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More than 700 million expected to watch Cup final Reuters - 1 hour ago By Brian Homewood JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A worldwide television audience of more than 700 million is expected to watch the World Cup final between Netherlands and Spain on Sunday, FIFA said. Soccer's world governing body added that record viewing figures were reported in Germany for Wednesday's semi-final with Spain, while the United States had reported a 50 percent increase in overall figures compared to 2006. "I think the audience for the final will be bigger than 2006, when it was watched by 700 million people," Niclas Ericson, director of FIFA's TV division, told reporters. He said that in Germany a record of nearly 32 million viewers had watched the semi-final, which Spain won 1-0 in Durban, for a market share of about 90 percent. Spanish channel Telecinco reported 13.3 million for that match, nearly a third of the population and by far the highest audience for any program in the last five years, FIFA said. In the U.S., 19 million people watched the 2-1 second round defeat by Ghana, a record audience for a men's soccer match. "Overall figures in the U.S. are up 50 percent," said Ericson. There were also record viewing figures in the Middle East, even though Al Jazeera's signal was mysteriously blocked during the opener between South Africa and Mexico, which ended 1-1. "If we find out who has done this, we will take appropriate measures," said Ericson. (Editing by Ken Ferris)

Comment: If The Netherlands Win, Then South Africa Has Won Goal.com - 1 hour ago It was back on April 6 in 1652 when the Dutch merchant Jan van Riebeeck landed in Cape Town accompanied by 82 men and eight women, his own wife amongst them. Commissioned by the Dutch-East India Trading company, he established a strong base to provide the company's ships with fresh groceries, mainly meat and vegetables on the long journey from Europe to Asia. On June 7 in 2010 the Netherlands head coach Bert van Marwijk landed at the OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa with his 23 troops, this time not to colonise the country but to conquer the football world. Just when the British had decided against the establishment of a colony at the Cape of Good Hope, it was the Dutch who realised the strategic and economic importance of the Cape. Ironically snubbed by England, who chose to stay in Rustenburg, the Netherlands realised the footballing, technical, philosophical and historical importance of Johannesburg. This time with different ambitions, they established their base camp in the Hilton Hotel in Sandton. Van Riebeeck's men erected the "Fort de Goede Hoop" for their own protection, and they laid out a large garden and started to grow fruit and vegetables. However, they had to rely on the natives for meat provisions through trade. During the first winter, 20 of Riebeeck's men died but still the settlement flourished. This winter none of van Marwijk’s men died either of the cold weather or succumbed to pressure, they have progressed to the final unbeaten. The historical events in 19th century South Africa are marked by the Great Trek. Starting in 1835, more than 10,000 Boers, the Voortrekkers, left the Cape Colony with their families and went north and north-east. The reasons for this mass exodus were their economic problems, the threatening danger of conflict with the natives. After destroying Denmark at Soccer City the Dutch then went to the coastal cities of Durban and Cape Town, where they rampaged over Japan as well as Cameroon. Their Football Great Trek has been brilliant and now they are set for the World Cup final against Spain at Soccer City. The original Great Trek was organised in resistance to the politics of the Cape government while this one was arranged to challenge football emperors Brazil, whom they eventually brought down in a dramatic game. The Dutch are today the people who are known as Afrikaners in the 2010 World Cup host country. Since Ghana were bundled out of the tournament by Uruguay many locals have thrown their weight behind the Dutchmen. So don’t be surprised when you see lads in Bafana Bafana jerseys cheering Arjen Robben and company, there is that historical connection to keep in mind.

Johan Cruyff Tells Goal.com: I Only Win In This Final; I Am In A Fantastic Situation Goal.com - 45 minutes ago You would have thought that it might be a hard day of decisions for Johan Cruyff. Who to support? The Dutch master was the artist behind Rinus Michel's 'total football', most prominently in the 1974 World Cup. But when he looks at the Spanish team that will line up against his countrymen this evening, he will see players that he has personally worked with in his time with Barcelona, and he will see a style of football which embodies the spirit of play of Cruyff's Holland and Cruyff's Barcelona. Spain, as he told me, supply the "perfect football of the Dutch and of Barca". So he is clearly delighted that the two countries have reached the final and feels proud that the Dutch style is so engrained in Spain. "Yes, I think it's been fantastic for the Spanish. Especially to accept something which is not yours. But of course, this is a result of a process over many years. The good thing is that still now you can win with beautiful football. You can win and everyone is pleased and that is one of the most important things that these players can give to the fans." Given the political tensions that exist between Catalunya and the rest of Spain, Cruyff also finds it interesting how much Catalan people have become engrossed with the national side. But such is the divide that on Saturday, 24 hours before Spain's most important match in its history, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona in an open demonstration against the Spanish government and reiterated their desire to become independent. Given that sentiment and the influence of Dutch football in this region, Cruyff says he wouldn't be too surprised to find some Catalan people actually supporting Holland "The Catalan people who are today aged 45 or 50 years began to see the Dutch way of football for the first time some 36 years ago when I was playing here. Then in the 90s they saw it in Barcelona again when I was the coach. So those people in football terms are more Dutch than Spanish. They grew up the Dutch way with football. So it’s a very strange situation." And that historical link and influence means that, for Cruyff, whoever wins the final it will still be a huge moment of personal celebration I feel that I only win in this final. I am in a fantastic situation. I am privileged. If Holland win, of course I will be happy; very proud. But even if Spain win and you see the football that they play. Then you say 'yeah, this is something I love' so of course you have to be happy for that too." But Cruyff doesn't feel disappointed with Holland despite the claims that in this World Cup the Spanish have been more Dutch in their style of football than the Dutch have been. "You have to separate the hopes of the fan from the reality. If you analyse Holland and Dutch football you see there are some weak points. As a team you have to compensate for that. The coach has done well to fix these and to focus on the positive points. The main thing is that we just don't have the players in Holland to play the typical style of Dutch football. It's a small country. So I think despite that weakness you have to give the team credit that they still try to play in a good way, and they have done well with what they have achieved." By contrast Cruyff is hugely disappointed with the way Brazil played in South Africa. "Comparing Holland to Brazil, you have to say in terms of population Brazil is a huge country. In my youth you had heroes from Brazil - players who always stayed in your mind. But if you think of the Brazil team today and look at the midfield, I have already forgotten their names. It means they didn't give you anything. But Brazil has the players, they just didn't want to play in that open way." Cruyff´s disappointment with Brazil is echoed in what he saw from the Italians, the French and from England and from the overall lack of attacking play from many countries "There are some teams that I don't even remember they played in South Africa. And that is a big disappointment. It's sad for these countries. If you go to a World Cup, maybe it's a once in a lifetime chance for you, so do something and be proud. And they didn't, so that is a big pity" He is also disappointed by some of the more illustrious superstars who were supposed to show off their skill on the world's biggest stage. Between them Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo only managed to score one goal. But Cruyff feels that the responsibility is not so much theirs as it is of the creative players whose role it is to bring out the best in the star players of the team. He feels the best example of a player who does that is Spain's Xavi Hernandez. "Win or lose, I really hope Xavi wins the most valued player of the tournament award," Cruyff says with enthusiasm. "For years now he has been performing at such a high level. He takes over teams and creates situations. He has done it time and time again with Messi at Barcelona. He is the kind of player that would allow someone like Rooney to do the special things we all know he can. He is the one who creates the situations where these special players can be at their best." But Cruyff feels that part of the reason countries like England and Italy in particular fell down is to do with the politics of world football. The Dutchman is very clear on where the weakness lies for both these nations. "There are far too many foreign players in England and Italy. It means 50% of the starting line-ups for the national teams don't even play in the first ranked team in their own league. And the policies of football are behind this. It's these policies that mean Inter can win the Champions League without having one Italian in their side. And then a few weeks later you see what a disaster the Italian national side is. And if the governing body of football can't change their politics then the national federations should do something. That is why I am a big supporter of the '6 plus 5' rule. But I feel like I am out in the desert on my own shouting in support of this system. It's time for there to be a balance in the number of home players and foreign players." While that remains a debate for the future, for today the man who was the inventive force behind one of the greatest Dutch sides ever in the history of football will be wearing the colours of both Spain and Holland.

