DAM

So are you leaving us DAM or have you had a change of heart after DornochCaleys apology ?

Yes, and this is my final comment on the matter. I applaud DornochCaley for being big enough to apologise, which is more than I can say for the village idiot who influenced him.

When priests stop molesting young boys I might have more sympathy. You don't honestly believe that no-one in the Vatican, even the Pope, did not know what was going on for years.

It may surprise you to learn but its not only priests who molest. Should the queen have known when ministers of her church were convicted of peadophile acts. Because they have, as have sunday school teachers, BB leaders etc, etc.

It does not surprise me at all but it was never as widespread and swept under the carpet. I would never go out of my way to go and see or respect anyone who turned a blind eye to that filth. Perhaps my morals are higher than yours.

DAM, you are very wrong and very blinded by sensationalist journalism, more especially in a country where religious wrong doings are the main story of the day. Children are molested, and worse, every day of the week. There is no class, creed or religious bias to whom or what the perpetrators abide by. They are evil, vile people and they come from catholic, protestant, hindu, islamic, jewish and every other faith under the sun. Yes the catholic church tried to cover up. They tried to deal with it without involving the law. We all know that was the wrong way. But thats great with hindsight. They thought they were doing the right thing.

Nobody knows who isn't or who is a paedophile. It could be your next door neighbour. It could be your local copper. It could even be your babysitter.

Its very obvious to me what side of the divide you come from and I don't really care but, one word of warning, If you have children don't ever believe that only catholic priests can harm them.

Relinquish your blinded bigotry and see the word for what it really is.

What i wanted to say, but i'm not intellegent enough to say it that way :P

DornochCaley, let me assure you that in my case Alex has got it completely wrong, I am not a bigot and it hurts to be labelled as such. I couldn't care less what religion anyone is, some of my friends are practicing Catholics and we seldom discuss each others beliefs. As regards my comments about the Pope, and the Queen, I was only airing my opinions. I was not decrying the followers of the Catholic Faith apart from some of the Priests, not all of them. If I was a bigot why would I go to Parkhead to watch Celtic play Dundee United when I am not a United fan? You have never heard me slagging off Celtic, Rangers, Ross County or any other team on this site. I go to (hopefully) watch good football, that's all I am interested in. I even go to watch the juniors in Aberdeen. Peoples religion is their business, not mine so all I am saying is don't believe Alex MacLeod's inaccurate and awful label of bigotry that he has attached to me. He has never met me and obviously doesn't know the true me.

I know that I have not contributed much to the site but have enjoyed reading some of the posts on this site including yours but being labelled a bigot is the last straw for me. I will await your reply and then I will leave this site for good. Do you wonder why so many previous posters have deserted? It is not the site it used to be.

Fair enough. I apologise

Fair play to you DC, thanks.

When priests stop molesting young boys I might have more sympathy. You don't honestly believe that no-one in the Vatican, even the Pope, did not know what was going on for years.

It may surprise you to learn but its not only priests who molest. Should the queen have known when ministers of her church were convicted of peadophile acts. Because they have, as have sunday school teachers, BB leaders etc, etc.

It does not surprise me at all but it was never as widespread and swept under the carpet. I would never go out of my way to go and see or respect anyone who turned a blind eye to that filth. Perhaps my morals are higher than yours.

DAM, you are very wrong and very blinded by sensationalist journalism, more especially in a country where religious wrong doings are the main story of the day. Children are molested, and worse, every day of the week. There is no class, creed or religious bias to whom or what the perpetrators abide by. They are evil, vile people and they come from catholic, protestant, hindu, islamic, jewish and every other faith under the sun. Yes the catholic church tried to cover up. They tried to deal with it without involving the law. We all know that was the wrong way. But thats great with hindsight. They thought they were doing the right thing.

Nobody knows who isn't or who is a paedophile. It could be your next door neighbour. It could be your local copper. It could even be your babysitter.

Its very obvious to me what side of the divide you come from and I don't really care but, one word of warning, If you have children don't ever believe that only catholic priests can harm them.

