Colinjb

Oh my.

All things considered.... it depends who my employer is a month or two from now!!

Great finish from Fat Frank.

Give him a chance, he hasn't had his morning Buckfast yet!

Second day is currently underway. Jenson Button was fastest in the first session yesterday, Hamilton has had his first run in the Mercedes today and binned it into the tyre barriers. Live timing here: http://f1tests.info/2013.php

Pictorial evidence please squire! Otherwise, it is only conjecture.

And how would that happen right now? The very fact is that the western world has overstretched itself on unsustainable commercialism and will suffer further as the far eastern powers catch up. We are no longer a world power and avoiding financial meltdown should be the focus, not sustaining the idiotic and decadent current way of life that this country seems fixated on. So much is being put onto sustaining university systems that are merely tools for recirculating resources and previously quangos that do a lot of pretty things but little of true value. Sorry to be a doom-monger, but we are in for a shock in years to come. Better to be ready.

It is a step. As a thought, if their love is so strong, why seek approval from those who would always look down upon them? Surely the love they have for each other would be enough to justify itself on their own terms? Why use the terminology of those who would oppress them to define the boundaries of their relationships?

Yet they still have the power of veto. So any breakthrough in 'enforcing' equality as the gay community would want it is utterly worthless if they find a vicar wanting to dig their heels in. The whole thing is a waste of time for them!

You live by the sword old boy...... I feel it's appropriate to say three (count them) relegations? And yes, we may match that figure by may, and still be two leagues above.

Well, yes. Thank you mate. But it does seem an incredibly expensive faff for essentially semantics! Especially when the religions can still veto doing the ceremonies.

They already confirmed they only had 200. How many did we take to Wigan again?

And still they fail to make the link. Enjoy playing Forest Green (conference play-offs permitting... or maybe not... ;)) next season!

Wow Sam. Great smashing, right there.....

Dear Portsmouth. Our away attendance on Saturday was bigger then the overall attendance you had at a league game tonight. Much love....... x

The Gibraltar international! Wow!

Place your bets! I reckon their relegation will be confirmed on the 1st April at home to Preston North End. So appropriate.

I understand the point you are making, marriage as a concept is based on religious tradition, but it risks things going off-track into a critique of religion rather then the gay marriage debate. Besides, nearly all cultures have a variation/take on 'marriage' as a concept, not just Christianity and the other Abrahamic religions. So, again.... is there a legal or human rights reason or just a desire to shatter the paradigm of the word marriage purely meaning a union between opposing genders?

On that basis alone, it wouldn't make any sense. But there may be other ticket pricing models available (as Frank is suggesting) that could make it sensible..... assuming of course that there truly would be the take up for the tickets in the first place. It's a delicate argument. As I suggested earlier in the thread, expansion for me right now would not be sensible. Thinking in longer terms, ticket prices are being increasingly marginalised as a source of income for top flight clubs. It would be interesting to see what real difference a few extra thousand seats would make in the context of % turnover for the club.

Don't apologise... I appreciate I may be a little out of date in my preconceptions. But I am trying to see if this is an argument over human rights, or semantics over the definition of one word.

So, their merchandising arm has gone bust. Massive club with loyal fans, honest.

A good question. One I couldn't answer. At a guess though I would say it may be a calculated compromise between ultimate takings and bodies on seats. (For example, selling 100 tickets at 25 quid is more appealing then selling 125 tickets at 15 quid.) The club may consider the prices to be about right all round. Coupled with a large shrinking of the family stand this year compared to last I believe there is an attempt to maximise money coming in as a priority ahead of getting bums on seats.

Now, this is something for me. I have no objection in gay civil unions and parity in terms of legal rights and privileges. The very definition of a marriage to me though is purely a union between people of opposing genders. So, is there a legal benefit in having gay unions upgraded to 'marriage' level status?

Yes, I know. But by making them even cheaper would there be any possible benefit purely in terms of getting numbers in? The family end I sit in is usually pretty packed, the most heavily 'conceded' (if that's a good way of putting it) part of the stadium. The main areas that seem empty are on the edges of the Itchen/Chapel stands. A better concessional rate there may make them more attractive.

Are there any? Or is it just about people of religious faith who are gay wanting acceptance by their churches and a legal grounding for it?