Chouffke's bet on Chelsea - Liverpool !!!

If you ask Chouffke --> his bet on this evening's match: Chelsea - Liverpool : 2 - 1

We'll see if he's right..... (pic. Belga)

Old Trafford dances into the night!!

PAUL SCHOLES hit a wonder goal to book Manchester United’s ticket to Moscow for the first all-English Champions League final.
United beat Barcelona, thanks to a rocket from Scholesy, who missed his side’s famous 1999 final victory over Bayern Munich through suspension.
Now boss Alex Ferguson said: “Paul is going to be my first name on the team-sheet in Moscow. He is one of our great players.
"He’s come through the ranks and I’m so pleased for him.
“It was fantastic goal. He’s 33 and I do not expect him to score 10 to 15 like when he was younger but he got one tonight for us. It was a marvellous moment for him.
“It’s a great feeling. We’re all delighted. We needed a fantastic performance and got one. And the fans helped us over the line.
Fergie: We deserve it
“We played a club with great philosophy and a good team. They play fantastic football but our concentration at the back was good.”
United will face either Liverpool or Chelsea in the Russian capital on May 21.
The Reds and Blues go head to head in tonight’s other semi at Stamford Bridge.
Fergie added: “We are there. It does not matter who we play.
“Us against Liverpool would be nice — but I don’t mind.”
United have reached the final 50 years after the Munich air disaster.
Fergie said: “Fate is fate and, hopefully, it is right. We deserve to be there.”
Defender Rio Ferdinand said: “I can’t put into words how I feel.
“Discipline got us through, along with resilience and a great strike from Scholes.
“It’s only his second of the season — but what a perfect time to get one. We were under pressure but the fans backed us the whole way.
“Paul Scholes is a fantastic player — and what a goal he scored.
“It doesn’t matter who we meet in the final we are just happy we’re there.”
Midfielder Michael Carrick said: “The feeling is one of relief. We put so much pressure on ourselves to achieve things.
“We knew it would be tough but we’ve done it. That was an awesome strike from Paul Scholes. It has to be one of his best.”
Barca boss Frank Rijkaard was left crestfallen after this semi-final second leg.
He said: “We did everything but score.”

(The Sun)

(pic Belga)

Champions League: Manchester United lead Moscow march

Manchester United lead Moscow march

Paul Scholes cracks home the Manchester United winner

Golden shot: Scholes, who missed the Manchester United triumph in 1999 because of suspension, scores the goal against Barcelona that put his side through to the first all English Cahmpions League final
Oliver Kay

Amid joyous scenes at Old Trafford, Manchester United last night guaranteed the first all-English Champions League final, with Sir Alex Ferguson and his players declaring that they do not care whether it is Chelsea or Liverpool who await them in Moscow on May 21.

A spectacular goal from Paul Scholes in the fourteenth minute, a superb swerving shot from 25 yards that beat VÍctor Valdés, earned United a 1-0 aggregate win over Barcelona and their first appearance in the final since they lifted the European Cup in 1999, when Scholes was forced to sit out the moment of triumph against Bayern Munich because of suspension.

Ferguson believes that his team have a “fantastic chance” against the winners of this evening’s tie at Stamford Bridge and added that he hoped reaching the final 50 years after the Munich air disaster, in which eight United players died, was evidence that fate may be on the club’s side.

“Fate is fate,” the United manager said, “but I think the important thing is that we’re in the final. We have a fantastic chance, whoever we play.” He will travel to London to watch the second semi-final unfold and joked that a Liverpool victory would mean more tickets for both sets of supporters, suggesting that Chelsea’s Russian owner, Roman Abramovich, would take an enormous allocation if his team got through, given that the final is in Moscow.

“I’ve no chance of predicting who will win, I’ve no idea. I don’t care who we play,” Ferguson said. “This club deserves to be in the final. Our fans saw us over the line tonight.”

An all-English showpiece will provide a serious challenge for the Russian authorities and for Uefa, European football’s governing body, which was widely criticised for the security and ticketing arrangements at last season’s final between Liverpool and AC Milan in Athens. The clubs and Uefa will hope to prevent any fans travelling without tickets – at least on their official trips – but the prospect of thousands of ticketless supporters roaming around Moscow on the day of the match seems inevitable.

