Happy Halloween?

Well, it's All Hallows Eve - and I nearly made it home safe and sound...
Unfortunately the trick 'n treaters caught me at my gate...had to give up about £2 to the little monsters in order to get in (or get my suit messed up).

On a serious note though, Halloween is providing cover for more darker deeds - street robbers and thugs often dress up in masks and costumes to hide their identity whilst they carry out muggings and other offences.
And a baby was taken to hospital after a man in Halloween fancy dress set off an industrial-style firework in an off-licence this Monday.

Anyway, have a happy - and safe Halloween....
Halloween mischief makers crackdown
Baby hurt by firework lit in shop

When ginger Neanderthals walked the Earth...

In this morning's news, a DNA study revealed some Neanderthals aka Homo neanderthalensis, may have had red hair and pale skin.
Researchers analysed DNA samples extracted from the bones of two Neanderthals from Spain and Italy and it is estimated that at least 1% of Neanderthals had red hair.
According to Michael Hofreiter, an evolutionary biologist at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, who led the study. "They would have had lighter hair all over their bodies, like today's Irish redheaded people."
Hmm....I always wondered about the antics of Chris Evans, Prince Harry and the Duchess of York (aka Fergie).
Neanderthals 'were flame-haired'

V for Vendetta (continued)...

Currently watching V for Vendetta on TV again. This is one of my fave movies (despite the quibbles I had when comparing the film to the comic) and I especially like the stirring soundtrack, which can be heard on the official website for the movie.

Remember folks, our voting apathy will give us the government we deserve....
Official website for the motion picture V for Vendetta

Meanwhile in North London...

More fantasy football from Arsenal! But let's not get carried away - there's a few tough fixtures coming up, starting with Liverpool this Sunday, followed by Manchester United the week after.
The matches with Liverpool and Man Utd will be yardsticks for Arsenal's title credentials. The Gunners are flying high right now, but these games will definitely be their toughest challenges of the season so far.
Arsenal 7-0 Slavia Prague

Best of British (continued)....

Oh well, sometimes luck doesn't always go your way. Que Sera, Sera....
Lewis Hamilton came close to winning the F1 world title, but it wasn't enough. I'm glad Lewis told the BBC he doesn't want to win a world title through disqualifications for other drivers. I only hope McLaren can also accept the verdict. "Spygate" was bad enough, but if McLaren were successful with their appeal on yesterday's result, it would be a sad way to become world champion.
Hamilton keen to win 'fair' title
McLaren set to launch fuel appeal

Best of British....

By next Monday we'll know if British racing driver Lewis Hamilton and the England rugby team will be lionised as respective Formula One world champion and World Cup winners.
Or whether they'll suffer the current fate of Steve McClaren and the England football team - trial (and execution) by tabloid press.
Here's hoping that Hamilton, Wilkinson and company are champs instead of chumps.
Brazilian Grand Prix 2007
World Cup final 2007
Trial by tabloid

The Retreat from Moscow....

Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick has given England boss Steve McClaren his backing, despite the Euro 2008 qualifying defeat in Russia (England lost 2-1 yesterday).
England must beat Croatia in November and hope Russia lose or draw one of their last two Group E games against Israel and Andorra to reach the finals.
Despite yesterday's setback, at the moment England can still qualify and while that chance exists (no matter how slim), now is not the time to consider a new manager.
Let's wait and see how England's qualifying campaign concludes, before shouting "McClaren must go".
FA boss gives backing to McClaren

Style over substance....

Nominations for candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) have opened after Sir Menzies Campbell announced his departure. The early front runners to succeed Sir Ming are Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne, but as many as seven are considering running.

Meanwhile Sir Ming has told the BBC he felt "irritated and frustrated" at having to step down as Lib Dem leader, but said the decision was his alone. Sir Menzies, 66, said he could not get out from under the "cloying blanket" of questions about his age and leadership.

It's sad that the Lib Dems appears to have succumbed to the belief that decency and principles are insufficient qualities for a modern political leader in the UK.

