Special K

He is a good lad, but I think he tries to do too much in that position, which dilutes his effectiveness. He could do with being a bit more selfish and directing the wide men more, too. Elia is still finding his feet in the team and is probably one of those lads that need to be gee'd up. Skipper Fonte can't do that from the back and we need whoever plays that number 10 role to be harder and more assertive. You're right Patrick, he needs more muscle. And that barge was very amusing!

Again, we played well without creating too much and that lack of confidence from not scoring is really evident after about 25 minutes. Felt that we needed a bit of luck yesterday to get that elusive goal, which would have been much easier if the ref had given at least one penalty before half time. Poor display by him and rightly derided for his ineptitude. Sorry to say it, but playing JWP behind the front man isn't working too well and he just isn't quite there yet. He's a good lad and a good player, but we need someone who can stamp a bit of authority in that position. It's so pivotal when playing long balls up for knock downs, which Pelle generally does well, but of course that "number 10" role is really hard to fill without spending shedloads of cash. We mix it up when attacking with long balls and working the channels, which is good, but there appears to be a bit of a headless chicken count in and around the box when a cross or pass from wide comes in - a lack of positional sense and options open to the wide man cause too many attacks to break down. Add that to an unwillingness for someone to put their laces through the ball and rifle in something for the keeper to save and it adds to our despair in front of goal. J Rod will provide more cohesion when he comes back although he will need a lot of game time to get backup to speed. Overall, disappointed that the 4th spot is slipping away from us and maybe not getting another striker option in during January will prove decisive in where we finish the season. Still, where we are is terrific and I hope the team respond well in the coming weeks when the spotlight is going to be on other teams.

Nicely over the top post. Whoever said "he's no longer in a saints shirt so he's dead to me"! Can't see any posts like that, myself. Trying to equate a rational, unemotional view of him playing for the opposition on Sunday with a lovelorn teenager just getting to grips with the demise of their first relationship, is puerile, and dare I say, more of an example of something spouted by those "slack jawed simpletons". Anyway, because I won't have my tongue up his arse on Sunday this obviously means I have no appreciation of heritage and history, so i'll try not to p..s on the Ted Bates statue after the game which i was, of course, planning to do.

Why is there so much sentimental old crap with football fans? Lambert was good for us and we were good for him. Then he moved on, and fair enough too. But that is the end of it. I'd much rather the fans give their support to Pelle, Tadic and Elia (who all need to find the back of the net) than shed a meaningless tear over someone warming the bench for the opposition. OK, blow him a little kiss when he's warming up on the touchline if you must, but then FFS wind him up and put him off his game as he plays for the opposition now and not the team you support. I can't stand the though of Lambert, or Lallana, scoring the winner for the dippers on Sunday and then reading on here some crap about "At least we were beaten by one of our own". FFS, he's not a Saints player now and not part of what and who we support.

Sounds to me like you've got everything covered UJ. Good luck with the project and I hope all goes well for you. I did the same thing about 18 months ago to my 1930's house. It was, um, fun! re: your question, I don't think that conveyancers would know at all. They just pick up on planning apps and try to tie up the obligatory paperwork that should have been provided at the moment in time the work was carried out. Certainly Surveyors wouldn't be bothered about internal changes as they are employed to assess (very badly IMHO) the value of the house compared to the amount borrowed to purchase. I'm sure others will point out if I am wrong though. I wouldn't worry about the CDM changes as this will only likely affect large domestic projects, making them notifiable to the HSE. Small extensions are very likely to be exempt, but as Colonel says the exact details are to be confirmed.

The Agreement is (theoretically) needed if you dig near or below the foundation level of their property, so yes, you will probably fall into that category with any type of dig, i'm afraid - https://www.gov.uk/party-walls-building-works/work-tell-your-neighbour-about - will give you more info. There is generally a need for masonry below ground which acts, among other things, as a support for the walls above. If you use a raft foundation, you can build off that with any type of infill panels, providing the proper weathering details are incorporated. But for bi fold channel supports, draining of cavity, etc, a bit of masonry up to damp is recommended. It generally works out well for a bit of flexibility and is quicker too, although everyone will have an opinion!

