Gene_Clark

i think the mackems are up in arms about this, on a day when their fans disgraced themselves on the train back from Arsenal (what is it about that lot & public transport?), as they're aware that Pardew has the capacity to put O'Neill flat on his arse with a glance, never mind a blow in October. mind on derby day, as i've said before, i'm fearful at least 1 Newcastle fan will die at the hands of a gang of psychopathic, hate-fuelled mackems, who will be praised on their messageboards no doubt

working class or underclass?

I didn't take my last line from your post; it was my comment on how I see the case.... And I agree with your last sentence wholeheartedly.

Assange needs to face these allegations in court The key word from your first paragraph is "if" - currently it is an allegation against him. I totally agree with your second paragraph. If Assange doesn't answer these allegations in court, his reputation is finished. I struggle to understand why he fails to grasp the need to demonstrate his innocence...

Thank goodness for the concept of innocent until proven guilty eh?

i notice they are playing away to Berwick this weekend; so nice that their dream to play in england has finally come true....

a brilliant riposte

no, i saved my tears for 12 hours later when my dad died....

or the latter. i'm not ashamed to say i cried for days when our cat was taken from us a couple of weeks ago. i could still cry now & whenever i think of my dad & how after 3 years i still miss him, i cry. aside from that, i cry at happy endings; i'm very sentimental in that way. shakespeare comedies always do it for me; all that happiness, optimism & hope - it is too much for me to bear

Never forget the hidden gem that is Xisco.... Francisco Jimenez Tejada; come on down!!

Fancy a pair of tickets for the Newcastle v Norwich game for only £5? If you do, you can help raise desperately needed funds for Northern Alliance premier division team Percy Main Amateurs. The Newcastle United Foundation (http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/Foundation/Home) have donated a pair of tickets for the Norwich game on 22nd or 23rd September (Europa League fixtures pending...) that Percy Main Amateurs are raffling, as a pair, for £5 a throw. You can enter as many times as you like (£20 would give you 4 goes at the tickets, for example). The way to enter is either to send £5 via PayPal to iancusack@blueyonder.co.uk or see me in person with your cash, before or after the Atromitos home game on Thursday 30th August. Additionally, you can contact any Percy Main Amateurs club official at the home games 22/8 v Wallsend Town, 25/8 v Rutherford or 8/9 v Morpeth Town. The draw takes place on Monday 17th September & the winner will be contacted directly afterwards.

"when" he wants surely?

that & short story collection "ballad of sad cafe" - intriguing to compare her with flannery o'connor; another tragic southern belle writing of misfits & social outcasts.

15/08/93 - Newcastle 0 spurs 1; first home game of season 21/08/04 - Newcastle 0 spurs 1; first home game of season 18/08/12 - Newcastle v spurs; first home game of season.....

Swans "Children of God" tour in 87 were 2 loudest gigs I ever attended, at Leeds Poly (as was) & the Riv (RIP). "Sex God Sex" from that album is one of the most intense things I've ever heard...

The season ticket I use is unavailable tomorrow, on account of being locked in the ST holder's parental home while he works abroad & his mother is in Spain..... Looks like I'll have to settle for Northern Alliance entertainment...,.

MA in C20th American Literature mate......

Clifford T Ward

"As If" by Blake Morrison, about the Bulger Case. Deep sobering, but seemingly out of step with public opinion, almost 2 decades later

"Stay out of churches son; all they got is the key to the shithouse.." (William S. Burroughs "Place of Dead Roads")

Interestingly, by way of contrast, in the great democracy that is Britain, an innocent, homeless, alcoholic newspaper vendor can be murdered by a policeman, who will not be required to atone for this act. As regards freedom of speech, 99.9% of people assume this means saying things they agree with

Comrades, thank you for your kind words. 48 is no different to 47. After 2 days in the ancestral home town of Cork, today takes us in to Dublin for the All Ireland Hurling semi final between Cork & Galway. Corcaigh Abu!!! This will entail changing from 3.50 a pint Beamish to 4.70 a pint Guinness. Ironically, there is a CAMRA event taking place in The Porterhouse on Nassau Street that I'd fancy attending, but think I'll pass. Thanks again for the kind words for my birthday & the sympathy shown when we had our beloved cat taken from us last week. Enjoy your day

How many more have to die before they realise the insanity of their gun laws? Tragic, absolutely tragic

On Friday, we had our beloved, adored 16 year old cat euthanised after we discovered he had an inoperable tumour on his kidney the day before. We had 24 hours to say goodbye, to talk to him, stroke him & prepare ourselves. The vet & a nurse came to our house, put a catheter in t9 his right front leg, then injected an overdose of painkillers. He slipped peacefully away in a matter of minutes. We carried him to their car & he is away for cremation now. He died at home, with dignity. 3 years ago, my dad died in the Freeman of kidney cancer, after an agonising 3 month battle with it that saw him stripped of dignity & hanging on to life via intravenous drips & morphine, while we sat mute & tearful by his bed, all day, every day. I had never had an opinion on euthanasia until that time; now it is my belief that all humans should have the right to death with dignity. My cat had it; I wish my father had had the same.

no problem at all; a fascinating & heartfelt post. in return, i'll tell you the happiest dream i ever had. a friday night in november 2010; the only dream i've had about my dad, 15 months after his death. he & my mam always said they'd love to visit New England in autumn, to see the colours of the leaves (apparently "the fall" is beautiful there) changing daily. in my dream, i was outside a white, wooden, clapboard house (real US 19th century style), which had a manicured lawn, mature trees etc my dad came round the side of the house smiling & told me how happy he was there & how glad he was to see me, but that i had to go back to look after everyone. i woke early on a miserable, rainy Saturday morning, but felt euphoric as this dream told me he was at peace & i could let him go. i am an atheist of course.