Words About Things

What today’s Video of the Week lacks in length it makes up for in hilarity. I don’t think any kind of explanation is needed just watch it and see…

I know it’s a bit old but this video still manages to amaze me. I’m not particularly scarred of heights but sometimes a video manages to make me feel nauseousness (for example this one of the El Camino Del Rey trail). The video in question features Roger Federer and Andre Agassi playing a game of tennis on top of the 1050 foot high Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.

The Burj Al Arab features a helipad on top of the 28 double-storey floors so that rich guests to travel to and from the hotel in style. The hotel in on a man made island 920 ft off shore and is otherwise only accessible via a purpose built bridge. You can see the hotel from some flights to Dubai, be sure to keep an eye out for any brave tennis stars.

Personally I wouldn’t be able to play Tennis in that situation, I would be clinging to the floor crying. As you can see from the video it can get quite windy on top of the hotel and there is no wall around the helipad. All it would take is a strong gust of wind and a misplaced foot and it would be game, set and match.

Sarah Blewden took up boxing two year ago in order to keep fit. She soon discovered that she had a natural talent for the sport and decided that she wanted to box competitively. Unfortunately the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) have turned down her application because of her breast implants.

Ms Blewden who is a part time model and also runs a hair salon says that the decision is unfair:

“My surgeon said they make me no more vulnerable than any other woman. They are not enormous ones – they are in proportion. They are gel implants and not liquid so they won’t burst.”

Tony Attwood of the ABAE says that all women with implants are banned from the association due to possible health risks which could result from a jab to the chest. Ms Blewden feels that she is being discriminated against. Sarah’s coach Mark Plunkett thinks she is up to the task:

“Sarah is very talented at boxing. She wants to box at a very high standard and is desperate to go to the Olympics. They believe that if she gets hit too many time her implants might burst but that is not the case as she has gel ones.”

Women’s boxing is not currently an olympic sport but the Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell wants all sports to be equal opportunities by 2012. Womens boxing is becoming increasingly popular as people get used to the sight of two women fighting. Sport betting and online gambling sites are begining to cover matches and the AIBA (International Boxing Association) also wants the sport to be represented at the 2012 olympics.

Amir Kahn will attempt to put last September’s fight against Breidis Prescott behind him once and for all in March when he takes on seven times world champion Marco Antonio Barrera. Kahn’s disappointing fight lst year resulted in a loss in just 54 seconds leading many to say that Kahn was over rated or trying to take on too much too soon.

He improved his performance in time to take on and beat Oisin Fagan (another person who sounds fictional but isn’t) in December although Barrera is likely to be a tougher opponent. Barrera hopes to become the first Mexican ever to win a title in 4 different weight divisions by taking the lightweight title.

Hopefully Kahn has learned from his mistakes against Prescott and will have worked on taking punces under presure. Perhaps he should do some training with Carl Froch who is much more steady on his feet. Online betting site bet365 have Kahn at 8/13 with Berrera at 6/5 on their sport betting page.