thenodrog

Wasn't it Churchill who on the subject of China advised that the best policy was 'to let sleeping dogs lie'?

Standing behind the very back row ES. Great view compared to the pitch level worms eye view that I/we 'enjoyed' for the first half. Damned glad that it rained and forced our move really.

Thanks scouse.... but prob is which party dare suggest or implement it? Truth is there are too many who for reasons already touched on would not want to see such a system in place. We'd probably have to have a coup d'etat by the army first to dismantle the old system and replace it with the new.

Your first sentence was rather churlish and unecessary Scotty but totally within character of course so I shall not take offence. For democracy to work properly the electorate need to be responsible and politically aware which is increasingly rare today amongst many of the lower orders, with 'I dont care in fact couldn't give a flying flerk' being about the most common political comment that I hear so often from sections of the younger voters. So totally off the cuff and for the sake of this debate (and to satiate your and ES's bloodlust) I'll have a stab ........... ........this is probably contentious but what about allocating extra votes depending on individual circumstance? eg How about one basic vote for absolutely everybody convicts, asylum seekers, illegals, those people 'enjoying' the benefit system for over 12 months etc and with extra votes for people depending on circumstance? 1 extra vote for 18-30's, 2 votes for 30-40's, 3 votes for 40-50's, 4 votes for 50-60's and then reducing similarly every decade on. Another extra vote for homeowners (max 1). An extra .5 vote for married people with dependent children under 18 (allows kids some token representation, but also gives extra votes to people who care about the future legacy to their descendants). Double the total number of previous votes allocated for all workers and nett taxpayers. So if my maths stack up an ordinary working bloke in his 40's, married with a mortgage and kids gets 11 votes in total whilst a complete dolloper gets 1. Just like the dollopers our pensioners who are living longer nowadays have too high an influence (now classed as the grey vote by politico's I believe) so assuming they have no mortgage a 75 year old will get 3. Simple eh? And in the interests of fair play the people that are carrying the greatest burden get the biggest say. Now for your suggestions Scotty and Ewood Spark please............... Oh and no collusion!

As I detect a note of sarcasm in an immature yah boo sucks attempt to score cheap points I will ignore your silly question and attempt to answer the question that you should have asked if your manners were as they should be and if your interest is genuine, which is 'why do you think that tnr'? Simply that in my opinion parties in political power in modern democracies are often swayed from making decisions which are for the long term good because of the short term fear of unpopularity in the eyes of the electorate which could see them lose forthcoming elections. The Poll Tax unquestionably got rid of the Thatcher govt so is the Blair govt now wary of following suit? Can we trust whichever government of the time to make decisions for the good of the country rather than the good of the party? Furthermore (and I am generalising wildly here to illustrate my point) but do millions of people in our society deserve or even can be trusted with the responsibility of a vote? This might raise a few eyebrows but for example should the empty trailer trash participants and viewers of the likes of Big Brother or Gerry Springer deserve the exact same voting status in this country as the more intelligent and deep thinking participants and viewers of Question Time? I cannot be bothered elaborating further to this but I'm sure that you'll get my drift ES.

I thought your priority position was finding a replacement for Sav in midfield waggy?

'great'?

Exactly Bob.......... For Bellamy's money we could have kept Stead and still signed Akinbyi and Noel Gifton-Williams as well.

Democracy is a lovely ideal but I'm beginning to think that its not always or necessarily the best system for the future good of the country.

Am I missing something Key? Why on earth would people buy season tickets at all when they can get a good seat for a quid? "Hmm lets see luv its June with the hols and sales coming up............... should I spend 400 quid now on a season ticket or sit in the Darwen End all season for £38?"

imo reverse psychology does not work in this situation. People either turn up or depart in droves. It's infectious and is more like an epidemic than a psychological ailment.

They had been only just been swapped over presumably in an attempt to freshen the attack up a bit.

Thanks for your attempt at a psycological assessment Scotty. But it's well flawed I'm afraid. In truth I simply was waiting for the right moment to make you look like a right clever tawt. And I have. I thank you.

I do wish you'd stop referring to centuries past Flopsy. Their relevence to todays attitudes is minimal. Course the Westerners did awful things to natives all over the world but that was right and accepted at the time, I'm sure that nowadays everybody agrees that two wrongs do not make a right. Must we allow Islam 400 years to catch up or is it fair to try to move em along a bit quicker?

