Paul

By tablet I mean the pluggy in type, not the twice a day to keep the joints from creaking. Jamie was bought a tablet for Christmas which unfortunately got damaged when he lent it to a cousin. I replaced it with a refurbished model from a well known on line auction site which after a few weeks use stopped charging. So I bit the bullet went to a well known local supermarket and bough him a new one. Three months down the line the same has happened. It's dead. We know it is not the charger as we have tested it on something else. Is he doing something wrong? It has only ever been charged with the original charger, usage is limited in line with school advice, he isn't allowed to walk around with it or take it to his bedroom, but still it has simply stopped charging. Any suggestions? This one is on it's way back to Tesco (other Supermarkets are available), but I am reluctant to buy him another, perish the thought he may get landed with one of those old fashioned lap top thingys.

I find most things in Oulton Broad are a little slow to respond, especially the locals.....

We have considered syndicate many times, but never taken the plunge. We pretty much gave up on the idea when Jamie was born 7 years ago. We looked at two options, managed boats such as Evening Shadow and self managed like Ranworth Breeze. If we were to consider syndicate ownership again I would want to look at self managed syndicates. Management companies take a heavy fee for their services. That's just my preference of course, others are very happy to pay a management company in order to be able to leave things such as booking winter overhauls, major repairs etc to them. You pays your money and make your choice. I would want to be very clear on what the annual fee covers, they list it on the website but dig, dig, dig. What does "adjustment" mean? Does the winter maintenance include any contingency? If so what is the current level of contingency? If the engine were to need replacement is there money to cover that, or would the owners be asked for a top up? What is the policy on maintenance, upgrade, refurbishment? Is that the owners decision or the management company's? Does the management company earn commission on works undertaken from the contractor? Ask, ask, ask. What are the rules on boat usage, must the share owner be on board during their weeks, or can they loan there weeks to family and friends. Some people would see being able to as a benefit, others would be concerned that the boat might not be handled or cared for as they would expect if another owners neighbours dog walkers sister was using it. I think I fall in to that category. Talk to as many other owners as you can, if they are happy that must be a good sign. I know you are not buying the boat outright, but I would want to see some kind of condition report. Of course, the other approach is to view the boat, decide if you like it, decide if you are happy with what you are expected to pay, do you see it as good value? If so, does anything else matter?

Please beware that there are a series of emails doing the rounds suggesting you are due a tax refund. They look very convincing. Mine arrived this morning and as I am expecting a tax refund I might have fallen for it, but for the fact that I realised that it was not sent to the email address I have registered with HMRC, and that the UTR, a tax code given to self employed people for self assessment was not correct. Another giveaway,looking again is that the HMRC links at the bottom of the email don't work. Please be on your guard!

And of course there is also the shop in Loddon,

The next thing, I'm led to believe will be flexible phones made from a sheet of plastic. Bend them, roll them up. I suppose it will be useful for when I sit down forgetting my phone is in my back pocket. Never found one yet that could withstand the impact of my backside.

Graham was there the last time we went, they run a very handy little campsite just around the corner, though that was a couple of years ago.

If you don't mind the journey Sutton Garden Centre (as the name suggests, in Sutton) is excellent. Run by real plantsmen.

Nail squarely hit. Anywhere that wants to attract custom has to be attractive. I doubt that building ever could be. The bulldozer is perhaps the only option.

Before he chooses to criticize this error in person, I would stress that the member in question spells his name Paladin, no "e". I believe a paladin is an officer of a Palace or other such place, whereas Paladine is a fictional character in some fantasy fiction series of novels and games. He is a God, apparently, more so he is a good God, a kind of leader of the Gods. Sorry, just having a Bernard Woolley moment.

Didn't they print high water times, rather than low?

Autoglym cabriolet rood cleaning kit is very good. Works on all fabrics including canvas and is recommended for boat canopies. Reproofs too.

I'm not sure that a comparison with the River Commissioners is particularly pertinent as they were different authorities, with different responsibilities. The Broads Authority have wider responsibilities and are charged with looking after more than simply navigation such as fostering the social and economic benefits of the area as a whole. On that basis these signs (which I have not seen by the way) are not unreasonable. I accept your point, the Broads are under funded, but then so are our roads, so is the NHS, so are our schools, our police force etc, etc, etc. The reason they are underfunded is two fold. Years of tax cuts by successive governments of both political persuasions in order to buy popularity with a gullible electorate means we do not, as a populace pay enough to maintain the services we expect, and far too much of that money which we do pay is wasted. That much is not Dr Packman's fault. Just because the navigation is underfunded should not mean other areas of the authority's responsibility can be neglected. Why the navigation is underfunded is a matter for criticism, the waste which Peter refers to above in the charade of musical offices is all but criminal, but that is a different argument, one which is worth fighting. The fact remains that the use of the words "National Park" have been allowed for use in circumstances such as this, and so I fail to see where there is an argument here. Don't misunderstand me, I am no fan of the Authority and certainly not of it's Chief Executive about whom I concur, largely, with the opinions of many who have been so vociferous on this thread. The danger is, and this is my opinion only of course, that if you create argument or objection where there should be none then people stop listening to you. Then, when it really matters, when you have a really valid and important point to make your audience consists only of those few who shout alongside you.

