.

[Madeleine film reports dismissed]

 
Madeleine film reports dismissed 


Madeleine McCann's parents have denied reports they are planning to make a film about her disappearance.
Writing on his online blog, Madeleine's father Gerry McCann said speculation about a film deal was "simply untrue".

However, he did confirm there had been talks with a production company about making a documentary on the couple.

He said projects were assessed to see if they could help find Madeleine, who disappeared in Portugal, just before her fourth birthday, last May.

'Simply untrue'

Writing on his blog on Tuesday, Mr McCann said: "Some of the media coverage today has been at its worst since Kate and I were declared arguidos [formal suspects].

"We can categorically deny that we are considering a movie about Madeleine's disappearance. This is simply untrue.

"We are approached by a huge number of media outlets regarding a myriad of projects, only a tiny proportion of which we agree to.

"Each proposal is considered on whether it is likely to have a positive effect, either directly or indirectly on the search for Madeleine."

He added that there had been a "preliminary discussion" with a production company about a documentary on the issues the family had faced since the disappearance of their daughter.

[Was reportedly the guy also behind a 'consortium' who tried to purchase the club earlier in the season]

New manager appointed....Graham McConnell..........ex larne goalkeeper.  Was reportedly the guy also behind a 'consortium' who tried to purchase the club earlier in the season. He was aslo installed as Larne Olympic (reserves) manager earlier in the season.....he walked out not long into the job....was less than the 19 days Leeman served anyway. 

And besides all that....he's a top notch p***k, from personal experience anyway!

Would you not just need to empty out your piggy bank to buy a club like Larne?

Brian Close for O'Donovan Rossa in Belfast who won Man of the Tournament at the Milk Cup and was snapped up by Middlesboro (now at Chesterfield, I think) about 9 years ago. He got full support from his school and club despite being probably* the best talent in both hurling and football in Antrim for years.

Recently released by Darlington and currently plying his trade with Billingham Synthonia.

I remember hearing when he signed his first contract with Boro he bought a set of decks and some material for funny cigarettes.........You can take the boy outta........

Ah Jaysus lads, the mornings are tough enough as it is watching The Sopranos on More 4 at 12 midnight without getting me hooked on more... Anyone any experience with this website??? http://classicboxset.com//index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=4&category_id=1&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26&vmcchk=1&Itemid=26

Works out about 66 yoyos with the dollar the way it is at the moment for the 6 series, easily the cheapest I could find, think they get them from China but they're region free (so they say themselves anyway)...

Went ahead and ordered the complete 6 seasons on Nov de 23rd from this shower, got them today, must have been held up in the Christmas post. Possibly the best value I've ever found on d'internet, must see about taking de rest of de week off...

How much for shipping? So about £48 then if they are £97..........

Shipping is included in the price, just don't be expecting it in the morning. On their website they say it should take between 15-20 WORKING DAYS, comes from China...

Let us know what the quality is like etc like a good lad......I may get it too.....

Have we not been down this road a few weeks ago arguing about who would get on a "bst of XI"....? Its pointless.

he's guilty

......as sin. Trainer does not really have anything to gain from lying.

Ah Jaysus lads, the mornings are tough enough as it is watching The Sopranos on More 4 at 12 midnight without getting me hooked on more... Anyone any experience with this website??? http://classicboxset.com//index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=4&category_id=1&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26&vmcchk=1&Itemid=26

Works out about 66 yoyos with the dollar the way it is at the moment for the 6 series, easily the cheapest I could find, think they get them from China but they're region free (so they say themselves anyway)...

Went ahead and ordered the complete 6 seasons on Nov de 23rd from this shower, got them today, must have been held up in the Christmas post. Possibly the best value I've ever found on d'internet, must see about taking de rest of de week off...

How much for shipping? So about £48 then if they are £97..........

I would have thought this thread would be on its fourth page by now.......

They'll be the big one all right when they finish outside CL qualification. The one big english fish in the uefa cup pond.

You were badly missed during your hiatus....

Lads most of you have the right idea, i am no expert but you need a calorie feficit, ie burning more than you have eaten. Cutting out the rubbish food and regukar exercise is the only way, dieting is crazy. I work with women in my office and their approach is mental, they are taking the "weightwatchers" approach or as i call it "the lazy b*tch approach"....you know where everything has points but they starve themselves and use their allocation of points on chips etc and cant understand why they have an arse like a bag of spanners. I asked them one day why dont they cut out the rubbish or eat in moderation and do some regular exercise, they didnt like it......

Defoe told he can leave the Spuds, we could do a lot worse.......

In fairness there's been three matches, and the other two were as entertaining as half of the Premier League games that Sky have shown, and better than all the FA Cup matches BBC have shown lately.
Seems a cheap shot to question the entire Sky coverage after one, admittedly shite, game.

I think you are getting confused, there is a big difference between excitement and quality, the Glens v Blues match on Boxing day was a lot of things but exciting wasnt one of them. It is just a poor standard of football. Always will be.

I'll be the first to jump in now- I'm bored with Benitez, did great in the cup competitions but I'm not sure that he sees the big picture in English league football, or that he can do enough to persuade the Hicks/Gilette axis of evil that he deserves more cash for better players.

I'd be happy enough to see him go come the summer.

I'm open to suggestions about who can do a job though. Martin O Neill would be my first choice, Jose and coat of many colours would be fit for it, but I'd say he'd need big commitments in writing from the septics before he'd go for it. Any other decent managers out there?

Starting to feel the same way myself,And not juming on a bandwagon i posted that a few months back too....

As for managers..Klinsman was decent enough with Germany was he ever with a club?
What about Paul Jewell? He's a scouser and im sure if a offer came in he wouldn't hesitate in leaving Derby..
I doubt O'Neill will leave Villa and really is he that good?
Fair enough he done well at Celtic but i'd fancy my chances as Celtic manager because really that League is only about winning the 4 old firm games as the other teams are pure dung...
Look at Souness he won all around him at Rangers and wasn't a success at Liverpool,Blackburn or Newcastle

My choice would be and i haven't heard his name been mentioned yet is Carlo Ancelotti of AC Milan...But the chances of getting him are slim i would imagine

I would take Mourinho as first choice but it wont happen, dunno about Klinsmann. He was in charge of a team on home soil at World Cup, can you really draw a lot from that? O Neill would not be capable of a job like Liverpool/United in my humble opinion.