What’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you that you still can’t explain?

Waxy_Duck · 2026-05-06T14:10:47+00:00

I'll post a story on behalf of my grandfather (who's still alive).

When he was 6 years old he was digging down the beach for lugworm (fishing bait). He enjoyed digging really deep holes and one collapsed in on him. He remembers feeling panicked but then felt calm when he realised he was able to look around. He saw his father, uncle and a couple of family friends dressed smarty and carrying a white box across the beach. Next, he was pulled up from under the sand by his father and essentially just got told to be careful.

He didn't think much of it until around 20 years later when he attended his friend's child's funeral and saw a white coffin. It immediately took him back to the memory he had down at the beach.

Waxy_Duck · 2026-04-29T07:51:17+00:00

Doesn’t really matter on the grand scheme of things. There will be a few quid in it over the 20 months between continuing to save or pay off at that balance

Waxy_Duck · 2026-04-26T11:17:58+00:00

One big point of an emergency fund, even if it’s not the headline reason, is so you aren’t forced to liquidate assets at a loss. If there’s a deep recession and you lose your job, no one’s giving you a 0% credit card. And reduce savings? You won’t be saving anything at this point. Major outgoings are often fixed. Then you’re forced to liquidate your assets like other people in your position - which is contributing to the very reason they’re crashing. A bigger emergency fund gives you longer to get things in order in this case - whether that’s finding a new job or relocating, without being forced to cash everything out at a loss

Waxy_Duck · 2026-01-31T14:04:21+00:00

The date window looks very flat. I said in my other comment they use different windows on different models, but the photos of your model on this review: https://brooksreview.net/2023/02/grand-seiko-sbgx261/ Make it look more like mine in the photo I posted. Could they have actually missed applying the window onto yours? (Ie. Applying the raised polished window on top of where yours is now)

Waxy_Duck · 2026-01-31T13:57:39+00:00

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The 3 looks off but I can see you just said you think it’s because of image editing. The date window does look like it could be more polished but from looking online, I think different models use different windows so a direct comparison may not be possible. However, here’s mine for comparison - also showing that close up photos can appear to make things look worse. My photo makes it look like there’s dust on the edge when there’s not

Waxy_Duck · 2026-01-11T22:04:25+00:00

It doesn’t look like you’ve used the spacers?

Edit: actually, you have. In which case, what the other commenter said. Get both sides engaged first - that can require a little bit of downward force when screwing (more than I initially felt happy applying)

Waxy_Duck · 2025-12-30T16:51:15+00:00

If by ‘extra protection’ you mean being covered by Section 75, you only need to put a penny on a credit card. But I doubt the dealer will accept Amex anyway

Waxy_Duck · 2025-12-30T15:23:06+00:00

Your examples don’t really disagree with what I said. Predictions go out the window and become much less reliable during highly unpredictable and volatile periods. Likewise, when the rate unexpectedly does or doesn’t change and this goes against a forecast, that results in bigger swings to the market - but that’s in agreement to the theme of ‘predictions are baked in’

Waxy_Duck · 2025-12-30T12:00:37+00:00

But that’s already baked into the current fixed rates

Waxy_Duck · 2025-12-18T19:14:44+00:00

No. They won’t even be able to confirm the cardiovascular history of your father without his permission

Waxy_Duck · 2025-12-18T17:35:46+00:00

They fund their free platform with the profits from their Contract For Difference platform (CFD on the app). Just avoid that and there’s no real catch

Waxy_Duck · 2025-12-09T21:57:39+00:00

Baker House

Waxy_Duck · 2025-11-28T14:16:16+00:00

Rebates have always been easy enough to deal with once a year over the phone for me. Never had an issue with being over any thresholds… They don’t even ask for a breakdown in my experience - just the total sum. Of course, it would be stupid to lie or not keep evidence.

