The company offering me the position is IBM, one of the best companies around to work for it seems

Is this the same IBM that a few years ago released all of the Contractors to save costs then realised they have no staff to cover the work? or the same IBM that keep releasing and re-hiring staff on different contracts to suit the company, or the same IBM that are so clueless in a lot of their work that they sub contract it out to other companies

Bald patch sort of dictates my hairstyle, so it is a number 0 and a BIC for me, makes me look scary, then I get fake tattoes, drink beer and smoke tabs, I look really evil me! 😆

I missed my daughters first Christmas, I was in hospital recovering from a severe spinal injury, I got a visit during the day, but I missed the presents meal etc, from what I was told she didn’t take any of it in, and we made up for it when I got out of hospital.

Wait till you get home and organise a day then, have the meal and all the trimmings

Chris

bugger, ok

-5 here in sunny Bolton, a lot colder at the mast though, well it was earlier today…

I got this Berghaus one and it is great, does what it is supposed to
Bergahus Akka Down jacket

Just a few observations from my years of training, before I gave up and got fat, I start again though in a week as I have a few things to get out of the way

Cardio and weights, I used to mix them up, never did me a lot of harm, but, when I started increasing the weight I was pushing, then the cardio became a warm up, with the high intensity cardio on non weight days.

Weights, 45 minutes maximum for me, I used to train 2 body parts in this 45 minutes, this was developed by Mike Mentzer and improved by Dorian Yates, anything above this and I believe that you have tired the muscles so you are risking injury.

So, in essence, weights 3-4 times per week with riding a bike and a couple of cardio sessions per week always worked, I got toned and lost weight, I only hope it works again!!

The best one yet

This must be from someone on here…

I like it as does my DH. Its a fundemental part of almost any relationship. If you have a healthy attitude towards it there is nothing to hide and therefore nothing to be embarrassed about.
We like to put a DVD on fast forward it, stop it at a random place and act out the scene that is on.

Imagine my surprise when I ended up in a gangbang with 4 rather well endowed coloured chaps.

Awesome….

Thursday night from the Hare and Hounds in Ramsbottom, GBUK ride, an excuse for a pint really, from super fast skinny yoofs to fat old dodderers(moi) we can show you around and teach how to drink real ale

Chris

this one Sigma 17-70mm HSM os lens

A great lens for the money and way better that what Sony would have supplied as standard

Maintenance free as well is it? Needs no cleaning? Fuel to cook? Extra fuel to tow? Water and waste disposal free? Hook-up if you have one for power? Insurance? Additional wear and tear on the car? Tow bar and electrics installation?

Please – do the ‘fully burdened’ cost of ownership if you are going to throw figures around – not

Christ TooTall, are you really that opposed to caravans, anyway did you miss my post, £3k a year all in for me, that is everything mate, for 6 weeks holidays, this is 2 full weeks away plus all the weekends we go away and a few long weekends, we kept a tab on it last year so the figure is correct, if I remember it came in just under the £3k mark

So, next year for out 5 days at Eurodisney with the kids we have spent £2k so far…..

duplicate, bugger

dammit, more duplicates

work out the cost over ten years, include depreciation, storage, etc.

then consider the alternative holiday options u could have for the same cash and how much less hassle it would be

We have a caravan, Bailey Series 7, Pageant Provence, sleep 5, anyway, in answer to a few comments from above, last year we spent £3k on the caravan and holidays, this covered the equivalent of 6 weeks away, all the diesel, insurance etc, the lot, food, servicing, you know everything, this was for a family of 4, so, for this 3k what could I get, 2 weeks abroad with a load of nob heads that I usually try to avoid. I prefer the caravan.

OMG Caravans FFS

Anyone considering a caravan without very good excuse really has given up on excitement in their lives and settled for beige

This from a man that has a tandem as he is to feeble to pedal a bike on his own… 😆

New manager needs a bit of time to undo the damage his predecessor did. It is not going to happen over night, but the Carling Cup, as for Everton, was probably their only shot at silverware this season.

Yep, like getting us into the Champions league every season apart from his last, winning the champions league, winning the FA cup.

