Craig

Let's not forget David Kelly either. The only player wearing a Sunderland shirt I've witnessed being applauded onto the pitch at SJP by the home fans. I'd also forgotten Robbie Elliott went there for a short after his 2nd stint with us.

If Ollie Holt was there, the 2nd question would DEFINITELY be asked.

BTW a couple of points: 1. I can't believe he's due for release. Doesn't seem that long ago he was being locked up. 2. Was the exclusion zone something you applied for or was it automatically designated and if the former, do you feel you weren't adequately advised on the boundary of what the zone could be?

Human rights campaigners will no doubt get behind the idea that the offender's movement was controlled when they were incarcerated and now they've been released, they have the freedom to move with small exception. As you can say, this can get in the bin. The offender made a conscious decision to take a life - for that their future existence should be at a disadvantage to their victims and for that, I support your viewpoint.

It's a classic example of positive discrimination. Barton is a fucking arsehole - both in general, and if this particular situation - but there's no getting away from the fact she's a shockingly bad pundit who appears quite keen to employ her spat with Barton to mask just how shit she is.

The main parties avoid going beyond the discussion point as it's turkey's voting for Christmas and not in their career interests. Smaller parties are in favour of it as it increases their chances to govern in some manner. If Farage thought for one moment Reform had a chance of governing as a majority, he'd be dead against PR. With very few exceptions, modern-day politicians are self-serving career-driven cunts - because the system as it stands drives that behaviour.

Fuck me. Reform can't even spell Frankenstein correctly.

The crux of your post is demonstrative of why the political system in it's current state is fucked and needs reform (NO, not that Reform!). As you rightly point out, to win power you need to be centrist and then the expectation on both sides is for the respective parties to lean towards their respective traditions and be considered weak and gutless if they appear to not do so in an undefined timescale. This country desperately needs PR and likely governments built on coalition instead of traditional one-party views. And not like the 'coalition of chaos' that was 2010-15 - it needs true equal-standing coalition where the best interests of the electorate take precedence, not a focus on career politics.

Would appear so.

Probably the first time in your life where Wykiki has posted without using the word 'cunt'.

Based on my own experience, I'd reach out to them to discuss these very points with them - particularly around which pronouns they prefer you to use. They'll likely see it positively as your acceptance of their position and a willingness to be supportive of them. One of my good mates who I worked with for years had a daughter 2 years older than mine who I've known since she was a toddler. Lucie elected to transition in her mid-teens and is now known as Cal. My mate Steve talked to me at some length given it was a few years since my sister transitioned. The bottom line we both agree is it's vital to talk about it. They see it as absolute inclusion.

Furthermore she's absolutely despised by large sections of the trans community about her views on the very subject of what is a woman. Many years ago there was a t-shirt in circulation with the slogan "Trans women are women, get over it!". My sister chose to have a t-shirt of the same design made with the slogan "Trans women are men, get over it" and wore it at a public demonstration. A photo of her went viral on social media and she was subjected to quite horrendous abuse and death threats as a result. I'm not defending her position. As I've stated many times I refuse to be drawn either way on this subject and understand the views of both sides and ultimately, she's chosen to put herself in the firing line, but the level of abuse was, in my opinion, disproportionate and, as much as I try keep myself out of this minefield, it's really difficult when you can someone who shares the same parents as you and who you've known and looked up to for years being subjected to such horrendous commentary.

We're not going to reach a point of agreement on this so best just left.

Happy to talk about it. Your second sentence is spot on. The focus tends naturally to be on the impact to the individual electing to transition - the impact to those around them becomes secondary. My sis announced she was transitioning in September 2012. She was married with 3 children aged at the time, 15, 12 & 10. I found out sometime down the line that the kids were informed only days before my Dad and I were. My other brother had known for about 6 months it was coming, as did my sister's wife. I'm hazy on the timings but i seem to recall her social transition (when she started to permanently offer appearance as the opposite gender) took place in the December and given she's a school teacher - that also had its massive challenges. My sister remains married - they'll be celebrating their 32nd anniversary this summer. The kids refer to my sister as she & her, but call her Dad. It all comes naturally to them and to me the 5 of them have shown enormous strength to remain united. My only anger towards my sister was she was so hell bent on pushing ahead with this, she didn't stop to acknowledge the impact on those close to her - particularly the kids. I remember asking early doors how their counselling was going which was met with "they don't need it, they're fine." which resulted in me losing my shit. The most common question I've been asked is if she is fully transitioned which she is, and I believe took place in 2016 - though I had no knowledge of it happening and didn't ask questions. They only reason I know it has and when it was is because I've read the first couple of chapters of her book. There's other impacts to consider - my Dad is coming up for 86 so was early 70s when all this came out - he still massively struggles with it and I know he's questioned himself whether he got something wrong - particularly when my sis said she'd known since the age of 3 that her gender wasn't right but elected to suppress it for the next 40-odd years . My Mam, passed away 28 years ago so knew nothing about it and for that, I'm glad. She'd not have coped. I struggle with it as well - I'm 9 years younger so the person who I witnessed demonstrating typically masculine adolescence behaviour was in fact living a massive lie - she's admitted as much. My own way of dealing with it is that pre-December 2012, I had an older brother, David and any reference that predates that I use male pronouns. Since then, I've had an older sister, Debbie and any reference after that point I use feminine pronouns. It confuses my other half at times but it's the only way I can get my head around the whole thing.

As a side subject, how good is Brentford's recent transfer record? Sold Watkins for £33m and replaced him with Ivan Toney for £10m Sold Toney for £40m and replaced him with Wissa who'd cost them £8.5m Wissa (16) & Mbeuno (18) have 34 goals between them this season. Watkins has 15.

Cardinal sin.

In the absence of definitively proven evidence, I prefer not to be drawn in either direction and I'd prefer even more to be not told what my position should be. Hugely emotive subject where too many people who aren't directly impacted draw their own conclusions and consider them to be sacrosanct. People have no validity to express concerns for safety unless in the presence of previously recorded examples?

First chapter of my sister's book goes in to waaaaaaaay too much detail about 'plumbing realignment' for the inverse so I would guess so.

Yep - this all the way. We get CL and Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City lose their main bargaining chip for trying to attract our players. Forest will be thinking similarly as they'll be desperate not to lose Murillo, Milenkovic, Elanga, Hudson-Odoi or Gibbs-White.

Last night's results have pretty much killed off Villa's chances. I reckon Chelsea's chances will likely be done before we face them a fortnight on Saturday. I can't see Liverpool wanting to do anything but put on a show the week before. It's us, Man City & Forest for the remaining CL places. Which order we finish in is up for debate.

Agreed.

Steve Bruce would blame all the cardinals and hold out for being sacked.

I'm sure I read somewhere yesterday that the recently deceased Pope neither put himself forward for it, or wanted it.

Seems like you have a very polarised view of this. There's genuine safety concerns in both scenarios which is why this is an absolute mess and not at all straight forward.

It's demonstrable just how toxic things are at Man Utd when you see the likes of Rashford & McTominay thriving having escaped. Which begs the question ... how potent would Fernandes be in a half-decent environment? He's absolutely wasted there.