Xbox….. meehaja

Slovenia is ace… a bit like all of Europe, but crammed into a tiny space… I've never been to the other places, but I really like slovenia and its close enough to visit other balkan countries?

neither old nor young, stuck in the weird middle ground. I suppose I'm young compared to some?

I only use them when i'm commuting, and even then, just for the "brakes locked on whilst waiting at a traffic light" type moments. one day I'll get my cables replaced and then they're coming off as they're just unsightly and being as i use my CX bike as a rode bike as well, they make me look a bit, y'know, "beginner"

full suss, full face, full body armour, no chain. Thats what all the cool kids are rocking.

mine was always getting pranged, I mostly rode techy, rocky trails (practically trials in some places) now I don't ride MTB at all cos my thumb/wrist hurts too much, but weirdly road/ cyclocross is ok.

I used to work in a factory stacking cases of cat food on pallets. minimum wage, awful hours/ cpnditions and working with all the people from the town who couldn't get a job doing anything else. I loved it. I also used to work in a bank vault, it was hot, dirty, everyone there thought the work was really important and that they were better than everyone else. Easily the worst job i've ever done. Work is work when you've bills to pay!

Arguably my "lowest job" would be cleaning up old people after they have ben incompetent, wiping drunks vomit off my boots, picking up indescriminate body parts from railway lines and being spat at by grumpy teenagers. this is also my favourite an best paid job.

each to their own i guess

I was at TN on sunday, t'was a good course, plenty of woodland singletrack, not much playing fields (i was the guy all in black right at the back). CX is great as it really is just show up, ride as fast as you can and feel knackered at the end. Got battered on sunday, but normally I get into a bit of a battle with the back markers. For me, i know i'm never going to win, so my goal is to always over take the person in front of me, often i fail, but when i succede it means i've won "my race".

Ride anything you want, obviously a CX bike helps, but at local level anything can be ridden. Check out the yorkshire cyclocross site for the next local race, they tend to be more over halifax/hudds way. There's a very good summer series if you want to play in less cold weather… also, if you fancy a bit of a ride sometime let me know, I live in Bradford now, but leeds isn't far… i'm mostly riding SS CX this week to boost my strength since i've been off the bike all year practically, but I could put muddy tyres back on the Jake…

mmmmm…. how good is this? jut wish i wasn't about to go on nights for the week, i'll be playing this all day!

Greatest IT support quote "ahh, i see the problem, its a dell."

yeah, mine is rubbish to the point of being barely usable. next time i'm spending bit more and going mac. My "Brand new" dell sits under the sofa while I prefer to use a five year old mac with a cracked screen.

dammit, i was doing so well unitl the third level!

some posh people become officers, OTC is a big recruiting ground in university and a lot of people have their fees paid by the respective forces. Some officers are common as muck and tyre questions. However, officers are taught to act and speak "properly" perhaps being well spoken is part of that?

Still a few races left in Yorkshire… did my first winter race and didn't quite come dead last, but there was a looooong gap between me and the guy in front!

speak to proper BMX shops, but IME try a "race" BMX rather than the conventional "freestyle" type. Not as strong but much much lighter. at 9, strength is less of an issue, but weight will really hold him back. I foundfrom riding an old burner, then going onto a "propper BMX" a could barely hop it and all my tricks became too hard.

Difficult one. As an NHS employee I'd say I'd never sue, but then if it was me and my family things might well be different. The idea of legal action always seems to imply blame and punishment, in a "you've done this, so as punsihment you must pay a fine". In that context I would say there is nothing to gain. However, being as your mother in Law is left in a state that is severly life altering, their are associate costs and i see no moral or ethical reasons why these costs should not be reclaimed. The question is, how to go about it? Again its hard to have a validopinion when it isn't affecting me, but i'd be inclined to speak to the practice manager, raise your concerns and discuss your mother in laws future needs. Its worth getting legal advice, but beware of "all you can get sue em all" types as they are often not looked upon favourably in court settings. the practice will have insurance to deal with these situations, and it is well worth keeping things friendly as it can be a very long and drawn out procedure.

mistakes happen, and blame doesn't change whats already happened. it probably wont stop it happening again either, establsh her needs (physio/home help/counseling/ changes to property/ lost wages etc etc) and raise this with the practice.

