CHAPEL END CHARLIE

Aye - but you might have substituted the adjective ''pathetic'' for ''weird''.

That would be a ecumenical matter ...

The BBC will be repeating this evening a programme they made about Eric - well worth watching again I think. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b045pbq2

Very different personalties, very different political parties, even nations famously separated by a single language of course. Nevertheless, I starting to suspect that we can draw a rough analogy between Trump's success in dominating the Republican Party nomination process in the USA (so far at least) and Jeremy Corbyn becoming the leader of the Labour Party over here. Both men were once seen as ''rank outsiders'' in their respective parties and were initially given very little - if any - chance in their respective leadership campaigns. The Republican race has yet to run it course, but who today would dare predict anymore that Trump will not match Corbyn and win the majority support of his Party too? You might also say that Bernie Sanders and Boris Johnson also fit into this ''outsiders'' pattern to some extent. It seems that large sections of the electorate on both sides of the Atlantic have become deeply disenchanted and disillusioned with what might be termed careerist ''professional politicians'' and are looking instead for leaders they see as more genuine or principled in some sense - politicians with a record of not being much troubled by all that ''grown up'' politics stuff and the need to seek consensus and compromise in what is a increasingly complicated world. Neither man has yet to be elected into real power of course. However, the apparent unsuitability of Trump and Corbyn to hold high office just doesn't seem to matter to significant sections of the electorate who seem to rate being different and resolutely ''off message'' as more attractive qualities than being qualified to lead great nations at a time of heighten international turmoil. Popularity is of course always key to electoral success in any democratic process, but can it be that our culture has somehow reached a stage where the people don't want to be led by real statesmen anymore because the only way to become popular is to remind us of ourselves? If so then the old adage about being ''careful what you wish for'' does comes to mind.

It was stated that the reason this girl has not left him is some inexplicable mystery almost beyond all Human comprehension. I merely put the idea forward that maybe she loves - and by extension forgives - him as a possibility. Why anyone would object to that is a another of those little mysteries that do crop up on here from time to time.

I don't know because I've never met her - have you?

Let's not confuse Daniel Hannan with some strictly impartial commentator on world events shall we - he is in fact a long standing eurosceptic Conservative MEP writing for a right-of-centre perspective publication intent on promoting his and its own particular point of view. There's nothing necessary wrong with that, but bare in mind that is where he is coming from. He knows no better that any other tom d1ck or harriet on here does what kind of trade arrangement we would reach with the EU, should the British people vote to leave that organisation, because that would be subject to future negotiation. Any implication that because we are mighty Britain we can therefore secure/bully a better deal out of the EU than others have managed to remains mere speculation. Leaving aside the potentially seismic implications of the ''Scottish Question'' on the future of this nation, few doubt that the UK could indeed survive outside of the EU and clearly a great many English people would like to see sovereignty retained more in London rather than Brussels. However, the key question is still would leaving make us better or worse off as a nation? Hannan can't answer that question for you - I don't think anybody can.

But you are applying rational criteria to the eternal mystery of love and attraction. I fear this habit of yours is unlikely to lead to a better understanding of Human nature as we are at heart quite irrational creatures are we not? Indeed, if that were not so then the player in question might not have gotten himself into this terrible mess in the first place!

Some non European nations do gain access to the EU single market via a policy known as GSP (Generalised Scheme of Preferences). With certain exceptions for products that are not considered to require support, this policy allows for developing country exporters to pay less or no duties on their exports to the EU. This gives them vital access to EU markets and contributes to their economic growth in according with EU policy in regard to assisting poorer nations. Clearly as this policy applies only to DEVELOPING ECONOMIES long established industrialised nations, such as the UK or Norway for example, would therefore not qualify to join this scheme. I understand that the free movement of labour policy does not currently apply outside of the European continent.

The truth is the coming referendum is a simple in/out question and nobody knows what would happen if we quit the EU. I suppose the UK could seek perhaps to rejoin the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) like several other non EU European states such as Norway have. Alternatively, we might attempt to follow Switzerland's example and negotiate a bilateral trade arrangement with the EU. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland%E2%80%93European_Union_relations Either way, if you want UK business to continue to enjoy the many benefits of ''free trade'' with EU member states then there seems little doubt we would still have to take into account EU Law and policy decisions - including the free movement of workers and even contributing to certain EU funds perhaps. All this remember without any ability to vote on or even much influence EU governance anymore. Interestingly, the Swiss people (narrowly) voted in a referendum last year to adopt a new quota system in a attempt to limit immigration into Switzerland - a move which European Commission vice-president Viviane Reding stated may well imperil Switzerland's access to the EU single market. I understand that this new policy has yet to be implemented by the Swiss, so we are now in a period of waiting to see how this development plays out. Whether the UK be in or out of the EU, it seems there is no way of entirely escaping it.

