JFHC: Do you wake up in the middle of the night screaming because you still haven't got that reporter's job at The Daily Mail? You need to learn to take it easy mate.

According to the weather report on "Gardeners' Question Time" today on Radio 4 we are due for a "Polar Low." It's going to snow.................................

Sorry, those links have been replaced by others adressing diffent topics. Not my fault.

The soundtrack to "Juno" has arrived. I'm playing it & smiling.

Neekoy, Nelsta, I have no problem with you not liking "Juno" but I think you may be possibly mising the point of the film. I think it was to point out that becoming pregnant aged 16 need not be the end of the world. It can have a happy ending for all concerned. Which the film did. (Damn, given away more of the plot!) To expect an unhappy & miserable ending would defeat the whole point of it all. I'll agree with you that Juno did have a rather snappy & clever way of expressing herself, which the character didn't necessarilly need to do, but if she wasn't that perky then the fim would have been rather contradictory in that Juno would have been a bit thick, but the plot would have depended on her being pretty sharp. Anyway, each to his & her own. If you didn't like it that's what you didn't like. I've ordered the soundtrack, 'cos I thought it was great.

Agree with you on that one, most of the rest in Clitheroe seem to have turned into night-clubs where the the predominant method of conversation is "WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU" followed by a £30 round of gnat's ###### in a plastic container.

Good heavens, another "Time Team" excavation of an old thread. How do you do it Smithy? It's a two year old post of mine & only six managers are still in the same job RFW, Wenger, Rednapp, Moyes, Benitez & MH. Bruce, Curbishley, & Jewell are still managing but at different clubs & the latter is only a Premiership boss by name only. I'll have a go at renewing this sometime in the near future.

Darn, missed. The cheese plant took a nasty flesh wound though.

I shall take ze luger into ze conservatory and do the honourable thing mein Fuhrer *BANG*

Me & my 12 year old daughter went to see "Juno" today. I don't think I've been so moved by a film for ages. Basic story is a 16 year old gets pregnant and works out what to do next.... You can probably find the story on t'net, but if you're intending to see it I suggest you don't cheat. It's lovely, witty, moving, funny, and has a happy ending. And the soundtrack is fabulous. Plus - if you want to introduce a 12 year-old in a bit of sex education, pregnancy, & giving birth* what better way. *OK, obviously not an abortion. Sorry.

Just picked this up from a post 2 years ago I recommend all football fans read this book :- Broken Dreams: Vanity, Greed and the Souring of British Football by Tom Bower. it'll shed more light into the murky dealings on a few of 'football's loveable rogues' ie, bates, venables and harry redknapp. redknapp has an 8 million pound house, that from a guy who's managed, bournemouth, west ham, pompey and saints? i wonder why he ships players in an out all the time? hmmmmmmm.

While not wanting to stop anyone from recommending books on Hitler, please will you do it with a bit of background on the book itself and it's read-ability. ISBN & details would be appreciated. Cheers. Colin

For a spot-on observation about the morons who provide "commentary" on the game you'll have to go a long way to beat John Nicholson who writes for www.football365.com here & here

I've just been playing some Captain Beefheart. I can't beleive it's 40 years old. Please will someone else tell me that he still matters. Closer to 2008....... "Editors" it's a bit "pomp rock" but by god what a voice that bloke has.

Anything by Colin Bateman; Peter Kay's probably is; & Ian Holloway's is pretty much certain to be. I was only joking BTW. Cheers Colin

I know this is a request for where to take the girlfriend for a Valentine's day meal so this probably doesn't hit the mark. The Grand Buffet at the corner of Whitworth Street & Sackville Street in Manchester is a decent Indian with an all you can eat for £5.50 or £6.50 depending in when you eat. Not that I'm promogulating gluttony, but you can have a bit of each of about 20 dishes for the money. The Nawaab in Levenshulme as recommended by JC4LAB is the same, a bit more expensive & a bit more upmarket, and has a lot more recipes to choose from.

