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SudaNim

Listed below are comments made by SudaNim between Sunday, 21st September 2008 and Sunday, 8th November 2009.

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From the NHL to Altrincham 11:13pm on 08 Nov 2009 Hi Ollie. Nice article.

I went to my first Ice Hockey game last Wednesday - Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes. Mrs S used to go and watch Hockey in the UK years ago, and whilst on holiday fancied seeing an NHL game. Though I was a hockey virgin it was a good evening out and I was an instant fan of the game.

For mpjacko (#10), we just went to the Arena the day before and bought our tickets. There was plenty of space but that may have been due to (what became) the deciding match of the World Series taking place the same evening.

We got back on Friday and have just this evening been to see our local team, MK Lightning. The reference to Premier League and 10th Division is spot on! However, that did not detract from the experience at all. As a newcomer to the game, the slower pace made it much easier to follow what is going on, and the passion is no different in the EPL than the NHL.

I watched football for 14 years here, and a lot of what I saw this evening reminded me of the way the game was before Sky came along with their open chequebook and football forgot its roots.

I think hockey has got a great deal of potential in the UK. True we are way behind the US, Canada, and much of Europe. However, sport is a global commodity these days and I doubt I am the only disillusioned ex-football fan out here. The NFL is well on the way to correcting the missed opportunity of the early 1990s, and the NBA is keen to bring its product to our shores.

Whether Ice Hockey builds on its current position is largely down to the folks at Ice Hockey UK, and the different leagues to market the game.
How our banks were rescued 11:36pm on 22 Dec 2008 Two people have come out of this sordid mess with their reputations enhanced:

Robert Peston and Vince Cable.

Cable is that most curious of creatures - a respected, popular and trusted politician.

Peston has broken some of the biggest financial stories of all time. Who cares who those sources are; the reports have proved to be spot-on.

There are three bank holidays coming up. Get some rest Robert, I have a hunch you're going to be rather busy in 2009...
Why punish savers? 11:06am on 04 Dec 2008 Firstly, thanks for explaining how the country got into this mess.

That's the first time I've seen an explanation avoiding the use of the words "hedge" and "fund" for the likes of me - one whose understanding of economics peaked with an O Level in Commerce.

Any cut in savings rates won't bother me; I will just use my savings to pick up the slack left when I fixed my mortgage for three years back in September. You remember that... when inflation was out of control, and there were warnings of interest rate hikes.

If a week is a long time in politics, it seems to be an era in economics.
Extraordinary 12:04pm on 07 Nov 2008 Initially I was with everyone else forecasting a Labour defeat on the scale of Glasgow East. However, the last month has seen some dramatic developments economically.

I have had some admiration for how Brown has handled this (and yes, it really does pain me to admit that). He has taken action and convinced other leaders to follow his lead, including the US; no mean feat.

That's not to say that I believe his actions were right; quite the contrary. I think he has dug us into a very big hole, and in time we will realise he's made our lot much worse than it would have been.

But for all that the markets do seem to have settled down, and the crisis looks to have been averted (at least for now).

Rather than view the voters of Glenrothes as fools who aren't up on current affairs, I am inclined to think the opposite.

Their choice was between Labour or SNP. An independent Scotland would have been in a sorry state without London's gold to bail out RBS and HBOS. So they stuck with what they know.

Brown's blocked the knockout punch, but he's still on the ropes.
Europe - ticking time bomb? 12:27pm on 30 Oct 2008 Well I never thought I'd see the day when I agreed with Norman Tebbitt.
Banks' rescue plan: Good or bad idea? 12:06pm on 08 Oct 2008 Now I will be the first to admit that I'm no economic whizz-kid, but as I recall from my schooldays though preference shares give the investor first picking of any profits, they don't generally come with voting rights.

If that's the case here, how can the government say they will control the fat cat bosses salaries?

And as for getting back to normality...why do we want to do that? After all, that 'normality' is what got us into this mess.

Back in the Cold War days the government issued "Protect and Survive"; a booklet that told us that after the 'all clear' sounded following an attack we could come out of our shelters and "resume normal activities".

My point?

The government's definition of normality doesn't necessarily match what you and I consider normal.
Cameron's message 3:33pm on 01 Oct 2008 The "novice" comment in Brown's speech last week was well reported but it didn't have me rallying to his flag.

Thatcher was lacking experience in 1979.

Blair lacked experience in 1997 (as did Brown for that matter).

We were all inexperienced once. Maybe Cameron will be a good PM, maybe he won't, but unless he's given a chance we'll never know.

I think it's a silly argument; like Brazil not selecting Pele in 1958 because he 'lacked experience'.

As to the benefits of a Cameron government... well I harbour some doubts myself. I would normally vote centre-left, but Brown is hopeless, and I want to see a change just a bit more than I want to see Cameron in number 10.

Not sure than makes me a supporter of the Tories, but it certainly makes me a supporter of the opposition.
Life change for Kelly 10:58am on 24 Sep 2008 "Leaving for family reasons".

That's always been a euphamism for being unhappy with government policy in the past, and despite Gordon's protestations on Breakfast this morning, I see no reason to think why that won't be the case here.

She has children to look after. Well she surely does, but she had them when she held previous ministerial or cabinet positions and it didn't seem to pose a problem.

Then the embryology bill comes along and then Ms Kelly - a member of Opus Dei and the former minister for women no less - suddenly decides she needs more time at home.

She says that she "can't think of anyone better than Gordon Brown to lead the party". Not exactly a ringing endorsement; neither can we. That's not supportive, that's pointing out that he's just the best of a bad bunch.

And as for the suggestion that this was leaked by Number 10 to overshadow the EDF purchase of our nuclear industry...

I don't believe that this timing was of the government's choosing. It's during the Labour conference and completely overshadows Gordon's speech, the one thing he wants us all talking about.

No... if anything the timing does Brown an awful lot of damage, because we're all wondering whose going to resign next.
Labour's next leader? 5:03pm on 22 Sep 2008 If you saw Diane Abbott on 'This Week' last Thursday, you'd have heard her say that her "understanding" was that if Labour lose Glenrothes then the cabinet would move against Brown.

Now Diane may well be a bit of a rebel, but I can't help inferring from that comment that all the dissatisied Labour MPs have been asked to keep quiet and pretend to be united behind Gordon until the election is done with.

As for Milliband, well he doesn't need to do much as we're already talking about him as a replacement.

The blue touchpaper is already alight.
Who has been the UK's greatest post-war prime minister? 8:17pm on 21 Sep 2008 #29 Roncim

Though we disagree with who was number 1, I see we at least agreed on the placing of the bottom two!

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