NJS

I think this has been a poor season for him and he COULD do better but as I said when he was appointed Shepherd set the top bar as 5th/6th with a possible attempt at 4th in a really good yera. I do actually think Roeder could do that with a bit of luck. As I also said I don't think Allardyce (or O'Neill for that matter) actually sets the bar any higher but possibly just firms it up and would probably remove seasons as poor as this. If we want to higher we need a Benitez/Wenger/Hitzfeld.

Its something we recognise clearly on here - and sadly it can become a factor - in fact its a large factor in our failure imo.

But it will only be a factor when we get rid of this "English Fuckwit".. Look how Oliver and Shepherd have tried to sell Roeder as the ex-player/adopted Geordie - I think in some quarters that busllshit works - they wouldn't be able to try that with Allardyce and the mackem thing actually takes the swing the other way from neutral. My view is Roeder should go - I'm just not convinced that Allardyce is the right man as I never thought he was the right man in the past which is what .COM are saying. If his availability ups the ante on getting rid of Roeder then fair enough but if its right to sack him then have a proper search. That would involve as again they say a new chairman.

I pretty much agree with what they say. On the mackem thing I took it as something that shouldn't and wouldn't bother them (I feel the same) but at the same time as they say there is a section of the support whose first thought at the sign of trouble would be "mackem bastard" the same way it was "jock bastard/dutch bastard" with other people - its not right but its a factor.

From what I saw there was a lot of tentative suggestion - his son is a crook and he's a manager therefore....

As I also said historically the rich always had access to abortion while the poor died in alleyways - the fact that the authorities are now in some kind of control of the situation is just a more modern stance - one thing money has always given people is freedom from laws they don't like. I thought you were getting at the fact that I said that that view that we do agree with is sometimes frowned on as a "betrayal" by more radical supporters of the rights - apologies if we've got mixed up.

Anecdotes from my boss. I always thought my Mam was a pretty "good" catholic (despite doubting a lot of the dogma) but his description of his Mam (lives in a small town 50m west of Dublin) makes me think mine was a heretic. Things like him not drinking until he was 18 because when he was confirmed he made an official promise to wait. Promises they take a tad seriously if you know what I mean. I think a lot of irish people will be as you say - modern in outlook but I think older generation wise its still there. Having said that I would say if all the over 60s in this country disappeared overnight you'd lose a lot of the old-fashioned bigotries like racism and homophobia at a stroke.

Oba: Yes I'm older but I'm just going by what everyone would go by - friends and people I know - I certainly know that the "its horrible but okay" approach is the view of the female friends I have and they've said to me that they feel sometimes reluctant to state that clearly. I got the impression from the case that the lass was in care and it sounds like what would go down on other threads here as a teen/charva pregancy. If thats the case then it would be easy for the authorities to take control and I doubt she would have the means to get here easily - all I was saying was that if this were say Bono's daughter (sorry famous rich irishman cliche) then the authorities wouldn't have got within a million miles of it - the abortion would have happened. I think its very naive to reject the role of the catholic church in irish politics. The divorce and abortion laws and the until relatively recent ban on contraception stands out to me as pretty obvious. You could just say this reflects a more "conservative" society in general but I don't think thats true. My boss is Irish and from what he's said the older generation especially are in general very religious in their view of life. The fact that Mother Theresa travelled to Ireland to campaign against the legalisation of divorce also shows thats the case imo.

Where's that coming from, like? Anyone I've ever discussed it with, who's been pro-choice has felt it was a hugely difficult issue. Most of them not prone to too much deep thinking on other issues. Also your opening line is completely out-dated, much like the offending legislation in this instance. Bollocks about this being a class issue, too. Positively topsy-turvy land for you today tbh. Oh, and - DOWN WITH THIS SORT OF THING! I meant unquestioning from those who see themselves as "liberal" in the wider sense of the word - I get the impression sometimes its "treason" to feel uneasy about the act itself. If the lass was rich (for want of a better word) then it wouldn't have come to court - thats what I meant - she would already have been here and had it done. Exactly the way the "rich" in this country always found a safe way pre-legalisation. On my opening line do you deny that Ireland's constitution and legal system is a teeny bit Catholic influenced?

Fair enough but as I said I was told May 1st which turns out to just be "May" in my case. These things usually don't take that long though - I'd expect yours to be done in a couple of months.

