I am obviously doing something very very wrong here.

I spend about £90-100 a week for my food (one person). This excludes work lunches as I have got out of the habit of making my own, so my lunches Mo-Fri are on top of this figure.

I do shop shop only at M&S and Waitrose. This is out of convenience mainly, as neither Tescos or Sainsburys are nearby, but other than for the basics I do not believe they are significantly cheaper.

The thing is I wouldn’t even say I eat particularly well. I also do not drink so there is no alcohol in my budget

Time for a re-think me thinks.

I remember a classic quote in David Lodge’s nice work where the University Lecturer said ” … that Universities are egalitarian where they should be elitist and elitist where they should be egalitarian ….”.

Twenty or more so years since I read the book and watched the series on BBC, but it stook in my mind and I still believe it to be true.

So I am with Stoner and co on that point, but then again I hail back to a times when 3 A’s at A level was something pretty special.

I went for a Nikon. Mainly because it just felt better in my hands. I also thought the lower priced Canon’s had a cheap plasticy feel to them. Higher priced Canon’s were fine. Nikon seemed consistent throughout their range.

I have been taking thyroxine for just over 10 years.

I take 100mg per day. I guess I was fortunate in that it didn’t take very long at all to identfify/get to the right dose and in the past 10 years I have never had to increase or lower the dose.

Both my sister and aunt also take it, it took them longer to establish the right dose, but all sorted after a couple of months or so.

I agree with tinribz the eTT are long on those bikes and there is quite a big jump between the 52cm and 54cm. I therefore have no idea 🙄

Generally I would look to chose a road bike first and foremost on effective horizontal TT length rather than seat tube. I would then look at ST and HT lengths to see if it is likely to provide an overall good fit. Some makes have geometries that suit and others do not.

For example, I am a bit of an odd shape about 5’8″ but with only 30in legs but rather long arms. 54cm bikes generally would give me the right TT length and probably a reasonable HT as well but I would struggle with standover. Whereas 52cm bikes give me the standover but can be a little lacking in the TT and HT.

Whichever way you look at this I can not really envisage a scenario where the 49 or 52 would be the right size for you – but the best advice is always to get a proper bike fit from a shop.

Hope this helps a little

I have also recently bought one of those panasonic systems in tony24 post. Bought primarily on aesthetics, in fairness does not sound as good as perhaps the B&W ones but costs considerably less.

MAMIL = Middle Aged Men In Lycra? Yes I am one of those, but I can just about pull it off, even if I say so myself!

radoggair – I would agree they are not the best lookers especially with the new fork. Those Giants are too big for me.

elaine anne – Member
10 years !!! lol you must have dam good plaster on your walls too

I will be the first to admit that I am also surprised it has lasted this long. The last stuff really started to peel away badly after a few years.

I used Fired Earth Acrylic Eggshell. Not the cheapest, but in absolute terms for a bathroom, unless you live in a mansion, it won't break the bank.

Mine has lasted 10 years and is only now starting to show its age.

Can't remember whether I used crown or dulux bathroom paint before that, but that didn't fair so well.

I had to have the fans on my VW Golf V5 replaced 3 times in 5 and a half years. So that was 4 sets of fans in total including the ones included when the car was brand new.

The bill was about £600 each time including fitting. First time was under warranty so no cost to me, second failure cost me but VW paid approx 50%, third again under warranty as the second set of replacements came with their own 2 year warranty.

Each time I was told that although VW new there was a fault they never changed the supplier so I was told to expect the fans to fail again in another 12 months or so!

So far with the Audi no problems (touch wood)

Mainly spent writing up my PhD thesis. Started work in the real world just before my 27th birthday. Long time ago now.

I met Bjork a long time ago on a train with her then baby. Had to help her carry everything off the train and up to the station platform at Sheffield. I was coy and decided to pretend I didn't recognize her even though I was going to see her play live that very same evening.

Regularly see Max Clifford at a coffee shop in Weybridge at the weekends. Seems like nice bloke, but can't park his Bentley and now new Rolls for sh1t. Always gets his young wife to park it – she is a good looking woman.

Got a bit frustrated with Nigel Kennedy when boarding a plane into the First Class cabin. Couldn't quite understand why this "scruff" was (a) taking so long to get to his seat and (b) why is was in First Class anyway. Then I saw it was his violins that were holding things up and it all started to make sense.

Also once travelled to NY on the same flight as Benjamin Netanyahu. Quite pleased to discover that at the end of my flight rather than the beginning mind you

Brilliant – if you were a student around 1982/3. If however, 30 years on, you are trying to get into them for the first time then I can understand your predicament. If you want to get into the Smiths I would say start at the beginning with "The Smiths" and none of this jumping in with The Queen is Dead or Meat is Murder although both are fine albums – after those they were a spent force anyway.

