The grumpy thread

[D Spares & Tyres]

You should try Sunshine radio, a local station

 

You get to hear Blue by Eiffel 65 every single day

 

Dreadful station but the only one with good reception unfortunately

[Alexg]

I think the final nail in the F1 coffin for me was the -

Driver to pits (when being caught by opponent) "Are we racing this guy?" 

Pits to driver - "No they're on a different strategy"

*Sigh*

[Negative Creep]

Fed up with the self-righteous gobshites on Capital Radio in the morning. They seem to have a vocabulary of about sixteen words and they ALWAYS play wither Ellie Goulding or Taylor Swift. SHITE. Unfortunately the reception is piss poor around Cumbernauld so its the only popular misuc station that I can listen to without the radion constantly self seeking. I have therefore taken to listening to BBC Scotland on the drive to and from work as you seem to be able to get that wjere all other stations are long lost. I have actually found what a philistine I have become and the topical and cultural articles are interesting and keep my mind off the tailgaters.

 

 

Capital FM is only good for playing in the background when you're standing around on your council estate waiting for someone to mug

[fred]

Having spent a good long hour talking to retards on EON as my electric meter hath died - I  have come to the conclusion - Bah Pfffffft and Cock

 

[Pieman]

I really stopped watching after Murray walker retired. 

 

Thinking about it, my interest in F1 has waned massively since he stepped down.  It just...isn't the same without his voice, just like wildlife programmes that aren't narrated by David Attenborough just don't sound right.

[fred]

Thinking about it, my interest in F1 has waned massively since he stepped down.  It just...isn't the same without his voice, just like wildlife programmes that aren't narrated by David Attenborough just don't sound right.

Aye - about right there Pieman

[Tetleysmooth]

I'd still chuck a leg over Suzi Perry though, but, she has competition, Bianca Westwood a roving reporter on Gillette Soccer Saturday.

Phwoaaarrr.

[Negative Creep]

Yes, but a good employer would allow it on a case-by-case basis.  A really good employer would keep paying you...

 

 

Following on from my last post, he died this morning. Nothing I can do now beyond wait for the funeral

[Sloth in a bowl]

I think F1 started getting shite the day 12 people wheeled their cars out of a garage and decided to race them round a track. I liked the rivalry and personalities of Nigel Mansell and Michael Schumacher but I can't ever remember it being entertaining. I always loved BTCC years ago.

 

 

My issue with F1 now is that the cars are too reliable. 30 years ago, there was a lot of entertainment in the 2nd half of each race as various people in the top ten would slow down or drop out with various maladies. Odd drivers won a Grand Prix after letting the pack rush of into the distance then fail one by one.

 

That changing story during a race is what F1 has lost and endurance racing and BTCC still have.

 

Also tyre wars, you car can't be the quickest on every circuit because they have the better tyres some of the time.

[LC Torana]

Crappy music, try listening to Heart all day.

 

Huh? Crappy?

[Slappy]

I think SIAB has absolutely nailed it. Races used to be interesting because of the mantra "To finish First, first you have to finish". I love F1, my 2nd earliest memory is of Senna and Prost's entanglement in Suzuka in 1989 at 27 months old (Tobacco advertising FTW!), and even I found it dreary this year.

 

Unfortunately in the 2000s the safe development of tracks couldn't keep up with the speeds required to keep up unreliability as teams didn't need to push the envelope as far anymore, and let's face it after the death of Senna, there was a sea change in attitudes towards driver safety. Better aero computing and a notional testing reduction in the cause of cost-cutting has meant that teams left behind (see McLaren in 2015) find it harder to catch back up having dropped a bollock right at the start. I may have heard this wrong, but the biggest mid-season developments might not even have been car related, but to do with advances in the fuels being used.

