this.is.anfield: 19 February 2006

Babe of the Day - Rachel Leigh Cook

Rachel Leigh Cook is a BABE!

Hit or miss?

Rachel Hunter: Sports Illustrated

I'd hit it like the fist of an angry god!

2 Jessica Alba Galleries

Jessica Alba 1
Jessica Alba 2

You might also wanna checkout Jessica Alba: Wild Things Compilation

This guy has balls

Big ones. A must watch. [NWSish]

CraigNotBond.com

An international group of lifelong James Bond fans announced the publication of a new website, www.craignotbond.com, in order to launch a boycott of the upcoming Bond film, Casino Royale. Chief among their concerns is Bond producer Barbara Broccoli's questionable decision to fire popular Bond star Pierce Brosnan and replace him with an unknown with a penchant for oddball roles, Daniel Craig. [via]

The Neviller Fact No. 342

More Offensive(ish) Tees

SINFULShirts.com

Starting early

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Have you ever tried to sell a Diamond?

An unruly market may undo the work of a giant cartel and of an inspired, decades-long ad campaign. By Edward Jay Epstein

he diamond invention—the creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and are essential signs of esteem—is a relatively recent development in the history of the diamond trade. Until the late nineteenth century, diamonds were found only in a few riverbeds in India and in the jungles of Brazil, and the entire world production of gem diamonds amounted to a few pounds a year. In 1870, however, huge diamond mines were discovered near the Orange River, in South Africa, where diamonds were soon being scooped out by the ton. Suddenly, the market was deluged with diamonds. The British financiers who had organized the South African mines quickly realized that their investment was endangered; diamonds had little intrinsic value—and their price depended almost entirely on their scarcity. The financiers feared that when new mines were developed in South Africa, diamonds would become at best only semiprecious gems.

The major investors in the diamond mines realized that they had no alternative but to merge their interests into a single entity that would be powerful enough to control production and perpetuate the illusion of scarcity of diamonds. The instrument they created, in 1888, was called De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd., incorporated in South Africa. As De Beers took control of all aspects of the world diamond trade, it assumed many forms. In London, it operated under the innocuous name of the Diamond Trading Company. In Israel, it was known as "The Syndicate." In Europe, it was called the "C.S.O." -- initials referring to the Central Selling Organization, which was an arm of the Diamond Trading Company. And in black Africa, it disguised its South African origins under subsidiaries with names like Diamond Development Corporation and Mining Services, Inc. At its height -- for most of this century -- it not only either directly owned or controlled all the diamond mines in southern Africa but also owned diamond trading companies in England, Portugal, Israel, Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland. [Keep Reading]

[via]

Del Horno v Messi

For those who haven't seen the Del Horno incident from the Barca game at Stamford Bridge, here it is again.

These images were sent in by Esoteric and EssexBlue from F365. Cheers, gents.

The one he got away with:

The booking:

American Idol's Bombshell Does Maxim

Here's the Maxim photo shoot of Becky O'Donohue and her twin sister, which they just re-released because now Becky O'Donohue is somebody famous. Or somewhat famous, whatever being the hot girl on American Idol means. [via]

Babe of the Day - Ana Hickman

Photogallery: Ana Hickman

Listen to 'The Special One' III

JOSE MOURINHO was still fuming when SunSport Online caught up with him after Wednesday night's 2-1 defeat against Barcelona.

Podcast with 'Chelsea boss'

Joke of the Day

One day a Jew, a Hindu, and a Chelsea supporter all arrived at their hotel to find there had been a mix-up with the bookings, and that there was only one room left for them to share. The manager explained that this room only had two beds, but that there was a barn at a neighbouring farm which the farmer, an old friend of his, would let one of them sleep in free of charge. They complained a bit, but since there was nowhere else to go, the Jew graciously said he'd sleep in the barn. The Hindu and the Chavski were just settling down to sleep in their room, when there was a knock on the door. It was the Jew.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but there's a pig in that barn and because I'm Jewish I feel uncomfortable about sharing the barn with it."

"No problem," said the Hindu. "I'll sleep out there instead."

So off he went to the barn, leaving the Chavski and the Jew to share the room. They were just settling down to sleep, when there was a knock on the door. It was the Hindu.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but there's a cow in that barn and because I'm a Hindu I feel uncomfortable about sharing the barn with it."

The Chavski grudgingly agreed to give up his bed and stomped off to the barn, leaving the Jew and the Hindu to share the room. The Jew and the Hindu were just settling down to sleep, when there was a knock on the door. It was the cow and the pig.

Tshirts (Not for the easily offended types)

TShirtHell

The New Lara Croft

Get Well Soon Momo

Rick Parry today insisted Momo Sissoko is receiving the best care possible as the Reds wait to discover the extent of the midfielder's eye injury.

Sissoko flew back from Portugal yesterday and is currently being looked after by eye specialists in London.

The Mali midfielder sustained the injury after Beto's boot caught him in the face during the first half of the Reds' Champions League defeat to Benfica.

"We don't want to sound too pessimistic because it's too early to tell. What Momo needs right now is our support and the best care he can get," said Parry today.

"His right eye is closed down and it's been difficult to assess the damage because of the swelling and bleeding.

"However, it's too early to jump to conclusions. Obviously this is a very traumatic time for Momo and the club is in constant contact with his family and representatives. It's a very nasty injury.

