Thursday, 31 March 2011
Messi scores two goals with one ball
With 27 goals in 26 La Liga matches this season, it may seem like Lionel Messi has a supernatural ability to score. And that's because he does. Seriously, it's science.
Here he is warming up before Argentina's friendly against the U.S. and displaying that the cosmic field of magnetic energy he creates not only drives the ball he kicks into the net, but any other balls that might be sitting stationary between him and goal, as well. Was he trying to hit the ball that was sitting in front of the goalkeeper with the one he actually kicked? Pshhht. He doesn't have to try.
After both balls hit the back of the net and even the goalkeeper applauds his little trick, Messi just walks away, because to him that's nothing. Plus, those Legos aren't going to play with themselves.
Osaze Odemwingie lashes Coach Siasia on Twitter
Nigeria striker Osaze Odemwingie has taken to his Twitter page to accuse coach Samson Siasia of having "issues".
After playing in Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia, he flew back to England on Monday.
Odemwingie implied in his Twitter rant that that he opted out of the Kenya friendly because of injury.
He wrote: "Unlike me my finishing in training today was good. Hearing something that Siasia is angry I left. He needs to think a bit or he got issues."
He later deleted the comment but not before dozens of his followers had voiced their disapproval, with one urging him to "calm down".
In another post, he said: "Managed to play the official. A friendly in a empty stadium, struggling with an injury preferred not to play. And it became an issue???"
According to the BBC's Oluwashina Okeleji in Lagos, there is more to Odemwingie's comments than meets the eye.
He said Siasia's approach has upset many senior players.
"His training methods, his unguarded outbursts, attitude and treatment of older players is causing disaffection in his new Super Eagles - more like a time bomb," Okeleji said.
Rainoil Limited recruiting Management trainees
We currently seek individuals to fill the position below:
Management Trainee
Requirements:
- Candidate must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree or HND in Engineering, Pure and Applied Sciences or Social Sciences.
- A Masters Degree or professional qualification would be an added advantage.
- Must not be more than 30 years of age.
- Must possess excellent communication, interpersonal and analytical skills.
- Ability to interact effectively with a wide range of staff throughout the company.
Deadline of Application: 12 April 2011
WTS Energy Nigeria recruiting Trainee Wireline Field Engineers
WTS Energy is a leading globally operating, high level Manpower & Recruitment Company, 100% focused on the international Oil & Gas and (New) Energy industry.
WTS energy currently seeks individuals to fill the position below:Trainee Wireline Field Engineers (REF:WTS/GA/001)
Requirements:
Bachelor degree in engineering (2.1)
1-3 years relevant experience post graduate work experience (including NYSC)
How to Apply:
Please quote the reference number as the subject of your e-mail and send your CV (prepared as word document and saved with your full names), a statement of how you meet our selection criteria, and the names and contact details (including telephone numbers and email addresses) of three referees to recruitnigeria@wtsenergy.com
Deadline of Application: Not later than 19th April,2011
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Manchester United: Chicharito tipped to reach 25 goals
Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed Scholes made the prediction after watching Hernandez’s pre-season goalscoring debut against the MLS All-Stars in the USA last July.
And such is the impact that the Mexican striker has had in his first term at Old Trafford, Sir Alex is now inclined to believe his veteran midfielder was right.
"When Javier scored his first goal in Houston, Paul told me after the game that he'd get 25 goals this season," the Reds boss said. "Paul is a quiet lad and doesn't say a lot, but he’s a fantastic judge.
"And with Hernandez now on 16 goals, with eight league games left and hopefully a few European and FA Cup ties, he could reach that tally and Scholes would be right. That's the way we're looking at him now – we're expecting that."
Sir Alex admits his initial assessment was that Chicharito would mainly be used as a substitute in his first season for United, but the striker's rapid development – and unerring ability in front of goal – has been impossible to ignore.
"It's been nothing but acceleration [by him]," Sir Alex said. "We tell a lot of our young players to take time to settle in, learn the language and develop physically, because it is a physical league.
"He’s now had his breaking-in period and, although he could speak English, it is now much better. He comes into training every morning at 9am, does his own work in the gym, then stays after training with the rest of the players and practises various parts of his game.
"The boy wants to be a player and the footballing tradition of his family has helped. That gives him an extra encouragement and urge to do well, which is sensational."
Sir Alex was talking at a press conference in New Jersey to announce United’s 2011 pre-season tour of the USA.
Manchester United: Rooney, Wes and Carrick tell all
Wayne Rooney, Wes Brown and Michael Carrick talk to "Inside United" about life as a Red and tales from Carrington...
Who have been your players of the year for United? Berba, Nani and Vida have been mentioned by fans…
Carrick: I’d go for Nani because of his goals, assists and overall performances this season. He’s made a great contribution.
Rooney: I’d say Berba. He’s scored a lot of goals for us including some really important ones and us forwards need to stick together!
Brown: It’s a difficult one, but I’ve got to go for Vida again, closely followed by Nani and Chris Smalling, who has done really well in his first season.
Do you ever have dreams about games or certain moments in a season?
Rooney: The day before a game I always ask Albert [the kitman] which kit we’ll be wearing - shirt, shorts and socks so I can try to visualise the game and scoring a goal.
