NJS

Just on this idea of Leazes' that its Souness who is to blame for the financial side. If Bellamy and Robert had been sold for £10m and £5m (what chance?) then that would make about £9m difference to these figures - hardly a crippling proportion and I believe anyway that if they had of done bigger bids would have been made for Anelka and others. The idea that as we had those two we didn't need any new players is also daft - We needed new strikers and at the very least competition for Robert. I don't think anyone is fooled when it comes to Shepherd - they know he backs the managers but takes the piss personally. The thrust of this article also suggests we aren't a good prospect for purchase - any purchaser would look at potential earnings as well as debt etc (like the Glazers did) which should put us "above" the likes of Villa etc imo.

As I've said before there seems to be an "rationality excuse" when it comes to religion - you can't question it on the grounds of causing offence as its "personal" or "faith based" but the same doesn't apply to say a racist who says "I believe whites are superior". The fact that they have no answers to the sensible questions is what they want to hide by refusing to answer.

What got me in the wake of the London bombings was the "factual" way the term "brainwashing" was used in relation to convincing the bombers to act. If you spend up to 20 years "teaching" people that there is a God with a Heaven which is your reward for doing his will how much more "brainwashing" does it take to say "if you do this then you will go there"? The problem imo is that there is not enough opposition like Dawkin's to religion. Not from fear of reprisals (though that would be a concern) but just that people who have "seen sense" don't think its worth the effort. When you consider the consequences I think it should be on the agenda - I'd certainly start by abolishing faith schools and all teaching of it in schools.

I couldn't watch it - I knew I would get too angry - especially this test/punishment concept - God as a sort of Santa Claus/Bogeymen type figure.

Nah - I just assumed everyone would know who wrote A Brief History of Time I've just started re-reading An Ancestors Tale - don't know if its my age but I find non-fiction isn't sticking to my brain immediately these days - I've already overcome one of my doubts from the first time which was only around 5 months ago.

At least he knows if he's threatened with the wrath of God (and not one of his minions) then he's okay On your question I re-read A Brief History of Time recently and it made more sense second time around. Also my "annoyance" at his overuse of the word "God" last time was dampened a lot and I found myself finding the suggestion that the universe deliberately "lends" itself towards intelligent life (in our case) quite intriuging. I obvious still think Mount Olympos/Grey haired old men who actually control this world concepts are nonsense and I'm not joining the priesthood tomorrow but I think the concept of a universal creator is not one I'd dismiss so readily.

Wish I'd seen it after my boss mentioned it and "accused" me of writing it I'll look out for a repeat or download opportunity. Strangely using the bible, the classic misquote is "money is the root of all evil" which misses out "love of" at the start. I don't think religion is the root of all evil - its just the excuse. Recently I've found myself getting more frustrated at the irrationality of so called intelligent people spouting creationism etc. Its got to the stage where I think if people reject science so much then science should reject them - that ungodly concept of medicine comes to mind.

Ian Rush 0-2 76871[/snapback] The 1980 2-0 was at home. I think we played them in the mid 70s in the League cup. Just checked - 74-75 - lost 1-0 in a replay at their place.

One of my serious life ambitions is to buy the rights to Radford's goal for the pleasure of turning down anyone who wants to show it ever again. On today I'm with SpongeBob - "my blood ran cold" is a perfect description.

Well I do know - he was wearing a Liverpool shirt - I feel about scousers how Django feels about ref

Not the case - the referee got that penalty wrong. Firstly the incident began outside of the penalty area and then replay clearly shows that Carson had no contact with Vine who stepped on the keeper and then went to ground. Tough one to call by the ref though. 75993[/snapback] Its a moot point whether it actually was a pen - what matters to me is why yellow and not red once the pen is given? I don't care what Dan says about "last man" - dead centre, just inside () the box with defenders chasing back is a goal-scoring opprtunity in my view

Red Dwarf had the best conspiracy - Kennedy shot himself with the aid of their time machine to protect his liberal icon status. I think the Cuban thing is a lot like a lot of more modern terrorist acts - they would have liked to have done it so claim it anyway.

