[Coronavirus]

Agree with @Barrykearley here. We have as much protection as we are going to get, we need to keep the vaccines up to date and reflecting mutations and keep boosting, but life has to go on and lockdowns simply cannot continue. Do we want to be locking down next winter, or the year after - because if we do this winter it would most definitely be on the cards.

If there is such a concern that the hospitals cannot cope then why are the "nightingale" hospitals not being set up again.

Whilst it should be unnecessary it is evident that there are large elements of the UK populous that are incapable of behaving in a considerate manner, or taking personal responsibility, therefore what is however needed is some ongoing personal restrictions (Mask wearing etc). How far these go for the unvaccinated is where I suspect Mr K and I will probably diverge in opinion, especially when it comes to COVID passports for certain venues.

 

[Aldi and M&S]

I was wondering what others on here thought about this.

First round - Colin/Cuthbert the Caterpillar, all seemed a bit silly to me, (never been in Aldi at that stage) seeing as pretty much everyone has a version of this - why sue Aldi in particular. Aldi's response relatively amusing and including the police arresting him in their Christmas ad quite genius.

Now they are suing over their Gin. It's a bottle of gin with gold in it and lit up - not exactly a significant R&D design. It's not like reverse engineering an electronic product etc.

That said, there is a nice and convenient store near our new house so we've started using Aldi for some stuff recently and pretty much every product in there is designed to look like a branded product. Their butter looks like Clover, their Crisps look like McCoys, their chocolate spread looks like Nutella, Ketchup - Heinz, Pickle - Branston.... the list goes on.

So whilst the isolated events are mildly amusing, I can see why other brands would get the hump...... it is wrong and actually, the similarities I think potentially ought to be looked at by the authorities as misleading. I for one have actually bought something in there thinking it was the branded product only to be surprised when I got home. I just assume everything is their own brand now, as mostly it is.

So in summary I am of the opinion that actually M&S have a point, albeit why they'd take up the mantel personally I'm not sure. I wonder if they have asked others to join them.

[So are the driver's rubbish where you live?]

Does anyone think that what happens in reality will change one iota?

Notwithstanding that 99.999% of drivers and pedestrians never look at the highway code once they have passed their test anyway, even if they did in reality it will only be relevant in apportioning blame in the event of an accident and in whatever situations the motorist would have always got the blame anyway.

[Coronavirus]

22 minutes ago, thebartman said:

It doesn't qualify - for anything . It's Worcestershire.

It’s clearly northern. The sauce is brown. 

[Coronavirus]

On 13/12/2021 at 18:16, thebartman said:

In the Blue corner - "BBC Barry" (comprehensive - South)

 

Exactly how does Worcestershire qualify as "South"? It's well north of the Thames

[Planning consultant]

I feel your pain, but fortunately am done with the process now as I'm happy to report that I got my Completion Certificate from B. Regs last week. 

[Beginning of my Lotus Journey.]

Open the window when getting in and out in a tight space. Helps massively and may save your flora. 

[What made you happy today?]

I was only jesting, I’d rather use my local indie than my local dealer for servicing, but I actually have to pretty much drive past both of them to get to the dealer that supplied and serviced my Evora from new. 
 

Would still expect a price differential though. 

[What made you happy today?]

Is that the Lotus Main Dealer £280 fixed price service 

[Coronavirus]

Now this I agree with completely. Disease is a form of pest control. And let’s face it we are as a species far worse than any plague of locusts etc. 

Best not get onto the question of population control. It could all become very politically incorrect. That said population control needs to happen before conception, not by exposing the vulnerable. 

[Coronavirus]

1 hour ago, Barrykearley said:

And when you start compulsory vaccines policy - where do you stop with that? 
 

it’s the removal of personal choice and the effective punishment of house arrest I have a real issue with.

1st para - fair comment and in answer to that opinions are going to vary, clearly.

2nd one, I don't support compulsory vaccinations in general, but with all things there are consequences. We are not talking about virtual house arrest here (I'm not going into Austria and France). In all but the most extreme cases (and as far as the UK is concerned) there is a removal of some liberties if you don't get vaccinated.

So basically "these are the high risk environments for those around you, so if you don't get vaccinated we will prevent you from going to these specific high risk locations in order to protect those around you"

This is very different from House arrest and also from compulsory vaccinations.

Personal choice - get vaccinated and go to these places. Don't and you can't.

[Coronavirus]

3 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

Maybe time the government suggested doing that? They could also remove treatment rights for those whom are obese as well? As it’s their choice to be fat?

True, as both you and I commented above, it will divert resource from others who need it. The problem is if you start withdrawing treatment for specific conditions that are self inflicted then where do you stop - most things can be tracked back to "self infliction" depending upon how far you go with the root cause.

Exercise being a good example - withdraw treatment if you don't because you are unfit, withdraw treatment if you do because you are increasing the risk of injuring yourself (by playing football/rubgy/running/skiing or DIY etc).

So basically you'd only treat anything that was hereditary.

[Coronavirus]

2 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

It’s just wrong for one persons rights to overrule another’s.

- as let’s face it - the only person at risk is the one who hasn’t had the jab.

Sorry Barry but whilst I respect your views to a point just lately you’ve been pushing that. On these points you are  wrong and you are contradicting yourself. 

You are suggesting that the person who doesn’t want the jab should be able not to have it, this overriding everyone else’s rights. Somehow someone’s rights are going to be overruled either way. Personally the greater good is to be vaccinated, the vast majority of our population have been, so why should the rest benefit from that and then freely prejudice everyone else. Democracy= the greater good and some freedoms being lost. 
 

