Dougal, it is some considerable time since we last heard from this july august publication.

I do feel that this forum has been lacking without the C&SA's cutting and insightful journalism. There was a time when BBSers across the land and beyond, were poised over their keyboards like coiled springs, eagerly awaiting your weekly synopsis of it's learned columns, which would set the agenda for the week's discussions.

Has your subscription lapsed?

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2002

Answers

Abandoned Periodical?

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2002

Jonno - I suspect that ever since "that scandal" about Phylis Fogg, Dougal has been too afraid to read the C&SA.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2002

Screacher, I see you managed to get into the country without buying me a pint. Gotta get them dogs better trained.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2002

Syme - it was tight (ooh er, missus!). 90 mins on paper to make the connection from T5 to T3. In reality, I made my connecion with 15 mins to spare. No idea what I'm doing over the next few weekends. If you're free, why not drive up to Minnesota ;-)

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2002

Well, since Wozza left no one at NUFC worries about the welfare of Snows Green FC so there hasn't been much to relate. Consett are now unbeaten in 9 games and if they win again on Saturday, I think they'll move off the bottom of the table and there's a lot of annoyed people complaining about Council Tax going up to pay for the foot and mouth crisis. Otherwise, it's all been fairly quiet.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2002

Well Doug perhaps I could help out this week, spotted this heart rending storey in the Hexham Courant

ROMANS COULD RUIN CLUB'S FUTURE ROMAN ruins buried beneath the Corchester Playing Field could threaten the future of Corbridge United Football Club. Players at the club had been waiting to see if an English Heritage report would grant them tenure of the playing field at Corchester Towers, on Aydon Road. (<-eh?)

The club needs tenure of the field in order to secure grants to provide shower, toilet and changing facilities.

But the report concludes that the field is such an archaeologically sensitive site any development there would be very difficult.

The charity believes the playing field covers the last undisturbed part of the ancient Corbridge Roman Town, part of which was excavated at Corstopitum, and in 1976 bought the playing field to preserve the remains.

Speaking at the parish council meeting, Coun. Walton said: "The struggle to resolve the situation for Corbridge United has been going on for three years. The club feels badly let down and will be looking at the situation in the next few weeks."

Chairman of the Tyneside Amateur Football League Bill Gibson, has warned that rival clubs could vote to expel Corbridge United from the league if it remains unable to provide adequate changing facilities.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2002

The C&SA is the only newspaper I read the adverts and throw away the news.

ML³

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2002

ML, you never explained why all of a sudden you're cubed.

Actually, read the letters page: quite often funny.

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2002

So the departure of Wozza is to blame for the disappearance of the C&SA from this forum?

Yet another reason (if one were needed) why the mighty Bartinho should have been retained.

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2002

I'm introducing a whole new dimension to the board, Dougal. I'll keep my eyes peeled for the letters page this evening.

ML³

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2002

Local newspapers in the North East are the print equivalent of 'Lookaround' on TTTV. "There will be a table top sale in aid of St Withering's Parish Church Roof Fund at Otterburn between 2.00 and 4.00pm this Sunday. Entrance fee 50p and free raffle".

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2002

The only local paper that isn't like that is the London Evening Standard..talking parochial shite is the raison d'etre of local newspapers.

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2002

LOL at Bobby. If it wasn't for the bloody C&SA, our lass wouldn't have read about three 25 kilo bags of topsoil for a fiver at Lintzford nursery, and muggins here wouldn't have to put his back out lifting them.

That tabletop sale sounds canny though.

ML³

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2002

Jonno, the Advertiser has just dropped through the mail box: I'll do s short precis in due course. As I know that you are waiting impatiently, I can tell you that the lead story is that, post-foot and mouth, the local countryside is open at Easter. Furethermore, a plucky, entrepreneurial farmer has diversified post-foot and mouth, by installing a rodeo machine at his farm. Elsewhere, Consett extended their unbeaten run to 10 games, drawing away to West Auckland 2-2. They play at home on Saturday for the first time since January, hosting Newcastle Blue Star. Their chances of avoiding relegation from the Albany Northern League Premier Division are looking good.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2002

Happy to report that the headlines in the Northumberland Herald and Post have nothing to do with buggering goats or any other domesticated (or undomesticated) animal. (Pages 2,3,4,5,6 do though) :o))

My lad's school (King Edward VI, Morpeth)is celebrating its 450 anniversary this week. - 68 years before my dads set off to America, and only 60 years after Columbus found it in the first place.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2002

Thankyou very much Dougal for that eagerly anticipated update.

On the subject of local papers, I remember a hillwalking trip in the Lakes a few years ago when we happened to glance at one of the local papers over there. You will all be familiar with "Spot the Ball" competitions. We were all amused to see on the competitiion page in this paper, a picture of a shepherd rounding up his sheep and the competition was entitled "Spot the Dog".

Local papers preserve (or fossilise depending on your viewpont) this rich diversity in our nation's culture.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2002

The Minnesotan wasn't delivered today due to snow and ice :-(

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2002

What about the Creosotan?

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2002