h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And, in news just in (i.e. today)

ZIMBABWE CRICKET UPDATE

Autralian spin bowler Stuart mcGill is the first test cricketer to publicly voice his reluctance to tour Zimbabwe. McGill asked the ACB not to consider him for selection to tour Zimbabwe, as he could not do so and "keep his conscience clear". Whether McGill is referring to Mugabe's political regime or the striking cricketers, I'm not entirely sure.

BIG RON THE RACIST?

football pundit and former manager "Big" Ron Atkinson has resigned from his job with ITV after referring to Chelsea's black French defender Marcel Desailly as a "f*****g lazy thick n****r". He thought his comments, to fellow commentator Clive Tyldsely, were off air, but the ITV feed to foreign countries, including much of the middle east, of the Chelsea-Monaco game continued after the final whistle and broadcast all post-match remarks.

Atkinson has also left the Guardian newspaper, for whom he wrote a column, by mutual consent.

A discussion of this issue is in progress over at the Virtual Supporters Club- F31008?thread=411390

Big Ron needs to learn to turn his microphone off and make sure the on-air light is not lit.
with satellite feeds, often broadcasters and politicos will hesitate and ask 'is this thing off' before going into tirades. some are still captured by ambient audio feeds and later 'leaked' to the media.

apparently big ron found out his rant had been broadcast when a friend of his in Qatar or somewhere rang him up and told him!

Big Ron. big oooops. i can hear the phone call from Qatar and his response: 'you're bleeping kidding me !! those bleeps let that go out ? oh bleep. i'm in deep bleeping (doo-doo.) bleep me, the bleeping bleeps are gonna be all over my arse now. oh bleep. hey, the bloody wog played like a bleeping bleeping bleep, what else can i bleeping say?'

Meanwhile, that second string Zimbabwe cricket team were all out for 35 against Sri Lanka, the lowest team one-day international total in history.