United will expect to travel to Russia as champions of England, having claimed the two wins they need to retain the Barclays Premier League title. Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney should be available to face West Ham United on Saturday despite missing last night’s game with facial and hip injuries respectively. Patrice Evra should also be fit after he received a kick in the face from Deco, the Barcelona mid-field player, during a nervous finale Only when the final whistle sounded could United party like it was 1999.
(timesonline)

Beer and Global Warming...

Looming Worldwide Beer Shortage Another Effect of Global Warming

Photo credit: dyobmit

A perfect storm is brewing, coming together with the potential to create a shortage in the world's beer supply. In addition to an ongoing hops shortage, which we first reported last year, failed barley crops are causing further concern in the beer brewing industry, and we can chalk it up to the effects of global warming.

According to Jim Salinger, a climate scientist at New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, the warming globe will likely cause a decline in the production of malting barley, which, when combined with the scarcity of hops right now, stands to have a profound and negative impact on the world's beer supply starting now, and for decades to come.

"It will mean either there will be pubs without beer or the cost of beer will go up," Salinger told the Institute of Brewing and Distilling convention. Though Salinger spoke only of the direct effects on Australia and New Zealand, similar effects could be expected worldwide. He said climate change could cause a drop in beer production within 30 years, especially in parts of Australia, as dry areas become drier and water shortages worsen.

"It will provide a lot of challenges for the brewing industry," even forcing breweries to look at new varieties of malt barley as a direct result of climate change, Salinger said.

Yikes. Beer drinkers are already paying for it, in places like Portland, Oregon, and beer brewers like the Boston Beer Company are changing their brewing practices and even selling off some of their hops to other small breweries.

Though there's been at least one case of global warming helping beer production in a small (and kind of silly) way, the warming globe is also negatively affecting whiskey production and could yield explosive results elsewhere; in short, as Salinger said, “It’s already happening and will get worse." So savor your next pint and read more at ::Beverage World and the ::Daily Star
(www.treehugger.com)

Michael Schumacher...

Michael Schumacher finds life after racing

The seven-time World Champion F1 driver talks about his love of motorcycles and his new campaign to help reduce drunk driving

Jeremy Hart

In 2008, Formula One seems to have found its conscience. A raft of environmental engineering developments will be introduced over the next decade with the goal of F1 cars no longer being powered by fossil fuels. Racist taunts of Lewis Hamilton were swiftly and effectively dealt with in testing at Barcelona. And in the light of allegations about Max Mosley’s reported Nazi sex sessions, manufacturers, former drivers and automobile clubs have distanced themselves from the FIA President to protect F1’s image.

Out front though, in the charge of the F1 Caring Sharing Brigade, is Michael Schumacher.

“I think Formula 1 should take a leading role because we have role models there and they can transmit the message. It is broadcast all over the world. We have huge viewers so Formula 1 knows about its responsibilities and is active about it.”

For years Schumacher has worked with the FIA and Bridgestone on global road safety campaigns. Now he is tackling the worldwide problem of drink driving as a (paid) ambassador for Bacardi Ltd.

In the next seven years one in six people on the planet (more than one billion) will have been killed, injured, bereaved or left to care for a victim of road accidents. Drink driving plays contributes enormously to those statistics and a large percentage of the population know, directly or indirectly, victims of drink driving.

“I am fortunate. I do not know anyone who has been victim of drink driving,” says Schumacher. “But the number is increasing, whether it’s because of the economic situation that’s maybe better than in the past or whether it’s easier to access (alcohol). I don’t know. It’s sometimes very difficult to talk about this, but I think what is important is to discuss and try and find strategies to prevent it happening.”

Schumacher is clear on what should be done. Zero tolerance, as in many Scandinavian countries, is the only option he says:

“If you start to say yes… a little bit, what is a little bit for somebody and another person? It’s very different. Human bodies… react very differently to the amount of alcohol you drink.”

Despite strength in numbers (fellow F1 racer Mika Hakkinen performs a similar role for another drinks company) Schumacher’s crusade will be tough. At the recent Brits music awards in London many of the acts staggered drunkenly to the stage to receive their awards. And for many youngsters those role models are highly influential. Even fellow F1 drivers like Kimi Raikkonen have been portrayed as hard partiers.

