Taiga261

Yeah they're not as bad with thinner socks, but I looked at taking the insoles out of the boots and they seem properly attached. My bro just had a look and said he thought he could see a slight widening of the leather at the side so in order to return them I'm not gonna wear them again. Don't know why I asked for opinions now. In reality, they've gotta go back and I know it. It's either 44's or maybe a new model which give toes more space width-height wise.

I got some arbortec boots for Christmas, in size EU 43 (which is about UK size 9) and they are just about wearable, but on my right foot particularly, feel a bit cramped. They're fine length ways, but in terms of height and width, my toe area feels a bit uncomfortable. My current work boots are EU size 43 and I have some non-work boots which are also EU size 43, and both are great fits, but these arbortec boots (and funnily enough they are physically longer than the other two pairs of boots really feel cramped. Maybe a pointless thread, but should I wear them indoors for this week to see if I get used to them, or just return them and go for size 44. All I need is some boots which are higher in the toe department. They're too squished!

Saw that in Waterstones the other week! Was half tempted to nab it!

My personal opinion is this: I voted for the second option down in the poll. I believe our firearms laws could be relaxed a notch, but not to the extent of the US 2nd amendment. However, this does not deter from the fact that if I ever moved to the US, I would be 100% behind the 2nd amendment. It's a constitutional right, and being a traditionalist, I understand and support wholeheartedly the law-abiding American citizens' right to bear arms. This is what America was founded on. However, to introduce lax American-style laws to Britain is obviously not the answer. What I do think though is that it should be easier to obtain rifles, shotguns and handguns here. I think the whole gun control issue is hijacked in America by both sides. Speaking as an outsider, I may well be ignorant to certain facts, but as far as I see it, you have the democrat "let's ban all guns" zealots, and the NRA militants who want every single person walking around with an AR-15. Ok maybe an exaggeration with the latter but it can come across that way. What I do think we need to put into perspective though is this: A lot of Brits and non-Americans jump on the anti-gun bandwagon and don't know what they're talking about when it comes to the whole US gun homicides issue. Let's be clear: 1. A lot of the US school massacres and other public place mass shootings have taken place in gun-controlled areas; just saying. There was no one there with a concealed firearm to at least attempt to neutralise the perpetrator. 2. US gun homicides are far higher than anywhere in Europe, per 100,000 population, however no where near anywhere in the third world where guns are illegal. 3. The most important point: Most US gun homicides are committed with illegal firearms in Democratic-controlled areas with enforced gun-control, such as cities like Chicago, Baltimore and so on. It just so happens that these spiraling gang-related shootouts are committed by poor, African-American gangs involved in the drugs-trade. I am not trying to put a racial-spin on this, but I am highlighting an unfortunate truth. The media in Britain and the US promotes the work of a group called "BlackLivesMatter" persistently, but fails to look at both sides of the argument. I am going off on a slightly irrelevant tangent here, but the BLM movement are total hypocrites. They're protesting to suit their narrative. Which is bash whitey bash police ban guns..... Fact: There have been several alarming cases of US police brutality on seemingly-innocent African-Americans. However, it is hypocritical of the BLM movement and far-left activists to jump on this bandwagon when they repeatedly ignore the long-term plight of disadvantaged African-Americans in Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore, St Louis and so on, where black-on-black gun crime is extremely high. This is a hypocrisy. Why is it a major issue to demonstrate when a white cop shoots a black citizen (sometimes criminal) dead, yet constantly sweep the more important issue of black-on-black gun homicide under the carpet. This is staggering hypocrisy, and it reveals the agenda of BlackLivesMatter. What they are saying is that it only matters when a black person is shot dead by a White policeman. Why forget the thousands more young black men being shot dead by other black men? So the US may have a "gun problem," but from the research I've done, it isn't like law-abiding citizens are responsible for the majority of these gun murders, it is the inner city gangs in gun-controlled areas with illegal firearms.

Great post

Please discuss, would love everyone's opinion on this.

Agree. Tidal needs to be invested in more. Fracking and nuclear both risky but inevitable temporary solutions. They shouldn't be part of a long-term plan. Just look at the self-sufficiency of the Scandinavians when it comes to energy; they know how to do things.

Fracking under national parks backed by MPs - BBC News I don't think this is a good idea. Discuss.

Because these far-left/social justice warrior types are massive hypocrites. It's baffling how they will defend far-right Islamists yet rally against, try to silence and physically attack libertarian right-wing parties like UKIP, let alone the BNP and actual fascist movements. The truth is: Many of these Islamist-defending leftists just hate Britain. They hate our culture, they hate our heritage, they hate our history, and to make a petition against the most obscene Muslim fundamentalist hate preacher would just be "racist" and "Islamophobic" so they make one against Trump instead who didn't condone any violence anywhere, all he said was we should close the borders to potential muslim immigrants AT PRESENT until we get to the root of the issues with Jihadism. It's barely an extreme viewpoint. Fundamentalist Islam is extreme, so why is having the balls to stand up against it labelled as "racist" and extreme. Islam is not a race, for the fifty millionth time. Just remember: There were Bosnian and Albanian Waffen SS divisions serving in collaboration with Hitler. These naive leftists would do well to remember this. Oh and also the fact that many Muslim countries kill apostates, stone women for BEING raped, throw gays off buildings and persecute all other religious minorities! But OH, did they forget about all that? Sounds like Nazism in a nutshell. Corbyn's drones will continue to defend the most unpleasant fanatical extremists whilst everyone else in the real world just wants to feel safe and secure. I don't think multiculturalism has really helped with that......

