Man City handle Liverpool 3-0 in EPL

Wednesday 4 January 2012

MANCHESTER, England (AP)—Manchester City moved three points clear at the top of the English Premier League by easily dealing with Liverpool 3-0 at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. First-half goals from Sergio Aguero, courtesy of a bad error by Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, and Yaya Toure allowed City to continue its remarkable home form.

City lost midfielder Gareth Barry to a 73rd-minute red card, for a second bookable offense, but within a minute it added a third goal courtesy of a James Milner penalty. The calendar year of 2011 saw City collect 52 points from a possible 54 on its own ground and, after one point from its last two away fixtures, Roberto Mancini’s team relished the return to home turf.

Liverpool was without Luis Suarez, after announcing before kickoff that it will not appeal the eight-match suspension handed to him for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra. But City were left with personnel problems of their own with Yaya Toure, along with brother Kolo, leaving the club after Sunday’s FA Cup tie with Manchester United to represent the Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations.

“I tried to find another Yaya in the squad but there isn’t another one,” Mancini said. “For us he is a very important player and for this reason January is a crucial month for us.

“If we can stay at the top in January, we could win the title but we play every three days and will be without Yaya, without Kolo.

“I think United are a strong team but we should think only about ourselves, try to win every game and see what happens in the end. It will be a hard championship from now until the end because also Tottenham are very close.”

Liverpool created the first real opening after just seven minutes when Jordan Henderson’s accurate throughball played in Stewart Downing only for the winger to be denied by a fine reaction save from Joe Hart.

That miss proved especially costly when City took the lead in the 10th from a move started when Milner dispossessed Dirk Kuyt and found David Silva with a short pass. The Spaniard fed Aguero, whose 20-meter shot passed under Reina’s diving body into the back of the net.

After 33 minutes, Liverpool’s run of just one defeat in 17 previous games looked like being under severe pressure as the home side doubled its lead through Toure. Reina made amends for his earlier blunder by tipping over a goal-bound Vincent Kompany header from a Milner corner.

Silva took the resulting right-side flag kick and found the unmarked Toure, who guided in an unstoppable header via the underside of the crossbar. While Liverpool threatened on the counterattack, the two-goal lead did not flatter City.

An Edin Dzeko shot was barely saved by Reina at the foot of his post and Aguero’s audacious chip, soon after his opening goal, forced Reina into a solid piece of handling. For its part, City was rarely tested with Hart’s save from a strong Charlie Adam free kick a rare piece of first-half activity for the England goalkeeper.

Even though the visitors brought on the experienced Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy before the hour mark, there was little hope of recovery until Barry, booked for a first-half foul on Jay Spearing, brought down Daniel Agger and was sent off.

However, within a minute, Skrtel body-checked Toure to the ground and Milner confidently planted his penalty kick high into the right side of the goal for 3-0. Mancini was seen gesturing for the referee to send off Skrtel for the challenge, and apologized for the action.

“I did it because I was nervous,” Mancini said. “Maybe I made a mistake by doing it but I didn’t agree with the referee for the second yellow card (for Barry). I watched all the games yesterday and there were lots of tackles without any yellow or red cards and we play a game and we lose a player.”

City substitute Adam Johnson struck the post from 18 meters while Hart’s only other business was to save from a long-range Bellamy shot late in the game.

Source : sports.yahoo.com

Continue Reading | comments (28)

Investigators link dead Mass. man to site where body of 10-year-old Holly Piirainen was found

(CBS) BOSTON, Mass. - Investigators announced a "significant" new lead at a press conference Tuesday in the unsolved 1993 kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Holly Piirainen.

Western Massachusetts authorities say recent forensic tests link evidence found near the body of the victim to a deceased Springfield man.

CBS Boston reports the evidence was able to definitively link David Pouliot to the area around the time of Piirainen's disappearance.

The Hampden County District Attorney said they are looking for more information on Pouliot, who died in 2003, at age 49.

District Attorney Mark Mastroianni said the new evidence was "a turning point in the investigation," but stressed that Pouliot was not considered a suspect at this time, saying "there is not enough information to designate him as a suspect."

Law enforcement officials say they have been able to confirm Pouliot hunted and fished in the area, and suggested the possibility that he was not alone there.

"The nature of the item suggests that either Mr. Pouliot or people associated with him were in this immediate area at a time relevant to Holly's disappearance and the finding of her remains," Mastroianni said.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have known Pouliot and can provide information about him to contact law enforcement officials. Mastroianni said they are considering it very relevant to the investigation, and that the case remains "an ongoing investigation."

The Boston Globe reports this is the first time in over a decade that the police have announced a lead in the case.

"We hope the new evidence may spark someone's memory, or someone's conscience,'' said David Procopio, spokesman for the Massachusetts State Police. "Holly's family has waited for justice for almost two decades.''