Brown: Yeah he wakes up shouting ‘yes’ like he’s celebrating a goal!
Carrick: I sleep a lot better before games than I did when I was younger. I’ve never really got nervous, but when I was younger I always had that feeling of excitement and I just couldn’t wait for the game to come. Now, after a week with the kids I sleep very easily!
Do you ever have a little reflective moment during a game when you look up, see a packed stadium, and have to pinch yourself that you’re a professional footballer playing for Manchester United?
Brown: You don’t really think about that in a game because you’re just thinking about getting the job done. Rooney: Yeah as Wes says there isn’t really time in a match unless someone is maybe down injured for a while.
Carrick: Sometimes if you’re playing in a really big game and you’re winning comfortably and there’s a break in play, you might take a minute to look around the ground especially if the atmosphere is really good. But most of the time, like the others said, you’re just focused on doing your job.
Whenever we see pictures taken at the training ground it looks like you have a heck of a laugh alongside the hard work you put in. Is that a fair reflection?
Rooney: Yes definitely. It’s just a great club to be at and be part of. There’s always a lot of banter going on, most of it aimed at Wes.
Brown: Yeah it is!
Apparently Wayne and Fletch are always up to things, is that true?
Brown: I’d include Nani in that too.
Carrick: Ando as well…
Rooney: Me and Fletch lead each other on...
Brown: They’re like two little kids.
Rooney: Carrers [Carrick] is always there just smiling in the background...
Carrick: You can’t get too involved because you know it’ll come back to haunt you so I like to keep a safe distance away.
Rooney: Yeah, Carrers is the one stirring things up and me and Fletch are the hit men.
Carrick: And Wes is the one who takes it all!
Brown: Not all of it! I don’t mind though because we always have a good laugh. We have to give one of the kit men John Campbell a mention too. We give him a lot of stick every day but he takes it brilliantly and is a really top man.
Do dodgy items of clothing still get hung up in the dressing room?
Rooney: Not as much now.
Carrick: The thing you have to be ready for is sweaty socks and strappings being launched at you after training.
Giggsy seems to be a god-like figure in the dressing room. Are you allowed to take the mickey out of him or is he untouchable?
Rooney: His locker isn’t!
Carrick: No-one does anything to Giggsy, really, do they? There’s that respect thing for him.
Brown: It’s the same with Scholesy.
Carrick: They still get involved in the banter. Giggsy can be quite quiet but then he’ll throw in a very dry one-liner.
What’s been the funniest moment at Carrington ever?
Rooney: It’ll have to have involved Gary Neville…
Carrick: Someone’s trainers got cut up once didn’t they… [All laugh]
Rooney: Me and Fletch cut through a pair of Wes’ trainers one day and pushed them back together so it looked like nothing had changed. But when he picked one of them up to put on, the heel just came off in his hand! [All laugh]
Brown: I got them back though, don’t worry!
NASA Spacecraft Snaps 1st Photo of Mercury from Orbit
The first spacecraft ever to circle Mercury has beamed home the first-ever photo taken of the small rocky planet from orbit, showing a stark landscape peppered with craters.
NASA's Messenger spacecraft snapped the new Mercury photo today (March 29) at 5:20 a.m. EDT (0920 GMT). The photo shows the stark gray landscape of southern Mercury, a view that is dominated by a huge impact crater.
"This image is the first ever obtained from a spacecraft in orbit about the solar system's innermost planet," Messenger mission scientists explained in a statement.
The new Mercury photo shows a region around the south pole of Mercury. A 53-mile (85-kilometer) wide crater called Debussy clearly stands out in the upper right of the image, with bright rays emanating from its center.
A smaller crater called Matabei, which is 15 miles (24 km) wide and is known for its "unusual dark rays," is also visible in the image to the west of the Debussy crater, mission managers explained.
The new Mercury photo was posted to the Messenger mission website managed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, which is overseeing the flight for NASA.
The photo is the first of 363 snapshots Messenger took during six hours of observations around Mercury. The images are expected to cover previously unseen areas of Mercury, terrain that was missed by Messenger during three previous flybys before it entered orbit.
Messenger arrived at Mercury on March 17, more than 6 1/2 years after its launch from Earth.
The spacecraft paused in its Mercury photo reconnaissance work just long enough to beam the new images back to Earth, mission managers said.
"The Messenger team is currently looking over the newly returned data, which are still continuing to come down," Messenger mission scientists said.
NASA plans to hold a teleconference with reporters on Wednesday to review the latest Mercury discoveries by the Messenger probe. The spacecraft's name is short for the bulky moniker MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging.
The $446 million Messenger probe is expected to spend at least one Earth year studying Mercury from orbit.
The spacecraft is in an extremely elliptical orbit that brings it within 124 miles (200 kilometers) of Mercury at the closest point and retreats to more than 9,300 miles (15,000 km) away at the farthest point.
The primary science mission phase will begin on April 4, when Messenger will start mapping the entire surface of Mercury, a process that is expected to require around 75,000 images. Scientists hope the spacecraft will help answer longstanding mysteries over the planet's geology, formation and history.
While Messenger is the first mission ever to orbit around Mercury, it is not the first spacecraft to visit the planet. NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft flew by the planet three times in the mid-1970s.
