Complex subject, and I can’t see that “punishment” is ever likely to give a satisfactory outcome. Punishment engenders bitterness and desire for retribution – the bullied getting more grief for speaking out.

Canada has a similar percentage of gun ownership but much lower murder rate; which would suggest it’s socio-economic related.

Aren’t Canadian gun laws closer to European laws? ie you can get a licence for a hunting weapons etc, but you don’t get the same widespread ownership of military type weapons that is prevalent in he US.

As someone brought up with guns, I’ve always thought UK laws are too restrictive (I’ve modified hat with age). Context is all though – if you live in the countryside and want a shotgun or .22 for game / vermin, then by all means make that legally permissible.

Where I draw the line is that so many of the weapons held in the US have only one purpose – a hand gun, assault rifle, tactical shotgun is designed only for killing people. We aren’t talking about the sort of weapons seen in the UK, EU or Canada (afaik)

Staff

The LBS’ biggest asset and liability….

My “next”* bike will come from an LBS, and is unlikely to be bought on price. I want a Trek Madone 4 or 5. I guess discount is unlikely on such a bike. Size and fit will be most important for me.

Have visited two local Trek dealers, and both have been very dependent on who spoke to me on the day. Being told the 58 will be the best fit “because your about the same height as me” doesn’t cut it on a bike at that price – especially when you’ve just explained that your current 59 frame has always felt a bit cramped….

The same dealer 1 week later, speaking to the owner results in a measure up, shop try of a few bikes, suggestion that a 60 would be the best size and the offer of some test rides when I’m ready to buy

Chalk and cheese

But same shop

😥

Haven’t visited this thread until now…

Snow fun looking like no fun this year.

To answer the OP…

Kids,

Nice walk after the meal

Oh

And
BURNING A FAGGOT ON CHRISTMAS EVE!

I use it as a recovery aid. Started with the 25% protein 75% carb stuff that is often recommended for recovery, but it was a bit at odds with trying to loose weight. Now just use plain whey protein with (almost) no fat and low ish carb content. I don’t use daily though, maybe 2-3 times per week? I make it with water, not milk, to keep the cals low

I’d say I’ve trimmed up, not bulked up

Nativity. No
The Church. No
Carol singing.. And No

Daughter’s primary school tried all that sh!t for their Xmas show. Utterly flipping unacceptable. LIVID

an educated, developed nation

There’s the flaw in your argument, right there

BMW 3 Series estate – Managed about 85-90 on the Mountain section of the TT course this year 😳 😳 😳

Whether was properly awful though – at that speed we had left all of the bikes behind after the Gooseneck!!! 😉

olks are telling me the Hagstroms are about as good as it gets without breaking the bank, so check them out

Saw a recent review for a Hagstrom – and it did catch my eye.

Anyone know of UK dealers?

(Google failed)

Plymouth Gin

Celtic Pride Promise – Welsh, smelliest I have ever come across, but the flavour is subtle and delicious. I believe a milti-award winning cheese

Continuing the Celtic (but non-Scots / Irish) theme…

Cornish Yarg is a good hard cheese – again, subtle flavour, but with tingly wrapping!

Cornish Brie – seems to be creamier and more delicate than the mass market French bries.

Other suggestions…

A good Caerphilly

I also like the Harlech and Y Fenni cheeses, but they are flavoured cheddar type cheeses (IIRC)

ETA – need to check the name on that Celtic “Pride”….

ETA – Update – Celtic Promise

all the evidence is that Bradley Wiggins is regarded as the first tour winner for years whose performnce was credable

Cadel Evans?

If my Epi Les Paul Std was anything to go by, the machine heads and the electrics will be shocking. Stupid thing never stayed in tune beyond one song and it was a crackly thing from new.

Maybe I got a lemon but based on my experience, I wouldn’t be too hung up on getting an Epi…

Well, Cranes had the Gibson ES-339 in a tobacco burst, very similar looking to the Epi version ^^.

£1799 instead of approx £299 😯

Back in Cardiff today and need to go into the music shop…..

Although this triburst is even more gorgeous in the flesh

I’ve got an ultra cheap Epi Les Paul – been very good for what it is

I was also impressed by the amount of time he spent talking to folk as they passed the van despite being knackered and covered in mud.

Yes – my lad had a chat with Guy at MM. He was really frIedly & J was proper pleased – he got Gary Johnson’s autograph at the TT this year and Guy Martin’s at Mayhem

Fockin mentoe

uses CO2 bottles

Doesn’t CO2 = FAC?

Meanwhile, back to the OP…

Ask yourself what you want it for.

plinking cans on some (privately owned) rough ground – break barrel .22 springer is hard to beat…

Pointless chavvy crap

Also incorrect *

– teaches good gun handling / discipline to youngsters
– very useful for vermin control in areas where shotgun would be inappropriate

* – although I don’t deny they can be

These things should be banned.

Exactly what the spoddy Constable on the front desk said when I went to the Police Station to pick up my first shotgun cert application.

Duty Sergeant puts his hand on the Constable’s shoulder, and comes out with the line…

“bloody good job you don’t make the law then isn’t it”

Thanks – that makes sense – it was Cranes in Cardiff that I was browsing in…

if we get away from the specifics of this individual case, we all know that cycling has a massive doping problem, so to vilify one individual and to blame him for the doping practices of other athletes seems peculiar to say the least.

