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I Have a Question - Volume 156 - Dynamic Dave

***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 157 *****


In this thread you may ask any question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.

It does not need to be motoring related. In fact, in this thread it should not be.

No Questions About PC's. They now go in another Thread.
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Nothing that risks the future of this site (please see the small print for details www.honestjohn.co.uk/credits/index.htm )

Any of the above will be deleted. If the thread becomes difficult to maintain it will simply be removed.

However, as has been said a couple of times, there is a wealth of knowledge in here, much of which is not motoring related, but most of which is useful.

This is Volume 156. Previous Volumes will not be deleted,

A list of previous volumes can be found here:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=18847


PLEASE NOTE:

When posting a NEW question, please "Reply to" the first message in this thread, i.e. this one. This keeps each question in it's own separate segment and stops each new question from getting mixed up in amongst existing questions. Also please remember to change the subject header.

Portable generator - Xileno {P}
I need to buy a portable generator. Does anyone have experience of a good one?
My requirements are:

2500W approx output
4 stroke engine, preferably Honda.
Must be as quiet as possible.

TIA
Portable generator - Pugugly {P}
I would only buy a mainstream one - Honda in all proability, we bought an £80.00 Chinese jobbie for a particular task, despite little use it has now been written off as dangerous by an electrician who came to electrically test it. Waste of money. Spend a packet and buy a Honda, it'll still be around in twenty years if you look after the basics.
Portable generator - Xileno {P}
Thanks. I agree, I don't want any cheap rubbish. I am a firm believer in paying extra for quality. ' Buy cheap, pay twice' etc.
I was thinking of spend approx £400 for something good and that will last many years.
Hotel east of Swindon - Xileno {P}
Can anyone recommend a decent and reasonably priced hotel to the east of Swindon, Shrivenham/South Marston/Highworth area?
Hotel east of Swindon - Nsar
Laterooms.co.uk allows you fairly accurate searches, I use it alot
Hotel east of Swindon - Xileno {P}
Thanks, going to stay at the Saracen's Head in Highworth.
Comfortable boots - ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond
Can anyone suggest a very comfortable boot/hiking boot for £50 or under?

I had a op on both feet ( 6 metetarsol reshaped). I'm looking for something wide and very very comfortable.

Any suggestions?
Comfortable boots - Nsar
£50 is pushing it, you're in "looks the part but not much cop for more than a short amble territory".

How far/high are you planning to walk?

Comfortable boots - Pugugly {P}
An acquired taste but Brashers are a respected comfy boot. Plenty on Fleabay.
Comfortable boots - bell boy
after watching that internet site on watchdog tonight and the amount of power sellers selling fake footwear then i would rather go to makro and buy there or even a shoe shopp'e
Comfortable boots - Bromptonaut
Having just paid £45 for a pair of boots for Bromp junior I'd agree that £50 for premium spec adult boots is pushing it some. You need to find a really good outdoor shop like George Fisher in Keswick or the High Peak shop in Stoke where the staff know their stuff and have the time and motivation to understand your needs.
Comfortable boots - Dalglish
as pugugly says, try "brashers".

shops www.sweatshop.co.uk

Sweatshop was founded in 1971 by Chris Brasher, Olympic gold medallist and co-creator of the London Marathon...... .... His passion and enthusiasm for running and the outdoors spilled over into the business arena and in 1971 (just before Nike was born) he founded 'Chris Brasher's Sporting Emporium' which soon became Sweatshop. ... Chris Brasher believed that to be your best you had to wear the best equipment available. It was with this philosophy in mind that Sweatshop was created, to provide a unique environment for people passionate about their sport and fitness. ... Sweatshop has slowly grown from its first shop in Teddington and now has shops all around England and Scotland. As well as stocking the best products and having the biggest choice, nearly all Sweatshop's staff are from sporting backgrounds, from international runners and rowers to organisers of triathlons and fitness instructors. Their own enthusiasm for sport ensures an empathy between staff and customers, which coupled with constant in-house training makes Sweatshop's service second to none. Sweatshop also uses the latest technology to amplify its service. ....

p.s. : i have no connection with sweatshop or chris brasher.