NASA's Messenger spacecraft snapped the new Mercury photo today (March 29) at 5:20 a.m. EDT (0920 GMT). The photo shows the stark gray landscape of southern Mercury, a view that is dominated by a huge impact crater.
"This image is the first ever obtained from a spacecraft in orbit about the solar system's innermost planet," Messenger mission scientists explained in a statement.
The new Mercury photo shows a region around the south pole of Mercury. A 53-mile (85-kilometer) wide crater called Debussy clearly stands out in the upper right of the image, with bright rays emanating from its center.
A smaller crater called Matabei, which is 15 miles (24 km) wide and is known for its "unusual dark rays," is also visible in the image to the west of the Debussy crater, mission managers explained.
The new Mercury photo was posted to the Messenger mission website managed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, which is overseeing the flight for NASA.
The photo is the first of 363 snapshots Messenger took during six hours of observations around Mercury. The images are expected to cover previously unseen areas of Mercury, terrain that was missed by Messenger during three previous flybys before it entered orbit.
Messenger arrived at Mercury on March 17, more than 6 1/2 years after its launch from Earth.
The spacecraft paused in its Mercury photo reconnaissance work just long enough to beam the new images back to Earth, mission managers said.
"The Messenger team is currently looking over the newly returned data, which are still continuing to come down," Messenger mission scientists said.
NASA plans to hold a teleconference with reporters on Wednesday to review the latest Mercury discoveries by the Messenger probe. The spacecraft's name is short for the bulky moniker MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging.
The $446 million Messenger probe is expected to spend at least one Earth year studying Mercury from orbit.
The spacecraft is in an extremely elliptical orbit that brings it within 124 miles (200 kilometers) of Mercury at the closest point and retreats to more than 9,300 miles (15,000 km) away at the farthest point.
The primary science mission phase will begin on April 4, when Messenger will start mapping the entire surface of Mercury, a process that is expected to require around 75,000 images. Scientists hope the spacecraft will help answer longstanding mysteries over the planet's geology, formation and history.
While Messenger is the first mission ever to orbit around Mercury, it is not the first spacecraft to visit the planet. NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft flew by the planet three times in the mid-1970s.
LeBron James avoids the player intros in Cleveland
As you may already know, LeBron James and the Miami Heat visited the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night, in the team's second and final 2010-11 appearance in Cleveland following Ohio-native James' sign-and-trade to the Miami Heat last July.
Back in December, the first meeting between the teams provided a chorus boos, though the rancor hardly mattered as the Heat won handily. This time around, with the Cavs bringing up the NBA rear with a 14-58 record, James' appearance was predicted to be "less raucous," which would be nice.
And then the Cavs decided not to allow the entourage they had coddled and employed for years into the building with James on Tuesday afternoon.
And then, during player introductions, this happened:
That's right, tough-as-nails LeBron decided to skip on the player introductions, and also (this will get the comment brow-beaters in a frenzy) the playing of the "Star-Spangled Banner." LeBron told reporters after the game that he was in the restroom while his teammates took the boos for him. Kind of de rigueur for someone who doesn't even take the team bus to games.
Pretty cheap move for LeBron, and there's no real excuse for extending this soap opera. The one thing he had over his adversary in Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert (who showed up for Tuesday night's game, but has more or less gone into hiding at his own arena during Cleveland's league-worst season) was on-court accountability. This time around, LeBron couldn't even be bothered to show up to the bench.
We might be hearing about a bad taco or a phone call that couldn't wait or James' foot being caught in a bear trap in the upcoming days, but we all know what's what. This was incredibly pathetic.
Back in December, the first meeting between the teams provided a chorus boos, though the rancor hardly mattered as the Heat won handily. This time around, with the Cavs bringing up the NBA rear with a 14-58 record, James' appearance was predicted to be "less raucous," which would be nice.
And then the Cavs decided not to allow the entourage they had coddled and employed for years into the building with James on Tuesday afternoon.
And then, during player introductions, this happened:
That's right, tough-as-nails LeBron decided to skip on the player introductions, and also (this will get the comment brow-beaters in a frenzy) the playing of the "Star-Spangled Banner." LeBron told reporters after the game that he was in the restroom while his teammates took the boos for him. Kind of de rigueur for someone who doesn't even take the team bus to games.
Pretty cheap move for LeBron, and there's no real excuse for extending this soap opera. The one thing he had over his adversary in Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert (who showed up for Tuesday night's game, but has more or less gone into hiding at his own arena during Cleveland's league-worst season) was on-court accountability. This time around, LeBron couldn't even be bothered to show up to the bench.
We might be hearing about a bad taco or a phone call that couldn't wait or James' foot being caught in a bear trap in the upcoming days, but we all know what's what. This was incredibly pathetic.
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
The Movie Test
This math test will determine your favorite movie. Amazing!
This is pretty damn amazing. Mine turned out to be “The Mechanic“. That’s my favorite movie! I was surprised how this worked. Be honest and don’t look at the movie list till you have done the math!
Try this test and find out what movie is your favorite. This amazing math quiz can likely predict which of 18 films you would enjoy the most. Don’t ask me how, but it really works!
Movie Test:
This is pretty damn amazing. Mine turned out to be “The Mechanic“. That’s my favorite movie! I was surprised how this worked. Be honest and don’t look at the movie list till you have done the math!
