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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
SUNDOWN OVER SLIEMA
SUNDOWN OVER SLIEMA
Malta march 2011
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Monday, March 28, 2011
County cricket could return to 50-over format after success of World Cup
county cricket could return to 50-over format after success of World Cup
The likelihood of English cricket reintroducing 50-over cricket at county level has increased because of the success of the World Cup, which the International Cricket Council believes has shown an appetite for the longer one-day format of the one-day game.
Drama: the popularity of World Cup matches such as as Ireland's win over England has given 50-over cricket a boost Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Nick Hoult 8:50PM BST 28 Mar 2011
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Television audiences have reached record levels for one-day cricket during the World Cup, with Wednesday’s semi-final between India and Pakistan expected to be the most watched match one-day international ever.
Last week the England and Wales Cricket Board announced a restructuring of county cricket in 2012 but a decision on the future of the Clydesdale Bank 40-over competition was deferred until later in the summer. The board is waiting for the ICC’s report on the World Cup before deciding whether the Clydesdale Bank tournament should be 50 overs.
The decision to scrap 50-over cricket at the end of the 2009 season was controversial and went against the wishes of county players, coaches and the recommendation of the ECB’s own cricket committee. But the counties lobbied hard for a new 40-over format, which they believed was more popular with supporters. The ECB was happy to point out that 50-over cricket was believed to be declining in popularity at international level.
The Clydesdale Bank 40 was greeted with apathy last year by county audiences and the England set-up are believed to want a 50-over format to mirror the international game. A one-day international league will be introduced next year.
“I am satisfied that we have delivered a successful World Cup and, with three matches to go, I am confident that any doubts over the future of ODI cricket are now bizarre,” said Haroon Lorgat, the chief executive of the ICC.
Fifty-over cricket was criticised for its scheduling, with crowds and players exhausted by too many matches. Lorgat said the 2015 World Cup should be shorter. The competition has been trimmed from 14 to 10 teams.
international cricket council, wales cricket board, england and wales cricket board, odi cricket, clydesdale bank, getty images, county cricket, english cricket, india and pakistan, rsquo, international game, day game, clydesdale, ecb, apathy, world cup, bst, likelihood, doubts, audiences
AB11c20 Red Shed with Roof Icicles, Alberta 2011
AB11c20 Red Shed with Roof Icicles, Alberta 2011
Red shed with white icicles seen from the Trans-Canada Highway in central Alberta.
March 2011
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Sunday, March 27, 2011
Scotland v Brazil: Samba football given its early beat by a Scotsman
Scotland v Brazil: Samba football given its early beat by a Scotsman
Ask it in your best Stephen Fry: what do penicillin, the telephone (sort of), the television (sort of), the Bank of England, Bovril and Brazilian football have in common? Buzz. They were all invented by Scotsmen.
Founding father: Charles Miller, fromt he football museum of Sao Paulo
By Duncan White 5:08PM GMT 26 Mar 2011
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The last mentioned might seem the hardest to credit but, while the footballing success of the two nations might have diverged somewhat over the last century, ahead of Sunday's meeting between Scotland and Brazil at the Emirates, it is worth recalling that Scotland played a crucial formative role in creating the most distinctive football culture on the planet.
In 1894, Charles Miller disembarked at the port of Santos with two footballs and an enthusiasm for the game fostered at boarding school in Hampshire. Miller's father, John, was a Scottish rail engineer who, chasing the coffee money, had emigrated to Brazil.
He married Carlota, a Brazilian of English descent, and helped lay the tracks between Santos and the Sao Paulo plantations. He sent his son, then nine, to boarding school in Southampton, where Charles learned to play football and cricket, playing for and against the Corinthian FC and St Mary's (later Southampton).
On his return home to Brazil he apparently practised his skills on deck. In his luggage were those two footballs, two football shirts, a pair of boots and a copy of the rules. His arrival at Santos port, 117 years ago, is described by Alex Bellos in his superb book Futebol as the "Year Zero" of Brazilian football.
Miller played as a striker for the club he founded in Sao Paulo and to this day Miller is credited as the official founder of Brazilian football. A road in the centre of Sao Paulo – Praca Charles Miller – is named after him. Also named after him is the chaleira, a skill in which the ball is chipped behind the standing leg.
These days, there is a large gap between the two nations. Brazil, by their standards, are a lowly fifth in the Fifa rankings while Scotland are 50th. Yet, back in the late 19th century, Scots were considered the exciting individualists, bringing new skills to a nascent game.
Brazilians were not slow to pick up the sport. The first game of football was apparently played on the land on which the mules who pulled the Sao Paulo trams grazed. Brazilians took to football with incredible enthusiasm. By 1902, Miller had helped set up the first local league in Sao Paulo and two years later he said that "some 2,000 footballs have been sold here within the last 12 months. Nearly every village has a club."