Comfortable boots - PoloGirl
I was going to say you'd be pushing it for that budget and also suggest George Fishers, but I was beaten to it.

You only get one pair of feet, and especially if you've already had work done on them and you intend to do some hiking, you can't afford to get boots that 'just about' fit.

I spent over an hour getting fitted for boots in George Fishers last summer and I truly do have the most comfortable boots £100 could buy (I added some specially shaped footbeds to them too which pushed the price up a bit further but support the foot). Your feet aren't identical - I had the toe box pushed out on one of mine to make it 100% comfy, and some of the stitching rubbed down smooth to prevent blisters. I was also shown the correct way to lace to stop me 'going over' and 'bagging', both of which the man could tell from my old boots that I was doing quite severely. There were people there who wanted to spend less, and they were doing their best to recommend boots to meet a budget.

I'm all for internet shopping, but I do think with walking boots you need to go and get fitted.
Comfortable boots - Citroënian {P}
Fishers is a great store, got my Zamberlans there after a similar experience to PG. I've also got a pair of Brashers for walking around the shops in Keswick in my anorak-they're fine for simple stuff but not much support away from the main paths and not great on scree either.

If you can, get a decent pair (~£100) but make sure you try before you buy
-- You know, it\'s not like changing toothpaste
Comfortable boots - rtj70
I bought a pair of Brasher walking boots a few weeks back for £56. They have a Goretex waterproof lining. Might not be the best looking boot.

I have wide feet and find them very comfy. I normally take a size 8 but got a larger size to have more room for the toes when coming down hills etc.

Maybe try a pair? I got mine from here:

www.gooutdoors.co.uk/page2/scp/Mens/products.asp?p...1
Comfortable boots - ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond
£50 is pushing it, you're in "looks the part but not
much cop for more than a short amble territory".
How far/high are you planning to walk?


I'm not planning to walking/hiking at all. Not with my feet in this state. I would'nt get about 20 steps.
Like I said I had a op on both feet and I want something comfortable for everyday use and for when I go fishing at the local lakes to keep my feet warm. I need a boot or walking/hiking boot so my ankle has got some support so I dont start to lean to much one way or the other. (To keep off the sore part of the feet).
But the most important thing is they are wide fitting and very very comfortable.

Cheers.
Comfortable boots - Altea Ego
I have a pair of Magnum M353A. Its a paramilitary boot, much favoured by the Police special forces in the UK and abroad, laces up to about three inches above the ankle with very good support. The upper 4 inches or so is reinforced nylon, not leather. Comes in wide fittings. They can go for as much as £110 but I got mine for £65 ish

With some warm hiking socks that should do you.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Comfortable boots - Altea Ego
Sorry I have the 758A boot not the M353A, sometimes called the Elite boot.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Comfortable boots - Nsar
Dr Martens
Nsar - CGT Question - Paul Robinson
Nsar

Sorry you didn't get any replys to your CGT question. I think this reflects what a complex matter this is. It might be one of those times when you need to pay for some advice.

I have used these people in the past and had good service:

www.taxcafe.co.uk/questions.html

I hope that helps!

Nsar - CGT Question - Nsar
Thanks Paul and yes some professional advice is required, but for financial innocents like me, it's handy to get a layman's perspective before I pick up the phone to be bamboozled at my own expense!

I'll check out the link
Nsar - CGT Question - Mapmaker
The following is not very helpful, but it might be better than nothing.

In general, a transfer of shares into an ISA is a disposal for CGT purposes. (Hence eg 'bed and ISA' - i.e. you sell some shares which are standing at a gain in order to use up some of your annual CGT allowance, and immediately buy them back into an ISA. (Nowadays, if you sell shares and buy them back within a month (bed and breakfasting - so called because you used to sell one day, and buy back the next)it is as if you'd never sold them - hence using an ISA to repurchase them.))

Therefore I'd be quite suprised if your share scheme shares could be put into an ISA without crystallising a capital gain... but with share schemes, quite frankly anything could happen.

Why not give the department at work that deals with share schemes a call - surely somebody will know.

