beyond our ken

Top marks for quoting the visit usa holiday brochure
there is huge variance in the quality of roads in the US, if you go to St louis you will find the roads are great, cross the river to East St Louis ( a different city and state) and you don't go far before things look very different. Places like Houston are just the same and go outside the big cities, many country towns are served by very basic roads.
the average cost of building a road in the US is $1-5 million /mile (excluding land costs) and the average cost per mile in the UK is £1.8-4.8 , land costs are what makes Britain more expensive a place to do busines than in large land masses like the US so factor in a large figure for that too. Now America is a land of huge disparity in almost every way but the huge bulk of it is is dry, solid ground and most roads go in straight lines in a way that can't be achieved. in the UK making them faster and easier (therefore cheaper) to build.
Building on the scale that they have in the past, maybe they still do, also introduces economies.
Weather on the whole achieves far greater extremes in the US, but few places there see the constant rainfall that Scotland in particular does. Extremes of temperature are a problem but roads melting? Yes you see it in old movies, but it is relatively rare these days and is easy and cheap to repair cos guess what-it is dry and warm most of the time where these things arise. Even the extreme cold is less of a problem than the wet.
Salt water corrosion caused the Forth Bridge Failure? You must be lying or know something the government isn't telling us because the reports are of a cracked weld in an AMERICAN designed bridge. Hurricane battered? Did you see the footage of the deck moving (as it should and was designed to do) by several feet in every direction in 100mph- plus winds just a few years ago? The bridge is failing due to age and overuse, not corrosion. Did you know the plan is to keep it open as a dedicated public transport link after re-furb once the new one opens, so it cant be that fecked, can it?
Earthquake zones in the US? How many are there? I don't know but I feel confident there are only a few of them, meaning the extra cost in protecting them is absorbed in the massive overall average cost to the country.
In answer to your question, I didn't go as far south as the keys (did I bother? you ask-what a dumb way to put it) but didn't see a lot in the way of tolls as i crossed the network of huge elevated roads across the bays & rivers going south from Tampa, nor did i see any tolls after the interstate on the drive from Orlando to Panama City, so tell me how does the "american system" of toll roads pay for that network? State and local taxes pay for that on every purchase you make in a restaurant or a store. And the tolls are generally very low indeed, compare that to the UK's toll road on the M6 which is an under-used and expensive white elephant. Tolls don't work in the UK
I wonder, have you noticed the reports of flooding in the UK? there have been a few, you know. Believe it or not, the floods have damaged roads and it's very costly to to put it right-every country has it's challenge.
You have come up with your usual mix of adding things I didn't say, insults, googlings, bad jokes and sweeping generalisations to try and cover up the comment you made about preferring a system that simply does not exist (see slarti's post). Of course, this makes your likees every bit as thick and mean spirited as yourself.

Poor wee Danny
Too honourable for those around him-as he was at Paisley. He kept them up by the thinnest margin and tried his best, but there is just nothing to work with there
Unfortunately, when you are largely operating in the bargain area for the league you are in, every signing is a gamble. Some will pan out and others won't. My Only crticism of DL is that at St Mirren he should have brought in fewer and better players, after the cup-winning season. But the dilemma was always quality or quantity. He had a thin enough squad as it was, cutting a couple of heads to allow better quality signings was possibly a gamble he just couldn't make.
He should have been allowed to show he had learned from a pretty hard season though, that was always the safer bet for saints last year.

Why do you need blame?
Yes, the truss needed replacing and FETA decided to defer it. Hard not to see some sense in that decision as the engineering reports indicated that the part would most likely hold until the new bridge was in service. If they decided to replace it, whenever that would have been done, it would still have meant several weeks of closure and disruption. They decided to monitor and only act if absolutely necessary. I cant see any shame or blame on that score.
The root cause of the problem is the fact that NO-ONE acted for decades to replace an ageing and over-extended bridge.
For that, we have to thank Labour, Tory and Lab-Lib coalitions/governments since the early 90s

Good, this gives us time to get Gow fit

Good, this gives us time to get Gow fit

Good, this gives us time to get Gow fit

The bridge will be fixed at any cost, if that means the west suffers the loss of it's vanity project then that is obviosuly the right decision and is fine by me. Edinburgh is the capital and has a right to first call on all resources if it needs them.
In any case, the lack of an airport link is not stopping tens of thousands getting to work every day

Good, this gives us time to get Gow fit

Good, this gives us time to get Gow fit

I started work in a civil engineering consultancy in 2004, in the canteen there was an artist's impression of a new FRB along with maps of the connecting roads networks. I asked why it was in the canteen and was told that it had been a big earner for the company in the early-mid 90s thanks to the tories who admitted to our company that they would never actually build the thing. When labout got in they resurrected the"plan" but they were no more committed that the tories. Even the first Holyrood administrations used the plan for publicity and for years labour, lib-dem and the tories used to announce and re-announce them every year or so-along with the long-proposed clackmannanshire bridge. The designs were archived in 2002 and the framed copies were put up to remind everyone how the government could be such a lucrative customer for a consultancy. We were told never to question build-ability, just smile and take the money.
The SNP have been great for our roads infrastructure and I would not be looking at such a shit December if they had gotten into a majority sooner