As I've said before (unpopularly) stuff like this is so "wrong" I wouldn't be surprised if theres an element of mental illness. Do you really want to cut peoples balls off because they have a chemical imbalance (or similar) in the brain? Would you call yourselves "civilised" if you main/kill people for being ill? Don't get me wrong if these people are fully aware of what they are doing in a cold-blooded, evil, Kray twin type manner them I'm with the rest of you but as I say theres something about paedophilia which screams "sickness" in the true sense at me.I 74852[/snapback] Agreed, however it takes especially sick individuals to get together, target a child, rape them and then ....*shudders to think what was going to happen afterwards. 74867[/snapback] Yeah the "gang" element to this one ups the ante by several leagues. People talk of deterrents but if these people are either plain evil or sick as I've defined then the urge will not be quelled by the fact that the last attacker was maimed or killed. On the other hand if someone had these urges and felt they could seek help before acting on them which they'd feel less inclined to do given the usual reaction then that makes kids actually safer which in the end is all that really matters imo.

As I've said before (unpopularly) stuff like this is so "wrong" I wouldn't be surprised if theres an element of mental illness. Do you really want to cut peoples balls off because they have a chemical imbalance (or similar) in the brain? Would you call yourselves "civilised" if you main/kill people for being ill? Don't get me wrong if these people are fully aware of what they are doing in a cold-blooded, evil, Kray twin type manner them I'm with the rest of you but as I say theres something about paedophilia which screams "sickness" in the true sense at me.

To be fair I already distanced myself from these comments. I know it's hard to believe, but even I talk bollocks some times... 74832[/snapback] You "right" bastards are on your high horses enough without distancing yourselves from occasional slips

Just saw some snippets on the headlines a while ago and what struck me was the contrast between that and his first interview on Radio Newcastle soon after he took over - I think even Isegrim said that the Radio one was impressive in that he spoke sense and sounded confident in himself to do the job. Today's interview sounded to me like the ramblings of a man who knows his days are numbered and had a "fuck you" attitude behind it that belays self-doubt.

Its a tragedy but I did notice that when they were "alive" it was a "miracle" and their "prayers were answered" - do they now blame the same God?

Sorry I read your twice what we got as twice what we paid - not that big a diff however. Give Luque time....

And the answers to those (performance wise) in 03/04 were?

llike who ? Chelsea, man u ? If Parker is so good, why did Chelsea sell him...why didn't manu come in for him ? Why did no one else come in for Luque if he is so good ? Your point makes no sense and you know it. If you have watched newcastle this season, you will know we have missed Craig Bellamy massively, he was worth double what we got for him, at least, and you know that too 74074[/snapback] There is nobody on this planet who would pay £12m for an injury prone troublemaker who has never scored more than a dozen goals a year. Get real. I said he was important to us but in the market place he was virtually worthless. If you think thats Souness' fault then fine - obviously none of the other "top" clubs could wait to get their hands on such a bargain - maybe not Chelsea but what about Spurs, Everton, Bolton or even Boro who all bought strikers in the timeframe?

Sorry SLP, but I hate this ridiculous notion that Souness "won something everywhere he has been". This doesn't apply to you in the slightest, but some people actually believe that line! I believe the Benfica fans were less than happy with wor Graeme like, I hope the twat never manages another team, unless it's the mackems of course. 74062[/snapback] He's won something everywhere he's been given time

As I said he was "worth more" to us but as has been said before if he was such a world beater he would have went to a better club for more money. To think we'd have got any money for Robert is also naive. Oh Yes Marseille want him don't they (again).

Fuck all, he's gone on a free, hence my comment on £10m down the toilet. 74031[/snapback] Bought when the market was too high and wouldn't have got anywhere near that when he was "good", let alone now. You can argue about loss of worth to the squad (and we have) but monetary arguments are pointless imo. 74034[/snapback] Maybe so, but its still a criminal to have seen zero return on that kind of money. 74037[/snapback] I'm not happy about it - just realistic - you could mention several other examples in the past under all managers. I don't agree with LM's opinion that Souness "cost us millions" on Robert and Bellamy - they went for what they were worth in the market though I accept at their best they were worth a lot to us in squad terms.

Fuck all, he's gone on a free, hence my comment on £10m down the toilet. 74031[/snapback] Bought when the market was too high and wouldn't have got anywhere near that when he was "good", let alone now. You can argue about loss of worth to the squad (and we have) but monetary arguments are pointless imo.

I thought he'd done well at Blackburn given the club and thought that given a better squad and more money he'd succeed here. I have no problem saying that or saying now that I think bad luck notwithstanding he's failed. 73934[/snapback] But look where Blackburn were when he was appointed - one of the few clubs lower than us after having nearly been relegated the year before! It was the maddest appointment ever imo. 73941[/snapback] The "favourite" now - Allarydyce has flirted with relegation off and on at Bolton - all of the shortlist have had up/down years but I always try and look at the best in people.