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Best of luck, El Flameo. Moving to another country is proper scary, but at least they speak the same language, eh! Have fun, buddy!

The point I'm making, is that unless you're from a particular state, then you have to earn the right to remain and be treated equal within that state. It's sad, but true.

Negatory. The fact is different countries have different standards - while we take it for granted that in the West schooling is free up to a certain age, that's just not the case in many industrializing and developing countries. So we, as non-naturalized citizens of a country where we move to, have to adapt to their values. And if one of their values is "no free education" then we are a bit stuffed. Just because our home government gives out free schooling, doesn't mean that we get it anywhere in the world.

This was a debate that started recently in China - why should foreigners be treated as citizens, or why should they be given citizenship. Basically the nationalists started bleating the "four legs good, two legs bad" line while the rest of the country shrugged its collective shoulders. Essentially, being born in a place gives you a divine right to benefit from education, social welfare and state security. Except in China, where the state schools are so bad that everyone is desperate to go private (and the government is trying hard to make life miserable for private schools) there is no such thing as unemployment benefit, pensions are sometimes cancelled without warning and the state can and does force abortions on women who have a second child as late as seven months into their term. Under those circumstances, why in the lazes would you want to naturalize? On the other hand, there are a number of benefits to be had in Britain such as the NHS and free schooling. By you have to ask the question: what can you do for the country to deserve it? In this soldiers' case, I think he has done enough to warrant it.

Sorry to hear that man, chin up and things will sort themselves out. To be honest, it's best to be rejected rather than have them give you the position because they are desperate and then a month down the line they say "Actually, you're so terrible we'd prefer no-one did the job." Which is PRECISELY what I've had to say to the last few teachers we've tried out.

...that sounds like a "rage quit" moment to me :/ I don't mind paying to play, but playing and then paying... Well I suppose if you are enjoying the game that much you would. Provided it didn't cost more than £30 throughout the entire duration of the game.

I'm going to play devil's advocate here and say that. Honestly speaking, if you have a gun and a clip with 12 rounds, you can probably kill 12 people. If you have a knife then the only limit is the strength of your arm and the strength of the people you are going for. A car with a full tank of petrol could easily help you run down 50 people. And as someone said, the chap used tear gas - he could have done an equal amount of damage with a knife in a crowded and confused situation.

Agreed. If they don't have a gun, they'll use a knife. If they don't intend to kill people while driving their car, they'll do it accidentally because they believe the rules of the road don't apply to them, or they just HAD to take that call on their mobile.

Happy birthday! Woo!

Whacked my head on the washing machine cupboard door earlier. Now I have a concussion. Ouch.

Fuck me, that's a clean kitchen... If I didn't already know, I'd say you were totally into boys. Seriously, HOW do you get a kitchen that clean?

Strangely enough, I really enjoyed the Cap film. Normally I find him such a bland character - too good and righteous to be palatable. But Chris Evans imbued him with pathos, vulnerability and humour.

I'll have to retire one day, and at least I know the place will be in good hands.

I love you guys to pieces, but I have to ask: why do you bother getting up in the morning when the world is clearly such a CONSTANT DISAPPOINTMENT to you? Personally, I thought Avengers was awesome, Thor was more like a TV movie and Iron Man should be called whatever the hell they like!

Well, I agree with you there. My dad used to rip the shit out of Henman back in the day, and I just used to say to him: he's one of the best tennis players in the world. He's never won anything big, but he has made more in his career of mediocre tennis than you ever have out of your career of excellent banking.

Quod Erat Demonstrandum. He's better than the players worse than him, not as good as the players better than him! :P

Consistently?

Poor you... it's a terrible thing.

No, Derpenheimer, my point is he lost to a better player. Everybody knocks Murray and says he hasn't got what it takes, well... that's been proven true. He can't beat the best when he needs to. But despite this, he gives his all. That's admirable. That's precisely what a sportsman should do. The sad thing is, his best isn't good enough to beat the top players consistently. And there is absolutely no shame in that.

There's no shame in being beaten by someone better than you, the only shame is in not giving it your all.

A mulberry bush is where those handbags grow.

WHAAAT? It was always "Half a pound of tupenny rice, half a pound of treacle, that's the way the money goes... pop! goes the weasel!" when I was a kid! What is it these days? "I'ma steal your ipad, mo'fo, I mean, shizzle my nizzle, give me all your money guv...pop goes the weasel!" Is that it?!

Pff, bet your galpal woul be happy if you ALWAYS came second... And yes, comiserations.

The. Cake. Is. A. Lie. Happy birthday, the noo'!

Oh, crap, how did I miss this? Props to you, Sam, props!