Monthly Archives: September 2006

Europe Win the Ryder Cup – Clarke’s Tears

Posted on September 24, 2006
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I’ve just been watching Europe defeat the USA in the 2006 Ryder Cup held at the K Club in Ireland and what a superb example of great golf coupled with passion and sportsmanship unrivalled in any Ryder cup I’ve certainly seen. A third consecutive team victory for Europe was always going to be overshadowed by the courage shown by Darren Clarke after losing his wife Heather to breast cancer.

In a way it was a shame Darren’s win wasn’t the win that sealed the well crafted team victory but it wasn’t meant to be. I also thought Tiger Woods showed us the true gentleman that he is, not once, not twice but three times, each time giving Darren a hug at the conclusion of his match. It was touching to watch and had me in tears at the end of the 16th hole.

Also funny to see was two holes in one especially considering none had been scored since 1995. Casey holed out yesterday to win the match and Verplank holed out to take the match dormie 4 against Harrington. Congratulations to the fans too and despite huge galleries, partisan crowds there were no stupid comments, no bad behaviour, just pure support for the great game.

Congratulations to Ian Woosnam (European captain) on the way he has held the team together especially after the pre tournament attack from Thomas Bjorn for not picking him! Tiger’s caddy almost falling in to water earlier in the round was comical, in the process losing Tiger’s 9 iron to the water Gods! All in all a great all round performance by everyone involved. The Americans played more like a team playing for each other than they have for a number of years and is surely the only way to go if they are to …

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Miss Otis Regrets – Ella Fitzgerald and Porter

Posted on September 17, 2006
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Cole PorterI was watching an episode of The Ghost Whisperer (Ghost Bride) the other night and right at the end of the programme, during a wedding ceremony a song was used (post production) and it immediately struck me that I had heard it before, but from where? It turned out it was sung by Ella Fitzgerald and the track was “Do I Love you”. I absolutely love this song and although I’ve heard it before a few times, I’ve never been in a position to do any searching while it was fresh in my head.

The song led me to Ella’s renditions of classic Cole Porter songs spread over two albums, volume 1 and 2. I’ve heard and can easily recognise a lot of Porter’s songs but I was shocked to hear so many new ones in the collection. I certainly didn’t realise Cole had written the classics “In the still of the night”, “Too darn hot” and “Beguine the Beguine”. He truly was a master of his craft.

Listening to the album I re-discovered the song “Miss Otis Regrets” and again like “Do I Love You”, I had no idea it was written by Cole Porter. The song is a melancholy song written about the love of a woman, her fall from grace which led to her committing murder and her eventual death by execution. Not a song you’d ever think as romantic but sung by one of the greatest singers of all time, Ella transforms the song and delivers a tragic tale in her own imitable style.

Although very little background information is available for the song, the song was used in the stage production “Hi Diddle Diddle” in 1935. It has been suggested that Cole wrote the short song for friends but this is unconfirmed. …

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Prison Break Season 2 – First Down Ep 4

Posted on September 13, 2006
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Please be aware this blog entry contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the episode please leave now as it will spoil any surprise you may have without reading! You have been warned !!!

Following two distinctly average episodes, by prison Break standards, “First Down”, episode 4 of the second series was amazing. It was a true return to form and to be honest I was getting a little worried that Prison Break was getting a little stale; how could I ever allow such crazy thoughts to enter my brain?! Anyway, on to the show …..

I only have one criticism from episode four to be honest and that was the obvious twist in Abruzzi and Tweener although I’m still shocked that we have now lost a major character in the mafia don, I never for one moment thought someone would sell him out. I guess the enticement of not going to jail is a big incentive even though the guy who sold his soul to the devil will have to watch his back from now on. Tweener on the run with the girl from college was an interesting tale and throughout the episode you always thought she would be the one selling him out at the first opportunity, little did we know she wanted to stop at the motel for some “rest”!!!!

Bellick was back on form too, quickly catching up with Lincoln, Michael and Nika (the gorgeous Holly Vallance), running the three off the road pushing the car head on into a tree. What we didn’t know was that Bellick didn’t want to give them up, oh no, he wanted to go to the hottest destination at Fox River – UTAH! Suffering a flat tyre, Bellick sends his goon off to get a new …

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Michael Schumacher, Hero or Villain ?

Posted on September 11, 2006
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A truly magnificent career is about to come to an end, brought even closer following his emphatic Grand Prix win at Monza yesterday. During the regular press conference for the podium finishing drivers, Michael Schumacher or Schumie to his friends announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season, three races down the line. I have to admit I was never a Schumacher fan for the first five years of his Ferrari career but something changed (and no I can’t remember why) and I have been a fan ever since. Not one of these crazy fanatical fans I add, simply a fan of great driving and tactical know how.

