Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sarah Palin booked for NorCal logging conference

Sarah Palin is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at a Northern California logging conference early next year.

Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference executive director Nadine Bailey said Palin will kick off the weeklong timber industry gathering Feb. 8 in Redding.

Bailey said the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee has not settled on a theme for the speech but would be stopping in Redding in part to promote her book.

The book, "Going Rogue," will be released Tuesday.

Tickets for Palin's appearance go on sale Monday for $54 and up. Bailey has declined to say how much Palin will be paid for the speech.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

What REALLY is Raikkonen's plan for 2010?

Kimi Raikkonen is a former World Champion and has spent nine (yes, NINE) years in Formula 1, and what do you know, he may very well not get a drivers seat for the 2010 season.

With the way things are going it looks like Kimi is really not interested in returning to Formula 1 for the next season, the Finn has bid goodbye to the Ferrari team following Fernando Alonso's entry into the Scuderia. Kimi was in fact paid off by Ferrari, since his contract with the team was till the end of 2010. And the former world champion has still not confirmed about which team he would go to for the next season.

The 30-year-old has the McLaren team in negotiations, but that may well be as concrete as water, since he had stated that he Toyota team was interested in roping him in. And we all know what happened to that team (hint: Toyota announced that it has quit F1, and will not return for the 2010 season). Reportedly, Kimi;s asking price is way too high and the Woking team have expressed displeasure with the mammoth figure. Despite the reports, though, the 2007 World Champion it not at all anxious about his future.

"It's hard to believe that I have been in Formula One for nine years already," Raikkonen told his official website. "I am very motivated to win races and a Championship again and will only remain in F1 if I can race for a team that can give me a car to fight at the front. Let's wait and see what happens" he added.

Kimi stated that returning for the next season would indeed be interesting what with the new changes made by the FIA. "Everybody can focus on next year like Ferrari have done already many weeks," he said. "Is it going to be different? At least there are not so many changes next year. No refueling and smaller front tyres are the main things. At the start of the race the cars will feel very difficult to drive with so much fuel on board, so preserving the tyres will play a part.

"Qualifying is now old days where we do not use fuel so that will be more fun." he added. One thing is for sure, Ferrari dumped Kimi because of the lack of sponsors he gets for the team, and his lack of interest in PR hits Ferrari as well. Fernando Alonso is a very marketable driver, he appears on more magazine covers in a month than Kimi has done so in his whole life.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Premier League Preview: Liverpool - Birmingham City

Ragged Reds looking to regroup on home soil.

It's a sad and sorry looking Liverpool side that play host to Birmingham City on Monday night as round 12 of the Premier League draws to a close.

The Reds' 3-1 reverse at Fulham last weekend took their tally to five losses in 11 league games this season - an alarming figure, considering that they suffered just two defeats in the entirety of the previous campaign.

And their woes aren't confined to the domestic scene, as Lisandro Lopez's late equalizer for Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday night has left the Merseyside club relying on Fiorentina's results as the two teams battle for a place in the Champions League knockout round.

Rafael Benitez and his crew have collected just one win - against Manchester United, no less - from their last eight games in all competitions, and they simply cannot afford another slip-up when Brum come to visit.

Alex McLeish's side boast an indifferent record on the road this season, although their spirited display at home to a Shay Given-inspired Manchester City last week showed that they are well capable of mixing it with the big boys.

Still, the Blues sit just one point above the relegation zone, and the one thing Liverpool have got right this season is dispatching the 'lesser' teams when they visit Anfield - as Stoke City (4-0), Burnley (4-0) and Hull City (6-1) all found out the hard way.

FORM GUIDE

Liverpool

Nov 4 Olympique Lyonnais 1-1 Liverpool (Champions League)
Oct 31 Fulham 3-1 Liverpool
Oct 28 Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool (League Cup)
Oct 25 Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United
Oct 20 Liverpool 1-2 Olympique Lyonnais (Champions League)

Birmingham City

Nov 1 Birmingham City 0-0 Manchester City
Oct 24 Birmingham City 2-1 Sunderland
Oct 17 Arsenal 3-1 Birmingham City
Oct 3 Burnley 2-1 Birmingham City
Sep 26 Birmingham City 1-2 Bolton Wanderers

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool

Jamie Carragher and Philipp Degen are both suspended after picking up red cards in the defeat at Craven Cottage last weekend, leaving Benitez with something of a problem in defense. With Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly both battling injury, young Stephen Darby looks like the only option at right-back.

