The Children's Off Topic Thread

[Mervyn and Trish]

Grey clouds here, maybe I should consider moving to Maldon.

That's given Stephen a nasty shock. He'll need therapy now.

[Stephen]

Just back from therapy. The bill is in the post John

[Mervyn and Trish]

I hope you've addressed it to his new apartment in Essex.

[Stephen]

Can’t, the postman won’t go up that high

[Stephen]

Moby and Foxy, just out of interest, what’s going on with the post count. It seems we the regulars are all posting frequently to keep the forum going but the post count hardly ever changes. If the count doesn’t represent the posts then what is the point of having it and the rankings.


The amount of real posts I’ve made I should be a first sea lord by now and running Carnival

[Mervyn and Trish]

If I remember the games posts don't get counted. If they did you'd be Queen. Some say.......

[oldbluefox]

Merv's right. Games posts don't count. You only get points if you post something sensible like wot me and Mob do

[Stephen]

I see. .

[Happydays]

Oh well that's me out

[Manoverboard]

Merv's right. Games posts don't count. You only get points if you post something sensible like wot me and Mob do

It's been that way since 2017 ... just saying

[towny44]

What I want to know is how Stephen has twice as many posts as I do, I demand a recount and a compo form.

[Mervyn and Trish]

What I want to know is how Stephen has twice as many posts as I do, I demand a recount and a compo form.

It's because of his thousands of insightful, knowledgeable and helpful posts in the serious topics.

And the bung he gave the gaffer.

[Stephen]

What I want to know is how Stephen has twice as many posts as I do, I demand a recount and a compo form.

It's because of his thousands of insightful, knowledgeable and helpful posts in the serious topics.

And the bung he gave the gaffer. Gobby

[Stephen]

What I want to know is how Stephen has twice as many posts as I do, I demand a recount and a compo form.

Compo forms are £1 each plus p&p

[towny44]

Returning to an age old computer printer ink topic.
My Epson printer has been sending me a pop up message for 2 weeks now, saying my black ink is empty and do I want to switch to using other colours to continue printing.
I normally have done this and then quickly changed the cartridge, however I have been saying no for 2 weeks and my prints are still pin sharp, no sign that the black ink is failing at all.
Just one more scam from the printer manufacturers to entice us to change cartridges far too soon.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Cars work on the same principle as printer ink.

The centre part of the instrument cluster in Trish's Fiat 500 has failed. So we've lost the fuel gauge, the temperature gauge, the mileage, the clock, the trip computer and the arrows that advise you when to change gear.

The concentric circles outside that, the tacho, the speedo and the warning lights round the edge are all okay, but the word is that once the rot starts it spreads. And it's apparently a very common fault.

So we need it to be replaced. And guess what? It's all one sealed unit and it costs around £700 to do it. That's about 5% of the cars cost new and 25% of its value now.

And it isn't even an intelligent component. All the actual wizardry is in the car's central computer. It's just a display module. You can get a 40" plus HD Smart TV for half the price.

There are firms that reckon they can fix it, but you have to remove it yourself and post it with cash up front, and then have the car off the road until it comes back. You can't even get your local garage to do the job, as we do most things, because the unit has to be paired to the car and only Fiat main dealers have the right tech to do it.

So just like printers they flog cars on tight margins because it is competitive and then make their money on spares.

The only thing I'll say for it is the car is 8 years old and it's the first thing it's cost us beyond routine maintenance. Other than when this same component failed before but it was still under warranty then.

[Stephen]

Two options, fix it and then get rid, or get rid and accept the loss.

[Manoverboard]

Wheeler Dealers could fix it ... just saying.

[Stephen]

Wheeler Dealers could fix it ... just saying.

I doubt it unless they have the expensive technical equipment that the main dealer would have.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Two options, fix it and then get rid, or get rid and accept the loss.

I'm going for option 3. Fix it and cheer myself up with a good whinge.

[Stephen]

Two options, fix it and then get rid, or get rid and accept the loss.

I'm going for option 3. Fix it and cheer myself up with a good whinge.

Poor Trish

[Jan Rosser]

Just been to give blood - nice request from Welsh blood service asking me to donate some of my “priority blood group” in other words dead common - that’s why they want it Had my cuppa and a biscuit - going to rest now

[Stephen]

I done the same Jan, but only a test portion. I don’t like to over do it

[Bensham33]

What colour was it?

[Mervyn and Trish]

I couldn't give an armful