I bought a bottle of macallan gold at the weekend. it is the opposite of what you are looking for, but it is bloody lovely.

Sounds good will check it out. Not just looking for Peatey ones as he likes all sorts. One I was considering was Glenlivet 18.

Lagavulin sounds really good and am loving that compass box site….might have to treat myself to one of those sometime.

Don’t be so narrow minded. Yamazaki 12.

Yeah I have heard good things about Yamazaki, think for this present I was going for the more traditional approach but I definitely wont rule it out.

Bruichladdich Optomor. Treat him.

That does sound nice and the bottle looks amazing. He has already been well and truly treated however as his main present was a weeks sailing on a tall ship. This is just a wee surprise for the big day.

Waltz With Bashir

Amazing film well worth a mention. Also City of God if it hasn’t already been suggested.

The Grand Budapest Hotel and Calvary are probably the two best I have watched in the last 6 months. Your list appears quite eclectic so these might be worth a watch.

My most comfy was a Charge Stool which I think was a meant to be a dirt saddle….think I just liked the look of it.

Just ordered a new Spoon yesterday so there’s definitely still stock out there.

Yip. I had a 26 inch tube in a 29 inch wheel as I forgot to but new tubes. Only had it in for one outing but it was fine so you should definitely be ok with 27.5.

Not a huge fan of whiskey myself but I love this stuff. Mmmmmmm….peatey.

laphroig triple wood

Sounds like the settings are not always being detected when booting up. Are you using a dock which is outputting to two screens?

As you have probably configured your icons with the two screens it is re-arranging them to one as it has to display all the icons on one screen. It’s not the auto arrange option. The problem is with initialising the monitor setup on start-up rather than the view.

Another vote for a Project Debut turntable. I got one from an advert on Gumtree for £30 but then had to re-wire the tone arm and buy a new cartridge/stylus. So all in it cost me about £70ish. Brilliant turntable for the money.

You do have to manually change the belt to adjust the speed but I very rarely play 7″ records on this player. Might not be ideal for you if you plan to though.

DezB that Shellac tune is a classic. Has to have the dirtiest guitar riff ever (and therefore the best).

This isn’t in the same league but is all I could think of and it has a nice dirty bass line:

Nobody listens to albums anymore

I would disagree, people do still listen to albums there are just many more ways to acquire them. The format itself is still popular.

As for mtb magazines the only time I would buy one is before travelling or if there is a specific review that I am interested in.

Are you drunk now? As you seem to be having a conversation with yourself :D

So you say the rapist has not been fully rehabilitated ? then why has he been released ?

Part of rehabilitation is re-joining society. This is what Jamie is presumably trying to help with. Whether or not the offender has served an appropriate amount of time for the crime he committed is not up to him.

Even if you disagree with the decision he has made I don’t think it can be looked at as a PR stunt……if so he should seek new management.

I started at three sets of 5 pull ups but have now worked up to three sets of 10 over the last few months. So I would suggest starting at a fairly low number and building up as they are one of the more demanding bodyweight exercises.

Can anyone who knows anything about lights/batteries give an opinion on this please:

The light in question

Was thinking at least he is honest about the output and that the battery is a least made by Trustfire….also thought I might be able to use the battery case and replace the cells inside if they don’t last.

How does leasing work?

A builder gives you a low estimate to win your business on a big extension to your house. At the end he hands you the bill.

You have a sleepless night, a stiff drink and you decide to chalk it upto experience.

Quite possibly the worst analogy since:

“The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t. “….and ….”John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met”. They were taken from a High School exam paper.

I got a price for a brand new skoda yeti 1.6 tdi.
£540 initial payment then 36 payments of £180.
12000 miles per year.

don’t know if this is good or not.

If this is one of the Skoda 0% deals with free servicing then it looks like a good deal – just check the book value of the car and the residual value they have quoted you. If it truly is 0% then the initial payment + (36*£180) should be the difference.

Ppl using a stone – are you putting the pizza directly on it or still on a baking tray?

Yes put it directly on the stone and then put the sauce and toppings on…the stone should be so hot that it starts to cook it even while its out of the oven.

