wazzap24

Anyone watch The Affair? Well acted, well scripted and well shot. Meh.

Wayward Pines starts tonight. Looks like it could be decent.

The prices of holidays during school holidays. I know the score, yet every time I find myself checking ether just before they start or just after they finish and rage washes over me. I need to let go.

Agreed Lapal, but sometimes you have to fight smart. He could have been the bigger man (even if he didn't mean it) and used that to further leverage his position. He would have got what he wanted in the end. He won't now as He's chucked his dummy out again via the press/social media and barring an absolute meltdown, Strauss will be there for a while. It's over for him now.

I get where you're coming from, but Strauss has made himself look a prize wazzock with that offer, ie " I don't trust you, and therefore you can't play cricket for England, but hey, come and use your skills as a consultant for the one day side, because my lack of trust there won't matter." Genius. Strauss had better pray for a half decent summer, or the knives will be out for him even more than they usually are after a poor series or two. Totally agree there. That's what I mean though, Strauss has made a right tit of himself already, but then KP goes straight off and writes a load of hyperbole in a paper and tweeting rubbish. Had he took the role and kept his head down, he could have made (and continued to make) Strauss look like an even bigger tit and probably ended up back in the side at some point during the ashes. I sensed public opinion turning in KP's favour (the poll on BBC for example had around 74% in favour of his return) and he would have got even more in his side with a different approach (or more importantly a different advisor, not Piers the muppet Morgan). Imagine the public support if he (KP) had come out and said something along the lines of...... 'I have decided to accept the offer of becoming an advisor to the National one day side. I'm delighted to help and I look forward to hopefully being of service to England in my new role. If Strauss or the ECB feel I can be of any value in other areas, I would of course jump at the chance to help in any way I can. I absolutely understand the need for myself and other members of the England set up to repair our relationships and ensure we can move forward with mutual respect and trust. Whilst I would love to be recalled now, I will continue to do my best at County Level this summer and will be ready should England need me at any time' BOOOOOM #KPisageniusStrausslookslikeabellend

I would love you to be right...but look at the votes UKIP pulled in ? - immigration is the subject that get people going (even more sadly - I don't actuallly think they mean immigation !!!!) Its a real shame Dan Jarvis isn't standing for leader. I think Labour have a massive job on there hands to even come close in 2020 - I totally agree there is a % who would vote purely on race/colour, I'm just not sure the % is that big to stop someone with a minority background getting elected. Im a bit gutted about Jarvis too. I read up on a few of the proposed candidates and inexperience aside, he seemed to stand out for me. His 'real life' background would have gained a lot of support straight off the bat. Well if you look at the votes UKIP gained in labour seats - you can see how would stop labour winning seats. IMO UKIP is now a wing of the Conservative party designed to hemorage Labour votes. Sure they pretend to be foes in public, but really the Tories are quite happy for UKIP to seize Labour voters - and UKIP will continue to do this as it keeps Labour out and also gives them influence over the Tories The relationship between the Tories and the Kippers is going to be very interesting over the course of the next few years. I agree, there will be some in the party happy to watch Labour and even the Lib Dems lose votes to them. Equally there will be some who are shit scared about the back bench Euro sceptics joining forces with them for a no vote when the referendum comes around.

Just another thought while I am perfecting my work avoidance skills. If KP wasn't such a mentalist, he should have took the advisory role offered by Strauss and started a charm offensive. He may well have been told that he wouldn't play a part in the summer, but if he'd taken the role, continued to pile up the runs in CC and taken a conciliatory tone in the media - the clamour for his return would have become untenable for Strauss. Especially if the team continues to play like it has. In that scenario, I would have bet a reasonable amount on him wearing the whites of England again at Lords for the second test.

To be honest, whilst I don't think Strauss has been told it's 'ok' to lose the ashes, it wouldn't make sense (even for the ECB) to just give him the series against NZ and the Aussies. Most observers feel we are likely to take a beating (or at least struggle to beat) either nation, so it wouldn't be fair. That's KP framing things to suit his argument.

I would love you to be right...but look at the votes UKIP pulled in ? - immigration is the subject that get people going (even more sadly - I don't actuallly think they mean immigation !!!!) Its a real shame Dan Jarvis isn't standing for leader. I think Labour have a massive job on there hands to even come close in 2020 - I totally agree there is a % who would vote purely on race/colour, I'm just not sure the % is that big to stop someone with a minority background getting elected. Im a bit gutted about Jarvis too. I read up on a few of the proposed candidates and inexperience aside, he seemed to stand out for me. His 'real life' background would have gained a lot of support straight off the bat.

