after many years of this, it breaks your soul and you feel like a unattractive comfort blanket. Life is far too short to be unhappy

“If my work has a theme, I suspect it is a simple one: that most human beings are inescapably alone, and therein lies their tragedy.” – Richard Yates

I think the point of that Times post (that was taken WAY WAAAAAY to far) is that women now want dazzling careers, a baby at 30 (or demanding the NHS pay for expensive fertility treatment) and then a perfect man who earns more than them… listens to everything they say…. and is nice (even though half the time what they say they want in reality isn’t).

Except life really isn’t like that. Now that women are earning nearer to men, it’s harder for them to date up. Careerist women have a lack of options, feminism tells them they should earn as much as men but they are loathe to date ‘losers’ who earn less than they do. Those men that are earning a good amount are prone to cheating as they know they can get women whenever they want. Careers have become more important than love, so when women do have children they don’t want to sacrifice their careers. So instead they try to single handedly take on the role of caring for their child (half of them don’t trust men to do it their own way), whilst intimacy takes a back seat.

Honestly if the girls on here think men should enjoy this and put up with it, well those of us who aren’t ‘losers’ can play the field and for that we are grateful to feminism. You gave us even more freedom than ever when it comes to not growing up or being irresponsible. For the ‘loser’ men in society there will be ever growing rage in the back of their minds having to squabble over spoilt brats that treat them like dirt. *Ducks under air raid shelter awaiting bombardment of misandry and accusations of misogyny”

The really annoying thing though is that once you are getting lots of sex….other women seem to notice you more. Life suddenly becomes like being a child in a candy store again.

Right ladies….there’s no such thing as “the one”….you’ll meet dozens of girls in your life that match your personality well. If you aren’t getting enough sex then dump her. I was going out with a girl where I’d get it barely once a month, she then dumped me and I found a nymphomaniac two weeks later who is better looking, more fun, more intelligent and kinder. Now I live with her.

Have fun, you’ll find the perfect match when you aren’t looking.

Take your child from an early age and teach him to hate losers, chavs and poor people. Introduce him to alcoholic beggars and tell him/her this is how they’ll end up if they take drugs. Say around the age of four….. instill in them a sense of disgust towards low achievers and druggies from an early age because this is the age when it will sink in and take hold in their conciousness. When they get to about 11 they wont listen to you.

Keep them busy and instill in them a dire fear of failiure and then have them doing work or extracuricular activities 6 days a week. Basically think like an Asian mom and only let up if they show signs of burnout.

If they disagree with you or don’t do their work, stick to punishments instead of letting them off the hook. Pushups are great. Reward them when they do their work.

However give them space and treat them like adults. You are there to dish out the rewards or consequences for their actions in a structured framework of rules and boundries, not to try and control every aspect of their day. You know….slowly teaching them to be adults from early on. Let them choose what they want to do etc but make sure they are busy.

If you do that it wasn’t your fault they do/did drugs. They can **** up their lives and when they finally realize it you should just be there to say I told you so and get them out of it. Teenagers don’t listen.

They do and the evidence is in the fact that they export their further education system to more people than any other country. In fact, education is their largest export.

Really because they clearly **** failed to educate most of their own populace? Has Britain ever voted in something as mind numbingly ignorant and short sighted as Bush’s administration?

It’s not scientific at all but….

http://reason.com/archives/2006/01/13/stupid-in-america :D

Thanks for the great info guys. I’ll try your suggestions…. if I’m still not happy with them though I’m going to get some Saint’s, V2’s or R0’s.

As I said, I just want a brake that needs a lot softer touch. I’ve been getting arm pump whenever I’ve been on the brakes at downhill tracks….. doing some grip training that appears to be helping but again….I just don’t like the feel of these brakes at the moment. It’s like whatever I’ve tried the power only comes on at high speed when I’m really grabbing them…. even after a bleed it’s as if the hoses are like balloons….kind of this feeling as though they’re expanding as opposed to the pad biting the disk.

I’ll try the suggestions for the bite point adjustment…..but if proves a pain in the arse constantly readjusting them with the above mentioned method I’m going to ditch them. Small hands and I’ve pulled the brake levers into my middle finger on a number of occassions.