Comment: How Do The Netherlands And Spain Players Match Up On Medals Count? Goal.com - 22 minutes ago In our World Cup Comment series, individual writers at Goal.com offer their views on the hot World Cup topics of the day with local expertise and a global outlook..... GOALKEEPERS Netherlands Maarten Stekelenburg - Eredivisie: 2003-04 (Ajax), KNVB Cup: 2006, 2007, 2010 (Ajax), Johan Cruyff Shield: 2003, 2007 (Ajax) Michel Vorm - None Sander Boschker - Eredivisie: 2003-04 (Ajax), Eredivisie: 2009-10 (Twente), KNVB Cup: 2001 (Ajax), UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2006 (Ajax) Spain Iker Casillas - La Liga: 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, Spanish Super Cup: 2001, 2003, 2008, UEFA Champions League: 1999–00, 2001–02, UEFA Super Cup: 2002, Intercontinental Cup/FIFA Club World Cup: 2002 (all with Real Madrid); UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Spain) Pepe Reina - UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2003-04, 2004–05 (Villarreal), UEFA Super Cup: 2005, FA Cup: 2006, FA Community Shield: 2006 (Liverpool), UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Spain) Victor Valdes - La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, Spanish Cup: 2008-09, Spanish Supercup: 2005, 2006, 2009, UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, UEFA Super Cup: 2009, FIFA Club World Cup: 2009 (all with Barcelona) DEFENDERS Netherlands Gregory van der Wiel - Johan Cruyff Shield: 2007 (Ajax), KNVB Cup: 2009-10 (Ajax) John Heitinga - Eredivisie: 2001–02, 2003–04 (Ajax), KNVB Cup: 2002, 2006, 2007 (Ajax), Johan Cruyff Shield: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007 (Ajax) Joris Mathijsen - None Giovanni van Bronckhorst - Scottish Premier League: 1998-99, 1999-2000 (Rangers), Scottish Cup: 1999, 2000 (Rangers), League Cup: 1998 (Rangers), Premier League: 2001-02 (Arsenal), FA Cup: 2002, 2003 (Arsenal), La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06 (Barcelona), Spanish Super Cup: 2005, 2006 (Barcelona), UEFA Champions League: 2006 (Barcelona), KNVB Cup: 1994–95, 2007–08 (Feyenoord) Khalid Boulahrouz - None Andre Ooijer - Eredivisie: 5 times, KNVB Cup: 1 Edson Braafheid - None (he was on loan to Celtic from Bayern Munich for the second half of the 2009-10 campaign) Spain Raul Albiol - Spanish Cup: 2007-08 (Valencia), UEFA European Football Championship: 2008 (Spain) Gerard Pique - Premier League: 2007-08 (Manchester United), UEFA Champions League: 2007-08 (Manchester United), League Cup: 2005-06 (Manchester United), Community Shield: 2007 (Manchester United), La Liga: 2008-09, 2009-10 (Barcelona), Copa del Rey: 2008-09 (Barcelona), Spanish Super Cup: 2009 (Barcelona), UEFA Champions League: 2008-09 (Barcelona), UEFA Super Cup: 2009 (Barcelona), FIFA Club World Cup: 2009 (Barcelona) Carlos Marchena - La Liga: 2001–02, 2003–04 (Valencia), UEFA Cup: 2003–04 (Valencia), UEFA Super Cup: 2004 (Valencia), Spanish Cup: 2007-08 (Valencia), UEFA European Football Championship: 2008 (Spain) Carles Puyol - La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10 (Barcelona), Spanish Cup: 2008-09 (Barcelona), Spanish Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009 (Barcelona), UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09 (Barcelona), UEFA Super Cup: 2009 (Barcelona), FIFA Club World Cup: 2009 (Barcelona), UEFA European Football Championship: 2008 (Spain) Joan Capdevila - Spanish Cup: 2001–02 (Deportivo la Coruna), Spanish Super Cup: 2000, 2002 (Deportivo la Coruna), UEFA European Football Championship: 2008 (Spain) Sergio Ramos - La Liga: 2006–07, 2007–08 (Real Madrid), Spanish Super Cup: 2008 (Real Madrid), UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Spain) Alvaro Arbeloa - UEFA European Championship (Spain) MIDFIELDERS Netherlands Mark van Bommel - Eredivisie: 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05 (PSV), KNVB Cup: 2005 (PSV), Johan Cruyff Shield: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005 (PSV), UEFA Champions League: 2006 (Barcelona), La Liga: 2005-06 (Barcelona) Spanish Super Cup: 2006 (Barcelona), Bundesliga: 2007-08, 2009-10 (Bayern Munich), DFB-Ligapokal: 2007 (Bayern Munich), DFB-Pokal: 2008, 2010 (Bayern Munich) Nigel de Jong - Eredivisie: 2004 (Ajax), KNVB Cup: 2006 (Ajax), Johan Cruyff Shield: 2005 (Ajax) Wesley Sneijder - Eredivisie: 2003–04, KNVB Cup: 2005-06, 2006-07, Johan Cruyff Shield: 2002, 2005, 2006 (Ajax); La Liga: 2007–08, Spanish Super Cup: 2008 (Real Madrid); Serie A: 2009–10, Coppa Italia: 2009-10, UEFA Champions League: 2009-10 (Inter) Demy de Zeeuw - Eredivisie: 2008–09 (AZ), KNVB Cup: 2009-10 (Ajax) Stijn Schaars - Eredivisie: 2008-09 (AZ), Dutch Super Cup: 2009 (AZ) Ibrahim Afellay - Eredivisie: 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 Rafael van der Vaart - Eredivisie: 2001–02, 2003–04, KNVB Cup: 2002, Johan Cruyff Shield: 2002 (Ajax); UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2005 (Hamburg); Spanish Super Cup: 2008 (Real Madrid) Arjen Robben - Eredivisie: 2002–03, Johan Cruijff Shield: 2003, Peace Cup: 2003 (PSV); Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, FA Cup 2007, League Cup 2005, 2007, FA Community Shied 2005 (Chelsea); La Liga 2007-08, Spanish Super Cup: 2008 (Real Madrid); Bundesliga: 2009–10, DFB-Pokal: 2010 (Bundesliga) Spain Andres Iniesta - La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, Spanish Cup: 2008–09, Spanish Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009, UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, UEFA Super Cup: 2009, FIFA Club World Cup: 2009 (all with Barcelona), UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Spain) Xavi - La Liga: Spanish League: 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, Spanish Cup: 2008–09, Spanish Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009, UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, UEFA Super Cup: 2009, FIFA Club World Cup: 2009 (all with Barcelona), UEFA European Football Championship: 2008 (Spain) Cesc Fabregas - FA Community Shield: 2004, FA Cup: 2005 (Arsenal), UEFA European Football Championship: 2008 (Spain) Pedro - La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, Spanish Cup: 2008–09, Spanish Super Cup: 2009, UEFA Champions League: 2008–09, UEFA Super Cup: 2009, FIFA Club World Cup: 2009 (all with Barcelona) Xabi Alonso - UEFA Champions League: 2004-05, European Super Cup: 2005, FA Cup: 2006, FA Community Shield: 2006 (Liverpool), UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Spain) Sergio Busquets - La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, Spanish Cup: 2008–09, Spanish Super Cup: 2009, UEFA Champions League: 2008-09, UEFA Super Cup: 2009, FIFA Club World Cup: 2009 (Barcelona) Juan Mata - Spanish Cup: 2007–08 (Valencia) Javi Martinez - None David Silva - Copa del Rey: 2007–08 (Valencia), UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Spain) Jesus Navas - UEFA Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07, UEFA Super Cup: 2006; Spanish Cup: 2006–07, 2009–10, Spanish Supercup: 2007 (Sevilla) FORWARDS Netherlands Dirk Kuyt - KNVB Cup: 2002–03 (Utrecht) Robin Van Persie - UEFA Cup: 2002 (Feyenoord), FA Cup: 2005 (Arsenal), FA Community Shield: 2004 (Arsenal) Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - KNVB Cup: 2006, 2007 (Ajax), Johan Cruyff Shield: 2006, 2007 (Ajax) Eljero Elia - None Ryan Babel - Dutch Cup: 2005-06, 2006-07, Dutch Super Cup: 2005, 2006 (Ajax) Spain David Villa - Copa del Rey: 2003-04 (Real Zaragoza), Spanish Super Cup: 2004 (Real Zaragoza), Copa del Rey: 2007-08 (Valencia), UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Spain) Fernando Torres - UEFA European Championship: 2008 (Spain) Fernando Llorente - None

