stevethedog

1. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger. A lot of people find Holden Caulfield annoying but I can really relate to him. It's such an easy book to read, you can pick it up at any time and flick to any page and just get on with it.2. Invisible Monsters - Chuck Palahniuk. I think this is actually better than Fight Club although it's also obvious why it wasn't made into a film first. 3. Life After God - Douglas Coupland. Just short stories but all pretty cool, dealing with themes of lonliness and armageddon. woo!4. Maribou Stork Nightmares- Irvine Welsh. Makes Trainspotting look vanilla in comparison. This novel stuck in my mind long after i read it, probably due to the extremelty violent and graphic imagery.5. Hairstyles of the Damned - Joe Meno. Nothing much happens in this book but it's just really really good!

I've read "After the Quake" and I really enjoyed it! It was during my exams though so i wasn't concentrating as well as i could have been. I guess a lot is probably lost in translation from Japanese to English but i liked his tone and characterisation. Quite melancholy. I've bought "Hard Boiled Wonderland" and "The Edge of the World" but haven't started reading it yet. My dad was going to but my mum got it mixed up with the 120 Days of Sodom (which i was also reading at the time) so she told him not to touch it cos it's kinky *BLEEP*. Parents are awesome.

Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens! I was really bored last summer and my mum did literature at Edinburgh university so I went through her old books and thought ahh i might as well read some of them. I think it's one of the most powerful books i've ever read, some parts were quite difficult to understand (i'm not very good at Dickensian English) but i actually found myself crying a couple of times, once on a crowded bus which was quite embarrassing! Another of my favourites is Wuthering Heights, i think everyone loves that book though.

Man Utd vs Chelsea Notice from rvalkass: Being hosted you should know better than to copy and paste. Quote tags added, copied from /search?q=cache:fWAirlient%3Dfirefox-a&gbv=1&sei=nIftV_y-LYK2-QHQ5aDAAQ

Just finished (re)seeing the Scotland Portugal match (just getting ready for the match tomorrow)and I have to admit, watching the Portuguese team sing the national anthem actually got me a bit misty eyed. I can't remember the last time a portuguese side showed so much pride and self-respect at being in an international tournament. Great fair play shown by the Scots too.What a contrast with the portuguese national football team , half of the players probably don't know the words and the other half just mumbles them. And no sense of heart on the pitch, it's like they don't even want to be there. Watching the national football side play and win doesn't give me half the pleasure as watching the national rugby side play and lose gives me.It really is a shame that the portuguese government doesn't care about sports other than football. It spent hundreds of millions of euros on a dozen stadiums that are always less than half empty, but forget about supporting anything else. All our top athletes train in Spain because here we don't have a covered/indoor track for them use during the winter months. And the public channel decided not to show the rugby matches on tv (not a question of having to pay the rights, as they could show them by invoking "national interess" as they do with football matches), so in order to see them you either need cable tv or to go to pub. It also doesn't help that a large portion of the population doesn't even care about any other sport than football. I'm sure a lot don't know that there's a World Cup going on, and that Portugal are there (and are the only amateur side there as well). It's shameful, to say the least, that a team that shows so much dedication has so little support.I'm really fired up to see the NZ-Portugal match. I'm absolutely certain that we'll get raped, but it'll be a once in a lifetime experience for our guys, and an honour to play against one of the best, most renowned teams in the world (no disrespect to the Scots, of course). Hell, if our side score a try it'll be like we won the Cup. Pity I don't know any Scots or Kiwis here (or any rugby fans for that matter), or I'd buy them a pint tomorrow Good win for SA there but diabolical from England.No game plan, and not even able to do the basics. Disappointing as I'm as much English as I am South African. Seems England can't even play forwards rugby anymore.That lewsey kick at the end basically summed it all up, this is a team that knows it's there to make up the numbers and that's all. Samoa will be looking forward to the next game. To think back 4 years when there was just no doubt in my mind that England would win, to this. Not even a brave defence of the trophy .Expected England to lose really, think South Africa are the main rivals for New Zealand, but didn't expect them to be nulled. Think they need to start again after the World Cup, dump a lot of the older guys and just target 2011. Surprised they left out Magnus Lund, and it was a big shame Harry Ellis was injured. Not looking forward to South Africa in the 1/4 finals.South Africa 36 England 0

Quite possibly one of the worst reports I've ever read, what a load of pish! it's annoying that people that clueless exist... but its worse still that they're employed in to a profession where they must write about the things they know nothing about well thats just it, apparently Rio doesnt have any technical ability now he just "hoofs his clearances into Row Z" and "doesn''t get forward in open play any more" except that that is the COMPLETE opposite of what he does actually embarassing how backward that article is. Mon the RIO

