:) “Bongo” I like to think I am down with the urban slang, but thats a new one on me. I shall use it liberally if thats ok (the word not the material)

Apparently this guy from coronation street. You know that its probably true, when your friends tell you that you look like someone off telly that you havent seen, and when you then finally see what the fuss is about, you go h**y s**t it does look like me :(

Spiders and matches

Is KitKat a big improvent ?, my Xperia tablet runs 4.3 and all seems to work well enough

24 month contract or 12 month wrightyson ? 2 year contracts are a pain but I suspect thats all you’ll get

Good point mogrim,
its amazing how quick you get used to stuff. I am a pocket phone carrier, so in fact slim is as important as any other dimension

Sorry Jamie, just read the article it explains everything, that looks like the favourite so far Z1 compact. Happy days, thanks

Had a look at both a the weekend, the samsung screens look really intense colours, and I guess thats not everyones cup of tea, but I quite like that.

Thats a great heads up Jamie, having used Iphone 4s for the last two years, the thing that I find hardest to imagine me getting used to is the physical size of the handsets now. Do you know whether as a smaller unit its down specced, a year ago was looking at Samsung Galaxy S3, realised they did an iphone sized S3 mini and thought it was a perfect option, until I realised it was much lower specced than the S3. Not sure if Sony have done the same

Way too many idiots like this about. You’d like to think that people like that having calmed down feel completely stupid and embarrassed, but probably not. It sounds like you dealt with the situation as cleverly as you could possible have. I really cant remember when I have seen fighting irrational anger with anger has ever worked out well for anyone. Clearly you showed no signs of being physically intimidated whatsoever yet remained rational and calm, so he loses 2-0 and should feel a t@sser, if you’d have lumped him, like it sounds like you could have done easily then you’d be in a load of bother now. I used to be a rant back sort of guy, but now as I have grown up have tried to be a more of a stay calm and hope they end up, burning themselves out and feeling stupid. I always sleep a lot better after I have kept calm, lifes too short.
But I don’t agree with the action of “don’t report him as it’ll only make things worse” People like this need reporting, nutters

was in Atlanta a few years back an American weather presenter doing the report said that there was a 60% liklehood of “liquid precipitate”

which is of course easier than saying rain :lol:
That made me chuckle

Been a few times but not for a few years now, so things may have changed, I quite enjoyed the Apollo mission launch room simulation.

Also don’t miss the Astronauts hall of fame attraction a few miles before on the road to Cape Canaveral. We had always not bothered and on the last visit decided to do it, and had a “why haven’t we done this before” moment.
I found the space mirror memorial also quite moving.

I’ve read his book, “Riding Rockets,” it’s something of an eye-opener in a behind the scenes look at Shuttle-era NASA.

+1 for read Riding Rockets. Great book, sounds a top bloke, toying with the idea of reading one of Chris Hadfield’s books, although I cant tell whether his stuff could be a bit heavy going, he is a rather unique character !

Its our most local riding spot, despite that we usually steer clear from Nov-March as due to its open nature and ground soil type it just becomes a bog during the winter. On the flipside it makes for fantastic training terrain during the dryer months. As mentioned above, be sensible where you ride. Sometimes to get a decent ride up there you have to link a few cheeky bits with the BW’s but if you are repsectful and careful how cheeky your cheeky bits are, then we rarely have any conflict with walkers.

Went for the first time last year with a group of lads. Coming from North Wales we have good benchmarks to set trail centres against like CYB which we ride lots. Thought GT black was as good if not better than anything at CYB. Not all of it of course, but standouts were Deliverance, Britney Spears and some of the stuff near the end (sorry I can’t the section names) but its the fun bit at the end with a few step downs and quite twisty, great fun.
I thought Innerleithen was great too. Mind you if the whole situation. Was reversed and I lived near GT and Inners and rode them loads and then went to CYB for the first time then no doubt I would think that was pretty great too.

