THE BRITISH THREAD II

Another poor schmuck fallen under the Lorelei spell of Smorgs.
Unfortunately the men in white coats came.

You have to be a schmuck to get the hots for a few lines rosy-tinted prose.

Half-time, it's Manchester City 2, Germany 0.

Come on you Super Blues!

( I'm neutral really, but Mario is playing great.)

I switched to Italy ever since they beat us. If they go on to win, then we were beaten by the champions, and we took them to penalties.

Not to mention how clean the game was. The sportsmanship on both sides really impressed.

Um, happy to see everyone. Some when they arrive; some when they leave.

This is classic lose - lose.

I'd been the petty officer on duty of the pier guard in June 1970. An Italian frigate was there as well. When the match had ended, the board band (and others) were behaving un-socially (playing Italian music and such). So I wanted to arrest them - but my officer didn't let me.

I'm stopping eating pizza and pasta now.

Until lunch tomorrow.

We just heard they're your bogey team. We've all got one.

I see Mac's decided to focus on the premiership. I'm looking forward to it too, especially now Saints are back in it.

It's been a bad year for Bayern Munich fans, a good few of whom were in the crowd yesterday.
What a shame.
Still, you can't win 'em all. And "pride cometh before a fall", as England fans know only too well.

Should be a good final, if Italy have got anything left.

Well they were 1-1 in the group stage, so it could all come down to one or two errors.

The laugh is always on the loser. But Berlusconi's papers ... never mind: football is politics there. And Berlusconi is known for his scatology strong expressions.

He's always had a problem with Merkel.

Boy, am I on her side on that one.

I know, it's incredible isn't it?

Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse summed him up brilliantly.

I've read at some length about him since (I think) the early 90's. He's a master boor, among other attributes.

He is a good comic figure, unfortunately he's also a powerful figure. A priapic Rupert Murdoch without Murdoch's restraint and conscience.

I never thought I'd write out the italicised phrase.

Whoa, and I thought FoxNews was bad!

I have had a cataract removed this afternoon so if my posts don't exhibit the usual clarity you will all have to make allowances.

These giant hospitals eh? Wow! I bet they are bigger than many a medieval city. It's another world. Women everywhere except for the mechanic side of things.

I got a bus home. I hadn't been on a bus for at least thirty years and that was when my truck broke down. It's amazing what exists on either side of the road.

What about Balotelli eh? I won't be betting against a team he's playing in again. There are very few goals scored at that level as good as his second one. And the first was pretty good as well.

We're facing him away first game of the season.

Italy may look good now, but they've never had to face Rickie Lambert.

I hope you have a speedy recovery.

Thanks. There's not a lot to it except having to lie still for an hour. But that was my own fault. I had let it get so bad that I had to have the old procedure. If you get them early it's only 20 minutes. So be warned.

I've had some odd insights into the NHS but as I'm a fan of it I think I will keep quiet about them.

The NHS takes a bit of beating, for most things. Like most large undertakings, it has its faults, but my experience here has been very satisfactory.