Special K

REM were really good up until Monster, but after that were gash. Travis are my nomination for a shyte band. "Why does it always rain on me"? Because you a miserable, shyte, ****-knuckle you ****, that's why. Never understood why Elvis Costello is lauded. Ditto Talking Heads. Most manufactured modern "music" is pony anyway, so obvious candidates are all the poncy, metorsexual boy "bands" and anyone who cannot play an instrument and tarts about on a stage singing someone elses songs.

Then you can buy you kid the GI Joe with the kung-fu grip.

Brilliant!

Did the London to Brighton about 5 years ago. It's a terrific day, but just beware of the numbers. We set off about 7.30am which was quite late as there are 2 parts of the ride where there were queues as the roads narrowed so much. Ditchling Beacon is a narrow road and when i tried it, the cyclists were about 5 wide in number, with the first 2 "lanes" pushing as it's quite a punishing hill. I was on a road bike behind mountain bikers who were peddling like **** and getting nowhere! Needless to say i couldn't move out and ended up knocking the wheel of the bloke in front and knocking over a few on a domino effect. Not a popular chappie! the vast majority if the ride is really good and there is a proper finish too, where you feel really chuffed reaching the finish line with the street lined with peeps cheering you on. Great stuff. Good luck and as other have said try to get up to at least 80 - 85% of the required miles in your training prior to the ride. I also did the London to Paris a year later, over 3.5 days with between 80 and 110 mile days. Started training in the April doing 10 miles and did my first 100 miler two weeks before the ride in the July. It's not as fearful as you may think. And chamois cream is ok, but i found that nappy rash cream was more effective! However, you should be fine if it's just a one day ride. All the best.

Thrown it into a wrapped SIPP fund with some chums and purchased some commercial property. Prices are low and the right investment will yield a decent rental. Some distressed sites have gone very cheaply, so provided the rental obligations can be filled and there is a reasonable long term desire, then the long term returns are OK and there's no CGT on the eventual equity come selling time.

Most of the fellas i know who smoke weed a lot are wasters and scroungers. Some are nice lads, but still wasters. Goes hand in hand with some outdated hippy based opting out sh!t which went out of fashion ages ago. Couldn't give a toss if it's decriminalised or not as i don't smoke it.

It is sad to hear that they don't know the types of veg, but to be honest i don't think my folks ever bought broccoli when i was a kid. It was all runner beans, carrots and cabbage (grown on me grandads allotment). I didn't eat broccoli until i was in my late teens!! Same goes for sweet peppers come to think of it!

I don't see too many business owners whining, but there are plenty of others whining about this supposedly unfair proposed legislation, who, presumably are not business owners?

If the argument is that he needs to contribute to society, then surely his time is better spent working in a field of social care or victim support. How can he contribute to society by being a goalkeeper in a football team? Unless, say, his wages are capped at, say, the national average and he donates the rest to victim support for those left without young children following accidents with drunk drivers.

Avoid all the TV with a giant drink up in the street with your neighbours. All in the name of celebration of course. Celebrating another bank holiday that is.

Anyone organising or attending one? Looks like there will be over 10,000 organised http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9282611/Queens-Diamond-Jubilee-take-to-the-streets-its-party-time.html We've got one in our street and it looks like there will be over 120 people attending. Should be good fun, with a mixture of games, food, music and i daresay, a little bit of booze.

Don't be a ****. Of course one can be the other, it's just that one doesn't necessarily equate to the other.

Tough one. Wouldn't let it go to 24 weeks, unless the mother was in real danger. Don't agree with it as a "lifestyle" choice either, but wouldn't want to see choice withdrawn. And anyone who has seen a 19 week scan would not say it is just a "bunch of cells"

But if he was on a pay as you play basis, why would they want to let him go? If he was fit he would be a good player, no doubt, up there as a decent squad player.

And therein lies the problem with your point. A well run company. A good place to work. They are not the same thing. You appear to be confusing the two. I don't think anyone is saying current employment law is prohibitive to offering employment, more the fact that small firms need more flexibilty when they have failing staff.

So why not be more balanced in your views?

I have worked for 3 small firms as well as much larger ones in my time and currently own my own small business. And yes I do employ people. I also happen to take their welfare, security and job satisfaction very seriously. But like most small businesses trying to make a go of it, if the economic situation kicks me in the arse, i would rather have the flexibilty to let staff go (very reluctantly i may add) than risk the whole company folding. If that means this legislation can be useful in part, to achieve that, then i am all for it. Added to that if i employ someone who proves to be deceitful and disruptive, then i want the ability to let them go. However, i do agree that an employee should be sussed out within a year. But pap, your posts are equally fallacious to focus solely on the problems rather than the benefits of working for small firms. Experience tells me that a situation outlined in my original post is the more likely and it was posted to provide a balance to the usual shop steward nonsense on this forum. Incidentally, you appear to have worked for a number of firms, who long did you last at the small firms?

Seems to me those that are rallying against this have no experience working in small firms and have yet again fallen into the trap of sweeping generalisation. This proposal is aimed at very small organisations who will feel the effects of economic turbulence more readily than larger firms, so i don't see much of an issue with this. In my experience i have found small firms to be, on the whole, better run and more open and creative than larger ones. Certainly not run by irrational and incompetent people who care little for their staff. The majority would have been set up by people who were fed up with working for larger companies anyway and seek to plough their own furrow with the lessons learned from previous experience. I have found business owners of small firms generally care for and treat their staff better than bigger ones.

I'm sure he'd do well, in the 20 minutes he would play in a season. If he's nearing fitness and past his injuries, Citeh would keep hold of him.

Was very average on Countdown. Probs put off by Rileys legs tbf, but average nevertheless.

M&S quality is very poor. If you buy from them at least go for something from their Sartorial range or a classic Oxford, which is at least slightly better than their general range. Lewins are OK for everyday wear. As mentioned before, Tyrwhitt is alright. Harvie and Hudson are worth checking out. I agree with Bateman that Paul Smith shirts are terrific, but for the same price (or less) you can get tailoured, which is always a better option if you have the time. Always wear double cuff with links, except with an Oxford (which i have a soft spot for). Tried various shoes / boots, but cannot find better than Loakes.

Amen to that brother. Asking for trouble.

Don't forget the bulking factor of the soil you dig out for the pond. Whilst it is 4m3 in the solid, when you have dug it out in the loose, you can bulk that up by about 1.5 times. (just to confuse things, like)

Depends on the size of the company you have gone to. If they are small firms you may find they have no accreditations (never needed to get them). As post above FMB is a good start, but doesn't mean they are bad if they don't have it. Check they have current E&P Liability insurance and if you are nervous, consider using a JCT homeowners contract (check out RIBA bookshop online - about ten quid i think). As always check they use gas engineers that are GasSafe registered (if you need it) and best to check they use NIC/EIC qualified sparkies too, especially when working in "wet" areas. Also, check out websites like check-a-trade (if it cvers your area) which is a good indicator of whether they are conscientious.

Building Surveyors are the biggest crooks, charging over £500 for a "valuation report" that isn't fit to wipe my arse with.