Despite having no urge to see it, we did get the chance to have a rare evening out and went to watch “Skyfall”.

I suppose that it was ‘better’ than Quantum of Solace, but… it was just very, very silly.

It was a James Bond film (I wasn’t expecting gritty, social realism) with some imaginatively product-placed set-pieces (arguably too many, and little else other than some “War on Terror” style rhetoric and references to old fashioned espionage), but I just didn’t care about what happened to any of the characters.

In a world where anything is possible/nothing is impossible then plausibility doesn’t count for anything. It reminded be a little of the awful Mission Impossible 2 (in which anybody could mask themselves as anybody else).

I lost interest about half-way through and was relieved when it finally ended.

Yawn.

ps. I can’t imagine that I’ll be rushing out to buy any of the product-placed cars, watches, beers etc. either.

Filling a basement or 2/3/4 foot floor void would take a lot of polystyrene.

Not advisable in a vented floor void either.

Cost £1000 in materials alone for a quite large terrace house. I guess 5mx15m. .

Eek!

£200 labour sounds cheap though.

I don’t mean that I squashed it flat. It was nice and ‘fluffed’.

100mm is the nominal thickness of the roll and also depth of the joists. The width of the insulation does provide a snug fit between the joists.

I agree about mice, but I couldn’t find/smell any signs of activity or chewing of the old pipe lagging.

Anyhow, I’m not claiming to have done an optimal job, but it’s not expensive and possibly preferable to measuring-up and cutting kingspan boards …and crawling back, forth and through the small access hatch repeatedly to do so.

It’s not a pleasant job, but doing an evening here and there is tolerable.

For insulation of our suspended ground floor, I’ve used 100mm thick B&Q insulation roll (partially recycled plastic) held up with cheap garden netting and staples.

The crawl space is only ~knee height, so it is quite awkward to do and very dusty. I wear a head torch, overalls, goggles, dust mask, elbow and knee pads.

So far I’ve done the dining room (which had a fairly cold, laminated wood floor) and wrapped the under-floor central heating pipes.

The living room will be next. This is carpeted over thick underlay so the benefits may be less obvious, although it can occasionally feel cool underfoot.

however, controling draughts is harder and the chance of animal infestation is high.

I packed the insulation in quite tightly (plus there is foam under the laminate and the skirtings were sealed prior to the floor being laid).

There was no evidence of animals in the crawl space.

Much MUCH better than Quantum of Solace, not quite as good as Casino Royale;

Quantum of Solace was one of the worst, and least coherent, films I’ve ever paid to see.

I remember Casino Royale being ‘quite good’, but can’t actually remember many details about it.

I’m not sure I’d make the effort to see Skyfall.

To be honest, I prefer a top notch TV series (The Wire, West Wing etc.)to a 2 hour film.

Did bridgewater canal last night, definitely a no-goer, worse than I remember tho TBF I think I’ve only ever done it in summer during dry spells. It’s alright for a bimble but no good if you want to go places quickly.

I discovered the same thing. The ‘path’ is very poor there.

Riding along the roads across Trafford Park is far better and far quicker.

I keep returning to Mondeos. As an everyman, image-neutral car they are good to drive (and can be hustled along quite effectively by an enthusiastic driver for the size of the thing), comfortable and good value second-hand. Resale value doesn’t concern me too much. I just keep cars for a few years, drive them anywhere and everywhere, keep them well-maintained and use decent tyres, but wash tem every 6 months or so and don’t worry too much if they get scratched/dented/scuffed.

I’ve never had any major problems with mine, other than my battered Mk1 2.0 that received and tolerated a lot of abuse.

I’m quite interested in a Roomster to replace our Fabia.

druidh – Member

IIRC the phoney transcript used part of the actual conversation but included parts that had been “cut” from the original screening. It’s therefore possible that you remember some of the text.

That would make more sense, hence only remembering some of it…

Looks like you were aware of the transcript then ?

but had forgotten about it, and somehow presumed you had seen it rather than read it or been told about it.