Schumie will be missed there’s no doubt not only for his driving but the knowledge he brings to Ferrari and the drivers as a whole, keen to look after everyone’s interest and safety. Sure he’s had his faults, no more so than when he decided to block Alonso on his final qualifying lap at Monaco. I looked at the tv screen stunned at what I saw and in real time I made allowances for the German telling myself, he didn’t do that on purpose did he ? If you were watching the qualifying session live or indeed the news bulletins for the next couple of days, it was filled with allegations of cheating from all and sundry and not least Renault boss Flavio Briatore. It was a mistake and a mistake that tarnished his reputation..

Along with Ayrton Senna, Schumacher is the best driver I have ever seen in Formula 1. I can’t compare him with Stirling Moss or any of the other older drivers; I simply didn’t follow their career because I wasn’t around! It’s always the same old case, doesn’t matter what the sport, could be …

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Where were you on 9/11 ? Remember ?

Posted on September 10, 2006
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Do you remember where you were when the World changed? By change I do mean the atrocious attack on the World Trade Center in New York on the 9th September, or 9/11 as it is widely referred as. In an unprecedented attack on US soil, Osama Bin Laden changed the lives of all those lost that day but how the World looked upon the heroism of the New Yorkers and of course how we felt about Osama and the radical Muslims. By taking the lives of the thousands of innocent lives that day, the radical leader made us stronger, more alert to terror possibilities and altered the way we moved from A to B.

I was at my desk at 1:46 (8:46am in the US) on 9/11 and I remember switching over channels on the TV, bored with what was on BBC1 and I came across CNN’s coverage. I remember seeing the smoking images of World Trade Center 1, American Airlines flight 11 had struck moments before I changed channels. At the time I thought it was a trailer for a new Bruce Willis film until it dawned on me what had happened. No one knew that it was a terror attack until the second plane United Airlines 175 crashed into World Trace Center 2 some 16 minutes later. It then struck me the gravity of the situation.

Rushing out of my office to tell my colleagues, we turned on all the TV’s in the main office and stood still, unable to comprehend the situation, unsure at who to call and what to do next. Normality took a back seat, work was forgotten as an eerie silence hit the office. No one could talk, ringing phones went unanswered for the first five minutes as we all collected our thoughts. …

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Australia mourns the loss of two favourite sons

Posted on September 9, 2006
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Can someone please tell me what Australia has done to deserve losing not one but two legends in the space of 5 days ? I guess this is always the way it works, just like in real non celebrity life. How many times do we go through our day to day life hearing that someone we know has died only to hear two days later that another acquaintance has died. I guess that’s the role of evolution but how much harder is it to lose two great Australian icons ? Bloody hard I tell you.

Peter Brock, nine times winner of the Bathurst 1000 died in a car rally yesterday, closely following in the footsteps of Steve Irwin last Monday. The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport and Western Australian Police confirmed that he lost control of his vehicle on a bend and collided with a tree whilst driving in the Targa West ’06 rally at 11.50am on September 8, 2006, near the township of Gidgegannup, 40km north-east of Perth. The 61-year-old Brock and his co-driver Mick Hone were in a 2001 Daytona Coupé. Hone was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Video footage of the crash is being reviewed by police to help determine the cause of the accident. The editor of Wheels Magazine, Ged Bulmer, said that Brock would be remembered for his nine victories in the Bathurst 1000, for “He had a long and very successful career there, he was the ‘King of the Mountain’ as he came to be known.”

Brock’s children accepted the offer of a Victorian state funeral, with former partner Bev telling ABC Radio: “[Brock] was loved. He was in the public eye, and everything had to be done with a flourish and with a bang. It’s probably the way he …

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Steve Irwin videos around the world

Posted on September 8, 2006
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There have been so many people interested in Steve Irwin’s death this week, quite an amazing number have visited my blog and the search terms have been crazy. On Monday and Tuesday, the first couple of days following his death in Australia, the search keywords were as expected “Steve Irwin’s death”, “Steve Irwin Stingray” and “Steve Irwin dead” just to name a few. Then on Wednesday it all changed! Curiosity took over and many visitors were looking for Steve’s death video, sick jokes on his death and comical images. I guess this happens through every walk of like and the only one I really haven’t seen too much like this is following 9/11.

I was searching youtube earlier and I was amazed at what I found when searching for all things Irwin and just like the variety of keywords used to find my blog this week, such was the variety of videos on offer at youtube. The videos ranging from tributes to his great life, death video (where you see a guy asking people why they really wanted to see his death), a re-enactment of when the stingray attacked Steve, show on Australian TV (shown Tuesday night believe it or not). Spoofs and yet more spoofs !!

Videos I’m glad that have made it to the net are news items from around the world, mainly from the day he was killed and I thought I would include snippets of these news reports, excerpts from news show and various news commentaries.

