PS A colleague of mine had one connected up to his bath too because he said neither he or his wife liked to wait for the bath to fill…….
(true story)

We’ve had a Stuart Turner pump for around 8 years or so. Highly rated. When we’ve had people in to do plumbing/bathroom work they’ve commented favourably about them because apparently they’re brass rather than plastic and rated for durability and quietness. They are expensive though. I don’t know anything about the other brand you mentioned. We bought ours after a recommendation (and discount!) from a family member in the trade and when we tried out various ones at a shop display stand, the Stuart Turners were considerably quieter too. Hope that helps.
(PS they’re aftersales support is supposed to be good too)

I’ve had one from new. It coped with heavy snow in Wales with ease last year and got there when many conventional cars didn’t. In fact, and it’s no exagerration, there are a few people out there who owe their lives to the fact that my XC90 “got there” through the snow. That said, it’s not as competent as a LR and the standard conti tyres aren’t that good in snow (or mud). What IS good is the electronic “Winter” button wizardry on the auto gearbox that allows numpties like me to press on and keep up momentum to get up snowy, slippery inclines. Unless you’re Ranulph Fiennes, you’re unlikely to complain about it.
Ours was utterly reliable and I agree with using specialists to service it – cheaper and (in my region) do a better job. The seats are the comfiest ever. We travelled from Cardiff to Edinburgh on one occasion, 6 up, and I couldn’t believe how good I felt at the other end – no aches or pains. In our geartronic we got high 20s mpg (never more) and it was driven very gently. Even with gentle driving, they get through the front contis at quite a rate – usually last around 8000 miles and £200 plus a tyre. The outside edge of the front nearside tyre know to wear excessively too. Nothing to do with tracking according to Volvo and other experts I’ve consulted and more to do with 2 tons scrubbing that side when going clockwise round roundabouts (XC90s on the continent scrub the outside edge of the other side I’m told, because they go around roundabouts the other way!)
I’ve carried 7 bikes on mine. The Volve removable towbar is great and highly recommended. You can get (light) bikes on the roof by standing on the rear tyre and rear door sill, but I used to carry a small step ladder from B&Q (made it much easier).
The premium sound system is outstanding.
Good points: Comfort, drives more like a car than many MPVs and 4x4s, superb detail in the design (v ergonomic – switches designed to be used wearing gloves), reliable, independant dealers, tough as old boots, outstanding xenon lights (turn with steering) – not sure why but much brighter than the xenons on other cars I’ve driven. Also astonishing brakes. I once had a dozy individual pull out of a side road right in front of me. You’ve never seen 2 tonnes come to a standstill in quite such an impressive manner. Ever. Seemed to just STOP.
Downsides: Very few. Expensive main dealer (but no more so than premium brands in fairness), MPG never in 30s (I didn’t expect that anyway), front tyre wear, slight delay when putting foot down to pull out of junction. That’s about it.
Sorry if this sounds overly positive. We absolutely loved ours. I’ve owned a number of £40k+ cars (only mention that for the purpose of comparison) and the XC90 is by a mile better than all of them for day to day family use. I only bought it because I need to carry 6 and there are occasions when I genuinely need 4×4 ability (and ground clearance). Wasn’t expecting too much when we bought it, but it was fantastic. It’s one of those cars that don’t particularly shine in road reports but has a depth of talent to ownership and day to day ability that is often missed in the magazines. All of the people I know who have them (4) love them too and would buy another without hesitation. Ask any owner. You’ll struggle to find criticism.
Only problem in Cardiff is that we no longer have a main dealer and that can make it a right PITA if any warranty work is required on a new car (which is why I’ve reluctantly looked at new Disco and Q7)
Oh, and if I was getting one, I’d definitely get an automatic.
Once saw a Scandia emblazoned one waiting to get on the ferry to IOW before Cowes week with 4 bikes on top, a massive inflatable dingy thing attached to the rear tailgate and towing a massive boat that looked about 3x the length of the XC90 towing it! Wish I’d taken a photo.
Brilliant cars.

Does this mean that a Spokeshirts light has the same problem? I was going to order one when they’re back in stock, but that doesn’t sound like such a good idea anymore……….

“The minute I get my fat balls out, the tits suddenly appear everywhere” (Sid James, Carry on Birding, circa 1972)
We also have a fair selection of birds – great spotted woodpeckers (aggressive devils that dominate the other birds), green woodpeckers (more interested in the ants at ground level), coal tits, long tailed tits (I think), doves, jay, kingfisher (v v shy and easily scared off though), heron, wrens, finches and nuthatches as well as the other usual garden birds. They seem to prefer peanuts to seed. (The heron, kingfisher and green woodpecker do not go near the feeders, though – just been spotted nearby)
I’m having to buy seed in bulk and it’s costing a fortune at the moment – I’m having to fill 2 extra large seed feeders every other day……
I’m easily pleased and would be thrilled to see any bird I hadn’t seen before.

