If this is a wind up, it's not working. 

Oh ye of little faith Major. It only seems fair that you share the wind up key the odd time, doesn't it? And to be honest if I was useing it, you know it wouldn't be over a word I haven't heard used before. 

Question for you Mark. Who was Zep Smith and Zepelina Williams?

Children born in England during the Zeppelin blitz. I'd heard that babies were given odd names like Zeppelina, but never quite believed it. 

When they shot down the L33 Zeppelin, the police constable who arrested the crew was promoted to sergeant, his name was Smith and forever more he was known as Zep Smith. The day the monster was in flames, a baby girl was born close by and she was christened Zeppelina Williams. She died in 2004.

When they shot down the L33 Zeppelin, the police constable who arrested the crew was promoted to sergeant, his name was Smith and forever more he was known as Zep Smith. The day the monster was in flames, a baby girl was born close by and she was christened Zeppelina Williams. She died in 2004.

"Well I'll be a blue-nosed gopher." Adventures of Spin & Marty, sometime in the 50's.

When they shot down the L33 Zeppelin, the police constable who arrested the crew was promoted to sergeant, his name was Smith and forever more he was known as Zep Smith. The day the monster was in flames, a baby girl was born close by and she was christened Zeppelina Williams. She died in 2004.

"Well I'll be a blue-nosed gopher." Adventures of Spin & Marty, sometime in the 50's.

You Brits are a strange lot. I was just listening to "He's got the whole world in his hands" by Laurie London. I always thought Laurie was a girl, bio reveals Laurie is a boy. Go figure? Oh well, we have "A boy named Sue."

When they shot down the L33 Zeppelin, the police constable who arrested the crew was promoted to sergeant, his name was Smith and forever more he was known as Zep Smith. The day the monster was in flames, a baby girl was born close by and she was christened Zeppelina Williams. She died in 2004.

"Well I'll be a blue-nosed gopher." Adventures of Spin & Marty, sometime in the 50's.

You Brits are a strange lot. I was just listening to "He's got the whole world in his hands" by Laurie London. I always thought Laurie was a girl, bio reveals Laurie is a boy. Go figure? Oh well, we have "A boy named Sue."

Further to the last, Bio sez Laurie is now managing a pub in north London. Ever been there Major?

blue-nosed gopher. A gopher from Nova Scotia.  Like as the schooner named the Blue Nose from Lunenburg NS.

Got to say, I've never heard of Laurie London. I like to visit London from time to time but wouldn't live there if they paid me, fed me and supplied me with a couple of dirty girls a day. OK, so I'm a lying sod but as that bribe don't stand, I couldn't live there. Whenever I go, I frequent the centre, the tourist traps, step outside of them and you could think you're in Islamabad, or a myriad of other third world places outside of these shores. The normal rules of the rest of the country don't apply to London, and even that situation is spreading outside of the capitol now. It's due to that Disneyland fantasy called diversity and inclusiveness, yeh right. Of course, being a white Anglo Saxon heterosexual male, native born and patriotic, how could I possibly understand that concept. We just cannot grasp that the whole world is one coca cola world, living in harmony, with apple trees and honey bees and snow white Turtle Doves. Yet, I still wonder why none of the huge Chinese community in this country ever marries a black, or a Muslim? Why Hindus don't marry muslims, or Sikhs, Hindu women don't marry blacks. It's all so confusing eh? Just got to be whitey's fault somewhere along the line. I'm just descending the pulpit now.

Got to say, I've never heard of Laurie London. I like to visit London from time to time but wouldn't live there if they paid me, fed me and supplied me with a couple of dirty girls a day. OK, so I'm a lying sod but as that bribe don't stand, I couldn't live there. Whenever I go, I frequent the centre, the tourist traps, step outside of them and you could think you're in Islamabad, or a myriad of other third world places outside of these shores. The normal rules of the rest of the country don't apply to London, and even that situation is spreading outside of the capitol now. It's due to that Disneyland fantasy called diversity and inclusiveness, yeh right. Of course, being a white Anglo Saxon heterosexual male, native born and patriotic, how could I possibly understand that concept. We just cannot grasp that the whole world is one coca cola world, living in harmony, with apple trees and honey bees and snow white Turtle Doves. Yet, I still wonder why none of the huge Chinese community in this country ever marries a black, or a Muslim? Why Hindus don't marry muslims, or Sikhs, Hindu women don't marry blacks. It's all so confusing eh? Just got to be whitey's fault somewhere along the line. I'm just descending the pulpit now.

Well thank you, your Worship for inciting this colonial with the above post. However Ali but it more succinctly after he turned Muslim. It's like the jungle, monkeys hang with monkeys, lions hang with lions, giraffes hang with giraffes. Oops, I take it back Major, you are full of succinct as well.

True Tom, but that's all been conveniently swept under the carpet, as we can't have a black icon seen to be a rabid nazi Darwinist, racist can we? I remember Ali on tele over here preaching that blacks and whites must never interbreed, for as he put it.....bluebirds and redbirds might flock together but when it comes to breeding, the bluebirds fly that way and the redbirds fly the opposite way. I'd love somebody in the archives to dig that interview out and air it. What fun!

True Tom, but that's all been conveniently swept under the carpet, as we can't have a black icon seen to be a rabid nazi Darwinist, racist can we? I remember Ali on tele over here preaching that blacks and whites must never interbreed, for as he put it.....bluebirds and redbirds might flock together but when it comes to breeding, the bluebirds fly that way and the redbirds fly the opposite way. I'd love somebody in the archives to dig that interview out and air it. What fun!

