Petition for Justice

The local Europe MP for Yorkshire is putting together a online petition to present to the European Football Association in an attempt to overturn the result of the 1973 European Cup Winners Cup Final.
This was the match where my team Leeds United lost 1-0 to AC Milan in Salonika Greece but left a sour taste in the mouth due to some very dodgy referee decisions. Afterwards the Greek fans applauded Leeds lap of honour but stopped the winning Italians from doing one.
Later it was found the Ref had been bribed by the Italians and he was banned from the sport, however the result was never overturned.

Even if you are not a Leeds fan or Footie Fan but believe in fair play in sport please sign the petition, you can find more information here & a link to the petition.

http://www.leedsunited.com/page/LatestNewsDetail/0,,10273~1606780,00.html

Just to remind everyone of that night :-

A Beer cures all the worlds problems.

Last night my mate Lofty was playing Pool in the local competition and asked me to go along to support, I had nothing on so went along.

After he had been beaten we went on to another Pub and as we was quiet we started talking Politics, in fact we discussed everything from Local, National & International politics. Funny how you do it after a few beers but we really put the world to right, we cured everything from the Credit Crunch to Global warming.

We reckoned it would be good to go into politics and start using that thing that the people invilved don't use "common sense". Don't laugh but we discussed starting our own political party (called "The common sense party") so we can push our ideas, obviously we would start by getting involved locally by getting elected onto the council, it may take us a a few years before we are running the country, lol.

Ok most of it was the Beer talking (must have been good stuff) but I've been thinking, I've a bit of time on my hands and could maybe do with a new challenge in life, maybe a poitical career is not as stupid as it sounds. Seriously I'm giving it some thought, initially thinking of starting a political blog to promote my ideas.
Anyone else ever considered this ?


On another note I was driving my car yesterday and thought the engine was making funny noises when I accelerated. I took it to the garage and the mechanic had a listen, he suspects I've got a leaking after-cooler hose as it only makes the noise when the turbo kicks in. I've booked it in for repair on Monday so its gonna be a bill I could have done without, not sure yet how much, suppose it depends what they find.

Today is my parents diamond wedding anniversary and they have recieved there telegram from the queen, the party is tomorrow night so I'm looking forward to seeing a few relations I haven't seen for ages.

Finally I see that Small minded person known as Moby Dick (formally Spider) has been at it again, he seems to get his pleasure trying to insult me on various blogs, don't know what his problem is but its very sad leaving comments on blogs (particuraly ones he doensn't normally read). It seems to bother him I don't comment on his blog perhaps he is a touch insecure and needs everyone to be his friend. It is really amusing how pathetic he is, its so easy to insult people you don't know online hiding behind a computor, a true keyboard warrior.

Dangerous Walking route

I'm wondering if I should change my walking route after seeing the local news. I normally walk out into the country then pick up the canal and follow it back into the town centre of the town I live then home (about 6 miles).
Anyway on the news this weekend they have found a body in the canal right where I pick it up, apparently its a bloke with his head battered in. They reckon he's been in the water about 2 weeks, I must have walked past the spot a few times.
They haven't named in so I don't know if its local or the body has just been dumped, it is next to the main road.

Since my last post I forgot to mention I've had one of those horrible things called birthdays, so I'm officially one year older than last week.

My shoe failed and it hurt

Today I'm resting my aches & pains because of an exploding shoe.

Yesterday I was playing in our Clubs Table Tennis competition and was having a particurly tough match against one of my team mates. He is a player ranked above me and usually gets the better, I was playing well and had the game tied at 2 sets apiece and 6-6 in the decider.

I'm a defensive player where he is an attacker, he was hitting me deep and trying to catch me out with drop shots. This involved me retrieving from the back of the court and then getting in close the table to deal with his drop. Well we were in the middle of the rally when I came charging in at full pace to deal with a such shot when I plonked my right foot down my shoe totally disentegrated (looked like it exploded), it tore from one end to the other sending me crashing down into the table while twisting both my knee & ankle.

I also suffered a slight cut to the knee but after a short break was able to continue (in a different pair of TT shoes that I had in the boot of the car), luckily I don't think I've done any serious damage, its a bit sore today but it could have been much worse.

Before anyone asked I lost the match in question 11-9 but did well in my games after the incident.

Life is good

Well despite the credit crunch, all the worlds problems I reckon my life is going well at present, in fact I'm starting to wonder when something will go wrong.