Either –

you haven’t been following this,

or,

your a roadie in denial…

The one individual is:

– the last to be caught?
– the main perpetrator?
– the one who conspired to cover up doping on a team-wide scale?
– the one who aggressively prevented others from coming clean
– used every legal tool in the box, incl on his closest friends and family???
– made a huge amount of money and reputation from said cheating & conspiracy

Vilification seems entirely justified to me

Is it a bi cycle?

IGMC

Oh dear, drawn in again… 😯

I believe that there was a major 10-12 year study in the effects of EPO – recently published…?

The results were quite convincing 😉

There is absolutely no truth in the idea that having it on all day is more efficient than having it on for a couple of hours in the morning/evening

Really not sure what to think on this one…

I guess “efficient” can be separately defined in terms of “cost efficiency” and “heating efficiency”.

For our house, a couple of hrs am and pm, and the heating never really warms the fabric of the building – the boiler is going full chat for 4-5 hours and not really making a lot of difference…

… it then goes off and the air rapidly cools down again

Whereas full-time on a lower thermostat setting provides a stable and comfortable settting

Got my ballot entry through.

Will be my first attempt…

… Arrgh – why didn’t I look at the route before entering 😐

idiot 🙄

Rkk01 – what industry are you in? Just curious, that seems particularly harsh.

We work with a wide range of industries, including oil & gas, chemicals.

Refineries often have a no facial hair policy – potentially dangerous places. You enter on the basis of following the rules

turin – have a look at this…

Venezuelan vapour cloud explosion

Make sure you flick through to the end of the presentation….

The Alfa Giulietta has a similar system to DSG (TCT?)

Used to have DSG in a Golf.

Entertaining novelty for a while…

… but you end up wishing you had the control, rather than the car.

Not sure that I’d want another (at the mo anyway)

Would be very interesting to see what would happen should a Muslim or Sikh gentleman turn up.

They would be asked to shave or be refused entry…

As trail rat says – depends on the H&S reqmts / emergency evac procedures. Flash risk, gas risk, need for emergency BA etc

Many of our clients ban facial hair on their sites…

Contractors / delivery drivers turning up with stubble are handed a disposable razor at the main gate – shave or don’t come in

A few of our staff are doing the Movember ‘tache thing.

One of them looked quite dismayed on Monday when I told him he may need to shave to visit a client facility…

Interesting…

I think the Judge Advocate has done a very credible job in balancing the various factors here.

The family (and the unscrupulous media) should be ashamed for bending the truth to suit their own agenda.

Anyone who legally holds a firearm / shotgun knows the mandatory 5 year sentence for “forgetting” their renewal. It certainly focuses the mind

A Jack Russell is hardly a threat to a grown adult man.

Can’t really take this comment seriously…

Dachshund, Jack Russell and Cairn terriers would be my top 3 of unpredictable, aggresive dog breeds.
(well, no, quite predictable in most cases – neurotically aggressive)

I knew 2 full grown adults who were seriously injured, hospitalised and circa 6 months recovery – one bitten by their own JR and one bitten by BiL’s Cairn

marsedneman has it…

Those comparing dogs to other manageable “risks” are missing the key difference. Dogs are sentient creatures. They have an underlying reason for biting – maltreatment, anxiety, protection of others, protection of their own territory, lack of training, incorrect view of their place in the pecking order, unabated aggression (fighting / gaurd dogs?)

Whatever the reason, someone, somewhere will have the love and patience to resolve.

But a family with small kids is probably not the correct “someone, somewhere”

Or that he agrees with a large proportion of the dog training society that pack theory is a load of old hogwash?

The dog knows that it’s a dog. It still knows it’s a dog whether it sits on the sofa, your bed or the floor. It sits on the sofa because it’s comfortable, and because you are likely to stroke it when it does, not because of some sinister master-plan to take over the family. It knows very well that it’s not one of the family, because the family aren’t dogs. If you don’t want a dog sitting on your sofa then that’s your decision but it has nothing to do with anyone’s position in some mythical pack.

Not sure that I agree with that, at all – based on direct observation… 🙄

Stubborn yes, but stubborn and bright.

Yes, I can see that

As a dog owners – Sympathetic to your problem

As someone who has been repeatedly bitten by dachshunds – my sympathy is tempered by experience.

The in-laws have had dachshunds as long as I have known them. The current pair are barky, but have never shown any inclination to bite. The previous pair were very, very snappy.

It is down to training and where they see themselves in the pecking order. The IL’s older dogs were allowed on beds / upstairs / on sofas etc.

They are unpredictable and agressivley territorial. Even if the FiL or MiL tried to move one of the older ones of a bed, they would get bitten. Stranger in the house, such as myself – bitten. Child in the house – well, luckily theyy had gone before our children arrrived. wife and myself were clear we wouldn’t have taken kids to see her parents with those dogs in the house…

ETA – as for retraining – not too bright are they??

As said above – you need a licence to store petrol in bulk

I like mine….

(hope that’s not cursed them…)

The rear is particularly good. Half of my commute is on twisty country lanes, where drivers can go a little quick, and come up behind you too fast to see you in time. The brighter rear certainly alleviates that.

As others have said, the Flash needs to be regarded as a “be seen” light. OK under the street lighting, useless (on it’s own) in the proper dark