France's Long Shot to Round 16: One Fan Copes

With a recent loss to Mexico and a tie with Uruguay, the French have found themselves as quite a longshot for the Round of 16. Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka must have saw it coming because he cursed his way back to an early flight at the order of the French Football Federation.

Disappointment like this can bring out the worst in people. However, there is another reaction that French fans can draw from. Checkout one of their fellow supporters coping with France's predicament while attending the Midsummer Music Festival in Atlanta, GA.

Medical Emergency in South Africa? Check iTriage on Your Mobile

Whether you know someone already in enjoying the matches in South Africa or you are planning to head over a little later in the month, it's important that you are prepared for emergencies.

Healthagen's iTriage is a mobile application that you can download to your iPhone, iPod Touch, Android and Palm. It will provide you with the nearest healthcare facility wherever you are located in the 8 South African provinces where the matches are being held. You can learn more about this

What's All the Noise? The Sounds of the Vuvuzelas

I have been receiving lots of phone calls and emails from friends who are complaining about the "buzzing" noise that is serving as the background music for all of the 2010 matches.

It is the vuvuzela. The Vuvuzela is a long, plastic horn that is blown in stadiums all throughout South Africa by football (soccer) fans. They have been associated with occasionally producing noise-induced hearing loss.

So...what is one to learn from this? It is a unchangeable variable in this year's competition--but for fans of other sports it maybe yet another useful tool to incorporate into your taunting arsenal for away games!

To purchase your vuvuzela, go to Eurosport.

Security Check At The Betting Box: Vasco Advises Gamblers

Does the fanfare around the World Cup matches have you itchin' to place some money with your allegiance? If so, it's important to remember that the global competition can bring out the shadiest of con artists and hackers.

VASCO Data Security is a leader in online authentication productions, and they want to make sure you know the who, what, where and how much when it comes to your bets. So you don't get taken for a ride, here are some ways that you can use precaution when wagering for this year's matches.

-- Make sure the betting website is trustworthy and the operator is
licensed
-- Check if the website has a privacy policy to make sure your personal
data are safe
-- The website should be secured using SSL
-- Know what you are betting for; know what it will cost you
-- Choose a provider that uses two factor authentication which offers
enhanced security for players placing bets

World Cup Comedy Courtesy of The Daily Show

On Friday, the first match whistles will blow, and Jon Stewart has planned to get World Cup fans prepped with a little comedy hours before.

World Cup 2010: Into Africa is a multi-part presentation that will showcase Daily Show correspondent John Oliver poking fun at the U.S. Soccer Team as well as the acting South African Ambassador. It is sure to keep the mood light before you get your blood pressure up for your squad.

The first installment will air on Thursday, June 10th at 11:00 p.m. EST.

World Cup Freebie: Ziggy Marley's Africa Land

Inspired by the World Cup 2010 being held in Africa, reggae icon Ziggy Marley has collaborated with his brother Stephen Marley and African mega star Angelique Kidgjo to create his latest single, Africa Land.

The uplifting lyrics are set to a dancehall beat with an undertone of African elements. It will be released initially to African radio with free downloading available at www.ziggymarley.com and www.tuffgongworldwide.com.

This free download is the first of several free songs that Ziggy will be releasing from his collection entitled, The Wild and Free Singles.