First they came for lightbulbs

[tim...]

because foreign banksters (and their wives) like to live in London

Frankfurt and Zurich just don't have the "pull"

tim

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They do. Because it's a cosmopolitan city. Exactly why the little Englanders on here hate it so much. As well as it being rather left wing, of course. If they get their way and change England back into some fortress where only white UK born are welcome, you'll be left with only UK controlled industry and financial services. Ie, near zero.

Not since they are on level terms with London, all being in the EU. But if England pulls out, you can guarantee things will stay the same?

Put it this way. You are in charge of a multinational company with a head office in a country you've chosen as being the best for your business. That country then makes a major change in its relationship with a large part of your market. Would you be happy to just continue as is - or would you review your options?

[Capitol]

Well Boeing have just done so!

[Adrian]

Not quite so simple. They've announced an intention to move their European HQ from Brussels to the UK.

And you can bet that's as much in the expectation that the tax status quo won't change much post-brexit (if it happens) as anything else.

If the political economy changes markedly, just watch that decision peter out.

[The Natural Philosopher]

If the political economy changes markedly, just watch that decision being copied by many other multinationals.

All it takes is a favourable tax regime - think Liechtenstein.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Swizerland might as well be in the EU as regards the reasons the majority of BREXITS give for wanting to leave it.

[dennis]

So you are an uninsured driver.

And you are a tax evader.

[The Natural Philosopher]

No. It passes the MOT. That's what its required.

No. Why would that affect tax?

[tabbypurr]

I'm surprised no-one's said it. Put the element in a glass envelope so it requires less power to keep it radiating. Then mostly enclose the bread space so it loses less heat.

But of course it's political games driving the desire. If there were a visible worthwhile upside to such designs, would someone not offer them at some point?

NT

[tabbypurr]

The MGB: show it a corner and it'll show you a ditch. As they used to say all fur coat and no knickers.

NT

[tabbypurr]

Yes, we all need one of those new fangled kettles that boils the amount of water you put in it from your mugs. I think they call them jug kettles.

The whole topic is a bit nuts really. Let people buy what power they want, maybe mandate a sticker for those that get upset over it taking 3kW for 2 m inutes versus 2kW for 3m. But to legislate such things really shows how los t the EU legislature is. Societies have real problems, kettle power is not one of them. Nor toaster, vacuum cleaner, etc.

NT

[tabbypurr]

The problem with much of these is that limits are being mandated, sometimes with no upside but significant cost. It's bad law making. There's no point fitting a smart CH pump that costs £100 more to buy and will save ? ?100 over its lifetime, but only if it reaches old age, and that so-calle d saving is largely wiped out in practice by it contributing to the heat in the primary circuit. IOW the saving is less than the upfront cost increase .

A more mature approach to such matters would be to mandate information labe ls so buyers can compare.

NT

[tabbypurr]

That popular guess/assumption is how they get away with charging £60 f or a toaster. Having experienced a selection from argos value to dualit I f ound they're all so-so except the dualit, which was excellent. If you're no t getting a dualit you may just as well get a value job.

NT

[Bob Eager]

You should have tried an MGC circa 1969. Even worse. Far too front heavy.

[Adrian]

Do go on...

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well on being challenged, he ran away.

[Martin Barclay]

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Another weird BMC product. That boat anchor of an engine made it little faster than the MGB and ruined the handling. Bit like the Austin 3 litre versus the 1800.

[Bob Eager]

And they had to put a bulge in the bonnet for a carb. I suppose that made it look 'go faster'.

I was involved the pre-delivery service on one. Normally we de-waxed (protective wax from factory) using steam, but it was a convertible so we did it by hand. It was also tricky because the delivery drive had pranged a wing. Our job was to get it into a state where the body shop could fix it (I'm sure it was without the customer's knowledge) before delivery. Said customer was a local brewery boss (I forget which one).

My boss on the car cleaning was a nice guy called 'Tom' Thomsett - he had a yound actress daughter named Sally.

[Theo]

At work, we have a rather nice one-cup kettle:

You fill the reservoir with water like any kettle. When you want to boil it, you set a dial to the size of your mug (you learn that rapidly) and press a button. It boils just enough water and dispenses it into your mug which is placed underneath the spout. It takes about 30 seconds to do that.

Not only is that quicker than boiling a kettle, and wastes no water, it also takes one of the steps out of teamaking away. Place mug with teabag under the kettle, press the button, go and do something else for a couple of minutes, come back and your tea is ready brewed. You don't have to wait for both the kettle to boil, pour it, and then wait for the tea to brew. The tea it makes is as good as any other kettle, and no boiling water is wasted. (Especially if you're of the opinion that previously-boiled water should not be reused for tea).

Not only is it quicker than boiling a kettle for one, it's about the same speed as boiling a kettle for multiple people - just feed it mugs every 30 seconds or so. It is, though, a bit more annoying to use with a teapot (the size dial doesn't go large enough).

While it is a 3kW appliance it isn't the wattage that matters - again it's what you do with it.

Theo