One of those WTF moments

   Don't think she'll be getting the Mother of the Year award this year. Maybe next year. 

Jacksonville mom who shook baby for interrupting computer game pleads to murder
http://jacksonville.com/david-hunt/2010-10-27/story/jacksonville-mom-who-shook-baby-interrupting-computer-game-pleads-2nd

   A Jacksonville mother charged with shaking her baby to death has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Alexandra V. Tobias, 22, was arrested after the January death of 3-month-old Dylan Lee Edmondson. She told investigators she became angry because the baby was crying while she was playing a computer game called Farmville on the Facebook social-networking website.

   Tobias entered her plea Wednesday before Circuit Judge Adrian G. Soud. A second-degree murder charge is punishable by up to life in prison. Prosecutor Richard Mantei said Tobias' sentence could be less because of state guidelines that call for 25 to 50 years. Soud offered no promises on what he'll order during a sentencing hearing scheduled for December.

   Outside the courtroom, Mantei said Tobias' plea will help avoid the family reliving the tragedy during a jury trial. Tobias told investigators that she shook the baby, smoked a cigarette to compose herself and then shook him again. She said the baby may have hit his head during the shaking.

Zynga Valued Higher than Electronic Arts

Mark Pincus, CEO of Zynga

   The maker of Farmville is currently valued higher than Electronic Arts based on trading in privately held shares of Zynga on Sharepost. The difference in market capitalization is approximately $300 million as of of today.

   According to a Bloomberg article today:
   Started by Mark Pincus almost four years ago, Zynga has become one of the fastest-growing technology companies by using Facebook Inc.’s social network to distribute games. It makes money by selling virtual goods, such as vehicles and weapons that help players advance in games. The company has grabbed about a third of that market, which is worth $1.6 billion this year, according to Inside Network in Palo Alto, California.

   So, figure Zynga's revenue for this year is about $530 million and they'll probably net about $100 million in earnings. As a comparison, EA earned $98 million in the quarter ending June 2010 and they're on track to bring in nearly $4 billion in revenue for the entirety of 2010. Zynga's growth prospects allow traders on Sharepost to price the shares at bubble valuations but there are risks to Zynga's trajectory - namely, it's reliance on Farmville, Facebook, and competitors are on the prowl.