 

That's pants as far as the spectator is concerned. Now that Mark Webber has left F1 a big chunk of anti-PR left with it. Kimi is still Kimi, and Alonso is trying his best, but most of the rest are pre-programmed soundbites. I hated Vettel as a driver during his WC years, but going by the interviews that he does away from the paddock, like on Top Gear it seems like he might actually be the funniest German on the planet, but sadly this doesn't come across on race day.

 

I would scrap all "advice" chats to drivers, and limit the number of engine modes to 5 or fewer to which again, the pit wall are not allowed to advise the driver what to use. Other than the lack of soundtrack I think that the current engines are very relevant to road going engine tech, so I would keep those, but open things back up to a choice of V6-T, V8, V10, V12 type like it was in the 80s and 90s. I like DRS as I believe that F1 cars have to be the pinnacle of aero tech. Unfortunately, we've now got too good at aero! I don't like tyre wars though, unless there are more than 2 competing tyres. The Indy debacle is still too fresh in the memory.

 

There are I'm sure many issues with those proposals, but it would bring back some of the humanity to the sport which has sadly been lost in the past few seasons.

[Lord Sterling]

Mrs_Sterling's visa application has been rejected. How quaint...

 

So, last month, in early November, I made a Visa application for Mrs_Sterling to come over to the UK and join me. I do everything by the book, pay for the Visa, register at thier "partners" TLSContact and make an appointment for her to attend. Meanwhile back here in the UK, I get all the papers she needs and get them sent over. Soon the day of the interview rolls around and off she goes, accompanied by my cousin and his wife (who is her sister)

 

This is where problem No. 1 arises; She gets to the door only to be told she cannot enter as she needs to pay a fee, a fee? What fucking fee? I paid for everything already. Seemingly I did not pay fully for the 'premium service' I selected, however, they were willing to waver the fee if she comes back in a few days time, but to do this, I'd have to change the interview date. So, I log into TLSContact to see what the deal is, password and username carefully typed in...nowt... Ok, forget that, I'll try Visa4UK, again, carefully type in username and password...nowt...again...

 

I had this before during the first aborted application, coming back to find that the passwords on TLSContact, Visa4UK and the email I was using had been completely changed disabling access. How quaint...

 

I managed eventually to get into both sites using the 'forgotten password' facility only to find that the Visa application form that I'd filled out, saved and submitted was *missing* gone. Now is states on thier site that a visa application form, even if submitted will stay on thier site for 2 years or summat. Hmmm, I wonder who has been messing around because it certainly isn't me...

 

We were almost at a stalemate, but thankfully I had sent Mrs_Sterling some money before so she had just enough to cover the entrance fee. Interview was taken, her passport was taken and then it was just a matter of waiting...

 

A week later I get 3 emails, stating that a decision has been made and that her passport was ready for collection. Today we find out that our masters have rejected her application. Twats.

 

Fuck them. I'll bring her over here. If they want to stop me, they'll have to kill me.

[anonymous user]

Crappy music, try listening to Heart all day.

Tomorrow, to mark the 1st of December they're are going to have a full hour of "All your favourite Christmas songs".

If it was all my favourite Christmas songs it would be a very quiet hour

[MarvinsMom]

i know how to fix formula 1.

 

leave the current driver safety items in place, cos we don't want to watch people die like in olden days and also abs, but nearly all the other things, launch control, shit loads of buttons on the steering wheels, automatic gearboxes and the wing things opening and closing houle be binned off.

 

then it is more about the drivers and whatever the car is underneath them rather than whoever has managed to do the best compoiooter programming.

 

when the drivers are required to change their own gears without blowing up the engine, getting away without jump starting and then perhaps some of the shine will return.

 

however none of this will ever happen as long as it remains bernie eccles-cakes personal money making show.

 

also i heard the first xmas record on the wireless today, friggin' john friggin' lennon "happy shitting christmas" its only the first of december too....

 

humbug!!

 

humbug i say!!

[Lacquer Peel]

Mrs_Sterling's visa application has been rejected. How quaint...