Spain and Netherlands set for classy final Reuters - 33 minutes ago By Barry Moody JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Africa's first World Cup reaches a fitting climax on Sunday when the two most impressive teams, the Netherlands and Spain, meet in what is expected to be a fascinating contest for soccer's biggest prize. The best games in a World Cup often come in the semi-finals but after a month of soccer of varied quality, these two teams are recognized as being the pick of the bunch technically, tactically and temperamentally. It is a final of firsts in addition to the location. Neither side has won the World Cup despite their undoubted quality, and Europe will win its first trophy on another continent. It is Spain's first final and a third for the Dutch, who were runners up in 1974 and 1978. Germany took third place on Saturday night after an exciting 3-2 victory over Uruguay in rain-swept Port Elizabeth which was far from the frequent anti-climax of the playoff game. A header from Sami Khedira won the game for Germany with only eight minutes to go after an evenly-matched contest. It was Germany's second successive third place in the World Cup. Both Spain and the Dutch perfectly illustrate the big lesson of this World Cup -- that the teams who play as units are superior to those that revolved around the fallen pre-tournament favorites like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. The climax of a successful month-long tournament is also a triumph for South Africa who have confounded years of negative foreign reporting predicting it would be a disaster marred by violent crime, chaos and unfinished stadiums. President Jacob Zuma thanked the nation on Saturday, saying the hosting of the tournament had made them champions despite being the first host country to go out in the group stage. Zuma thanked his people for remaining passionate audiences despite the early elimination of their team, helping South Africa take third place in overall attendance at more than 3 million, behind the United States in 1994 and Germany in 2006. SLOW STARTERS European champions Spain, who started slowly but peaked perfectly to eliminate a talented young German side in the semis, are favorites although they have stuttered in converting midfield skill into goal-mouth punch. They are the popular choice of many, from kids kicking a ball around in the township of Soweto to the world's press who made them overwhelming favorites according to an online poll by the International Sports Press Association. But the Netherlands will be tough to beat, with a powerful trio of Dirk Kuyt, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben to combat Xavi and Andres Iniesta leading Spain's masterful midfield. The Dutch, despite disappointing their fans with a more defensive approach than the teams of the past, have won all their 14 World Cup games including qualifiers. Spain tormented the Germans and others with their talent for holding the ball and precise passing even under pressure, but have lacked the killer instinct in front of the net with only seven goals from six matches. Even coach Vicente del Bosque says they are not clinical enough. Striker Fernando Torres, recently returned from surgery, has yet to score and they have relied heavily on their ruthless hitman David Villa, the tournament's joint top scorer with Sneijder, Uruguay's Diego Forlan and Germany's Thomas Mueller on five goals each. The Dutch, considered the best team never to have taken the trophy, have been more prolific with 12, but have also seemed to lack the killer instinct at crucial moments. Spain's fans will be led at the final by Queen Sofia while the Dutch are backed by outgoing Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, among an array of VIPs including 14 African presidents, a king, a prince and an emir. But the big question, especially for South Africans, will be whether Nelson Mandela, the beloved father of the post-apartheid nation, will attend. Mandela missed the opening ceremony on June 11 after his great grand-daughter died in a car accident the night before. He is in frail health at the age of 91 and his office rarely gives details of his movements in advance. If he does attend, it will be seen as the perfect way to cap huge national pride over a successful tournament which has boosted not only this country but the whole of Africa. Experts and officials say it has rebranded South Africa, boosting racial reconciliation and national unity in a country still troubled by divisions 16 years after the end of apartheid. Fund managers say the impressive way in which the tournament has been run has already attracted new business and capital into the continent, which is seen as a growing frontier market. (Reporting by Reuters World Cup team; Editing by Ossian Shine)

