Saturday, July 31, 2010

Julien Faubert hammers Hull afterwards tells France - take me to the World Cup

West Ham full-back Julien Faubert is determined to prove France coach RaymondDomenech wrong and force his way back into his country"s national team.

Faubert celebrated his 50th appearance for the Hammers by scoring his first goal for the club in the 3-0 win over Hull at Upton Park on Saturday.

Faubert"s only cap for his country arrived back in 2006 but he is convinced that he can force his way into Domenech"s plans if he builds on his form.

Julien Faubert

On target Julien Faubert scores for West Ham against Hull

West Ham face Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow night and Faubert is determined to try and reach the World Cup finals this summer.

"I am 26 now and at that age, you do think about the national team," said Faubert.

"When I came to West Ham the France manager didn"t think it was a good decision but I came because it"s a nice club and I"m in the Premier League.

"I hope there is still time to go to the World Cup but if not, maybe I can be in the team after that."

Faubert gestured to the heavens after scoring West Ham"s third goal against Hull in a tribute to his mother Elisabeth, who died of a brain tumour last month.

"It was hard when I lost my mum but I had lots of e-mails from supporters," said Faubert. "I know that they are behind me and I try to play well in her memory.

"My wife helped me a lot in a hard moment, so now I have to go forward for them. It"s been hard."

Julien FaubertJulien Faubert

Now and then: Julien Faubert celebrates for West Ham - and playing for France

Meanwhile, midfielder Scott Parker insists the Hammers go into tomorrow"s clash with United on a massive high after two successive league wins over Birmingham and Hull.

The Hammers enjoyed back-to-back wins for the first time since March 2009 whenthey crushed nine-man Hull 3-0.

The victory pushed West Ham into 13th place in the Barclays Premier League and Parker says they will travel to Old Trafford in a confident mood.

"I said a few weeks ago when we were on a bit of a bad run of results that, if we could put two wins back-to-back, we could really go places," said Parker.

"We"ve now got those two wins back-to-back and hopefully we can push on. We"ve got a tough game at Manchester United and we go there with massive confidence. We"ve had two good results against an in-form Birmingham and we came out worthy winners on Saturday, so we go there with confidence.

"We all know how hard it is going to Old Trafford and they"re coming off a little stinging at Everton but we"ll go there and see what we can do."

More...No old pals act from Carrick as ex-West Ham man urges ruthless United winCHARLES SALE: Alan Curbishley case strikes new Hammer blow to West HamMARTIN SAMUEL: Jowell deserves an Olympic medal in utter madnessWest Ham 3 Hull 0: Upton spark Diamanti delivers for Hammers againManchester United v WEST HAM: Benni McCarthy unlikely to be fit for Hammers bowWEST HAM UNITED FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Machu Picchu: Peru flights slashed to capture Cuzco city tourism

The Peruvian government has announced a plan to cut air fares and hotel rates for travellers in a bid to boost tourism even though the countrys biggest lure, Machu Picchu, is still closed to visitors.

Perus tourism Minister Martin Perez said the promotion begins on Thursday and will be extended first to domestic tourists before being offered to international visitors.

The offer includes up to 50 per cent off air fares to Cuzco as well as rooms at some of the citys main hotels.

A view of the ruined Inca City Fortress Machu Picchu pictured in the Cuzco region of Peru.

A view of the ruined Inca City Fortress Machu Picchu pictured in the Cuzco region of Peru.

Officials are trying to restore a rail line to Agua Calientes the main stop for visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site that was cut off for five days due to rain-induced landslides and floods in late January.

Perez added that the rail repairs are advancing and that officials hope to be ready for tourists by the start of April.

More...Machu Picchu floods: holidaymakers refused refundsPeru: From the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu to the heart of the AmazonMachu Picchu closes to tourists for at least three weeks after flood damage

Pitched high above the Urubamba river, the ruins themselves were not damaged by the floods but the local village itself was heavily affected with roads washed away and buildings damaged by mudslides.

Some 858,211 tourists visited Machu Picchu in 2008. Foreign visitors pay $43 just to enter the site.