I am new to this forum, but have a merry Christmas John! You sound like a right character!

This is what I've been saying. Very well put.

French far right National Front routed in key vote - BBC News I don't think the term "routed" is really accurate for this occasion. So what we have is an electoral system with two rounds. In the first round, the FN "routed" the other two, winning in 6 of 13 regions. Then they have a second round, which as I understand it is the winners of each region in the first round vs the runners up. And the leftists of the Socialist Party are that anti-democratic that they withdraw their own candidates in some regions so that their leftist voters can turn out and vote for the Tory equivalent in France....blocking the FN from power and influence. So you have around 1/3 people in France with very little representation, power or influence. Democracy eh? I suppose the most left-wing of you will be cheering this result, failing to realise that this was undemocratic tactical-voting to keep a major party out. And save the "The FN are terrible Nazis" tripe. Marine Le Pen has modernised and moderated their movement and they have the support of far more "ethnic minorities" in France than they used to, including many in the Jewish community. Their electoral system, and ours, both stink. Two-party states.

Yes Ok they are only doing their jobs but after living in London for a while, I got used to their behaviour and some of them are totally unreasonable and could barely speak English for starters. Half of them don't know their own rules.

Fair comment. I agree with most of that.

This thread is glorious. On topic though, traffic wardens are jobsworth pests. Sounds like you've been unlucky, John.

Ha, the BBC is full of plenty of these sort of articles. I'm having none of it. It's all propaganda to promote their world view and sod any of the dissenters who have an alternative opinion, yet they're supposedly "impartial." They've been marxist for years. As for "hating Muslims." I don't hate anybody, but I'd rather talk about things and be called the usual "racist," "Islamophobe" than brush it all under the carpet and pretend everything is fine. Most Muslims are law-abiding people, and ISIS are a gross misrepresentation of Islam, but this doesn't deter from the fact that we face challenges ahead in trying to integrate the Muslim community successfully to western countries, and I don't believe this is working or will work. Not just in parts of East London and Birmingham, but across the mill-towns of the north, like Bradford, Blackburn, Oldham etc, there are parallel communities and this isn't good for social cohesion. Islam needs a reformation, if it is going to modernise.

I'd agree with some of that Dan, but if you've lived in London like I have, it's a whole different world. I never want to go to Tower Hamlets ever again. It really was that bad. We're lucky down here in Devon.

I'm yet to meet a working class lad down the pub who has a good thing to say about Corbyn. In most pubs the conversations I hear are about immigration, Islam, etc etc, and totally contrary to the PC rubbish espoused by spineless politicians. At least this is what it's like down here in Devon, and when I lived in Greater London too. Edit: You want to visit a few boozers down Essex if you think I'm wrong.

All I can say about gypsies is: Once I went to a local town fair and gypsies turned up and chased a group of my school colleagues round the town and beat several of them to a pulp. Gypsies leave rubbish everywhere, try and rip you off with dodgy goods and there have been plenty of stories about Irish Travellers having big houses back in Ireland. They make out they have no money when for some of them, that is total baloney. If you think mass migration of Roma gypsies is a positive, then go to Chatham. I was there a while ago and the place was filthy, there was rubbish everywhere, it smelled badly, and me and my pals were given looks of "you're not welcome round here" by the local Roma. Let's not beat around the bush alright.

No you haven't. There is actual little evidence that Trump was either against or for the Iraq war, pre the war! However, not long after the invasion, he came out saying that the US shouldn't have gone in and it was a bad move. How am I dangerous for being anti-war? Are you another Russian-bashing, Assad-bashing neo-con who wants more illegal wars?

And realistically, traditional labour voters won't identify with Corbyn, and aren't. He's a social-liberal with a good upbringing that lives on a nice street in North London, he's very much a part of the liberal intelligentsia who look down their nose at your average, patriotic working class Brit. Most Corbyn voters are middle class University students and veteran socialists. The average man in the street votes Tory and UKIP, without a shadow of a doubt. See here: Labour has lost its cultural connection with the people it claims to represent | David Goodhart | Opinion | The Guardian

Btw - Trump was against the Iraq war, and doesn't want the US to bomb ISIS in Syria, for the record. He is anti-war and wants an end to US hostility to Russia. Sounds sensible to me.

Well. Let's think about this. One loathes the history, heritage and traditions of the country he lives in, and has associated with radical islamists, the IRA and other extremists who hate Britain. The other is a businessman who is concerned about the safety and security of Americans and wants to put American citizens first, before he feels the issue of religious extremism is solved. The choice sounds pretty simple to me.

I understand your sentiment. I'm not a Tory, I'm a small-government Libertarian. I don't agree with all these bogus illegal wars, tax avoidance, TTIP, bullying nor extortionate house prices. I think whilst Fracking is risky, it's a temporary measure like nuclear power, in terms of energy, but I am pro renewables. If you're against TTIP, then there's only one way to vote in next year's EU referendum.....otherwise, say hello TTIP. Simple.