Hopefully she will make a full recovery, it is not unheard of and thought the brain is a delicate organ, it is also resourceful and tough. All the best to her.

jim

wow, never realised what a smug, celebrity hunting git I am. Sorry.

I ride a SS cyclocross bike with funny coloured wheels, can I still be allowed in the club?

My ex girlfriend used to go out with Vernon Kaye, my Dads cousin played drums with the Shadows, I went to school with Leicestershire cricketer Ashley Wright (and beat up/ got beat up by his little brother, England Cricketer Luke Wright) I told the NME how the white stripes were related, Marilyn Manson gave me a bottle of water once and last year I shared a cig with Howard Marks, and it all went downhill from there. Also my wifes uncle is a founding member of expedia…

Tyre clearance isn't a problem, its got loads (currently wearing 700×32 slicks with loads more room avaliable). did consider selling the SWOBO and buying the genesis, but i like the SWOBO, and if i was going to change, i might as well just get a frame?

trick with the accident cash machine people is to fall to the floor screaming "you pushed me! you pushed me!, why would you do that?". soon shuts them up. Had a right aggressive one knock on the door last year, wouldn't take no for an answer, so i et him into a secret that htat I was the victim of prolongud harrassment from a national company who i'd never had any dealings with and that I'd love to take legal action against them. he was quite interested until he realised I was talking about him!

Also, I don't like voices on phones saying "your call is important to us" etc etc. I'd rather it just rang, at least that way i can imagine i'm annoying someone else as much as they are annoying me

(guess who just spent 45mins on hold!)

your doing it all wrong! When I first joined the ambulance service we had exciting new fangled sat nav's, which most staff would ignore having learnt the area by map. Working with one of the older techs, who was following the sat nav blindly we were directed down a narrow road. I warned the driver that there was a narrow bridge ahead. he didn't slow. a sign said narrow bridge ahead, 6ft 6 max. he didn't slow. I told him we were 7ft 2 wide, he didn't slow. on seeing the bridge, he simply sped up. afterwards he informed me that the weight/height/width/length signs are just "guidelines" and he'd "barely scratched it". (cut two big groves along the length of the whole body). Fortunatley he's retired now, and I know to avoid whackhouse lane.

nope, just a paramedic, if you fancy a trip to Yorkshire tomorrow, there is going to be a big rightwing/ anti fascist march in Leeds starting at 12:00, maybe you should come, could be good for you.

contravertial angle, but we got ours for free, local liberal club. curry buffet cost £300 for 3 courses of some of the best curry and have ever had. The venue was a dump, but with the lights out and everyone drunk you don't notice. People told us we'd regret not spending £25k on a wedding and having a "ghetto" wedding instead. actually, i feel it kept it more in touch with what we felt it was all about, namely a celebration of love, shared with friends and family, and getting very drunk.

don't spend more than you can afford and concentrate on what is most important to you and your fiance.

yup. also a patient. What're you doing tomorrow?

NHS is hardly on its knees, it might need knee replacements, but what it does it does well(ish). As for colonic irrigation, if you do it too often you can rupture your descending colon, causing bleeding and potentially septicaemia, so no, i wouldn't suggest it as a way to start the day. Also, in my opinion, this procedure would not work on individuals heads, basic anatomical understanding suggests that the water used is unlikely to progress beyond the lower cavities.

Thanks for your thoughts though!

There;s a doctor at St James, Leeds called doctor toogood. I think he's a surgeon, if anyone is cutting me open i want it to be him!

I also went to school with a girl who's first name was lesley and second name anne. To make things worse, her surname was an abbreviated term for a prostitute.