I'll put you up for a recommendation for when you read something that has made you laugh. Lighten up a touch old chap.

Went to see "PS I Love You" at the weekend. No doubt it won't rate in the usual "lots of shagging & violence" that just maybe tweaks your nipples, but it was a really cracking film. A really boring first 15 minutes but after that the plot just grows and grows and really takes you into the story, which has a good twist all the way through. Not that I'd be so crass to recommend it to take your girlfriend on a first date, just because she'll end up sobbing her little heart out and you can show your sensitive side.

List 7 - all completely new +++ Complete Robot by Isaac Asimov Recommended by Rebelmswar A brief description: It contains all the stories from I, Robot as well, not the Will Smith paff though, it is completely different. The best story in my opinion is “Victory Unintentional” which had me rolling on the floor. I kept picturing the Jovian’s as Man Utd fans, if you read it you will understand what I mean. Well anyway it is a quick read due to the fact that it is a bunch of short stories so you can power through them easily. Give it a try you won’t be disappointed at all. +++ On the Road' by Jack Kerouac Recommended by Starscascade A brief description: I've found it to be really mind-opening and has changed my opinion on alot of things that happen everyday. +++ A Spot of Bother" by Mark Haddon Recommended by Paul A brief description: Thoroughly enjoyed A Spot of Bother. The plot centres around George, 57, who has recently retired, thinks he has cancer, it's actually ecezma, and is going quietly insane; his wife, their son and daughter and all the various relationships these people are involved with - engaged, married etc.etc. On one level you can take this as a jolly good, romping along, at times laugh out loud, read. On a deeper level it's a very sad book, but don't let this put you off, while you're enjoying the romp you'll get momentary twinges of real sadness and empathy with George, quickly followed by a loud chortle or quiet smile to yourself. The characters are well developed and the descriptive writing, while often very brief, so good you can see the house, the garden, street or town in which the action is taking place in your mind's eye. A really good read - don't miss it. Or Cheeky Sidders' take: I really hated "A spot of bother". All the characters (without exception) were very annoying, the tone for much of it was whingey whiney and it was like the writers of Terry & June had been told to get a bit hard-edged and had watched a few episodes of Holby City and Queer As Folk for research and then got carried away. That said, a middle-aged friend really liked it and was speechless when I said it was rubbish +++ Robert Hicks's The Widow of the South Recommended by Rovermatt A brief description: plays out around 1864's bloody battle of Franklin in Tennessee. I'm very into the American Civil War and last March spent a week in Virginia, the focal point of the entire conflict. The book is beautifully written in a mix of styles and from a number of first-person viewpoints and features, amongst others, the fearsome Confederate general (and later KKK founder) Nathan Bedford Forrest . I'd recommend it to anyone with a similar interest. +++ Ollie: The Autobiography of Ian Holloway Recommended by Blackpool Rover A brief description: With so many similar books on the market from overpaid 'handed on a plate' type people in the football world...lampard, crouch etc It was nice to read Holloways story. He is quite honest and talks in detail about his problems managing Bristol Rovers where they sold all his best players and didn't give him any money. The administration times with QPR where he is very keen to point out 'we still did well'. He also goes into detail on his relationship with the QPR chairman and the lies he was told which led to him being put on gardening leave. The book ends a season into his Plymouth career which is quite annoying because as this book was released he moved to Leicsester. He also talks about his lifelong love for his wife Kim and his coming to terms with three of his children being deaf. An interesting read from a man who, although not so succesful, has had to overcome many hurdles in his football career on and off the pitch. +++ Left Foot in the Grave by Garry Nelson Recommended by Jimbo A brief description: It follows the exploits of the epitomie of the journeyman footballer's drift from playing to managing Torquay United - It is an excellent insight into how difficult things are for the managers of the lower league teams, and although nearly 10 years old I'm sure things have not got better down in the basement of football +++ The Secret River by Kate Grenville Recommended by Paul A brief description: the story of William Thornhill's early days in London and then his family's struggle in the emerging Australia following his, and so their, transportation to the Colony. It's an excellent read providing an insight for me on the early settlement of Australia bringing to the fore the struggles of the pardoned convicts, their families, to settle the wild continent. More importantly it deals with the enormous impact on the Aboriginies, their understanding of the land they occupy, the relationships that developed between the native and the newcomer which ultimately resulted in a terrible cost for the native people. The writer brings early 19th century London and Australia alive with her excellent descriptive writing, often the sunlight is the only thing to lift one's heart when reading a book in which hardship is ever present and unspeakable violence simmers just below the surface for much of the narrative. +++ FLB's selection (chopped a couple because you didn't recommend them) Beyond the Coral Sea by Michael Moran A travelogue mixed in with interesting snippets from history by an Australian writer about Papua New Guinea. This rather isolated outpost was famous for its cannibals more than anything. Errol Flynn pops up in the story as do the Germans (pre-WWI) and the Japanese (during WWII and not liked by the locals at all unsurprisingly). An interesting read about a country that is rarely wrote about. Pele by Pele (with Alex Bellos) This is an interesting look into the life of the world's most famous-ever player...meaning that from the age of 17 it is fair to say that Pele didn't live anything other than an extraordinary life. Pele seems a nice enough bloke who is awful at business and trusts the wrong people time and again. There are some rather meaningless platitudes...such as when he scored his 1,000th goal (these included friendlies) and dedicated it to the children of Brazil because without children there is no future...yeah we know Pele but how is dedicating a goal going to make a difference? Anyway...recommended but not quite up there with Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life also by Bellos and all about Brazil and its football. +++ A biography of James Herriot by his son (Jim Wight) Recommended by Blue Phil Brief description - a book which took Blackburn Central Library a remarkable 8 months to produce from the date I ordered it . Worth the wait , I suppose , although a "true" autobiography by the great man would have far surpassed it ....but never mind . Oh ....and if this book should tempt you to re-read the original Herriot classics they are to be found at Blackburn library in the science section alongside a couple of veterinary manuals ....

