Things Noticeable this week

[Mal Hombre]

Sorry to hear about Richard Todd,He was a paracute officer during the Second World War ,He paracuted into Normandy the night before D-Day and was among the first to meet Maj. John Howard and his glider force defending Pegasus Bridge.In the film "The Longest Day",Todd played Howard ,while another actor played him.

[Greenman]

"The Longest Day" in black & white rather than the colourized version is one of the greatest war films ever made with a stellar cast that I doubt you could do, let alone make today. Richard Todd was one of our finest actors and it always surprised me he never got a Knighthood himself-perhaps next time it will be posthumously given because he deserves it for his campaigning especially during the Remembrance week. I saw him earlier on television describing how he parachuted in and even back then in 2005 the emotion of it got to him, yet he always kept a stiff-upper-lip by gadfrey; some men can do that and still remain manly-he was one of them and rightly now has become a legend.

I must just regale you with this spooky tale. I was watching a re-run of QI-XL on Dave ja vu(1hr later) channel here in Britain and I heard a story by Emma Thompson about St Anthony, the patron saint of lost things and she maintained that if you ask him out loud to help you find something lost it will within half an hour turn up. Okay now I know what you are thinking, what a load of codswallop(as did Stephen Fry and the others) but two days ago I was looking for my Santa hat-its a sort of tradition to hand out the first presents wearing it in our house. I searched high and low in cupboards and the wardrobe where it is supposed to be the rest of the year but nothing.

The next day I thought what the hell, for a laugh, I decided to ask for divine help so I shouted out "Help me St Anthony to find this lost hat!" - the thing she said you are supposed to say. I then picked up a bag that had some of my last year's Christmas presents in it and I moved a set of crossword books in a holder to one side and blow me there was the hat!
I had looked in there before and hadn't seen and since then I had rifled everywhere else. Coincidence? Some sort of supernatural thing? or just blind luck? You be the judge but either way I found that damn hat!

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by Greenman

Whoo hoo USA, Algeria and Slovenia-it couldn't have been any better for England-roll on 2010!

Remember 1978 and Scotland's World Cup group that year?

''We're gonna play for Britain,
We're gonna do or die.
Well, England canna do it
Cos they didna qualify.''

The group consisted of Holland, Scotland, Peru and Iran. Holland were the serious world cup contenders and Scotland would struggle against them, but it was a cinch that Scotland would knock over Peru and Iran and qualify second in the group...

[donnalangtonukmode]

Here's an interesting story & one i always though suspiciouse?
"Dr Kelly WAS murdered and there has to be a
new inquest, say six top doctors."
05th December 2009

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-murdered.html

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by brianwp

Alright, now, you say you gave the Bank of Scotland sixty billion. Do you mean one thousand millions, times 60? Or do you, (as I've been told) mean one million millions, times 60? Because that would really, really be a lot of money.

Sixty thousand million pounds (one hundred thousand million US dollars). That's not small change. The bank which owes this sum to the British taxpayer, plus interest and fees, wants to pay 1.5 thousand million pounds to its own senior executives as a reward for the excellence of their work and the board says it will resign if anyone in government stops them.

It seems to me that, what with one thing and another, there are replacements both for the Board and for the potential recipients of these bonuses, free to take up fresh employment pretty much at a moments notice.

[Greenman]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

Remember 1978 and Scotland's World Cup group that year?

The group consisted of Holland, Scotland, Peru and Iran. Holland were the serious world cup contenders and Scotland would struggle against them, but it was a cinch that Scotland would knock over Peru and Iran and qualify second in the group...

Yes I remember that year very well, I was 12 and I watching the games you mentioned-of course you cannot take for granted the likes of those teams in our group but on paper you have to say that England got a really good draw AND should progress through with I reckon the USA in second-to lose to the US would be dire-remember the last time we played them and lost 2-0 or as one paper stated "Yanks 2 Planks 0" (under the management of Graham 'various root vegetables' Taylor) I can't see us losing but then in football it only takes a second to score a goal. I also remember Algeria in 1982 with Belloumi scoring a shock goal so anything is possible. All that said though England WILL go through and not a metatarsal or groin strain in sight

[palo5]

Originally Posted by Greenman

Whoo hoo USA, Algeria and Slovenia-it couldn't have been any better for England-roll on 2010!

Yes, but there's potential for severe embarrassment in a group like that. Just imagine if they lost a game, or didn't get through to the next round - they'd never live it down, and the Scots would be chortling till the end of time

[steamjon]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

The group consisted of Holland, Scotland, Peru and Iran. Holland were the serious world cup contenders and Scotland would struggle against them, but it was a cinch that Scotland would knock over Peru and Iran and qualify second in the group...

Peru were a blooming great team that year.

How did they lose by 6 goals to Argentina, which meant Argie went through.


I tell you what I noticed that week.

Peru's goalkeeper was born in Argentina

[Greenman]

Originally Posted by palo5

Yes, but there's potential for severe embarrassment in a group like that. Just imagine if they lost a game, or didn't get through to the next round - they'd never live it down, and the Scots would be chortling till the end of time

I agree there is an element for severe embarrassment but if England have the right squad out, everyone is fit and well and they are up for it, as I believe they will be, then we shouldn't have anything to worry about. We know the USA have got better, lets face it you don't put two goals past Brazil that easily or indeed nearly beat them but then again we have Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard amongst our team and with all three firing on all cylinders there shouldn't be a problem. Let the Scots chortle, guffaw or whatever you want to use, they aren't there WE are, simple as that. I reckon if we get through and play France the Irish will be on our side. As the popular song goes "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life..." anyway its months away so plenty of time to prepare.

[Oswald]

Originally Posted by brianwp

I'm not discussing the exchange rate here

I will though.

Currently $1 billion = £608,679,774.