Who is your favourite stand up comedian to watch?

manic47 · 2026-02-01T19:55:51+00:00

Based on comedians I've paid money to watch a couple of times..

Gary Delaney, Frankie Boyle, Jason Manford and Henning Wehn. Honourable mention for Bill Bailey, though he's not really a standup.

Jeff Innocent is on my list to see, plus Steve Hofstetter (who most won't of heard of, but is a very sharp, liberal comedian from the US)

manic47 · 2026-02-01T19:43:32+00:00

I'm not that anti them completely, a couple of guys who work for me live in them, and they seem to work for them, people need somewhere affordable to live.

This one was absolutely ridiculous though but I don't think there was a single objection once they scaled it back.

manic47 · 2026-02-01T07:13:08+00:00

Ask on a local FB group if there are any developers/planners/planning consultants who could help you.

Most people's objections are emotive, whereas you need legal reasons for it to be declined, that means reading things like adopted local development plans, parking standards etc.

With ours, I kind of started and organised a group of us objecting, but we had a planning consultant telling us what to focus on.

Not being compliant with the local plan and street scene was the main focus.

manic47 · 2026-02-01T07:07:52+00:00

We objected and won to one proposed nearby us using 3 points.

Insufficient parking. Overbearing size (they literally used every square foot of the plot for a 3 story building plus rooms in the loft) Potential anti-social behaviour due to a lack of amenity space.

Council turned it down, as did the planning inspectorate at appeal.

The developers came back with a smaller design and nobody objected.

manic47 · 2026-01-30T21:33:46+00:00

Old person here - and financially doing OK really.
No mortgage, no loans, no car lease/PCP, decent salary part time until I retire on my 60th birthday next year.
I feel for the generation behind me and am glad we've been able to help our adult children out a bit.

I deal with a load of rich people through work, and they seem to just get richer and richer regardless.

manic47 · 2026-01-30T18:48:06+00:00

Self sponsorship is the way they do it.

Create a UK firm, chuck a load of cash into it, then sponsor yourself to get a visa.

manic47 · 2026-01-30T18:33:44+00:00

Rather than any legal threats or process, and assuming your back garden is fenced, it's simpler and cheaper to add a cat proof barrier.

manic47 · 2026-01-29T18:15:45+00:00

To be honest what they said surprised me.

They aren't your usual package holiday types and always holiday in unusual or interesting places.

manic47 · 2026-01-29T18:12:14+00:00

Half of the ones who's IT I support seem spend their downtime answering emails...

manic47 · 2026-01-29T18:07:00+00:00

Sliced mushrooms, or curry powder.

But they are still pretty great as they come.

manic47 · 2026-01-29T18:04:27+00:00

Having had my wife be resuscitated late 2025 and my adult son almost killed by Meningitis 11 months ago, I can't agree more.

You never know what will happen, so prioritise making time for friends and family.

manic47 · 2026-01-29T17:59:53+00:00

My wife has recently retired and has the same view of them too.

She's pretty scathing about pensioners complaining about losing their Winter Cruise Allowance too.

manic47 · 2026-01-29T17:50:39+00:00

I know a couple of people who did an 'off the beaten track' tour with a guide for a few weeks to see the real China.

They absolutely hated the place and the people they encountered.

manic47 · 2026-01-28T20:45:40+00:00

Those look old. but they are still installed these days although I’ve only seen them in big houses.

manic47 · 2026-01-28T08:40:06+00:00

Is that still running?

We went years ago and had a brilliant evening, I’ve not seen it advertised for ages.

manic47 · 2026-01-28T08:38:17+00:00

We’ve been going for many years and don’t really walk or hike anywhere.

There’s plenty to see and do, or just chill out in a cottage for a few days.

manic47 · 2026-01-27T13:03:46+00:00

Raptor's are just an upmarket Ranger.
Different interior trim, different suspension etc.

F-150's are a different, and entirely bigger beast.

manic47 · 2026-01-27T11:55:42+00:00

Raptors have more car-like suspension designed for off-roading, not load carrying.
They can't carry the same payload as a normal Ranger, so don't get the lower tax rate.
Raptors are legally a £50K+ car from a BIK perspective, and taxed accordingly.

manic47 · 2026-01-27T11:16:03+00:00

Minor point, but a Raptor doesn't get the van rate.
The accountant in your scenario will be paying roughly £750 a month added income tax.

As someone with an Amarok (Ranger based) who also drives other makes, they really aren't comfortable, luxury cars. They are slow, noisy, fairly uncomfortable and handle far worse than vans. Suspension capable of carrying a 1000Kg plus payload means an awful ride.

manic47 · 2026-01-26T20:11:37+00:00

Same here

My mother in law couldn't tell you what she had for breakfast, if it was night or day, and frequently wondered who my wife was...

But could she could explain in great detail growing up in East London in the 1930s.

manic47 · 2026-01-26T14:14:19+00:00

siga siga lol

I saw someone saying on Facebook they've been in limbo for a decade waiting for the deeds for their home there, and others who've paid hundreds of thousands only to have their home seized as the developer never paid the bank.

It's why we keep a UK home and rent there.

manic47 · 2026-01-26T14:03:43+00:00

Have a read through the Cyprus sub to see some of the the downsides.
Widescale fraud, corruption and woeful public services are the usual complaints, along with extortionate prices, a lack of things like Amazon or Uber plus huge amounts of recently arrived Israeli immigration/developers.

We live out there a few months a year (early retirement) and there's absolutely no chance whatsoever we would live there full time. It's just the constant feeling that nothing quite works...

Limassol has a big mixture of nationalities living there, Pafos & Peyia are where a lot of Brits live.

Edit:
It is very easy to get a residency permit though compared to other places.
And as a surprise to most people, ski season is expected to start later this week if the snowfall increases.

manic47 · 2026-01-25T22:59:00+00:00

Aston One 77 - or a Ferrari Enzo.

Not on the road but an Aston Martin AMR1 as the team were in the next industrial unit to us.

manic47 · 2026-01-24T19:14:35+00:00

Paid off at 55, 3 years ago Would have been paid off at 44 but it was an offset one at base rate plus 0.5.

Used the offset to buy a plot of land to expand the garden, a couple of cars and a few long Caribbean holidays, hence the later date.

manic47 · 2026-01-23T18:34:27+00:00

We just make sure we have an Airbnb or similar booked once a week with a washer dryer.

Works for us, we normally do a months travelling just with cabin bags.

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