our Sydney

Daily Telegraph web site . . . . every time I click on a link to the thing on the crappy thing it crashes my brouser, gaurenteed, on any one of a choice of three PCs I use for surfing . . . Best regards Syd

I would have certainly thought within the next twenty years or so! Best regards Syd

Yes I agree that it would be unfair to allow Garry McKinnon to be extradited but a cynical part of me suggests she waited until she had got rid of the terrorist suspects before she made this decision. Surely the law is to give equal protection to all citizens. Politicians should not decide who to and who not to extradite. What and in some way separate the judiciary from the executive, what a good idea, shame I don't think it will ever catch on! Best regards Syd

OK this surprised me but, for a short time at least, I would like to put Theresa May in the fluffy corner for finally doing something morally courageous that coincides with sense of what is right by putting an end to the madness of visited upon Gary McKinnon, At last a Politian with balls! or maybe not. . . . . Best regards Syd

Seem to recall Townsend's arrest was part of the same operation that netted Matthew Kelly and some guy from Massive Attack? All were eventually released without charge, for the record People will say (Like im sure they said with savile) if there was any substance to the claims the police would of found out . However many of these people have huge amounts of money and money can buy many things. Also you do wonder whether their is or was a peadophile ring that supplied/supplies celebrities with children. Just like im sure there are people that supply celebs with drugs and many other things if your in the right club or know the right people. Possessing huge amounts of money didn't help Gary Glitter or Jonathan King.... Lots of money kept the heat of Bill Wyman in the '80s pretty well Best regards Syd

Hi As this is a gossip column does anyone know the story behing Constance Briscoe? Yet again those in power are unwilling to let the plebs know about their own. Best regards Syd

Eesti Your comments imply that thatcher’s policies lead to lower social payments and a lower national burden, to the individuals receiving them this was true, she created real hardship and suffering, however she presided over a policy that lead to an incredibly high social welfare cost to the country, this was the inevitable result of her ruining manufacturing and putting an extra 2 million on social security. If you look at the graph of the rise in unemployment against north sea oil revenue (I drew it out in the early '90s yes I am sad with a mate who was then working at the treasury) you see that basically every penny of our north sea oil money went on keeping the work force idle and out of work, you clearly do not understand what this woman did in her vendetta against the unions in the UK. Best regards Mike PS I am proud now, it two threads it has bean implies I am a Christian fundamentalist fascist and a left wing apologist way to go and I still can't spell or use grammar

Ah the Y.O.P. I was then and still am convinced it was intended to teach those out of work that it was a pointless and futile exercise seeking work and that they should stay at home and accept a life based on state benefits and day time TV (funny that daytime schedules started in the early '80s). A life devoid of ambition and self betterment. That work and self betterment was only for the wealthy and "better placed" in society. I can't see why else you would set up a system that made it so much more expensive for an employer to take on anyone full time from the programme, rather than get rid of them and hire a new person which was made very cheep. It was designed to penalise both good training on behalf of the employer and ambition and hard work from the employee. I am still convinced it was just intended to put people off looking for work. Best regards Syd

Eesti there are many reasons, for me . . . in 1981 I found myself leaving school with reasonable qualifications, but not brilliant, only 3 A levels (at the time that represented top 5% of the population qualifications wise, I needed a job or a university place, the university budgets had been slashed over the previous 2 years and "youth" underemployment was around 60% couldn't get into uni so I needed a job, eventually I got one after about 4 months and about 150 applications, my Maths, Physics and computer science A levels got me a job on a production line soldering circuit boards together for £3 less a week than I would have got sat at home on social security, after a year I was on £65 a week still on the production line. I got a second job because I now had "experience" a whole £5,500 a year, great until the company went bust back where I started. This was because of thatcher and keith josephs' great experiment in reducing inflation and braking the unions' power. I spent years watching our industrial base destroyed by thatchers policies, massed unemployment and the destruction of countless lives and dreams to satisfy this woman’s ego, a conflict in the south Atlantic to get her re-elected. Her ego is boundless and she is callous beyond belief. The real human suffering that went into the levels of unemployment needed to brake the unions and fuel the personal vendetta against National union of mineworkers are her fault and to me can never be justified, she is just plain evil. Best regards Syd By the way, OCD spelling and grammar Muppets I will never give either of those two a capital letter to their names. . . it is deliberate.

