miga

That's PC gone maaaaaad, that is.

Dunno about learning to cycle on the IMAX roundabout. I learnt to cycle as a kid, but when I picked it up again for commuting in my late twenties, I cycled on quiet streets/parks building up my confidence to the Highbury roundabout over some weeks. Be visible, take it easy, practice your turns in a park so you are balanced while turning and indicating. There are fools on the road, be visible and patient. It's really a great way to get about.

I think it's a function of our times. For example, the reported decline of golf club membership is down to middle aged, middle class men just not having the time to idle away a weekend day with their peers on the golf course. People work longer hours, often weekends, and there's the expectation of "quality family time" too. Another factor may be that male friendships, in my experience, are activity/interest based; music, sports, clubs. These are all time/brain consuming things. Time and focus eaten up by the above mentioned. There's a thread of being "put upon" by women in some of the other posts; I really can't relate to that and feel it's a cop out (or the sign of deeper trouble in the relationship).

Ours are a bit older than yours by the sounds of it RobWD, but a few years ago (2013/2014) there was no such thing as a decent babycino in all of ED - we had to explain what the beverage was. And half the time you'd still end up with a cup of scolding hot milk - not the cup full of froth we'd become used to Down Under. Sounds like at least the cafes have lifted their game on that front. Still reeling from the ?5 pint a decade after the fact though.

Timely thread for me. I've had 2 Alturas over the past few years, almost by default, and have been kind of disappointed - fraying of the inside, zips that need to be fixed etc. Have been thinking of Decathlon and now my mind's made up.

Perhaps irrationally I always found the idea of Deliveroo unpleasant. Guy loaded up with takeaways from a place you couldn't be bothered walking/cycling to yourself, cycling in the cold driving rain for ?7 an hour plus ?1 per delivery. And now the thing he's bringing to you isn't even the thing you actually really thought you were getting. (Yes, there are many crappy minimum wage jobs out there, and no one coerces anyone into working for Deliveroo).

The new TL (May) timetable was supposed to give more trains, and a more predictable schedule. But the proposed changes also meant fewer trains through Blackfriars, no express trains skipping various stops and a weird removal of some peak hour trains. I complained about this when the consultation was doing the rounds, but I assume these went into a big black hole (or less likely were the minority position and everyone loved the new timetable). They weren't able to meet the May timetable because of a lack of drivers AFAIK (which is bizzare, they must know how many drivers they employ and how many are needed to drive the bloody things). So, they failed to implement changes many disagreed with, which I think is a suitable whimper to end a grand plan that was originally called Thameslink 2000 and got delivered in 2018. As far as who the winners are from all the turmoil...I find it difficult to imagine. The new trains are nice, but the Kent commuter has fewer express trains, the London commuter has fewer destinations, and the timetable is still in flux. I feel bad for people still barely squeezing on at DH at peak hour.

i thought a pour over is what happens after a reach around.

I went through a period a few years ago of trying to buy British. I did this on ethical grounds - I figured a pair of sneakers made here is unlikely to have been made by a child, or someone making less than the minimum wage. (Walsh was the brand, I think New Balance has some production here also). I've since expanded this to "the first world" on pretty much the same grounds. (Ethical consumption certainly makes me feel better, though I'm dubious about its effectiveness, and it smells a bit fake). On cars: I think the Germans made a choice decades ago to subsidise where we chose to cut. "German engineering" is marketing, like "Italian fashion" or "British diplomacy". Was a Golf that much better than a Marina? Is a Golf now that much better than a Civic? In other words - I would and do buy British, but I'm not sure that's what will save us from Brexit fallout. Corbyn is chasing ghosts from the past. Some wild claims from my Chinese made smartphone.

Joking aside - it did briefly look like an awesome place to go skiing....

You're right - Iran has some good skiing too.

Can get some late skiing in that time of year, last chance saloon before it becomes an activity only to be witnessed on the telly.

I think "I suspect" is offensive to people charged with a crime but not proven guilty. In my view, "in my view" is offensive to blind people. Both phrases also sound pompous.

Sixty percent of the time it works all the time

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.