Fox News

ABC News

CNN

CNN

Nine News (OZ) (includes first news report)

Nine News (OZ)

Opie and Anthony (slightly strange view)

There are many more videos on the net these are certainly interesting especially the first Nine News Report that includes interviews with Steve’s manager, people who have survived …

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Marion Jones Cleared of Using Drugs

Posted on September 7, 2006
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Well very interesting news through today and boy am I happy with the results! Marion Jones, Ex-triple Olympic champion, has been cleared of doping allegations after her ‘B’ sample proved negative.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a second positive returning negative after a first positive result, certainly not in any high profile case I am aware of. I think this second test has certainly saved Marion Jones career as she only has a limited time left on track as a high class sprinter. Not only has this increased her career by a few years but it saves her having a black mark on what has otherwise been a blemish free athletics career.

Sure she has had her associations with her ex husband and Tim Montgomery, both who have lost out to drugs, but surely this now puts to rest any allegations that she had been using performance enhancing drugs? I hope so not just for her but for the sport in general that is going through a rough patch at the moment.

The American sprinter’s initial sample had tested positive for the banned blood-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO) in June.

“I am absolutely ecstatic,” said the 30-year-old Jones, who had been facing a two-year ban from the sport had her ‘B’ sample tested positive.

“I am anxious to get back on the track,” she added in a statement.

“I have always maintained that I have never ever taken performance-enhancing drugs, and I am pleased that a scientific process has now demonstrated that fact.”

Jones, who won five medals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, had never previously failed a doping test.

She had been under scrutiny by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in connection with the Balco laboratory doping scandal but was never been charged with a doping offence. …

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Prison Break Season 2 – Scan Ep 3

Posted on September 5, 2006
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Please be aware this blog entry contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the episode please leave now as it will spoil any surprise you may have without reading! You have been warned !!!

I thought this episode was a lot quicker paced than last week’s “Otis”, it’s still not up to season 1 standards or indeed the season premier but apart from a few aspect in the episode I thought it was well executed, sorry Linc !!! Holly Valance reprised her role as Nika and helps Michael and his brother out of the jam, not once but twice in this episode. I must say that I did half expect Michael to have a go at getting the bullet out of Lincoln’s leg (if it had been in there) and not just seal and cover it up. He knows best I’m sure.

Apart from the lack of claustrophobia of the prison walls in season two, one thing I have found is that on the run, it is impossible to include all the main characters in the same episode. Only four of the escapees were covered in “Scan”, Michael and Lincoln the main arcs and Sucre and C-Note giving a great supporting role. Talking of C-Note, I thought his “Rainbow Room” arc was superb and had me going until I discovered that it meant his daughter’s bedroom window, the best part of the episode for me. I can’t for one minute think that Mahone will fall for Michael’s explosion and blood trick, surely the results will come back as pigs blood from the lab? !! Prison Break DVD

Couldn’t quite understand how Bellick and his former prison officer buddy teamed up and were so friendly, maybe Bellick has something in mind later down the track and will double …

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Steve Irwin Picture – clever !

Posted on September 5, 2006
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I’m sure there are people out in the internet world waiting for someone to die, some nasty event to happen or are just out to make a joke at someone’s expense. I was very sad to hear of the passing of Steve Irwin yesterday and a day later I have received in my mail box 6 images relating to his death. Not the actual image I must add but 6 “funny” images surrounding Steve Irwin and crocodiles, fish and sun screen protecting him from harmful rays !

The people that put these images together are very talented, there’s no doubt about that and I wasn’t going to jump on the bandwagon and give them any publicity, indirectly or not but I must share one of the images with you as it had me smiling despite the sad subject. I hope you enjoy it, if indeed that is the correct phrase to use, I’m not sure. The image is a cross between the numerous broadcasts seen throughout the world reporting his death and finding nemo!…

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Steve Irwin and a look at Stingrays

Posted on September 5, 2006
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The tributes still pour in around the world for Steve Irwin who was killed yesterday by a Stingray Barb. A rather curious article appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald today when a mother compared Steve Irwin’s death to that of Princess Diana and JFK, for children. I can’t see it on that scale to be honest but it certainly doesn’t belittle his death and contribution to wildlife and charities. I have to admit before I heard about this tragic accident I had never known about the stingray’s lethal attack or indeed what it was capable of. Given such a name I assumed rather naively that it would just sting you if you touched a live specimen, the last thing I expected to hear was a death occurring from such a defensive reaction by a stingray.
As I mentioned, I had no idea what the stingray was capable of before yesterday and when I looked around the net for the “barb” I never expected to see such a lethal image. It’s a cross between a long knife and shark scales. Stingrays can be found in both freshwater and marine habitats throughout the world. It must be stressed that not all stingrays can sting but unless you know what you are looking at you’d never know.

So what is the sting all about?

