We had some family portraits done, and very nice they are too, which they should do because they were powerfully expensive. My wife and I felt at the time that my probably would actually have spent more if the pricing model had been different. We payed £x00 for 4 framed shots in the end but that’s because it felt like the sweet spot for value, not because that’s the budget we had in mind (we didn’t have a budget really).

Reality versus rhetoric

Those in glass houses…

No, Westminster is (supposed to be) the parliament for the UK. The Scottish Parliament is the parliament for, wait for it, Scotland. I’m sure you understand the point but there’s a big difference between a country and a region. To take your argument to its logical conclusion why don’t we all just decide as individuals if we’re going to be independent or not. Hey, that’s a thought. Then maybe someone could tally up all those decisions (let’s call them “votes”) and see what the majority consensus is.

Do the borders or d&g have their own parliament?

At the risk of going further down the rabbit hole, and not specifically in defence of JY, I think there’s an important distinction between respecting someone’s right to a view or belief and respecting the belief itself. I think it’s absolutely right that anyone can believe in whatever they choose, but believe in something that is obviously (to me anyway) ridiculous and I reserve the right to ridicule. Again, it’s the belief that is ridiculed not the right of the person to hold said belief. I don’t see that belief in the christian god is any more or less ridiculous than belief in the flying spaghetti monster, so to me they are equally fair game.

It’s another thing altogether when there are some points of view so objectionable that I don’t think a person has a right to hold them. I’m taking here about racism for example. In those cases I think it’s important to challenge those beleifs very robustly indeed.

Royal yacht? Royal **** yacht? We’re really through the looking glass now. I mean politicians have always been remote, generally crap and self-interested but it’s like a collective madness has taken hold of them. Really beyond parody.

At least the Gernans did capture the Syrian refugee/asylum seekerISIs momb maker Merkel allowed into Germany with no background checks after he strolled though open Europe

Have you got a bet on to see just how low you can stoop or are you just trying to out-idiot yourself?

My life has had it’s ups and downs so I recognise that it’s not easy for everyone. That said, nothing makes me happier than my daughter being happy so I do absolutely everything I can to give her a good life. I’m not sure if that’s selfish or not.

If you want a recruiter’s point of view, as long as it’s not more than 4 pages I don’t care how long it is. I will say, I review CVs (well not any more, but when I did) for probably less than 10 seconds. That’s long enough to scan for industry/job title/main skills. If I see what I’m looking for then I read the rest, if not then it’s in the bin. So my advise is to put the important stuff front and centre, make it very easy to find. Ans just to be a bastard I prefer when people take the time to write a cover letter but I rarely read them unless I’m already interested based on the CV.

That’s just for screening, the CV gets properly read before interview.

It’s OK, far from the worst place I’ve been but I’m not in love with it either. I’ve had a slightly crap job in a good company before and I’m happier where I am now in a good job in a slightly crap company.

The most scared I’ve ever been has overdosing on cocaine. I knew with absolute certainty that I was going to die and it was not a pleasant experience. After a while the feeling subsided and I celebrated by taking an E. God I was a ****.

Other than that I’ve woken up strapped to a spinal board to be told not to worry, the helicopter is on it’s way followed by the question “can you feel your legs?” Those are a couple of scary things to hear but I was too confused to be really scared – and I did ask if my bike was OK!

FWIW, my V40 figures are the actual rather than indicated. The computer usually says 65-67 mpg and the actual is more like 61-63 (ish).

Yep, but it still has start-stop and a little logo on the dash to tell you when you’re being a good eco driver.

Low-mid 60s from my Volvo V40 D4, mixed urban/a road/ motorway. I just went 800 miles between fill ups. I think that’s astonishing for a car with 190 horsepower which can also do 0-60 in just over 7 seconds.

I’ll decide based on how the meeting goes but I’m minded to just let her leave with a minimum of fuss. Having said that she’s now been told in no uncertain terms that she’ll be working until the end of her contract. Believe it or not, part of me thinks giving her honest feedback would be to her benefit. If she keeps behaving like this in her next job it’s not going to do her any favours and if no-one’s ever told her then she might not realise it’s even an issue. On the other hand after next week she’s not my problem any more.

That is tempting, although sadly I’ve got plenty of real work I need her to be doing.

The source isn’t actually on the Lairig Guru i.e. it’s not the Pools of Dee as they don’t actually feed into the river. The source is the Wells of Dee on the Braeriach plateau.

You’re stupid.

25 plus bank holidays, I never use them all anyway.

