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    Originally posted by Lao Lao View Post
    So, I have to agree with Hitch. Pocket money each week and options for extra if you work. I mean, it turned me from a working class boy into a middle class, Times reading, credit union loving, Homeless people hugging, barrister for buddies, model citizen.
    that is what we do - except the 'extra' usually ends up being charity rather than earnings
    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

    Comment


      Never got pocket money apart from that 1 pound primary school thing I guess, nor asked for money, man I could have been raking it in. My siblings had no such restraint.
      I was more like, hmm my parents have 5 kids, I don't think they get paid well with those jobs, I will not put undue pressure on them for my penny sweets.

      Comment


        Looking for a golf course recommendation too. Group of us heading to Kilkenny for 2 nights 10-12 September and playing Mount Juliet on the Saturday. Anywhere good near Kilkenny or on the way down from Dublin to play on the Friday?

        Comment


          Originally posted by thechamp87 View Post
          Looking for a golf course recommendation too. Group of us heading to Kilkenny for 2 nights 10-12 September and playing Mount Juliet on the Saturday. Anywhere good near Kilkenny or on the way down from Dublin to play on the Friday?
          Rathsallagh . Kilkea Castle both great value , or head over to Mount Wolsey. All great .

          Comment


            Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
            you could be right degag! It might be due to going deeper into academic argumentation over the years. In general, research theories only work if you cling strongly to them until you need to reject them - you have to love the theory and defend it against everything until it becomes clear it can no longer be defended, as that process allows you to truly understand the phenomenon you are trying to study (or so the idea goes anyway). So I've got into the habit of strongly sticking to an idea and defending it until it is collapsed in real life as in academia.

            Maybe also given the job is idea generation, its useful practice to float loads of ideas and see what work. So you might have loads of stupid ideas, but its still a good idea to come up with them, because the good ideas emerge along the stupid ideas. But it probably means then you have more ideas than are a good idea to have.
            If every hill is a hill you die on, that dilutes the enormity of the act significantly
            People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
            Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner!
            https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21

            Comment


              Carlow golf club is an excellent Parkland/Heathland. Might get it for decent enough value on a Friday afternoon.

              Comment


                Originally posted by Wombatman View Post

                Crazy talk. I use it all the time. Fantastic choice and value. If golf courses used it correctly they would be able to generate more off peak revenue and be much better off.
                What do you have against it?
                Their business model.

                For their software and marketing prowess all they ask from courses is X number of tee times per day. Maybe 3 or 4 foresomes.

                Sounds reasonable right?

                But golf now reserve the right to sell those tee times at whatever price they want.

                This means a golfer could be paying $80 for a tee time at 2:42pm and $50 at 2:51pm. Course now fields calls incessantly about pricing differences.

                Ultimately it means downward pressure on tee times prices.

                Great you say! Cheaper golf!

                Not so much, course margins from tee times are already pretty tight, especially for public golf.

                So really all this “revenue loss” means is worse course conditions or course services over time. A race to the bottom. Worse courses = less golfers = less golf.

                Its a sycophantic business model but it’s very very successful.

                I suspect the usage of golf now is slightly different in Ireland but this model is definitely their end game.
                This may or may not be an original thought of my own.
                All efforts were made to make this thought original but with the abundance of thoughts in the world the originality of this thought cannot be guaranteed.
                The author is not liable for any issue arising from the platitudinous nature of this post.

                Comment


                  Originally posted by Theresa View Post

                  Their business model.

                  For their software and marketing prowess all they ask from courses is X number of tee times per day. Maybe 3 or 4 foresomes.

                  Sounds reasonable right?

                  But golf now reserve the right to sell those tee times at whatever price they want.

                  This means a golfer could be paying $80 for a tee time at 2:42pm and $50 at 2:51pm. Course now fields calls incessantly about pricing differences.

                  Ultimately it means downward pressure on tee times prices.

                  Great you say! Cheaper golf!

                  Not so much, course margins from tee times are already pretty tight, especially for public golf.

                  So really all this “revenue loss” means is worse course conditions or course services over time. A race to the bottom. Worse courses = less golfers = less golf.

                  Its a sycophantic business model but it’s very very successful.

                  I suspect the usage of golf now is slightly different in Ireland but this model is definitely their end game.
                  Your viewpoint is very stilted.

