2-4 mins depending on bag strength. Any less and it’s just hot milk – any more and it’s a bitter tannin-tainted turn-off.

Still trying to find the perfect cuppa. Sampled some DJ Miles last year and that pretty much took pole position, however, I’m sure the water in different parts of the country can really impact on flavour and strength. Up north, we can brew an average-strength bag and get a proper full-on flavour, but darn sarf we have to faff around to make anything worthwhile.

An order into DJ Miles might well be in the offing …

Ah, Bunnyhop – your presence has reminded me that I need to ask you about your bags (Xmas present). Will PM you shortly.

* Sorry for the hijack Grumm

+1 Photium

One of my friends has been using it for nearly 2 years now, and the guy behind it is very switched on and helpful. Plus he sorts out all the prints etc too.

Thanks – SEO is something I need to look into more. I included a blog as I believe that is meant to be good for SEO if I keep it updated with stuff about photography and the local area etc. but I will try and add some stuff to the home page as well.

Hmm, not quite – there’s a fair bit more to it than that.

If you want to get known in online photography circles then you’ve got to get your name posted on similar blogs/article submission sites/forums etc. The better the reputation you build (on sites that are properly established and have high traffic), the more chance you have of driving people to your own site. Just get out there and post comments, articles, etc wherever you can – and include a link to your site (where appropriate of course).

Christ, you sound like you and the missus should really have talked this through months ago.

A child is for life, not just for Easter (or whenever the due date is).

All I can say FME is that I felt somewhat detached throughout my OH’s pregnancy, and even felt less emotional than expected during labour/delivery. However, when the little man became “real” something changed. And since then I’ve been right into the fatherhood thing – although not “overdoing” it, if you know what I mean.

Little people really are quite amazing, and I’d be surprised if you didn’t find yourself changing.

skype
tubemap
frick traffix
evernote
gorillacam
ebay
amazon
dragon dictation
battery doctor
aloqa
aroundme
google earth
bbc weather
bbc iplayer
bbc news
met office
bookmarks
time out
rightmove
wikipanion
dictionary
stw
dropbox
px express
soundhound
currency xe
imdb
tv guide
kindle
fileapp
heritage fotopedia
wallet
facebook
twitter/tweetdeck
thetrainline
last.fm
telegraph
autotrader
idisk
tripadvisor
flixster
tunein radio
paypal
linkedin
red laser
national trust
guardian
tv catchup
light (torch)
myconvert
star walk
mobilerss
sky news
talksport
football sports centre
ecb cricket
wimbledon
bbc sport
everytrail
tesco finder
waitrose
ocado
air attack
nova
angry birds
asphalt 5
tumbledrop
fragger (brilliant)
zenbound
trainyard
dark nebula
jelly car
slice it
cut the rope

If you’re using PowerPoint (or KeyNote) then check out: Beyond Bullet Points – his book is brilliant on how to get your message across while keeping you engaged with your audience.

As others have said;

– know your shizzle
– add some passion/enthusiasm/dynamism
– ask questions/”hands up anyone who …”

Another basic premise is to get the audience onside straight away by illustrating the problems/challenges/issues or whatever it is that you’re addressing. That way, if they’re genuinely interested in knowing more, then they’ll at least give you a chance to do your stuff. If they’re not interested then they shouldn’t be there in the first place.

I think all of the guys here are suitably sensible

Seriously?

I think all of the guys here are suitably sensible that any seriously misogynistic behaviour would result in a new arsehole for the culprit. And rightly so.

Can’t say I’d agree with that either – if anything, there’s every chance that kind of behaviour will develop, not subdue.

Many of the comments made from users to female posters were a touch on the perverted side and although it was probably meant in good humour and for some, flattering, I personally felt uncomfortable when wanting to get involved in a topic.

I guess that’s just a fact of life with a supposedly male-dominated arena.

Having said that, I think there’s generally a good mix on here. It’s certainly a more grounded place than other male-oriented forums I frequent; one being a football forum and the other for a certain make of automobile (the former in particular attracts all kinds of delinquents and subsequently descends into farce at times).

I think a forum only really works if you feel comfortable enough to contribute – and if that means adopting an “alien” identity, then so be it. Surely it’s about creating value as opposed to anti-value?

Does that mean you think that women struggle to “stand up” in places like this, therefore it’s easier to pretend to be a man?

EDIT: don’t worry, I’m not gonna get psycho-analytical with this

I learnt at an early age to hide my gender to avoid all that.

Hmm, how exactly do you achieve that in “the real world?”

Gore Windstopper Phantom – I picked one up a month or so ago and it’s served me well in wind and rain on runs. Haven’t used it on the bike yet, but judging by the reviews it’ll cope more than adequately. Seemed to be pretty breathable too.

Worth checking out.

EDIT: when the wet weather really kicks in I’ll pair it with an Altura Crosslite – weather hasn’t been bad enough to warrant wearing it yet.

Fallout 3 was good to begin with, but IMO hugely repetitive.

CM – YGMB

That’s grim CM.

If you’re interested in selling web-based learning platforms (LMS’) and associated courses, bespoke development, then drop me an email (in profile). We’re recruiting and I’m part of the selection team.

No news there TBH.

Had to tidy up the mess in a friend’s garden this summer after Mr Fox took the heads off all of their chickens (which had been loose in the garden that afternoon). They immediately went out and bought a proper chicken house and extended the run. Mr Fox may well have returned since, but certainly hasn’t got even close to harming them.

If you’ve got chickens, give them a proper “home” to live in, and follow every sensible/common sense measure to ensure they remain alive. Simples.

I found Sytners service to be first rate

Hmm, perhaps your dealings have yet to be with Leicester? Ar5ey from my experience – it took a complaint to BMW CS to get them into gear, after which everything was handled impeccably by my local dealer.

