Posts from — July 2011

Women’s World Cup Consolation Game

Sweden 2-1 France

The Blågult [Blue-Gold] take a hard-fought game from Les Bleues [the Blues], to win third place. The Swedes were ahead by one goal at the end of the first half, but the French responded in the second. The decider came at 82 minutes in from Hammarstrom. The Swedes were down to ten after Oqvist was red-carded.

The French dominated possession and shots on goal, as they did in their semi-final against the US, but were again unable to convert their advantage into goals.

Saint-Gaudens – Plateau de Beille

Distance: 168.5 kilometers.

There are 6 climbs in this stage. It starts with a Category 2 followed by a sprint on the back side. Then there is a Category 1 with the meal break on the back side.

The afternoon starts with a Category 2, then a Category 1, followed by a Category 3. You need all the speed you dare on the back side of the 3, because the end of the stage is the climb up to the Plateau de Beille, a Hors Catégorie.

Again, if you think I’m kidding, go to the official site and look at the “Profile” tab for the stage.

Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow] 61h 04′ 10″
Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 ) [Green] 264 points
Jelle Vanendert ( Bel – OLO – 038 ) [Polka Dot] 74 points
Rigoberto Uran ( Col – SKY – 118 ) 11 [White]

Team: Leopard-Trek ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Jelle Vanendert ( Bel – OLO – 038 )
Combative: Sandy Casar ( Fra – FDJ – 131 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 2,448.5 kilometers [1,521.4 miles] at an average speed of 40.1 kph [24.9 mph] ↓.

OVERALL STANDINGS:
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Rupert-gate now has a version of a ‘Friday Night massacre’: News Corp’s Les Hinton resigns amid phone-hacking scandal

One of the most senior executives of Rupert Murdoch’s embattled News Corporation has quit.

Les Hinton, chief executive of the media group’s Dow Jones, is standing down, announced the Wall Street Journal newspaper.

Mr Hinton is the most senior executive to leave the conglomerate, which has been engulfed by a phone-hacking scandal.

Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News International, also resigned on Friday.

Yet another News Corp executive who “knows nah-theenk” about what happened when in charge of News of the World.

Mr. Hinton and Ms Brooks both spent their entire professional lives working for News Corp, so there was no opportunity for either to have acquired ‘bad habits’ at another employer.

Update: On the lighter side from Australia we have an ABC News video of News Limited chairman and CEO John Hartigan says there is no need for a parliamentary investigation into Australian media. See it’s the Brits that did this, not Australians … well, except for the Murdochs and Les Hinton … umm, they were corrupted by the Brits … that’s the ticket … the British ‘cowboys’ caused the whole mess. Nothing to see here … move along.

Pie charts from Inequality.org

The Magnitude and Sources of Economic Growth Through 2011 [PDF] by Andrew Sum, Ishwar Khatiwada, Joseph McLaughlin, and Sheila Palma at the Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.

Pau – Lourdes

Distance: 152.5 kilometers.

After a sane start climbing a Category 3 and then a Category 4 before lunch, things become a good deal less than sane.

After lunch there is a sprint followed by the 16.4 kilometer climb to the top of Col d’Aubisque, a Hors Catégorie. At lot of hard work, but not insane, you say? Well consider the 40 kilometer, roller coaster descent to Lourdes. It is hoped that they have some sort of arresting net for those whose brakes burn out.

If you think I’m kidding, go to the official site and look at the “Profile” tab for the stage.

Jérémy Roy, David Moncoutie, and Thor Hushovd came over the top ahead of the peloton, and took the E-Ticket flight to the bottom, with Thor and Jérémy reversing positions. The rest were five minutes behind them, having decided not to die trying to catch up.

Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow] 55h 49′ 57″
Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 ) [Green] 264 points
Jérémy Roy ( Fra – FDJ – 138 ) [Polka Dot] 45 points
Arnold Jeannesson ( Fra – FDJ – 134 ) 13 [White]

Team: Garmin-Cervelo ( 051-059 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Thor Hushovd ( Nor – GRM – 051 )
Combative: Jérémy Roy ( Fra – FDJ – 138 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 2,280.0 kilometers [1,416.7 miles] at an average speed of 40.8 kph [25.4 mph] ↓.

OVERALL STANDINGS:
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Income 04/15/2007-07/10/2011

A lot of things have gone wrong this week, but far and away the worse was returning to my house on Sunday night to find Income laying on his side in the computer room.

There was no indication of any trauma, he was laying as he often did to ‘sucker’ his brother or sister into attacking him. He had been totally normal, and was racing around when I left the house. It was sudden, possibly a heart problem that had never showed up in the vet checks.

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Let’s look at the latest Rupert-gate round-up from the BBC: FBI to open 9/11 victims ‘phone-hacking’ investigation

The FBI is investigating reports that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation sought to hack the phones of victims of the 9/11 attacks.

The criminal probe follows calls from a growing number of senators and a senior Republican for an investigation.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mr Murdoch defended the company’s handling of the crisis.

Meanwhile, Mr Murdoch and his son James have agreed to answer UK MPs’ questions on the hacking scandal next week.

The Commons media committee issued summonses after the pair initially declined to appear.
…

Republican Congressman Peter King – who is chairman of the House homeland security committee and represents a constituency in New York that lost more then 150 people in the 9/11 attacks – called on Wednesday for an FBI inquiry.
…

Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of News Corporation’s largest shareholders, told the BBC he had no plans to sell off his stake in the company – 7% of voting shares.

