Man, I bet this guy was pissed when Randy Lerner bought the club

Birmingham ain’t that nice, but it’s got to be better than Helmland. From today’s London Times:

There are even reports of British Muslims on the battlefield, with one dead Taleban fighter in Helmland found recently sporting an Aston Villa football club tattoo.

There is some kinda crazy-ass irony to the fact that one of Villa’s managing directors is Chuck Krulak. How wild is that coincidence?

Oh yeah, and the article is worthwhile even without this little tidbit, so check it out.

Why are people still dying at soccer games?

Seriously, it’s 2009.

At least 22 people were killed yesterday in Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast, when a wall collapsed at the Houphouet-Boigny stadium as spectators tried to enter. Apparently some ticket-holders were denied entry, leading to crowd trouble that resulted in the crushing deaths of a score of people and the wounding of over 100. Police, fearing riots after scuffles broke out in the overcrowded stadium, fired teargas into the crowd; some reports suggest that the gas exacerbated the panic. Officials are blaming the ruckus on people without tickets who bribed their way past security and into the stadium.

MLS Cup XII

I’m changing things up a little bit today. It’s been a while since I’ve written, which is mostly as a result of the new job. For one thing, I have a lot less free time. For another, I don’t feel as comfortable about expressing my opinions on international affairs as I’m now a sort of government functionary/bureaucrat. I’m sure I’ll eventually get over that, but for today: soccer!