So the OP should compare the interest rate that he’s currently paying with ISA rates – there’s 3.51% at Natwest.

Well I’m going to disagree with you all!

I have an Offset Mortgage at 0.49% above base rate so that’s pretty. I am going to put a lump sum into my cash ISA for this year and next when I can as I can get a rate better than my mortgage. If that changes then I can get it out whenever I like; BTE, I already have as much invested in the stock market as I want for the time being.

This winter I decided to use deore cassettes as stronger and weight little issue for me when there’s so much mud about. Got a few spare XT cassettes whislt they were still cheapish for the drier months though.

I could live with a house that pays me £1800.00 a year rather than gives me elccy bills!

Yeah but how much extra did they have to pay for the build in order to achieve that? From a financial perspective I suspect the rate of return is too low. Actually, they spent so much on the place – mainly the arch and windows – that I’d like to know if the house is worth as much on the market as it cost to build; it seems to me that usually self-builds include a profit once finished.

Wife has some sort of ovulation forecast thingy and his seed is needed NOW?

Thanks – the bike will be rigid with V brakes. Not sure if I want to spend too much as don’t know how often I’ll do something like this.

I think it was mentioning only one product of a particular type that was the issue – when in Ireland hard to stop talking about Guinness as it’s so dominant. Elsewhere they talked about a variety of drinks.

My parents are only children and neither liked that so they were keen to have more than 1 – ended up with 4 of us…. Whilst an only child will have access to other kids there will be times when they are on there own so either get lonely or need input from a parent – or get stuck in front of the TV?! Money is an issue for most of us so might be considered wrong to have too many if it’ll be a struggle.

Those that don’t want any are they selfish? Well, depends on how you look at it, in a sense they are in that they want don’t want to look after kids and spoil(?) their own lives but if you’re not the right sort of person to have kids then would be wrong to have them. I am unsure about compromising my life (less cycling?!) but having kids would add other elements and I’m pretty keen overall. I think I’m too worried about not being a good Dad and struggling to deal with the way kids so often seem to be these days. I don’t like the idea of both parents working but it seems to be hard to finance a family these days without two incomes. We’ll see.

assuming fuctards like catholic schools and the morons who object to mmr dont screw it up

What do catholic schools have to say on this?

Well I have no interest in her and dislike the society we have that makes her a celebrity. As such the only reason I know about her is because even the main stream press have stories about her so, if it wasn’t for this, I wouldn’t have heard of her and so wouldn’t know about her cancer. However, as I have heard about this my sympathy is with her and her family.

I lay my own eggs and keep in a larder. Once hard boiled they should be kept in the fridge and eaten within a few days.

A few years ago I bought a big square of patch material from Halfords from which you cut your own patches; still have loads left.

Well AFAIK there are fees that have to be paid for a wedding in a C of E church – from here it looks like £250 is the minimum you can get away with:

http://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/fees/%5B/url%5D

C of E? Still supposed to pay AFAIK – vicar fee, organist and hire.

How did you get a free church?

Blair did well to get out when he did and make millions as we all started to sink…. If Thatcher made mistakes then why did Tone carry on in a similar vein?

I hate all the guff around weddings; I wore a morning suit as did others who came. I come from an upper class family and not sure what anyone thought I was doing anything wrong but don’t care anyway.

BTW, got married here, nice place….

But kimbers this is a worldwide recession not just UK based. Are you blaming Brown, etc. for the world wide crash?

We’re suffering worse than pretty much anyone else though!

everyone who didn’t clear all their debts last year like a smug tw@ would get a good kicking.

Seems to be better for me to put my cash in a cash isa than reduce my mortgage at the moment.

You think interest-free credit was free money?

Well it is actually! I tried once with the credit card thing of getting 10k for 9 months or whatever interest free and put it against my mortgage. Some people carried on with that for years doing very nicely but I felt bad…!

FFS if I received a chain without a connecting pin/link, without being told it wasn’t included, I’d be annoyed! I’ve always bought SRAM or KMC….

Linford Christie got caught in a drug test at the end of his career; was he guilty? Had he taken drugs earlier? Why not tested positive earlier? Why just use drugs at the end of his career?

For those that missed it:

previous thread on this

As it happened when I was climbing I was on one of the lower gears so migt be the front mech; surprised as no problem on the previous ride. The chain was pretty dirty so cleaned that up and everything else incase something was sticking somehow.

Check out ING – I switched to them from M&S which seemed to offer more cover for 1/2 the money. The website doesn’t mention bikes now so ring them up about them – that’s what I did.

Racist.

I go for whatever leaves me with the best chance of any shot later.

Peanut butter sandwiches and cereal bars for me.

I blame the parents….

Art has to be intentional so therefore this is art, assuming the creator sees it that way, but also vandalism.

I went to a prep school and then public schools (as in 2 of these http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headmasters%27_and_Headmistresses%27_Conference). I didn’t really fit in but did OK academically and left at 16 to go to a local college. I fitted in well enough despite the presence of girls…. There has been quite a lowering of prestige for most public schools in recent years; my Grandfather went to Harrow 100 years ago and that was a different experience to what it would be today. Good fee paying schools offer a lot more than an average state school does but better to enjoy one of those than to struggle in a fee paying one.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the more advanced testing that is now being developed is ever aplied to the stored samples

Is that not what happened here?

Here Kimmage says Lance tested positive for EPO:
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=54741&catid=2

Cape Epic – a roadie mate has done a few of these big events, including Trans Alp and Trans Rockies, but he didn’t finish the Cape Epic due to too much riding on sand IIRC.

I’ve read Rough Ride but only remember him mentioning injecting vitamins. I’ll have a look.

Oh, have they changed then?!

I’ve used them for a few years – tough but not light.

So who are the true legends? I’m sure we all agree on Merckx!

Anyone got a link for Kimmage admiting to drug use?

Here Kimmage says Lance tested positive for EPO:
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=54741&catid=2

Kimmage admitted doping? I remember reading he felt bad about injecting vitamins but more than that?

More here:

video