The best £3.65 you’ll ever spend if you want to make the nearest thing to a takeaway curry for less wonga than the supermarket dross:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curry-Secret-Indian-Restaurant-Meals/dp/0716021919/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290255945&sr=1-1
(bit of a faff to make it though and best done in batches that are frozen and used at a later date)
If it absolutely has to be a supermarket curry, though, I’d go with Asda too.

It’s your beta blockers.
Mention it to your Doctor when you next see him and invest in merino in the meantime.

“Die” is probably too strong a word for it, but you’re probably one fart away from pebble dashing your underwear with partly digested faecal matter, which will then rapidly seep down the trouser legs, leaving a dirty protest all the way down the corridor as you rush to the loo. It could be a long night. I’d say don’t do it.

What’s the difference between that battery and the Onethelight one and in what way is the magicshine one worse? (Not trolling – serious question).

Are you wearing the right size?

Yes right size and I’m no Jimmy five bellies either. In fairness they are good shorts and the belt helps. They’d be better with a proper button, though, I reckon.

The waist poppers continually coming undone on Humvees will grate after a short while. They all do it.

Nowhere near as much as I want to. Two businesses of my own, plus another job as an employee (sort of paid sideline really), another book to write, kids, wife, rain, dark nights. Riding from doorstep helps (there’s just something plain wrong with loading bike into the car to go for a ride and it acts as another obstacle). Going for a ride for me is more of a luxury and lucky if I can fit in two or three 2hour rides a week (sometimes none). Most of them solo because I don’t like having to do it at a specific time to fit in with anyone else and I need the “thinking time” that solo riding allows. Less than that and fitness wanes and I’m even less inclined to go out.
Lights help, a wife who does all the shopping, paying tradesmen to do all the jobs (and bike maintainence) and a turbo trainer when I get home late and just want an hour spin to keep up fitness. If anyone else finding it difficult to get out due to other commitments, the early morning weekend ride is also worth doing (home in time for breakfast with the family) if you can summon the motivation.
What is this life if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare……..

PS if you have true wheat intolerance, you can’t eat chips either if they’re cooked in the same fat that was used to fry battered fish (because of contamination from the batter). OK if chips cooked separately though

When you say she can’t eat wheat, do you mean that she has Coeliac disease? Has she been tested and diagnosed by a Dr or is it a self diagnosis? The only reason I mention it is that if she has a true wheat (gluten) intolerance she’s going to need to be really strict with her diet. Even contamination from food prepared on the same surface as bread etc could present a problem. If it’s gluten (which is in wheat and lots of other things) that’s the problem then it could be hidden in lots of things (lots of prepared sauces, beer, lager, lots of prepared meals etc). The biggest problem with Coeliac disease is that if you don’t adhere to the diet, you may not have symptoms but it massively increases your risk of gut malignancy – this risk is normalised by following a strict gluten free diet.
Anyway, back on topic – she could have rice, potatoes, fruits, veg. You can make gluten free bread (if you’re diagnosed with coeliac disease you can even have it free on prescription) using gluten free flour, but don’t share a breadmaker with ordinary flour otherwise it will be contaminated.
Beware of cereals – most will either contain wheat or will have been exposed to contamination with wheat during manufacture. Some people with gluten intolerance can have oats.
I would urge her to get properly diagnosed if not already done so and if she has been properly diagnosed, she’d have access to a dietician and membership of coeliac UK who would provide her with much more info than you would ever get on here (no disrespect to any contributors). DON’T go to a health food shop for diagnosis. It’ll either be wrong or she’ll be told that she has a yeast problem or a lactose intolerance (nobody ever comes away being told they’re normal).
It’s said that Coeliac disease is massively underdiagnosed in the UK (incidence varies from country to country) – current estimates are that around 1 in 90 people have it, many have no symptoms, those that do are mostly “vague” symptoms, but if a proper diet isn’t achieved then they run a really high risk of malignancy and a thing called lymphoma, which you don’t want, trust me.
Oh and if you don’t have wheat in your diet already but you’ve not been properly tested, you’ve got to reintroduce wheat into your diet for the tests to work.

I’ve had mine for over a year and I think it’s great. I’ve never taken the sleeves off (in fact I didn’t realise that the sleeves could come off when I bought it). I didn’t do a lot of research before I bought it – my life’s too busy for that – just went into Tredz, tried on a few and picked the one that fitted the bill best. Not regretted it and would recommend it. I say that without having tried anything else though, so take my advice with a pinch of salt – I might not realise what I’m missing elsewhere….

Some cheeses may. Thought to relate to the tyramine content.