Recently turned down an offer for a role that would have had 39 plus bank holidays and a final salary pension. That was tempting.

All the above is meaningless and highly likely to be ignored. Just give examples and let them make their own mind up.

those trousers are too warm for uk weather

Incorrect.

Was in Nice a few weeks ago with my wife and daughter, a lovely place and lovely people. My heart goes out to them. Can’t help but think of the people who served us in shops and restaurants, or who exchanged a smile with our daughter as we walked along the prom. I don’t know them but I hope they’re OK.

I must have posted a dozen times just read every post with [IMO] … [/IMO] thats what I do.

Say that as much as you like, in no way does it justify the relentless postings of unsubstantiated nonsense presented as fact, or arguing that black is white and ignoring the facts of the matter. You might even have a good point under all that gibberish but no-one can tell because you’re the boy that cried wolf.

Cooker 0 is steel and single speed. I’ve got the 1, same Ali frame as most of the rest of the range and rigid fork. Think it was £800. I like it, suits my local riding and doesn’t take much looking after.

Charge Cooker 1.

Do you like sectarianism and/or knife crime?

I don’t suppose any of you have heard of the 21st century?

Very much this.

The house is just a 2 bedroom barrot house in Hag Fold. Not exactly a house with high upkeep.

Have I got this right? You’re 30, earn £45k and live with your parents and sister in 2 bedroom house? Do you at least get the top bunk?

So one of those claims was proven correct and the other was a lie…

Scotland would have less influence in the world

The UK has a permanent place on the United Nations security council and is one of the largest member states in the European Union. Anti-independence campaigners say an independent Scotland would inevitably hold less sway. They question whether an independence Scotland would be accepted into Nato and say membership of the EU would only come with strict ­conditions.

Read more: http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-independence-10-reasons-for-yes-and-no-1-3542968#ixzz4Czi2kdmi

Edinburgh Evening News, 16th September 2014.

If people were taking the piss out of me on the internet for trolling and/or making stuff up I’d find it fairly simple to just prove them wrong by posting a couple of sources rather than resorting to a playground attitude.

I also find it amusing that Jambaliar argues on the principle of an independent country, even in the face of economic arguments, when he’s talking about the UK (which isn’t a country) but is so totally unwilling to see the same point of view when talking about Scotland (which is a country). Not for the first time the hypocrisy is staggering.

I know we’re meant to refrain from personal insults, stooping to their level etc., but isn’t there a point where a person is so obviously, objectively a **** that they can be called a **** without fear of sanctions?

Hypothetically of course.

It’s my daughter’s first birthday today. It’s her I feel most sad for. She’s far too young to realise what a **** disaster this is.

The England fans have clearly been the victims of crime here. The guy second from the right for example, he’s obviously had his belt stolen.

It annoys me when people confuse anachronism and oxymoron.

My opinion, remember? You can talk about the rhetorical form if you like. I’m talking about what I wrote and what I meant, which was literally that I can’t understand why someone who has been faced with the same reality I have can come to believe there is a god. I can see why people might want to believe it, but not why that desire can cause them to abandon rational thought.

The rhetorical form ‘I can’t understand why anyone would do X’ is another way of saying ‘X is stupid

No, it really isn’t. I can not understand something, nucleur physics for example, without thinking it’s stupid. I don’t think nucleur physics is stupid but I’m not about to try and build a reactor.

“Just because” and “you wouldn’t understand” don’t wash with me. Like I said, believe what you like but religious beliefs shouldn’t get any kind of special treatment over other irrational beliefs. I knew someone once who thought that all leather was made from monkeys hands and faces. Was I wrong to take the piss out of her or should I have respected what she “knew” to be true?

Semantics. I also can’t comprehend why some people like to have sex with horses. Is that their failing or mine? Or should I just respect their beliefs…

5.

What follows is an opinion. It’s not aimed at anyone in particular or intended to be offensive but I’m sure it will be taken that way by some.

I find the concept of religion utterly ludicrous, and I can’t comprehend that any intelligent adult would entertain what seems so obvious to me to be rubbish. I’m also of the opinion that religion is far more of a force for bad than good in the world, regardless of whether it’s “true” or not. Although it’s probably fair to say that in the absence of religion humanity would just have figured out some other way to justify being shits to each other.

I fully support people’s right to a religion, you can believe what you want. But don’t ask me to respect your beliefs, because I think they’re nonsense. Just because you think it’s important it doesn’t mean it should be elevated to some special status ahead of what other people believe in. I can respect a person but not a belief.