CHAPEL END CHARLIE

I've never really been able to fully comprehend this line of argument. If the rights of the Falkland Islanders were not worth going to war over because there were so few of them, then why should we bother to protect any single individual's basic Human rights? If a nation state can't perform anymore the basic function of protecting its own people from foreign military aggression, then what purpose does it still serve? No, surely there are hugely important principles a stake here that are indeed worth fighting for methinks. As for those who opine that Argentina has some legally (or morally) valid claim on the Falklands because of geographical factors. Well you must understand that - applied globally - that simplistic notion would result in utter chaos. For example, handing Malta and Gibraltar over to the forces of fascism before WWII might have resulted in extremely adverse consequences for not only our nation but for wider humanity too. Similarly, I doubt somehow that the USA is about to give Alaska back to Putin's Russia anytime soon!

However far MUFC fall from their peak under Ferguson, the sheer unadulterated joy at seeing our little club beat them - and by extension give all their irremediably plastic fans everywhere something to think about - will for me never fade. It won't last for ever of course because sooner or later that hugely wealthy club will throw so much money at the problem that they're almost bound to buy a level of sustained success. But it still feels ferking great this morning methinks.

Well I for one thought that the last series of Doctor Who was pretty excruciating at times. So news that series producer Steven Moffat has finally quite the show comes as something of a welcome relief. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/12116843/Doctor-Whos-Steven-Moffat-quits-role-as-lead-writer.html

I completely agree - but if memory serves they said much the same about Ronald Regan ...

Good luck to the lad - although my poor old brain is now stuck in a logic-loop trying to comprehend how he could possibly have been ''quite young for his age group'' !

Hitchcock - Film4 Wednesday Being a huge fan of both the great Director himself and his most famous film, any movie (somewhat loosely) based around Alfred Hitchcock and the making of Psycho could have almost literally been made for me - indeed I don't quite know how I missed it in the cinema! Although the back story of the making of the Psycho features strongly of course - all those battles with a skeptical Paramount and a official censor appalled that something as crude as a toilet should dare be depicted on a US cinema screen - the primary focus here is more on the difficult relationship that existed between Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins in top form) and his long suffering wife and creative partner Alma Reville (played with equally skill by Helen Mirren). Hitchcock was a utter genius of course, but like many truly gifted Human Beings he was also burdened with more than his fair share of obsessions and jealousies - worth the trouble but certainly not a easy man to live with for poor Alma. Not having seen this film before I was at least five minutes into it before I suddenly realised that it was Tony Hopkins playing the lead role - the 'Prosthetic' effect is quite brilliant. Hopkins also captures Hitchcock's unique vocal style and delivery almost flawlessly. Supporting those two stalwarts of British cinema is Scarlet Johansson playing the Janet Leigh role - an actress well known for her looks of course but, when blessed with a good script, can offer far more than mere 'eye candy' methinks. Like Psycho itself this film too is enviably quite dark in places - it could perhaps have done without those metaphysical conversations between Hitchcock and real life serial killer Ed Gain - but it is nevertheless a highly entertaining effort I think. Indeed, it's been a long time since I saw a film that I enjoyed quite this much. 9/10.

I see today that the heavyweight political force known as Sarah Palin has come out (surprise surprise) and given her considered support to the Trumpster in his Presidential campaign. This is kind of like discovering that Hitler was a big fan of Jack the Ripper ...

