DJ360

He left the 'Use, Installation and Servicing Instructions', Manufacturers Warranty Registration Card etc., but none of the details such as installation date, Gas Safe Reg No. etc., are completed in the Instructions, though to be scrupulously fair, maybe he intended to do that on his return. Re: the 'cover plate'. At present, without any 'disassembly', I'm pretty sure I can see where it goes. It's maybe not critical, but if it's meant to be there, it's meant to be there. I reckon it's designed to stop bits of the 'fuel bed' falling in around the valve and a small electrical switch.

Well.. the last few days have been interesting.. A few weeks ago we ordered a new gas fire, of the modern fab trendy 'letter box', 'in wall' style. This to replace a very ancient cast iron back boiler and wall hung gas fire of 70's vintage which has been in place since this house was built. Both boiler and fire have been redundant for donkey's years but we've only just got around to 'getting shut'. The idea is to have a relatively economical heat source, totally independent of electricity, for those many times a year around here when the electricity goes off and thus the 'Combi Boi

I've been a bit busy for the last few days so maybe my brain is a bit tired, but whatever I do, I can't think of a single policy area in which the present Govt. have done anything of benefit to the country, its economy and its wider population. In every policy area, they have either made things worse by their actions, or made things worse by their inactions. That much is beyond reasonable doubt. It's backed up by simple facts and statistics. There can be no argument. So.. what are we to make of this? Are the present Govt. just plain incompetent? Or is there something m

And on the topic of 'made up words', from kids. Our oldest. when, at the age of five, first saw her baby sister and described her as having a 'scrouty face'. Also, when same daughter 'broke wind' loudly.. she laughed hysterically and said. " I pruted"..

There was an episode of 'Pointless Celebrities' on TV last night and some of them were.. But one of the 'Questions' concerned the 'Top Ten Most Annoying Mispronunciations' Top of the list was Nuclear.. I cheered! Also in there from memory was 'Specific', but no mention of Anemone.....

I reckon the vast majority are content to be able to pay the bills, feed and clothe themselves and their families etc. Those who can't, for whatever reason, do indeed suffer in many ways.. and those in that position seem to be increasing in number as the 'wealth gap' widens. Above the 'poverty line', there seem to be very diverse views and ambitions. Again.. I think most of us are content to try to improve our lot in life steadily, and honestly, and yet even there.. I have a couple of friends who frequently express a feeling that somehow they've been 'cheated', and despite ha

Of course I wouldn't disagree with that. So long as you are living your chosen life and it's making you happy, there's no 'right', or 'wrong' style. Oddly, even up until getting married, I never really thought deeply about 'the future'.. or what I wanted from it. I lived very much 'in the moment'. These days, apart from odd reminiscences, I look to the future much more than I ever did in the past.. even though logically, there's a lot less of it.. if that makes sense.

I appreciate that we aren't interested in money..or the happiness it most definitely cannot bring.... so purely from curiosity.. I was wondering what level of investment in Premium Bonds leads to the pretty confident expectation of some sort of win every month? ...Just curious.... Whenever Premium Bonds are discussed, I recall my dear old Mum, way back in the late 50s. She had a single Bond, whose number started 1AB57 or thereabouts...acquired as a gift associated with a purchase. or summat. Back then the winning numbers were published in the papers and she'd be heard

Was up early this morning..waiting for the forecast 'Indian Summer' heat to kick in so I can catch some rays. So I sat in silent reflection, over a coffee, in the living room.. Mrs Col still being at our Daughter's.. As I gazed absentmindedly across the road I got to thinking how well the chap opposite has done for himself. He started a business decades ago which has employed him, his wife, several family members, very gainfully indeed. And yet for reasons I won't go into they've also had a lot of unhappiness... I started strolling mentally around the street, or at leas

Well if we're into 'dialectical abberations' (I made that up.. a bit like H.G. Wells' 'Mr Polly', describing his father's funeral and 'Funererial Baked Meats'...but I digress.. Dialectical abberations such as on the dreaded Facebook 'Rate My Plate' group, where people insist on 'Cornbeef', instead of 'Corned Beef'... Peasants!!!

Your cynicism is showing.. but it's very fashionable at the moment, amongst both politicians and observers.

Well yes. Practically all nations have some sort of links with each other and as you say, some more tenuous than others. I'd suggest that many of those links are commercial and at least some of those are yet another manifestation of the current ascendancy of Neo Lib political and economic 'thinking'. As I said in another post, international business and finance doesn't let mere national borders or govts stand in the way of profit. However, I believe that much of the stuff at issue within British politics could be dealt with simply by the application of a bit of political will.

