Scarlet Pimple

So what's your view of West Ham these days. Pretty sprightly and spirited team these days eh? Went up north a week ago and handily whooped ...?

of Kintail?

i.e. "Photos and Videos" ...then " Wonder Reels"....then select the picture with the words "the Dopamine Rush" printed on it. Go to bottom left of picture when it opens and select the white arrow link in the bottom left corner to start the video.

The MLS refs are a wee bit too hasty to blow for, and award, fouls . The players are equally far too quick to make these fouls , especially when it is a spot where danger near the goal is apparent. The cynicism and lack of demonstrating that they know the difference between right and wrong is significant in this league. It's all about money and little about ..."let the best man win". So refs blow for every small or big infraction. A shoulder charge is usually milked for everything as if his heart has been attacked with a machete.The lack of rectitude and correctness in the attitudes of both teams bothers me so much that I just get fed up watching it. The best ref I saw at a Whitecaps game in Vancouver was a South American who was big and brawny, but very cool, quiet and decisive. He brooked no arguments and made it very clear right from the start that the infraction was real and the guy who made the challenge needed to stop whining like a wee *****, accept it and get in with it. So what happened was that you rarely saw the ref after that and the game progressed with little chirps of the whistle to a satisfying conclusion. Talking to the players extensively is useless but in this case his steady, quiet and completely unruffled demeanour sent a clear message that he was in charge and they had better understand it. Willie seems to be a bit of a histrionic nut but he did a good job of the Final for both teams and he may get very much better as time progresses. Like my South American laddie he kept his whistle tone down and did what a ref is supposed to do, interfere as little as possible and maybe keep the heid a lot more. I think the players respond to that since they know that he really wants a fair game for both sides.

Seems as if perhaps someone with influence has it in for Young storey. Maybe , as a result , his confidence is shot Could need.N a motivator - - like J.H. ?

If you don't end up with sweaty palms and a higher heart rate and teeth clenched then check your pulse because you may be dead: Warning --this is not for the faint-hearted. Like me..... http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/pwdr-stash?tags=Wonder+Reels&media=Videos&page=2 Then click on "Photos and Videos" on the right. Then scroll down through the picture video links until you find this one on the right side. The titles are on each picture link.

Thanks IBM. Thought so because Aldourie Castle was always in my mind as a very romantic view as you travel down the Loch on the West side. Now all I have to do to make my day is wait for IHE to respond about the hiking--maybe these mountains are in the lake District, or Coolins of Skye or maybe even In Western Canada where I have done my share of hiking and that makes sense as to why he is asking. Smile. Even the very local ski mountains are so high that we have to be transported up to the top of he slopes in a Gondola which is quite a breathtaking ride. I will see if I can find a photo of the one on Grouse Mountain which overlooks Vancouver City. Night skiing there was F-A-N-tastic. Only a few people on the mountain, the crackle and hiss of the icy snow under the skis, then a stop to view the city lights stretching out for miles way below you. Strangely enough, when the snow freezes at night it doesn't make it more unsafe to ski because the skis, if the edges are sharpened as they should be, carve through the snow rather than slipping and sliding. The sensation of speed for me was always enhanced at night due to the darkened slopes. Them were the days. Whistler /Blackcomb mountain complex, about 90 Kilometers up the coast road from Vancouver, is the largest ski resort in North America. On opening day recently they had about 20,000 - 30,000 skiers on the mountain. At night they use under lights on the front of the grooming machines that have a candle power so bright that it is about half the power of the light on the sun. This power is needed to ensure that the driver does not go over the edge of some of the runs which would mean instant death over the cliff. The complex uses 30 machines with their own maintenance yard right there on site.They can do incredible things using highly tensioned,stressed cables manufactured to incredible tolerances and, needless to say, very strong indeed attached to the rear of the snow sweepers and then to a machine at the top of the mountain to ensure that the groomer does not get out of control and plunge downwards on the steep grades. To traverse back up the mountain sides they just reverse the ride and the cable pulls them back up. These 35-foot long huge groomers also use bombs and detonators to get rid of dangerous cornices that, if they were to break loose, could trigger an avalanche below possibly killing patrons! So, an inspection is made every skiing work day during the Winter to identify possible dangerous cornices and embankments that need close attention. Ulp. Cost of these massive grooming machines which are used to make the Olympic runs as smooth as a baby's bottom? - don't ask. And that's part of the reason why a day out on the mountain costs quite a dollar including the cost of gas to get up there and back from the city. If you are a keen skier then the best thing is to buy a season ticket, I suppose, which will give you best value for money. But--check this out chums..wow! http://www.lastfrontierheli.com/ Standard skiing is usually on groomed runs so that so long as you can keep your balance and remain in control there is little to fear. In powder, however, instead of leaning forward you lean back and let the skiis float in the powder which can be metres deep and it's a blast. But you can check this out too.. http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/ --for the nutcases you can seek out the VIDEOS and the thrills.

