bleungberg.com

Bleungberg has just returned from a long weekend in Belgium - his 15th trip to one of the most underrated countries of Western Europe.

Essentially, the trip was partly to celebrate the country’s 177th birthday, but also because the country might not have another national day if the political crisis persists, with the Flemish parties determined to break away and leave the impoverished Walloon to fend for itself.

That would be a terrible shame but there isn’t much that we can do about it as outsiders. So, let’s reflect on a couple of interesting points that we picked up from Belgium this time round:

1) Belgians are really patient when crossing roads. No one jaywalks, and no one dares to cross unless it’s green man. Interesting.

2) There are lots and lots of women in headscarves - much more so than ever before. I’m sure I would’ve noticed that before but since I was surprised by how many Muslim women I saw, then I guess a lot more are wearing them now than ever before.

3) Belgium may not be big - but it has some of the most authentic-looking and atmospheric ethnic enclaves in Europe, with les Marolles and Schaarbeek offering visitors a genuine feel of being somewhere in the Africa and the Middle East respectively.

Looking at this picture, Bleungberg couldn’t help but think that Critiano Ronaldo looks:

a) like a well-toned Sri Lankan.

b) those aliens at Roswell. Roasted.

Well, at least it wasn’t Helen Worth, aka Gail Platt from Coronation Street!

Matthew Broderick is alleged to have enjoyed late-night trysts with a redhead counsellor in New York whilst his famous wife was off shooting ‘Sex And The City’ late last year. The affair was said to have lasted for four to five months, and when confronted by reporters about the matter, Broderick neither confirmed nor denied it.

Whilst watching BBC2’s tribute programme to the late, great Sir Charles Wheeler - the BBC’s longest-serving foreign correspondent - Bleungberg had the chance to rewatch a clip of JFK addressing an euphoric crowd in West Berlin in 1961, as a rallying call to the isolated people of this tiny enclave amidst a communist world.

To us, JFK just seemed so charismatic and the fact that he changed his speech numeorus times - right up to moments before he was due on stage in order to capture the rapturous mood of the adoring crowd. (see below)

Compare and contrast that with Barack Obama’s effort in Berlin today, one couldn’t help but think that Obama was trying to evoke something far more epoch-defining that it was supposed to represent. Aside from JFK, Ronald Regean also made a famous speech during his presidency in front of the Brandenberg Gate, calling for Mikhail Gorbachov to ‘tear down this war’, and it was very deliberate on Obama’s part to make such a speech in Berlin.

I can understand why he did it or chose the city to boost his foreign credentials. But I just cannot get past the fact that he is still a mere senator, and could easily lose the election.

Should that happen, then it was not just a futile speech, but a complete waste of money. More importantly, it would signal defeat for yet another presidential candidate loved by Europe - but one who fails to get into the White House.

Bleungberg is rather annoyed that the trial of Canoe Man John Darwin and Anne Darwin is over so soon - bearly seven months after they hit the headlines.

Both were sentenced to languish in jail for six years for fraud and money-laundering, after some devastating testimonies by their sons who had been bitterly betrayed by their heartless parents.

A shame really, as Bleungberg is already missing those vampish teeth of Mrs Darwin!

Two weeks to go before the Beijing Olympics, and yet another security lapse in China.

Or so it would seem.

Two busese were bombed along the same stretch of road in the southwestern city of Kunming on Tuesday during rush-hour, killing one and injuring dozens.

The Chinese have blamed it on Muslim separatists from the Xinjiang province way out in the west, and recent security swoops and dawn raids have yielded numerous arrests and killings against this ‘internal enemy’.

Prior to this year, Chinese Muslims had caused no problem on the mainland for well over a decade, and this sudden surge can only be attributed to the proximity of the Beijing Olympics - much like the Tibetans’ well-timed protest in the spring which was only halted when Sichiun was struck by a massive earthquake, and protesting against a stricken government would’ve been bad taste.

Now though, with sympathies wearing off and time running out before the Olympics, it would seem that Chinese Muslims are doing their best to sabotage the Games.

