2mb? I get about 10mb with my Virgin package – I pay £20 or so for basic TV, bb and phone – free weekends.

Well indeed – seems crazy to me for an insurer to reduce it's potential customer base so dramatically.

I like things simply so anything not final salary I'd put into a SIPP with various funds so all in one place and easy to manage but low risk.

My old house was on a flood plain – only found out when an insurance company told me and refused to insure me; thing is the house is in a rather densely populated part of West London so their loss really. Then when I sold the house the buyer was told the house needed indemnity insurance as there used to be a battery factory nearby – well there did 20 years ago and now there's a rather nice development of flats on it. I refused to pay for the insurance.

andrewh – I think maybe you shouldn't be driving if you're so unaware of the potential range of problems that might occur. For me I was driving late at night in an unlit road and didn't see the pothole simply because the road was unreflective so couldn't see any detail on he road.

I trashed a wheel on my Puma recently and ended up buying 4 wheels from Ebay – the tyres were barely used and the cost was such that the wheels were effectively free.

They seemed good right from the beginning – Jailbreak and Squealer have always been great to me though Powerage is my favourite album too.

I think it's great and never worried about the lines though can see them. I've cracked 2 windscreens though so was glad I had fully comp insurance as cost over £500 for my Puma window back in 2001 – no idea what non-heated ones cost though.

But of course you can't dust for vomit…

I'm pretty against all that sort of music but do quite like her really and agree with waynekerr.

Interest rates are 0.5%, inflation is 3.5%. As interest rates are normally above inflation there'll be an increase – well unless the BoE think we'll mess up the economy even more by increasing them; I believe they think inflation will come down by the end of the year though.

Try throwing a bottle of piss at yourself for that authentic rock experence

I once had someone puck up on me in the crush at the front – lovely.

Other than that a deepish, fastish bass sound that you feel in your bowels helps get that the real rock feel….

nickc – Member
Naim does sound more exciting to me

I've no idea what this means.

Oh come on – you don't think that a live rock band turned up to 11 doesn't do things to you in a way that a cheap midi system from the 80s can't manage whilst playing the same song? Getting as close to the feeling of the live performance as possible is what interests me more than the exact sound that was recorded – though that's important too. I have 4 music systems in my house from quite cheap to whatever my Naim/Kef kit is worth. Huge difference – even between the quite nice mini system in the study and the cheaper ones.

Oh yeah you asked about Zappa – try Hot Rats as a starting point or maybe Best Band you never heard in your live, Make a Jazz Noise Here and You can't do that on stage anymore 4. I've got about 60 of his albums….

I've listened to a variety of systems and even those that are in the thousands can vary quite a lot in the sound they produce. Naim does sound more exciting to me and I think that's what some say is down to timing. I have no idea about that but the sound I get gets me a bit closer to a live performance in terms of excitement but other systems will be better in getting a more realistic sound but I'm not so bothered about that.

My system is CD3/NAC72/HiCap/NAP140 with KEF reference 104/2 speakers. A fairly modest system for Naim that I've had for 12 years I think but enough for me as have other things to spend money on.

As for Ti29er's response above – I picked out recordings I have that are both mainstream and well recorded. I also have stuff from Linn and Naim's labels which are stronger on the audiophile side but of no interest to most.

If I understand the question properly…I recommend some classic jazz albums by Miles Davis and the like. REM's albums after Green are good – Green and before are good in their own right but not so well recorded IMO. The there's some Zappa albums like Best Band you never heard in your life. Beastie Boys later ones then there's the Bjork album with the shouty track – Post and even Dangerous from Wacko. Also Ween, They Might be Giants and U2 later ones. Ooh and Jelly Fish.

BTW, I use Naim Hi-Fi but not sure it's reference – more exciting.

My Mum used to set us tasks – building stuff out of lego or whatever.

It'll be fine…

I used to like the big Wham bars in the early 80s – far bigger than ones I've seen more recently.

As for Texan bars – I thought they were my all time favourite until they brought them back for a short while a few years ago – they were rubbish but were they really the same thing?

Just to add – I've had my 1.7 puma since 2001 and got a baby coming in June.

I think it's such a great car that I want to keep it – also reckon it's value to others is far too low so not worth selling it – maybe the group 12 insurance doesn't help that? I used to drive it hard at times and found it handled OK if the back broke away but now I'm more sensible. Never had a problem with it though it's only done 67k.

I think we need two cars really so will keep mine and get something a bit more practical for the other car. Trouble is wife can't drive yet so would rather not have two cars until she can so have looked to see if the Puma would work and a few searches suggest possible options for car seats. Would have to get something for proper trips I'm sure.