In my experience the SRAM ones are rubbish. I am having much more success with a wheels manufacturing one with angular contact bearings. A whole different league in quality and longevity so far. Not cheap though.

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/238/wmpf30bbac/wheels-mfg-pf30-bottom-bracket—angular-contact-bearings.html

I have had pretty much all the usual suspects over the years on road and mountain bikes, fizik gobi’s, selle italia slr, flites, various top end specialized saddles, never been happier than with the 40 quid charge scoop I just put on. Go for it

+1 for DVD catalyst paid version. Super easy to use

Damn they get it tough up there. Never strikes as you as particularly high compared with other locations in North Wales, with no real big mountains looming around you like in Snowdonia, but they must be close on 400 M a the trail head, and they are snowed in a lot ! Unlucky to entrants and organisers

As much riding as possible, not good. Two manflu bouts since Xmas has left me being able to count the rides this year on my fingers. Ah well theres always Feb

All personal opinion of course, so dont savage me !
I organised a group trip up to Scotland, (GT and Innerleithen) last summer. Coming from North Wales, we know a fair bit about half decent trail centres and natural riding as well, but wanted to experience something different. Did a Friday – Sunday and chose to do one of the 7 stanes centres on the way up, chose AE because of the easy location from the M74. Needless to say other than the Omega Man final descent (which I’d describe as OK) and the Shredder downhill trail, the rest was totally dreary and forgettable. We had a great weekend in the end because we all thought Glentress and Innerleithen were excellent, but going to AE was a massive disappointment. We are doing a similar weekend this summer, and going to Dalbeattie instead.

Making Ninja stars in metal work, and the metalwork teacher just rolling his eyes having asked what we were making, then going home and lobbing them into the side of the wooden shed.

And properly messing around with fireworks

Eating toast toppers

Holy crap I remember those now ! Thanks for the memories

Back to the OP, it’s the timing that’s piss poor but then I think that the OP has come to the same conclusion.

Thats about the size of it in fairness.

We run a lawful and ethical business where everything is in place. I have 12 staff, all good lads who we keep on through good times and bad, although that sometimes means grafting our arses off :) We give them a safe and pleasant environment to work in and we train in-house, many of these lads would be lost to the job market round here, as most have little or no acedemic achievement, and have been given an opportunity here on practical skill, intelligence and good work ethic. For the most part are developed into skilled lads who I believe enjoy their job and get satisfaction from being involved in making a product from drawing board (or CAD screen now :) to final finish and delivery to customer.
The redtape is not mine or anyone elses primary task in our business due to the size, but we get it done on time and make damn sure everything is transparent and totally correct its just that its no individuals actual full time project. Which explains why its a ball-ache to compile it and be grilled on it, I never suggested that it wasnt all there. Which is why I havent had “my arse sued off” as sensitively insinuated that I probably deserve, because I happened to stupidly vent a frustration about it on a MTB internet forum. No despite not deserving to be told that my company is probably not fit for the responsibility of having a work experience placement, and that the suggestion that I am completely negligent to my staff. I probably did deserve some stick for putting the OP on in the first place. It was just a frustrating predictable request at riducously short notice by a government funded body after having said that I’d like to help a young lad get a work placement, and daftly I vented it through a MTB internet forum, which is well known for sweeping generalisations and its fair share of know it alls.
So I did expect and deserve some stick for that.

All being said the assessor was a real world guy who was in the manufacturing industry for 25 years before dropping into education, and he know exactly what the score was and made life easy. So win win the student comes at half term.

Anyhow back to my CAD duties I am busy designing a crash helmet with integrated goggles for children to wear whilst playing with Lego ;)

i would expect that the work experience lad is classed as a member of public, not an employee, for which you have a different duty of care for.

bang on Thom, he was far more interested in our public liability cover than employers.

