[Travis Bickle]

I really enjoy National Hunt racing but I too have great difficulty with that aspect of the sport.

Horses are just the most majestic, beautiful animals, but I could never gain any enjoyment from watching them being whipped and raced to the point of exhaustion whilst being put in simply unjustifiable danger just so we can lay a few quid on the outcome.

[The Deadly]

Wow a few potential PETA members here. To balence it out I enjoy horse racing and love a bet every now and then and the Grand National is a highlight for me. The types of horses that feature in the Grand National are born racers, its what they do. One of the horses that died has made me a lot of money this year and in that respect I am sad to see him die but its the nature of the game.
On a side note the number of fences jumped in the Grand National should be reduced.

[Yudster]

I really enjoy National Hunt racing but I too have great difficulty with that aspect of the sport.

Horses are just the most majestic, beautiful animals, but I could never gain any enjoyment from watching them being whipped and raced to the point of exhaustion whilst being put in simply unjustifiable danger just so we can lay a few quid on the outcome.

I don't bet. I'm not sentimental about horse racing either. I don't like the fact that horses die in races like the National but I enjoy watching it nonetheless.

[Nicola_Red]

Every year on Grand National day I post a link to an animal aid website on my Facebook and Twitter and ask politely if people might wanna read it and reconsider supporting horse racing. If one person who follows or is friends with me does that, then I consider it worthwhile. I don't wanna get into massive arguments about it, cos the people who start them are usually very defensive and their minds can't be changed anyway. One person tweeted - not an @ reply to me, but obviously in response - "i'm putting a bet on and if you don't like it f*** you." Very mature. Unfollowed!

Wow a few potential PETA members here..

I'm not a member of PETA, but I am a member of the vegan society. My 'Powered By Tofu' t shirt is from PETA though.

[MK Chris]

One or two of the lefty vegans I follow on Twitter detest PETA, but that's a side point.

I'm not particularly interested in horse racing and I don't like the whipping or the dying at all - I watched a bit of it this year because it was on in the room where I was and it did shock me slightly how high the fences were.

[Nicola_Red]

One or two of the lefty vegans I follow on Twitter detest PETA, but that's a side point..

Yeah, PETA are very extreme, and I don't think I agree with all their actions, although I'm not an expert on it. I did follow them on Twitter for a while but they just tweeted so much and retweeted the world and his wife, so I stopped.

[dimtimjim]

Eh? The Grand National was this weekend?! Missed everything about it... No loss, horse racing is shite.

[chrysostom]

The #creepingsharia trend on twitter has made me laugh a lot! https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23creepingsharia

[Bonanzoid]

Even as a bookie I'm not a fan of the Grand National. It's an enjoyable day at work because you meet so many random people that don't normally bet (less drunks and junkies than usual) but the actual race is a joke. It seems to be the only race (that I'm aware of) where horses consistently die and I'm actually surprised more hasn't already been done to change this. Last year 2 horses died, and this year it was the same. In terms of horse racing it's not a proper race. Too many runners, the fences are too dangerous and it's over 4 miles long. There are several meetings everyday that don't throw up the same amount of controversy so why not just make the National more like these meets?

[Yudster]

A while back they altered several of the fences and for some years there were no fatalities at all - but I'm sure there were far more runners this year than there used to be. 40 is too many and I think 30 should be the absolute maximum.

[dimtimjim]

Whoop whoop!

Just booked myself my next little sun kissed motorcycle excursion... Off to Spain mid-May!

Got 3 days to relax by the pool in Marbella, then off up the east Coast slightly to spend a few days at Cartagena for bike riding! Yeah!

Spending so much money today (£2k and counting!) my card company blocked the card assuming it'd been stolen! Which, is kinda always reassuring.

Only downside, flying from Luton. Luton stinks, bad.

[chrysostom]

You're a pretty girl, I'm sure the going rate is much higher than that!

(sorry, Badger hasn't been around for a while and I'm presuming DTJ is busy at work)

[DevilsDuck]

You're a pretty girl, I'm sure the going rate is much higher than that!

(sorry, Badger hasn't been around for a while and I'm presuming DTJ is busy at work)

Proper lol'ed

[dimtimjim]

You're a pretty girl, I'm sure the going rate is much higher than that!

(sorry, Badger hasn't been around for a while and I'm presuming DTJ is busy at work)

^^ I like this.

[bmstinton93]

Rebecca Black sounds like Adele compared to this!

[SAV1OUR]

Just thinking back to a St Georges Day show years ago when Chris opened with a local radio DJ persona, this continued onto other links inspired by BBC Local.

[dimtimjim]

Rebecca Black sounds like Adele compared to this!

Put it back in your trousers... Jeez.

[Yudster]

I just read a report that the government in New Zealand, which has pledged to make the country smoke free by 2025, are proposing that a pack of cigarettes should cost $100 (about £50). An absolutely brilliant idea and one that I sincerely hope could be possible here one day.

[MK Chris]

That'll never happen - the government WANT people to smoke. They have to keep the taxes high enough to make them money, but low enough that people will actually carry on smoking.

[dimtimjim]

He's right.

Much as the campaigns have to say otherwise, do you have any idea how much other taxes would go up if everyone packed up smoking?!!!

I, for one, am happy to let the smokers choose to pay those billions in tax, instead of you and I being forced to make the figures back up again.

I clocked a pack a cigs in shop the other day, nearly £6 for 10 now!!! When I were a lad (and stupid-er, don't smoke kids) I could get 10 B&H and a box of matches and still get change from £1...

[chrysostom]

The only issue is that people then start to see heavy taxes as benefiting those who can afford it - which conflicts with their perception of the right to smoke.

Then they use the media to sound off about how they're being punished for not having enough money to feed their addiction - rather than try to curb it, and the danger is that people will prioritise smoking over other essentials.

Make Marajuana legal, but super expensive. Clearly the way to go.

[dimtimjim]

Make Marajuana legal, but super expensive. Clearly the way to go.

Given what we 'know' about this now in a V's with Alcohol, and taking into account its taxation potential, I'm amazed they havn't already.

Andy for PM.

[Yudster]

That'll never happen - the government WANT people to smoke. They have to keep the taxes high enough to make them money, but low enough that people will actually carry on smoking.

I know. I'm an idealist though. And if New Zealand actually DO manage to become a "smoke free" country, I think idealism will score a point - and may be in the running for more.

[MK Chris]

So my mum came round for a cup of coffee last night to see us before her and Steve go away to Avignon (today until Friday). My sister also arrived to pick Joel up and when we were all together, she casually said 'so do you want to know what I did today? I got married...'

Just her, Steve, her sister, Steve's mum and two registrars in one tiny room / cupboard in a registry office. Nice.

[Nicola_Red]

Are you sorry at all that you missed it? I'm just curious, cos if my flatmate and I get married as each other's backup, we're going to Vegas, so nobody will be there.