Think there is some fairly large capacity Archos players out there I think.

I've burnt most of my collection (well, the stuff that'll fit) lossless onto a 160gb Classic. In retrospect I might have put the lossless files onto a NAS or something for home use, and done a lossy version of each album for use on a smaller capacity (and more portable) Nano/iPhone or something for use out and about.

Wouldn't like to use the Classic for watching videos!

Off the top of me head on quizzes I've been to:-

Last letter of previous band is first letter of next band;

All first letters go towards an anagram for bonus points;

1 point for easy first song, 2 points for slightly harder song, etc. etc. Team keeps guessing until they want to 'stick'. If they get a song wrong they lose all points (suppose like Who Wants to Be millionaire stylee).

One hit wonders

they didn't *make* the banks take ridiculous risks, did they?

There is a strong argument that GBs raid on pensions took a lot of the profits out of investments and therefore forced the banks to enter into riskier transactions to get a decent return for the poor people mugged of their (rightful?) pension pots.

miketually – Member

My likely choices for MP at the next election (we currently have Alan "Six Jobs" Milburn:

Lib: A nice guy who once bought me a pint. He's a southerner, but he's lived here for years, brought his kids up here as a single dad after his wife died and has a successful small business in the town so I'll let him off with that. Rides a bike and is a member of Darlington Cycling Campaign.

Lab (no finalised yet, but likely to be): A woman only a couple of years older than me. Has kids the same age as mine and is the friend of a friend. Once referred to me as "the famous miketually". Rides a bike and is a member of Darlington Cycling Campaign.

Con: Capt Edward Thomas Legard, The Life Guards, second son of Sir Charles Legard, 15th Baronet. Lives miles away. Rarely seen in the town.

Not sure what your point is Mike. My best mate is a brilliant lad, goes cycling, enjoys a laugh and a beer, friends since school. But hate to have him running the country.

The boss at work – ex-army, father a Doctor etc. etc. – wouldn't invite him to a party but by god he's a leader and someone you'd respect and will get the job done.

Product (aka The Sun) tries to keep sales buoyant shocker.

I always like the holier than thou mentality people have when they think of the demographic of Sun readers.

There is only so much mileage in blaming the previous government for all of the countries woes before people start asking "hold on, you've been in power now for 10 years, surely you must take the blame now". Happened to the Tories, now happening to NuLabour. No doubt there will be a couple of years for the incoming Tory government.

As sooty said, at least the Tories went out and said there'd be cuts. Labour tried to pretend otherwise ( remember "0% increase") before admitting it after realising they weren't fooling anyone.

Not sure I like the Conservatives any more than Labour but sometimes a change is needed just get things in focus again.

It's been the case for years with more pension relief for higher rate tax payers, but I think the government's putting a stop to it?

Yes, Mr Brown has helped himself to plenty of my pension when he fancied over the past few years. Silly people who've put money aside for the future to avoid being a burden to society…..

"The fact remains that the poorest quintile in the UK pays the highest percentage of their disposable income in tax."

Yeah, probably on cigarettes and alchopops……

"Currently changing it for fuel tax would add about 10p/litre equiv for an average 12K miles/50mpg car. Thats a pretty damn hefty rise."

Do you reckon 10p a litre rise is pretty hefty? We saw more than that last year when oil prices went down, erm up and I'm not sure we really saw a big drop in usage. Went up tuppence a couple of weeks ago. Nobody hardly blinked.

Laser everytime if it's for an office environment

Anything but Wippermann stainless.

Happy with KMC on all the bikes at the moment.

Be careful of British Summertime changing though. If you set off an auction you think will end on Sunday at 8:00, they'll take into account the clocks going back so it'll actually finish (erm….) an hour later. Or is it earlier?

And do you really want to know how much your missus has spend on your secret birthday present…?

6 pence well saved….

The pocket money thing works for us. It means I don't have to justify the price of a new XT cassette, and the missus doesn't have to tell me how much all her beauty treatments cost.

To the OP, personally I don' think the day-to-day money is a problem is you are both reasonably cool with the whole issue or slightly unbalanced income (though that is offset slightly by her kids presumably spending/using her money).

I'd suggest a good solicitor for you both to discuss what happens with house purchases, wills etc. – that's when it'll get messy – that's where having assets will count god forbid you split up/one of you dies.

Mmmm, used to work with a couple of guys called Dick Dipper and Reg Chicken.

We used to have someone called Pinki Kok, but I think Wayne Kerr still works in one of the other offices.

That's the benefit of a mesh style reflective vest. Just chuck it on over whatever you feel you need to wear for the ride.

A while ago was talking to my mate who said he was having a romantic evening with his missus.

Caught him in the supermarket later buying a bottle of wine, some chocolates and a tube of KY Jelly……

LOL @ Capt'nFlashy.

I take it back, I wasn't smug, but applaud you on your own smugness :lol:

Did you find with the Respro Hump that the reflective was on the top and thus not in drivers eyeline when you actually assume the riding position? I ended up fitting mine upside down.

+1 for Ansmann. They do an "Eneloop" equivalent too, "maxE" or something like that.