We, Liverpool have managed to make a profit on the last 3 transfer windows, brilliant if we were a league 2 club, nothing will change till we get new owners and a new manager that is not out of his depth

Me, injured

Rest break

Riding

Judging by the decor and the filming that looks Eastern European, a poor country and boxing maybe a way out of that lifestyle

Some people on here need to take a good look at themselves

You can buy a brew belt, which is what it says, a bely you tie around the bucket and plug in, this warms the brew up and helps it tick along merrily

Danny Champion of the World, as a kid it got me hooked and I must read it every couple of years, very well written

Stalingrad was a chilling book

Kill em young shoot the eggs

I live near Preston, I have a nice pleasant attitude and like trips out to quite places……….. I can even collect things

This hit me out of the blue, been back in the gym for a while, plenty of water, good diet, I was out on the beer on Friday night, possibly not enough water over the weekend. Been to the Doc, nsaids do not agree with me, on a steroid for a week, that and painkillers and ice, hurts like a birch though, hoping this is my one and only attack.

The regular sufferers, how does it impact your work and family life.

Regarding fuel economy and holidays, we kept track last year, I think we spent £3500 for the year, this covered fuel, site fees, food, eating out, storage, odds and sods, in fact everything we needed to cover our caravanning for the year, we managed about 6-8 weeks away in total (a few weekends and long weekends in there).

I think that may just cover a fortnight for a family of 4 somewhere in Europe.

Had one for about 3 years now, we are on our dream van at the moment, bought cheap and cheerful to see if we would like it, then upgraded to a 24ft 5 berth van with all the trimmings, then bought the Volvo XC70 awd to tow it, myself, wife and 2 young kids love it, we have seen a lot of this country and have had great times, even when the weather is bad there is always a decent set of waterproofs and wellies.

Towing, take your time and get used to it, manoeuvring is easy, again, take your time and get used to it.

Dickhead drivers that watch Top Gear and believe all that is said on there, accept them for what they are, I have had them try to overtake me whilst towing only to get alongside and spot the 3 cars in front holding me up. As a cyclist you will always give them a very wide berth so the odd comment on here needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. I do pull over if i am holding up traffic, although the last few times I have done this i have found myself being held up!!

Get out there and explore, the is a site in Kendal we go to, I live in Bolton, in 2 hours we can be at the site, fully set up with the awning up and a cold beer in hand with the kids off Gruffalo hunting.

If you want any more advice aldredchris at googlemail dot com

Chris

Is six weeks off all you need for a serious injury? I did that in hospital, then had to learn to stand upright and walk again, 3 years later I'm riding again….. 6 weeks, p'ah 😀 😆

Jesus, she needs sterilising

For the record I think he'll improve in Benitez

Ha ha ha ha , a journey man manger replacing some one so crap that he went to the European Champions, what crippled Benitez was battling the board for the final 2 years of his tenure, he was wrong in doing this, maybe if he had concentrated on the team and not the owners….. yet he could see what was happening with the club.

He is gone, but Hodgson doesn't come close to being as good as he is, in fact 3 years ago Liverpool were looking at Morinho and the like as a worthy successor, so we have Hodgson, brought in by money men running the club, one of which finalised the deal taking Benayoun to Chelsea, the issue woth that is that the guy behind the Benayoun deal is a Chelsea ST holder and big fan…. I feel for Hodgson, the club will improve when the Yanks go and not before, also if Torres goes, do you really believe Hodgson will see any of that money?

Billybob, you really need to think about what you type mate, if you think by getting rid of Rafa the club will turn itself around you are mistaken.

Removing Benitez is like treating someone with Terminal cancer for a splinter, the yanks need to be ousted first, google Tom Hicks and Corinthians if you think we are in good hands

No idea, I believe he was brought in to oversee a fire sale. Hicks has a history of selling assets to make himself money, so we will have to see what happens.

Saying that though, the last manager we had in his 60's that no-one really wanted or thought was up to the job was Bob Paisley… straws clutching…. yes

a big +1 for Green Thumb as well, no weeds on my lawn, and when it rains we have a nice lush green lawn

Nope he squandered it. Standard Liverpool FC deflecting of blame as per.

