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Reply | Holidays
at 17:32 28 May 2025
Off the US and Canada on 4 June for about a month.
We're visiting our son who lives in Maine and doing a nine day road trip to the closer Canadian cities.
Then it's Lisbon in September (never been before).
And then New Zealand in mid November and return home 23 December. Partly to holiday, partly work because I wrote a policy paper for their Gov't and they want to go ahead and have asked (and paid for) me to go out.
We were in Aus/NZ same time last year and had fabulous weather. Hoping for the same but expecting it to be a bit more spring like. |
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Reply | 5 Things About City Game
at 13:27 12 May 2025
I suspect Sulemana was kept on because Rusk etc thought we would be under pressure and having a fast forward around would at least make City keep a couple of defenders back.
He was poor but he was living on scraps and hardly had a decent pass all game.
I do think it's tragic that the Saints players celebrated like we'd won the league. Embarrassing. |
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Reply | Soul for sale or already gone?
at 15:56 30 Apr 2025
For me, I understand that without significant investment over a prolonged period, our club will forever be "average" with occasional good and bad seasons.
So if owners with money and a plan (and preferably either enough knowledge to be willing to buy that knowledge) came along, we would be foolish to take umbrage.
There are however - for me - some red lines.
I am by no means a woke snowflake looking for "diversity" and "equality" in the team, the coaches or the employees of the club. I want the right people doing the right job.
I do however think that some regimes - and those who benefit from them and support them - have values that I would not wish to be given credence by attaching our club's name to them.
These - for me - include many nations who practice discrimination or have have religious rules which (usually) favour men over women or require unthinking obedience to a set of rules designed to subjugate the weak. I am also anti dictator because this tends to go hand in hand with corruption and I do not want to see our club being used as a money laundering machine.
Out and out capitalist hedge fund - no problem. Old money family - no problem. |
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Reply | 5 Things About Fulham Game
at 15:04 29 Apr 2025
I was not at the game but have a view on some of the points raised.
Football clubs, especially those in the PL and Champ, are not "family friendly" now and have not been for at least one generation, perhaps more. The myth that a club attracts loyalty from players, staff, fans is just that - a myth. All the club cares about is revenue.
Look at the "big" clubs and the stats around those who attend matches. One survey puts 44% of spectators at a "top" club home match as being tourists tor just a day. I'm pretty sure that's high, but even if it were 25%, these people - on holiday - have cash to spend and are worth far more than the ST holder who turns up ten minutes from kick off, with a sandwich and drink and leaves as soon (or before) the final whistle because of all the reasons above.
That percentage of "fans" cares nothing about loyalty. It's a bucket list thing for them to do on holiday. |
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Reply | The Final Insult
at 13:51 28 Apr 2025
I'm sorry but I can't agree.
We are going to lose four/five players of any quality including Ramsdale, KWP, Fernadez, THB, Dibling and perhaps others. (I think Bednarek will go and I hope that Smallbone will as well).
Our recruiting team have shown themselves to be spectacularly inept and I have no confidence that they will identify or attract quality replacements.
It's obvious that the owners don't appreciate the step up in quality from Champ to PL or that if they did they were unwilling to spend enough to bridge that gap. I see no signs of that situation changing.
I think we have to accept that unless Stewart puts in a 30 goal season (and to be honest if he plays 30 games next season, that will be an improvement), we are at best mid table Champ next season and three or four seasons away from being in the promotion mix.
I see no great or startling talent in the players outside the first team squad who are ready made replacements. |
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Reply | What is free speech?
at 12:03 17 Apr 2025
It's easy to get distracted by minority groups who are loud or adept at gathering attention. They are helped of course by a media which thinks it acceptable to point to the alleged flaws and traumas of others in the name of "entertainment" or "public interest".
The internet and a myriad of sources of "news" of course helps and so does a propensity for people to read/watch only those sources which reinforce their views and give them some credence. We have to force ourselves to watch more than one source and even then if what we see enrages us or reduces the integrity of what we think we know, we're inclined to switch off off and ignore it.
For example, the US is more "advanced" down the line of news sources being partisan than perhaps most of Europe and the UK which requires some semblance of balance. I do however try, if an issue interests me, to find two sources and takes, usually MSNBC and Fox News. (Was into Newsmax, but those guys are out with the loony tunes).
Their truth is sometimes difficult to swallow or give weight to but it's their truth and is valid in their eyes and they have a right to express it. |
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Reply | What is free speech?
at 16:07 16 Apr 2025
I think I would say that if the individual does not wish to use the chosen honourific, then that is them exercise their free speech.
It may offend the recipient but for so long as it's born of genuine reasoning and is not used to insult or degrade, then that is the flip side to free speech. |
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Reply | What is free speech?
at 14:39 16 Apr 2025
Certainly the "what is a woman" question is pertinent given the ruling in the Supreme Court today.
As I understand it, for the purposes of the Equalities Act, a person's sex is determined by their biological sex at birth. References to "sex" and "gender" in that Act, mean biological sex at birth.
Unfortunately I've just listened to a "trans activist" on the radio who claims - without evidence - that 2% of the population (that's more than 1 million people) are now "at risk" of discrimination and potential harm. The presenter stepped in with a few facts from verifiable sources that indicate that the case brought by the Scottish women impacts just 125 people.
For me free speech does not include outright and blatant lies which support an argument.
I have no problems with calling somebody he or she as they choose. I may think that they are deluded or ill or just trying to stand out in a crowd, but that's their choice. However an activist using lies to fake a point is just wrong. |
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Thread | What is free speech?
at 10:29 16 Apr 2025
I was reading over the weekend a debate between various academics, politicians, "influencers" and others about the nature of free speech.