Relinquish your blinded bigotry and see the word for what it really is.

What i wanted to say, but i'm not intellegent enough to say it that way :021:

DornochCaley, let me assure you that in my case Alex has got it completely wrong, I am not a bigot and it hurts to be labelled as such. I couldn't care less what religion anyone is, some of my friends are practicing Catholics and we seldom discuss each others beliefs. As regards my comments about the Pope, and the Queen, I was only airing my opinions. I was not decrying the followers of the Catholic Faith apart from some of the Priests, not all of them. If I was a bigot why would I go to Parkhead to watch Celtic play Dundee United when I am not a United fan? You have never heard me slagging off Celtic, Rangers, Ross County or any other team on this site. I go to (hopefully) watch good football, that's all I am interested in. I even go to watch the juniors in Aberdeen. Peoples religion is their business, not mine so all I am saying is don't believe Alex MacLeod's inaccurate and awful label of bigotry that he has attached to me. He has never met me and obviously doesn't know the true me.

I know that I have not contributed much to the site but have enjoyed reading some of the posts on this site including yours but being labelled a bigot is the last straw for me. I will await your reply and then I will leave this site for good. Do you wonder why so many previous posters have deserted? It is not the site it used to be.

When priests stop molesting young boys I might have more sympathy. You don't honestly believe that no-one in the Vatican, even the Pope, did not know what was going on for years.

It may surprise you to learn but its not only priests who molest. Should the queen have known when ministers of her church were convicted of peadophile acts. Because they have, as have sunday school teachers, BB leaders etc, etc.

It does not surprise me at all but it was never as widespread and swept under the carpet. I would never go out of my way to go and see or respect anyone who turned a blind eye to that filth. Perhaps my morals are higher than yours.

DAM, you are very wrong and very blinded by sensationalist journalism, more especially in a country where religious wrong doings are the main story of the day. Children are molested, and worse, every day of the week. There is no class, creed or religious bias to whom or what the perpetrators abide by. They are evil, vile people and they come from catholic, protestant, hindu, islamic, jewish and every other faith under the sun. Yes the catholic church tried to cover up. They tried to deal with it without involving the law. We all know that was the wrong way. But thats great with hindsight. They thought they were doing the right thing.

Nobody knows who isn't or who is a paedophile. It could be your next door neighbour. It could be your local copper. It could even be your babysitter.

Its very obvious to me what side of the divide you come from and I don't really care but, one word of warning, If you have children don't ever believe that only catholic priests can harm them.

Relinquish your blinded bigotry and see the word for what it really is.

If you are insinuating that I am anti-Catholic by your "what side of the divide you come from" you are 100% wrong and I suggest you get your facts right before coming out with something like that. I am not here to start an arguement with you or anyone else so grow up. I put my personal opinion in my first post, you have put yours which I have accepted - they are opinions, that is all they are as far as I am concerned. As Scotty says, no mud slinging. By the way I am more worldly wise than you obviously give me credit me for so save your lectures for someone else.

When priests stop molesting young boys I might have more sympathy. You don't honestly believe that no-one in the Vatican, even the Pope, did not know what was going on for years.

It may surprise you to learn but its not only priests who molest. Should the queen have known when ministers of her church were convicted of peadophile acts. Because they have, as have sunday school teachers, BB leaders etc, etc.

It does not surprise me at all but it was never as widespread and swept under the carpet. I would never go out of my way to go and see or respect anyone who turned a blind eye to that filth. Perhaps my morals are higher than yours.

Sad people - "flock from all corners of Britain". I wouldn't step over my doorstep to get a glimpe of the Pope, or the Queen for that matter.

Your opinion. One that is not shared by millions of people. Some of those millions may just be saying, "Sad people - "flock from all corners of Britian". I wouldn't step over my doorstep to get a glimpse of Ross Tokely, or ICT for that matter".

Poor comparison!

