NJS

About what I expected but you're always disappointed by the details that lead to the results. Not game over but will need a brilliant performance to get through.

It is a particularly abhorrent religion though. Of course theres a cultural element and there are examples of nutjobs across all the others but if you combine FGM, general mysogyny and the brutality of sharia nothing else comes close.

THere are aspects of Harris' writing which I've always rejected but I have no problem agreeing that Islam deserves special mention when it comes to the threat to the world. Obviously that doesn't mean I recognise that the US reaction to it isn't a huge factor but trying to say that Islam is the same as Buddhism (for example) in this contect is bollocks.

It's the typical trick of the theist to try and argue about the the word "believe" in order to equate atheism with religion. I think Renton has it right with his use of positive/negative atheists fwiw. I have no problem saying I believe there are no gods in the same way I believe any number of things including the laws of science. I always feel using the "lack of belief" defiinition while true doesn't cover it entirely as you have to match the "positivity" of religionists to indicate where you are coming from.

Fair enough if we can have a debate about all the people that have comitted suicide because of his benefit changes as well.

You're possibly right on the pensioner thing - my Mam used to read it occasionally and she certainly wasn't politically naive but said she could ignore their bile and still use it just to pass the time.

I think I've said before that there must be something wrong with people who read the mail - the number I see reading it on the train on the way into work who by the so called values of that paper have a really good life but still need hate figures to make them "happy" suggests a deep psychosis and a definite unwllingness to examine those values in the light of what must be deep-rooted unhappiness. I'd love to see a poster campaign at the next election along the lines of "Read the Mail? - then you're a cunt".

I almost agree - when we used to argue with LM about how free speech meant you had to take views you found abhorrent on the chin he couldn't accept it and it can sometimes be hard. I think that maybe its long enough since WWII for people to now say Fascism is wrong but "acceptable" within the free speech remit but I think in its particular case there are a lot of people who still see it as a special case given the history and I can understand that. I don't think Di Canio is a racist and it is possible to have ultra-nationlist views without that side of it (though its a stretch) but having said that as others have said when its a club whose fans like to talk a strange line in moral superiority and also like to play the working class card more than most it is particularlly funny to see them squirm. Also I think some of their posts on the SMB regarding the miners union are especially loathsome.

I obviously consider myself a damn good cynic but the two-way conspiracy of parents and churches conflating baptism/church attendance with school placing is a whole different level. Obviously not getting at Cath here btw - I know you are still what counts as a proper catholic these days.

A tiny fraction I'd guess - and that would also presume that they will never work for a full 50 years to make that kind of point. Duncan-Smith keeps talking about three generational families who've never worked - despite scouring the country he hasn't been able to find a single example (apart from the Windsors obviously).

I'd like to think its changed for the most part since I left school ( which is more than 20 years ago ) - I went to a Christian Brothers school and it was very much "Catholics are fine, everyone else will burn in hell". However they couldn't stop the real world and even though there was still constant prayers and masses, most teachers knew that y the time we reached 16 (never mind 18) most of us didn't believe any more. I do vehemently oppose Faith schools on principle but I know that they aren't the brainwashing institutions I and others sometimes say they are when arguing the case. I just find it sad the hoops people have to go through to get "good" schools when I think it wouldn't take that much to ensure all schools were good. (Of course there are still some schools which go too far and I'd close them in a heartbeat).

It's looking obvious they didn't have a clue there'd be this kind of fallout - either very naive, ignorant or arrogant - as well as funny obviously - maybe all four.

I can see how a footballer would be daft enough to get carried away with wanting to ingratiate themselves with fans and it going as far as the salute without thinking what it means - a lot of them are that stupid. However having the tattoo and speaking of his admiration for Mussolini is harder to ignore.

Someone would have to explain to him that he wouldn't be able to sponge off his rich wife which is how he has lived all of his married life. I think the worst "victory" they have secured is to completely remove the idea that people pay for any benefits they receive through their taxes and NIC paid - the idea that anyone on benefits receives what amounts to charity from those in work is a lie that should be nailed once and for all.

The timing is a pisser as they were heding down until this. Even someone as shit as Hughes will probably get enough of a reaction to keep them up. It's funny that after the "mag twat" that getting someone who supposedly "supported" them seemed ideal especially given his so called pedigree. I've always said I admired O'Neill for how he coped with his wife's illness but apart from that I've always thought he was a limited manager and a football murderer. I think times have moved on and the funniest part was how similar his reign was to his time at Villa which their fans warned the mackems about but were roundly ignored.

Every time Marveaux has played against a good team we've been slaughtered.

The January additions have made a difference when we play other shite but have made virtually no difference against good teams and the away performances have been poor. As I keep saying anyone who expects easy points in any remaining away game and is relying on beating Fulham is complacent. I think we'll survive but by less than six points.

Couldn't get it out of my head that today wasn't Saturday - got my new TV delivered and set it up for streaming and settled down to watch the match before I realised I was an idiot.

Life of Pi - okay but ending was a bit too happy (Yes I know it was obvious from the start he survived). I don't know where I got the idea from but I thought the tiger started talking and I kept waiting for that to happen Also just to add if Depardieu thinks 30 seconds of "work" justifies his tax stance he can fuck right off.

£41 per month. Its probably not worth it most of the time as it sits on wifi at home and at work (via their hookup with BT) but it was more about getting the phone as I needed it to run a home automation/universal remote app.

I have 4g with 3gb on EE.

I think he's referring to when he was first diagnosed he went down an alternative therapy route before going back to science possibly too late. Might not have made any difference. He was certainly a techy very early on - see the Xerox stuff - which I think makes people think he drove Apple technically later.

Pesumably to distance himself from the 2015 defeat to return for 2020.

I got an S3 in january and I think its easily the best phone I've used or handled.

They wouldn't be able to cope with 3k allocations at the start - every game would see as many as came for the testimonials/tournaments turning up.