Stive Pesley

57 minutes ago, jono said:

Payday loan companies are just fundamentally evil. Even if you are an economically right wing conservative. It's about common decency which has nothing to do with which wing of the political spectrum you are on economically

I only partially agree.

Playing devil's advocate here - if you are a right-leaning advocate of free market capitalism, it is difficult to argue that they aren't just an excellent example of someone providing high value, high demand  goods and services at the maximum profit margins that the market will sustain. If there was no market, then they wouldn't exist. The fact that such a market exists is a construct of society and they are exploiting it. No different to the rest of the free markets.

But as you point out, even the most ardent Thatcherites would have a hard time condoning their business model. Suggesting that even Tories have a red line when it comes to shafting the poor

The words "Greene King" give it away

In-Laws just got back from the Champagne Festival in Belgium and filled my fridge with this bounty. Nothing below 8%. I think I need to take my time and enjoy this lot slowly

I need to post something in here today to balance the general mood of despair

I had my 6 year olds Parents Evening on Monday and for the first time EVER (having two boys, one of whom has no left school) when discussing boys general difficulties with concentration and staying focussed in lessons, the teacher actually said

"but of course it's not just their fault, I realise it's also my responsibility to make the lessons engaging enough that they don't let their minds wander"

I nearly fell off the tiny ******* chair! It restored my faith to hear a teacher say that and not just slate the kids for being disruptive

16 minutes ago, Mostyn6 said:

I'm dreading this. 

Looking to move next summer, will be looking to private rent. I am self-employed too. Have no family I can count on to assist in anything, let alone financially.

Hope you can sort something out. There seem to be a few companies online that you can pay a fee to act as guarantor, but not all Letting Agents seem to accept them, and yet again it's more cost for those that just want a roof over their heads.

Letting Agents who still insist on Tenancy Guarantors for people who have a secure long-term full-time job, meaning that their parents have to sign-up to be legally liable, not just for paying their rent, but also unlimited liability for anything else going badly wrong regardless of whose fault it is. And then charging a fee for "arranging" it. Scamming gets.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - anyone with the word "agent" in their job title should be first against the wall

Cheers! Some good ones in there. Just need to find out if my mate still has his costco membership!

Wow - that is cheap! I wonder what the beer selection is - I await reports from the field!

19 hours ago, McRamFan said:

Costco is selling a beer advent calender

How much? The cheapest (and best) one I've seen is from Beer Metropolis in Little Eaton £60

Saw a similar one for Oil Of Olay Anti Wrinkle cream where someone got very offended by the bloke suggesting that he used it on his balls

https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R1BPLVHPOX8KOB/

32 minutes ago, Tony Le Mesmer said:

Not sure why but I've always hated music videos. In recent years a musician / band selling their wares has become more about how cool the video looks than actually how good the song is.

Music is for LISTENING not watching.

Agreed - and at its extreme, I've sat and watched those stunning OK Go videos over the years and been mightily impressed. Could I hum you a single tune of theirs, or even tell you the song names? Nope...

Thought of another one

Every time my plane lands safely!

That first pint in the pub when you finish work on a Friday

Nice one Muski - on a similar note, when you disagree violently with someone online about a particular subject but then on another topic you find that you have common ground. You realise that we all come into this world the same and we're not always so different as it sometimes feels

33 minutes ago, Tony Le Mesmer said:

I like it Steve and I shall be using this thread a lot also but for some reason it's human nature to look at negatives and not highlight positives which I've never understood. Let's change it!

I did consider proposing that no one was allowed to post in the annoyance thread without posting one here as a counter balance, but that seemed a bit too draconian!

I've been wanting to start this thread for ages

As the "Random stuff that annoys me thread" reaches 100+ pages, it is pretty clear that we could solve the world's energy crisis if we somehow harnessed man's natural ability to complain about things.

So, as one poster accused me of having "no balance" I thought I'd try and tip the scales of karma and start this one up as well. Let's see if it is just as popular?

So I will start with an easy one.

When you read through a lengthy online debate and you disagree with what people are saying, so you stick your neck out and say something - get a torrent of abuse back - and then suddenly someone you don't know pops up and agrees with you. Immediately restoring both your faith in humanity and the thought that you may be going mad.

4 minutes ago, Tony Le Mesmer said:

Not really a problem with that Ewe Ram as it's in isolation and it's in context. It's not a bombardment from every angle of people stopping you in the street which is unacceptable.

The other thing I hate is bucket collectors who shout and rattle their buckets all the time. They have regular collections at the iPro for various charities to which I am happy to give some change every game. You get the collectors that are stood there on the corner silent and respectful with their chosen charities bib on and i'll go over and pop some money in and wish them good luck. But then you get those who shout and jump in front of you rattling their buckets and I don't give to them. Ok so as a one off at a match the money is going to the same charity so me ignoring one and giving to another isn't relevant in this instance but by and large if they are loud and brash with collecting tins I don't give.

The only excpetion would be if kids were collecting, like the other week they were collecting at the iPro for that lady who was really poorly and there were loads of kids wanting to help and collect and they were very forthright. I'm ok with that scenario as it's just kids wanting to do their best and being enthusiastic. They have no ulterior motive other than to collect as much money for their mum / friend / relative.

I think what you're saying is that giving to charity is a personal choice and no one should feel co-erced, pressured or shamed into giving. Amen to that

Can't stand the chuggers - you know they are all on commission right?

15 minutes ago, Tony Le Mesmer said:

My favourite brewery ever though are Wold Top from near back home in Hunmanby, Filey. They do a superb range including a 6% Scarborough Fair IPA gluten free and one other gluten free called Against The Grain which is about 4% i think.

You gluten-intolerant then? I'm reliably informed that gluten levels in most real ale is tiny, but to be certified as gluten-free involves an awful lot of effort to send off regular samples etc so hardly any breweries bother with it

Also discovered that Hopgate are on Deliveroo

https://deliveroo.co.uk/menu/derby/derby/hop-gate

Beer to your door in 30 minutes. I never have to leave the house again!

Yeah some of their beer is annoyingly quite nice, but can't be doing with that bro culture nonsense that they peddle

5 minutes ago, McRamFan said:

urban slang being used by anyone born before 1990.

oof! Bare harsh bled!

42 minutes ago, Bridgford Ram said:

I hate it when you pay good money to go on a course to learn how to shoe horses but when you get there they just teach you how to tell donkeys to f*** off.

https://www.sadtrombone.com/

13 hours ago, froggg said:

Titanic plum porter, English champion ale at a silly price, £1:25 at Lidl. 9/10 superb fruitiness of the plum coming through in buckets.

Titanic Plum Porter - one of my favourites. YUM Porter more like!

3 minutes ago, McRamFan said:

I buy with cash, however if you go for a HP deal you can get a chunk of money off as they think they will make it back on interest, then just pay if off the day after you get the car.

That other option where you pay x amount a month then either hand back or pay a lump to own is a con imho. Unless you like a new every three years and have money to burn.

Good point on the HP deal - hadn't really considered that, but yeah those deals where you pay a monthly fee and then don't even own the car at the end are nuts and seem to be what they want to foist on everyone. I guess it may be a generational thing, and I suspect for some younger people the only option they have if they want to "own" a new car

talking of car dealerships - why is it almost impossible to find any information on buying a new car in a simple manner that doesn't involve all sorts of finance deals and BS?

I'm I the only person left in this world that saves up and THEN buys the car with cash?