Do you remember the thread about how General Sir Mike Jackson would respond to various questions. That's going back a bit.

That’s very much what I was basing this thread on.

One of Spurt's finest moments.

I went to a dinner where he was the speaker. It was rather good.

He stood up and said he had two topics. Jackson on Leadership or Jackson on International Affairs. We were asked to vote and he obliged (the latter).

Then he took questions. One of the funniest moments ever to see a load of technical lawyer types being seen off by him.  He weathered various questions about Kosovo and Iraq incursions very well. Then the subject changed to Afghanistan.  Some pomposticating weekend soldier lawyer puffed his way through a long question about how it would be better if UK strategy had not been limited to air force bombing and limited infantry insertions (resulting in  defensive and sometimes catastrophically ill-equipped initiatives) and had instead been a more committed utilisation of all aspects of our armed forces... and didn't the General agree?

"All aspects" clarified the General? "Yes" pomposed the fattybombardier.  "Well no, I don't agree" he snapped. "However, I would have enjoyed watching the Navy having a go at sailing into Kabul" 

Have had the honour of peeing next to him on several occasions. 

That being the case, I was wondering if you could help me out something I have long wondered - if his face is that saggy, what does his ballsack look like?

Like Hockney about Auden... 

Happy to say I didn't see his ballsack, though clearly he has bags under all his eyes.

Next time we go cottaging together I'll try and get a better look.

Only if it doesn’t prove to be a distraction.

Don’t forget to take a Sainsbury’s bag

must it be Sainsburys? Not sure I get the reference.

Sorry, other supermarkets are equally valid

He had surgery on the bags under his eyes. Made him look less craggy which I thought was a shame.