I don’t recall reading it before, although I’m assuming I must have read it or been told about it years ago. I suppose that the format is so familiar that the words could be projected in the mind onto an image of the chaps on the show.

I’ll have to seek out the actual episode to see if it sparks any real memories.

Yes. It has a good cycle path from what I’ve seen.

When I lived Monton way I used the same bike route into town …and once walked the same picturesque route home in the early hours of a Sunday when I couldn’t find a taxi.

You could take more of the back streets through Seedley, Weaste, Shopping City etc., but I wouldn’t bother.

Eccles New Road with its tram tracks weaving about, buses and cars was horrendous to cycle along.

You can continue up Eccles Old Road to the A6, but that’s not exactly car-free.

The new road alongside the Ship Canal between the Centenary bridge and Media City and then cutting through the delightful village of Ordsall might be a quieter alternative.

Another option is to ride through Trafford Park and jump onto the canal near Old Trafford (the path becomes better there).

atlaz – Member

It wasn’t a “hoax” it was a hoax. Paul Merton keeps having to answer questions about it.

I’m a bit puzzled.

I had never heard the rumours about Jimmy Saville until I watched HIGNFY a few years ago. I remember thinking that they were being very harsh to the chap at the time.

When the ‘revelations’ resurfaced the other week, I was reminded of his appearance on HIGNFY a few years ago.

I wasn’t aware of any “trans-script”. Having just read that “trans-script”, some of it sounded familiar from my “memory” of seeing it, especially the references to a girl’s name.

Maybe this “trans-script” was broadcast subliminally over every episode…

Odd.

Maybe… but I’m sure if he could’ve avoided getting pulled out on by a car he would have. “Advice” on a forum after the event really ain’t gonna help anything.

Er, ok.

Feel free not to read the thread.

Glad to hear that you are ok.

My attitude whilst riding a motorbike or pedal bike is that any vehicle waiting at a T-Junction is a potential collision. Cover the brakes, move towards the centre of the road, slow down.

If concerned, on a motorbike/scooter, beep your loud (car or after-market) horn(s) to alert them to the fact that you are there. If they do pull out in front of you and you’ve successfully avoided them, beep them to wake them up.

allmountainventure – Member

Just playing devils advocate really.

For us lot seeing semi naked women crawling around on the floor or lap dancing in front of pop stars is pretty normal, socialisation init?

So in some hypothetical scandal in 30 or 40 years time involving, lets say, rape/abuse/drugs/cover ups in the music business, people will look back at selective footage like that and wonder what on earth was going on in our minds accepting it.

Yes, I think that will quite possibly be the case.

Being out of touch with popular culture, I find it a bit weird myself, in 2012.

St Helens ?

Woollybacks

imnotverygood – Member

I’m nearing 50. Do you think my dad would be out on the hills on a pushbike when he was that age?

Possibly not.

My Grandad, who had been quite adventurous, was still into a bit of urban exploration, or “trespassing” as it was known then when in his 60s-70s. If he was around now he’d probably be posting up photos on the www.

druidh – Member

“Love Thy Neighbour”….
Context! Even at the time, it was mocking the racists. The same way that Alf Garnett did.
…by use of a lot of racism. Judging by the way that some of the older generation still talk about different ethic minorities, I suspect that there were a lot of viewers laughing with the racist characters.

…As there were presumably a lot of parents laughing along with Jimmy Saville rubbing himself up against young teenaged girls (with problems) on primetime tv…
I appreciate that times have changed, but it is amazing by just how much.

druidh – Member

Context. At the time, that would all have been seen as “just a bit of fun”. Watch an episode of the Benny Hill show. Selectively digging up old clips and showing them in light of the current allegations is putting a spin on it that isn’t necessarily relevant.
I appreciate that, but it is amazing that a middle-aged man (he wasn’t exactly one of The Osmonds) sleazing (physically and verbally) over young teenagers on prime-time TV was considered acceptable at the time. My 2012 mind boggles at the fact that he is then alleged to have taken some of the girls back to his dressing room for sex parties at the BBC.