I use one of these to put the base on the stone. Its meant for cakes but its cheap and works well.

pizza peel thingy

Definitely agree about the stone as it makes the base a lot more authentic. I would also suggest using semolina flour when rolling out the bases as this creates a really nice crispy texture to the base.

So what are everyones targets for the year – either specific lines / activities or improvement goals?

Its just me and the wife going snowboarding so it shall be a fairly chilled affair this year. Mostly cruising and taking in the scenery.

Have been recommended hot chocolate and brandy as the ideal mountain tipple….so this year I shall mostly perfecting ordering and drinking those.

Tried this recipe and am now hooked. Cheap and cheerful (not sure why the mash is called tragedy at all) and spicy:

Firecracker sausages with Tragedy Mash

Mogrim that Nina Gordan one is one my favorites as well….sounds awesome but also makes me chortle.

This is probably going to be contentious one but I prefer this over the original Smiths version….sorry in advance to any Smiths fans:

Thanks for that cruzcampo – just what i needed.

That’s the same as saying leasing isn’t for people wishing to buy a second hand car :roll:. I was giving you the benefit of not making a redundant point. I presume you meant an ultracheap new car.

Sorry Skoda-boy

I can’t believe we have got this far without you telling us about your car….you are obviously chomping at the bit.

My point was that it can also be a plausible way to buy a cheaper new car.

Some of the deals are definitely more financially sound than others. Surprised at the article mentioned above as think PCP can vary a great deal between agreements. Suppose it doesn’t hurt to be wary of any car deal at the outset however.

My original point was leasing isn’t for people looking for ultra cheap motoring.

That’s not the case there are plenty of lease deals available at low monthly installments e.g

lease deals under £150

It just depends if this type of ownership suits the buyer.

Don’t take me too seriously though, I’m aware they are decent cars. I just like to rib Skoda owners a bit as they are ridiculously po-faced and defensive about their cars. I would take the piss less if you stopped obsessively telling how great they are!

I didn’t, I just took you as someone who brought brand snobbery into a discussion about car leasing. I also didn’t mention the fact I had a Skoda until you thought it was necessary to point it out and then only to inform you there was no need for pity.

So BMW then?

I guess you drive a skoda then, my condolences :wink:.

No condolences necessary I am very happy with it. It is as well built and as nice to drive as my previous Audi…whilst having a better engine. I am also happy that I have downgraded in supposed “status” whilst upgrading manufacturer reliability…..albeit remaining in the same group (VW).

As a stab in the dark I’m guessing you drive a BMW?

Is it a Mont Blank rack? If so that happened to me so I got two Thule 591’s for about £120. I kept the other one in case I need to carry three bikes as although its a pain deflating its still a good rack. Would recommend the Thule 591.

Albarn is b/end – who can’t sing

Still maintain he writes/has written some good songs. I especially think some of the Gorillaz tunes are decent. Also he isn’t a homophobic, xenophobic, misogynistic, racist c**t….. unlike Mr Clarkson.

You can have a balloon payment with traditional HP as well , but as this is not based on the residual value mileage is not taken into consideration.

Have read this thread a fair few times and am just hoping for any updates on your purchases before choosing. Interested in getting a legitimate Solarstorm/Trustfire if anyone has a link to one they are happy with?

I like the look of it. Makes a change from the endless stream of Qashqais and Jukes I see around here

Agree with this….at least it is a bit different. What are the other choices?

Leasing is not for cheapskates, skoda drivers, bangernomics ****, or anyone who is adverse to opening their wallet to get a decent new ca

Think you are missing the point of leasing. It enables you to get a new car that enables hassle free driving. You don’t have to worry about warranty, servicing, MOT and you get a modern car that demands (in most cases) less car tax and is more frugal. It is not for everyone….but to a lot of people it does makes economic sense. Brand snobbery does not enter into the equation.

I would see it more as a way to get a new car with a reduced payment and minimal deposit rather than a way to get “premium” brand car.

Some manufacturers also offer deals with 0% finance and free servicing so an additional maintenance contract is not required.

As stated above you are repaying the depreciation….but if you get a good deal you pay less interest.