These days politics is very superficial. I suppose the Lib Dems will now be looking for a youngish Tory Bliar or David Shameron type to appeal to both the media and electorate. But never will the phrase "style over substance" appear more appropriate.
Sir Menzies tells of 'irritation'
Lib Dem leadership race under way

The Great Storm....twenty years on

The gales on the night of 15 October 1987, which came to be known as the Great Storm, cost 18 lives and uprooted 15 million trees. Winds reaching 122mph ripped across the south-eastern corner of England (and took this blogger by surprise).
The Great Storm is remembered for the famous (or infamous) weather forecast 20 years ago today, in which weatherman Michael Fish appeared to dismiss rumours of a "hurricane". However Mr Fish has stated he was referring to weather conditions in Florida at the time and not the Great Storm.
As I recall, the Great Storm was followed days later by the financial storm of Black Monday. When on 19th October 1987, shares fell by £50 billion at the London Stock Exchange, in the wake of a crash on Wall Street.
Recovering from the Great Storm
The wrong man

Allez le blanc...

OK, now for something more uplifting in sport...

Today should be great fun for sport fans.
Both England & Scotland have important Euro 2008 qualifying matches against respective opponents Estonia & Ukraine. Wales & the Republic of Ireland also have European Championship qualifying matches today.
However the main focus this Saturday is not football, but Rugby Union. Or, to be precise, the Rugby World Cup semi-final between England and France in Paris later today (kick-off: 08.00pm BST). It is estimated that about 40,000 England fans will be in the French capital to support the team.
The match will be at the 80,000 seater Stade de France. Although the event is a sell-out, tickets are reportedly exchanging hands for up to £1,400.
Here's hoping Les Rosbifs are victorious in Le Crunch....
England fans join the Paris party

More shame in sport (continued).....

Tennis players are to be given 48 hours to tell the authorities if they are approached about throwing matches and risk punishment if they fail do so. The new 48-hour rule will be adopted by the board of the ATP Tour at its next meeting in November, and will be backed up by a new 'integrity unit'.
This comes after Andy Murray told the BBC that matches on the men's ATP Tour are being thrown and that all players are aware of it.

"It is pretty disappointing for all the players, but everyone knows that it goes on," said the top-20 ranked Scot.

Murray is the second British tennis player to claim that match fixing goes on, following former British number one Tim Henman's comments on BBC TV about players being asked to influence the outcome of matches.

The response by the Tennis chiefs shows that something needs to be done to prevent the reputation of the game being dragged through the gutter.
Tennis chiefs battle match-fixers

More shame in sport.....

Uefa has opened disciplinary proceedings against AC Milan and their Brazilian goalkeeper Dida over the incident at the Champions League game at Celtic last Wednesday, when a "fan" invaded the pitch and touched him after the end of Milan's 2-1 defeat.
The 34-year-old goalkeeper began to briefly chase after the fan before collapsing dramatically to the ground and was eventually stretchered off. Since then however Dida has been criticised for overreacting (this blogger disagrees - more like over ACTING).

It is unfortunate that Celtic's magnificent victory over AC Milan was overshadowed by a moment of stupidity. The "fan" received (and deserved) a lifetime ban, and no doubt Uefa will ensure Celtic will inevitably suffer. I also hope they make Dida pay for his play-acting, but I feel sorry for AC Milan.

(NOTE: since this post, Celtic have been fined £25,000 ($50,000) and AC Milan goalkeeper Dida has been banned for two matches)
AC Milan & Dida face Uefa inquiry

The shaming of sport...

US Olympic champion sprinter Marion Jones has retired from athletics in disgrace after pleading guilty to lying about steroid use. For years Jones steadfastly denied using steroids and did so despite reports that linked her to the notorious Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO).
Marion Jones is now tainted as a cheat. And other elite athletes will be supected of drug taking. Ultimately track-and-field athletics will suffer. All very sad.
Jones pleads guilty in drug case

Bring me my chariot of fire!

Fresh safety fears were raised today after another bendy bus burst into flames.
Bus number 25 caught fire in Ilford, east London, as it was travelling from its depot at Waterden Road, Stratford to go into service this Saturday. Safety campaigners and drivers are concerned it could have been much more serious.
A TfL spokesman said the bus suffered "significant" damage to the rear but "there is no link" with previous incidents of fire on bendy buses.
The buses, introduced in 2001, were temporarily taken out of service in 2005 when three buses caught fire. This is the first such incident since they were restored to service in January 2006.
Prospective mayoral candidate Boris Johnston has already pledged to remove the bendy buses from London streets.
Bendy bus fires 'not connected'