World Cup

[Len Colby]

Brazil will finnish top of its first table. They'll go through to the semis and dep on others probably any way go into the final and there do what they do best. (I'm going to buy an edible hat so I feel fully confident I can''t lose even if I lose). Privately I predicted 4 - 1 to Germany against OZ, So I must admit to feeling a mite cocky. No idea where Holland is these days.

Brazil struggled to beat North Korea last night. A group of very talented players but not a great team. I think Spain will win the cup.

But then again France barely qualified for the 2nd round in the weakest group in 2006 and made it to the final which it lost in the penatlties and Brazil lost to Norway during the 1st round in 1998 and made to the final. But I agree I'm not so sure now they can go all the way this time

[John Dolva]

Ultimately Brazil wins because they ARE team. (with a strategy).

If their players are shining, when push comes to shove, they'll be a team. For now they're just playing.

(Netherlands, because of wiping Denmark, may be a contender (imo))

Edited June 16, 2010 by John Dolva

[Mark Haley]

Never mind JFK, the conspiracy to top all conspiracies is... how come Germany got to practise a full year with the much criticised World Cup Ball. Is it any wonder they gave the most convincing performance in the first round of matches ..?

Mark

PS: Despite Spain losing their first match, I'm confident they will win the remaining 2 to qualify for the latter stages

[John Simkin]

Never mind JFK, the conspiracy to top all conspiracies is... how come Germany got to practise a full year with the much criticised World Cup Ball. Is it any wonder they gave the most convincing performance in the first round of matches ..?

No conspiracy, just money. The Jabulani ball was made available in February and was used at this year's Africa Cup of Nations as well as a number of domestic leagues, including Germany, Argentina and the United States. The ball was not used in the Premier League because it has a contract with rival manufacturer Nike. According to Adidas, altitude is the main factor affecting the way the ball behaves in flight.

[John Dolva]

does it with the right spin do those weird doglegs at a particular velocity?

[John Dolva]

Brazil delighted to have tougher opponents ahead after North Koreans :

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ik-mpPPjhQQWkq12pVrU9m3TEmFg

[John Dolva]

Ultimately Brazil wins because they ARE team. (with a strategy).

If their players are shining, when push comes to shove, they'll be a team. For now they're just playing.

(Netherlands, because of wiping Denmark, may be a contender (imo))

"Sven Goran Eriksson has urged us to play as a team and not just for ourselves. He's changed the mentality of the side and everyone in it. We've always had good players but we've never been able to play as a coherent unit and attack and defend together," Kolo Toure, Côte d'Ivoire defender. - should be an intteresting game. In spite of Sven, I'll go Brazil for this one.

add: Brazil, 3-1

Edited June 20, 2010 by John Dolva

[William Kelly]

Isn't there a World Cup on?

BK

Yes, and today England plays the USA. The British public are very angry at the way Barack Obama has attempted to blame the British for the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster and are hoping for a big victory tonight. Obama and other American politicians have called it British Petroleum where in fact, since it merged with Amoco (formerly Standard Oil of Indiana) in December 1998,it changed its name to BP. In fact, BP, in terms of its investors and employees, is more an American company than a British company. The rig that caused the problem is owned and operated by Transocean. An American company with a terrible safety record. Our old friends, Halliburton, was responsible for cementing the plug in the oil well, the original cause of the blowout. I am afraid that Obama has lost a lot of support in Britain by the way he has dealt with this crisis.

The Appropriately named J. P. Morgan Assets Management Regatta.

http://www.foxnews.c...il-spill-burns/

If it's any consolation to the residents of the Gulf of Mexico, BP CEO Tony Hayward didn't win the yacht race he attended this weekend. His 52-foot yacht, named "Bob," finished fourth in its class.

Nonetheless, the decision by Hayward to return to England to attend JP Morgan's annual race around the Isle of Wight is the latest "PR gaffe" by the head of the oil giant blamed for the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history.

"I think we can all conclude that Tony Hayward is not going to have a second career in PR consulting," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told ABC's "This Week."

As Hayward spent time sailing with his son during this Father's Day weekend, President Obama golfed with Vice President Joe Biden.

Emanuel didn't speak to the president's choice of down time over the weekend. But he did show his disdain for BP's head, who caused cringes last month when he said that he wished the crisis would end so he could get his life back

"To quote Tony Hayward, he's got his life back," Emanuel said in the interview airing Sunday.

Gulf residents were outraged by Hayward's decision to take the day off.

"That's the height of arrogance," said Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala. "He is the CEO of BP and he testified in Washington before congressional committee the other day. Now he's gone over to be on his yacht over in England. I can tell you that yacht ought to be here skimming and cleaning up a lot of the oil. He ought to be down here seeing what is really going on, not in a cocoon somewhere."