The African Cup Of Nations is in full flow. The nick-name of the Benin team is "The Squirrels" So let's get behind them.

I'll bring this up to date in a few days

The "Dropkick Murphys" hail out of Boston (USA, not Lincolnshire) A bit like The Pogues on steroids. So if you fancy a bit of that.....................

"Balls Of Fury" Go and watch something else. Uncle Colin has just saved you £5 Goodnight.

Maybe they will. If the addicts can get a clean supply at a cheaper price than from expensive rat poison-cut crap from a dealer then they will move over. Not that this is going to happen of course. The usual stance will prevail. .......Here come the bruise brothers to tell me that I've just fallen out of the latest rainfall and that hanging and flogging and long jail sentances and military consciption will solve it all. Don't disappoint me boys

I don't think the ideas proposed are for the Government to make money out of drug dealing. The aim is to break the link between criminals who supply the drugsand the addicts who use them. A lot of the heroin which comes into this country originates from Afganistan/Pakistan/Iran where the farmers find it a more useful cash-generating crop then most others. The supply chain and its inherent risks means that every mile it travels towards Britain means a massive increase in price and a massive decrease in purity. Surely it is not beyond the wit of a government to destroy this supply chain by cutting out all the criminal middle-men and bringing decent quality heroin into this country to be prescibed to addicts. The addicts can then be given doses which are not cut with rat poison, they no longer need to go shop-lifting, mugging or burglaring to feed their habits and once "on the books" can be treated to reduce their dependancy. The other plus is that if the Government used its weight to take over the supply of heroin then the criminal suppliers would go out of businesss and there would be a monopoly supplier (the government) which would only supply to existing and not new customers. Well, just a thought. Probably a flying Jade Goody alert, but there you go. It's an internet message board after all.