Spikes don’t isolate, they couple. Unfortunately the Hifi world is full of bullshit like this (see also Cable Risers, exotic power cables etc.). This advice is not Hifi voodoo but physics/acoustics based (I work in music studios):

The main improvement you can get is by getting the speakers in the right position (height and width). I’d invest in some decent stands that put the tweeter at ear height. Try to arrange the speakers and listener in an equilateral triangle converging about a foot behind your head (ears are on the side you see). Distance to walls will change the sound – contrary to popular opinion, in small rooms it is often best to put the speakers very close to the front wall.

Sorbothane spheres are probably the best option for isolation and are relatively cheap. Make sure you get the right size for the weight of your speakers. This is just icing on the cake though really – speaker cabinets don’t really move that much in use. If you really want to improve the sound think about investing in some acoustic treatment.

This guide has some solid advice on speaker setup if you want to know more (studio focussed, but the physics is the same):

https://www.genelec.com/sites/default/files/media/Studio%20monitors/Catalogues/monitor_setup_guide_2017.pdf

Went into it with an open mind but found it full of cliches, unevenly paced and overall a bit hammy. There are much better films that should have got the Oscar. Call Me By Your Name and Get Out felt much more accomplished to me for example.

This one really felt like a drama for quite a while. Absolutely bizarre that he thought he’d get away with it.

The prostitute and pimp driving round in a camper van was also pretty funny/depressing to see.

I assume you’ve already fixed the room acoustics since that has a much bigger effect on the sound than cables ever could.

Coat hanger wire sounds just as good.

Giffgaff do used ones with six month warranty.

South. But mainly east.

Looks like a scam to me.

But how many people do you really think would be so dishonest? Not many I’d have thought; I’ve never encountered any buying/selling.

I have. There are some nasty people out there unfortunately.

This just sounds like a chancer to me. I’d tell him to send it back too.

Both of you should change your passwords ASAP. Also make sure you’re using different passwords for every site.

Tate Modern might be worth a look. Not specifically graffiti/urban, but there’s plenty of art and the building alone is pretty impressive.

The devil is in the detail with this kind of thing. For example, note how removing a layer or two of plasterboard can actually increase isolation.

You also have to consider that the sound may travel through floors, ceilings and other parts of the structure as well…

Just give it a sharp tug.

As this article says, “never, ever use a cable lock”.

Who’s trying to steal your bike (and what tools are they using)?

Some decent IEMs (e.g. Shure SE215 or better) will isolate you pretty well and don’t have the slightly weird processed/phasing sound that noise cancelling headphones can have. I also find large headphones can get a bit hot personally, so in ears are better in that respect.

The decathlon bike might be OK if it really must be done on a tight budget, but it’s more or less a BSO. I remember having a cheap BMX as a kid. The handlebars never stayed put, it creaked, geometry was a bit wrong, it was heavy. It all got much more fun once I got a proper bike.

The one caspian suggests above is probably a much better ride. It’s over 3KG lighter(!), has 3 piece cranks with sealed bearings, a proper 4130 frame (not cheap hi-ten), comes from a proper BMX company etc.

You might find a good Black Friday deal at a specialist BMX store like https://www.winstanleysbmx.com, https://www.sourcebmx.com, http://www.alansbmx.com, https://www.customriders.com etc. They’ll be able to give you better advice than Decathlon can too I expect.

Found this one quite frustrating. If he’d simplified a few things he could’ve got his family out of their cramped temporary accommodation about eight years earlier. It still wasn’t finished after ten years.

This ‘taking back control’ thing is working out nicely:

”David Davis: MPs might not get vote on final deal until after Brexit”

Is this what you’re looking for?

Living in Chepstow isn’t much use if your friends, work, family etc. are all in London.

You could also argue that the London property is the better investment too…

There was quite an amusing documentary about a couple trying to take advantage of tax breaks for making a film. They pretended to made a £20m movie to get £2.5m of tax breaks. HMRC found out there was no movie, so the couple decided to make a real movie in an attempt to get away with it. The clips from the film were hilarious. Oh, and the fake movie was called “A landscape of Lies”. :lol:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/documentary-chancers-shows-how-british-feature-film-producers-fraudulently-used-film-tax-relief-a6802096.html

stops me pulling my spare pants out with my laptop

Packing cubes make it easy to avoid that issue with any bag. Also good for keeping your bag tidy.

A few options here. Looks like 1.27% is about the best you’ll get without too much faff though.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/savings-accounts-best-interest

Perhaps a cowl would help?

I agree, the books were a bit hard going, but for some reason I still wanted to like them . Hopefully the movie will do what the books couldn’t/didnt.

I’ve had good experiences with Samsung EVO SSDs. Amazon seems to be about as cheap as anywhere.

Crucial is a good shout for RAM.

Wikipedia

In 2007, North Yorkshire Trading Standards conducted a survey of 25 fast food dishes. A large parmo with chips and salad they tested contained about 2600 calories and 150g of fat.

:-)

He’s tapped into a fire hydrant and using a hose to keep the dust down, has washed all the house fronts off so have put the bombers away.

Not good enough. It’s illegal to use a fire hydrant without permission (bet he hasn’t got it). Report him to the fire brigade or water company. I’d also report him to the council for the other stuff. He’s just going to keep doing it otherwise.

Can’t quite see from the photo but it looks like the transformer can be wired for 120v or 220v (close enough to 230v used in uk today). Check the “switch over circuit diagram” to see which.

That looks a bit like a US plug. Are you sure it’s ok to use on 240V – should say somewhere on the back.

Here’s a currency conversion comparison site:
http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com

I do most of my spending abroad on my travel credit card for an even better rate.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/travel-credit-cards

Might not work for you, but you can often pay extra to get a visa processed quicker. Same day even for some of them: http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/Urgent_Business.html

Just checked their Facebook page and saw some more bad reviews – if you don’t get any joy from them it might be worth contacting EE or an ombudsman to escalate things?

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/alternative-dispute-resolution/settling-out-of-court/complaining-to-the-telecommunications-ombudsman/

Perhaps you could try contacting them through twitter – they posted there a couple of days ago. Failing that maybe send a firmly worded letter by recorded delivery?

I think it looks pretty good. Wish there were more properties like this around. Interior and garden layout looks like it would give a better lifestyle than many older houses. Nice high ceilings and lots of light. Bet it’s pretty low maintenance and check out the energy efficiency ratings too.

Many of the other houses on the street look like they’ve lost a lot of their charm. Boxy UPVC windows, cheap roof tiles, render, untidy extensions, front garden turned into a parking space etc. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder…

Could it be poor WIFI reception on the iMac? Alt-click on the WIFI icon in your menu bar and see what the Tx Rate says. If it’s low then you might get some improvement by changing the position of the router (higher up/away from sources of interference etc.)

You might also need something to put your feet on if you have your chair that high.

Cheap office chairs are rubbish. I’d try to find something like a second hand Herman Miller Aeron or Mirra. They’re comfortable, adjustable, last really well and you can even get spare parts. Be aware that they come in different sizes too.