It appears that he may have been some sort of role-model for Silvio Berlusconi.

Admittedly, there are still some quite unpleasant things on (late night) TV now.

Remember, we also had “Love Thy Neighbour”. Can you imagine that being allowed now?

No, from what I’ve seen of it, that was horrendous. That programme appears to have shaped (or reflected) the views of a lot of people who are now in their 60s and 70s…

The thing that struck me most was the level of sleaziness towards young girls/women displayed in the old TV clips that they’d found in the archives. I found it very creepy and I’m a bloke in my mid 30s….

To my 2012 eyes, his association with that Approved School and Broadmoor seemed very peculiar to me.

As has been mentioned, Jimmy Saville was quite honest about some of his past activities -“Hiding behind the truth”.

I know that a lot of people appeared quite content to ignore his unacceptable behaviour, but it is amazing that he was allowed to continue for so long -especially doing “Jim’ll Fix It” and to become a “National Treasure” -albeit a very odd one.

…but are both really engaged in the local community in a way that we never were previously – we actually feel like we live here rather than just exist.

That’s something that I’ve been thinking about recently. Good effort for the training as a firefighter.

Kryton57 – Member

passiflora86 » She also said that wealth-related unhappiness came not from how much stuff you had as such, but from comparing how much stuff you had to your peers,

Just out of interest, I know a guy from work who always seems happy in a way demonstrated by he never asks of care about your achievements / objects in a “I wish” kinda fashion. When I rode with him one he gave me a tour of his house. No more than a standard town house, it was a decent place, with good decor, Samsung TV with Sky, and a few pictures and furnished “just enough” for two, with a diesel mondeo in the drive.

He’s very well paid, but a quiet get on with it type, and when I asked him why he didn’t have more stuff, and he said “what for?”

He sounds like a sensible bloke.

I do have “stuff”, for which I’m grateful, but most of it was cheap/second-hand and gets used, to a point beyond which I can’t repair it…

As the owner of a diesel Mondeo I don’t believe that driving an Audi A6, BMW 5-series or X5 would make me any happier …just lighter in the wallet. I doubt that my neighbours or friends would care either, although even if they did, I wouldn’t care.

binners – Member

It was a bit sweary, wasn’t it?

Malcolm Tucker on a mountain.

binners – Member

How many punctures did you get? I remember the ranger being a war of attrition on tyres and tubes

Although some of us didn’t get any….

The memory of your running commentary on that ‘ride’ will never leave me 😉

fervouredimage – Member

On Friday I handed my notice in at work (I hated my job). My wife loves her job and just about earns enough to keep us both afloat. The misery in both of our lives was my hatred for my job and therefore the need to buy crap to fill the void that my Monday to Friday life left me with. I dragged the both of us down.
Good on you. There’s something to be said for what you’ve done.

Despite not having expensive/posh tastes and having always lived within my means, I’ll admit that I do quite like having disposable income, so I’m not sure how I’d find doing such a thing.

joemarshall – Member

I don’t think there is less adventurous stuff going on. I think there is much more of a divide between people who do stuff and people who don’t nowadays.

Very true.

“The Trafford Centre set”?

Most ordinary people in the UK have it quite good or are at least warm/fed/sheltered/clothed/TV’d/car’d/iPhone’d these days (the wealth may decline in future decades) and there is no need to do difficult/arduous/risky activities in the course of a normal, everyday life.

Even a foreign holiday involves only a taxi ride to/from the airport and a ‘resort’ for most people.

Those who do ‘adventurous’ activities actively seek them out.

saxabar – Member

Wow, back to the days of Nicomachus – that’s going some.
Complaining about the youth of today isn’t a new thing, you know…

andytherocketeer – Member

Might be a generation thing? or just the way things change?
My Grandfather and Great-Grandfather certainly seemed more adventurous than my parents’ generation. (edit: and not just due to wars as above^^ but also out of war, although maybe the adventure of war shaped their peace time adventures?)