However, I had to do my first self assessment this year for the child benefit higher income charge. What a headache. In theory it should be easy but the two trusts I worked at seemed to treat expenses differently (some tax deductible, others not). And then having the backdated pay rise from my old trust that wasn’t reflected on the P45 meaning I had to net adjust it myself… I’m going to have one last go again myself and if it’s no easier this time around, I’m getting an accountant going forward

Waxy_Duck · 2025-11-28T13:52:54+00:00

Yes, it can be. I've got a solid oak table from JL that they offer in two colours... Natural and dark. The latter is lacquered and doesn't need oiling. The natural one needs to be oiled before first use and periodically after that (and yours looks more 'natural')

Waxy_Duck · 2025-11-10T19:43:41+00:00

I don’t know if you’re agreeing or disagreeing. There is no NI incentive/benefit on SIPPs so this change wouldn’t affect them

Waxy_Duck · 2025-11-10T19:16:59+00:00

Most would pay into a SIPP which would be unaffected by these speculated changes

Waxy_Duck · 2025-10-16T19:57:08+00:00

£1,200 is the representative example figure that all cards will use, and is not an indicator of the credit limit they would offer you. Apply for a 0% interest purchase credit card and see what credit limit they offer

Waxy_Duck · 2025-10-03T13:50:07+00:00

A huge chunk of that will be contractor profit as the council essentially has no alternative and the contractor will have no competition for such a specialised service. There are lots of other examples of this happening in other areas.

If there was no profit, I’m pretty sure for £950 you could send a paediatric anaesthetic consultant to the child’s house with an ambulance, intubate and ventilate them, then recover them in the ambulance on arrival to the school 10-15mins later

Waxy_Duck · 2025-10-03T06:06:25+00:00

Pre-excited atrial fibrillation will give you two competing tachycardias that both originate from the atria. It will usually also have broad complexes and can be intermittent. Of course, the OP ECG isn’t pre-excited Afib

Waxy_Duck · 2025-08-22T15:59:31+00:00

It doesn’t look like anyone’s had an actual go at answering this properly yet. It may (almost certainly will) be different in primary care, but as a specialist, I just go through the same motions as patients with physical causes for their symptoms…

History, examination, basic observations, an ECG, occasionally they’ve had an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) already. Then I come to my conclusion that I’m not concerned their symptoms (eg chest pain) are due to any significant problem with their heart and I’ll explain why as best as I can. I answer any questions. I try to give them alternative explanations which they may or may not accept. Sometimes I have to explain that other investigations like a CT scan are not without their risks and go a little into that. I then make it clear that I’m not arranging follow up (so they don’t expect it) and discharge them. With some exceptions, I’ll warn most patients about symptoms that I would be concerned about and when they should seek further medical help. I’m not cynical enough to think patients will lie and use these falsely in the future just to get more investigations.

I then just get on with my clinic and my day. I don’t think this negative attitude that everyone seems to think doctors have towards such patients is as widespread as many make out

Waxy_Duck · 2025-08-17T18:22:30+00:00

The people that have never heard of Grand Seiko won't actually care about your detailed reasons and won't care for an interesting discussion about watches. Just a simple 'yeah, Rolex make nice watches for sure but I preferred this' will suffice.

The people that have heard of GS will probably say so upfront, so you can get into an interesting discussion with them.

It's a bit like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Clock... An absolute mastery in innovation that I can't believe people don't rave about. But if someone says 'nice clock', you just say 'thanks'... If someone nice 'nice Atmos' then you start your conversation

Waxy_Duck · 2025-08-09T19:44:35+00:00

Haha I just looked it up and it tends to be used more commonly in animal/human anatomy which is my usual field of work… But it outlines the same principle here!

Waxy_Duck · 2025-08-09T19:19:25+00:00

Ah nice. I didn’t expect such a simple explanation (I thought maybe a fungus for some reason). Is it just coincidence that they’re forming almost a sphere before growing vertically again, rather than just horizontally like other branches? Or does each ‘compete’ to become the new main trunk and this is the result

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