As for the game, we were pretty lethargic in the first half, hate to say it as i've been a fan of his but Carrick was really poor, everytime any passage of play went through him it just ruined any tempo we might have had and allowed spurs to get men behind the ball, when Eagles came on we looked a lot brighter despite him not offering much purely because the ball wasn't going through Carrick. Think it was a bit of a one off though i've got to say, I usually think he gets unnecessary stick. Nani's goal really was a bit special wasn't it but that being the only real effort on goal aside from the clearance is worrying, Tevez was working hard but coming too deep, it'll be all very well him doing that once he's playing off somebody but yesterday he kept picking it up outside the box and having a non existant frontman to thread it through too. Thought Hargreaves and Evra were our two best players tbh, both so combatant and hard working and going forward Evra is looking like one of our most creative at the minute.Hopefully we can pick it up on Saturday as Sunderland are going to be very difficult to play against, hurry back Louis as well please

For the game v Spurs Live on SS1 @4pm! Manchester United skipper Gary Neville has been ruled out for two more weeks after picking up a thigh injury. Striker Louis Saha is likely to be on the bench, keeper Edwin van der Sar (foot) is also available and Anderson is set to make his competitive bow. Gareth Bale could make his Tottenham debut and Dimitar Berbatov may return but Darren Bent (thigh) is a doubt. Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul, Ledley King and Aaron Lennon are all out. Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Heaton, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Evra, Silvestre, Fletcher, Eagles, Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson, Giggs, Saha, Tevez. Tottenham (from): Robinson, Cerny, Chimbonda, Bale, Lee, Stalteri, Gardner, Rocha, Zokora, Tainio, Jenas, Routledge, Malbranque, Boateng, Huddlestone, Ghaly, Murphy, Taarabt, Berbatov, Bent, Keane, Defoe. # Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson: "We will win the game on Sunday. Our performance level will win the game for us. "There is no question Tottenham will come here with a great determination to help their manager. "But with the ability in this team, I know the results we have been having will not carry on for long." # Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas: "We know it will be a really tough game. "They are going to be battling themselves and won't be happy with their start. "Being a big club like us, they will be feeling it. They would have expected to have been in a better position than they are - exactly like we do." BIG-MATCH FACTS Manchester United have made their worst start to a Premier League campaign since the inaugural season in 1992-93. The Red Devils have never had fewer than four points after the first four matches of a Premier League campaign. Sir Alex Ferguson's side have not won in five league outings, and scored just one goal in the five matches. This is a massively important game for Tottenham manager Martin Jol. Spurs have only registered one win against any of the so-called "Big Four" since the Dutchman took over just under three years ago; that victory being 2-1, home to Chelsea on 5 November 2006. United have not suffered back-to-back defeats in 84 Premier League matches. Spurs have never won a Premier League fixture at Old Trafford. CLUB FORM MANCHESTER UNITED (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures) 1. One of three clubs to have scored just one Premier League goal so far. The others are Aston Villa and West Ham. 2. One of five clubs still searching for a first Premier League victory. The others are Aston Villa, Birmingham, Bolton and Derby. 3. Lost 1-0, away to local rivals Manchester City last time out. They've not suffered successive league defeats since Norwich (a) and Everton (a) defeated them on 9 and 20 April 2005 respectively. 4. Picked up just three points from a last possible 15, since beating Manchester City at Eastlands on 5 May. 5. Gone six games since scoring more than a single goal in a game - the longest current such run by any club in the Premier League. They last netted more than one in the 4-2 home win over Everton on 28 April. 6. Defeat here would make this the clubs' worst ever start under Sir Alex Ferguson. 7. Entering the weekend in 16th spot - their lowest since the first few weeks of the first ever Premier League season in 1992. 8. Dropped only seven points in their first 17 games last season. 9. Not won a home league game for over four months, since the 2-0 eclipse of Sheffield United on 17 April. 10. A home clash with Roy Keane's Sunderland is the next fixture after this. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures) 1. The current tally of three points after three matches, mirrors their start last season. 2. Twelve months ago they made their worst start in 11 years when bagging just three points from the first four games. 3. The shut-out against Derby last time out was only their third clean sheet in 31 league matches. 4. Also gone 31 league games since a goalless draw; that being away to Watford on 28 October last year. KEY PLAYER NOTES MANCHESTER UNITED Paul SCHOLES has netted Manchester United's only goal so far. His strike against Portsmouth made him the club's highest Premier League scorer with 96 goals. Ryan GIGGS has 93. GIGGS has scored seven times in Premier League matches against Tottenham, including one in their first ever meeting in this league on 19 September 1992, which ended 1-1. SCHOLES has scored four league goals, and one in the FA Cup, against Tottenham. GIGGS is a double short of 100 career League goals. If he plays:- Michael CARRICK will be facing a former club. The 26 year old England international midfielder made 75 appearances (64 in the league) and scored two league goals for Spurs between August 2004 and his Ł18.6m move to Old Trafford in July last year. If on the field from the outset:- Edwin VAN DER SAR will be making his 200th career Premier League start (Fulham and Manchester United). John O'SHEA will be making his 200th start for Manchester United. Suspended:- Cristiano RONALDO (two matches) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Steed MALBRANQUE is Tottenham's top scorer with two Premier League goals. If he plays:- Jermain DEFOE will be making his 150th appearance in a Tottenham shirt. Tom HUDDLESTONE will be making his 150th club career appearance (Derby, Spurs and Wolves). HEAD TO HEAD Manchester United are unbeaten in 12 Premier League games against Tottenham (10 wins, two draws), winning the last three. Spurs last beat United in the closing game of the 2000-01 season, when Les Ferdinand added to Willem Korsten's brace in a 3-1 victory. The Londoners' only triumph in 29 annual top flight visits to Old Trafford was 0-1 on 16 December 1989 when Gary Lineker scored an historic winner. Since then Tottenham have drawn four and lost 13 of 17 League trips. Home and away League (inc PL): Man United 69 wins, Spurs 35, Draws 36 Prem: Man United 22 wins, Spurs 3, Draws 5 at Man United only League (inc PL): Man United 46 wins, Spurs 10, Draws 14 Prem: Man United 12 wins, Spurs 0, Draws 3 LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur 9 September 2006 - Ref: Mike Riley Man United scorer: Giggs 9 REFEREE Howard Webb (Yorkshire) Team to look like this VDS Evra Vidic Rio Wes Giggs Hargreaves Carrick Scholes Nani Tevez with some sort of strikeforce. 1-0 to Spurs after 12 minutes with man u trying in vain to score for rest of the match imo.