In Rio de Jaineiro, Oscar Cox, a Brazilian of English heritage who had discovered football while studying in Lausanne, had popularised the sport and helped found Fluminese.
In 1914, Exeter City, then of the Southern League and on their way back from a game in Argentina, played a combined Rio-Sao Paolo team. In front of a thrilled support, the Brazilians won 2-0. It is a game that is credited with founding the Brazilian national side. By the 1920s, football was the most popular game in the country. The clubs remained the province of wealthy Brazilians and expatriates: elitist, white and resolutely amateur. Slavery had only been abolished in 1888 and Brazil's multi-ethnic society was rigidly stratified.
Still, the simplicity of the game was attractive to the urban poor and improvised games were a common sight in the major cities. It was the club founded by the Portuguese, Vasco da Gama,
which first opened up to all
races.
By 1933, professional leagues had begun in Rio and Sao Paulo, allowing footballers from a poor background to earn a living from the game. Only then did Brazilian football truly develop its distinctive identity.
Miller died in Sao Paulo in 1953, celebrated as the father of Brazilian football. He had worked for the Sao Paolo Rail Company, the Royal Mail and even as acting vice-consul. He is buried in the protestant cemetery in the city. His legacy lives on.
samba football, rail engineer, alex bellos, stephen fry, duncan white, formative role, football culture, brazilian football, football museum, english descent, charles miller, bovril, year zero, football shirts, bank of england, founding father, corinthian, boarding school, footballs, plantations
Saturday, March 26, 2011
2011.03.25_munchies-20
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Billups blames his porous play for loss
Chauncey Billups said his horrible performance last night was unacceptable and was the primary reason for the Knicks' fifth straight loss.Billups had a miserable game in the Knicks' 102-96 defeat to the Bucks at Madison Square Garden. It certainly his worst since being acquired with Carmelo Anthony a little more than a month ago. The veteran point guard shot a pitiful 3-for-11, scored just seven points and saw his opposing counterpart, Milwaukee point guard Brandon Jennings, destroy the Knicks for a game-high 37 points.
"For me personally, I know I'm disappointed in the way that I played," Billups said. "I know that I can't expect the team to win if I play like that. It was just a bad game. I'm really taking responsibility for this one.
"As the leader of the team, you can't come out and play like that."
Jennings dominated the Knicks so thoroughly that after a 23-point first half, coach Mike D'Antoni started Toney Douglas alongside Billups in the third quarter and sat Landry Fields. Douglas is a quicker defender than Billups.
Fields said D'Antoni told him Douglas was going to start at point guard in the third quarter and Billups would play two-guard.
D'Antoni said he was considering lineup changes. Presumably, the starting switch would be Douglas for Fields. Fields said he would be OK if that happens because he just wants to win.
Billups, who has now played in eight games since missing six with a bruised quadriceps, certainly needs time to learn the offense, but in his last three games, he is shooting 37 percent (14-for-38). The Knicks have scored fewer than 100 points for five straight games.
"I'm familiar with the sets and things like that," Billups said. "But it is a different system, more different than I've played in any other system. It takes time to get to know it and the ins-and-outs.
"I've always pretty much been a fast learner," he said. "But this one, it is more difficult than any other system I've played in."
Jennings said he still holds a grudge against the Knicks for passing him up in last year's NBA Draft.
"[I] never forget it," he said. "But it's OK, though."
Friday, March 25, 2011
Fte des Lumires
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Fte des Lumires
Lyon, France: Illuminations fill the city centre for the annual light festival Fte des Lumires, december 8-11, 2010. (Photo: Matt Bostock)
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
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Wednesday, March 23, 2011
5 Ways a Pro Would Clean Your Kitchen
Whether you have a stubborn countertop stain or stainless steel appliances that have lost their luster, we asked experts to reveal their top cleaning techniques for a polished, professionally-cleaned kitchen.
1. How to Clean Stainless Steel
To keep your stainless steel bright and clean, Adam Kamens of Amuneal Manufacturing Corp. suggests using a light mist of wax-based aerosol spray once or twice a week. Don't put on too much — you don't want to soak the surface and make it greasy. Wipe the mist with a clean, lint-free cloth, and never use oils to keep away fingerprints — lint will stick to the oil.
Related: 101 Easy Makeover Ideas for Every Room
Also, don't use cleaners with bleach after you've put on the waxy layer, or it will dry out and lose some of the luster. And finally, don't use anything abrasive, not even mild products like Soft Scrub or Scotch-Brite pads. You don't want to scratch or ruin the surface.
2. The Best Way to Clean Tiles
Marty Hoffman of Hoffman Brothers Floors suggests cleaning kitchen tiles with a cleaner that has "neutral pH" on the label. You can also mix baking soda and water for a homemade cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into 2 gallons water and mix very well. Then apply the liquid with a string mop or sponge mop. For grout, use the same baking soda and water mixture.