I started work in a civil engineering consultancy in 2004, in the canteen there was an artist's impression of a new FRB along with maps of the connecting roads networks. I asked why it was in the canteen and was told that it had been a big earner for the company in the early-mid 90s thanks to the tories who admitted to our company that they would never actually build the thing. When labout got in they resurrected the"plan" but they were no more committed that the tories. Even the first Holyrood administrations used the plan for publicity and for years labour, lib-dem and the tories used to announce and re-announce them every year or so-along with the long-proposed clackmannanshire bridge. The designs were archived in 2002 and the framed copies were put up to remind everyone how the government could be such a lucrative customer for a consultancy. We were told never to question build-ability, just smile and take the money.
The SNP have been great for our roads infrastructure and I would not be looking at such a shit December if they had gotten into a majority sooner

Ouch, that's me getting the train then or negotiating a work from home agreement
I usually get the bus from Dunfermline to Gasgow most days, but that won't work with just the links at Kincardine.
All of course down to the labour and tory governments and the pre-SNP coalition who all dithered over the building of the new crossing for over a decade and a half.
We should have had a new bridge in development as soon as the corrosion was detected in the 90s

Can't accept he is "not ready", it is clear from recent history that McLean and McGinn would both probably have been better off moving before they did (especially McGinn).
Mallan is ready for a next step right now, only the size of that step is in question

There is no issue with the accounts being published as they are readily available. Once the shareholders have their copies then they are in the public domain.
It does appear that we do spend more than we take in as the directors continue to lend to the club. The shortfall will certainly have been partly due to the reduction in takings related to poor performances on the park and the one-off/ongoing cost of paying up departed employees contracts.
If you contend the poor performances are down to board appointments and signing policy constraints that affected the quality of player we could bring in last year, then you have to say that the board are at least in part covering their own mistakes by lending the cash to balance the books. Bear in mind we are also told that the money from Kenny McLean's transfer meant we could continue to pay salaries February to the end of the season. All told, the situation does not look very rosy, or very sustainable. Without compensation for transfer moves our position is very questionable
That's a bit harsh, he ran a very successful company and sold it on for a good sum. Why would you not let him "run a bath"?

Really? Thats your question?
Ok lets try again. That Lot = Board and Cash Flow = Cash Flow. Should be simple enough.
The talk of "Starving The Club of Cash" are your words, not mine. Never in my life have I Jeered the team, or indeed the board. So there you go again twisting and multiplying by a million.
Every supporter knows what the board have done, but the good stuff stopped happening years ago, now they think nothing of re-branding the new stadium with the colours and logo of a club who have a bigoted following. How many more season's, years, relegations and failed appointments should they continue to bring to the club... 5... 10... 15 years???
You Can sit, do nothing and hope for change, or you can make your own small changes. Doing nothing is seldom the right option.

I think this is a bit low. We are mostly all in agreement that the manager is under performing but to highlight something of his personnal life that has had no bearing on his tenure at St Mirren is a bit much.
Jim C.

Going by the thread title, someone is upset that student tennis fans will get in cheap to a wimbledon warm -up match next summer?
Or am i mistaken?

Going by the thread title, someone is upset that student tennis fans will get in cheap to a wimbledon warm -up match next summer?
Or am i mistaken?

Miller is not the issue here
This is all about what Murray does with the help
Miller has been told to support him but Don't take a fall for him

The roll and steamed sausage was legendary. McMillans roll, thickly buttered with a sizeable slice with gravy (and onions if you wished), they cured many a hangover.
The steak pie and braised steak lunches were exceptional too, maybe it's just notalgia but I rarely enjoy pub grub today in the way that I did in the TA

You are in a bit of denial, plenty of people saw us exactly where we are now a good few months ago. Once the season started and the results started to disappoint, I was very quick to be on Murray's case as i had been less then impressed with his lack of urgency when faced with a massive chance to be a success. Compare it even to Alex Miller's reaction to the offer to come on board, he cancelled his holiday and locked away the golf clubs even though he had just taken out an expensive membership for the chance to do something of note. Murray went on holiday and took in a coaching course before settling down to work-we NEVER had the time for a manager to do that.
The man simply doesn't want it enough, or didn't until it became clear his jacket was on a shaky nail. He should have really been looking for an edge from day one and maybe he would have found one by now. He ambled into the job when he should been sprinting in the door.
The signings have been poor, as has been other decision making, Langfield played with strapping on his thigh and did not look physically comfortable on Friday-but where is the back-up? Thompson blotted his copy book last season when he took his tomfoolery too far and still got a contract even though he is not what we needed. Add Gow, Agnew and a few others to that list. We need a leaders on the pitch, but even leaders need to be led.
ETA Calderwood? FFS.

had we seen anything from the team this season in terms of dig and a few flourishes of flair, then i would say that Murray had earned the chance to carry on for a few more games. The problem is that nothing looks like gelling, we are so far off the mark that we need to start building NOW for the 16-17 campaign (wherever that might be fought).
We have wasted a year and a half, it's not a slow death yet but it is getting there

had we seen anything from the team this season in terms of dig and a few flourishes of flair, then i would say that Murray had earned the chance to carry on for a few more games. The problem is that nothing looks like gelling, we are so far off the mark that we need to start building NOW for the 16-17 campaign (wherever that might be fought).
We have wasted a year and a half, it's not a slow death yet but it is getting there

He didnt , f**kin grow up .
A player, in the heat of the game sees the opportunity to kick the ball into the stand & waste some time gaining his team time to organise for the resulting corner kick, he then saw where the ball had gone & apologised on at least four or five occasions as he heads back to defend.
Stop being a f**kin drama queen . The young lad concerned got a top (unfortunately a Morton Top) a lot of attention & i`d hazard a guess he will get through the rest of his life without any resultant trauma.

Let me get this right, people on Bute are unhappy that a classical music recital never took place in July and only took place last night, there are fears that someone will pay with their life?
A bit extreme, but not small minded-I would say it is actually a bit too highbrow