NJS

Certainly no better imo. Probably harder to dismantle though. I think its the labelling thats the problem - just like in places like NI where your label defines where you live, which schools you go to and as I understand it in the past where you can work and who you can marry. I know the British class sytem takes a lot of stick which I agree with but there are more fundamental and rigid labelling systems out there.

Theres an argument that the Caste system in India is just as bad - don't know if it's true.

Scholes when they beat us 6-2 was obscene.

Horrific defending caused both goals, a proper side would've avoided the two, he was good though, and he was good here in the first leg, nearly scored a pearler on the volley iirc. Woodgate missing - I know it was normal but that really fucking cost us that night.

It was also painful how good Gates was in the play-off.

I thought it was okay to watch occasionally but not worth the kind of worship it gets.

I remember how the Mackems started last time they went down before Keane arrived and I thought we'd struggle. I did harbour a fear that our squad shitness combined with the "cup final" factor would see us struggle and I thought of relegation. I still think we may struggle to keep up this level of result but it has to be said that the shitness of this league is absolutely staggering.

I once left Southampton at half time - we'd gone 2-0 down and I think Howey had just been sent off by some cunt of a ref so with the history there I just thought fuck it - we lost 2-1 in the end. I don't blame you Berb - the last home game I was at was the derby last season and given that the football is even worse than that debacle despite winning games, I don't see much hope for the future.

Fair play to Lowes "Like an Exocet missile"

The argument about "what if it saves lives" is a compelling one but I've also read it doesn't really work - the view that "they'll say anything" seems to be true. I also think there's two sides to the "both sides do it" - if you're honest and admit you are going down to your enemies level then that's fair enough even if I disagree. That does however mean you can't claim the moral high ground about being civilised/the rule of law. This is pretty much why I oppose capital punishment and in the past opposed views like "we should just round up the IRA top dogs and shoot them". I can understand the arguments at a simplistic level but as I said I'd prefer to be able to say We are better than them and that killing does not justify revenge.

^^ You can add the Irish potato famine dead to the victims of "official callousness" as well.

That is the case but employers get around it by changing the job title so a receptionist becomes "General Affairs Clerk" or something like that. Sackings have to have a just cause - even "he was shit at the job" isn't good enough as in law that's your fault for not training them - so if you close the job then it's less hassle even if it may seemingly cost more.

I started reading that sentence thinking you were referring to the Swiss

My understanding was that the British ones for the Boers weren't "death" camps by any stretch but were the first ones to have a less than humanitarian reaction to care - ie they weren't too bothered by the diseases and their consequences.

I once rejected someone mainly because he had a sweaty handshake and he came back last month as a contractor

He was tried in Israel in the 80s for working in Treblinka but he was acquitted - I wouldn't have had a problem with jailing him then but now it seems pointless as I said.

The Sopranos is on my "Only seen a couple of random episodes - enough to realise it was a must see so waiting for a chance to watch it all" list - will probably need a serious illness unfortunately. I perfectly understand the desire for justice/revenge and there were some survivors in court but fucking hell the bloke's at death's door by the looks of things.

Having just seen him on the news being wheeled into court, I couldn't help feeling it was beyond the pale to prosecute him now.

I've said before that I've enjoyed visiting churches from an art/architecture pov but to be honest I'd be happy if there was never another one built. The same goes for mosques - why do the religious whose books tell them that it's prayer that counts feel the need to flaunt their wealth? Having said all that I still think its a pathetic decision by the Swiss - although I have to say having visited one Muslim country and having only been slightly bothered by the prayer call over the course of a week, I certainly wouldn't want to live near one permanently.

February to November every year to cover the summer in the middle of that period.

Portsmouth gave me hope that "anyone" could do it but I can't help thinking that's only going to happen once a decade.

The Mist Bit of a casual decision to watch it on Sky but I'm glad I did. A lot of King books don't work as films but I'd forgotten how much this story taps into twin fears - taking away the senses to an extent and "creepy crawlies". Quite disturbing. Fantastic ending and also a good safety tip - if you ever get in a situation like that, shoot the religious whack job on the first day.

Swansea have had a good 10 mins which should mean an anti-complacency talk from Hughton - good.

^ that team would score about 3 goals all season.

Carroll has potential but going into the premier with him and Shola even with additions is frigthening. Enrique steadily improved last year and in the end looked okay and I'd be happy to persevere with him for a while. I'd also replace Harper - distinctly average imo.