700,000 Network Subscribers

World Wrestling Entertainment announced that the company now has 700,000 subscribers to its Network.

It's not a good number at all. I had a feeling there would be tons more than that when the product launched earlier this year. I have a feeling things will get worse simply because each subscription is supposed to have a six-month commitment and the  half a year from the Network's debut is coming up.

I'm still unsure whether I'll remain a subscriber. Don't get me wrong, it's a great thing to have. As I live in the UK, I have to jump through a lot of hoops and hide my location to get it.

And then when I do get it, I occasionally find myself having connection issues and jumping. It does become annoying.

The UK version of the Network is apparently penciled in for October. WWE is rolling out to other countries in August and the Canadian deal intrigues me.

WWE and the cable company, Rogers Communications, is putting the Network on cable television rather than the over-the-top Internet vehicle that customers in the United States (or elsewhere if they're beating the system) have been using.

I have a sneaky feeling that the UK will end up having something similar to Canada rather than the US. I have been hoping we get something similar to America, but my head has been telling me it isn't going to work like that with Sky's monopoly of WWE programming in this country.

I guess we'll know more in October.

If it happens.

Today's Weather & More

I have been paying close attention to the weather this week because I am meant to be doing some gardening today and tomorrow.

It doesn't look like I'll end up doing it.  The next four days goes in a pattern.

Chance of storm.
Chance of rain.
Chance of storm.
Chance of rain.

Doesn't look good, does it?

My £1 On Nick Cotton Is Looking Good

So, my hunch was correct - Nick Cotton isn't dead in Eastenders.

To be fair,the story did seem to indicate as such with all the subterfuge that was playing out during his funeral a while back.

The reason why I am writing about it today is because I had placed a bet on him being the person who will end up being revealed as the murderer of Lucy Beale when the whodunnit storyline is resolved early next year.

I placed one pound on him at odds of 10/1 with Ladbrokes. He is now 8/1 with them.

The only thing working against me is the time. Does the 'Nick is Alive' plot have enough legs to carry itself to 2015?

I guess we'll find out eventually.

Christmas Spirit

I spent a few hours yesterday afternoon getting ready for Christmas.

Yes, you read that right. I repeat:

I spent a few hours yesterday afternoon getting ready for Christmas.

What was I doing? Well, I was removing all the Christmas movies that I had stored on my DVD recorder's hard drive to disc with the plan to watch them for the annual Christmas Day blog post where I write about the festive films I have watched in the weeks before.

I usually get the DVDs done in January or February, but had forgotten all about it this year. I have such a backlog that the films I did yesterday probably won't be viewed until 2015.

And I plan on recording more later this year.

Okay, back to summer.

TNA Loses Its TV Deal

The Gods of Blogging were looking down on me last night.

I usually have something written up in order for it to be published at 12am, but I left it too late last night. I ended up trying to get my nephew to fall asleep. Inspector Gadget didn't work. I'm unsure how long it took but Wreck-It Ralph did the trick

It also knocked me out. The last thing I can remember is being awake a little after 10pm.

Enough about my story. There's a bigger tale being written.

Upon waking up, I looked at the wrestling news and was met with a headline.

SPIKE TV ENDS DEAL WITH TNA.

Wow.

The people at Total Nonstop Action now have a few months to get a new television deal or face the possibility of closure. Remember, the television landscape has changed. World Wrestling Entertainment ended up having to cut a new deal with USA Network after evident lack of interest from some of the other networks in the America.

This will be an interesting story to follow as TNA heads towards the autumn.

History makes me think we'll see another wrestling promotion close down. For the wrestlers needing to stay employed, I hope I end up wrong.

But, I don't think I will be.

An Opinion (If You Can Call It That) On Morrissey's New Album

I ordered Morrissey's new album - World Peace Is None Of Your Business - a few days ago and it arrived yesterday.

After spending part of the day listening, I don't really know what to make of it.

I certainly don't love it. I'm not even middling on it, either.

What I think I should do, is listen to it a few more times and see how I feel.

As of right now, I have no opinion of it.

 It's just another album.

Season Handicap Betting For 2014/2015

I notice that I get a number of visitors each summer looking for my season handicap bets and thought I would offer an update on whether I'll be publishing a blog post dedicated to the topic this year.

The answer is yes.

All I am waiting for is for the Racing & Football Outlook supplement for the Championship and below to come out with the issue that will be published on August 5th.

So, expect me to have my working out and bets published either later that day or Wednesday August 6th.

If you're new to handicap betting, follow the tags below to find out more.