Only the second ever papal visit and the first for almost 30 years and people are protesting. The Pope, as leader of the Catholic church and head of state of the Vatican, has been invited by the leader of the English church and head of state of the UK to visit Britian. Why should we not afford him maximum protection at our cost.

The Queen and her family travel all over the world and are given security and protection at no cost to the UK. Our parliamentarians are afforded the same security on their dubious trips abroad so why protest against us providing the same hospitality.

Some say the total cost may be around ?20 million, some of which will be met by the Catholic church, but nobody has yet mentioned the millions this visit will make for Glasgow, Coventry and London with people flocking from all corners of Britian and beyond just for a glimpse.

To me the protesting smacks of no more than downright religious bigotry and does nothing in the fight for world peace and goodwill.

Incidently, I have no religious leanings.

Sad people - "flock from all corners of Britain". I wouldn't step over my doorstep to get a glimpe of the Pope, or the Queen for that matter.

Hardly sad. as Alex said, thats your opinion. Mine is that its good to have anyone like this coming to Britain. Considering he is the most famous person in the world after all

When priests stop molesting young boys I might have more sympathy. You don't honestly believe that no-one in the Vatican, even the Pope, did not know what was going on for years.

Only the second ever papal visit and the first for almost 30 years and people are protesting. The Pope, as leader of the Catholic church and head of state of the Vatican, has been invited by the leader of the English church and head of state of the UK to visit Britian. Why should we not afford him maximum protection at our cost.

The Queen and her family travel all over the world and are given security and protection at no cost to the UK. Our parliamentarians are afforded the same security on their dubious trips abroad so why protest against us providing the same hospitality.

Some say the total cost may be around ?20 million, some of which will be met by the Catholic church, but nobody has yet mentioned the millions this visit will make for Glasgow, Coventry and London with people flocking from all corners of Britian and beyond just for a glimpse.

To me the protesting smacks of no more than downright religious bigotry and does nothing in the fight for world peace and goodwill.

Incidently, I have no religious leanings.

Sad people - "flock from all corners of Britain". I wouldn't step over my doorstep to get a glimpe of the Pope, or the Queen for that matter.

Think about it -

Less drivers + no bad drivers (ie - 95% of women) = crashless society.

And that would also knock old women drivers out too (the worst of them all).

Haha!! I don't think women are bad drivers, I just think you assume that it is a women in the car. For example, the amount of times my husband says whilst driving ' that stupid woman' and it's a man that is driving, then he denies it!

I also think that old drivers in general are a pain, not just old women drivers!

I'll side with you MrsICTFC - my wife is an excellent driver but don't tell her I said that!

I too have a blue badge as my step-son is registered disabled and his balance is sometime off, but I rarely use it when I'm on my own - the cases that I do, I am either dropping off or picking up my step-son from his respite carer.

I too have spoken to people using bays when without a blue badge, but usually it ends in myself being in the wrong - how that happens i dont know...

You'll note from my original post that I did say the LRRR in front followed all the rules of the road; although i didnt notice if he/she had his/her seatbelt on.

There's a guy i've come accross on a few occasions that seems to think he owns the A96 between Narin and Inverness. Three or four times I've had this bloke right on my tail - he drives a silver 4x4 type vehicle (think it's a mitsubishi) and always has an old lady in the passenger seat. You'll soon notice him when he signals hand gestures because you're not quite over the needle!!! Tosher

Just ease off the gas and make him wait, that'll p!ss him off even more.

Johnboy, with your repetitive moans about BBC Alba you are becoming a boring old fart.

Well done, DAM....

Shame you can't come up with anything more constructive than that.

I'll try and be more constructive then. I think we're quite fortunate to be able to see live football and I side with Alba for that. Personally I find the commentators quite irritating and I simply hit the mute button irrespective of which language is spoken including English. I prefer to follow the action without sound - I know where the ball should be going, I can see a mis-placed pass, a good save or whatever. I can read the game, I don't need some self-styled "expert" to explain events to me. For anyone who follows football I can't understand for the life of me why the likes of Alan Hanson has to explain to me what I have just watched. The exception is radio commentary obviously. I don't complain to some Spanish or Arabic channel just because I don't understand the language. I just happen to think you're reading too much into Gaelic commentary.

