AVI preamp and mono bloc power amps, ATC SCM20 speakers with Harbeth subwoofers. Reason – the best speakers I’ve ever heard which would fit in a normal size room are ATC SCM50 Actives, but they are too big for my tiny shoebox.

No Stilton spoon? I am disappoint!

Quite, I thought a spoon was “de rigeur” for Stilton.

I’ve failed at life, then. Might as well go and find a bridge, hey.

Well if it’s any comfort, I too have failed. BUT… just ‘cos that is the point of “life” it is not necessarily the point of “my life” or your life”. The point of that is what we want it to be.

I would suggest there is only one “point” to life – to reproduce and pass on genetic material. There is no accident to our existence. it’s not a case of “ooh aren’t we lucky to have this planet that suits us so well and allows us to exist”. We suit it (for the time being). I would suggest that given the conditions in existence over the millennia, life was an inevitability not a coincidence.

We only try to imply some higher “reason” for life because we have the mental capacity to.

You were manipulated into having an emotional reaction.

I agree with Mr W. When people feel “spiritual” it’s actually an emotional response to a physical stimulus – like a nice view.

Ribeye. Tasty BECAUSE of the fat.

Fairies I was told. Though why you would want to spoil a fairy’s fun by smashing up a potential boat was never explained. Now witches on the other hand…

Has anyone stayed at Side Farm, Patterdale? I’ve heard good things about it.

The main line of argument from athiest’s on here seems to revolve purely around the New Testament and Christianity in particular.

My atheism has nothing to do with what is written in any text. It’s simply that I can’t see any sensible reason to believe in any deity.

Let’s face it, mankind has invented new religions regularly for thousands of years. If we no longer think sun worship, Egyptian, Greek or Roman gods to have credence, what is so plausible about the relative new kids on the block – Christianity, Judaism, Islam, et al?

Ah.. I hadn’t read it that way. Well, probably yes then.

Speaking trousers… Scholler fabric is ace. I have Mammut Base Jump trousers. Shed snow, warm, lightweight. I rarely have to wear additional insulation (long johns) or overtrousers.

Unlikely. We don’t have a plethora of historic twaddle telling us how evil homosexuality and other sins are.

Has anyone ever taken the crampons out and NOT used them?

Very often. Also been out without them when I should definitely have had them. Much more irritating. Failed to put them on when I should have leading to floundering about on ridiculous slopes trying to get them on. Take them and put them on early. Incidentally I like crampon bags.

Ski poles are useful on modest slopes where an axe wouldn’t help much. Not much cop for self arrest though!

http://www.musicteachers.co.uk/ is pretty good for locating teachers.

Piglet on Middle Moor.

I had a massive gammon steak for lunch. I hope that porcine delicacy will excuse me from not eating sausages today.

I jumped on the mac bandwagon some years ago and I’m hooked. Initially I was interested in the multimedia aspect but I didn’t really get too far into that. However, although I use my machine for fairly mundane stuff I wouldn’t go back to a Windows PC. I like the interface, the browser and mail integration, synchronisation with other devices. The build quality is superb, the keyboard and trackpad the best I’ve come across. Some people snipe about the price or about macs being flashy. but buying something that’s nice to use is considered normal when it comes to cars or bikes, so why not shell out a bit extra for a computer that’s beautifully made and nice to use?

Yes I accept I could get the same functionality cheaper on a Windows laptop, but I’m not going back. Oh and as far as I can tell, Office for Mac looks exactly like Office 2011 on Windows that we use at work.

Nice to see. Now then, who’s going to produce a home-brewed groupset?

My hands are sweating!

THIS is a brilliant documentary of a great urban “adventure” (never to be repeated).
http://www.manonwire.com/

I agree it would be a shame if you couldn’t persuade him to at least consider 2nd hand. I got a “secondhand” (actually unused, pedals never been attached to cranks) Ragley Piglet for less than £500 and a very nice, unmarked, spotless Kona Blast for Mrs. Slowoldman for £300.

Ah I fondly remember watching the first “Big Night Out”. Wonderful stuff. Just look at the size of that sausage.

Sadly, the trailers put me off the new sitcom so I didn’t watch it.

Blimey I didn’t link it to Doc Cox at all!

Probably walk down the worst. It’s enclosed and will be damp at best, probably wet.

I certainly haven’t raced it but I have run it. Clockwise. A long time ago. But I recall the initial pull up onto Heron Pike was more brisk (!!) walk than run. Across the tops thereafter was a pleasant jog. Looks like a bit of a pull up onto the top on the map but i don’t really remember. The downhill stretch back was very nice. As was the beer.

I would be inclined to say clockwise. That way you get the steps downhill into Rowarth. Lantern Pike has been ruined by re-grading but final stretch back down to Birch Vale is fun.

I’ve driven down to Geneva/Chamonix area a time or two or three.
It’s possible to get most of the way (all the way?) to Geneva from Calais in one push but probably not advisable with kids/dog. I would avoid Paris and take the Reims/Dijon route. Camp at will (great campsites almost universal in France) or a cheap chain hotel.

Or – go to Zeebrugge and down to Reims from there. Quite expensive on the ferry but a decent night’s sleep and an early start at the other side.

I’ve also gone down to Switzerland from Rotterdam through Germany but that was heading more SE beyond Zurich.

Wellies.

Another Thule tow ball mounted one here. Very quick to put on / take off. Tilts back to open the tailgate (Passat estate). I don’t want to be lifting bikes onto the roof (I’m old). It doesn’t affect the handling (I’m slow). Grime picked up from the road seems negligible compared to the thick coating of mud I’m getting on the trails at the moment.

Hey here’s a good idea. Since all the remaining ancient woodland is fragmented, why not dig it all up and replant it in one big desolate area – that’s probably somewhere up North, then concrete over what’s left.

I find my sympathies lie with Capn Blackadder rather than Mr Gove.

Angela Merkel?

I can’t really comment on post XP as I haven’t used a Windows machine at home for some time. When I did I used (free) Avast! for several years with no problems.

I approve of bimbling.

Does anyone know if that’s a ratified record? He hit a top speed of 112 but traditionally records are measured as average speed over a certain distance. For instance the video of Fred Rompelberg suggests his record was set over a measured mile.

Still, brilliant effort by all the team and especially Guy not being exactly a professional cyclist. I do enjoy watching him, whatever he does. I wonder how Tony Martin would do?

Most of them are no better than comics these days. Though less entertaining.

I love bibs – they keep everything together! I have several pairs of Craft bib shorts and was recently looking for some autumn weight 3/4 bibs. I spotted these at 30 odd quid.
http://galibier.cc/product/34-length-knickers/

The seat pad doesn’t feel as good as the Crafts but once on the saddle they are fine. Having tried them I bought two more pairs.

[quotegriptool – Member [/quote]
[/quote]Lebowski was rubbish[/quote]

Your either a nihilist…. or a carpet pisser.

Obviously not a golfer.