Related: Beautiful Designer Dining Rooms
3. How to Clean Painted Walls
To clean your painted walls, Carl Minchew, director of Product Development at Benjamin Moore, suggests starting with a clean cloth or sponge and water. If that doesn't work, dip the rag or sponge into water mixed with a little dishwashing liquid, the milder the better. If the stain persists, apply a few drops of soap directly onto the wet sponge or cloth you're using.
For more stubborn cases, you could apply a little soap right onto the stain. If you need to resort to a stronger product like Fantastik or Formula 409, realize they have strong solvents in them and can soften the paint surface. Make sure that whatever you do to get rid of the stain, you rinse the wall afterward with plain water.
Related: Expert Kitchen Tips and Ideas
4. Remove Stains from Granite Countertops
Getting rid of stains on granite can be tricky, but the key, according to kitchen designer Florence Perchuk, is to wipe up stains ASAP. Also have your countertop sealed a few times as soon as it's installed. You'll know it's sealed properly when water beads and forms droplets on the surface. Then have it sealed again a year later.
You can poultice away rust, and you remove soap scum or mildew with a solution of 1/2 cup ammonia in a gallon of water. For most coffee or juice stains, you can use a little hydrogen peroxide in water, plus a few drops of ammonia. For everyday wear-and-tear, buff away small scratches with superfine dry steel wool, called "grade 0000." For all other stains, check out the Marble Institute of America's Website or call in the professionals.
Related: 20 Decorating Secrets
5. Rid Funky Stains and Odors from Upholstery
Ruth Travis, president of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, says that to remove stains and odors, blot up as much of the smelly mess as you can right away. If it's on kitchen chair cushions, put a plastic liner or a garbage bag between the inside cushion and the fabric so you don't push the contaminant into the cushion. Then flush with cold water as best you can. Blot and flush again. Cold water doesn't set stains as much as hot water. You can also use a portable spot cleaner or wet/dry vac. If there's still a residual odor, use a half-vinegar, half-water solution and rinse again.
Related: Beautiful Designer Kitchens
More from House Beautiful:
Amazing One-Day Living Room Makeover: Before and After Photos
Brilliant Ideas for a Tiny Kitchen
Eye-Popping Headboard Designs
Simple Fireplace Mantel Makeover Ideas
Get More Creative Ideas for Your Home: Subscribe to House Beautiful Magazine
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Celtic v Rangers: Sasa Papac cup celebrations marred by no contract offer
Celtic v Rangers: Sasa Papac cup celebrations marred by no contract offer
Rangers full-back Sasa Papac celebrated his club’s 27th League Cup success on Sunday and then revealed that the 2-1 victory over Celtic may have been his last appearance at Hampden.
By Ewing Grahame 11:00PM GMT 20 Mar 2011
The Bosnian is two months away from becoming a free agent and, without so much as an offer from the champions to consider, it looks increasingly as though he will be playing his football elsewhere next season.
“My contract finishes in the summer so maybe this will be my last time here,” he said. “I am open to every option.
“It’s not easy to be in this situation, when you don’t know where you will be playing in two months’ time. I try to stay strong and now I have extra motivation to win the championship again as well.”
Rangers, outplayed by Celtic in their four previous meetings this year, dominated proceedings for most of Sunday’s match.
“It was a massive win for us and we must now try to continue like this,” said Papac. “Celtic were the favourites but we showed from the first minute that we were the better team today.
“Nikica Jelavic has had a big injury and lots of small injuries as well so I am delighted for him that he has scored his first goal against Celtic and that it won the game.”
Club captain David Weir was another player almost certainly making his final appearance at the national stadium. With retirement beckoning at the end of this campaign, Weir at least went out on a high.
“I don’t think about it like that,” said the 40 year-old. “It was just a great game and beating Celtic in a cup final is always special.
“The fact that it was the manager’s last final didn’t come into it. You enjoy winning anyway and this was a cup final so you shouldn’t need any more motivation.”
For Celtic, the post-mortem was filled with rancour and regret. Goalkeeper Fraser Forster blamed “the Third Division pitch” for his failure to keep out Steven Davis’s shot for Rangers’ opening goal.
Midfielder Kris Commons’ assessment, however, was more honest.
“We let the management, the fans and ourselves down,” said the £300,000 January signing from Derby County. “Six or seven of us didn’t turn up today.
“We wanted to do it for Neil Lennon and, in the back of our minds, we thought we could do a clean sweep this year because we have a squad which could do that.
“If we can concentrate on what we do best then I think we’ll win the league but a lot of people need to reflect on this game, digest it and use it as motivation.
“We just couldn’t get our better players into the game. We couldn’t get any forward momentum: we always seemed to be defending corners.