Paiseh leh...!

Beats me...but ask these WRASSEYS...!!!

Hi Bro Each tank has different dosing requirements due to different types of livestocks & setup. So I don't suggest following a standard dosing regime. You will need to test ya CA/KH/MG every day for the next 4-weeks to assess ya tank consumption patterns. Calibrate ya dosings such that they will adjust (increase/decrease) the readings of CA/KH/MG to ya desired levels. Don't adjust ya dosings once you achieve consistency in ya measurements. Always be conservative in ya dosings esp KH. You will also need to re-adjust every now & then especially when your livestocks increases overtime. My tank dosing regime (every 6hr/24hr cycle) is as follows: CA -> 8ml (42ml/day) KH -> 6ml (36ml/day) MG -> 12ml (72ml/day) As I have said, 2-parts dosings has its pros & cons. But at least it gives you less headaches from having clogged valves, expired CO2 bottle, media replacement, effluent issues, etc. I am thankful to an ex-SPS guru, Tycoon TEO , who has introduced & advised me on 2-parts dosings a few years ago. U can check out his threads (TEO) for more info. Cheers.

Known as Red Spot Wrasse

Coming liao...heh heh Labridae Fishes: Wrasses by Rudie Kuiter, the ultimate wrasse book only available on demand June 28th, 2010. By Jake Adams Labridae Fishes: Wrasses looks like the ultimate wrasse book, the Wrasse bible written by one of the masters of reef fish books Rudie Kuiter. Stacked on top of some of Rudie Kuiter’s great works is the new wrasse book which appears to be twice as big as his previous fairy & rainbow Wrasses. The older wrasse book by Kuiter is still a very important work for identifying the wrasses of the aquarium trade it mostly only covers the flashers, fairies and smaller sized labrids. We’d be surprised if Labridae Fishes: Wrasses didnt get really close to covering nearly all of the 500-something wrasse species, at least all fo the tropical ones. We’re not sure yet when or where this book can be special ordered but with it’s heft and a-la-carte availability, we estimate this book will land in the hands of fish nuts all over the world for no less than the equivalent of $175-250. That is unless a big player works out some deals to get the book printed by the dozens at which point it’d still cost a pretty penny. If Rudie Kuiter’s current bibliography is any indication of what this book will be like, it’s likely that Labridae Fishes will be a seminal volume on wrasses for a long time to come.

Oracle Octopus’ gets death/dinner threats By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports 13 hours, 26 minutes ago JOHANNESBURG – Paul, the so-called “Oracle Octopus” of a German aquarium, became an international sensation during the World Cup for consistently predicting the results of Germany’s games. Now it might become dinner. “Nothing beats grilled octopus,” German fan Dolores Lusch told Reuters. “Cut him up in thin slices and grill him on all sides with a dash of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic on it. Delicious!” Paul’s problem? He accurately picked Spain to beat Germany prior to Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal, which has led some fans to believe (humorously) that he jinxed their beloved team. They’ve responded with death/dinner threats. Prior to Germany games, aquarium workers lower two containers holding food into his tank. Each contains a flag of the nations in an upcoming game. The food he chooses is deemed his selection. In this case, Paul ate from Spain’s container. The choice rattled German players, who acknowledged their surprise that he went with their opponent after choosing Germany in four World Cup victories. Paul also accurately predicted Germany’s loss to Serbia in group play. His ability to accurately pick the winners drew throngs of media after the gimmick caught on during the 2008 European Championships. Some television stations carried his choice live. PETA demanded he be set free. Fans claimed he was Germany’s good luck charm. At least until Paul’s predicted result came in, Spain 1-0. Then fan anger on the Internet intensified. Twitter, Facebook and even old-school media were overrun with opinions suggesting Paul meet his demise for making such an un-patriotic choice. “Throw him in the frying pan,” the Berliner Kurier newspaper wrote in an editorial. The death threats have done nothing to frighten Paul, claimed his caretaker, Oliver Walenciak. “There are always people who want to eat our octopus but he is not shy and we are here to protect him as well,” Walenciak said. “He will survive.” Walenciak even said Paul would offer a prediction for Germany’s third-place game against Uruguay on Saturday. If the octopus knows what’s good for him, he’ll pick the Deutschland.

