Another Drive4show 'Anything goes' thread

[JAS]

First topic message reminder :

Well done Jas, I've done it a few times and have applied too. Not heard back yet though.

I did it in 2008 Super and was disappointed not to break 4 hours (I ran Glasgow 3 times in the mid 80s with a PB of 2.52) Huge difference in running marathons from early to mid 20's and late 40's/early 50's though. I said in 2008 that I had one more left and it WOULD be sub 4 hours!! I've applied 3 times without success since but I'm in this time.

Nice one JAS...trust all that training won't interfere with the golf schedule too much!

In reality and coupled with the Captaincy it probably will knock my game backwards a bit. C'est la vie :-/. Ideally the day I'd want to be doing my last long training run is the day of the Captains drive in.

Didn't Kirkygolfer run in it - think some of us helped him raise money?

I'm sure somebody from the boards did Kwini, cant remember the name though.

[MontysMerkin]

Unfortunately opening railways to competition hasn't really worked has it.
Employs the same staff, operates on the same schedules (always late) but now overcrowded, very expensive and the lower used routes have had services cut. Not saying that either way is better but it seems to me that the main difference is paying more to Dick Branston (or whoever) as the middle man.

[super_realist]

Super it works fine in europe.  And yes I am too young to remember pre-privatized rail in the UK.

It wasn't good Mac, agree that it works well in Europe, having travelled by train in Italy, Denmark, France, Spain and Germany (mind you I haven't checked to see which are state owned, have you Mac?).
Doesn't mean it should and can work in UK though.

Europe generally does private and public things better than we do so it isn't a surprise their rail systems are also better.
SImple solution. Get a car.

When I used to live near St.Andrews it cost me £28 to get to Edinburgh and back   plus my fuel to the station. Comparitive cost in my car was about £11.

Mmm,  what incentive is there for ANYONE to travel by train?

[MontysMerkin]

Non car drivers?

[super_realist]

Mac, If you are too young to remember what public railways were like, what reason do you have to suggest it's a good idea if the railways are returned to the public sector?

Would you really want idiots like Bob Crow to have more power?

[JAS]

How much extra in taxation would you be happy to pay to make sure a nationalised rail network functioned properly mac??

Super, I'm strongly Asics as well, best running shoes you can buy, always had Asics since I run my 3rd marathon in 1985. The DS's were my current pair before yesterday, may get another pair in the new year for exactly the same purpose...faster pace runs and race itself. Just enjoyed 1st run in the Kayanos....more comfortable than a privatised train!!

[puligny]

Super - why would Crow have more power? That is purely down to the quality of the management running any type of enterprise, public or private. Bit of a Daily Mail argument you are advancing there!

[kwinigolfer]

14 year anniversary of Payne Stewart's death - remember following the story of this mystery plane that was flying apparently without anyone at the controls, tho' someone probably was, and the utter disbelief that Payne Stewart was on board.

Also recall where I was when I learned of other untimely deaths of sports people such as Duncan Edwards and Tommy Simpson.

But compared to, say, rock and roll sport seems to have been relatively spared untimely deaths. Excluding motor-sports riders/drivers actually on the job (as it were), we obviously lost the Busby Babes, Jeff Hall, Lillian Board, Graham Hill, Mike Hawthorn, Tony Lema, Roberto Clemente, Darryl Kile way before their time but perhaps statistically relatively few.
(Tho' American football and hockey players are succumbing to fatal brain disease at a frightening clip.)

A cheerful subject to contemplate - bit like rail travel really.

[puligny]

John White

[kwinigolfer]

Good point puligny, What a player!
Collie Smith, Ben Hollioake and Hansie Cronje also.

[puligny]

Kwini - a footballer killed playing golf! Who said there are no injuries playing golf!!
Did Ron Flowers die young or am I imagining that?
Lawrie Cunningham?
Also not a death, but recall Colin Milburn being stopped in his swashbuckling tracks pretty early! Similarly, Danny Wallace with ms!

[super_realist]

Unions can utilise strikes more effectively in publicly run organisations Puligny.

Hardly think it's Daily Mail.

Bob Crow is an hypocritical idiot, unions can exert more authority in publicly run organisations. Hardly sensationalist stuff.

[puligny]

Unions can utilise strikes more effectively in publicly run organisations? Nonsense!
Strikes can cause mayhem in any organisation - but not as much mayhem as p..s poor management! You rarely get the first without the latter!

[kwinigolfer]

puligny,
I think Ron Flowers is still alive - checked up on him when Peter Broadbent died recently.
Colin Milburn (like Nawab of Pataudi) lost his eye which really buckled his swash. Tried a comeback but to no avail, died a few years later.

Had forgotten about Lawrie Cunningham (watched him at Brisbane Road a couple of times early in his career!) and wasn't really around when Danny Wallace died. Cruel departures both.