                  Golf clubs are notoriously terrible at marketing and promotion. Booking systems for visitors are non-existent in some places.

                  Most places that use GN well in Ireland can leverage it for more revenue during off peak times. AFAIK they don't need to offer Hot Deal slots at weekends. If they do they can offer them at outrageous times.

                  Easier booking will mean more footfall. Footfall = green fee revenue and spinoff revenue i.e. Bar, pro shop etc. Can lead to a real positive spin up where untimely more golf is being played.

                  Nobody is phoning constantly because the missed a Hot Deal. Most likely they are sucking it up and paying the normal green fee price.

                  Unlike many businesses golf courses have mainly fixed overheads no matter how many 'clients' they service. This means you have to fill the timesheet as best you can. Golf Now gives clubs a great opportunity to do this.
                  Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by Wombatman View Post

                    Your viewpoint is very stilted. True it is up on stilts, and its operator focused but its also the result of literally hundreds of conversations with owner/operators about it.

                    Golf clubs are notoriously terrible at marketing and promotion. Booking systems for visitors are non-existent in some places. True (this is what spawned Golf now)

                    Most places that use GN well in Ireland can leverage it for more revenue during off peak times. True
                    AFAIK they don't need to offer Hot Deal slots at weekends. If they do they can offer them at outrageous times. This is at Golf Nows discretion. A quick look at golfnow for Kildare shows times on Sat between midday and 6pm. Not "outrageous" at all.

                    Easier booking will mean more footfall. Footfall = green fee revenue and spinoff revenue i.e. Bar, pro shop etc. Can lead to a real positive spin up where untimely more golf is being played. True

                    Nobody is phoning constantly because the missed a Hot Deal. Most likely they are sucking it up and paying the normal green fee price. False, I have lots of examples of courses being called about pricing, I also have lots of examples of golfers just not choosing that course. But they aren't calling so much as just being silently disgruntled. This just pushes customers to other courses.

                    Unlike many businesses golf courses have mainly fixed overheads no matter how many 'clients' they service. This means you have to fill the timesheet as best you can. Golf Now gives clubs a great opportunity to do this.

                    How do you think they come up with their green fee?

                    They are generally running on tight green fee margins.
                    Downward pressure (which is undeniably what golf now causes) means less margin.
                    Less margin means something has to give, its usually course condition, or service.
                    Worse course condition or service means less satisfied customers (for the price).
                    Which means less customers.
                    Which means more downward pressure.
                    and so on.

                    Bad for golf!

                    I have no disagreement over the usability and value delivered to the end user though.

                    Just that lots of great end user value doesn't means providers benefit.
                    This is seen in lots of business models where middlemen contrive to skim of the real value providers.

                    This may or may not be an original thought of my own.
                    All efforts were made to make this thought original but with the abundance of thoughts in the world the originality of this thought cannot be guaranteed.
                    The author is not liable for any issue arising from the platitudinous nature of this post.

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by Theresa View Post

                      I have no disagreement over the usability and value delivered to the end user though.

                      Just that lots of great end user value doesn't means providers benefit.
                      This is seen in lots of business models where middlemen contrive to skim of the real value providers.
                      Organisations that use user friendly third party portals well like Amazon, Just Eat, or Booking.com simply do better business. It's is symbiotic not parasitic. You will have edge cases and sob stories alright but that is how it is for the most part. Organisations are not forced to use them for goodness sake.

                      You said they would go to the golf course down the road. They must be doing something better then surely?

                      Doesn't somebody on here follow a business model where middlemen contrive to skim of the real value providers?
                      Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

                      Comment


                        Hey, you keep using it! But value and convenience has a cost. You just might not know you aren't willing to pay it.
                        This may or may not be an original thought of my own.
                        All efforts were made to make this thought original but with the abundance of thoughts in the world the originality of this thought cannot be guaranteed.
                        The author is not liable for any issue arising from the platitudinous nature of this post.

                        Comment


                          Had a few pints this afternoon with HH. Had planned on Nealon's, but it wasn't open , so it was back to Pantibar again. He seemed surprisingly impressed with the Guinness 0.0, and almost relaxed for the last 30 minutes
                          Gone full 'Glinner' since June 2022.