I was meant to be playing Baberton with my friend yesterday but the course had made the mistake and thought we were playing on Friday. Was pretty annoyed, hopefully playing tomorrow instead now. It's my friends course so should save me a fair bit if I can go round there with him more often at under a tenner a round instead of forking out nearly 20 quid each week to play the council courses. It's meant to be a very good course as well so it's all looking good I'm looking at buying a new set of clubs and have been given this advise for MD irons. The MD iron sets available with guide online prices: Aurora: Budget (c �99). I have no idea how good these are but they'd be better than other �99 sets I expect. Black Hawk: Mid (c �179). Good choice as you can buy them in a hybrid set (which means the 3i and 4i are taken out and replaced with two utility clubs) Superstrong OS: High (c �250). Award winning clubs. Big heads which a lot of people like (beginners and high handicappers). Tungsten ti: High (c �270). Award winning clubs. Smaller heads but excellent strike (these are the ones I'd buy if I was in the market). Superstrong Forged: High (c �250). Always on ebay these for much less. Quite old design now but very highly rated amongst better players (who aren't snobs). Forged EQL: High (c �250). These are new for 2007. Never tried them but I think they're the replacement for the Superstrong Forged. Only the superstrong seem to be on ebay when I look so I'm not quite sure what to go for. At the moment I'm playing with 10+ year old California redwoods so could do with upgrading.

So this has just arrived for me at work. I've opened it up with great excitement and stuff and now I'm just sitting with it because there isn't really all that much you can do with a golf club at work. It's not like when the remote helicopter I ordered arrived and I was alive with excitement watching it charge. Anyway, it looks just like my 3 iron really but a little bit heavier and bulkier. Gives me even more reason to get to the range I suppose, may actually head up tonight as I don't fancy the England Germany game and I'll get back in time for the Scotland highlights. Any thoughts on my new purchase? Totally pointless, should I expect to hit it further than my 3 iron. This is 17o. No other golfers on this forum?

I hit my personal best today of 96.Amazingly with only 1 par and still a good few scuff shots.I only hit one 7 and nothing worse which was amazing. I holed some great putts to save holes where I scuffed drives, fairway shots or both.My slice starting coming into play once again but my boss showed me that I was standing with the ball too close to me left foot and to put it more to the middle. This made a huge difference with my first shot and a couple later but I did take a couple of huge divots as well playing like that. It seems to be a bit better for my longer irons, perhaps.I still can't hit my driver, need to find time to take it to the range.All in all delighted, I've played better I think but 3 putted too often or just had horror holes but looking at my scorecard I was amazingly consistent. Out in 47 and back in with 49.Meant to be playing Baberton tomorrow morning but my mate is frightened of the rain.only one 7, still cheesing!regards,std

