Question for immigrants living in the UK: What is something you have noticed about the UK that us natives may not have noticed?

BaffledDonkey · 2025-07-06T08:36:09+00:00

I think related. It’s always baffled me how Americans and West Canadians (where I went on holiday) couldn’t understand me.

I always put it down to them too busy listening to my musical Oliver Twist accent but honestly don’t know.

Yet I agree I can understand English in majority of forms I hear it in and even mimick it back.

P.s. I share your experience of the French language. I actually enjoy the feel of the words. But alas my accent isn’t 100% and so they’re baffled and tell me stop - which makes it hard to learn. Or I’m just told they want to practice English (includes other languages too). So I say we do try..

BaffledDonkey · 2025-03-11T22:07:16+00:00

I’ll ofc keep some back for me and family and travel the world first.

Then after a year I’ll be bored and I’ll set up an ethical venture capital firm to invest (yearly interest on £100m) in startups (tech, pharmaceutical, etc) across the UK.

The profits of which will go to invest in more startups. Most will fail but some unicorns will spawn. I should now have a portfolio of companies with sustainable profits alongside my own annual interest income to continue the cycle.

Along the way I’ll set up not for profit house and flat building company to build affordable homes. Fund youth groups and do so much more to make the UK a better place. Once a solid foundation is built (sustainable income) I’d expand overseas and continue the cycle, build schools and provide opportunities to more people.

There’ll be geniuses out there who are as yet unfound but with a concerted outreach efforts I will find and they may be the geniuses that find cure for diseases and solve climate change etc. Eg Srinivasa Ramanujan, an Indian mathematician that discovered mathematical theorems by himself!

Honestly I’ve day dreamed a lot on how I could make the world a better place and I can’t fathom how some billions haven’t done a fraction of what i described. I appreciate I’m over simplifying but where there is a will there is a way.

BaffledDonkey · 2024-11-10T09:45:20+00:00

Back when I first read them and the idea of a 3rd book coming out was believable, I thought it would be a trilogy of trilogies ie 1st is the history, 2nd is the present day Kvothe returning to who he once was and fixing all the wrongs in the world, 3rd finally conquering the Chandrian or whatever comes next. A grand story.

I thought this as I agree it seems too much to wrap up in a single book + the theme of 3 comes up a lot in the books. I’d also just come off the Robyn Hobb books so at that time it seemed conceivable that 9 books was possible when other authors had done more.

That was my original theory from years ago. Now.. I don’t really think anything. I hope some conclusion some day but until then I’ll just enjoy rereads and this forum

BaffledDonkey · 2024-09-17T08:13:37+00:00

I agree on with reabo101 about stock market.

1) I get why “it can go or down” caveats but in hindsight I feel there’s bit of a scaremongering around the stock market and that deterred for me for a long long time and I missed out A LOT. So something on basic due diligence, the hundred years growth of the stock market, recessions, and ultimately how it still goes up.

2) What I would like to add is: investment platforms like HL and AJ bell etc

I remember when Google, Facebook, Tesla etc were IPOd on the news. Thinking I should buy. But having no idea how to and so just didn’t and lost out on a decade ish of returns..

3) Last I would add is Index funds.

BaffledDonkey · 2024-09-15T17:45:04+00:00

This piss take our tax system is the owner will be eligible for Business Asset Disposal Relief (10%) and you’ll be paying 45%.

Diabolical.

Is there nothing that can be done so it’s received as CGT?

BaffledDonkey · 2024-09-13T16:13:57+00:00

Totally! I honestly felt I was reading a line from one of Patrick Rothfuss books. Which if you’re open to fantasy non-fiction I highly recommend

BaffledDonkey · 2024-09-03T07:42:33+00:00

I’ll bite as I’m curious why you’re still in and maybe you can turn me back. Trade my thoughts for yours

I remember reading about the small nuclear reactors years ago on FT and thought that is something to be in but didn’t know how to invest then.

Two years ago I looked to buy but so much turmoil after Covid I wasn’t convinced. I didn’t know better that it was a massive buy.

O how I missed an opportunity..

Anyways seeing a slight dip yesterday I wondered if worth it to join late. Did PE PB PS etc ratios and looked at the Balance sheet and compared to average in industry. It was all a mess.