                          Comment


                            They pedestrianised a measly two, TWO, streets in the whole city for a few hours an evening and after a rip-roaring success have just decided to end the trial. You'd have to wonder.
                            "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                              They pedestrianised a measly two, TWO, streets in the whole city for a few hours an evening and after a rip-roaring success have just decided to end the trial. You'd have to wonder.
                              How was the truffle movie?
                              Gone full 'Glinner' since June 2022.

                              Comment


                                Originally posted by ComradeCollie View Post

                                How was the truffle movie?
                                Ah it wasn't up to much. Beautiful setting but it didn't seem to have a point. Still nice though.
                                "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                Comment


                                  Originally posted by ComradeCollie View Post

                                  How was the truffle movie?
                                  It's impressive that I can wonder "which one?" what with there being two truffle themed films currently being shown.

                                  Comment


                                    A bit late but somewhat relevant to last weeks China discussion. A programme just started on BBC2 called Chinas Magic Weapon and looks good so far

                                    Comment


                                      Interesting programme on BBC2 abouut the Confucius institute and Chinese not very subtle use of soft power.
                                      Turning millions into thousands

                                      Comment


                                        Originally posted by Strewelpeter View Post
                                        Interesting programme on BBC2 abouut the Confucius institute and Chinese not very subtle use of soft power.
                                        They're (genuinely) a great idea imo. There's so much misinformation and so little known about China, that they need greater understanding in the world of what China as a culture is about. They need more people speaking their language, knowing their history and customs, as its in lack of knowledge that ignorance is bred.


                                        ​​
                                        "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                        Comment


                                          France also has a very good program like that with the Alliance Francais, and I think they openly modelled themselves on the alliance. Or at least according to a Chinese guy I once met whose job was to go around the world opening Confucius Institutes.
                                          "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                          Comment


                                            Originally posted by Strewelpeter View Post
                                            Interesting programme on BBC2 abouut the Confucius institute and Chinese not very subtle use of soft power.
                                            Take me off ignore m8

                                            Comment


                                              Originally posted by hotspur View Post

                                              It's impressive that I can wonder "which one?" what with there being two truffle themed films currently being shown.
                                              The fella you had a huge crush on, Rory Stewart, has his bit on Afghanistan on BBC2 again tonight at 23.15. Well past my bedtime, though might be worth recording.
                                              Gone full 'Glinner' since June 2022.

                                              Comment


                                                I take it Voulgaris isn't working for the Mavs any more?

                                                Comment


                                                  Originally posted by Mellor View Post
                                                  If there's no reward/benefits available, then taking the min or zero rate card is the only play. I think that came up before the CC options in Ireland.
                                                  Kind of baffling that pro-consumer aspects are kyboshed, leaving only the debt-coaster option.

                                                  I remember thinking when when I Was younger that anyone would be insane to own a credit card, possibly influenced by similar only-bad-side aspects on offer.
                                                  I remember the life-life Frank Abigail from catch me if you can, saying that you're crazy not to use one. The fraud protection is substantially better.

                                                  Practically no rewards in Ireland. Think BOI have something with travel lounges. AIB is likely best with a very meager cashback

                                                  Comment


                                                    Raoul Duke III I replied to your pm btw. Not sure if it got lost in the interwebs.

                                                    Comment


                                                      Seems like the simulation has gotten really lazy with the recurring cast of strangers out and about. Maybe Covid was to cover an extended system update.

                                                      Comment


                                                        Originally posted by ComradeCollie View Post

                                                        The fella you had a huge crush on, Rory Stewart, has his bit on Afghanistan on BBC2 again tonight at 23.15. Well past my bedtime, though might be worth recording.
                                                        I'll watch that. Past my bedtime too, but it's on Youtube.

