am a goalkeeper myself, so I was very curious after today’s match (Manchester City won) introduced the hitherto obscure Bettinelli. Up until now Bettinelli was just some face in the Web site, but the first one in the list:

He conceded no goal/s today.

have much respect for England’s goalkeeper, Pickford, who has very good reflexes. The goalposts saved him several times last night, as did John Stones. At one point he stopped a short-range header with his hands (fists).

But Argentina’s first goal should not have gone in. Pickford was poorly positioned and he did not properly cover the goal. He could not reach the ball, even when the kick was long-distanced, not exceptionally powerful or curved, because he was ill-placed.

Looking back, had Pickford stood nearer to the centre of the goal, then certainly he would be able to parry away the ball. Maybe England could win the match. In the whole first half (and until England’s goal) Pickford had to save nothing. Neither team had a shot on target in the first half.

am disappointed but not surprised at all.

At one point it seemed like Spain was going to be next, but then Argentina’s momentum turned into solid goals, so this coming weekend England will play the team I consider best in the tournament: France.

In France, GNU/Linux is growing (in the UK also) and it’ll be astounding if England can beat France. The final will be all Spanish-speaking and Spain seems likely to be the winner, just like in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Spain has been very strong. Argentina’s team is weaker.

t’s ending. After 4 shows in the local stadium. “Doors for Take That on Wednesday 1 July open at 5:00pm with support from 6:25pm.” They’ll finish and pack up in an hour or so, back off the limelight again. No more “Shine”.

Maybe we’ll see them again in 5 years when they turn 60 and maybe by then England will have won a World Cup again. Seems unlikely. They have barely beaten DR Congo.

oday is the last day of the first half of 2026 and it has been a good year, except the heatwaves in May and June. They are too much.

We now have a new head coach for the local team. The other local team also had a new head coach confirmed a couple of months ago.

Football resumes (nationally, not internationally) about 1.5 months from now.

am turning 45 this year. In December. 45 was the age of Pep Guardiola when he embarked on a new challenge by taking over (not just as head coach but as manager) a club that had potential but not (yet) many trophies and prestige.

45 is an OK age. Not too young, not too old. Not inexperienced, not yet frail.

The final match of “the season” is about to kick off; it’ll be a French winner versus this year’s English leader (based on the PL). There are lots of positive headlines from the Red Devils in Manchester and also from the Blues, though the manager leaving along with key colleagues gives rise to concerns and bittersweet sadness like Alex Ferguson’s departure from the Red Devils, leaving the whole club in “forever limbo” and no very major title (minor trophies only).

They say “life goes on” and after half a decade with Germany’s leading club and years in Spain’s (at the time) leading club he is ready to start a new challenge. Power to him! All the best! We saw him 6 days ago just 50 meters from our home.

To me, the near-term future is clear (I said the same in a blog post when I turned 40); I need to – not only want to – promote Software Freedom and justice. Those two concepts are connected and they also involve journalism, particularly exposing corruption. It’s expensive to do so, but it must be done. If not us, then who? And if not right now, then when?

People who think they can just “tire down” activists are making flawed assumptions about motivation, attribution, attrition, and the power of collective goodwill. We now have barristers again.

So provided one is patient enough, things go one’s way. It just takes a lot of hard work.

am not really buying anything, just testing:

Maybe they are good at hand-picking players (who aren’t even from England, let alone Manchester, except Phil).

When it comes to tech, they seem to have hired Microsoft flunkies.

This is a longstanding issue with their site. Who on Earth chooses Microsoft for a site in 2024? The 2%?