You can contact your local police station and arrange a "ride along" go out on a shift in the back of the car

Now that sounds cool and I have no intention of being a Policeman. Wonder if they provide a uniform……

might sound silly but NHS – Main symptom was tight adductor. Took me a couple of months to see a specialist but she was very knowlegable about biking and diagnosed the problem. Now have decent physio and off for an MRI scan next week to check that there's no damage. All for free (OK, apart from the huge amounts of tax I pay). I've messed around for a year and no one else got to the root of the problem.

I accidently sent out an item with a different postage to advertised – might have been without insurance which he'd paid for. The buyer contacted me and I apologised and refunded the difference – but my postal charges are at cost and not inflated, packaging is 90% recycled so not factored in.

In this instance I'd contact him, wait for him to offer an appropriate refund and then neutral if not received depending on how I feel in a few days time.

Not PC or remotely exceptable to talk about fun here oh no

I think we're safe talking about tonights episode though – could hardly be described as fun or funny.

One person out walking his dog said "you can't ride here" to which I replied "I know but's a lovely evening to be out isn't it?" Seemed to break the ice as he agreed and then thanked me as I'd slowed down to pass them. BW's cross the area and I was just linking up two – TBH I think the local kids just blast past people and have been a nuisance so I avoid the area in dog walking time now.

Status Quo @ NEC in December 😀

though I hear the set list is the same as last year 😕

Still have loads of it including 1960's and 70's cars 🙂

Keep meaning to have a night out here ….http://www.phoenixscalextriccircuit.com/%5B/url%5D

Look carefully at the course you'll be doing – some of the quick, expensive courses at private colleges might get you a certificate but you won't have the experience. Local further education colleges often have courses which can be cheaper and good – this is what I did four years ago.

As for "get rich quick". How many hours a week can you work? Not just what you have spare but how many treatments can you physically do as a decent massage will take it out of you. How many of those hours will you actually have a client? Will your clients want treatment in the evening rather than daytime? Multiply that by what you'll earn per hour and that's your limit. But you can make more money by adding value – think hairdressers where they'll sell you styling stuff etc. or as someone says "hot stones" which people pay a premium for – no idea why, heated lavendar bags or hot water bottles can have the same effect. Or maybe set up your own salon but that's a lot of hassle.

You'll need to learn anatomy and physiology to back up the massage. Run your own business, do your own books or pay someone to, advertise etc. And once your qualified keep on top of new ideas etc. otherwise you get left behind.

What makes people come back? Depends what they want. I want sports / remedial massage so if they don't get results then I don't go back – I can also tell if someone knows what they're talking about which helps. If you do relaxation then the person might like to talk whilst having the massage and if they enjoy that they'll come back.

There were about 10 of us on my course – two of us could have made it – the others weren't good enough at massage or just didn't have the get up and go to make it in business. I decided not to pursue it as a career change as my job started to get better.

Might have painted a bleak picture but to be good takes effort. I really enjoyed it so would suggest you do the course which should cover the business side as well so you'll then have a better idea of any potential business opportunities.

My best friend died aged 37 from long term diabetes and it's complications. Don't delay getting tested.

from BBC site "Live on BBC TWO Wales & online".

< toddles off to get cider from the shop >

I phoned these people http://www.heartratemonitor.co.uk/%5B/url%5D and they were very good talking thru what the options were for the HRM I wanted. And they were cheaper than anywhere else.

Why do you want GPS? if you only want distance / speed then sensors on the bike will give you that. GPS will complicate things and push the price up.

An On-one with some Superstar pads. Don't want to get too reckless.

I enojoyed it on the HT. Some of the black bits were a bit beyond me at the time and I didn't enjoy them but overall it flows well. You can cut through and do little loops of it again. The skills area is a laugh as well.

In order of reliabilty – CK, Shimano, Hope. But if you can replace the bearings go down that route as it's cheaper.

Use the Skins recovery tights and they are very good – you can tell the difference the day after. Very good if you've been away for the day and then have a long drive home in the car. Have used their compression socks but not so convinced about them – hard to tell if they have an effect or not.

Sheldon, are you planning any kiddy rides for little ones?

I thought the little ones just rode 26" rather than 29ers ??

Battlestar Gallactica

The best sci-fi / fantasy ever

Don't know whether to go for the Lemmy or Burt Reynolds look….

Ride more and stop chasing the women *
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* 'cos you never caught that many and will have more fun on the bike ….

already has 13 children by five wives

To err once is human. To err five times is unforgiveable ……

One side is easy to drift the bearings out by tapping the inside face but the other is a slightly different shaped casing but can still be done.

There's also a picture of Matt riding the route the "wrong way" – it's the main picture for the article. Did the Gap ride "plus a bit" in August and got it at 32 miles / 1080 m.

Have run 100 – 130 U turn Revs for two years on the Soul. Usually have them set to 100 or 110 and only wind them out on more rocky descents more for piece of mind and get-out-of-jail card. Thinking of changing to 90 – 120 U Turn Rebas as I've just freed them up off another bike. Oh, and 95mm stem and narrow bars for me 😉

Yeah so you're meant to check out her Mum to see how she'll develop – never marry anyone who's Mum you don't fancy.

