Brian Laws Appointed As Burnley Manager

Brian Laws has been unveiled as Burnley's new manager this afternoon.

Ex-Burnley defender Laws won promotion with the club in the 1981-82 season and has cut his managerial teeth with Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Sheffield Wednesday.

Many fans are unsure about the appointment however, and are sceptical about Laws' managerial pedigree, especially after being sacked by Wednesday in December.

Laws beat Doncaster Rovers manager Sean O'Driscoll to the job, but the clubs couldn't agree compensation.

Laws' first game in charge will be against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Dakar Rally Pictures

Another link sent from my brother. Here is a selection of pictures taken from this years Dakar rally, being held in South America for the second year, instead of the traditional African location, because of ongoing security concerns.

The Dakar is a form of motorsport I've never really fully embraced. It's sort of danced on the fringes of my interest because of the sheer distance and terrain the competitors face, plus the amazing machines that are used, but I never found it as exciting as the WRC.

However, this collection of photos showcase a most extraordinary event, so feast your peepers on 'em.

Clicky

Japanese Photgrapher Bends Electricity

This link was sent to me by my brother. Hiroshi Sugimoto hooks a Van De Graff generator up to a metal table to create the mind blowing photos for his latest project Lightning Fields.

The photos show some amazing patterns, some looking not dissimilar to trees or the human vascular system.

Enjoy.

Click Here

Burnley Agree Coyle Compensation Package

Burnley and Bolton yesterday agreed a compensation package that sees manager Owen Coyle return to the Reebok Stadium.

Burnley fans are now looking to the future and chairman Barry Kilby has said he wants a new manager in within a fortnight.

Burnley's Graham Alexander came out to reassure fans that the move won't dishearten the players to much, telling the clubs' website, "We have played under him but we haven't played for him, we have played for Burnley."

With the Clarets game against Stoke being postponed today due to the snow, it gives caretaker Steve Davis more chance to get to grips with the team.

Burnley's worry now is that Coyle will come back to Turf Moor to pilfer the players he's brought in, such as Chris Eagles and Steven Fletcher.

David Nugent will be a major target, but Avram Grant may not let him sign for either North West club because of Pompey's transfer embargo.

Youtube Inundated With Porn

Members of the 4Chan messageboard have uploaded a multitude of pornographic videos to Youtube.

The videos have been tagged as children's shows like Hannah Montana and Jonas brothers, starting with footage of kids videos before cutting to copulating adults.

The raid was a protest against Youtube taking down the channel of Lukeywes1234 and also for deleting music.

Lukewes1234, otherwise known as eight-year-old Luke Taylor, became an internet sensation when 4Chan members encouraged each other to subscribe to his videos about Harry Potter, Super Mario and hunting ghosts.

Youtube disabled his account because being eight years old, was in violation of their terms of service.

Google has already set about deleting the videos and the public has descended into its' usual moral panic.

The argument that kids can and will find this stuff on their own is valid, but this attack takes away the choice by forcing it on on the viewer. On the one hand it's fairly irresponsible but on the other it's fairly amusing too.

Snow Causes Havoc

Snow across the UK has caused travel chaos on the roads, railways and airports across the nation as hundreds of schools close.

Temperatures across Scotland, North Wales and Northern England dropped to -15c overnight, with up to four inches of snow falling.

Casualties across Lancashire have risen dramatically, including a women killed as her van rolled down an embankment after leaving the M65 near Burnley and a lorry driver died after a colliosion on the M60 in Greater Manchester.

Police are also dealing with a "multitude" of minor incidents and emergency services have declared they will only attend emergency calls where there is a threat to life or a crime in progress.

A North West ambulance service spokesperson said: "This is due to the fact, particularly in Greater Manchester, we are unlikely to be able to reach patients with minor injuries or symptoms.

"We are having to stringently prioritise all of our 999 calls and despatch our resources to life-threatening cases only."

Public transport services have been severely cut-back, with only major bus and train routes operating across the county. Manchester and Blackpool airports suspended flights until 12 pm, resulting in delays for passengers.

More snow is forecast later in the week.

Owen Coyle to Leave Burnley FC

Burnley fans are reeling at the recent news that manager Owen Coyle is set to leave the club to join local rivals Bolton Wanderers.

Coyle joined the Clarets in 2007 and in a now infamous eighteen months dragged them from the middle of the Championship, to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup and through the Play-Offs to the green plains of the Premiership.

Coyle has earned great praise from all corners of the football world for his success on a shoestring budget.

In the wake of their Wembley win Burnley had to stave off rumours about Coyle leaving for Celtic.

Fans are feeling understandably betrayed by the move, five days into the January transfer window and with a crucial game against Stoke on Saturday looming, with Steve Davis expected to take charge.

An announcement by Burnley FC is expected later today.