Lucky Charms vs. $600,000

Swaziland's only stadium torn apart for lucky charms
Mon Jun 8, 8:21 am ET

LOBAMBA, Swaziland (AFP) – The artificial turf at Swaziland's only football stadium has been ripped apart by players who planted magic charms known as "muti" under the field, officials said on Monday.

Traditional rituals meant to help teams win their games saw the 600,000-dollar turf ripped up over the last month so the muti could be planted underneath, with the damage especially bad by the goals and at centrefield.

Government sports officer Sipho Magagula said the government might consider banning the team suspected of most of the damage at Somhlolo National Stadium on the outskirts of the capital Mbabane.

"This turf is hardly a year old," Magagula told AFP. "Maybe we have to consider banning one big team because whenever that team would be playing at the stadium something strange would happen at the stadium."

Sports Minister Hlobsile Ndlovu has filed a formal criminal complaint over the damage, according to local media. Police say they are investigating.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090608/od_afp/fblswzstadiumoffbeat/print

Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda(1904-1973), a wonderful poet from Chile, wrote a book called The Book of Questions in which he asked many strange and perplexing, often unanswerable questions. Read them, and then either respond with what you think of these questions or leave your own imponderable question:


Tell me, is the rose naked or is that her only dress?
Why do trees conceal the splendor of their roots?
Who hears the regrets of the thieving automobile?
Is there anything in the world sadder than a train standing in the rain?

Why don't the immense airplanes fly around with their children?
Which yellow bird fills its nest with lemons?
Why don't they train helicoptors to suck honey from the sunlight?
Where did the full moon leave its sack of flour tonight?

If I have died and don't know it of whom do I ask the time?