If you are digging any sort of foundation within 3 metres (i think) of the neighbours foundations, you are advised to get a party wall agreement in place. However, it is not necessary and if you have a decent rapport with you neighbour, then it is always worth approaching them for a non formal agreement. Even if you do need one, you don't need a Surveyor to draw one up and there are templates available online for you to use. also, it sounds as though your planned extension is within Permitted Development rights, but it is worth getting the council to confirm. For £30 (ish) they will give you the all clear or advise otherwise. Regarding the timber frame and the foundations, much will depend upon the ground conditions of your garden and the levels you are working with and to. Generally though, you will need concrete pads to support the timber frame and a strip footing to support the masonry infill panels or the below ground masonry and timber walls that sit on top of them (depending upon your design). As is usual with small extensions, you will need the building inspector to come out and witness the ground conditions so that the excavation depth has exposed good bearing conditions for the foundation. Alternatively you could get a ground bearing raft foundation which is also your ground floor slab, but this will invariably be thicker than a normal slab. Your Structural Engineer will advise as to the best way forward. I would be very reluctant to build any extension without foundations supporting all the external walls. You would also be well advised to get BC sign off for the works, especially if you ever come to sell the place. and if you are amending gas and /or electric installations, boiler positions, etc, then the relevant tickets will be required for Gas Safe and Part P (depending upon design) compliance. Another thing, if you have a suspended ground floor to your existing house and you are extending with a ground bearing slab, don't forget to extend the ventilation to the existing floor under the new slab (some drainage pipes, connectors and a few air bricks will suffice).

The numbers of applicants may be up, but this doesn't necessarily relate to the numbers of those enrolled on courses. But even if there is little difference, this has nothing to do with justifying the increase in costs that students are burdened with as a result of pursuing their educational development. How increasing the financial burden of educating yourself can be portrayed as a good thing is beyond me and calling it a Fee or whatever term you use, is just semantics. The end game is that there is still a debt that has to be paid by somebody, either the graduate or the taxpayer. But the individual financial pressure that gives to the liable student is good for neither their short term or long term financial position. IMHO using applicant figures to justify this policy is wrong as there have been precious few alternatives for school leavers to consider over the last few years. Look at the wider economy - as a result of the worst recession for 80 years there are far fewer opportunities in the workplace for non graduates than in times of prosperity especially those offering a career path, apprenticeships are down, wages are poor for non graduates, the list goes on, meaning the school leaver has no option but to apply for an FE place.

Modern condensing boilers, either combi or not, cost more to repair and service and you don't get the lifespan that you used to get with the old style boilers - parts are more costly, the heat exchangers fail on average, after about 5 years, and you are lucky to get more than 7 years out of one before the cost of repair outweighs the cost of replacement. They aren't as efficient as they make out either. The return hot water (which goes through the heat exchanger for re-use) needs to be about 55 deg to get anywhere near the sort of efficiency %ages that are paraded about. The average temperature coming back in is likely to be between 60 to 70 degrees on a cold day, when you need it most. Add to that the corrosive nature of the condensate which shortens the lifespan of the exchanger, the possible freezing of the condense pipe and, IMHO, it's all a bit of a myth really. IMHO it's far more prudent to decrease the heat loss in the house fabric in the first instance. More loft insulation, cavity wall insulation if appropriate, better windows, lagged pipework, etc This places less demand on the boiler, so should be of more benefit and will make the boiler more efficient.

This article is a load of old crap. Using an increase in the numbers of applicants as an argument for the apparent success of the raising of tuition fees completely misses the point. There are precious few options open to school leavers as it is and these are just applicant figures - any sensible school leaver is going to explore all options open to them. I don't mind a political slant on issues, but this is plain bollix.

Me and the wife give generously. She gives to the homeless, I give to the topless.

I'm sorry Bletch, I don't know. I can only bow to your "friends" superior knowledge of such matters, my own comprehension is sadly diluted by the limited windows of opportunity that are presented to me. However, your "friend" is correct in that the apparent female relations are joined in a final celebration of the fun that has just occurred with an act that is, I believe, referred to as the "Screaming Eagles", where Robin from Dispatch attempts to feed his worm to the eager Cubicle ladies who are kneeling and with their mouths open expectantly, not dissimilar to the feeding process of hungry young birds.

