In the News

[BarcelonAl]

To play devil's advocate a little: a lot of the top-flight football clubs have been become extremely big, profitable organisations, issuing shares just as any normal business would. Should we then be surprised if they are treated as purely financial concerns by any new owners?

In reality: it would suck if a team that is a national treasure (of sorts) is crippled by the kind of legal-yet-dubious business dealings that football's mostly avoided so far. Or that's not been this blatant at least.

Shares? What are they?

United is a private company with a board of directors made up of people with the surname of Glazer. No accountability what-so-ever.

I can imagine the discussions:

Avi: I think we should pay ourselves some cash. All who agree say 'Aye'.
Rest of the Glazer Family (wonder which one is Cousin It?): Aye
Avi: Agreed and passed...now lets get back to scavenging for roadkill y'all!



In other news: Turns out the guy who won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year (or something) comp with his photo of a 'wild' wolf leaping over a gate...cheated and the wolf was actually of the 'tame and usually housed at a zoo' variety. Still a good pic though, but rules is rules! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8470962.stm

[mr_e]

Ah, Al, but they had their shares listed on the stock exchange, which is precisely what allowed the Glaziers to do what they did. That and "being sold out by the Irish" as one fan/reporter phrased it.

Anyhoo, it's a shame that wolf picture had to be disqualified, because it's actually pretty good, trained wolf or not.

In more serious news, I don't think it's be a huge loss to society if this "bomb detector" gentleman was jailed. If the accusations are true, then he's a bit of a sociopath.

[Mike]

I wonder why they were bought without being tested!

[BarcelonAl]

That guy is the Del Boy of the arms trade...genius! You're right though, why would any government buy something that wasn't tested properly? Then again we routinely send our troops out on patrol in vehicles that aren't fit for purpose, so I guess it's probably quite common!

Ah, Al, but they had their shares listed on the stock exchange, which is precisely what allowed the Glaziers to do what they did. That and "being sold out by the Irish" as one fan/reporter phrased it.

The only reason we were 'sold out by the Irish' was that they get the hump when Fergie got grumpy about the money he would be getting from the stud rights to the Rock of Gibralter (a horse, not a lump of rock!). It created bad blood and from then on, they seemingly did anything and everything to screw as much money from the deal as possible.

Plenty of 'Glazer Out', 'Love United, Hate Glazer' chants yesterday (plus some I can't put down due to some 'interesting' lanaguge!). Hopefully the TV coverage picked it up!

[mr_e]

Yeah, you would've thought the test would be fairly simple, but they obviously took the companies word for it. Learned the hard way there.

In lighter news, this article was not quite what I first thought, but hey: hotel firm offers human bed warmers.

[BarcelonAl]

Cave of crystals. Truly jaw-dropping beauty!

[BarcelonAl]

Monkey see, monkey film.*

*I know they're chimps, not monkeys but it was an attempt at humour...

[stimpsonslostson]

Ambidextrouskids more likely to suffer mental problems.
I'm almost totally ambidextrous and see it as a huge plus. (The only thing I do exclusively with my right hand is writing). Its especially handy when you've got an injury to one hand.
I've *twitch* not *twitch* got *twitch* any *twitch* mental *twitch* problems *twitch*
Or problems with dysle.. dislex... disleksia... spelling either.

Is Millie showing a preference yet?
Out of interest, what's the forum spilt of Righties, southpaws and freaks?

[BarcelonAl]

Southpaw handwriter here, though I tend to my right for most other things apart from throwing and using a knife.

[Mike]

Al that does not surprise me! Deviant! I am a righty but I can use a computer mouse in either hand, I love the way it freaks out IT administrators when they take control of my computer! Hahahahahahahaha!

Millie appears to favour her left hand at the moment, although that is only based on the fact that she eats with that hand almost exclusivly.

New device that can detect subtle differnces in ph and glucose levels by breathing on the unit! Impressive and no more pricks for diabetics.

[mr_e]

I remember a cave of crystals from a BBC nature show, but not sure which one. Reminds me of that awful film "The Core" when they end up in some crystal cave, but less painful to watch.

The cynics (realists?) are already saying that a test strip manufacturing company will try to buy the glucose / pH detector research and sit on it. A free market good for us? Not always.

I was torn between posting the shocking swan divorce and the "damn that would be weird" never forgetting a face.

Oh yeah, right-handed here!

[Andy]

I always prefer to use my right hand. Using my left is awkward and it lacks the technical accuracy that is needed.....

Who says women can't drive as well as men?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... tream.html

[stimpsonslostson]

Dictionaries banned from school after kids look up definitions of "rude" words.
How many times a day were you told as a child to "go look it up" when asking your parents annoying questions? For me it was LOTS, where did the habit of doing research to fill in the gaps in my knowledge lead...? University.
I just hope that the same parents don't work out what their kids are "researching" online...

by mr_e » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:04 pm

that article wrote:
Top search for children (ages seven and under):

1. YouTube
2. Google
3. Facebook
4. Porn

I suppose that with solid grasp of a dictionary they could be more creative/ accurate in their search terms!

[Mike]

I know lets prevent children actually knowing anything. Whilst we are at it why not add the world is banana shaped and will explode if you are too naughty.

[BarcelonAl]

Our junior school leaving 'present' was a dictionary. Everyone received one from the Headmaster in assembly. This required you to queue up, go on stage, shake his hand and then return to your seat. By the time I'd got back, the people earlier in the alphabet (surname ordered) had got the page numbers of most of the rude words...never did me any harm...well not much anyway!