But nothing is straightforward in China. I have no doubt that these talks and reportings of aircraft hijackings and bus bombs were in fact pre-emptive strikes by the Chinese security service. Plant something - what’s a few innocent Chinese lives anyway if we can flush out these dissident Muslims - and pretend it’s a terrorist attack, and then use it as an excuse for a security crackdown. Bingo!

Besides, the good news for the Chinese government is that no one will check into these bombs; with patriotism at an all-time high after the earthquake - even in Hong Kong - and in the run up to the Games, any investigative journalism would have been stifled any treated as the equivalent of being traitorous.

And we all know what happens to traitors in China, don’t we?

He might have won the high court battle against the News of the World.

He might have survived a vote of no-confidence at an FIA emergency meeting in Paris by intimidating the lesser confederations into submission.

He might have weathered the storm after being snubbed by sheikhs and royalty at various Grand Prix events around the world.

But this has been a pyrrhic victory for evil.

To bleungberg, Max Mosley, FIA Chairman is still a dirty, filthy, wrinkly old cunt. We have nothing against his fetish for severe lashings or S&M orgies until his saggy bum bleeds like hell. However, we really do object to his arrogance and unrepentence whilst continuing to swan off around the world in his private jet, bemoaning the stress all this had caused him, as if he was the victim of a sting.

He moane incessantly d about the humiliation he has had to endure after the tabloid’s expose, and that it had caused his family considerable heartache, in particular, his devoted wife.

Well, I’m sorry, but didn’t he bring it upon himself? As a married man, he should’ve known better and been more responsibility in controlling his wrinkly penis. His reputation is in tatters, but his long-suffering wife has to suffer far worse than just the loss of dignity. This is an unforgivable betrayal for Mrs Mosley who probably wondered what his multi-millionaire husband was upto in some of the most glamorous parts of the world.

If Mrs Mosley had any senses, she should subject her randy cunt of a sick husband to conselling, and to immediately file for divorce - sue the fucker, bankrupt him, and let him rot in hell.

Iran, Israel and the US are at it again. They’re upping the ante, increasing the rhetoric, launching missile tests and moving their strategic defenses into place as war becomes more of a possibility.

That’s interesting given how weak all three governments are - Israel’s Ehud Olmert is facing corruption charges and could lose the election in September. Meanwhile, the White House is counting the days till Bush and Cheney leave office.

In Tehran, President Ahmadenejad is doing poorly in the opinion polls thanks to his failure to combat rampant inflation, ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Three weak leaders - all hoping to go out with a bang just to win votes or secure a long-lasting legacy. Dangerous games for the rest of us - innocent civilians will die - and those along the Gulf are most at risk - and oil prices will be sure to go through the roof!

Last night marked the end of an era on French television as TFI’s star anchor, Patrick Poivre d’Arvor presented the flagship 20.00 bulletin for the last time after a 21 years.

The longest tenure in world news presenting - apparently - was cut short when PPDA compared Nicolas Sarkozy to a child in a recent interview which angered the diminutive the French president. Unfortunately for PPDA, his boss happens to be a great buddy of Sarkozy, and ultimately led to the anchorman’s early sacking.

What’s interesting about this is that prior to Sarkozy, PPDA had ruled the newsroom with fear, anchored to the presenter’s desk for 21 years, ruling the airwaves with massive audience figures, whilst seemingly immune to criticism (bias and fake reporting), sexual misconduct (with the weekend anchor), corruption and alleged political bias.

In the book, ‘Madame, Monsieur, Bonsoir’, penned by five disgruntled ex-TF1 news employees, PPDA was described as ‘irascible…everyone is on the lookout for his rages. They are feared, destructive and wounding.”

When a young reporter asked for more air time with a story, he apparently snapped and raged, “Consider that on my news, just your voice behind pictures is already an immense privilege.”

So it is surprising there has been near-universal outrage at his ousting from the anchor desk - even amongst PPDA’ s harshest critics. No doubt, some are sad to see him go; others are probably furious at the manner of his dismissal: by SMS whilst PPDA watched the French Open final at Roland Garros which basically gave him four weeks’ notice, just as PPDA normally goes on his annual six-week break.