He spent more money net than any other team apart from Man city and Chelse during his time there but people who buy in myths think the owners gave him no money.

Benitez' spend in the 6 years in charge is less than £20 million per year, I think his transfer dealing amounted to him spending £88 million over 6 years, these £240 million figures are true, until you add in what he recouped, much of which went to KOP Holdings in the Cayman isles(the 2 yanks owners)

The list you have linked to is inaccurate, try this…

2004/05

£2m – Josemi: peanuts and was moved on in a swap for Kromkamp 18 months later
£1.5m – Antonio Nunez: part of the Michael Owen deal and filled a gap for a while. Peanuts.
£10.7m – Xabi Alonso: Massive success and sold for £30m+ in the summer when he wanted to leave
£6m – Luis Garcia: Massive success and sold to Athletico Madrid for £4m
Free – Pelligrino: Stop gap that allowed us to rest Sami for league games, benefitting us massively in Istanbul. Now on the coaching staff.
£6.3m – Fernando Morientes: Pretty much everyone made up when we signed him, top class, but never settled. Sold for £3m to Valencia.
£1m – Scott Carson: One the most highly rated young keepers around. Lost out through injury and signing of Reina when Dudek left the club. Sold for £3.25m.

Total bought: £27.5m

Free – Marcus Babbel: Released to Stuttgart at the end of his career.
£2.5m – Danny Murphy: Xabi Alonso signed to fill the role Murphy had in the side
£8.5m – Michael Owen: Wouldn't sign a new contract and sold before he left on a free. He's done nothing since that is a masterstroke with hindsight.
Free – Stephane Henchoz: Released to Celtic at the end of his career

Total sold: £11m

A total of £16.5m net spend in his first year at the club, with the vast majority of that being spent on Xabi Alonso.

2004/05 net spend: £16.5m

2005/06

£240,000 – Antonio Barragan: Kid for the future. Sold for £675,000 to Deportivo a year later.
Free – Boudewijn Zenden: Signed for nothing and released for nothing. Did a job for us.
£6m – Pepe Reina: In the top 3 or 4 keepers in the world now and still young. One of Rafa's best signings.
£5.6m – Momo Sissoko: Brilliant for a few years, had that eye injury and sold to Juventus when his form dipped for £8.2m. Replaced by Mascherano.
£7m – Peter Crouch: One signing I did question but proved to be a great bit of business. Turned him from a laughing stock into an international. Sold for £11m.
Unkown – Miki Roque: Kid bought for peanuts. Sold again for an unknown amount.
£150,000 – Jack Hobbs: Highly rated 16yr old signed from Lincoln. Didn't progress as hoped and sold to Leicester for a reported £1.5m, although figure not confirmed.
£190,000 Besian Idrizaj: No idea who he is
£1.5m – Mark Gonzales: Cheap player to provide back up for the left wing. Sold for £3.5m to Real Betis.
Exchange – Paul Anderson: Swapped for John Welsh. Sold for £250,000.
Exchange – Jan Kromkamp: Swapped for Josemi. Later sold for £1.75m
£5.8m – Daniel Agger: Blighted by injuries but potentially top class and great signing for the money.
£250,000 – David Martin: Young reserve keeper
Free – Robbie Fowler: Pay as you play deal and no risk involved. Scored a few goals. Released in the summer.

Total bought: £26.73

Free – Vladimir Smicer: Out of contract and released. Played a small part in Istanbul.
£3.5m – El Hadji Diouf: The best £3.5m Rafa has ever recieved.
Free – Pellegrino: Filled the gap in the last 5 months of the previous season, not good enough and released.
£2m – Alou Diarra: Sold for £2m. One of Houllier's buys.
£2m – Antonio Nunez: Bought for £1.5m and now sold for £2m when didn't work out.
£6.5m – Milan Baros: A Houllier signing sold at a profit. He's done nothing since.
Exchange – John Welsh: Swapped for Paul Anderson
Exchange – Josemi: Swapped for Kronkamp.