Just got back from another weekend away with my friend Jane, once again we got on fantastic, I'm finding her too good to be true at times. She seems happy to go along with my suggestions where to go, what do, where to eat, etc. In fact she is always trying to find ways to please me, even went to the effort to buy herself a Leeds shirt, what more can a man ask.

We spent our weekend in Shakespears country Stratford upon Avon, our hotel was nice & we had a lovely romantic meal on the first night. Saturday we took a boat trip up the river which was nice, here is a pic of Jane waiting for the boat.

We spent the rest of the time visiting a few of the old town houses from Shakespears day, it was certainly an education. On the evenings we dined out then just visited a few old world style pubs.

I must admit I'm really looking forward to a few longer breaks with Jane, its difficult only meeting every 5 weeks because of the distance we live apart but maybe thats why I enjoy here company so much. Saying that I'm hopeful even optimistic that our relationship will blossom more and more.

I'm after suggestions from some of my lady friends who read this of good places or things to do that you reckon Jane may enjoy because as I said earlier she just goes along with what I like all the time and I would like to find something for her.

Other than that other things are going well especially in my sports escapades, in the local league Table Tennis I'm having my best season for many years. My average as declined from been a 90% player about 10 years ago to just over 70% last season. I suppose I'm not getting younger is the biggest reason however I've had a great run this time and am back up in the high eighties a marked improvement.

I'm also going well at Pool I'm in the last eight of the area singles although I'm not expecting to go much further as I don't play enough and there are a lot of good players in it. I'll give it my best shot though and "who knows ?", my 1/4 final is on Wednesday night.

Ok I said life was good not perfect I'm afraid to admit I aint been doing great of the weight loss, not been eating perfect and giving away to temptation too much. Must get myself back on track though would like to drop at least a belt size before my main holiday in just over 15 weeks.

The Damned United

Thats the name given to the film released in UK Cinemas later this month about my football Club Leeds United.
Its actually a follow up to the Book by the same name about the 44 days back in 1974 Brian Clough was manager of my great Club before the directors came to their senses and sacked him.
Although I don't despute "old big head" was a good manager and achieved a lot in the game I will always argue that he should never have got the job. He hated Leeds & the players and his only intention was to break up & destroy the team that was the reigning English Champions and had been one of Europes finest for 10 seasons.
Don't know if I'll go see the film maybe I will but am worried the anti-Leeds brigrade will use it to degrade my club. I just hope its shows the truth of what actually happend because Clough had no respect for players that were my schoolboy heroes and its a crime I can never forgive.
Anyway here is the film trailor :-

Planning Cozy Weekends & more

Well I've been busy planning some more cozy weekends (and longer) with my friend Jane. We are actually getting together for a weekend at Stratford upon avon a week on Friday but we've been planning further ahead.

We've actually booked four days away at easter, we were actually considering going abroad & looked at flying to Budapest or going by Eurorail to Brussels. However we reckoned Easter isn't the best time to travel, usually crazy delays so opted to stay in this country. Howevere we've put the European destinations on ice for possible future trips.

We've found some good hotel deals its with a group that specialises in luxory hotels and they are offering a great two night deal Bed, Breakfast & Dinner on the first night at a very reasonable price. We've booked a couple of nights (Friday & Saturday) near Oxford & a couple at Kenilworth (Sunday & Monday).

But that isn't the biggest news I'm going back to my favorite American City Chicago in the summer during the taste of chicago festival for 9 nights and Jane is coming with me.

We will be staying at the Ambassador East hotel which is in the Gold Coast area, its quite a old & famous hotel with loads of history built in 1928, many of the old hollywood greats used the hotel and it featured in the film "North by Northwest" with Cary Grant.

I'm looking forward to showing Jane around the City in particular I've a massive love of the Chicago Blues Clubs so I'll finish with a Youtube performance of one of Chicagos great Blues artists John Primer playing at a local club on Halstead called B.L.U.E.S. Maybe we'll get chance to see John while in town.


Well just some May get togethers to organise now.

6th of the 6th (A big Cock)

I've been tagged by Cactus so here goes.

Here are the rules of the challenge:
Go to your photo folder in your computer.
Go to the 6th folder of the photos.
Go to the sixth picture.[no cheating!]
Put the picture on your blog with a description. Invite six friends to join the challenge.Link them in your blog and let them know they have been challenged.
Here is my 6th picture from the sixth folder :o)

Well my 6th folder was my holidays 2008 folder, the 6th set in there was Kansas City & the 6th photo was this one. I took it on my first morning as I walked around close to my hotel, just thought it strange that there would be a big shuttle cock on the lawn outside this big house. I later found out it was the contemporary art museum, its amazing what crap they do in these places.