“Rangers kept us on the back foot and, while we had little flutters here and there, we couldn’t maintain them like we usually do.
“Afterwards the gaffer just told us to take this on board and learn from that. He lost cup finals and league titles as a player.
“We have a lot of young players in the side and this is a learning curve for everyone. We’re still top of the league and in the Scottish Cup so the rest of the season is in our own hands.”
sasa papac, david weir, cup success, rancour, captain david, club captain, great game, hampden, post mortem, forster, free agent, bosnian, ewing, celtic ebook download, celebrations, motivation, last time, favourites, rangers, match
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Cricket World Cup 2011: India v West Indies, match report
Cricket World Cup 2011: India v West Indies, match report
Group B: India (268) beat West Indies (188) by 80 runs
Game changer: Zaheer Khan picks up three wickets to swing match India's way Photo: AP
By Telegraph staff and agencies 4:44PM GMT 20 Mar 2011
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Yuvraj Singh scored his maiden World Cup century, and took two wickets, as India beat the West Indies to set up a quarter-final against defending champions Australia.
West Indies, set 269 to win, finished on 188 all out with seven overs left.
India's victory in the last match of the group phase means they will face Australia, bidding for a fourth straight World Cup title, and fifth in total, in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
West Indies, whose run of one-day international defeats against leading nations was extended to 18 by this reverse, will face Pakistan in Bangladesh in their last eight clash on Wednesday.
While Devon Smith, doing his best to compensate for the absence of injured fellow left-handed opener Chris Gayle, was making 81, the West Indies were in the hunt.
But Smith's exit sparked a collapse that saw the last eight wickets lost for 34 runs as the Windies slumped from 154 for two.
When Zaheer Khan returned to the attack Smith looked uncomfortable and he was bowled by a fine ball from the left-arm quick that cut in a touch. India's spinners then took over.
Big-hitting Kieron Pollard tried launching Harbhajan Singh only to find Yusuf Pathan at long-on.
West Indies, on the ground where just days earlier they had surrendered a winning position in an 18-run defeat by England, then saw Devon Thomas stumped by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off a well-flighted delivery from left-arm spinner Yuvraj, who took two for 18.
And West Indies captain Darren Sammy was then run out before Yuvraj dismissed Andre Russell for a duck.
Earlier, Yuvraj's 113 was the cornerstone of India's 268 but the host nation lost their last six wickets for just 36 runs.
Ravi Rampaul marked his World Cup debut with a career-best five for 51 including the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar.
That surpassed the fast bowler's 4-37 against India in Kingston in June 2009 - the last time the West Indies beat a top nation in a one-dayer.
Yuvraj's innings revived a 38,000 capacity Chidambaram Stadium crowd stunned into silence by the early loss of Tendulkar for two.
Yuvraj and Virat Kohli (59) shared a third-wicket stand of 122 after India were reduced to 51-2 following an early double strike by Rampaul, in for Kemar Roach.
Yuvraj faced 123 balls and hit two sixes and 10 fours in an innings that ended when he was caught and bowled by Pollard.
India were already in the quarter-finals and many fans hoped to see Tendulkar score his 100th international century.
But Rampaul had Tendulkar, undone by a lifting delivery, caught behind off the last ball of the first over.
Australia umpire Steve Davis rejected Rampaul's appeal but Tendulkar walked off anyway.
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Monday, March 21, 2011
Fabio Borini double brings Swansea joy and vindicates manager Brendan Rogers' skill in the transfer market
Fabio Borini double brings Swansea joy and vindicates manager Brendan Rogers' skill in the transfer market
Chelsea’s 19-year-old Italian striker Fabio Borini turned down the bright lights of Rome, Parma and Turin to try his luck at the Liberty Stadium.
Double joy: Fabio Borini enjoys scoring on his Swansea debut Photo: ACTION IMAGES
By Graham Clutton 10:14PM GMT 20 Mar 2011
Having failed to score in eight appearances for the Premier League side this season, Borini, who is out of contract at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, was given the option of returning to Italy or boosting Swansea’s promotion challenge.
After Borini had marked his debut on loan with two goals which helped Swansea defeat Nottingham Forest 3-2, manager Brendan Rogers gave himself a pat on the back. “It was a terrific performance, I thought we were outstanding,” said Rogers. “Everything that has been good in our game this season was demonstrated. We defended well, passed the ball with great charisma and scored three great goals.
“Fabio’s a wonderful talent. I tried to get him earlier on in the season, but hopefully people will see why I have brought him in now. I remember him at 16 when Chelsea took him in from Bologna. I knew that he had a special talent.”
Scott Sinclair’s virtuoso goal after 21 minutes gave Swansea a deserved lead and when Borini lashed home a second five minutes later, Swansea were on their way to a first win in three games.
Kris Boyd pulled one back on the stroke of half-time, but shortly after the interval the Italian struck his second before former Swansea player Paul Anderson popped up to ensure a nervy finish.
