David Stanway

@Johnnypapa64 Them Thar Hills is a work of genius. I saw it first when I was 7 years old and it’s just as funny 40-odd years later.

I thought today I could either comment on the state of the country or post a really funny Laurel & Hardy clip from Them Thar Hills (made in 1934) ….so no choice really then, have a fantastic day. *The tune that they’re all humming is The Old Spinning Wheel.

Happy 100th birthday to the amazing Ernie Wise, one half of one of greatest comedy partnerships the world has ever seen. Eric Morecambe was a bona fide genius in my opinion, but the person who enabled him to express that genius was Ernie Wise. Indeed, when I interviewed Michael Parkinson for mine and Robert Sellers' authorised biography of Ernie Wise (called “Little Ern”) way back in 2010 he described the Leeds born straight man as “the maypole around which Eric danced”. I couldn’t have put it better myself. The reason I decided to write that book was because there had been four or five books written about Eric at the time (and rightly so) but not one about Ernie, so I decided to try and redress the balance a bit. The irony being that Ernie wouldn’t have given two hoots about not having been celebrated or investigated by way of a biography. Ernie's biggest fan as a performer though, was Eric. When Ernie decided to develop his character for their show by becoming a conceited miser who wrote terrible plays Eric was thrilled and revelled in his partner getting more laughs. 'When Ernie isn’t here,' he once said, 'I get a cold draft all down one side.' By the way, this is from Eric and Ernie’s first TV special they made for ITV in 1978. God bless Little Ern x

A quite incredible eulogy from Adam Smith at Ricky Hatton’s funeral today. Goosebumps 💙 🎬 @RingMagazine

Steve Davis took over CueTips 🤬😂 But this week I’m the guest 👀 and @SteveSnooker grills me over my career… It’s chaos and very funny 😅 Click to find watch 👉🏻 youtu.be/CdJGV8pxmag?si…

Playing a song with my godfather Dave, the first ever #ChasnDave composition 'Better Get Your Shoes On' My dad and Dave wrote it in the early 70s, it's one of my earliest childhood music memories!

Heavyweight icon Lennox Lewis turns 60 today. Happy birthday champ 🎂

@triggerpod That if you are committed to the truth, comfort cannot be your aim.

What’s a truth everyone should accept, even if it’s uncomfortable?

@147Magtr I'm two years older than Ronnie but that felt like watching my dad getting beaten up by the school bully.

Ronnie fans therapy session. Let it all out. This is a safe place.

This letter in The Times says it all

@Stan_And_Ollie Saps at Sea: “Blow the horn Stan!‘ Closely followed by the joyous and anarchic Them Thar Hills. And then the silent short Big Business, where they trash James Finlayson’s house because he refuses to buy one of their Christmas trees. Comedy genius.

What's your own personal favourite Laurel and Hardy short?

This 500-year-old portrait may seem ordinary, but it's one of the most mysterious in history. There's so much detail that you can read every musical note on this small page. But look closer — an unsettling secret is hiding in plain sight... 🧵

Scientists at Oxford University have created a new ultra-thin, flexible new solar cell which could be installed on cars, buildings, and even backpacks or mobiles. #climate #solar businessgreen.com/news/4344832/s…

Evan is free and heading home. Great news today. Russia, the US and other countries exchanged 26 prisoners including the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in the largest swap since the Cold War, @maxseddon @adamsamson @FT report. ft.com/content/d94b62…

Deplorable. This will not end well for the people in power who allowed this to happen.

What I saw. A woman getting hit SO hard, in the head, by a man, that she wisely chose to stop it, because she KNEW if she didn’t, she’d be seriously injured or worse. Blood, sweat, tears, training, dreams…shattered…. The ABSOLUTE STATE of this…@iocmedia Angela Carini. 💔❤️

BE KIND, LADIES

Can we get #ResignMarkAdams trending? He shouldn't last the day for what he put that woman through.

I covered #England under 10 managers, including some caretakers, very august names and figures among them. Not one of them achieved what #GarethSouthgate has, some with potentially exceptional sides in 98, 06 and 10. (Venables might have, but couldn't swallow his pride and do a Euro 96 'audition', though it was really the FA suits fault for insisting he did.) Worth remembering too, that England failed to qualify for a Euros and three World Cups in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Not only is Southgate's record of achievement quite brilliant, he did it with enlightenment, by developing and empowering young men, showcasing them as shining representatives of a diverse and - largely - tolerant nation, partly bolstering a nation's self-esteem in some dark years and ridding the national team of a world-weariness. There are those who called him woke. He certainly woke English football. The 'Dear England' letter was a masterstroke. There were mistakes, moments he missed, opportunities that slipped through his fingers. He will surely reflect on them more than anybody. They are not for today, nor does today belong to those who have been vilifying this most honourable, articulate and steadfast of men for perceived failures that really aren't. Today is for him to be assured that those who have any realistic sense of English football's history and standing, and who appreciate a return to being able to hold heads high, are humbly grateful for his eight years of inspired, yeoman service.

China has announced plans to better measure the carbon content of its products - a key step in reaching its own climate goals and meeting tougher carbon standards overseas. by @DavidStanway reuters.com/business/envir…