Try this test and find out what movie is your favorite. This amazing math quiz can likely predict which of 18 films you would enjoy the most. Don’t ask me how, but it really works!
Movie Test:
1. Pick a number from 1-9.
2. Multiply by 3.
3. Add 3.
4. Multiply by 3 again.
5. Now add the two digits together to find your predicted favorite movie in the list of 18 movies after the break.
Guinness World Records 2011 - Man's elastic mouth measures 17 cm wide
How did it all start?
On May 4, 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, then the managing director of the Guinness Brewery, went on a shooting party in North Slob in County Wexford, Ireland. He became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, then later realized it was impossible to confirm in reference books. He then thought that a book supplying answers to such questions could be popular.
The first 197-page edition of the "Guinness Book of Records" was bound on Aug. 27, 1955, and went on to the top of the British best-seller list by Christmas. Over 400 million copies have sold since the first edition. The most recent one to hit the shelves is the "Guinness World Records 2011."
Widest mouth
The widest mouth measures 6.69 inches! It belongs to Francisco Domingo Joaquim “Chiquinho” and was measured on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy.
The first 197-page edition of the "Guinness Book of Records" was bound on Aug. 27, 1955, and went on to the top of the British best-seller list by Christmas. Over 400 million copies have sold since the first edition. The most recent one to hit the shelves is the "Guinness World Records 2011."
Widest mouth
The widest mouth measures 6.69 inches! It belongs to Francisco Domingo Joaquim “Chiquinho” and was measured on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy.
Date set for Chelsea game
Manchester United's home league game against Chelsea has been moved to Sunday 8 May (16:10 BST).
The match was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday 7 May but will now be played 24 hours later and screened live on Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, the Reds' trip to face Blackburn Rovers the following weekend has been earmarked for a 12:45 kick-off on Saturday 14 May.
However, should Sir Alex's men be involved in the FA Cup final against Bolton Wanderers or Stoke City, the match will be rearranged for Tuesday 17 May (19:45).
Regardless of the date and time, the action will be shown live on Sky Sports.
10-Year-Old Boy Does Amazing Pop-and-Lock For 'Norway's Got Talent'
Enjoy this video of a dazzling Tord Korsvik, age 10, who wowed judges on "Norway's Got Talent" last week with his excellent pop-and-lock routine, and now the video has gone viral on the internet. Korsvik is a master of the rigid, robot-style dance, which was popularized in breakdancing movies that were made more than two decades before he was even born.
Shannon Brown switches hands on the dunk, Kobe Bryant is impressed
Shannon Brown has had an up-and-down season in Los Angeles. His shooting once was up, swishing around 43 percent from long range in November and December, before moving down to the mid-20s in January, February and March.
Luckily, the high-flyer is still consistently great at one thing. Going way, way up, before coming down.
His Laker teammate Kobe Bryant, himself the winner of the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, was suitably impressed:
"I give it a 10, no question," Bryant said. "It was just ridiculous. His explosiveness is out of this world. I don't know if I could do that. I did a lot of [stuff], but that ..."
It'd be nice to think Kobe just walked away from the reporters in mid-sentence, disappeared for six weeks, only to turn up for the second round of the playoffs with an entire series of hand-switching dunks to show off.
He'd also have several new tattoos, a goatee, and a working knowledge of how to strip and repair old Triumph roadsters … but this fantasy is probably too much to ask.
Instead, he probably just didn't know how to properly describe a dunk as awesome as that one. Clearly, Kobe and I are in the same boat.
Video of the spectacular dunk can be viewed below:
Luckily, the high-flyer is still consistently great at one thing. Going way, way up, before coming down.
His Laker teammate Kobe Bryant, himself the winner of the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, was suitably impressed:
"I give it a 10, no question," Bryant said. "It was just ridiculous. His explosiveness is out of this world. I don't know if I could do that. I did a lot of [stuff], but that ..."
It'd be nice to think Kobe just walked away from the reporters in mid-sentence, disappeared for six weeks, only to turn up for the second round of the playoffs with an entire series of hand-switching dunks to show off.
He'd also have several new tattoos, a goatee, and a working knowledge of how to strip and repair old Triumph roadsters … but this fantasy is probably too much to ask.
Instead, he probably just didn't know how to properly describe a dunk as awesome as that one. Clearly, Kobe and I are in the same boat.
Video of the spectacular dunk can be viewed below:
Monday, 28 March 2011
Wyclef Makes Light Of Shooting
Rapper Wyclef Jean poked fun at his recent gun shot injury in Haiti as he took to the stage over the weekend for his first performance since the incident.
The former Fugees star was shot in the hand after his car came under attack and was peppered with bullets as he was being driven through the city of Port-au-Prince promoting the election in his native Haiti.
But the hip-hop artist brushed off the shooting in a freestyle rap as he performed at Haze Nightclub in Las Vegas on Saturday (26Mar11), with a Haitian flag wrapped around his wounded hand.
And Jean is thankful his misfortune helped to highlight the country's turmoil, which may have otherwise gone unnoticed.
He tells People.com, "It brought light to the fact that there was an election going on that day. I don't think none of you all knew about an election in Haiti until everyone heard what happened to me."