Ansmann charger is good too, though a little expensive. Slow and steady charging, battery health check, will charge 1-4 batteries (useful as kids toys seem to use three AA which is annoying!)

I've got the more expensive Respro equivalent.

*smug*

Sorry, yes, that did come across slightly badly! I actually meant to say I'd not purchased said recommended rucksack cover, and I have bought the more expensive one before I realised there was a cheaper alternative.

Buzz, it'll look something like this underneath the b/bracket shell

Other alternative is to get the "cheaper" waterproof and maybe stick a mesh vest over the top? This one is £6 posted

http://hivizextras.co.uk/vests.html

There do a nice rucksack cover too. I've had loads of comments about mine from other commuters – I've got the more expensive Respro equivalent.

Just discussing this last week with my riding buddy after I'd just replaced the Campy chain and cassette (both secondhand off eBay) for some news ones after started jumping.

We reckoned it was about 5 years old, with about 5 or 6k miles on it, though I do look after it nicely and there was a quiet gap in the middle due to elbow/arm breakage. Think you're just wearing yours in!

I must say the Worcester Bosch customer service was second to none when we had a little issue with the boiler. The installer said he'd only consider Bosch and Vaillant.

A lot of adverts are based on click-thru rates. So unless people are actually following the banners to the websites then potentially they are relatively cheap.

what category racer is your friend coffeeking? I'd be interested in seeing a down tube shifting bike winning a bunch sprint. Not saying it can't be done though!

See how many times Cav changes gear going down the final sprint on a stage of the Tour De France. I bet it's zero times. He'll be in the highest gear even before the sprint starts….

That wikipedia entry is classic

Here's the 'proper' version up now:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Martin_%28chef%29

And if you look through the revision history you get this earlier version (see last paragraph on television career)
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Martin_%28chef%29&oldid=313819003

Surely health and safety will require an annoying high pitched beeeeeep beeeeeeep beeeeeep on all electric vehicles in the near future.

That, or a recording of a nice V8 at full throttle!

Or maybe the song all ice cream vans make. Or would that be dangerous to children?

As trail_rat says, SKS Commuter guards

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/SKS_Commuter_Mudguard/5360035533/

Not sure of your budget, but for about £100ish I'd recommend some Audioengine A2 speakers. There are powered, will accept in an iPod, or CD player/radio as external source and sound really nice. Gloss black, or gloss white too for the Apple look….

Happy with the Ansmann ones I use. Nice charger (bit expensive though), usefully charges any number of batteries between 1 and 4 as always seem to need just 3 batteries for some childs toy.

Try the Crud Roadracer guards. Like kinda full length guards but take a minute or so to remove.

The 'off road' type crudcatcher stylee guards are useful for keeping the water/filth off your back, but don't do much for stopping that continual spray of wetness off the front tyre soaking your legs and shoes. Full mudguards do a much better job.

Actually, would be surprised if your CX bike frame doesn't have mudguard eyelets – if it has, just get some proper guards for commuting.

Robdog, loosen the front straps, leave the one near your ankle tight – might stop your foot shifting forwards in the shoe – could be the cause.

If you're only using the drop hoods as brake levers (ie not shifters) then Dia Compe do a specific v-brake drop bar lever – use those and you'd be able to bang decent vees on without any compromise.

Buyers were routinely not bothering to pay for things they've ordered (even worse now). Trying to haggle prices after the auction etc. etc. – do sellers not deserve to tell others about the buyers?

As monkeychild says, if you've already got a decent waterproof just put a highviz vest on.

If you want longsleeve then these are a bargian – 2nd one down
http://hivizextras.co.uk/vests.html

Oh, and if commute with a rucksack these are canny too – last one on page:-
http://hivizextras.co.uk/accessories.html

When bands didn't sell their souls for money and global marketing, when they still cared about the music they made instead of releasing absolute sh1te ala Green Day & Offsprings last few albums……

The Ramones spent their entire time making records they were convinced were going to be the one that made them go mega. Even roping Phil Spector in to produce an album. So in many respects their entire ethic was to make money and global marketing (tee shirts…?).

Though to be fair, they didn't really change their style.

Bit sad they made more money through tee shirts than records bought.

Agreed expensive to sell, but even taking fees into account, selling stuff for more than you bought it for new isn't bad.

Rahter sell something on eBay for £100 less £10 'fees' than sell in the paper for £60 for free.

I think in our dim and distant history the more concentrated amounts of protein in meat enabled our brains (that take a lot of energy to run) to grow and hence evolve into the people we are today (most predators are 'clever', most prey tends to be not).

As science has evolved we can now work out the levels of protein/carbs/vitamins etc. required to sustain our bodies. So in the days of transport/air travel (to import all those foreign nuts/veggies etc.) then it is probably feasible to be a vegetarian in this day and age.

(And all those saying eating meat means we eat pesticides etc. are conveniently forgetting these things are also used on vegetables too…).

So technicall not 'natural', but as other people have pointed out, getting your hair cut, driving cars and living past 40 are not 'natural'. I'm sure progress and pressures on the earths resources will see an increase in high protein vegetable alternatives. Still, the odd t-bone will still be a treat.