<Tim> The Pommies also cut through Group G, posting the exact same stats as the Belgians.

The Belgian team are monstrous.

I predict victory for Albion!

I am pre-recording this match on TIVO but I am terrified of spoilers- so I won't be looking in here until it's over.

This is a reference to the "Let's think up a derogatory term for the Belgians" contest on <Monty Python> lol.

The other entries in the contest:

"The Sprouts"

"Lets just ignore them"

"The Phlegms"

Have you read your countryman Northrup Frye's essay on Spengler (I believe it's called "Spengler Revisited")? Interesting stuff. I know Spengler has never had mainstream academic acceptance, but that's fine with me. I just found his gigantic concepts and vast knowledge of cultures quite astounding. Like Proust or a Faulkner novel, the narrative just sweeps you along--or at least it did me. Moreover, I did find his thesis quite compelling (and compellingly argued), even if it's a quite deterministic (we western Faustians don't relish determinism!). I know that it's not fun for many people, but bear in mind my favorite philosopher is Schopenhauer (talk about being outside the academic mainstream; though I am rereading a ton of Nietzsche of late. Quite the ranter, that preacher's son!). And for what it's worth, I am politically a leftist-progressive (with many conservative friends, by the way), so I am not supposed to like "pessimists" such as Schopenhauer.

I read Journey to the End of Night 30 years or so ago. Terrific book for all the reasons you cite. That scene where the young woman is slowly bleeding to death after a botched abortion because her bourgeois parents are afraid of the scandal bringing her to a hospital would cause is still chilling.

To my immense shame, I have not yet read Confederacy of Dunces, though it sits (neglected) on my bookcase. I have always wanted to get around to reading it and may well do so this summer, with all he free time I now have after the divorce. Your showdown with the prof is amusing enough, even if I do feel canned food to be an abomination.

Ah yes, the search engines and what they reveal! Like commercials, they are surely pretty accurate barometers of our culture!

Tell Boomie to always have a camera on hand. That next pizza hut delivery could get him on the front page of the National Enquirer.

Here's the single from that album..

What is up in Chicago?> In Chicago, it's the heat.. Especially this weekend! High 90's!!

<tbon> Paul still has it eh, he's in good form with a good rock and roll swing to his voice. He will never lose that, I bet.

90 degrees is well out of order man- I hope you have an air conditioner.

<tboninantor> I can't even draw an elephant by tracing a picture of one with a pencil, so I am not a surrealist painter. Though I believe I will start telling everyone that I am.

I did recently return to working on a chess history documentary about <Vladimirs Petrovs> though.

I noticed <PB and J> was saying the <Detroit Tigers> have too many young players to win the pennant?

<diceman> That's a good point. Thinking back on it though, there weren't any prints of any kind leading away from the two I saw. Not even bird or deer tracks.

So how did they land in the middle of the trail with now tracks leading away from them.

<Bill> I never read <Northrup> on <Spengler>, but as you might expect I was forced to read plenty of <Northrup>, all told. I read a great deal of <Nietszche> in my time though, and also <Kierkegard> and <Sartre> when I was taking courses on Existentialism. Of that set <Sartre> was much the most boring writer- not in content but in style. But my comment is basically meaningless because I didn't read him in French.

If you picked up <Confederacy> you would gobble it up in an hour or two. If ever there was a page turner that is it.

On footy <England> "vs" <Belgium> was a disgrace. I bet <Alan Shearer> stayed up all night crying because of it.

I find it difficult to cheer for either of them now.

Do you remember years ago when <Austria> and another team just needed a draw for both to progress out of the group stage?

I can't remember the other team but they just passed the ball around near the center line and listened to 90 MINUTES OF JEERING FROM THE PUNTERS.

That is not the way to win a big footy tournament.

I bet <Harry Kane> and <Lukaku> were fuming and I think this "Lukaku" has a slight ankle injury excuse was straight up CRAP.

They both want to win the <Golden Fruit> and you don't become the <Golden Fruit> if the gaffer plants your arse on the bench.

Worse, because BLOCKHEADED <Gareth Losergate> decided on this "strategy", contrary to <Alan Shearer's> accurate advice, England "lost" this non event.

<Shearer> went on and on a few days before this match saying "You don't make major changes to a squad that is gathering momentum- not to "rest" the players or for any other reason."

The stars on both sides don't need a "rest" and I bet they all wanted to be on the pitch from the opening whistle.

This gaffing "strategy" is more properly called PLAYING TO LOSE.

Shame, shame on these two gaffers.

Especially <Gareth Losergate> What did you think would happen, you great pillock?

Now <England> has lost ALL MOMENTUM.

<Hozza> Nice one!

Speaking of nice ones, <Freddy Mercury> was renowned for being nice as well.

I read an interview in which he explained that the original lyrics to that song were written as "Radio Ca Ca," (Ca Ca meaning "poo") because it was meant to be a criticism of mainstream radio music.

Later, though, <Freddy> changed his mind because he thought "Ca Ca" would be too negative.

Here is another anti radio song I like by <Elvis Costello>. I can't remember his real name but I believe it is <Efim Bogoljubov>, if I'm not mistaken:

But. But ! lol

Say Sir Harold Of The Kane played and picked up an injury in that game? <Losergate> would have been slaughtered in the media...

A no win situation for him in trying out fringe squad players ... We lost .. so he's open to criticism sure, but he could have gone the other way and still been exposed to social media stuff..

Belgium dumbed down too , so it was kind of parity . Belgium are good. Really good.

<Elvis> got banned from Saturday Night Live for 12 years for playing "Radio Radio" as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lH...

<Hozza> don't get me wrong I am always 100 per cent for Blighty. Always.

That doesn't mean I have to like the gaffer.

<Alan Shearer> addressed that specific point- that you can't be afraid about your stars picking up injuries when you are in a major match or tournament.

I didn't appreciate QUEEN enough at the time. Was too much into indie ect.. Listening now I just think WOW ..

More footy heresy:

Neither <Alexander> nor <Loftus Cheek> is good enough to play in the World Cup.

Seriously if I were the gaffer (and it's a good job I'm not), I would put <Charlie Adam> and <Crouchy> on ahead of those two.

At least <Crouchy> might score the occasional header. And I saw <Charlie Adam> score against <Chelsea> from HIS OWN HALF OF THE PITCH.

Here is a similar track from inestimable <John Lydon>- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTI...

Interesting stuff there <Jezza>

lol lol

I love both Elvis' !

When I first heard this I thought it was a MACCA song.. took quite a few years for me to realise it was QUEEN ... I kid you not! lol

Queen - You're My Best Friend
https://youtu.be/HaZpZQG2z10

Speaking of Elvis ...

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Oliver's Army https://youtu.be/LrjHz5hrupA

Do think VAR is working?

I do .. just needs some fine tuning, especially with the "offocials" they are entrusting to sit in that booth doing the reviewing..