If you're happy to keep the shares in an ISA, why the need to sell them now? I don't understand that.

Can you wait until next tax year when you get a new CGT free allowance?

Have you a wife to whom shares can be transferred (if you can out of a scheme)?

Try www.taxationweb.co.uk/forum/ there are some quite knowlegeable people on there, but as I say share schemes are horribly technical.
Nsar - CGT Question - Nsar
Thanks, the scheme doesn't allow me to transfer options to another party. If I buy £8.8k's worth of shares at the "profit price" ie £8800 divided by the difference between option price and market price there shouldn't be anything to stop me gifting them to my wife. I think I could find an immediate buyer for them.

Or would the taxman take a dim view of something quite obvious?



Nsar - CGT Question - Mapmaker
No answers, sorry, only questions - but it might help when you speak to somebody.

When do you crystallise the gain? When you sell the shares, or when you exercise the options?

If the former, then in general there is nothing to stop you transferring shares to your wife (or civil partner) so that the gain, when it crystallises, is hers, not yours.

Alternatively, you could wait until next year before selling them.

In any case, if you've held them a couple of years, the CGT tax rate presumably drops to 10% - being a business asset.

Nsar - CGT Question - hxj

Have you read - www.hmrc.gov.uk/shareschemes/emi-new-guidance.htm?

Some answers (assuming that you have dealt with any IT/NIC/PAYE) -

The CG tax charge crystalises on disposal of the shares the gain being the difference being as you say.

I would sell £17,600 immediately - after taper relief of 50% - no CGT

Give £8,800 to a spouse/civil partner (if you have one - not worth getting married for this though :-) ), they can sell these immediately with no tax charge, but its their money

Give away £8,800 in the same way each subsequent tax year - no CGT

Sell £35,200 immediately after two years from the grant of the option - after taper relief of 75% - no CGT, and exh subsequent tax year - again no CGT

Of course if the value falls you get less, or you could just sell them all on day one and simply pay tax at 20% on the gain ,,,,

Nsar - CGT Question - Mapmaker
And there was me thinking that the 'EMI shares' they were shares in EMI plc. Thanks, hxj.

HXJ, in the interests of education, presumably:

1. You are referring to £17.600/£8,800/£35,200 of GAIN, not of shares.

2. Can you only give £8,800 of gain to spouse/civil partner... do they not inherit your business taper?

NTL - Peter
I am changing to another provider and therefore need to cancel my subscription to NTL. Whilst it might sound simple the last time I had to do it for a friend the process assumed nightmare proportions, lost days, very long waits at telephones, engineers not turning up and threatening letters etc.

Does anyone have an idea how to make the process smooth and painfree.

There used to be an anti-NTL web site full of good information but they have disappeared or have they be reincarnated in anothe site?

Sensible comments only, flamethrowers, profanity and cruise missiles are out.

Thanks in advance.
NTL - Dalglish
anti-NTL web site full of good information but they have disappeared or have they be reincarnated in anothe site

>>

try : n t l h e l l (spaces in case part of the url is considered to be profanity :: ;-) :: !); domain is .co.uk

NTL - rtj70
If you do need to cancel make sure you use the free 150 or is it 151 number from a NTL line. Because you can be on hold a log getting through etc.

I cancelled for my stepson a last month and it all went smoothly believe it or not.

I also called retentions for myself and easily got £20 lopped of the monthly bill for six months, bringing cost inline with Sky for TV + ADSL for Internet.
NTL - David Horn
I'm a student and called to cancel when I moved out of the previous accomodation - took about 2 minutes on the phone and they allowed me to break out the 12 month contract early with no penalties after I gave them my student number.
Payment by credit card on a mobile phone - Dynamic Dave
Just how secure is paying by credit card on a mobile?

My Symantec AV software on my mobile has expired, and it has given me the option of renewing via the handset which is a better deal (cost wise) than renewing through their website.
Payment by credit card on a mobile phone - local yokel
Secure enough for your purposes. They'll have 128-bit encryption on a payment page, and the GPRS data network is also 128 bit encrypted over the air.