“I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people around that like to listen and follow what I’m doing rather than what the bad examples are doing,” says Schumacher.

As for hard partying fellow F1 drivers, he is sure that none have ever get behind the wheel while still intoxicated.

“I’ve been around more than 16 years now, and I’ve never seen somebody taking alcohol in the amount that would influence or show any alcohol the next day,” he says. “Sure, you drink a beer or a glass of wine the night before and the next day you are completely OK.”

As you would expect for the most accomplished F1 driver of all time, he has never felt out of control in a car “No. I have not but I know the problem exists.” And so he struggles to imagine what it must feel like. I suggest an experiment, with complete safety cover, with him trying increasing amounts of alcohol to find out how much it takes to make the best driver in the world lose control. Schumacher does not find the suggestion appealing.

“I don’t really think it makes any sense because you should probably do it on the worst drivers in the world, because it’s these guys who drive around the roads.”

Retirement from F1 has given Schumacher more time with his family at home in Switzerland. They have just come back from a skiing holiday, just as the F1 season gets into its stride. “A ski week when I would normally have been testing or racing is a luxury,” he says.

But there are signs that home life is starting to make him twitchy. For years a Harley aficionado, he has taken up sports motorcycle racing and has finished in the points. But doing a Valentino Rossi and swapping codes full time is out of the question. “Why should I? What could I gain?” he says. “But I love bikes and I enjoy using them on the track.”

Already a rock climber, Schumacher has found another gravity-defying sport to keep his adrenal gland pumping; parachuting. He has already jumped in America and Spain. “I enjoy excitement,” he says with a grin. “Certainly jumping out of an extremely perfectly running plane somehow is exciting.”

Burning fossil fuels has always been a necessary aspect of Schumacher’s job. But he is keen to see F1 and road car manufacturers accelerate their environmental programmes.

“We all live within this globe, we all want to live as long as possible, we all have kids, we all want them to continue to have kids. So we have to take care and we cannot be reckless.

“In Formula One we start next year with an energy saving braking system. In this respect Formula One can be very important because the development time you have in Formula One is so short. (Ferrari’s) road car department and other road car companies will benefit hugely from it, and the environment will as well. People say F1 should do more but you cannot change the world in one day. It’s not possible. You have to do it in steps that are achievable and you have to understand the problem. I think that it has been understood, this issue, and Formula One is reacting to it.” (timesonline)

Eto'o the day after....

SAMUEL ETO'O insists Barcelona have one foot in the Champions League final after last night's goalless draw with Manchester United.
Cristiano Ronaldo's second-minute penalty miss meant United left the Nou Camp without a vital away goal.

And Cameroon hitman Eto'o believes Barca are now the clear favourites to progress.
He said: "I really think that if we go to Manchester and play like this then there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't go through.
"It's not an easy task to be the home side when you have drawn 0-0 away from home in the first leg of a knockout tie.
"There's no real problem with our goalscoring and I say that because we continue to create chances.
"I'd predict that we are capable of scoring in any away match no matter who it's against.
"When you have a team like ours which plays such good football and has so many different guys capable of scoring then the ball will eventually go in.
"If we play at our true level then there are very few sides in the world who are capable of living with us.
"Although I'm not disappointed that we didn't score because there are goals in this team, right throughout the side."
Midfielder Xavi reckons Barca deserved to win last night's semi-final first-leg.
The Spanish ace said: "The only thing missing was the goal and that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
"We dominated the 90 minutes. We are happy with the image we gave, but not the result.
"This team is capable of going to any ground and winning, so I have no doubt we can make the final."
Argentine defender Gabriel Milito added: "The result is unfair because we deserved to win.
"But it is not a bad result and there are still 90 minutes left in the tie.
"We have had some bad luck. We have created some very good chances in the last few games, so I don't think we should worry.
"The important thing is that we are creating chances and hopefully our luck will change soon.
"There is still a long way to go in this tie.
"We will play next week's game as if it were a final and I think we have a great chance of getting through."

(bron: The Sun)

picture: www.sporza.be

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