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If only

Brilliantly edited

Thanks for tip Jim

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Grabbing a place in the last eight

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+ + + BONUS FEATURE + + +

Exclusive interview with Prediction Game leader, DK Willy. I asked DKW earlier today what the secret of his success was.

“Firstly, it’s important to have a clean space. I lock myself in the shed with a bottle of sherry, some matches dipped in wax and the Beano annual, 1976. I pin up a world cup wallchart next to a picture of Terry Butcher and then close my eyes. Chanting the words of Robert De Niro’s waiting, I throw part-sucked Werther’s Originals at the fixtures. When they land on a team, I mark a cross in my special book.”
So that, kids, is how WINNERS do it.

46 DK Willy DK
43 anybody but england Gordon “Scotland was robbed” Crawford
43 Terry’s Tackle Andy Young
43 Hand of Dog Tim Donnelly Smith
42 Lorem Ipsum Jon D
41 TwoHalves Tom Laidlaw
40 On the ball city Simon Barnes
40 Peter Reid’s Love Child Andrew Hartland
40 carlosfandango Carl Mesner Lyons
39 Dylan’s Cosmic Sister Kate Williamson
38 Scotland’s Revenge Andrew Robb
38 Estuary England Darren Gavigan
38 Guinness Original Martin Borrett
37 It’s been a long road Paul Conroy
37 The Andrews Family Ethan and Finn Andrews
36 SoccerBowl XIX Paul Revy
36 it is now jim chambers
36 Outlaw Alex
36 Magic Sponge David Crook
36 Golden ‘Berry’ Balls Berry
35 El Pringle Keith Pringle
35 hand of job david hickson
35 Roger Milla Matthew Woodeson
34 The Wizard of Dribble Stephen “Stan” Matthews
34 Danish Bacon Nik Goodman
34 Rooney Who? Chris Boulter
33 Twoshedz Twoshedz
32 The Italian Stallion Eddie Vassallo
29 roar times three Rory
28 keegan’s fro Deana
28 Jules ‘Rimmer’ Dan McGrath
26 World Cup Widow Sally Mesner Lyons
24 Totalfootball Nick T
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From the preface to ‘Milton a Poem’, 1804

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Three thoughts on the world cup

1. I hope Argentina win
If England don’t do it, I’d love for the South Americans to lift the
trophy – in particular Diego Maradona. Most other managers seem to
have a clinical, corporate, scientific approach, so it has been
refreshing to see a maverick talent flourish. I love the team spirit
he has created and applaud his loco training tactics. If only sport
had more like him.

2. Don’t show me the money
It is vulgar and thoughtless to keep bringing it back to money. “At x
million a week they should try harder”, or “I spent thousands coming
down here”. Do we really have to take everything back to a crass
economic level? As it happens, money does not motivate in itself and
who cares what you have spent? You’re not the centre of the universe
and you have no particular right to be entertained, whatever you have
spent. The world cup is a wonderful spectacle in itself. Enjoy it.

3. England’s ugly imperialism
Unlike the commentators, I despair when I see stadia bedecked in flags
saying “West Ham”, “Crewe” etc. Where other nations seem there to have
fun (dancing with wigs) or display happiness (“Feel it, Ghana is
here”), we seem stuck in a timewarp, wishing to scare the locals with
peurile tribalism. Wit has always been a feature of banners and songs
at club matches and it could be for England.

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Giant nipple or crashed spaceship

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Notable local garden artefact

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Pen portrait (well, landscape)

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Convalescing dog update. Dylan had her six week post-op checkup after
having a plate inserted in her front leg to offset the crippling
effect of elbow dysplasia.

She is now strong & stable enough to wander around unprotected, but
still can’t run, jump or slip for six more weeks.

In practice, this has meant we have all been housebound, but with the
weather so nice we have set up her old puppy pen on the decking to
allow her to safely bake-snooze-bake in the sun, and us to enjoy a cup
of tea and read in the garden.

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day of the tripods

Photography is, of course, a constant learning exercise – and that’s part of the pleasure and satisfaction. 

On a recent road trip to the USA, I thought I would take a tripod but also lazily get by with handheld shots wherever possible. I kinda knew that I should keep shutter speed to a minimum of 1/125 to cope with shake, and thought all would be OK. However, after snapping Mt Rushmore, just as an experiment, I also took a shot with the tripod.

The difference in clarity is smack-in-the-face. I stand chastised and will now always pack a tripod

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USA win world cup of geography

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Prediction game FACT, sponsored by Toblerone: no-one predicted the Swiss would ‘roll’ over the Spanish. El lolololols all round.

