After my experience with the menthol supplied with the Totally Wicked kit, I’d prefer to steer clear, TBH. Although, looking at their site, the Absinthe does sound nice.

My new variable voltage battery turned up yesterday. Charged it up and had a go! On the highest setting, the couple of flavours I tried weren’t very nice at all, they tasted burnt. Medium wasn’t much better while the lowest was palettable – but not as good as the stock battery. I guess the lowest setting on the VV battery is still higher than the stock?

Anyhoo. Has anyone any recommendations for decent Juice manufacturers? T’Artist, do you make your own?

Thanks for the info T’Artist.

I wandered into my local shop to speak to a couple of real humans about my experience to date.

The first thing they noted was I was drawing on the thing like a cigarette. Slowed me right down and this help. Secondly, with this type of e-cig, they suggested a slight pull on it before I press the button – to prime the atomiser/wick/burny thingy. This also helped. Thirdly, they let me try a few different juices. Massive difference!

The stock menthol supplied with the kit was really unpleasant. I tried about a dozen (and ended up off my face in the process) and settled on three to buy – Totally Tropical (by The Alchemists Cupboard), Spearmint (by Hangsen) and Caramel-Cappuchino (by Chefs Vapours). All very different, but all very, very nice. They had another couple of samples I wanted, but only had them in either really strong or 0mg – Orange Tic-Tac and Cinnamon. I’m picking them up next week.

Any other suppliers / flavours worth trying? I quite like the citrus ones and would really like a strong menthol – one that gives you a really strong menthol flavour. Not keen on the sweet / puddingy ones.

I bought a packet of 10 cigarettes yesterday, as a bit of an experiment. I couldn’t finish the first one as the taste was vile.

EDIT: I’ve also ordered a variable voltage battery and may consider upgrading to a Protank at a later date.

+1 Bratwurst
+1 Chorizo
+1 cured meats
+1 chickens
-1 Pizza (prefer the co-op’s)

+Pain au chocolate
+Gin. Their Gin is ace for <£10 a bottle.

Nice one. I’ll get one ordered.

Feels odd, sitting inside having a smoke :-)

Cheers Khani.

I’ve just read on the TW forum regarding technique. I was trying to smoke it like a normal cigarette. Longer and slower draw had helped, but I still don’t think it’s as good as it should be.

The battery it came with is a 640mAh jobbie, but im going to get hold of a bigger one. Can the VV batteries be used on any atomiser with the same fitting?

Well done therag. Keep us posted.

On the ecig side of things, I’ve just charged up my Tornado Tank for the first time and I must say that I’m a bit underwhelmed. I guess I’m doing something wrong. The precharged cartridge was rubbish so I topped up a fresh cartridge with the supplied menthol juice. A bit better but hardly any vapour. Any tips?

I also considered a new Mazda 6 to replace the BMW above. I had one for a weekend and did my long 4 hour commute in it. Cracking engine, loads of space, but I couldn’t walk when I got out at the other end. Shame really. If the budget could have stretched a few £100, I could have had the Sport version with the comfy seats.

I have a 3-series and its the best put together car I’ve ever owned

+1 I’ve just handed back my 150k 320d SE (59 plate). Very quick (considering), and a nice place to be. I travel a lot for work with regular four hour (non-stop) drives. Always arrive feeling pretty good. Also very economical considering once on the motorway I’d set the cruise control to more than the speed limit, sit back and blast North (I do my major journeys at night when there is considerably less traffic). I got 620+ out of a tank easily and saw 700 a couple of times when driving like my Gran.

I’ve currently got a 70k 318d MSport (60 plate) on loan from the lease company while waiting for my new vRS TDi to arrive. Sharper handling and no noticable discomfor on my long motorway journeys. Down points: nowhere near as quick as the 320, I have to work it much harder through the gears and it’s considerably less economical than the 320 – according to the on-board mpg doofer, I’m averaging 42.8mpg it’s about 3 tank fulls since I last reset it (320 was 49.2mpg).

Binners. I’ve just placed an order for the Titan Compact kit from tottallywicked. It’ll be here in a couple of days.Theyve cucurrently got a yoyo sale on. I got it for £12 delivered – down from £35. Bargain. I’ll let you know how I get on. Thanks for all your help.

Now then, where did I put my fags? :-)

Cool. Linky please?

That’s true nealglover. I have restarted again, but an 8 year period between stopping and starting isn’t bad for my initial £5 investment, is it?

What alternative method do you suggest?

Cheers Binners. My finger is hovering over the order button now.

Regarding refils, do you need to use their own branded stuff or can you mix and match?

There was mention of spare batteries too – anything else consumable in them? I know precisely nowt about them :-)

Thanks for the info. Appreciated.

Binners – I know you’re right about the e-cig. I hadn’t bothered investing before as I was able to stop anytime I wanted…. yeah, right.

In the link posted above, how long would 10ml of liqud last?

So what’s in that book?

There be magic!

Just taken my 59 plate BMW 320D SE through 130,000 miles. Never skipped a beat. Quick and frugal.

I’ve literaly just bought a second copy of the Allen Carr book….

I bought my first one about 9 years ago following a recommendation on here. Read it and stopped without a problem. I was quite evangelistic about it and convinced about a dozen colleagues and friends to give it a go. They did and are still smoke free.

That was until December 2012. Stress, anxiety and depression coupled with a few beers and a mate who nipped outside for a smoke put paid to that. I had one with him and thought ‘it’ll be okay’. Then bought a pack of 10, which lasted a couple of days. Now I’m up to 10-15 a day and f***ing hate myself for it.

Going to read the book again as I know it worked last time.

