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New Zealand’s Richie McCaw will win his 100th cap against France. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

The milestone should have been passed last week against Japan, but a calf strain meant that no bunting could be hung at the shrine. And so the skipper is still stuck on 99 caps. Only for the moment, though, because against France, Richie McCaw will become the first New Zealand All Black to win 100 caps.
Sometimes they stretch these things out on purpose, just to milk every last drop. But you could sense that the All Black coach, Graham Henry, having gone through a thousand eulogies for his openside wing forward before that Japan game, had to take deep breath before starting all over again. He wouldn’t want the second version to sound anything but heartfelt.
And to be fair, he inserted “inspirational” and “special” into his sentences with conviction. But perhaps the McCaw ton is best appreciated when set alongside the tally of his old team-mate, Mils Muliaina, who was running towards the same giant round figure, but who now finds himself stuck on 98. It would have been 99 against Japan, but the full-back withdrew with a hamstring strain, and with Israel Dagg now the first choice at 15, there is a chance that Muliaina will not join McCaw on three figures.
“Not picking Mils involved a long discussion,” said Henry. “With plenty of emotion. But the team comes first. Mils would be the first person to say that.” Now, that was said with feeling.
Picking or not picking McCaw does not involve a long discussion. He plays, inked in as the first name. A full decade has passed since Josh Kronfeld, who with 54 caps was not bad himself as a “loosie”, No7 in Kiwi, gave his thoughts on the original selection of McCaw. “You might as well just give All Black jerseys to everyone. The fact they picked guys off one NPC [National Provincial Championship] season is bloody incredible.”
It was true that McCaw had mustered all of eight minutes, in two appearances off the bench, for the Crusaders in Super Rugby in 2001. And it is true that his first act in his inaugural Test match, against Ireland, was a bit of a fumble. But it is equally true that by the end of the game he was stealing the ball and supplying it for a try by Jonah Lomu. Kronfeld had his views, but I remember a larger host of observers saying: “Look out for the kid at seven. He’s going to be a good ‘un.” He was the man of the match.
How good is he a decade on? He is a great player, very nearly as good as the best rugby union player I ever saw, Michael Jones of Samoa and New Zealand. The version, that is, of Jones the No7 as he was in 1987, before knee injuries slowed him down. He was the master of all the arts: fast, aggressive and thoughtful – and with a spring at the lineout that nudges him perhaps past McCaw.
But that is to split hairs. What has set McCaw apart in the professional age, when everybody is on a mission to be as fit as possible, is a massive engine, an aerobic prowess that keeps him running to the end with mental faculties intact. He’s from farming stock in Hakataramea Valley, South Canterbury, and there is something entirely natural about his physique. Woodenly muscled gym-monkeys are starting to flag at the World Cup. Natural dynamism looks to be back in fashion.
Because he is so alert and because his legs never stop running, he remains ahead of the others, chasing the ball, making tackles when opponents might think they are through. Breath plus brain, ticker plus tackle equals McCaw.
First to the breakdown, he was the smartest over the ball. If he couldn’t win it he certainly slowed its surrender. He slid his body into more niches of blue-eyed, innocent obstruction than any other player in the history of contortionism.
The past tense is used because there is a feeling that referees are on his case a bit now, not because he has necessarily failed to respond to new directives about what is not to be tolerated after the tackle, but because successive campaigns by opposition coaches have been so personal that officialdom cannot but turn a closer eye on his activities. To be singled out thus is such a compliment: “I must be doing something right,” says the supposed wrongdoer.
As he has wriggled and crept into control at the breakdown, so he has attracted not just the attention of the referees. There is a catalogue of frustrated opponents who have tried to nobble him, a list that includes Phil Waugh of Australia, Jamie Heaslip (red-carded) and Marcus Horan of Ireland, Andy Powell of Wales, Dylan Hartley of England and the most recent, Quade Cooper of Australia. The Wallaby outside-half was captured on camera in the recent Tri-Nations kneeing McCaw in the head. Taking a cheap shot at Richie is heinous, and Cooper could not be more booed if he were caught clubbing kittens.
The job of loosie involves taking blows illegal and accidental. McCaw has gone off with concussion at least three times, once after banging heads with team-mate Xavier Rush in 2004, then twice in 2005 after clashing with Richard Bands of the Bulls, and against Ireland. Ligaments too have gone along the way, in his ankle in 2008.
Injuries take their toll on a player who is now 30. Maybe there are players, like David Pocock of Australia, who are bigger of arm and more solid in a crouch over the ball. Sam Warburton of Wales is gaining admirers in this land where the crafts of the back row are especially regarded.
But don’t expect the 100-cap wing forward to go slowly past his milestone. The engine still purrs, the brain still assesses the situations: this one, the next, the one after; where the ball will be, three phases from here. This is the gift: sensing things before they happen. Richie McCaw sees things, and referees still don’t always see him.