Could be broken using a big enough computer, but that's academic.
Payment by credit card on a mobile phone - Altea Ego
more to the point, how much risk do you have on your mobile by not having an AV package,
Very little I would say. Mobile threats are minscule at the moment.

------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Payment by credit card on a mobile phone - Dynamic Dave
Very little I would say.


You're probably right.
Mobile threats are minscule at the moment.


But for how long?

The AV package was already on the phone when I bought it. No indication that it was only free for a short time after first initialising it, but as the subscription is only £12 for 1yr, then £1 a month isn't a huge sacrifice for piece of mind.
Payment by credit card on a mobile phone - Baskerville
>>£1 a month isn't a huge sacrifice
for piece of mind.


That depends on which piece and whose mind.
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - drbe
I am trying to settle an argument.

Which was the more effective fighter aircraft during Ww 2? The Hurricane or Spitfire?

Hurricane v Spitfire/ - Altea Ego
Effective?
by kills, ease of manufacture, reliability, and ease of flying, hours in the sky - it was the Hurry every time.

Sure the spit had better performance, and could turn sharper and was a sports car, but your repmobile hurry broke the back of the luftwaffe.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - drbe
Effective?
by kills, >> ------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >

>>

It is actually kills (enemy aircraft brought down) per british fighter in service, that I am looking for.

I didn't want to get too gory in my original question.

Is there a web site or other source that I can use to obtain firm statistics?
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - Pugugly {P}
There were more Hurricanes than Spitfires around at the Battle of Britain. The Hurricane was a better gun platform
and more rugged in combat (i.e. could take more hits), the Hurricane had more "kills" in the Battle of Britain. I can;t recommend a website but can suggest the following reads.

1.Spitfire - Alfred Price ISBN 035401778
2 Fighter Command - Chaz Bowyer ISBN0460043889
3. Spifire at War - Bowyer
4. Hurricane at War- Bowyer
5. Bader - Michael Burns
6. Fighter Boys - Patrick Bishop
7. Spitfire Ace - Martin Davidson and James Taylor
8. Battle of Britain - Len Deighton
9. The Hardest Day - Alfred Price

Probably not the instant answer that the net provides but an in-depth and enduring font of knowledge in the subject.

For a quick answer go to

forums.wildbillguarnere.com/index.php?showtopic=88...8
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - Pugugly {P}
I'm not an wind-cheater by the way just an interest from boyhood.
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - mjm
I don't want to cause an arguement but -- at 10000 ft, at 300 mph,
Turning circle, (radius)

Me 109E 760ft
Hurricane 1 800ft
Spitfire 1 880ft

Taken from Fighter, by Len Deighton.

So both the ME109 and the Hurricane had the capability to out-turn the Spitfire, under those conditions.
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - buzbee
And the speeds of each of these in the turn were?
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - Stuartli
The Hurricane misses out on the level of praise that it deserves partially because the Spitfire was - and still is - one of the most beautifully simple aircraft designs ever created to date and people took it to their hearts.

Of course I would include, probably along with many other people, in the design list Concorde, Comet, Vulcan and even some of the Lear models - no doubt you could think of more.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - Pugugly {P}
"The Hurricane misses out on the level of praise" - because of the very, very successful propaganda campaign by HMG to frighten the Germans that there were more Spitfires than we had and to enhance it;s "fearsome" image. The early Spits were not as good as popular history makes out, poorly armed, poorly propellered and with problematical carbs compared to the Hurricanes and ME109s (which had fuel injection - probably made by Bosch!) just before the BoB. The Hurricane lived and lives very much in shadow of the Spitfire, one very sensible tactic was not to deploy any to France in 1940, much to the annoyance of the French Government, holding back the Spitfires that the RAF had probably was a deciding factor in the BoB.

The Hurricane was a robust aircraft and became the platform for state of the art weapons (Rockets and tank busting canons) and fought through the War without appearing obsolete. Maybe not as sexy as the Spitfire but a war winning machine. Even the Russians flew them.

It's like comparing a Tornado and a Typhoon - not good if you're in the sights of either !
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - Stuartli
>>Maybe not as sexy as the Spitfire but a war winning machine. >>

I meant, of course, the public's perception of the Hurricane's role compared with the Spitfire over the past five or six decades.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Hurricane v Spitfire/ - drbe
I'm not an wind-cheater by the way just an interest from
boyhood.