Mysoginist religious intolerance. While supporting this woman's rights in this case I have to say abortion is a horrible thing - I think a lot of "social" abortions in this country could be avoided and even as an anti-religious lefty I always feel uneasy at the unquestioning support for it. Having said that it boils down to the old classic - its all about money - as the article mentions thousands of "rich" irish women take a mysterious holiday to Britain every year - the same thing would happen in the US if the idiots get their way and reverse the law there - the rich will head for Canada and the poor will die in the alleyways.

Yeah and Its poor service in my view - nobody I spoke to (including obviously the one a couple of weeks ago) actually knew what the situation is - thats what their job is.

Probably - Its getting a bit like Footballers wages - beyond a certain level its pointless and just becomes a numeric status symbol.

Never had any problems with NTL in this household for our BB. Never had a problem with Blueyonder after a few teething probs which was fair enough as I was in the area for the first post-test installs for broadband.

Just had my first dealings with these (been with Blueyonder for years) and my opinion based on the bearded twat's trains is confirmed. Phoned them a couple of weeks ago as I'd read that the 10Mb service was going up to 20Mb. I was told Yes definitely as of May 1st, completely automatic. Its been obvious the last couple of days that it hasn't happened so decided to enquire: Customer Services: Had to enter phone number (its their line) and then confirm my ID to Op. Was told that yes I was on the top package so should have 20Mb - will transfer me to Tech support as there must be a problem. Tech support: Re-enter phone number and confirm ID again. Told that after checking my account I'd now been upgraded and it would be done by the 11th - went ballistic so re-transferred to customer services. Customer Services: Had to enter phone number and then confirm my ID to Op. Told it was being done gradually or maybe I would get a letter - she wasn't sure - asked for a manager. Manager: Yes its being done gradually but will refund me a month for whinging (didn't say that). So I finished by telling her Virgin was as shit as I'd expected and Blueyonder were a better company.

Did exactly the same at Charlton and Fulham - problem is no goals when on top. I'd guess Sheff U was the same except we scored in the first half and them somehow got a winner. It all boils down to missed chances - all this crap about having 4 good strikers next season. I'd keep Owen and ditch the rest (aswell as dyer obviously).

I agree to a large extent - I think its a myth that NUFC fans want "pure" football to the detriment of results but I just feel that Bolton are an extreme too far.

If he does come to us I'd find it a bit iffy that he had the chance in the past but sort of turned us down. A stark resignation puts paid to stuff last time around about the chairman not letting Fat Fred speak to him as he could have done the same then. As I've said before I think his "professionalism" is offset by by the odious style of football. I'm not convinced by the view that given "better" players and/or more resources he'd suddenly become a Wenger style football purist.

Random thoughts: I remember in 96 the Sunday Sun printing a letter from a mackem hoping(praying) that Keegan would leave to manage England. I remember thinking that was their best hope and I'd never go that low. I'm starting to think like that wirh Keane. They have no premiersip quality but I don't trust them not to buy any which is what happened last time. I have another pathetic hope that it might force the fat bastard to "care" a bit more. For those who grin "6 easy points" note thats thats not the norm - twice recently and before that in 93 makes 3 times in 50 years.

"You will not be allowed to leave" Bit strong.

Either he's capable and chooses not to which makes him an approver of evil or he's willing but not able which makes him a pathetic God.

Strictly speaking Birds and Reptiles have a common orifice for waste products and sex/eggs which I don't think is the equivalent of the mammalian fanny. I know, monotremes have the same thing. It was a rather light-hearted answer though You could have said Duck's arse and been just as right (or wrong).

Strictly speaking Birds and Reptiles have a common orifice for waste products and sex/eggs which I don't think is the equivalent of the mammalian fanny.

Haven't heard of that many of them but I've liked Jessica Alba since Dark Angel (prefer her dark) so no complaints. Putting aside worrying notions of how young she is I also like Hayden Panetierre. On that show note Ali Larter (as the evil twin) would also be higher for me.

The thing is if you accepted for a moment that we've only been "on the map" since say electricity was discovered/used (or maybe nuclear energy) then thats only a 200 year period out of 14 billion years. Playing the numbers game again a race would have to be extremely advanced to be able to scan the entire cosmos or even to send out a beacon with any chance of success.