NJS

That's the key to me on 2 points - the importance of London did/does make us central but as you suggest a reduced role and risk would cost good times as well.

Interesting - I knew Clinton's administration had some "blame" but didn't realise there was an earlier one under Carter. I do know the legislation allowing retail banks to be investment banks in the UK was Thatcher's bag.

None taken By popularist Im not sure if your're referring to Cameron or the Street parties. In all seriousness and while I accept a bit of electioneering, its still nice for him to come out and say what he's said, particularly in these times when everything is red tape. With regard to the street parties, in the 70's these were a chance for whole streets and mainly pretty deprived kids, to have a very special day and a bit of fun and change from the norm. While we have many cynical adults, you would be hard pushed to find any kid who would be over the moon to see the street decorated with bunting and all the adults and children taking a day out from the norm to have a good time. Even more of a novelty in these days where some people find it too much of a strain to even communicate with their neighbours. Atheists have no problem celebrating Christmas so the likes of NJS should have little problem enjoying a street party. I must be a natural born cynic - I was 13 in 1977 and remember thinking it was a load of shite then. I actually agree about the community thing - though of course think the "cause" is 100% wrong. I'm doing the 3 day/11 day break thing but won't be participating surprisingly.

I've always thought the way King is portrayed as some kind of hero who stood up for the common good to be bullshit.

I think Meenzer had it nailed with "lack of pride" - I know they say otherwise but this kind of worship of the monarchy shows something is completely lacking in their lives and I've always thought it was self-pride - the notion of "accepting" superiority through birthright indicates an inferiority complex imo.

Piss poor. Maybe people will realise we need 3 new strikers and a couple of midfielders before we can even think of stopping up next year. I thought Villa would be more wound up because of the 6-0 but they showed themselves to be a shit, nervous team - pity we couldn't beat them because if we had I'd have been quite hopeful of them going down.

Been struggling all week with the pre-cursor symptoms of man flu (generally feeling shitty) but had started feeling better so yesterday went out for a few at dinner time and then post work - not pissed just a decent drink. It's failed miserably though - been feeling progressively worse as the day has gone on and now off to bed - can't see much of anything being done tomorrow. Hope its the last one before summer.

That joins a shit load of sports which are only worth watching if a fight breaks out. This goes with motor sports which are only worth watching if there's a crash. Which basically just leaves football.....

Slightly derailing the thread but anyone other than Man City fans or Scousers (who live in their cities) using the "United" abbreviation should be shot. I educated my Irish ex-boss who was a Liverpool fan on this subject to the point where he did use Man United - my constant references to Rotherham (the first one) when he used it eventually wore him down.

TBF in this instance he would have had a team briefing him so don't assume he was that aware (non-political point BTW)

That's what I mean from the American Sports I only know 5 ever, bakabaal, gridirons, ice hockey, and what's the other sport they play it escapes me now. There is another one these mugs play that's popular. Baseball. I did enjoy 'Field of Dreams' to be fair. (15 to 67 in a sentence). Aye Baseball. There's another name that's hit me for some reason "Tony di Maggio", I donno who the cunt is but his name rings a bell. Joe - more famous globally for marrying Marilyn Monroe.

Well if that's aimed at me I think that is fucking hilarious. Seriously, mate, I don't know what they look like. Why would I? I don't watch basketball FFS! He's such a mug. I dont know any of these yank cunts neither. Knowing about yank sportsman isnt normal in my opinion. I think he's saying you take pride in not knowing or are faking it for effect - ironically displaying the kind of arrogance that the Yanks have in thinking their sports are global.

Yes but with the caveat of the other European imperialists ie the French, Spanish and Dutch being there or thereabouts as well. "We're" still the biggest cunts ever though - of course whether you feel pride, shame or like me a mixture of both in that fact is up to you.

There's a lad from S Shields who goes everywhere who I'm sure a few on here know called Cliffy Ahmed whose party piece is knowing pretty much every capital city in the world. I reckon I could name 80%. So could I - it gets a bit difficult when you get to Carribean and Pacific islands though. You also need to keep up with former Soviet republics.

Bit topical given the tour announcement but I went to the US for the Washington/Columbus games in 2000 and it amazed me that Ohio has 3 or 4 cities bigger than Birmingham - including Columbus which I'd never heard of prebiously.

There's a lad from S Shields who goes everywhere who I'm sure a few on here know called Cliffy Ahmed whose party piece is knowing pretty much every capital city in the world.

The fridge rings a bell in basketball, thats about it. He was "football" as well - Chicago Bears I think.

I would probably need a clue to recognise Michael Jordan. Didn't have a clue who Lebron was either. Not a black thing either - I do know some NFL famous faces like Elway but for example I have no clue what Wayne Gretsky looks like.

I can't remember a time when I haven't read and absorbed knowledge just for the sake of it. I dropped geography for 'O' level due mainly to a shit teacher and not having enough options available but its always been a great love of mine - I can read atalases for hours. History at school was taught by a teacher who was very exam focused so we only learned what we had to but since then I think I've absorbed a good spectrum. That applies to more general knowledge as well. Used to be a keen pub quiz goer and I still have an underlying desire to do Millionaire - the usual nerves disclaimer aside, I've quite easily done full runs to the top prizes watching.

Sometimes even propping up things which look like a "loss" is cheaper in the long run - places like Germany propped up their industries in the 80s and saw them come out stronger in the long run. Compare that with the wastelands of the NE and elsewhere left over from Thatcher's "reality". The tories are also very happy to subsidise BAE, BNFL and of course most of all the fucking farmers without complaint.

Or Trotter spending millions on Siemens to try and save his seat.

Shocked at Stevie like - saw the title and assumed it was the stupid Irish teen cunt.

The bloke couldn't sing live 20 years ago - fuck knows what that many years of further abuse have done to his voice.

Im not arguing with that but listening to Renton you would think that this was just a tory master plan. The scale in which the NHS was privatised under Labour was huge. I don't think I've ever denied that Blair was completely Thatcherite when it came to too many things. Having said that, in his defence he sold himself as a pragmatist rather than ideallist - your current boys are the latter which is much more dangerous.

Completely opposed by the Tories of course - no wait.... No regulation proposed in the past or even now would have prevented it - the underlying facts are that governments (and 99.99% of the public) didn't understand what the banks were doing but were happy with the "rewards".