[puligny]

Don't think Wallace has died, but career cut short by ms. Better player than many think, and clearly affected by developing condition.
Glad I was wrong on Flower! But I will throw in John Fitzpatrick from MUFC. - quality and hard as nails! Oh and Jim Holton. - 6foot2, eyes of blue - big Jim Holtons after you! Those were the days!

[kwinigolfer]

Is John Fitzpatrick dead? Or just retired due to injury?
Wiki says Wallace is still around - unlike David Rocastle.

All in all though, nothing like the casualty rate of other entertainment sectors. Good thing.

[puligny]

Kwini don't know where I got that from! Going for a lie down! Do remember him having a punch up with Denis Law (King) during a game at Selhurst Park, but on reflection it wasn't fatal for either!

[kwinigolfer]

Peter Houseman - though sure he didn't have a punch-up at Selhurst Park.

[Davie]

Surprised no one has mentioned Seve on this thread yet.

Also what about Joost van der Westhuizen - still thankfully with us but only just - it seems like only yesterday he was the best scrum half in the world

[kwinigolfer]

Davie,
I was thinking just of sportsmen and women who were still at, or at least close to, the top of their game when they departed prematurely. Clemente an exception but he'd just retired, not far removed from his prime.
Good call on JvdW, not up to speed on the Rugby world but had read quite a bit about him.

[navyblueshorts]

Surprised no one has mentioned Seve on this thread yet.

Also what about Joost van der Westhuizen - still thankfully with us but only just - it seems like only yesterday he was the best scrum half in the world

Was reading about him only the other day. The best scrum-half I've ever seen. Really surprised to hear how ill he now is.

[kwinigolfer]

What's the point of Nani?
No good having twinkle in your toes if your brain's full of mud.
Useless.

[McLaren]

lack of games and confidence maybe?

Unfortunately you could ask the same question about valencia and young at the moment.

Anyway, needs to be a really good second half just to keep the score respectable!  

[kwinigolfer]

At least Valencia tries, Mac, more than can be said for Nani who seems so self-obsessed. Young not much better and needs to get outathere.

[McLaren]

Kwini

I agree and really like valencia, just a shame he is well out of form at the moment.

For some reason nani got a new 5 year deal in the summer. Young was never good enough.

Give Zaha a chance, I say.

[JAS]

Back to the prematurely departed...Senna?
Who was the cyclist that wen't over the edge in an alpine descent? Casartelli?

[kwinigolfer]

JAS,
I was trying to exclude guys for whom premature death is an occupational hazard, but to come up with those who were killed in their prime (like Hawthorn or Payne Stewart, Duncan Edwards etc or Tony Lema) or suffered fatal health problems which took them early, like Lilian Board and Jeff Hall, for instance.
John White an act of god, of course, hopefully not Webb Simpson's.

[MontysMerkin]

How much extra in taxation would you be happy to pay to make sure a nationalised rail network functioned properly mac??

Could always try getting corps to pay the taxes they owe? Such as vodafone, starbucks, amazon, apple etc etc. Or try and stop some of this vertical integration that seems to be all the rage. Selling stuff to yourself for a huge profit (energy companies - retail arm gets about 4-6% profit but their manufacturing and distribution run at about 40 - 60% profit, all hidden from the tax man). That means we could look after the disabled and frail old folk, treat the ill, educate the kids properly (might take a generation or 2 but it could be done) and feed the needy. Or just carry on as normal....
Older I get the less I care tbh - no one seems bothered!

[McLaren]

Not really a Russel brand fan but this is quite a performance, and he makes some good points.

Video of Russel Brand being interviewed by Paxman:

[MustPuttBetter]

How much extra in taxation would you be happy to pay to make sure a nationalised rail network functioned properly mac??

Could always try getting corps to pay the taxes they owe? Such as vodafone, starbucks, amazon, apple etc etc. Or try and stop some of this vertical integration that seems to be all the rage. Selling stuff to yourself for a huge profit (energy companies - retail arm gets about 4-6% profit but their manufacturing and distribution run at about 40 - 60% profit, all hidden from the tax man). That means we could look after the disabled and frail old folk, treat the ill, educate the kids properly (might take a generation or 2 but it could be done) and feed the needy. Or just carry on as normal....
Older I get the less I care tbh - no one seems bothered!

More likely just means those companies will leave the UK in truth

[MontysMerkin]

How much extra in taxation would you be happy to pay to make sure a nationalised rail network functioned properly mac??

Could always try getting corps to pay the taxes they owe? Such as vodafone, starbucks, amazon, apple etc etc. Or try and stop some of this vertical integration that seems to be all the rage. Selling stuff to yourself for a huge profit (energy companies - retail arm gets about 4-6% profit but their manufacturing and distribution run at about 40 - 60% profit, all hidden from the tax man). That means we could look after the disabled and frail old folk, treat the ill, educate the kids properly (might take a generation or 2 but it could be done) and feed the needy. Or just carry on as normal....
Older I get the less I care tbh - no one seems bothered!