Dan Gorski is a Mining Executive, Veteran, Texan ... and a fanatic. I really don't know for sure whether Saint In Paradise posted the above guff because he really believes a single word of it, or because he is seeking to illustrate for we innocents on this side of the Atlantic Ocean just how utterly poisonous political debate has become in the USA of late. If the latter is true then I must say he has succeed in that objective brilliantly. Whatever the motivations of some on here may be, when you find yourself reading opinions so very extreme that a manifestly moderate and humane politician, such as Barrack Obama for example, can now in all seriousness be depicted as some kind of ''marxist stooge'' intent on destroying everything that the USA stands for (which is less heathcare and more guns apparently) ... well a chap has to start to worry, not only for America's future but for ours too as it wields so much power over the rest of the world. Perhaps some kind person could explain to me where all this hatred springs from because in all the 'ruff & tumble' of political debate over here in our Parliament we have nothing truly comparable anymore. The impression I had as a distant observer of US politics is that, in the not so distant past, the USA's political scene was not such a brutal ''bear-pit'' as it has clearly become today. Although I am aware that this extreme reaction to Democratic Party Presidents goes back at least as far as Bill Clinton's presidency during the 1990's. In reality far from there being some sinister hard left conspiracy to destroy the nation, the USA doesn't even have a ''left wing'' as we over here in Europe would understand the term anyway. Indeed, it seems to me that President Obama might find a welcoming home in our, right-of-centre, Tory Party were he ever to abandon a country that seems to be increasingly riven with a degree of vitriol (almost exclusively from its far right it seems) that is far from healthy for any society methinks.

Fitting a conventional - i.e. high explosive - warhead to a Trident missile is a idea that has been 'doing the rounds' for many years now. One suspects that the notion has more to do with Labour interest in maintaining the employment aspects of submarine construction, rather than some careful evaluation of our real security requirements.

Although I've been told on here before that - for some unexplained reason - I move in extremely unrepresentative circles, for what's worth virtually everyone I personally talk to on this subject favours our withdraw from the EU. More significantly, actual poll evidence published this weekend seems to reflect that impression of the national mood I have perceived with a 53 to 47% majority recorded for the so-called 'Britex' campaign. http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/01/17/446096/UK-poll-EU-Brexit-Cameron/ There's a long way to go as yet and I'm still rather 'sitting on the fence' myself. But it does seem that the prospect of the UK leaving the EU is rapidly becoming a evermore realistic one.

Well I'm not one of those who dares to predict that with Matty Targett we have another Luke Shaw or even Gareth Bale on our hands. That seems rather OTT at this time. But let's face it, Wilfried Zaha is a very dangerous player who is more than capable of exposing any defender who may be lacking somewhat in sheer pace - as MT surely does. Nevertheless, those who were observing that FA Cup game closely really shouldn't be all that surprised by MT's evident improved form because the signs were all there last week that he could indeed fit into this system well. Clearly the manager must have seen that too, or else why do you think he would continue to persevere with him?

Targett actually had a decent game a week ago v Palace in the FA Cup too - although few seem to have noticed then. It may be that our ''five at the back'' system suites him as it allows the full backs more freedom to get forward, safe in knowledge that the three CB's are there to provide cover. It may also be that - at the grand old age of 20 - the manager's constant shouting at him has finally sunk in as he is clearly much more aware now of what he should be doing and when. Be that as it may, it is certainly good to see two of our academy products contributing again.

Made by the lovely old ''British Transport Films'' organisation, I saw again this fascinating 1961 short on the Talking Pictures channel the other day: [video=youtube;fx_lUCgC-Jo] Although admittedly to modern eyes it does look a bit 'staged' in parts, it nevertheless may not be too much of a exaggeration to claim that 'all Human life' is depicted here as a unending tide of humanity passes in and out of London's Waterloo Station. The Director of this film - John Schlesinger - went on to enjoy a successful Hollywood career by the way.

Amid all those black Bentley's that infest the player's car park at St Marys these days, Graziano Pelle at least has the imagination to drive something a bit more ''left field'' and unexpected. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/14195610.Saints_star_shows_off_cool_motor/?ref=ar Good for him, but my money-no-object car would be a ''Vicarage'' restored MkII Jaguar

It's a pretty poor state of affairs methinks if £8m doesn't get you a player capable of running around for 90 minutes any longer. As for the likelihood of his body adapting to the physical demands of British Football by next season ... well I have to point out that he is 24 years old now and not a teenager. But clearly - just like Gaston Ramirez - this player has some real ability. However, whether that talent will ever be translated into him becoming a true force in all the ruff and tumble of your typical English midfield battle remains something of a open question at this time.

