It's Called Football, Dumbass!

We've had some fantastic football during this World Cup. None of it from England, of course, but at least we've stumbled in to the quarter-finals and I'm ever hopeful that will find some sort of form when we come up against Portugal on saturday.

For my money, probably the worst team we saw in the tournament were the United States. For a team that's supposedly fourth in the FIFA standings, they were pretty poor.

The reason for this may lie in the attitudes of those over the pond towards the beautiful game. Over at CBS news, Frank Cannon (surely not the overweight TV detective) & Richard Lessner have written an opinion pice that just about sums up how the US views football.

I'm sure they mean it to be taken seriously, maybe even considered on an intellectual level. Personally I laughed my self silly.

They just don't get it do they.

U.S. Isn't Exactly World Cup-Crazy

Wherethehellismatt?

I'm jealous, inspired, excited and pleased by this in equal measures.

Matt Harding quit his job to travel the world and, on the way, has produced this fantastic video of him dancing in all the different countries he has visited.

Just one of those things that makes me smile.

Matt's website is www.wherethehellismatt.com

What Boys Should Know!

So The Dangerous Book For Boys is the best-selling book in the UK at the moment.

Apparently it's a book written for "boys of all ages", and gives information and advice on topics as diverse as conkers, the laws of football, fishing, juggling, timers and tripwires, kings and queens, famous battles, skimming stones, marbles and, of course, artillery.

All well and good and, no doubt, fathers and grandfathers all over the land will be rushing out and buying this book in an attempt to encourage their offspring to recreate some sort of fabled 1950's childhood when you could leave your front door open all day and everyone had steak and kidney pud for dinner.

However, what it doesn't do is equip your average 21st century adolescent male with the skills to survive their teenage years in the real world. I propose a sequel... one in which we give the boys of today the life skills they really need to get along.

Life Skills like:

How to cover your tracks when you've been looking at porno
How far can you abuse a copper without being arrested
What insults work best for the "different" kids in your school
How to identify your teachers Achilles heel
How to hide a spontaneous erection in gym class
Googling your homework essays - and how much to change it
How to see your mate's sister naked
What Lynx body spray is best for you
How to tell if your dealer is ripping you off

They'll thanks us for it later when they're Captain of Industry (i.e. convicted fraudsters)

Can't Get You Out Of My Head!

Ever had a song stuck in your head, going round and round and round? Yesterday I was walking around humming "Jumping Jack Flash" for no apparent reason.

Maybe The Girl From Ipanema is the one that drives you nuts, or perhaps Love Cats, or maybe even - heaven help us all - Crazy Frog.

Scientists have suggested that the cause of this irritation could be an "Earworm" (from the German "Ohrwurm") which, far from being an actual maggoty infestation, is actually to do with the way in which the auditory cortex in your brain processes information.

Number one earworm? Kylie's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head"

More over at Guardian Unlimited: Can't Get It Out Of My Head

Championship Manager!

So what happens if someone with over 12 years experience of managing teams at the very highest level, including taking Rushden and Diamonds to the Champions League Final, applies for a job as manager of a Premiership football team.

OK, so the experience was all gained via Championship Manager, but surely that must count for something!

beforethirty.co.uk

Twinned with the 1950's!

Not many people get to see inside the borders of North Korea. According to those who have visited, any tourists who are allowed in to the country are closely monitored and their itinery is managed so that they only get to see what the political leaders want them to see, which mainly includes trips to model communities and state monuments.

Credit then to Artemii Lebedev, a Russian web designer, who managed to take some amazing photographs of the real North Korea on his visit there. He shows a side of the country that very few of us are likely to experience.

Step back in time and enjoy these pictures.

Crazy Pool!

A good way to waste a bit of work time. Pool with a difference.

Take a look at Crazy Pool