Bostik Bailey

That Sidney Potter has just died

A very good resume of the current state of cricket in England. there are rumours that the hundreds is a precursor to franchising the first class game over here with ~10 city based “test” teams, concentrating the the available talent. the problem is that franchising in sport hasn’t really succeeded in the UK but of course the lower counties don’t want to be reduced to basically a fully professional version of league cricket (which it isn’t that far off at the moment) One thing that is needed is less limited overs and more competitive timed cricket

For anybody with an interest in all things wild and wonderful, this site is very good for keep up to date on why you don’t see many birds of prey when you are out and about (especially in North Yorkshire) https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com

If you care about what happens to our birdlife, then please sign this https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/201443 the illegal killing of raptors on Driven Grouse Moors is a ecological disgrace. It is not anti shooting, even the BASC are starting to question this. here is a peer reviewed report on what's happening to Golden Eagles in Scotland. They disappear on Grouse Moors.

Anyway after Ragnorak, the earth will arise again and a human couple Lif and Lifthrasir will step forward from the branches of Yggdrasil. Life will begin afresh without the taint of evil. This is another concept that Christians have stolen from the true religion, along with Yule celebrations for 12 days( when the sun stops), and Eorster for the arrival of spring.All the Abrahamic religions have the traits of a Loki trick. Come on tell someone to sacrifice his only son, then just say only joking. The trouble is Loki always took a trick too far and always stands in the way of the other gods who want to bring order and calm. But Loki is a poor God to follow if you think of the triats of the Abrahamic god the more Loki fits the discription.

This is a big concern, laphroig, McCallan to name two, are now cashing in on their previous high quality, by bottling different ages together and giving them a fancy name, but still charging single age prices. I still can't get my head round how they can still call them single malts. It's all about maximising profit at the expense of quality. There is a reason that blended whisky tends to be considerably cheaper, due to the fact that it is not held for such a long period. (This isn't a slight on blended mind)

I never thought I would like horror but I like this classical setting. Not really into gore fests. I'm going to give Frankenstein a go next, after which I think it will be Moby Dick.

Working my way through the old classics nearly finished Dracula an excellent book

Just finished Catch 22, and Birds in a cage

Just started the Eagle series by Simon Scarrow. Good bit of escapist adventure

What odds for dithering Dave being out before Christmas

No the inconsistency that RFL disciplinary is drags the image of the sport down.

Very seletctive with Paris and North Wales, what about the others I mentioned ( oh and I missed Bradford) The salary cap isn't working, it's not stopped clubs going bust, when 8 teams ( more than half the league) have go into administration then one of the reasons for it is blown out of the water. Both Huddersfield and Wire are competitive due to wealthy backers. I'll claim that the salary cap is allowing Saints to compete at the moment

The story is that their employers are restricted in how much they can pay them. This is to stop clubs going bust, and it has worked, only Wakefield (3 times), widnes, London (twice) Gateshead, Huddersfield/Sheffield, Paris and north Wales have gone bust since the introduction of the salary cap. That's 10 times a club has gone into administration/ folded and 7 clubs not bad for a 14 team league.

You could be right about attitude, Simmons, Rush, Brown and Noble aren't too impressed with this.

Whisky is like women, no good ones no bad ones, just varying standards

That is not the issue, they have their priorities right, all they are asking for is consistency. In my opinion all the tackles ( possibly not the Ellis one ) deserved a ban. The RFL only decided to punish Catalan. The RFL are so inept in this case that they couldn't see that letting dangerous late challenges go unpunished they were letting precedents gather. There was no directive between the Taylor one and the Taia one, therefore they were saying its open season. By the way the amount of Saints fans who agree with Catalan, considering it was our player, proves the point.

This is not anti-Wigan drivel. If that was the case we would have been ranting after Taylor got no charge. The point here is the blatant inconsistency of the RFL. Just put club loyalty aside (I know it's difficult ) and look at the two recent challenges. There is very little (nothing, in my view) difference between them.

Good suggestion

I don't think that this is the issue here, the issue is that exactly the same offence occurred two weeks previously and no charge was brought by the disciplinary. A precedent was set,there were no directives from the RFL in the meantime, so why is the offence by a Catalan player deemed to be far more serious? This is at best incompetence, at worse corruption.

Ok I've not read the thirty odd pages of this but, it seams funny that franchising was seen as the solution, so all the Lancashire clubs invested in new grounds, only Hull and Hudds play out of a modern stadium on the dark side of the country. So when franchising would result in Wakefield HKR Cas And Bradford not making it into the top league we move the goal posts so the (west) Yorkshire mafia can rule again. What's the betting the Widnes get bumped down again just so we can all enjoy the old style charm of bell vue and he quaint exposure that new craven park provides again. This is a decision made to keep certain clubs in the big sky payout. This is corruption. In 2014 London will get all the dodgy decision to keep them up. If they allow London to go then fine, lets expand into SW France a true heartland. But I suspect that this will be contrived to get the correct geographical mix.

Yes they need something from the Arsenal game on Tuesday otherwise they are down. Arsenal need to win to keep the Champions league place. Oh well Martinez to Goodison it is then, no contract to buy out.

The system works so why change it. If they started to get public money the donations maybe would decrease, and you'd get the I'm paying or this so why can't you help me now attitude. Please do not wish for any of these excellent services to come under the control of government. Cos before long they'll have targets etc then be privatised to be run for profit (as the SAR service is being)

I believe that Old Tradford will be showing the grand final in 3D. (unless you are unfortunate to have lost and eye)

Well the RFL Accounts were not signed of for a few years after Uncle Mo left, His finacal leacay to the RFL 'appeared' not to be too rosey. (ditto Wigan).