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Listed below are comments made by duckmachine between Friday, 13th February 2009 and Tuesday, 17th November 2009.

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Tough times ahead 6:20pm on 17 Nov 2009 The simple fact is, if you are earning a middle class wage, in a middle class house, with a middle of the road family, in middle England, start saving quick. The rainy day is coming very soon.

As someone who falls into the above category (and has a young child who is disabled to boot) I am really worried.

It wont be long before people will be shouting for Disability Living Allowance to be means tested and due to the insane way things are ususally done in the UK I'll probably end up having to ask for a job on less pay in order to get more net. That will motivate me.
England one-day player ratings 12:41pm on 28 Sep 2009 Just like to say; following yesterdays performance by Owais Shah, I have printed out a copy of my previous posting on this blog and am now munching away on it for lunch.

Now Owais - just play like that a lot more often ...
England one-day player ratings 5:29pm on 24 Sep 2009 Overall a pretty fair assessment, Ben. I'm tempted to say even a little on the kind side.

England are looking a pretty woeful one day outfit right now. Sad thing is that despite this one cant argue much with the squad; there aren't too many other players in English county cricket sticking a hand up right now.

Ideally, Trott & Cook deserve a go in place of Bopara and Shah. Problem with those two is that they are likely to cause the fall of other wickets, not just their own by poor running; the rule about the Champions trophy Squad is completely daft, having to announce it ages ago. It seems a pity that the ECB didnt figure out that it would have been a good idea to play the ODIs earlier in the season to test out selections in real games ... clarity of hindsight, eh.

Given that Shah and Bopara look like walking wickets right now, Denly has yet to seriously prove himself and Colly is in poor form, England are looking pretty weak in batting. (Over to you, Straussy ...)

Sticks in my craw to say it, but England are sorely missing KP (no pun intended.)
Ashes player ratings - First Test 10:19pm on 12 Jul 2009 Fabulous rear guard by Colly & the tail, but England will need to step up in the next game if they want to compete in the series. Anyone else think that KP looked like he was auditioning for the next 'striclty come dancing' with his leave alone? A perfect cha-cha IMHO.

Still - in the last few series we've lost the first test ... watch out Aussies!
World Twenty20 hotting up 12:40pm on 15 Jun 2009 Hi Adam,

Good to hear TMS over the summer; still want to know what the final name for the 'Dilshan' shot will be - I like the reverse frying pan, though 'Suicide Sweep' had its merits ...

As to the e-mail address (previous poster)

tms@bbc.co.uk
England left to absorb shocking defeat 12:23pm on 06 Jun 2009 People reported an earthquake in Wales earlier today, but I reckon they were mistaken: actually the buildings were being shaken by the roars of laughter from Australians in the area.....

It was a cracking game of cricket; Well played to the dutch; they punched well above their weight. England's main failure was that they were complacent. We've seen it far too many times before; usually England get away with it, but not this time. How they got the selection so wrong is anyone's guess.

How I am going to face up to my Dutch mates at work now I'll never know ...
Why tax the rich? 1:49pm on 24 Apr 2009 Now I'm no economist, but it seems to me that what the government seems to have forgotten in all this mess is that they have a distinct need for cash to pay back debt.

As it happens, there are a significant number of people in the UK who actually have cash. So here's my whacky proposal: let individuals in the UK 'invest' in future tax relief. Say John Doe pays a bond to the government of £1,000 now: this would entitle said individual to, say £1,500 worth of tax relief over the subsequent (say) 5 years (i.e. £200 per annum). The numbers would need thought to get the balance right, naturally.)

The maximum value of this tax relief would also be linked in some way to the UKs overall national debt - if the debt gets less, the tax relief increases further: the reverse would not apply though, so investors would guarenteed a minimum return of £1500. Further, if John Doe pops of the mortal coil, there's no rebate (so that's the risk he takes).

By doing this the government is effectively using the UK tax payer as there gilt provider, rather than large foreign investors, who will demand high interest rates, and we find a way at least to reduce the national debt *now* to reduce the cost of servicing it.

I guess it probably shows that I'm not an economist ....
World Cup dream becomes reality 10:44am on 07 Mar 2009 Hi Ebony,

Just to say - well done to the team on winning your cup opener: good luck in the rest of the tournament!
An eventful week in Antigua 7:45pm on 20 Feb 2009 gajcook

- well said.

It was a great game, England were a bit unlucky: on another day it wouldn't have rained, or Daren Powell would have gloved one down the leg side, or been bowled by one of Swann's spinners, but bottom line, the Windies showed real guts, and deserved the breaks they got. I still would back England to draw or even win the series.

As a cricket lover, I'd take a game like the one we had any day over one side thrashing the other, even if England are doing the thrashing (well, unless they are playing the Aussies, of course ;*) )

England have positives to take from the game - Most of all, Broad is becoming a good player for England.

Early in his career some people on blogs and the like have suggested that he shouldn't get in the side, but I think he is now starting to show his real worth. (He reminds me of a young Shaun Pollock: nagging line and length and a reasonable lower order batsman to boot.)

Lets hope he really comes to the top of his game later this year, against the Aussies.
Caption Competition 10:30am on 13 Feb 2009 Ok - that's the hide and seek done, what shall we do now?

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