>>

Thanks for the replies PU - I think of you more as a walking jacket - there now - you feel better already, don't you!
Where Are You Now? - OAP
I am endeavouring to locate the two daughters of Stanislaw Brzeski, a Polish WW2 Air Ace who died in Eltham, South London, in 1972.

I have e-mailed an address found on a web site which records the exploits of this gentleman and his wartime colleagues but have not received a reply.

Please can anyone suggest how I could ' track down' these ladies who probably have different surnames by now.

TIA
Where Are You Now? - Stuartli
Is this the person involved?

www.geocities.com/dywizjon/317/317_faces.html (squadron photos and may provide information if contacted)

math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces2/pol/pol/brzes...l

www.roman.biskupin.wroc.pl/brzeski.html

There are other references to the air ace.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Where Are You Now? - Stuartli
Also Government archives:

tinyurl.com/y33vvb




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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Where Are You Now? - PhilW
I have an interest in WW1 and have used internet forums to find details of WW1 units/soldiers associated with my Grandfather, who kept a diary. There are some very knowledgable people out there (like on HJ). Have you tried forums such as

www.ww2talk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=6bdade185...4
or ex RAF
www.worldwar2exraf.co.uk/forum2/index.php

National archives have an entry which might be him - would this be a starting point?
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/detail...3

Strangely enough there is another Q about him here dating from 2004 - unfortunately no replies
www.rafcommands.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az...s
But it does have details of his squadrons.

Do you have the ladies' names? Tried the census? or
www.b4usearch.com/
or "family tree" sites such as
freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.plhttp://www.findm...t
www.genuki.org.uk/

Hope I am not "trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs" as my Dad used to say - you've probably tried these places.
Good luck




--
Phil
Where Are You Now? - PhilW
Oops - I'm obviously a very slow typer - and not as good a researcher as those above!!
--
Phil
Where Are You Now? - OAP
Thank-you all for such quick and helpful replies...the Backroom knows no bounds!!

Most of the links which you have suggested are new to me and I already downloaded some information from The National Archives as a result.

If and when I suceed in tracing the ladies concerned, I will put a note on this site but I expect it will take quite a while.



Loo not flushing right - ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond
We moved into our new house in the summer. We have two toilets. One upstairs, one downstairs. They are both Armitage Shanks. Both seem to flush ok but the one downstairs doesnt clear no-where near like it should.

What could be the reason for this?
Loo not flushing right - Pugugly {P}
Have you checked inside the cistern ? Talking to some guys in the village, there is a trend to put a couple of bricks in the cistern to reduce capacity (and consequent flushability) to that less water is used (water meters)
Châteaux PU has resisted all attempts by the local water company to introduce such a novelty item into our plumbing.
Loo not flushing right - bell boy

They are both Armitage Shanks.

has he asked for them back then yet? ;-)
Loo not flushing right - Stuartli
>>has he asked for them back then yet? ;-)>>

He wouldn't have a leg to stand on...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Loo not flushing right - ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond
No bricks in the cistern.


has he asked for them back then yet?...
No. He helped me put them in. Very hard work. I can tell you he was alittle flushed after that.

Ok, I know its bad but you started it :-)
Loo not flushing right - artful dodger {P}
It sounds like the outlet pipe is partially blocked (I'm not a plumber). Over the years I have found the loo blocked with items, usually in the u-bend, like a toothbrush, a plastic loo block holder, excessive toilet paper, kitchen paper, nappy liners, etc.

The only other possibility is there may be a blockage in the main sewer pipe and this is starting to show in the downstairs toilet. To check this you will need to lift a manhole cover in your garden.

My advice would be to check ASAP.


--
Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
Loo not flushing right - Mapmaker
>Doesn't clear nowhere like it should.

Do you mean that when you flush it, you

1)the cistern doesn't seem to put the water out properly

2) don't get enough water out of the cistern

3) the water doesn't drain away properly

4) It looks OK (both the water coming in, and the water coming out, but just doesn't 'do the trick'.

