NJS

The Tories would have cut taxes and the housing bubble would have exploded quicker - they also spend 12 years saying they'd match Labour's spending penny for penny. Reform what? If you mean benefit culture how would you have encouraged people to work when there was effectively full emplyment? Gold was peanuts in the scheme of things - it's just a Tory point scoring exercise which means nothing - what difference woul it have made before, during or after the liquidity crisis? I didn't know Thatcher was in jail.

If you look at the league tables of education and religious adherence there is a correlation (apart from the obvious anomaly of the US) but I think your post alludes to another huge factor which correlates as well - poverty/quality of life. It's much easier to sell eternal salvation to people in the slums of Rio than to someone in the UK who thinks only having one holiday a year makes them poor. Education given the chance should take care of religion's role as an explanatory force for the world around us (with obvious resistance) but we need another weapon to combat its role as a source of hope for too many - if I could extend my "decadence" to "a decent quality of life" I think we'd have it - albeit delivery is a monumental task.

I know it's a "nasty" argument to make as there are intelligent, educated people who still believe but I don't know how anyone can really dispute this. I think the best weapons we have against it are education and decadence (in the good sense).

it's just too obvious Stevie. Citing the likes of you - or me - as racists instead is just easier for them. They don't understand how dumb they are. Stevie was just telling a story, you ARE a racist - simple difference. you're a do gooder and blind, therefore you are as dangerous and stupid as the real racists that you defend. I don't defend you.

It's another stupid point is my reaction. People can take their protest as far as they like within the law - if they want to just shout at soldiers they can - that doesn't mean there's a logical conclusion of actually taking up arms. I despise the institution of the monarchy - do you suggest I actually do somthing about and if I don't because I recognise the law I should be imprisoned for treason just for thinking it? eh ? Are you saying those scumbags who do all the things I've listed above, for starters, are only thinking about it ? Treason still carries the death penalty in the Armed Forces by the way. My point about these scumbags is they wish death on the troops, so if they feel like that why not have a go at killing them, man to man, out in the open, like men for their Allah ? They are yellow bellied cowards man, as well as hypocrites. If I'm against a point of view I can have a range of responses - I can keep it to myself, I can complain to someone, I can even go as far (as these protestors did) of standing with banners and shouting abuse. All of these are legal. If I go beyond that and either call for violence or do violence itself than I've crossed the line and will be dealt with by the law - do you remember the bloke who had the "behead those who insult Islam" being jailed for it or do you ignore that as it doesn't reflect your agenda? If the protestors do really want the troops to die than then they can do as you suggest. I would say that there abuse is just angry rhetoric similar to me saying I'd love to see Thatcher dead. It doesn't mean I'm going to go that far. The underlying point is that you actually want to believe that the protestors really want the troops to die because that suits you and so you project thet view on to them. More racism.

Shrewsbury was a good day out - one of the daft lads who used to go on the train got chinned in a pub much to everyone's amusement "I've been everywhere and stood my ground and get chinned in fucking Shrewsbury".

it's just too obvious Stevie. Citing the likes of you - or me - as racists instead is just easier for them. They don't understand how dumb they are. Stevie was just telling a story, you ARE a racist - simple difference.

It's another stupid point is my reaction. People can take their protest as far as they like within the law - if they want to just shout at soldiers they can - that doesn't mean there's a logical conclusion of actually taking up arms. I despise the institution of the monarchy - do you suggest I actually do somthing about and if I don't because I recognise the law I should be imprisoned for treason just for thinking it?

I've considered it, but I'd look and feel really weird without glasses as I've had them since I was 7. Plus the cost puts me off a bit - or at least it used to, not sure what sort of charge there is these days. £600 an eye. I've considered it for the last few years, but they still don't know what the risk is in later life. £1200 would pay for itself though considering I must pay £200+ a year for lenses and solutions. Apparently you can smell your eye burning during the op though. Apparently when you hit 40ish you'll still need geps for reading anyway so whats the fucking point. The possibility is mentioned upfront - just as someone born with perfect vision might need glasses as they get older. The 40ish is bollocks though - mine hasn't degraded at all yet.

So you don't accept your glorious leader's view that being over business friendly and regulation shy was Labour's big mistake? Not sure what your on about. What Im on about is that low corporation tax encourages foreign firms to set up here rather than elsewhere (like your Nissans etc). More firms, more jobs. See HF's reply on Labour and deregulation. The tax reduction isn't bad for British business but will make no difference to the big boys thanks to a change your mates have alreasy made. Previously if a notionally UK firm like Barclays brought money from abroad from a country with a lower corporation tax rate than the UK they had to pay the difference to make it up to the full UK figure. Osborne changed this, handing further millions "back" to them in tax they won't have to pay so excuse me while I sneer when the shitbag talks about "tackling tax aviodance".

The first female to cause a slight twinge for me:

Top tottie when young - slightly dodgy association with Jackson but nevertheless - RIP. (BTW Audrey Hepburn for the 50s/60 poll)

So you don't accept your glorious leader's view that being over business friendly and regulation shy was Labour's big mistake?

A lot of places do interest free credit now I think.

Completely different set of circumstances all of them. You have to understand how well they can speak English, nearer RP than me that's for certain, the other shop which is further away they're both Indian. Bloke is a top fella apart from the fact he wears a Barcelona top and supports Liverpool, he's got a beer belly and drinks, they speak in English the pair of them, because they understand what is ignorant and what isn't. They even row in English in the shop, while English is their second language. See that's the difference between your Indian and Pakistani if you ask me, and the Indians would say the same. I had an Indian mate at Uni that hated Pakistanis. With venom. I didn't have a clue at the hatred between the 2 at the time. Proper racist. They're both largely speaking the same race though, so I don't know how it's racism. Bigotry maybe? GENERALLY speaking Indians have a much higher level of decency than Pakistani's, I don't know if religion or race even comes in to it. The Indians who have come here embrace Britain a lot better than Pakistani's, cue HF and his wealth disparities pish. More like English and French than English versus Scots. And the underlying difference is unfortunately religion. Didn't we make Pakistan and Bangladesh? It was part of independence but the key factor is that both of those are Muslim states. There are Hindus in those countries and Muslims throughout India but the countries represent "havens" - a bit like Ulster was supposed to be for Protestants.

