monkeyseemonkeydo

I don't know how to put this but Ali C is kind of a big deal. He doesn't get up for less than a free motorhome to drive around in! Jokes!

I would go as far as to say that 1) Dubai is a shit place and also 2) Cricket is just dull.

Pfff. Safe house electrics are so over-rated .

My outlook is pretty skewed to be fair. Both Mel and I earn over £50k so absolutely don't need (deserve?) child benefit in the first place. Since Finn was born we've just transferred it straight into a junior ISA (continued the same for Ash) which in the beginning, back in 2012, was actually giving 6% interest (now 2.5% I think). It's not far off £1k a year and they'll each get it when they're 18 so will get a £16k+ boost for uni or whatever then. If we're paying back the CB we'll just continue to put the money in anyway but having been totally unaware of these weird tax rules it's a bit annoying. The Charge thing just seems like a really odd way to go about it. If they decide that higher earners shouldn't get child benefit (which would be fair enough) then just stop them getting part or all of it. To pay it out and then charge it back as tax seems very odd. And to apparently 'forget' to charge it back in one year and ask someone who's always PAYE to then register for a file self assesment is completely mad. Our current plan (possibly misguided!) is to ignore the first letter and if they chase (which no doubt they will) we'll sort it out.

For once I was a good boy and got the Bergamont new from a local place, Hargroves (though online), for £280. It has the unexpected benefit of being the same colour as Danny's current Santa Cruz:

I'm now entirely bored of the whole thing. I'm double jabbed but being fit and healthy am not that fussed about being given any kind of booster or annual jab or whatever. We're now being asked to wear masks again in all common spaces in uni buildings and students are expected to wear masks in all lectures and labs.

It realy is ridiculous. I also find it very odd that the threshold was £50k back in 2013 when they introduced it and it's still £50k 8 years later. Surely it should increase in line with the income tax alllowance or inflation or something financially meaningful?

Rather than create a new thread I thought I'd try this one... Mrs has received a letter from the tax man saying the for 2020-2021 she owes them the 'High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge' (which neither of us knew anything about). Although she's PAYE, has always been PAYE and as such they have had all of the information and ability to charge her what's owed the letter says she now needs to register to submit a self assessment tax return so she can pay them around £900... Seems like a total pisstake as they literally have all the information they've ever needed to sort this out and it just seems they haven't done their job right. I think officially we don't have a leg to stand on as it seems their tag line is 'we're completely shite at what we do so it's up to you to do our job for us' so I don't suppose there's anything we can do. Any thoughts?! Edit: Also if you do file a self assessment tax return is 'I'm PAYE you already know this' a valid response in EVERY SINGLE BOX?

Sounds like one for the financial ombudsman or whoever deals with that sort of crap. See how quick they move when they get shat on from above...

I got Ash a Bergamont 20" plus bike (https://www.bergamont.com/gb/en/product/bergamont-bergamonster-20-plus-boy?article=286849222) and swapped the saddle for a low profile BMX saddle to begin with so he could use it properly. When I was looking it was between that and the Vitus 20": https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-20-kids-bike/rp-prod194920 Finn had a Carrera Blast 20" which worked fine for him but a bit more basic than the Bergamont and Vitus.

'LIke' is the wrong response but hope you guys don't come down too bad and get it over with nice and quickly.

Dave?

Looking good for Semenuk. Feel sorry for his first run. That must really suck psyching yourself up ready to go and then be told to just wait for 20 minutes having watched one of your friends eat it big time... Edit: Just seen the extent of Tom Van Steenbergen's injuries- both hip sockets broken into pieces, chipped femur, chipped vertebrae and dislocated shoulder. Crazy mofos.

Failing that I've used @Jonny Jones's ESK8 stickers a couple of times with excellent results.

There are places that can make the stickers for you but my first port of call would be Steve@Heatsink who may be able to sort you out.

?

Lobster dog is unsure...

There go another 3; Enstroga, Igloo and Symbio.

It's not as bad as you might think: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/09/energy-firm-gone-bust--how-your-new-firm-and-tariff-stacks-up/ Considering there are currently no cheap deals and we're all f**ked I don't think it's too ridiculous. Having said that I haven't seen the actual kWh rates etc. yet so it may still be an unpleasant surprise!

Looks and sounds good! What are the square patches in the back garden? Guessing the 103 year old didn't have two trampolines back there...

Very true! I read it like Mike was just rolling it down the road checking something in preparation for an MOT, rather than on the way to the centre itself.

So were you 'driving it' on a road without an MOT when he reversed into you? That could suck balls for you... Or was it still in MOT from last year?

Another two gone today- Avro (who we moved from to PFP) and Green. The customer issue is only part of it- there must be hundreds (thousands?) of jobs that have simply ceased to exist overnight as these firms are falling over too.

Watched 'Nobody' last night which was quite entertaining. It's obvious that it's done by the people who brought you John Wick and also quite 'Equalizer'y and a good watch but it's a little 'hollow'. No one kills his dog. No one steals his car. The main character just doesn't quite sit right with me. That's the writing though- Bob Odenkirk is great and it's still very watchable.

Yeah my guess would be a nope too. Don't know for sure but gut feeling would be that the fork legs are welded to the steerer which is formed and milled or whatever above the crown race.