Possibly causes

1) Need new syphon

2) a - wrong cistern attached that doesn't deliver enough water. Building regs have steadily reduced the quantity of water that you are permitted to use to flush a newly installed loo. IIRC it was 9litres, then 7l, now 6l.
b - wrong syphon - same effect
c ball cock arm bent down so as to limit quantity of water used
d - bricks, like they said before

3) blocked outlet pipe, as said before

4) limescale on the inflow into the bowl causing wrong sort of turbulence preventing efficient removal of waste

5) Is it a loo with a syphon (cue all sorts of complications).


How old, approx, is the loo?
Loo not flushing right - ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond
4) It looks OK (both the water coming in, and
the water coming out, but just doesn't 'do the trick'.

How old, approx, is the loo?


Number 4.

Dont know how old the loo is as we moved in in the summer
Loo not flushing right - wemyss
Check the above suggestions regarding blockage of the foul drain and that the cistern is filling up to the water level line which is marked inside the cistern.
I assume that the water level in the pan doesnt rise unduly which would indicate a blockage.
If all is well in the above I would suspect that the pan is the problem.
It may be that at some stage it was supplied from a high level cistern and was perhaps replaced with a low level one.
Doing this is often OK but sometimes the trapping arrangement on the pan is not suitable for a low level cistern as the water pressure coming down the flush pipe is insufficient.
There were various shapes of the original Thomas Crapper design and although it all looks the same the flushing efficiency was dictated by the designer.
I remember that when high level cisterns went out of fashion and we converted them to low your problem sometimes came up.
We then used to fit a siphonic pan as they called. You will have seen these before without realising what they were. When you flushed the toilet, the water in the base of the pan suddenly disappears before refilling...As opposed to the normal washdown type mainly in use.
This is done by some clever designiing of the outlet trap which is not visible to the user.
If yours was at one time a high level cistern type and there are no blockages as suggested I would ask for advice from Armitage or Twyfords or perhaps even a knowledgeable Plumbers merchant on what pan should be fitted.
wemyss.
Loo not flushing right - henry k
Have a look at the side profile of the china part of the waste pipe of the pan?
Is it a simple S shape that joins a pipe in the floor?
Is it a simple P shape that joins a pipe through the wall?

Is it a "close coupled suite" i.e. is there a short visible pipe from the cistern to the pan.

If it is a siphonic pan it will be close coupled and the pan will have a larger more complex base to it.
The siphon is also more complex and and must be reinstalled correctly.
I have a double trap close couped siphonic suite. I damaged the siphon and had to effect a delicate repair on the siphon tube as no spare was available.

All good info from previous posters.

>>We moved into our new house in the summer.
All the more reason to check the manholes outside for a proper flow /blockage.
Lift a cover, ensure it is guarded, and then get someone to flush the toilet.
The flow in the manhole should arrive quickly and finish quickly. If so that is eliminated as a problem.

Over to you re loo

Visa Debit payment - company goes bust - daveyjp
Not really a IHAQ, but could be of interest to others and thanks to Martins Moneytips regular e-mail for the info.

As some may be aware if you pay for something by credit card for a vaue in excess of £100 and the company goes bust before you receive the goods you can get a refund from your credit card provider under S75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

Following the Farepak debacle it now appears there is a little known system similar to the above, but not part of the CCA that allows your bank to get a refund from the company's bank (not the company). It's designed so that if you pay for something and that order hasn't been adequately completed or is never received, or the order is illegitimate in some way, your bank can do a chargeback on the bank that collected the payment.

Most banks are unaware of the system as it's an internal Visa regulation, but it could be useful should you use a Visa debit card to buy goods which are never received. If the bank says it doesn't know what you are talking about you will need to make a written complaint to the bank and Visa.

One Farepak customer who went down this route has been promised a £1100 refund by December.
Visa Debit payment - company goes bust - Stuartli
I posted this information on the Martyn Lewis website early this year after the Halifax changed my replacement debit card from Switch to Visa.