Too right. Gives me more time to read stuff on here.

But Cubicle Girl's Mum may be a broad minded soul and has already suggested to Cubicle Girl that Robin from Dispatch come around and get his Hampton out for her so they can all have a dirty threesome? At least that's what happens in the short films i have seen.

It's all subjective Wurzel, but if you want some recommendations, can i offer the following; Boat trip up and down the Seine. Sacre Coeur at dusk / night. Musee D'Orsay - my favourite gallery. Rodin Museum. Jardin de Plantes (if you like plants and flowers - magnificent tulip display in Springtime). Definitely get a bunch of metro tickets before you go.

Just over an hour, iirc. Caught the train to both from Peschiera Del Garda when we stayed there. Verona is an excellent city and well worth a visit. Didn't get to Vicenza or Padua due to time constraints, which are supposed to be just as good. Stayed in Amalfi on honeymoon. The coastline is really nice, but Amalfi itself is boring and not really worth a visit. However, Sorrento, Capri, etc around are good.

Well, good ones are a rarity.

I thought we played really well, especially in the first half, but it just wasn't our day. We didn't get the rub of the green due to being too reticent in our build up play and a well marshaled Swansea defence - (Williams was fantastic). Let's face it, last league game we were lucky to come away with a win after the Geordies had a serious shout for a penalty, so this is the game where things are evened out. I think Pelle is getting some unfair criticism from some posters. Our game has changed slightly since the rotten run in December to mixing it up a bit and providing a few more balls up to him to knock down to runners - both seen in the first at St James Park and the goal at Old Trafford. Yesterday he had Fernadnez and/or Williams sticking to him like sh!t to a blanket and precious little running onto him to lay it off, JWP wasn't as proactive as he normally is and we did stick with the wide men in wide positions, so it was difficult for Pelle. OK sometimes his first touch lets him down, but he wasn't bad at all yesterday. Tadic played really well first half but his influence faded in the second. If him and Clyne had played like they did in the first 45, then I think the scoreline would have been different. I think we were just unlucky. Nothing wrong with the play, effort or desire, just a bit of luck that didn't go our way. Certainly no need for forensic analysis of the players, squad, or formation. One thing i would like to see is less "trying to walk the ball into the net", though. More shots from distance please RK.

Building Contractor.

Still cannot understand why getting knocked out of cup competitions is a good thing? No team wants to lose, especially at home and European football is more likely achieved for teams of our stature through Cup competitions. Sure we are going well in the league, but competition for automatic qualification for EL & CL is going to be very fierce and is by no means a certainty this season. And if it's good to be playing less games as an argument for consolidating our league position, how on earth will the poor loves cope with a league campaign if we actually end up playing in Europe. Anyway, enjoyable game yesterday, frustrating in the first half. Tadic is the new Scakel. Pelle needs to stop whinging and Long should have played from the start. Fair play to Palace though, they are much improved under Pardew.

True enough. There are few things more likely to encourage an unhealthy dose of female neurosis that the content in Cosmopolitan.

Fantastic win. It also reinforces what we know (and the rest of the country don't) that we are strong beneath the first 11 with a mix of resilient journeymen and talented youngsters that are coached and motivated correctly. I hope that when Spurs, Arsenal, Scouse and City get back to European football, their fixture pile ups will have a negative effect on their league performances (Chelsea seem just too good to suffer) which will give us the opportunity to push ahead a bit.

If Ed Bollix gets anywhere near the Treasury hotseat you'll need to raise a thread sooner than that.

I don't think anyone is denying you the right to say what you think. Just pointing out that there is a better than average chance of it being a load of old pony.

Sorry to offend you Norway, I was, rather clumsily, trying to be specific about atheism as a rejection of belief in the Deities, in the slightly ironic context of one atheist preaching the gospel of another atheist to "spread the word". I didn't mean to imply that atheists have no beliefs or operate their life without principles at all. It would be intolerant, judgmental and ignorant of me to do so, either as a confirmed atheist or Christian.