Your predictions for tomorrow’s international food fight: France v Mexico

Cheating French to win (while cheating)
Paul Revy
Twoshedz
Gordon “Scotland was robbed” Crawford
Rory
Ethan and Finn Andrews
Alex
Andrew Hartland
David Crook
Tim Donnelly Smith
Sally Mesner Lyons
Kate Williamson
Nik Goodman
Chris Boulter

Drawn out draw
Keith Pringle
Simon Barnes
Nick T
Paul Conroy
DK
Stephen “Stan” Matthews
Andrew Robb
Darren Gavigan
Carl Mesner Lyons
david hickson
Jon D
Dan McGrath
Matthew Woodeson

Hasta la vista, hombres
Eddie Vassallo
jim chambers
Andy Young
Deana
Tom Laidlaw
Martin Borrett
Berry

Overall standings at end Wednesday
1st= 11 Dylan’s Cosmic Sister
2nd= 10 Estuary England
2nd= 10 Lorem Ipsum
2nd= 10 Roger Milla
5th= 9 El Pringle
5th= 9 It’s been a long road
5th= 9 Outlaw
5th= 9 Terry’s Tackle
5th= 9 Hand of Dog
5th= 9 carlosfandango
11th= 8 Twoshedz
11th= 8 DK Willy
11th= 8 Scotland’s Revenge
14th= 7 On the ball city
14th= 7 SoccerBowl XIX
14th= 7 roar times three
14th= 7 The Andrews Family
14th= 7 Peter Reid’s Love Child
14th= 7 TwoHalves
14th= 7 Danish Bacon
14th= 7 Rooney Who?
22nd= 6 The Italian Stallion
22nd= 6 Totalfootball
22nd= 6 anybody but england
22nd= 6 The Wizard of Dribble
22nd= 6 World Cup Widow
22nd= 6 hand of job
22nd= 6 Jules ‘Rimmer’
22nd= 6 Guinness Original
oof 5 it is now
oof 5 Magic Sponge
oof 5 keegan’s fro
oof 5 Golden ‘Berry’ Balls

Thanks to Tim for the picture. If you see anything funny, please send it over
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That Rob Green moment. In Lego.

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Prediction game FACT: only Deana had Paraguay down to beat Italy.

1st= 8 Terry’s Tackle Andy Young
1st= 8 Dylan’s Cosmic Sister Kate Williamson
3rd= 7 It’s been a long road Paul Conroy
3rd= 7 Hand of Dog Tim Donnelly Smith
3rd= 7 Estuary England Darren Gavigan
6th= 6 El Pringle Keith Pringle
6th= 6 DK Willy DK
6th= 6 Outlaw Alex
6th= 6 Peter Reid’s Love Child Andrew Hartland
6th= 6 Lorem Ipsum Jon D
6th= 6 TwoHalves Tom Laidlaw
6th= 6 Roger Milla Matthew Woodeson
6th= 6 Rooney Who? Chris Boulter
14th= 5 On the ball city Simon Barnes
14th= 5 Totalfootball Nick T
14th= 5 Twoshedz Twoshedz
14th= 5 Scotland’s Revenge Andrew Robb
14th= 5 carlosfandango Carl Mesner Lyons
14th= 5 hand of job david hickson
20th= 4 The Italian Stallion Eddie Vassallo
20th= 4 SoccerBowl XIX Paul Revy
20th= 4 anybody but england Gordon “Scotland was robbed” Crawford
20th= 4 roar times three Rory
20th= 4 The Wizard of Dribble Stephen “Stan” Matthews
20th= 4 The Andrews Family Ethan and Finn Andrews
20th= 4 Magic Sponge David Crook
20th= 4 keegan’s fro Deana
20th= 4 World Cup Widow Sally Mesner Lyons
20th= 4 Jules ‘Rimmer’ Dan McGrath
20th= 4 Danish Bacon Nik Goodman
20th= 4 Guinness Original Martin Borrett
Oof 3 it is now jim chambers
Oof 3 Golden ‘Berry’ Balls Berry

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/video/2010/jun/14/world-cup-2010-england-usa-brick
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At least someone’s happy

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After five games (as at Saturday night):

4 DK Willy
4 Terry’s Tackle
4 Dylan’s Cosmic Sister
4 Estuary England
3 El Pringle
3 It’s been a long road
3 Outlaw
3 Peter Reid’s Love Child
3 Hand of Dog
3 hand of job
3 Lorem Ipsum
3 TwoHalves
2 On the ball city
2 Twoshedz
2 anybody but england
2 Scotland’s Revenge
2 Magic Sponge
2 keegan’s fro
2 carlosfandango
2 Danish Bacon
2 Roger Milla
2 Rooney Who?
1 The Italian Stallion
1 SoccerBowl XIX
1 roar times three
1 The Wizard of Dribble
1 The Andrews Family
1 it is now
1 World Cup Widow
1 Jules ‘Rimmer’
1 Guinness Original
1 Golden ‘Berry’ Balls
0 Totalfootball
Nick having a bit of a Rob Green there. 

As for today’s games, and this will be the only time I ever say this, COME ON AUSTRALIA!!
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Carl’s world cup prediction game

I’ve been doing world cup prediction games since 1990. Originally involving hand-drawn forms, then grainy photocopies of spreadsheets and finally entering the electronic age via email.

Now thanks to the cloudy web magic of google forms, it can all be web 2.0 and be easy-peasy for everyone.

Click to play

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