gaggle64

I was about to make a joke about hosting it in Iraq, but then I thought about it and if the situation ever improve enough that would actually be a good idea. For one thing I hear they play and enjoy football. Really, the whole Qatar thing reminds of a Formula One-style situation - who needs history, passion or even a basic level of public interest in the sport when you've got a wallet about to go supernova? Buy that shit in, stuff out the VIP boxes with half-interested billionaires in conference and spend the next twenty years turning unused stadia into one hyper-modern hotel after another. Just looked up something interesting - more then 2.8 million tickets were sold for the 2010 South African World Cup. Qatar has a population of about 1.5 million. Numbers are fun!

I must say I'm baffled by how the English bid lost quite so badly, at least compared to the competition. It's not as if England is short on appropriate stadia or other relevant infrastructure. The Panorama investigation can't have burned FIFA that bad surely? Putin basically called out Fifa as a bunch of criminals and still Russia swept it. I'm also rather baffled at the choice of Qatar. First middle east tournament, sure, great. But all the others would have been much better picks - I would've thought it would be a prime time to send the tournament to the US or Australia. Oh well, I look forward in 2022 to ogling billion-dollar Qatar stadiums that will basically get used once.

God dammit. I did not get up at 7am to spend six hours inside what amounts to a giant refrigerator to come back to this balls. Because that's what this is. Balls.

I know. I feel like a truck driver clogging up the A38 next to an overturned school bus.

Remember those few Halo 3 forum get-togethers we had? I do. I still wake up some nights screaming and dripping with sweat and urine. Also semen. Can't forget the semen.

Whoo, good start to my campaign for once. Lets hope this is a good omen. Survival would do me fine this season.

I'll step back and let someone else do the middle reports this season - I'd love to volunteer to do it again later, but as you've seen I've just got a couple more balls in the air then I need right now. Be nice for a change too.

I think the whole ensemble has a very Doctor Who vibe going on. Very nice.

As far as I can recall Fernandes and his company acquired the rights and other dregs of what was left of the old Lotus f1 team/company and acquired a license from Group Lotus (the car makers, owned by Malaysian car makers Proton) to use the name. Now of course with Proton wanting to get in on the action themselves by buying Renault's share in the Renault team they've terminated the license to use the Lotus name (Fernandes has mentioned he's prepared to go to the courts), so it looks like Lotus (the current team) isn't likely to be called Lotus, and Renault is likely to be called Proton Lotus, or something similar. Renault (the car makers) plans to stay in the sport but only as an engine supplier. An announcement about the takeover is expected sometime this week, probably Wednesday.

Yes, apparently that's totally happening but Lotus probably won't be called "Lotus" next year as Renault are going to be called Lotus once the ink dries on the sale contract of Renault's share in the team to the Group Lotus company (which is completely different to the Lotus Racing company). Go figure.

That was a bloody scary crash between Schumi and Liuzzi on the first lap. The most successful driver in the sports' history being beheaded was not how I would have enjoyed finishing the season.

Well done Vettel. Absolutely flawless from beginning to end. It seems appropriate given this season's nature that it would be the only one of the four who had never lead the championship to snatch it in the final round. Of all the things I expected to happen half the championship fight disappearing into the midfield wasn't one of them - Vettel and the McLarens just found the better strategy. Great race. What a simply brilliant, brilliant, brilliant season of F1 it's been. Goddamn historic, every second of it. Lets hope next year will be even half as thrilling.

Tomorrow looks set to be fantastic. Even if it's not wheel to wheel it'll be tense - Webber has to beat Alonso directly in front and Button alongside won't be shy about attacking him either, especially with Hamilton on the front row with everything to win and absolutely nothing to loose. Vettel's essentially sitting at the head of a extremely ravenous pack of wolves who all have much more experience. Can't believe I won't get to watch this live - thank god for iPlayer.

Sniffpetrol.com have provided a handy guide to the possible outcomes of Sunday's race: Say what you like, they're unlikely to be proven wrong.

Want to see Massa & Alonso on the new F1 roller coaster at Ferrari world? Of course you do.

