Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Stephen Lawrence murder: Dobson and Norris found guilty

Better late then never.

Anybody see Endeavour, the Morse spin-off on tv , thought it was up to the standard of the old Morse series hope its not just a one off

ZEN TEACHINGS

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me for the path is narrow. In fact, just piss off and leave me alone.

2. Sex is like air. It's not that important unless you aren't getting any.

3. No one is listening until you pass wind.

4. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else.

5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

6. If you think nobody cares whether you're alive or dead, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.

7. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

8. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

10. If you lend someone £20 and never see that person again, it was probably well worth it.

11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

12. Some days you are the dog, some days you are the tree.

13. Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.

14. Good judgment comes from bad experience ... and most of that comes from bad judgment.

15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

16. There are two excellent theories for arguing with women. Neither one works.

17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

19. We are born naked, wet and hungry, and get slapped on our arse - then things just keep getting worse.

20. Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

An American tourist in London decides to skip his tour group and explore the city on his own. He wanders around, seeing the sights, and occasionally stopping at a quaint pub to soak up the local culture, chat with the lads, and have a pint of Guinness.

After a while, he finds himself in a very high class neighbourhood.....big, stately residences... no pubs, no stores, no restaurants, and worst of all... NO PUBLIC TOILETS.

He really, really has to go, after all those Guinness's.

He finds a narrow side street, with high walls surrounding the adjacent buildings and decides to use the wall to solve his problem.

As he is unzipping, he is tapped on the shoulder by a London Bobby, who says, "I say, sir, you simply cannot do that here, you know."

"I'm very sorry, officer," replies the American, "but I really, really HAVE TO GO, and I just can't find a public toilet."

"Ah, yes," said the bobby..."Just follow me".

He leads him to a back "delivery alley", then along a wall to a gate, which he opens.

"In there," points the bobby. "Whiz away sir, anywhere you want."

The fellow enters and finds himself in the most beautiful garden he has ever seen. Manicured grass lawns, statuary, fountains, sculpted hedges, and huge beds of gorgeous flowers, all in perfect bloom.

Since he has the cop's blessing, he unburdens himself and is greatly relieved.

As he goes back through the gate, he says to the bobby, "That was really decent of you... is that what you call 'English Hospitality'?"

"No, sir" replies the bobby, "that is what we call the French Embassy."

Skinny,

Well I supose as the French via Sarkosy have s**t on us, its only fair we p**s on them.

BREAKING NEWS:Gary Dobson detained for minimum 15 years and two months for murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993.

David Norris to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure for minimum of 14 years and three months for killing Stephen Lawrence.

G.

As you put it, Cameron appears to have "shat" on himself and UK.

As can be seen by the responses of the rest of the Eurozone members ignoring him.

When you are in the minority of one, it is wise to review your positioning.

You may be right, "but, but , but" comes to mind.

Post 14324,

May be wrong, but reading some of the evidence provided by witnesses, there would appear to be a case for review of their statements, with the possibility of prosecution for perjury in mind.

I wonder if this is being considered.

From the BBC site :- Stephen Lawrence: Gary Dobson and David Norris detained for life

"The evidence does not prove you had the knife, but the holder had it with your approval," he said. "It does not matter the knife was not in your hands. You - Dobson - repeatedly lied as part of group loyalty."

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/bentley.html

AID i remember that case and he should never of of been hanged
the judge and jury should rot in hell .
back to todays verdicts does this case now mean that the police are going to
get of there backsides and tackle these gangs or is the racist card going to stop them
from doing there job . my personal view is that the racist card will stop them .
and i would like to ask d lawrence for her views because that is why all these
gangs run round with knifes and guns knowing the police are to scared to stop them
the racist card is the reason why we will never stop crime .
back home tomorrow ,

Oh - have you been away!

Margaret Thatcher as portrayed in the movies and on TV

In the new film The Iron Lady, US actress Meryl Streep joins a long list of actresses who have played former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Was he under a restriction order?

I think the Spitting Image portrayal is the most life like.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16417428

Ed Miliband lacking strategy and energy - Lord Glasman

Ed Miliband seems to have "no strategy and little energy", a Labour peer who has advised the party leader in the past has claimed.

Lord Glasman told the New Statesman he "backed" Mr Miliband as opposition leader but he needed to change his approach if he was to "break through".