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Sunday, March 20, 2011
< the essence >
lt="photo" width="640" height="525">
< the essence >
the landscape is bleak and and the ocean carries no ships. this view was probably exactly the same six thousand years ago when the first settlers arrived.
there is nothing superfluous; you see only the essence of islands : big rocks in a big ocean.
warm thanks for all your kind birthday wishes! i really enjoyed them and am very grateful !
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Saturday, March 19, 2011
Farm in North Bend
Farm in North Bend
Snoqualmie, Washington - USA
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Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
High tide
Doubts on Europe Plan
BRUSSELS—Cracks remained in the euro zone's package of debt-crisis measures, even as the European Union's finance ministers approved new legislation that sets fresh sanctions for budget offenders and puts new focus on broader economic problems that have destabilized weaker countries.
Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, told finance ministers meeting here that the changes to the sanction regime are "insufficient." They still must be debated and approved by the European Parliament, which is likely to try to toughen them.
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Jean-Claude Trichet, the European Central Bank president, wants a tougher set of debt-crisis measures.
The rules stem from last year's proposals by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. To Mr. Trichet's dismay, they were weakened by national leaders. Mr. Trichet has said he wants sanctions that apply more automatically to countries that have fiscal problems; the version approved by finance ministers allows for some intervention by politicians.
Also Tuesday, a roadblock appeared in promised plans to enlarge the size of the euro zone's main bailout fund, and Greece conceded that it might have to seek more help.
The bonds of Greece, Ireland and Portugal all weakened Tuesday compared with benchmark German securities, giving back some of Monday's gains. Their prospects had appeared brighter after a deal on a broad package of measures was reached by national leaders early Saturday.
But that deal leaves many details unresolved. The holdup on the bailout fund comes from Finland, one of the six euro-zone countries with a triple-A credit rating. The bailout fund, called the European Financial Stability Facility, currently operates with a set of loan guarantees from 15 of the 17 euro-zone nations. (Ireland and Greece, both recipients of bailouts, are excused.)
But because European policy makers insist that the bailout fund itself should have a triple-A rating, the guarantees of the less-well-appraised countries count for very little. One proposal to enlarge the fund involves raising the size of the guarantees; that burden would fall largely on the shoulders of Finland and the other five with sterling credit.
Finland expressed opposition at the meeting Tuesday, and a person familiar with the matter said Finnish Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen wants to avoid any specific agreement on raising the guarantees until after Finnish elections in mid-April. Mr. Katainen, who is expected to become prime minister if his center-right party prevails, is fighting off a challenge from a right-wing party skeptical of assistance to other EU countries.
The situation is complicated by national procedures: Finland's parliament dissolved Tuesday ahead of the elections, and an emergency session would be required to authorize a deal on the bailout fund.
Also Tuesday, Greek's finance minister, George Papaconstantinou, said his country might need more aid beyond the €110 billion ($154 billion) bailout granted last year. Under terms, Greece is expected to begin issuing long-term bonds in 2012 to supplement that aid; without that market financing, Greece won't be able plug its budget gap and repay debt.
Separately, Moody's Investors Service issued a two-notch downgrade on Portugal's long-term government bond ratings, citing subdued growth prospects and productivity gains over the near term until structural reforms are enacted.
—Matthew Dalton and Costas Paris contributed to this article.
Write to Charles Forelle at charles.forelle@wsj.com and Riva Froymovich at riva.froymovich@dowjones.com
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Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Paintbrush in the Great Basin Desert
photo" width="640" height="432">
Paintbrush in the great basin Desert
A fresh desert paintbrush poking up at Pioche, Nevada.
Photo #3434
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011
England v Scotland: how the players rated
England v Scotland: how the players rated
How the players rated out of ten at Twickenham.
