Thracian

Sadly I don't think there's any chance of that.

If only such people thought like that.

So many cricket matches are rain affected I cannot take the game seriously.

Everytime I open this thread it's in the hope of news that she's been found alive.

Yes, they also do it by inserting emotive adjectives like "pretty" into the description as if Madeleine being pretty or otherwise has any relevence to the desperate need to find her.

Your're right and anyway I think the whole idea of huge monetary reward for helping find a youngster is tasteless. Accomplices who might be tempted to shop the perpetrators wouldn't get the money and surely any ordinary member of the public would help in any way they could, whatever.

Because they've made a dreadful mistake not committed a crime or been deliberately reckless in a way that might result in a crime. The crime was clearly and calculatingly committed by a third party - and there is no way the parents might reasonably had antipated such an appalling event. In fact I hear of reports that police over there were reportedly aware of a paedophile ring operating in the area and had done nothing about it for whatever reason. What about their responsibility if the offender turns out to be someone connected with that ring?. The parents have not "got away with it" and I cannot imagine how you can suggest that. I doubt the parents will ever get over their suffering. They face years and years of inner turmoil and self-criticism which will have no resolution. What earthly purpose would judicial punishment serve and how would it act as a deterrent to others? Millions of parents would have read the story and adjusted their attitudes already if they're ever going to.

No-one would criticise you for that at all but people do make mistakes/misjudgements - and tragic ones sometimes - over their kids, on the road, in their everyday decisions. The parents of that little girl will have learned a lesson in the most unforgiving and irrepairable way I imagine - and they won't benefit from further punishment at some later date.

There, presumably, goes the man who never made a mistake. Or the world's first perfect parent.

What is not right or responsible?. Leaving your kid for five minutes or having some creep ring social services and have those doubtfuls turn up on your doorstep. Wasn't it a local head of some sort of social services (Leicestershire care home or whatever) was jailed a few years ago for abusing kids in his care over a period of years? Very reassuring - and just the sort you need for advice on protecting your children. Nor was he the only one in recent times.

Absolutely. Almost every parent has, at some time, left their children in what is a normally "safe" situation but which would be deemed vulnerable if you forever thought of the sick, weird and perverted arseholes there are out there. It's easy to preach or be wise in hindsight but I just sympathise with those parents who must now be at their wits end and feeling in utter despair to their very souls. It's bad enough when your kid's not where they're supposed to be for a few minutes.

I'm always after gold, silver, jewellery of any kind, collections (Doulton, Beswick, Moorcroft) but also more obscure things like tinplate or space toys, corkscrews, cigarette cards, netsuke's, Dinkys, Corgi's, Lesneys, railwayana, you name it really.

Comedian to a lady member of the audience: "I wish you wouldn't sit facing the stage with your legs apart - it reminds me of the wife. Why? Well as you ask my wife's got the most enormous fanny. And I mean huge. If you shout down it you get an echo. In fact so enormous that I had to satisfy my curiousity so I took her to the medical centre and I said to the doctor... "I hope you don't mind but would you examine my wife's fanny." So the doctor laid her on the coach and after a little pushing and prodding he said: "To be quite honest I can't see anything wrong with her fanny." "It's not what's wrong it's that I I want your opinion. "Is that not the biggest fanny you've ever seen." 'Well I have to admit its a big one' said the doctor, 'a very big one'. But is it the biggest fanny you've ever seen? Is it a record?. 'Oh I don't know about that. Not sure about it being the biggest.' 'But it'll sure take some licking.'

Just seen a cracking film - V for Vendetta - Freedom forever with Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving based around Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.

In today's Star: Did you know they're now making viagra in powder form? It'll do nothing for your sex life but put it in your tea and it'll stop your biscuit going soft!

Sleuth was important for Caine. He and Olivier had never worked together previously. Sir Laurence wrote to Caine before the filming of Sleuth began inviting him to call him Larry. He considered Caine to be "a talented assistant" to begin with but afterwards considered he'd got "a genuine partner". That it was all so good in the end was slightly surprising because Olivier at one stage kept forgetting his lines as a result of some pills he was taking to calm him down after some bad news. Thankfully the cause of the problem was discovered and he was soon back to being his legendary self. Off set there was another little anecdote. During rehearsals Caine, still a relative novice, came to an arrangement with Olivier that he would never disturb him in his dressing room but Caine's door would remain open should Olivier need to discuss anything as he was forever apt to come up with new ideas for the film. One day Olivier opened Caine's door and was astonished to find him watching television. Apparently, for all his God-like and senior star status, Olivier had never had a television in his dressing room and the pair of them watched Wimbledon every afternoon right up to when Evonne Goolagong won the Ladies title. Caine described Olivier as "like a kid being given a special treat". Not everybody knows that!

If you can find the way in off the inner ring road. The best thing about Coventry is going home.

Glad you didn't nip round the back!

"What we need is a great big melting pot." ... and has it ruined all our cities or enhanced them. Indeed are there any good cities left, part from Leicester because, warts and all, I still love Leicester. It's got its depressing sides but it has so much vibrance, so much variety and so much going on. Plus, with the University/colleges etc there are so many young folk and they give a place energy.

Newcastle has a glitzy centre, a Mecca of a football ground and a vibrant nightlife but like so many cities it is generally a facade. I drove from the centre to the Norwegian ferry port, taking in places like Wallsend and the endless areas of depression made me miserable.

That figures.