Christmas lecture

[The Natural Philosopher]

IIRC they all do .

They just charge a fiver. But that is less than driving to the supermarket and back anyway.

[The Natural Philosopher]

And the cost and the size and the weight and the environmental impact and the safety and the capacity...

When you optimise that lot you come down to two forms. Hydrocarbon fuel and nuclear fuel.

[tim...]

because in the early days it had to be commercially subsidised to get people to install lines

a phone "network" with no-one to call is useless.

the fact that it all got paid back later didn't stop it initially needing a subsidy

I didn't say it was a government subsidy

tim

[Chris Hogg]

We have Tesco deliveries for groceries, weekly. Only £2 if you pick the appropriate day and time, which isn't difficult if you're retired, and a £4 surcharge if orders are under £40 in value, which ours seldom are. Saves time, saves money. What's not to like?

[The Natural Philosopher]

No, it didn't.

That's called 'invetsement'. Not 'subsidy'

It never needed a subsidy.

oh FFS now you want to make any valid investment by a private company or individuals a 'subsidy'

I've never heard so my weaselling in my life.

Subsidy:

1.a sum of money granted by the *government or a public body* to assist an industry or business so that the price of a commodity or service may remain low or competitive.

1. a sum of money granted to support an arts organization or other undertaking held to be in the public interest.

Nowhere is a subsidy a capital investment by private individuals that has to be repaid, called a 'subsidy'.

[Terry Casey]

But so were Eric Laithwaite's lectures in the 60s although, today, elfin safety might have something to say about firing iron and copper arrows at a target painted on a large sheet of expanded polystyrene or hauling a group of kids up a staircase using a linear motor on a temporary track ...

[tim...]

I bet they don't pick through for the best

tomatoes apples freshest bread longest dated eggs etc etc etc

so I have to go to the supermarket to buy that for myself anyway

so I might as well pick up the rest whilst I am there

(AIH the supermarket is a bad example as I do, in fact, have choice of supermarkets that I can walk to - its other product classes that are problematic, and as an example to stay OT - diy goods)

tim

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If retired and not housebound, isn't doing the shopping just part of getting out generally?

[Richard]

OK dim...wit, is it possible or not? I don't give a toss whether the delivery is free or not.

[Chris Hogg]

Both what you and Tim.. say may be true, although I have no problem with the freshness of what's delivered, and living out in the country means you don't have the same need to 'get out' as you might have living in a town or city, but the discussion was about whether you could cope in the country without a car, which you can, as TNP says.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

My guess is they do the exact reverse. Unload everything as close to the sell by date as possible. And then there's the 'substitute' thing.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I said it too. Of course you can live anywhere without a car. People did so for thousands of years.

[Richard]

[snip]

Good grief! You are embarrassing.

[tim...]

but 1000 years ago everything that you could possibly need was within walking distance

tim

.

[tim...]

As I don't use them (for the reason stated elsewhere), I had genuinely got the impression from casual observation that they wouldn't deliver at all if you didn't make some minimum spend.

If it is, in fact, a spend for free delivery, I am quite happy to be corrected, but not to be insulted

tim

>

[tim...]

oh, is my shirt hanging out or summat?

tim

[Richard]

So you lied. Not very bright to use such a blatant lie. Now, please explain where I allegedly insulted you.

[The Natural Philosopher]

As people could walk up to 100km in a week...

[Tim Streater]

If they do that, and the stuff is not really useable, then whinge and get a refund. Usually works IOE at least with Sainsbury.

You can specify "no substitutes".

[mechanic]

And there were deliveries of milk and bread and there were village shops.