Total sold: £14m

2005/06 net spend: £12.73m
2006/07

£6m – Craig Bellamy: Good signing and later sold for £7.5m to fund Torres deal.
£2m – Gabriel Palletta: Played a few league cup games, not good enough and sold for £1.2m
Free – Fabio Aurelio: Very injury prone but a good player when fit. Great signing for nothing.
£6.7m – Jermaine Pennant: Second choice after missing out on Alves. Ran his contract down and released. Attitude stank.
£9m – Dirk Kuyt: Has his critics, but has been brilliant for the money. 15 goals last season from wide and vital to the way we play. Ultimate pro. Great signing.
£200,000 – Nabil El Zhar: Few cameos last season and improving. Injured now. Promising still. Peanuts.
£750,000 – Astrit Ajdarevic: No idea who he is, and released on a free to Leicester.
Loan – Daniele Padelli: Reserve keeper, made one appearance and never seen again.
Undisclosed – Jordy Brouwer: Young reserve.
£2.5m – Alvaro Arbeloa: Bargain signing, great service for a few years and sold for £3.5m when running his contract down.
Loan – Javier Mascherano: Rescued from West Ham, now one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and will probably be sold to Barca this summer for a massive profit. Paid £18.6m for him a year later at end of loan deal.

Total bought: £27.15m

£200,000 – Zak Whitbread: Youngster
Undisclosed – Bruno Cheyrou: Houllier flopped, sold for a reported £1.5m.
£3m – Fernando Morientes: Didn't work out. Cut his losses.
Free – Didi Hamann: Great servant, released at the end of his career
£675,000 – Antonio Barragan: Paid £240,000 for him.
£2m – Djimi Traore: Houllier signing and daylight robbery getting £2m for him
£500,000 – Neil Mellor: Signed as a kid and did a job for a while. Not good enough and released.
£1.75m – Jan Kromkamp: Nunez bought for £2m, swapped for him, who then sold for £1.75m. Stop gaps at minimal expense.
£525,000 – Darren Potter: Acadamy lad, not good enough and robbery getting that much for him.
£1.5m – Steven Warnock: Probably sold to cheap and looks a mistake with hindsight. Good squad player.
Free – Salif Diao: The clearout of Houllier's flops continues.

Total sold: £10.15m

2006/07 net spend: £17m

2007/08

£5m – Lucas Leiva: Brazilian player of the year when signed. Could still go either way but a lot to prove.
Undisclosed – Krisztian Nemeth: Promising youngster currently out on loan in Athens.
£270,000 – Mikel San Jose Dominguez: Youngester plays in the reserves.
£1.8m – Sebastian Leto: Left winger signing but refused a work permit. Sold for £3m.
£20.2m – Fernando Torres: Bargain of the century
Free – Andriy Voronin: Free transfer to strengthen the squad. Plays well in Germany, garbage over here.
£5m – Yossi Benayoun: Took a while to settle but now a key player. Superb signing and an absolute bargain.
£11.5m – Ryan Babel: Highly rated dutch international. Absolute waste of space. Bad signing on reflection, but nobody knew how he'd turn out. Still got potential but he can't be arsed.
Undisclosed – Charles Itandje: Back up keeper signed for peanuts. Now released.
£1.3m – Emiliano Insua: Youngster who is now a full Argentinian international and massive potential. Bargain.
£6.5m – Martin Skrtel: Been off form this season so far, but brilliant last year and a good signing for the money.
£18.6m – Javier Mascherano: Completion of loan deal

Total bought: £70.7m

£2.7m – Florent Simana-Pongolle: Houllier youngster sold wanting first team football.
£100,000 – Daniel O’Donnell: Kid sold
Free – Jerzy Dudek: Released at end of contract
Free – Zenden: Released at end of contract
Free – Robbie Fowler: Released at end of contract
£4m – Luis Garcia: Wanted to return to Spain. Great service.
£6m – Djibril Cisse: Houllier signing sold to part fund Torres deal.
£7.5m – Craig Bellamy: Sold at profit to part fund Torres deal
£3.5m – Mark Gonzales: Signed for £1.5m and sold when didn’t work out.
£1.2m – Gabriel Palletta: Bought for £2m but never worked out. Young defender.
£3.5m – Chris Kirkland: Houllier signing. Injury prone and wanted first team football.
£8.2m – Momo Sissoko: Great signing, good service, sold when lost his form at a profit.

