pap

Southampton is mostly sh!t as a place to visit. I wouldn't go there if I wasn't from there. Pretty much the only worthwhile things down there are friends, family and the football team. The rest I can take or leave. It comes to something when your favourite place to drink in the whole of the city is Bevois Valley. Or, in an age where clubs can stay open all night, a local ordnance which ensures that Southampton clubs shut at 2AM. Anyone with any sense either won't go out or will go somewhere else. The 2AM cut-off point says "hey kids, that crappy drinking culture that has kept this city as a provincial backwater is now crystallised. Bournemouth will CONTINUE to be a better night out than Southampton". Of course, I mention how crap Southampton nightlife is most times I'm down. The near universal response when I do? "Well, why don't you f*ck off back to Liverpool. then?". I do. Every time.

As someone who lives inside a very different bubble, in which the vast majority of people are concerned with the plight of Liverpool or Everton, not much news about Southampton FC filters through the membrane. With a couple of notable exceptions, we're much like every other club in that respect. The locals don't spend much time talking about other clubs at all. I suspect that's emulated to lesser degree in most places. The local big teams eclipsing tidings of others. That said, I do wonder how any fan of a so-called smaller Premier League team can listen to the nonsense offered up by professional pundits and suffer it with a smile. Celtic fans have every right to feel aggrieved. Deep down, they know the score, which is why they keep parroting about the CL and the 60K stadium. They've victims of circumstance. That's really what most of their bitterness is about. If I were in their shoes, I'd probably feel justified in saying the same things. The general state of punditry annoys me, whether it's the execrable MoTD punditry, which seems to encounter every upset with "full credit to small team x, but big team y had an off day". I famously know f*ck all about football, but even tactically crap me is seething on the couch when it's clear pretty clear that we've successfully implemented a gameplan that nullified the opposition's biggest threats. You'll find the "club like Southampton" attitude on here as well. There have been numerous examples of "it'll never happen" over the years. Deep down, I've got worries that the club might lose its soul in the transition to Premier League behemoth - I think every sensible fan entertains the notion. I hope we find the middle ground. I think there is room for a "specialist" team, one that is respected for the football it plays. That all said, I do think we'll have to win stuff and increase stadium capacity (convincingly) before we lose the "club like Southampton" tag.

Star Trek nerds; this may just be the geekiest game ever. http://www.artemis.eochu.com/ Artemis Starship Bridge Simulator. I want a go. Bagsy Engineering.

I've read an interview with Joss Whedon where he refuses to get drawn into technical specifics, regarding Firefly. He was quizzed on anti-grav, and explained that it was just there. As for Shepherd Book, no notable lines in the show? Hell, he has one of the best lines in the entire damn show. (just before a genuine do or die rescue mission, whole crew armed to teeth) "Preacher. Don't the Bible have some specific things to say about killin'?" "Quite specific. It is however, somewhat fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps" Also, I think you really need to watch Serenity to understand what Book is, or was. It's heavily implied that he is an operative in that film. My guess is that he would have become something much more in an expanded TV show. There are a couple of occasions when the show hints at his deep Alliance ties. That would have been interesting to watch as the show went on. Remember that the show got cancelled; who knows where they might have gone afterward? Serenity is a good denouement to the show. If I'm honest, doesn't really work without it and spends the first fifteen minutes trying to bring everyone up to speed on what sort of characters you're dealing with. It's very ham-fisted, and can't help feeling they'd have been better off just going with it. That all said, it improves; a lot. Definitely not deserving of best sci-fi film ever ( hell, I'd place the recent District 9 WAY above it ), but a great series that would have been immense had it continued.

Best of luck to Chappers. One of Saints FC's best buys in terms of value. Ran around like a madman in the style that is appreciated by the faithful. Nice bloke into the bargain, judging by the way he interacts with people on Twitter. The Forren thing just looks like a complete joke. One of the problems with doing all our business in private is that we'll probably never get an explanation. If the rumours about his love of the sauce are true, that might go some way to explaining it.

Big hard mods, eh? Your cheese has been toasted, indeed. To be fair, the bannee came up with the majority of that quip.

Take a look at this thread:- https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1263165?start=0&tstart=0 Suggests that there are issues when ripping songs at a lower bitrate.

Yeah come on Pilch. Sort it out.

Turks doesn't own the forum. He just owns a significant proportion of the posters.

No, I'm saying I don't agree with the principle of locking someone up indefinitely and outside any effective review system. Brady should be reviewed, and be denied release.

It really depends on your definition of mainstream media. If we constrain ourselves to the BBC ITV and other major TV channels, then you're right. They don't make documentaries moaning about the Polish, benefit cheats or not being allowed to fly the flag. Widen that definition to include newspapers like the Daily Mail and some of those social media opinions don't look too original. Kudos to you for keeping an open mind despite your lack of contact with the Islamic community. I'm not so certain that others keep such a healthy distance away from hysteria.

I was thinking this myself. He seems to be entirely focused on the big teams. Par for the course at the BBC. What is his reference material? The big book of Premiership facts 1995?

Is it? Everyone currently on a whole life tariff, bar one, has admitted guilt. The one that hasn't is Jeremy Bamber, convicted for the White House Farm Murders in the 1980s. In his time in prison, there have been two attempts on his life, once with a broken bottle and more recently (2004), a knife attack requiring 28 stitches in the neck. Between the attempted murders and the fact that the sentence is a political one, I don't think a wrongly convicted whole-lifer has much chance of getting the conviction overturned at all. Bamber has been told by the Home Secretary that he will never be released. With that prevailing attitude, his chances of getting his conviction overturned are slim to nil.

Ha, so it was old news. I was considering linking this for mainboard glory. Glad I didn't now. One wonders how SO16_Saint will move on with his life after this

Capital punishment has long been abolished, and rightfully so. Feeding and clothing these people is a small price to pay to defend the principle that the state doesn't kill its own citizens.

Interesting interview from Johhny Rotten back in the day concerning Savile's proclivities. http://21stcenturywire.com/2013/07/08/sex-pistols-star-johnny-rottens-warning-about-jimmy-savile-was-cut-by-bbc/

The whole-life sentences process is flawed because there is no direct means to challenge it. That's the basis of the Human Rights claims, by the way. You're also assuming that your wrongfully convicted whole-lifer will still be alive once exonerated. Many are not well liked by the other inmates.

No-one was excluded Lord D, so it was always apolitical. Both parties do it. Tories do it more, and target the poor.

Or keep pretending the shirt is all-red, despite obvious evidence to the contrary

Nope, I'm saying that whole life sentences are not an appropriate sentence full stop. I don't agree with the death penalty either. If our system is so infallible, you may wish to look at the number of convictions that are overturned. A whole life conviction removes any incentive to reform. You're effectively sentencing someone to death; the execution method is old age.

Care to elaborate?

I think there is every reason for some people to be in prison for their entire lives, but it needs to happen inside a process that acknowledges the chance for rehabilitation. It may turn out that in the vast majority of cases, parole boards determine that a prisoner isn't fit to return to society. That works well enough for me, and Hungary excepted, every other country in Europe except England and Wales.

I've honestly got mixed feelings about Gaston. I've seen all the "he'll come good next year" comments. I hope they're true, but with the noise from South American media, sounds very much like he's treating SFC as a springboard for better things. Fair enough - if he does the things on the pitch to justify his wild claims about his own ability. Very good on his day; only works two days a week. Hopefully, new signings will be the fire up his arse that provides the consistency conflagration.

Cheers, Smirkers. I feel slightly guilty for giving you a quick lash on the other thread now. Slightly.

It's all fun and games until someone mentions wrongful conviction.