The fitter who put silicone around our bath showed me a really good trick. First he squeezed a bead of silicone around the edges, then – wait for it – he sprayed all along it with WD40. Then he run his finger all around it. Because of the WD40, it didn’t stick to anything else and it was left with a really neat job, which has remained perfect ever since and no leaks. I very much doubt whether I could replicate it but it looked easy and straightforward enough.

In an attempt to counter the claim that “this thread is useless without pictures”, I googled knockers and came up with something pretty close…..

PLUS, Cabot Circus – Why “Cabot” and why “circus”?

Why has Harvey’s Bristol Cream got the “Bristol” bit in the middle, by the way. I presume that that the “Bristol” bit relates to the place not the other word for boobs? Where does it come from? Is/was it a traditional Bristol drink at some point?

PS My bike is a “Mountain Predator” 10 speed, fully rigid, mountain bike that I bought from Asda in 1984 and still going strong.
Yours faithfully,
Tinners
4 Acacia Avenue
Outer Hebrides

I often wonder how many thieves read forums like this. Mrs T tells me that a she read about a thief in the papers (I think, from memory, he came from Bristol) who used to follow cars home from Afan. If that sort of thing goes on, they’re going to get pictures of bikes, rides, the lot from here.
That said, life’s too short to worry about things like that. Now where are my jump leads again…..

If it is PF, it will get better whatever you do….eventually. Trouble is that there’s no fixed duration – can last weeks, months or over a year. Heel arch supports can help (orthaheels) and stretching exercises (any physio should be able to show you how to do this). Some GPs and orthopaedic surgeons give a steroid injection to alleviate the symptoms but it can take up to 8 weeks to work (most start to see an improvement at 2 weeks) and the effects can wear off after a few months. If it was going to be gone by then, fine, but if not then the symptoms could return again until it goes for good. It also doesn’t work for everyone, with a 70-90% cure rate depending on who does it. However, there’s a small risk that the injection could snap a tendon or lead to blood vessel or nerve damage – but that’s very rare. It’s said that losing weight can help but not everyone with PF is overweight and I doubt that you are if you’re a regular mountain biker. There’s a bit of debate going on amongst sports doctors as to whether heel spurs (a little thorn of bone at the bottom of the heel bone) are a factor. Some doctors X ray heels to see if you have these spurs but doubt has been cast on this recently because a lot of people have these spurs and never have problems, so X ray is of limited value (unless it’s used to rule out something other than PF when the diagnosis is in doubt).
I would think that your GP should know someone who can help you, if she can’t help you herself. If you’re looking at paying, then a physio may be a cheaper option. If you want to pay more, then see an orthopaedic surgeon with an interest in ankles/feet or better still, a doctor with an interest in sports medicine (who may be a GP or orthopaedic surgeon). Don’t expect an instant cure, but there are certainly lots of things that can be done, beyond waiting for it to go away by itself.
…..that’s if it’s plantar fasciitis and not something else, of course.
If you’ve got gritty eyes and the old “p*ssing razor blades” feeling, then chlamydia can be a cause of heel pain too, so make sure that you have a reliable diagnosis before seeking your own treatment, if you’re not going to be seeing a doctor. It’s much less likely than PF, but just making the point that diagnosis is as important as treatment.

Where’d you stop for a coffee?

Well, I was a bit disorientated coming out of the Broadmead car park, having seen the tariff and with it being so early I wasn’t sure what would be open. I could see Harvey Nics across the road but opted for the Marriot, on the grounds that they’d be “open” and would probably serve a nice slap up breakfast.
*imagines the STW massive tuning in an mouthing “why is he telling us this?”*
PS What’s the big orange castle-type building on the left of the M32 as you head back to the M4?

As someone who asked if torture was ever justified, in the case of bike thieves, there should be an exception. First apply a pair of oversize crocodile clips using a modified set of jump leads, making sure that there’s a really strong spring action clamping the jaws shut. Then clamp them to each b***ock so that the oval ‘nads begin to take on a “figure of eight” outline as the jaws of the clamps squeeze tight on each of the twins. Then connect the testicles to the national grid via a rheostat. Gradually crank up the voltage beyond the point of burning flesh until they go pop and splatter testicular material on every vertical surface within 500 yards. By now, the clamps will be attached to a smoking thread of sinew dangling between the legs. Crank up the voltage further, until the smoking sinew glows white hot and starts to crackle, fizz and pop. Then ask the scoundrel where your bike is and gradually crank up the voltage incrementally with each incorrect answer. I’ll wager that your bike will be back in your hands, lubed, waxed, polished and serviced within a short space of time….well as quickly as is humanly possible with a crotch like a flame grilled whopper.

