I had a post removed and an email from the Mods because someone reported something as racism which very clearly was not.

It’s ironic because I was pointing out the hypocricy of patronising people of colour.

Doubly ironic because it was TJ I was having a pop at.

Triply ironic because TJ had a warning/banning for doing exactly the same thing and then moaning about that.

And I’m pretty sure it was TJ that did the complaining, wasnt it chummy?

And we finish off with a bit of Daily Mail sneering from Ernie.

I could set my watch by this.

I find this whole business of sacrificing the welfare state and our living standards to compete with two nations that both have 1bn+ populations and far lower living standards a bit bizarre. We can’t compete with them at what is now their own game, so we should play something else.

But using this to justify the scrapping of the welfare state, and the social protections that unions in past have thought for is entirely predictable…from right wingers.

I want some magic beans

Interesting, BT is something I wouldn’t re-nationalise, but they still hold a monopoly over the infrastructure.

Really? Who knew.

And enough of this patronising garbage about a past before Tesco where our high streets were places of individuality, and tender, loving service. Who the hell wants to go back to the 1980s anyway? You guys arguing for state intervention to control supermarkets would have been the same people opposing selling off BT. Can you imagine if BT still had a monopoly on your cell phone? You think you would be getting an iPhone package for £30 a month? The answer is no.

Woolworths was the poster boy victim of a changing market. Ours closed down and was replaced by a lovely little Waitrose which everyone loves. I only miss Woolies when I need to buy empty plastic boxes at short notice. Thats a market economy, give the public what they want.

Mcboo – so no planning controls at all needed then?

Yes TJ thats clearly what I’m asking for. You’re really on fire today arent you fella?

Unfortunately mcboo, it has been a lack the state doing anything (like De-regulation) that has helped us into this mess in the first place.

The state may not be the perfect mechanism for control, but those that replaced it have failed.

The state tells us what to do anyway, you just object to the state telling you what to do if it interferes with your business interests.

Just a long way of arguing for socialism in a different name. No thank you.

I don’t know how this ugly titled thread turned into a debate on the high street, but my tuppence-worth……The good old days for high street shops are gone and arent ever coming back. Blame Tesco if you want but a combination of out of town supermarkets and the web have changed how we shop and nothing is going to turn back the clock. Amazon is the Walmart of the web….I buy a huge amount of basic household goods on it, not to mention books and electronics. Weekly shop comes online from Ocado or Sainsburys.

We have a fantastic high street, full of great independent shops of all flavours, some usual chains like Starbucks too. But then I’m very lucky to live there.

TJ you never let me down. A solution for everything as long as it includes the mighty state banning something or otherwise telling us all what do do.

….and I’d def get the 8.9….in white and blue. Very nice

I do however take exception to the implied assumption that those on the right of politics are racist/xenophobic and those on the left not.

This is what I was thinking too. A properly nasty little troll you are ditch_jockey. Why don’t you go outside and play with the traffic.

I got a Canyon Lux with a DT XRM100 fork, is one of the best things about the bike. I test rode a bike with a RS World Cup Sid, all singing all dancing dual air blah blah…..the DT is at least as good and much easier to live with. Only complaint is the slightly fragile remote which I broke and have replaced with a conventional lockout.

Size wise I’m 6’3, online sizer told me I’m Large……I’m XL. Measure up your old bike, compare to geometry on the Canyon site, you wont go wrong. If you do just send it back, very easy.

As an attempted troll DJ this isnt going very well is it. Don’t be shy, lets be having you.

ditch_jockey could you describe to us what you think to be right wing?. I dont know what you are getting at, so do tell.

For once Mahathir talks a lot of sense, who could disagree that Europe needs to work hard and live within it’s means? He might have something to say when France elects Francois Hollande as it’s next President on a platform to return to universal retirement at 60 from the current grand old age of 62.

Mahathir is a little less sound on the gays and the Jews which definately upsets this right winger.

I forwarded it to a bunch of old pals. Never has one email generated so much abuse and finger pointing by a bunch of superannuated rugger-buggers.

Sad thing I’ve got mates who used to dress like this. I think it’s a phase every minor public schoolboy goes through in his 20s especially if they are junior officers in the army.

There is a female equivalent that involves White Stuff fleeces, puffer jackets and other crimes against femininity.

Am gonna expense as much as is decent. Am honestly there with clients.

Parliament sounds good but could be a bit chilly. Might find a nice bar and settle down with a book.

Yeh books I wouldnt try. But Rosetta Stone is marketed as an all singing all dancing interactive nirvana….