They say we will soon have cars that are capable of driving themselves better than we mere Human Beings possibly can. So how long will it be before robotic footballers are developed that work for free, don't ****/drink/break down all the time and can also be relied upon to exhibit the basic motor skills required to finish a chance that is as easy as that!

A excellent summery and I think we're both in a very similiar ''place'' when it comes to this difficult question.

Well I'm only half way through ''Wings on my Sleeve'' at the moment, but it is certainly proving to be a fascinating read so far - it could hardly be anything less given the author's story. Winkle was adrift in the Atlantic for many hours after HMS Audacity was torpedoed and many others in the water around him succumbed to the bitter cold of course. Reading between the lines this must have been a truly awful experience to endure, but typically of the man he deals with it briefly before moving on. Slightly disappointing is the fact that as he flew so many allied and enemy aircraft types in his long career this autobiography can't really go into much detail about what he really thought about each one individually - inevitable I suppose when your log-book includes over 400 different types flown! As I said his other books (i.e. ''Wings of the Navy'' & ''Wings of the Luftwaffe'') are also well worth reading if the subject interests you. However he does recount in some detail how he manage to become the only allied pilot to ever fly the notorious Me 163 ''Komet'' rocket powered fighter under power before that dangerous pastime was strictly forbidden - a tale almost worthy of a book in itself!

Sad news everybody - Captain Eric ''Winkle'' Brown RN, one of my personal heroes and perhaps the greatest aviator this nation has ever produced, has passed at the grand old age of 97. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12167611/Captain-Eric-Winkle-Brown-obituary.html The above link provides the bare facts of his remarkable career but this little story provides a insight I hope into the man behind the all those numbers. After having the Gestapo kick him out of Nazi Germany in September 1939 Eric was informed by the RAF that he would have to wait a few weeks before he could join-up. Such was his personality type he found any delay in getting to grips with the enemy to be unacceptable, so he walked over to the nearest RN recruiting office in Edinburgh and signed on for the Fleet Air Arm instead. The air force's loss being very much the navy's gain I think. Flying US built ''F4F Wildcat'' fighter aircraft from a tiny auxiliary aircraft carrier, his career as front line combat pilot was actually quite short - although he did find time to shoot down several FW 200 ''Condor'' bombers in daring head-on attacks before having his carrier sunk under him. Surviving this harrowing experience his outstanding ability as a naval aviator was soon recognised and he was transferred to test and development work where his contribution to the war effort has become the stuff of legend. That fact that he survived and prospered in this highly demanding and indeed extremely dangerous field illustrates just how talented a pilot he was. Part of his duties involved flying and evaluating captured enemy aircraft - I recommend that anyone interested in this subject really should get hold of his book ''Wings of the Luftwaffe''. As it happens I'm reading the great man's autobiography ''Wings on my Sleeve'' at the moment and the thing that strikes you about Eric is that - like many of his generation - despite all his achievements and wonderful war record he was a remarkably modest man with it. So RIP Winkle - we may never see your like again.

The first post renegotiation deal poll shows a early - but clear enough - lead for the ''Stay'' campaign: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-21/brexit-campaign-to-stay-in-european-union-gains-momentum/7187914 Yes polls are indeed unreliable and there is a long way to go yet of course ...

The guy is a blustering buffoon frankly. Not only is his style clearly not in the least statesmanlike or ''presidential'', he doesn't even seem to be able to behave himself in a manner that would be deemed acceptable in your average sixth form debating society. The fact that he may well actually succeed in winning the Republican nomination - and therefore come within spitting distance of the White House itself - is a damning indictment on the judgement (if not the intelligence) of those US citizens who have opted to vote for him. The dread prospect of a President Trump - God help us - one day getting his hands on the US ''nuclear button'' terrifies this observer of the international scene sufficiently that he would seriously have to consider resigning from the Human Race in protest should that happen!

Have you considered the possibility that maybe she loves him?