 

So, last month, in early November, I make a Visa application for Mrs_Sterling to come over to the UK and join me. I do everything by the book, pay for the Visa, register at thier "partners" TLSContact and make an appointment for her to attend. Meanwhile back here in the UK, I get all the papers she needs and get them sent over. Soon the day comes around and off she goes, accompanied by my cousin and his wife (who is her sister)

 

This is where problem 1 arises; She gets to the door only to be told she cannot enter as she needs to pay a fee, a fee? What fucking fee? I pad for everything. Seemingly I did not pay fully for the 'premium service' I selected, however, they were willing to waver the fee if she comes back in a few days time, but to do this, I'd have to change the date. So, I log into TLSContact to see whatbthe deal is, password and username carefully typed in...nowt... Ok, forget that, I'll try Visa4Uk, carefully type in username and password...nowt...again...

 

I had this before durimg the first aborted application, coming back to it to find that the passwords on TLSContact, Visa4uk and the email I was using had been completely changed. How quaint...

 

I managed eventually to get into both sites using the 'forgotten password' facility only to fimd that the Visa application form that I'd filled out, saved and submitted was *missing* gone. Now is states on thier site that a visa application form, even if submitted will stay on thier site for 2 years or summat. Hmmm, I wonder who has been messing around because it certainly isn't me...

 

Were almost at a stalemate, but thankfully I had sent Mrs_Sterling some money before so she had just enough to cover the entrance fee. Interview was taken, her passport was taken and then it was just a matter of waiting...

 

A week later I get 3 emails, stating that a decision has been made and that her passport was ready for collection. Today we find out that our masters have rejected her application. Twats.

 

Fuck them, I'll bring her over here, if they want to stop me, they can kill me.

 

Could you both move somewhere less strict? I know you have links with Belgium and France, but that's not very helpful at the moment either.

[Lord Sterling]

Could you both move somewhere less strict? I know you have links with Belgium and France, but that's not very helpful at the moment either.

 

Thanks fella. It's certainly something I've considered, but I've landed in quite a great place plus moving to those places for me is very difficult and expensive. There are ways of getting her here but it's just making those links, everyone I seem to ask for advice seem uninterested and the pressure, certainly from her family, is building.

 

I'll find a way.

[chaseracer]

Mrs_Sterling's visa application has been rejected. How quaint...

 

Fuck them, I'll bring her over here, if they want to stop me, they can kill me.

 

And we'll help you - in any way possible.

[Timewaster]

I think F1 should throw the rule book away.

 

Teams should have to adhere to engine capacity, fuel use and overall size limits then be allowed to do whatever they want.

 

Back to mad ideas like 6 wheel Tyrells, fan cars and spoilers on 6ft struts.

 

A proper whacky races line up every other Sunday

[richardmorris]

Do they give you grounds for rejection?

[Lord Sterling]

Do they give you grounds for rejection?

 

Not from what I can make out. I am writing to them to ask them why. I'm certain of this; They'll either ignore my request or come back with some unarguable reason as to why they have rejected it.

 

Ma has said go Schengen Visa route (I used to live in Belgium) but I fear this is going to take too long, lady is getting desperate and those she is staying with are getting a bit fed up, they only other place for her is to go back to Syria.

[chaseracer]

Ma may well have a point...

[Lord Sterling]

True. But it looks like Lady_S won't wait. She is going back to Syria. She can't stay where she is.

 

Grim.

 

I will bring her here though, eventually, for myself and her, but also to kick one in the face of the Government/Immigration and anti-Immigration wasters.

[Inspector Morose]

According to SWMBO (CAB, innit) it's probably to do with your income I'm afraid. It seems to be taken that no matter what guarantees are given, if the figures don't show, visa says no. (She doesn't specialise in immigration matters, just a generalist adviser but gets to see these things every now and again).