However, Martin Skrtel and Fabio Aurelio are available once more after shaking off their respective problems, while Alberto Aquilani could make his long-awaited Premier League debut from the bench.

Fernando Torres is expected to start despite his well-documented hernia troubles, but neither Steven Gerrard nor Albert Riera will feature.

Last starting XI (vs. Olympique Lyonnais): Reina, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Insua, Kuyt, Lucas, Mascherano, Benayoun, Voronin, Torres.

Birmingham City

The visitors' chances will be hampered by the absence of Barry Ferguson, who foolishly bought a second booking late on against Man City for impeding a throw-in. Lee Carsley could replace the Scot in midfield.

Irish wide-man Keith Fahey picked up a knee knock in training and faces a race to pass fit in time, while Garry O'Connor is struggling with a groin problem.

Joe Hart wasn't eligible to face his parent club last time out, but the young goalkeeper is in danger of sitting out once again after Maik Taylor's heroics against the Citizens.

Last starting XI (vs. Manchester City): Taylor, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Bowyer, Ferguson, McFadden, Benitez, Jerome.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Liverpool - Fernando Torres

The Spaniard is nowhere near full fitness but has vowed to play through the pain for the time being. Hernia or no, 'El Nino' is a threat - it's that simple. It's just a matter of whether or not he gets the service.

Birmingham City - James McFadden

The twinkle-toed Scot ran riot in spells against Man City (brilliantly saved penalty aside), pulling out the sort of mercurial moves that leaves one wondering why he's never managed to take that next step in his career. If he gets it right, the Reds' rearguard will be in for a busy night.

PREDICTION

Liverpool 3-0 Birmingham City

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Inter 2-1 Catania: Nerazzurri Go Top After Comfortable Victory

Serie A leaders Inter looked to bounce back from another disappointing Champions League performance as they hosted Catania at San Siro.

They created their first chance after only three minutes, as the visitors lost the ball and Samuel Eto’o made a run towards the goal, before playing to Wesley Sneijder in the area, but the Dutchman tried another assist instead of shooting and the chance was lost.

Inter did take the lead in the 12th minute through Sulley Muntari, who looked for Eto’o with a free kick which eluded everyone and went past goalkeeper Andrea Campagnolo.

The home side continued to control the match after that, and the Rossazzurri only had their first chance in the 20th minute, when Ezequiel Carboni fired a shot from about 30 meters that called Julio Cesar into action.

Seven minutes later, Patrick Vieira had a chance to make it 2-0 as he controlled the ball inside the area and fired a shot with his right foot that hit the crossbar.

At the half hour mark, the Nerazzurri doubled their lead with a perfect free kick by Sneijder, which went over the wall and into the top corner of the net out of Campagnolo’s reach.

For the remainder of the first half Inter limited themselves to controlling the result, and created no further chances to build on their lead.

During half time, Inter coach Jose Mourinho made no substitutions, while his Catania colleague Gianluca Atzori brought on Giuseppe Mascara and Pablo Ledesma for Marco Biagianti and Mariano Izco respectively.

The start of the second half saw little change compared to the first half, as the hosts continued to control the proceedings.

However, in the 54th minute there was a chance for Catania, as Takayuki Morimoto controlled the ball in the area and played it back to the onrushing Carboni, whose first time shot went just wide.

Four minutes later, Inter had a good chance as Sneijder fired a free kick that was punched away by Campagnaro, the ball then came to Vieira whose header from a good position incredibly went wide.

The home side had very little difficulties controlling the match, and ran very few risks throughout most of the second half.

However, they were given a scare in the 83rd minute, when Julio Cesar failed to hold on to the ball and was forced to bring down substitute Gianvito Plasmati, which led to an inevitable penalty. Mascara coolly converted it to make it 2-1.

Catania went all out to try and find an equalizer, but failed to create any further chances after that. Thus Inter held on for an important victory that sends them top of the table again with 22 points after Sampdoria's big win earlier today.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Elusive home glory essential for Barrichello

This weekend Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello faces arguably the most important race of his 17-year Formula One career. If he performs anything less than brilliantly at the Brazilian Grand Prix his team mate Jenson Button, who has a 14-point lead in the standings, could well wrap up the drivers’ title. Hence a win is all but essential if Barrichello is to keep his long-held hopes alive ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Adding to the pressure is the fact that the Interlagos race is the 37 year-old’s home event. With Nelson Piquet ousted from his Renault drive and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa still recovering from Hungary crash, Sao Paulo native Barrichello is the sole Brazilian runner and will thus have the hopes of an entire nation resting on his shoulders as he races off the line on Sunday.