I agree with johnners – I think any involvement of a victim in the criminal's punishment is bizarre.

But having said that bad people are more likely to inflict nasty punishments than good and prison is full of bad people so it's perhaps a good way of criminals getting a taste of what society would rather happened to them than those that have to do what seems best with regards to human rights and living in a nice society…if it happens in prison it's suitably detached for most of us to not worry about. And most of us will shed no tears for chaps like that. A significant chunk of people, perhaps even the majority, would be quite happy for criminals of a certain type to kinda disappear – they maybe just don't really want to know about it.

Hmmm forgot about this thread….

FWIW, if I wanted to buy a place and the vendor didn't stop viewings then I'd pull out. I would however commit to getting my survey done ASAP and on my last sale/purchase I exchanged emails with my buyer/seller to keep things moving as quickly as possible. I would expect a good agent to find out as much as possible about the buyer regarding finance and if they're selling talk to my agent about my buyer to be able to reassure my vendor that I am a good buyer. I've bought 3 houses now and never had any problems – even though the last 2 times someone tried to gazump me but the vendors were happy to stay with me at a lower price.

I seem to remember hearing that if you leave anti-freeze out they'll drink it – they will die though so not so good maybe. I caught one up a tree and gave it a good drenching with the hose; was quite funny really as looked quite pathetic after that. Yeah it's mean but they kill small birds so doesn't really compare to that.

I'd say commission if trying to force – even if recommended commission is likely to be involved

The fact that they are pushing you towards their preffered conveyancing and mortgage provider is probably down to two reasons. One is that they will be financially reqarded for it and two, because they have a track record of doing the job properly.

When selling a house its not sold until the deal is done

Yep but still minimize the chances of being gazumped by not showing to anyone else which many vendors will do. I'd have to be pretty keen on a place to let viewings continue.

Its also a misconception that your own solicitor acts entirely independantly…

Well it's not really a misconception just that like anyone they'd like your business. It's surprisingly common how many people don't realise that the estate agent is acting for the vendor – I've heard about people making an offer and at the same time saying they could go higher if needed – what's the agent going to say about that?!

TheLittlestHobo – you are either naive or biased!

Yep talk to the vendors as seems the agents are acting for themselves which isn't legal – well if the vendors tell them act a certain way then they have to. The agents just want to make more money for themselves and is of no benefit to the vendors so if you can persuade them you are genuine then hopefully they'll want to keep you happy so as to keep you as a buyer – the still a buyers' market I'm sure.

When I bought my house I made taking it off the market a condition and they even cancelled viewings that were already booked. The seller of the house I bought was a good chap though and also told a pushy would-be gazumper to piss off (literally). This was 3 years ago when prices were getting silly.

Just drive everywhere at 5mph so can jump out when needed.

Yeah I've always like William Hague and Ken Clarke too other than his involvement with a tobacco company.

I also know of an employee who may shortly be losing his job as he thought it was a good idea to sell his bike on before the final value fee.

How did they find out? My company, like most I'm sure, take little interest in the bike just want the repayments in your payslip.

I went for Elites as seemed a good balance between cost, weight and strength.

So what should be repeated? I'd happily watch Chance in a Million again – don't remember that ever being repeated.

http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/chance.htm

And the Brittas Empire.

Oooh can we have MASH back?

Once every few years but its a darkish green so dirt doesn't show so much. Had to go off road in the mud once and kept the big mud arc that resulted on either side – quite odd on a Puma in London I suppose.

Sad but very, very true. Having children is not a right, it is a privilege.

But can we take that privilege away from someone? We do take away bad peoples' liberty at times so that's OK but not other bad peoples' rights to have kids? Or are they not really bad just unfortunate? I suppose these days we can afford the luxury of human rights – just a shame it seems that who's rights should take precedence isn't so obvious.

I'm kinda guessing but I reckon people with piercings and tattoos like being seen as a bit different and expect, even enjoy, the looks from the more everyday citizens. As it happens I dress in a way that I expect to get the odd funny look and it's fine by me as I reckon I look good in lycra.

So do we now have the answer? Keep the underclass topped up on drugs so they cause as little harm as possible.

someone who has an addiction or an illness is still equally human and entitled to human rights as well as the perfect people '

Well we're all restricted in some way. If these people produce kids as barnsleymitch is saying then are they doomed to a difficult life?

Long-term contraception seems OK to me – say a year or 2? But then we have a shortage of babies for people that want to adopt so maybe it's all OK?!

No way would I put up with this – no doubt why I spend so much time arguing with my lovely lady….