He is also very young and by no means a seasoned p[layer. So can we actually imagine that Celtic are so bereft of top class players that they will immediately shove him into the first team? More likely that he will be blooded in the second team and /or sitting on the bench for the most part. The Tulloch Stadium is a far cry from Celtic park where thousands od supporters will give him a break for about 6 weeks, tops, before coming down on the club like a ton of bricks if he does not live up to the hype.. That is a very large stage and the punters will give him his chance until they feel he has been thrown into the first team too soon. Then what? His dad is correct in advising him to stay with Caley Thistle for the time being and after another couple of years he should be worth a lot more money to the club if they get further bids. Right now it does appear as if the club is not not exactly on the rocks financially-speaking, so what's the big rush? Especially when his staying is more likely to help the team than the trade.

Er.....maybe aye, maybe och aye if you tell me where are. IHE?

Eh, what? Good at history and good at splitting hairs as well methinks. A well rounded lad is oor Charlie. The last thing I'm therefore going to do now is mention Sir William Wallace. But is it true that one time in his earlier days he was fleeing on his hoss from a posse of English sojers and outnumbered mightily. After many hours riding hard, he gets fed up , stops his horse and faces up to the hordes behind. Unsheathing his broadsword he leaves 20-25 dead or dying troopers in his wake as he remounts and escapes into the twilight. What a guy. Me?-it's his hoss I feel sorry for....

Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw how young the driver was ---then remembered I was not living in the U K and now drive on the "other side" of the road.

Isn't that the one you can see when going South along Loch Ness on the West side of the water?

So, Chas, it's true then that the video I saw of the Queen as a young lady in Germany giving the Nazi salute in a back garden of a monster residence beside her sister was not a fake....... Oh I did make a mistake about the Hanoverian--my mind was just stuck on the Duke of Cumberland ,who crucified our past relatives at Culloden and the aftermath thereof, and was a direct relative of the then King of England who was a Hanoverian ( I think)--these two words I always put in just to cover my Irish).Gotta hand it to you, Chas--your grasp of history, when divulged, is awesome.

Charlie--I viewed a very interesting video documentary recently on the pursuits of the Royal family when they came up to Balmoral over the years. Apparently, Hanoverian Philip was one of the most bloodthirsty deer killers in Europe. His blood lust seemingly was matched only by his bad temper and arrogance and any toff who went to Balmoral for a weekend or such angered him greatly if they refused his inevitable invitation to accompany him on his glorious trail of death and triumph. When the deer were scarce he went after the grouse. He was so proud of his vicious accomplishments that he insisted on loading the dinner table on a daily basis with his "kills" and 'delighted' his guests by interjecting during the meal that he hoped they all were enjoying the feast since they were eating his killings. As Prince Charles grew up and was introduced to the noble sport he became not only a good shot but took an equal delight in crowing about his successes. I am not sure that Charles' two sons are quite as enthusiastic as he was but at least one did, apparently, and fitted the role of the aristocratic set by which they identified themselves as superior beings by killing indiscriminately. One regular visitor to the August establishment, (Ballyhooimmoral), complained that he had to tramp 4 miles to finish off one stag since the role of being a gentleman killer demanded of this courtesy to the noble stag before he expired either from blood loss or just sheer exhaustion. Don't get me started, eh Charles......?

