NJS

No breakdown of taxpayer-supported banks then? Or those that still made a profit? We'll find out in the next couple of weeks whether we're getting a bonus - it's doubtful at the moment.

There was a good article by Ben Goldacre in The Guardian yesterday saying that the danger in the media hysteria was that poeople would think it was overhyped - there is a genuine risk which should be discussed.

Didn't I read that the Spanish Flu just after WWI affected "fit" people more and left the old and weak relatively unscathed? It sounded strange to me but I may be wrong.

Illegal payments which should have seen you relegated but the FA bottled it - about 95? Crooks, Hoddle, Archibald, Sheringham, Keane - cheats to a man. we got a points deduction, Arse got awa y scott free. As for that list? joke A points reduction which was dropped on appeal - when Swindon had been relegated two divisions for less. One of the reasons people dislike Spurs (I know it's hard to believe) is that along side the image of good football which is fair enough you have always had theatrical players - that list represents the worst culprits off the top of my head but there are more. Arsenal have had a few cheats under Wenger as a reflection of the modern game but Spurs have been mainline culprits for as long as I can remember which goes back to the 70s.

Illegal payments which should have seen you relegated but the FA bottled it - about 95? Crooks, Hoddle, Archibald, Sheringham, Keane - cheats to a man.

I have no sympathy - they sign up I presume based on a contract - I'd further presume that this contract doesn't mention a right of settlement. I'd also guess they sign up as an opportunity to earn a living and for status in their own country - both of which are received. The notion of "fighting for Britain" is one I don't subscribe to - I think people in this country also sign up mainly for careerist/job related reasons though I accept many will believe this "servitude" concept.

Renton : What I meant is that poverty, over-population and Catholic/Muslim encouragement of breeding without consequence are all linked. Of course I'd loce to see a panacea that allows 10bn or more humans to inhabit the earth in peace at a reasonable standard of living but it isn't easy due to capitalism, politics and religion. My comments on the pandemic were meant as a suggestion that it could be one possible "hand forcing" action to address over-population - its a natural/simplistic event which would over-ride "impossible" obstructions. My Mam was very much of the view that all life was "sacred" and as long as people were loved then the suffering was a bearable consequence - I think that the suffering caused by poverty etc is too high a price and I would rather have fewer people who are "happier". I fully accept that "promoting" a pandemic beyond anything else in history could be a coward's way out of suggesting genocide which I could never sanction but I still feel that without a miracle food or poverty relieving invention the human race is doomed if it comtinues at present groeth rates. This also ignores cliamte change of course.

He's right in a way - in South America the poor keep having too many kids (with the blessing of the church of course) because of high child mortality and the need for providers. If you could do something about the basic poverty then you'd affect the over-population as well.

One of the reasons I like Maradona is that I saw a documentary on him about this side of him - very much a working class kid - he even upset a shit load of establishment wankers when he got married as his lass was some society/upper class bint that "should" have been beyond him.

Rangers at McCoist's testimonial in 94 was the best I've experienced - Partisan in 98 probably a close second.

That's so bad it's good. The truffling is good but the hooves spoils it for me.

If you could guarantee me they would be distributed freely and fairly - ie without any corruption involved then yes.

I'll be going to more away games but I've had enough of home ones - I've only been to 5 this year so it isn't exactly a huge miss.

Beardsley obviously. My favourite "shit but gave his all" player was Kenny Wharton.

I have to say Guthrie's (and to a leeser degree Butt's) continued attempts at diagonal balls out to the wings in the second half drove me mental.

I need to think about this when I've got time tonight - can't think of anything oustanding like I would have said Achtung Baby, The Holy Bible, Star, Siamese Dream and Doolittle in the 90s in a heartbeat. I would say my favourite "new" band is Rilo Kiley.

I thought we looked exactly like we did against Blackburn last year when Keegan had started to ge them playing but it hadn't clicked - you could see a bit more effort but unfortunately a cliche I hate "they've forgotten how to win" could not be truer - if we had somehow won I would have actually had hope we could stay up - now its too late. It's also a shame that Viduka is only just back - he made a big difference in providing what little chance we had.

If speed is what you want then binary newsgroups is the answer.

I've said before that while an individual person's death is always tragic, looking at the big picture the planet is overpopulated by humans. In that context a pandemic wouldn't necessarily be bad - though even 50m probably wouldn't be "enough" to make the situation viable. Losing all of the Americas would make life interesting.

I'll bet if there's a grain of truth in that, if he did sell for £120m, he'd keep the loan. Depending on who's allegedly interested and what their long term plans are I'd see this as a positive - don't forget that the Mackems walked the league with a modest spend under Keane. A year of going to different places but with an element of long term hope as a backdrop sounds better than another "let's finish 17th" season under Ashley.

The reason why I "forgive" his use of her death is the anniversary thing - I think about my Mam and Dad just about every day but it certainly affects me more around those times of the year.

This brings to mind Hall's bullshit scare tactics saying that Newcastle could go bust in 91 - Barclays would never have called the debt as their only chance of getting the money was for NUFC to continue. If the Chinese did "repossess" the UK who the fuck would they sell us to?

I can't stand the cunt but he's right that the anniversary of his Mam's death is a sombre occasion for him and it would certainly have been on his mind.

I have to say I have no respect for Barcelona's fans. The first time we played them they just didn't turn up and the second time they were more concerned with how Madrid were doing.

I know its bitterness brought on by all them defeats but I certainly won't shed any tears.