The People v O.J. Simpson. - BBC2 One of those historical and newsworthy events you remember well and seem to recall happening quite recently, but actually occurred twenty years ago ... oh the perils of getting old! Anyway, this new series started well and promises to be a rather interesting take on how the modern obsessions of crime, race and celebrity culture can collide with such dramatic effect. Cuba Gooding Jr is fine playing the monstrous OJ, but in the back of my mind somewhere is the constant thought that he just doesn't seem tall enough to play a professional football player. Rolling Home - Talking Pictures TV A very old (1935) musical comedy starring the once famous but now virtually forgotten Scottish Music Hall entertainer/singer/film actor Will Fyffe - if he is remembered at all a performer best known now perhaps for his drinking song ''I belong to Glasgow''. Our hero plays ''Mack'' a permanently drunken ship's engineer who gets himself into all shorts of maritime mischief before arriving at the inevitable happy ending. About as silly as it could be, extremely old fashioned and hopelessly sentimental too - I enjoyed it no end of course but don't be expecting any serious insight into the myriad social problems associated with working class Scottish alcoholism! QI - BBC2 It would be rather churlish I think not to mark the fact that certified ''national treasure'' Steven Fry has decided to leave my beloved QI long before this ever entertaining stroll down the alphabet comes to a natural end. Fans of the series will doubtless miss the great man, but methinks the decision to bring in Sandi Toksvig as his replacement is probably a wise one. Therefore, I fully expect QI to survive this great upheaval in its line-up - at lease I hope it does anyway because I can hardly imagine my TV week without this splendid series.

Sorry my mistake. I meant to say June of course - if that is indeed the month the PM decides upon.

Let's not assume that you somehow know how people that you have never even met will decide to cast their vote in March. Admittedly at the moment I'm - with some reluctance - leaning towards the ''stay'' camp. However, I certainly intend to listen to the arguments put forward carefully and might even be persuaded to change my mind if the ''Go'' side can present a powerful enough argument. Note that the attendance of George Galloway at this ''Go'' rally yesterday reportedly resulted in many confirmed advocates of our leaving the EU opting to walk out of the building - or rather they would have had not the doors been locked!

I agree - everyone should base their decision on the issues at hand rather than on the personalities involved in campaigning. Having said that Nigel Farage and George Galloway - especially the later - are not the type of politicians likley to win over this voter to the Britex point of view.

Now here's a image to make anyone even thinking about voting to leave the EU have second thoughts ... The ''Go'' campaign need only persuade Donald Trump to join them and then they would have the full set of jackass politicians on board.

I never positively want to see our team lose a football match of course. However, with our club perfectly safe from any threat of relegation, the extra points will soon be forgotten in Southampton while seeing a little club like Leicester win the PL would be almost a ''once in a lifetime'' experience. It would be good for the wider English game I think if little LCFC can win the title this season. So if this scenario were to happen then I for one could certainly live with it - but Leicester have to truly earn their victory because we're certainly not going to roll over for them.

Firstly, I will state for the record that I'm not great supporter of the EU as a idea. I don't much like the way it meddles in our affairs and how it undermines the authority of our courts, parliament and democracy. I am simply a bloke with a vote trying to work out what the hell to do in a situation that may well be far more complex and consequential than most commentators - on both sides of the argument - have so far admitted to the British people. This is surely a big decision, therefore it must also be a informed one. Your notion that the UK could leave the EU - causing perhaps something approaching a crisis situation throughout the continent - and then negotiate a trade deal with all these - now alienated - foreign leaders that would be agreed on significantly more favourable terms than other non EU European states (such as Norway and Switzerland) have ever managed to achieve ... well such a idea looks very much like a terminal case of ''wishful thinking'' to me. I quite like the apocryphal ''Fog in channel Europe isolated'' attitude of times past, but I fear that type of thinking has become a tad outdated now. We have seen today how difficult it is to reach majority agreement on new treaty arrangements with the other EU states while diplomatic relations between the UK and these states are still quite cordial in relative terms. Go back to the same table after monumentally aggravating everyone and the reception we would then receive seems unlikely to be a especially warm one I think - to put it mildly! Yes should the UK vote to leave the EU than cross channel trade will of course continue as it has done for millennia. However, it seems quite likley that unless we accept (to some extent) the concept of the ''free movement'' of workers within the EU single market area then cross channel trade will become subject to tariff barriers again. That inevitably makes our exports less competitive and our imports more expensive too. All of which makes the UK a poorer nation potentially. In 2014 the EU accounted for some 44.6% of all UK exports of goods and services.

A potentially significant, but perhaps little discussed so far, aspect of this debate is that Norwegian and Swiss experience shows that even if the UK did opt to leave then we would STILL have to make a arrangement with the EU to allow for the ''free movement'' of people anyway as free trade and free movement are considered to be indivisible principles. In other words you can't have one without the other. http://openeurope.org.uk/intelligence/immigration-and-justice/norway-and-switzerland/ Whether you much like the EU as a institution or not, if the above is indeed true and you - in effect - remove the immigration question from the debate then surely the case for ''Britex'' is severely undermined and the deal the PM is currently attempting to secure may suddenly start to look more attractive.