14.50: The Dow Jones has plummeted 3 per cent or 332.4 points to 10,792.44 on a third straight day of losses.In London, the FTSE 100 is 238.8 lower at 5,049.6.

Risk: Wall Street investors are worried that the Fed’s latest plan will have little effect on lending in an economy that appears to be stagnating.

14.15: The FTSE 100 is trading 270.6 points lower at 5,017.8 – close to the psychologically key 5,000 level.More market woe is anticipated when Wall Street opens shortly, with futures trading indicating a sharp fall on the Dow Jones.Sandy Jadeja, chief technical analyst at City Index, said: ‘With today’s decline across all markets support levels are being broken and this suggests that we could be facing another major leg to the downside. ‘Both the FTSE 100 and Dow Jones are now trading within a hairline of prices which if violated is likely to set the stage for a very nasty September to October period. Gold prices have also now turned short term bearish with today seeing the metal reaching the key $ 1,750 price level.’12.55: The FTSE 100 has slumped deeper into the red after after bleak comments from US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke stoked recession fears.The index is down 5 per cent or 251.5 points at 5,036.9, and investors are bracing themselves for more turbulence when Wall Street opens later.
 

GLOBAL MARKETS: Track the latest trends here
MARKET REPORT: Tesco in market for a price war

Capital Spreads chief executive Simon Denham said: ‘It’s the ever-increasing threat of another recession that is really spooking investors.’Mining stocks have led the rout in London as investors feared a slump in demand for mineral resources. Fallers included Kazakhmys, which lost 10 per cent of its value with a drop of 96.75p to 869.25p, while Antofagasta was down by 105.5p to 1008.5p and Rio Tinto dipped 326.5p to 3062p.Financial stocks were also battered after Moody’s downgraded the credit ratings on three big US banks and argued that the US government was more likely to allow a major institution to fail because contagion could be contained.Barclays was down 7 per cent or 10.4p to 142.8p while Lloyds Banking Group slumped 2.4p to 33.8p and Royal Bank of Scotland dropped 0.8p to 22.6p. Among the insurers, Prudential was hardest hit after shares fell 44.5p to 552.5p, off 7 per cent. 