Tales of sales people not taking customers seriously make me cringe big time.

Tell me about it!

Had this again with Audi. A technician mate who worked at my local dealer gave me a contact – I went in and had the test drive, but the guy expected the car to sell itself and wasn’t interested at all in answering my questions. Complete pr1ck who put me off ever bothering with them again. Ended up spending virtually twice the money on another car – and my mate told the guy this. Apparently his face was a picture! Twunt.

ITV4 have the highlights, do they not?

The X5’s look nice, but when I went to the BMW dealership the salesman took a look at me and obviously decided that I could not afford one, and was unbelievably rude. That makes me think, I’m not cut out for BMW ownership

I received the same when I had a Merc as a company car. Picked it up for its first service but had the audacity to wear shorts – was barely given the time of day. Took it back a month later for an electrical repair and was treated with the utmost courtesy (by a different person).

Was also treated with disdain by a BMW salesman when I lodged my interest in anything from a 323i to an M3. TBH he looked like the archetypal ar5e. Returned 6 months later with an M3 I bought from Sytners and couldn’t have asked from better service from the service team – brilliant people for the 2 years I was with them.

Moral of the story: it’s about you and what you have/want, not the response you receive from others.

If you get a good one then you’re sorted. However, there are plenty of bad ones around:

A friend bought one new in 04 and sent it back in 05 because of all the faults – mainly electrical. She had an absolute mare and barely saw the car at all.

Another friend bought a 54 plate about 18 months ago and had the engine replaced 2 months later.

I don’t know anyone else firsthand who has owned one, so the above are just IMO/IME.

Good thinking Elfin, I’ll give the Bunnyhop girls a PM. If the cushions don’t work out I can always buy a handbag off them. It’s not like her ladyship couldn’t find a use for yet another one :-)

I bought the misses a Dualit toaster one year. She went nuts!

Nice.

I bought her a waterproof/sick-proof/dog-proof boot liner for her Freelander a couple of Xmas’ ago. She did ask for it though :-)

EDIT: practicality and functionality is where it’s at these days!

Personally, I think we’re going to have to get over 450 in at least three innings, and in all probability 500+ in one. And this is where we’re likely to fall down because we’re not exactly renowned for getting high scores in places like Australia.

We’re also going to have to find a way to take 20 wickets, and if the likes of Ponting and co are up against it, they’re going to be stubborn to remove.

Reckon we’ll win 2-1.

(Well at least two of them).

Three of them actually.

Was a bit pants this year.

Three words:

Graeme Peter Swann

Christ, I thought you were looking for validation in spending £5k on a sofa!

Blimey, if you can afford £240 on a few scatter cushions, life can’t be that bad – chin up!

That’s my point entirely because I don’t see the sense in spending that kind of money on a bunch of cushions. There are more important things it could be going on.

SM – she’s been “had” by stupid consumerism. Have words.

Bloody right mate. Not sure what good it’ll do mind.

Believe me, cushions (especially ones that cost thirty f&*king quid each) wouldn’t be top of my giving list either. But if that’s what she wants …

The humble monkey stick:

LMAO at Cougar :lol:

FogBugz – hmm, seems more customer service oriented

Excel – agreed, this is often a good way of visually capturing everything, but haven’t yet found a way to make it properly manageable, i.e. a new project has to be squeezed in and suddenly you have a load of cells/rows/columns to move/edit etc. I don’t suppose you have a spare template per chance (don’t ask, don’t get an’ all that :) )?

Will have a look at Open Project, and that Gnome thingy looks interesting.

Thanks so far

Never liked MSP when I trialled it a while back. Is it visually more user-friendly and quick/easy these days?

The only other place I’ve ridden a mountain bike was in France, and they seemed to like their trails to have all the technical stuff on the way up, with descents on tarmac or fire-road.

Maybe you should do them in reverse?

Strangely I feel more compelled (and comfortable) going for a run in extreme weather. I remember heading out in one of the blizzards we had earlier this year – hardly saw a soul in 3hrs or so. One of the coolest bits was gliding over a couple of hilly fields and not seeing any life (or prints) for miles. Made me feel like a yeti, so much so that I even indulged in running like one for a bit. Made me happy.

I have it on good authority that the M3 CSL that Stewert Baggs owns was produced in 2004. Surely Brands Hatch would not run a 6 year old car (that’s had a hard life at the hands of wannabe race drivers) so why Stewie Baggs kept asking if thier M3 was a CSL LIKE HIS, is a bit flawed. Maybe he just wanted the nation to know STEWERT BAGGS OWNS AN M3 CSL AT THE AGE OF 21. He made a right stewert baggs out if himself.

Absolutely.

He looked very uncertain of what he was saying each time he mentioned the CSL, and the BH crew seemed to think he was a d1ck for mentioning it too.

Haven’t seen that episode yet – currently wrapping up series one.

Have to say though that Jay’s moped impression (although one of the softer scenes) cracks me up every time.

Brilliant show.

PP – lining/fascia seems a right git to remove on ours. Plus I’m good at taking things apart, not always so good at putting them back together. If it was my car I’d have a go – but it’s the wrong time of the month for me to start hacking at her interior (if you know what I mean :)

Thankfully Ford aren’t going to try it on because their adapters are only £12 – and a mate is going to hook it up via a socket in the console.

Sorted.

Turns out the jack (right at the back of the non-illuminated glovebox) is actually for air-con (WTF?) and not an aux (even though the handbook supports it as being aux). So an adapter does indeed need to be ordered. PITA and weird.

Cheers all – the good lady is picking one up locally cos she’s excited!

You can send me the other £248 if you like.

NP – a tidy bit of consultancy there Cougar.