By the way, don't take my previous comment to heart.

Just finished watching a recording of Dundee/QoS. Queens were very hard done by with the penalty and sending off, but did really well to stop Dee getting all three points. Big thanks to them - could have done us a massive favour with that hard fought point.

Still bugs me watching/listening to these Gaelic pratts chunter away in a language that sounds remarkably like Swahili, but yet can revert to perfect Queen's English, when interviewing the likes of Chisholm, Brannigan or Alex Rae.

Why not just do the whole feckin thing in English?

I'm writing to the BBC to complain that they're discriminating against English speaking football fans with this crap.

JB what's up?

Used to agree with you nearly all the time but now your sounded like a very unhappy chappie with alarming regularity. Accept the fact that Gaelic is part of our culture, a big part for many, and be happy that at long last something is being done to promote the language for those who care.

Oh and stop being so crabbit :004:

Thanks for the support - I like JB really!

Just finished watching a recording of Dundee/QoS. Queens were very hard done by with the penalty and sending off, but did really well to stop Dee getting all three points. Big thanks to them - could have done us a massive favour with that hard fought point.

Still bugs me watching/listening to these Gaelic pratts chunter away in a language that sounds remarkably like Swahili, but yet can revert to perfect Queen's English, when interviewing the likes of Chisholm, Brannigan or Alex Rae.

Why not just do the whole feckin thing in English?

I'm writing to the BBC to complain that they're discriminating against English speaking football fans with this crap.

Johnboy, with your repetitive moans about BBC Alba you are becoming a boring old fart.

Keep searching mateys! B)

Hmmm, suggests a maritime connection.... :024:

Thats's what I was thinking. Maybe someone had him over a barrel giving him the "golden rivet" on the poop deck?

Much as I might be tempted to take a swipe at politicians, I don't think this is actually anybody's fault, with the possible exception of the likes of Fred Goodwin. Simply we are (hopefully) emerging from a recession and part of that cycle is severe restriction of public finances. For instance Greece is almost broke.

Outwith the Council Tax, the Councils get their money from Holyrood which gets a block grant from Westminster which is having to cut back on everything for the reasons stated above.

One worry is economists. One large group is saying cut NOW, another is saying don't cut for another year. Two questions arise. To what extent are these groups of economists simply singing from the hymnsheet of their chosen political party? And do economists in general actually have a clue about what the hell is happening if they are as divided as that?

Salmond and his mates, of course, take every opportunity to use this as an excuse to pick another fight with Westminster because it is in their political interest to make another attempt to make Westminster look bad.

Basically there is no money about whatever party would be in power wherever and I suppose the public concern has to be that the cuts which Highland Council have to make will in fact be made as painlessly as possible and in areas where the least loss of amenity results to the smallest number of people.

It's not a case of Salmond picking another fight with Westminster, he is fighting for Scotland which is more than any politician of any other party has ever done in my lifetime.

With the government looking to make cuts, it looks like it could hit the Highlands more than anyone else. There have been reports that Golspie and Tains Gym and Leasure complex' will be shutting down. Also Alness pool. That would leave people from those areas severly lacking in sport facilities. In a time where the Government is pushing for Healthy living from young and old alike, and in a time where the young of the Highlands are asking for more things to do, they end up taking away. I can fully understand making cuts, but not to things which mean so much to Highland communities. In our school, we need to travel to Golspie to go swimming. With that and Tain shut, where are we to go? Its a descrace. If they did not spend millions on creating more needless offices ect in Golspie and the likes, then such severe cuts would not be needed. The HC need a boot up the arse.

It's not just Highland Council, Aberdeen and Moray are in the same boat not to mention other Councils.

This is almost certainly complete horses***, but I thought I'd stick it in anyway, as it purports to come from a source within Ibrox and because I'm bored and looking for responses...

