maxxi

romantic 'cause they are sponsored by haart?

Frankito Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I am not feeling the love for M&S in ED. Shame... You're obviously going about it the wrong way Frank. In the 21st century only direct action is effective. May I suggest a Stokes Croft style riot with the post modern twist that you would be trying to force M&S INto ED rather than Tesco out. Hunger strikes (that's not just a saline/glucose drip... that's an M&S saline/glucose drip) could attract press interest and a series of vox pop pieces where tv reporter is scandalised at 10 year olds not knowing what an artichoke/goji berry/venezuelan beaver's cheese* looks like will surely bring about the necessary revolution. *yes i know... shameless.

Marmora Man Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > A classic of submarine movies - the best scene > being when the Captain instructs the engineer to > "take it (the reactor) into the red, Kowalski". > Second best scene - where in passing the reactor > compartment the reactor is seen to throb gently > with a red light. > > Oh how we laughed when at sea in nuclear boats. Kowalski also in Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea (only seaman Kowski in film but got his full name for the tv series), the one about the big throbbing nuclear submarine (Seaview) with the bulbous tip. ...and he nearly always wore red!

Pretty much as I suspected - when I was in WA briefly (albeit 10 years ago) the good citizens of Perth seemed more concerned with a referendum on a republic rather than the voting system. With the optional preference system I think we will see more campaigning on the lines of Blair's New Labour though: Ignore those that will vote for you as first pref. they are in the bag, instead concentrate on those who wouldn't normally vote for you (Blair wooing the city and the middle class family vote). With a following wind (provided by the rampant corruption and incompetence of the Tories) Blair made it work in a fptp system. Seems a tactic even more likely to succeed with AV so maybe we can look forward to Cameron paying court to the Greens, Miliband making promises to UKIP and the Lib Dems doing deals with whoever holds the high ground at the time or perhaps finally splitting back into their constituent parts (Liberals and SDP - an uneasy marriage that was only convened to create a party 'big' enough to challenge the other two in a fptp system) in order to pick up each others second preference votes?

Loz - You have used the AV system in Australia as an example of it working well. Do you think that the optional preference system here (where voters don't HAVE to excpress a 2nd 3rd 4th choice) as opposed to Aus. where voters MUST fill in 2nd 3rd 4th for their ballot to count as valid will make it less effective here? Also do you think there is any truth in the argument used by the NO campaign that there is a majority in Aus. who want to revert to fptp and if so is this not a point against AV?

Loz wrote > > What you are asking for is PR, but that (rightly > or wrongly) is not on the table. But you can bet > that, if the AV question is lost on Thursday, then > any electoral reform will be off the agenda for a > generation. > But if the AV question is won won't that have the same effect? Is it not possible to reject AV simply because it IS a compromise and that the electorate want the question re-examined & revisited sooner rather than later? The only arguments I am hearing are yes it's crappy but better than nothing. Or that it is change for change's sake and anything's better than what we have. Embrace the compromise. I suspect it will make no difference (a yes vote) and will only serve to kill the PR debate for a long time to come. It has already had the effect of condemning PR to the side-lines as though it were an unobtainable utopian goal. Only PR is fair whilst still retaining the underlying principles of democracy - one person, one vote.

I lived very close to the M&S in Brixton for a couple of years and found myself going further afield to Tesco and for fresher and better produce (expensively packaged 'airline' meals apart).

Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- this is especially good for > the 10% of 'wasted' votes - those that currently > go to smaller parties who do have a preference for > one of the bigger parties. And also to an > inestimable number of voters who currently put in > a tactical vote for the big three, but would > rather count themselves a Green, or a UKIP or an > independent... whatever. They are the ones that > AV will effectively re-enfranchise. Isn't this just a way of saying to these voters "Yes, yes alright, you're a Green/UKIP/Indie etc very good. Now then let's have your second choice and get on with the real business of electing one of the big three? Politics in this country is already MORE about keeping someone out rather than voting for a candidate you want and muddying the waters with 57 varieties of the same basic view will leave people more concerned that the wrong one would get in as their vote is split. The candidate whose supporters refuse to give second choice etc would surely win and those wishing to vote Green etc would (rightly) resent only being counted for their 2nd or 3rd choice. I am probably being terribly dim but don't see a situation where this system will lead to the parties that would come 4th or lower in a fptp system getting a seat in Parliament, and if we're to have representation of all views (even the unpalatable) surely everyone should be represented with votes counted on a national basis and seats awarded accordingly.

