We should have guessed this was going to happen though once the government had won the war on drugs.

It’s the health and ASB effects of cheap alcohol.

I have been known to purchase low priced alcohol.

I am in good health, some might say better than average.

I have no convictions relating to ASB and have never been arrested or thrown out of somewhere due to alcohol related problems.

Shock horror, perhaps people are the weak link, not the beverage they are choosing to imbibe.

Oh and ‘comprehensively dismissed’ doesn’t mean the Home Office is right, it just means that it would be prepared to spend public money mounting a legal challenge by importers that would end up in the EU courts.

Isn’t someone saying that this may not be compatible with EC Law?

I believe it has something to do with the EU regulations against individual countries fixing prices which could make it unprofitable for the importers of other EU to bring their products to market.

…trying to spoil the game rather than play the game we all want to see.

Indeed. Its seems that Mr Johnson’s drive to get England playing ‘old fashioned rugby’ might be finally showing the first fruit. Unfortunately its happening just as many of the other 6 Nation sides are switching to the boring ping pong version they’ve decried England for playing for so long.

Isn’t this approach a bit @rse about face?

The main quibble seems to be under-aged drinkers buying alcohol. Shouldn’t the government really be cracking down of the age of the drinkers rather than the cost of the drink?

Also wouldn’t those who have an alcohol dependancy problem just seek funds to pay for their habit by other means, possibly illegal?

Well I was the corporate whore of the day, resplendent in an older red and black Singletrack jersey.

So is that the REAL home of rugby you were on about in your earlier post or do you, in some fit of delusion, somehow think that title has passed to the concrete boo boy bowl in south Wales?

The last all-British bomber.

Superseded in its task by an aircraft that could fly half as far with the same load or just as far with half the load.

RAF folklore has it that the Buccaneer used to test the systems to later be installed in the Tornado was a far superior all-round attack aircraft than the Tornado would ever be.

If I come into some money I’m going to pop off down to Thunder City for a jolly in one.

Molgrips – Its nice to see England playing rugby these days without resorting to the boring old tactic of booting the ball at every opportunity too.

Its a shame that many of the other teams have now started copying what seemed to suit England for a short while a few years back.

You’re local aren’t you (to Nottingham)?

5th from right surely, hidden behind 6th from right standing at the front with his arms folded.

(4th from right is a chap right at the back).

I’ve a spare one sat in my loft but it only has the fittings for square bars.

**** hell, how unlucky was that motorbiker/car driver?

You manage to pull yourself out from under/inside a crumpled car and the first thing you see is the face of a composite of every identifit ever showed on Crimewatch grinning at you. I bet that ambulance couldn’t have arrived soon enough.

“I don’t care if the only hospital available has a rampant bout of MRSA spreading through it, just get me away from him.”

What kind of bike was she on?

One of these,

There has never been a photo of a more noble and fearless bunch of men (and one lady).

Preparing to take on the formidable Sherwood Pines but not a worried face among them.

I’m looking to get a Specialized Tricross Single soon. You can pick them yp very cheap, especially ’08 models that are still floating about.

“You said there is as much chance of a bunch of finely tuned Adonis look-a-likes turning up today as there is of you striping, now pay up.”

😉

orena45 – That no problem, no one gets left behind, especially considering the cannibalistic nature of the locals. The plucking of banjo strings is a portent of doom in those there parts.

Is the Wales vs Ireland game being played at a private school in the Midlands then CFH?
Great game, England were fantastic throughout but praise must go also to the French for not letting their heads drop, pulling themselves together and making a bit more of a game of it in the second half.

Bring back the safety bicycle eh?

I think we’ll have to definately plan a ride and BBQ day in the summer.

I’ve a bonus due soon and was considering buying a set. I’ll probably buy them from the US (via my brother who lives out there) as the rumoured UK prices would require me to sell a kidney.

22 miles? I thought it was less than that. Looks like I shortchanged myself on the cake vs miles ridden ratio conversion. When I get out of the bath I’ll have to top up the cake levels.

Aye, it was a cracking ride. Great weather, a friendly bunch of people, considering the number of people it kept flowing nicely and just the one (comedy) crash. 😉

If you are looking for agency work then two that we use that operate in the Nottingham area are Blue Arrow and Right 4 Work, though the second one can be hit and miss miss for staff quality.

Good fishing trip there Scruff. Thats a keeper.

Superstar “components” don’t sell BMX frames, or any frames for that matter.

Eh?

Both companies also seem to be small operations which can’t afford to blow money on lawyer’s fees.

If I win the Euro Million’s (never enter it so not much chance) I might lend some money to Superstar BMX

😉

WWE is described as a ‘simulated sport’ though and is officially registered as a form of entertainment (alongside theatre etc) to exploit a loop-hole to avoid taxes levied in the US against proper sports.

A challenge chaps (or chapesses if you like).

Find a picture of an A&A female ice hockey player. The best I could find is

Kathleen Kauth. A ‘robust’ chin, though less noticable in this picture.

Good hunting.

Ah, a select group of niche products to match a POV, I see.