Roar power: Nathan Hines prepares to tackle a rampaging James Haskell Photo: ACTION IMAGES
By Brendan Gallagher 6:09PM GMT 13 Mar 2011
Brendan's Twitter
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England
Ben Foden: Always looking to attack and a couple of belting breaks but well marked by Scotland who knew he was one of the main danger men. 7/10
Chris Ashton: Went busily looking for work but nothing went his way. Six tries in the first two matches, none since then however. Needs to work on his chipping ahead. 7
Mike Tindall: Forced off with an ankle injury at half-time but hobbled up to receive the Calcutta Cup from his future mother-in-law Princess Anne, Patron of the SRU. 6
Shontayne Hape: Couple of decent offloads and mini-breaks. Steady in midfield but will need to better than that next week. 6
Mark Cueto: Tried to inject pace but and didn't do much wrong but like Foden, Scotland were onto him very quickly. Timely pass for Croft's try. 7
Toby Flood: Goal kicking was excellent, as usual, but half-back partnership with Youngs not quite as effective as we have come to expect. 7
Ben Youngs: Good moments but not one of his stellar games. Pass was middling and his pace off the mark means he still gets isolated occasionally. 6
Alex Corbisiero: Starting in place of Andrew Sheridan and enjoyed a good afternoon at scrum-time. Life in the loose was much more testing though. 6
Dylan Hartley: Excellent against France and no problems in the scrum but failed to make his impact elsewhere. 6
Dan Cole: Another good afternoon at in the front row, putting in the hard yards at this level and learning all the time. 7
Tom Palmer: The former Scotland U21 cap is having a fine season but found the going tough against Scotland's excellent second row pairing. 6
Louis Deacon: Became England's go-to man at the front of the line out and did well. Unseen but considerable worker elsewhere. 8
Tom Wood: Busy game against a quality back row, went close to scoring early in the second half but well tackled just short of the line. 7
James Haskell: Comfortably England's stand-out player, strong bursts aplenty and did wonderfully well to keep the move going that led to Croft's try. Coming of age. 9
Nick Easter: Still the England rock when it all gets a bit frantic. Absolutely key man in the madness that will be the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. 7
Bench: Tom Croft and Jonny Wilkinson breathed life into the England effort even if that pass to Croft looked forward. Steve Thompson came on to beat Brian Moore's England record with his 64th cap at hooker. Matt Banahan and Simon Sahw made an impact too. 8
Scotland
Chris Paterson: One of the best performances of his 103-Test match career. World class goal kicking and 100 per cent effort. Two brilliant try saving tackles. 9
Simon Danielli: Long striding former England Schools wing – he played with Jonny Wilkinson and Mike Tindall – wing enjoyed a couple of rumbles down the wing. 7
Joe Ansbro: Still early days in his international career at centre but continues to show some nice touches. Work in progress at this level. 6
Sean Lamont: Not the most skilful midfield but adds steel to the Scotland midfield. Very physical. 7
Max Evans: Great match, made a couple of important interceptions and scored a superb try. Scotland need to live on his shoulder more, always spells danger. 9
Ruaridh Jackson: Emerging young talent at fly-half, fine drop-goal and a couple of huge touchfinders. Should he have been subbed? 7
Rory Lawson: Beavered away at the base of the scrum and seems to have struck up a decent partnership with Jackson. 7
Allan Jacobsen: Scotland's front-row travails continue, where has their scrummaging power gone? Outstanding grafter in the loose. 6
Ross Ford: Struggled with his radar at the early line-outs and a tough day at the office at scrum-time. Try-saving tack on Tom Wood. 6
Moray Low: Another who endured a very tough afternoon at the coalface. Young for a prop and will get better. 6
Richie Gray: Another fine performance from one of the great emerging talents in the game. Work-rate is incredible. Old head on young shoulders. 8
Alastair Kellock: The captain played a fine hand in his understated way. Steadied the line-out after early difficulties. 7
Nathan Hines: Put in a stack of unseen work in the tight but his lack of pace was occasionally shown up in the loose. 6
John Barclay: Enjoyed a long dialogue with referee Romain Poite until the Frenchman issued a very harsh yellow for preventing release. A Barclaycard? Poite went off injured soon after. Karma? 7
Kelly Brown: Was his normal braveheart presence in the back row until he came of worse when trying to stop the rampaging Banahan. 7
Bench: Richie Vernon was excellent as Brown's replacement but Dan Parks and Mike Blair failed to pick up the pace when they came on at half-back. 6
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Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunset in the Faroe Islands, Fiskieii, Hvalba
Sunday, March 13, 2011
113473413dkEcmz_ph
113473413dkEcmz_ph
Markets of PNG
global-citizen-01.blogspot.com
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Saturday, March 12, 2011
Get your kicks on Route 66
Get your kicks on Route 66
NMRA Fox Valley Division
High Wheeler 2011 train Show
Harper College
Palatine, Illinois
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Friday, March 11, 2011
What to do with a piece of wire wool and a lighter...
What to do with a piece of wire wool and a lighter...
This is me! How useful a tripod, a 10 sec timer and a pair of running legs can be...
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Last Snow..
Last Snow..
MillCreekPark
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Thursday, March 10, 2011
Harbour
Harbour
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Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Cricket World Cup: India's Sachin Tendulkar becomes first player to reach 2,000 World Cup runs
Cricket World Cup: India's Sachin Tendulkar becomes first player to reach 2,000 World Cup runs
Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar has become the first batsman to score 2,000 World Cup runs, reaching the mark by hitting three consecutive fours in front of legions of fans in New Delhi.
Record breaking: before playing Holland, Sachin Tendulkar had hit five centuries and 13 fifties in World Cups Photo: AP
By Telegraph staff and agencies 2:57PM GMT 09 Mar 2011
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Tendulkar opened the batting with Virender Sehwag at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, and they put on 69 for the first wicket in reply to the Holland's total of 189 before Sehwag was out for 39.