Bro, alas U have opted for the 'Ultimate Solution' mate !

Russian conductor charged with raping boy in Thailand AFP - 48 minutes ago BANGKOK (AFP) – Grammy-award-winning Russian conductor Mikhail Pletnev has been charged in Thailand with raping a 14-year-old boy, a crime that carries a penalty of up to 20 years in jail, police said Wednesday. Pletnev, artistic director of the acclaimed Russian National Orchestra, was released Tuesday after he posted 300,000 baht (9,300 dollars) bail following his arrest in the Thai resort of Pattaya. "He was initially charged with raping a boy under 15 which carries a jail term of four to 20 years," Lieutenant Colonel Omsin Sukkanka told AFP. He said police were considering whether to also file charges of illegal detention of a juvenile against Pletnev. "He has to report to the court every 12 days and if he wants to travel overseas he has to seek court permission because we already notified the immigration authority," Omsin said. Supagon Noja, a worker with a non-governmental organisation in Pattaya who has been actively involved in the case, said the victim was still in school. He said Pletnev denied the charge. "The victim filed a complaint with us. We cooperated with police to investigate and obtained a court arrest warrant," Supagon said. Pletnev is a long-time resident of the resort town -- famous for its raunchy nightlife -- where he has a spa business, music school and owns several houses, he added. The musician first shot to fame as a virtuoso pianist, winning the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1978 at the age of 21. In the early 1980s he started conducting and in recent years gave up piano concerts in favour of his increasingly in-demand conducting activities. His recordings with the RNO of the Russian classics, notably symphonies by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov, have been hailed by critics. He is a member of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's advisory council on culture and art and in 2005 won a Grammy award for best chamber music performance. The Russian government has sent an "urgent order" to its embassy in Thailand to look into the situation and provide consular assistance to Pletnev, according to a statement carried by the Interfax news agency. "The Russian ministry of culture has learned about the situation... of the world famous musician Mikhail Pletnev with great concern," it added. Police told Pletnev that some Thais who had been arrested for paedophilia and producing child-porno had given evidence against him, a Russian consular official in Thailand told news agency RIA Novosti. "The police conducted a search together with Pletnev of his house, where nothing suspicious was found," said the official, Andrei Dvornikov. The consul added that Pletnev, 53, and his Thai lawyer would on Wednesday go to court to ask permission for the conductor to leave the country so he could take part in his orchestra's forthcoming tours. Thailand is infamous for its flourishing prostitution and child sex trafficking. It has made efforts to clean up its image and in 2008 expelled former glam rocker and convicted paedophile Gary Glitter to his native Britain after he had served nearly three years in a Vietnamese prison. Viola player Yuri Bashmet, another Russian musician who grew up through the Soviet system to become an international classical star, said he was "in shock" at the news of Pletnev's arrest. "If it is true then he will have to answer according to the law," Bashmet told Russia's Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Spain beats Germany 1-0 in World Cup semifinal By NANCY ARMOUR, AP National Writer 4 hours, 5 minutes ago DURBAN, South Africa (AP)— They pressured Germany the entire match and peppered its goalkeeper so many times a score seemed inevitable. Finally, with a mighty swing of his head that sent his long, curly locks flying, Spain’s Carles Puyol got it done. With the World Cup final in reach—and Queen Sofia cheering from the stands — La Roja came through with their best game yet. “We’ve shown that in the big moments we can grow even more,” striker David Villa said after Spain’s 1-0 semifinal victory over Germany on Wednesday night. “We should have scored more goals, but one from Puyol has put us in the final.” Spain will play for the World Cup title for the very first time, thanks to Puyol’s goal on that powerful header in the second half. The game was a repeat, down to the final score, of the 2008 European Championship final when Spain beat Germany to win its first major title in 44 years. European bragging rights are one thing. Being the world champion is something else. When the final whistle sounded, the Spanish players on the field thrust their arms in the air while the substitutes raced out to join them. Two teammates grabbed Villa, who has scored all but two of Spain’s goals here, and carried him on their shoulders. In the stands, Spanish fans partied deep into the night, waving flags, banging on drums and singing chorus after chorus of “Ole! Ole! Ole!” “This is one of the greatest moments for Spain, for us to be in the final of the World Cup, it’s history,” said Villa, who remains tied with Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder for the tournament scoring lead at five goals apiece. “And we want to make more history in the final.” Somebody will. Spain faces the Netherlands on Sunday at Soccer City in Johannesburg, ensuring a first-time champion. The Dutch, who beat Uruguay 3-2 on Tuesday night, have lost in their only two trips to the final. The two teams have never met in the World Cup and their all-time series is dead even. “I am sure the Spanish can win any game,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said, “because they are dominant and it’s hard to contain their attack.” Making opponents look bad is becoming Spain’s trademark. Spain has been the best team in Europe—all the world, really—for much of the last four years. It’s lost all of two games since November 2006, one a shocker to Switzerland in the group-stage opener. With all but two members of the starting lineup playing for either Barcelona or Real Madrid, the Spanish play with a seamlessness and fluidity that’s almost intuitive. “They have been playing together for several years, they are very cohesive, their moves come automatically,” German striker Miroslav Klose said. “They were simply the better team.” Injuries to Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas kept Spain from showing its full flair and polish in South Africa, leading some to question whether the European champions’ time had passed. Against Germany, however, the Spanish showed they are still very much the team to beat. After coming oh, so close several times—including on back-to-back plays in the 57th minute—Xavi swung a corner kick right into the scrum in front of German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in the 73rd. With fellow defender and Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique next to him and screening Neuer’s view, Puyol leaped and got the ball. He headed it with such power that his long curls whipped across his face. Neuer dived to his left, but had no chance to stop the ball as it thundered into the net. “We should have intercepted that ball,” Loew said. Not a chance. Instead, the Germans could only watch in dismay as the Spanish players gathered for a group hug at the edge of the box, bouncing up and down and rubbing each other’s heads. As the Germans trudged back into position, Lukas Podolski barked at his teammates in frustration. This wasn’t what the Germans envisioned after overhauling their team following the Euro 2008 loss, bringing in youngsters such as Mesut Oezil, Sami Khedira and goal-scoring machine Thomas Mueller, who was suspended against Spain after picking up a second yellow card in the quarterfinals. The newcomers infused Germany with a speed and smoothness few other teams could match, and it rolled over old rivals England and Argentina by a combined score of 8-1. But there’s something about Spain that brings out the worst in the Germans, and they looked as if they were back in Vienna for much of the night. Those counterattacks that were so devastating against England and Argentina never materialized, and the midfield spacing that had been so impressive was almost nonexistent. “We can say Germany wasn’t as good as we thought they’d be today,” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. “But that is due to the excellent performance of our team.” The Germans were devastated after the final whistle, with captain Philipp Lahm breaking down in tears and Bastian Schweinsteiger crumbling to his knees. Not even a consoling pat on the back from Puyol helped. This was the three-time champions’ third straight trip to the World Cup semifinals. Yet just like in 2006, they are headed for the third-place game. “Right now, I really don’t feel like playing for third place,” Lahm said. “The disappointment is very big. We had a lot as our goal and we didn’t succeed.” For the Spanish, it’s everything they’ve been working for these last four years. “We worked hard to get here and now we have made the final,” Villa said. “It’s a great thing.” One more big goal, one more big game.

