Lord Duckhunter

The man is a genius, fantastic writer, brillant performer and a wonderful musican. For anyone who doubts his pure musical ability, he plays every single instrument including drums on this track. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm2YyVZBL8U Just can not believe it's now 40 years old.

I'm sure this is obvious to most, but I am a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to this sort of thing. I'm going away with the family at the end of the month and will obviously be taking my camera. I used to have a Sony one with an internal memory which held about 25 pictures. I would take a memory card and each night I would transfer the pictures to the card, ensuring that if I lost the camera or one of the kids dropped it in the sea, I would only lose a max of 24 pictures. Provided I didn't lose the memory card I would have most of the pictures safe and sound. The old camera bust and I know have a new Cannon one. I love the camera, but it does not have an internal memory. Therefore I have a memory card that holds hundreds of pictures, but if I drop/lose/gets stolen, the camera I lose all the photos. Does anyone know if there's some sort of device that doesn't need connecting to a PC/Lap Top, that can run off batteries/mains, that is secure and that I can save the photos to. Or a Memory card to memory card sort of device that would do the job. I dont want to spend too much money as I might as well buy another camera with an internal memory if that's the case. Is there such a portable device, or is it cheaper to buy a load of memory cards and change them every couple of days?

The question is not Cortese or Lowe, as Lowe had gone befor he came along (bringing ML's money with him). It was Cortese, Pinnicle or no Club. Cortese's not perfect, but he's a damn sight better than the other 2 options.

I wouldn't normally, but I thought it was funny that the BBC kept banging on about South Africa, over and over and over again. Then when presented with a South African star didn't have a clue who she was. I also thought it funny the "right on" and PC Beeb jumped to the conclusion she was a WAG, just because she was fit.I bet he'll be on a diversity course once the World Cup's over.

I'm under no illusion, I know he was a sod (I had to put up with him at home). However, that's not the point. He should have been dealt with and I should have been informed. It wasn't just him, there were 3/4 of them in the same class. That teacher may have had the best interests of the class at heart, but there must have been better ways of dealing with it. As I said, he's now grown up, has bought his own place and has a decent job. The other boys in his gang of 4 may not have been so lucky.

I have 4 children and have seen a range of teachers, some great, some poor. My oldest was told by one if he kept quiet and didn't disrupet the rest of the classes he didn't need to do anything ( I only found out when he was 19 and left). Luckily he was good with his hands and has a decent job now, but it could have messed him up. My 10 year old has been inspired by his teacher this year. Yes, he is into sports and his class tutor is the Sports teacher, but his behaviour and the rest of his work has improved steadily. He geniunely loves school and most of that is down to this one guy. When he leaves his year in July, I'm going to make a point of seeking him out and thanking him. The range between good and bad is too high in my opinion, and it's just a lottery if your kids get decent teachers or not.

Purely in the interest of explaining my post , here is a picture of the said "WAG" http://a.giscos.free.fr/cinema/Acteur/C/CharlizeTheron/CharlizeTheron8.jpg

Did anyone see in the Argie-German game the camera picked out Charlize Theron, the Oscar-winning actress, and BBC commentator Steve Wilson said; "I don't know who that is, must be somebody's WAG." Just shows for all their "This World Cups in Africa", they know sweet FA about it.Lawro then made some smart arse comment. Why does Lawro also insist on making jokes about "changing underpants and toilet paper". I have a 10 year old who thinks it's funny, but bloody hell,if he defended like he pundits, Liverpool would never have won a thing.

I dont think anyone would argue that good teachers should be paid more, a lot more. However, the ones that are not up to it need drumming out. It is the useless, lazy, incompetant teachers that are bring the profession down and allowing people to make cheap points about holidays and hours of work.Surely it is in his interests that his profession is viewed on a par with nurses and fire fighters. You rarely have articles attacking lazy nurses, most people agree they are angels that deserve more money. When it comes to teachers there is not the same respect, and there should be. It is a wonderful profession that really should be at the top of any "respect list". The fact it isn't is not down to people like your SIL, but because of others that let the whole profession down.