I really like Robyn's never will be mine. I think it is an example of a perfect pop song. my friends question my sexuality.

my sister is into big diets, loses loads of weight, then gradualy puts it all back on, then diets again, then gradually puts it all back on etc etc.

perhaps my idea of diet is different to others, I'm not bothered about losing weight, I just want to be fitter and healthier, hence eat less, do more. Eat whatever you want, but know that by eating, say fish and chips, thats n early start at the gym and I have to run there.

Re: Slimfast, the strawberry one is delicious and I have one for breakfast moat mornings, but only because its all I can handle at that time and I like it. It doesn't fill me up and its not that healthy really. If your "wife" wants to do a shake based, restricted calorie diet then diet mix from various supplement manufacturers is cheaper than slim fast.

Cyclocross. every other week all over winter, all over yorkshire. only takes an hour or two, only as competitive as you make it. I seem to remeber you asked about "summer XC races for young people" a few months back and I'm pretty sure I said "Cyclocross". I know my rut and i like it.

recently bought an adam black 12 string. its very nice and was the nicest one I played (including a £600 one). mone cost £199 from northern guitars in Leeds.

I used to have one, people would say "wow you've got a smeg fridge". I would say "yes". So thats about the best thrill you will get from spending nearly a grand on a fridge. The freezer is small and mine didn't have a drain chute so was a real nightmare to defrost (and it needed it reguarly) the doors are really thick, so as my kitchen was small you couldn't open the doors fully either. big disapointment really. it looked cool, but in the end its just a fridge, I'd rather spend the money on shiney bike bits and pretend that they make me faster/smoother/more niche. my new fridge freezer is loads bigger, has those freezer drawers you can open like a chest of drawers (no freezer door) a fun beer can dispenser rack and only cost £450. ,matches my toaster too.

ask around at well known paddle spots? where abouts in the country are you? as above, don't use ebay as no one will post!

there has been a lot of advances in boats over the last 10 years or so. what sort of kayaking does your daughter want to do? also, be aware that she will probably grow quite a bit quite soon! fancy modern boats/ play boats may look really good and be very maneuverable, but may be a bit of a struggle on river running trips unless she is strong. Each to their own, but i also find rounded hulls a bit easier to roll/ learn to edge in. I bought an eskimo kendo about 6 years ago for £250, good alround boat with enough volume to be confidence inspiring, and adequate for everything i did in it (including surfing, playing, river running and 10-15 foot waterfall drops)
INAZones should be fairly cheap now as should Necky Gliss/Bliss. I'm a bit out of touch with kayaks now but remember the boat is just half the cost, don't forget the paddle, spray deck, wet/dry suit, cag, wet suit boots, bouyency aid, helmet etc etc.

Clubs can be great as you can get al your gear over time, try several boats and actually do more paddling. apologies if you are already a paddler and know all this already! Have fun!

I'm in. just tell me a few weeks before and I'll show up. CX all the way!

I think i remember the dirt one, I did check there, also checked RIde magazine. T'was definately like clock figures.

Guess I'll just make my own!

I know we're all big on lightweight bling etc, but seriously, if dynamos work, why don't we all have them for lights etc? or are they just a bit pony, unreliable and badly designed? I've always fancied one, but they don't seem to be stocked that much im LBS's?

perhaps true, but i still need* a 4130 t-shirt

*(like I need titanium skewers)

was probably planning on wearing them until they fall apart. was just reflecting on the fox t shirt i'm wearing. Bought in New York in 2003, (for $12). still perfect shape, still quite smart. just a better investment.

I wouldn't want her to die, perhaps just get stuck down a well or something?

I use the cheap road type ones (with the wire brace etc) fine for the back, but my carbon forks have no mount for guards, so it is wrapped round the quick release (this can't be good). I'd try a crud type one if I were you…

DHB all the way, still going strong after 18months riding in the everyday (I even wash them sometines!)

Hire a bike and pedal round the city wall, its the best way to see lots of the city. If the weather is nice, its a great city to just chill out in, there's not especially "much" to do, but you can easily spend a lot of time not doing much. I wish I'd gone to the tintin museum though!