Philanthropy - Billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have launched what is believed to be the biggest fundraising drive in the history of philanthropy. They are urging other American billionaires to donate half their net worth to charity. Buffett and Gates are initially targeting the richest 400 Americans who have a combined net worth of $1.2 trillion (that's with a "T", in case you missed it), making for a potential charitable windfall of $600 billion. Gates has endowed the world's largest charitable foundation, to which Buffett has contributed $6.4 billion. Don't get me wrong. I think this is a really cool idea. It's just the skeptic in me that wonder just how generous this billionaires are likely to be with their net worth. I'm thinking that it was motivation to accumulate wealth that sort of got these folks into the billionaire's club in the first place.
Mexico - These guys are having quite the run with wacky headlines. What up India? Are you going to take this lying down or what? The Mexican stat of Nuevo Leon has put out a manual to train teachers and students how to respond if drug gangs attack a school. "When an explosion is heard," the manual says, "students should crouch with their chests to the ground and stay away from windows." Good advice. They could also take that time to make their peace with God...just in case. The manual also advises avoiding eye contact with gunmen. Like children don't have enough worries. Now they have to practice drills to avoid getting shot at in the classroom.
South Africa - Squeamish guys might just want to skip this item. It ain't pretty. South African are trying out a new anti-rape device, a female condom lined with hooks. The Rape-aXe, which is inserted like a tampon, has rows of hooks, which attach to a man's ... I think you get the idea here. The man cannot remove the device without a doctor's help. South Africa has the highest rate of rate in the world. A 2009 report by the nation's Medical Research Council found that 28% of South African men surveyed had committed rape. It's a simple concept, guys--No mean no. This device might seem a little harsh, but I have no sympathy...not even a little bit...for some dude that tries to get away with something like this. Serves the scumbag right.
Soccer - The knock out phase began this past Saturday and with it the hopes and dreams of many soccer fans. With only two slots remaining in the quarter finals here are the latest headlines:- If you are a U.S., time to start thinking about Brazil 2014. Ghana took out the U.S. 2-1 in extra time.
- If you are an English fan, EPL starts in another 6 weeks. England got taken out by Germany 4-1, no thanks to a ridiculous wave off of what was clearly a goal for England. Germany dominated in the second half, but one wonders what would have happened if the score was tied at half time...as it should have been.
- Newsflash #1: The South American confederation is wicked good. All 5 teams advanced to the knockout round. Only 4 remain but that's due largely to the fact that Brazil took on Chile in the Round of 16 and only one team could advance.
- Newsflash #2: The North American confederation is not so wicked good. None of the 3 teams from this confederation are still in the tournament. Honduras failed to advance out of group play, and the U.S. and Mexico both lost in the round of 16. Surprise, surprise, Mexico lost to Argentina.
- Finally, how many blown calls need to be made by the referees before some technology is introduced to the game. I appreciate tradition, but when an obvious error is made and the technology exists to correct it, why wouldn't you use it?
My winning percentage is getting dangerously close to 50%. I now stand at winning percentage of 46% (25 of 54). Clearly an indication that I am due for a major fall in the next couple of days..
My picks for advancing out of group play ended at 11 for 16:
- Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay,
France - Group B: Argentina,
Nigeria, South Korea, Greece - Group C: England, United States, Algeria, Slovenia
- Group D: Germany, Australia,
Serbia, Ghana - Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan,
Cameroon - Group F:
Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia - Group G (aka Group of Death): Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal
- Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile
My picks for the Round of 16 are also doing pretty well, with only one loss so far:- Uruguay vs. South Korea
United States vs. Ghana- Germany vs. England
- Argentina vs. Mexico
- Netherlands vs. Slovakia
- Brazil vs. Chile
- Paraguay vs. Japan
- Spain vs. Portugal
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