kevinjohnsonmbe

A slight aside, but anyone else buy the phone rather than contract hire? I found that, so long as it lasts >18months, it works out better to buy rather than hire (esp with the VAT back and 100% deductible as IT equipment)

Coke and whores scores high on the "in your dreams" scale, but in reality:

Pension investment has significant tax benefits....

Otter Box range has some truly indestructible, but quite bulky (and rather pricey) covers. I used to take the phone out of the box when in less challenging scenarios to cut down the bulkiness.... Lost the Otter Box somewhere...

Very much depends upon the scale, circumstances and public / authority interest surrounding the event. FC are empowered to investigate and enforce under the Forestry Act. The reality is (in the SW at least) that some whopping transgressions have historically gone completely un-penalised. Lack of resources, lack of 'will' from the hierarchy all seem to have a significant impact upon the likelihood of an actual prosecution. The FC SW 2012 - 17 illegal felling spreadsheet makes for fairly pitiful reading in terms of positive action.

No..... But..... The definition of a 'domestic garden' is open to a degree of interpretation

Bit like this one: (couldn't find the HSE link saw recently but this one will do) https://www.healthandsafetyatwork.com/safe-systems-of-work/crown-censure-hse-hsl-buxton-hydrogen-pressure-test HSE Censure for, wait for it..... The HSE!

Mull, mucker, I’m neither rich (by financial measure - I am rich in love, life and happiness) nor Tory voting, nor, what I think you might mean by ‘old boy’ - in the network sense - I hate (significant parts of the ‘establishment’ (not so much other parts) and much of what it stands for. What I hate more is lies, agendas, double standards and self serving hypocracy - that which could realistically be summed up as the sort of champagne socialism spouted by the likes of Sir Jonny 2 Jags, Bob (6 figure salary but I’m entitled to a Council house and Brazilian beach holiday) Crow and my all time favourite, I’ll send my kids to private school but keep the red flag flying and spend all but a fraction of my sham racist charity money on a piss up, Baboon Abbot.... That said, I’m probably amongst the least charitable people you might ever happen across so not too much danger of you having to question my motives anytime soon. I would however, highlight the obvious differences between charity and hospitality / generosity - I like to think I’m moderately better endowed in the latter characteristics.... ?

I'm happy to wait til next year and have a look at the charity commission accounting report.... I'm not for betting as a general rule, and acknowledging the potential bias from the source info, what odds would you give that it's 'fake news?' (If you actually come up with some odds I'll have to ask Mr E what it means...) As an aside, if I set up a charity for kids of 1 specific racial demographic, to the exclusion of all others, would that make me a racist?

I'd only have to burp and the truck would be full!

Taking a slightly more 'base' view of what's making the news today... They seem to have been letting her off the leash a bit more of late.... Are the embarrassments that seem to follow her so closely pure coincidence or the act of malicious criticism..... Or is it just possible that she really is a complete liability in her own lunchbox and simply doesn't need any help.... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5290869/Diane-Abbotts-charity-spent-2016-money-party.html

Is that the “wow” of an adjusted focus?

By 'zooming out' it's possible to view the subject with the necessary focus to rise above the sort of idealistic zeal that exists only within fairy land and the Green Party where moaning and wailing, but never having the realistic prospect of being faced with the responsibility for action, is a luxury that is enthusiastically exploited.... Quoted above is (a large part of) the uncomfortable truth - and only by acknowledging it, and some of the perhaps even more uncomfortable realities that it presents can there ever be any form of realistic corrective action. Stop focussing on 'growth' as an economic indicator of 'success.' Stop buying / using stuff you don't need. Stop deluding yourself that flying off to the beach is paradise when in reality it is a "shithole." (timely intervention by the FCO - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jamaica) The greatest threat to human existence on this planet is the human population. It appears to me that the least likely candidates to acknowledge and seek to address this uncomfortable reality are those that are generally to be found within the organisations that do the most wailing....

Tough questions to answer from your post VI, but in the spirit of wholepictureness.... There's much to agree with regarding the opportunity to reduce oil dependency versus the expansion of new oil field exploration. But, in the absence of a reduction in oil dependency, is it better to allow disproportionate influence on world political stability through volatile foreign oil sources or to 'bring it home' where localised control, investment and employment might provide fringe benefits? I'd wholeheartedly agree, and support, a serious attempt to explore viable alternatives that would reduce oil dependency. Can't realistically see it ever coming to fruition on a single national level because the organic political systems lend themselves towards short term 'remain in office' motives rather than long term 'human' benefit. You've only to look to the Hinckley scenario and UK power deficit to see how politicians fail on the prospect of planning past the next election. And I don't think anyone is seriously going to try and argue that Trump is a strategic thinker in the 50-100 year time frame. Tough choices: - an international effort to explore energy sources of the future, unlikely without major political shift. - Global population control / reduction - even tougher choice but the most viable option to reduce oil dependency. - Leave things as they are because the "shitholes" have all the oil and it would be immoral to deprive them of that little income they currently have - with all of the wealth that oil has provided to "shitholes" there aren't many that stand up as an example of equitable sharing of wealth throughout the population. - Can we blame Trump for the failure of generations of politicians to address the issues that we currently have? I don't think so, leastways not with a clear conscience and an open mind. Still thinking.....