Mr Saunders came to mind while I was having my rant as did m thatcher and a certain Mr blair, sorry I can not use capitals letters for the last two. Best regards Syd

But then the justice system would be lowering itself to their level Yes a valid point. . . Still I think a justice system that allows the guilty to get off without punishment just because they can use corruption and power to delay due process is a pretty low thing in its self. Sorry in my book there is a place for retribution and appropriate punishment in any society. If you had ever stood in a small (2.5 acre) grave yard about 6 miles outside Phnom Penn you would know why I think this. Best regards Syd

AHA! Pronoun trouble. I'm quite sure that this to you is jolly funny. . . But as I do not have the slightest clue what you are talking about (and quite frankly if it was explained to me I couldn't be bothered to listen) it comes across to me as being about as funny as a wet Thursday afternoon on Hayling Island and for the same reason fails to make me see your obvious superiority to my supposedly humbled self. Best regrads Syd

I see no reason that dementia should prevent him from standing trial, the cruelty and mass murder unleashed by this man and his associates should not go un-punished. As the very large majority of the victims of this regime had no idea why they were being tortured, murdered and worked to death, it would seem fitting that he should be punished with no comprehension as to why. Best regards Syd

Just like to say RIP Terry,great bloke from my childhood watching TV,had a seal for a pet,fucking brilliant,also just found out he had 8 kids,maybe he should've been called Terry Nutsack? Johnny Morris also left Nutkins most of his estate in his will. So while I'm not saying that they were gay lovers, they're both dead so we can't libel them any more. More likley Johnny Morris left him the money as Mr nutkins was the only person still talking to hin when he died, JM by all accounts was a very vindictive and precious human being who would take pleasure in bullying those who he felt had slighted him. Best regards Syd

Hi Strictly speaking I think this should go under "oh woops didn't see that one comming" or "interesting things happening in Norway" but I had enough trouble finding this thread so I've put This here Best regards Syd

Hi If we could do that would there be any need to wait for her to die first? Best regards Syd

As an observation, all three of you have very nearly the same number of posts, is there somthing I should know? Best regards Syd

Hello Lady Gendel If you can get close enough to meet him ( and I think it likley he is a very aproachable chap) do so, he is a very nice man indeed. I met him once (spent about 4 hours in his company in all) about 20 years ago through my wife's work and was struck by just how charming and down to earth he was. Personally can't stand his music but he really is one of the better people on this planet, make the effort to say hello it will be worth it . Best regards Syd

Correct my logic here but, if the "end of the world" does happen, how are you going to know? surly by definition as we all are part of "the world" in the sense referred to by these doomsday merchants when the world ends so will we. . . Therefore we won't be around to say "gosh how interesting that was the end of the world" Or did I miss something? Best regards Syd

basically his entire claim to fame and his act (prior to the death list) was that he played charictors much older than his actual age, in his late fourties and early fifties he played an aged home gaurd corpral in "dads army" who was suposedly in his '70s, on the strength of this he had a No1 hit record titled "Grandad" but even prior to this his "comerdy" act was based on playing a doddery old man. . . . hence to all of those us now in their late 40s and 50s he has always been old in the sense of about to drop dead through old age. . . If it is your perception from early age that someone is old and has been for the best part of your life (50 years or so) they do seem a little imortal don't you think? Best regards Syd

Hi Lardy and One shot may I say thanks for a top rant expression of opinion, cheared me up no end to have two people let loose on a subject they feel pasionate about. Not really into two wheeled roundy roundy stuff but I really enjoyed that. more please don't care about the subject just need some passion! Best regards Syd

Hi Went to see Django django in Cambridge on Friday. . . jolly good lively bunch lots of fun and good tunes. The suport band were also very good, both well worth the visit. I am however left thinking it must be a little depressing trying to be cool creative pop star types when in your (very) early 20s and have half your audiance in their late 40s and early 50s, I felt right at home ! Best regards Mike

At the risk of causing controversy which I do not. . . I would like to nominate the post of the helecopter cat in "art for deaths sake" thread. In my (not always) humble opinion it is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time and about the only idea of what to do with your corps after you are dead that rivels being cremated and having your ashes shot out of a cannon (I am already sketching a design for a larger version, that should disturb someone!) I do not wish to reopen a debate that is considered closed by the moderators their judgment has my full respect, I just feel that the post I refere to is much more in tune with what I believe this forum is about. Best regards Syd

A whole 4 of them less than 60 years old, I think that says more about the age of the selection panel than the quality of the writing. Best regards Syd

Gosh I'm in the lead (jointly) not often I'm in the lead in any form of competition, I like this game Best regards Syd