Tom_NUFC

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the book, United Behind the Headlines by John Gibson? I'm doing my dissertation this year on the activism of British football supporters in the 1980s and 90s (fanzines, protests and campaigns etc). One of the thing I'm going to look at is the power vaccuum and financial situation at NUFC in 89/90 - when there were boycotts by United Supporters for Change and fans having their say and views in the new NUFC fanzine - The Mag. Anyway, I'm only in my very first preliminary investigations and still have to get advice and a title etc, but I would like a copy of the book asap. Amazon reckons upto 6 weeks, and I'll go with them if I have to, but if anyone can tell me where I could get my hands on it quicker then I'd appreciate it. PS - anyone know how much is said about that period. I'm assuming there's bits in the book about it?

At Uni, we've always had a sheet passed round where we sign our name. If you miss two lectures running in a module without good reason, they send out letters.

I strangely enjoy most of my lectures.... But the ones I don't, I tend to give a miss. I don't miss lectures unless I have a reason. I don't mind most the lectures. If I'm not at Uni or doing stuff, I'll just get bored.

I spent last week and the week before as an international student guide at Northumbria Uni, showing foreign, non EU students around. There were lots from China but also a lot of other - orientals Taiwanese, Thais, Vietnamese, Singaporese Filipinos and Malaysians. Not many Japanese or Koreans compared to the others, but one or two. A lot from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan as well. One or two from the Middle East and Israel, quite a few from various African countries and the rest were from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. Quite a lot of EU students as well, but they were sorted out separately from the other foreigners. I did some city tours and one day, I did one for the EU students because the EU student guides were a bit thin on the ground. It was a lot easier doing the tour for them than for the other International Students.

My parents never smacked me when I was a kid. If I did something wrong, I was punished - sent to my room, not allowed to watch a programme I wanted to watch on TV, no pocket money that week etc. I think I turned out OK. I never went off the rails or ran riot or anything. You don't HAVE to smack kids if they've done something wrong. Or at least, not all kids have to be smacked. I'm not going to criticise people for smacking their kids, because I'm not a parent so I don't know. I'd like to think that, like my parents, I wouldn't have to smack my kids, if I have any, but maybe I'll find that way works best. I think as long as kids are only smacked when they've done something wrong - that the kids themselves know is wrong, that's OK. What I don't like is when you see charvers hitting their kids for nowt, or hitting really young kids for something they don't understand is wrong and scream and swear at them.

In reality, had there been a nuclear war, the contigency plans in Britain were that TVs were to be in nuclear bunkers and the Sound of Music would have been shown in an effort to calm people down. That's true. Imagine the scenes man. people banging on the doors of the bunker,prefering to just hide under a table with my hands over their eyes than suffer watching that.

sneak preview clip of next week's Extras. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRtKhUX8iLs

Dunno about the wii, but my reasons for not getting a X Box 360 was because I was going to wait for the PS3. Now I'm getting impatient, and the 360 has come down in price and I'm starting to get tempted by buying a 360. Should I, or should I wait for the PS3?

I was going to mention this last week, but I forgot all about it. The National Football Museum are putting on an exhibition on the history of the FA Cup at the Discovery Museum. I'm not sure how long it's on for (a couple of weeks I think), but it starts tomorrow (Monday 18th September) and it's free.

They have to do that nowadays, because there are some f*cking stupid people in the world, so if they put 'warning, contains nuts' on a packet of peanuts, then they're covered and not responsible. They're just protecting themselves against the stupidity of people.

This isn't exactly sick or a joke for that matter, it's a slightly racist true story, which is a favourite of my Dad's. Back in the early 70s, a number of Social Clubs used to get some pretty big/well known acts on. My Dad went to see the Four Tops play at High Pit Club in Cramlington. The compere comes on to introduce them, only to go "oh hell, I've forgotten their name...anyway, they're four darkies from America"

You should. A couple of years ago, I slipped over on a wet surface and knacked my leg. I assumed I'd just twisted or sprained my ankle and just hobbled about for a couple of weeks, but it didn't get any better and was swollen up like a balloon. One morning I was getting ready to go to Uni and tripped over a pair of my brother's shoes. I was in angony and My Mam was like 'right that's it, I'm taking you up to the minor injuries clinic'. I went up, had an X-ray and I'd broken my leg just above the ankle. I'd been walking around for 2 weeks in agony with a broken leg, so I'd say it's a good idea.

Anyone wanting to see Ross Noble, he's on at the City Hall for five nights, Oct 28 - Nov 1.

It's starting to rain a bit now

I'm not. My Grandad was born in Ireland, but moved to Northumberland when he was 6. And he died before I was born, so any connection I have to Ireland is fairly distant. Anyway, what would you do with Islamic terrorists who happen to be born and raised in Britain? I'm not denying that it isn't a massive problem that needs dealing with, but how can we deport or palm off terrorists who are from Britain, who are whether anyone (including themselves) likes it or not, British citizens. If they're British, then they're our problem.

Leazes is now condoning terrorism! I thought at least he'd never be that stupid. It's ok to fuck up innocent lives, women, children, whatever, as long as it's THEM! Aye it's OK you see, because it was against people who weren't/didn't want to be British, so that doesn't count, they're not really terrorists because they don't pose a direct threat to us. In my oppinion the Loyalist paramilitaries were as bad as the IRA, INLA etc. The government of NI was not exactly democratic even in the 70s. The Protestants could vote, but not the Catholics. It's incredible to think this went on in the UK in the not so distant past. The Catholic community in NI was also shafted in terms of public services, cases of young, single Protestants moving out of home getting council houses straight away, ahead of Catholic families who'd been waiting years etc. The fact is that with NI, both the Republicans and Loyalists had/have valid points, and now they're starting to recognise that, which is why they're making progress. The Terrorists though were scum - IRA and UDA. I'll not lie, I've always found myself more sympathetic to the Republicans, but I think the IRA were scum.

What about Loyalist Terrorists in Northern Ireland? You had the likes of the UDA, UVF, UFF etc planting bombs, blowing people up and shooting people. They were from Northern Ireland - part of the UK and we're fighting for a cause to keep NI in the UK. They called themselves British, would use the Union Jack. British born and Pro-British in every sense, and yet they were also terrorists.

ah well, cheers anyway

It's close to the city centre It's neither rough or posh

Send the buggers back! EDIT: And I was one minute too late. Never mind. I have a cd by george burdon, it is all about the north east. This is his music though not traditional. Will this help? If you send me your email I will send you home newcastle by busker I've got Home Newcastle as well. I'm kind of looking for the traditional stuff, that's what I'm short of. I've got more contemporary NE stuff and NE rock bands etc

Send the buggers back! Ha! It might not be the most welcoming thing for a bunch of foreign students to hear like! He was playing a Lancastrian as well. Cheers if you've got some stuff though.

The Trains. I'm used to them, but if it's warm and I have the windows open, you can't hear the TV, Radio, CD player etc when an Intercity goes past.

This is probably a long shot, but I'll ask anyway. I'm helping out the International Students team at Northumbria Uni at the minute, and we're organising a North East themed night for the new international students next week. I'm trying to put some music together, and I'm going with a mixture of stuff by NE bands and also some more traditional songs. It's the traditional songs that I'm having a few problems with. I've trapsed around and the libraries don't have a lot (the Central did, but it's shut cause it's getting knocked down). I've got a few things (Blaydon Races) but I need some more. Does anyone have any links or anything they'd be prepared to upload for me? I know it's a long shot, but if anyone can help, it's much appreciated.

Get in