As for the only person at risk is the person not having had jab, also wrong. Firstly they increase the risk for everyone that they comes into contact with. Secondly when this population contracts the virus and needs hospitalisation that is resource that is diverted from someone else in need that would likely not have been necessary had they had the jab. 

The moral thing to do is to consider everyone, not just oneself. Get jabbed, it decreases the risk for everyone. In enforcing this those governments are basically saying that if you don’t give a shit about anyone else, then we are going to try and minimise the potential impact that your selfishness will have on others. So crack on as far as I’m concerned. 

[Shudder at car park speed]

Mines a 400 so already on MPSS. I wouldn’t say it’s any less than my N/A was. Simple cure. Don’t use full lock. 

[Shudder at car park speed]

2 hours ago, Flyingpip said:

shudder from the rear wheels at car park speed on lock

 

Are you sure it is the rear wheels? This sounds very much like the effect of the anti ackerman angle which happens on lock (and is normal). It's worse in cold weather if you are new to an Evora, so may not have noticed it so much in warmer weather. 

[What made you UNHAPPY today!]

East 17. Stay another day. It’s not a fecking Christmas song, why do we have to be subjected to this awful dirge every year 

[Brexit]

3 hours ago, march said:

What I don't get is that the French police just watch.

Come on, it's the national sport. Watching people come into France whilst doing nothing and watching them leave whilst doing nothing  in both cases making it the UK's problem. Admittedly, generally those who entered the country only left because the UK made them. 

Seriously though, that is an absolute disgrace and I really cannot see how it can be defended. In the UK those police officers would currently be suspended and awaiting formal charges once someone in an ivory tower can figure out how they can make them stick and the commissioner would have been forced to resign.

[Preparing for the imminent arrival.]

Congratulations. Im sure you will enjoy it.

1) I think it is a question of water entering the boot, I think it was if parked back lower than front, but I am sure someone else will confirm as never an issue for me (garaged)

2) As long as the battery is decent it takes/took 2 or 3 weeks for either of My Evoras to discharge to a point you cant start it. So more about longevity of battery, so the same as any other car.

3) sorry, no help, see 1

4) Don't do it they are poncy..... here's mine  (c)

 

[Favour Please TLF’ers]

11 hours ago, C8RKH said:

That's great ensure the male, 50-70 demographic is fully covered by TLF.

 

Speak for yourself you old git. (nb, this statement automatically becomes null and void in March)

Will go complete now. I just wonder whether the dissertation will determine that the number of Psychopaths believed to be in the community is woefully underestimated.

Edit - I can't complete i, I'm too young 

[ctek comfort leads]

As per Bibs, Had mine for years, but often it will read between partial charge and full charge even when it is still plugged in (and on a new battery).

The other thing to watch for is the push button switch - they have a habit of failing, so I just don't turn mine off so I don;t have to push the mode button.

Still working on creating the space in the garage to get my wifes JCW in there too. 

[Cash Back Credit cards]

It's more than dislike for Amex. What happened to my boss (at the time) and myself was massively serious. Not to mention the less serious cock ups. 

Thanks for the details all. The limits are an issue as we push everything through the cards, so I have enjoyed payments far in excess of all of these. I might spend the final cheque adding car play to the Evora.

Ho hum, never mind.

[Cash Back Credit cards]

So I've had current credit card since it was "Goldfish" if you remember that far back, and enjoyed an annual cheque of an ever decreasing %ge of annual spend each year. that said, it's always been at the top end. Seeing as we put everything on the card and then settle it at the end of each month I view this as free money, an annual Brucie Bonus if you like and generally use the money for something I wouldn't usually buy some (often not so) little treats.

Anyway they've now pulled the plug and a quick look online I can't really find anything (other than Amex - who I will never do business with for some very valid reasons). Anyone aware of any money back credit cards still in operation or is this now history?

Thanks

[I know that is how it is, but that doesn't mean it's better.]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

I was going to ask, was this an American Indian looking at an American Indian scarf?

Just so long as it isn't a rugby fan from Exeter as that would be cultural misappropriation and would lead to complaints by a team from Coventry who were previously from Wycombe but insisted on having the word "London" in their team name the whole time that they played their home matches there. 

[Would a Porsche Owner be Disappointed with an Evora?]

I looked at Porsche as an option before I bought my first Evora. I think you will make your mind up on whether or not build quality (fit and finish) is likely to be an issue for you as soon as you sit in one. I think both cars pretty much wear their heart on their sleeve in that department and they are different.

As regards mechanical build quality I do not buy into the Porsche build quality reputation. It seems that the Porsche issues are at least as frequent, if not more so and when they do happen they are more major and far more expensive. To be honest I'd rather pay for a major failure on the Lotus than on a Porsche and I'd suggest it probably more unlikely.

Where Lotus will probably irk you is minor stuff. It is unlikely to stop you from driving the car, but you probably are more likely to have an annoying "something" that takes a few goes at resolving, or where you have to put some effort into obtaining the part quickly.

This is on the basis of Evora ownership of 8 years and c50,000 miles (2 cars). I bought a second one, which probably says something.

[What made you happy today?]

I’ve got a tree we took down this year filling my log store, but needs to season for future years. This year however I have a fair load of large roof timbers from the old flat roof. Not sure what to do with them, considering chopping them up for the log burner, but seems a bit of a waste.