Welp, guess I never did get round to catching up on all those reports, but here is the final round report none the less. Sorry folks, I was just pre-occupied with so many other little odds and ends. I guess I just... *puts on sunglasses* ... took my eye off the ball. Final Round Chelski FC 4 – 0 Bayern Fish It was yet another walkover as Chelski FC celebrated their recent capture of the League 1 title with a four goal stomping over the hapless Bayern Fish. It took half an hour for the first goal to come as Chelski striker Cotino was injured and replaced by Corben, who eventually went on to score the opener. Martin O Conner soon followed up before half time, with Hooke finishing off with a freekick and then a penalty in the second half. A perfect end to the season for one team, and a bitterly perfect end to the season for the other. Eights United 0 – 1 Emo Blades A sparse final score betrayed the memory of a thoroughly decent match as Eights United, doomed to relegation fought to go out on a high against the Blades. Unfortunately it was not to be. Both sides attacked seriously, halving possession between them as play swept up and down the field. Pelle Grunwald did more harm then good for the Blades as he tackled ambitiously, quickly earning a yellow card then severely injuring himself not long after half time. It seemed it might all end in an honourable draw, but Arreola slipped through minutes from the whistle to snatch victory for the Blades as they look forward to another season in League 1. Recall United 2 – 4 The Sixty-Fourthers The most significant match of the final round, to decide who would walk away with with the final promotion place, proved as expected to be a thriller as a resurgent 64ers smashed the mighty Recall on their home turf four goals to two. It looked to be an uncharacteristic rout as the 64ers scored three goals with no reply in the first 23 minutes. First Hagolahi scored with an almost immediate free kick, shortly followed with a ranged screamer by Al-Rikabi and later a header by Osman. Recall however soon recovered, getting the best of possession until Rex Hollingdale broke through to take one back after 35 minutes. Into the second half and Recall look set to make a come back, 64er Sirwan Balla getting himself sent off in an altercation as Oswald Streep slipped by the defenders to make it 2 to 3. However the offensive capability of the 64ers was just too strong and they attacked repeatedly until Al-Rikabi sealed the win and the promotion spot just before full time with a hard won penalty. AFC ReZ’s Rabies 1 – 4 Cubic County Cubic County went out on a high with a one goal to four drubbing against the Rabies, who now must endure the ignominy of being sent back down to the bottom table after just a single season. Kinsella scored first for County with a sharp header, then Maupas with a solid brace the visitors three goals ahead. A fourth from a header from Harley after 67 minutes seemed to be the end of the action, but the Rabies managed to salvage some pride as star player Fjallstrom stormed through to take a solid consolation goal with less then four minutes to spare. Most Important Result - Recall United 2 – 4 The Sixty-Fourthers hands the 64ers a return ticket to the Aficionado League. Turned on Style – Cubic County end their survival campaign on a big high. Player of the Day - Johan Fjällström keeps the AFC ReZ’s Rabies banner flying in an otherwise dispiriting result.

I'm thinking it'll be a Red Bull 1-2 to hand Webber the prize. The Red Bull is just too fast for the Ferrari even with Alonso at the wheel, though anything can happen and it usually does. If Alonso has any engine trouble though there will soon be a team orders shaped hole in Chris Horner's window. On that note Hamilton getting his miracle might not be a bad flutter - you probably won't win but you'll win big if the unlikely (yet not-unprecedented) does happen.

Jenson Button escapes unharmed from attempted carjacking by armed robbers. 0__O

Hulkenberg on pole. ...wait, what?

I've always loved how absolutely bombastic the Thunderbirds theme tune has always been. Though I reckon you'd have to go a long way to top the unbearably funky intro to Gerry Anderson's UFO - set in the amazing space year of 1980.

Ladies & gents, one year ago I swore to weave for my good friend a tale of magic, fantasy and woe of such startling proportions and originality it would explode the cortex of the galactic consciousness. Unfortunately, I'm lazy, so here's this instead:

*sigh* I'll get right on it.

Demo's out. It's pretty good, arcadey but you feel like you're driving something with weight behind it - reminds me of the original Burnout, when crashing super-saloons into each other actually had more kick then a pair of colliding kites.

Why stop at movies? I'm still waiting for someone to pick up on my Cooking Mama of Duty: Wok Warfare idea (in-game weapons & equipment includes a full set of steak & combat knives, claymores, tefal non-stick frying pans, M16 rifles, "Thumper" grenade launchers and the deadly, deadly spatula.)

Of course who can forget some of the ways that Futurama has threatened the end of the universe, such as the episode where the Professor traps the entire universe into a small box or the dastardly brains and their devious plot to learn everything (and then wipe it out?) Not really, not when you consider his most famous pre-Scientology quote is "If you want to make a lot of money, start a religion." I wish I had a bit more money to burn, the demo was really quite stupendous.