In a world where millions of children are denied a proper education, to have the opportunity to go to school and chose not to, or to chose that for your children, is pretty shameful in my opinion. The odd day here or there or a holiday as an exception is one thing, but the word regular does suggest this is something else entirely.

Some years ago I ordered some custom wheels from a well known online retailer. I was on a bit of a budget so specced a pro2 front hub (for 20mm) but only a deore rear. When they came they were pro2 front and rear. I kept them, fully in the knowledge that it wasn’t the right thing to do. I’ve since used said online retailer on any occasions they get even close to their competitors prices, so I like to think they’re at least even overall. Still should have at least called them though.

Not food, but I’d kill for a bottle of Sang’s Moray Cup fizzy juice.

Music geek alert… on the live at brixton album Epic is introduced thusly: “this song is a song with four letters in the title, and it starts with an e”. Used to think it was just a throwaway line until many years later it clicked, the first chord in Epic is an E! Such a simple thing, makes me smile every time.

I think there’s a clear distinction between what’s legal and what’s right. Of course I don’t think it’s wrong to download something you already own or is available elsewhere legally, or a book that’s out of print. I’ve done that myself.

What I don’t agree with is the “they haven’t lost anything because I wouldn’t have bought it anyway” argument. With respect, I think you’re kidding yourself if you think that having free access to copyrighted material stops people from buying it. I know people who freely admit they don’t buy sky sports because they can stream football games for free. I’d also guess what the younger generation who grew up with the internet are way more likely to believe they are “entitled” to movies and music for nothing.

Bottom line, it’s not like robbing a handbag off an old dear, but personally I don’t think anyone is entitled to a film/book/game/album unless they’ve paid in some way.

Morality isn’t absolute, but taking something you haven’t paid for seems pretty black and white to me.

Oh, so it’s a victimless crime, that’s OK then. Who gets to decide which crimes are victimless again? TBH I know what you’re saying, but personally I still think it’s morally wrong, and I think the loss of revenue is likely to be a lot more than you imagine.

Or, I don’t know, pay for them? It’s not like films cost tens of millions to produce and keep thousands of people employed or anything…

Been anywhere in Scandinavia? I really liked Stockholm (or based on your username maybe Gothenburg?!) Also preferred Cologne to Berlin. Brussels or Bruge worth a look too.

My 30th was 6 months ago and I can’t remember what I got for it. I think my wife took me out for lunch. Just as well I’m not fussed about birthdays!

If rich is real he’s a douche. If he’s someone’s trolling alter-ego they’re a douche. Either way, a douche is involved here.

Honours are as relevant as the royal family themselves, couldn’t care less.

Got my Mrs a senseo for Xmas, I don’t drink coffee but she’s a bit of a coffee snob and says she loves it. Maybe she’s being polite but I doubt it as the pods are being used at quite a rate!

Is that a white porc? Stick it in the washing machine and bung it on ebay with an honest description – it won’t make mega-bucks but some retro-biker will probably buy it for a garage queen.

Can’t give you an accurate figure on the bike but I doubt it would fetch much. Stick it on gumtree for what you’d like and see if anyone bites?

@cbmotorsport

Oh I don’t know, I think the 20 seconds I spent looking at your posting history gave me a pretty good illustration that one man’s newbie query is another man’s “life skill”. Roadies know all about turbo trainers but non-walkers have no reason to know about looking after walking boots. Which lane to take at a roundabout is fairly universal though.

The point is, before you point your finger make sure your hands are clean.

Another ‘I have no life skills, so need to ask STW’ question.

From the poster that brought us such classic threads as “Road bike virgin, clueless and in need of help…”, “Newbie Turbo Trainer questions”, “Any way to tell tubeless?” and my personal favourite: “Roundabouts”, including this gem:

Approaching a roundabout there’s 2 lanes, you want to go straight on into a single lane road, none of the lanes are marked, which lane do you take?

Life skills? Lacking irony skills I’d say.

I have one, it doesn’t have great meaning but I’m comfortable with the fact it’s just for decoration. Can’t see myself going off it but not worried if I do, I’ll just view it like some of my various scars that remind me of certain times in my life. No photo on here or anywhere else, just on the off chance someone else likes it, I designed it and I’d prefer it remains unique. The anti-tattoo vitriol amuses me no end.

I don’t like star wars so I’m not sure why I was even there, but attack of the clones (episode 2?) is by far and away the worst film I’ve ever seen at the cinema. Plot, dialogue, acting… just awful. Don’t get what the fuss is about with the originals either, but I guess I’m too young for them and too old for the newer ones.