"He's now in London being treated by the best specialists in the country."

Babe of the Day - Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley Gallery 1
Keira Knightley Gallery 2
Keira Knightley Gallery 3
Keira Knightley Gallery 4
Keira Knightley Gallery 5

Quote of the Day

"Sky Sports is like Chelsea TV today. Tabloid TV is what I call it. Last night was a victory for class over organisation, skill over strength and football over money." - Liam Brady.

Lingerie Models

Lingerie Models 1
Lingerie Models 2
Lingerie Models 3

Carmen Electra - Kissing Victoria Silvstedt < THE VIDEO

Here are the rest of the pics

Look what I just found - The Video (its actually NOT all that)

Mourinho v Karma

Theatrical antics

Play acting

Cheating

What goes around comes around cunt chops!

Sweet, sweet justice

Ohhh yes

"Respect me first, then I'll show you what I've done with my wife." - Kevin Federline.

Chelsea 1 - 2 Football

Karma has just bitten Chelski on the arse!

Chelsea are on the verge of extinction in the competition, having not only been beaten but also conceding two away goals, with Samuel Eto'o winning the game by heading home Rafael Marquez's cross in the 79th minute. Match Report

Jose's still graceless as ever in defeat.

"Can we suspend Messi for what you call in Barcelona play-acting?" the Chelsea manager said. "Barcelona is a very cultured city. It's a place where they understand all about the theatre." Del Horno made no attempt to play the ball as he stopped Messi in his tracks but Mourinho said: "I think it's of course not a red card. The kid is not just a very good player; he's more than that. He jumps and provokes contact with Del Horno and because of that the referee gives him the red card. It's not a red card. Of course not, and for the second time we have to play 55-60 minutes without a man and that is completely different.

That was a reference to Chelsea's match at Barcelona in the Champions League last season, when Didier Drogba was dismissed, unfairly in Mourinho's view. Chelsea were leading 1-0 when the striker was sent off, lost 2-1 but recovered in the second leg to progress. The task facing them this time looks harder with the return at the Camp Nou. "I shouldn't speak about the game because the game is not a game," Mourinho said bitterly in reference to Del Horno's dismissal.

"It was a pure game until that moment. After that it was not a pure game. So we should speak just about that moment when it was 11 against 11 with two good teams tactically thinking a lot about the game."

He remembers well how Michael Essien was retrospectively suspended by Uefa this season for a bad foul on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann. He raised the issue last night to question whether Del Horno's red card might be rescinded, and seemingly to hint that Messi deserved a ban on video evidence. "I can refer back to the game against Liverpool when Essien got a yellow card and was correctly suspended for it after the game," he said. "Can we revoke the red card of Del Horno? Can we revoke any suspension for the game in Camp Nou? Can we suspend Messi?" There is no chance of either happening.

Mourinho believes the suspension of Essien, which ruled the midfielder out of this tie, came because the incident was shown repeatedly by Sky. Referring to Messi's behaviour, the manager asked the broadcaster: "Are you going to show that 200 times a week and press Uefa to replay the game? Can you do this for us?" He mischievously asked whether he ought to send a weakened team to the second leg if Chelsea might not be treated fairly. "We have the right to go to Barcelona and compete on an even playing field," he said. "Would it be right to send a B team and concentrate on the [FA] Cup and the league?"

The tackle for which Del Horno was sent off followed another late challenge on Messi four minutes earlier by the same player which so angered Frank Rijkaard that the Barcelona coach came into the technical area to show that he thought studs had been raked into his player. Messi said: "I thought the first challenge was a red card but the second one was a 50-50 and I didn't really see what happened."

Here are the two incidents in question:

That first tackle is a shocker, could have snapped his leg in half. Sky (& that totally unbiased commentator Andy Gray) didn't really say much about that one. The second one alone probably didn't deserve a red, but considering it was the second time Del Horno had gone into a challenge studs up with the sole intention of taking Messi out and then going down himself quicker than a russian prostitute, it deserved a red. Messi exaggerated too, but its important to remember that he's the victim in this tackle. Del Horno didn't go in for the ball, he went in to hurt Messi and there shouldn't be any place in football for this type of attitude which has become the hallmark of Chelsea's style of play.And to all those who think the result could've been any different had the red card not been shown, Barca actually had 60% posession BEFORE Del Horno was sent off.

Worth1000.com Photoshop Contest: Mate a Movie

2 or more movies combined!

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Bring it on!

Steven Gerrard last night spelt out Liverpool's urgent desire to retain the European Cup, their triumph against Milan in Istanbul last May having merely served to whet the appetite as they attempt to negotiate passage beyond Benfica into the quarter-finals in Portugal tonight.

The midfielder returns to the Estadio da Luz this evening hoping to exorcise the nightmarish memories of England's defeat here to France at Euro 2004, in which his back-pass prompted the penalty in stoppage time from which Zinedine Zidane sealed the defending champions' victory. Gerrard also experienced elimination from that tournament in this arena, to Portugal on penalties, with Benfica to endure the backlash.

"We won't let the title of European champions go without a fight," said Gerrard. "I promise that now to the supporters. Whoever we come up against we will give 110% because we know what it feels like to win it and we want to win it again this year. People aren't talking about Liverpool which suits us fine, to be honest. We will just go about our game, but try taking it from us and people will see how desperate we are to succeed. Continue Reading

Benefica v Liverpool: Streaming info.