The Peruvian government has announced a plan to cut air fares and hotel rates for travellers in a bid to boost tourism to the country even though the countrys biggest lure, Machu Picchu, is still closed to visitors.Perus tourism Minister Martin Perez says the promotion begins Thursday and will be extended first to domestic tourists before being offered to international visitors.The offer includes up to 50 per cent off air fares to Cuzco as well as rooms at some of the citys main hotels.Officials are trying to restore a rail line to Agua Calientes the main stop for visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu that was cut off for five days due to rain-fueled landslides and floods in late January.Peru is hoping to reopen Machu Picchu to tourists by April 1 after landslides and flooding cut off access to the Incan citadel perched in the Andes.Perez added that the rail repairs are advancing and that officials hope to be ready for tourists by the start of April.Some 858,211 tourists visited Machu Picchu in 2008. Foreign visitors pay $43 just to enter the site.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Cry massacre - and let trip the meerkat

Ann Treneman: Political Sketch & , : {}

The Tories unleashed their tip arms opposite Charlie Whelan yesterday. The usually problem? It was Michael Gove, who is some-more meerkat than rottweiler. Still, he did his majority appropriate to spin himself in to an conflict meerkat, not wholly successfully. Forget the forces of Hell, this was some-more similar to the forces of pastel.

The Tories had requisitioned a really special location. Comrades! cried the celebration chairman, Eric Pickles. Welcome to Transport House! Everyone giggled. We were on the eighth floor, not just the clouds but closer than majority to BA cabin crew.

Mr Gove arose and stared at us intently, physique ideally still, head and eyes swivelling at the same time, as usually meerkats can. He spoke quickly, intensely, each word as graphic as an island, rolling his Rs as if he were in a Kenneth Williams theatrical representation contest.

The suggestion of the Seventies revolutionary nostalgia has rrrrre-captured the Labour Party, he trilled. The Prime Minister was infamous and aggressive. Toff-bashing and the governing body of enviousness were everywhere. Vintage Labour is back, he barked. Deep red is the new black.

More swivelling. He began to prepare his blinking and staring with his swivels. The usually man in the universe who was worse than Gordon Brown was his companion Charlie Whelan who was obscenity-laden and bullying. Hed been in inner outcast but had right away returned to Westminster to widespread his poison, a stand in representative for the Unite kinship and Bully Brown.

Mr Gove executed a domestic stratagem well known as a retreat insult. I would never go so far as job Charlie Whelan an assertive hooligan, a sequence torpedo or murdering machine, he announced, but afterwards polite servants and comparison Labour total have already pronounced that.

Wait a minute. Serial killer? For a impulse I thought he contingency meant cereal killer. Was he serious? But seeking at Mr Gove, his eyes roughly on stalks as they wearied in to us, I saw that he was. New Labour was ushering in a second Mesozoic epoch with dinosaurs trooping by Downing Street. He raved opposite the Whelanist Tendency, that was in the ascendant. (This is what happens when you let an egghead go on the attack.)

This was not spell economics so most as spell demonics. Mr Gove was right away quoting a former press officer, Colin Byrne, identified as a close crony of Peter Mandelson, who had said: What is a strike-mongering politically discredited nutter similar to Charlie you do at the heart of Labours choosing campaign?

Well, for a start, Id contend he was circuitous up Michael Gove. I could listen to Charlie chuckling all the approach to the white picket line.

hair wig

Sony enters gaming fight with Move the own suit carry out system

Nigel Kendall, Technology Editor & , : {}

Sony last night dismissed the opening shot in the conflict to reject Nintendo"s Wii from the world"s vital bedrooms with the proclamation of a new suit carry out complement for the high-definition games console, the PlayStation 3.

The new system, called the PlayStation Move, was denounced by Shuhei Yoshida, the President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, on the eve of the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

The Move consists of a wireless rod versed with a array of buttons. The transformation of the rod is tracked by a camera continuous to a PlayStation 3.

Mr Yoshida claimed that the complement offers rare correctness of movement. "The games we can emanate with this complement are really diverse," he said. "Tracking your physique movements one to one, zero has ever been this precise, manageable or ultra-sensory."

Related LinksSony contingency begin personification on the same consoleSony to revoke cost of PlayStation 3 consoleWhy has the PS3 underperformed?

Motion-controlled games initial grabbed open courtesy when Nintendo launched the Wii console in late 2006. The Wii invites players to make use of the controllers in simple, cartoon-like versions of games such as tennis and ten-pin bowling.

Though it relies on record that predates both the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, it has sole some-more than both of them combined, with tellurian sales right afar hovering around the 70 million mark.

Key to the success of the Wii was the interest to families. Previously, games consoles had been the near-exclusive safety of immature males. The Wii brought the console in to the vital room for the initial time.

"Nintendo has finished a good pursuit in stealing the barriers in between people and games," Sony"s Senior Vice President of Marketing, Peter Dille, told the assembly at GDC. Now, clearly, Sony is penetrating to move in.

But it will not be alone. Microsoft has the own motion-control system, Project Natal, in growth for the Xbox 360 console, with an approaching recover date of November.

