hutch

Will we get a £5 discount on next year's subscription if we do?

His wife is a very gracious lady, and a credit to him and the nation, considering that it is very likely (allegedly) that the (then) South African Government was complicit in the murder of her ex-husband. She is, AFAIK, the only woman ever to have been married to two diferent Heads of State of different countries. His ex-wife, however, is a monster. But then, aren't they all?

I had a dog once that kept digging up one of the sprinkler heads in the garden and eating it. I tried several times to explain to him privately that it wasn't appropriate to eat sprinkler heads in public. But he just ignored me and kept on digging it up and eating it every time I replaced it. Then I tried chaining him up for 7 day periods as a deterrent, but as soon as I let him loose he just dug it up and ate it again. I even beat him to death with a baseball bat. Several times. But each time he just got up, dug it up, and ate it again. I asked my neighbours for their advice. One said I should be much tougher on him, and do whatever was necessary to stop him digging it up and eating it. The other one said I shouldn't be so touchy - it's only a sprinkler head after all, and we're all grown ups, aren't we. In the end I decided not to change the irrigation system. I got rid of the dog. Not that this has got anything whatsoever to do with the moderation policy on this board. And, FWIW, it's a true story. Well, mostly. When the blindingly obvious answer is staring you in the face, don't waste your time looking round for creative solutions.

13 points ahead of where we were at this time last season. That's only 2 less than where I hoped we'd be. Way, way too soon to write the season off (IMO).

Most people find change "difficult" to cope with. The way we used to do things got us relegated twice, into administration and took us to the brink of oblivion. Change was inevitable. It's just shooting the messenger.

If it doesn't, Sue, try the "on" switch

Why does John Boy Saint not have a free hand when he's standing at a urinal?

Last post of the day for me. The following need to be "rested" (i.e. we've got alternatives): Kelvin Davis Dean Hammond Sir Rickie Lambert The following need a good kick up the arse (they can, and want to, do better): Morgan Schneiderlin Jose Fonte and the following need to find a new club (my wife could do better): Jason Puncheon David Connolly but I haven't got a diploma in Sports Psychology, so what do I know?

You could pm me, but only after I get home for long enough to pay my subscription. I'll send you a pm when I get it sorted

Listening to Saints Player in a hotel room in Gambia. Last time I was here in November last year we did Brizzle & Charlton, so don't let me down this time! Reluctant to shout "come on you blacks", though. Might raise a few eyebrows.

Not sure, but it will have to be a long piece of string. To stretch from Hampshire to Hong Kong... ... to British Virgin Islands... ... to Israel... ... to France... ... to Angola... ... to Russia... and therein lies the recipe for success in the new world of English football.

My wife bought me a Canon EOS 450D for a present a couple of months ago, with 18-55 and 70-300 lenses. My first DSLR after "point and shoot", and I'm just an amateur. Dune's right, there is a heck of a lot to learn. What I've learned so far, FWIW, is: you get far better results if you don't just use AUTO, and do set the camera up for the purpose the lens(es) are at least as important as the body very important to learn the autofocus setting options first, or else use manual focus until you do set to multi-shoot, and select the best image later (use a big memory card- mine's 8GB) shoot in RAW format, so you can adjust the image later with software before converting to JPEG The things I would look for are: Memory card type. The card fits straight into the slot in my laptop. I don't know what type it is, but it looks like a big sim card. It would be a nuisance to have to mess around with USB cables. Battery life. I fully charged mine once when it was new, nearly 3 months ago. 500 shots later and it's still not run down yet. The EOS 450D doesn't have "image stabilisation" (anti-shake) built into the body. With Canon IS is part of the lens, but IS lenses are a lot more expensive. I haven't got any image stabilisation, and haven't missed it (yet!). The only thing I've found so far lacking in the camera body is that the maximum ISO is only 1600, which means that night shots without flash have quite long shutter speed times, and you really need a tripod at night without a flash. Apparently there is a firmware "upgrade" for the EOS to increase the ISO to 3200, which I'll probably try soon. Overall I'm very pleased with the Canon. HTH

One final thought before going. Somewhere the blue phew do have a distinct advantage today is if they keep all their fingers and toes crossed. And who is "warming the bread"? Own up.

