SimonM

The Home Secretary has not executed a U turn. He was right to refuse parole as, apparently, Biggs at no point expressed any remorse. Equally he was later correct in releasing the chronically sick 80 year old on compassionate grounds. Politics do not enter into it, and the case has little in common with the Lockerbie (supposed) bomber.

Joined...

We get something similar here, but have more feeders up - seeds and nuts - so it all gets complicated. The bluetits turn up mobhanded - sometimes as many as 12 - but don't longer long. Great tits, finches and sparrows all take turns but there seems little obvious bullying...

So for tonight at least Sheffield United are joint top of the Championship....a point at the Riverside is a good result!

At this time of year the Dog is full of foreign language students from all over Europe & the USA based at Dulwich College, behaving objectionably... A true gentleman does not visit a shop. He has his tailor pay calls....

No-one died in the Train Robbery - but the train driver got a bad beating and, it was argued, died prematurely as a result. The sentences were so long, as I recall, because first of all the money was not recovered and secondly the media of the day had turned the gang into something glamorous and a message had to be sent. My understanding too was that some of the principal plotters were never caught... At the time of the robbery I was a schoolboy and on holiday with my father and sister in SW France. The first we heard about it was this american tourist in the hotel going "seven and a HAFF million bucks!" repeatedly. Stephen Ward topped himself that same week....*goes all misty-eyed and nostalgic*

For Div 2 I hope Rotherham finally get going again. Their fans have really gone through it in the past few seasons.

In those halcyon days of yore before we had our wonderful pounds shillin's and pence replaced by all that continental nonsense, a cad was defined as a chap who'd offer a lady two ha'pennies when she squirmingly beseeched the loan of a penny: a gentleman was a chap who could play the bagpipes but didn't.

Allegedly, WBA have offered ?2 million for Beckford...

Well done Celtic!

Just don't wear brown shoes with a blue suit....or is it blue shoes with a brown suit? And eschew yellow waistcoats.

Well the bookies fancy the three relegated from the premiership to get back up again, plus Reading. But as Newcastle seem to be disintegrating rapidly I wonder if they will even finish in the top half of the division? I am not sure what Reading in a post-Coppell world are capable of either. But Ipswich managed by Roy Keane look a good outside bet...And you're right about Sheffield United - definitely don't back us! I wonder who Leeds will spend the Delph money on? Surely they are going to start the long haul back soon??

Here, the season starts on Friday, with Middlesbrough v Sheffield United. United are a little bit hampered by three strikers being either unfit or suspended, and 1st choice keeper Paddy "Bonkers" Kenny awaiting an FA verdict on his cough medicine swilling antics. We tried to sign Leroy Lita from Reading but he went to Middlesbrough instead....

I think very few people were actually fooled.....there's such a thing as giving people enough rope to hang themselves. In any case I'd not dream of criticising anyone who took the original poster at face value. I'm glad some people are more trusting than cynical.

Blimey...I can hardly believe how P P & M look now...I always preferred The Kingston Trio's version anyway... Struggling to wrestle this back on topic, I remember we had Loxene not Vosene....still horrible in the eyes though!

Hull Portsmouth West Ham

Leaving the moral aspect aside for a moment - some people alas simply don't recognise any moral dimension to these matters - keeping the money in these circumstances is legally theft and punishable as such if caught.

Punch did have a "Browsing & Sluicing" column for a while, and at least one of its journalists lived/may still live in ED. But heck, how long is it now since it folded???

Well I am probably older than most on here, certainly capable of nastiness and being egotistical, but I'm still going to stick my neck out and say the whole thing reads like a troll....:-S

I think Lott was just trying to stir things in the silly season...interesting that he leaves Godard alone; oh and Rohmer.

>>but no-one is having a go at Three Colours Red on my watch...<< Or "Jules et Jim" or "The Searchers on mine..And asserting "Psycho" to be less frightening than "Blair Witch" misses the point on so many levels...

Not just any young girls either...his grandchildren allegedly...

Just like to grudgingly congratulate Spurs for snaffling the 2 Kyles (Naughton & Walker) from under Everton's nose. Naughton is a real prospect dammit.....

Yes, true as far as Sickert goes. But in the Monroe thing I think she merely sums up a growing consensus rather than going out on a limb of her own (if that makes sense!)

>>Can we? Who by? (not having a go here, Simon. If you've got time I'd be interested to hear the hows and whys?)<< Well although admittedly my tongue was at least partly in my cheek there's been much detailed speculation of this over the decades (The Mafia, Bobby Kennedy etc). The most recent "take" I read was in Patricia Cornwell's "Scarpetta"...