St Landrew

Well only people who view things on a superficial level are going to think that way. I'm not at all sure people who vote in such a way have the right to vote at all. This is a decision about who runs the country, and indirectly, your lives. Not some Sports Personality Of The Year contest. You look past the fact that Gordon Brown wasn't blessed with model like features, and listen to what he has to say. Then you do the same with the other party leaders.

Yeah, he does. Love his bits in Ocean's NN

That would be the quite graphic and bloody [in the un-cut version] use, by the young girl, of a Crucifix, on herself, while taunting her mother. Films since have been far more graphic and obvious than The Exorcist. But it was the first of its kind, and wasn't ridiculously outlandish like its imitators. If you believe, as the film tries to portray, that the girl is young and innocent from the start, as 1970's audiences did, then it will affect you, possibly adversely. If you view the film as a relatively desensitised and cynical person of today [i'm not criticising people here when I describe them in that light] then the film is more likely to appear dated and farcical.

What a crap review that was. I think I mentioned the film being not bad at least 3 times, and actually said nothing. As for Nicholas Cage; agreed he's not the best actor in town, but he's no Keanu Reeves, sorry, Oak Tree. Actually, that's an insult to oak trees. I suppose I did get Cage's character, and went with the scenario, through the film. At the very beginning I wanted Cage to stick with his girlfriend [Téa Leoni], mainly because she was so cute. Then I wanted him to stay a rich man in his other world because he didn't seem to be the nastiest piece of capitalism, and he'd obviously worked hard and been successful. Then very slowly, actually slower than the character himself, I wanted him to take up his life in the alternative existence. The lack of pay-off in the end was mildly disappointing, but anything else would possibly have been very sugar coated or completely empty. Don Cheadle's character was the nod to It's a Wonderful Life. So, as I said before - not bad.

It's the efficient German way. Sometimes I sure do wish it was ours.

Depends on the connections of the hardware. If there are enough ins and outs, no doubt you'll be OK. Remember to take your installation CD. Do remember to leave it as you found it when you leave, Pancake. Otherwise, you'll be making a quick return trip.

Well truth is, many people in Southern England don't know how to drive in snowy/sleety conditions, and who could blame them. They get little opportunity to practice. However, many people don't take the opportunity to read up, and put into practice the reams of information and advice that can be had for driving in such conditions. Hence, they get stuck, or hit things, get hit because they put themselves in the way, or several other combinations of screw-up. And some of them shouldn't be on the bloody road whether or not the conditions are dodgy. This afternoon in Southampton, while it was snowing, I saw car drivers screwing up all over the show. I saw ABS brakes chomping at the snowy tarmac. I was driving my crappy old Fiat with the heater de-misting away. A few cars in front of me was a motorcyclist, riding a powerful V-Twin motorcycle. If he made any error, he was likely to be off his bike. All the car drivers around him screwed up. They didn't allow for him at all, but he managed. He rode excellently in the slick conditions, and I take my hat off to him. Fact is, there is no nannying on a bike. Your safety is entirely up to you. That's why that bloke made not the slightest error. Actually, I think he was an idiot for riding in such conditions, with mobile deathtraps surrounding him.

Wow, I can't wait..!!! :smt015

You're right. Guinness did take have to recompense the bloke who originally ptiched it. It's still an excellent advert though. I hate the modern medium of advertising, so that's quite something for me to admit. I know Britain is the world leader in sophisticated advertising, but personally, I can never see the value past: here's the product, this is what it does, and here's the price we want you to pay. I sort of like Cillit Bang adverts for that quality. The bullsh!t is kept at a basic level that I can cope with.

Yes, play it fullscreen. Amazing changes in direction at speed, that even a vehicle on land probably wouldn't be able to accomplish.

I can see I have a higher opinion of Papa Waigo than you, because I do think he has more to his game than just pace. He's a goal poacher, having the ability to know where to be at the right time. And he's strong enough to shake off defenders. BTW, found a song written about him. Anyone brave enough to sing it..? http://firenze.repubblica.it/multimedia/home/1792689

Can't stand the stuff, but this advert is far and away my favourite:

Sorry to hear of your Dad's knock, hypo. I swear that the next time some public authority figure treats me like crap, I'll ask him or her whether they would treat the queen like that. I'd expect a different answer.

You call that proper snow..? When it's at least 6" deep, and you can't tell a road from everywhere else, then it starts to get interesting.

Did it ever not occur to you that, by playing at the top levels of Serie A, he might be used to a higher quality of official..? That is, one that can see and make the right decision..? I do agree though, he seems a nice chap. I'd like someone to ask Alan Pardew for his opinion on the offide question.

Or it's tomorrow.

I think this thread has run its course.

Me too. I once gave back a laptop to a bloke when he brought his wife along with him, to receive it back. Let's just say, I knew where that odd distinctive mole was located on her. But there you go, we are trusted for our services.

Yeah, absolutely cut to ribbons. Watch out for which DVD you buy. Unless you're sure it is uncensored, it'll largely be the comedy you saw before. I first saw it when it came out, in the 1970's at the Classic cinema, Above Bar. It was un-cut back then, and later withdrawn from cinemas, I believe, after people found it too strong. Of course, the cinema does capture the audience rather better than the living room.

I've never been to South America and I've never been to India and the Far East, except Singapore. I have been to Oceania. But do I believe the other bits of the world are there even if I've never been there..? No, I don't. I know they are there, because I respect experts like Captain Cook, Lord Everest, and other notable geographers. The thing is... I don't have to go there to know whether something is true. I can respect the opinion of someone else who is expert enough, so that I don't have to go myself, even if it were possible, or not. And so I can see from collected data that certain things are happening to the Earth, and certain things are not. I don't need to go to the Arctic Circle to realise there is less ice, in extent, thickness and age. Data, I can respect is quite enough. And in any case, It's bloody cold, and I like warm weather.

WoW..! What an original thought. And I can see how it benefits Saints. It keeps Southampton FC on the radar, plus it makes Pompey a sort of B team, waiting for the A team to emerge from its slumbers. OK, I made it read good. It's a non-starter, but fun.

What is it with Nicholas Cage..? The bloke can't decide whether he's an action hero, a serious actor, a player in light comedies, or a bloke in moral tales. About the only genre he hasn't tried is horror. But I'm sure it's not off his radar. So The Family Man wasn't that bad. It only stands one viewing, but it wasn't that bad. And Cage was actually convincing, in the end. It reminded me of his other film The Weather Man, and also It's A Wonderful Life, but it isn't as good as the latter, and better than the former film. If you've been watching it, or have watched it, I'm sure you have your own opinion, but if you haven't, it's not a bad film. And co-star Téa Leoni is very cute.

That's true.

Don't forget apogee [furthest] and perigree.

Well the Arctic region is more than just the North Pole. It includes most of Greenland. And thanks for taking the point.