The rapper, who lives primarily in the U.S., had expressed his desire to run for president in his home country, but was ruled out of the political race after Haitian lawmakers decided he did not meet the necessary residency requirements.
Sir Alex Ferguson: Every match is a must-win
Sir Alex Ferguson has challenged his players to treat every one of United's remaining Premier League fixtures as a must-win game.
As the season draws to an exciting close with the Reds still challenging for three trophies, the boss knows we cannot afford any slip-ups with crunch games coming thick and fast.
Saturday's testing trip to West Ham means an early kick-off and the chance to move eight points clear at the top but it's certain to be a difficult examination against Avram Grant's side.
Arsenal, who entertain Blackburn on Saturday, are five points behind United, but with a game in hand and the blockbuster showdown at the Emirates Stadium still to come.
Sir Alex believes the Gunners are the biggest threat to the Reds' bid to lift a record 19th league title but has refused to rule out a late challenge from three other contenders.
"It looks as if it's going to be us and Arsenal," he told Inside United. "But you never know.
"Man City, Chelsea and Tottenham are still in the frame - you can't dismiss them, but there are some important games coming up.
"The way I look at it is every game, for me, is a winner now.
"These are must-win games in the sense that every time you get the three points, it's another step closer to the finish line."
Papers: Summer transfer targets
A slice of United's Manchester connection could be sacrificed in the summer to rebuild the Reds' midfield. Mancunians Danny Welbeck and Wes Brown could both be on the way out of Old Trafford as Sir Alex Ferguson closes in on his summer wanted list. With Paul Scholes yet to announce whether he will carry on next season and serious doubts over the futures of Owen Hargreaves, Darron Gibson, Anderson and even Ji-sung Park - whose contract ends in 2012 – Fergie will focus on boosting his midfield once the season ends.
Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder is the No.1 target, although the Italian club's president Massimo Moratti has said he will fight to keep the 26-year-old Dutchman. “The interest from Manchester United in Sneijder is real,” said Moratti... Fergie is also looking to replenish his stock of young stars in the centre of the park with Everton's Jack Rodwell and Sunderland's Jordan Henderson on his shopping list.
Manchester Evening News
Elsewhere, Brian Woolnough, writing in the Daily Star, names Reds centre-back Nemanja Vidic as his player of the year this season. "Vidic is not a man of many words yet he is the classic leader, someone who has stood tall throughout United's season. He has been outstanding and one of the reasons United are closing in on another Treble."
The Mail confirm Wayne Rooney (and a host of other England stars) has been released by England in order to focus on his club committments this week. England will play Ghana on Tuesday night without the likes of Rooney, Frank Lampard and John Terry.
Sunday, 27 March 2011
More obstacles impede crews in Japan nuke crisis
TOKYO – Mounting problems, including badly miscalculated radiation figures and inadequate storage tanks for huge amounts of contaminated water, stymied emergency workers Sunday as they struggled to nudge Japan's stricken nuclear complex back from the edge of disaster.
Workers are attempting to remove the radioactive water from the tsunami-ravaged nuclear compound and restart the regular cooling systems for the dangerously hot fuel.
The day began with company officials reporting that radiation in leaking water in the Unit 2 reactor was 10 million times above normal, a spike that forced employees to flee the unit. The day ended with officials saying the huge figure had been miscalculated and offering apologies.
"The number is not credible," said Tokyo Electric Power Co. spokesman Takashi Kurita. "We are very sorry."
A few hours later, TEPCO Vice President Sakae Muto said a new test had found radiation levels 100,000 times above normal — far better than the first results, though still very high.
But he ruled out having an independent monitor oversee the various checks despite the errors.
Officials acknowledged there was radioactive water in all four of the Fukushima Dai-ichi complex's most troubled reactors, and that airborne radiation in Unit 2 measured 1,000 millisieverts per hour, four times the limit deemed safe by the government.
Those high airborne readings — if accurate — would make it very difficult for emergency workers to get inside to pump out the water.
Officials say they still don't know where the radioactive water is coming from, though government spokesman Yukio Edano earlier said some is "almost certainly" seeping from a damaged reactor core in one of the units.
The discovery late last week of pools of radioactive water has been a major setback in the mission to get the crucial cooling systems operating more than two weeks after a massive earthquake and tsunami.
The magnitude-9 quake off Japan's northeast coast on March 11 triggered a tsunami that barreled onshore and disabled the Fukushima plant, complicating a humanitarian disaster that is thought to have killed about 18,000 people.
A top TEPCO official acknowledged it could take a long time to clean up the complex.
"We cannot say at this time how many months or years it will take," Muto said, insisting the main goal now is to keep the reactors cool.
Workers have been scrambling to remove the radioactive water from the four units and find a place to safely store it. Each unit may hold tens of thousands of gallons of radioactive water, said Minoru Ogoda of Japan's nuclear safety agency.
Safety agency officials had been hoping to pump the water into huge, partly empty tanks inside the reactor that are designed to hold condensed water.
Those tanks, though, turned out to be completely full, said Hidehiko Nishiyama of Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.
Meanwhile, plans to use regular power to restart the cooling system hit a roadblock when it turned out that cables had to be laid through turbine buildings flooded with the contaminated water.
"The problem is that right now nobody can reach the turbine houses where key electrical work must be done," Nishiyama said. "There is a possibility that we may have to give up on that plan."
