Andy Hudson

Earlier today I was lucky enough to have a Skype chat with soccer-enthusiast|activist Andy Hudson in Newcastle Upon Tyne. It was our first opportunity to catch up since the beginning of the World Cup and my first chance to get his impressions of England's performance and local reaction, the World Cup,  broader social issues and linked progressive fan-based initiatives.*

Below is an unedited .mp3 of our 1/2 hour or so-long conversation.* Apologies for the occasional technical|audio glitches–and the awkwardness of the interviewer.

July 9, 2010 - Andy Hudson

* Around 2/3rds of the way into the chat, Andy discusses his participation in international anti-racism soccer organizations. Related posts to follow.

[Graphic from Andy's Facebook page. Caption: "Family - St. James Park." Click to enlarge.]

Paul Picks Spain II

See earlier post below + Der Spiegel photo album: "Paul Picks Spain" and linked article: "Octopus Oracle: Paul Shatters German Hopes by Picking Spain"

"Paul's plumping for Spain ..."

BBC | Psychic Octopus

"Paul, from the Sea Life Aquarium in the western city of Oberhausen, chose a mussel from a jar with the Spanish flag instead of one with a German flag. ..."

[Thanks to AP in DC | Guadalajara for the tip.]

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art form | ballet | religion

"To the aesthete it is an art form, an athletic ballet.  To the spiritually inclined it is a religion."

-- Paul Gardner

[Graphic from "Goal 2010!" exhibition of the FIFA Fine Art Poster Portfolio at the Capital City Arts Initiative Courthouse Gallery in Carson City, Nevada. Caption: "Stadia II." 2004. By Ethiopian born artist Julie Mehretu.]

Sports | Politics | Race

Complement to an earlier post on a panel on sports, politics and race at the US Social Forum in Detroit, below is a link to the audio of the event.

KPFA | Hard Knock Radio

Featuring Author Dave Zirin, hard knock contributor and artist Favianna Rodriguez, South African Trevor Ngwane, an activist and organizer, and Mike James, co founder of Athletes United For Peace. The panel is moderated by  Davey D.

Listen

[Graphic from HKR website. NB: catch it while you can – KPFA notes that the audio archive will only be available until July 12, 2010.]

The Netherlands

The Netherlands
Population: 16,783,092

Median age: 40.8 years

Infant mortality rate: 4.66 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 79.55 years


Religions: Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42%

Ethnic Groups: Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other 4.8%

Literacy: 99%

School life expectancy: 16 years

GDP: [per capita] $39,200

[Selected  information from CIA World Factbook]