The victim's family is hopeful, but wary. "I'm cautiously optimistic and I'm waiting for further results," Holly's grandmother Maureen Lemieux said. In the past, there have been people of interest in the case, Lemieux said. She described the last 18 years as an emotional roller coaster.

The body of Holly Piirainen was found in Brimfield on Oct. 23, 1993, nearly two months after she was reported missing. Piirainen was last seen in August 1993 near her grandparents' summer cottage, as she and her brother went to see a litter of puppies down the street. Only her brother returned.

Source : cbsnews.com

Continue Reading | comments (6)

SXSW: The Strokes show how it’s done

Friday 30 December 2011

The main strip in South by Southwest (SXSW), the musical festival held in Austin, Texas, teems with small, dingy dive bars hosting the most important musical acts of 2011. On any corner you could run into Bob Geldof – the festival’s keynote speaker this year – Simon Le Bon, Jack White or Odd Future, the most exciting act in the world at the moment.

Guitar rock rules here. After many pale imitations, the talking point was the Strokes, who played in a riverside park outside the main area. The band, who are releasing their fourth album, Angles, today, performed at twilight before a backdrop of sci-fi skyscrapers and flitting bats. They sounded fresher and crisper than any of the indie bands playing at the festival.

Julian Casablancas’s molasses-slicked voice and rock-star presence showed up many of the pretender bands and even the poorer songs from the new album were enjoyable. Most of the crowd stopped tearing into their enormous turkey legs as soon as they started. The fireworks at the end of the set provided an apt finale.

Legends of synthpop Duran Duran headlined on the first evening and, again, showed their progeny how it’s done. A synth (and a tattoo) in Austin is a standard accessory and the carbon new wave copies can get tiresome. But the lengthy queues for the Brummie band were deserved. They proved why they’ve been so popular for decades.

The highlight, the show that was talked about for the entire weekend, was Odd Future. They’re a macabre, lyrically knifesharp hip-hop collective in their late teens. They played in a skate park in the blazing sun and climbed on top of the speakers and the roof, rapping over the crowd before launching themselves like flying squirrels into the pit and continuing their songs, held up by their loyal fans.

Continue Reading | comments (1)

Real Madrid 1-3 Barcelona in Santiago Bernabéu

Barcelona were the comeback kings at the Santiago Bernabeu as the champions recovered from conceding within the first minute to defeat bitter rivals Real Madrid 3-1 in the seventh and final Clasico of 2011. Jose Mourinho’s men took the lead after only 22 seconds when Karim Benzema grabbed the quickest goal in Clasico history. The home side were pegged back on the half hour mark when Alexis Sanchez grabbed an equaliser in his first league appearance against Madrid.

A Xavi volley took a fortuitous deflection off Marcelo to give the visitors the lead, before Cesc Fabregas’ header finished off a wonderful team move in the 66th minute in what proved to be the fixture’s final strike. The victory sends Barcelona level on points with Jose Mourinho’s men and to the top of the Liga table due to their superior head-to-head record against Madrid, who have a game in hand.

In one of the most astonishing starts in the history of the Clasico, Real Madrid were a goal to the good within 22 seconds. Victor Valdes’ poor clearance fell to the feet of Angel Di Maria who drilled the ball into the penalty area only for Sergio Busquets to block its progress. Mesut Ozil’s attempted volley deflected off Busquets into the path of Benzema to fire home six yards from goal.

Madrid were left to rue opportunities to double their lead when Barcelona drew level on the half hour mark with Messi on hand to turn provider. The 24-year-old bypassed several challenges before sliding a weighted through ball to Alexis Sanchez, who calmly slotted past Casillas from the edge of the area to bring his side back into the game and all square at the break.

After a edgy opening to the second period, Barcelona were handed the lead thanks to a large slice of fortune on 53 minutes. Xavi’s speculative volley 25 yards from goal took a massive deflection off Marcelo, fooling a wrong-footed Casillas with the ball spinning off the post and into the back of the net.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who had in the first half skewed a shot wide of the target when Di Maria was perhaps better placed to his right, then squandered a golden opportunity to level the contest. Xabi Alonso’s cross found the Portuguese completely unmarked inside the area, but his header drifted wide of the post.

Madrid were made to pay, as Barca extended their lead in the 66th minute after a breathtaking counterattacking move. Messi slid the ball out to the right for Dani Alves to whip a beautiful cross towards the back post where an unmarked Cesc Fabregas was on cue to coolly head the ball into the far corner in what was to be the final goal of a pulsating encounter.

Next up for Real Madrid is a trip to Ponferradina on Tuesday as they look to defend their Copa del Rey title. Barcelona now head to Japan where they will feature in the Club World Cup. Their first task will be a semi-final meeting against either Esperance or Al Sadd on Thursday.