                                                        Comment


                                                          Originally posted by Denny Crane View Post
                                                          Raoul Duke III I replied to your pm btw. Not sure if it got lost in the interwebs.
                                                          yes, I am on it but realised I need to call as 'we don't respond to email' (WTF)
                                                          "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                          Comment


                                                            Originally posted by hotspur View Post

                                                            I'll watch that. Past my bedtime too, but it's on Youtube.
                                                            100% definitely a spy but seems quite a genuine fella
                                                            "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                            Comment


                                                              Originally posted by ComradeCollie View Post
                                                              Had a few pints this afternoon with HH. Had planned on Nealon's, but it wasn't open , so it was back to Pantibar again. He seemed surprisingly impressed with the Guinness 0.0, and almost relaxed for the last 30 minutes


                                                              Had to Google it but it's a real thing apparently. There was I chortling to myself at the thoughts of you getting Hitch unwittingly wasted and unleashed on the good people of Pantibar.
                                                              "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                              Comment


                                                                Originally posted by Mellor View Post
                                                                Perhaps that’s what they meant. But surely it’s a given that being hit up for the interest is a bad move.

                                                                That's what i meant but it was in response to a post saying a credit card may be expensive because of interest and charges - which as you said is fairly obvious, but objectively should never materialise, making it a fairly cheap credit option.

                                                                Comment



                                                                  Part 3 of 3 - It's taken me much longer than it should have to get around to posting this.


                                                                  On arrival back to the Hotel Asia, we met back up with Stuart and told him of our day’s experience. Unsurprisingly, he was a little baffled by all we had to tell and almost looked at us in complete and utter disbelief as we re-encountered the events of the day. After eventually convincing him that the events of the day had indeed unfolded as we had said, we set about planning the evening ahead, after all it was his birthday and was the first birthday away from home for any of us and we needed to celebrate in style, well at least in Lop Buri style.


                                                                  We settled on a restaurant for the night and after dinner arranged for a cake and candles to be brought to the table for the birthday boy. This, needless to say, got the attention of some of the locals and in particular, one local couple sitting near us. The cake was too big for just the three of us, so we offered the few other diners in the restaurant a slice each. The couple beside us gladly accepted.

                                                                  Following dinner, an impromptu karaoke style night ensued. The beer and Thai whiskey kept on flowing and the local couple kicked off the proceedings with a few Thai songs that we could not make head nor tail of. It’s kind of remarkable how that five people, none of which can speak the others native language can converse and communicate so easily with the help of Thai whiskey. Somehow it didn’t matter that we couldn’t speak Thai or that they couldn’t speak English, we still had a great time.

                                                                  Eventually, the restaurant had to close so we said our goodbyes and headed to the Hotel Asia via the local 7-11 to top up on beer and Thai whiskey. We weren’t lucky enough to have a second night of football and Kylie so we settled for some dodgy Thai soap opera and some music before eventually calling it a night.

                                                                  On awaking the next morning, we decided it was time to leave Lop Buri and journey further north to Chang Mai, the cultural capital of Thailand. We checked out of the Hotel Asia and made our way back to the train station. Our plan was to get a sleeper berth on the night train. It would be a ten hour journey through the night and we had no desire to travel 3rd class for this length of time. It was to be 1st class all the way to Chang Mai, or so we thought.

                                                                  On our arrival at the train station, we encountered our first real language barrier. Our vast knowledge of Thai stretched to ‘Hello’ and ‘Thank You’. Equally as impressive, the staff at the ticket office spoke no English at all. We were struggling until Wendy, a young Dutch back-packer, arrived at the counter armed with her book titled, ‘A Travellers Guide by Pictures.’ Its brilliance lay in its sheer simplicity. It contained pages upon pages of pictures of everyday objects, from apples to trains, from bottles of water to ambulances and from clothes to beds.

                                                                  Combining the book with the ancient Irish language technique of pointing, talking very loudly, making stupid faces and shapes with our hands, we discovered that all sleeper carriages were booked up for the next three days. Now, don’t get me wrong, Lop Buri is a lovely quaint little town, but we had already been there for three days and it just wasn’t a six day sort of town. We needed an alternative to the train. It was back to the picture book, pointing, talking extremely loud, stupid faces and making shapes with our hands!

                                                                  We somehow figured out that there was a bus departing from the train station at midnight. However, it would apparently be better if we travelled roughly thirty-five kilometres outside Lop Buri to a different bus station as they would have several buses departing almost every hour from eight o’clock onwards. We were in no position to argue, so we headed back to the Hotel Asia to rustle up a taxi with our new friend, Wendy, in tow.

