absent friend

A man enters a bar and orders a drink. The bar has a robot bartender. The robot serves him a perfectly prepared cocktail, and then asks him, "What's your IQ?" The man replies "150" and the robot proceeds to make conversation about global warming factors, quantum physics and spirituality, biomimicry, environmental interconnectedness, string theory, nano-technology, and sexual proclivities. ( He was a pal of Canada Bob) The customer is very impressed and thinks, "This is really cool." He decides to test the robot. He walks out of the bar, turns around, and comes back in for another drink. Again, the robot serves him the perfectly prepared drink and asks him, "What's your IQ?" The man responds, "about a 100. Immediately the robot starts talking, but this time, about football, Bathurst1000, cricket, supermodels, favourite fast foods, guns, and women's breasts. ( He knew IHE) Really impressed, the man leaves the bar and decides to give the robot one more test. He returns, the robot serves him and asks, "What's your IQ?" The man replies, "Er, 50, I think." And the robot says... real slowly................... So................'iyi gonnae follow The Rangers again this year?'

Whats Charles going to be doing? I'm sure Charles scored many's a time - not for the Caley but in the Caley!

There's got to be money to be made by abusing this ?2,000 car subsidy scheme. Surely all you need is a dodgy car dealership (which shouldn't be difficult) who will split the money with you for completing the paperwork without any cars really changing hands. No doubt, if there is a will there is a way, or is that, if there is a Pound to be made ... When you received a replacement windscreen for your car, without losing any no claims discount on your insurance policy, many small garage repairs went through as windscreen replacement, paid for by your insurer. The insurance industry woke up to this when twice as many windscreens were being put into cars in comparison to the amount being manufactured. No doubt this time it will be twice as many ?2000 cheques as new cars being sold!

It would be interesting if someone could sticky yesterdays article from the Record about Rossco, by Butcher, onto this thread. I cannot do that - too stupid! It was an amazing frank statement about a dedicated pro, by his manager and must leave Rossco in a great position for salary negotations at seasons end.

What I find damning is that, if you or I, in front of a policeman, hit someone, you would be arrested on the spot. However, a policeman hits a member of the public, in front of policemen and not one policeman makes a move to subdue him, never mind arrest him! There has to be a inquiry to identify him - he was watched by his policeman pals for Heavens sake! There has to be an inquiry to establish if he did wrong - he was watched by his policeman pals for Heavens sake! A law for one and a law for the rest of us.

I agree with your sentiment - the spies within! How else can you have posters on here, post Saturday, wanting Rossco, man of the match, axed from our team. Surely a cunning ruse by fans of our fellow struggling teams to undermine confidence of even our best players. The campaign to undermine the confidence of DZ from within ('he will make a mistake') also comes into this category but maybe less cunning. Be like Dad, keep Mum, unless you have a positive point to offer on this thread.

Could not agree more! How often on Saturday Alex, did our left back collect the ball, run it out of defence and start shouting for players to go onto the wing to give him options. If they are not on the wing for him, they are not on the wing to cross the ball and therein is the problem. Scoring goals through the middle is difficult - defence facing the ball, favourites, the forwards having to gather and turn, difficult. Ball crossed from byeline, forwards facing goal and the defenders now have to collect and turn, roles reversed. We appear to be relaying on our two backs to get up the field and cross the ball and it goes without saying that they will cross it from nearer the centre line than the bye line, to return to their positions and this therefore leaves the defenders in prime position to clear it. We need a 'beat your man' winger - now if I remember correctly we had one of those.

I agree , Rosco works hard & gives his all ?????????? Did you watch him on Saturday? I watched him during the entire match and he had a hard day at the office! The question is - did you watch Sone Aluka? Pure class! On his Saturday form he would have had any right back on toast! Saturday does not make Rossco any better or worse than he was but it was a delight to watch a talent like Aluka gracing the park. I did however feel that due to this talent our central defenders should have offered more cover to Rossco.

Bob, I take on board your positive thinking and action but to others out there, be aware that Prostate Cancer IS curable! As stated, early diagnosis is the key. Breast Cancer and Prostrate Cancer are now so successfully treated that they are now not viewed as a Critical Illness, on their own, for Insurance claim purposes. Lets hope medical advances continue to fight the fight! .

