Nobody seems to be injured, so it's plus plus plus.  Hard to hate City when they're the national team!

I hate the laissez-faire attitude of the English language. I mean, it used to be so avant garde now it appears to be heading down a cul-de-sac.

Come on team - why would you want to blow the arse off a good cook?

Just bought a brand new 'Canon 500E twin lens kit' digital SLR from Hong Kong, got here in 3 days, price $800, price in Oz shops = $1500

ebay is great, what a saving 

child of the universe - BJH

But it is not weird, it is just an abbreviation. If we weren't lazy or economical with our words and Spike had said 'seafront' there would have been no confusion.
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bloody el LB this was just meant as a bit of fun, no need to get all anal about it, Im beginning to wish Id never mentioned it now

the whole point is, is that people never say 'seafront' most people say, 'he's on the front' or 'lets go for a stroll down the front' , its become known as 'the front', and a foriegner would find it a weird name to call a seafront street.
Yes ts an abbreviation, but the place has become known as an abbreviation.

It's certainly going to be a tricky balancing act.

Thanks mate, some interesting views there.

I think that whoever wins will have to, Spike... Moves are afoot via the NEC and NPF to get more membership voice into policy, so whoever gets the job will have to tread in that direction... But - lest anyone be in any dout - my views are based on electability and principle in harmony... Regardless of what people thought about Blair, the Tories thought that he was unbeatable... There is a balance to be found between principle and Governability, because that is the only way that we (the people) can influence anything... Politics is always about dialogue and bargaining... The bargain over Government will involve compromise and that' sthe way it is...

Can somebody as progressive as DM really bring the party back to the left though Russ?

Brought up in Culcheth, if you don't mind...  Anyhow, here's my reckoning, bearing my view that there is no point carping from the sidelines, you have to be in Government to achieve any kind of change....

Diane Abbott - Will get votes from the left, but known as lazy and too loose with her tongue, could never be a leader let alone PM...

Andy Burnham - Will get votes from the north west, has a reasonable record but not strong enough and ran the Culture, Media & Sports job as if he was Minister for Everton FC...

Ed Balls - Of all of them, he looks like the real street-fighter, the one who will take it to them and - to be fair - he has done that consistently since May... The Tories are in a real mess with Education under Gove and Balls is showing it regularly... I like him, regardless of past affiliations (not that I mind them), but there are probably too many rough edges to make a Leader and PM-in-waiting... Deserves a top Shadow job though, IMHO...

Ed Miliband - Can't make my mind up about Ed... Sorry mate, you are too late for the bus now moaning about Iraq, I don't remember you doing that 7 years ago... You were also responsible for policy and the election manifesto, so maybe a bit too much Teflon there too... Trouble is, 2nd preferences might count and that could see you home... Still, if Cameron says that you are the candidate that he wants, then maybe people will think about that before voting...

David Miliband - Blair-esque certainly... But to me he is the only one looking like PM material right now and he has the ability to do the job... Supposedly the one that Cameron doesn't want, so is that a good thing?  At the end of the day I want somebody who is electable and who has the courage to bring the party back to the left, because that is what we desperately need...

Either way, the contest has not been bitter and let's hope there is some mileage in a capable team to take the fight to this ConDem rabble...

I am going for David Miliband, Ed Balls, Ed Miliband and that's it as far as my votes (all 4 of them!) go...