Despite Sunday's troubles, officials continued to insist the situation had at least partially stabilized.
"We have somewhat prevented the situation from turning worse," Edano told reporters Sunday evening. "But the prospects are not improving in a straight line and we've expected twists and turns. The contaminated water is one of them and we'll continue to repair the damage."
The protracted nuclear crisis has spurred concerns about the safety of food and water in Japan, which is a prime source of seafood for some countries. Radiation has been found in food, seawater and even tap water supplies in Tokyo.
Just outside the coastal Fukushima nuclear plant, radioactivity in seawater tested about 1,250 times higher than normal last week — but that number had climbed to 1,850 times normal by the weekend.
Nishiyama said the increase was a concern, but also said the area is not a source of seafood and that the contamination posed no immediate threat to human health.
Up to 600 people are working inside the plant in shifts. Nuclear safety officials say workers' time inside the crippled units is closely monitored to minimize their exposure to radioactivity, but two workers were hospitalized Thursday when they suffered burns after stepping into contaminated water. They were to be released from the hospital Monday.
A poll, meanwhile, showed that support for Japan's prime minister had risen amid the disasters.
The poll conducted over the weekend by Kyodo News agency found that approval of Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his Cabinet rose to 28.3 percent after sinking below 20 percent in February, before the earthquake.
Last month's low approval led to speculation that Kan's days were numbered. While the latest figure is still low, it suggests he is making some gains with voters.
About 58 percent of respondents in the nationwide telephone survey of 1,011 people said they approved of the government's handling of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, but a similar number criticized its handling of the nuclear crisis.
The death toll from the disasters stood at 10,668 Sunday with 16,574 people missing, police said. Hundreds of thousands of people are homeless.
Racy Serena Williams commercial won’t appear on TV
A racy video game commercial featuring Serena Williams was shelved by developer 2K Sports after it was deemed too risqué for television.
The 60-second spot for "Top Spin 4" features a scantily-clad Serena playing the new video game against an actress wearing even less clothing. The matchup is billed as "the world's sexiest tennis player" against "the world's sexiest tennis gamer." There are shots of nearly bare bottoms, unseemly facial expressions and lots of cleavage, accompanied by a thumping techno beat and suggestive moaning.
At the end of the ad, Williams asks breathily, "You realize this is a fantasy, right?"
The video of the commercial can be seen below:
Science: Moon spectacular witnessed across Ireland
Skywatchers caught an unusually clear glimpse of the features of the moon on Thursday night.
The moon's landscape was visible along with the nearby star cluster known as the "Seven Sisters".
Astronomy Ireland chose the evening for its annual moon watch and people braved the cold to witness the skies through large telescopes in five locations across Ireland.
Its chairman David Moore said it was "one of those things you have to see before you die".
"We could not have asked for a better night as we had perfectly clear skies", he added
"There were two large craters especially visible".
Even those without access to a telescope were able to enjoy the stunning star cluster visible by the naked eye.
International Friendly - USA 1 Argentina 1
U.S.A. 1-1 Argentina; Howard Man of the Match, 18-Year-Old Agudelo Shines Again
Saturday evening, just feet away from the now demolished stadium, the US played Argentina again, this time to a 1-1 tie in front of a record breaking 78,936 fans at New Meadowlands Stadium. While the game was just a friendly and like the ’08 match ended in a draw, there was something that gave a distinctive feel that the contest had more on the line than just pride.
Argentina was, well, Argentina and passed fluidly, working the back line of the U.S. over pretty well. Finally, after sustained pressure by Argentina and despite heroics by Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, Esteban Cambiasso scored in the 42nd minute for Argentina.
The second half saw USMNT head coach Bob Bradley bring on 18-year-old Juan Agudelo for Jermaine Jones and 20-year-old Timmy Chandler (who received his first cap) for Jonathan Spector. The change was immediate for the US, who saw better possession, switching from a 4-5-1 to more of a 4-4-2 with Chandler having an effect on the outside right and Agudelo pairing with Altidore.
Agudelo made smart runs and wise decisions for a player so young and it was his opportunistic sense that again allowed him to score his second goal in three outings for the team. That goal came in the 59th minute when Landon Donovan took a free kick from the right side of the field that found the head of U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra. His deflected header went directly at Argentinian goalkeeper Mariano Andujar, who found the ball too hot to handle and bobbled the ball to a hungry Agudelo, who was crashing the net on the left side with Oguchi Onyewu. Agudelo had run past the goal but stuck a leg back out quickly to snap the ball past Andujar and draw the game even.
The U.S. looked better in the second half and it took a collective defensive effort – often double and triple teaming Lionel Messi – to put out the fires. That and more heroics by U.S. Soccer’s Man of the Match, Tim Howard.
“Whenever we get the opportunity to play against these great teams there are a lot of challenges, and there are things that now we can set our sights on,” said U.S. head coach Bradley. “Argentina was very good with the ball in the first half and found a great rhythm that made it difficult on us, and the goal before halftime changed the thinking. I was very pleased with response from the team in the second half. To come away with a good result against a very good team there are some things to talk about, some things that need to be improved but also some positives.”
Overall, it was a good opportunity for the USMNT to play a very good opponent in Argentina, who are ranked 4th in the world, and to start preparations for this summer’s Gold Cup which runs from June 5–25, 2011.