They are pretty powerfull, but on any bleed be they my own or a shops to get that power I have to be two fingered braking. Sintered or Organic. I like and have a habbit of late braking. Basically I want a brake with a much lighter touch where the power comes on quicker and was hoping some Goodridges might save me some money. I also want brakes that have a narrower bite point margin as I have to run em pretty close to the bars (girly hands).

Also Oro’s **** me off no end when bleeding and I don’t remember having these problems with my ancient M4s.

I liked my old Hopes that I had years ago that were grabby as hell. I also noticed that during Dyno testing the M4’s were considerably more powerfull at 50N of pull force than the Oros. If some shiny braided hoses do **** all I’ll get some new brakes. So all in all I wasn’t asking your opinion of how good Oro’s are, they piss me off…that’s all there is to it and I’d like to make them grabbier or get rid of them. Ta

Actually Redford, check out liveleak. Lots of stuff on there…. including close up footage of British soldiers slotting people. You are making the same point over and over again. If they are armed and get killed no one will have any sympathy for them, if they are not then we will simply starve them out or arrest them. Arresting people at sea isn’t hard to do and we can jam their transmissions whilst we’re doing it so it’s not televised.

You’re not a dirty Argie are you? Yeah we should think strategically,…..the Falklands has got oil…… the Scottish are running off with ours….better point the SSBN’s at targets other than Iran and Russia.

I assure you footage of the SBS slotting argies, let alone students would go down very well with the British public. Have you not forgotten the student protests?

We wouldn’t even need to do that. You just ignore them and cut off their supplies and eventually they’ll be begging to leave.

Israel still manages to get things done despite having the worlds worst media image.

How much food do they have, do they have unlimited supplies? Does Argentina have a Security Council Veto? Has “public support” stopped the IDF from being trigger happy? Has it stopped any other war in the past decade for that matter?

Mate all the Argentines are doing by bleating to the UN; is making fools of themselves. If…..IF they sent some Spec ops types to camp out on one of the remote islands we have three options. 1) Starve the **** 2) Leave them be, can’t do much harm can they 3) Send some black nasty types in. 4) Send Harry and his Apache over – when the British public witness the flir footage of Harry and his gunner lighting them up whoever is in power will win the next election, the international community will protest and then nothing will be done about it.

And there lies the Crux of the problem. Any fighter sweep to permanently knock out the airbase and the T45 would be huge. Let’s say the RAF get 2 Tiffies in the air…. that’s 16 AMRAAMS. Add say a minimum of 24 missiles for the Rapiers (don’t know how many batteries are on the Island) and 45 missiles available for immediate use by the T45. Let’s assume the T45 is parked off the runway. The Argentines and Brazilians (let’s be nice to the Argies and add them) would have to launch at least that amount of aircraft at the island to guarantee that some of the attack planes manage to land strikes on the runway.

The Argentines at best would only ever have 35-40 aircraft in a combat ready state, the Brazilian fighters would either need to fly from Argentine airbases (which intelligence would notice before hand), fly from the Argentine carrier (again intelligence would see that steaming towards the Falklands within no time) or use air to air refuelling and launch extended range strikes (which would hamper their effectiveness). All in all, we’d see it coming and be able to reinforce the island with additional fighters whilst the Argentines would be risking their entire fast jet assets and the Brazilians would be risking the torpedoing of their prize naval asset.

OP – Reclaiming the Falklands (Malvinas) remains a national priority for Argentina. Worryingly, they have spent a great deal of money on modernising and professionalising their armed forces. They are very keen to open a dialogue with the UK about the sovereignty of the Islands. However, the UK is unlikely to negotiate while the majority 3,000 Islanders want to remain British. The sad irony is that during the 1970s the British Government was quite open to the idea of handing sovereignty over to the Argentine. Had they not invaded in 1982, then the Falkland islanders may have been lured by promises of Argentinean investment and compensation.