                                                                  The staff of the Hotel Asia assured us that they could easily get both a taxi and a driver to take us to the bus station. This was very re-assuring as one without the other would have been pretty pointless. With time to spare, we all spent the next few hours chilling out, catching up on a few e-mails in the nearby internet café and wandering around Lop Buri.

                                                                  The town was the former capital of the Khmer-Lavo period and while there is not that much to the town, the ruins of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, former palace of King Narai, was well worth checking out. Entry was free which fit in well with our budget and it also contained the somewhat overly ambitiously named Lop Buri National Museum. The palace was built between 1665 and 1677 and was designed by both Khmer and French architects. The historians and architects among us may tell you that this is a kind of a strange mix but I thought that it worked rather well!

                                                                  After wandering around Lop Buri for a few hours, we headed back to the Hotel Asia, where sure to their word, our taxi, along with a driver, turned up just before seven pm. The word taxi is probably not the best description to use. Our mode of transport was an early 1970’s Ford Cortina, or least I think it was. The problem was that it was rather hard to tell exactly what make and model it was as there were more spare parts than there was original. That coupled with the severe amount of rust and holes made our thirty-five kilometres journey a daunting prospect.

                                                                  The boot of the car was just about big enough to hold Ste and Wendy’s rucksack and half of mine! The other half hung precariously out of the boot and although we tied the boot down with a piece of frayed string, I was fairly confident that I would never see the contents of my rucksack again. Wendy, Ste and I squeezed, and I mean squeezed, into the back seat along with our small back packs, while Stuart had the equal discomfort of the passenger seat along with both his rucksack and backpack to accompany him. At last, we were on our way.

                                                                  We weren’t too sure whether our driver was in a rush to get home or whether Michael Schumacher was his all-time hero but either way, he had no hesitation in putting the accelerator to the floor in true Formula 1 style. In addition to this, he felt it necessary to overtake every other vehicle on the road.

                                                                  This, while quite scary, was not the worst of it. Roughly ten minutes into the journey, we experienced our second Asian monsoon type weather. First came the lightning, flashing across the dark night sky, followed quickly by large rumbling noises of thunder. Within minutes, the skies opened, and a torrential downpour flooded the road. The windscreen of our taxi leaked badly, and Stuart started to get very wet.

                                                                  At one point, the rain was so bad you could not see more than about ten metres ahead of you. Normally, this wouldn’t bother me, you simply slow down and drive at an acceptable speed. But not our driver, he was determined to become the first Asian Formula 1 driver in the sport and instead of slowing down, he actually sped up. At one point, he overtook a forty-foot truck and three cars in the one go, all the while when you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

                                                                  I am in no way a nervous passenger, but I can honestly say that I thought that this would be the last journey I would ever make. Strange thoughts ran through my head. Would my rucksack get flown to far from the debris of any accident to be noticed being that it was barely in the car as it was? It contained every form if I.D. that I possessed, without it, how would they identify my dead body. Was I wearing clean boxer shorts? My mother had always told me to wear clean boxer shorts in case of an accident. Don’t you just hate when mothers are always right! These thoughts, albeit not pleasant ones, took my mind off the oncoming traffic.

                                                                  After about twenty minutes, the rain eased off and we arrived at the bus station. By bus station, I mean a piece of concrete in the middle of nowhere with a small hut for the ticket office. My rucksack somehow managed to stay the pace for the thirty-five kilometre journey and for the first time on our trip, I gladly put it onto my back and smiled contently. We approached the ticket office and resorted back to the picture book, talking very loudly, pointing and stupid faces, but all to no avail. The eight o’clock, eight thirty, nine thirty, ten thirty and eleven o’clock buses north were all fully booked. The next available bus was ten hours away at five thirty the next morning. We had a decision to make. Sit on the ground overnight for ten hours or try catch our driver before he left.

                                                                  I sprinted across the concrete slab that was our bus station quicker than Linfield Christie down the 100m track and stopped our driver just as he was about to make his way home. Being the shrewd Thai businessman that he was, he proceeded to charge us the same fare back to Lop Buri as he had charged us to get to the bus station. With both our driver and us knowing that we had absolutely no alternative, we reluctantly agreed to pay full fare back.

                                                                  Thirty stomach churning, crazy driving, car overtaking, suicidal minutes later, we arrived back at the train station in Lop Buri. The ticket staff looked bemused to see us again so soon. We decided to try again just in case anybody had cancelled since earlier this morning.