International Friendly - Brazil 2 Scotland 0
Brazil will face tougher opposition than Scotland in this summer's Copa America, but Mano Menezes departs North London this afternoon satisfied with a job well done.
Not only was it a fine display from the players, but Menezes has seemingly learned a valuable lesson from last month's defeat to France.
In that 1-0 loss, the Brazil coach deployed Alexandre Pato as the lone striker in his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation; a role the AC Milan starlet is unaccustomed to, and he consequently cut a lonely figure all game.
Of course, Hernanes' dismissal for a ridiculous high challenge didn't help matters that night. However, at the Emirates today, Leandro Damiao demonstrated the value of playing a striker who can occupy both centre-halves to Menezes .
The Internacional hitman's power and aerial strength not only troubled Scotland all afternoon, but his unselfish work rate opened up little pockets of space behind for Neymar, Jadson and Elano.
This tricky trio bamboozled the Europeans all afternoon. Neymar, cutting in from the left, gave Hutton a torrid time. While Jadson and Elano interchanged throughout, taking turns to switch from the right to play as the creative hub behind Leandro.
In midfield, the efficient Ramires and Lucas provided the perfect platform for the attack and their unselfish running gave great balance to the team. These two will surely have cemented their starting places for this summer's tournament.
The first half was typical Brazil: intricate short passes, both full-backs breaking forward and neat one-two exchanges around the box. Scotland, to their credit, defended magnificently, with Gary Caldwell making a number of key tackles.
The opening goal arrived in the 38th minute, when Neymar finished off a flowing move involving Ramires and Andre Santos. The Santos starlet killed the ball instantly, opened his body up, and stroked it past McGregor with aplomb.
After the interval, the South Americans continued in a similar manner: dictating the game's slow tempo, playing with little urgency, patiently waiting for the chances to arrive. It was all about control.
In the 76th minute, Neymar doubled his tally with a well taken penalty, dusting himself down following a ludicrous and lazy tackle from Charlie Adam.
Before the game, Brazil legend Ronaldo went into the dressing room for a talk with Neymar, offering words of encouragement and invaluable advice.
However, it's another Selecao legend that Neymar wants to emulate. Speaking to the Brazilian media after the game, he declared: "I really like number 11 because it was the one worn by Romario."
When asked by TV Globo about possible changes for the Copa America, Menezes said: "There is a possibility for changes. But common sense says that future squads will be as close as possible to this squad."
Euro 2012 summary - Darren Bent's finish puts shine on England's domination of Wales
England's Darren Bent celebrates with Wayne Rooney. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters
No easy games in international football, eh? Perhaps Gareth Bale might have given England something to think about, but without their best player Wales resembled a side giving away more than 100 FIFA world ranking places and still looking for their first win in Euro 2012 qualifying.
Because that is what they are, of course. Even when Bale is fit. "We aren't going to qualify from this group, we're looking to the future," a resigned Gary Speed admitted. "We couldn't get the ball off England in the first half-hour. They played a very high tempo in their pressing, but hopefully we can learn from experiences like this. It was tough to take, but we are not always going to be playing against teams as good as England."
Thank goodness for that. Hopefully this mismatch will have set back the cause of those seeking to restore the home international tournament by a century or more. While the points were useful in taking England back to the top of Group G and repairing some of the damage done by drawing at home with Montenegro, the opposition was so weak there was precious little for Fabio Capello to enthuse about. "Ashley Young was our best player, he has really improved a lot," the England coach said, fairly enough. "Scott Parker was also good, and Jack Wilshere incredible again. He plays like he is 28 or 29, like he has 35 or 40 caps."
All perfectly true, yet the bare fact is that England needed only to play for the first 20 minutes. After that the game was won. The Millennium Stadium crowd did its best, lustily booing the English anthem and attempting to transmit hostility from the terraces, though practically as soon as the match got under way the game was up. Wales allowed John Terry, of all people, to make inroads down their right flank, then after Chris Gunter slipped to turn a decent pass into a dangerous one, James Collins leant on Young to give away the softest of penalties after a mere six minutes.
If Frank Lampard's unflustered conversion quietened the crowd, a sort of embarrassed hush descended eight minutes later when Wales were caught completely cold by Glen Johnson's long ball down the right. Under almost no pressure Young gathered and centred for Darren Bent to finish crisply and decisively, thoroughly justifying his inclusion as the point of England's attack, and Wales were left with little to look forward to but Brazil 2014.
Speed has been telling people all week that the next World Cup might be a more realistic target to aim for than the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, and no one could accuse the new Wales manager of pulling the wool over anyone's eyes.
Both England's first two goals came courtesy of Aston Villa, and Young in particular was enjoying one of his most convincing England performances to date. Backed up by Johnson, England's right-side pair found plenty of space to make regular forays forward, and a dipping shot from Young was the closest to a third goal before the interval. Early in the second half Young sent over a cross from the right with which Wayne Rooney only narrowly failed to connect, before somewhat belatedly Wales launched a couple of attacks of their own.
Craig Bellamy had the right idea when he tried to top off a determined run through midfield with a throughball to Andy King; unfortunately he put a fraction too much weight on the pass. King himself then had a shooting chance but was quickly closed down by Ashley Cole and put a hurried effort over the bar.
