NJS

A mate of mine liked them and we sometimes used to listen to that on the way to matches - I always thought they had something but it just wasn't my thing. Frightening scan through "albums of 1989" on Wiki also reveals Disintegration and Doolittle.

As .com implies - expect references to Ponteland/Woolsington airport.

My honest opinion is that he wasn't a full-on child rapist but some of the stuff he did with kids was dodgy - a bloke in his 40s showering and/or sleeping with kids even if no fiddling took place is fucked up. Whether that's strictly "illegal" is one for the DAs etc and in that context if I knew my kids were still "intact" I'd be tempted by $20m if I'm being honest - especially considering the strain of trial. Of course if my kids had told me he'd went further then thats something else.

As he was 99% plastic, Michael Jackson will be melted down to make lego - this means that kids will get to play with him for a change.

Many, many crimes against music. I also think he was guilty of at least some other crimes. No loss to me.

First ray of sunshine of the summer for me.

Maybe a half hour walk or you can get a bus which takes 10/15 minutes iirc.

Utrecht is about 30 minustes on the train from Amsterdam (South) - I've been 3 times after meeting a couple of lads when we played PSV in 97 - will probably go again this time.

That's what I was getting at above about how they want to classify as many people as possible by anything "anti-authority" they may subscribe to and keep it in a DB. Football matches were an obvious starting point and as you say the anti-terror BS has allowed it to be extended to all protests.

The charges may have been dropped but I'll bet the coppers were well pleased with the outcome - a chance to act tough and especially the 4 days inside.

Same here - as far as I can see he dliberately took it easy coming back for us so he'd be fresh for the world cup - I know it ultimately cost us as well but I can't help feeling his knee injury was karma. When I read the .com stuff I thought it was a bit strong but apart from fully siding with Gemmill on the Owen/Martins war, I think the criticism is justified - I think his obvious "I wish I wasn't here" is the crux of the matter.

If the bloke has a family, surely a family car which is what he described it as is fair enough? Despite who he is I can't imagine any wife would be happy to have the bairns driven around in something stupid.

I got an email from them last night accepting my cancellation but trying to change my mind with some deals. Funny thing was that along with shite I have less than zero interest in like rugby and boxing they referred to "top flight football" - I suppose they mean the SPL and the Jorman/French leagues but I can't imagine them surviving on that.

I think that what that was designed for but using it on people asking for a copper's ID when the copper wasn't doing anything is taking the piss.

I kept flicking over to that during the ad breaks of something else - will watch it tonight.

Those women are members of FITwatch - a group spefically set up to monitor those coppers whose business it is to provide intelligence on protests so you could say they are asking for it by definition. Again in two minds I think the pursuit of "Intelligence" on protestors who usually turn out to be rich gap year idiots is generally a waste of time but I can see why they do it. Their utopia would be database of everyone's interests and "pressure points" - I think thats what the internet/email monitoring idea is all about.

As I've said before, this kind of treatment has been standard for football fans for 30 years - you get used to it and probably sadly learn not to react.

Repeatedly (maybe 3 or 4 times) asking for the coppers number in a very reasonable tone.

How so? My ideallist half thinks everyone should rage against the machine any chance they get - on the other hand my cynical side thinks its a waste of time. I realise its only through past "ragers" that we have the notional freedoms we do have but I still think its a case of getting what you ask for.

I had classic schizo thoughts on this - the coppers were complete aresholes but part of me agrees that they "asked for it". As others have said they SHOULD be allowed to monitor the police but anyone vaguely sensible knows its just not worth it.

Sad thing for me was I actually started to think "hang on 60% doesn't make sense" then realised the key word.

its the right thing to do Given that he has a link to this thread, do you think that's the best advice? Considering he called us a bunch of whores...? Expert knowledge put to use obviously.

I got the impression from the article they were a standard part of footballers contracts obviously wrong but not unusual as such. I do agree if they had any decency that they would waive them of course.

I didnt have any problem with the tone or the sentiment of the article. What I questioned was the logistics of it. I'd love to know where he thinks we read the article as any kind of anti-NUFC writing. The original aarticle's tone is okay as you say - it's his responses to legitimate criticism of it that grates.

I think you should send the email conversation to his editor.