Jah Lush

Ha! Loving your Italian stereotype there Mockers.>:D< "Work is the curse of the drinking classes." - Oscar Wilde.

Guns Of Navarone - The Skatalites

I think I should also point out here that it's moderation in all things. As a former problem drinker myself (ok, alcoholic if you like) it took me a very long time to know my limitations. Between the ages of 28 and 35 I had eight attacks of acute pancreatitis which was caused by my excessive drinking and not eating. Drink had become my food. If you ever have the dreaded pancreatitis the medical profession will tell you that you can never drink again or it will surely kill you and it is a killer, people do die from it so I guess I'm rather lucky to still be here. But I don't believe in total abstinence and I love a drinkpoo and shall continue to do so without some government twerp or man in a white coat telling me I can't. I did my time of abstinence, I first went nine months, fell of the wagon and then did a year without drinking and after a few more attacks and a bit more abstinence finally got my drinking under control. I'm hardly a paragon of virtue I'll admit as I still on occasion like to drink to excess as the Right Honourable Sir Mockney has kindly pointed but I know my limits and having now gone 15 years without being ill I feel I must be doing something right. I no longer drink every day and indeed do try go through the week without one. I don't always succeed but I do try and I've even gone weekends without a drink to but when Friday comes along I do get the feeling of letting the tigers out of the cage especially after a particularly shitty week in the office. It helps me relax and wind down. Anyway I'm rambling a bit here so I'll let others carry on and join the debate again bit later.

It was the world's greatest disease-nobbler Louis Pasteur who said "alcohol is the most helpful and hygienic of beverages". And over the years the genius chemist was proved spot-on. Research revealed that a few drinks every day can protect against heart disease, osteoporosis and anaemia, aid digestion, reduce the severity of colds, lower cholesterol, increase blood flow, improve bone strength and reduce stress. In fact, experts believe knocking back two glasses of wine a day means you're 30 per cent more likely to live longer than a teetotaller. Hence the lauding of the Provencal diet, which encourages lashings of red wine, as the most beneficial known to man. So where are the governmentbacked campaigns warning teetotallers of the dangers of smugly walking past bargain booze? Why no ads starring the Grim Reaper cackling at an empty pint glass as his scythe beckons abstainers towards an early grave? Why? Because ever since Britain signed up to a World Health Organisation (WHO) pledge in 1980 to slash overall alcohol consumption by a quarter, we've been fed lies. Take the latest ?10million campaign warning men to drink no more than 21 units and women 14 units every week. We're given no evidence as to how they arrived at these figures, or how they can possibly apply to everyone. That's because they're made up. Are we supposed to believe that drinking more than a pint of strong lager a day threatens our health? If so, why hasn't buying rounds been banned? Any drinker will tell you the first pint barely touches the sides, two relaxes you, three gets you going and four does the trick. Up until two decades ago that was scientific reality. In 1979, the government advised men to drink no more than 56 units a week. After the WHO pledge it was gradually cut until the current ludicrous maximum of 21 units-aweek was imposed in 1987. When Andrew Barr (author of Drink: A Social History) asked Richard Smith, a member of the panel which fixed the 1987 limits, where the figures came from he said: "We just pulled them out of the air." These wildly-low thresholds are not there to give intelligent people the truth about drinking but to scare problem drinkers into abstention. Even though they, along with alcoholics, bingers and teenagers will ignore it. The only drinkers taking notice are the ones who need it least - the mature and informed - who tend to know when they're hitting it too hard and when to give it a rest. The ?10million misinformation campaign is the latest act of a cowardly government who want to be seen to be addressing bingedrinking (while happily raking in billions in duty) but are simply indulging in binge-whinging. Let me repeat: alcohol is good for you. Until 21 years ago experts told us that having up to four drinks a day was fine. It relaxed you and made you enjoy life more. So what happened? Did alcohol become more dangerous, or man less able to hold it? No. Health fascists decided to treat us like idiots. Fine by me, so long as there's consistency. So Mrs Primarolo, I'll accept your propaganda about alcohol if you'll highlight the dangers of abstention. Can I suggest a campaign using the words of that celebrated imbiber WC Fields: "Never drink water because fish screw in it," as a warning to all those teetotallers heading for an early grave? Asked where the figures came from he replied: "Out of the air"

Happiness Is A Warm Gun - The Beatles

I've heard there will be lots of classic vinyl and CDs and there will be room for rehearsal space for bands. (tu)

You are John Wayne Bobbit and I claim my ?5. I feel a Black Cherry Zombie coming on. Not had one for a while.

Top choice Brendan. I've got the Bomb the Bass album that one came off of but prefer the original version. Gonna change the mood a little here. William Orbit - Water From A Vine Leaf

Obviously your theme tune that one HonaloochieB. I Love To Boogie - T Rex

No Regrets - The Walker Brothers

Thunderbuck Ram - Mott The Hoople

Blow-ins dahling, blow-ins. That's what they are. Now then now then, whoops I've gone all Jimmy Saville on ya. Black Cherry's great, nowt wrong with it and it is still one of my favourite bars on Lordship Lane but it does get packed with the blow-ins from out of town at the weekend.

Hip hop Friday, Good grief! I may not be hip but I'm certainly a hop head so take this brothers and sisters and spread the love.

Best I could do I'm afraid. This is of course the Old Cherry Tree now the Vale back in 1911 also owned by Walter W.Collison.

I used to have a photo of the Vale which was also owned by Walter W. Collison from the same era (pictured in 1911), had it framed and gave it to a girlfriend who still has it. Now, I wonder if we can find it the web somewhere....?

Well, that's sorted that one out then and without using the font of knowledge that is our lovely Brendan.

I'm Jah actually suzilucy but you can call me Brenda.

Black Cherry for cocktails, Gowlett for pizza and pumpum.

If only Cashley Hole had missed that penalty though. Would have made my night. And you're right spitting IS the lowest of the low.

Adrenochrome? Sounds great to me. Where can I get some?

I don't think so Karter. I really cannot see that happening at all.

I reckon so Bob or somewhere thereabouts.

mightyroar Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > kelly brook did used to live in tulse hill you > know. not that long ago either. Herne Hill actually. She and Jason Whatshisface used to go in the Dog quite a lot.

I think most people have said what I wanted to say on here so I won't bother to add my tuppance worth. Well done Man Utd though. A very entertaining game and so glad it wasn't a bore like the FA Cup final of last year.