Little had been seen in the first half of Aaron Ramsey, apart from a couple of misplaced passes he would rather forget, though the new Wales captain showed what he can be capable of on the hour, with an astute ball forward that Steve Morison was not quite quick enough to anticipate.
Ramsey's Arsenal team-mate, Wilshere, had attempted to free Bent with a similar pass a few moments earlier, only for Wayne Hennessey to save at the striker's feet. Wilshere made some bustling runs through midfield, with Parker staying dutifully back in defence, even if his finishing could have been better when Rooney cued him up for a shot and he blazed high and wide.
That turned out to be Rooney's last contribution. After picking up a first-half booking for a bad-tempered foul on Joe Ledley that triggers a one-match suspension the striker made way for James Milner with 20 minutes left.
Capello claimed Rooney was surprised to discover he had put himself out of the Switzerland game at Wembley in June. The Italian did not himself sound all that surprised, but after a week of captaincy nonsense he was not about to be drawn into another debate about the motives of his players.
Bellamy almost snatched a goal back for Wales at the end but not even that could ruffle Capello's composure. England walks in the park are not to be sniffed at these days, and for once the coach knew there been had no charge to answer. "It is always the same, when we win we are the best and when we lose we are shit," he said, with a smile. "That's my job."
Young, who was named man of the match, said: "The main thing was to get the three points and get back to the top of the group."
Because that is what they are, of course. Even when Bale is fit. "We aren't going to qualify from this group, we're looking to the future," a resigned Gary Speed admitted. "We couldn't get the ball off England in the first half-hour. They played a very high tempo in their pressing, but hopefully we can learn from experiences like this. It was tough to take, but we are not always going to be playing against teams as good as England."
Thank goodness for that. Hopefully this mismatch will have set back the cause of those seeking to restore the home international tournament by a century or more. While the points were useful in taking England back to the top of Group G and repairing some of the damage done by drawing at home with Montenegro, the opposition was so weak there was precious little for Fabio Capello to enthuse about. "Ashley Young was our best player, he has really improved a lot," the England coach said, fairly enough. "Scott Parker was also good, and Jack Wilshere incredible again. He plays like he is 28 or 29, like he has 35 or 40 caps."
All perfectly true, yet the bare fact is that England needed only to play for the first 20 minutes. After that the game was won. The Millennium Stadium crowd did its best, lustily booing the English anthem and attempting to transmit hostility from the terraces, though practically as soon as the match got under way the game was up. Wales allowed John Terry, of all people, to make inroads down their right flank, then after Chris Gunter slipped to turn a decent pass into a dangerous one, James Collins leant on Young to give away the softest of penalties after a mere six minutes.
If Frank Lampard's unflustered conversion quietened the crowd, a sort of embarrassed hush descended eight minutes later when Wales were caught completely cold by Glen Johnson's long ball down the right. Under almost no pressure Young gathered and centred for Darren Bent to finish crisply and decisively, thoroughly justifying his inclusion as the point of England's attack, and Wales were left with little to look forward to but Brazil 2014.
Speed has been telling people all week that the next World Cup might be a more realistic target to aim for than the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, and no one could accuse the new Wales manager of pulling the wool over anyone's eyes.
Both England's first two goals came courtesy of Aston Villa, and Young in particular was enjoying one of his most convincing England performances to date. Backed up by Johnson, England's right-side pair found plenty of space to make regular forays forward, and a dipping shot from Young was the closest to a third goal before the interval. Early in the second half Young sent over a cross from the right with which Wayne Rooney only narrowly failed to connect, before somewhat belatedly Wales launched a couple of attacks of their own.
Craig Bellamy had the right idea when he tried to top off a determined run through midfield with a throughball to Andy King; unfortunately he put a fraction too much weight on the pass. King himself then had a shooting chance but was quickly closed down by Ashley Cole and put a hurried effort over the bar.
Little had been seen in the first half of Aaron Ramsey, apart from a couple of misplaced passes he would rather forget, though the new Wales captain showed what he can be capable of on the hour, with an astute ball forward that Steve Morison was not quite quick enough to anticipate.
Ramsey's Arsenal team-mate, Wilshere, had attempted to free Bent with a similar pass a few moments earlier, only for Wayne Hennessey to save at the striker's feet. Wilshere made some bustling runs through midfield, with Parker staying dutifully back in defence, even if his finishing could have been better when Rooney cued him up for a shot and he blazed high and wide.
That turned out to be Rooney's last contribution. After picking up a first-half booking for a bad-tempered foul on Joe Ledley that triggers a one-match suspension the striker made way for James Milner with 20 minutes left.
Capello claimed Rooney was surprised to discover he had put himself out of the Switzerland game at Wembley in June. The Italian did not himself sound all that surprised, but after a week of captaincy nonsense he was not about to be drawn into another debate about the motives of his players.
Bellamy almost snatched a goal back for Wales at the end but not even that could ruffle Capello's composure. England walks in the park are not to be sniffed at these days, and for once the coach knew there been had no charge to answer. "It is always the same, when we win we are the best and when we lose we are shit," he said, with a smile. "That's my job."
Young, who was named man of the match, said: "The main thing was to get the three points and get back to the top of the group."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)