matthew123

barty Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > When someone reassures me that we live in a > democracy I remind them that, at the last > election, our Government managed to acquire 55% of > the seats in Parliament having polled 35% of the > vote, and the party that finished third got 10% of > the seats on 22% of the vote. Well the consequences of proportional-representation - like in the European elections - is that we'll end up with the likes of the BNP in Parliament. So the question I'd ask is should we stick with first-past-the-post Democracy *OR* run the risk of having coalition governments comprised of extreme parties (or at least end up giving extreme parties a bigger stage on which to preach such as the weekly Prime Minister's Question Time)?

yes that's plausible, perhaps he will back tonight with the shovel

LOL - I knew what Anna meant ;-)

Probably been decapitated by a passing car and the body flew into his garden

Well I'll try and make this one but it'll have to be in the evening - as I will need an afternoon nap once I've watched the Lions play the Third Test.

Hmmm I don't think Liverpool have been bought, otherwise why would George Gillett have agreed to sell his beloved Montreal Canadians for ?330m this weekend. I think that Arab money is for 60% in another Club unless you're talking a different deal from that reported in papers today. I could be wrong but I think these forum rumours are bull. Why are Liverpool spending money - well they've made the GJ and Tevez bids (amounting to approx ?43m) a few weeks ago and I don't think with business the way it is the Yanks would have sanctioned Rafa spending that kind of money if it was dependant on a takeover being finalised. The other reason I don't think it's true is why would the Yanks announce to great fanfare that we have a new Managing Director.

M y Nam e I s &nbsp Matthew

They've reached agreement between the Clubs and player - but it still has to be signed. Not saying Chelsea will now come in and gazump Liverpool but I prefer these official announcements to be made once the deal is legally bound.

ESPN wins rights to the 2 packages for next season taken from Setanta - ESPN will have 46 games for the Monday night and Saturday evening slots. Games will available via Sky platform. How much this is going to cost is yet to be determined but hopefully they'll have the games in HD otherwise I won't be signing up. No details on how much they paid for the rights but it must have been a good chunk as Sky were believed to have bid for the Monday night football package.

BREAKING NEWS CRICKET BAIL -=- RISES FROM THE ASHES

Oh dear the excuses are rolling out for Egypt being stuffed 3-0 by the Yanks in the Confederations Cup - apparently Egypt players were robbed by a bunch of hookers they brought back to their hotel rooms after the beat Italy few days back. Absolutely shameful behaviour from so called professional footballers - picking up prostitures on the high street in Jo'burg, one of the AIDS capitals of the world. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010confederations-cup/2009/06/21/1338394/south-african-media-egypt-players-were-robbed-by-prostitutes-not

There is an argument that prosperity for all will fix many of the cultural problems that drive youth crime ... but unfortunately the country is on it's knees (as always seems to be the case) so a different solution is needed. Stop and search is a good concept, but we have to ask what motivates the Police. Someone mentioned they've seen Stop and Search performed on East Dulwich Road 4 times, well that is the only place I've seen it done and on numerous occasions. It always seemed to be a Dog Van stopping another vehicle, with 5 or 6 officers performing Stop and Search on 1 or 2 occupants. Someone who worked for the Police told me that some Police units have quotas to meet each month in arrests, so often a dog van will cruise the main roads looking for a vehicle they can pull over with a defect (e.g. broken light) with what they believe has people aboard who they can arrest for some other technicality as a result of stop and search. But I have never seen any youths subjected to stop and search in SE22, even though many of the alleged criminals reported on this forum are often described as youths. Stop & Search needs to be stepped up, even if 100% of people who are stopped and searched for weapons are clean it will still help send a message that crime is being increasingly tackled.

One idea is to take a trip into the City around Bank during mid morning or weekend when it's very quiet and marvel at the grand architecture of the Bank of England (they also have a little known musuem open during the week), Royal Exchange, Mansion House etc. Probably the best preserved area of old London still standing today. Another option is to contact your local MP, Tessa Jowell, and ask can you she organise a tour for you of Parliament. Many years ago we did a trip around Parliament organised by our local MP, but we were shown round by another MP and his party and it was great seeing the voting booths, the 2 chambers, the 'royal' room etc.. and then lo and behold at the end of it the MP asked for some cash in hand for showing us round! If you can no longer do that then go and take a look in the magnificent Westminster Abbey (opposite Oliver Cromwell statue) which also houses the tombs of Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I.