By chance I discovered that if I bought anything with my debit card (usually for sums of less than £100) I would receive very similar backup to that of my LloydsTSB Trustcard, also a Visa card. It was particularly comforting if I bought products online.

I was shot down in flames at the time by a number of the moneysavingsexpert.com contributors but further investigation revealed that in 2004, on the same website, there was a thread that included several postings from the Halifax's own Press Officer that confirmed the advice...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Rebecca {P}
You know the phenomenon when if one line of text ends with the same word that the next line starts with, your brain can jump the second line without reading it (the word or the whole line)?

Usually seen with the optical illusion

I
Love
Paris in the
the Springtime

Does anyone know what this is called? I think there's a word for it, but can't find it.

Come on guys (and girls) don't let me down!

Rebecca

Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Xileno {P}
Optical illusion.
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Rebecca {P}
Helpful! :o)

There's definitely a term for it probably with latin or greek origin.
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - No FM2R
The only thing I could find hunting around was that it is apparantly caused by a "latent Gestalt impression".
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Big Bad Dave
I don't know the answer to that Rebecca

But I do know that the problem gets worse, the wider the column of text. The eye finds it more and more difficult to jump from the right hand side of one line to the left hand side of the line below and the wider the text box, the harder it is. When I was learning to set type and "cast off" some 20 years ago, we were taught that the optimum column width was "an alphabet and a half" or about 40 characters with a line feed (leading) of about 30%
extra on the point size so 9 point text on 12 point leading. The more you deviate from this, the more tedious it will become for the reader. Doesn't answer your question but don't forget next time you're writing those letters.
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - No FM2R

But I did find this while I was looking.....

www.tqnyc.org/NYC052034/pictures.htm
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - L'escargot
When you've got a spare moment, just browse through here. tinyurl.com/y7d6vm
--
L\'escargot.
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Altea Ego
You pica BBD


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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Big Bad Dave
Pica ems, pica ems, pica ems!

Don't hear much about those these days RF
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Phil I
>Pica ems, pica ems, pica ems!

I for one had never heard of them. Thanks Mr. Snail for the link. I am now much wiser than I was earlier this morning. Like the fool I am, for many years I have selected type face and f o n t size quite blindly having no knowledge of what I was doing, merely relying on the look of the thing that appeared. I am now that much wiser. Must go and lie down now

Where did I leave my LGBoA!!
Phil I
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Baskerville
Try searching for Repetition Blindness or Rapid Serial Visual Presentation. I recall editing something a while back that said it works even if the second word isn't the same, as long as it shares several letters.

So:

I
Love
Paris in the
tha springtime.

should work, though probably not for us now we're expecting it.
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Stuartli
Should read:

I
Love
Paris in the
the springtime.


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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Rebecca {P}
best we can do is

homeoteleuton
homeoarchy
haplography
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Armitage Shanks {p}
Chambers English Dictionary defines haplography as the inadvertent writing once of what should have been written twice. Is this the most useless word in the English language?

Well yes - on a motoring forum it is!
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Armitage Shanks {p}
Homeoteleuton = a series of words with the same or similar endings.

Ah - that'll be poetry and rhyming stuff!


Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - Baskerville
Umm... What?
Linguistic question for the wordsmiths - BazzaBear {P}
Should read:
I
Love
Paris in the
the springtime.

No it shouldn't. Baskerville was specifically making the point that the first word of the last line didn't need to be 'the'.
Not that I'm entirely sure he's right.
Scheduled Flight Confirmation? - Chas{P}
Just been checking my travel docs for a flight tomorrow morning and have discovered that the airline requires you to confirm your flight 72 hours before.

Guess what? - I haven't.

Am I potentially stuffed getting a seat in economy??

Airline is Qatar Airways

Any enlightenment would be appreciated!


Scheduled Flight Confirmation? - Stuartli
I'm sure you are not the first nor the last.

Why not ring the airline pronto and find out the situation?
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Scheduled Flight Confirmation? - Altea Ego
No you are not stuffed, you dont *have* to confirm your seat if its booked and paid for. Just make sure you check in early so you dont get bounced. (airlines like to over book)

Check on the airlines web site, you may be able to check in on line. On BA you can even print your boarding pass.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Scheduled Flight Confirmation? - Chas{P}
Many thanks, both of you, for your replies. Tried to ring the airline's office this afternoon but it was closed. Hence the posted question!