Big surprise that Rupert decided to grant an interview with the Wall Street Journal, that he owns.

I assume that his British lawyers explained what kind of trouble he would be in if he was a no-show for the Parliamentary hearing. It would be a bit embarrassing if he and his son were deported and put on the no-fly list.

Three senior Democratic Senators call for an investigation and nothing happens, but 9-11 ghoul Peter King get instant service from the FBI.

Someone should have stopped Prince Alwaleed from making a statement. That was not a good move for US conservative consumption. At some point they might figure out that the Prince owns a chunk of Fox and the Wall Street Journal.

Cugnaux – Luz-Ardiden

Distance: 211.0 kilometers.

From the BBC Day-by-day Guide:

A steady 130km or so of gentle uphill road leads to the first-ever climbing of the category-one La Hourquette d’Ancizan before the 17km ride up the legendary Col du Tourmalet takes the riders over 2,000m for the first time this year. But the day does not finish there. There is still the 13km slog up to the mountain-top finish at Luz-Ardiden.

The last two climbs are Hors Catégorie, explained in a note below the fold. The Tour is in the Pyrenees and the Polka Dot Jersey is ascendant, but it is Bastille Day, so French riders will really want to win this stage.

The French had to settle for holding the Yellow and gaining the White, as Sanchez showed his ability as a climber.

Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow] 51h 54′ 44″
Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 ) [Green] 260 points
Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 021 ) [Polka Dot] 40 points
Arnold Jeannesson ( Fra – FDJ – 134 ) 13 [White]

Team: Leopard-Trek ( 011-019 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Samuel Sanchez ( Esp – EUS – 021 )
Combative: Geraint Thomas ( GBr – SKY – 117 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 2,127.5 kilometers [1,322.0 miles] at an average speed of 41.0 kph [25.5 mph] ↓.

OVERALL STANDINGS:
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La Fête Nationale
Bastille Day

Thank you for the help with the Revolution.

Happy Birthday Александра.

Some background.

Women’s World Cup Semi-Final Game 2

Japan 3-1 Sweden

The Japanese dominated the match in every category. The final with the US should be great if the sides play like they did today.

Women’s World Cup Semi-Final Game 1

France 1-3 US

The French topped the US in possession [55%], shots on goal [25-11], corner kicks [10-5], but could only net one ball, while the US found the target 3 times.

As it has become obvious that it wasn’t going to happen, the BBC reports that News Corp withdraws bid for BSkyB

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation has announced that it is dropping its planned bid to take full ownership of satellite broadcaster BSkyB.

The announcement came as the House of Commons prepared to vote for a motion supported by all three major party leaders calling on Mr Murdoch to do so.
…

Mr Cameron has asked Lord Justice Leveson to oversee a public inquiry into the News of the World scandal and media regulation.

In a statement to the Commons, he said the inquiry would begin as “quickly as possible” and would be in two parts – an investigation of wrongdoing in the press and the police, and a review of regulation in the press.

The judge will have powers to call media proprietors, editors and politicians to give evidence under oath, the PM said.

Mr Cameron said those who sanctioned wrongdoing should have no further role in running a media company in the UK.

The inquiry may end News Corp in the UK and lead to the collapse of Rupert’s empire. The Milly Dowler case was an epic mistake. The public generally doesn’t care what the media does to politicians and celebrities, but you don’t interfere with cases involving murdered children.

It is yet to be seen if this move causes Ofcom to stop looking at whether News Corp is ‘fit & proper’ to own 39% of BSkyB. Apparently it is has the power to force them out.

Blaye les Mines – Lavaur

Distance: 167.5 kilometers.

Another rolling hills stage with a Category 3 at the beginning and a Category 4 at the end with a downhill run to the finish.

It’s number 18 for Mark Cavendish who now ranks eighth among all-time stage winners, and he takes Green.

Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow] 45h 52′ 39″
Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 ) [Green] 251 points
Johnny Hoogerland ( Ned – VCD – 204 ) [Polka Dot] 22 points
Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 041 ) 15 [White]

Team: Eurocar ( 181-189 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Mark Cavendish ( GBr – THR – 171 )
Combative: Mickaël Delage ( Fra – FDJ – 133 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 1,916.5 kilometers [1,190.9 miles] at an average speed of 41.8 kph [26.0 mph] ↑.

OVERALL STANDINGS:
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Aurillac – Carmaux

Distance: 158.0 kilometers.

This is laughingly called a “flat” stage because that is a sprint at the beginning and then it’s a Category 2, Category 4, meal break, Category 3, Category 4, and then somewhat flat at the end.

It is hard to predict speeds after a rest day, because some riders will have recharged while others will really begin to feel their bruises.

Only two riders failed to make the start today, but Johnny Hoogerland has the ‘cross-stitching’ from three deep wounds received from the barbed wire fence he went through.

Thomas Voeckler ( Fra – EUC – 181 ) [Yellow] 42h 06′ 32″
Philippe Gilbert ( Bel – OLO – 032 ) [Green] 226 points
Johnny Hoogerland ( Ned – VCD – 204 ) [Polka Dot] 22 points
Robert Gesink ( Ned – RAB – 041 ) 15 [White]

Team: Eurocar ( 181-189 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: André Greipel ( Ger – OLO – 033 )
Combative: Marco Marcato ( Ita – VCD – 206 ) [Red numbers]

They’ve gone 1,749.0 kilometers [1,086.8 miles] at an average speed of 41.5 kph [25.8 mph] ↑.

OVERALL STANDINGS:
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