I told you ten months ago that this would happen.
[Photo credit: twdbth]
No Good Deed…
- Post author By Newley
- Post date July 18, 2006
- No Comments on No Good Deed…
- Tags Politics
Month: July 2006
Categories
Frugal Traveler Update
My pal — and Malaysia traveling companion — Matt Gross recently published what I think is his finest New York Times Frugal Traveler column yet: a moving story about volunteering on an organic apple farm in Turkey. Don’t miss it. (Here’s the archive of his stories from the last two months of his round-the-world journey.)
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World Cup Wrap-Up
Given the extent to which I’ve blabbered on about the World Cup over the past month, I’d be remiss if I didn’t come full circle and weigh in on the tournament now that Italy has triumphed. A few brief remarks:
1. US coach Bruce Arena has stepped down; he’ll now coach the New York Red Bulls (the asinine new name for what used to be called the MLS’s NY/NJ Metrostars). The New York Times World Cup blog has a great run-down of how the US national team can become more competitive post-Arena.
2. I liked the way Italy played, and they deserved to win. Contrary to their typical style, they played attractive, attacking football and they were a joy to watch, especially in their semifinal win against Germany. (Two knocks against the Azzurri, though: their draw was incredibly favorable, and they practically waltzed into the semis; and if you’re a cynic you’d say all the Italian players are corrupt anyway and were individually motivated to play well so they could find new teams after their Serie A club sides were relegated in a massive match-fixing scandal.)
3. The Zizou headbutt (recreated in the image above). Wow. What can you say? The incident encapsulates the drama of the World Cup — the tournament is about elation, anger, grief, recriminations, apologies. The tournament is truly life writ large on an international stage. Even the greats screw up sometimes.
4. If you’re an England supporter looking for a scapegoat after the team crashed out in the quarterfinals, I have one word for you: WAGs.
[Photo credit: Mads Boedker]
Backpack has been around for a while, but I’ve only recently started using it. The concept is pretty simple — you can create various to-do lists and notes that can be easily altered on the fly. The free version seems powerful enough for basic personal uses, and I imagine the souped-up pay version would be great for project management among team members in a professional setting.
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Photos from Railay
A and I just got back to Bangkok after four days at the beach in Railay. It was a magnificent trip.
(Yes, as I’ve noted before, my life is so trying here in Bangkok that I require frequent therapeutic trips to the coast in order to maintain my sanity.)
I will shut up and let the photos — all 49 of them — speak for themselves.
Here’re a few of my faves.
The view from our deck
The beach (a stone’s throw — no, toss) from our house
Our house
On the beach
A football tournament
One of the many karsts (towering limestone formations) that surround the beach
A friendly beach dog
And finally, if you’ll allow me to indulge my inner artiste, a pic of a drop of rain on a rusty chain.
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Bangkok’s Pickle Factory
In my most recent Gridskipper post, I examine Bangkok’s Pickle Factory. (It’s a pizza joint — get your minds outta the gutter.)
By the way, big congrats to my former editor at Gridskipper, Chris Mohney, who was recently promoted to managing editor of another Nick Denton property, the famed Manhattan media gossip blog Gawker. A hearty welcome to new Gridskipper editor Joshua David Stein.
I won’t be posting anything until Wednesday of next week. When I do resume my ramblings herein, however, I’ll have lots of photos to share. Let’s just say that. Bye for now, mis amigos.
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How to Concentrate on Writing
10 useful tips from Matthew Stibbe, who writes, “When I am up against a deadline and I absolutely, definitely have to get on with my work, I use a few tactics to force myself to concentrate…”
I would accomplishing nothing without #7.
Italy are through to the World Cup final. In what will go down as one of the finest finishes ever in a WC knockout game, Italy scored two gorgeous goals in the dying minutes of extra time to book a place in Sunday’s championship match. I was down on Italy going into this match; they’re often overly defensive and boring to watch.
But last night they played upbeat, positive, attacking football — and in the 119th minute, just sixty seconds from full-time, when even the never-say-die Germans seemed resigned to settling the affair with penalties, Fabio Grosso — a full back! — received the pass of the tournament from Andrea Pirlo and curled a wonderful first-time, left-footed strike just inside the far post, past a sprawling Jens Lehmann. When Alessandro Del Piero finished the game off with a chip over the German goalkeeper in the next minute, it was game set and match. Absolutely incredible stuff.
Kudos to Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann for showing true leadership, doing things his way throughout the competition and then picking his fallen players up off the field after the final whistle. (I’m honored to have him as a US resident.) Lehman was fantastic throughout the tourney; Buffon was brilliant in the opposing goalmouth and Italy couldn’t have won without him.
Tonight: France take on Portugal. I like the sound of a France-Italy final.
Categories
Tourism in Colombia
Economist: “Come to sunny Colombia: Seriously, it’s almost safe.”
I never made it there during my year in Ecuador, though I really wanted to go. Everyone I’ve ever talked to who’s visited says it’s great. (Just stay away from the FARC-held regions.)