                                                                  After several minutes of pointing and talking really slowly this time, because the talking really loudly had failed twice before, we managed to secure four 2nd class tickets on the that night’s train. How we didn’t get them at the first time of asking, I still to this day have no idea. Mildly content with our achievement, we settled down on the platform and had a celebratory beer.

                                                                  We were finally leaving Lop Buri, or as we liked to call it, the Asian twilight zone.

                                                                  Comment


                                                                    Originally posted by dobby View Post
                                                                    A bit late but somewhat relevant to last weeks China discussion. A programme just started on BBC2 called Chinas Magic Weapon and looks good so far
                                                                    Right on time


                                                                    Comment


                                                                      Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post



                                                                      Had to Google it but it's a real thing apparently. There was I chortling to myself at the thoughts of you getting Hitch unwittingly wasted and unleashed on the good people of Pantibar.
                                                                      I was impressed by the fee condoms and lube. Not like I ever paid for them, but I think I got most of them from the men who have sex with men clinic in Baggot St, when I was living with one of my old maths lecturers around there. Yup, I've said too much again.
                                                                      Gone full 'Glinner' since June 2022.

                                                                      Comment


                                                                        Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post



                                                                        Had to Google it but it's a real thing apparently. .
                                                                        Its completely indistinguishable from the traditional stuff. The worlds best scientists, recruited away from curing cancer in order to make a drink, have outdone themselves in Guinness Inc. Very drinkable, which is often where the 0.0s fall down. Like I could enjoyably keep up with CC and his 'real' pints of the same.
                                                                        "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                        Comment


                                                                          Originally posted by ComradeCollie View Post

                                                                          I was impressed by the fee condoms and lube. Not like I ever paid for them, but I think I got most of them from the men who have sex with men clinic in Baggot St, when I was living with one of my old maths lecturers around there. Yup, I've said too much again.
                                                                          I'll leave it to you to decide if you have mistaken hand sanitiser for lube.
                                                                          "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                          Comment


                                                                            Originally posted by Denny Crane View Post
                                                                            Seems like the simulation has gotten really lazy with the recurring cast of strangers out and about. Maybe Covid was to cover an extended system update.
                                                                            whats this about?!
                                                                            "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                            Comment


                                                                              Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                                                              whats this about?!
                                                                              Firmware update in the matrix

                                                                              Comment


                                                                                Originally posted by Mellor View Post

                                                                                Firmware update in the matrix
                                                                                Denny hanging out with the machine elves again.

                                                                                artworks-000488758392-20agv4-t500x500.jpg
                                                                                "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                Comment


                                                                                  Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                                                                  whats this about?!
                                                                                  He means he sees the same people outside all the time, so if there was a simulation we live in the memory is being used to do an update.


                                                                                  Actually yeaterday met the first new people properly since covid started.

                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                    Originally posted by Tar.Aldarion View Post

                                                                                    He means he sees the same people outside all the time, so if there was a simulation we live in the memory is being used to do an update.


                                                                                    Actually yeaterday met the first new people properly since covid started.
                                                                                    I've killed the same bluebottle 6 times . Seems Bluebottle programme BbNewsc.Dub is experiencing an ironic bug.

                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                      110,000 views of this Chimac review (Dublin chicken place for the non-Dubs) that was only posted yesterday.


                                                                                      "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                        Wasps are in ‘fucking annoying’ mode in recent days. Killed 4 of them on Sunday. Without exaggeration, by the time i killed one another had flown in the window.

                                                                                        Am sat working by the window here and every 5 mins or so one flys by examining how it might get in.

                                                                                        (btw, i give them a small chance of escaping if on the window by trying to shew them towards the opening. If they fail to take their chance tho then too bad)

                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                          Originally posted by Degag View Post
                                                                                          Wasps are in ‘fucking annoying’ mode in recent days. Killed 4 of them on Sunday. Without exaggeration, by the time i killed one another had flown in the window.

                                                                                          Am sat working by the window here and every 5 mins or so one flys by examining how it might get in.

