Danwichmann

I never managed to get her name, but the New Zealand right back vs England was stunning. Anyone know who she was??

I'm re-reading them at the moment, they're the books that got me back into reading after around 10 years of not reading unless forced to! If you like that, make sure you try the Conqueror series (Genghis Kahn) as well. I thought the Conquerer series was much better than the Emperor books, although I enjoyed both. Still has a way to go to reach the levels of Bernard Cornwell though, who I think is untouchable in the historical novel genre. I'm not really a fan of Bernard Cornwell, I think Iggulden is far superior. The thing that gets to me with Cornwell is I always feel he goes overboard on British national pride type stuff, almost to the point where he's coming across as actually being a bit racist. Wow, haven't heard that criticism of BC before! I think BC has a knack of making his tales "real", more so than anyone else. And given the time periods he's writing about and the subject matter, national pride would certainly come into it from a character point of view, but I've never thought of it as racist. A lot of the time he's focussing on the incredible penchant for idiocy of the British powers too. CI's books have really entertained me no doubt, but I don't think he can do battle scenes with anything like the reality and suspense of BC. The racism description may be a bit strong, and I agree in some cases it's reflective of the time. But in other case, the Arthur series being a case in point, he bangs on about Britain this and Britain that at a time when historically, there would have been very little concept of Britain as a nation. That's where I get the impression it's his own feelings of hating the French / over zealous national pride coming through.

As long as Stefan Postma isn't there we can all sleep easy.

Was I the only one thinking "Go on Steve, chin him!" The contempt on his slightly snarling face was fully deserved. That guy is even more contemptable than the tits that set up the Randy Out website. I hope he gets hit by a bus.

More fool those who allow it to be so. Indeed, but unfortunately we have plenty of fools.

] I wouldn't think Brooks will get off the hook, and probably various others as well. However, I think it will minimise the damage to the brand. There will be a lot of people out there (especially those who these papers are aimed at) that simply won't link the various different news international brands and once the NOTW is gone they'll feel that no more can be done.

Yeah, just seen that. No doubt they'll simply replace it soon with a Sunday edition of The Sun or something, same shit different name.

Depressing true. They'll also be buying the NOTW and similar shit the peddles that rubbish on it's front pages. Modern society really is depressing.

It would also being SHA a favour, so despite how hilariously embarrassing that would be for them, I hope it doesn't happen. I wish them a long, tiring and expensive Europa League campaign in fact!

A male patient is lying in bed in the hospital, wearing an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. A young student nurse appears to give him a partial sponge bath. "Nurse," he mumbles from behind the mask, "Are my testicles black?" Embarrassed, the young nurse replies, "I don't know, Sir.. I'm only here to wash your upper body and feet." He struggles to ask again, "Nurse, please check. Are my testicles black?" Concerned that he might elevate his blood pressure and heart rate from worrying about his testicles, she overcomes her embarrassment and pulls back the covers. She raises his gown, holds his manhood in one hand and his testicles in the other. Then, she takes a close look and says, "There's nothing wrong with them, Sir. They look fine." The man slowly pulls off his oxygen mask, smiles at her, and says very slowly, "Thank you very much. That was wonderful, but listen very, very closely: "Are - my - test - results – back?

A successful rancher died and left everything to his devoted wife. She was a very good-looking woman and determined to keep the ranch, but knew very little about ranching, so she decided to place an ad in the newspaper for a ranch hand. Two cowboys applied for the job. One was gay and the other a drunk. She thought long and hard about it, and when no one else applied she decided to hire the gay guy, figuring it would be safer to have him around the house than the drunk. He proved to be a hard worker who put in long hours every day and knew a lot about ranching. For weeks, the two of them worked, and the ranch was doing very well. Then one day, the rancher's widow said to the hired hand, "You have done a really good job, and the ranch looks great. You should go into town and kick up your heels." The hired hand readily agreed and went into town one Saturday night. One o'clock came, however, and he didn't return. Two o'clock and no hired hand. Finally he returned a round two-thirty, and upon entering the room, he found the rancher's widow sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine, waiting for him. She quietly called him over to her. "Unbutton my blouse and take it off," she said. Trembling, he did as she directed. "Now take off my boots." He did as she asked, ever so slowly. "Now take off my socks." He removed each gently and placed them neatly by her boots. "Now take off my skirt." He slowly unbuttoned it, constantly watching her eyes in the fire light. "Now take off my bra." Again, with trembling hands, he did as he was told and dropped it to the floor. Then she looked at him and said, "If you ever wear my clothes into town again, you're fired."

I'm re-reading them at the moment, they're the books that got me back into reading after around 10 years of not reading unless forced to! If you like that, make sure you try the Conqueror series (Genghis Kahn) as well. I thought the Conquerer series was much better than the Emperor books, although I enjoyed both. Still has a way to go to reach the levels of Bernard Cornwell though, who I think is untouchable in the historical novel genre. I'm not really a fan of Bernard Cornwell, I think Iggulden is far superior. The thing that gets to me with Cornwell is I always feel he goes overboard on British national pride type stuff, almost to the point where he's coming across as actually being a bit racist.

Champions League / Championship, it's pretty much the same isn't it? That's what his agent told him anyway. I wonder if he's starting to realise the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the hill.

will have to check the authors name when i get home , it does refer to some events that are in the Emperor books i.e when he demands the pirates increase the bounty on his head appears to be true , but doesn't the Emperor books have Marius being killed in Rome by Sulla when he actually died of old age ? (been a few years since i read the Emperor series) as Mike says a lot of the "history" of that day was propaganda , Ramesses II being a prime example , he almost makes Caesar look modest :-) Thanks. I've just gone and ordered the Meier one that Iggulden recommends anyway In fairness to Iggulden, IIRC he mentions both the pirate instance being true and Marius not being killed in battle (and the battle actually being much more protracted and very different) in the historical notes.

Yes and No I enjoyed that series as well (and the Khan Series) and at some point i will end up reading it again .... but I read a Caesar biog after I'd finished Emperor to see how much basis in truth they actually had and really there is far too much artistic license in use in that series ..now I know it doesn't claim to be a true version of events but I always get worried when you end up with a "Hollywood'ised" version of history in the mainstream as it often ends up being accepted as fact rather than fiction ... guess Da Vinci code could be used as a prime example of fiction being accepted as fact by lots of people Which Caesar biog did you read? I've fancied reading one but never got around to it. I've always accepted history will give way to entertainment to some extent in the book, so timings especially are likely to change, but apart from that how much does it vary from real history? The obvious one (that isn't mentioned in the historical notes, which are as interesting as the book) is Caesar and Brutus being the same age / childhood friends. Any more glaring ones like that?

Nothing that he's done has been that impressive, although he's done a pretty good of handling the media. However, the majority of here seem to accept that a manager should start from a default position of support and a clean slate.

I offer my unreserved apologies for breaking the combo and completely failing to understand this reference.

I was starting to think I was the only one that thought like this!

Dr Dolittle would disagree with you.

I'm re-reading them at the moment, they're the books that got me back into reading after around 10 years of not reading unless forced to! If you like that, make sure you try the Conqueror series (Genghis Kahn) as well.

Are there a lot of Mongols in Kings Heath then? :shock:

But she said she's sorry!

That's very unfair, as he's also stated a number of players should have their legs chopped off and should never again be allowed within 100 miles of a football.

Former Villa youngster goes to Plymouth

I think Champagne is a region rather than a brand? Frisbee is another I believe.