I can’t believe in a country where over 150 million people, spanning 2 or 3 time zones just scribbled something on a bit of paper and the Prez and his cronies want everything counted at Google-speed when the system of voting is akin to 2 old tins cans connected by a bit string.

This Director of National Intelligence position is a bit of an oxymoron

I’m up for this but not sure about the Bradford City looky-likey flag for our colours?

I thought you coloured in a US voting form not put an X beside a candidate? Might be wrong but heard it from a naturalised american on that R4 this week.

Well this has filled the afternoon rather nicely.

I’m sure somebody put a similar you tube film on here years ago about an older guy who did something similar, Dick Proneke? or something?

How long before the US is voting on which You Tuber to have as president?

@Drac think you’ll find the Corbyn thread is over that way <———- his threads never go that way ————>

The man is a cult, he has a cult following and surrounds himself with others who operate as cults (trump).

During the lockdown I ended up watching loads of mtb you tube stuff, some made me drag my bike to the lakes a fortnight ago. I’m never going to criticise anybody’s efforts as whenever I plug my session onto my helmet I only ever look slow & rubbish.

I happened upon a bloke recently who has a large following and admittedly decent production but he made such and song and dance about how he was riding along footpaths in the LD that I thought you’re a cock and switched off.

Did I hear rightly that some Walmarts have pulled guns and ammo from the shelves in certain states for fear of violence after the election? Its seems absurd that an operation like them would remove money spinners from the shelves on moral grounds. But then again its 2020 innit.

Same with the killers, two singles then crap ever since for me.

I thought MBA announced they were all shut, but I went past Warnscale Bothy Honister/Haystacks way a couple of weeks back and people were using it

Gonna get some ‘Moral Superiority CC’ club tops made who’s in?

Matthew Horne from that Gavin and Stacey thing

Incidentally, the pic of Ling and team in front of the Angel on the magazine interview, just behind the Angel is some lovely little bits of singletrack through the wood, I’ve been pruning the dear track down there for years to make for a nice warm up loop before I head out.

Idris Elba
Denzel Washington
Gerard Butler
Adam Sandler

Not so much an irrational dislike as I just think they are crap

Fascinating finish

Oh well here we go!

The Mist

Yes have used MSE before, thats how I originally ended up with First utility before the takeover. I think I’d prefer that money in my hands over winter not theirs.

Slight hijack or PSA, whatever.

I was going to start a thread/mini rant about my supplier on Tuesday. A while ago they were First utility and pretty reasonable they were, then they became Shell Energy and things have changed a bit.

I have smart meters in the house on G&E and don’t need to submit readings, I have been paying £99pm for almost 12 months on a fixed tarrif. I did the same deal for my Dad who’s account I also look after and submit his gas readings (he only has a smart meter on his E).

His readings mean that I regularly get an email from Shell saying payments are up a bit then down a bit every few months currently £138, odd for a fixed rate but I digress, I don’t get these emails for my account so everything stays the same £99.

He asked me to check his account the other day and I discovered he’s around £250 in credit, I figured that might balance out over the winter and it was reasonable if they keep the DD the same.

On checking my own I find I am in £450 credit. When I asked for a refund they said they thought not as I would use more over the winter. I’ve applied for a refund and will wait till next April or whenever for the money back, bloody tossers.

I can’t add much other than this is a good thread I hope it runs on till you find a solution, your fil sounds like a story waiting to be told. Your bil is a skimmer.

I have water butts on my garden shed and summer house, but must admit my guttering work is shonky. I currently have 350litres in the butts. Living in the North East I could probably fill a swimming pool

My Dad is on a meter and rather than the £45pm I pay he’s on around £16pm.

I’m like ElShalimo, been at home since 2015. I shall have a look at this now.

I was never a fan of this mayor thing (makes us head down the US route sooner) but the fanfare from tories was always ‘elect a mayor, more power and decision making will be held locally, more funding given to the mayor to spend on the best local projects’

Seems when that mayor wants to use some of that power and apply the funding as he sees fit its a different story
now its all ‘get on board, do as your told, central government knows best, you’re not looking after constituents interests’

I’ve just had a quick Wiki on this Claire Fox, joined a party in 2019 became an MEP same year and then the house of lords within 18months. All this after what appears to be years of teaching at colleges and some time as a MH worker. There are probably a fair few other folk who did the teaching and healthcare stuff but didn’t try the Brexit Party pivot to get themselves over the ermine line.