                                                                                          (btw, i give them a small chance of escaping if on the window by trying to shew them towards the opening. If they fail to take their chance tho then too bad)
                                                                                           

                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                            First real signs of post-Brexit armageddon in the UK. Place should be like a post-apocalyptic wasteland in a couple of weeks.

                                                                                            Supply issues at English, Welsh and Scottish outlets are due to the lorry driver shortage, the firm says.
                                                                                            Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                              Originally posted by Wombatman View Post
                                                                                              First real signs of post-Brexit armageddon in the UK. Place should be like a post-apocalyptic wasteland in a couple of weeks.

                                                                                              https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58315152
                                                                                              What will they throw at politicians now?
                                                                                              "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                                                                                110,000 views of this Chimac review (Dublin chicken place for the non-Dubs) that was only posted yesterday.


                                                                                                Aww that lad is r8 Barnsley aye
                                                                                                "I can’t find anyone who agrees with what I write or think these days, so I guess I must be getting closer to the truth." - Hunter S. Thompson

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                                                                                                  Pretty sad that book is finished tbh.

                                                                                                  Phenomenal read. Thanks DP and Hitch.
                                                                                                  I hold silver in tit for tat, and I love you for that

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                                                                                                    Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                                                                                    What will they throw at politicians now?
                                                                                                    Brickbats.

                                                                                                    A word which must surely have an interesting etymology.
                                                                                                    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

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                                                                                                      Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                                                                                                      Brickbats.

                                                                                                      A word which must surely have an interesting etymology.
                                                                                                      Brickbits seems a much more obvious choice of word

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                                                                                                        I have a financial advice question on behalf of my driving instructor:

                                                                                                        Him: about 50, full time driving instructor, in a past life he was a banker and has an 'okay' pension due at 66 as part of that

                                                                                                        The wife: probably the same age, has given up full time work and now works part-time in a lowish wage administrative role

                                                                                                        Kids: two; about 10, 12 years old from what I can guess


                                                                                                        The situation:

                                                                                                        Through a variety of past successful decisions and inheritances, they have a nice house in a nice area, worth a fair whack, and have a mortgage on it of €310,000. Paying €1,700 a month. They also have a recently acquired bundle of cash (inheritance) of €230,000 which is currently invested in prize bonds.

                                                                                                        The guy was diagnosed by a decent financial advisor in the past as 'extremely risk averse' and feels very comfortable with that label. So bearing that in mind, and their types of jobs: what do they do? Do they pay down the mortgage, pay down part of the mortgage, keep it in savings (with the idea of drawing it down bit by bit over the years, especially towards the retirement stage of life)?

                                                                                                        Some related things that came up as I was probing (and trying not to crash the car):
                                                                                                        1. They would view it as a crying shame to pay down the mortgage and then die, thus not using their mortgage insurance. Although I was saying they could take out life insurance separate to the mortgage.
                                                                                                        2. They seem singularly uninterested in 'making money'. They've some past experience of owning a second home and didn't like it. I suggested forestry as a low risk investment and that was shot down. I decided not to proffer my views on NFTs as an investment asset class.
                                                                                                        "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

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                                                                                                          Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                                                                                          I have a financial advice question on behalf of my driving instructor:

                                                                                                          Him: about 50, full time driving instructor, in a past life he was a banker and has an 'okay' pension due at 66 as part of that

                                                                                                          The wife: probably the same age, has given up full time work and now works part-time in a lowish wage administrative role

                                                                                                          Kids: two; about 10, 12 years old from what I can guess


                                                                                                          The situation:

                                                                                                          Through a variety of past successful decisions and inheritances, they have a nice house in a nice area, worth a fair whack, and have a mortgage on it of €310,000. Paying €1,700 a month. They also have a recently acquired bundle of cash (inheritance) of €230,000 which is currently invested in prize bonds.

                                                                                                          The guy was diagnosed by a decent financial advisor in the past as 'extremely risk averse' and feels very comfortable with that label. So bearing that in mind, and their types of jobs: what do they do? Do they pay down the mortgage, pay down part of the mortgage, keep it in savings (with the idea of drawing it down bit by bit over the years, especially towards the retirement stage of life)?