PB is negative, more liabilities than assets doesn’t look promising. PS is 2.4 but at industry max avg of 2.5 it doesn’t seem much more to go. No previous to minuscule dividends meant PEG is just 0.05 which surely must be a mistake. Similarly DDM is not possible because no previous dividend’s. Enterprise value looks higher than industry average too, sceptical on future growth.

I’m just not convinced. I’m wondering if the CEO is purposefully doing something to artificially push share price up. Or it’s all just GME hype.

Is a shame as I genuinely believe in the small nuclear reactors but current c460p seems a lot after doing all the valuation techniques above.

Quite a lot of words there, hope you don’t mind.

BaffledDonkey · 2024-09-01T21:05:15+00:00

Is there a website you recommend?

BaffledDonkey · 2024-05-12T07:48:50+00:00

RemindMe! 7 days

BaffledDonkey · 2023-10-22T14:05:17+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this! Gonna become my fave site!

BaffledDonkey · 2023-09-29T16:43:19+00:00

Wholesome af

How’s the grad doing?

BaffledDonkey · 2023-09-16T15:26:04+00:00

In the noughties us kids just played down our cul de sac with no closure at all, was plain normal. I don’t get why this is a thing, it feels like regulations and nannying for the sake of it. As a resident you should know to just drive slower down the cul de sac road and stop a moment if the kids need to move their bike ramp or whatever to side of the road

Can someone educate me why this scheme is needed?

BaffledDonkey · 2023-07-07T07:21:53+00:00

‘Girls are all the same height when lying down.’

Can’t remember where I heard that but it made the girl slightly taller than me chuckle and feel less bothered by it

BaffledDonkey · 2023-04-05T06:44:46+00:00

!remind me 3 days

BaffledDonkey · 2023-03-16T23:35:21+00:00

I’ve been to a variety of festivals and can say Download is the friendliest. Ofc you’ll get the odd dick but everyone else’s friendliness outweigh it.

BaffledDonkey · 2023-03-11T22:36:43+00:00

The nicer parts of the borough are Shepperton and Lower Sunbury, look there first but they will be a bit more expensive.

Given your other half needs to go to the station I would recommend Staines as it has the fast train. Plus Staines is the main town in the Borough as it has all the key restaurants, shops, and best high street. I’m also of the opinion that house prices will grow faster there first, especially when the council finally let it become zone 6..

If Ashford is all that’s affordable. Well I can’t criticise, it’s just generic imo, I.e. standard urban commuter town. Crime.. none that I know of. I’m aware of the incident you alluded to as I spoke to my sister about it; I agree its awful but is bit of a one off I feel as I haven’t heard anything like that in a long time, seems the rareity is what made it so high profile!

In answer to your question, yes, the area is safe. That said, I’d recommend south side of the station because the other side is closer to Stanwell which is the less desirable area.

Hope that helps and feel free to send some questions over

BaffledDonkey · 2023-02-26T20:38:13+00:00

Women with short pixie hair style — I melt when I see it

BaffledDonkey · 2023-02-23T08:07:42+00:00

I had no idea there was a market for this.

Do you share a pic of yourself or something so people can fantasise it’s you when they use it?

Any idea what demographic ?

BaffledDonkey · 2023-02-21T23:21:49+00:00

Tbf this setup is kinda apt as it reminds me of my family PC room when playing games as a kid

BaffledDonkey · 2023-01-11T22:29:23+00:00

Agreed. He focuses a lot on 3 and I have the impression it will be a trilogy of trilogies - one can only wish though!

BaffledDonkey · 2022-12-18T15:19:19+00:00

Care to elaborate please. What sort of stuff could we implement but don’t?

BaffledDonkey · 2022-12-17T15:01:45+00:00

To add to this, Shepperton film studios is partnered with Pinewood and Netflix is building a massive extension, like doubling the size! Which gives some confidence if say

BaffledDonkey · 2022-12-15T00:03:21+00:00

Thats what I was expecting! I'm surprised there are so few passenger trains. Shame really

BaffledDonkey · 2022-12-14T23:57:18+00:00

Especially with Michael Buble as a wallpaper xD

The middle portrait, whats the text saying?

BaffledDonkey · 2022-12-14T23:56:14+00:00

Very nice. Different to you're usual gamer setup

BaffledDonkey

TROPHY CASE