It is possible that the Argentineans will use their armed forces to only threaten invasion, thus causing the UK’s already overstretched armed forces to struggle with their existing operations. This will bring the UK Government to the table. A prime time would be this summer during the Olympics. British troops will be committed in Afghanistan and thousands will be providing security for the Games. Also, it will be winter in the South Atlantic which will hamper the progress of any British Task Force. A cunning Argintenian commander may also threaten Acension, and St Helena, South Georgia or even the British Antartic Territory in order to tie down as many British resources as possible.

It is possible that a small group of military extremists will set up a base on a remote corner of the Falklands. This would place the UK in a difficult position. It could use force to remove the outpost, but it could be bloody. More likely, they will negotiate. Worst case scenario is that the outpost gains the support the Argentineans public forcing the hand of the Government.

The real question is: How many British lives are we willing to sacrifice for a small chunks of rock with a population of about 3,000 people? Already, 255 sounds too much.

Bollocks! The Argies military isn’t anywhere near as strong as it was in 82. The country does not trust it’s military and any upgrades that have been made to their military have been those that are needed to keep their equipment operating.

Except perhaps their ancient Skyhawk’s that have been upgraded with some old F-16 avionics packages but that’s it.

The simple fact is, that there are 1500 military personnel on the Falklands now. To take a dug in island you need an initial landing force that is roughly 3 times larger. So who the **** in South America has the ability to amphibiously land 4500 soldiers on the Falklands? No one. Don’t even mention dropping them by air, if it was going to kick off there’d be squaddies with Starstreak and Rapiers at all the drop zones.

No government is going to negotiate over the Falklands….REPEAT NO ONE….it would be election suicide. Any nutcases that landed on one of the outlying islands would be sipping morning coffee to the sound of 500lb JDAMs thudding around them and that would be it.

To top it all off the Americans are in the process of signing a Billion dollar contract for some of the Falklands Oil. So what do you think would happen if they got caught in the crossfire? Every Brazilian and Argentine military base along the coast would have it’s furniture permanently rearranged by Tomahawk missiles. This whole “OMFG TEH ARGIES ARE COMING TO GET US….BRING BACK THE HARRIERS AND THE SLR” is getting old.

So when/what did you last use a library for? Go on….do tell. They have some uses, for example if my internet access has gone down. For journals, I just access them via Athens and if I want to try a book before I buy it I just download a preview of it onto my Kindle.

Meh don’t care, I figure I want to become the libertarian of the academic world. I’m going to go down angering as many elitists as possible. Think Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens but instead of religion in my sights it’s going to be university. The whole system is vile, it is devoid of little education. University is simply a ticket to a potentially more aspirational lifestyle, where those in society who can most afford it take money from the hands of the youngest and those who can least afford such expenses. It’s a way of trapping you in debt from an early age. I mean I could have been taught everything for my Biomedical Science degree on the bloody job in a laboratory. But nooooooooooooooooooooooooo now you have to pay someone for it.

Once you’ve found your articles, you access them. Until there’s open access to all publications, this is usually paid for by the library (assuming university here). The librarian’s help choose which titles are included – remember there isn’t an unlimited budget, and manage access. When it’s not working who sort’s it? The Library.

Using a database for an in-depth search will save you time. Try submitting a systematic review with the strategy “I used Google”.

A good Library will help you get your research done more easily, through training or doing searches for you. Important stuff with the REF and funding bids.

I’m a Librarian and I barely have anything to do with books. I use the internet all the time. Don’t think my job is obsolete.

I guess, but as I said I get the same hits that I do if I’m using a database. I only use databases if I don’t know what I’m looking for, to have a browse. I might use Google Scholar instead if it proves easier to use. For some reason I find electronic libraries a headache and use google to find the journal entry and abstract and then I’ll access it via Athens.

I’m biased though, I’d like to destroy the university system as we know it.

Which “university” was that bwaarp ? The term is so mis-used these days.

Brookes which is ranked in the top third. I’ve heard just as bad stories about Russel Group universities.

BS. Have you heard of The Open University, Khanacademy, MIT youtube lectures etc etc etc? Online education is the next big thing whether universities like it or not…… especially if they charge 10,000 pounds a year for an experience that includes:

1) Losing all my coursework and failing me on a module
2) Incorrect module handbooks
3) Lecturers that don’t turn up
4) Lecturers that don’t like any of their students
5) Lecturers who think the idea of education is talking in a monotonous voice and reading off slides.
6) Turing your campus into a building site and placing your exam rooms right next to that building site.

