NJS

Style over content fails again - love it. (Zen and Archos Gmini owner)

They have this "We gurantee to beat your renewal" promise - I got an online quote which was £150 more than mine but I was then supposed to phone them - I didn't bother as it would probably be by £1 or something like that and anyway why try and charge me £150 more than what they can?

Use Confused.com - it does loads at once - I'm with Elephant (who are owned by Admiral) and those two were the cheapest for me by £100

As long as Bobby gets all the blame for Dyer and Bellamy's previous Hamstrings then by all means blame Souness.

I hope Sunderland, Blackburn, Portsmouth I think Sunderland, Wigan, Fulham

Sound of the suburbs.

Real first name: Neil Nickname: None Age: 41 Occupation: Software Developer Location: Chelmsford (S. Shields originally) Language(s) spoken? Sanddancer, schoolboy french and spanish Avatat - why? Fantastic Band Previous avatars? Used to have Julie Benz (Darla in Angel and Buffy) Tell us when you first joined the boards? xmas last but one Board highlights? general sharing of pleasure when we win Board lowlights? Too much anti-Souness for me. What would you be doing if you weren't doing your current job? - God knows Pets? - Don't see the point though I've sort of adopted next door's cat in that it greets me. I play a bit like.... Paul Goddard Football heroes? Beardsley, Varadi, Cole, Anderson, Wharton, Sir Les Football villains? Steve Foster, Kenny Burns, Carlton Palmer Best advice given? Family and friends above all else Ideal partner? Abbey off ER Ideal dinner date? Germaine Greer would be interesting Ideal meal? Mam's rabbit pie Can you cook? Not really - microwave man Current wheels? VW VR6 Biggest influence? Dad TV programmes? Babylon 5, Angel, Buffy, Simpsons Burger and chips or fish and chips? Fish Chinese or indian? What do you order? Indian - Jalfrezi/ chinese - duck (prefer the former) Favourite tunes? Mayonaise by Pumpkins, Fields of Fire by Big Country Abi Titmuss or Jodi Marsh? - Don't know what they look like George Clooney or Bradley Pitt? - acting wise Clooney. Favourite film? Dogma or Blade Runner If I won a million pounds.... I'd visit every country on the planet Age first drunk alcohol? First drink? 15/16 - McKewans Best Scotch. Ever suspended/expelled from school? No - swot Favourite insult? the C word with relish (also favourite compliment) Not a lot of people know that......I hate christmas Most you've ever spent on an item of clothes? Armani winter coat in Rome - £350 How many pairs of shoes do you own? 5 or 6 including trainers I'm obsessed with.....Arguing In 5 years time, I hope to be....back in contracting making loads

I agree. I also thought the one out wide where Savage asked for the second yellow was a dive. But when he played for us a big plus was that he is an annoying little twat so it would be too much to condemn him now.

Bad crack - maybe there should be come kind of medical clearance certificate? - then again pretty fit people still have heart attacks.

Thats too simplistic. I'm not someone who says "you're born into a class and then die in it" but simple class=money doesn't work for me. I still call myself working class despite earning what a lot of people in the north east especially would call a good living. I see it being at a more ingrained level than that. As it happens I don't have any kids but I could see that if I did and they were brought up in the "affluent" south, over a couple of generations that ingrained sense of "loyalty" to the north east and my origins would be diluted. My problem with inherited wealth and privilege is mainly that its self-perpetuating - as I said there can be mobility as wealth grows and fades but overall there are too many people who have "no worries" who own too much of this country - certainly far too much for it ever to be fully qualified as a democracy or a meritocracy.

Thats also my view to clarify. I also stand by the point that their wonderful education seems to lack some common sense. 34266[/snapback] You see a similar thing with many politicians I suppose: 'well'-educated, intelligent (sometimes anyway) and completely out of touch with reality. 34271[/snapback] Thats because they're mainly middle/upper class twats

Offensive I don't mind - as I said I make no apology for it given their treatment of the north east in particular but why ironic?

Thats also my view to clarify. I also stand by the point that their wonderful education seems to lack some common sense.

The landed gentry of the 19th and 20th century were the slave owners of the 17th and 18th century. 34248[/snapback] We are agreeing here, right? 34256[/snapback] Yeah you seemed there to be separating the "older" upper classes from slave owners so I was just making the point there was some class mobility over time. The rich were able to buy titles and lands and over time become "respectable"

So they enjoy the fruits of slavery and exploitation but can't be held responsible for it?

The landed gentry of the 19th and 20th century were the slave owners of the 17th and 18th century.

Its crass for several reasons. Most of all because these people are the descendants of the empire builders and owners who directly benefited from slavery. Or do you think all of that wealth quietly diappeared? Then you have the racism angle - as I said "natives" to me in that context would bring to mind stereotypical images of africans with spears. You can argue the semantics of "colonials and natives" to include America etc as you did but I don't believe thats how these people thought of it for one second. Yes I have got a problem with class and privilege and I make no apologies for it. The fact that people just "accept" wealth and power through birthright sickens me.

As I said at the time how crass was it for some upper class twats to decide on "colonials and natives" as a party theme? - did they dress as spear chucking "wogs" just for a laugh? As Renton says for someone who has had a minor fortune spent on his education to then think a nazi uniform fits this theme shows a level of thickness that is a monument to the similarly wasted education of his parents (biological and adoptive).

I was off sick last week with the same thing - I used that drug but as an ointment - cleared up in 3/4 days.

I have a slight problem with "for life" - maybe as long as England hold the ashes? A mate of mine reckons anyone who scores the winner against the mackems should be given a job for life by the club - nowt special maybe just a meet and greet on match day but enough to recognise the achievment. We already designate them as Saints in our religion.

Until the electorate accept that public expenditure has to come from somewhere and will be willing to pay more income tax then "stealth" taxes like petrol duty and tobacco duty will remain. As for the tory shitbags who "demonstrate" I'd confiscate their cars. Road hauliers scabbed their way through the miners strike, killing the odd picket on the way. Excuse me while I laugh at their "common good" platitudes.

I'm saying its not something that really bothers me. If theres 10k or 500k I don't see how it affects the country as a whole in any great way. The idea of 500000 "illegals" claiming benefit is bullshit imo - as I understand it you would have to have some kind of status to claim anything. If those aren't claiming benefits then they are working - probably in low paid, shit jobs, but still working. The idea that they "cost tax-payers millions" is propaganda imo. During the election I saw the head of the CBI (not someone I would normally listen to) state that at least 97% of legal immigrants have jobs. I don't believe the idea that all "legals" are good, law-abiding workers and all "illegals" are dole scroungers - there will be both in both camps but I would suggest that that figure points towards most of them coming here to work.

During the 70s and 80s when xenophobia was supposedly worse I NEVER saw the word immgration preceded by "Illegal". It was somehow okay to be against it just using plain bloody-minded ignorance. I now think most people have "accepted" that immigration isn't a problem but the little englanders won't let it lie. Thats why "illegal" is now the buzzword. I honestly don't care how people get here - its what they do when they are here and as the overwhelming majority benefit the country the xenophobes can all still f**k off for me. I would also say that as long as "britishness" is defined by sickening shite like the last night of the proms, the more its diluted the better.

What is this 'blood test place?' Can you not just have blood taken at your GP? 31449[/snapback] Not sure whether they've changed things: When I lived in Shields I had a blood test at my GPs about 15 years ago no problem. About 7 years ago after moving to Chelmsford I needed a series of tests and they just gave me a form to take to the local hospital each time as I think thats where the testing labs were - maybe that cuts out the middleman.

Ellen Barkin was great in The Big Easy as well - not ropey at all for me.