A lot of ground was covered without any evidence of the participants leaving the debate with any other opinion than the one they brought to the table.
One thing that struck me was that some people see a connection between antisemitism and free speech. The argument seems to be that if you exercise your right to say what you wish but it upsets the Jewish community, then you have strayed into insult (or what lawmakers like to label "hate speech"). This "fact" is then used by those who support - for example - the mismatched conflict in Gaza to try to shut down any criticism of (in this example) Israel's actions.
It is also part of Trumps war with Harvard University. His administration claims that unless the university takes action against antisemitism and "protects" free speech, they will have their funding cut and tax position revoked.
In the US it seems that "free speech" is anything that supports the Trump/Republican view and anything which supports a different view is to be squashed - by law if necessary.
That points to a dystopian future for the US and because many countries do not wish to anger the US, by extension, those places as well.
So, does free speech have a beginning and an end where it becomes sufficiently offensive as to cause or incite violence? Does it have to mean whatever the ruling cult says?
This is not about the Israel/Gaza situation or Russia/Ukraine or even Saints/Pompey. No opinions or views here can wrong. |
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Reply | Handmaids Tale
at 08:38 15 Apr 2025
How's that proof coming along M r J?
Progress? I look at those facts easily obtainable and which I have time or appetite for and can see no hand controlling Trump. |
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Reply | The club of Embarrassment
at 13:51 14 Apr 2025
Has any club gone from PL to Conference (or whatever it's called these days) in consecutive seasons? |
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Reply | Handmaids Tale
at 10:48 14 Apr 2025
I think I hold two positions on Trump, one of which may come to the fore when the Republicans get decimated in the mid terms next year or both may continue to be partly true (to me) until he is removed.
First, is that he has a character flaw in that he craves the admiration of those he perceives as powerful or influential. His father was a successful businessman and bailed DJT out a few times. I think Trump is always therefore looking to secure that sort of attention from billionaires etc so that he can think himself also one of the "success club" members. The reality is that he is at best a mediocre businessman and that is why he has to resort to borderline illegal tactics to preserve whatever kudos he thinks he has.
Where he has been successful is in realising what he needs to do to be elected. He basically needs to give people what they think they need and to promise to "take it to the man" on issues that have popular appeal such as immigration and inflation. In all cases, he exaggerates and lies and makes U turns (especially when he runs into issues being dealt with by real intelligent adults, such as the global economy).
Because he tells people what they want to hear, they vote for him. Admitting you are wrong in something and changing your position, takes real courage because nobody likes to think that they were fooled or wrong. It will take some sort of huge disaster for the rural voters in the US to make that change.
Second, he may be the fall guy for some form of cabal wishing to change the world order. If that cabal is looking to grow their wealth, they're not going to be happy about recent events. If their aim is some form of political power, the isolation of the US from Europe and China does not seem to me to be very sensible.
The USA is the world's biggest consumer of just about everything. They no longer have the industrial infrastructure to be self sustaining because its cheaper to buy from abroad than make it "at home". Becoming isolated (because it's too expensive to sell goods there or because US citizens have no appetite for expensive goods) again does not seem to fit any realistic plan or objective for whomever might be running trump.
On balance - at the moment - I see him as a man desperately seeking approval - at all costs - but hopelessly out of depth and learning that being surrounded by sycophants and one trick conspiracy theorists is not going to make things better. |
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Reply | Handmaids Tale
at 10:15 10 Apr 2025
Again, more distraction and more attacks (which I'm sure make you feel better but do rather show you up) BUT NO PROOF.
Come on - surprise me.
I write (probably quite bad) science fiction short stories for a hobby so I'm open to ideas, going off on tangents from the norm, etc.
If your "elite" are to be found in the higher reaches of authority, temporal or spiritual, in the moneyed ranks of millionaires, in the heart of Gov't, wherever, then I would not be shocked.
But without any evidence your position lacks integrity.
My evidence - just watch the news today. Trump is deluded and vain and stubborn but is he an agent for anybody other than Putin? No I don't think so. |
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Reply | Handmaids Tale
at 10:48 9 Apr 2025
Mr jelly, let's not fall for usual trick of saying "I have everything, but let's discuss this first". That is distraction.
Select what you think is your best piece of hard evidence and share it here.
I'll do my best to remove the imaginary mind control shackles you assume I have (without proof) and I and the others here can examine as objectively as we can what you can offer.
Over to you.
No more distraction or attack or other tricks.
Just produce your proof. |
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Reply | Sky Sports Reports Ivan Juric Sacked
at 12:56 7 Apr 2025
I think nobody will be sorry to see him leave.
The statement says that he arrived at a difficult time - he did - but I hope that the management realise why it was difficult, i.e. they made it that way by staying the ego previously known as RM too long and failing to recruit well.
I know nothing about Rusk. Lallana I know only as a player. I hope that they can tease a few points out of this team before the end of the season before we appoint a permanent manager. |
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Reply | Handmaids Tale
at 08:43 7 Apr 2025
Part of the issue here Mr Jelly is that you continually offer up a theory that we are all being "controlled" by some sort of secret cabal or elite who care only for money and power but when pushed, you have no proof.
The Trump effect on the weak minded is obvious. Offer them something they think they need; strike a blow against "the man"; assume the imagined reins of power. It's a story as old as politics and one we have seen many times in history.
Is he stupid? No. Is he easily led into thinking he is some sort of intellectual superbeing? Yes. Is he vain? Yes. Is he willing to lie to himself and everybody else in covering up these faults? Yes.
But if you want to claim that he is nothing but a factor of a global cabal, you need proof.
And despite repeated opportunities, none has been offered.
Until it is, I'm afraid that your case lacks any credibility. |
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