Supersize me!

Bob's BBQ Grill of Pattaya, Thailand has smashed the current record for the world's biggest hamburger with the Big Bob’s Texas Belt Buster. The world's biggest hamburger weighs a massive 78.5 pounds, takes 12 hours to make and is now available on the Bob's BBQ menu for 15500 Thai Baht (equivalent to £210 or US$400).
This milestone in cheeseburger history was created in celebration of the King of Thailand’s 60th year accession to the throne and was part of a wide range of events being held all year in Thailand to mark the occasion.

Group G: Arsenal, Porto, CSKA Moscow and Hamburg

Well, today's Champions League draw is far from the worst Arsenal could have had, but it won't be a breeze either. Porto are a competent side, CSKA are going to be tough, especially away, and Hamburg seems pretty decent too - qualifying from this group will be much harder than last year.

New balls please?

LAW 42.3c (FAIR AND UNFAIR PLAY):
"It is unfair for anyone to rub the ball on the ground for any reason, interfere with any of the seams or the surface of the ball, use any implement, or take any other action whatsoever which is likely to alter the condition of the ball."

Pakistan forfeited the fourth Test at the Oval against England by initially refusing to take the field after tea in response to being penalised for ball-tampering. It was the first time in 129 years that a Test had been conceded by forfeit.
The Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute and changing the condition of the ball. A hearing will take place on Friday.


This is bad for cricket...Umpire Darrell Hair has accused Pakistan of ball-tampering (aka cheating), using only his judgement. However the judgement of the umpires is FINAL.
Inzamam charged in cheating row

Guilty of "Travelling while Asian" (continued)...?

A family visiting from Dubai are stopped from boarding a capsule at the London Eye after one starts speaking Arabic.
The ordeal happened in June, but the family were prompted to contact the BBC after two Asian men were escorted off a plane last week because passengers were worried about "suspicious behaviour".
Sorry folks, but this is the mentality of the lynch mob.....
Dubai family turned away from Eye

The latest health hazard.....

Children's TV channel Boomerang are to edit scenes from Tom and Jerry cartoons where characters are shown smoking.
This follows an investigation by media watchdog Ofcom into a viewer's complaint that the vintage animations of the famous cartoon duo were inappropriate for younger viewers.
In one, "Texas Tom", Tom the cat tries to impress a feline female by rolling a cigarette, lighting it and smoking it with one hand. In the other, "Tennis Chumps", Tom's opponent in a match smokes a large cigar.

Relax, people - it's only a cartoon! Besides if you're disturbed that Tom and Jerry are such a corrupting influence, use the "OFF" switch....
Smoke's no joke for Tom and Jerry

Guilty of "Travelling while Asian"...?

Reading this story, I thought of the lyrics to "Free Your Mind" by En Vogue:

"I can't change your mind, you can't change my color"

JITTERY airline passengers became alarmed about what they believed was "suspicious behaviour" of two men, apparently of Asian or Middle Eastern appearance, on a flight bound for Manchester, early on Wednesday. The pair were subsequently removed from the Airbus 320 at Malaga and questioned for several hours - they were later allowed to fly back to the UK later in the week.

Passenger profiling is one thing - this is bloody scary....
'Suspicious' pair taken off plane

A new era (continued)?

Good result for England last night, defeating Greece 4-0.
But let's put things in perspective - Greece played poorly (especially in the first half) and they're not one of the better sides in Europe these days, let alone in the world.
So overall, while England's victory was enjoyable, suffice to say...."Don't Believe The Hype."
McClaren's dream debut
England 4-0 Greece




PS: Looking at the fuss about McClaren ending Beckham's England career, let's put everything into perspective. The match against Greece was only a friendly and teams like Croatia will prove sterner opposition in the future:

UPCOMING EURO 2008 QUALIFIERS
Andorra (H) - 2 September
Macedonia (A) - 6 September
Macedonia (H) - 7 October
Croatia (A) - 11 October

By then, if Becks proves good enough to be in Real Madrid's starting 11 on a regular basis, he could find himself back in the England set-up.
However, age is now against Goldenballs and while it would be wrong to lay the blame for England's World Cup malaise solely on Becks (heck, all the players barring Owen Hargreaves were below par), he is responsible for a significant percentage of those poor performances and this has been magnified by Sven's reluctance to play anyone else in his place (like Shaun Wright-Phillips and Aaron Lennon).
McClaren is building an England team for the future (at least, he should be). I think he made the right decision.

The Road To Hell (continued)...

As a UN-brokered ceasefire comes into force between Israeli and Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon (effective 6am BST), both sides claimed "victory" in the conflict.
Meanwhile the Lebanese government estimates the conflict has done $2.5bn of damage in the country; the Israeli government puts its figure at $1.1bn.
Finally the Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert said his government would work "with all the means at our disposal" to secure the release of the two soldiers whose capture by Hezbollah sparked the conflict on 12 July this year.

Lebanon deaths:
About 1,000 - mostly civilians
No precise data on Hezbollah dead
Israeli deaths:
Soldiers: 114 (IDF)
Civilians: 43 (IDF)
Lebanon displaced:
700,000 - 900,000 (UNHCR; Lebanese govt)
Israeli displaced:
500,000 (Human Rights Watch)
Calm as Mid-East ceasefire begins

Ca$hley (continued).....

So Chelski have broken off negotiations with Arsenal on Ca$hley?
Now we'll see who else will want him for the money he's after.....still I'd be happy to see the back of Ca$hley asap (or stick him in the reserves - and leave him there).
Chelsea break off from Cole talks

PS: Well done to the lads - but to be honest that 3-0 scoreline was helped by the Dinamo Zagreb goalie, who was a bit poor on the night.
Dinamo Zagreb 0-3 Arsenal

They're gonna taste grrreeaat!

For all those in the UK who (like me) are heartily sick to death of that irritating kid in that cereal advert (you know the one - "They're gonna taste grrreeaat!")
Frosty

Ca$hley.....

Re: Ca$hley Cole - if he wants to leave Arsenal, then so be it - let's take Chelski's roubles and say bye-bye to him....sooner he leaves the better.
Wenger wants quick Cole decision

The Road To Hell (continued)...

Day-by-day: Lebanon crisis - week four

V for Vendetta

Saw "V for Vendetta" on DVD this week. It's not a bad movie, but I thought the original eighties black and white comic by Alan Moore was more bleak and uncompromising. David Lloyd's artwork for the comic was particularly stark - to me back then, it was the antithesis of comic artists like John Bryne and George Perez. Don't get me wrong - I loved the artwork of Bryne & Perez. But Lloyd's was very different at the time, and suited the comic perfectly.
Both the comic & the movie finger-points at the apathy of the voting public - we get the government we deserve....
V for Vendetta: Comic vs. Film

A new era? Or another false dawn for English football?

"It's very exciting, I can't wait to actually get started. It will be a great challenge and a great adventure."

Thus spoke Steve McClaren, as he arrived today for the start of his new job as England's new head coach, promising a "totally different" approach to that of his much-criticised predecessor Sven-Goran Eriksson.

A different approach is definitely what's needed. I just hope McClaren has the guts to make big decisions and drop big name players who underperformed during England's poor World Cup experience.
But beyond the England team, we should be asking questions like:
Do we have a lack of coaching talent? Where are the home-grown coaches with the talent to rival Wenger and Mourinho?
What is more important to us - a strong England team or a strong Premiership?
Good luck anyway, Steve...
McClaren ready for England task