Manchester United club world cup champions

I wished i could get a bit more worked up about it, but to be honest i would take 3 points at Stoke city on boxing day. It looked like the players were up for it and really wanted to win it if the clebrations were anything to go by. Rooney scored and was the best player on the park closely folowd by Carrick and Anderson. Despite Anderson having a fine game i would hope and expect Fletcher to be back for the vist to the potteries.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7793438.stm

Inter in the last 16, so much for an easy draw. I don't really think it matters whether you win your group or not. Will we get revenge for Porto knocking us out?
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/special-one-back-to-haunt-united-1204877.html

Trouble at the Arse, off the pitch this time
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/arsenal/3868458/Arsenal-coup-reveals-Danny-Fiszmans-ruthless-streak.html

Henry Poter on the Madoff affair
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/21/bernard-madoff-fraud-daniel-dibartolomeo

William Keegan's Observer column on the economy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/21/recession-madoff-tax-cuts

Music
David Holmes - The holy pictures: An excellent follow up to his previous proper band outing the free association. Driving psychedelia, krautrock mixed in with his usual electronica make for a top listen.
Efterkland - Under gianr trees: It took me a fair few listens to really get this but it was worth it. I'm not sure what you what you would their music as, it has shades of progressive, ambient, classical and traditional folk.
Glasvegas - Glasvegas: The much hyped debut of the the Glasgow band lives up to the hype. It is a really strong debut with now weak points, just great tunes. Their music mixes rock and pop whilst adding classical pieces in an unconventional way.
Kings of leon - Only by the night: I was a bit underwhelmed by this i'm afraid. It's not that it's a bad record, it's just that their last album was so good with it's myriad of interesting influences The Pixies amongst them, and this seems like a big step back away from that.
Primal Scream - Beautiful future: Another exellent effort from Bobby Gillespie and co. A great mix of their usual array of classic rock sounds. The excellent can't go back representing the heavier side of things and Uptown the catchier side of things.
School of seven bells - Alpinisms: It is hard to believe that this group boasts a former guitarist of the Secret Machines so different is the musical style. But maybe he has made a wise move as their last album was fairly mediocre after a cracking debut album effort. This in a different way is an equally cracking debut album. Joining him are identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza and together they make dreamy yet catchy drone indie pop.