Most definitely not. Was told yesterday that there is no pay rise again this year. That’s four years on the trot. I took a pay cut to join this bloody company as the prospects and opportunities were (allegedly) so good. Lying bastards.

What is the oil like to use with a DE razor? I guess multiple applications are required for multiple passes?

You could always fly…

The road in the roundabout is not marked into lanes. I was in fact ALMOST on what would have been the central line…

Correct. But the entrance to the roundabout is split into two lanes. Given your road position one would assume you were either turning left or going straight on if no arm signal/indication was spotted.

Ah. So you were in the left lane wanting to turn right?

As it’s a two lane entrance to the roundabout (not 3 as I thought), then the driver could quite reasonably pass you to go straight on – assuming he really did not see you as he stated. If he saw you and chanced a quick overtake, he is a nobber and you had a lucky escape.

In the future, if I were you, I’d make sure I was planted in the middle of the right lane when turning right – leaving no room for a car to squeeze through.

Glad no-one got hurt.

I got away with the Ice Cream van one for 7 years. Summer 2013, they found me out.

The kids believe their Mother and I have X-Ray eyes as we can tell when they’re jumping on the beds when we’re not in the room. They wanted the upgrade too, but I told them it’s only available in a hospital when you are given your first child.

They still believe I used to be a pirate – not a nasty one, but a nice one – a bit like Robin Hood.

They still believe that me and my brother have interchangeable body parts – evidenced by the fact that when my lad and I are horsing about (with him trying to give me dead-legs etc) any pain he dishes out isn’t felt by me, but by me brother 200 miles away.

There’s loads. I love lying to my kids. :D

when said by driver to a cyclist “middle of the road” is anywhere other than 1″ from the kerb.

Fair point. But he could also have been factually correct. E.g. The middle of the road (split into 3 lanes) could be the middle lane.

didn’t think OP had stated which lane he was in. Some stupid roundabouts near me the cycle lanes run around the outside where presumable you’re supposed to ride around the outside indicating right all the way around

True. But the driver complained about him being in the middle lane and Woppitt stated himself he moved to the right on the roundabout – turning right or switching lanes?

More details required before I get my pitch fork out though :)

Okay, I’ll bite.

OP, why were you in the middle lane to turn right at a 3 lane roundabout? Or were the lanes arrowed?

You should be in the correct position before entering the roundabout, not shifting whilst on it. The driver probably assumed you were going straight on too?

…so I signal strongly that I’m going right (to the third exit), get on the roundabout and start to pull to the right.

It is totally your problen and you are liable to replace the entire system at your cost….

(@sharkbait, is that better? ;-) )

The only way we’ve managed to do cheap during the school holidays is to book a budget airline in advance and sort our hotel ourselves. We’ve recently done Sardinia (great food and hardly any Brits) and Turkey (lovely if you can steer clear of the touristy bits).

Check out your local airport’s website for their airlines and destinations.

Speaking of sticks…. liquorice root

and more liquorcey stuff: aniseed balls and pontefract (or was it pomfret?) cakes

My fave 70’s snack was pork dripping (especially the jelly at the bottom) on white bread with salt.

Bread soaked in the fat from the grill pan after cooking bacon.

Bread soaked in the fat from the roasting tin after roasting beef.

Good to know. I travel with work and need permanent (and cheap) access to t’internets. Something like the Virgin VIP SIM in my old HTC desire would be just the job. However, if tethering was an issue, then no ta.

@Bimbler. I’ve just done some googling too and apparently tethering isn’t allowed: clicky-linky

Can you tether with the Virgin VIP deal?

I used to do this kind of thing many, many years ago.

I gave my clients the option of either a fixed price quote or an hourly rate. The fixed price quote was based on “how long I thought they’d take” x “hourly rate” + 10%.

An average of £200 for an A0 aheet (depending upon the level of detail) doesn’t sound too bad.

THere will be disruption because they are bound to want to install the money making machines to maximise the revenue making opportunities that reducung speed limits provides.

This has recently been implemented in the M62 Near Leeds/Bradford. It is a variable speed limit with Gatso cameras. It works brilliantly and has made a huge difference.

The key difference is the rigourous enforcement mentioned above.

The Marantz thing mentioned up there ^^^ is on offer in Richer Sounds for £299; it’s an all in one unit, but you’ll need to purchase speakers too.

I bought 2x Galaxy Tab 2’s this time last year for my kids. Best christmas present ever (according to them) and still get’s daily use.

Full charge doesn’t last too long but we only charge them every 2 or 3 days – to manage their use.

Initial frustration over the inability to move apps to the SD card has now been resolved with an O/S update.

…and I wish I’d bought one for myself.

Saying that, the Tab 3 is £119 over at Amazon, and I’m sure there are offer codes knocking around the internets too.

I received the update on my S4 over the weekend.

I’m not too chuffed with it as it removed all the shortcuts from the notification-pull down-thingy. Things like airplane mode/data on&off.

I haven’t really noticed anything interesting about it yet, is there anything I should look for?

Sunderland – Manager: Lawrie Mcmenemy. Came in as the highest paid manager in the country at the time and lauded as the man to take us to great things. If taking us down to the (old) third division in two seasons is great, then he did well. Useless tosser.

Player: Darren Bent. Greedy bastard.

On the other hand… Niall Quinn. Hero.

…you just have to try lots to find what you like

There is your answer ^

johndoh – Member

And is boring.

Levels of interestingness were not part of the original request. The OPs question was “what size turkey for five?”.

We’ve had turkey crowns for a few years now and they’re fine. The interesting stuff is what you put with it.

My personal preference would be a goose, but I’m in the minority in our house so Turkey it is.