Hitler was an atheist. Just goes to prove, religion is good. Oh no he wasn't! Stalin was though, but he never murdered in the name of atheism. but Marxism is an atheistic political system. so if he murdered in the name of Marxism, he murdered in the name of atheism. My understanding was that Marx had an unfavourable view of religion as a control mechanism but didn't aspouse "pure" Atheism as a substitute. I think he felt if people were provided for and "happy" in a Marxist state then they wouldn't even "need" religion.

Completely different set of circumstances all of them. You have to understand how well they can speak English, nearer RP than me that's for certain, the other shop which is further away they're both Indian. Bloke is a top fella apart from the fact he wears a Barcelona top and supports Liverpool, he's got a beer belly and drinks, they speak in English the pair of them, because they understand what is ignorant and what isn't. They even row in English in the shop, while English is their second language. See that's the difference between your Indian and Pakistani if you ask me, and the Indians would say the same. I had an Indian mate at Uni that hated Pakistanis. With venom. I didn't have a clue at the hatred between the 2 at the time. Proper racist. They're both largely speaking the same race though, so I don't know how it's racism. Bigotry maybe? GENERALLY speaking Indians have a much higher level of decency than Pakistani's, I don't know if religion or race even comes in to it. The Indians who have come here embrace Britain a lot better than Pakistani's, cue HF and his wealth disparities pish. More like English and French than English versus Scots. And the underlying difference is unfortunately religion.

I'm all for an enthusiastic teacher but Cox is a bit too "That's fucking brilliant" as the parody went for me - still enjoy his work though.

I've considered it, but I'd look and feel really weird without glasses as I've had them since I was 7. Plus the cost puts me off a bit - or at least it used to, not sure what sort of charge there is these days. £600 an eye. I've considered it for the last few years, but they still don't know what the risk is in later life. £1200 would pay for itself though considering I must pay £200+ a year for lenses and solutions. Apparently you can smell your eye burning during the op though. Depends on the type - there are more options now than when I had it in 97/98 and I did smell the smell - not surprisingly a bit like roasting pork Mine was £400 per eye but I had to have 2 ops on my right eye to correct astigmitism so that was an extra £200. The only downer was the day after spent trying to sleep through constant irritation though I think the newer techniques reduce that immensely.

Hitler was an atheist. Just goes to prove, religion is good. Oh no he wasn't! Stalin was though, but he never murdered in the name of atheism. What was he then? A devious politician leading a nominally Christian country like 1930s Germany will say lots of Christian-sounding stuff to maintain popularity. His early stuff, is pro-christian. Once he is trashing most of Europe he openly despised Christianity. This may not mean he was an atheist, but non-religious at least, unless he was a secret Muslim. I'll do pantomime with you if you want though. It's behind you! I honestly think the devious politician is closest to the mark but the ignorance of Theists who claim he was an Atheist and by association his views on race were "Darwinist" is worth arguing against. Hitler was a Catholic who was never excommunicated and whose first treaty as chancellor was with the Vatican to protect their rights. He also banned The Origin of Species and books by the German Darwin - can't remember his name - so that correlation is also shite. As I said like most politicians he was very practical when it came to religion - able to opt in or out to suit.

My equivalent of that was Sabbath with Ozzy - I just got into them a couple of years after he left. Saw them with Dio which was great but finally saw them "properly" at an Ozzfest in 2001.

The EDL is still allowed to march. The BNP is allowed to stand. I said I would have let them in but they were actually banned for fear of incitement of violence not for causing offence as you think. I remember another Yank nutter - Farrakhin? being banned for his anti-jewish shite which shows it isn't that special a treatment.

Saw them in London on that tour. Liked the reunion in 2004 - Brixton gigs were great but really enjoyed V when they were second on the bill to The Strokes and all these turds down the front had no fucking clue who they were until they started and were soon educated by a load of old bastards like me going mental on their heads. Best ever gig was Mayfair Newcastle in 91 - absolute mayhem.

The Pixies. The singer is Black Francis aka Frank Black. Thanks. Then it's not my old mate. Or, for that matter, Ant (from Ant & Dec) on his right shoulder, or Crissy Hind to his left. Joey Santiago with Dave Lovering at the back and Kim Deal - used to have the best tits and smile in music - unfortunately gravity has not been kind on the former.

Did anyone really notice or care about the Muslim population of the UK until the gulf war/July the Seventh? I can only remember a few people saying things like why can't the West Indian immigrants be more like the Asians as the former were seen as more of a problem. I guess that';s now reversed which is obviously a shame but I think you let the terrorism issue cloud your opinion. You're old enough to remember how much distrust and dislike there was for the Irish in the IRA days in the 70s especially but you must realise that's pretty much gone now. Of course being anti-religion I don't like some of the pandering as you call it but feel the same way about christian pandering - in fact its now hard to see who followed who on that one as you can't really blame people for saying "well they get special treatment so why shouldn't we". The solution is to stop special treatment for everyone. I also think you're completely wrong about people being afraid to speak up - the Mail (I know, sorry) might tell you you can't say anything but the truth is it's perfectly possible to speak out. There's too many people who only say they can't because they're trying to make people think they can't when they can.