IHE and IBM That must be a well looked-after Austin 10? Eh?

IHE I hate it when you ask a question and don't get an answer.........so here goes. yes I do but I wasn't as clever as you reviewing your effort and looking at your thoughtful use of creases and design. But the brown paper rings a bell or two. During the war it was on books and in the bathroom.... wartime, and the succeeding years afterwards, justified anything to save resources.

Brilliant photo IHE. The soldier on the extreme left is impressed by the support from the crowd. A year later he would not be smiling...i.e. if he had survived the carnage..... My 3 uncles MacBean were all in the Camerons and the youngest was killed in in northern France at the age of 19. One other was wounded but never mentioned it back here at home and my other uncle was also badly wounded and remained with a permanently injured hip for the rest of his life without a word escaping from his lips that I ever heard, either about the wounds or the war. My father was also in the 1st World war...a machine gun sergeant at age 19..... but somehow survived. His buddy beside him got a bullet right through the forehead, from a sniper presumably. That's the only thing I ever heard him say about his years of experiences in the trenches . Apart form his comments about the Home Guard night training crawling about in Tomnahurich cemetery which, for him, I think was a real challenge since he was much older and war experienced by then.

Is Motumbo the lad with the black curly hair and the higher work rate but tries to beat far too many players in the opposing team's penalty area close to goal and seems too keen to hog the ball instead of trying to get crosses over into the box etc? Maybe that's because there are too few ICT players in the box to see whom to pass or they are all bunched together and surrounded by the opposing team's players? Whatever, the highlights seem to show a home team who are at least trying but just not enough flair or outright skill to even get close to scoring. Balls past the post or over the bar type of thing. Christie must have been very closely marked because he seems to have disappeared? I've only the highlights to go by in general terms for our matches but if we don't, or can't, get players with verve and skill right deep into the box how are we going to get a real chance at scoring. The Whitecaps scored a winning goal yesterday (they are top of the Western Conference in the NASL) with a brilliant back heeler right close to the goalie in a packed penalty area from a hard grounded cross into the box from a hard-working winger. And Scotty's team, scored 5 at home yesterday I think. The NASL is really looking up, more very skilled and hard working South American players and the pace level has risen dramatically. What with the huge crows constantly making a bedlam of noise it's all very exciting.

If Vigurs does the business then his past escapades, etc., will soon be forgotten. Needs must when the Devil drives. Or........ self-interest is a great driver of the chariot. ...Marcus Testiculous A.D. 156. Incidentally a great believer in live balls , not dead ones.

Are there going to be any highlights shown via this site this season? I can't find event the "Reports" link any more. ....what has happened to that ;link? Ict U tube is great but takes so long for video highlights to be posted on there that we have generally moved on from the present to the future by the time it happens?

Thanks Roughi Was trying to find the video. That was not a bad match at all.!

If I. Vigurs was one who was wont to say "After you Claude" frequently , the naysayers would be down on him for being too gentlemanly and too soft. So let's embrace the fact that the guy has spirit and is willing to employ it and display it to help his team win matches. Whether he is controversial or not, then SO WHAT, EH? He is on our team and I would rather he played with me than agin me. Rummel them up Iain, we want action. ....... Remember...no prisoners!

Charles. Good one! Finally you made me laugh out loud.

Common sense and good post Bughtmaster. Surely we can give Mr.Hughes just a WEE chance to settle a disrupted team. Remember the negativity thrown his way by some posters at the start of his tenure here and how well he shattered all that baloney by hard work, sticking to his policy and plan and getting the players to buy into his beliefs. So much so that we then end up with the Scottish Cup. No!!!!!!! Rome wasn't built in a day and it's not his fault at all that so many valuable players left all at once.

And if we did get such a sum of money what would happen to it--placed in the rainy day fund or used cautiously to bolster J.H's squad? A half and half situation might work well, eh?