Nice people thread part 3- Nice as pie

vivatifosi

lemonjelly wrote: »

Especially for Viva, after reading of your recent experiences, and in honour of the "social consequences" thread etc, you simply HAVE to read this book:


It is funny, articulate, engaging, enlightening, and downright fascinating. It covers a lot about the financial crisis & consequences of 2008 onwards, plus a great deal of looking at human behaviour. The chapter on revenge, why we do it, and its implications for customer service is engrossing me at the moment.

I've started the book jelly and read the first three chapters. Have very much enjoyed so far, but I have to say that's not my thinking style. My answers so far have been: 1) chose the internet only version of the economist because its cheapest and sod the anchoring, 2) if someone asked me to listen to noises I didn't like I'd say "no thanks", 3) I wouldn't have allowed them to take my picture either (grouch...), 4) I tend not to buy big-ticket items unless I need them and then I just go to Which magazine and see what they recommend. Not sure I'm getting into the spirit of things, but its interesting to see how marketing adjusts to the psychology of people and how predictable it is.

The chapter that made me laugh though was the one on free. I have to tell you that I have been walking around in an indignant huff for the past two weeks because of Tesco and cheese price manipulation.... I went into my local Tesco and there were big signs saying xxx brand cheddar, buy 1 get 2 free! I was furious because the price of the cheese was 50% higher than comparables and wondered how many had seen through the great cheese swindle of 2011. People were piling the stuff in their trolleys and weren't looking at the price per kilo numbers. I wanted to shake them and tell them that while it was good value, it wasn't the bargain they thought, but I knew that someone had grabbed me recently and shaken me and its classed as assault so I desisted:o. Clearly I do need to get a life. That's before I've got to the chapter I'm looking forward to most - the one on social norms.

GDB2222

Davesnave wrote: »

But the main reason at least three of us live on farms/smallholdings is probably because we enjoy it, simple as that. It is both a pleasure and a privilege to have all this space, but there's a responsibility there too, which is why we share our land with a local farmer, who needs every half acre he can get to survive against the competition from the big boys.

I am sorry to be obtuse. I can see that you can enjoy a bit of gardening/growing things as a hobby, but that's possible in a large garden, and you don't need a farm for that. I guess, my question comes down to this: Why don't you share nearly all your land with the local farmer?

As I said, sorry if I'm being daft. Also, I'm feeling kind of sore. I got a gardener in to lop 5 feet off the top of our overgrown hedge, and I thought I'd shred the bits up myself. Only, the shredder I hired was far too small, and it's taken me a total of 10 hours to do. I'm normally deskbound, so I'm aching all over. I now have a pile of shredded up stuff four feet high, which will make excellent compost in maybe 10 years time. So, I'm wondering why people would go out and do this sort of thing in all weathers as a hobby?


Edit: And have you heard about the scarecrow that won a prize, because it was outstanding in its field?

michaels

I have suggested to Martin there should be a groceries target price article for all the products that are routinely priced at double their true value as they are on BOGOF or half price every few weeks. People could use it to know when and which store to buy their bulk supplies.

Couldn't you have just taken the trimmings to the tip?

lostinrates

GDB2222 wrote: »

Edit: And have you heard about the scarecrow that won a prize, because it was outstanding in its field?

:rotfl::rotfl:

We're not entering the scarecrow competiton because we couldn't agree what to make them wear and do for the appointed theme.

Why? well....why do you make clothes or why does PN do her new thing and IT stuff? It calls.

I like plants. I like that you can do everything right and nature still says.''tough''. I like that you can do everything wrong and nature will fight through. I like the smell of soil...yeah, I even like the smell of the animals. I like chatting to the layer of my breakfast egg and knowing its had a good life. I like making them happy and feeling less guilt. I like the colour green. I like the rain, and the weather. I like the space the peace, the quiet, the ability to make noise and not disturb people. I like mud. I like the seasons and feeling anamilistically part of them.

silvercar

I went into my local Tesco and there were big signs saying xxx brand cheddar, buy 1 get 2 free! I was furious because the price of the cheese was 50% higher than comparables and wondered how many had seen through the great cheese swindle of 2011

If you go on the grabbit board, there are Tesco addicts making hay on this sort of deal. Some sort of competition with Asda where Tesco have promised double the difference if Asda is cheaper. So this lot have sussed out every product going and are updating mammoth spreadsheets with the deals and getting their shopping for nothing! Not sure if your cheese is one of the deals, but the Tesco brigade are probably buying only one so that it would be more expensive than Asda and claiming back the difference. A real industry going on there!

vivatifosi

silvercar wrote: »

If you go on the grabbit board, there are Tesco addicts making hay on this sort of deal. Some sort of competition with Asda where Tesco have promised double the difference if Asda is cheaper. So this lot have sussed out every product going and are updating mammoth spreadsheets with the deals and getting their shopping for nothing! Not sure if your cheese is one of the deals, but the Tesco brigade are probably buying only one so that it would be more expensive than Asda and claiming back the difference. A real industry going on there!

