FRESH AIR In his new book, The Devil We Know, former CIA operative Robert Baer argues that Iran is an up-and-coming — and often misunderstood — superpower, with strong influences throughout the Middle East. “The sooner we understand the Iranian paradox — who they are, what they want, how they want to both humble us and work with us — the sooner we’ll understand how to come to terms with the new Iranian superpower,” writes Baer. Baer’s previous book, See No Evil, was the basis for the George Clooney film Syriana. RADIO TIMES Hour 1 What’s your favorite song? Album? […]
THIS JUST IN: The Boss Will Rock Superbowl
THIS JUST IN: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will play the half-time slot at the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, snagging the most-watched musical showcase of the year, according to the organizers. This year, more than 148 million viewers in the U.S. watched Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers play at the championship game of American football, the National Football League said on Sunday. The Super Bowl, scheduled for February 1, will be televised by NBC. MORE ALSO: Federal regulators on Sunday night were pressing for the sale of yet another troubled bank — this time, the Wachovia Corporation […]
WAR ON ERROR: Phanatic Mistaken For Evil Doer
ASSOCIATED PRESS: PHILADELPHIA — After a bomb scare at the Philadelphia Phillies’ ballpark, authorities pointed the finger at a fuzzy green suspect: The Phillie Phanatic. Hours before the Phillies-Atlanta Braves’ game on Wednesday night, a film crew shot a commercial of the mascot shooting heavily wrapped hot dogs from a launcher. But someone inadvertently left three of the duct taped hot dogs outside the ballpark, sparking security fears. Stadium employees were evacuated and the bomb squad was called in. Only after the packages were blown up did authorities realize they’d just exploded some sausages. MORE
GOODNIGHT BEIJING: All Over But The Shouting
[SOURCE: ESPN] ESPN: At last year’s China’s Cities Games, Chinese officials decided to move He Kexin, who won two gold medals during the Beijing Games, from a local team to the national team. China’s deputy sports minister Cui Dalin said Sunday that it was during this transfer that a “misunderstanding appeared” about her age. It was at last year’s China’s Cities Games that the Chinese government’s news agency, Xinhua, identified He as one of “10 big new stars” who made a splash at the event and gave her age as 13 in a Nov. 3, 2007 report. If the age […]
BEIJING: Shawn John Snags Gold
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SPORTO: Sixers Make Iggy The $80 Million Man
BLEACHER REPORT: You’ve got to love the superlatives analysts use to describe up and coming stars in sports. From “freakish ability” to “a great motor” to “outstanding length”, the words roll of the tongue beautifully. Andre Iguodala is a guy who fits all three of those characterizations. He plays with heart and is a one of the fastest players in the NBA, turning on the motor for many a fast-break dunk. His length allows him to soar above the rim and his freakish ability guides him all over the court, on defense and offense. This past season, Iguodala was a […]
GOLDFINGER: Officially The Greatest Of All Time
ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENT I owe you all an apology. The one day I don’t file a dispatch, all the shit hits the Olympic fan. First, Phelps won his seventh gold of the ’08 Games. Damn. But what a race! This was the 100m fly, which as you may recall, is one of Phelps weaker events – in that he is best in mid-distance events. Coming off the 50m mark, Phelps was in seventh place, and even heading into the final wall, it looked like he would lose. Then he pulled some weird half-stroke super-lunge, and ended up winning […]
GOLDFINGER: Michael Phelps Wins Seventh Gold
NEW YORK TIMES: BEIJING — Michael Phelps has caught Mark Spitz, 36 years after his record haul of seven gold medals at the Munich Games. Now it may take only a day for Spitz to be left behind. Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly Saturday morning here, coming from behind to out-touch Milorad Cavic of Serbia by one-hundredth of a second and claim his seventh gold medal of the Beijing Games. Cavic led almost the entire race, but as Cavic glided in to the wall, Phelps took another stroke to grab the victory with a time of 50.58 seconds. Phelps will […]
OLYMPIAD: Here Comes The Strokes
BY ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENT Yesterday, I wrote about Dara Torres and the slant-eye scandal. I promised I’d write about Crocker and Lochte today, but I’m feeling sorta “ehh…” about them, so we’re going to talk about strokes instead. For the swimmers among us, this will be Remedial Swimming 101. I apologize. Everyone else, listen up. (And double apologies for the vids, which are of course as campy as I could possibly find.) There are four competitive strokes currently swum in the Olympics today – the freestyle (i.e., the crawl stroke), the backstroke, the breaststroke, and the butterfly. Of […]
OLYMPIAD: Meet Dara Torres — Mom, Medalist, MILF
BY ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENT Well, hopefully this is not news to you – if it is, my columns have not sparked the appropriate level of US Olympic Swimming ardor that I’m looking for from all of you. Phelps won his fourth and fifth gold medals yesterday, in the 4×200 free relay and the 200 butterfly. The relay was the fun race to watch because the US team didn’t so much as beat their opponents as they did spank them silly. USA! USA! So Phelps took the lead over the four Olympians who were tied for the most golds […]
GOLDFINGER: Michael Phelps Snags Fifth Gold Making Him The Most Decorated Olympian In Olympic History
[Illustration by ALEX FINE] BY ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENT First things first: I want to call your attention to this amazing race, my favorite by far of Phelps and company. Phelps actually led the relay, swimming a scorching 47.5 seconds for the leg of the relay. Now, unlike other swim events, individual relay legs are almost uniformly faster than the same distance might be in a stand-alone event. There are two reasons for this – one, a swimmer can anticipate when to dive, instead of having to react to a bell or air horn. You’ll see your teammate zooming […]
BEIJING: Why Michael Phelps Sleeps With The Fishes
BY ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH, OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENT: Right, Phawkerites. Late to the party, but hopefully still fashionably so, I come bringing a crash course in the US phenom that is Michael Phelps and Olympic swimming. I’ll be updating you every day until the conclusion of his quest to win eight gold medals at this Olympics. As I’m writing this, Phelps has just attempted his 200-meter freestyle race and the won the semifinals in the 200 meter butterfly. For those of you who didn’t spend their formative years in the pool, here’s a basic rundown of Olympic swimming and Phelps’ quest this […]
All Of This Happened While You Were Sleeping
LET THE GAMES BEGIN: Chinatown Celebrates The Olympic Opening Ceremonies + Making Time, Last Night [Photos by TIFFANY YOON] XINHUANET: PHILADELPHIA, the United States, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) — Chinatown in Philadelphia, Pa., turned into a sea of jubilance Friday night as thousands of local Chinese Americans and citizens gathered here to celebrate the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics over 10,000 km away.The event, named “evening of champions,” would “celebrate the spirit of Olympiad, capture the excitement of the Olympic Games and help to showcase the Chinese tradition and culture,” said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who also wished both Chinese […]