                                                                                                          Some related things that came up as I was probing (and trying not to crash the car):
                                                                                                          1. They would view it as a crying shame to pay down the mortgage and then die, thus not using their mortgage insurance. Although I was saying they could take out life insurance separate to the mortgage.
                                                                                                          2. They seem singularly uninterested in 'making money'. They've some past experience of owning a second home and didn't like it. I suggested forestry as a low risk investment and that was shot down. I decided not to proffer my views on NFTs as an investment asset class.
                                                                                                          Pay off the mortgage and stay paying the life cover if they like. Guaranteed investment return for risk adverse folk. If they die the excess above the outstanding mortgage is available to their estate. Really they should cancel it and take on a section 72 policy to pay the kids inheritance bill BUT they sound like folk who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. They should also make any AVCs they can on earnings which are at the top rate and invest the monies in line their cautious views....

                                                                                                          However, my real advice would be to focus on what they guy is being paid to do, which is improve the safety of your driving and let him pay someone for financial advice on his own time (highly unlikely).

                                                                                                          ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

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                                                                                                            Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                                                                                            They would view it as a crying shame to pay down the mortgage and then die, thus not using their mortgage insurance. Although I was saying they could take out life insurance separate to the mortgage.
                                                                                                            What, dying seemed like a better option than not dying?

                                                                                                            Your driving skills must really be something.
                                                                                                            "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

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                                                                                                              ah no, i've been with him for ages, so he was actually just saying that after the lesson as part of a chat. I added the bit about 'while trying not to crash the car' for comedic effect. Because of course car crashes are hilarious.
                                                                                                              "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

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                                                                                                                I've never heard of anyone owning prize bonds before. The rate isn't actually that bad -

                                                                                                                "The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) sets the variable percentage rate used to calculate the prize fund. Effective from February 2021 this variable percentage rate is set at 0.35% of the total value of Prize Bonds outstanding."

                                                                                                                I assume you can't get better in any long term savings a/cs?

                                                                                                                I wonder what inspired people who claim to be risk-averse to invest in prize bonds and not something without an element of chance involved!

                                                                                                                There are at least two DEFI protocols that do the same thing but without the guarantee.

                                                                                                                Given they refuse to invest in anything which will yield higher than their mortgage paying it off seems a no brainer. Their thinking is completely at odds with the way the economy works now though - everything is designed for borrowers to be subsidised by savers.

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                                                                                                                  You might want something more exact than a house worth 'a fair whack' (how much is a whack, let alone a fair one?) and that he has an 'okay' pension (omitting whether that is DB or DC!)....

                                                                                                                  It seems a no-brainer to take the 230k in prize bonds and pay down the mortgage. Insanity of the life insurance excepted.
                                                                                                                  "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

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                                                                                                                    Originally posted by Lazare View Post
                                                                                                                    Pretty sad that book is finished tbh.

                                                                                                                    Phenomenal read. Thanks DP and Hitch.
                                                                                                                    It's great isnt it! You really get drawn in to the time period.p
                                                                                                                    You might like his latest "Billy Summers" about a sniper for hires last job...couldn't put it down.

                                                                                                                    And dont forget the Dark Tower series starting with "The Gunslinger" if you get to the 2nd book "the Drawing of the three" you'll be hooked.

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                                                                                                                      I just finished a good book that might be of interest to some here A Brief History of Doom: Two Hundred Years of Financial Crises

                                                                                                                      https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

                                                                                                                      It's an interesting overview of many of the financial crises the world has gone through over the last 200 years, with particular attention paid to private debt, and lending booms. (He basically makes the case that private debt causes crises) It's very interesting, especially the last chapter about the challenges and failures of regulators.
                                                                                                                      Last edited by Hectorjelly; 24-08-21, 15:18.

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                                                                                                                        Oh just reread it and see they recently inherited it - that makes more sense as to why it's in prize bonds.

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                                                                                                                          Risk averse is really loss averse HJ, they don't care if they win nothing and would like the chance. Think all my mothers savings are in prize bonds, she lost her life savings in the crash so was fairly averse after that.


                                                                                                                          Since they won't make investments that will beat the return of a mortgage they should simply pay it down as fast as possible with insurance like above. Or just downsize and max avcs, assume it's worth a lot with that much left outstanding.

                                                                                                                          EDIT: oh i missed the kids ages, thought they were grown, no downsize.
                                                                                                                          Last edited by Tar.Aldarion; 24-08-21, 15:39.

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