st_louis_saint

That's an interesting comment. You see, I live and work in Brum, and am obviously surrounded by them (and Villa) at work. I chat regularly with one of the engineers (a lifelong bluenose, tattoos and all) about footie, and I couldn't understand why he wasn't chuffed that they were (and have been pretty much all season) in the top two, and looking good for promotion. His answer? Pretty much exactly what you said. I have to say that I find it bizzarre though. I mean, we all know this division is desperate, and all anyone really cares about is getting out of it, so wins are wins in my book. All I know is that I don't give a f**k how we get out of this division, just as long as we do (in an upward direction, I hasten to add.)

The best thing about about yesterday's game was the final whistle. Cons: Half-empty stadium The usual toe-curling songs ("your ground's too big for you", "sit down if you're a Pompey fan" etc) The mong 2 rows in front of me that clearly regarded himself as some sort of self-appointed cheerleader Cramped seating that just doesn't accomodate big lumps like me Mind numbingly dull football Complete sobriety on my part (never again, I was acutely aware of all the aforementioned guff that a skinful of ale would usually blot out). Pros: Living one stop away from St Andrews on the local train line, thus being home in time for the Fulham v Man Utd game. m3h....

Strange night. Enjoyable, but strange. I don't think Part will ever play so crap again and still win if he lives to be 100. Klassen actually looked a half-decent player last night, and I enjoyed the Mardle/Barney game. But when push comes to shove, we're all still bowing down to The King. And massive lolage at the so called "aggro" bewteen him adn Taylor at the end!!

Living in Birmingham, basically. And that ("that" being the time and expense getting to and from SMS) coupled with us being crap, has seen me giving it a miss. However on Saturday, seeing as both those prohibiting factors will not be applicable, I shall be at St Andrews. I'd be happy to indulge in a little imbibing with you should you choose to attend.

I have - he's a c**t. He's actually a nice lad, but don't tell him I said that.

I had a cracking, articulate, world-beating response to your usual tiresome drivel lined up just before I left work, Rob. But then this poxy site went down, and now, some 6 hours later, the moment has passed (as have a few bevvies). So now I'm just going to have to resort to the more generic, blunt response: Robsk, you're a c**t. Dissapointing, I know, but blame the server................or whatever...............

Very interesting read. And I say that because up until very recently, (on this forum at any rate) the anti-Thatcher brigade would have far outnumbered those who support her. Nothing like a good old-fashioned financial meltdown to make people come to their senses, eh? Sure, she made mistakes (the poll tax being one of the most almighty **** ups in living memory) but my God, she made this country great again. And for bloodying the noses of Marxist unions, if nothing else, she will always have my utmost admiration.

Well, 3-out-of-4 aint bad, Hatch. I'm rather gitted that I didn't put money on a Part, King, Wade, Barney combo, cuz that's what I honestly thought would happen. On another note, Sid Waddell got on my tits last night: "When Taylor's under pressure, he sometimes loses the weight of the dart.." Yeah, I got it the first time, Sid. So no need to repeat it 6,938 times over. ****. Wade looked ominous again last night. I think this fella is going to dominate for the forseeable future.

BOW DOWN TO THE KING!!!!! "Nuff said" as I believe the kids used to say back in the day...............

Gotta love the Premier League - great stuff. Highlight of the night for me, was Mardle sticking it to the sweaties with that fantastic 160 finish to snatch a draw with Jenkins. Klassen was useless, and Wade is all over the place. I'm rooting for Mervyn King: anyone that walks on stage to the throes of Motorhead will do for me.

For the same reason one team would be good in the Championship (let's say Wolves for arguments sake) and crap in the Premiership. In other words, there's a huge gulf in standard between the two organisations. In response to the other posts (cuz this is number 3 for the day) I think Hankey is one of the few that could actually cut it in the PDC. He has that fluent, smooth action, and if he upped his practice regime a bit he'd be OK. I honestly don't rate any other BDO players, least of all Anderson, who as a previous poster has already stated, bottles it on the big stage. And that's only the BDO "big" stage, btw. Can you imagine how he'd fare in the Premier League or at Ally Pally? And yeah, after that denial, expect Hankey to make the move shortly. Tbf, (and going back to the Premiership/Championship analogy) the PDC is where the serious money's at; he'd be a mug not to go.