Sorry it's not an 'answer' but rather a (similarly frustrated) observation. It's a situation that has been allowed to creep up on us all over the years as a consequence of inadequate intelligence, tick box procedures or 'templating' of previous documents by those with responsibility for issuing ITTs and the willingness, in pursuit of contracts, of those in this (and other industries) to bend over and accept whatever terms are stated in the ITT regardless of how apparently stupid they appear to be. Net result - contract costs spiral way beyond where they reasonably ought to be. Worst culprit - public sector contracts. Consequence - scandalous waste of tax payers money. If there was any sense or accountability for the person issuing the ITT, they should look upon the person that questions the terms of the ITT as a favourable indication of their common sense and professionalism. "You can have it at this price £X with all your pointless and poorly conceived stipulations, or you can have it at this price £Y with the following, more appropriate inclusions...." Your choice muppet!

I take your point, but I've taken a different view...... The 'buyer' will be presented with many products from suppliers that are trying to get their product on the sales range - probably samples and freebies. It's entirely possible that what he has offered to pass on to me in compensation for my disappointment (2 days waiting in for courier (delivery & collection) assembly, dissatisfaction, disassembly, repacking, and still no chair) is one of those samples or, at the very least, it would have been bought-in wholesale price. What has the company actually 'lost?' Relatively minimal, or no 'actual' cost of product, a phone call, an email and a courier charge. Why have they done it.....? To ameliorate a negative customer feedback on their webpage - and I will, if invited, review the feedback to reflect how I now feel. They will have gained a loyal future customer - and one that is keen to share the experience with others. Sometimes you have to 'give a little' to gain more on the longer term. I don't think I'm chancing my arm as a stroppy customer wanting more than was agreed (we all know about them.) I gave honest feedback, the company reacted with an offer to make things good, I have accepted that offer and I now feel really good about buying from them in the future. They won't have 'lost' much, if anything, in the broader consideration. I think the 'gain' outweighs any perceived pain and makes good business sense.

Brilliant! We must have gone to the same school of grumpy old pessimists! (Unless you’re a Yorky? It’s genetic there so I understand ?)

No, seriously, Gary is generally really quite accurate - and funny!

Not sure if the has been done before or not.... The wife often remarks what a miserable so-and-so I can be, I'm not shy when it comes to complaining (when appropriate), but equally, I'm just as keen to say "thank you" when somebody goes the extra mile. Scenario: I've been looking for a nice new office chair for quite a while. Tried all the usual culprits like Staples etc where you can try before you buy but it was all a bit mediocre to be honest. That only left the online options where there are a million options and a price range to match any taste. Trouble is, how do I know if I'll like it, fit it, be comfortable in it if I can't sit on it first? So I spend a bit of time looking at chairs online, settle on a company and a product that looks good, phone them up and ask what the returns policy is if I don't like it. Just pack it up and we'll arrange collection and refund no charge Sir they say. OK I say, take my money and send me the chair! Chair arrives, I put it together... It's OK. OK but not 'special' like I was expecting and like I'd parted with not an insignificant amount of mullah. Wife agreed, it would have been a satisfactory purchase at ½ the price. So, I'm on the phone, no, it'll have to go back. OK they say, courier be with you tomorrow. I had to de-construct it, so far as was possible, and in due course the courier arrived and off went my eagerly awaited new chair. Had to chase up the refund but it's done now. So I was waiting for all that to complete before I filled in the Feefo online customer survey. Not much different to what I've said here. Reasonable pre-purchase service, pretty good returns arrangements, not withstanding the refund hiccup, but quality and price point exceptionally disappointing. Did that yesterday evening. This morning phone rings and it's the 'buyer' from the company asking if I could elaborate on the comments on the review. I did, but not massively since there wasn't really much more to say. Leave it with me he says, I'll go and find it in the warehouse and have a look so I can see what you mean. So i get an email this afternoon saying he'd looked at it and completely agreed. He came across as genuinely upset by it all and has offered a replacement chair of similar spec / price completely free of charge as an apology for the inconvenience. To be honest, I'd have been happy with the phone call or email just to show that somebody is having a look at it and is genuinely interested in customer feedback. Throwing in a complimentary replacement chair really is a cherry on top and this is company I'll go back to with full confidence. https://www.key.co.uk/en/key

Stop now.....! (Trees, guns, blondes...) Typical of a MB thread! Causing a distraction!!

Taking bets (uncharacteristically) on Janey's employer.....?

That is a tough break... So much hassle to resolve. Even if they were insured it could well come down to knock-for-knock on a single track road. Dashcam, Dashcam, Dashcam!

Just had a front go through with some awesome wind gusts that seemed to come out of nowhere! wasnt expecting that!!