It all depends on your attitude to risk.

IMO you may as well put as much money into your own property as possible – pay of your mortgage. Though if you have a low rate at the moment maybe not bother – I get a better return from my savings account than my mortgage costs me at these days.

Have at least enough cash for unforeseen events – a few months of expenditure I suppose.

Stock market is a funny place these days – Some suggest over-bought at the moment so maybe not a place for a large %age of wealth.

I say no point having 25% in one fund as there's quite a few worth looking at – assuming you're not looking at FTSE tacker anyway.

This site has some excellent research info on funds:
http://www.allenbridge.co.uk/

I keep watching snatches of The Witches of Eastwick – determined to finish it for some reason but should 'walk out' – probably just want to finish it because the cast is good.

Crash:

if you went to see paul haggis' exploration of multracial divided LA then you you probably should walk out because its very long and very very much up its own arse

Well I enjoyed that one! Top 250 on IMDB too….

Starship Troopers pretty good too.

I have 5 cats buried in the back garden and two more living with me

So is this light the same as the Nukeproof one? That's more expensive so are people with those unhappy?

I'm a fan; I wonder over to the Surrey Quays one sometimes just to see what's tempting – often find tempting ladies in the horse section….

This thread is non story of the day….

I bought a LUU as figured it would make a good helmet light if not good enough for a main light – the 4 hr burn time on high sounded very good. Not used it yet but looks OK in the garden. I was using an original triple shot and it's certainly a lot better than that!

I have one from Decathlon which cost about a fiver; it keeps me fairly warm.

Be sure to check instructions as fitting with a rock may be warned against.

Nuclear has to be the way forward unless we're happy to have a country bristling with windmills and damage the environment with various water based schemes.

As said cutting back energy usage is key and I do try to turn off pretty much everything that can be – the hard disk recorder stays on standby but that's about it. Education is obviously important but I think pricing structures should encourage low usage and help the less well off; unit cost increases with consumption in bands – this will no doubt have to be enforced with legislation as energy companies won't want to do this due to competition issues. Of course many still won't care; I am often shocked by how hot some keep their homes – uncomfortably hot for me – and no doubt they would be shocked at how cold mine is!

That Mrs James woman disgusts me for doing this – using her son's death in this way is appalling.

Keep it or put it into a Hargreaves Lansdown SIPP.

http://www.h-l.co.uk/

I have lovely neighbours!

Years ago I had one who asked my not to park in front of his house incase Patrick Moore came to visit – apparently he came to visit my neighbour once but thought he had visitors as there was a car outside….

There there was the one who tried to stop me doing an extension but she'd told me a few years before that she had wanted to do the same extension to her house but later realised that she couldn't afford it.

I watched Funny Games with Tim Roth the other night – not seen anything quite like it and recommend it.

I lived in Chester for many years and wouldn't go back, Winchester is far better if you like that sort of thing. Chester looks nice enough but too many tourists and chavs.

Dorking gets my vote; wanted to move there (well Westhumble to the north) but nothing available so now live in a nearby village.

I was living in Guildford for 18 months until September, getting back to liverpool was absolute bliss. I hated nearly every minute of it. Ok it is supposedly one of the best places in the uk to live with no crime etc etc but my god you are unlikly to encouter a more stuck up soulless bunch of people anywhere.

Hmmm…I live nearby and can think of far more 'stuck up' places than Guildford. An estate agent managed to put me off buying in nearby East Horsely by describing the locals for me in what he thought was a positive way – 'it's all 4x4s and bridge evenings'.

I've lived/worked in/near a few dumps:
Crawley,
Hull,
Warrington,

also Farnborough, Hants maybe?!

A few mentioned above I think are OKish really:
Holyhead – a poor area but not that unattractive really
Chester – a lot of council estate types invade the centre in the evening and cause trouble but otherwise a pleasant enough place
Sheffield – not that bad at all

I've had 8 ex-batts – were all fine though some didn't lay too well. Still got one over a year later who is laying daily plus 2 POL I got 6 months ago.

I got a bit carried away with construction but one day I'll hopefully have a couple of dozen to make it worthwhile.

Get the police involved and let us know how it develops.

Top end steel and Ti frames would be very thin at those points so can't see them lasting any better.

Samuri – as I said above there's an opportunity cost with premium bonds – even if you ignore that inflation erodes your stake.

I'd choose a FTSE tracker as for that length of time shares are a good option.

As for premium bonds; my Dad gave me £50 worth 18 years ago – never won anything. I sold them recently as seemed a waste of cash; in a reasonable investment would be worth £200 by now.

If she's a stunner today what will she be like in 10 years time?

Yeah so you're meant to check out her Mum to see how she'll develop – never marry anyone who's Mum you don't fancy.

DaveGr – not sure about a pull a pig night but I now of a grab-a-granny if that's of any interest? Not as bad as it sounds as it's in the sort of area where the grannies tend to be quite young….

So is pull a pig night just a cover for ugly people to pull other ugly people so as to get some action without having to justify themselves?

hora – Member
binners. On pull a pig nights I'd shock even you.

Yeah but the twist is you're the pig.

I have 2005 Minute 3 forks still going well and I prefer them to my 2005 Fox Talas forks.

Some people use car batteries, apparently Rolls Royce ones are the best – well they would be right?!

Well I think APR is relevant simply because it allows you to compare different loans over different periods of time. One caveat though is that I think one off fees are factored into APRs so that can distort things for short-term loans.

I've got a 2004 frame sat in the garage gathering dust. Not got any picks of it built up though. Shame besause it was a cracking bike.

There must be loads of the 2002-4 bikes around but I rarely see them – I like mine (S-works one above) but decided not to pursue full-suss, as a hardtail is fine for me really, so haven't been lured by other bikes. If it's not going to get used then why not sell it?

These guys for early Sunday rides or Wednesday evening rides:
http://www.muddymoles.org.uk/

Shame no-one's come up with an opposite prize to this – a conflict prize for the person that's done most to encourage conflict each year. I suppose Bush would have won that a few times though I'd have voted for Bliar in the past as we should take pride in our own nation's achievements more often.

This is usually me:

Scenario – Non tubeless rim
Tough Non tubeless tyre = 760g. Tube = 160g
Total = 920g
Like – Simplicity, cost, strong sidewalls.
Dislike – weight.

So would anyone pay to replace their HID bulb when needed or would they be better off just getting a new LED system?

I have the 1st generation Cateye tripleshot and just got a LUU light – not sure what to do with the tripleshot now.

So the class system is alive and well then?

I don't care about education but maybe that's because I don't have a chip on my shoulder and am not a snob? I went to some good schools on the assisted place scheme – aren't I lucky…?!

I knew someone who kept a rescued pheasant in with their chickens – oh well!

Stamps – I have my Grandad's collection; like many he'd collected as a kid then in the 80s saw a chance to see his hobby as an investment. The value of stamps rocketed then crashed. I should probably see what its worth sometime as I have no interest in it so would like whatever cash I can get I suppose.

Coins – I also have my Grandmother's coin collection which she bought as an investment following some rather dubious advice. She kinda made my take it to Spinks for a valuation – they weren't very impressed….

How do you know it's 853? I'd worry so much I couldn't sleep.

If you fell behind with mortgage payments the bank can take money out of any savings a/c you have with them

Sounds good to me as should reduce interest payments.

I can't be ar5ed with managing money too closely so I have an offset mortgage – never have to worry about what my balance is or if something is going to get paid OK.

There is … something very special about a firm, young carrot.