MakemineVanilla

The USA is not a democracy and more like a plutocracy, which they call a republic, this was deliberate by the founders because they didn't want the mob to tyrannise property-owners. Obama spent more than $400m dollars getting elected. Clinton spent $565 million. Trump spent $322m which included $66m of his own money. When Chomsky says there's no difference between the parties, it's dufficult to disagree.

Although Sunak is certain to retain his Richmond seat, a lot of Tory voters feel so betrayed by the present government, that they want to see the end of the Conservative party according to Peter Hitchens.

FTFY!

I'm presently reading a biography of Kissinger and he predicted that after the mutual nuclear threat had produced a stalemate (MAD), that offshore balancing powers (USA) would engage in proxy wars, such as Korea, the Middle East, or Ukraine. He also suggested that European countries should increase their defense spending, not to prepare for war, but to send the right signals. So based on that, your theory seems entirely feasible and we are left to guess at what the unspoken aims of the United States are.

A quote from Chomsky and a delightful film full of Welsh people.

You can't understand the strike which ended in 1984 unless you understand what happened in 1971 and 1973. The Joe Gormley entry on Wiki sums it up nicely. The NUM's victory made them the best paid workers in the UK, ousted a Tory government, and cost ordinary working people money, due to the three-day week. Assuming they could do it again in the 1980s was an egregious act of hubris, as capital flight had already begun, and Thatcher had the money from North Sea oil revenues, to finance her scorched-earth plans. The unions lost their power and the rest is history. Sadly the employers still have the whip hand.

There does seem to be substantial evidence for a quantity theory of insanity: that is to say, that there is a fixed quantity of madness in our species, which means that where there is a reduction in one aspect of human behaviour, there must be an increase in another.

Spectacularly ill-timed by Pilger in full demagogue mode, complete with lugubrious voice-over. 1971 was a high-point in terms of full employment, and coincidentally, it was conflict in Palestine which would trigger the oil-crisis and the subsequent hubris of the unions would lead to Thatcher and Blair.

He's a bit rough and ready - whether there is a player in there, we'll have to find out. He's only 21 and so he's still learning. At the same age Ollie was still playing for Exeter.

As Pickford proved when he put van Dijk out for nine months, goalkeepers are a protected species and enjoy special privileges. Watkins was injured in the challenge but got the yellow card.

You can't argue with the final score but Villa were poor for long stretches of the game. The sending-off was crucial.

Three tackles across the two ties and two bookings!

Not good!

Flippin' 'eck! I got that wrong, I would never have guessed that line-up. Bold or reckless? I can't decide.

I'm very much expecting a replay of the first leg, as there's too much at stake for either side to go gungho. I suspect Ajax will sit back and rely on Brobbey breaking through Villa's high backline. Villa will need to produce some better quality or better luck to get the job done. We might need a talisman and so I hope Phil King is invited.

I think Buendia did okay but he's a creative player and Villa need someone like Kevin Richardson, who will win the ball in midfield and give it simple. Creative players are usually trying to do something clever and lack defensive instincts, so they give the ball away, in the wrong part of the pitch. Tielemans and Zaniolo are both guilty of this.

As Greavsie never said but should have - its a miserable old game sometimes.

Mine was £604; it did make me laugh!

I think a better definition of "conservative" would be the "silenced majority" who have learned to keep their traps shut. Metroland has gone forever, leaving the squalid and meretricious to reign.

I've always found that empathy is very much in short supply when comes to politics, and it has got worse in recent years.

My understanding is that a lot of traditional Tory voters want the party dead, so a proper Conservative party can form. 50 Tory MP's won't be standing for re-election, suggests that they are getting out to avoid the humiliation.

It's all down to personal perception. Villa 76/77, with Andy Gray banging them in for fun, was a great season and with 22 league wins, when 24 was usually the pass-mark, was undermined by too many losses. It was one of those seasons when competing on two fronts proved a bridge too far, with 13 losses, which were mostly away from Villa Park - two loses in April finished Villa's league challenge. I think the increase in the number of games required to win the European Cup these days, favours the rich clubs because they have greater depth to their squads. I thought the arrival of Peter Withe in 1980 was the catalyst which lit the fuse under Villa, and the team looked like they might win something from the get-go, but when McNaught cocked-up in the home tie with Ipswich, optimism turned into despair. Villa have a bigger squad these days but there are several positions where Villa don't have a replacement of good enough quality.

Il Postino (The Postman) An Italian film set on a Mediterranean island, where a famous South American poet is exciled for being a communist. The plot is basically a twist on the play Cyrano de Bergerac (Roxanne). A postman tries to persuade the guy to teach him how to write poetry so he can woo the local beauty. Very funny, charming and touching.

Just to put yesterday into perspective, I usually read H&V's Woodhall piece to cheer myself up after a defeat, but even he couldn't manage to find a positive side when I looked this morning. I tend to think that Everton's present trouble arose after they qualified for Europe - gambled on signings that let them down, and ended up in deep shit. Looking at Villa's record signing's performance yesterday, reminded me of that.

No and Yes! No if you mean fans of a certain age, yes if you mean the youthfully naive, or those who live abroad and have been exposed to toxic optimism. Writing on behalf of authentic brummies, I would say that we don't do optimistic visions, and I make so bold as to say that, the fans weren't optimistic in 57, 81, 82, or any of the EFL wins. Assuming Villa survive any FFP strictures, Villa are likely to flirt with the European places but the club is too far behind much richer clubs ever to catch up. In 1981 we only needed one team to be in transition to win the title and the trophy was only won by the narrowest of margins. In 1982 Villa didn't play many games to reach the European Cup final and again sneaked past the favourites, who won the trophy following season, while Villa began their decline. Hopeful yes, but optimist never!