This guy just has to be worth his own thread don't you think? I'll set the ball rolling with this effort: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/muslim-woman-thrown-out-of-trump-rally-group-seeks-apology/article8088809.ece He may become rather less amusing of course should our American cousins decide to elect him as their next POTUS ...

Good stuff, but you should see the Russian version of Car Crash TV - or rather you shouldn't if you want to sleep at nights that is ... What's the betting that this hormone fuelled lad claims to his insurance company that he was doing the proverbial ''28 mph'' at the time of the accident?

If Clasie played so well why then why do you think the manager gave him the hook - I didn't spot any injury. As for JWP, after watching the rest of the team overhit everything for much of the match it came as something of a relief (to this fan at least) to see someone come on and do something useful with the ball for a change - indeed I seem to remember that his accuracy very nearly led to a equaliser on more than one occasion. Mane was disappointing perhaps, but certainly not ''shocking'' in the negative sense of the expression - unless you are of the easily shocked type I suppose. As for describing young Matty Targett's performance yesterday as ''pants'' ... well that comment is itself pants methinks.

Thanks to cheap ticketing this was the first game I've been able to afford to go to for what seems like a age. Okay the result will obviously be a big disappointment for any true Saints fan but in all honesty I didn't feel that the match was entirely lacking in entertainment value. Indeed, we played well enough methinks to mean we probably didn't really deserve to come away empty handed. A few random thoughts on our players today - some of whom I haven't seen much of beforehand: VVD - Obviously a class act this lad and our most complete player perhaps. Targett - The lack of pace is a problem that will never go away. However, this lad does seem to be making clear progress. Mane - His close control and physical agility are exceptional. Indeed, I've seldom seen a forward who can beat a man quite as easily as Mane can. What a pity therefore that his ''end product'' so often does not nearly match the standard of his approach work. Clasie - Yet another expensive foreign import who arrived here with the burden of a proverbial ''next big think'' placard hanging around his neck, but in reality struggles badly to live up to all the hype. Steve Davis - Utterly anonymous. Shane Long - ...... ditto ...... Juanmi - Given limited playing time so far and therefore desperate to impress. To some extent he did just that I thought. JWP - He too made a positive difference when he came on. Yoshida - Why the cheers when he was subbed? Overall we're still stuck in this same rut that has derailed our season now and I can't help but think what a pity it is that our interest in the FA Cup is over so soon yet again because this competition was our last best hope of a exciting season.

Being the incurably trendy ''down with the teenagers type'' I've just added this to my MP3 player's somewhat eclectic playlist: [video=youtube;G-eyxoRDKCM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-eyxoRDKCM

Indeed - I see that the notorious lefty and innately biased BBC is STILL refusing to even mention the ''Cologne incident'' in a sinister attempt to hush it all up presumably: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35271171 It all part of a huge conspiracy you see ...

Fair enough. However, for me saying that we don't ''condone'' this type of behaviour is just not strong enough language given the appalling nature of what they did. The behaviour these two exhibited should be actively condemned - not only by a magistrate sitting in a court, but by football fans attending the match too.

^ Jurassic Park has become a 'going concern' in Eastleigh now I see. As the two louts in question have been charged and convicted with an offence - they even admitted their guilt for god's sake - I do wonder whether you make a habit of attempting to excuse criminal behaviour in others, or do feel that buying a ticket to a football match entitles a fan to leave any standard of decent behaviour behind him at the turnstiles?

If fans want the club to only sign players who are guaranteed to provide good value for money ... well then I'm with you brothers! How exactly we go about ensuring that outcome when just about every PL club I can think of does sign the odd duffer every now and again may not be quite as simple a matter as some seem to think it.

Scumbags who should have been banned for life, not just 3 years if you ask me. No doubt some loon will soon be on here telling us that this type of vile stuff is mere traditional fan *banter* and therefore perfectly acceptable of course ...