I used to help out my local secondary school, by giving a few lads a weeks placement about 10years ago. With the day to day involvement in trying to keep things going, and also an increasing realisation that the redtape surrounding these placements was getting more and more involving that despite being asked many times I had avoided it of recent years. Until I was asked recently by person above. My thoughts were, ok I’d like to help out again in this case. The lads keen, genuinely shows an interest in our product, so how much hassle could it be? Its not opportunity missed for me, it wont make a single difference to me, in fact during the busy period we are having at the moment it would be a lot easier not to take him on. Just sad that he misses out

Is it any different if a work experience lad or a permanent employee has an accident? Not as far as I know? Which is why we do everything that is required to cover all bases. So if God forbid anyone did hurt themselves then we could show that we have done what is required as our responsibility as an employer. I am not suggesting that the placement staff are being unreasonable by demanding a full portfolio of documentation be prepped within a couple of hours, but I am just left at a loss that with this level of redtape, that small businesses like ours just dont need the hassle. And to me thats just a bit of a shame

All these things are complied with as I said everything we do is as correct as we can possibly be And yes of course, To provide insurers details etc and fire extinguisher certificates is fine. But much of what is being asked is written documents prepared specifically for this 5 day placement. I have taken on short work experience placements before about 10 years ago and it was a far more sensible procedure based on common sense by the careers people. Fine if thats the way its got to be nowadays, but I know of very few small businesses on the scale of ours. That would have the time to prepare all this to simply help someone.

Hi Dogsby,
Just dropped you an Email

Brilliant, more leads to follow there.
Thanks

What I am finding the hardest is trying to get a one night stay only

Brilliant I’ll look at those recommendations

Cool, I reckon the Pikes will be a mega upgrade. Love the bike but those evolution series 32’s are poop

No, I am a sky subscriber. Hadnt realised I could access it via the Kids Wii. Only issue is that we have it connected via the red / yellow / white leads that was supplied with the Wii. Is this compromising the picture quality? we watch BBC iPlayer via the Wii and the quality is not as good picture quality as regular Sky and digital TV. Is this because of the connecting method or just a limitation of streaming BBC Iplayer ?

High front end is not really an issue at the moment to be honest. As I have a little 50mm stem on with very little rise and also 10mm riser. So flat bars should negate the 10mm extra fork length.

Nincompoop

You’ve had four friends killed on bikes? This is incredible, how devastating, where do you live?

North Wales Coast.
Rhyl CC Tragedy

this is not the reason I pretty much finished with road cycling, I carried on for a few years after. Its just been a personal decision based on what I said before. I’ve seen what happens when people hurt themselves on a MTB, and have to spend a couple of nights in hospital. I’ve also seen what happens when fathers and sons go out for a nice Sunday club run and never come home, and despite the fact the odds of it ever happening are slim its not what I’d want for my family. This by the way is not any form of attempt to argue the point for and against riding on the road, this is just a documenting on my decision, and I would never dream of trying to portray it as right or wrong. Its just my own decision

Yep pretty much,
I rode solely on the road with my club for the best part of a decade, before turning to the MTB which I now probably do exclusively bar the very rare occasion.
It wasnt the verbals and general abuse that made me tired of it, but as you say the risk element. I am realistic enough to know that the odds of me hurting myself battering into a tree / rock / etc on the MTB are higher considerably that the average road ride, I am way way more likely to have hospital time doing MTB, as it is risky. However the decision and risk taking is personal, and your final fate or final seconds of life is generally not at the hands of a chav in a Saxo who wants to show his mates that he’s Ari Vatanen, or by a school run mum whos on the phone in her X5.
So I weighed up the risk, yes I am 100 times more likely to hurt myself or break a limb on the MTB and I can handle that reality, what I cant handle is the reality and Russian Roulette element of the road ride you simply never come home from, (its happened to 4 of my friends to date). And with a wife / 2 kids and a puppy that I adore, then I am happy with what I am doing

+1 for James wellbeloved

Yep, been trying. Unsubscribing and resubscribing, changing preferences and re registering with new Email address, no luck

Iphone fits in my pocket though, and my mates Samsung Galaxy S4 is just daft big and has to brought out onto every pub table etc because its massive I think the Experia is a similar issue