Tendulkar was dismissed for 27 off 22 balls, caught near the long-off boundary by Bradley Kruger off the bowling of Pieter Seelaar.
The 37-year-old, playing his 40th match at his sixth World Cup, made his bow at cricket's showpiece tournament in 1992.
Before Wednesday's match he had hit five centuries and 13 fifties in World Cups.
The next player on the list is Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who has 1,577 runs in 42 matches.
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Scottish Premier League: Dundee United go fifth after 3-1 win over Aberdeen
Scottish Premier League: Dundee United go fifth after 3-1 win over Aberdeen
Barry Douglas, Craig Conway and Danny Swanson were on target as Dundee United climbed into the top six of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with victory over Aberdeen at Tannadice on Monday night.
Telegraph staff and agencies 10:26PM GMT 07 Mar 2011
Douglas netted at the near post from a Conway corner after 29 minutes and the Scotland winger struck a swerving shot from outside the box which Dons goalkeeper Jamie Langfield could not hold as United took a 2-0 lead after 33 minutes.
Half-time substitute Josh Magennis pulled a goal back after 51 minutes, but Swanson struck a superb third nine minutes later to seal all three points and allow United to climb above Inverness and Motherwell to fifth place in the table.
Prince Buaben and Timothy van der Meulen started the match. Van der Meulen came in for Paul Dixon, who fell out of the squad altogether following the draw at Inverness, while Buaben replaced Stuart Armstrong, who dropped to the bench alongside Mihael Kovacevic, who had been missing since the Scottish Cup success last May due to a knee injury.
Aberdeen also made two changes, with Zander Diamond, who shook off an ankle injury, and Derek Young starting in place of Rory McArdle and Nick Blackman, both of whom were named among the substitutes.
United were beginning a run of five games in 12 days, having played fewer matches than anyone else in the Scottish Premier with the split approaching.
Peter Houston's side, who finished in third place last season, trailed sixth-placed Inverness by two points entering the game but had four games in-hand.
Aberdeen have gone from relegation contenders to top-half hopefuls after being revitalised since Craig Brown's appointment in December, but would be reliant on others slipping up in a congested table and a win on Tayside would support their cause.
The Dons went close to opening the scoring when Diamond met Rob Milsom's corner with a firm header from six yards which Dusan Pernis saved with his legs.
Diamond required treatment on a head injury and went off, returning four minutes later with a red bandage wrapped around his head.
David Goodwillie shot wide at the other end after racing onto Danny Swanson's through ball.
Diamond was soon back in the thick of the action, his high foot catching Buaben and referee Brian Winter immediately showing a yellow card to the Dons defender.
Swanson then turned Steven Smith on the right wing and was hauled down, with the Dons left-back following Diamond into the referee's notebook.
Conway's free-kick was glanced goalwards by Goodwillie, but the ball drifted out for a goal-kick and the United striker headed narrowly wide soon after following a deep Keith Watson cross.
Scott Robertson went down inside the right edge of the box, with muted penalty appeals, before Diamond required further treatment for his blood injury.
With Diamond off the field, United won a corner and Conway crossed for Douglas to head in simply at the near post.
Diamond was replaced after 31 minutes by McArdle, who was wearing an identical red head bandage following a clash of heads in the match with Hearts.
As McArdle entered the fray, Morgaro Gomis hit the foot of the post from another corner and Jamie Langfield deflected the rebound to safety.
But soon after the Dons goalkeeper was again picking the ball out of his net as United struck for a second time in five minutes.
Conway's swerving right-foot shot from 25 yards deceived Langfield, who only got a hand to the ball and it deflected into the bottom corner.
Pernis saved from Ryan Jack at the other end as the Dons sought a response before Langfield saved a deflected Swanson shot from long range and saw Van der Meulen's header from a corner go wide.
Magennis replaced the ineffective Sone Aluko at the interval, joining Scott Vernon up front as the Dons switched to a conventional 4-4-2 formation.
Swanson had a shot from 25 yards which hit the top of the net early in the second period as United resumed on the attack, but soon their lead was halved as the Dons pulled a goal back following indecision in the hosts' defence.
Douglas failed to deal with Jack's lofted ball into the area and Vernon outmuscled him before prodding the ball across from the byline for Magennis to head in after 51 minutes.
Milsom's long shot had Pernis at full stretch as the Dons went close to a quickfire second and Andrew Considine headed wide from a Paul Hartley corner soon after.
Andis Shala replaced Conway after 54 minutes for United before Goodwillie hit the post with an acrobatic effort after McArdle's weak clearing header.
Goodwillie then set up United's third after 60 minutes as Swanson beat the offside trap to latch on to his team-mate's through ball and fire an unstoppable left-foot shot into the corner.