But BP spokesman Robert Wine said the break is Hayward's first since the Deepwater Horizon rig that BP was leasing exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and setting off the undersea gusher.

"He's spending a few hours with his family at a weekend. I'm sure that everyone would understand that," Wine said.

It's questionable whether Hayward's day off will change much of the clean-up effort on the ground.

Thousands of boats are on the water trying to collect the oil -- either to use or to burn. About 50 miles off Louisiana's coast, a newly expanded containment system is capturing or incinerating more than 1 million gallons of oil daily, the first time it has approached its peak capacity, according to the Coast Guard. BP hopes that by late June it will keep nearly 90 percent of the flow from the broken pipe from hitting the ocean.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told "Fox News Sunday" that not all of the 17,500 National Guard that are awaiting deployment have been put into operation. But even the Pentagon is limited in its ability to help.

"We have offered whatever capabilities we have. We don't have the kinds of equipment or particular expertise. I have authorized the mobilization of up to 17,500 National Guard troops in the four states that are -- that are most affected. We have a standing offer. If there's anything people think we can do, we absolutely will do it," Gates said.

The spill is causing 35,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil to contaminate the Gulf of Mexico each day. Over 62 days, that's anywhere from 2.1 million to 3.72 million gallons.

But one scientist said it would take the spill more than 700 million years for the amount of oil in the Gulf to equal the amount of water -- about 650 quadrillion gallons.

"This is not the death of the Gulf of Mexico," George Crozier, director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, told the Mobile (Ala.) Press-Register. "If you went Gulf-wide with this and stirred it up in the Gulf of Mexico, I'm not sure we could find it."

BP has also paid out $104 million to Gulf residents harmed as a result of the spill. It has also established a $20 billion fund, which Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, likened to a White House "shakedown" before retracting his comment in the face of outrage among his congressional caucus and others. Democrats have already put Barton's apology to BP into advertising for its midterm elections this fall.

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=70772

Edited June 21, 2010 by William Kelly

[John Dolva]

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/8420/1-bowl-chocolate-cake.aspx

This is a rich and moist chocolate cake. It only takes a few minutes to prepare.

Ice with your favourite chocolate icing.

[Mark Haley]

A much better performance from England this afternoon. Could have won by 2 or 3.

I have to say that the USA deserved to qualify. They've had a couple of perfectly good goals disallowed, hit the woodwork twice but ultimately grabbed their place in the next round in the nick of time.

By winning the group USA now have a very good chance of progressing some distance into the competition. For England it's going to be a hard slog ... starting with Germany. If we can overcome them Argentina almost certainly await.

[John Simkin]

A much better performance from England this afternoon. Could have won by 2 or 3.

I have to say that the USA deserved to qualify. They've had a couple of perfectly good goals disallowed, hit the woodwork twice but ultimately grabbed their place in the next round in the nick of time.

By winning the group USA now have a very good chance of progressing some distance into the competition. For England it's going to be a hard slog ... starting with Germany. If we can overcome them Argentina almost certainly await.

Slightly better but still not good enough. I agree about the USA. I fully expect Germany to win.

[Len Colby]

A much better performance from England this afternoon. Could have won by 2 or 3.

I have to say that the USA deserved to qualify. They've had a couple of perfectly good goals disallowed, hit the woodwork twice but ultimately grabbed their place in the next round in the nick of time.

By winning the group USA now have a very good chance of progressing some distance into the competition. For England it's going to be a hard slog ... starting with Germany. If we can overcome them Argentina almost certainly await.

Slightly better but still not good enough. I agree about the USA. I fully expect Germany to win.

The US was hurt by bad calls the annulled goal was NOT offsides and the ref missed a penalty. They have a good chance of making it to the quarters and maybe even the semis. I also expect the Germans to send the English home early.

I think the following teams (in order) have the best chances.

Argentina

Brazil

Portugal

Germany

Holland

Paraguay

I will however cheers for the teams in a different order

Brazil

US

Ghana

Paraguay

Uruguay

Chile

Argentina

Holland

Portugal

followed by any team that hasn't won yet.

I was hoping that the Ivory Coast would qualify but after seeing their violent play against Brazil hope they get elimated.

Question is this the 1st time both of the finalists from a Cup failed to qualify for the second round of the next one?

Edited June 24, 2010 by Len Colby

[John Dolva]

I'd pick Netherlands as a wildcard, if Portugal survives some difficult upcomings they and Argentina (and obviously poss others) will be in the last four. My virtual edible hat is still on BRAZIL.

Edited June 26, 2010 by John Dolva

[John Dolva]

The huge win by Germany caught me by surprise. I wonder how many English supporters expected a win, or such a loss?

[Len Colby]

I think the final will be Brazil Argentina. Unfortunately I think the latter will win. John said something about star players making poor coaches but that not the case with Marradona. He knows how to get the best out of his players.