MrBen

Well until they invent GOOD coffee Mockney what's a man to do? Listening is believing..... GigGirl - Happy to let you road test these (fresh ear buds ;-))

Barry Barry Press update - last Sunday's Sunday Post attached. For all you southerners, The Sunday Post is a national Scottish newspaper, institution and home to the Broons

I'm liking your 'phones vibes there Steve. I like to call 'em buds You're right - they can't replace compression but they can still bring out detail that your standard stock issues don't and underpin it all with a bass that will sing to your soul. And with background noise cancelling to boot. As Jimmy Iovine says - "You can make bad coffee warm, but its still bad coffee" but these make a huge difference. He likens playing through stock earphones /speakders to playing a Beatles master through a portable tv. Try them out and see for yourself? I've got the in ear version which retails at 125 squids with phone mic or 92 without. It comes with 10 pairs of different ear bud adaptors for weird shaped ears.

MP3 files are convenient but sound like shit, losing up to 25% on compression. So after agonising long enough I've just invested in a pair of these beauties after reading THIS amongst other reviews and trying a few out. I'm not disappointed - these are really very good indeed IMO for the price and will change the way you use your ipod/MP3. You'll listen to it waaaaay much more. I'd almost say its like listening to music in 3D. Or having a religious experience. Especially if you can pick out the the wire brush drumming on that Miles Davis track that didn't otherwise didn't exist. Also great on an 8 hr flight - beautifully cancelling out the mid flight duty free announcement and both engines of a 757. Still waiting for the next generation quality MP3 format - but these are a decent start. Caution: Do NOT wear on the late 12 bus back home. You will be mugged.

Hi guys, Request - does anyone have any HIGH RES pics they could send me of Help Ma Boab and Surf Bobby from any of the runs to date. We have press lined up but my flickr pics are too small,and all my high res pics are back in ED (I'm far from home). Thanks.

Best place to watch this game? Central Madrid or Barcelona. Or Amsterdam for some solid solemn Germanic style partying. The worst? Wild Bills saloon bar in Banff where I'm sitting with four frustrated Dutch campers, a guy in full cowboy attire and a Spanish Canadian chef. At lunchtime.

So this thread was about when to put the flag up, but, England flopping out, I've been wondering what the unspoken rules are for taking it down. Do you pull it down post Germany in disgust or keep it flying until the World Cup final in defiance before quietly putting it back under the bed?

If you are renting a property out or looking to rent why not use this forum? - I've used it for 3 years, have found some really good tenants and even found a great house to rent myself - all without agent involvement. With technology, social networking and direct selling, agents pushing the same old business model days are numbered. Speaking of which - an EDF donation is long overdue....

Hi David, I have some colourful planted boxes in my back garden, a few other pansies and things and some glorious sun flowers. However with the recent high humidity the underside of all of their leaves has become infested with small black bugs - thousands of them. Do you know what these little terrors might be and if so how I get rid of them - they don't seem to be doing much damage - but I fear mass destruction if I don't deal with them promptly. Many thanks.

England 1 Germany 1 Penalties then England WIN.

You just said it much better than I managed Sean. For a late stand in they did ok.

Agreed on Lou Reed. The whole set was a bit of a let down I thought. some albums just don't translate I guess. Of course the texts from on site tell a different story "Gorrilaz were AMAZING" etc but well.... you know...

Yeah but I bet you didn't turn down the once in a lifetime chance to roadie for The Phenomenal Handclap band, choosing instead to stay in London to install an insurance claims IT system did you? It's only just sunk in......

Gorrilaz 10pm - Lou Reed is supposed to be joining them...

This is the second year in a row I've not gone. I should have. It's that 1 in 10 dry year.

More than any world cup previously - I am fully supporting England this time. Even though you've played crap. Not many Scots will say that. All the turgid picking over the bones and grim faced builders that I'll have to deal with if you don't...

CitizenEd - It is your destiny to play the Germans in the second round and lose on penalties - face up to it!

Text from my brother in Bloemfontein: "Holy shit - it's deafening here" I bet it is.

Go........................ol! And you thought England had problems.....

My brother has lucked out - a charity he's worked hard for before asked him to look after 100 HIV affected African kids by escorting them to 8 games at the World Cup if he could cover his flight across. He's been working hard, wearing his kilt to most games and blogging his once in a lifetime experience here. He got allocated Bloemfontein as base and so has had the various joys of Greece vs Nigeria and soon, Honduras vs the Swiss. But today it's perhaps the biggest group game at that venue as the home nation take on the bickering frogs - and it should be a good game considering the situation.... It's also where England will play Germany in Second round if they come runner up in Group C,although perhaps might want to take the tartan skirt off for that one!

Just me or does anyone else really like the way South Korea play football? Nice technical passing and movement.... Anyways - tonight.....SAAAAAAMBA TIME! Already anticipating the camera shot of two Brazilian beauties in bikinis playing a triangle.

I got some in Penge Homebase down the road a few weeks back... And er, I was experimenting with my Weber kettle BBQ and a chicken. Used indirect heat (coals at either side), drip tray underneath the chicken in the middle. Stuck half an onion in the chicken, some herbs and butter under the skin, a homemade BBQ rub, stuck the lid on - 2h hours - added a little soaked woodchips for last hour - came out really good flavour, juicy and falling off the bone. :)-D

And if Hart played and made a mistake it would be because he's inexperieced...what was Capello thinking etc... He can't win really can he? Enjoying all the cliches coming out- todays gem "There's a real discipline about this German team...almost systematic"

Yeah well...mistakes happen at all levels in all aspects of life..... If Green gets the blame for an early England exit then that would be unfair. They bashed the woodwork and came close four or five times, left your midfield flaccid and neutered Rooney. I reckon a draw was a fair result.

In a bid to cancel out my uncool Bucks Fizz debut I hopefully asked MrsBen what her first was. Answer...... Tiffany - 1986, Calgary. *holds head in despair*