A weak Shala shot then dribbled through Langfield's legs before the goalkeeper, under no pressure, collected at the second attempt.
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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Stob Dearg
Stob Dearg
traversing the ridge towards Stob Dearg
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Barcelona v Arsenal: Cesc Fabregas insists he is focused on securing Champions League progress for Arsenal
Barcelona v Arsenal: Cesc Fabregas insists he is focused on securing Champions League progress for Arsenal
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has said he is only interested in Arsenal's Champions League future, despite the constant speculation linking him with a move to boyhood club Barcelona
Divided loyalties: Cesc Fabregas insists he is focussed on helping Arsenal ahead of the game against his boyhood club Photo: AFP
By Thom Gibbs 9:06AM GMT 08 Mar 2011
The teams meet at the nou camp this evening in the second leg of a Champions League last 16 game, and Fabregas insists he is purely concerned with helping Arsenal progress in the competition.
"For all my connections with Barça, tonight is all about Arsenal," the Spain midfielder told The Sun. "All I will be concentrating on is how to help Arsenal through to the quarter-finals. It is something that I want as badly as any Arsenal fan."
Fabregas conceded that he is close with several members of the Barcelona squad, but hopes that the Spanish champions will suffer without two of their ineligible defenders.
"I have a lot of friends still in the Barca team, many of whom I won the World Cup with last summer, and I consider them friends for life," Fabregas said.
"I believe it is a big boost for Arsenal that two of my close friends – Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique – are not playing this evening as the former is injured while the latter is suspended."
Arsenal take a 2-1 aggregate lead into the game, but Fabregas believes his team cannot afford to be complacent about their lead. "We should not rest on our victory in the first leg," he said. "The job is not finished by a long way.
"In the first leg we proved once again we have guts and character. Just like we did [against Barcelona] last year when we came back from two goals down in the last half-hour to draw.
"This time we went one better. We won the game and this gives us hope and puts a doubt in their minds too.
"But it's only the halfway stage. All that hard work and effort means nothing, absolutely nothing, if we don't finish the job off."
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Monday, March 7, 2011
Subway Passes McDonald's
It's official: the Subway sandwich chain has surpassed mcdonald's Corp. as the world's largest restaurant chain, in terms of units.
At the end of last year, Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide, compared to McDonald's 32,737. The burger giant disclosed its year-end store count in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing late last month.
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Subway
The Subway sandwich chain has surpassed McDonald's as the world's largest restaurant chain in terms of units.
The race for global dominance is an important one for an industry that's mostly saturated in the U.S. High unemployment and economic uncertainty have battered the restaurant industry in the U.S., and chains are increasingly looking overseas for growth, particularly in Asia.
Starbucks Corp. recently said it plans to triple its number of outlets in China, for example. Dunkin' Brands Inc., parent of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, plans to open thousands of new outlets in China in coming years as well as its first stores in Vietnam in the next 18 months. Subway just opened its 1,000th location in Asia, including its first in Vietnam.
Subway, which opened its first international restaurant in 1984, in Bahrain, expects its number of international restaurants to exceed its domestic ones by 2020, says Don Fertman, Subway's Chief Development Officer. The chain currently has just over 24,000 restaurants in the U.S., where it generated $10.5 billion of its $15.2 billion in revenue last year.
Julie Jargon explains why McDonald's has lost its title as the world's largest restaurant chain and which rival now holds that distinction.
The closely held company, owned by Doctor's Associates Inc., does not disclose its profits.
McDonald's is still the leader when it comes to sales. The burger chain reported $24 billion in revenue last year. "We remain focused on listening to and serving our customers, and are committed to being better, not just bigger," a McDonald's spokeswoman says.
Subway, which surpassed the number of McDonald's in the U.S. about nine years ago, expects China to eventually become one of its largest markets. The sandwich shop only has 199 restaurants in China now, but expects to have more than 500 by 2015.
Subway has achieved its rapid growth, in part, by opening outlets in non-traditional locations such as an automobile showroom in California, an appliance store in Brazil, a ferry terminal in Seattle, a riverboat in Germany, a zoo in Taiwan, a Goodwill store in South Carolina, a high school in Detroit and a church in Buffalo, New York.
"We're continually looking at just about any opportunity for someone to buy a sandwich, wherever that might be. The closer we can get to the customer, the better," Mr. Fertman says, explaining that it now has almost 8,000 Subways in unusual locations. "The non-traditional is becoming traditional."
The company has some concerns about the economies of certain international markets, such as Germany and the United Kingdom. The company is trying to develop more affordable offerings in those countries, similar to the $5 foot-long sandwiches that have been successful in the U.S.
"Finding that kind of value proposition in those countries is essential," Mr. Fertman says.
Write to Julie Jargon at julie.jargon@wsj.com
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Sunday, March 6, 2011
Mornings in our house
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