The grumpy thread

[mitsisigma01]

Barefoot for prime minister, can't do any worse than the other twats ....

[artdjones]

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

You know I'm going to have to waste spend time attempting that? Do you know how long was allowed in that exam?

I think 2 hours. It's the middle paper of three. I hadn't realised, but before 1975 there was no grading other than pass or fail. And that year the WJEC started looking at the feasibility of combining O level and CSE in a combined exam. So I have a top grade CSE as well as a grade B O Level. We also took the exam after only one years study instead of two. So we were guinea pigs all round.

[HillmanImp]

33 minutes ago, artdjones said:

A grade B O Level. 

That stinks 

[Zelandeth]

Why do we own so much junk!?!

[Dobloseven]

Agricultural College. 9 Hoe Levels and 3 Hay Levels. 

[Broadsword]

The current craze for new cars to be specced in Primer Grey. Why do it? They are so ugly it's distracting. I'm not kidding those block colour battleship grey cars being genuinely look like they have been left in primer to my eye!

[Fumbler]

I've just received the new PAS pump for the Volvo... Well, what I ordered was a NOS pump. What I received was a different pump from a different listing. It's still for an 850, luckily, and it certainly looks new, but it's covered in fluid and comes with an additional reservoir which I didn't ask for either.

I've waited so long for it that I might as well fit it. It's preventing me from using the car otherwise.

 

[New POD]

9 hours ago, chadders said:

Do you have kids?

I have a pretty good idea how bright mine are and can therefore compare their results to my own A level results some 40+ years ago and totally disagree with your theory.

 

 

I think what he said was in jest.  From.what I've seen, kids work harder these days 

 

[Back_For_More]

This...... Who the f*** designed this or thought it was a smart move. 

I don't want a lesson in Origami and don't intend flossing my backside...  Not to mention when it doesn't pull through the next sheet...... 

Arseholes..... pardon the pun. 

Just a pointless and fucking stupid implementation altogether. 

[Remspoor]

It is not only banger racers that destroy what look to be salvageable cars. They could certainty be able to donate spares.

 

 

[cobblers]

Fitting our new unit out at work. We need to build some enclosed office space because it's going to be impossible to heat the whole industrial unit.

Since we're building offices, we might as well make the roof of them accessible storage space? 

Nope! The extra space would take the convoluted and imaginary "rateable value" of the unit from ~£12163 to £15780. Both totally arbitrary numbers, it's still the same unit, with the same people in it, but with a bit more usable space, but this extra bit of flooring would cost us an extra ~£600 per month in business rates.

 

 

 

[somewhatfoolish]

Floor it for storage but don't fit stairs. Entirely coincidentally also have full height racking that needs a set of portable steps on wheels to access. Or are surveyors wise to such shenanigans?

[New POD]

6 hours ago, cobblers said:

Fitting our new unit out at work. We need to build some enclosed office space because it's going to be impossible to heat the whole industrial unit.

Since we're building offices, we might as well make the roof of them accessible storage space? 

Nope! The extra space would take the convoluted and imaginary "rateable value" of the unit from ~£12163 to £15780. Both totally arbitrary numbers, it's still the same unit, with the same people in it, but with a bit more usable space, but this extra bit of flooring would cost us an extra ~£600 per month in business rates.

 

 

 

How would "they" know? 

[Metal Guru]

14 hours ago, artdjones said:

I think 2 hours. It's the middle paper of three. I hadn't realised, but before 1975 there was no grading other than pass or fail. And that year the WJEC started looking at the feasibility of combining O level and CSE in a combined exam. So I have a top grade CSE as well as a grade B O Level. We also took the exam after only one years study instead of two. So we were guinea pigs all round.

Yes,Two hours. It says so on the front page . It always does but it never stops at least one candidate from asking even though they get told verbally as well. ( I invigilate occasionally).

[cobblers]

3 hours ago, New POD said:

How would "they" know? 

Well, that's the thing. The building is brand new so I'm unsure if it's been assessed by the council yet with regards to the business rates. Once it's been assessed it might be ten years before they ever check again.

We don't need the space imminently (it's already 4.5x the size of where we are at the moment) so I'll just build the offices as planned (non structural), then once we're in, settled and sure that the building has been assessed, I'll get the company to come and slap a mezzanine above them.

It seems mental - the current unit we have costs us £623 a month to rent, for 720 square feet, but to add 580 square feet of usable space to an existing building would cost us ~£600 extra rates! 

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, cobblers said:

Well, that's the thing. The building is brand new so I'm unsure if it's been assessed by the council yet with regards to the business rates. Once it's been assessed it might be ten years before they ever check again.

We don't need the space imminently (it's already 4.5x the size of where we are at the moment) so I'll just build the offices as planned (non structural), then once we're in, settled and sure that the building has been assessed, I'll get the company to come and slap a mezzanine above them.

It seems mental - the current unit we have costs us £623 a month to rent, for 720 square feet, but to add 580 square feet of usable space to an existing building would cost us ~£600 extra rates! 

If it hasn't been assessed, how do you know this? I've found council rating surveyors to be very fair and helpful, might be worth a phone call at least to check. It does sound like your making a big chunk of the space into offices, tbh.