Or save up for plastic surgery later in life …..

The 50-year-old mother who has spent £10,000 on surgery to look like her daughter

The secret to a happy marriage is choosing a wife who is smarter and at least five years younger than you

Do you compromise when you buy your new bike?

Yes ? Then in a few years time those compromises are just too much for you. You're off demoing new models and that once shiny bike you adored is up for sale on Ebay 'cos it's not quite what you want.

You're now looking at that top of the range, titanium, custom built dream machine that you know you want but just can't afford. So you compromise and the whole cycle begins again……

the only immigrants i encounter are hardworking likeable people who seem quite happy to put as much in as they get from this country

Agree, some immigration has been good for the country.

do we really have a problem with immigration?

IMO the population of the country is higher than we can realistically support long term and apart from very recently has grown too fast. Simplistically this is driven by births, deaths, immigration, emmigration. Out of these immigration is easiest to put controls round.

EDIT – that sounds like I would suggest putting controls around the others which wasn't the case!!!!

Same as if you donate direct from your salary. The company set up to administer it takes a cut. That's why I would go direct. As above, if you want a trip with a charity that involves a bike and isn't one of the usual adventure holidays with a bit of fund raising to pay for it check out the lepra web site. We went to madagascar and it was really an eye opener.

My PC runs fine. But then I have two Cotic's so it probably knows to be kind to me 😆

Bit disapointed with it as a debate. Was expecting Griffin to be more polished but just seemed to be flustered all the time maybe 'cos he spent most of the time on the back foot. Thought it was more of a pub style debate with it all getting very heated. Did expose most of his premises as bogus though – like KKK video, holocaust, indigineous etc.

Immigration was the highlight for me. Personally I think this country has lost the plot around immigration for a number of years – and no, I don't agree with the BNP view of what to do about it. Jack Straw squirming like a true politician when put on the spot and not answering questions. This summed up the difference between the two. Straw talked and said nothing so you couldn't really take him to task over it. Griffin under pressure blurts out their policies and ideas which are then ridiculed for what they are.

Geddy Lee – has been know to play the occasional synth as well as bass.

Geddy Lee – multi talented

Neil Peart. Even his drum kit went on tour round the states after the band had toured !!!!

Phil Collins may be a cockweasel, but he's not a bad skinbasher to be fair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy52yueBX_s&feature=related

Went out with a girl who had a "disabled parking badge" – we were at a leisure centre and parked in a disabled spot as they were the only ones left. Some "posh" women in her new BMW parks in another spot, gets out and says "do you think they'll mind us parking here?". The G/F replies "well I'm disabled so we're allright. Are you?" To which she sheepishly got back in her car and drove off.

I used to take my best friend to concerts, shows etc. and used to park in the disabled parking as she had trouble walking any distance, she couldn't have gone on her own, registered disabled – long term diabetes which can slowly kill you. At one we parked in the disabled area and one of the parking attendants ran over saying "You can't park there" presumably because we looked "normal" and were in a sports car ….. I said "Why? Julia's disabled" as we put the badge on the dashboard to which he apologised and walked off.

Never did understand why the ex g/f was "disabled" as she used to swim, bike, run and was very flexible 😉

Julia died two years ago yesterday 😥

I remember popping into Cotic HQ a couple of years ago to look at/pick up a Soul frame I'd bought as I couldn't decide on colour/wrap. Walked through the reception area, into the despatch area and Cy got a couple of frames from the warehouse. Or as we know them… lounge, kitchen and hall way 😀

An old maxim is "you either have to be first or be the best". First in a new / niche area and people will buy and you might build up a large enough business to continue. Be the best and people will buy off you.

Good luck.

Alex Lifeson

Dave Gilmour

I think MBR has upped it's game in recent months. But generally, when reading a magazine they trot out the marketing spin like "it's a hydroformed ovalised super pressed top tube" therefore it's stiff. The reviews are short and they don't say what they are basing them against. I would prefer less reviews but with more thought / indepth. As said, MBR seem to be trying to get that way but all mags have some way to go.

Then again, just seen one picture in a magazine (can't remember which one) of someone hanging off the back of a bike on a not very steep downhill making it look rad – maybe I'm riding incorrectly or maybe not …..

The RM provide a service no one else does. Is tied to deliver nationwide etc. while the competition doesn't have to. Is ideally placed with post offices throughout the country to "hold" parcels you can collect when convenient rather than travelling to the "Midlands" depot which is actually 80 miles away for so many couriers. IMO they have tha basis of a business model that could work really well

So why are the unions f***ing up by losing the PR battle? "Let's strike over modernisation". To me it looks like the RM will just lose business to couriers etc. and also the goodwill of the public. I'm in a union but I think they are years behind the times when it comes to actually being effective. In my company they've been less than useless helping with outsourcing and changing terms and conditions for those not outsourced.

There are various reasons why insurance companies like to deal with complete bikes. One is if it's a scam. The fraudster likes to get cash rather than a bike they have to sell on. Second, they often have deals with suppliers so they get a discount – £1000 bike to you, £x00 to them. I would suggest you keep pictures, receipts etc. of your bikes and take it from there if there's a claim.

Similar to white goods, tv's etc. in that it's better to an insurance company to replace with goods rather than cash.