Natal does afar with controllers altogether, tracking the movements of a player"s complete physique and replicating them on screen.

Sony, however, will be initial to market, and with a cost tag, of only underneath $100 (66), that Microsoft will be tough pushed to compare given the Natal complement requires an one more carry out box. Pricing for Natal has not nonetheless been announced.

"The cost point for us is consequential if we wish to reach both critical gamers and infrequent players," Mr Yoshida told The Times today. "The idea from the opening was to sell it for underneath $100. The allege in sensor technologies has done it probable for us to get the cost and higher technology. This is a 2010 system, not a 2006 system."

Page 1 of 2&Next Page hair wig

Monday, July 26, 2010

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton on incident march but still display respect

Edward Gorman Motor Racing Correspondent & , : {}

The stage is a dimly illuminated indoor karting lane turn the behind of Heathrow airfield in room land on the fringes of West London. Two of the majority important racing drivers in the world, who in in in in in between them have won the past dual universe titles, are ready to show how it is done.

Yes, it is the all-English McLaren mental condition organisation glowing in their radiant china competition suits and carrying their Formula One helmets yellow for Lewis Hamilton; red, white and blue for Jenson Button entrance to competition go-karts opposite the British press.

You can suppose the banter. Button in sold is a master at receiving the mickey a slight he uses to keep the genuine Jenson well dark from the outward world. One of the organisation was so slow, for example, that the universe hold up suggested him not to worry display his face at a grand prix again. And the tantalizing was not only in in in in in between drivers and reporters but in in in in in between the drivers themselves a slight that we have seen prior to at McLaren.

One or dual members of the British Formula One press armed forces are pretty utilitarian in a 7hp go-kart, but when Britains excellent incited up, opening levels went by the roof.

Related LinksButton and Hamilton ready for F1 battleHamilton behind in pushing chair with McLarenButton to partner Hamilton in McLaren "dream team"

Button climbed in to the small appurtenance in which, similar to Hamilton, he initial accomplished his name and inside of 3 laps of a twisty 500-metre lane he had forsaken the (impressive) fastest time by 7 tenths of a second. As one of us examination this joked: That boys going to be universe hold up one day.

These sorts of get-togethers have turn tack satisfactory at McLaren, where a bit of pre-season fun is seen as assisting to set up relations in in in in in between drivers, and in in in in in between them and those whose pursuit it is to inform on their activities.

This time, with Button a big participation in the team, there was a special feel at the commencement of a singular season. In years to come people might say, 2010, that was the great year for British engine competition when Hamilton and Button raced together, universe champions both.

When the karting was accomplished and we staid down for a chat, initial with Button, afterwards alone with Hamilton, the unknowns loomed large. What is going to occur in the opening competition in Bahrain a week tomorrow? Which of these dual assumingly easygoing immature men will finish up usurpation second-best and how will each cope with the palm that fate, bent and fitness plays them during the subsequent eight months?

Pre-season contrast has been formidable to read, but Hamilton accomplished on tip at the last event in Barcelona and is at large lucky to slice Button apart. Button believes that, with a World Championship prize on his mantelpiece in Monaco, he is free to demonstrate himself similar to never before. Hamilton has changed, too. Older, wiser and battle-hardened after 3 scattered years in the sports apex series, he is ready to take the subsequent step towards what he believes is his destiny.

It will be tough, not slightest since the reporters who dared to review their skills in go-karts will fast return to the genuine commercial operation of the year, subjecting the mental condition organisation to consistent analysis, prodding and provoking, checking to have certain they have not longed for the point should it come at that the mental condition turns to nightmare.

Setting out his stall, Button gave a great comment of himself, a man whose great strength out of the car is his capability to slip over the formidable pieces and not lose nap about them.

Professing himself some-more vehement about this deteriorate than any alternative in his ten-year career in Formula One, he discharged notions that Hamilton could disparage him or that being knocked about by him would affect his confidence.

I am not going in to the initial competition thinking, If he beats me, thats it, diversion over. Or, if I kick him, afterwards yeah, thats it, Ive won the World Championship. he said. It is a 19-race series, a long, prolonged championship and we will see what happens.

Hamilton, driven by opposite forces from Button for him being a Formula One driver, even a champion, is not sufficient has never lost a universe pretension to a team-mate. And most as he applauded Buttons grant at McLaren, he accomplished it transparent that he is not awaiting that to shift this year.

Ill do all I can to have certain that doesnt happen, he said. He will pull his hardest. In the car, he wants to be forward of me and clamp versa, but we are chilled.