I bought mine in the US about 12 years ago cost $2000 at the time and it was one of the cheapest ones FFS. Thank god I was an overpaid ex-pat at the time! Came as a bit of a shock to me.

Panasonic stores normally do buy now pay in 12 months @0%

I saw one a couple of weeks ago at some hybrid event in Kingston. I thought it looked great, but underpowered and group 17 insurance, but most importantly way overpriced @ £25k for the top specced model FFS.

Sod all this hybrid stuff I would be putting my money on an Audi A1 if I was in the game for that sort of car.

I am drooling over one of these at the moment Colnago C59 … Now where is that damn lottery ticket £3300 for the frameset

But in all seriousness, get a bike fit from a shop and then first and foremost chose a bike with a geometry and sizing that is right for you. Many top carbon frames have very short head tubes, which may be fine for out and out racers, but not for the majority of us weekend warriors.

I believe the Joystick went from the Joystick to the Joystick Maxx to the Joystick Maxx2. The current models the Maxx2 have the smart port technology which means you can use the power connection to run an additional front LED to double the output, or one of two rear leads or a remote switch.

I use mine on my helmet for night riding running a Hope Led 2 on the bars.

All in all I am very impressed with Exposure lights, well made, reliable no fuss, easy to sell on. I now have Toro as well but yet to use it in anger yet.

Is the rat male or female and how will that distort the figures

I have recently re-discovered Echo and the Bunnymen. Barely stopped listening to their live in Liverpool album this last couple of weeks

Does 2112 count as the best 1/2 a concept album?

My mobile phone works for me.

They have always looked over priced to me for single gauge Ti made in the far east. I would be more inclined to look at Enigma and their top 3 or 4 Ti frames are made in the UK.

The sound of the Alarm Clock

U31 – Member
Will i be in trouble again if i post what i'd like to do to her?

Cut out her vocal chords?

Perhaps once or twice a year – not that I am any great cook or anything related to a healthy lifestyle, just seem to got out of the habit over the last 5-10 years.

I am currently off sick with stress/depression/anxiety/mania and have been for the last 4 weeks. This is my third time in 5 years but I am bipolar so all part of the illness.

I suspect the guilty feelings/bunking off school is common. Certainly, I feel that way and have had those feelings on previous occasions.

Stress, nervous exhaustion is real, so I would try not to dwell on the guilty feelings.

I think it is a positive sign that you feel guilty. I would interpret that as you have got in there early before things could really get out of control.

I have had two full on breakdowns in the past, probably down to chronic stress but you can never be sure. I know others on here have been through that hell. I am sure we are all in agreement it is not a nice place to be.

Hope you start to feel better over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks all. He will start on the smallest dose 10mg and the GP said just take 1/2 a tablet at first if he gets an upset stomach, so hopefully no adverse side effects.

Prozac made me highly anxious and agoraphobic so my own experiences with SSRIs is not a positive one.

Both my sisters live near him but I am over 200 miles away. I have been with him for the last few weeks but need to return to work if I am to keep my job

I am hoping that now he has been told it is anxiety by the GPs this will help, but I know from personal experience that anxiety feeds on anxiety.

I would side with your boss on this one and given the limited context we have to go on his rationale sounds like a reasonable one.

Backlight – Groove Armada

Proud Audi owner here.

Test drove a number of BMWs and yes they drove very nicely but overall I was not impressed by the quality of the finish. The BMW offereed a much better drive than the front wheel drive Audi's, but the Quattro system makes an enormous difference in the handling, not the same, may be better, but then perhaps not as involving – more go cart than sports car?

When I was looking BMWs seemed very expensive when you specced it up whereas the top spec Audi I bought came in about 6 grand cheaper.

Dealing with BMW dealers was a PITA, Audi were a sheer joy.

I fell off yesterday. Pride severely dented, and my ribs are far too painful to ride. Hopefully, they will improve over the next few days.

Custom built Skodas what is the world coming to 😆

Same as Chris H. Audi 2.0T Quattro S-line special edition Sportback. Fabulous car to drive, great handling with the 4WD, firm ride (so that may not be to your taste), No reliability issues in 4 years but is heavy on tyres. Fine for 2 bikes in the back.

I had a golf before that and it was reliable but not a very exciting drive. Again 2 bikes were not a problem. I thought the 3 dr A3 too small in the back.

The BP 2010 Portrait Awards opens this week at the National Portrait Gallery. Free entrance. Normally worth a visit if you are near Leicester Sq / Nelsons Column. I wouldn't go out of your way but if nearby pop in.

If it were me I would do what SS 20 and TJ says. I would not refund the postage unless they were not as advertised or damaged on receipt etc. Put it down to experience.

Again, please email me a list if you go down the sell route. Gary

I have got one of the older/first? Sony one's. Mine has never let me down yet – probably about 4 years old.