More likely just means those companies will leave the UK in truth

So? If there's a market and profit to be had then someone would fill the gap. That argument is very flawed.

[MustPuttBetter]

Not necessarily. I'm not saying those companies shouldn't pay their tax etc
Just saying that many of them could leave the UK and still operate a service to the UK with only a little disruption

[MontysMerkin]

Which is fine if they pay the taxes they owe. I know I have to, and if I didn't would be in clink. I just don't understand why they are allowed to keep getting away with it. And all we do is chase a few lousy quid off the 'bottom of the pile' a la daily fail. Defies logic.

[MustPuttBetter]

Oh i agree with all of that
All i'm trying to say is if the UK tax burden comes too high a lot of the mega corporations can and will leave, be that right or wrong. Not being based in the UK doesn't stop them providing a service here. They will still have a UK liability but not as big as if they were based here, like Vodafone. So it's not even as if there would be a gap in the market for someone else to step into

[MontysMerkin]

But they aren't paying it anyway so it doesn't seem to matter one way or the other.

[MustPuttBetter]

Well, they are paying something!

[MontysMerkin]

Phew that's ok then, for a minute there I thought everything was going to sh1t and they were getting away with it.

[MustPuttBetter]

Yeah i already said i agree that they should be paying

The point being 'making' them pay more would probably end up in them paying less, so it's not quite as simply as "getting corps to pay the taxes they owe" - as nice as that would be

[MontysMerkin]

Well lets just carry on then. Nothing much left to sell now to make up the difference anyway. PO just got stiffed by a couple of billion. Think that's all that was left? Yep, apathy is the way forward while we get shafted.

[MustPuttBetter]

All very emotional but apathy from whom?

I think the answer to the original point was we can't nationalise (renationalise?) the rail service. Not at this time anyway. No amount of enthusiasm (as opposed to apathy) is going to change that for quite some time

[MontysMerkin]

Apathy from the general population. Just let things carry on, and on, and on. Getting shafted while watching the latest pap from x-factor, strictly or whatever. Making sure we don't educate our children to have a social conscience, encouraging a me me me attitude, sitting back and saying that nothing can be done so why bother trying. Whinging about it on forums ahem  

I don't think we'll need to worry about the rail service anyway, it will soon price itself out of the market and unless the taxpayer picks up the bill, it will slide into obscurity in the next 20 - 30 years.

[MustPuttBetter]

Can't disagree with any of that

[MontysMerkin]

I thought it was a bit over the top myself...  

[MustPuttBetter]

Well that's just to be expected  

[gaelgowfer]

Had to share this comment from a reader ...

In addition to Hen Broon's ditty on wolf like creatures here is an advisory on Bears:

"The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.

They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.

Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.

Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur.

Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/10409499/Scottish-landowner-plans-to-bring-back-wolves-and-bears.html

[Y I Man]

Happy birthday Davie you old fart
 

[McLaren]

 

It's Not the ''Radical Shaykh'' it's Islam

It's Not the ''Radical Shaykh'' it's Islam:

I f-ing hope not

[raycastleunited]

Had to share this comment from a reader ...

In addition to Hen Broon's ditty on wolf like creatures here is an advisory on Bears:

"The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.

They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.

Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.

Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur.

Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/10409499/Scottish-landowner-plans-to-bring-back-wolves-and-bears.html

Very good.

I like the idea of introducing bears and wolves in Scotland, but I don't think they should stop there. Imagine the Open at Carnoustie with crocodiles and piranhas in the burn and lions waiting in the savanah-like rough. It would certainly reward driving accuracy.

[super_realist]

 

It's Not the ''Radical Shaykh'' it's Islam

It's Not the ''Radical Shaykh'' it's Islam:

I f-ing hope not

Crackpot religious nutters, idiotic morons with no sense of morality, it's like living your life by the laws of the Loch Ness Monster or Leprechauns.

[Roller_Coaster]

Had to share this comment from a reader ...

In addition to Hen Broon's ditty on wolf like creatures here is an advisory on Bears:

"The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.

They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.

Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.

Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur.

Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/10409499/Scottish-landowner-plans-to-bring-back-wolves-and-bears.html

Very good.

I like the idea of introducing bears and wolves in Scotland, but I don't think they should stop there. Imagine the Open at Carnoustie with crocodiles and piranhas in the burn and lions waiting in the savanah-like rough. It would certainly reward driving accuracy.

Crocodile threat would probably have meant a Van de Velde win though...

[super_realist]

Greenpeace thugs possibly going to do 7 years.

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