It's uncanny (and would be slightly amusing if it weren't extremely disturbing) how Scientologists and this Admininstration use the same reasons and logic to keep people who disagree away from them and out of sight.
To me it just seems like they've got something to hide.
Both via Digg
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Remember replying "sticks and stone may break my bones but words will never hurt me" to the taunts on the playground as a kid? Well, we all know that words hurt but, since we're grown ups now, have had to learn to handle them in a mature, non-violent manner. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's not ok for people to go around picking fights because of stuff people say. Particularly in sports. Half the fun in sports is trash talking. The better atheletes respond by outperforming... like in the 2005 Tour de Georgia where Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis shared words (or maybe just a look)... then Armstrong turned on the afterburners and left Landis, causing him to lose the Yellow Jersey to Tom Danielson of Discovery, who won the whole race the next day.
But France's (mediocre) soccer star, Zinedine Zidane? Watch out for him, he's got a temper.
So I'm sitting here wondering why, after Zidane head butted an Italian player in the World Cup final, FIFA is investigating the Italian player.
BBC SPORT | Football | World Cup 2006 | Teams | Italy | Materazzi gives evidence to Fifa
Is that logical? Sure, the guy should've kept his mouth shut. But who can resist at that level of competition? Zidane loses his cool and gets sent off, yet again, for despicable behavior on the pitch.
Makes me think something is going on at FIFA. It's known that there is corruption in the Italian league, but what about at the world's governing body of football? Could this corruption be the reason that the head World Cup official killed himself immediately after the final?
Why else would they coddle such a low player? Surely it can't be because he's French.
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Shell says biofuels from food crops "morally inappropriate" - Yahoo! News
Oh yeah? Well I find putting making money ahead of human rights and environmental concerns "morally inappropriate."
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Brazil's World Cup Futebol team's performance against France yesterday. They are undoubtedly consistently one of the best teams in the world, if not the best, quite possibly the best team EVER. Especially as the only team to qualify for every single world cup ever and win 5. Yes, they are that good. That is, when they show up with their jogo bonito.
Yesterday? They forgot to bring it. The last time I saw them play that was was vs France in the world cup final in 1998 (also, incidently, the last world cup match that they lost and their only loss in the World cup in quite some time since they won it in 1994). In '98 and again yesterday they played like they don't care to repeat their title. They may be one of the best, but not even the best can win just by showing up. If they're going to be playing that way, then they certainly don't deserve to win.
But France? Give me a break! At least lose to a decent team! I mean, we're talking about the team that is made up of Zinedine Zidane, who is kinda talented but doesn't even touch the likes of Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo, and the rest of the team who backs him up by faking horrible fouls, getting the refs to agree with them and giving them free kicks that allow them to score. Their world cup history? Sometimes they qualify, sometimes they make it out of group play. '90? Didn't qualify. '94? Didn't qualify. '98? The home team is the only team who doesn't have to go through qualification... fortunately for them, the competition was in France this year. Incidently they won the final... in France... with what I believe was a French referree. Those who haven't seen this game should watch. In '02? Played worse than the Americans (my 2nd least favorite team, behind the French that is) with not a single goal and not making it out of group play. Was '98 a fluke? I think so.
But seriously. Those who don't know the records and the statistics are going to think that the French are the only ones capable of beating Brazil in World Cup play. Is this true? Sure... when Brazil doesn't show up.
One of the commentators said the Brazilian coach was not looking for revenge. Why not? It's good to hold on to a sports grudge... fuels the fire to win. If I were out there, I would've played my heart out just to kick some French ass and show them what a fluke '98 truly was. Not only that, but to show the world that the team can be consistent, good, and repeat the win.
Now? The two favorites (Brazil and Argentina) are out and the semi-finals are completely composed of European teams. Which means no jogo bonito to watch. Perhaps the Italians and especially the Portuguese can dig down deep inside and show us some of that sort of play. Me? I'm rooting for Portugal on Wednesday. With their new "golden generation," I'd love nothing more than for them to show Zinedine Zidane his last game ever and walk all over the rest of his team. And let the jogo bonito prevail.
Interestingly enough, the two favorites are also out of the Tour, which started yesterday. I don't mind, that gives one of my favorites ever, George Hincapie of Discovery, a solid chance to win. And a chance for Americans to sweep the Tour.
Don't get me wrong, I don't usually root for USA in international competition. But an American sweep of the Tour? As Will says, it would cause the French to declare war on America.
After which they would promptly surrender, because, they are French, after all.
technorati tags:soccer, worldcup, brazil, sports
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