The passionate Paulista fans are famously hard. Last year they were robbed at the death when Lewis Hamilton’s last-lap pass on Timo Glock stole the title from under Massa’s nose. This season they are again in with a chance of celebrating their first champion since Ayrton Senna in 1991, so the weight of expectation will be particularly heavy. It will be Barrichello’s 17th Formula One outing at Interlagos, so if he’s not used to the pressure now, he never will be.

Barrichello was actually born within earshot of the legendary track, and after growing tired of sneaking into the circuit to watch races for free, he started to compete. He finished third in his first karting event, second in his second and first in his third, and hasn’t looked back since. But despite this affinity with the venue, the veteran of 286 Grands Prix and winner of 11 has actually never scored an F1 win at Interlagos.

That’s not to say he hasn’t come close. In 1994 he took a well-deserved fourth place for Jordan, while two years later he took a spectacular P2 on the grid and looked set for a podium before he spun off with brake problems. After that 1996 outing, Barrichello couldn’t shake off a run of bad luck and from 1997 to 2002 he racked up six consecutive retirements. Gearboxes, engines, penalties and mistakes were all to blame over the years.

Then, in 2003, prospects for his home race suddenly looked brighter than ever. He took a dominant pole position in the Ferrari and, despite chaotically rainy conditions, led for most of the race. Then, just eight laps from home, he stopped out on track. A fuel feed problem was blamed, although some suspected he simply ran out of fuel. A year later he took pole again and this time finished third to take his very first Interlagos podium. It remains Barrichello’s best finish at the track.

Since then he’s finished no higher than sixth, but given his recent successes with Brawn, Barrichello has every right to expect a reversal in fortunes this weekend. Of course team mate, and standing’s leader, Button has exactly the same car under him, and so to evaluate Barrichello’s chances one must also look back at the British driver’s record at Interlagos.

Interestingly, Button has also recorded just one third-place finish, back in 2006 for Honda. Perhaps more tellingly, however, Button has never taken pole in Brazil and since becoming Barrichello’s team mate in 2006, has never come close to out-qualifying the local hero.

With his intimate knowledge of the track, his incomparable set-up skills, and the boost provided by an adoring home crowd, 2009 could be Barrichello’s best chance yet of banishing his Interlagos demons once and for all - and with a title at stake, it couldn’t come at a better time.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Imran thinks Younis has no place in the team

Former Pakistani Test Captain Imran Khan has pointed out that Younis Khan, the captain of Pakistan Cricket Team has no place in the team except for his captancy. Although Imran Khan has always guided and given tips to Younis Khan about captancy but the recent performaces of the captain not liked by Imran.

Also Younis Khan has been heavily criticized by the media and the people of Pakistan about dropping a crucial catch in the Semi Final of the Champions Trophy against Newzealand, Younis Khan who appointed as a captain back in March has a topsy turvey ride as a captain as his first tour has a dramatic ending when the Sri Lankan Team Bus is attacked by the Terrorists Organization and after Pakistan loss the rights of holding 2011 Cricket world cup he prove his mettle while winning the 20/20 championships against all odds by defeating Sri Lanka in the Finals. Lets Hope that Pakistani nation soon forget the drop catch and behind Khan against the crucial series against New Zaeland in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Massa could be back on track on Monday

Ferrari have revealed that Felipe Massa could return to the test track as early as next week, with Monday mooted as a possible date for his first session in a Formula One car since fracturing his skull at July’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Massa has already tested his mettle at the wheel of a kart this month and has been visiting the Italian team’s headquarters this week, as he continues preparations for his F1 return, and the FIA has granted the Brazilian permission to drive a 2007-spec car fitted with GP2 tyres.

In anticipation of the test, Massa has spent two days in Modena evaluating his skills on Ferrari’s simulator. Joined by his race engineer Rob Smedley and performance engineer Giuliano Salvi, Massa ‘drove’ around the Barcelona circuit on Wednesday, before switching his attentions to the simulator’s Interlagos programme.

The 28 year-old will visit Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters again on Thursday to say hello to a few more team members, before journeying to Paris to undergo an FIA medical on Friday. If he passes the examination, and is declared fit to drive, the team are hopeful he’ll be on track in Italy on Monday.