bridge too far

Either, both. I love toast.

And isn't Scott Parker just drop-dead gorgeous!

Generally, but not universally, GDP in Europe outstrips GDP in the UK. See here: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&plugin=1&language=en&pcode=tsieb020 So we should be benefiting from those growth areas.

They were saying 'let's all bet on the global economy going bust' - and they're cashing in.

If you understood psephology you would know that many polls report frequently and often within a day or two of each other

I'm sure you can google as well as can I The one I linked is the latest one; most of the others I found were not so recent.

[h=2]Labour ahead in the polls[/h] About time too. Link? http://ukpollingreport.co.uk [h=2][/h]

b Err nice one HRH I think you'll find (see my post above)

Absolutely this. If I want to respect, reflect, remember and grieve, I want to do it privately. I don't feel the need to 'share' these feelings - they're personal to me. This is one of the reasons why I don't understand the laying of hundreds of bunches of flowers for someone's who has died. Yes, the family and close friends if they want to, but people who didn't know the person who'd died? And, going back to the poppies on the England football shirts, I think Cameron came close to destroying whatever argument there might have been in favour. The rules of FIFA state that there should be no governmental interference in its business. Prince William was fine - he's president of the English FA after all.

FIFA has backed down.

Luckily for us, we have an excellent local electrical retailer in my town. For example, a rack has just broken on my dishwasher. Technically it's out of warranty (just over a year old) but when I asked the shop if they could get a replacement rack for me, they said 'leave it to us, it won't cost you anything'. When we bought the machine there was no charge for delivery, disposal of the old machine, or installation (even though the installation necessitated cutting through the side of a cabinet that had been installed around the old machine) and the price was very competitive

I absolutely respect anyone's right to wear a poppy. Two of my grandfathers served in WW2 so I support anyone wishing to show their personal respect to servicemen. But I do think FIFA has a point. Just suppose the Argentine football team wanted to wear a symbol of respect for their servicemen killed in the Falklands War when they were playing against England. Or the Japanese, Italians or Japanese? Would we be happy about that? I think it's admirable that British football clubs have a poppy emblem on their shirts at this time but I think if FIFA relax this rule they're laying themselves open to all sorts of 'variations'.

The penny's dropped! EDL stands for eccentric dog lover!

And, at the risk of opening a whole thread on wrong-doers in parliament, how about avuncular Vince Cable? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15458400

I see you Balls and Cooper and raise you Kirkbride and MacKay http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/04/mackay-kirkbride-mps-expenses

Aah of course! She's the only MP EVER to flout the law, isn't she (not that I'm condoning driving whilst using a mobile BTW)

I don't know for sure. Do I go for the 'charismatic, competent and combatant' (think Blair - he was good at that)? If so, then Burnham would be very good. Or do I go for the candidate who is a philosopher who can actually think on a rational level but doesn't necessarily appeal to the media? This is what both Milibands are good at. CallMeDave is good on the charismatic front and is, without doubt, a clever combatant at PMQs (although he doesn't actually answer questions - a role usually reserved for any opposition leader). But I don't think he's a deep thinker at all, rather a sound-bite knee-jerk politician. I think Yvette Cooper would be a good shout and it saddens me that Alan Johnson took a back seat.

The ironic thing is this. People who dress as punks or goths are conforming just as much as people who wear 'smarter' uniforms of suits and ties. They are finding their identities in the safety of a group in just the same way. You could say this too about people who wear football shirts to a football match. It's just a form of identity - nothing more. And nothing wrong with that.

Thankyou. I think you'll find that a typo is generally a transposition of letters or striking one wrong letter.

Yep - but the difference is that they ARE prats! Yvette Cooper strikes me as a very confident and competent Shadow Secretary and would, I suggest, be in the running for leader of the opposition / government should Ed step down.

Says a lot about your interest in politics if you judge (female) politicians on appearance alone. Fortunately, such criteria do not apply to male MPs.

My daughter's experience (as a Deputy Store Manager) of Comet was that they were a dreadful company to work for, with a bullying ethos. Fortunately, my daughter (with my help) took them to an industrial tribunal. They settled in her favour before the case was heard.

An article in today's Guardian supports this point of view http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/08/eurosceptic-hero-maggie-gordon-brown

I guess you should if you do it deliberately. Strangely, when I first posted it, it told me to wait 30 seconds before posting (even though I hadn't posted on any thread at that time). That's why I followed instructions and posted it (again, as it turned out). My heartfelt and humble apologies

I reckon this will run http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15648367jjj