I think the whole left/right thing is becoming more and more redundant amongst 'normal folk'. A lot of people like have views on some things that maybe considered 'right wing' and more 'left wing' views on others. You might have an overall view that leans one way or t'other, but with a mix. I myself for example have views on things that would be considered both left and right, yet I don't see myself as fundamentally either overall. Eg; I would massively overhaul drug policy, legalise some and decriminalise use of others. I would bring back the death penalty in certain circumstances (and have a 3 strike rule for violent or sexual offences) I believe in capitalism, but I also believe those at the top should contribute more in taxes and NI I believe in social housing, but also the right to buy. I'm very much 'doing the time warp' when it comes to my own views.

You can frame the narrative of this whole mess in a lot of ways and fit it to suit a particular view. I agree with the those saying he should never have returned after the 'Textgate' incident. But then Strauss took him back after his 'period of reintegration' and it benefited both parties to do so. Equally, when we talk about behaviour in the dressing room, the whole 'KP Genius' Twitter thing showed, it wasn't just KP contributing to a smelly situation. Having brought him back, the whole Ashes 'dossier' was a joke and for me just exposed the fact that Flower had started to lose it and Cooke was not a strong enough leader when things started to go pear shaped. It was the beginning of the end of an era for that side and KP copped it as the fall guy. From there the book was a terrible idea, but I kind of have some sympathy ( a very small amount I would add) on that. Being the sort of character he is, having felt he had been wronged, he was never going to keep his head down/mouth shut. A lot has been said about him being a difficult character etc and that is clearly true, but I think it also comes down to some of the other leading characters in that dressing room over the past few years. I think the problems with KP start when he perceives that those above him either know less than he does, or are going about things ' the wrong way' in his eyes. This is when you need strong characters, who will listen to what he has to say and then put him straight if needs be. The current dressing room doesn't have any real strong characters like say a Botham (talk about a difficult character, where would he fit in to the current culture!), Vaughn, Gough or Flintoff as examples - lads who would probably give him a say, but threaten to knock his block off of it went too far! I don't necessarily agree with Blandy on the 'cricketers say no' argument. I think there are some who think like that, but others maybe (in the Eng team and wider game) don't. In the current dressing room, I think only Cooke and Broad would be an issue and to be honest, those two should be concentrating on their own form. I think Anderson would be ok with it, I suspect he knows we could use all he help we can get this summer. I don't think he is a universally disliked figure put it that way.

I'm not sure on that Hippo. I might be being hugely naive, but the yanks seem to have some serious race issue going on, yet a black leader was still elected. My own view is there are less people as a % of the population in the UK that would vote purely on skin colour, but I have nothing to back that up, it's just my perception.

There's just too much to watch. It bends my head.

The ECB really are a sorry bunch. They are making FIFA look transparent and well run at the moment.

You've gotta hand it to KP. Whacking a 326 on the day you are having a 'secret' meeting with the new incoming Emperor of cricket (or whatever the role is), who just so happens to think you're a word removed. KP genius Joking aside, I really hope the meeting is positive and the door is left open for re-selection. I know opinions are mixed and he is a divisive character, but for me he's just too good not to keep giving him chances. I reckon he's got 4 or more years left in him at top level, if he maintains his focus and for me he remains our best batsman, by a reasonable margin. He might be a massive douchebag, but they need to find a way of working with him. The question is; do we have a better chance of winning back the Ashes with, or without him?I say with.

Does anyone think Farage might have had a call from a Tory or two..........might have helped persuade him?

i think the eu will support scotland entering the european union if the entire uk voted to leave losing a possible 4 countries isn't an ideal situation for them and in spain the constitution forbids the break up of the autonomous regions, the uk has no such law. cornwall will be next to receive devolution Fair point that. It could be argued it would only be fair for the EU to consider Scotland in the event they were dragged out against their will. But that would only be if they could secure another referendum in the event of an EU exit and win it. Even then, whilst we might argue it would only be fair, fair doesn't really count for much in politics.

Hopefully, this is how the majority will feel. BUT the Scotland vote ended up being a lot closer than people thought and you have a lot of Kippers already unhappy at their lack of representation. Plus the Euro-sceptics in the Government. Dave will have to let the 'Rebels' campaign, otherwise he will have a revolt on his hands, so it could be closer than we think. We need Murdoch on side for this one!

Not having a hand grenade at the ready.........

I'm sure I remember reading during the referendum that they (Scotland) would need approval from all 20 odd States to join as a new member. Only one has to say no for it to be a no go? I assume for reasons already mentioned, at least one will reject them, so it's a bit of a non starter? Its going to to get very very messy

i think we have both agreed before that you cant beat a woman in high heels, especially when they are naked. But you can beat her if she's barefoot or wearing clothes? That's out of order mate, I can't abide violence towards women

I want a proper take over please. You know, like a Sheikh or a Prince or a Russian Oligarch. Not a 'consortium' with a mouthpiece.

He should have stayed out of it, Head Tory is available in a couple of years!

Size 14 feet!?! Send your partner my sympathies Python P3te

A family holiday or a pair of these? I made the right choice, but apparently I'm selfish. Ive told em there is enough left for a weekend at Pontins in Southport!