No, it's all in Suffolk, though visitors from furrin lands 'cross river are always welcome.

When you arrive at Leicester Station, which is, for those who have not used it, built below ground level, a dark and somewhat forbidding place you are greeted by signs saying "Welcome to Leicester". They tell you a little about the city which really has a lot going for it, and not just Richard III. They were paid for by the city council. That's fair. They are seen not only by those alighting at Leicester, but by those passing through, bored nobodies sitting on a train taking the opportunity to "enjoy" a different view for the minute or two the train sits at the station. Maybe one or two of those bored nobodies might be tempted to visit Leicester and see what a great city it is, maybe not. Either way they convey a message of welcome to a city which is indeed very welcoming. If you haven't been, then come and see for yourself. So the Authority decide to erect similar signs at Beccles, Beelzebub Incarnate is suddenly vilified for wanting to make visitors to this lovely Suffolk market town feel welcome, or to promote it's charm to those passing through. The sheer cheek of spending the odd iota of authority funding on something that isn't dredging or mooring solicits howls of indignation from the pack of slavering hounds intent on tearing him limb from limb. The audacity of using the "N and P" words, which had, or so I thought been approved some long while ago for advertising / promotional use? This thread suggests two things, to me at least. Firstly, that the broads, or those who inhabit or use it regularly doesn't wish to be welcoming, it doesn't want "outsiders", this is our playground, you go and find your own. That's not far from the feeling on the ground in recent years, especially around northern rivers. It is the reason we don't visit anymore, we keep our excursions southern based. There at least a sense of the old broads, and old broads welcoming attitude still remains. And secondly, well I always feel that the louder you have to shout, or think you have to shout, the weaker your argument. Take a long hard look at yourselves. Some of you are positively screaming.

Could be in trouble if that happens with your sat-nav

I've got to 61 unaided, but I too must admit that some have been guesses based on what I see with no idea who the band in question are. On that basis I doubt I'll spend too much time chasing any more.

did I read that right, 1500 quid for a week in May, surely that's two weeks? By comparison, Pacific Cruisers Diamond is 850 all in for that same week. We were on board her a few weeks ago and she is virtually as new.

Had this happened twelve months ago then I would have had a bit of a punt on Perez, however things are different now because of the notable changes to the technical regulations for next year. Usually, a major change in spec means a change in the dominant team. Last time around we saw the switch from Red Bull to Mercedes and who can tell what will happen next year? We might even get a situation where no one team is dominant - we can only hope. With their first priority being the manufacturers title I think Mercedes will want someone they can rely on to score consistent points. They are unlikely to prize Vettel from Ferrari so there next target, for me at least would be Alonso. He's under contract but that is no major problem nowadays and there seems little love lost between him and McLaren who have just replaced Alonso's old mate Ron Dennis. Failing that they might look at either Red Bull driver or even as an outside bet a recently retired Englishman might be a good candidate for a one year contract, and he has a fond liking for Mercedes.

I'm not a Chris Evans fan, and said so before the latest series of Top Gear aired. I wasn't looking forward to it and didn't enjoy it. But .... respect Mr Evans. He didn't want to do it, was "persuaded" by BBC top brass, tried it, didn't pull it off and was big enough to admit so and walk away. Quite who could present Top Gear in the current format I'm not sure. The BBC should have completely changed to format to suit the presenters they had, rather than try and turn Chris Evans into a miniature Jeremy Clarkson. Loved Grand Tour, three people doing what they are good at.

I'm in the market for a new torch for work, It needs to be quite powerful, has to pick out house numbers often from a distance (I work as a multi drop delivery driver). In brief what I am looking for is something like a Lenser but for Energiser money. any recommendations?

Is that still Britain, I lose track. Have they not voted to be new model Europeans yet?

I've looked at shares many times Alan, and would have done it years ago I just can't fit around work and school right now. Still only twenty years of the former and 13 years of the latter to go!

btw, we moored alongside RB at Loddon last Thursday, she's a magnificent boat. One day ....

Some may, but very very few would see the 140+ days out on the network that the average hire boat does. Neither are they refilled every week with new tenants each bringing their holiday cash with them. Vaughan makes a very valid point about the commercial impact of private boats.