Apparently, according to one the current Rangers under-19 team, if the new Willis-backed consortium buys out David Murray, their preferred management team would be Souness with Butcher and Stuart McCall as backroom staff. There are so many what ifs about this that it is barely worthy of webspace; especially because about the last person to have any real idea of what might be going on at the top levels at Ibrox would be a youth player. All the same, you can understand why a new administration would see the appeal of having Butcher as part of the set-up.

I said, on here, that Butcher would be at Rangers yet. I think it was around the time that Butcher's name was linked to ICT or shortly after he took the job.

English

Ach its all banter. Hardly Racist because you dont like the team!

How can the Mods allow some like this to be said on these forums. Whether you agree with it or not in the eyes of Johnny Lawman, its racist.

As for the ABE thing, its merely "chip on the shoulder" Scots showing how narrow minded they are...Is this the 21st century or what?

You're talking out your arse.

That's what I like to see, a well thought out, informative, unbaised post from one of the more educated, broadminded posters.

Reason for edit, I removed an unfair comment as DAM is normally quite fair in his postings. It's just this one he's talking out his a*se.

Oz, thanks for that. My comment was more in frustration rather than anything else. A lot of people nowadays don't really know what rascism really is especially in this neck of the woods. I went to Birmingham as a 16 year old many, many years ago and us Scots were looked down on as second class citizens and that was made pretty obvious even by my workmates. I shrugged the comments off or gave back what I received. I'm afraid the Brummies didn't like that but it was ok for them to slag everyone else off. The Southern Irish got more than their fair share of it. On saturday nights the "entertainment" for some was to go "Paki-bashing" and coming from Scotland I couldn't understand why it should be like that. Another example of English bias was in plays and films 99% of the time the "drunk" was portrayed as a Scotsman and never English. I am being honest with my comments, I am still in touch with some of my English friends after all these years. One of them moved to Aberdeen years ago, married a local lass and he even admitted that moving up here opened his eyes for him in regards to the crap he listened to down south. This is a two way thing the English are no innocents.

Like yourself, I also served in the Armed Forces and there certainly was a degree of "rascism" there and we had to develop a thick skin as you will know. I have no doubt that you are a decent bloke so don't let it get to you. If I met you on Academy Street tomorrow you could call me a Scottish ****** and I would not be offended, I would laugh it off and buy you a pint!

English :004:

Ach its all banter. Hardly Racist because you dont like the team!

How can the Mods allow some like this to be said on these forums. Whether you agree with it or not in the eyes of Johnny Lawman, its racist.

As for the ABE thing, its merely "chip on the shoulder" Scots showing how narrow minded they are...Is this the 21st century or what?

You're talking out your arse.

I can still mind when the old Highland buses went along the High Street.

I remember when the High Street had two way traffic.

What I want to know is why the English media seem to think it is compulsory for us Scots to support the English team if we're not there? After all France is a neighbour of theirs but they wouldnt support them would they? Back on topic I think someone has lost their sense of humour but I bet they sell lots after all this publicity.

But there's a difference. Like it or not, England and Scotland are part of the United Kingdom whilst France is not. People from other countries find it difficult to understand why the four "Home Nations" have separate football teams rather than a single UK team as we do in the Olympics. It is a very strange arrangement and really we all ought to be behind a single UK national side. But for some reason the UK is allowed to field 4 sides and as part of a so called "united" kingdom, it is not unreasonable to expect that the bonds that unite the 4 nations would mean that we would support each other.

As things stand, England is a part of the same political state as Scotland and by supporting England you are supporting a team that is part of the same political state you belong to - that seems a reasonable thing to expect people to do. If Scotland was an independent nation then things would be different. Believing Scotland should be independent is a good reason for not supporting England but is not a good reason for wanting anybody else but England to win.

Of course the English media go OTT on the the hype and that can be irritating - but so what? Let them get on with it and good luck to them. If Scotland had a team with any chance of a good showing on the world stage there would be just as much hype.