Do emirates fly Edinburgh-Geneva?

I’d like to think this is wind up, but a mate of mine bought new skis, trousers and jacket to match his new ski helmet. He’s perfectly normal in other walks of life too.

Every bit as crap as it always is and every bit as crap as I expected it to be. The only good thing about it is that the whole sorry business is over for another year.

Train to Glasgow!

If you want even more rain, and to be stabbed and robbed.

I don’t think they even teach engine braking as the “correct” way to slow any more do they?

You’re all wrong, it’s Cool Runnings.

Cannondale Gemini – it’s longer travel and beefier than a prophet but can still be pedalled uphill. Single pivot with 150/170mm travel and a 1.5″ headtube so any fork you like.

for your FYI.

For your FYI?! For your bleeding FYI?!

By the BTW please PTO for your personal PIN number.

I got one as it was mega cheap, got used to it in no time and it’s not even much hassle switching between that and a manual.

fraped

A really, really horrible term.

Thanks all – posting now from the old machine running xubuntu (chosen at random – I found the mentions of various versions a bit bamboozling). Installed alongside windows so I can use both if required and seems to be running at a decent speed.

Cheers folks, I’m off work tomorrow so I’ll have a look around those sites and give it a bash. From memory the old laptop was pretty crap and slow on windows, would simply running Ubuntu help performance or would I get best results from xubuntu or wiping and starting from scratch?

Aggrhhh, bike forum. Told you I was a novice!

Look at eBay auctions finishing at odd times, middle of the night or xmas day. Although my current motor is 23 years old (and French) I picked it up for buttons as it ended at 3am on a Tuesday.

7 years ago at the Xmas party some random bird from another department jumped me and we had a bit of a snog. We’ve been married a year now.

Last year I missed the last train and with nowhere to stay I stayed out, then missed the first train and eventually made it home at 11am the next day. One of my colleagues ended up in hospital but I didn’t notice at the time.

I don’t know who I’ve never heard of, because I’ve never heard of them.

Another idiot here, can’t tell you how much I hate xmas and everything about it.

The occupation isn’t relevant, the same rules apply. My bother is a fireman, he does a fantastic job and I wish he got paid more for it. But whenever his service have vacancies they are oversubscribed and there are many people out there willing and able to do an equally good job. If potential firemen were in short supply, or if the existing ones started to jump ship to some new private fire service for more money, then my brother’s service would have to look at their salaries.

Same’s true of anything. If no-one wanted to work in a bar for £5 an hour (or whatever it is now) any more then wages would have to rise to attract people to the job. Which of course would mean more expensive beer…

You might feel it deserves more but on a basic level if they have enough people with the right skills applying then the salary is right. High salaries are generally to attract people with scarce(r) skills or to unattractive jobs. No-one’s going to pay more than is necessary out of the kindness of their heart, and nor should they when it’s taxpayers that are footing the bill. To put it another way, could most of the kind of people they want/need get other jobs which pay better?

If there is a shortage of suitable candidates, or serious issues with staff retention/turnover then yes, the salary could be out of line. I’m not aware if any of those issues exist in the prison service or not.

The equivalent clause in my insurance says I can drive any car with the permission of the owner as long as it is otherwise ensured. i.e. can’t drive a car that doesn’t have it”s own insurance, even though that insurance doesn’t have to cover me. If that makes sense.

The £1billion Edinburgh tram [strike]network[/strike] half a line.

Its been a big SNP/Alex S ego building and power trip over the past few years.

You don’t have to like the man but this is misguided at best. Salmond leads a party that’s been votes into power at the last 2 Scottish elections, and who clearly campaigned that a vote for the SNP was a vote for a referendum. We as a country made a choice to have this debate and decision, don’t dismiss that as the ego of a single man.

There’s a lot of ignorance on this thread, all of those saying independence doesn’t stack up have read the 600+ page blueprint from the yes campaign (which is not just SNP) I assume? You’d do well to take a balanced viewpoint, press and politicians on both sides are unlikely to be telling the truth.

For me the economic arguments are a sideshow, I’d crawl over broken glass to vote yes. And it’s not England, that’s another smokescreen, it’s the UK I don’t want to be a part of. Put it this way, if you pool resources with your neighbour you could love together in a bigger house, but if their family is bigger they’ll dominate and you’ll have to put up with all their bad habits. Wouldn’t you want to have your own front door and make your own rules, even if it cost you a bit more?