SpacedX

davieG - I'm shocked. of all people, I really didn't think you had it in you. EDIT: Probably could have phrased that better in hindsight.

Not really. His objective is to win but absolve himself of blame and just as Putin has done, indict his Generals, similarly for a lack of preparation and woeful failings in intelligence. Also like Putin, he is the greatest survivor and has orchestrated some of the greatest comebacks since Lazarus. But ultimately, this happened on his watch. He knows full well that Israeli PMs do not long survive military debacles. Think Meir after the Yom Kippur war, Begin following the first Lebanon War and Olmert after the second. Netanyahu will already be searching for scapegoats and this was anything but a means to deliver some grand designs. ^ Precisely this. Hezbollah have been relentlessly shelling the North from Lebanon and make no mistake this was an Iran backed initiative to destabilise the region. Why? The feared influence from Riyadh and the establishment of joint US backed nuclear plants and defences. Hamas are merely a pawn that they would be prepared to sacrifice in their strategic game of chess.

As you mentioned - the return of Gats has solidified the defence with Wales leading the tournament in tackles by a substantial margin, and in addition to that, reasserted the scrum. Given the calibre of Argentina's pack, (who also have a great line out defence and a very strong scrum too) this will be a bruising contest no doubt, although this tournament they have been better on paper than the pitch. Wales go into this with a very respectable 19 points out of 20, for the bulk of the games against Fiji and the 'Wannabes' they were both impressive and in control. They will employ the same successful tactics against Argentina, who for all the force and flair are prone to error. Cheika has wasted no time pitching his side as the supposed underdogs, but whoever wins will be the underdog against either Ireland or the All Blacks in the semis. I originally predicted a comfortable win for Wales, perhaps I should have said an uncomfortable one? It will be close and brutal - I just hope that they don't incur any further injuries.

Scary, but true.

Then he's woefully uninformed - and I'm not entirely sure what holding a Director position in Research and Development has to do with the veracity of his claims. From 1300 to around 1850 average global temperatures dropped by as much as 2°C (3.6°F), particularly in Europe and North America. The so called 'little ice age' was likely a result of a combination of reduced solar output, changes in atmospheric circulation and increased volcanic activity. However, go back almost two millennia and the period of Roman occupation in the (Roman Warm Period, or Roman Climatic Optimum), was a period of unusually-warm weather in Europe and the North Atlantic that ran from approximately 250 BC to AD 400. Both this and the 'Medieval Warm Period' - another brief climatic interlude, are postulated to be caused by the reverse - and increase in solar activity and a reduction in volcanic aerosols, but also large-scale climate patterns, such as El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the NAO. The difference lies in the rapid and anomalous degree of warming that the planet is experiencing which is unprecedented in the last two thousand years. It is exceptionally and exponentially acute and cannot be explained by natural variability, tropical volcanoes or solar changes - (although the current El Niño is “spiking some of these extreme events). The reason is anthropogenic climate change.

Yes. The isostatic uplift in the Arctic and Antarctica not so much because they are are not regions of significant seismic activity and there are few seismic stations. Although it is known that the melting and retreating of glaciers in otherwise tectonically stable regions, such as interior of the Canadian shield and Scandinavia has caused earth tremors. In areas where earthquakes are common, such as plate margins, Alaska for example, this trend has obviously been harder to identify.

"What a great finish/decision/pass by Wilf"

That's Northampton for you I'm afraid.

I'm guessing so are Wales in preference to the unpredictable prowess and physicality of the Pumas. I do suspect though, that they can comfortably despatch either.

I expect that the death toll will increase in Western Afghanistan and possible aftershocks. Some of the buildings in Herat are very old and similar to the Berber villages in the Atlas Mountains that were devastated last month, consist of mud and clay housing.

So sorry to hear that too. We still face the vestige and remnant of the old firms and the wannabes in respect of their legacy. The Naughty Forty were formidable, but fought with other hooligans as opposed to indiscriminately attacking people. As I'm sure you are aware, that happened too - in the 80s the 'Red Army' and the Headhunters were renowned for it, but the hardest firms such as the 6.57 crew, ICF and the Bushwackers preferred to claim each other's scalps. What I found distressing yesterday, and it's already been mentioned, were the helicopter chants and gestures. It's not as though this was isolated either and perplexing, coming so soon after those scummy brothers visiting the Stadium of Light 'brandishing' the Bradley Lowery images which was despicable. (I'd like to see Jermaine Defoe given five minutes with each of them). Tragedy chanting has always been there - I recall banners at Elland Road in the 90s mocking the Munich disaster during the visit of Man U (hasn't that happened again recently?). But its increased prevalence is disturbing. Rivalries and the associated humour are part and parcel of the tribalism of football and it's so frequently funny, but it's depressing to see how thinly veiled and fragile decorum becomes in the face of the mob and how easily the boundaries of decency are callously swept aside.

Bono looks like a cross between Les Mckeown and one of the Osmonds here...

I have a good friend that supports Stoke. He's terrified at the prospect of meeting a superior Port Vale next season. It's been pretty shit for them since Mark Hughes ****ed it all up. I've never met a fan of Liverpo... Oh wait, a genuine fan of Liverpool.

The introduction of a generic term given the rise and increased significance/recognition of Women's football.

They are a poor team anyway, but one beset with injuries and a makeshift side. Arguably we should have put more past them but there was almost no need to expend the energy. It was more like a training ground exercise. Alex Neil set up to try and at best salvage a point, pure damage limitation, but credit for him/them for at least attempting to take it to us in the second half and steal in immediately after kick of. All things considered, there have been far worse sides to visit the KP in the last ten years.

You realise I was talking about Wilf, yes?

True. Getting back to Ndidi though, as I said earlier, if he stays, I can't see him bing able to play such an advanced role with such aplomb if we are promoted.

Not true. He operates in a far more advanced role/much higher up the pitch. Tielemans sat far deeper but frequently made forays into the final third when we pressed high.

The throng has assembled. They're here already unfortunately.

Tends to be the same members that do it.

The Coach and Horses has re-opened in Kibworth.

Bump ^

Ah - a hit and run laughing emoji rebuke. How refreshing for FT.

I'm not convinced that he will be effective in his new lease of life and new found role in the Premier League. In fact, he won't.

Very reminiscent of Söyüncü when he arrived and actually, just before he departed. He was a big loss for us.