Same reason the fabric we call calico isn't now known as kozhikodo*, I guess. I mean, where do you stop? What are you gonna call 6.f3 (or 7.f3) in the Dragon Variation. now that Yugoslavia no longer exists as such?

<Cibator> have you re-footied yet?

I watched two matches so far <Man City vs Arsenal> and <Tottenham vs Man U>. I have to say I enjoyed both of them, although without doubt the men of the match were the same two men for both matches.

How can this be, you might ask?

Excellent question!

Men of the match for both matches were clearly the genteel <Martin Tyler> and his good mate, the man who says exactly what he is thinking at all times - without ever once thinking about it- <Gary Neville>.

The goal of the games was this intricate combination:

<Martin Tyler>: Where's Jamie Carragher now?

<Gary Neville> Who cares?

User: historian

User: scholar

User: jess

User: new

User: mero

User: one

User: not

Watching Everton - Liverpool right now.

What a yawn-fest! Did not look at all like Premier League: everyone sluggish and out of touch. In fact it could have been an MLS game, played on New Year's after a long drunken night.

<Tiggler> I have to agree. Particularly since I watch my footy on a "free" streaming site, so I can't very well be complaining about where the games come from.

On <Man City v Arsenal> and <Man U v Tottenham> I was lucky to get the Sky Sports team- Martin Tyler and Gary Neville. No fake crowd noise on either.

I was forced to watch NBC Live for <Watford v Hammers> with forced fake crowd noise. I didn't make it through the first half. The footy was so listless and uninspired.

I would rather listen to Martin and Gary on the radio than watch a "game" with fake crowd noise.

So until things get back to normal, if they ever do, I'll only be watching those matches my streaming sites offers without fake crowd noise.

At least in the two Manchester fixtures there was some entertaining and sharp play, with goals. The Man U fixture was much, much sharper, particularly in the closing 10 minutes- which were riveting. Full pelt end to end footy as Tottenham and the Reds both tried to win.

<Tiggler> heh...

Geography is favoring you.

It often does in Canada as well, since 99% of us live live within 3 kilometers of the American border. This made it much easier to drink in proper American pubs where they let you buy as much beer as you want and leave the bar with it and sit on their picnic tables and stay there until you were good and ready to stop vomiting.

Also they had porno movies in America, but not in Canada.

<Tiggler> Excellent questions.

I have seen "Terrance and Philip" perform live (in my imagination), but only on American TV. There are no live performances in Canada- ever.

Joni Mitchell is indeed from Toronto, Canada. She and Neil Young became friends busking in that city in the 60s. At that time in Toronto "The Band" (at that time Ronnie Hawkins' house band "The Hawks") were also beginning their career. Towards the end of the decade Jonie and Neil decamped to fabled hippie enclave Laurel Canyon in LA. Joni began recording her raft of excellent records, and Neil began recording with the band Buffalo Springfield. The Band decamped to Woodstock, New York. Here they worked on their own music, taking time out to be Bob Dylan's backing band for a year long tour in which they were all roundly booed after every show because Bob had "sold out," apparently. Much later, Bob and The Band had the last word on that one.

Hi <Jess>: your interest is appreciated.

Nah, those matches snuck up on me before I could get my bets on. Just as well: I'd have staked my dough on wins for the red teams and would have taken a bath, as we say here. Having the A**e go A-over-T provided some much-needed cheer.

Bit preoccupied of late after Cibatrix had a fall last week, spraining ankle and knee of an already-dodgy leg. No bones broken, but lots of rest needed, so I'm "it" for now in this house.

<Deus Ex Machina> You have it exactly. Here is some rare home video footage of my family eh:

<Cibator> I am sorry to hear about <Cibatrix>. Luckily you are both still Roman government officials? I haven't gotten around to googling that but it sounds Latin to me eh.

<Arse> = "The Arsenal" or "Gunners" amirite.

VIZ Magazine gave them a shoutout 30 years ago with their immortal news article ARSES ON PEWS, in which they suggested the church should offer an open bar and strippers to "improve attendance."

<Bob Dylan and the Band with friends eh>

<Tiggler> The disgruntled Dylan fan phenomenon ensured that The Band would not play to an audience who cheered for them until after the <Highway 61> tour ended.

It was Bill Graham who first put them before an appreciative audience at The Winterland in San Francisco, after the Dylan tour ended.

<Tiggler> They certainly did have some nice friends, with perhaps Eric Clapton the most devoted. He visited The Band's house/studio in Woodstock, New York, with the intention of asking if he could join the group.

Fittingly, Clapton introduced The Band on their induction in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Levon Helm boycotted the ceremony over a dispute with Robbie Robertson over song royalties, but that didn't stop Clapton from delivering this heartfelt, and accurate speech:

<Robbie Robertson>