Etc etc etc

Er actually Kimbers, knowing where to find the info is a long long way from the most important thing, there are these places called libraries with very friendly people called librarians. Figuring out what is good and what is cack, and assembling it into a vaguely sensible argument, is the most important thing.

Yes but the internet has made libraries (arguably universities as well) obsolete for academic research, what is the difference between using my universities electronic journal searcher/Athens to using Google? I don’t read paper books using either!

Academic’s need to click onto the fact that the internet is changing education, many institutions see (like the music industry) the internet as a threat as it opens up education to all for free reducing it’s ability to be traded as a commodity.

I just wrote a project/dissertation challenging the classical mutation theory of cancer. Basically academic trolling, the literature review went down well with my tutor :) So I guess I’m lucky. Any lecturer who marks you down for challenging the status quo should not mark you down if you have made a logical and reasoned argument, even if they do have counterpoints. These people are an affront to science.

**** lol…I just use bog standard google to find my sources and then harvard reference them. I rarely bother with databases as they usually bring up the exact same matches.

I hope a lot of you realize that most of what you’re describing is vilely abusive behavior, that if any of you were to do it you would be described as “pigs” and be berated as women haters.

I dunno, I guess I’m a massive raging jerk but I’ve dumped every woman who as ever pulled this kind of thing on me without second thought. I’m now with a nice, cool, calm calculated woman who respects me enough to just talk to me and discuss issues with the aim of coming to an agreeable compromise.

Simonm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd30JESdb9o

on a serious note divorce her.

Has your friend tried seeing a clinical psychologist and undergoing therapy/CBT? Make’s a world of difference in mild cases of depression or anxiety.

Lifestyle changes go a long way to helping someone who has dysthymia as opposed to episodes of severe depression which I can only describe as total and utter blackness.

It’s generally thought GP’s tend to over prescribe SSRI’s. http://psychminded.co.uk/news/news2005/april05/GPs%20prescribe%20antidepressants%20even%20though%20they%20believe%20other%20approaches%20might%20be%20more%20effective.htm

Rossi – but he needs to win on the Duke or in a car to really cement it.

Rossi was supposedly very quick in an F1 car. Very very few racers have ever made the conversion yet alone succeed.

Do the people of Cuba “deserve” to live under the government of Cuba?
Poor quality troll, 2/10.

@Konabunny

I was talking about democracies. If the people cared so much about bankers pay they should not have voted in a conservative government who protect the wishes of a sector of society well known for rampant cronyism, corruption and greed.

Honestly, mountain bikers are often the 4 wheel drive Audi London types. How many of you would have liked to live in a fairer and more heavily taxed country like Norway pre-2008? Not a lot…..most of you were living a dream built on the credit bubble. Some of us knew what was going to happen and the people failed to take note.

Instead of whining about his pay and harassing this man, why don’t you vote in a far left socialist party instead of the conservatives. Then pay might be fairer, or move to cuba! I’m sure you will all love that!

The people get the government it deserves.

Why would you want a Heckler? It’s not a linkage driven single pivot, it’s heavier than the 575 and not as suited to dh as the Mega.

The megas a bit heavier, it’s also plusher due to a proper link at the back instead of that “flexible” link, it’s slacker and has a much longer wheelbase. I’ve ridden both, the 575 felt more of an XC bike with more clout whilst the Mega (which I bought) feels like a mini-dh bike that can be pedalled on all day rides. Basically it’s more confidence inspiring on steep descents.

Both can be ridden on 30km trail rides, but the mega leans more towards descending where as the 575 leans a bit more towards climbing. The Mega also corners at high speed like nothing I’ve ever ridden before (bar an Ancillotti DH bike) and bikes I’ve spent time on are Ancilottis, Nomads, VP-Free, Scott Octane DH bike, Specialized SX Trail etc etc….it generally rails.