'Er Indoors has spent most of the time since Sunday over at my older daughter's house in Worsley 'Cat Sitting' while they are on hols. The grumpy old sod.. (the cat) is ailing and possibly not long for this world. Since both daughters live a couple of doors apart, she's also helping with no. 2 Grand daughter while youngest works from home. Meanwhile I spent a lot of time prepping for the arrival of a new gas fire and fitter on Tues. He texted to re-arrange for next week, so in the absence of the Boss, I'm listening to as much loud music as I can, and also using a 'Sound Base'

Again.. partly, especially if the Political Persuasion points to the intended use of, and therefore beneficiaries of, the borrowed money. But the timing of the borrowing also counts. Such that however crazy you might think Corbyn's plans were.. the cost of borrowing at that time was at an all time low.. it being before the Conservative Brexit/Profligacy and Trussonomics changed all that. I'll let them off with Putrid's invasion of Ukraine, though there's still a lot of explaining to do around UK Tory links with Russia.

If I'm not mistaken, Wallace has actual Military experience. But then we've 'had enough of experts'.. Wallace 'copped some flak' a little while back for allegedly telling Zelensky he 'should be more grateful' to us. Reading around that a bit, I reckon he was actually asking Zelensky to allow for the 'domestic' difficulties Western Govt's face when justifying the cost of supporting Ukraine.

But we can blame those who continue to place our public services and hence our collective future in the hands of private enterprise which far too frequently proves to be at least inadequate, at worst, criminal or dangerous. I might be able to come up with a few other examples... let me think... Private Water Companies Private Energy Companies Private Rail Companies Private Prison Companies Private Probation Service.. (Seemingly recognised as a 'step too far' and at least partially put right) Etc.....

Jeez.. Grant '4Names' Schapps appointed Defence Secretary.... Bring on the Spivonomics... The shady world of defence procurement should suit 'Michael Green' down to the ground. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/shortcuts/2015/mar/16/grant-shapps-business-mp-conservative-chairman-michael-green

Partly, that's true. If you want me to briefly use a 'household economy' example... I can borrow to go off on a nice Gambling Spree in Monte Carlo.. while I leave my kids at home with no food or heating. (See 'Trussonomics') Or.. I can borrow to pay for home improvements, benefitting my whole family and improving the value of my home....

Suggestions were made as result of numerous 'Pandemic Preparedness ' exercises, possibly the best publicised being 'Operation Cygnus' in 2016. All were ignored. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59342607 From which: We saw very quickly how adequate the 'stockpile of PPE' really was...

Firstly because it is a Political, not an Economic judgement, as to whether Corbyn's plans were outrageous, or even as 'extreme' as hyped by the right wing press... (Have you forgotten the 'proposed spending wars' between Con and Lab just before the election, or the unseemly 'splurge', represented by Sunak's first budget?) And secondly, the purpose of borrowing, and who ultimately benefits from the borrowed money, is another Political judgement. I doubt you'd argue that Truss's judgement on that front was sound... but even the 'by comparison', judgement of Sunak as chancellor is very sus

Jim, a number of points I've been meaning to respond to on the above. 1. Brits and highest standard of living. The key here is the word 'Average'. An average is simply a formalised generalisation, and as we know, generalisations are always wrong. So, while many have seen their income and wealth increase hugely under the Tories, which of course pushes up the 'average', many more have seen a decline in their fortunes as a direct result of 'Neo Liberal' economic 'ideology'. Those in most need, those least able to fend for themselves etc.., for whatever reason, have generally come off

Bit of a 'Round Robin'.. Even with hindsight lots of people refuse to see the facts. Trump's continuing hold on huge sections of the US Republican vote is a clear example of that. -Nightingale Hospitals. I must admit that the issue of staffing never occurred to me, but once you think that through, the Nightingales were a massive example of what can be achieved in a short time, but were also an unworkable 'solution', which could never have had much impact. The 'authorities', on the other hand knew, or certainly should have known, that it was proving impossible to a

I think he's referring just to 'T&T. He doesn't detail the costs of 'Furlough', business support, Nightingale Hospitals etc. A VERY quick look came up with something around £70Bn for Furlough.

This is a good point for me to jump back in I think Jim. There are a couple of outstanding issues I wanted to reply on but I've been rather busy with domestic stuff.. (Not for here.) Firstly, ( and correct me if I'm wrong..) I believe you live in the constituency of Amber Valley, which is currently the seat of Conservative MP Nigel Mills. A synopsis of his rather less than edifying political career here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Mills Eitherway, whether I'm correct on the above or not.. the reply you received is clearly a somewhat 'selective' politician's an

Belated Happy Birthday from me too Jim!