"The new ground at Loirston is an interesting one. Location wise it is rubbish unless they build a platform at Cove (maybe as part of Crossrail) or have regular buses up to the ground. If they don't fans have a nice 30 minute walk up Wellington Road to get there" Rig, I realise you are a young buck in comparison to me but..whilst it is 30 minutes up Wellington Road and I stress the UP, it is another 30 minutes to get to Wellington Road from the Station. Slight exaggeration but a very big hike and the distance back will feel twice as long for the Aberdeen fans after their cup matches! .

To be fair, it does not take a player an awful lot to shine a bit above the rest of our team, at the moment. Imrie had his shining moment and unfortunately now feels he is a big fish in the small pond, being ICT. He is waiting for big things to happen in the window but ... he has energy, he is willing to run, is he a team player?? Legend in his own lunchtime comes to mind. Dougie has to be led back into the fold and I do feel there is a good footballing future awaiting him, both with ICT and if he moves on but he has to finish his trade. I feel he has good teachers in the current management team and their experience and enthusiasm could offer him a super road to being a better player. He has to dig in now for the next few games and prove he is a team player, as some supporters feel he is now off the boil and is playing for Dougie and not the team. He could be the difference between us watching the dog fight or being part of it!

I think we all realise we are in a dog fight to survive and we have to use our current players to stay up. Reflecting on the game on Saturday, I feel that we need a player that will run off their marker, in midfield, to accept the ball from our defence and then endeavour to make something happen, with it. I know this sounds easy but on Saturday it would appear that Ian was marked out of the game and therefore I felt Imrie, who had a lot of freedom, could have taken over the role. He, the headless chicken one, did at times run into space but he did not seem to be able to STOP and pass it, even back the way. Ferguson/Bett/Rodwell Clyne(ask your dad) all accepted the ball and did the simple thing, it took the pressure off the defence and therefore allowed a degree of regrouping to take place. We, however, due to pressure, lost all shape and leadership. There must be so many 'old heads' on the park that can be nominated to take this pressure and I would play Rossco in this role - but not when Sone Aluko is on the park! He has the confidence, under pressure, to hold the ball and his distribution is good. The alternative is for our defence to have a target area, when under pressure, to aim at. Alex McLeish, under pressure, always punted the ball up beyond the dug outs over the half way line. This gave his forwards an area to run to, backed up the opposition defence and allowed his team to reshape, at the expense of a throw in if the forwards missed it. We punted the ball up the field to the opposition and guess what? It was straight back into the teeth of the defence once again. On Saturday I did not see a plan for us, Ian Black was marked and we had no plan B. We were not a team on the park but played as individuals, this must stop now as we need all the strength from the team spirit we can muster. An aggressive stance and stare because a pass did not reach you, is indicitive of something being wrong in a team, and Dougie Imrie was very guilty of that. Butch has to sort that out and has to sort it now! .

I just think it is disappointing that our manager and assistant manager have not played at a level, like you, that would allow them your insight into this situation! Talk about making facts fit!! What a load of rubbish! .

Don' know what happened there. I will look into it. If you had used any of the three names given on the posting that should have done the trick. You are sure it was the Bon Accord and not the Caley as their wee doorman is difficult( I had to think of a word there!) If it was the Bon Accord I really am disappointed. By the time I came off the golf course, twoish, my party was well into the spirit of things, surrounded by the locals and holding their own!! .

If this is another fishing trip, I've taken the bait again. Why pick on Lional when Grant MADE the mistake for the header that caused the goal, Esson was also maybe incorrectly positioned to save the goal and all you can do is slate the best defender we had on the field, for future mistakes, with the use of your crystal ball. Our central two were both shakie on Saturday and Rossco had a handful with Aluko. Lional kept our left side well covered. Would Hastings have done better than Lional last Saturday? Consult your ball and let us know! .

