wotnot

Probably safer than living or driving in some parts of the country. I feel CCing changed my outlook on life for the better, I am more relaxed and due to space constraints less interested in consumerism and posessions that clutter up a house. Basically, after a few days in any one place you get the itch to move on so its always changing. However, if you have young children or are the type of person who needs to put down roots it may not be for you.

Not sure that I agree that it is a public amenity. Local councils (representing users such as walkers, ramblers, cyclists, fly tippers etc.) do not contibute towards the upkeep of the towpath/canal in their locality and immediately inform anyone with a problem/issue to contact BW.

Apart from the last couple of days we have constantly been on the move through the ice and only got a couple of grumpy looks but nothing verbal. When I'm moored up in the the first thing I do in the morning is start the engine and run it in reverse and then forwards for a few minutes, this helps break up the ice around the hull and makes passage for other boats easier. As far as the continuous moorers complaints about the navigation being used to navigate - they could always consider living in a caravan instead.

I dont think that you supposition is neccessarily correct. Many of these people will have worked hard, saved and been shrewd with their money, so they tend to spend carefully. The old saying about looking after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves may also apply to the "well-to-do" boaters.

I bought mine for the Huawei E160 modem from Panorama, but looking with hindsight at the adaptors etc. it is possible to buy them a bit cheaper elsewhere. If you do decide to go down this route, you need to be aware that the dongle socket/antenna plug are small, fragile brass items and I doubt they would last long if continually plugged and unplugged. I tend to disconnect the USB dongle from the laptop and unscrew the arial lead from the adaptor as this is a bit more robust. It depends on whether or not you move you laptop etc. around a lot. http://www.panorama.co.uk/uk/products/Gprs_3g_cover.html

This message was posted using a laptop with Vista which has been slated by some as being slow and not as good as XP. My 3 mobile broadband is currently showing 5 on the signal strength bar using an extention aerial rather than a long USB lead as it can be left out in the rain. My 3 contract only costs £7.50 per month and has been no problem and never got near 5Gb download allowance. I use Google as homepage and googlemail. (Also still have an active Virgin web mail account though I canceled my landline broadband, so not sure if it will keep going indefinitely). So perhaps its just luck of the draw.

I run a laptop with Vista and have AVG installed. My broadband is the £7.50 per month contract with 3 which was on special offer a few months ago. Perhaps I'm just lucky but I have had no problems with the USB modem (Huawei E160) and there were updated drivers from 3 shortly after installation. With regard to an earlier comment about hanging the dongle out the window to get a signal, I bought a Micromag antenna from Panorama Antennas which seems to be better than the USB extention lead that I previously used. Like in a lot of things in life hindsight is wonderful. Someone I met on my travels found the same antenna cheaper elsewhere. So shop around if thinking of buying one.

Don't yourself under too much stress, remember MARINE is an acronym for: — Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Non-Essential.

This sort of thing probably happens daily all over the world so it's a pretty boring story. It'd be a lot more interesting if you had got out your M24 and he beat you over the head with a Yorkie.

I know should'nt have looked at these sites but did. Ended up looking at vacuum engines and wanting one. Must do some work.

? I said it was a great idea. Pointed out some populist vote winners. Ruth Kelly is leaving Transport so there will be some vacancies there.

Great idea! No worries about NCBs or points on your licence increasing the premiums. Just use your obsolete 4x4 to play bumper cars with any numpty who pulls out in front of you as Dosh (Department of shunts) will pick up the bill. I can see a new Cabinet post being invented for WW.

My own taste runs to lovely old boats Save us from the boring dark blue and dark green sprayed 57' semi trads! Also, it's always the people with the boringist boats that get most trashed about their paintwork. It may be that my grasp of language and nuances are at fault here. I thought your form of words implied old boats were good. Plain boats and their owners offended your sensibilities. If this is not what you meant then I apologise. However, your comment that I'm 'a teeny bit defensive' is incorrect, I just did'nt agree with you.

By your definition anyone who has a dark blue or green 57' semi-trad with tidy sprayed paintwork and owns a Barrett house is a boring sad case. I think that pigeon holing people because their possessions don't fit in with your view of good taste is rather intolerant and snobbish. P.S. I dont have a blue or green boat nor have I ever owned a Barrett home.

Try this http://www.bradtech.ltd.uk/c200.asp