[Markeh]

Got approached for my ideal job, at a great company and a step up from where I was. That was in the middle of June. After nearly 3 months of delays, different interview stages, having to chase to get updates, had the final stage last week, was promised I'd get a response by last Friday. I got a generic rejection email with no feedback at 5pm last night. Utter waste of time. How hard is it to spend 5 minutes writing some feedback? Demoralising as hell.

[artdjones]

2 hours ago, Markeh said:

Got approached for my ideal job, at a great company and a step up from where I was. That was in the middle of June. After nearly 3 months of delays, different interview stages, having to chase to get updates, had the final stage last week, was promised I'd get a response by last Friday. I got a generic rejection email with no feedback at 5pm last night. Utter waste of time. How hard is it to spend 5 minutes writing some feedback? Demoralising as hell.

I understand your pain, but if they are useless it's probably trouble avoided not to get a job with them. The really stupid part is them approaching you. 

[Markeh]

1 minute ago, artdjones said:

I understand your pain, but if they are useless it's probably trouble avoided not to get a job with them. The really stupid part is them approaching you. 

Yeah, in hindsight there's definitely been a few red flags about their recruitment process, so potentially a blessing in disguise. Maybe it'll either give me a kick up the arse to start properly searching for something or to keep arguing for promotion where I am at the moment.

[mercedade]

7 hours ago, cobblers said:

Well, that's the thing. The building is brand new so I'm unsure if it's been assessed by the council yet with regards to the business rates. Once it's been assessed it might be ten years before they ever check again.

We don't need the space imminently (it's already 4.5x the size of where we are at the moment) so I'll just build the offices as planned (non structural), then once we're in, settled and sure that the building has been assessed, I'll get the company to come and slap a mezzanine above them.

It seems mental - the current unit we have costs us £623 a month to rent, for 720 square feet, but to add 580 square feet of usable space to an existing building would cost us ~£600 extra rates! 

And apologies if this is egg-sucking advice, but there are firms who basically do consultancy work bickering with assessors on behalf of commercial clients about exactly this.

A mate of mine has done it, employing every ridiculous trick in the book - I've helped him lug those 1 tonne plastic water pallets from 'empty' office space to 'empty' office space, all as part of some elaborate demonstration of the usage (or otherwise) of the buildings.

[cobblers]

3 minutes ago, mercedade said:

And apologies if this is egg-sucking advice, but there are firms who basically do consultancy work bickering with assessors on behalf of commercial clients about exactly this.

A mate of mine has done it, employing every ridiculous trick in the book - I've helped him lug those 1 tonne plastic water pallets from 'empty' office space to 'empty' office space, all as part of some elaborate demonstration of the usage (or otherwise) of the buildings.

Nope, thanks mate, I'll look into it!

[Remspoor]

Does not affect me, so I am not so grumpy. It does not make me grin either. Just what were they thinking?

Southend United to rename stand

[New POD]

15 hours ago, mercedade said:

And apologies if this is egg-sucking advice, but there are firms who basically do consultancy work bickering with assessors on behalf of commercial clients about exactly this.

A mate of mine has done it, employing every ridiculous trick in the book - I've helped him lug those 1 tonne plastic water pallets from 'empty' office space to 'empty' office space, all as part of some elaborate demonstration of the usage (or otherwise) of the buildings.

Office space or clean room for high tech manufacturing? Does that change the rateable value? 

In this new world, the rateable value, should be based on how much of the floor area is actually used for manufacturing stuff, and how much is a warehouse, of things already made, and there should be a massive discount based on the value exported. 

[Zelandeth]

Oh give me a fscking break.  

Have just spent the last week plus change prepping the house to receive guests, folks we've not seen in 5+ years.  House prep was a major undertaking because work from home has vastly altered how space is used.  

They arrived yesterday evening.  This morning have tested COVID positive.  Excuse me while I go find a wall to smash my head against until I pass out.

[Saabnut]

Locking wheel nuts. That is all

[sierraman]

Couple of days off to get jobs done and now I feel like I’ve got flu coming on. Fantastic. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

29 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Couple of days off to get jobs done and now I feel like I’ve got flu coming on. Fantastic. 

Hope you feel better soon.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

This morning have tested COVID positive.

You, or them? Have you kicked them out yet?

[Zelandeth]

6 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

You, or them? Have you kicked them out yet?

Them, and we can't exactly kick them out telling them to go home given home is ~3,500 miles away.  One of those afflicted is in their mid 70s, so we're not about to cast them onto the street unless they're back to feeling well.  We're isolating within the house wherever possible - though downstairs being pretty much entirely open plan is unhelpful.

Know a lot of people would just shrug it off, but personally I'm taking it very seriously.  I got it back at the end of May and haven't made it even *vaguely* close to back to 100% from it yet.  So I'd really, really rather not get another dose.

[reb]

I've been in this house for nearly 4 years now, never had any problems except for some dodgy sockets that were fixed in the first year.

Went to wash my face and shave this morning (well, 2pm, but who's counting) and all that came out of the hot tap was a a small dribble of cold water then nothing.

No answer on the out of hours number for the letting agent, no way for me to troubleshoot myself because the extent of my knowledge of the water heater is there's a boost button and it's boxed in in the kitchen.

Chances of it being sorted so I can have my Sunday night bath? Absolutely zero.

Thankfully I have an electric shower that's independent of the water heater. I wonder if I can use it to fill the sink to shave without making a horrendous mess.