David Guiza

I love Football Clichés. Anything niche like that is always right up my street; particularly the XIs they do from time to time. Particularly proud that Lilian Nalis got into the 'players we remember for one thing XI'.

I understand today is World Suicide Prevention Day, which seems as good a day as any to remind everyone that there's always somebody to talk to and things will get better; and also to be kind and understanding of others because you never know what's going through their minds. My wife's father is assumed to have killed himself, before my wife and I met, and she is struggling this week in particular with seeing articles and posts pop up about today that then of course remind her of her late dad. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but he was seemingly a lovely, quiet, well-read gentleman who gave no indication of what he eventually is assumed to have done. I've seen, through her, how it leaves a family with questions about whether or not they could have done more to prevent what happened, and the gaping hole it left in their lives. There's always another way.

I agree, but I don't really see the problem with it. Perhaps because I've done similar things myself . I got into long distance running following the death of a friend and using that as inspiration to raise money for a charity that fights the disease that she died from, since then I've raised a decent amount of money for charity whilst doing things that I actually enjoyed anyway. So long as they're raising money for worthy causes and not exploiting anyone then I couldn't care less if they're spamming my social media or getting a big ego boost from it. Most, if not all, acts of kindness are seldom selfless; in fact I believe the great philosopher Phoebe Buffay explored this notion.

I remember watching one of the series of A House Through Time (thoroughly recommended, by the way) which was centered around a house in Bristol and one of the first people to have lived there was a gentleman in the 1800s who was deemed to effectively have been the first Katie Hopkins. He gained notoriety by spreading lies and discourse among the working classes and suggesting that certain demographics were to blame for their demise; and depressingly enough we've not really moved on from that in over two centuries. I guess so long as there are people who will listen the likes of the extreme left and right will continue to be elevated way beyond their capabilities. The difference between now and 200 years ago though is that it's gone from shouting on a soapbox to shouting through the internet to masses, or even featuring on programmes like Question Time in the case of Laurence Fox.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/07/20-meat-and-dairy-firms-emit-more-greenhouse-gas-than-germany-britain-or-france Not remotely surprising, but heyho.

I know it's been said a thousand times, but the likes of Bastani and co are really grating more than ever. Putting out tweets to his herd suggesting that Starmer avoided the suggestion of taxing the wealthy in as response to the NI increase during the commons debate yesterday. In actual fact he said "We do need to ask those with the broadest shoulders to pay more, including asking much more of wealthier people with income from stocks and shares, dividends or property." How do people like Bastani on the left and his cretinous equivalents on the right generate such a large following? I'm still not over when he thought Neymar's transfer fee from Barcelona to PSG was £198bn.

Given how fickle people are, I wonder how the pension and NI news will be taken. It's all well and good saying that 'x' cut is necessary given the circumstances etc, but we all know that it hits differently when it's subjective and not objective. And HS2.

Conveniently missed out the 3/4 highest grossing newspapers too, strange. As an aside, whenever I read/hear anything about a UK politician(s) being well liked by a newspaper all I can picture is Malcolm Tucker in a fleece schmoosing the press in his home after getting the sack. Assume that's how Cummings, Campbell and co operate.

Never used to be a cat fan, but adopting this weird moggy that seems to be in a constant state of existential crisis changed that. I love dogs, and we'll probably get a dog one day. Only a rescue dog though and also only when we have more time and energy to direct their way.