I went without playing and just going to the range a little for a month or so after hitting a 109 at Carrick Knowe despite getting a 105 from my first round in forever. Bought myself a Tour Golf square headed driver for 30 quid. http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ Took it to the range and wasn't hitting it great, then moved on to my new 22 degree hybridy wood thing that I got for a tenner which I was hitting well. Not slicing my irons too much either. Went back to driver and I just can't hit it again. Really annoying. I played the Braids no.1. yesterday. Beautiful golf course but extremely difficult. Lots of lovely views over the city, runny babbits everywhere and surrounded with gorge bushes, wants you to use the iron of the tea. http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ Some of the greens are extremely elevated which I wasn't used to. I could touch the green but it was at head height, that's just bizarre. Anyway I went out in 50 which I was delighted with, hitting the ball pure and true about 4/5. When I duffed it I duffed it properly. Started much the same on my way back in until I hit the 14th hole. Don't know if anyone has played it. Anyway you are up high and can't see where you're driving it to so you have to go about 70 yards to look over the gorge bushes to see the fairway. It isn't the biggest of fairways and a fair smack to reach it. I hit 2 balls and lost them both. Then dropped from the fairway and you stillc an't see the green. Have to hit over more buses. I lose another ball and then realise it's the same green as an earlier par 4. This is without a doubt the toughest hole I've ever played and it really took it out of me. The sun beating down didn't help either. I then fell apart, was totally knackered and didn't bother keeping my score for the last few holes. Really is an exhausting course and I think I'll have to be fitter to play that one! It's funny how your mood affects your game. Straight after that hole I couldn't get it together again after taking a proper huff! I'll play Carrick Knowe again shortly and then I'm playing Baberton for the first time next weekend with a mate.

Cricket, can't watch Sky Sports News here without having bloody cricket shoved down your throat. Rugby league too, and union actually. umm F1 makes me want to turn over.

Of course it is, I heard it was being enlisted into the 2010 games in Beijing.As Rich once said "The difference between sport and a game is passion" Yo-Yo is one of the most passionate games I've ever witnessed so it must be a sport! Oh the passion.

I love football, very much. As if it was my son. Mon the Hibees.I am also quite partial to some Golf, hopefully go and shoot some later. Other sports I enjoy are snooker if you can classify that as a sport, I've just bought myself a new cue of ebay, woohoo.Is poker a sport? I like poker too.hurrah.

Just wanted to add to this that I was resigned to using Horde or Squirrel Mail which were both doing my head in until I read this thread. I'm now up and running with Google Apps and I'm loving it. Just like my ordinary email.So thanks very much to the posters who suggested it. Helped me out a lot. Is there anything that Google don't do!?Cheers,std

I'm having problems with mine too tonight. The site wasn't loading up at all earlier.Could we please get some additional posting credits for the downtime which has caused some lost time for me today.Thanks for your help,std

I consider this which I am posting on as a message board. I'd like to have one on my site for my members to use. Thanks for your help. std I don't want to start a new thread so i'll ask in here as well. Whenever I use the html editor within the cpanel and I hit enter to start a new paragraph, on the page it shall then come up with a "?". It also does this everywhere on the site that I use a "Ł" sign. Which makes pages like this look very confusing. http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ Can you please tell me how to rectify this. Cheers, sdt Notice from Plenoptic: Merged Double Post. Please refrain from signing off your posts, that is what the signature is for.

Sorry if this sounds simple but how do you then implement a messageboard into your Xisto website. I have done a search for messageboard without any results.Thanks for the info.std

I've just looked at http://www.moola.com/ and it all looks very interesting. Do you have to give your card details before you can play and build up a bank?I'm always just very wary of giving away my card details without being more familiar of the site.Cheers,stdAh that's a shame it's only for North America, I've still played it a tad and I like it I have to say. Not given my card details. Notice from Plenoptic: Please use the edit button instead of posting twice in a row.

Hi,Super simple question from a simple laddie!Is a MySql database a messageboard? If not how can I set up a messageboard.Thanks.std Notice from jlhaslip: split from another topic

Thanks for this. I've been bashing on with cpanel myself trying to get to grips with my site. Some of this is a great help.

I think that the whole posting credits thing is a good idea. I try to make sure I get one or two extra days in each working day to keep me ticking over as I'm not often on the computer over the weekend. I do worry for when I have holidays but I suppose devoting an hour of my time to making posts is worth it. There is just that wee feeling that because you HAVE to do it it feels like work and therefore the forums aren't quite as enjoyable.I'm a member of a couple of different forums and the reason I can't quite get into this one I think is down to the sheer amount of different forums and sub forums that there are. It's all a little overwhelming.I'm enjoying it though and happy to be a member of Xisto.

Haha yeah I am rather sceptical about it all. Animals can sense things though that is for sure.Our rabbitt knew that my mum was pregnant with my brother and he would continually jump on her stomach, it was rather amusing.

I'm starting to think about getting one of these bad boys after having to sell my 360 a few months back. I did really enjoy online multiplayer though so it's a great shame if this is unavailable. Is it just that there are no online multiplayer games or is the console incapable of them? Cheers, Std.