This has to be the worst World Cup I can remember for TV pundits . Number 1, we know the World Cup is in Africa, we don't need telling 10 times every bloody game. What's it going to be like in 4 years time, the clichés about Brazil will be coming out every minute of every game. Number 2, the "experts" on both channels have been absolutely dreadful. I was in France for the last World Cup and they have people like Wenger and Houllier on there. I've also spent a bit of time in Dublin where RTE's Johnny Giles and Eamon Dunphy really tell it like it is, to the Eire side as well. Who do we have? Gareth Southgate,Lee Dixon, Mark Bright and that clown Lawro. Alan Hansen seems to be overdoing the "miserable get" routine and don't get me started on Garth Crookes. Where are all the characters, the people who are going to speak their minds like previous World Cups, like Cloughie, Big Mal, our very own Mick C and Tommy Doc? It used to be Trevor brooking who sat on the fence, now it's the whole lot of them. Clear them all out and get in people like , Ian Holloway, Gary Neville, The Special One, Matt Le Tiss, Rodney Marsh, Fergie and some Managers like David Moyes, Walter Smith and John Toshack. I know they maybe contracted elsewhere, but we need people like them, that will speak their mind, know what they are on about and entertain me. The camera work has been outstanding, but it's being ruined by idiots in the commentary box. Do you agree or are you happy with the coverage.

So you would rather useless teachers teach my children, than claim benefits? In any profession there is a % of people who are not up to the job, that's just a fact of life. Teaching's not for me, so I dont pretend that it's easy. I would love to be able to inspire and shape children, I can think of no more rewarding job. However, I would not be capable of doing it.There's no shame in being a poor teacher, it's a very special job, that need very special people ,and some teachers are just not capable.I would love to know the figures for teachers sacked through capability, rather than conduct. If I was a betting man I would put my money on the figure being a lot lower than other professions. Is this because we train them up to such a high standard that every teacher is competant, or is it because it's damn near impossible to get rid of them? Let's reward the good and get rid of the bad.

There has not been the political will to get rid of useless teachers and I dont understand why. Surley these useless people are letting down the rest of their profession and leaving them open to stupid comments about holidays and working hours.Are other public services the same, do we sack useless coppers, or useless nurses? you would hope so. Somebody has to make a decision on teachers competance and that decison should be made by the Headmaster. He/she is at the school day in day out, they will know which teachers are not performing, will hear whispers from collagues and pupils alike. There needs to be a clear and precise disipinary system to deal with capability issues, and surely it's as much in the unions interest to get rid of the deadwood, as it is the parents. The best teachers should be paid more, and the worst drummed out. Unfortunatly the unions are happy for useless teachers to stay in the profession, rather than better pay for their more able members. My Uncle was a Headteacher for many years, he was a decent hard working man, although a bit boring. Trendy new teaching methods that change all the time and poor teachers are bringing down education in this Country, according to him.

Tell me about it.I'm ok with the longer one's but the short ones kill me. My old Man is an ok golfer he plays off about 14 and that's not bad for a bloke in his 70's. He goes mad with me over my putting. Tells me it's the cheapest and easist thing to practise, just practise on the carpet at home (provided you dont have wood flooring). I just find it so boring, just want to get up the range or on the course and smash the crap out of the ball. Problem is all my mates know I'm hopeless at putting, so thers a lack of gimme's when we play. I remember winning a charity day with 41 points (which is far from bandit country) and 3 putting on about 9 greens. In the bar after I was getting stick from the other 3 in my 4 ball, for being a bandit because I should have ended up with about 50 points had I putted like everyone else. My Brother in law shut them up by saying "putting is as much part of the game as driving, had he driven badly and got 41 points, nobody would have said a thing, what the difference?"

Correct. Look at Gerrard, he has all the tools to be our own Schweinsteiger,but he's ill disiplined in defence and chases about all over the place. He then gets shifted out to the left or played "in the hole" behind the strikers. Rafa didn't trust him to hold his position and break at the right moment and neither did Capello.He's a far better player than Fat Frank and could be better than most of Europes centre mids. However he lacks the intelligence to play the position. He doesn't seem to make the right judgements, when to pass quickly, when to play it short or when to burst forward. Far too many "Glenn Hoddle" passes which end up giving the ball away.He gets away with it in the Premiership, but wont at international level. How many years have we been talking about Lampard and Gerrard playing together. If you took 2 German players who were exactly the same, they'd have sorted it out years ago.

