David Beckham To Miss The World Cup

David Beckham and England's hopes for a World Cup were dealt a massive blow tonight. Becks limped off in the latter stages of the 1-0 Milan victory against Chievo. However, his piecemeal contributions will be remembered less than the chillingly auspicious grimace as the game moved toward full time.

The news, originally delivered by Sky Sports(in Italian), leaves major doubt over his fitness for the World Cup with early reports suggesting he will be out for 5-8 months. Assuming the reports are correct, the world has likely seen David Beckham compete for the last time on the world's biggest stage.

While Clarence Seedorf's 91st minute strike saved Milan blushes but what will become of the most recognizable face in football?

The moment that ended a dream:

More Blackwater Allegations Surface

Two former Blackwater employees are suing the company for mismanagement of several millions of dollars. Couple Brian and Melan Davis claim Blackwater double billed the government for services not covered under their contract. Two inspector audits estimate the excesses are approximately $55 million. The couple also claim Blackwater used unwarranted "excessive force" against Afghan and Iraqi civilians and even used funds to purchase a prostituted Filipino woman's services.

At the time of publication, the NY Times had not received comment from a Blackwater, now Xe, representative. However, the allegations are merely one amongst several that suggest such improprieties were rife within the organization.

Child Prostitution at the Super Bowl

With the Super Bowl less than 24 hours away, some interesting articles point to sordid practices that follows the competition across the country. Apparently prostituted individuals are trafficked into Super Bowl host cities and exploited for commercial gain. As conference playoffs wind down, pimps and traffickers alike are just winding up.

A 2008 article noted traveling prostitution rings flock to the well-attended event. Typically, these "circuit girls" would probe the lusts of wealthier patrons while evading ramped up police patrols. Approaching innocently, the women proposition potential buyers.

Former circuit girl Tammie Miller says, "I would walk up to them and ask them directions or some kind of help."

More recently, two dozen volunteers headed to Miami to rescue underage girls who were trafficked into prostitution. Their efforts, representative of a national response to sex trafficking, are saving lives in a place that "is known as a destination city for human trafficking" says Kristi House director Trudy Novicki.

Human trafficking is a $32 billion a year mechanism. According to the United Nations, sex trafficking represents $5 billion of that amount. As such, it is the number 2 source of income for organized crime syndicates and is outgrowing drugs and weapons in revenue.

Last year the group was able to rescue 24 children. Let's hope this year brings even more progress.

Tigers Tame City

A relieved Phil Brown walked away from today's match with a little less weight on his mind. The 2-1 win over Manchester City, move Hull out of the relegation zone but not out of danger. In the next 16 days Tigers will play 5 matches that will likely determine whether they remain in the EPL. If today is any indicator Brown's boys just may beat the drop.

Hull snatched the extended their lead after a 54th minute strike from George Boateng. The Ghanaian latched on to a poorly cleared corner from 18 yards out. The emphatic strike, enhanced by the Tiger's faithful, made City's comeback increasingly dubious.

Minutes later City responded but never really looked like the could take the lead. Standout performances by Jozy Altidore, Stephen Hunt and Jan Venegoor of Hesselink halted the men in blue.

Surely, the former will gain the most from today's win. Altidore has struggled to adapt to Hull and Phil Brown since he arrived on loan from Villareal in August. Today's effort was the American's first EPL goal in 19 appearances and lifted Hull to their first win in 11 games.

In the latter stages, Carlos Tevez embodied City's fighting spirit on the day. The Argentine won challenges while creating chances for a lackluster Adebayor. Despite a late flurry of attempts the Tigers stood firm until the whistle blew after 93 minutes.

In other news, Liverpool won the morale-building Merseyside derby 1-0. The win continues a 25 game win streak against the Evertonians. Manchester United further humbled Portsmouth in a 5-0 route.

Break Free

Often we equate fairness with some sort of parity however the world shows us this merely chimerical. Examples abound, from relationships or work, of things that seem unfair. This notion comes from conventional wisdom that espouses balance as equity.

Circumstances do not need to change. Rather, one must reframe one's perception and respond accordingly. When you push back against the problem you will probably fail on the first few attempts. However this exercises your creativity and makes one mentally agile for the future. In short, outsmart your problem.