Undoubtedly though, it is the increasing interference by Sarkozy in the media which is of the utmost concern to the public. Last month, employees at rival France Television protested at Sarkozy’s plan to scrap advertising on the public broadcaster’s TV channels, which effectively gave commerical broadcaster TF1 a monopoly on advertising. The public is rightly outraged by what they regard as a massive cash windfall for the station - estimated to be €800m - as it competes with numerous satellite stations for ads revenue, and at huge expense to the state broadcaster. The omens aren’t good, and the French media could well go down the route of the Italians whereby Berlusconi not only has friends in high places at newspapers and TV stations - he owns half of them!

It’s not all bad news though - PPDA’s days were probably numbered anyway as his head gets bigger and ego becoming even more unmanageable. Besides, at 60, he wasn’t getting any younger. So, just take a look at this fittie’s who’s replacing PPDA: the gorgeous 42-year-old Laurence Ferrari - brains and beauty to go with the best news theme in the world. As the French would say, “Super!”

For the first time in Bleungberg’s life, the men’s singles final at Wimbledon became an unbearable - and often - unwatchable affair. Everyone said the 2007 final between Federer and Nadal was a memorable one though it was fairly forgettable in my opinion.

The 2008 renewal, however, was gripping from start to finish as so much was at stake for both players: Federer to win six on a trot, and Nadal to make it a unique Roland Garros-Queen’s-Wimbledon triple-crown.

Finals have a habit of being something of a damp squib and after a shockingly good fortnight of Grand Slam tennis, a terrible final would have been a horrible anti-climax.

Having sat through some pretty dull finals down the years - the Hewiit-Nalbadian match in 2002 springs to mind - it looked a distinct possibility with Nadal racing through the opening two-and-a-quarter sets before the rain came to the rescue of Federer, followed by a late resurgence before an unforgettable conclusion at 9.15pm in near darkness.

Great finals stick in my mind - the 2000 and 2001 versions were pretty damn good - but nothing compared to 2008’s 4h48m epic.

Federer will now have to regroup and re-focus his energy on his two remaining targets this summer: the Olympics and the US Open. He had told his critics who had predicted his demise to back off until after the summer, and frankly, so much will be riding on Flushing Meadows now.

Nadal has a habit of underperforming in the second half of the season - in fact, it tails right off the moment Wimbledon finishes as his fragile kneecaps succumb to the hard court season in the US and Canada.

We sincerely hope that he will be fit and ready for the challenge as he will now be gunning for his third consecutive Grand Slam. Federer will be gunning for his fifth title in New York, and still chasing Pete Sampras’s all-time record of 14 Slam victories to the Swiss’s 12. The number 1 status is at stake, as is Federer’s future in tennis (perhaps). So much will be riding on the final come Sunday night on the 7th September.

The next year will be very interesting for those of us who follow this wonderful sport. Will Federer win any of the Slams in the next year? If and when he loses his number 1 ranking, the pressure will be off him at Wimbledon, and on Nadal at both Wimbledon and Roland Garros. Federer could well still be in hunt for Sampras’s record but definitely not as intense as now. It could well be wise for Federer to concentrate solely on Roland Garros next year, and claim to become the fifth men ever to have won on all four surfaces.

A few final thoughts:

1) Much has been said about both men breaking or equalling Bjorn Borg’s record this year. Bleungberg was three months old when Borg won his fifth title in 1980. And it’s taken 28 years for two men to come along to equal what ONE man had achieved. Borg’s record is simply awesome.

2) Spain -how does this country produce so many magnificent champions in so many sports? Football, formula one, cycling and, of course, tennis - long before Nadal was even born.

3) The BBC is putting celebrity ahead of quality by pairing Andrew Castle and Tim Henman up for this year’s final. Henman - whiny, nasaly and bland - is no match for Boris Becker or Jimmy Connors. Meanwhile, Castle is not as authoritative as his many more-experienced colleagues and should not have been behind the mic for the final.