Yes, very much agree RE the Boris character. He and his people have done well to carefully manufacture this 'loveable rogue' character, so much so that virtually nothing sticks to him. HIGNFY and beyond have got a lot to answer for that, but that's another issue for another day! It's been said countless times, but there are things he's done both in the recent and distant past that would have severely hampered countless predecessors. When broken down to a leader v leader debate, I still cannot see what Johnson has done to appeal the masses any more than Starmer has. Perhaps it's as a result of my position on the matters, but it very much feels like there is a predisposed perception of Starmer that Johnson seemingly doesn't have. For example, Starmer (an actual football fan) turns up to the pub/Wembley during the Euros and it's labelled as a PR stunt on the whole, Johnson does the same (in a pissing football shirt over a suit and tie) and it's laughed off as 'typical Boris'. I just can't quite work it out. Yes, there's certainly a lot that numerous politicians can learn from Farage. He's not somebody I'd ever care to agree with, but he knows how to alter public perception where it matters. I think also that Johnson is far more willing to 'do what it takes' than Starmer is and Corbyn ever was. I also can't see anything changing dramatically in the next GE, and perhaps the one after that also but we'll see I guess. As with you, I would just prefer a strong government with a strong opposition.

I've got the Great North Run on Sunday and running in aid of Breast Cancer Now (which I do think is a slightly disconcerting name). First competitive race in 2 and half/3 years I think so really looking forward to it.

I see this banded about quite a bit, and it's certainly a fair assessment based on what's happened in recent years. What I however struggle to understand, when it's broken down to personality politics, is why Starmer is often branded a metropolitan elite, as a result of his background, but Eton educated Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson isn't labelled as similar? It's also surely deeper than simply appointing somebody who fits the bill for a certain demographic? If people are voting for somebody who they feel is a physical representation of themselves and their area then surely for every vote you may gain by appointing some sort of Prescott/Kathy Burke hybrid, votes would potentially be lost in places like Canterbury and Kensington? As for the Blair/Johnson comparisons above - Corbyn got more of the vote share, in what is widely considered to be the biggest loss in recent memory in 2019, than Major did 1997. Politics goes in cycles. Labour have been here before with the extreme left and centrists at war with one another and came out the other side. Perhaps Starmer will be the Kinnock to Burnham's Blair. Perhaps we'll become a one party state. Perhaps centre left coalition will form. It remains to be seen what the UK, and Europe and beyond, will be like next year and beyond but, yes, it's certainly not a great time to be anything other than a Tory on these shores.

I'd recommend The Appeal by Janice Hallett, I've read both this year and found that to be a much better version of the two. I'm now up to book 44 for the year after being awful at finding the time to read since leaving Uni. Shuggie Bain, Tin Man, The Appeal, and To Kill a Mockingbird have been standouts. Hamnet was a disappointment; didn't get the hype behind that whatsoever but I seem to be in the minority based on the endless 5* reviews.

Having three centre backs and two fullbacks out, plus an additional injury at fullback during the game, who is then replaced by a player who's only just got back from injury himself, is quite unfortunate at best for what's only the third week of the season. It's not the sole reason we've been so disjointed, but it'd clearly have an impact on virtually every side. The in game injuries (and suspension) have had a notable impact too as it's both limited our substitutions to come on and change the game for the positive, and meant that we've had to reorganise midgame too. As I said, we're not playing how any one of us would like and yet we've still picked up points and (hopefully) have some key players to return from injury and to form. Whether it'll ever be the case remains to be seen, but a fit Jonny Evans makes a world of difference to that side. So does an in form Barnes and Maddison too.

Not as pretty and not as flowing or comfortable as any of us would like, but it's three points on the road when we're massively depleted by injuries. If Liverpool did that last season in the midst of their injury woes then it would undoubtedly have been hailed as a hard fought win in difficult circumstances, and that's ultimately what it was. Evans, Vestergaard, and Bertrand to hopefully comeback post international break. You'd also hope that Barnes' and Maddison's form will improve shortly tool both of whom have been integral when we've hit purple patches. Onwards and upwards.

Delighted that TTOI is back, but they've really dumbed down Sweaty Swain.