Rush hour in the Village? You mean a paper boy was trying to deliver the Daily Telegraph before an angry resident left for work?

Owen is still a fox in the box - lacks the pace and fitness but knows how to put the ball in the net better than any current English player. It is bizarre and a massive question mark against Capello that Owen is not in that England squad. If England want to win the World Cup it ain't gonna be done by a half chance falling to Carlton Cole or Peter Crouch! Another point about Capello is why is David James still England Number 1? James is technically perfect but he has a long history of clangers when the pressure is really on ... that will never change ... it's inevitable what will happen in a tight World Cup knockout match if he is in goal.

I'd take Owen back to Anfield - use him as an impact player from the bench. Free transfer, got to be worth a punt. I think one of the other factors with Tevez is that they're aren't many, if any?, Spanish speakers at Old Trafford as based on his poor English he probably did feel marginalised. The fact Liverpool bid ?25.5m for Tevez suggests they've budgetted for a major new striker, but who I don't know.. More importantly what is going to happen to Steve McManaman next season with no Premiership on Setanta? He'd be an asset to Sky or BBC... but I suspect he'll end up on ITV with Teddy, Robbie and Andy if he can withstand the waffle.

Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres are the best strikers in the PL - Tevez would be to compliment rather than replace. I cannot see the point in leaving United for Chelsea as it'll be the same issues of will he start enough games. I am assuming he would choose Man City - he just needs further proof they are strengthening to compete before he decides his destination in early July.

What's also interesting about Tevez saying no to Liverpool is that it highlights that Rafa has ?25.5m to spend on a striker. But who... I reckon one or two big signings by City before beginning of July and that will convince Tevez to also join City. Don't blame the Big 4 for lack of discussion on other clubs. I'd love to read the musings from WHL, Leeds or Upton Park, maybe some glory nights from their pomp, why not, let the stories roll!

Next season's Championship is going to be very difficult for everyone. I don't think Newcastle will do anything with Shearer in charge, and of course because he is a legend up there, they'll wait for him to retire gracefully by which time it'll be too late. Not expecting much from West Brom now they're lost Mowbray, and same applies to Reading with Coppell gone. It's Middlesbrough who I expect to dominate next season - I think they have a good squad but the key maybe the youth in their ranks to show the necessary hunger. Cardiff City is the other team I expect to be banging on an automatic place - I think they'll be doubly motivated by how they let slip a play off spot last time out. Swansea I'd have fancied to have been strong but like West Brom and Reading you don't know how the new manager is going to gel. The good thing about Swansea is it appears from comments the chairman has made this week - that they want to play a particular style of football or at least that was the reasoning for offering job to ex-QPR boss Sousa.

Did the Lions get back into the game because of the changes in the Forwards or was it because the Springboks made 7 changes when they thought the game was won? I'd pick the team that finished the First Test - with the exception of Andy Powell in at No 8, who has the muscle and dynamo to make us more competitive when it comes to open play combat.

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > cheap and easy line matthew123 - what does it > mean? > > You make it sound like life is hard for all of us > but only lazy scum with excuses bother to stab > people - the rest of us work a bit harder? Surely > a bit more complicated than that? No, I was talking about this growing culture of excuses which cultivate an environment in which as a nation we become increasingly soft - people will take the piss. We could spend an eternity searching for a magic pill whilst society becomes irreversibly lawless. People blubbering about how unfair it is to be stopped and searched should not stop this country getting back on track - let's stop being selfish and think about stopping crime not pandering to excuses.

A Premiership XI team to take on the Big 4... Shay Given Glen Johnson Phil Jagielka Joleon Lescott Wayne Bridge Antonio Valencia Mikel Arteta Wilson Palacios Ashley Young Robinho Pavlychenko

Sandperson I'm not sure this argument is relevant to football or football banter... just my thoughts

Jeeeez can the papers not come up with realistic figures... last week Mascherano was on his way to Barca for ?20m and now it's ?35m.. although a few days ago it was going to be ?45m. We give too much credit to these monkeys that write in the national papers. Ever seen Sunday Supplement on Sky - it's like planet of the apes!

Come on Sandperson the Rooney photo was delivered with humour - in the same manner I posted the Tom Huddlestone, 'Liverpool sign Bent' and Fernanda Torres pics