A Long Time Together

I've been busy over the last few days organising a party for my parents as next month they will be celebrating their Diamond Wedding Anniversary. Yes 60 years together & I reckon thats a long time.

Well I've booked a local Club where my Dad is a member for the do & arranged a local catering company to do a buffet. I've had invitation Cards printed which actually has a photo of their wedding on the front.

I've been on the Buckingham Palace website to print off a form to apply for a telegram from the Queen. Apparently you are entitled to one but have to let them know, I've to fill in a form and send it within 3 weeks of the day (March 26th) with a photo copy of the wedding certificate.

Just the invites to send out now and I think we are inviting around 80 family & friends.

My Mum is really looking forward to it but I don't think my Dad is bothered and just going along with it.

Politics versus Common sense

Is it just me or do others think everyone involved in Politics whether it be Local, National or International have a complete lack of common sense. Some of the riddiculous decisions made (or not made) just defy logic.

1. Lets start with the "Credit Crunch" Ok its been allowed to happen which is wrong & it is a world problem & governments have to deal with it. Ours like a few others have decided to bail out the banks with astronomical amounts of cash which they have borrowed. Maybe this is or is not the right way but surely if we are bailing out banks with tax payers money certain regulations should be put in place. When I hear on the news that banks like RBS who have taken a "£20 billion payout" are now planning to use "£1 billion" to give their top brass a bonus,surely these bonuses should have gone to the wall as part of the bailout rules. These people should think themselves lucky they have still got jobs & homes to live in unlike many other less fortunate people.
Then totally to rub salt in the wound I understand they are still sponsoring the 6 Nations Rugby, yes with tax payers money.

2. Staying with the banks bail outs & the debt the loans are causing the country creates the question how can it be paid back. I've only heard two solutions, higher taxes or lower public spending. Ok these are probably the only options available but why does it need to be one or the other. The problem is ours today not that of future generations, it is morally unfair to laden people of the future with the debt created today. The quicker we can clear National debt the better then we can all hopfully prosper. I believe the government are not always doing whats right but are just making decisions based on getting votes.

3. To change the subject recently we have had a number of Wild cat strikes with British workers complaining about foreign tradesman been brought in. The arguments for foreign labour in certain trades is that the British labour wasn't avaiable which in some cases is true.
However for this I blame Government lack of common sense for this, not just today but over the last 20 years.
Why ? Well there has been a massive lack in apprentiships with the silly push to get everyone to university. Yes we need good Electricians, Joiners, Plumbers, Welders, Fitters, etc if the country is going to prosper, lets start encouraging it. And despite government policies you can't learn these trades in a 12 week wonder course.

4. University is great & I don't deny anyone an education but surely sending the majority of the population is pointless as there are only so many suitable jobs to go around at the end of it. In fact I'd go as far as saying its a big government ploy to keep the unemployment figures down.
I would like to see a scheme where people going to Uni are sponsored by companies who in turn guarantee jobs if exams are passed. I understand over 50% of youngsters obtaining a degree do not use it to get a job & end up having to take low paid jobs that are available.

5. Local Government are no better when it comes to common sense take the recent bad weather, a few days of snow and many local councils run out of salt to clear the roads (f**k me it is winter), what a shambles, now remind me what do I pay council tax for ?
And of course the side roads & pavements have not been touched many of them just sheet ice causing many accidents.
Surely it would be worthwhile giving people out of work & claiming Job seekers allowance a minimum wage for a couple of weeks to keep our streets clear. In fact it should be compulsary for them, they are getting paid to be looking for work. I'm sure the cost would be covered by the lower work load our hospitals get with less broken limbs from people falling on the ice.

6. And of course International Politicians show no more signs of common sense, lets just look at the new American President, I've just read where he as had to apologise because a number of his team are convicted Tax dodgers, no doesn't that fill you with confidence.

7. And while on the subject of Obama, I laugh everytime he suggests closing Guatanamo Bay, yes he wants other countries to take the inmates. Hell yes just what we need a few international fanatical terrorists, think we should take a few, lol. Actually thinking about our government we probably will.

I could go on but I'll end my rant for today.