Got on fine, thanks AnalogueAndy. No hold ups at all when I was there. I left Cardiff at 6.30am, hit J19 on M4 at around 7.30 as advised, and was parked up in Broadmead car park at 7.50. However, shock of the day for me was £16 parking at Broadmead. Crikey. If you ever come to Cardiff, I’d recommend the car park at the old Cardiff Arms Park (next to Millennium stadium). It’s £5 all day there and right in the centre too.
I suspect with rush hour commute there’s a window before the masses arrive where the journey is relatively clear, but 30 mins later and you’ll be held up and crawling an hour late.

When you’re married to Mrs T, you have “Chipsaway” on speed dial….
I’ve had the local chap out a few times (they come to your home or work to do it) and superb job. Recommended.

I think that, of all the very good points made on this thread, it’s the following that strikes a chord with me the most:

No. A respect for Human Rights is the foundation of any society worth it’s salt.

Apologies – I thought that the above quote related to SJW. Having read it properly, I can see that it doesn’t. My mistake.

I wouldn’t believe George Bush if he told me my arse was on fire

Classic! Quote of the month if you ask me :lol:

To answer your question though probably fewer significant side effects, lower long terms risks, fewer drug interactions and fewer contraindications.

How so? Is it because there are fewer that we know about? If a drug, plant material, medicine, chemical, whatever, is potent enough to cause an effect, then surely it is potent enough to cause a side effect too?
I thought that prescribed medicines were tested for interactions and contraindications. Will the health shop be able to supply equivalent data or do we accept them on their word?
Not doubting that St John’s Wort works, just questioning how robust is the data on long term risks, side effects, drug interactions and contraindications. If I was going to take any “natural” remedy I’d be inclined to take it on the assumption that it may work but accepting that it probably hasn’t undergone the extensive testing and trialling that prescribed medicines will have had? Deadly nightshade’s natural but I’m not going to assume that it’s necessarily harmless or better because it hasn’t been manufactured in a test tube.

Wow – so many replies. Thanks very much indeed. Looks like I’ll opt for the “hit J19 early”, park at Cabot circus and stress free coffee option. Bed early tonight, I think!
Thanks again, folks :-)

I like the sound of those pork scratchings. Are they real or reconstituted/artificial? Sorry to sound like a numpty, but although I’ve seen them, I’ve never tried them before.

Sadly, I think that Australia will put at least 20 points on us. Shame to see James Hook at full back too.
Biggest gripe of all – why isn’t it on HD? I’ve got the beers, mahoosive TV, pals and relatives lined up, Mrs T making shedloads of Nigel Slater’s spicy indian chicken baguettes and it’s on BBC2! What’s on HD at that time? Octonauts and Muddle earth – yeah my 6 year old is going to revel in all its HD glory. Who’s the plonker who thought that was a good idea?

Obviously not, it’s Mole Grips FWIW

Oh, no. Now I know that I’ve been spending too long on here. I think you know where that little typo came from……….
Either that or I’ve got a *shudders* “feminine side”

You don’t need to read the operating instructions, you just know
You don’t need to read the map, you just know
You know what RSJ stands for
The torque stats are more important than the colour (applies to anything)
Eyes are drawn to cleavage like a magnet, no matter how hard you resist
You don’t remember birthdays or anniversaries
Pictures of kittens make you feel nauseous
You don’t want to talk about your feelings unless you suspect that giving the impression of being “sensitive” will help you to get your leg over
You can’t pass a hardware shop without buying rawlplugs
You know what rawlplugs do and you understand terms like grub flange, molgrips and limited slip differential.
You can make a pair of pants last a week
Farting is to be accompanied by a round of applause or the phrase “I’ll name that tune in one”. Those who can light farts are granted hero status
Actually, the above things make a male, not a man. Manners maketh man.

Mrs T tells me that in the Tesco store in a nearby village they’ve taken all of the eggs from general display. You have to go to the counter to buy them, as you would cigarettes……..

I agree with Junkyard.
I press them with a thumb and pump them until they’ve got a little “give” (this is a rare skill that, once attained, is never forgotten). If they’ve got more “give” they squirm around the rim and I get lots of punctures, but the ride’s nice and soft. If they’ve got no “give”, then they’ll either explode in the process of pumping, which scares the living sh*t out of anyone within a 500 yard radius or, if successful, results in a hard ride and less grip.
That’s “in my expert opinion” of course. For those less able, who still need to rely on pressure gauges, I’ll gladly offer a little training if you’re ever passing my way.

Lucky sod. Looks like you’ve bagged yourself one of the few cars with an an optional Slush Puppy dispenser. Next time you take it in for a service, ask them if they could switch it from the raspberry to cool mint. You won’t regret it if we have a barbecue summer next year.

I think that Harriet Harman’s let herself down with that comment. Nothing to do with policies or politics. Any politician resorting to that sort of petty jibe loses my respect. They should have more useful things to say. I also don’t get this whole “have a go at people with red hair” thing. No different to having a go at the colour of someone’s skin in my book. It just has a nasty, bullying, undertone that I don’t like. They should be above all that.