Appreciate (or at least hope) that you're being somewhat tongue in cheek with this, but it's a genuine issue that numerous people have. Not so much the contemplation of suicide part, but whether or not to bring children into a dying and overpopulated world. My wife and I are fairly sure we want kids in the next 5 or so years, but if we do we're almost certain that we only want one and the climate crisis is very much part of the reason why. The issue however is that the families that couldn't give a toss will continue to pop children out and then often those children become a carbon copy of their parents, as many offspring are in all classes and backgrounds, and then there are less people to 'fight the good fight' and the issue just gets worse as a result. As to what others have said; I completely understand why many get fed up with the hypocrisy of jet setting celebrities spouting about the environment, or people who look like a 70s George Harrison after being lost in the woods for a few weeks, but that doesn't make their point any less valid. I'd also argue that dismissing a cause that you understand is a real and genuine threat because you don't like some people on that side is a pretty silly standpoint. I would have turned my back on Leicester City years ago if I was put off by the unwashed and annoying.

BR seems to have an awful blind-spot against West Ham that we all though he may have learnt from after last season, but seemingly not. Appreciate that we don't have too many options defensively, but not reinforcing the midfield was a huge error. Rice, Soucek and co won't have it much easier all season. Tielemans was isolated from minute one and Barnes had no space to work in whatsoever and both of those left Vardy as isolated as any point last season. Of course, even in spite of how abject we were prior to the sending off, the game changes on the red card. West Ham almost certainly win any event, but losing a player away at a side who we a. struggle against anyway and b. have all the right players to exploit the space made it suicidal. The big test now is how we react to a side that we should be beating fairly comfortably on Saturday. Go out and get a comfortable win and it's a decent, if not exceptional start, drop points or even lose and it'll be chaos on here with Man City coming up after that and the following games also suddenly look much more difficult. If Evans is going to be out for as long as it seems, then Bertrand becomes even more integral for me. Soyuncu should be the experienced head there, but he's clearly not and neither are Big Dan or Ricardo, and clearly not Thomas. Soyuncu is what he is and we all know there's a touch of the David Luiz' about him. Capable of the sublime and the ridiculous, and he needs that level head nearby.

Wonder if it's perhaps because we can't get rid of anybody else, IE Praet, Choudhury etc and consequently he's seen as the best option to recoup some of the money spent this summer, without losing a top asset.

Oh, absolutely. Same happens with the dog meat festival etc too, as though the western abuse of animals is holier than thou. You get similar from a certain sub-category complaining about halal procedures, whilst tucking in to their factory farmed chicken nuggets. It's all a bit of mess, but this particularly story just seemed like a senseless waste. It's another touchy subject with most people too, but I've always been an advocate of 'adopt don't shop' with cats/dogs etc so it's even more upsetting when stuff like this happens.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/austraila-covid-rescue-dogs-killed-controversy_n_6122f3c3e4b0e8ac791f346d?ri18n=true Read this last night and I still can't quite digest the ridiculous barbarism. Surely there are numerous workarounds that involve self-isolating etc that could have been explored before this needless step was taken?

It would depend on what I was looking for on a particular day, but I'd probably be between:- 1. New York - not everyone's cup of tea, and I'd perhaps only visit again on a fairly short stay, but I loved it. Every street one turns on to had such iconic imagery and it was like being in a Woody Allen film. 2. Rome - similar reasons as stated previously. I love ancient Rome and the buildings are simply beautiful and majestic. It just felt like a city that was very much lived in, but in a positive sense. 3. Brecon Beacons - visited for the first time as an adult in recent weeks and was blown away by the beauty. Stunning waterfalls, wild horses crossing in front of us, fantastic mountains to climb and view etc.

Some local politics news: For a bit of background, it would appear that Paul was elected for the fist time having initially stood in the 1970s. I'm also assuming it's the same Paul Browne who used to be senior partner at a firm I worked at, but prior to me joining. Being a senior partner in Oakham naturally lead him to be quite the eccentric posh sort, and I always remember hearing about his first ever trip to a 'Spoons in his 60s. He only nipped there for one drink for somebody's leaving drinks and ended up being rolled into his wife's car in the early hours after being blown away by the prices.

The appropriation of Orwell by morons continues to depress and frustrate me.

Haven't done it for a couple of seasons, but I've been into the ticket office on a matchday to change a 60+ ticket to an adult ticket when my old man couldn't make it.