Yup most frames are hideously overpriced (commencal are a nice example), nukeproof sell the frames for what they are actually worth. The problem with mountain bikers is that they see something being sold at a decent price at they think “cheap = shit”. Apart from the paint job my mega is easily as nicely built as my old mans Nomad.

The Mega Pro was going to be 3k originally, I’m suprised they’ve increased their prices. I bet it’s 1) due to the fact the frames sold like hotcakes 2) They don’t want to be seen as the next Kona as mtbers are mostly affluent 35 year olds with money to spare and a snobbish attitude towards bikes.

Anyhow, through CRC I built up a nicer specced bike than the Pro Mega for £1000 less. The frames are a freaking steal.

No, they haven’t changed the engine layout which is the main problem affecting the handeling with that bike.

Yeah he took the impact with the rocks at 1:10 through his legs. Very lucky. Had he ragged dolled into them things would have been a different story.

We have a springer, daytime sleeps are normal for her. Even during the summer when everyone is around she likes to laze around.

No offence but the problem is in the OP’s head.

Damn, I swear their house in central Oxford is still labelled “Young Conservatives”. That or my memory of Oxford is blurred by pimms and coke. :mrgreen:

And if the typically homophobic and racist Daily Mail comments section is anything to go by, you’d lose a Yes/No vote as well.

You only need a 50 percent majority in a yes or no vote. Get back to me when you find the poll for such a vote. Even then I believe it should be a human right to practice religion freely free from interference by the state and if that religion allows gay marriage, so be it.

If 51 percent of the populace wanted to murder Jews, would that make it right? Government is there to balance the will of the people with logic and reason.

The government don’t choose, parliament chooses, thats how this representative democracy thing works, don’t you understand that Ernie ?

WRONG! A party should carry out what it was mandated to do.

Zulu, what’s 28 plus 17? Now take into account the current government was formed with a liberal one and therefore has to carry out the agreed mandate with the liberals? Factor that into your head.

Is poor old zulu upset that he got slapped? If you’ve noticed we don’t do rule by mob in this couuntry, which is the reason why democracies do not usually have that many referendums on issues. Democracy is there to protect the individual and set a basic framework in which the largest amount of people have the most freedom without impeding the freedom of others.

You sir, are a fascist with a limited understanding of the term “democracy”. Do you masturbate over Oswald Mosley?

What’s 28 plus 17 by the way? If you want to devolve the idea of democracy into unlimited rule by majority as opposed to managed rule then you’d lose.

Also Zulu, the conservatives have no political mandate to be anti-gay. Therefore what you espouse is mobocracy. You are intellectually challenged. If you really want, call for a referendum. You will lose it though. Basically though when the liberals formed a government with the tories, this was mandated. The rebels are going against the wish of the the two parties in government that the British people voted for.

Here’s a nice definition of mobocracy:

“Ochlocracy is government by mob or a mass of people, or the intimidation of constitutional authorities. In English, the word mobocracy is sometimes used as a synonym. As a pejorative for majoritarianism, it’s akin to the Latin phrase mobile vulgus meaning “the easily moveable crowd.”

As a term in civics it implies that there is no formal authority whatsoever, not even a commonly-accepted view of anarchism, and so disputes are raised, contended and closed by brute force ? might makes right, but only in a very local and temporary way, as another mob or another mood might just as easily sway a decision. It is often associated with demagoguery and the rule of passion over reason.

A liberal democracy on the other hand requires identity, source and reason.

No universally accepted definition of ‘democracy’ exists, especially with regard to the elements in a society which are required for it. Many people use the term “democracy” as shorthand for liberal democracy, which may include additional elements such as political pluralism, equality before the law, the right to petition elected officials for redress of grievances, due process, civil liberties, human rights, and elements of civil society outside the government.

Until the web can evolve into a democratic system where every participant’s identity is known, rights protected and actions accountable, we will witness encounters with mob rule usually hinging on threats of harm – do what the mob wants, and you won’t get hurt; resist, and you almost certainly will – the anonymity, sheer size and psychological makeup of the mob making it difficult or impossible to assign blame to any one person. We will also encounter a constant need by governments to keep people fed, distracted, and in awe of the power of the state and manipulation of the mob by political leaders who sense that they have the power to dispose of opponents to policy.”