You can imagine the tories filling it with enough mates over the next year or two for them to suddenly have (yet another) U turn on sacking the HOL off, once they tip the balance and get themselves enough cronies it will suddenly be there for ever more and lauded as a bastion of democracy etc etc

Borrowdale bash on Saturday morning for me.

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Beautiful morning in the Borrowdale Valley in the @lakedistrictnpa perfect autumnal day.

A post shared by Ian Thompson (@iant71) on Oct 16, 2020 at 8:47am PDT

Today I rode 28 miles in the lakes, up and down all day long. My penny finally dropped on dropper posts big time, never gave them much thought before today and it just become so obvious.

And I stopped plenty today because the scenery was to good not to stop and admire, all part of riding and being outdoors

Managed most of my plan, knees were giving me some grief after some rock action behind Castle Crag. Perfect day weather wise.

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Up to Watendlath and down into Rosthwaite. Not a breath of wind all morning. @iamspecialized_mtb

A post shared by Ian Thompson (@iant71) on Oct 16, 2020 at 8:51am PDT

Thanks all. The forecast is looking decent as well!

Was planning to drive up to the visitors centre and start Whinlatter from there, reason being the bike will be travelling back home in the caravan and a bike wash would be useful. I must replace the roof bars I have that only fit my previous cars.

The cafe in Portinscale always gets my custom, so a visit there will be a lunch break before heading back to Keswick to take the car.

Brass? A key of sorts?

@allanoleary your comment brought this into my mind from a few years ago when out biking one frosty morning. It was beautiful.

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Morning bike ride, Long Acre wood. #nofilter needed #sunbeams

A post shared by Ian Thompson (@iant71) on Nov 26, 2016 at 3:34am PST

Beautiful probably isn’t the word to describe it, but then again it could?

We have a couple of sparrow hawks that have been using our urban garden as a regular stop recently for breakfast, not sure why? Sometimes they bring a pack lunch, sometimes they pick something up here.

I can watch them from a couple of metres away and see the beauty of their markings and the bold black and yellow eye that watches constantly for any movement, the power of the beak and legs as they move their prey into a manageable position is so nimble yet so powerful.

One day last year a bird just arrived and stayed under the twisted hazel tree for shelter from the heavy rain, just bouncing between the stones looking for a dry spot. Must have been in for around 30mins just doing nothing but watching and listening. Couldn’t take my eyes off it.

One arrived yesterday, brought its own lunch, tucked in then took off. I find it fascinating being that close to something that I wouldn’t have expected to find in a garden on an estate on the edge of a busy town.

I have two sets of wheels both with identical cassettes, only one chain. Biggest pain is getting the brake adjustment correct but its not a lot of work compared to swapping a cassette

excellent stuff

When reviewing stuff online (again Amazon) half of the reviews seem ridiculous. I would never sit down and right war and bloody peace reviewing a lamp shade I bought for £4.99 yet they are there, totally obviously paid for by Amazon.

Its the reminders that go on for weeks as well, ‘please review your purchase’ ‘don’t forget to review’ ‘there’s still time to review’ on and on.

Yes, reviews can go into room 101 for me.

I packed it in back in January after finding myself going down to many rabbit holes reading some seriously twisted opinions being touted as fact.
I found I suddenly had a shit load more time on my hands to do actual stuff rather than waste it getting upset with bots and nuggets.

I have occasionally popped in for a catch up on goings on with certain accounts in the last couple of weeks but haven’t interacted in any way.

I think, to answer the OP its probably reflective of society but the amount of bots etc are screwing up what you could consider debate with text-ual hand grenades to stir things up.

17 years ago I got given a dumb phone when I started with the company, within 4 years a couple of change of jobs they gave me a blackberry. Thats when the BBM and texts started day and night from work colleagues and it became a right royal pain, you never felt like you had finished work. I think part of that was deliberate.

I made a policy of having it ‘on’ 8-6 and no more, this caused some issues as my clients were all GP and dentists and that was often when they could contact you but I figured I need a life and I’m having one!

Heading to Keswick on the 15th I shall be giving the George a try as a mate of mine recommends it.
Tapas was good at Bar es and its been a while since i’ve been in but magnolia was pretty good and had lots of Belgian beer.

I’m sure you’ve seen it already on social media but the similarity between his ‘doctors’ appearing outside the building all in white coats is so much of Armando Iannucci’s Death of Stalin, he also did the thick of it, its ridiculous.

I’ve never known a single human to need so much attention and needy adoration as the tangoman.