If past experience is anything to go by, Button will cope far improved with being knocked about by Hamilton than if the retreat is true. However, the 2008 universe hold up and the sports youngest motorist to reach the tip is austere that he will be means to hoop being shadowy by Button, whose great manners, he admits, have tender him no end. I am in a most stronger incident as a human being and as a man to be means to cope after my practice last year, Hamilton said.

With that, off went Britains dual multimillionaire Formula One superstars to their particular homes in Switzerland (Hamilton) and Monaco (Button). Next time we see them, it will be in Bahrain and the mind games will be about to start.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Well finished Canada you Own The Odium

Simon Barnes, Chief Sports Writer & , : {}

It is tough to contend either Canadas Own The Podium programme has been a bigger mess in conditions of competition or open relations. Gold award in both categories, I think.

The thought was for Canada to arise as friendly hosts of the Winter Olympics and stately winners as well. Alas, the Canadians have come conflicting as a garland of mean-spirited, chippy, unsporting losers.

Things have come to a flattering pass when you find yourself rooting for the United States. But I unequivocally have been entertaining for stars and stripes rather than maple leaves. The Canadian shenanigans in Vancouver have alienated the complete world.

But prior to I get stranded in, I would similar to to contend that I dont have a singular anti-Canadian proton in my body. I customarily hatred their Own The Podium campaign. I went to British Columbia eighteen months back. I saw marvellous countryside, had close-up encounters with dual class of bear and one class of whale and met good people. Cant wait for for to go back.

Related LinksCanada buckles underneath complicated expectations The Olympics are customarily ever about winningAgony as Canada is done to wait for for for bullion

But that Own The Podium things has been a calamity. For a start, it hasnt delivered. The settled target was to put Canada on tip of the list in conditions of sum medals won. As I write, they have customarily struggled in to third. The delegate aim, not stated, was to show those conceited bastards the alternative side of the limit how most they dont know. The United States are approach ahead, encountering the lead with Germany.

The vigour of expectancy on home athletes at any Olympic Games is colossal: ask Cathy Freeman, ask Konstantinos Kenteris and Katerina Thanou, ask Liu Xiang. Canadas debate simply combined to the pressure. Hardly startling that so most of them choked.

Mellisa Hollingsworth had a shocker in the skeleton, Charles Hamelin struggled in short-track, Manuel Osborne-Paradis blew his chances in the mountainous skiing, Chris Del Bosco unsuccessful in ski cross. There have been successes, but not sufficient to put Canada on top. Ashleigh McIvor was overwhelming in the womens ski cranky and the ice-dance pair, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, put together a movement of genuine beauty. The women bobbers were brilliant. No one with sporting red blood could be insulted these bullion medals: customarily prerogative for wealthy performances.

But Own The Podium, a debate put together with C$117 million (about �72 million) from federal, provincial, territorial and corporate money, has been a disaster in conditions of medals. In short, it got what it deserved. It deserved to destroy since it was recognised in bad sportsmanship and elementary envy.

The pretension has regularly been the greatest problem, for the athletes it saved and for the summary it gave to the world. It told us: we are holding the worlds greatest party. Please come. But we intend to eat all the jelly.

The debate has been strident, scathing and insulting. Normally, the universe takes happiness in the success of the home athletes. Freemans run in Sydney was as poetic a bit of competition as Ive seen, and Guo Jingjing, the diver diva, was smashing in Beijing. But the universe has found it tough to suffer Canadas successes.

That phrase. Own it. Its not a Canadianism. Its an Americanism. Its a pretty complicated bit of lingo and expresses a rarely American reduction of sure meditative and equivocal arrogance. By utilizing this phrase, Canada was unambiguously receiving on the big neighbour.

America is not a theme Canadians are unconditionally receptive about. Just as you can have a superb and courteous review with a sure sort of Scot until you discuss England, the same is loyal with sure Canadians and the US. In such events, the the chippy one who ends up seeking stupid in each eye save his own.

That is one of the elemental flaws with Own The Podium: it creates the would-be lectern owners see small-minded. In Melbourne the alternative week, where I was examination the Andy Murray-Roger Federer final, I beyond dual Scots articulate about an Englishwoman who had the gall to hearten for Federer: She is all Ive been brought up to hate. Im happy to contend that I was not brought up to hatred the Scots. Or the Canadians, or any one else. The thought of being brought up in rancour is unfamiliar to English nature. No disbelief we have faults in the conflicting direction, but we have a really low toleration of chippiness.