Should be fine though as I've been told confirming the return flight is more important.



Scheduled Flight Confirmation? - henry k
Should be fine though as I've been told confirming the return flight is more important.

Let me assure you that many airlines will cancel the return flight if you do not turn up for / travel on the outbound flight.

Some airlines do want reconfirmation 72 hours before departure and I would not mess with them.

Last year my daughter bought a return cheap fare on a UK airline. She then decided to pay for another more expensive one way ticket and go on an earlier flight realising that she would loose the cost of the later flight.
Arriving at the airport for the retun flight ( the original cheap one) she was told the booking had been cancelled due to no show on the incoming flight.
So in effect she was told to Foxtrot Alpha and had to buy another ( of course expensive) return ticket.
A few weeks later I was at a select presentation by the CEO and I buttonholed him about it but he in effect did not want to know.

From their main site
www.qatarairways.com/?faqeng&tab=7
"Reconfirmation
It is QR policy for all passengers to reconfirm their flight at least 72 hrs before departure"
plus baggage weights & dimensions details

From the UK site
www.myqatar.co.uk/
No information

>>Just make sure you check in early so you dont get bounced. (airlines like to over book)
I totally agree. You might be very surprised at how much some flights on some airlines are overbooked.
Do be polite to the check in staff. They can easily give you a difficult time or be really helpful if the circumstances allow.



www.myqatar.co.uk/


Scheduled Flight Confirmation? - Stuartli
>>You might be very surprised at how much some flights on some airlines are overbooked.>>

I've been offered up to several hundred pounds by airline staff to give up a booked flight for a later one on long distance trips on a number of occasions over the years.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Scheduled Flight Confirmation? - henry k
I've been offered up to several hundred pounds by airline staff to give up a booked flight for a later one on long distance trips on a number of occasions over the years.

>>
Just last month I was talking to a young delighted couple who had been payed £400 each for a few hours delay at the start of their holiday.
National Anthem - BobbyG
Being in my 30s, I have only ever had the Queen as my monarch. What happens with the National Anthem when Charles takes over? Is it the same anthem but words changed from Queen to King etc? Or is there another older anthem that was used for previous Kings?

Or will it be an X Factor special to write the new anthem.........?
National Anthem - Pugugly {P}
Yes - see any WW2 B&W film for guidence. Personally I feel it would be an oppertunity for a change.
Motorola SLV Phone and Texts. - Pugugly {P}
Being driven to distraction. Can't get the traditional texting to work (never mind the MMM type !). I know the phone needs to be programmed witht the Message Centre number, but nothing in the instructions tells you how to do this. Any help would be appreciated (Yes I have RTFM)

Thanks.
Motorola SLV Phone and Texts. - Pugugly {P}
Well, seems sorted my lack of faith in O2's helpdesk seems to have been a tad incorrect. They've diagnosed an elderly SIM card which they will replace......The manual ain't any good though I finally navigated through about 12 menus to find the service centre number.
Motorola SLV Phone and Texts. - Altea Ego
And only 28 minutes on the phone to the O2 service centre, thats a re-sult on its own!
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
Motorola SLV Phone and Texts. - Pugugly {P}
Ah but using my new fangled broadband telephone it cost nothing (i hope) mind you it was dealt with in a few minutes by a friendly type who passe the time of day quite pleasantly whilst she waited for me to rip out my sim card, clean it abd put back in - sh spoke beypnd her script which is useful.
Who prunes the trees? - drbe
Walking in the Surrey Hills this morning, my companions noticed the branches (and twigs, leaves etc.) on the trees were all at the same height above the ground - about 5 feet or so.

Why would this be so? Why would the greenery on all the trees in a field be at the same height?

I stated my theory, but my companions dismissed it as invalid.
Who prunes the trees? - Pugugly {P}
Evolution.........if the branches were lower any Tom, Dick or Harry from the animal kingdom would come along and chew them. Which is why they have Giraffes as a countermeasure.