World Cup: Ode to the perfect pass By JOHN LEICESTER, AP Sports Columnist 3 hours, 34 minutes ago CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)—For the climax of the World Cup, it is all coming down to the art of the perfect pass. The Spanish proved in Wednesday’s semifinal against Germany that they are wizards at football’s fundamental skill. They wove passing webs so intricate that the Germans really didn’t have that much to do—except lose. They duly obliged, going down 1-0. The other semifinal winner, the Netherlands, also has a master of passing. Wesley Sneijder has been getting the ball from Point A to B with unerring accuracy all season for his club, Inter Milan. One example: his pass from the halfway line that landed at the feet of Samuel Eto’o in a Champions League match against Chelsea. Eto’o collected gratefully, beat his marker, scored. Having won pretty much every trophy there is this season with Inter, Sneijder then packed up his passing skills and brought them to South Africa. If you missed his perfectly flighted cross-field pass to Arjen Robben against Slovakia, then jump onto the Internet and treat yourself to the highlight reel. From deep on the opposite side of the field, Sneijder delivered the ball so perfectly into the path of the on-rushing Robben that the winger didn’t have to break his stride. He collected it like a warm handshake, cut to his left and scored. Spain and the Netherlands’ shared mastery of passing is a big reason why both will play in Sunday’s World Cup final. They have tamed the Jabulani ball that seems so light and quick in the thin air at altitude in South Africa. With their passing skills, the finalists have fended off other, less intricate styles and philosophies of play. To give credit where it is due, Germany had also been one of the best passing sides of this World Cup before they fell to Spain. The Germans have been charging up the field with one, two, three swift passes, often topping the movement with a goal. That is how they dismantled Argentina and embarrassed the tired, jaded England. They played in South Africa with the fearlessness and self-confidence of youth. This was one of Germany’s youngest-ever World Cup squads. They clearly appreciated the World Cup ride, unlike France’s callow, sour-faced players who just looked like they wanted to go home and did so in disgrace. In short, the Germans played with such enthusiasm and flair that they became the new Brazil—a team cool to love and support when your own favorite got knocked out. The Germans’ misfortune was to meet Spain on its best day so far of the World Cup. Until now, the Spanish hadn’t really lived up their billing. The team is packed with players from Barcelona, the club that reveres attractive, passing soccer, so expectations were high. For Barca, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez are among the best in the world at threading passes past defenders and bamboozling opposing midfields. Yet, in South Africa, the Spanish seemed at times to be a one-man show revolving around goal-scorer David Villa. Well, that changed against the Germans. With precision passing, Spain turned this semifinal lopsided and made a believer of German coach Joachim Loew. “I am sure Spain will win the title,” Loew said. “They move the ball well.” Loew does understatement well, too. Ironically, the Spanish goal against Germany came not from a masterful pass but from a header by Carlos Puyol. Such is life. Sometimes, Spain seems so intent on finding the perfect pass that its play can get over-intricate. That is a problem that sometimes hurts Barcelona, too— for example, in its Champions League loss to Sneijder’s Inter. But let’s not get too fussy, because a beautiful passing game is a joy when it works. Hear that Spain and Sneijder? We’re hoping you surpass yourselves in Sunday’s final. John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press.

The World Cup Final: a game of firsts Wed Jul 07 06:13pm EDT By Ryan Bailey The 2010 World Cup Final will be a groundbreaking game in more ways than one. What's that? You want to know exactly how many ways it will be groundbreaking? You got it — here's why Sunday's match at Soccer City, above, will see a number of firsts... 1. This year's final will be the first time a team from Europe wins the tournament outside of Europe. Only Brazil and Argentina have won away from their home continent. 2. This is the first final that will not feature one of Argentina, Brazil, Germany or Italy. 3. It will be Spain's first time in the final. Their best performance so far is fourth place in the 1950 edition, and this tournament is the first since then that they have even reached the semifinals. 4. This could be the Netherlands' first World Cup victory, if they overcome David Villa et al. They've been losing finalists twice. 5. If you followed the two previous points closely enough, you will see that World Cup 2010 will definitely see a first-time winner. 6. Additionally, it's also the first time the Netherlands will not face the host nation in the final. In 1974 they lost 2-1 to West Germany in Munich, and in 1978 they succumbed to Argentina 3-1 in Buenos Aires. 7. The game will also be the first time either manager has won anything on the international stage. Bert van Marwijk has won the UEFA Cup and the Dutch version of the FA Cup with Feyenoord, and Vicente del Bosque won the Champions League, La Liga, the Supercopa de Espana, the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid. 8. It's the first time a psychic octopus has shaped the outcome of the final. If Germany had managed to prevail over the Spanish, this would also have been the first time a mollusk would have had the chance to reveal the outcome of a final before it took place. 9. The final will be the first game in this tournament that Fernando Torres maybe thinks about possibly scoring a goal. If he plays, that is. 10. And finally, the final will give you your first chance to talk about something other then LeBron this week.

