God, they knew how to dress kids then, didn't they?

*** does not mention Pam's toggle problems ***

I've been trying to persuade my sisters-in-law about appropriate attire for their children, but it's been falling on deaf ears
And I've never touched my toggle everrrrrr!

Nowt glamourous! I'm meeting with some Management from work. I've looked like a packet of persil for too long, if I went out in public the way I was people would have been chucking wreaths at me in sympathy cos I looked half dead I've got a bit of colour back now though and will be able to slap on the old war paint and look half decent.(She says)

Go Karma!!!  You'll do great!

I was idling around the wub for my shortened username today... and look what I found!!! ... In your meeting, think of me!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/k...chenbach/4374623014/

Oh blimey!!! That's brilliant!

OK... so in your meeting today.. I'm the cat with her ears back and ready for the attack I reckon... So do your best!

Gonna go now luv... good luck  

Oooo! And sorry Cruncy for the swerved ball!

I will think of you when I go to war later! Night matey! xx

There is a much better pull out in todays scottish sun, which has england winning the world cup.

It's not racist. English people aren't a race. One does feel flattered though. I don't expect to win the world cup, but as long as Brazil, Argentina, or Portugal don't win I'll be happy. I would prefer a local team like us, France, Germany, or Holland to win, but I can't get all that on one T-shirt.

Well I was told when I worked for a red phone company that me being Scottish wasn't a race when some twat called me a jock bitch on the phone so I assume it workes the other way and means being English is not a race.

Only a bit of sport I suppose

I'd just like to clarify I meant the slogan was a bit of sport not people punching kids because they are wearing a different sports shirt.

No adult should hit a child for wearing the 'wrong' shirt...but having said that, football rivalries, friendly or otherwise remain a mystery to me.

They are very difficult to explain. Infact they can't be explained. Just some football teams you absolutely hate. E.g. I absolutely detest Newcastle United FC, but I love the people of Newcastle and I love living in Newcastle, just cannot help my feelings towards the football team.







As far as international football goes, there isn't really a team I hate, but as we're right beside Scotland and Wales, I wouldn't want either of those 2 teams to win anything.  That's why I can totally understand Scotland fans wearing Anyone But England tshirts because unfortunately for them, England have a good chance of actually winning the World Cup, where as pigs are more likely to land on the moon than Scotland or Wales ever winning the thing. The Germany rivalry is also similar in a way, but more to do with the history between the 2 teams than geography rivals. I think the media uproar was an absolute disgrace when Andy Murray said he hopes England don't win the WC. He should be allowed to support who he wants in a WC, he shouldn't have to lie to keep people happy.

You should live in Sunderland then Crunchy...the hatred for Newcastle and vice versa beggars belief....yet Sunderland people happily shop in Newcastle etc.
I don't believe that there is racism involved in UK football rivalry, just an old history of animosity between two nations who have to geographically share the same small island and enjoy having digs at each other.

Yes Andy Murray can support who he likes, but it might have been a little bit more diplomatic of him to have kept his mouth shut.....he must have known he'd cause a media furore

A lot of my mates are mackems and barcodes. They hate each others team but can still be pals. It's all in good fun. Obviously sometimes it can get taken too far in certain places, but more often than not it's harmless rivalry.
I do feel for a team like Leeds United though, because other than their own fans, EVERYONE absolutely hates them

What is it with Leeds Crunchy? My husband loathes them with a vengeance, more than he does Newcastle...if that is possible.
We live in the South now, but he still religiously follows his rubbish team...and if Newcastle lose, then he's happy

I've always been puzzled why we have separate England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland teams in some sports, such as football and rugby, but for other events such as the Olympics we are known as Great Britain.  And why is the Great Britain Olympic team not called the United Kingdom team when it includes representatives from Northern Ireland?

I laughed at the t-shirt

I am not offended by it and I don't think its racist. I am English but I cheer for Wales Ireland and Scotland in all sports.

But that's not what lots of people mean by racist these days.  It's not about scientific racism, it's more about ethnicity and Englishness is an ethnicity of sorts if you take the major culture.

That said, I don't think the shirt is inherently racist at all.  Of course, people might become nasty about it and use the slogan to support their anti-English sentiments which might be closer to this new sort of racism.

Quick joke ...

An Englishman, an Irishman, and a Scotsman walk into a bar and the bartender says: "Is this some sort of joke??"

Boom-tish.

It puzzles me when people say this.  Are Americans a race? Or Australians? What about the Scots, or is this just to do with how far back you can trace your ancestors.  I don't see why the English should be any different from anybody else.

One remembers the famous comedian Bernard Righton.......

  "An Englishman, an Irishman and a Pakistani walk into a bar. What a perfect example of racial integration!"

Race is a made up concept, anyway.

Some judge on skin colour, some on nationality and some on culture.
Some judge on all three.

We are all the human race and started off in Africa.

Wot Blizz said I think! ^^^

How was the 'meeting', Karma?

A bit pointless really for what I wanted to achieve out of it, but I did get told I was looking good (see what a load bit of fake tan does for ya? ) It was work related stuff, but hopefully out of this something better is coming along as a result, need to do some more investigating tomorrow. Ooh ark at me and mysteriousness!

Strange and sad, but weird and sometimes wonderful times are afoot dear!

i like weird.

Weird is ok, but I like to have some kind of structure and organisation. Like if I'm going somewhere I like to know when, what time, where I'm staying etc, I can't just do stuff on a whim (even though these can turn out to be the best experiences ) But right now I honestly couldn't say where I'll be in the next 6 weeks let alone anything else, it's all a bit freakonomics at the mo

I know what you mean, but have faith,

Good things come to those who attend meetings.

Next meeting will probably be rehab but I take your point on board

Seriously! (that's not for rehab, btw)

Indeedy.  But in that ancestral environment, we almost certainly evolved to favour kin, followed by tribe.  We didn't live together as the human race then, we lived as often competing, but sometimes supporting, small groups of people.  Stereotyping and having prejudice is natural behaviour.  Racism is simply an extension of that.  Of course, this is not to say we shouldn't try to overcome our genetic tendencies in the modern world.

My theory for what it's worth............. Compared to other areas of England our teams are spread far and wide. For example taking Lancashire cheats as an example, they can have any number of local rivalries ranging from Liverpool up to Preston. The chances of our teams being in the same division are remote and that is why I think Leeds were co-opted into our area. The Middlesbrough v Leeds derby was always a volatile as the 'Boro v Deckchairs/Barcodes.

That was my point, Daniel.
It's all tribal, really.

This t-shirt can be seen as good natured rivalry, or irrational, nationalistic hatred. It depends entirely on who is wearing it and why.
So, it's pointless debating whether it is 'racist', or not, or whether the English and Scotts are different races.

It all comes down to men, in the main, behaving like cavemen!

I strongly suspect that Lilibet was never visited upon by the Derby County Ladies supporters in the 1970's.