Labour was failing to win the argument on the economy, he added.

The peer's comments on Mr Miliband's leadership come at a time when some within the party are concerned that Labour, despite a series of by-election victories in 2010, is not doing better in the polls and its arguments on the economy and the deficit are yet to hit home.

Lord Glasman said Mr Miliband had succeeded in holding the party together following its 2010 election defeat but that he had "flickered rather than shone and nudged, not led".

Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
The world is on the turn, yet we do not seem equal to the challenge”
End Quote
Lord Glasman
"On the face of it, these look like bad times for Labour and for Ed Miliband's leadership," he wrote. "There seems to be no strategy, no narrative, and little energy.

"Old faces from the Brown era still dominate the shadow cabinet and they seem to be stuck in defending Labour's record in all the wrong ways."

He suggested Labour was relying on disillusioned Liberal Democrat supporters and public sector workers for its support and not reaching out to other groups in society.

"We have not won, and show no signs of winning, the economic argument," he added. "We have not articulated a constructive alternative capable of recognising our weaknesses in government and taking the argument to the coalition.

"We show no relish for reconfiguring the relationship between the state, the market and society. The world is on the turn, yet we do not seem equal to the challenge."

William Hague to urge reform on visit to Burma

William Hague is the first British foreign secretary to visit Burma since 1955
Continue reading the main story
Burma: Battle for Democracy

Exiles watch
Is change for good?
In pictures: Clinton trip
Suu Kyi to rejoin politics
William Hague is visiting Burma, the first British foreign secretary to do so for more than 50 years.

He is expected to use meetings with the country's leaders to press for the release of more political prisoners.

His visit is the latest in a series by top diplomats from around the world, amid steps towards reform by the new government in Burma.

Burma held its first elections in 20 years in 2010, replacing military rule with a nominally civilian government.

Since then the new administration has freed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and begun a process of dialogue.

Last month she formally registered her National League for Democracy as a political party, after boycotting the 2010 polls because of electoral laws that prevented her taking part.

In December US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Burma, in what was seen as an endorsement of the reform process - although Western observers say much more is needed.

'Political freedom'
Speaking ahead of his arrival in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, William Hague welcomed the "encouraging" steps taken by the government.

Continue reading the main story
Analysis

Rachel Harvey
BBC News, Rangoon
William Hague is the latest in a series of high-profile diplomats to seek to engage the new government in Burma and to try to bolster nascent signs of reform.

Western officials have been encouraged by recent changes, including legalising trade unions, lifting some media restrictions and a limited release of political prisoners.

But there are still grave concerns about Burma's human rights record and the fact that several hundred political detainees remain behind bars.

"I am visiting the country to encourage the Burmese government to continue on its path of reform, and to gauge what more Britain can do to support this process," he said.

Mr Hague is the first British foreign secretary to visit Burma since 1955.

In Nay Pyi Taw he was due to hold talks with President Thein Sein, a former top general who stepped down to contest the polls as a civilian, and a host of other top officials.

He will then travel to Rangoon, Burma's commercial capital, to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, representatives of some of Burma's ethnic minority groups and dissidents.

Ms Suu Kyi's party plans to contest by-elections in April that could see her elected to parliament. Her party secured a landslide victory in polls in 1990 but was never allowed to take power.

The new government has released some political prisoners in recent months but between 600 and 1,000 journalists, dissidents and monks who led anti-government protests in 2007 are thought to remain behind bars.

Mr Hague said he wanted to see more progress on reform.

"Further steps are needed that will have a lasting impact on human rights and political freedom in Burma," he said.

"In particular, we hope to see the release of all remaining political prisoners, free and fair by-elections, humanitarian access to people in conflict areas, and credible steps towards national reconciliation."

There is now a general acceptance that change is under way in Burma, says the BBC's Rachel Harvey in Rangoon, but it is not clear how far or how fast any transition will be.

Mr Hague will be seeking reassurance that even if the speed changes, the direction of travel will remain positive, our correspondent says.

Are you in Burma? Do you have relatives there? What is your reaction to William Hague's visit? Send us your comments using the form below.

... Yes, maybe they'd like to keep him there.

I only wish Vince Cable the business secretary, or should that read 'anti business secretary' had gone instead.
Now that is one useless politician they are welcome to keep.

I disagree G/M, VC is the least of our worries.