Total sold: £36.7m

2007/08 net spend: £34m

2008/09

Free – Philip Degen: Garbage, but free.
£7m – Andrea Dossena: Italian international left back. Hasn’t settled. Bad signing.
£3.5m – Diego Cavalieri: Reserve keeper. Only played league cup games so far.
£1.5m – David N’gog: Young French striker. Promising.
£19m – Robbie Keane: Everyone made up when we signed him. Didn’t work out and sold back to Spurs for £16m.
£8m – Albert Riera: Spanish international. Started well but jury still out.

Total bought: £39m

£4m – John Arne Riise: Good servant but form tailed off. Snapped their hands off at £4m.
Free – Harry Kewell: Harry who?
Undisclosed – Anthony Le Tallec: Houllier youngster finally released. Fee not known.
£11m – Peter Crouch: Laughing stock bought for £7m. Great signing. Wanted first team football.
£2.25m – Danny Guthrie: Youngster from Acadamy thought not good enough.
£3.25m – Scott Carson: Injury prone and Reina now first choice. Sold at profit.
Undisclosed – Steve Finnan: Sold for a fee believed to be £1m
£16m – Robbie Keane: Didn’t work out.
Undisclosed – Jack Hobbs: Young defender that didn’t progress. Sold for believed to £1.5m.

Total sold: £36.5m

2008/09 net spend: £2.5m

2009/10

£17.5m – Glen Johnson: Big fee, but has been brilliant so far.
£17.1m – Alberto Aquilani: Injured so far but meant to be a class act. Highly rated in Italy.
£2m – Sotirios Kyrgiakos: Last minute signing to fill Hyypia’s shoes. Only money we had to spend.
£160,000 – Daniel Ayala: Young defender, played a few times this season and looked promising.

Total bought: £36.76m

£250,000 – Paul Anderson: Youngster that didn’t progess.
Free – Jermaine Pennant: Out of contract. Poor signing.
Free – Miki Roque: No idea who he is. Bought for peanuts.
£3m – Sebastian Leto: Signed for £1.8m but didn’t get a work permit. Had to sell.
£3.5m – Alvaro Arbeloa: Wanted to leave and out of contract in the summer.
£30m – Xabi Alonso: Wanted to leave. Bought for £10.7m. Great signing.

Total sold: £36.75m

2009/10 net spend: £10,000

Total Players Bought: £228,976,000
Total Players Sold: £145,100,000

Total Net Spend: £83,876,000
😀

He ended up leaving of course, but for serious money. Sadly squandered by Rafa, whose tactical prowess on the pitch is nicely mirrored by his ineptitude in the transfer market.

Hardly squandered, that money found its way to Texas….and a certain Mr Hicks

A good drummer

Mr McBrain…..

I believe there was a residents meeting to try to raise the cash and interest in this, Lowey may be better qualifed to comment on this as he believes it is on his land and he lives in Belmont Village (I think)… 😆

Chris

I drilled through mine from the top, into the lower one and hammered a metal bar into place, I had the drill bit modified, a metal rod was spot welded onto it, may still have it, I'm in the North West

Chris

Sounds like reasonable force to me, one punch to defend yourself, stuff him

Pleased it has gone well for you, well done at keeping cool, although you should not have had to take this all on yourself, she school and the copper need a talking to

Chris

I have to agree with Ton and a few others, let me get this straight though, I worked the doors in Manchester and Liverpool for over a decade, worked for Damien Noonan and a few other tasty chaps, so know a little about violence, I did the doors to keep the wolf from the doors and I have hurt people, some of then quite badly, I look back and wonder who that person was.

I am happily retired now with a great job and young family, but, if anyone hurts my kids or family, then I have a funny feeling that someone will get hurt, sod the police etc, it doesn't work with some of the scrotes around at the moment, if the bully comes from a respectable family then it will end once they get called into the school, if not then you have to resort to what they understand.

TJ you may not like this but at times it is the only way, if you turn up and try to reason with these people they will think that you are weak and nothing will change.

Short sharp shock I believe it is called

Chris