Happy Face

US and UK spy agencies defeat privacy and security on the internet http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/05/nsa-gchq-encryption-codes-security Turns out they've spent hundreds of millions getting back door into our encrypted data too.

It's as if "you're going down with the mackems" has never been uttered at SJP. Making a sign is going over and above like.

What's your fondest memory of harper?

You should Piss it on early season form. Just hope your players get that in their heads too and forget to turn up.

Why did you go swimming with the fishes?

At work I love it when I find the root cause of an issue isn't mine and I can send it back. Unfortunately that's what my brother and mother have both experienced with the NHS. Their undiagnosed illnesses have been passed from pillar to post for years. I think that duty of care across different specialities (is it blood? Brain? Spine? Hormone? Etc) needs to be improved. All seem happier to refer than to work with their counterparts. Like I say it's what I do at work. And it doesn't mean any one is neglecting their patients. But my job isn't that important and people fall through the cracks as a result. On the other hand my dad's cancers have been treated brilliantly and Catmag is blatantly a legend.

Reckon villa will have a hangover after a great start in terms of performance and not much to show for it. Shit em

Their worldwide pull/trophy winning pedigree probably swings it over our bigger stadium. At the risk of causing offence.

I was lost too, but the important sentence is "So this year is a million times better than last year." Which makes sense. We've improved the first team this summer. Last summer we barely improved the bench.

Soz Alex. knocked you off the top page without quoting.

The interesting point to note there isn't that we won't win in 2014, but that he thinks we can in 2022. The daftee.

Interesting stuff about Sports Direct. Less interesting about Newcastle...which is fair enough on an investment blog like.

My bastard tickets still aren't here....and those for 5 other lads who are going to lynch me. If you don't get rid and i'm still stuck I might PM on the day though, no reason for me to miss out

Caulkin says Pardew (and Carr?) asked for a football man to be given an executive position. To help Llambias and Ashley understand that side of it. The question is, who apart from Kinnear could Ashley have brought in? Was he ever going to bring in a fresh, enthusiastic, professional bloke that would fight to recruit players in the interests of the team rather than the balance sheet? No. Who would go along with zero investment? Who could be trusted to keep their mouth shut (or flapping total bollocks on unrelated matters) and collect the wage. Kinnear was perfect. Not to divert any attention, to provide a smokecreen or lower expectations but just to give Ashley's middle managers what they asked for without risking a firebrand coming in and embarrassing Ashley himself (as opposed to the club), Keegan style. A slap in the face to the people that (apparently) wanted it, certainly. I'm not sure Ashley appreciates the contempt Kinnear is held in by people that pay attention. Again, he's not a football man himself. Llambias was the only one who was so disgusted he walked (who saw him having a bone of principal in his body?). But then Llambias would have been the one working closest with him in the board room, while pardew and and Carr got on with footballing matters.

It was the worst smokescreen ever if so, it only drew attention to the comedy situation at the club.

Very true, but it does give me hope, nevertheless. Ashley is not a dastardly villain looking to crush Geordie spirits, no matter what some people think. He's just careful with his money. Half of me wonders if he brought in Kinnear because he would take a lower wage than Llambias.

He's mint aye. None of his kids, grand kids, or great grand kids pay more than a passing interest in football, so he loves having a season ticket holder to bounce off. Drinks a half bottle of whisky a day. I always get a bottle of real ale to take home with me too

I'm no Ashley apologist, but it should be remembered that prior to his arrival we were hemorrhaging £6m a season on interest for a £70m loan. If that had continued we would have pissed away £30m on nothing during Ashley's 5 year tenure. More, because the loan has doubled in size. The fact the club can repay £30m of debt in 2 seasons and still break even is excellent news in the long term, as frustrating as it is in the short term. That's why the question of 'which debt is deemed repayable?' is paramount in my mind. There was always a timeframe on that £29m being paid back. The other £111m has never been expected to be repaid until Ashley leaves the club. If that remains the plan it gives a great deal of confidence over investment next season. Unfortunately the people spending the money that becomes available no longer inspire an iota of the confidence they did a year or two ago.

My granda in law is 87. First thing he does when we see each other is froth at the mouth for 15 minutes about Ashley, kinnear, llambias, Pardew, Shola, mackems, sky, England and Ashley Cole. Then he gets on to the cricket and calms down.

I thought CT was lamenting the loss of the last great generation of men...."whatever happened to Gary Cooper?".... including himself among the modern men who talk about feelings on the internet. The fact he's trying to suggest he is the last man standing... While flouncing about in his hat listening to David Guetta and asking how to cook a fish is as gerld as I'm sure he intended.

"Sweary" Mary. Obviously. Your personal hygiene is no business of mine.

No need to get angry there sweaty Mary.

I'm nowt like a european football junkie. I last played championship manager in 1994 or something. Only saw Debuchy at the Euros before he arrived. Still clear as day he's twice the footballer Danny Simpson is.

The moment I post anything that sounds remotely like I suffer angst off the back of the football you can delete my account. Think the last time I got angry at the football is when my match magazine free pre-season cut out and keep league table system got caught in the wind and went all over the shop.