I’m ready for an adventure as we sail round Britain

Saturday and it is two days till the start of the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race.
I’m lucky enough to be doing it with some great sailors on a VO 70 that did the last Round the World Race.
The boat is Telefónica Blue – one of the fastest VO70s from the last Volvo Ocean Race-, [...]

By Neal McDonald | Sport | Friday, 20 August 2010 at 1:02 pm

Games review roundup: Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days; Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light; Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World; We Sing Encore

A weekly review roundup of the newest games available, this week featuring: relentless action in Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days; a new perspective for Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light; seven evil ex’s in Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and karaoke for the family courtesy of We Sing Encore.

By Michael Plant | Games, Notebook | Friday, 20 August 2010 at 9:20 am

Was Dr Crippen innocent of his wife’s murder?

At some point, the Catch-Up Service will reach the end of July. But first, number 379 in my series of Questions to Which the Answer is No. This was asked by the BBC on 29 July, and includes the immortal quotation from Hawley Crippen upon his arrest:
I am not sorry; the anxiety has been too [...]

By John Rentoul | Eagle Eye | Friday, 20 August 2010 at 9:06 am

Must watch: The Roger Federer Overture

While filming his latest commercial for Gillette, tennis ace Roger Federer served up a trick shot that his fellow countryman William Tell would have been proud of.

By Simon Rice | Sport | Thursday, 19 August 2010 at 5:57 pm

“Vision, courage and compassion”

Right, we have fallen a little behind. The Chilcot Coverage Rebuttal Service has not yet had a chance to comment on the reporting of the evidence given by John Prescott, the former Deputy Prime Minister, on 30 July.
Worst offender was, again, my own newspaper, The Independent, which saw fit to devote its front page to a [...]

By John Rentoul | Eagle Eye | Thursday, 19 August 2010 at 4:57 pm

Fever Ray cover Peter Gabriel. Be afraid.

I’ve been listening again this week to Fever Ray’s freaky/brilliant brand of dark electronica from the 2009 self-titled album. It scares the bejeesus out of me and beguiles in equal measuare. I’m pleased, then, to see some fresh music emerge from the Swede (aka Karin Dreijer Andersson of the Knife).
NME have just premiered a new [...]

By Larry Ryan | Arts | Thursday, 19 August 2010 at 4:40 pm

Why Barcelona and Real Madrid will be desperate to dominate the most intense La Liga in memory

Football fans the world over were treated and tantalised during the summer’s festival of football by Spain’s poetry of possession and artistry of approach.
The 2008 European Champions dished out lesson after lesson in ball retention to their most acclaimed challengers, occasionally having to physically-fight against adversity, until they rightfully claimed football’s most cherished prize.
But those [...]

By Samuel Green | Sport | Thursday, 19 August 2010 at 3:44 pm

Hollywood’s million dollar call-girl operation

Documentary ‘Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam’  (1995) is an exposé of Hollywood’s multi-million-dollar call-girl operation, and the woman behind it all, by acclaimed director Nick Broomfield.
You can watch it here or on Babelgum.com WARNING: Contains scenes of an adult nature.

By Matilda Battersby | Arts | Thursday, 19 August 2010 at 3:12 pm

Top of the posts: Littlejohn, Rooney and Hari

“Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Our top blog posts of the last week.”

By Larry Ryan | Notebook | Thursday, 19 August 2010 at 2:43 pm

Banter, beauty and a Bovril. Nothing compares to live football

It’ll be Fulham’s first home game of the season on Sunday, and not only that, it’s against Manchester United – always a highlight of any campaign. The match has been shifted to a Sunday at Rupert Murdoch’s behest, but I won’t be watching it on TV, but instead from the Hammersmith End – and quite [...]

By Simon Rice | Sport | Thursday, 19 August 2010 at 2:16 pm