Good heavens! And I thought I was the sad one!

I don't think the people I saw snapping up the cheese were the spreadsheet type, more the innumerate kind, which is sad.

I don't very often go to the Grabbit board as there isn't really very much I want to Grab. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are looking at it all at the same time when you look at the forum front page. Much more select over here;).

fc123

:wave:
Hi Pobby....your writing is very clear though......maybe come here and write some stuff down when you feel you can as it may unravel things a little. I have no experience on what you are going through but I am sure with a bit of med and support and so on you will be on the mend.

Don't sue the ex employer until you know how much it will cost you.....try to get someone to do no win/no fee...if they exist for your complaint...then with the added stress of the case plus you may get a pay off but end up giving most of it to the solicitor.


Ouch LIR sciatica...Oh had it once and it was agony...came for a week or 2 and went and never came back which was odd.

I can't remember saying 'letting go'' or what it was about ......what was I talking about last night?

My brain is addled today as had to get in @8am to get a couple of hours in before SAGE install and training.....then he went @ 5.30 and we had to try to fit the rest of the days work in an hour then.
Got it tomo too...and it's not as scary as I thought...all quite step by step. Actuallery, I am quite pleased with myself and SAGE /Excell/maths of any sort I have to work really hard on as they aren't really in my natural skill set. I frowned a lot today.

I'd love a small holding (with a sea view and very small )...there is road that goes from Bridport along the top of Chesil beach to Weymouth and there is a small farm surrounded by a copse type wood with land on one side...I would love to live there....mind you, not many things growing there as it is on a cliff......but us townies can but dream.:D

I guess you can do it as long as it doesn't lose money all the time but just breaks even...afterall, you live in the house and eat what you grow....just that rearing/ growing stuff is very hard work

fc123

lostinrates wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl:

We're not entering the scarecrow competiton because we couldn't agree what to make them wear and do for the appointed theme.

Why? well....why do you make clothes or why does PN do her new thing and IT stuff? It calls.

I like plants. I like that you can do everything right and nature still says.''tough''. I like that you can do everything wrong and nature will fight through. I like the smell of soil...yeah, I even like the smell of the animals. I like chatting to the layer of my breakfast egg and knowing its had a good life. I like making them happy and feeling less guilt. I like the colour green. I like the rain, and the weather. I like the space the peace, the quiet, the ability to make noise and not disturb people. I like mud. I like the seasons and feeling anamilistically part of them.

Love this post...will hold it in my head for tomo.

Nite all.

Doozergirl

michaels wrote: »

Firstly, I thanked this one...

I was thiking I could put a free standing bath along a 6 foot wall as if it were an alcove - bath size about 1800x800 with a wall-mounted tap in the middle.

Then in one other corner a shower screen walk in shower, then on the wall under the window a wall hung toilet and on the last wall a wall hung basin and the door. Possible in 2400x1800?

Free standing bath and wall mounted taps won't really mix. You'll have to wedge it against the wall which defeats the object and if you try and shoehorn it in, you will struggle with even being able to clean the floor around it. A old fashioned, small, slipper bath might fit the space (but it would be a v small bath) otherwise free-standing baths take up a lot more space than a normal one.

I am definitely taking pictures of the kids' bathroom later this week for another reason so I will post. It's 180*225cm and I can't even get a shower into it, let alone a shower and freestanding bath.

A shower and bath in the same room won't add any more value than just a nice one of either. If you want both, then I have to suggest either a bigger room or a stylish L-shaped showerbath, you do get nice ones with shower screen made especially for them and have totally different plumbing for the bath (taps) and shower (shower) which makes it more hotel-like. Not a P shape, like silver car said with curvy showers, they don't save any more space outside yet provide less inside.

silvercar

This is the bathroom I was trying to describe. If you look in the mirror in the picture you can see what is on the near wall.

http://img228.imageshack.us/i/rise12.jpg/