badgerx16

But what would happen to all those offenders who are being sentenced to 'community service' by the courts, particularly now as there is a recommendation that anybody whose offence carries a tariff of less than 12 months should be kept out of our overcrowded jails ?

Watched Alan Johnson on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday, of all the Labour front benchers, I think he is the best and most credible by a long way; and it's a hoot every time he says he has absolutely no interest in the party leadership.

Luvverly

Because, if you are in a car or train crash, they will take you to an NHS hospital.

:smt038:smt038:smt038 May I suggest we replace our political system with benevolent despotism, with me at the helm

Well, at least 48 million died in a war the Fascists started, plus about 500 thousand in Spain, so you are a bit short there. Both political extremes are equally malign and destructive.

But I thought that the capitalists needed cheap foreign labour so that they could cut staff costs to the bone ?

Presumably the vegetarian option ( Lib-Dems ) just doesn't do it for you ?

Curved Air - Back Street Luv

David Cameron is a sham, a veneer laid over the true face of Conservative dogma. Elections these days are not about politics, they are about image, and as it looks like the Labour Party will persist with GB, the Tories will win hands down.

So, as someone with an obviously 'informed' opinion, is cutting the numbers down to 3 a false economy, in that it means the deterrent could no longer be effectively maintained.

Churchill was a maverick, who had the luck that he would be remembered for leading a coalition war cabinet, and "crossed the floor" between the conservatives and liberals several times as he saw fit. For what good points he had, he made many poor decisions and held many dangerous opinions. He was directly responsible for the disastrous Gallipoli campaign in WW1, led the demands to extend British involvement in the Russian civil war, including sending arms to Poland to help support the anti- Bolsheviks, which did not really count in their favour when the Poles needed Russian help in WW2. He advocated the use of gas bombs against Kurdish rebels, ( wonder where Saddam Hussain might have got that idea ? ). His appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer enabled him to return Britain to the Gold Standard, which was a major causative factor in the depression and General Strike, ( this was later admitted by WSC himself as probably his greatest mistake ). He also, at this time, gave great praise to Mussolini, as an example of how countries ought to be governed. He opposed granting independence to the colonies, and was on the 'wrong' side of the debate when King Edward VIII abdicated. There is no doubting he had the 'right stuff' when it came to leading the country in WW2, and was certainly the "right man. at the right time", but his crushing defeat in the post-war election shows how the country at the time rated his politics.

"AT SEVENTEEEN" By Janis Ian I learned the truth at seventeen That love was meant for beauty queens And high school girls with clear skinned smiles Who married young and then retired The valentines I never knew The Friday night charades of youth Were spent on one more beautiful At seventeen I learned the truth... And those of us with ravaged faces Lacking in the social graces Desperately remained at home Inventing lovers on the phone Who called to say "come dance with me" And murmured vague obscenities It isn't all it seems at seventeen... A brown eyed girl in hand me downs Whose name I never could pronounce Said: "Pity please the ones who serve They only get what they deserve" The rich relationed hometown queen Marries into what she needs With a guarantee of company And haven for the elderly... So remember those who win the game Lose the love they sought to gain In debitures of quality and dubious integrity Their small-town eyes will gape at you In dull surprise when payment due Exceeds accounts received at seventeen... To those of us who knew the pain Of valentines that never came And those whose names were never called When choosing sides for basketball It was long ago and far away the world was younger than today when dreams were all they gave for free to ugly duckling girls like me... We all play the game, and when we dare We cheat ourselves at solitaire Inventing lovers on the phone Repenting other lives unknown That call and say: "Come on, dance with me" And murmur vague obscenities At ugly girls like me, at seventeen...

The truest sentence on this entire thread. Sums up politicians of all persuasions.

For all those berating Gordon Brown for committing public money in bailing out the financial institutions, read this - from The Times, ( hardly a 'Red Top' ), and work out what alternatives, and potential consequences, there might have been. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article6860385.ece Look at what happened to Iceland, so nearly happened to Ireland, and the rest of the mess that unfettered Capitalist greed caused. What would the Tories have done differently ?

"Ambition makes you look pretty ugly. Kicking, squealing, Gucci little piggy" "You can laugh your spineless laugh. We hope your rules and wisdom choke you." "This machine will not communicate, these thoughts and the strain I am under." "Calm. Fitter. Happier. A pig, in a cage, on anti-biotics". "You look so tired and unhappy, bring down the Government. They don't,- they don't speak for us". "Riot shields, voodoo economics. It's just business, cattle prods and the I.M.F. I trust I can rely on your vote". All courtesy of Thom Yorke and his chums.

Agreed. Somebody should point out to them that I leave a gap between my car and the one in front because it is my 'thinking' plus 'braking' distance, not a parking spot for a Kawasaki. Or are they under the impression that as there is now a bike in the gap, suddenly my reflexes and brakes have been upgraded 100% ? Sorry, St L, there are some bikers who almost deserve to have accidents. No wonder A&E doctors refer to them as 'Donors'.

Of course the US Government didn't use taxpayer's money to bail out Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac, or AIG, did it ? And, as reported on ABC on October 14th last year : "ABC News confirmed Tuesday that the Treasury Department will buy $25 billion in preferred stock in Bank of America, including Merrill Lynch. It will also buy $25 billion in JP Morgan, $10 billion in Goldman Sachs, $3 billion in Bank of New York Mellon and $2 billion in State Street." The US Senate set aside $700 billion to assist the banks and other financial institutions. How Socialist was Dubyah ?

When judging the Tories, all it takes is one name..... Boris Johnson. Case closed.

Had to do a double take on the JCB one to spot him. Agree with Arizona, the Police one is superb.

Well that rules out the 3 main parties then.

"Vacuum cleaner sucks up budgie.......... Bye-Bye" The Clash, The Magnificent 7 "Me and my girl, seal clubbing. Me and my girl, out on the ice" Half Man Half Biscuit, Seal Clubbing "And she bangs like the sh@thouse door when the plague's in town" The Macc Lads, Julie the schooly "Like a dog lying in the corner, they will bite you and never warn you, look out. They'll tear your insides out. 'Cause everybody hates a tourist, especially one that thinks it's all such a laugh, ( oh yeah), and the chip stains and grease will come out in the bath. You will never understand, how it feels to live your life, with no meaning or control, and with nowhere left to go. You are amazed that they exist, and they burn so bright that you can only wonder why". Pulp, Common People

You take a mummy meerkat and a daddy meerkat, who love each other very much,............. And several weeks later you have a whole lot of new meerkats. Simples.

Why can we never do things the easy way ?

Wasn't there a quote from Nicola Cortese that he wanted to see some actual trophies in the cabinet, as all he had seen was a samurai sword ? This is an ideal opportunity to start filling it; First the JPT, next the League 1 title, then the CCC, then the League Cup ( with whichever sponsor's name is attached to it at the time ), the FA Cup, the Europa League, the Prem, the Champions League,.......... That should keep us going for about 5 years.