Don’t be sorry, apologising isn’t the STW way.

😉

Well there are only a few half decent bikes shops to choose from in Nottingham and I’m not sure any of them are recruiting at the moment. But off my head heres a list if you want to give them a try.

Freewheel in Hockley.
Leisure Lakes near Long Eaton.
Evans? (Well its a bike like a bike shop)
The Bike Shop in Arnold.

Err, thats all I can think of at the moment. I don’t really use bike shops unless I have to.

i think the people who moan/condem/take the pis5 out of nicheness are probably people who would like to try them but are not in the situation financialy to do it.

Woah there, when did ‘nicheness’ become something to do with expense?

Weren’t old Kona hardtails converted to singlespeed with some brazed on track ends considered ‘niche’ a few years back?

Didn’t some people consider On-One Inbreds ‘niche’, before hoards of tightwads realised they were pretty good value bikes?

Lets not confuse cost and niche. Yes they can applied together for some products but they can also be applied on their own.

can helicopters fly that high?

Thats the top of Everest that is. Reached with a production helicopter (AS350).

A not quite as successful helicopter at base camp.

Rolls Royce at Derby have recently cut a load of jobs and are in talks about cutting more at the moment.

The downturn in the aviation industry is actually one of the reasons that certain trades in the RAF are quite well staffed at the moment. The grass is suddenly not so much greener.

Are there any call centres near you?

There are a few in Nottingham (Boots and Capital One among the biggest) but they’ve both recently cut hours and are relying on a pool of experienced agency staff (my niece among them) to make up number during peak periods. This is one of the worst times of year to be agency staff, even without the current recession.

The biggest gap in ages I’ve had was years back when I was 22 and my then girlfriend was 36.

The couple of women I’ve been in relationships with who were younger than me (she 18, me 21 and she 19, me 24) were quite frankly cr@p in the sack (wow, how shallow that it all boils down to sex).

Older women know the moves and younger men have the energy to keep up. 😉

Most people who consider joining the military go to a careers office, this is usually (and historically) a fairly good method of recruiting.

The need to attend a careers office for more concise information also shows an actual interest and degree of motivation rather than just looking for the next job that comes along.

Out of interest, what information were you after ‘CP’? Its just the military is probably the branch of government that its easiest to find out careers information on, especially if you have access to the internet.

Oldgit – Perhaps some sort of whale oil lamp could be used.

Can you get some form of ambergris from a fat person? Could prove a profitable by-product of the oil harvesting.

2004 was the year that all those skinny chaps who like to chubby chase started to get a little competition again.

Obviously I’m not sure of your beliefs but have you considered joining the RAF?

Out of the three branches of the military they are the branch that treats their personnel the best and if you are of a technical mind they provide excellent opportunity to learn a skilled trade and even if you aren’t there are plenty of other trades available.

The pay is pretty decent all things considered. With a current starting wage after training of £16,277, which when you factor in the very low outgoings (subsidised accommodation and food) plus facilities such as free education and fitness facilities, opportunities for heavily subsidised adventure training activities and a number of other perks its a pretty decent wedge.

They have a very good cycling club (RAFCC[/url]), with which I took part in many cycling races and expeditions and due to it being considered as duty and as representing the RAF (good for PR) for some events you are able to claim for costs of transportation to the events.

If you are worried about being too far from Nottingham (your home town?) there are loads of RAF stations close by and few of them up this way are likely to close any time soon. RAF Cottesmore is in Rutland, about 30 miles from Nottingham, RAF Scampton is in Lincoln, RAF Wittering is near Peterborough and RAF Conningsby is on the way to Skegness. Of course there is the likelihood (unless you join a trade such as Steward) that you will have to deploy to places such as Afghanistan occasionally but if you wanted to join a military service that rarely goes anywhere dangerous then the Royal Navy (excluding RM) is for you.

If you find you don’t like the military life then it is possible to PVR (premature voluntary release) and leave after about 12 months of putting the paperwork in (dependent on trade) but I’ve heard of folk leaving a lot sooner if going to another job.

I spent 12 years in the RAF and whilst it has its bad points, as any job does, I look back on it overall with fond memories. Its not the marching about, being shouted at by power-hungry nutters and having kit inspections every morning type life you see in films, its a professional organisation (well in the most part ;0 ) that contains a huge amount of well-trained people and can offer to a motivated individual many opportunities to better yourself.

If its a McJob you are looking for though good luck. I now work for a company that before the recession had a large amount of very experienced agency staff working for us but now many of them are looking for/have found other work within the Nottingham area utiising a well-padded CV full of both academic qualifications and actual work skills (I wrote 6 references last week alone and other managers at my site have written a similar amount recently). Boots have trimmed back their staff and graduates who have had work placements are struggling to find work in the area so there are a hell of a lot of experienced people out there to compete with, I really don’t envy your position right now.

Its only a **** bike and as Lance said, its not about the bike.
Good riders would probably be good on any bike.
Of course there does appear to be a number of people who believe they can buy themselves into being a better rider but I’d suggest a rigid singlespeed isn’t the route they often take.