If the debate had been called, say, Canadian Excellence, it would have been improved for all concerned. But as things are, it competence customarily as well have been called Up Yours America.

And afterwards we come to the subject of sportsmanship. Own The Podium didnt stop at assisting Canadians. It additionally attempted to impede everybody else. Access to use sites was quite limited. These Games are for Canadians, not the world.

In a small cases this has been counter-productive. Non-Canadian precision partners were banned to sight with Canadians. This didnt mistreat Aksel Lund Svindal, of Norway, who customarily trains in Canada but couldnt. He won the super hulk slalom anyway; his Canadian precision partners competence have benefited from his participation and advice.

But really, what a approach to run a tellurian event. A host shouldnt provide his guest as gate-crashers. This avaricious and inhospitable suggestion has been an nauseous aspect of Vancouver. The idealisation target of these Games, any Games, is tellurian value and tellurian joy, not provincial feat and internal showing off rights.

The Canadians have taken an assertive line towards any criticism. This kneejerk greeting is both small-minded and small-nation. It is not antagonistic to point out an error, quite when the blunder is angrily bearing in your face.

It is prevalent at the Olympics to contend that the republic holding them has come of age. China came of age in 2008; Australia came of age with the Sydney Games of 2000. In fact, Australia additionally came of age with the Melbourne Games of 1956; thats since this regard has turn an Olympic custom.

But Canada has not come of age in Vancouver 2010. Canada has regressed in to a sneering but in conclusion insufficient adolescence. Its been well, rather homely on the whole.

Theres a doctrine for everybody in competition here. Particularly, the a doctrine for the subsequent nation to hold the Olympics. This happens to be Britain. As you might have heard, they take place in London in 2012. Like each host country, Britain wants to win lots of poetic medals and millions of pounds are being invested in their pursuit.

So here, in summary, are the lessons Britain and London contingency sense from the Winter Games of 2010.

Seek victory, yes, but do so with graciousness, sportsmanship and, if possible, a small self-deprecating humour. Be hospitable. Know that value is what counts in sport. Remember that this is the worlds celebration that happens to take place in London, not Londons celebration that the universe has the payoff of attending.

The lessons contingency be learnt, in good humility, by everybody involved, from right away until the last contestant and the last witness have held the craft home.

And heres an additional lesson: at all costs, equivocate poor American catchphrases. Own The Podium? Own full of blood goal, some-more like.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

US consumer certainty slumps on pursuit worries

Christine Seib, New York & , : {}

Rising US residence prices were not sufficient to stop people worrying about jobs and wages, according to the ultimate interpretation on Americas sketchy liberation from recession.

The Conference Boards Consumer Confidence Index slumped by eleven points to 46 for Feb the lowest series for ten months as the series of people stating that jobs were tough to get increasing and the series awaiting an alleviation in the pursuit marketplace declined.

A celebration of the mass on top of 50 equates to that the economy is growing.

Lynn Franco, executive of the Conference Boards investigate centre, pronounced that worries about jobs would have a knock-on stroke on how most consumers outlayed -- a vital motorist of mercantile growth.

Related LinksUS consumer certainty rises for third monthService sales hint double-dip fears

The Standard Poors Case-Shiller index of home prices in twenty American cities was up by a seasonally-adjusted 0.3 per cent month-on-month in December, nonetheless prices were still 3.1 per cent down year-on year.

But notwithstanding 7 true uninterrupted months of small cost rises, US residence prices sojourn thirty per cent reduce than at the markets rise in May 2006.

Economists pronounced that Americans were right to be concerned, with an additional tumble in residence prices approaching soon. When an $8,000 taxation credit for first-time buyers ends on Apr thirty and the series of foreclosures go on to rise, skill prices were expected to begin descending again.

Patrick Newport, US economist at HIS Global Insight, said: Prices have serve to tumble about an additional 5 per cent.

Even so, Decembers medium residence cost alleviation was review as a pointer that Americas mercantile liberation would be stronger than that of Europe, that is stubborn by Greeces debt problems.

The ICE US Dollar Index, that measures the dollar opposite a basket of vital currencies, rose 0.22 per cent to 80.69 points on Tuesday.

With the awaiting of consumers opening their wallets dwindling, investors sent markets down in sunrise trading, notwithstanding softened quarterly gain reports from Macys, Home Depot, Target and Sears, the retailers.

Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve Chairman, will residence a Congressional cabinet this week on the budget. Investors will investigate his criticism for hints on the timing of a sovereign supports rate increase.

A higher rate would serve progress the dollar.

The Dow Jones industrial index fell 100.97 points or 0.97 per cent to 10,282.41.