Surely no fervent supporter of a main party, be it blue red or yellow, is going to think "I want a tory mp, but if that's not on the cards then a labour one sounds okay too". They will put fringe candidates in the other choices or leave them blank. And those undecideds who make up their minds last thing will think similarly, "I've made up my mind to vote A, I don't want B or C so will put Q, Y, Z or leave it blank" I think under AV that most voters will ignore the second third fourth choice scenario and things will remain the same. I'm afraid Clegg was right. It IS a miserable little compromise.

Obama about to officially announce he is to run for re-election in 2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ47eGSilPc

and disposed of at sea... hmm.. there'll be grainy footage a la Roswell autopsy before the week's out. "Well I was a sailor on the USS ******** and I had my cameraphone with me and..."

Come on you Accies - only 9 points adrift and four games left. you can do it!

You're right Simon I AM being terribly unfair to QPR - i admire them despite warnock - but Warnock is the target - the weasel words he comes out with when interviewed now about QPR's position contrast so much with what he had to say then, i'm surprised he hasn't died of shame... and as for Sheff Utd... their larcenous chairman pocketed the 20 mill he got as compo which is why they were relegated again. Now if only shysters Gold and Sullivan would reject the Olympic stadium i would be a happy hammer in the Prem or Championship.. wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last and it can be a lot more fun.

Was bit murky when I looked in but swore I saw David Threlfall... ..and a local match seller told me that the 'international/world famous' star referred to was Hugh B. not Mr Mac. Giggsy was definitely practising his inswingers though. Believe Sheerah and Ms. Logan were in another bar altogether. And Monty was in the old bar with Andrew Marr and Fred the Shred before it got bulldozed

As a life-long Irons fan I hope Warnock gets all he (then) desired (delighted to see Sheffield Utd bite the dust too). Yes, I know WH could be relegated too but if it got rid of the opportunist sharks who only took over the club because they saw a killing to be made re the Olympic stadium, then it would be worth it. Paulo for boss! Certo.

I agree Jah, but never mind the bollocks- DOH!

dita-on-tees Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > *Bob* Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Come on, Maxxi - Who can forget Dire Straits > > definitive punk classic, Walk of Life? > > > > One in the eye for establishment. > > yes no punk tune would be complete without a bit > of penny whistling Did you haved to bring up Lieutenant Pigeon? (c.1972)

aaah yes... the theme to Test Match Special... rock on Johnners. Eat the Rich (or the excellent chocolate cake sent in by Mrs Weevil of Chalfont St Giles).

If Police and Dires Straits are punk the so is Cliff Richard. Punk is my era too (I saw The Clash play Barbarellas in Birmingham with Subway Sect as support) and it was dead by 1978 whatever you say walleye.

Don't have a garden (just some pots on a roof terrace) but often make pretty tasty chutney - including an apple and ginger that recently went down well with some forumites - and would willingly enter into a chutney/pickle/jam swap/agreement with any producer with a glut of tomatoes or other suitable fruit/veg.

Had first Jaflong take away Friday night - Dal Masala and onion rice pretty good but the Chicken Naga was sensational. Not tried Veer Zara yet either.

Thanks Kat - didn't think it was a moth as it was flitting around in daylight and feeding on flowers - but on googling your answer I see that it is indeed a Jersey Tiger Moth and that the daylight hours and feeding on nectar are two of its characteristics.

Any budding lepidopterists out there tell me what butterfly this is? Probably very common but not seen it before. (see photo)

Okay obviously need to get in training - saw the video and seeing those pints left out in the sun at the Clockhouse getting warmer by the second would be all the incentive needed for a run- er, brisk walk down the Barry.