Even luxury goods group Burberry suffered in its sell off, with its shares nearly 10 per cent lower, off 149.5p at 1358.5p.TUI Travel shares were down 4.78 per cent or 7.40p to 147.50p following its trading update.Higher fuel and accommodation costs will push up the price of summer holidays next year, it warned. Read more here.EasyJet made impressive progress after it announced plans for a shares windfall. Shares rose 7 per cent despite the wider market turbulence, up 20.85p to 332.85p.JD Sports Fashion added 13.75p to 844.25p in the wake of its half-year results on Wednesday.10.30: London’s leading share index has racked up a 4 per cent loss as investors take fright over the plight of the U.S. economy. The FTSE 100 is down 208.4 points at 5,080, while the top markets in Germany and France also plunged 4 per cent.Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke warned that there were ‘significant’ risks as he unveiled emergency action in the form of a economic stimulus ploy dubbed Operation Twist.The Fed is to launch a $ 400billion (£253billion) programme to try to reduce borrowing costs for firms and individuals by buying long term bonds.But traders had been hoping for a bigger package and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped by nearly 300 points. Asian markets also fell heavily overnight. HSBC’s China Flash PMI survey showed
factory output fell for a third consecutive month in September,
pointing to a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy.      The
data suggested that China, the engine room of global growth in recent
years, may not be able to provide much of a counterweight to flagging
U.S. and European growth.    David Jones, chief market strategist at spreadbetter IG Index, said: ‘It’s an ugly start for shares in London, following last night’s update from the US Federal Reserve. ‘A downbeat outlook for the economy combined with the so-called Operation Twist economic stimulus not going far enough in many people’s eyes led to a heavy sell-off into the US close, which has overflowed into early European trading.’Fears that a full US recovery could still be some way off meant miners bore the brunt of the selling in London.Rio Tinto was 221p lower at 3166p today, with copper miner Kazakhmys 72.5p lower at 395p and Antofagasta down 71p at 1042p.Airline easyJet jumped 7 per cent or 23p to 335p after it announced a £150million special dividend – on top of a £40million maiden dividend – and said profits for the year to the end of September were set to beat expectations.8.30: The FTSE 100 has plunged 140.1 points to 5,148.3 as traders react to the weakening economic outlook in the U.S. and China.Germany’s DAX is down 162.7 points at 5,271 while France’s CAC 40 is 78.9 points lower at 2,856.Shares in TUI Travel fell 5 per cent or 7.6p to 147.3p after a trading update. Stocks to watch today include:    Scottish & Southern: Scottish & Southern Energy is in talks to pull out of a consortium planning to build a nuclear power plant in the UK, as the company seeks to concentrate on renewable energy, the Financial Times reported.   Cookson, Morgan Crucible: The two British engineering groups saw their shares rise on Wednesday on vague talk of possible consolidation in the sector, said the Daily Express market report.     United Utilities: The multi-utility issues a trading update.    TUI Travel: The tour operator issues a trading update.    CSR: The chief executive of CSR, Joep van Beurden, said the Cambridge-based chipmaker was looking actively for acquisitions to diversify away from its dependence on the mobile phone industry, according to the Financial Times.    Euromoney: The media group issues a trading update.   Betfair: The online betting exchange holds its annual general meeting.    SuperGroup: The fashion group holds its annual general meeting.    Micro Focus: The IT firm holds its annual general meeting.   Vitesse Media: The business media group reports first-half results.    Assura Group: The healthcare property group issues a trading update.         Sinclair IS Pharma: The specialty pharma firm unveils full-year results.    Altitude Group:    The IT services provider posts first-half results.    Energetix Group: The alternative energy firm delivers first-half results.    NWF Group: The agricultural and distribution firm holds its annual general meeting.   Adept Group: The telecoms provider holds its annual general meeting.    Zoo Digital: The media production software firm holds its annual general meeting.    Conexion Media: The entertainment and media group holds its annual general meeting.  

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By Om Malik Sep. 22, 2011, 6:48am PT

Apple has an 89 percent retention rate, according to a survey conducted by UBS Research. The research firm polled 515 smartphone owners on what phones they own and their next likely smartphone purchase. While the sample size is very small, it does give us a view into broader trends in the smartphone market.

In general, retention rates appear to be falling for most of the OEMs. Relatively, Apple’s retention rates have held up incredibly well even as its market share has risen. Interestingly, when we look at all consumers who are considering changing handset OEM provider, Apple remains a significant net beneficiary. Alongside Apple, only Samsung and HTC also appear as net beneficiaries (more users won than users lost). Interestingly, of our respondents who are current Apple subscribers, only 6% indicated that they intended to move to a different OEM, with 4% saying they were undecided. This suggests that the retention rate for Apple could end up being as high as 93%. [UBS Research]

RIM has seen its retention rate drop from 62 percent to 33 percent over past 18 months, when UBS conducted a similar survey in March 2010. In comparison to Apple, Android (ecosystem-wide) has a retention of 55 percent and HTC has a retention rate of about 39 percent. Samsung has a retention rate of 28 percent. Nokia, which had an implied retention rate of 42 percent, has seen it drop to 24 percent. Ouch!