Largest World Cup bet ever placed on Germany to beat Spain Wed Jul 07 11:59am EDT By Brooks Peck As emphatically as one could ever tell a psychic octopus to shove it, someone has placed a €500,000 ($631,000) bet on Germany to go against Paul the octpus' prediction and beat Spain in their semifinal match. U.K. bookmaker William Hill says the record bet was placed over the phone at 10/11 odds. If Germany wins, the caller, who is "based in Europe," will take €954,000 ($1.2 million). A William Hill spokesman told Bettingpro.com: "There has never been a bigger World Cup bet placed and it follows a number of other hefty wagers on the Germans to win the tournament, including 80,000 euros at 14/1 and 100,000 euros at 13/2, and another 75,000 euros for them to reach the final. We don't much mind who wins the World Cup at this stage - as long as it isn't Germany. "Mind you, Spain haven't exactly been unbacked and we have bets of £50,000, £25,000 and two of £10,000 each on them to win the tournament." So while the people at William Hill root for Spain in a pool of cold sweats and Paul the octopus floats, completely oblivious to the concept of sports, a few anonymous Germany fans will stand to make an incredible amount of money off a single match. Assuming Germany continues their bulldozing of all comers. If not, just try to muffle your laughter. UPDATE: Well, Spain won 1-0, Paul was right again and that European better is now out €500,000. Let this be a lesson to all of us. Never ever bet against an oracle octopus.

Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record AFP - Thursday, July 8 BERLIN (AFP) - – It won't come as much of a consolation to heartbroken German fans, but at least Paul, Germany's now world-famous "Octopus oracle", has maintained his perfect record. The "psychic" creature has correctly predicted all six of Germany's World Cup games and, amid excruciating drama broadcast live on national television on Tuesday, plumped for Spain, causing anguish up and down the country. And the eight-legged soccer soothsayer was spot on Wednesday, as Carles Puyol's semi-final header shattered Germany's dreams of winning their fourth World Cup. Two plastic boxes, one with a German flag and one with a Spanish, were lowered into Paul's tank at an aquarium in western Germany, each with a tasty morsel of food inside. The box which Paul opens first is adjudged to be his predicted winner. But with classic fickleness, German fans turned against their beloved octopus after he forecast a Spanish win. According to "Der Western" daily paper, there have been "a host of comments on Facebook, Twitter ... suggesting Paul should be fried, barbequed or turned into a seafood salad or paella." "Others wanted to throw him into the shark tank," the paper reported on its website. And on Berlin's "fan-mile", some sections of the crowd also turned against their former hero. Anti-octopus songs were sung.

World Cup expectation rattled Rooney: Ferguson AFP - 21 hours ago LONDON (AFP) - Wayne Rooney flopped at the World Cup due to the weight of expectation on his shoulders, his Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said on Tuesday. Rooney, who had been in outstanding form for United during the English Premier League season, struggled to have anything like the same impact in an England shirt and failed to score in their four matches in South Africa. But Ferguson reckons Rooney, 24, will have learned from the experience and will be one of the key players at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. "I think there was such expectation on him. There was talk he was going to be the player of the tournament," the Scot said. "Don't forget, that was the prelude to the whole thing -- he was going to be the star, he was going to outshine them all -- (Lionel) Messi, (Cristiano) Ronaldo. So that level of expectation comes into it. "And he's not got great experience of playing in the World Cup really. You wait, in four years' time you'll see a different player." Ferguson said he was "baffled" by England's mediocre performance in the tournament. England drew 1-1 with the United States, 0-0 with Algeria and beat Slovenia 1-0 in the group stage. They were knocked out by a 4-1 defeat to Germany in the second round. "That is going to be one of the imponderables -- what has really happened and why are they (England) not getting better form. I watched their games and I was baffled by what I saw." He said England's World Cup qualifying campaign -- which they sailed through -- might not have helped. "Expectation was a big thing. They qualified from a group which you'd have to say was a million to one they wouldn't qualify from. So it was an easy passage into the finals," the United boss said. "Maybe it would have been better if England had been in a tougher group. They'd have earned the right to be one of the favourites and it would have helped that they'd played good teams before they got there." Ferguson said Germany's mentality helped them to humble England, then follow it up by beating Argentina 4-0 in the quarter-finals. "The history they've got is quite incredible," the knight said. "That organised mentality they have, the belief in themselves, it carries them a long way. "None of the English teams have any experience of playing in a semi-final at a World Cup. The German mentality is 'we are always in the semi-finals'." Ferguson tipped the Netherlands to beat Uruguay in Wednesday's semi-final and go on to win the trophy. "I don't think they have played anywhere near their best form," he said.