The venom apparatus or “sting” of a stingray is a spine or modified dermal denticle (the scales covering sharks and stingrays) with two ventral grooves filled with venom-producing tissue. The venom apparatus is surrounded by a cell-rich covering or sheath that also may produce lesser amounts of venom. The venom itself is a largely protein-based toxin that causes great pain in mammals and may also alter heart rate and respiration. However, since it is proteinaceous, it can be inactivated …

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Steve Irwin Remembered

Posted on September 4, 2006
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The web is buzzing about Steve Irwin’s death with literally hundreds and thousands of online news companies, magazines and newspapers reporting on his life, career and his death earlier today. I’ll try and find some of the better ones and put them all in one place to make things slightly easier.

The first to report on his death were the Australian newspapers, one of the advantages of being ideally placed and online these days. Although the world is such a small place that news of an event in the middle of the outback could find its way to London within hours. The Australian carries a story by David Bellamy calling Irwin audacious in his work, the same newspaper also carries a story by his mates telling how Steve wasn’t affected by the fame. Meanwhile the ABC in Brisbane reports on the tributes flowing in for the respected giant of the wildlife scene along with a story that Irwin had little chance to survive the sting. News.Com.au in Australia think that the “ray” was probably startled or frightened. I guess it was a normal defensive reaction if Steve was swimming close to the ray.

Worldwide coverage has shown the enormous following Steve enjoyed in his short life in the public eye. The Sun newspaper prints a pictoral tribute to Steve’s life, click on the link to view the slideshow. There are some nice images in the slideshow and more will surface in the following days I’m sure. Africa’s own Crocodile Hunter pays his tribute from Johannesburg via Reuters, Khalid Hassen who has shot over 17,000 crocodiles thinks that Irwin’s death at the hands of the stingray is an unfitting way to die for such a legend.

I’m sure over time we will get the full details of Steve’s death, …

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Steve Irwin Killed in Australia 44

Posted on September 4, 2006
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I was going to write a piece today about The Sentinel starring Michael Douglas and Eva Longoria but I have woken up to find news of Steve Irwin’s death. Known throughout the world as the “Crocodile Hunter”, he was killed today during a diving expedition off the coast of Australia. Steve was 44 and leaves behind wife Terri, 42, daughter Bindi, 8, and son Bob, 2. The news is a tragedy not only for his immediate family, all those at Australia Zoo but for the tireless work he did for wildlife preservation.

Steve was filming a documentary was about the Great Barrier Reef in north eastern Queensland state when a stingray barb pierced his chest and despite a paramedic helicopter rushing to the site they arrived too late.

According to Australia’s “The Age”, Steve Irwin probably died instantly when his chest was pierced by the stingray according to the producer of the documentary. John Stainton, who has worked as a director and producer on a number of Irwin’s film and television projects since 1996, said it was unlikely he had felt any pain.

He said he had gone “over the top of a stingray and a stingray’s barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart”.

If he did indeed feel no pain I guess Steve would have been unaware of any danger, unlike many of his exploits over the years. I remember watching a documentary he made catching snakes and in it he boasted that “I’ve never been bitten by a snake”. He was a confident guy who loved wildlife, simple as that. He courted controversy in 2004 when he fed a dead chicken to a crocodile at his zoo, holding his son Robert in the other hand.

Child …

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19″ LCD Widescreen at a bargain price

Posted on September 2, 2006
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I can’t quite believe my eyes today ! 10 days ago I bought my first Widescreen LCD monitor for the computer, upgrading from a very sound 17” 4:3 monitor to join the 21st century! I bought the Hanns-G 19” Widescreen monitor from dabs in the UK for a superb price of £129.99. I thought this was an amazing price for an amazing piece of kit. That is until I saw the price Amazon were doing it for today!! For just £105, a price that includes VAT and delivery, surely you can’t afford to leave this bargain alone, can you ?

A selection of reviews below show just how good a deal it is:-

“Excellent monitor, having used decent CRT monitors and a rather expensive old 17″ AOC TFT (£350 cost price, some years ago), I have to say this beats them all. The picture does not do the monitor justice, it’s panel has a slim bezel, the speakers are hidden neatly round the back out of sight. It offers a DVI and VGA connector.”

“This is simply the best monitor you can buy for your money! Looks fantastic (uncluttered front as the speakers are underneath and the access buttons on the side), beautiful display and flawless aesthetics! Ordered this on Wednesday afternoon, was with me by Thursday lunchtime – quite simply OUTSTANDING service from Dabs – now stop reading and PUT ONE IN YOUR BASKET!!!”

I sat watching movie trailers in HD today, blown away by the comfort of the display. The widescreen makes viewing regular pages a lot easier on the eye and I have absolutely no regrets buying this monitor at the price I did – at this low price it’s an absolute steal!…

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