Strange game..... All Rovers for the first 40 mins then WHam equally dominant for the second half. 1. Amateurish mistakes (Emertons for both 2nd and 3rd goal) gave away the goals. 2. Most worrying was the way our central defenders couldn't get anywhere near Harewood for pace nor won a header against him and the 39 year old Sheringham. They looked frighteningly vulnerable and sorry but Nelsen wont fix that on his own! It means a 4-1-4-1 more often than not again. When we reverted to that yesterday WHam hardly got a touch or at least they didn't until Emerton decided to argue with the ref over a throw-in rather than marking his man who supplied Reo-Coker for his goal which came out of the blue.

I take little pleasure in suggesting that it's not such 'a toughy' anymore is it Scotty? You tried to make me look foolish with that churlish and unprovoked attack to my original post but whose left looking a cupid stunt now? If I were in your position I would be gentleman enough to apologise ...........but I'm not holding my breath.

I thought that too but there was in fact over 34000 on. Rem though that the Stadium of Light is huge....... prob too big in fact.

didn't work with Sheringham did it?

Dunno about 'blanket condemnation'. Even I don't think all muslims are bad. But a religion that spawns so many fundamentalists and extremists around the world, who cause so much trouble and who carry out so many cruel and barbaric acts in the name of that religion must be terribly flawed and should be actively discouraged. My grouse is that this country in the last 40 odd years has done far too much to actively encourage the proliferation and growth of Islam. Absolutely no one can deny that we are now reaping the rewards of our well meaning but foolishly misguided liberal generosity. I've said ages ago on here that imo any religion which heavily promotes the theory of paradise and life after death is dangerous and recent events only serve to confirm this. I hope that clarify's my stance more accurately for you Colin, although I'm sure that you will find some way of putting a negative spin on it. .

1. With Nelsen inj Mokoena might be ch this weekend so that would kibosh him playing in midfield. 2. By midfield link I mean a sort of 4-4-1-1 formation with the one backing up Kuqi with a virtual roving role between midfield and attack. I think Bellamy plays that role just behind Hartson for Wales LeChuck. Also until the first sending off v Espanyol that seemed to be where Dickov was playing, but 9 mins didnt give enough time to judge properly. 3. Playing 4-4-2 all pre-season is a good point but Hughes himself has suggested using both formations (LET) depending on the opposition and venue. ............ be more interesting and logical in second guessing Hughes than GS though!

I did begin by saying that I was having a shot in the dark Shillitoe, and my last comment underlined the chances of inaccuracy. Its in the spirit of the topic really, is it not?. So before you gob off about me making a long post (not half as long as Philips which you appear to have no objection to) and getting it totally wrong as I probably will, why not have a go yourself? btw .......As far as 4-5-1 is concerned Kuqi is the obvious choice and to a lesser extent Dickov. Both are far more adept at playing lone striker than Bellamy. If we do play that system then either Bellamy or Dickov could play midfield link man.

1. Awful though they have been in NI I think its generally held that religion hardly comes into those troubles any more. 2. Why have you brought it up now? Neither you nor Colin thought fit to mention it in your previous post anyway. oh and btw as for "And you still ahvent come up with any reasonable suggestions to solve the problem. Have you? Much easier to criticise than actually solve something isnt it" This appears to be a recurring notion with you. I might add that you have come up with sweet flerk all in the way of solutions either. I think you are guilty of taking me, yourself and things in general a little too seriously Flopsy. This is a football message board ffs not a hot line into the UN! Its only for giving opinions and suggestions! Providing solutions is for diplomats, generals and politicians. I think you should consider taking some time away from here for a spell of r & r followed by a touch of 're-alignment'.

Thank you for that Philip. A nasty illustration of a regrettable recent atrocity indeed. Far more relevent than Flopsy and Colin's silly and infantile 'yah boo sucks' comparisons with medieval and historical examples of events which merely serve to provide confirmation of my long held opinion that Islam promotes primitive teachings.

Thats a mighty big nail in someone we know's coffin. Honestly though just how badly has that club been run over the decades? Year in year out has seen succesive power struggles and boardroom incompetency ensure that any ambitions on the park come to nowt. Shame eh?

Not quoted you for any other reason than to prevent you editing out that comment when you end up looking stupid Shillito.