Materazzi puts headbutt in rearview mirror By Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports 12 hours, 36 minutes ago Marco Materazzi wanted to find somewhere where he wouldn’t be reminded of the moment he entered World Cup notoriety. So he went to Colorado, Nevada and Southern California. You remember Materazzi. He is the Italian defender who was headbutted so hard by Zinedine Zidane in the waning moments of the 2006 World Cup final that it would be a surprise if he didn’t have an imprint of the French superstar’s head on his chest. Zidane was red-carded, Italy won the tournament on penalty kicks and Materazzi left with a winner’s medal. But few champions have felt more like a loser after the 36-year-old admitted the international outcry over the Zidane incident ruined what should have been the greatest moment of his long career. That is why, as another World Cup enters its final week, you won’t find Materazzi anywhere near South Africa. Or Italy. Or any other nation where soccer is an all-consuming passion. “I will not see any games and I know where I’ll be for the World Cup,” said Materazzi in a recent interview. “I’ll be in a camper van in the United States. I will go touring with my friends and later I will go to Los Angeles with my family.” [Photos: Latest images from the World Cup] Materazzi flew to the United States three weeks ago and, as promised, took a camper van with a group of friends. They drove through Colorado and Nevada, spending nights far removed from civilization. This week, he was seen at an upscale hotel in Santa Monica, Calif. Zidane, meanwhile, journeyed to South Africa and has been a visible presence at several matches. He participated in a media conference early in the tournament and has never expressed genuine remorse for the headbutt that tainted his legacy as one of soccer’s all-time greats. Materazzi admits he uttered a verbal insult that mentioned Zidane’s sister in the lead-up to the 2006 incident, which came with just minutes of extra time remaining and with the score locked at 1-1. But he won damages from three British newspapers who claimed he had used a racial epithet. Even two years after the scandal, Materazzi publicly expressed hope that he and Zidane could resolve their dispute. Now, though, he appears to have given up on that. “I don’t take Zidane seriously anymore,” Materazzi said. “He keeps talking but there is still missing one word – ‘sorry.’ But now it’s not necessary anymore. “If I was him, I would have personally said sorry without blowing things up in the media. But right now I’m not waiting anymore for a forced excuse.”

SAfrica’s Zuma: World Cup an economic success By FISNIK ABRASHI, Associated Press Writer 12 hours, 39 minutes ago JOHANNESBURG (AP)— Africa’s first World Cup tournament has been an economic success for South Africa, President Jacob Zuma told an investment conference Tuesday. The country got a good return on the 33 billion rand ($4.26 billion) it invested on transport infrastructure, telecommunications and stadiums, Zuma said. Some 66,000 people got new construction jobs as a result of stadium construction and rehabbing, while money spent on security means there are 40,000 additional police officers, Zuma said, according to a transcript of his speech. On top of that, the image the country has projected to the world has been positive, Zuma said. “The world has seen this country in a different light,” Zuma said. “They have seen the precision when it comes to planning and logistical arrangements. They have seen the efficiency of our security infrastructure and infrastructure. Basically, our planning over many years is paying off and we are happy.” Christopher Hart, the chief economist for Investment Solutions, said he doesn’t believe the event itself has been financially profitable, but that the positive coverage the country received as a result of the tournament is priceless. “This was an important, image-changing event for South Africa,” he said. “It has been successful, against expectation … People saw it and experienced it as a success.” The country is likely to attract more foreign investment in the future as a result, Hart said, but added that the government has to ensure that it keeps up the standards set during the tournament, especially when it comes to security. Zuma used the conference to urge fund managers present to invest in the country. “South Africa is a center between the emerging markets of Central and South America and the newly industrialized nations of South and Far East Asia,” Zuma said. He also said the country plays a pivotal role for the entire continent. “Many South African companies have major investments in the continent,” Zuma said. “They are proving that Africa is indeed a continent of opportunity rather than one of despair.”

Ghana team to be honored by government By FRANCIS KOKUTSE, Associated Press Writer 7 hours, 57 minutes ago ACCRA, Ghana (AP)— Ghana’s World Cup players will be given national honors and $20,000 each after reaching the quarterfinals in South Africa. “You deserved to be honored because you have made Ghana and indeed Africa proud by your performance,” Mills said Tuesday in announcing the accolades at a lunch for the team. The Black Stars were greeted by cheering fans when they returned to Accra on Monday night. Ghana was adopted as Africa’s team during its run to the final eight of the tournament. The squad came close to being the first team from the continent to make the semifinals; they were knocked out in a penalty shootout by Uruguay in the quarters. The other five African teams all failed to qualify for the second round. “You did not win the World Cup but, through your performance, you carried high the flags of not only Ghana but Africa,” Mills said. As well as the cash bonus for the players, a government official said members of the coaching team would receive a reward of $10,000 each. Former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan, who is from Ghana, wrote in a letter to the team that he was one of millions left “heartbroken” after the Uruguay loss. Ghana was denied victory when a blatant hand ball prevented a goal in the final seconds of extra time. Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty kick, forcing the shootout. “You won because you brought us all together,” Annan’s letter said. “The lasting trophy to take away from the tournament is this incredible moment of unity.”

Sir Alex Ferguson: Uruguay Star Diego Forlan Could Have Been A Hero At Manchester United Goal.com 12 minutes ago Sir Alex Ferguson believes that Uruguay World Cup star Diego Forlan could have been a hero for Manchester United. Despite Uruguay’s 3-2 loss to Holland in the semi-finals, Forlan’s performances put him in contention with the likes of David Villa, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller and Wesley Sneijder for the Golden Ball. The Manchester United reject has scored four goals in the tournament and has been the South Americans inspiration, carrying the team to a shock semi-final appearance. It took Forlan eight months to score his first goal for United and the Uruguayan captain only managed nine more before he left the club in 2004. Forlan’s great play in South Africa has been lauded by Ferguson, who says that he did not doubt his quality despite the way that he struggled at Old Trafford. “I sent Diego a text the other day. He has been just fantastic and we’re all proud of him,” Ferguson told The Mirror. “There was never a problem with him at Old Trafford. It was just the combination of him and Ruud van Nistelrooy didn’t work. “The boy had other issues.. his sister’s health in Spain. He always wanted to get to Spain at some point. The only criticism of ourselves was that we sold him too cheaply. “He could have been a hero. He was a great lad and a magnificent professional.” With Uruguay down a goal Forlan pulled off his third long-range strike of the tournament, hitting a 30-yard strike past Holland goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg to tie the match at 1-1 just before half-time. Forlan was subbed out of the match seven minutes from time, but his play in South Africa was a revelation and the Atletico Madrid hitman has to be considered one of the stars of the tournament.