If you can't wish your neighbours well it is a little bit sad. After all, we're more than neighbours -we share the same house!

Could you see England supporting Wales if they were in the World Cup - I don't think so, and there certainly would be no such thing as a UK national team, it would be made up of all English players and domonated by English politics for one thing. Keep politics out of football.

"**** the English wankers" is not banter it is racist and it is offensive. Especially coming from DornochCaley given his stance on all things English. (From previous "chats")

I wouldn't worry about that, studies have shown than children of that age often start with a more radical view point and grow in to sanity as they get older.

Radical I can handle mate, vile blatent hatred is a bit harder but I can see where you're coming from. :huh:

C'mon now Oz, don't be so sensitive. It's rivalry and banter. People use the word rascist far too readily nowadays. I have had to listen to things like "jock scum" and "jock c***s when I was working in England. I just shrugged it off. Believe me in England there is far more animosity towards the Scots than vice versa.

Dam,

Believe me mate I'm not the sensitive type. After 22 yrs in the army I have learnt to tell the difference between banter and hatred. I have lived with all nationalities, be it "Jocks", "Taffs", "Paddys" or any of the other diverse range of people that I have come into contact with. I have lived with the Falkland Islanders, The Bosnians, Germans, Cypriots, Spanish, Danish, Canadians, Australians, South Africans, etc etc etc. Some of the above nationalities have experienced real racism and hatred. During this time however I have also experienced great banter between the different countries. My point is I believe that I can pretty much tell banter from plain hatred and nastiness. Most on here have a normal outlook on the English and their team ie: Don't really care about the former and want the latter to get beaten every game. That is normal and I have no probs with that, unfortunately there are the odd few that carry a deep resentment towards the English in general and find the need to vent this whenever possible. This I find offensive and sometimes falls into the racist area (**** the English wankers).

If I was to say (and I wouldn't dream of it) "**** you Scottish pr1cks" would you not find it offensive or would you think it was banter? Now before you answer, take into account the person saying it is well known for his anti everything views and his quickness to belittle people.

Anyway ref your experience with the English, you obviously need to hang out with a better class of people. B)

But I do hang out with a "better class of people" - they're Scottish! You left yourself wide open for that one, now FFS don't label me rascist!

"**** the English wankers" is not banter it is racist and it is offensive. Especially coming from DornochCaley given his stance on all things English. (From previous "chats")

I wouldn't worry about that, studies have shown than children of that age often start with a more radical view point and grow in to sanity as they get older.

Radical I can handle mate, vile blatent hatred is a bit harder but I can see where you're coming from. :022:

C'mon now Oz, don't be so sensitive. It's rivalry and banter. People use the word rascist far too readily nowadays. I have had to listen to things like "jock scum" and "jock c***s when I was working in England. I just shrugged it off. Believe me in England there is far more animosity towards the Scots than vice versa.

Its not racist in the slightest. Saying you dont want someone to win as a joke isn't racist is it? Or has the world become so ridiculously PC that we are not allowed to make comment on anything in case we offend?

England are Scotlands main rivals therefore it is natural that we dont want them to do well. Forget all the belittling comments from the media and ancient abuse on our land. Its pure and simple rivalry.

Of course we gloat about the fact we beat them in 67. We were the 1st team to play them and beat them post winning the World cup. " We won the world cup in 66'" " yeah, then we beat you!" Beating world champions for a team that Im not sure even qualified for the 66 tournament is no mean feat. And its even bigger considering its our fierce rivals.

Does any ICT fan ever want County to do well? Would we not find it more amusing seeing them crash and burn?

Do Everton fans call for Liverpool to win them premiership?

It's a little dig at not wanting the English team to do well. Its half hearted at best.

Really no point reading more into it.

On one note though, the publicity will have done wonders for their business.

This is the most sensible post on here so far.

Abso-fecking-lutely the right decision. There is no way to see the selection of Terry for the squad as anything other than wrong.

Hear! hear!