However, the best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it – listen to French radio via the internet, read French magazines, holiday in France etc.

Cheers, I work in a French firm, could speak the language every day.

I loved it, but then I really enjoyed the TV series, which gets you a head start when following the plot.

Whisper it, but isnt it nice when film makers assume some grey matter between the ears of audience members?

Doug many thanks, I should have hollered to you direct. Back to London….looks like Bilbao-Easyjet it is. I will mail you.

nah needs to be flights

Though the US never fails to wield the veto whenever someone warns to criticise Israel…….the whole thing is a waste of time.

They are showing series one late at night on Sky Atlantic if you have it and can record. With a bit of luck they will be showing the whole 5 series, FX channel just did that. Set series record, get series one out from blockbuster and watch first.

Straw manery. Didn’t take long for America to take the blame.

Every other country on the council voted yes……Azerbaijan, India, SA, Pakistan, Togo…….

No I don’t feel the need to sugar coat thanks Ernie. While we’re being honest, you aren’t my favourite in these parts either but I wouldn’t accuse you of being a bully or deliberately setting out to spoil the forum, though if you reduce your average post length to under 3000 words we’d all appreciate it. TJ another one who I have locked horns with and who gets a lot of stick on here, but again adds much more than he detracts.

Fred I had to make a rule of ignoring after while, which clearly I am breaking here. If I was feeling charitable I’d say he needs to go talk to someone.

I like it here, good place to come for a natter/advice/argument.

Fred is a self obsessed little turd and I hope he is banned for life.

98-6….yes we’ve taken a bug too

Read “Homicide” by David Simon too. He camped out with the Baltimore police for a year, led to The Wire.

Bike Verbier are a top outfit and Verbier is lovely place for a family holiday. They have a full on summer season there now, Jazz festival (i think), classical music festival (one of the best in Europe) and there is a week when the whole town fills up with folk on horses.

Loads of stuff to do with the kids too, they have a fabulous outdoor public pool where you can sit in the water and gaze up at a glacier. Some of the best hols we’ve ever had.

Anyone ever ride with Bike Verbier on a day by day basis? I might try and get out there for a long weekend, would be good to ride with a group.

The scene: Two Baltimore police detectives in a bar, late at night, very drunk. McNulty, a skinny young Irishman. Moreland is fat, black and dressed in a beautiful pin-stripe suit.

Det. James ‘Jimmy’ McNulty: You know why I respect you so much, Bunk?

Det. William ‘Bunk’ Moreland: Mm-mmm.

McNulty: It’s not ’cause you’re good police, ’cause, y’know, f*** that, right?

Moreland: Mm. F*** that, yeah.

McNulty: It’s not ’cause when I came to homicide, you taught me all kinds of cool shit about . . . well, whatever.

Moreland: Mm. Whatever.

McNulty: It’s ’cause when it came time for you to f*** me . . . you were very gentle.

Moreland: You damn right.

McNulty: See, ’cause you could have hauled me out of the garage and just bent me over the hood of a radio car, and . . . no, you were, you were very gentle.

Moreland: I knew it was your first time. I wanted to make that shit special.

McNulty: It was, man. It f***ing was.

——————————————————————————–

That is The Wire

Am chatting with a Pakistani pal at work, he doesnt think there is any doubt they are throwing it.

92-9……I mean seriously

Junkyard – Member
new them [ ok met them a few times] back in the day ..no interest tbh

“Back in the day”. Thats the rest of us put in our place JY…..

Going to be a bike park after the games…….hope we can ride there for ever. Much easier to get to than Hog Hill unless you live in Cambridge.

Ashley why didn’t you just send it straight back? I ordered the wrong size and decided I wanted the Lux MR rather than the Nerve. They picked it up, dropped off the new one, no quibbles.

Direct buying won’t suit everyone but my Lux was half the price of the comparable Giant or Spec. Tremendous value, my next bike will be a Canyon too.

Actually been quite a few people here (N.London) having problems losing their BB with Virgin. My parents have it in Scotland and like it a lot.

Went with Sky in the end. I was paying £45 for TV (incl Sports), going to be £64 for TV, phone and unlimited BB as a package. I think BT were charging me about £30 for phone and BB.

Note to BT….the only reason I looked into this was because my old wireless-g router needed replacing, BT wanted to charge me a fee for one of their Home Hub wireless-n routers. Virgin and Sky offered them free. I dont mean to penny pinch but I had been with BT in this house for 8yrs and never asked them for anything, just sent them a cheque every month. First time I need their help they put their hand in my pocket.

Thats the free market for you, thank you Mrs Thatcher.