Nonsense!! Maybe you don't appreciate how many lives were touched by this accident, here in Aberdeen. The pebble in the pond syndrome. Whilst the biggest effect(loss) is in the centre where the pebble hits, the ripples go out to so many more. My 11am appointment, the day following the accident, was cancelled, by a very tearful mother of the client, on the accident day, who informed me that her son had been unable to get on to the fateful chopper!! The tears were relief!! As I stated in an earlier post, just check out the Ultras tomorrow to see the depth of feeling here. Maybe it has passed by Inverness but Aberdeen is still hurting. . Hold on just a minute there, I am well aware of the perils of the sea and the worry that families go through during times like these. I just think that having a minute silence for victims of an accident which has very little to do with the teams involved is taking things a little too far, people die in accidents in teams' catchment areas every week, why not a minute silence before every match to remember victims of all accidents everywhere? I'm sorry we differ on something so tragic but that's life. It would not do if we all agreed all the time. I have no doubts had this been a party of school children coming home from a trip, a silence would still have been held. If it were 22 seperate road accidents? I take your point. Anyway the tribute was fitting, the silence unbroken and I do think the Ultras display was excellent. .

You could not script that without appearing to be anti-USA. Pure magic!

Lionel?? If you were at the match on Saturday you either had a bad seat or were in the pie 'Q' or the 'PQ' and missed the guys involvement in the game. Our right side was a problem and that was not Rossco's fault, it was the fault of that bloody Sone Aluko! He is a superb player, thank God the rest of the Dons team are not as good as he is! Our problem(s) - Grant has lost his nerve, the poor soul can't do right for doing wrong, he chooses the wrong options and life is like that at times. Give him a rest for a game or two and he will roar back to take us out of the doda for the last few games. We need a BIG player in the midfield as a target man, who can then distribute the ball and Rossco fits the bill. Lots of strength, stamina and composure. He will do till we sign a 'target' man in the close season. Duff and Proctor to slot in behind him. Dougie does run but that is not what we need, we are a team and team members when they are second guessed incorrectly, do not stand with their hands on hips, glaring at the player that expected him to make a move.(As Dougie did) Talking of moving (and Dougie) and back to Lional, the number of times he went up the field and not one player ran off their man on to the wing to help him. Dougie you know that was you rooted to the spot again. Why run when not required and stay put when running off your man offers options? Sum up - Team play required - midfield needs some more steel - Grantie needs a rest - front line, no idea! (that is both me and them.) Could have snatched a point on Saturday but we were second best. .

Alex, the Ultras demo is for the Chopper accident victims, during the silence, using visuals. The Calderwood one is being arranged by some guy from Glasgow, McRae I think and is being done on the web as he has no official supporters connection. It may be that some Ultras join in but I don't think they are too keen on the idea. I damp squib, I think. If we win 6-0 maybe he will get strung up - by Willie Miller!

Nonsense!! Maybe you don't appreciate how many lives were touched by this accident, here in Aberdeen. The pebble in the pond syndrome. Whilst the biggest effect(loss) is in the centre where the pebble hits, the ripples go out to so many more. My 11am appointment, the day following the accident, was cancelled, by a very tearful mother of the client, on the accident day, who informed me that her son had been unable to get on to the fateful chopper!! The tears were relief!! As I stated in an earlier post, just check out the Ultras tomorrow to see the depth of feeling here. Maybe it has passed by Inverness but Aberdeen is still hurting. .

Oh, well, enjoyed the pigging out in front of the box with my glass(or two) of wine, watching the game as it should be played BUT Sergio and Oglivie, my passport to more expensive wine next week, from my winnings, have a lot to do.

All i can say on this is: Please respect this and don't boo or anything bad ok. I think i can probably trust you all because this was a terrible tragedy. Why would someone boo why would anyone even do something like that They may not 'boo' but they may shout 'Came on Caley' as they came up the steps into the seated area, without realising that the silence is in progress. That is all! A reminder does not go wrong and is not meant as a slight on anyone. Of all the supports traveling to matches, I would think we have the most responsible and the silence for this sad accident will be totally observed, by both sets of supporters, in my opinion. The Red Ultras have gone further and have visuals made to show their sorrow. .

I did not realise that he knew it was a tax disc problem! Source? - Sporting Life, this time? Maybe a 16 year old has more difficulty handling booze, offering little reaction time. Convict on a probability? His mam and dad could be hurt after the cost of their wedding.

I've read it and I don' think the guy should get a custodial sentence! I have already given my reason. I feel sure the Daily Express is an excellent organ for unbiased reporting. A day's trial reduced to a dozen column inches, to include photo's. Who is to say that she would not have staggered out in front of him at 30 mph? He should have pleaded guilty and said he was fighting the weed/ booze and he would get a few hours Community Service. Carrying out his duty? - lock him up!! .