He seemed to get a bit bitter after he divested himself of his slave name Clay, which was taken by his ancestors from their evil English master. 

He seemed to get a bit bitter after he divested himself of his slave name Clay, which was taken by his ancestors from their evil English master. 

So was his family in the group of 20 first brought to Virginia in 1619?

Today I watched 'Saving Private Ryan.' I haven't seen it since it first came out and those opening scenes are quite horrific and moving. It's a great film and I really like Tom Hanks, I think he's a first class actor. Pete, have you seen a film documentary called Juno? Naturally it's about the Canadians and their campaign on D Day. I've only watched the first 20 mins so far, before I got summoned to tea from the missus. It's really good and dramatic in a documentary style film format. I get the feeling I'm going to be watching an awful lot of films for the next few months.

On the right is one of the parts they seem to play in old war movies or in war footage. The Canadians there were taking sniper fire from the building in front of them. This is actually two different landing craft going in. The water they are jumping into seems shallower in the second one. Another scene you see a lot of is Canadians going down to fire as they are first crossing the beach obstacles. No, can only get the trailers to the movie Juno, Art. Can buy it though but haven't yet. Also want to see the movie 1917.

We still had a Sgt Major in Germany who was a young private on D-day and he was with the 1st Hussars that was a tank Regiment. His was the DD tank that was sunk by small arms fire before it hit shore and was dragged out of the water when I was there.  Our RCEME from my Regiment were the ones that pulled it out. It's on display at the beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer and I have posted a picture of my wife standing by it before.

On the right is one of the parts they seem to play in old war movies or in war footage. The Canadians there were taking sniper fire from the building in front of them. This is actually two different landing craft going in. The water they are jumping into seems shallower in the second one. Another scene you see a lot of is Canadians going down to fire as they are first crossing the beach obstacles. No, can only get the trailers to the movie Juno, Art. Can buy it though but haven't yet. Also want to see the movie 1917.

We still had a Sgt Major in Germany who was a young private on D-day and he was with the 1st Hussars that was a tank Regiment. His was the DD tank that was sunk by small arms fire before it hit shore and was dragged out of the water when I was there.  Our RCEME from my Regiment were the ones that pulled it out. It's on display at the beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer and I have posted a picture of my wife standing by it before.

Haven't seen it but heard it was good. I expect Mark to debunk it based on unhistorical facts.

The part of the Normandy coast that all the troops from the States, Britain and Canada landed at has changed a lot since even I was there. It draws in now large groups of tourists from all over the world.

Often wondered how many French civilians were killed by allied bombing and gun fire during the war. I bet it's a lot.

The part of the Normandy coast that all the troops from the States, Britain and Canada landed at has changed a lot since even I was there. It draws in now large groups of tourists from all over the world.

Often wondered how many French civilians were killed by allied bombing and gun fire during the war. I bet it's a lot.

Bombing not so accurate back then, Pete. Collateral damage seems no much nicer that civilians killed. Love all that military terminology. In Nam the enemy was slopes, dinks, zipperheads, gooks, by dehumanizing them it didn't seem so bad to kill them en masse. Especially civilians. 

Also Tommy if a certain area was to be bombed or attacked they probably were hesitant to pass it on to the French under ground first. With the under ground you just never knew who was really who and many times it had already been infiltrated by the Germans.

Actually If any thing was passed on it would have been at the very last minute.

It's just been revealed that Pete's second favourite fantasy show, CNN hasn't got single show now listed in the top twenty radio or tv shows in the US. If you've ever suffered them, even for a half hour, you'll know why. Good bye and good riddance.

You most be eating way too much Major, because you are always full of shite.

An important political event will take place today, one which would normally dominate the headlines, but under the current crisis will barely get a mention - the election of a new Labour leader.

Jeremy Corbyn, who lost so badly in the Election in December (seems like another world, those halcyon days in which the only worry was Brexit) will be replaced today. Labour members had the choice of three candidates of whom Sir Keir Starmer will be the likely winner, we'll know in a few hours.

You most be eating way too much Major, because you are always full of shite. But it's British shite Pete, which is the best in the world.

As expected Sir Keir Starmer has been elected Labour leader with 56.2% of the vote. The era of hard left Corbynism is over. Starmer is nevertheless still a Leftie, but whether he's a dangerous one depends on how far right of centre you are.

Is a simple majority of the vote all that is needed?

I'm not sure what the procedure would have been if it had been a 34/33/33 split, academic anyway. 

Well it would be a minority government with the opposition two parties able to pull a non confidence vote on you every time you tried to do something. The government would fail with the non confidence vote and you would have to go through the whole voting process again.

This is where the minority government has to gain enough votes usually by adding things (sugar) to a bill that enough of the opposition want and then they will vote and let your bill go throught. Like a trade off so everyone gets something and is kept happy.

To Tommy's question. Mark is using a total of 100 seats in his last answer divided 3 ways. If it was less that 51 seats you won then it would be a minority government but having 51 you have a majority government. So yes 51% is enough to win.

To Tommy's question. Mark is using a total of 100 seats in his last answer divided 3 ways. If it was less that 51 seats you won then it would be a minority government but having 51 you have a majority government. So yes 51% is enough to win.

OK, so then you have a majority government & I assume they will be able to get things done?