On my last appearance in the High Court, the Judge decided all the merit issues on the written submissions (affidavits & expert reports), and didn't hear either Counsel on any of them. He only heard Counsel argue on liability for costs. Don't try to predict the outcome based just on what the press report was said in Court. None of us know what's in the documents. Having said that, my reflected view is that HMRC are struggling to convince the Judge that any CVA which prioritises some creditors in one class above others in the same class, through an "FCR-type" arrangement is automatically unfairly prejudicial. Doesn't necessarily mean that their appeal is in jeopardy, though. If, as was reported yesterday, the Judge said he would deliver his judgement on Thursday, then it seems to me that he has already made his mind up, based on the written submissions, and is looking for one or other Counsel to persuade him that he's wrong. I'm going to miss the rest of this bit of fun. Been called away at short notice to a place where internet is a luxury, and won't get back before Friday night. Don't let them get away with anything while I'm away, Nick, will you?

If, as we believe, this is the first case of one set of unsecured creditors receiving more than another set of unsecured creditors from company assets, rather than from new money from outside the company, through the implementation of the football creditors rule, then the Judge will be setting a new precedent on the interpretation of "unfair prejudice" in those circumstances under the existing law, and will want to be sure that he doesn't trip over any existing judgements in arriving at his decision. It's in HMRC's appeal, so he has to make a decision, even though, in this particular instance, the CVA might fail for other reasons.

Don't forget Mitchell's opening statement:

Seems to me the biggest loser so far today is Peter Storrie. I wouldn't like to be in his shoes. Oh, and when did Sol Campbell become a non-dom foreigner for image rights purposes?

Could it be that Mr. Mitchell is reinforcing HMRC's position that PCFC's tax affairs are "complex" , and that it wasn't appropriate for the chairman of the CVA vote meeting to arbitrarily fix the amount that he thought was probably about right?

HMRC are appealing, so they would have gone first in the exchange of documents, with the founding affidavit. Pompey would have replied, with sworn affidavit from probably AA and maybe others, although in all probability written by Pompey's lawyers. There might have been another exchange, each, but the last documents exchanged would have come from Pompey, IMO. I guess what HMRC have given to the Judge this morning is a further submission to disprove or discredit something Pompey have said in their last affidavit. The Judge thinks it's relevant or he wouldn't have allowed it.

I think the correct form of address is Sir George Mann. Don't want to upset him, not today anyway.

Confirmation here IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE CHANCERY DIVISION COURT 52 Before MR JUSTICE MANN Tuesday, 3 August 2010 At half past 10 GENERAL LIST GLC 239/10 Re: Portsmouth City Football Club Between: Andronikou & ors v HM Revenue & Customs

Q. The money from player sales is going to the bankrupt company. If the company is liquidated, is there any way to get that money back out before it has to be spread evenly between the creditors? A. .....................

Not quite. That was the only thing keeping them on life support 6 months ago. The only thing keeping them on life support now is the anticipation of around c.£10m from player sales in the next month (with more to come in January?) IMO, the PL/FL will want to ascertain whether the "football creditors" are £19.6m, £22.4m or £35m (all figures in Andy's "loose" CVA), before even considering that. Once they arrive at a "leftover" figure, I really can't see them paying that upfront. The "money from the sky" is, as it stands at the moment, payable over 4 years, not in one hit. They could, in theory, borrow against the future income, but what "legitimate" lender would lend money to a bankrupt Company? But don't hang around. The longer he waits, the more money that goes out the door to pay mercenaries sitting on the beach. As a businessman, it seems to me that it's becoming more and more clear that there is more flesh on the bones in liquidation than there is in suppporting the patient. Tough choice. And no disrespect to DM, your post just seemed to encapsulate the relevant issues at the present time, IMO.

That, Sir, is one of the posts of this thread. Sheer class.

I've suggested before that, IMO, the sideshows are great fun, but keep your eye on the cash (or lack of it). It's FAR more important than the CVA appeal.