[Lord Sterling]

According to SWMBO (CAB, innit) it's probably to do with your income I'm afraid. It seems to be taken that no matter what guarantees are given, if the figures don't show, visa says no. (She doesn't specialise in immigration matters, just a generalist adviser but gets to see these things every now and again).

 

They never asked me for my income though, I was bringing her on a general visitors Visa. Marriage Visa requires that I earn over £18k but visitors Visa doesn't require me to earn any income.

 

I think it was just a knee-jerk reaction. She is Syrian and that's probably enough for rejection (unofficially)

[Inspector Morose]

Ah yes, visitors visa doesn't require income. Give me a few days to see what I can find.

[cort1977]

Sorry to hear this Mo, I read that they set an arbitrary income for spouses of visa applicants of 18600 a year after tax which is roughly half the population.

 

 Edit, just saw your response.   That's just shit.  

[cobblers]

Wank motorfactor parts. 

Daily Ibiza had a lazy stat, worked OK but settled 25c too low at 63c meaning shitty heaters and hopefully lower MPG. VW gauges lie and claim anything 60+ is 90 so I needed diagnostics to find this out, by accident.

The main dealers had the YTS lad on the phone who didn't know how to check what was in stock so just said "3 days shipping" for everything but I wanted to get the job done that morning.

Instead I went to the local massive warehouse motorfactors place. I like to try and support them because they are 400 meters away, but they don't make it easy. I asked them for the absolute best quality thermostat they had. Bearing in mind they have football pitch sized warehouse, The "best" thermostat they had in stock was made by Firstline. I've had Firstline stuff before and it's really only any good for garages to get people out of the door quickly. I bought dozens of things made by them and can't remember anything lasting more than a few thousand miles. I even looked at it and thought "that looks shit" then spent 2.5 hours fitting it (Alternator is in the way of the housing, but the alternator can't come out without removing throttle body. It was cold and windy and wank)

 

Now the car will eventually warm up, but it keeps on warming up. Up to 105c if I let it idle for 10 minutes! I drive 6 miles to work and it'll reach 53c in that time, almost enough for me to feel my fingers. I might as well have replaced it for a tin lid with a nail hole in it.

[Clanger]

They never asked me for my income though, I was bringing her on a general visitors Visa. Marriage Visa requires that I earn over £18k but visitors Visa doesn't require me to earn any income.

 

I think it was just a knee-jerk reaction. She is Syrian and that's probably enough for rejection (unofficially)

I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing the best* that the immigration bureaucracy has to offer.

 

I would suggest that you limit your discussion on what is essentially a public forum.  While it is unlikely that anything you say here will come back to bite you in the arse the only way to guarantee it never becomes a problem is not to air these matters on the internet.  I mean no disrespect, to you, or to anyone here, but I cannot tell you how often I have had a client that is faced with comments they made on social media - often said in jest and seemingly innocuous at the time - your hair would turn grey if you saw just how the powers that be are able to take these things out of context.

[Inspector Morose]

True clanger, true words. I think this is the level that details have to stop at. Anything else can be made by PM ( well, okay, I'll pop over when I've got any more info.)

 

Free speech is something to be upheld at all times but when it's a comrades happiness and wellbeing at stake then discretion is the better option.

[RobT]

Work are asking for voluntary redundancies, again. Workforce needs to be cut by a quarter apparently, but this time they are offering an enhanced deal, so I'm wondering whether to take it on the basis that any future offer will never be this good.

 

My working conditions are shit, and job pretty dull overall, but the thought of applying for new jobs makes me shudder a bit. Inertia and a big mortgage to pay have stopped me leaving in the past. As is always the way, without such commitments I'd have sacked the fucking job off years ago!

 

I try not to get bothered by such things normally, and it may turn out a positive in the end, but shite shenanigans and Daimler fixage may have to go on hold for a while. That's the bit that REALLY annoys me!

 

Edit: actually, no. Shite stuff will continue, I'll just save money by eating and drinking less...