He didn't "pretend" to cry, he thought they were going out of the World Cup, as a result of his handball, there were also Ghana players celebrating the award of the Peno, isn't that against your fine spirit of sportsmenship?. I don't believe for one minute that he "laughed hysterically" because of the miss, it was a mixture of relief and joy. I also saw the Ghana players cheering and celebrating when a Uruguay player skyed his peno, and they were still in it. It's human nature. Do you consider jack Charlton one of the hero's of '66 a complete ******, do you think he should give his medal back? This has been blown out of all Proportion, because it was an African nation in Africa. It's a bit condescending to them if you ask me, with a hint of political correctness. If it was against England, the world would be celebrating. The mistake Suarez seems to have made is doing it against Africans, as opposed to say Ireland, and the fact that they missed the peno and then went onto lose the shootout. Had they scored the Peno, or won the shootout, he would get a 1 match ban. He now may get two for the sole reason the African's can't take Peno's.

He wasn't booked because those were the rules at the time. It was situations like this that led to a change in the rules. The rules now are a 1 match ban, if FIFA want to change them, then fair play. However, you can not backdate them on the basis that an African missed a peno in Africa.

I like the commentry "and Jackie Charlton blunders". A South American cheats, but an Englishman "blunders".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIfd3SBZdTY&feature=related

What do you think of Jack Charlton's delebrate hand ball in '66.

Jack Charlton gave away a peno after a delebrate handball in the 1966 semi final, so before people get too carried away with attacking "cheating South Americans", we should remember that. Jack's punishment? A pen, not even a booking, see those were the rules at the time. They were applied consistantly and were the same whether Eusebio scored from the spot or missed.

Harry Kewell did the same thing and got a 1 match ban. Are we now deciding punishments on the basis of who it was against, and whether the peno was converted? Had this been the other way round, there would have been none of this nonsense, it's only because it went against an African nation. Surely every handball that prevents a goal would come under the banner of "unsporting behaviour", because by it's nature the hand ball has to be delebrate. What about a foul, is that not "unsporting behaviour", appealling for a corner, when you know it's a goal kick, where does it end. If they couldn't do anything about Henry's handball or Maradona's it seems a bit strange that despite have clear and consistant rules in place, they're going to change them because an African couldn't score a Peno.

100% correct, I thought Ghana got more than their fair share of the decisions yesterday. I also couldn't believe the ITV panel, it was as if England had been beaten (I understand Marcel Desailly, but the others were gutted, I thought Brinkley had dumped Chiles again, he was so close to tears). If he gets more than a 1 match ban it will be a disgrace. You can't start changing punishments during a competition and you certainly can not increase them because of the time the offense was committed or because the peno was missed. Must say there were two bits of bravery (in a sporting context) that you rarely see. For the guy to step up and take the first peno, takes mental toughness that not many people are capable of.And how big were the blokes ******** that ran up and dinked it over the Keeper? I thought it was a great days football yesterday, the cynical Brazillians getting their just reward and a fantastic end to the other game. I hope that Holland go on to win the whole thing, to lose in '74 & '78 was heartbreaking with such great sides, but if they dont would love to see the fairytale of Uruguay do it.

We went into the banking crisis in a worst state than most countries, because of Browns policies. The British people obviously didn't believe he was capable of clearing up the mess as Labour suffered its worse election result for decades. He now appears to be after Ted Heath's record for the longest sulk after an election defeat.

The only web site that can be acessed during work is The BBC, so I post in my own time. The staff do have a coffee break, it's part of their terms and conditions. I even allow them a lunch break, but it's unpaid. I do whatever hours I need to, sometimes it's 45 others it's up in the 70's. I can assure you that my staff work pretty much flat out, they do not "grind along at 70-80% capacity". If they did, I would be out. If I was told to cut 20% of my staff, they would still expect the same work. I would just have to rearrange things, prioritise, find smarter ways of working. The line I will hear is "you're paid to manage whatever we want, and if you can't, we'll get someone in who can". You still haven't explained to me how my postie mate can finish early when it suits him, and the dustmen work quicker on a Bank Holiday. Just 2 examples, I'm sure there are thousends more.This is not a rant against Public sector workers, my wife is a midwife and works damn hard. However there are thousends of public sector workers taking the mick. If they stopped doing so, we may be able to pay off Labours Credit card bills, without too much pain.

So people need an incentive to work at 100%? it defies belief. We have to work at 100%, not through any incentive but because that's our job, and we're dealt with if we dont. I'm paid to ensure my guys work 100%, not "grind along at 70-80% capacity". If they did that, I'd soon find myself out on my ear. Anyway, thanks for backing up my point that savings can be made without affecting front line services. If everyone worked at full capacity, that would be a great start.