Verbal

Hard to believe that Rebekah Brooks and Marie Colvin were in the same profession.

And if it were true, no doubt PFC, or their rather bizarre self-appointed spokesman, would be happy to tell us who these 'partners' are exactly. Personally, I don't believe a word of it - sounds like the usual invented garbage in a desperate attempt to deflect some well-aimed criticism.

There's something especially funny about the usual suspects on here being wound up into a puffy rage by a small group of Japanese youngsters enjoying a day out at St Mary's

No, I told you that a tin foil hat would make you look less of a dimwit. I'll have to think of something else.

All blank. The only thing that comes up is an advert: 'Three Easy Ways to Declare Bankruptcy'.

That's the real nightmare for the FL - a legal challenge to any decision on points penalties that makes their governance look a bit useless.

I thought it was funny. Now even more so. But if they want to take it so seriously, they should come clean about how they could afford last night's large entertainment bill.

Tim and Minty have addressed this. The question should rather be: why should airlines be a special case?

Why should what be taxed?

I'm afraid you're guilty of allowing a simple fact to get in the way of a perfectly good paranoid conspiracy theory.

Exactly. Ia it convenient that people, when they complain, forget that aviation fuel is tax-free, or is this kept so quiet that they don't realise?

Slippery slope.

I can offer you between 4 and 6 next Wednesday afternoon. We'll work on your phobia about people calling you Tristram.

I've never made any such claim, of course - although I expect you'll never get that because you evidently can't grasp anything more complex than a brick. I've merely stated the blindingly obvious: that extremism as it's deployed in terrorist acts aimed at the West is predominantly Sunni in origin. And in fact most of the terrorism aimed at Iraqis is Sunni-on-Shia violence. Shia extremism tends to exhibit itself in precisely this kind of way, with excessive violence aimed at those who are perceived to break a moral code. Hence, for example, the wave of executions of gay men and women - many of whom incidentally were hung from large mechanical cranes bought from the West. It's to the Liebherrs enormous credit that they closed their Tehran office and ceased trading with Iran when this practice became commonplace. On another note, Alpine, I just wonder whether you've ever had an IQ test. They don't do them in British education any more, but they do on the health service, for people suffering from a disordered mind of one kind or another. It might be worth asking. Just a helpful thought.

Fulham were laughing their nuts off when Zamora went for that much.

It was invented by Paul Hawkins (hence the name), who is an artificial intelligence specialist, and was a passionate (and pretty good) cricketer at my son's old school.

Your opinion wouldn't be influenced in any way by the fact that you 'market' cigarettes for British American Tobacco by any chance?

After the QPR ****-up this afternoon, the FA put out a hasty release calling for the technology to be introduced. Wouldn't be surprised to see it next season in the Prem and Championship

I think it's even simpler than that. If a club stays in business by driving other local businesses to the wall (or near to it), and failing to pay taxes on excessive wages, then at the very least it has no right to retain its league position. If it does this as a repeat offender, it has no right to exist. The argument about 'cheating' in relation to other Championship clubs is secondary to that IMO.

I would have, but you didn't turn up.

Well if you get out of bed more often you'd stand a better chance of making something of yourself.

Not as badly as you're being misspelt.

Anyone who walks around with the name of Tristram and flogs cigarettes for a living has little room left to mock. Why don't you stop trying to hijack this thread into another 'look at me' nonsense?

You have the patience of a saint.

If by 'they' you mean Al Qaeda, there's good reason to think not, at least in Afghanistan. If by they you mean the Taliban, much of their support derives from a fiercely nationalistic, anti-outsider sentiment, especially among the majority Pashtuns. The West's presence as an occupying force undoubtedly strengthens the Taliban.