Here are some tips to finding a solution:

• Do not react. Emotions can cloud your judgement and inspire a counterproductive response.
• Exhaust all possible solutions. The answer may not appear clear immediately however a quick brainstorm session creates.
• Think creatively. The most obvious answer is not always the best one.
• Stay positive. Commit yourself to finding a solution from the onset. A positive outlook is the common denominator between success and failure.

Until next time,

M

Myspace vs Facebook

I apologize for the hiatus however it is great to post again for my adoring readers. Moreover, this particular contribution diverges from previous ones since it does not analyze soccer.

The recent boom of social networking sites a la Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace sparked multiple discussions about social media in society. Granted less than a decade ago, the aforementioned sites did not exist. Mark Zuckerberg was still attending Phillips Exeter Academy, Twitter had not launched and blogging was hardly an afterthought for most Americans.

We are now fully aware how quickly technology can change. In the midst of our national crackdown on pedophilia it became clear not all social media was created equal. Chris Hansen catapulted himself to national prominance through to To Catch a Predator(TCP). A reality show that taped suspected predators engaging minors into suggestively sexual situations, TCP accomplished two ends. First, it addressed a serious social problem in catching predators. This end's nobility cannot be understated. According to Darkness2light, an organization that monitors sexual abuse, approximately 39 million Americans have been sexually abused. That's more than 1 in 10!

However, TCP and news reports routinely cited Myspace as the medium most successfully used by predators. One could also infer that Myspace was also the most successful at catching perpetrators. Regardless, it was soon apparent that social networking sites were no longer as safe as first assumed.

Facebook's DNA originally links it to Harvard, Zuckerberg's alma mater. Initially, only elite schools were admitted to Facebook's limited audience. Other colleges and universities were allowed to petition for admission into the new digital experiment. This blogger remembers when only top-tier schools, of which mine was one, populated the website.

Effectively, Facebook and Myspace emerged from two different business perspectives. The former developed from, frankly, an organic elitist growth model. Consequently, surpassed Myspace and has effectively cornered the social networking market. Perhaps the most ostensible gesture signaling a powershift was Facebook allowance of users as young as 13 to obtain membership. Previously, vulnerable minors were flocking to Myspace in droves but proved very portable when Myspace was no longer considered safe. Facebook also showed its massive appeal through recently released statistics indicating 70% of its users are outside the United States.

Alternatively, Myspace developed its growth model around a populist appeal. It was the "cool" place to set up your personal page. With stories like high school millionaire Ashley Qualls, Myspace seemed like the perfect business and social platform. American Idol sensation, Ryan Starr, was also discovered on Myspace.

In the fashion of all things boom there tends to be a bust. However Myspace defies this trend. Myspace sits comfortably ahead in terms of its memberships possibly due to an emphasis on promoting various artists and advertising.

The jury is still out on which site is more dominant. Many argue that Facebook, backed by Microsoft, has maintained a public image that will slowly win over social media users. The other camp, ruled by Myspace and Rupert Murdock, suggest its user population- 110 million to Facebook's 60 million- present an insurmountable appeal. As usual time will be the best judge.

Until next time,

M

You Mean They Don't Do This All Year?

So much has transpired since my last post! Today was deadline day for all EPL player transfers with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United sticking to their guns. None of the Big Four decided to increase their payrolls or dole out several million pounds on last-minute prospects.

However, Tottenham snapped up Croatian midfielder Niko Kranjcar, who previously topped Arsenal's short list, beating out interest from Everton. This is yet another example of Harry "Houdini" attracting quality talent. Surely, the ex-Portsmouth player will be in pleased to leave Pompey's sinking ship and bolster the Tottenham midfield.

Everton made amends acquiring Johnny Heitinga from Athletico Madrid for 6M pounds. The 25 year old is a versatile defender that can play defensive midfield when called upon. He should fill in nicely for the void at center back due to Joleon Lescott's absence. I am interested to see how well he adapts to the Premier League as the Eiredivisie is nearly a universe away in playing style.

Well, continue to check regularly for football(soccer) updates, musings, and additional miscellaneous information. I will try to update the page more regularly as I have more time with Fall's arrival.

Cheers!