I agree. I think the overall “harshness” of life resulted in people who died young or were tougher/more resilient.

My parents generation became more ‘comfortable’, although thankfully my Dad did introduce me to the outdoors and ‘man skills’.

hora – Member

Lightish, low BB etc – any ideas? I’m looking for a Mega but can’t find one at the moment.

No I can’t afford a Bottle rocket!

I’ve not seen you for a couple of years, but can you ride yet?

Good to hear that you are still keeping the biking economy ticking over though!

b r – Member

“MSP

ps. My fathers generation seemed a lot less adventurous than ours, if anything technology and travel have opened up an amazing world of possibility and adventure not known to the vast majority of previous generations.”

MSP

Or did they just have their kids younger with the consequential mortgage/responsibilities?

I was thinking about this only yesterday.

Compared with my Dad, I had more opportunities, 8 more child-free years in my 20s/30s and a seemingly (relatively)lower cost of living/playing.

I’ve done and experienced some great (and some challenging and dangerous) things and places.

-I’m very fortunate.

My grandfathers’ generation(and many generations before them) had a war to go to, which either killed them, maimed them and/or gave them a lot of amazing (good or bad) experiences think about. Life was harder in the past for most.

Having now become my Dad, my opportunities for ‘adventure’ are somewhat more limited by time and having to earn money, which is a shame. Yes, I know that it is a selfish view.

Yes, having done similar a number of times over the years, it can get worse before it gets better.

6 weeks is typical for significant pain.

If you then go out for a ride and bash them again it will hurt quite a bit
…as I discovered.

A classic indeed, but surely some mistake? That battered white Hilux appears to be lacking any sort of weaponry

Did Toyota ever make a variant without a heavy machine gun mounted on the flat bed?

I used to love Kev in Grand Designs…

…Now I just feel like taking my fist of grid for a while and re-purposing it in his face.
Presumably with a 2 minute ‘re-cap’ every 10 minutes or so.

I’m not feeling violent towards Mr McCloud, just think that he’s watered-down his “knowledgeable, insightful presenter” image a little too much. Although he isn’t an architect, his background, according to Wikipedia, is in lighting installations. At least that’s more credible than the Masterchef judge who isn’t a chef and was actually a fruit n’ veg salesman.

I’ve not watched the final episode yet, but I agree with some of the above comments.

The series was a mish-mash of ideas that didn’t really hang together very well.

In the same way that Top Gear presenters like to do, Kevin McCloud seemed too keen to display a high level of ignorance. There was too much “cocking about”.

In my view, Kevin McCloud’s reputation and credibility from Grand Designs have been damaged by it. (Strictly Come Dancing/eating bugs in a jungle next year?)

Fred Dibnah did this sort of thing far better, as do James May (away from Top Gear) and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, in their different areas.

Anyone want to buy a Rothan for £65 collected.

Surely you’re underselling it massively?

FunkyDunc – Member

My Mondeo 2.0 TDCI has failed its MOT because “exhaust gasses are leaking from the flexible hose join between the engine and exhaust”

There is a flexible section

Also, My Mk1 Mondeo had a swivel joint at that location (between manifold and exhaust pipe) that wore out and caused a clunking noise when the power was engaged.

My Mk3 Mondeo started making a similar noise before I sold it.

It is possibly something similar.

OP – whatever you decide I’m sure it’ll go down well. I’d highly recommend a bell to get the initial interest up!

I agree. A ladybird shaped bell did wonders.

LOL. This kind of undermines your “it’s too expensive” argument a bit as you clearly have money to burn.

You know Hora, then?

Yetiman – Member

I bought a 2 year old Rothan off a mate for £50. It’s very well made and my daughter absolutely loves it.

Somebody took a serious hit on their, at least 80quid, re-sale there 😉

Again, I’m agreeing with Hora….. Up to a point.

tinsy – Member

You wouldnt think that balance bikes could cause such a bitchfight would you..

It’s the Cold War by proxy.

Or possibly the expensive German car vs the non-expensive one
Or the proletariat v. the bourgeoisie.