With Ghana, Australia and Ecuador out, all that is left at the FIFA Worldcup® is millionaire football. Both Ghana and Australia got screwed by the FIFA refs (unfair, 92nd-minute penalty against the socceroos and two off-side goals for Brazil against Ghana). Too bad - millionaire football is not that much fun.

Most Germans, I think, would profess to “love nature.” yet, when “nature” has claws and teeth, it must die.
Naturliebe auf Deutsch: gepflegte Waldwege zum Wandern, ein sauberes Gasthaus zum einkehren, ein paar Rehe am Waldrand. Bloss kein Stress. Ein wilder Bär? Ein “Risikobär??” Das kann ja wohl nicht sein! Der muss abgeschossen werden befor [...]

As of last weekend TDI does not only stand for outstanding fuel economy but also for “superior racing platform.” The Audi R10 TDI of Joest Racing made history with the first-ever win of a diesel-powered race car at the 24-hours of LeMans - one of the toughest and most prestigious races in motor sports.
The [...]

…. for the goal-less first half of the game, but after Patrick Vieira’s goal in the 55th Minute the Eperviers collapse and France reels in a 2-0 victory.
Too bad that the first appearance at the Worldcup was such a bumpy ride for the team from Togo. But I hope they still had a good time [...]

Ghana beat USA and qualifies for the next round! Only to meet Brazil … oh well …

Happy solstice to all you Wiccans!

The picture says it all: the 2-0 loss of the Eperviers against Switzerland is no big shock to most, but nevertheless a big disappointment to many. It seems that the back-and-forth over the premiums, and the FIFA’s “play-or-else” order, left very little spunk in that team. Sadly, Togo’s first Worldcup appearance will not primarily be [...]

Finally FIFA intervened and explained to the team from Togo that they will play … or else … after the Togolese Football bosses proved to be completely incapable of resolving this embarrassing dispute.
The coach Otto Pfister appears to be sympathetic to the players’ grievances:

“I understand the players, they are being promised things but then nothing [...]

FRANKFURT, June 18 (Reuters) - Togo did not leave their team base Wangen on Sunday on time for a planned departure to their next World Cup group match.
‘We are still in the hotel,’ coach Otto Pfister told Reuters on the phone when the team was meant to get on the plane to Dortmund, where they [...]

What a day full of surprises in the Worldcup! Ghana v. Czech Rep. was one of the best, most exciting games I have seen so far. The Black Stars brought the Czech team to its knees and won a great upset. And then the USA - Italy battle … horrible football … but what drama. [...]

The ongoing trainer/premiums comedy has inflicted quite a bit of international embarrassment upon Togo’s Worldcup team - mostly due to the incompetence of the Togolese football management. Yet, the eperviers gained some respect back in today’s game against South Korea. They fought hard, and showed a strong defense, and some good offense action. Had it [...]

In one way Togo already lost the Worldcup. Sadly, this loss was not inflicted upon the team, and the country, in a fair sports competition in the stadium. Rather, the incompetence of the football (soccer) bosses of the Togolese Football Federation (FTF) bear full responsibility for the current, sad state of affairs.
The lack of [...]

Oh boy - that’s IT for the eperviers’ chances in this worldcup.

Pfister only took charge of the team earlier this year Togo’s World Cup Group G preparations are in turmoil after coach Otto Pfister resigned over a pay dispute.
His former assistant Kodjovi Mawuena will take charge of the side for their first game with South [...]

Many years ago, I spent several intense, fun summers in Morocco. Besides biking through the Atlas and hanging out at various beaches, I spent weeks roaming the Médina of Fès with my Fassi friends Mammoun and Mohammed.
Samir at A View from Fès posted some great accounts - and wonderful pictures by Suzanna Clarke - [...]

The word of the day, on this day - 6/6/06, I guess, is hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia:
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is a fear which originates in the belief that the Biblical verse, Revelation 13:18, indicates that the number 666 is linked to Satan or the Anti-Christ. Outside the Christian faith, the phobia has been further popularized as a leitmotif in [...]

It’s spring and the wildlife in the woods is going - uh - wild!
Chipmunks
The cats are out hunting every day. They catch frogs, lizards, shrews, and chipmunks. Yesterday I saw Deha, the Siamese, in the driveway, hovering over what I thought was fresh kill. So I went to see what she got, and found [...]