You're absolutely right. The sad thing is, I did click on your link - so much for speed reading. Oh and btw, Ted Hankey is my new hero. He needs to come over to the PDC, sharpish.

I think the fact that Klassen is Dutch played a large part in his selection for this year's PL. Darts is massive over there, and add the fact that Klassen is a pretty boy with a glamorous wife, and you have a marketing man's dream. The best thing about this year's tournament if course is the incusion of Mervyn King, because his walk-on music is "King Of Kings" by Motorhead. Gotta love that. OK, so we have: Taylor Barney King Mardle Klassen Wade Who are the other two?

Yeah, that have to deal with kind of filthy, dirty, soul destroying work that you and I won't ever have to. I'd be most interested in observing any change in your attitude if you ever had to do a 6 month stint in Helmand Province, TopGun.

I like this fella. I just had a quick look at one of his metal lick lessons: "Remember, get the timing and the rythm right first before you try and play it fast. If you don't do that, you'll be.....well.....playing sh!t really fast, which is not really what you want..." Top Man!!

Barney looked top drawer tonight; it doesn't get any better than a 9-darter, and a 161 to win it. Mighty impressive. I'm thinking we could be in for a repeat of that epic '07 final. Here's hoping.

I enjoyed watching those guys too, but they all joined the PDC in the end. And let's face it, anyone who's anyone plays in the PDC. The BDO tournament seems positively archaic by comparison. With regard to who's gonna win it this year, I really can't see past a rejuvenated Phil Taylor, although I'd tip Andy Hamilton as my dark horse. Like the look of the Austrian lad, Sujlovic, too. Very unorthodx, but totally unflappable.

And there you have it - nail on head (imo, at least). I believe that there can be little doubt that the man, Jesus of Nazareth, did indeed exist, and was probably done away with in something like the way depicted by popular history. However, I also believe that he was mentally ill (a schizophrenic of some sort would be my guess) but clearly hugely charasmatic, and able to command a large following that hung on his every word. So there.

Hmmmmmm, and so if unemployment is nudging the 2 million mark, WHY are there 600,000 vacancies, BTF? Surely, if people were prepared to do whatever they needed to do to make ends meet, there would be NO vacancies, seeing as the supply of labour (according to you at any rate - you really should cite your sources when quoting figures) exceeds the available means by which it may be utilised. Sorry, but if an individual is determined enough (and prepared to swallow their pride) then they need never be out of work. And nothing anybody says will ever convince me otherwise. This is correct to an extent, although you'd never be denied life-saving treatment should it be required.

That's precisely what I'm saying. I wholly accept how difficult it must be to trade a good job, with its salary and benefits, for a menial alternative, but the fact remains that there is always work, no matter how unpalatable it may seem, available in developed Western countries.

Then he didn't do what he had to do to make ends meet, did he. Sorry, but this story just doesn't wash. Fine, it might be degrading to have to flip burgers in McDonalds, or stack shelves in Wal-Mart, but those kind of menial jobs are always available, always, no matter how bad a recession is. And if he was hell bent on not finding himself homeless, then, from the position he was in come the end of his job, he never would have been. If you're prepared to swallow your pride, and do what you need to do, then you'll be just fine - end of, simple as.

I shall be there (provided my tickets arrive soon, of course).

Well, on the basis that "substansial" means meat and potatoes based: 1 400g pack of ground beef (99p) 1 bag of potatoes (£1.28) 6 pack of bread rolls (59p) That'll make you homemade burgers and chips for £2.86 - works for me, anyway. Also, it helps when Tesco are doing 18 bottles of Carlsberg Export for £5.

I can say whatever I like - it's what I put down on paper I have to be careful about. I think you'll find that employer-to-employer "off the record" phone calls carry far more weight than anything you see written down on company letter-headed paper.

Of course there is. If I'm asked for a reference by an employer for one of my ex-employees that I think was an utter ****, then I will tell his prospective new employer exactly that: he was an utter ****, and don't touch him with a bargepole. What good is a reference if it's not an honest one?