Source : goal.com

Continue Reading | comments (3)

Julian Pavone is World’s Youngest Professional Drummer

Guinness World Records has recognized a U.S. boy as the youngest professional drummer. Julian Pavone was certified as of March 21, 2010, when he was 5 years 10 months and 3 days old, Guinness announced Tuesday.

The rules for London-based Guinness say a drummer must play on at least one commercial record and be paid for the work. The drummer also must have given at least 20 concerts of 45 minutes or longer within five years. Julian is 7 and lives outside Detroit.

His drummer-father, Bernie Pavone, said Julian’s percussion background dates back before birth. “I used to play music on my wife’s stomach all the time when she was pregnant with Julian,” Guinness quoted the father as saying.

Julian has appeared on about 150 television and news shows, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Good Morning America,” “Martha Stewart,” “The Maury Show,” “FOX News Dayside” and “Inside Edition.”

The previous record holder was Tiger Onitsuka of Japan, who was recognized at age 9 years, 9 months.

Source : cbsnews.com

Continue Reading | comments (2)

Boxing Legend ‘Smokin’ Joe’ Frazier Dead at 67

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier, who was known for his personal and professional battles with Muhammad Ali, has died at the age of 67 after a brief fight with cancer.

The youngest of 12 children, Frazier was born in 1944 into a working-class family on a farm in the racially-segregated southeastern U.S. town of Beaufort, South Carolina. Frazier dreamed of becoming a prize fighter from an early age, watching boxing matches on his family’s black-and-white television.

After fighting as an amateur for several years, Frazier won a gold medal for the United States at the 1964 Olympic Games.  But “Smokin’ Joe” Frazier really made his name in the 1970s during his epic rivalry with boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Frazier became the first man to beat Ali, winning the heavyweight title in 1971 in a dramatic, 15-round unanimous decision at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Dubbed the “fight of the century,” an estimated 300 million people worldwide viewed the match, which left both men hospitalized.

After Ali responded with a 12-round victory in 1974, the two men met in the Philippines for the famed “Thrilla in Manila,” considered as one of the most famous sporting events in history. After battering each other for 14 rounds, Frazier was forcibly held back by his trainer after nearly being blinded by Ali’s punches. Ali later said the match was the “closest thing to dying” that he had ever experienced.

The no-nonsense Frazier was often overshadowed by Ali’s more aggressive and charismatic personality. Frazier resented being verbally attacked by Ali, who referred to him as a “gorilla” and accused Frazier of being too accommodating to the white-dominated society.

The two men remained bitter enemies for decades. But in later years, Frazier came to forgive Ali, saying he felt no bitterness against him for his attacks outside the ring. Ali also later apologized, saying the insults were only meant to promote the fights. Ali said in a statement late Monday that “the world has lost a great champion,” and that he will always remember Joe with “respect and admiration.”

Frazier’s aggressiveness, close-range style and devastating left hook compensated for his relative small size. He weighed just 93 kilograms – considered small for a heavyweight boxer. Frazier retired in 1976 with a record of 32 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw.  The boxing icon’s family said late Monday that he died in his adopted hometown of Philadelphia – one month after being diagnosed with an advanced form of liver cancer.

Source : www.bbc.co.uk

Continue Reading | comments (1)

Drinking 8 Glasses Of Water A Day Is ‘Nonsense,’ Doc Says

Thursday 29 December 2011

The health recommendation to drink six to eight glasses of water a day is “thoroughly debunked nonsense,” a doctor wrote this week in a commentary in the British Medical Journal.

Many health departments and organizations tout the need to drink that much water every day, but there is no high-quality scientific evidence to support the recommendation, wrote Dr. Margaret McCartney, a general practitioner based in Scotland.

Some organizations backed by bottled-water makers — such as Hydration for Health, created by the makers of Volvic and Evian — say that it’s important to drink 1.5 to 2 liters (about 6 to 8 cups) of water a day, and that being even mildly dehydrated plays a role in disease development, McCartney wrote.

However, no such claims have ever been confirmed in studies, she said, and drinking too much water can actually be dangerous by causing low blood sodium levels (a condition called hyponatraemia) and exposing people to pollutants in the water.

“People still think that we’re all going to die or our kidneys will shrivel up if we don’t drink eight cups of water a day,” McCartney told Postmedia News. “From what I can see, there’s never been any evidence in the medical literature about it.”

The first recommendation to drink six to eight glasses of water a day has been traced back to a 1945 U.S. research paper, but even that isn’t for certain, Postmedia News reported.

The Guardian reported that humans’ thirst mechanisms are so sophisticated that if our bodies are in need of water, they’ll let us know by making us thirsty.

Continue Reading | comments (4)