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
Report: How Mobile Cloud Computing Will Change Tech
U.S. Wireless Data Market: Q4 and Year-End 2008
Mobile Q2: Smartphone growth surges; iPad’s rule continues

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One of my favorite subjects when I was in grade school is Science and Technology. And I am sharing with you readers out there some topics that capture my attention. I’m not good on this subject but I find it interesting most especially if the topic is about the universe and the earth. It feels good to know a little something about the world we live in.

TOP 10 BRIGHTEST STARS

STAR                            CONSTELATION                 DISTANCE            MAGNITUDE
 
1. Sirius                         Canis Major                              8.61                       -1.44
2. Canopus                    Carina                                        312                       -0.62
3. Arcturus                     Bootes                                      36.39                      - 0.05+
4. Alpha Cantauri A      Centaurus                                     4.40                      -0.01
5. Vega                          Lyra                                          25.31                     +0.03
6. Capella                      Auriga                                       42.21                     +0.08
7. Rigel                          Orion                                         772.91                  +0.18
8. Procyon                     Canis Manor                             11.42                     +0.40
9. Archernar                  Eridanus                                     143.81                   +0.45
10. Beta Centauri          Centaurus                                   525.22                    +0.61

Legend:  + variable
   

TOP 10 GALAXIES NEAREST TO EARTH
                                                                                 
                                                                                             APPROXIMATE
GALAXY                            DISCOVERED               DIAMETER          DISTANCE
                                                                                       (1,000 LIGHT YEARS)
1. Sagittarius Dwarf               1994                                       10                             82
2. Large Magellanic Cloud     prehist                                    30                            160
3. Small Magellanis Cloud     prehist                                    16                            190
4. = Draco Dwarf                   1954                                        3                              205
5. = ursa minor dwarf             1954                                        2                               205
6. Sculptor Dwarf                   1937                                        3                               254
7. Sextans Dwarf                     1990                                       4                               258
8. Carina Dwarf                       1977                                       2                               330
9. Fornax Dwarf                       1938                                      6                                450
10. Leo II                                  1950                                    3                                660

                     
TOP LARGEST METEORITES EVER FOUND
LOCATION
1. Hoba West, Groot Fontein, Namibia
2. Ahnighito (‘the tent’), Cape New York, West Greenland
3. Campo Del Cielo, Argentina
4. Canyon Diablo *, Arizona, USA
5. Sikhote-Alin, Russia
6. Chupaderos, Mexico
7. Bacuberito, Mexico
8. Armanty, Western Mongolia
9. Mundrabilla#, Western Australia
10. Mbosi, Tanzania
*formed meteor crater
# in two parts

THE 10 FIRST BODIES TO HAVE BEEN VISITED BY SPACECRAFT
BODY SPACE CRAFT/ COUNTRY DATE
1. Moon Luna 1, USSR ,2 Jan 1959
2. Venus Venera 1, USSR, 19 May 1961
3. Sun Pioneer 5, USA ,10 Aug 1961
4. Mars Mariner 4, USA, 14 Jul 1965
5. Jupiter Pioneer 10, USA 3 ,Dec 1973
6. Mercury Mariner 10, USA 29, Mar 1974
7. Saturn Pioneer II, USA ,1 Sep 1979
8. Comet Giacobini- International Sun- 11 Sep 1985
zinner Earth explorer3, Europe, USA
9. Uranus Voyager 2, USA ,30 Jan 1986
10. Halley’s Comet ,Vega 1, USSR ,6 Mar 1986

 Source: for both: from the book TOP 10 of everything by Russell Ash

Diablo 3 Beta – Barbarian Let’s Play: ForceBarb – Part 1

Coughing